Political, religious, and love poems. Some by Lydgate, Sir Richard Ros, Henry Baradoun, Wm. Huchen, etc. from the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Ms. no. 306, and other sources, with a fragment of The Romance of Peare of Provence and the fair Magnelone, and a sketch, with the prolog and epilog, of The Romance of the knight Amoryus and the Lady Cleopes,
About this Item
- Title
- Political, religious, and love poems. Some by Lydgate, Sir Richard Ros, Henry Baradoun, Wm. Huchen, etc. from the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Ms. no. 306, and other sources, with a fragment of The Romance of Peare of Provence and the fair Magnelone, and a sketch, with the prolog and epilog, of The Romance of the knight Amoryus and the Lady Cleopes,
- Author
- Furnivall, Frederick James, ed. 1825-1910,
- Publication
- London,: Pub. for the Early English Text Society, by K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & co., limited,
- 1866, re-edited 1903.
- Rights/Permissions
The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials are in the public domain. If you have questions about the collection, please contact [email protected]. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact [email protected].
DPLA Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States
- Subject terms
- English poetry
- Link to this Item
-
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/ANT9912.0001.001
- Cite this Item
-
"Political, religious, and love poems. Some by Lydgate, Sir Richard Ros, Henry Baradoun, Wm. Huchen, etc. from the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Ms. no. 306, and other sources, with a fragment of The Romance of Peare of Provence and the fair Magnelone, and a sketch, with the prolog and epilog, of The Romance of the knight Amoryus and the Lady Cleopes,." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ANT9912.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 24, 2025.
Pages
Page 46
Lyke thyn Audience, so bttyr thy Langage. (BY LYDGATE.)
[MS. Univ. Lib. Camb. Hh. 4. 12, leaf 82.] [A.=Addit. MS. 34,360.]
(1)
I Counsell, what-so-euer thow be
Line 1
Off polycye, forsight, and prudence,
Yf yow wilt lyffe in pease and vnite,
Conforme thiself and thynk on this sentence,
Line 4
Whersoeuer thow hold [That . . holdist A.] residence;
Among woluys be woluysch of corage;
A leoun with leonnys; a lambe, for Innocence;
lyke [And lyke A.] thyn audience, so vttyr thy langage.
Line 8
(2)
¶ The vnicorne is cawght with maydyns song,
Line 9
By disposicion, record of scripture;
with cormerantes make thy nekke [nekke A, nek L.] long
In pondys depe thy pray to recouere; [prayes to recure A.]
Line 12
Among foxys be foxische of nature;
Among rauenours [Raveyers A.] thynk for ávantage;
with empty hand men may no hawkes lure,
And like thyn audience, so vttyr thy langage.
Line 16
(3)
¶ With holy men speke [trete A.] of holynesse,
Line 17
And with a glotyn be delicate of thy fare; [welfare A.]
With drownkyn men, do surfettes by excesse,
And among wasters, no spendyng that þou spare;
Line 20
Page 48
Line 20
With wodcokkes, lerne for to dare;
Line 21
And sharp thy knyfe with pilowrs for pilage;
like the market, so praysë thy chafare; [ware A.]
And like thyn audience, so vttyr thy langage.
Line 24
(4)
¶ With an ottyr, spare ryuer none, ne ponde;
Line 25
with hem that fyrrettyth, robbe conyng herthys; [feret . . kunnynggers A.]
A blode-hounde, with bowe and arow in honde,
Mawgre the wache of fosters and parkerrys.
Line 28
like thy felishyp, spare no dawngers, [folio 82b]
For lyfe ne dethe, thy lyfe to [to om. A.] putt in morgage
Among knythys, squyrys, chanownys, monkes, frerys,
like thy audience, so [so A, om. T.] vttyr thy langage.
Line 32
(5)
¶ Daniel lay, [callid A.] a prophet full notable
Line 33
Of god, preseruyd in prison with lyouns;
Where god list spare, a tygre is not vengeable,
No cruel best, [Nor no cruel bestis] berys, nor grifonys;
Line 36
And yf [though] thow be in cavys with dragownys,
Remembre how Abacuk browght þe potage
So ferre to danyel, thorow many regionys;
As case requirith, [Thus like thyn audience] so vttyr thy langage.
Line 40
(6)
¶ With wise men talke of sapience,
Line 41
with philosophers speke of philosophye;
with schipmen, sailyng, that haf experience,
In trobly sëys [sees A.] how they schall hem guye;
Line 44
And with poetys talk of poetry;
Be not presumptuose of chere ne of [of, om. A.] visage,
But where thow cummyst in any cumpany,
like thyn audience, [as case requyrith A.] so vttyr thy langage.
Line 48
Page 50
Line 48
(7)
¶ Thys lityll ditty concludyth in menyng,
Line 49
Who that cast hym thys reule for to kepe,
Mot conforme hym like in euery thyng,
Where he shall byde, vnto the [Thy A.] felyshype:
Line 52
with wachemen wake, with sloggy folkes [men A.] slepe
with wode men wode, with frentyke men [men A, om. C.] sauage;
Renne with bestys, with wyldë [wyld C, wielde A.] wormys crepe,
And like the [thyn A.] audience, vttyr thy [hys C, so vtter thy A.] langage.
Line 56
(8)
¶ Among all these, I counsell the [Among . . the A, Mong . . ȝit C.] take hede
Line 57
Where thow abydyst or rest [Restis A.] in any place.
In chefe, loue god, and with þi loue haf drede, [folio 83]
And be fereful, agayne hym to trespace:
Line 60
with vertuose folk [man A.] encresë shall þi grace;
And viciose men [folk A.] arn cause of gret damage;
In euery feliship so for þi self purchace
Where vertu regnyth, there [so A.] vttyr thi langage.
Line 64
(9)
¶ Be payed [pleased A.] with litell, content with suffisance;
Line 65
Clyme not to hygh, thus byddyth [saith A.] socrates,
Glad pouert is of tresours [of tresoure is A.] most substance;
And Caton seyth, is [there is A.] none so gret encrese
Line 68
Of worldly tresowre, as for to lyve in pease,
Which among vertues hath þe vasselage;
I takë record of [to recorde . the philosofre Diogenes A.] diogenes,
which to Alysaunder had thys langage:—
Line 72
(10)
¶ Hys palace was a lytyl poore tonne,
Line 73
Which on a whelë he gan with hym cary, [with hym he dide A.]
Bad thys emperowre 'ryde out of hys sonne,'
which [MS. wihch] demyd hymself richar than kyng dary;
Line 76
Page 52
Line 76
kept with hys vesaile from wyndes [vessel . from wynde most A.] contrary,
Line 77
Where-in he maad daily hys passage;
Thys philosophre with princes list not [the prince . list nat to A.] tary,
Ne in theire [Not in his A.] presence to vttyr noo langage.
Line 80
(11)
¶ A-twene theis tweyn a gret comparison:
Line 81
kyng alysaunder, he conquerryd all;
Dyogenes lay in a small dongeon, [tonne A.]
In sondre wedyrs which [Like s. w. A.] turnyd as ball;
Line 84
Fortune to Alisaunder gaf a sodayne fall;
The philosophre despised hys coignage,
he thowght vertu was more imperiall,
Than hys aquayntance with all [his grete riches . for al A.] hys prowd langage.
Line 88
(12) [This st. left out by A.]
¶ Antonye and poule despised all richesse [folio 83b]
Line 89
lyuyd in desert of wilfull pouert;
Cesar and pompey of martiall wodnesse,
By theyr enuyose compassyd cruelte,
Line 92
Twene germany and affrik was gret enmyte;
Noo comperison twene good grayne and forage;
Prayse euery thyng like to hys degre,
And like þe audience, so vttyr þi langage.
Line 95
(13)
¶ I founde a liknesse depict vpon a wall,
Line 97
Armyd in vertues, as I walkyd vp and downe,
The hede of thre, full solempne and roiall,
Intellectus, memórye, and resoune;
Line 100
with eyne [yen A.] and erys of clere discrecion,
Mowth and tongge avoydyng all [to-avoyde al A.] outrage,
A-gayne the vice of fals detraccion,
To do no surfett in word ne in [in A, om. C.] langage;
Line 104
Page 54
Line 104
(14)
¶ Handys [Handis A, Hand' C.] and armys with thys discrecion,
Line 105
Where [Whether A.] so man haf [had A.] force or febilnesse,
Treuly to mene in hys affeccïon;
For [from A.] ffraude or fauour, to folow ryghtwisnesse;
Line 108
Entrailys, inward deuocion with mekenesse.
Passyng pigmalion, which grauyd hys ymage,
Prayd to venus, of louers chef goddesse,
To grant it lyfe and qwiknesse of langage.
Line 112
(15)
¶ Off hole entent pray we to crist ihesu,
Line 113
To qwik [quykene A.] a figure in owre conscience:
Reason as hede, with membres of vertu
A-forne rehersyd breuely in sentence,
Line 116
Vndir support of hys magnificence.
Crist list so [so list A.] gouerne owre worldly pilgremage,
Twene [Atwene A.] vice and vertu to set a difference,
To hys plesaunce to vttyr owrë [his A.] langage.
Line 120
EXPLICIT.
Page 47
Lyke the Audience, so uttir thy language.
(Harl MS. 2255, leaf 1. 15 Stanzas of eights abab bcbc.)
Consulo, quisquis eris / qui pacis federa queris,
Consonus esto lupis / cum quibus esse cupis.
(1)
I Conseyl, what-so-euyr thou be
Line 1
Off policye / forsight and prudence,
Yiff thou wilt lyve in pees and vnite,
Conforme thy sylff / and thynk on this sentence
Line 4
Wher-so-evere / thou hoold residence.
Among woluys / be woluyssh of coráge,
Leoun with leouns / a lamb for Innocence,
Lyke the audience / so vttir thy languáge.
Line 8
(2)
¶ The Vnycorn / is cauht with maydenys song
Line 9
By dispocicioun / récord of scripture;
With Cormerawntys / make thy nekkë long,
In pondys deepe, thy prayës to recure;
Line 12
Among ffoxis / be ffoxissh of nature;
Among ravynours / thynk, for ávauntage,
With empty hand / men may noon haukys lure;
And lyke the audience / so vttir thy languáge.
Line 16
(3)
¶ With hooly men / spekë of hoolynesse;
Line 17
And with a glotoun / be delicat of thy ffare;
With dronkë men / do surfetys by excesse;
And among wastours, no spendyng that thou spare;
Page 49
With woodëcokkys / lernë for to dare;
Line 21
And Sharpe thy knyff / with pilours, for piláge:
Lyke the markét / so preysë thy chaffare;
And lyke the audience / so vttre thy languáge.
Line 24
(4)
¶ With an Otir / spare Ryveer noon, nor pond; [folio 1b]
Line 25
With them that forett / robbë conyngerys,—
A bloodhound, with bowe & arwe in hond,—
Mawgre the wach / of fosterys and parkerys.
Line 28
Lyke thy felaship / sparë no daungerys
For lyff nor deth / thy lyff put in morgáge
Mong knyhtës, squyers / chanouns, monkës, fryers:
Like the Audience / vttir thy languáge.
Line 32
(5)
¶ Danyel lay / a prophete ful notáble,
Line 33
Of god preservyd / in prysoun with lyouns:
Where god lyst spare / a Tygre is nat vengáble,
No cruel beestys / Berys nor Gryffouns;
Line 36
And yif thu be in Cavys with dragouns,
Remembre how Abácuk / brought the potage
So ferre to Danyel / to many regïouns:
As caas requerith / so vttre thy languáge.
Line 40
(6)
¶ With wysëmen / talkë of Sapience;
Line 41
With philisóphres / speke of philosophie;
With shipmen seyleng / that haue experience
In troubly sëis / how thay shal hem guye;
Line 44
And with Poëtys / talke of Poetrye;
Be nat to presumptuous ['presumptuous' stands for one foot.] / of cheer nor of viságe,
But where thou comest in ony companye,
Like the audience, so vttir thy languáge.
Line 48
Page 51
Line 48
(7)
¶ This litel ditee / concludith in menyng, [folio 2]
Line 49
Who that cast hym / this rewlë for to kepe,
Not conforme hym / lyke in euery thyng
Wher he shal byde / vnto the felashipe:
Line 52
With wachmen, wake / with sloggy folkis, sleepe;
With woodmen, wood / with frentyk folk, saváge;
Renne with beestys / with wildë wormys creepe,
And like the audience / vtter thy languáge.
Line 56
(8)
¶ Mong allë thes / I counceyl yit take heed [Verba trans|latoris]
Wher thu abydest / or reste in any place:
In cheef, loue god / and with thy love ha dreed,
And be feerful / a-geyn hym to trespace:
Line 60
With vertuous men / encrecë shall thy grace;
And vicious folk / arn cause of gret damáge;
In euery Felaship / so for thy silf purcháce:
Wher vertu regnyth / thu vttir thy languáge.
Line 64
(9)
¶ Be paied with litel / content with suffisaunce;
Line 65
Clymbe nat to hih / thus biddith Socrates:
Glad pouert / is of tresowres most substaunce;
And Catoun seith / is noon so greet encres
Line 68
Off wordly tresoure / as for to live in pees,
Which, among vertues / hath the Vasselage,
I takë record / of Diogenees,
Which to Alisaundre / had this languáge:—
Line 72
(10)
¶ His paleys / was a litel poorë tonne, [folio 2b]
Line 73
Which, on a wheel / with hym he gan carye;
Bad this Emperour / ride out of his sonne,
Which dempt hym-sylf / richer than kyng Darye,
Page 53
Kept with his vessel / fro wyndis moost contrarye,
Line 77
Wherin he madë / daily his passáge.
This philisóphre / with pryncys lyst nat tarye,
Nor, in ther presence / to vttre no languáge.
Line 80
(11)
¶ Attwen thes tweyne / a greet comparysoun:
Line 81
Kyng Alisaundir / he conquéryd al;
Diogenes / lay in a smal dongoun,
Lyke sondry wedrys / which turnyd as a bal.
Line 84
Fortune to Alisaundir / gaff a sodeyn Fal;
The philisophre / disposed his coignage;
He thouht vertu / was moor Imperrial
Than his acqueyntaunce / with al his proud languáge.
Line 88
(12)
¶ Antonye and Poule / dispisid al richesse;
Line 89
Lyved in desert / of wilful poverte.
Cesar and Pompey / of marcïal woodnesse,
By ther Envïous / compassyd cruelte;
Line 92
Twen Germanye / and Affryk / was gret Enmyte.
No comparisoun / twen good greyn and Foráge;
Preise euery thyng / like to his degre,
And, lyke the Audience / so vttir thy languáge.
Line 96
(13)
¶ I fond a lyknesse / depict vpon a wal,
Line 97
Armed in vertues / as I walk vp and doun:
The hed of thre / ful solempne and Roial,
Intellectus / Memórye / and Resoun,
Line 100
With eyen / and Erys / of cleer discrecïoun:
Mouth and tonge, avoiden al outráge
A-geyn the vice / of fals detraccïoun,
To do no Surfet / in woord nor in languáge.
Line 104
Page 55
Line 104
(14)
¶ Hand and armys / with this discrecioun,
Line 105
Wher-so man hauë / force or Febilnesse,
Trewly to meene / in his affeccïoun,
For fraude or favour / to folwe rihtwisnesse,
Line 108
Entrailes inward / devocioun with meeknesse
Passyng Pigmalioun ['Pigmalioun' stands for one measure.] / which graued his ymáge,
Prayd to Venus / of lovers / cheef goddesse,
To graunt it lyff / and quyknesse of languáge.
Line 112
(15)
¶ Of hool entent / pray we to Crist ihesu
Line 113
To quyke a figure / in our conscïence:
Reson as hed / with membris of vertu
A-forn rehersyd / breefly in sentence,
Line 116
Vndir support / of his magnificence.
Crist so lyst governe / our wordly pilgrymáge
Tween vice and vertu / to sette a difference,
To his plesaunce / to vttren our languáge. [[The next Balade of Lydgate's against false Bakers and Millers is put in to fill the blank page at the back of this, tho' it's only a fragment. It happens to be the last leaf of this Harl. MS. 2255, and so, just handy.]]
Line 120
Explicit.