The minor poems of the Vernon ms. ... (with a few from the Digby mss. 2 and 86) ...
Horstmann, Carl, b. 1851., Furnivall, Frederick James, 1825-1910.
10. Fy on a faint Friend!
(9 stanzas of 8, abab bcbc.)
(1)
Frenschipe faileþ & fullich fadeþ;
ffeiþful frendes fewe we fynde,
But glosers þat vche mon gladeþ
Wiþ feire bi-hesteþ and wordes as wylde.
4
But let a mon ones be cast be-hynde,
And wiþ þis world turmented & tenet,
He schal ful sone ben out of mynde.
And þere, fy on a feynt frend!
8
(2)
¶ Þe while þat þou ledest þi lyf in ese
And goodlich gouernest þyn astate,
Þe fyndest Inouwe þat wol þe plese
And folwe þi wil boþe erliche & late.
12
Ȝif þi los bi-gynne to abate,
And þy good from þe gon wende,
Þei schul be þe furste þat þe wol hate:
And þer, fy on a feynt frende!
16
(3)
¶ Þus þou schalt, ar þou haue nede,
Al þi frendes folly I-knowen
And seyen heo dor not helpen þe
ffor drede, for fere þei lost her owen.
20
Þei þat sum tyme wente ful lowe,
hem luste no lengore wiþ þe to lende,
Beo-hynde þi bak heo makeþ a Mouwe.
And þer, fy on a feynt frende!
24
(4)
¶ To þi-self trust al-wei best, [folio 409]
ffor as þou dost, so schaltou haue.
Brek þe leste bouȝ of þi nest,
Þe fyndest .I.-nouwe wol hit þe bi-raue,
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28
And wole dispise þe and repraue,
And sakeles wayte þe schame and schende:
In such a cas, so god me saue,
And euere, fy on a feynt frende!
32
(5)
¶ Ȝif þou wolt not ben frendles,
Lern to kepe þat þou hast;
Loke þou be not penyles,
Ne spend þou nouȝt þi good in wast.
36
Or þou haue nede, þi frendes*. [MS. frendest] a-tast,
Wȝuche be stif & wȝuche wol bende;
And þer þou fynde bouwynde or bast,
And euer, fy on a feynt frende!
40
(6)
¶ In feiþ, þat ffrendschip hold .I. nouȝt
To profer þe, whon þou hast no nede;
But ȝif þou weore in daunger brouȝt,
Hose helpeþ þe þenne is worþi meede.
44
Hose wolde þe nouþer profre ne beode,
He serueþ þonk wiþ-outen ende;
Such frendes are fewe I-laft in leode.
And þerfore, fy on a feynt frende!
48
(7)
¶ Ho scholde eny frendschupe ben .I.-founde?
Good feiþ is flemed out of þis londe;
Þer is more treuþe in an hounde
Þen in sum mon, .I. vnderstonde.
52
Knackes & mowes þei han In honde
Witterli to plese þe fende.
He þat furst þat frendschip fonde,
Euer fy on him, for a feynt frende!
56
(8)
¶ Eueri mon .I. counseile
To gouerne him in such a wyse,
Ȝif hit so beo þat frendschup fayle,
His owne deden wol maken him ryse;
60
Hold him In a mene asyse
Euer to beo corteys and hende;
Page 688
Þen baldely may he dispise,
Euere fy on a feynt frende.
64
(9)
¶ Þi[s] lessun loke þat ȝe leore,
Whon ȝe haþe soþe souȝt and seid;
Trust on non such frendschup here;
Ho sannest do, is tytes bi-trayed.
68
Loke al ȝor loue on him beo leyd,
ffor vs on Rode was prikket & prenet;
Do we so þat crist beo payet
And þenne we hauen a syker frend.
72
