 | [Poems from the Vernon MS] |  |
Þe seuen vertues of god.
Aftur scha[l]tou wite wȝuche ben
Þe seuen vertuwes vppon to sen,
Þat is to wite: ffeiþ, hope, and loue,
Qweyntise, Rihtfulnes a-boue,
Temperaunce, and strengþe mest.
Of O Matere ben þeos two hest
And þe seue vertuwes in presens,
Saue þis is þe differens:
Þe seuen vertuwes vppon to sen,
Þat is to wite: ffeiþ, hope, and loue,
Qweyntise, Rihtfulnes a-boue,
Temperaunce, and strengþe mest.
Of O Matere ben þeos two hest
And þe seue vertuwes in presens,
Saue þis is þe differens:
Þe ten hestes techeþ hou þou schalt do,
Þe seuen vertuwes techeþ þe matere also.
Þe seuen vertuwes techeþ þe matere also.
Þe ffurste þreo þat ben aboue,
Is to wite, ffeiþ, Hope, and Loue,
Þise þreo, þei ordeyne hou þou schalt
Touward god liue þat al walt;
And þis oþere her-aftur seuene
Teche þe to knowe þe wey to heuene.
Is to wite, ffeiþ, Hope, and Loue,
244
Touward god liue þat al walt;
And þis oþere her-aftur seuene
Teche þe to knowe þe wey to heuene.
Ȝe wite wel, my leue ffrende,
Alle beo we formed to on ende:
Þat is to seye, god to knowe,
Him to loue and honoure we owe.
Bote þreo þinges, ar we wende,
Beon nedful to come to vre ende:
And þenne is þis þat on
To wite whodur we schulle gon;
Þat oþur, þat we ben willi
To gon in trust ful treweli;
And þenne is þe þridde þinge:
To haue trust of wel goinge—
Alle beo we formed to on ende:
Þat is to seye, god to knowe,
Him to loue and honoure we owe.
Bote þreo þinges, ar we wende,
Beon nedful to come to vre ende:
And þenne is þis þat on
To wite whodur we schulle gon;
Þat oþur, þat we ben willi
To gon in trust ful treweli;
And þenne is þe þridde þinge:
To haue trust of wel goinge—
Gret folye hit were to fo or ffrende
To bi-ginne þing he may not ende.
A Mon þat wol wel do þer-tille,
Moste ha miht, Connyng, and wille,
Þat is to say þus ȝow to:
Þat he con, Mai, and wol [wel] do.
But for we haue not vs ner
Of vr-self Miht, Wit, ne pouwer,
Þerfore haþ god ȝiuen vs tille
ffeiþ, alle þise to folfille.
ffeiþ ordeyneþ vs to god þe sone,
To whom is a-propred wisdam in wone;
Hope ordeyneþ vs to þe ffadur riht,
To whom is a-propred Miht;
Loue to þe Holigost doþ vs dresse,
To whom is a-propred alle goodnesse.
And þerfore of god wiþ-outen lesynge
ffeiþ doþ vs to haue knowynge;
And þat knowynge of god wiþ mood
Ȝiueþ vs frely and largeli of his good:
And out of þat godnesse is i-crope
And comeþ to vs þenne hope;
Of þat knowyng, I vndurstod,
Þer he seiþ vs þat he is good,
Þer-of comeþ feir aboue
Þe þridde vertue þat is loue,
ffor vch a þing, Resun whi,
Schal loue þe goode kuyndeli.
To bi-ginne þing he may not ende.
A Mon þat wol wel do þer-tille,
Moste ha miht, Connyng, and wille,
Þat is to say þus ȝow to:
Þat he con, Mai, and wol [wel] do.
But for we haue not vs ner
Of vr-self Miht, Wit, ne pouwer,
Þerfore haþ god ȝiuen vs tille
ffeiþ, alle þise to folfille.
ffeiþ ordeyneþ vs to god þe sone,
To whom is a-propred wisdam in wone;
Hope ordeyneþ vs to þe ffadur riht,
To whom is a-propred Miht;
Loue to þe Holigost doþ vs dresse,
To whom is a-propred alle goodnesse.
And þerfore of god wiþ-outen lesynge
ffeiþ doþ vs to haue knowynge;
And þat knowynge of god wiþ mood
Ȝiueþ vs frely and largeli of his good:
And out of þat godnesse is i-crope
And comeþ to vs þenne hope;
Of þat knowyng, I vndurstod,
Þer he seiþ vs þat he is good,
245
Þe þridde vertue þat is loue,
ffor vch a þing, Resun whi,
Schal loue þe goode kuyndeli.
| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | |