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.
25. Suffer in Time, and that is best.
(6 stanzas of 12, abab abab bcbc, and one of 8, abab bcbc.)
(1)
Whon alle soþes ben souht and seene,
Euerichone at heore deuys,
Euer among, in tray and tene,
Murþe is meyt wiþ malys;
Page 731
4
Aȝeynes cumfort comeþ cares kene,
Aȝeynes vche a uertu is a vys.
Of alle þe vertues þat þer beone,
To suffre, hit is a þing of prys.
8
Þerfore he þat wol be wys,
And loue to rule him siker in rest,
Loke þat he beo not to nys,
But suffre in tyme, and þat is best.
12
(2)
Ȝif þou beo mon of mene a-syse
Or gret lord in duresse,
And þi stat may not suffise
Of þi wronge to gete red[r]esse,
16
Þen mostou worchen on þis wyse,
And schewe to him such boxumnesse,
Þat rouþe in his herte may ryse
And wiþ-drawe his grete distresse;
20
Ȝif he be Mesured wiþ Mekenesse,
Þen pite in him hit wol be preste.
Among alle þing, as I gesse,
To suffre in tyme and þat is beste.
24
(3)
Ȝif þou be mon of gret degre,
And a pore mon in his place
fful wrongfully has greued þe,
And don þe gref wiþ his trespace,
28
Þe cuntrey con wel knowe and se
Þou mai be venget in þat case;
Ȝif þou be perset wiþ pite,
Ȝit woltou spare him for a space.
32
Ȝif þou so goodly schewe þi grace,
Þe holigost is in þe feste:
Þen godes blessyng schaltou in-brace,
And suffre [in] tyme and þat is beste.
36
(4)
Hit is luytel worþ, seiþ Socrates,
A glasen pot, is wayk and liht,
To puiten him self to fer in pres
A-ȝeynes a caudrun for to fiht.
Page 732
40
Þe soþe al day is seene in siht:
Þe weikest ay bi-neoþe is cast.
Þerfore sei I, bi god almiht,
To suffre [in] tyme and þat is best.
44
(5)
Mon, ȝif þou wolt þe state meyntene.
Wiþ lordes In counseil forte sette,
Þer euer mon moste in certeyne
Schewe his wisdom and his witte:
48
Þen, what-so-euer hapnes þe to seyne,
Let al þi wordes to wisdam knitte,
Or summe of þe feeres wol taken in deyne,
And for pruyde reson hitte.
52
Ȝif þou here hem so chyde or flitte,
Þer wol no reson in hem reste,
Holt þi tonge and þi mouþ ditte,
And suffre [in] tyme and þat is beste.
56
(6)
And aftur, whon þou woldest not wene,
Whon alle soþes ben souȝt and sayd,
Þi wordes þei wole take by-deene,
And of þi speche þei wol holde hem payd:
60
Þen schul þei abassched beone,
And of heer errours ben dismayed,
Whan þi wisdam schal be set and sene
And alle heore folys ben displayed.
64
Hasti men ben ofte outrayede
Whon heore tonges ben to preste.
Hose haþ ben ofte of sore hokes braide,
Soffre [in] tyme and þat is beste.
68
(7)
Ȝif hit bi-tideþ be niht oþer day
To falle in-til a cumpaignye
Þer nyse folk wiþ folyes play,
And out of reson þei ȝelle and crie,
72
Þen mostou worchen wiþ þis assay,
And holde vp oyl by and by,
Til þou mowe priuely go þi way;
Þen kuiþest þou wel þat þou art slih;
Page 733
76
I holde hit riht a gret foly
To schewe reson þer non wol reste.
Þer bi God and vre ladi,
Suffre in hym and þat is beste.
80
