 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
172. Good Rule Is Out of Remembrance
[L]ord, what is thys world wele!
Rychesse, reule, and ryche Aray,
Alday to spende and not to spele,
Wel sone were-it and wastyth away.
Whan plente may no longer pay
What wyghte wole wythe hym Abyde?
A drede-ful man, bothe nyghte and day,
Wyth heuye hert hys hede must hyde.
Rychesse, reule, and ryche Aray,
Alday to spende and not to spele,
Wel sone were-it and wastyth away.
Whan plente may no longer pay
What wyghte wole wythe hym Abyde?
A drede-ful man, bothe nyghte and day,
Wyth heuye hert hys hede must hyde.
Al is for defaute of grace
That god grucchyth oure gouernaunce;
Whan mesure may not medyl in place
Good reule is oute of remembraunce.
What is to man mor greuaunce
Than sodeynly fro manhode falle?
In pride is sympyl preueaunce
Ther pouerte is steward of halle.
That god grucchyth oure gouernaunce;
Whan mesure may not medyl in place
Good reule is oute of remembraunce.
What is to man mor greuaunce
Than sodeynly fro manhode falle?
In pride is sympyl preueaunce
Ther pouerte is steward of halle.
264
But who that can in somer sesoun
Gader or grype or þat he grynde,
In wyntour tyme by wey of resoun
Shuld not be ferre be-hynde.
ffor þer þat mesure is in mynde
Good reule may not longe fayle;
it is no crafte to be to kynde,
ffor scoryng on þe countre-tayle.
Gader or grype or þat he grynde,
In wyntour tyme by wey of resoun
Shuld not be ferre be-hynde.
ffor þer þat mesure is in mynde
Good reule may not longe fayle;
it is no crafte to be to kynde,
ffor scoryng on þe countre-tayle.
But wele and worshyp with welfare,
Moche waste and lytyl wynne,
Wel sone bryngyth an housold bare
Wyth large spendyng wyth-outen and inne.
Thanne be a-vysed or þu be-gynne
That þu haue no nede to pleyne;
Se what estate þu stonde inne
for pouerte is a preuy peyne.
Moche waste and lytyl wynne,
Wel sone bryngyth an housold bare
Wyth large spendyng wyth-outen and inne.
Thanne be a-vysed or þu be-gynne
That þu haue no nede to pleyne;
Se what estate þu stonde inne
for pouerte is a preuy peyne.
Thogh þu haue helpe and hope of truste
Of lordys and ladyes wyth þer plesaunce,
Yet be ware of had-I-wyste,
for envy makyth new dystaunce.
In pryde and pouerte is gret penaunce
And yet is daunger most dysese;
Þer is commorus enquentaunce
Wen neyþer of them may odyr plese.
Of lordys and ladyes wyth þer plesaunce,
Yet be ware of had-I-wyste,
for envy makyth new dystaunce.
In pryde and pouerte is gret penaunce
And yet is daunger most dysese;
Þer is commorus enquentaunce
Wen neyþer of them may odyr plese.
But had-I-wyst comyth euer to late
Whan þer lackyth bothe lok and ky;
What nede is it to spare the yate,
þer no thyng is lefte in the wey?
Wyth a penylese purse to pley,
lete se, who can þe pepyl plese;
Summe man had as lef dey,
As longe to lyue in suche dysese.
Whan þer lackyth bothe lok and ky;
What nede is it to spare the yate,
þer no thyng is lefte in the wey?
Wyth a penylese purse to pley,
lete se, who can þe pepyl plese;
Summe man had as lef dey,
As longe to lyue in suche dysese.
265
A bare berde wyl sone be shaue
Þer no here is lefte Aboute;
I mene be hym that myche wold haue
And is not ellys but pore and proude,
But redy to ryot in euery route,
To ley to wedde bothe potte and panne.
Whan the fere is clene blowen oute
Where shal we go dyne thanne?
Þer no here is lefte Aboute;
I mene be hym that myche wold haue
And is not ellys but pore and proude,
But redy to ryot in euery route,
To ley to wedde bothe potte and panne.
Whan the fere is clene blowen oute
Where shal we go dyne thanne?
What nede is it to delue depe
Whan þer is no sede to sowe?
Þe pot is esy for to kepe
Þer þe fatte is ouer-blowe.
neþer for the kyte nor for the crowe,
Encombyr not þyn owne neste;
To myche bende wyl breke the bowe,
Whan þe game is alþer beste.
Whan þer is no sede to sowe?
Þe pot is esy for to kepe
Þer þe fatte is ouer-blowe.
neþer for the kyte nor for the crowe,
Encombyr not þyn owne neste;
To myche bende wyl breke the bowe,
Whan þe game is alþer beste.
Ensample men may se alday—
Yet kepe I no man de-fame—
Hye housold and grete aray
ys lordys lyf and ladyis game;
Whan gladness growyth into grame
And thanne for nede begge and borowe,
Þer pryde is be-fore and after shame,
ffro solace into sodeyne sorowe.
Yet kepe I no man de-fame—
Hye housold and grete aray
ys lordys lyf and ladyis game;
Whan gladness growyth into grame
And thanne for nede begge and borowe,
Þer pryde is be-fore and after shame,
ffro solace into sodeyne sorowe.
And that is hevy for to here
Of hym alwey that man hath be,
And may no lenger make good chere.
By my trouth, it is gret pite!
Yet shuld worshyp know and se
And help hevy herte at nede,
Lest he falle in þat same degre
For happis is euer worse than drede.
Of hym alwey that man hath be,
And may no lenger make good chere.
By my trouth, it is gret pite!
Yet shuld worshyp know and se
And help hevy herte at nede,
Lest he falle in þat same degre
For happis is euer worse than drede.
266
He that is bothe chek and mate
It is ful heuy to restore;
Whan al is go it is to late
To weshe and wepe after more.
Than be Avysed well before,
That the fyrst draughte be weel drawe,
for whan the game is lore
þy part is not worthe an hawe.
It is ful heuy to restore;
Whan al is go it is to late
To weshe and wepe after more.
Than be Avysed well before,
That the fyrst draughte be weel drawe,
for whan the game is lore
þy part is not worthe an hawe.
Now he that worshyp wol haue
And leue after hys degre,
In manhod his state to saue
God graunte hym here prosperite!
Plesaunce, pouer & plente,
Wythe al honest ordinaunce,
Þis wolle seruice you bothe and me,
To be ensample of good gouernaunce.
And leue after hys degre,
In manhod his state to saue
God graunte hym here prosperite!
Plesaunce, pouer & plente,
Wythe al honest ordinaunce,
Þis wolle seruice you bothe and me,
To be ensample of good gouernaunce.
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |