Poems from the Garrett ms. / [ed. Robert K. Root].

IV. Here begynne þe songe of amendis makinge.

BE a wild wodis side, as I walked my-selue alone, A blisse of briddes bad me abidde, ffor cause þer songe mo þan oon.

Amonge þese briddis euerychone, fful gret hede gan I take, How oon þer songe with ruful mone, Man I rede amendis make.

(2)

Make amendis truli, So songe þat brid with feþeres gray. [fol. 49b.] In my hert ful wo was I, Whan amendis he gan to say. I stode & stodied al þat day; Þis word me made al nyȝt to wake; þan fond I be skiles in fay, Whi he seide, amendis make.

(3)

The first skille þat I can fynde, As it semeþ in my witte, O þynge þer is þat comeþ of kynde, That euery man schal have a pitte. Whan tope & too of þe is knytte, And worldis wele is fro þe schake, Avise þe wel or þou be ditte, And fond amendis for to make.

(4)

The secunde skiles þat þou schalt die, But ȝit tyme wost þou nere, ffor ȝif þou wistist sicurli, Þou woldest flee þi deþ for fere. Þi last boure schal be a bere, Ȝif þat þi frendis mowe take [fol. 50a.] And stoppe þe vp, as I saide ere; And þerfore fond amandis make.

(5)

The þridde skiles schal do þe wo, Ȝif þou þenke þer-on I wisse; ffor whan þi lif schal parte þe fro, Þou nost wheþer to bale or blisse. I fynde no clerke can telle me þis,

Þerfore my wo begynneþ to wake; Whan þou þenkest to do amys, I rede þe amendis for to make.

(6)

Þouȝ þou be kynge & croune bere, And þis worlde stond at þi wille, Þou schalt be pore as þou were ere, Þis maist þou knowe be proper skille; And take a schete þe with to hille, To keuer þe for chames sake; Repent þe, man, þou hast do ille, And fond to amandes make.

(7)

Whan þou art frik & in þi floures, Þou werest purper, perrey, & palle; [fol. 50b.] In churche at matenys, masse, & oures, Þou wolt not come with-inne þe wal; ffor þire [The reading is uncertain.] þi sauor is ful smal. Þus wildenes þe wol awake, And in oo day þou schal lese al; Þerfore fond amandis make.

(8)

A sawmpil we mowe se al day, Þat god sent amonge vs alle, To day þoȝ þou be stowȝt & gay, A-morowe þou list be þe walle. Merci þan to crie & calle It is to late; þi leue is take; Þerfore, man, or þou falle, I rede þe to amendis make.

(9)

Ȝif þou have do a dedli synne, Whare-þrouȝ þi soule may be schent, Twelmonþe þou wolt liȝe þer-inne, And so abide vn-tille þe lent.

Þan a frere wolt þou hent, Þi paresche prest þou wolt for-sake; [fol. 51a.] Of suche dedes, verament, I rede þe amendis make.

(10)

I rede þe, man, bere þe euen, Whether þou be seruant, lord, or meyre; ffor ofte men meteþ at vn-set steuen; Couett þou not no pere to peire. Þis world nys but a chiri feire; Whan ȝe ben hiȝest ȝe mowe aslake, To day a lord, to morowe þin eire, And þerfor fond amendis make.

(11)

Þouȝ þou be richer man þan he, While þou lyuest on erþe here, God made him as wel as þe, And bouȝt alle iliche dere. Þouȝ he be noȝt þi worldis pere, Do him no wronge for synnes sake; To noȝt schal turne þi proude chere, And þerfor fond amendis make.

(12)

God þat was of marie bore, And suffred deþ on rode tree, [fol. 51b.] Lat vs neuer be for-lore, Ihesu, ȝif þi wille be. Comeli quene þat art so fre, Pray þi sone for or oure sake In heuene a siȝt of ȝou to se, And here to amendis make.

Amen.

Princeton.

Robert K. Root.