What so þou spekest, where or whanne,
Loke þat þou no mon diffame.
Line 40
Sey þe sothe, ȝif þat þou kan,
Þou suppose to here a blame,
fful sore þe stonde elles schal þou ban
When truthe þi tales schal a-tame.
Line 44
To greue god, hit is no game,
Þat lust & lykyng haþ þe lent;
ffor outh þat þou const forge or frame,
But þou sey soth, þou schalt be schent.
Line 48
(5)
Ȝif þou be þrat to take þe deth
ffor seyng soth, be not agast;
Let not þe sothe be set be-neth,
But truthe to mayntene, be ay studefast.
Line 52
Þenke þi lyf is but a breth,
Þenke þou schalt passen, as mo han past.
Clottes of clay þi cors schal cleth, [folio :2]
Þi careyne vn-to wormes cast,
Line 56
When Gabriel schal blowe his blast,
ffor soth sawe schaltou neuer repent.
Þen leue hit lely, at þe last
But þou sey soth, þou schalt be schent.
Line 60
(6)
Alas! what corsed lyf is þis,
Þat men dreden more þe world now here
Þen him þat wrouȝte þe world I-wys,
And al þing haþ in his pouwere.
Line 64
As men in questus seyn ofte a-mys,
And stoppen quereles otrewe & clere;
Such men þenkeþ not on heuen blys,
Þat ȝeuen verdites in such manere.
Line 68
Truthe & kuyndenesse knyt in fere,
God askeþ of vs non oþer rent;
Þenne wyte hit wel withoute were,
But þou sey soth, þou schalt be schent.
Line 72
(7)
Þey þou kacche blame a þrowe
ffor seyng sooþ more or lasse,
