Twenty-six political and other poems (including 'Petty Job') from the Oxford mss. Digby 102 and Douce 322. Ed., with introduction and glossarial index, by D. J. Kail ...

XIV. Man, be warre er the be woo. [[Early in 1418.]]

[Digby 102, leaf 113.] [14 stanzas of 8, abab, bcbc.]

(1)

The herrere degre, þe more wys; Þe gretter worschip, þe noblere fame;

Þe herrere degre, þe more nys; Þe gretter foly, þe more blame. Line 4 After foly, folweþ þe shame; Repreued of frendis, and scorned of fo, After þy dede, ressayue þy name. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 8

(2)

¶ Ȝif þou be kyngis chaunceller, Kepe þe crowne hool in stat; Ȝif þou be kyngis counselere, Loke no stones þerof abate. Line 12 Ȝif oþer wolde make þe kyng þe hate, Or falsed ouer trouþe go, Tak þy leue, and kisse þe ȝate. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 16

(3)

¶ On a mowntayne, a sete may not be hyd, Ne lordis werkis in no degre. A lordis werkis, wiþ comouns is kyd, Þat he doþ most in preuete. Line 20 Gouernour of kyngdom or Cyte, After þey lyue, men deme so. For eche a werk, god [folio 113b] ȝeueþ a fe. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 24

(4)

¶ A symple prest wole synge his masse While his lyuyng is but smal. As summe encrese, serue god þe lasse, Wiþ benefices, ten myȝte lyue wiþ-al, Line 28 And fynde þere noþer houshold ne halle, Ne serue þe parische, but take hem fro. Er god suche rekenyng calle, Be tyme be war, er þey be wo. Line 32

(5)

¶ Man, do resoun þouȝ þou be riche, Ouer cite or town hast gouernaunce. Loue al crafty folk yliche, Mayntene no party in distaunce. Line 36

Line 36 Sette mendis for trespas in euene balaunce; For a penyworth of harm, tak not two. Rule wel mesure and sustenaunce. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 40

(6)

¶ Þe wyseman his sone forbed [nota] Masouncraft and all clymbyng, And shipman craft, for perile of dede, And preuey in counseil be neyȝ no kyng. Line 44 For his mys-rulyng þou myȝt hyng, Þat shep myȝte grese vnder þy to. To fliȝe to hyȝe, treste not þy wyng. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 48

(7)

¶ Þouȝ þy kyng be fre to ȝyue, Be þou not gredy to craue, Make oþere folk þe worse to lyue, For synguler profyt þou wolde haue. Line 52 Er drede and répref þy berd shaue, Asese of Couetys, and say hoo. The man þat wole his worship saue, Be tyme be war, er him be woo. Line 56

(8)

¶ For to amende þat was mys, Þerfore is ordeyned eche Iustice. Lat eche man haue þat shulde ben his, And turne not lawe for couetyse. Line 60 Ne contryue tresons þere trouþ lys, In tyrauntrie to robbe and slo. Er ȝoure werkis preue ȝow nys, Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 64

(9)

¶ Ȝif ȝe wole haue pes of ȝong and old, Let eche man haue þat is ryȝt. Let comon lawe his cours hold, Euene mesure, mett, and wyȝt. Line 68

Line 68 Man, þouȝ þou be moche of myȝt, Mende fawtes er þou make mo. For þat ȝe hid, god seeþ in syȝt. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 72

(10)

¶ Eche lord knoweþ his astate, Lyue on þat god hym lent. Þat borweþ moche, he geteþ hate. Spende waste, passyng his rent, Line 76 For suche a kyngdom haþ ben shent. Stryf wiþ comons, threp, and thro, To brynge þat in amendement, Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 80

(11)

¶ Whanne holichirche suffreþ symonye, And is [folio 114a] wiþ hym enchaunted, And lawe of land suffreþ vsurye, Vnkyndely synne, and shameles haunted, Line 84 And vicious folk auaunsed and dawnted, And vertues flemed fro eche a wro: In þat kyngdom, god haþ vengeaunce graunted. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 88

(12)

¶ In a kyngdom, what makeþ stryf, No man standes of oþer awe? Vnkyndely synne, and tyrauntes lyf; Vsurye, symonye, and letter of lawe, Line 92 And holy chirche rebell to goddis sawe. To kepe his comaundement, þey say no. Fro þat kyngdom, god his loue wil drawe. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 96

(13)

¶ Ȝif eny folk forgeþ gyles, Wiþ falsed þy deþ to cast, Pulle vp þe stakes, and breke þe styles; Lete hem no more styke so faste. Line 100

Line 100 And whan ȝe be þe perile paste, Kepe ȝow wel fro deþes flo, Fro costage, and be no more agaste. Eche man be war, er hym be wo. Line 104

(14)

¶ Þe flesch haþ many frele frendis, Richesse, strengþe, fayrenesse, and hele; Whan it is mysvsed, þe soule it schendis. Richesse, rauenere of worldis wele, Line 108 Take fro þe nedy, to þe nedeles dele, And wylde recheles as a roo. Er ȝoure synnes ȝoure soules apele, Eche man be war, er hym be woo. Line 112