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

                                  
                                    Bi-þenk þe þenne, whil þou hast quart,
                                  
                                    In Bodi and Soule what þou art.
                                    Line 48 
                                  
                                    Þi bodi was gendred of foul matere,
                                  
                                    Þat is wlatsum for to here.
                                  
                                     [vv. 51-86. This passage is wanting in the Spec.] Bi al þin Issuwes hit is wel sene
                                  
                                    Þat þou art not wiþ-Inne ful clene.
                                    Line 52 
                                  
                                    Nyne Issuwes þou hast, I wene,
                                  
                                    Ȝif þou loke hem al bi-deene:
                                  
                                    Tweyne Eren þou hast, ben ful of wore,
                                  
                                    Þyn Eȝen ben goundi whon þei ben sore,
                                    Line 56 
                                  
                                    Þi Neose-þurles ben ful of snit,
                                  
                                    And þi Mouþ of glet and spit,
                                  
                                    Þyn Issuwes þat aren in priuete
                                  
                                    ffor schome þou letest no mon hem se.
                                    Line 60 
                                  
                                    Þerfore, seint Bernard as he vs telles: [cf. The sayings of St. Bernard.] 
                                  
                                    Þou proude mon, þou art nouȝt elles
                                  
                                    But of Muk bretful a sekke;
                                  
                                    Mon, schuldest þou not so muche rekke
                                    Line 64 
                                  
                                    Of þi-self þen of anoþer,
                                  
                                    ffor Rot is þi ffader, worm þi broþer,
                                  
                                    ffor gendred he is riht of þe same
                                  
                                    As þou. Proud mon, þou art to blame,
                                    Line 68 
                                  
                                    Þat þow berest þe so stoutli
                                  
                                    And hast þow non enchesun whi!
                                  
                                    Heddest þow be maad of stones riche,
                                  
                                    Sonne or Mone or bodi heuenliche,
                                    Line 72 
                                  
                                    How nobliche þow heddest be wrouȝt!
                                  
                                    As Lucifer þow miȝtest haue þouȝt.
                                  
                                    Of his beute proud he was:
                                  
                                    Þerfore him tidde a wel foul cas,
                                    Line 76 
                                  
                                    In heuene he durede but a while.
                                  
                                    Riht so pruide wol þe be-gyle
                                  
                                    And caste þe doun riht to grounde,
                                  
                                    Þi soule in peyne hit schal be bounde.
                                    Line 80 
                                  
                                    Þi bodi, þat now is hol and sounde,
                                  
                                    So foul rot hit schal be founde,
                                  
                                    Hit schal not turne to gras nor flour,
                                  
                                    But in to wlatsum and foul odour.
                                    Line 84 
                                  
                                    Þus maiȝt þou knowe þi bodily staate,
                                  
                                    Þi fleschli lust forto abate.

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Title: The minor poems of the Vernon ms. ... (with a few from the Digby mss. 2 and 86) ...
Canvas: Page 277
Publication: London,: Pub. by K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., for the Early English Text Society,; 1892-1901.
Subject terms: English poetry

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ape7335.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/ape7335.0001.001/341:2.35

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Full citation: "The minor poems of the Vernon ms. ... (with a few from the Digby mss. 2 and 86) ..." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ape7335.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 8, 2025.

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

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