University of Virginia Library

[XLIX. Prouerbes of diuerse profetes and of poetes and of oþur seyntes.]

Cher amys, receuez de moy
Vn ben present ke vous enuoy,
Nunpas de or ne de Argent,
Mes de bon enseignement;
Ki en escripture ai troue
E de latin translate
En comun langage pur amis
Ke de clergie ne ount a-pris.
Trestut est sen e verite
Ke issi trouereȝ en Romaunce.
Ki ben len entent e souent list,
Prou en auera e delist;
Dount cely seit de dieu benet
Ki sa entente bien i mest.

Dauid.

Þe wyse mon in his bok haþ þis seying
Þat þe biginnyng of good liuyng
Ouer alle þing is God to drede
And him to worschupe wiþ al vr spede.

Salomon.

Isayas.

In trauayle set bodi and herte i-fere
Godes word ay wel to here;
ffor þorw word lernen wit men,
And be wit Men kepen hem þen.

Salamon.

Ȝif þou hate to be repreyuet auht,
Schalt þou neuer be wel I-tauht;
Bettre is chidyng of a soþ seyere
Þen deceyuyng of a losyngere.

Ieremias.

Ȝif þou hast don aȝeyn god auis
And after defendest hit I-wis,
God is more greuet of þat defendyng
Þen of þe furste sungyng.

Iacob.

Ofte to churche loke þow sterte
And prei þer to god wiþ al þin herte;
Þe ȝate of heuene I haue herd hit cald,
Be þe wȝuche in to heuene entre þou schalt.

Salamon.

Tobias.

Ȝif þou haue luytel, luitel ȝiue and do;
Ȝif þou haue muchel, muche ȝiue also;
Ȝif þou haue nouȝt, muche þou schalt ȝiue
And þi wille be to ȝiue ȝif þou were I-þriue.

Raphael.

Hit is good to don almes-dede,
ffor twei godes ben ordeynt to þi mede:
On is of þi sunnes remission,
Þat toþur euer-lastinge lyf to þi gerdon.

Seneca.

Hit is euel to ben auerous,
Tweyn euel þingus þerfore ben ordeynt to vs:
Long record of þat malice,
And horible peyne for suche vice.

Seneca.

Loke þou doute more þi concience
Þen oþer mennes presence;
Þin oune concience maiȝt þou not skap,
Oþur mennes presence þou maiȝt in hap.

Seneca.

Vse þe to do priueliche
As þou wolt do to-fore men openliche,
Or elles paraunter þe may askap
Word or dede or sum mis hap.

Seneca.

Put þe not to ferforþ, I rede now,
To greue him þat is mihtyore þen þow;
Hit nis not worþ an old Botoun
An eorþene pot to fihte wiþ a Caudroun.

Serafyn.

Drauȝ vppon þe no specialte
Of Mon þat is of gret dignite;
Þi feire presentes he wole receue,
Ȝif þou ȝiue nouȝt he wole þe greue,
Ȝif þou waxe pore he wol skorne þe—
Wayte of him neuere oþer bounte.

Salomon.

Of þi neiȝebor þat neiȝ is to þe
Be þou tendre and haue him in cherte;
ffor bettre is a neiȝebore neiȝe
Þen a broþur fer fro þin eiȝe.

Seneca.

ffor-ȝete þou neuere out of þi mynde
A benfet don of þi frende;
In herte loke þou holde stedefast
Þe benfet þat þou ones hast.

Serafyn.

Ȝif in þin herte falle a þouȝt,
To hasti loke þat þou be nouȝt
To do oþer speke þin entent,
Til þou haue take good auysement.

Seneca.

Prei not þi frend to bisilye
Of þing þat þou woldes him denye;
Ne denye þou not þat is asked þe,
Ȝif hit be couenable asked to be.

Seneca.

Hose haþ muche and nul not ȝiue,
Ouȝt to aske he nis not þriue;
In his askyng he geteþ hountage
Þat to non oþur wole do auauntage.

Seneca.

ffreo he is to do men riht
Þat ȝift ne present takeþ of no wiht;
He þat ȝiftes [takeþ] wiþ-outen decert,
His freodam he sulleþ & leoseþ apert.

Salomon.

Whon þou lenest þi þing, tak hede of þis
To whom þou lenest and what he is;
Such mon to-fore scheweþ him þi frende,
Þat schal be þin enemy at þe ende;
Whon he receyueþ he wol cusse þin honde,
Whon he schulde paie he wol cal þe cherl bonde;
He wol þe ȝelde for þi gode dede
ffoul repreyuynge to þi mede.

Seneca.

Such a frend þou miht haue sikerli
Þat þou were bettre haue an enemy;
Þat on of þi moneye haþ hede ne cure,
Þat oþur naþ wiþ hym no mesure
To Borwe of þe ne of ofte comyng
Ne to soiourne at his likyng.
Such frendschupe þe greue schal more parde
Þen þat oþeres enemiȝte.

Samuel.

He is vuel worþi Cloþ or bord
Þat may not suffre a luytel word
Of his lord þat he serueþ to,
Whon for such a word leoseþ neuur þe mo.

Serafyn.

Schewe not þin herte outerliche
To þi seruaunt. for-whi lihtliche
To-day he is wiþ þe, to-morwe he flit;
Þat tofore wuste but on, þen moni schul wit.

Seneca.

Ȝif þou blame luitel or muche
ffor þi counseil is outet openliche,
Blame þou maiȝt þin oune herte wel,
Þat couþe not hele þin oune counseil.

Salomon.

An arwe in an houndes buttoke
And counseil in a foles herte istoke
A-cordeþ wel, for nouþur makeþ soiourning;
Þorw mouþ þei passen wiþ-outen restreyning.

Iob.

Ȝif þou here eni accusacioun
Of eni of þy peple in feld or toun,
Enquere furst þerof þe verite
Or þou þerfore in herte greue þe.

Augustinu[s].

Ofte hit falleþ þat mony good ded
Wiþ euel-siggers is ouer-torned;
Hose leeueþ vche monnes seying,
Whon oþur lauȝwhen, he schal make murning.

Ieremias.

Ȝif þou lese curtesye and bounte
To falle in foul schame hit bi-houeþ þe;
Good schame, holynesse, & curtesye
As Breþuren ben sworen, witterlye.

Seneca.

In foul maner he askeþ a louwaunce
Þat of his ȝifte makeþ bobaunce;
Hose ȝiueþ a ȝift to a good man,
I-nouh he takeþ wiþ-oute reward þan.

Ipocras.

A wrecche forsoþe me may hym cal
Þat pleyneþ him and haþ i-nouȝ at al;
ffor þouȝ al þe world were only his,
He wolde seie he hedde nouȝt, i-wis.

Serafyn.

Leef neuer þin enemi, ho-so hit be,
Of no þing þat he spekeþ to þe;
Whon he þe makeþ fe[i]rest spekyng
Þen drede þou most his dedes suwyng.

Seneca.

Ȝif þou caste þe good mon to be,
ffrom euel custom euer drawe þe;
ffor bi wone of vuel doyng
Vuel tecches turneþ in to plesyng;
And whon þing pleseþ þe þat þou scholdest hat,
Better þe hedde ben to-fore forsaken þat.

Salomon.

Hit is a wel honeste vileynye
In chydyng to be ouercomen, sikerlye,
But hit is a vileyn curtesye
Þerof to bere a-wey þe maystrie.

Seneca.

Ȝif þat þou chyde þi soget,
Hit is to þe vileynye gret;
Wiþ þi felawe ȝif þou chyde,
Discencion þou schalt make þat tyde;
And ȝif þou chyde þi souereyn,
Men mow seye þou art wod, certeyn.

Serafyn.

Loke þou euere be of feir chere,
Lauhwe not to muche as nyce of geere;
Þe fol is knowen bi his lauhwhing,
And þe wyse bi his sad beryng.

Seneca.

Ȝif a fol speke to þe vilenye,
Þen is þe beste remedye
ffor to forȝete alle-maner wreche
Of þe folyes of his speche;
ffor ȝif þou woldest hit putte to soþing
Þat he seyde ouur niȝt vppon þe morwening,
Þou miȝtest procure wiþ such prouyng
To þi-self newe schamyng.

Ecclesiastes.

Better is a quik and an hol hounde
Þen a ded lyon liggyng on grounde,
And better is pouert wiþ godnes
Þen richesse wiþ wikkednes.

Salomon.

Bettre is potage wiþ-outen oþur mes
Wiþ charite and good[e] pes,
Þen mony delyces wiþ chydyng—
Þis is þe wyse monnes seying.

Ecclesiastes.

Bettre hit were a ded mon to se
Þen a feste of gret noblete;
Þat on presenteþ þi laste dawe,
Þat oþer þe makeþ to folye drawe.

Seneca.

Hit is wisdam to putte in forȝetyng
Þing þat is lost wiþ-outen rekeueryng,
And to suffre not grucchinde
Þing þat þou maiȝt not amende.

Ruben.

ffoles playnen hem of here astat,
Þat þei ben greuet and al mat;
Hit to chaunge þei wene be wel,
After is a-nuy eueridel.

Ecclesiastes.

Þat in him-self haþ eny chalaunge,
Hit nul not profyte ofte to chaunge;
Amende þi lyf & profyte hit wole wel,
ffor in eueri place þen þou mayȝt dwel.

Serafyn.

As longe as þou mayȝt holde in honde,
Dismette þe nouȝt of þi londe
To ben oþur mennes vnderlyng;
Hit is better hit be in þin owne kepyng
Þen to ben in his daunger
Whom þou were wont bidde go fer or ner.

Seneca.

ffor loue ne nouþer for honour
Mak not þin heir þin executour,
Ne mak þin heir no ficiscian,
In hope to liue euer hol man.

Sampson.

Ȝif þow þenke a wyf to take,
Of ferre cuntre wommon forsake;
An vnknowen to take anon-riht
Is nouȝt to Aferme at þe furste siht.

Salomon.

Ȝif þou haue a feir wyf
And wolt þat heo be trewe of lyf,
Repreue hire for no Cumpaygnye
Of no mon for gelesye;
Him to loue so þou maiȝt make hire bolde
On whom to-fore heo nolde be-holde.

Syrac.

Ȝif þi child be not a-fert,
Ȝif him i-nouh of þe ȝerd;
Þou schalt him so make a good mon
Wiþ-outen brekynge of eny bon.

Syrak.

Schewh þou nouȝt to muchel specialte
To þi douȝter, ȝif heo vn-maried be,
Leste heo waxe to bold of face
Vuel to do in hope of grace.

Salomon.

Ȝif þi douhter falle in mis-doyng,
Þen holdest þou lost al þi spendyng;
A good dede þerfore hit were
Be tyme for to marie hire.

Seneca.

Ȝif þou be wont drynke muche wiþ-alle,
In to gret seknesse þou maiȝt falle;
Þou maiȝt wyte þin oune hond þen
Þe hardnesse of þi ficiscien.

Syrac.

Ȝif þat neihȝebors to-gedere chyde
And þat þing touche not þe þat tyde,
Loke þou make þe no partye
Wiþ on ne oþur for heore folye;
ffor cuntek comeþ to acord,
And þenne scholdestou be at discord
Wiþ on or oþur and haue repreue
Of him par cas þat mihte þe greue.

Syrac.

Loke þou haue nouȝt to gret affyaunce
In feire wordes and in cuntinaunce;
Such mon parauntre profreþ þe to kis
Þat in herte ha[te]þe þe, I-wis.

Seneca.

Ȝif þou falle in aduersite,
Þou schal fynde and wite, parde,
Of whom þou wendest a frend haue had,
Þen wole to þe be enemy sad.

Salomo

Hard hit were to mon him kepe or asterte
ffrom al þing þat is aȝeynes his herte;
Be þou nouȝt þerfore to redy
Þi counseyl to schewe openly.

Syrac.

Mony mon falleþ in gret damage
ffor of his speche he is outrage,
His owne tonge he may hit wyte
Þat driueþ him to such dispyte.

Iacobus.

Þe tonge is noryce of alle blame
And mony mon putteþ in vuel fame;
Of al eueles hit is queene & ladi
And fordoþ boþe soule and bodi.

Seneca.

Ȝif twey wordes neuer hedde be mad,
Eueri mon good pes miȝt ha had;
Myn and þyn, heore eiþer word
Bi-twene mony men makeþ discord.

Azaryas.

Ȝif þou be in cumpaignye
Wher vche mon haþ his baylye,
Maugre of hem be not so nyce
To entremete þe of heore offyce.

Ieronimus.

To gete þe maugre wiþ-outen prou,
A wood mon I-holde be schaltou;
Ȝif þou maiȝt not geten boþe at on res,
Þe wyse mon biddeþ þe holde þi pes.

Ihesus cristus.

Ȝif eny mon haþ þe misdo,
And a-noþur haue greued him also:
Þerof ȝif þou be proud and fayn,
God wol þe meke, in certayn.

Saulus.

Þenk euere, god cleymeþ þe his to be,
And þat for loue he visyteþ þe,
Whon he þe seendeþ eny greuaunce,
Elleswher hit is to haue alleggaunce.

Ihesus cristus.

Eueriday ha þou in herte dredyng
Leste god þe dampne at þe endyng
Ȝif þow haue al þe world at wille
Wiþ-oute wiþ-stondyng loud or stille.

Iudyth.

Siþen þeos seyntes ben passed euerichon
Out of þis world wiþ tribulacion,
Þou, þat art a sinful man,
Wenest þow wiþ-outen to passen þan?

Nabugodonosor.

Þe more þou peynest þe wel to do,
Þe strengor werre þe fend meueþ þe to;
But in a-saut men wite not wel-neih
Ho falleþ doun, ho clymbeþ an heih.

Laban.

Whose him wiþ-draweþ from vanite
And ȝiueþ him-self to bounte,
Euel men him wole edwyt,
But to god he schal be þe more parfyt.

Seneca.

In good tyme he was boren, I-wis,
Þat preisable is and not preised is;
Þe lasse he takeþ her of honour,
Þe more parfyt is at þe chef doctour.

Ihesus.

He is called corsed verreyliche
Þat euel is and preised is muche;
Of such worschupe comeþ hountage,
And also spekyng of gret damage.

Olyua.

Þe mon þat haþ i-nouh to his liuyng
And delyuered is of gret chargyng,
Wonder hit is he wole forsake
His rest, & to monnes seruyse him take.

Ficus.

Hit is merueyle of þe cloysterer,
Þat so gret swetnesse may fynde þer,
Þat desyreþ outward prelacye
Þe whuche his swete lyf mai distruye.
He þat is lest worþ most wole desyre
Of prelacye, to ben a syre;
No þing he þenkeþ to good profyt,
But honour of þe world is his delyt.

Amalek.

Be þe ledyng a mon may knowe, i-wis,
Of what tecches his leder is;
Þe wyse mon draweþ to him þe wyse,
And þe wilful mon to mon of his gyse.

Seneca.

He þat pleyeþ best at þe des,
Preyseþ faste þe hondes of hasarderes;
Þe more sotil he is of þat art,
Þe more he stont on euel part.

Seneca.

He þat saueþ a schrewe from schame,
To gode men he scheweþ blame;
Whon þe þef passeþ quyt a-way,
Þe trewe mon haþ schome, what-euer men sai.

Seneca.

He may saue moneye and gete
Þat wol be curteys of his mete;
After gret spendyng he may wayt
Þat of mete & drink is to strayt.

Ionas.

Hose ledeþ his lyf in sinne
And of euel dedes wol not blinne,
Godes merci he askeþ in veyn,
But he forsake his synne, certeyn.

Syrak.

Loke to visyte þat þou be smert
Þe seke folk wiþ gode hert;
Þerfore þou maiȝt be þe more parfyt
In þe loue of Ihesu crist.

Salomon.

Wiþ-outen counseil do no gret þing;
Aftur þat dede þou schal haue good knowing
Þat gode counseyl dude þe profyte,
Wiþ-outen whuche þou scholdest had lyte.

Ecclesiastes.

Ȝif þou herest speke a bacbitour,
Contenaunce to him mak of irrour;
Whon he seoþ hit likeþ not þe,
Cece of his speche anon wol he.

Seneca.

To þi frendes tak þou credence,
Do vche mon riht be concience,
Be meke to hym þat aboue þe is set,
And haue mesure to þi soget.

Seneca.

Or þou bi-hote enydel,
Wher þou wolt do so, bi-þenk þe wel;
ffor muche to bi-hote & ȝiue but softe,
Makeþ mon to be chalanged ofte.

Seneca.

Mon holdeþ a luite ȝift more dere
Wiþ-outen be-heste wiþ gode chere,
Þen he wolde of a gret þinge
Of bi-heste wiþ long tariinge.

Salomon.

Muche speche nis not wiþ-outen strif;
Hose kepeþ his tonge kepeþ his lyf;
He þat his tonge con not holde,
In cumpaygnye a schrewe is tolde.

Gregorius.

Large table and plentyuouse
Makeþ men of Ianglyng surfetouse;
Whon þe bodi I-fuld is,
Þe tonge is redi to speke amis.

Salomon.

A fol ȝif he speke no þing,
Men wene he beo wys in doyng;
Whon he bi-gynneþ to Iangle fast,
Þen men knowen wel his cast.

Seneca.

An old wommon þat takeþ hosebonde,
Heo worcheþ hir-self schome and schonde
To hire a-stat, & hire bodi bounde is wiþ-Inne
A present for to bere to synne.

Syrak.

Þe herre of stat þat þou be
Þe more meke haue þou þe;
Þe more þou hast of mekenesse
Þe fastore þou encresest of goodnesse.

Seneca.

A Caytif forsoþe he i-called may be
Þat neuer soffred caytyfte;
Good los neuer þou gest
But ȝif þou leose oftesyþe þi rest.

Saulus.

Gret los & reste, me þinkeþ wel,
A-corden to-gedere neuer a del;
Oþur þou most þi loos lese
Or ofte-tymen for-go þyn ese.

Ioseph.

Entre þou neuere wiþ-outen conpaygnie
Þer wommon al-one is of vilenye;
ffor ȝif þow parfourne not lecherye,
On þe heo wol þenne sette a crie.

Seneca.

Envye good lyf wol distruye,
And loos is lost þorw lecherye;
Lecherye and good loos
Ne mowe not euere to-geder be clos.

Seneca.

Harde chaunce is hym be-fal
Þat haþ non enemy at al;
ffor ȝif grace of good lyf hedde he,
He nere not dilyuered of enemyte.

Seneca.

Þe cause of acord is, god hit wot,
Whon vche mon is payed of his lot;
But of discord þe cause nou is
Whon mon wol make comun þing his.

Salomon.

He is more worþ þat con distresse
Him-self, and refreyne in hastinesse,
Þen he þat may fulli conquerre
Al a cuntre bi strengþe of werre.

Constantinus.

He þat bi werre takeþ lond or cite,
Be strengþe of his peple þat doþ he;
But he þat haþ maystred his owne herte clos,
He haþ onliche a souereyn los.
He þat con euel is holde wys and worþ,
Symplesse & wit ne mowe not forþ;
Þe lufthalf is put vppon þe riht,
And wrong for wynnyng ouur riȝt haþ miht.

Syrac.

Better is folye þat falleþ of symplesse,
Þer as cautel in soule nis more ne lesse,
Þen of þis world al þe wit,
ffor ofte-tyme þe lawe of god distruieþ hit.

Salomon.

Hose doþ to pore duresse or peyne,
To encrese his richesse, certeyne,
An herre mon schal parte wiþ his riches,
And of alle godes he schal haue þe les.

Salomon.

Trouwe þou neuere þat þing be þin
Þat oþur mon seiþ ‘þis is myn;’
Þyn is þyn euel oþur good doyng
Þat þou hast wrouȝt, wiþ-outen oþur monnus þing.

Seneca.

Ȝif þou haue lond, hous or yle,
Þelke nul dure but a while;
Wiþ þe schal go þi gode dede,
Þin hous abit, wiþ-oute drede.

Ecclesiastes.

Muche to write & no þing rede,
Luitel is worth, wiþ-outen drede;
Orisouns helpen soules of men
Þat wiþ delyt conseyued hem.

Cato.

Lettres þou schalt rede on such manere
Þat þou vnderstonde þe sentence clere;
Muche to rede wiþ-outen vnderstonding,
Caton seiþ hit is a dispysyng.
Þerfore I wole after þis resoun
Of þes prouerbes cesse of þe translacioun;
ffor he þat wol rede þis wrytyng,
In schorte wordes may haue lykyng.

Augustinus.

Nou preyeþ alle wiþ deuocion
ffor hym þat made þis lesson,
Þat he þorw ȝoure orisoun
Mouwe come to sauacion.
And god, þat made alle þing,
Ȝif vs alle good endyng.