The minor poems of the Vernon ms. ... (with a few from the Digby mss. 2 and 86) ...

11. Thank God of all.

(17 stanzas of 8, abab bcbc.)

(1)

BI a wey wandryng as .I. went Sore .I. syked for serwyng sad; ffor harde happes þat .I. haue hent, Mournyng mad me al-most mad. Line 4 Vn-til a lettre al-one me lad Þat wel was writen on a wal; A blisful word þer .I. rad Euere to þonke god of al. Line 8

(2)

¶ Þauȝ þou waxe blynd or lome, Or eny seknesse on þe be set, Þenk riht wel hit is no schome, Wiþ such grace god haþ þe gret. Line 12 In serwe & tene þou art .I.-knit, And þi catel bi-ginneþ to fal; .I. not neuere hou þou myst do bot, But euere to þonke god of al. Line 16

(3)

¶ Ȝif þou welde worldes goode, Ryally rayed in þi rest, ffeir of face, freoly of foode, Nis non þe lyk, bi Est ne West, Line 20

Line 20 Ȝit god may senden as him lust, Riches to torne as a Bal. In vche a maner .I. holde hit best, Euere to þonke god of al. Line 24

(4)

¶ Ȝif þi catel be-ginne to pase, And after waxest a pore mon, Tak good cumfort & bere good face, And trust on hym þat al good won. Line 28 In God furst al goodnes bi-gon; He may vs reue boþe bour and hal. Better cumfort .I. non con, But euer to þonke god of al. Line 32

(5)

¶ Þenk on Iob þat was so riche, [folio 409:2] Hou he wox pore from day to day; His beestes doun dyȝeden in eueri diche His catel vanischt al a-way; Line 36 .I.-put he was in pore array Nouþer in purpul ne in pal, But in symple wede, as clerkes say, And euer he þonked god of al. Line 40

(6)

¶ ffor faute of Catel, Iobpus floures ffaded and fel clene him fro; In seknesse he soffred scharpe schoures Wiþ honger, chele, repreof & wo. Line 44 God sende him hele and catel bo, Toun and tour, and steede in stal, ffor he neuer grucched in wele ne wo, But euer þonked God of al. Line 48

(7)

¶ Hose serueþ crist wiþ trewe entent, Þe ffend þerto wol han Envye, Þorw mis-beeleeue to make him schent, And he him cacche in his baylye. Line 52 Þauh he þin hele and catel struye, Let studefast herte stonde in stal,

And trustne to God þat sit so heiȝe And euer to þonken him of al. Line 56

(8)

¶ Ac mony mon comeþ vp of nouȝt, And geteþ godes gret plente; Þorw pruide & bost he makeþ touȝt, And clene for-ȝit his pouerte. Line 60 Þen grete wronges worcheþ he To hem þat he may ouer cal, ffor þat þei mowe no forþer fle, But euer to þonke god of al. Line 64

(9)

¶ Me prikeþ þe Oxe in þe plouh, Whon he is ȝong, vntoun and wylde, He wol Rore and make hit touh, And of his drauȝt ben vn-bylde; Line 68 Þe more he torneþ out of his tylde, Þe driuere wole him boxe and Bral: So god wol þe, but þou be mylde, And euere to þonken him of al. Line 72

(10)

¶ Aȝeyn God to grucche is gret trespas, Þat such sondes may sende bi est & west; Þi worldlich wo may turne to solas Whon þou lyst clongen & closed in chest, Line 76 Whon þou schalt wenden to trauayl or rest, Þi worldlich weole hit is but smal. In vche a maner, hit is þe best, Euer to þonke God of al. Line 80

(11)

¶ ffor goddes loue, so do we, ffor he may boþe ȝiue and take; In what meschef þat euer we be, he is mihti I-nouȝ vr serwe to slake. Line 84 Good amendes he wol vs make, And we to him wol crie & cal, What weole or wo þat we in wake, And euer to þonken god of al. Line 88

Line 88

(12)

¶ Þeiȝ þou be in prisun cast Or eny distresse men doþ þe beode, ffor godes loue þou beo studefast And haue good mynde vppon þi crede. Line 92 Þenk God feyleþ þe neuer at neode, Þat derworþe duyk vs deme schal. Whon þou art wo, þerto tak hede, And euer to þonken him of al. Line 96

(13)

¶ And þei þi frendes from þe fayle And deþ ha raft hem of heore lyue, Wharto schuldestou wepe or waile? Hit is no boote wiþ god to striue. Line 100 God maade boþe Mon and wyue; hit is skil he tak vs; we ben his þral. What-so þou þole or elles to þryue, Euer to þonke god of al. Line 104

(14)

¶ Diuerse sondes crist haþ .I.-sent Boþe here and eke in oþer place: Tac we hit wiþ trewe entent, Þe sannore he wole sende vs grace. Line 108 Þauȝ þat vr bodies ben brouȝt in bace, Let not ȝor hertes ben vn-tal, And þenk þat god is þer he was, And euer to þonken him of al. Line 112

(15)

¶ ffor Godes loue be not to wylde, [folio 409:3] Reule ȝow in Reson alle to Route, And tak wiþ trewe tent & mylde, Diuerse sondes crist sent a-boute: Line 116 Þen dar .I. seyen wiþ-outen doute, In heuene-blisse is maad vr stal, To Riche & pore þat lowe wol loute, Euer to þonke God of al. Line 120

(16)

¶ Þis world is good & nouȝt in gesse To hem þat wolen kuynde be,

And parte aboute of heore richesse To hem þat ben In pouerte. Line 124 A wonder þing hit is to se Þat kuynde loue adoun schal fal. Better cumfort non con .I. me, But euer to þonke god of al. Line 128

(17)

¶ Ȝit .I. radde forþer-more— Trewe entent I tok þertil,— Þat crist may riht wel vr stat restore, Hit nis nouȝt to striuen aȝeines his wil. Line 132 He may vs saue, he may vs spil; Þenk riht wel we ben his þral. Þouȝ we haue not al vr wil, Euermore þonke we god of al. Line 136