Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

19

The gees for fere flowen over the trees;
Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees;
So hidous was the noyse, a! benedicite!
Certes, he lakke Straw, and his meynee,
Ne maden20 never shoutes half so shrille,
Whan that they wolden any Fleming kille,
As thilke day was maad upon the fox. 577
Of bras thay broghten bemes,21 and of
box, 22

Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and pouped, 23

And therwithal they shryked and they houped;24

580

It semed as that heven sholde falle. Now, gode men, I pray yow herkneth alle!

Lo, how fortune turneth sodeinly The hope and pryde eek of hir enemy! This cok, that lay upon the foxes bak, 585 In al his drede, un-to the fox he spak, And seyde, "sire, if that I were as ye, Yet sholde I seyn (as wis25 god helpe me), 'Turneth agayn, ye proude cherles alle! A verray pestilence up-on yow falle! Now am I come un-to this wodes syde, Maugree your heed,26 the cok shal heer abyde;

590

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

9

615

620

Lo, swich it is for to be recchelees, And necligent, and truste on flaterye. But ye that holden this tale a folye,10 As of a fox, or of a cok and hen, Taketh the moralitee, good men. For seint Paul seith, that al that writen is, Toll our doctryne12 it is y-write, y-wis. Taketh the fruyt, and lat the chaf be stille. Now, gode god, if that it be thy wille, As seith my lord, so make us alle good men; And bringe us to his heighe blisse. Amen.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

O glotonye, ful of cursednesse,
O cause first of our confusioun,
O original of our dampnacioun,
Til Crist had boght us with his blood
agayn!

Lo, how dere, shortly for to sayn,
Aboght28 was thilke cursed vileinye;
Corrupt was al this world for glotonye!

175

Adam our fader, and his wyf also, Fro Paradys to labour and to wo Were driven for that vyce, it is no drede;29 For whyl that Adam fasted, as I rede, 180 He was in Paradys; and whan that he Eet of the fruyt defended30 on the tree, Anon he was out-cast to wo and peyne. O glotonye, on thee wel oghte us pleyne!31 O, wiste a man how many maladyes Folwen of excesse and of glotonyes, He wolde been the more mesurable32 Of his diete, sittinge at his table. Allas! the shorte throte, the tendre mouth, Maketh that, Est and West, and North

and South,

185

190.

In erthe, in eir, in water men to-swinke33 To gete a glotoun deyntee mete and drinke!

4

prosper. 8 prattles.

18 it seemed to them. 21 fruit sellers.

24 Seneca.

14 gambling.

27 wretch.

28 bought.

17 tear in pieces.

31 complain.

11 for.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

18

251

Bledinge ay at his nose in dronkenesse;
A capitayn shoulde live in sobernesse.
And over al this, avyseth yowls right wel 255
What was comaunded un-to Lamuel-
Nat Samuel, but Lamuel, seye I-
Redeth the Bible, and finde it expresly
Of wyn-yeving19 to hem that han Iustyse;
Namore of this, for it may wel suffyse. 260

And now that I have spoke of glotonye,
Now wol I yow defenden20 hasardrye.21
Hasard is verray moder of lesinges, 22
And of deceite, and cursed forsweringes,2
Blaspheme of Crist, manslaughtre, and
wast24 also

23

265

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Sente him a paire of dees of gold in scorn,
For he hadde used hasard ther-biforn; 296
For which he held his glorie or his renoun
At no value or reputacioun.

Lordes may fynden other maner pley
Honeste ynough to dryve the day awey. 300
Now wol I speke of othes false and grete
A word or two, as olde bokes trete.
Gret swering is a thing abhominable,
And fals swering is yet more reprevable.
The heighe god forbad swering at al,
Witnesse on Mathew; but in special
Of swering seith the holy Ieremye,
"Thou shalt seye sooth® thyn othes, and
nat lye,

305

And swere in dome,7 and eek in rightwisnesse;"

But ydel swering is a cursednesse.
Bihold and see, that in the firste table
Of heighe goddes hestes honurable,

310

[blocks in formation]

By goddes armes, if thou falsly pleye, This dagger shal thurgh-out thyn herte go"

This fruyt cometh of the bicched 15 bones two,

Forswering, ire, falsnesse, homicyde.
Now, for the love of Crist that for us dyde,
Leveth your othes, bothe grete and smale;
But, sirs, now wol I telle forth my tale. 332

Thise ryotoures three, of whiche I telle,
Longe erst er pryme16 rong of any belle,
Were set hem in a taverne for to drinke; 335
And as they satte, they herde a belle clinke
Biforn a cors, was caried to his grave;
That oon of hem gan callen to his knave,
"Go bet,"17 quod he, "and axe redily,
What cors is this that passeth heer forby;
And look that thou reporte his name
wel."

341

"Sir," quod this boy, "it nedeth neveradel, 18

It was me told, er ye cam heer, two houres; He was, pardee, an old felawe19 of youres; And sodeynly he was yslayn to-night, 345 For-dronke,20 as he sat on his bench upright;

Ther cam a privee theef, men clepeth21 Deeth,

That in this contree al the peple sleeth, And with his spere he smoot his herte atwo,

349 And wente his wey with-outen wordes mo. He hath a thousand slayn this pestilence:

How that the seconde heste of him is And, maister, er ye come in his presence,

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

I trowe his habitacioun be there;
To been avysed3 greet wisdom it were,
Er that he dide a man a dishonour."
"Ye, goddes armes," quod this ryotour,
"Is it swich peril with him for to mete? 365
I shal him seke by wey and eek by strete,
I make avow to goddes digne1 bones!
Herkneth, felawes, we three been al ones;5
Lat ech of us holde up his hond til other,
And ech of us bicomen otheres brother, 370
And we wol sleen this false traytour Deeth;
He shal be slayn, which that so many
sleeth,

By goddes dignitee, er it be night."

Togidres han thise three her trouthes plight,

To live and dyen ech of hem for other, 375 As though he were his owene yboren brother.

And up they sterte al dronken, in this rage, And forth they goon towardes that village, Of which the taverner had spoke biforn, And many a grisly ooth than han they

[blocks in formation]

Ne deeth, allas! ne wol nat han my lyf; Thus walke I, lyk a restelees caityf, 400 And on the ground, which is my modres gate,

I knokke with my staf, bothe erly and late, And seye, 'leve15 moder, leet me in!

Lo, how I vanish, flesh, and blood, and skin!

Allas! whan shul my bones been at reste? Moder, with yow wolde I change my cheste, 406

That in my chambre longe tyme hath be, Ye! for an heyre clowt 16 to wrappe me!' But yet to me she wol nat do that grace, For which ful pale and welked17 is my

face.

410

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

aspye,

23

24

430

Tel wher he is, or thou shalt it abye,2 By god, and by the holy sacrament! For soothly thou art oon of his assent,25 To sleen us yonge folk, thou false theef!" "Now, sirs," quod he, "if that yow be so leef26

To finde Deeth, turne up this croked wey, For in that grove I lafte him, by my fey, Under a tree, and ther he wol abyde; 435 Nat for27 your boost28 he wol him no-thing hyde.

19 before.

1 hence. 2 servant.

3 forewarned.

• born.

4 honorable. 7 seize.

15 dear.

10 bad luck to you.

14 must.

of one mind.

8 protect. 9 churl.

11 art thou. 12 wrapped up. 13 looked.

[blocks in formation]

16 hair cloth. 20 advice.

24 rue.

27 on account of.

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »