(271. Hoccleve.)
¶ "ffadir, as siker as I standë here,
Line 1891
Whethir þat I be simple, or argh or bolde,
Swych an eschangë get I non to yeere;
Do as I can, with þat I haue in holde;
ffor, as for þat, my comfort is but cold;
Line 1895
But wel I fyndë your good wyl alway
Redy to me, in what ye can and [or R.] may."
Line 1897
(272. Beggar.)
¶ "That is sooth, sonë; now, syn þou me toldist
Line 1898
My lord þe princë is good lord þe to,
No maistri [maistrie R.] is it for þe, if þou woldist
To be releeuëd; wost þou what to do?
Writtë to hym a goodly tale or two,
Line 1902
On which he may desporten hym by nyghte,
And his fre gracë schal vp-on þe lighte.
Line 1904
(273. Beggar.)
¶ "Sharpë thi penne, and write on lustily; [folio 35a]
Line 1905
Lat se, my sonë, make it fresh and gay,
Outë thyn art if [Uttre . . as R, Out . . if H.] þou canst craftily;
His hyë [hye R, hy H.] prudence hath insighte verray
To iuge if it be wel y-made or nay;
Line 1909
Wher-forë, [Wherfore R, Wher for H.] sone, it is vn-to the neede,
Vn-to þi werk, takë [to take R.] þe gretter heede.
Line 1911
(274. Beggar.)
¶ "But of a thyng be wel waar in al wise,
Line 1912
On flaterië þat þou þe nat founde; [¶ Prouerbi|arum xxixo. Qui blandis fictis que ser|monibus lo|quitur amico suo, expandit rethe gressi|bus suis.]
ffor þer-of, sonë, Salamon þe wise,—
As þat I haue in his prouerbës found,—
Seith thus: 'thei þat in feynëd speche habounde,
And glosyngly vnto hir freendës talke,
Line 1917
Spreden a net bi-forne hem wher they walke.'
