'Vnderstond me euery del:
I wotë [[wote St., wot C.]] what thow menest wel,
Line 1596
And knowë platly thy menyng.
Mesure ys good in euery thyng:
Thogh thyn hornys & pyk also
Be yovë [[St., C. burnt]] to the, bothë two,
Line 1600
ffor [[St., C. burnt]] Punysshyng & for chastysyng
Off folkys Rebel in werchyng; [folio 27a]
Yet fyrst thow sholdest hem dyrecte,
And with fayrnesse hem correcte,—
Line 1604
Swych as thow sey, day by day, [[fro day to day St.]]
Erryn fro the hih [[hih om. St.]] Ryhte way;—
And yiff thow founde hem obstynat,
That [[? Than]] longeth yt to thyn estat
Line 1608
To punysshen hym by thyn offyce,
And vp-on hem don ek iustyce
Egally for ther offence:
The lawe yiweth [[yeveth St.]] the lycence.
Line 1612
'But ferst thow sholdest trete hem fayre,
Be goodly ek, and debonayre,
And don alway ful gret labour
To shewe swetnesse afor Rygour.
Line 1616
And thogh the prykke of Rygour be
ffor chastysyng y-yove to the,
Be alway war, touchyng ryht:
Whan thow chastysest any whyht,
Line 1620
Do yt neuer by suych duresse
But yt be meynt ay with suetnesse;
Medle with-al the vnccyoun
Off pyte and compassyoun.
Line 1624
'In thyn entent to be mor clene,
Thogh thyn hornys be sharp & kene
To punysshe folk by ryhtwysnesse,
Thow sholdest ay the poynt so dresse
Line 1628
In thy Rygour of equyte,
Euere in hert to han pyte
On hem that thow hast iustesyed.
Let mercy with ryht be so alyed,
Line 1632
And thynk how many day to-forn,
Or thow haddest any horn,
