How shuld man than be stedfast in livyng?
Watir somwhile is congelyd to cristalle,
Coold and moist, as of his nature,
Now ebbithe, flowithe, which, in especialle,
Mihte of the moone doth hire course recure ;
And sith that element, by record of Scripture,
Was oon of foure compact in our makyng,
I wold enqueere what raaneer creature
Maad of thes foure were stedfast of livyng ?
The sangueyn man of blood hath hardynesse,
Wrouhte to be lovyng, large of his dispence,
The flewmatyk slowhe, oppressyd with dolnesse,
Whit of visage, rude of elloquence ;
Aid sithe ther is in man suche difference
Off complexiouns dyversly werkyng,
Answer heerto concludyng in sentence,
How that he myghte be stable of his livyng.
lydgate's minor poems. 197
The coleryk man sotil and deceyvable,
Slendir, leene, and citryn of colour,
Wroth sodeynly, wood and nat tretable,
Ay ful of yre, of malys, and rancour,
Drye and adust and a gret wastour,
And disposyd to many sondry thyng,
Withe pompe.and boost hasty to do rigour,
Been such men stable heer in ther livyng ?
Malencolik of his complexloun,
Dispoosid of kynde for to be fraudelent,
Malicious, froward, and by decepcioun.
Which thynges peysed by good aviseraent,
Forgyng discordes double of his entent ;
I dar conclude as to ray feelyng,
By confirraacioun as in sentement,
Fewe men be stable heer in ther livyng.
Satourn disposith to malencolye,
Jubiter reiseth men to hihe noblesse,
And sturdy Mars to strifF, werre, and envye,
Phebus to vvysdara and to hihe prowesse,
Mercurius to chaung and doubilnesse.
The moone mutable, now glad, and now drepyng.
And gery Venus, ful of newfangilnesse,
Makith man unstable heer in this livyng.
The world unsuyr, fortune transmutable.
Trust on lordshipe a feynt sekirnesse ;
Eche sesoun varieth frenship oft unstable,
Now glad, now hevy, now holthe, now syknesse ;
198 LYDfJATE'S MINOR POEMS.
An ebbe of povert next ffloodys of richesse,
Al staunt on chaung, now los and now wynnyng ;
Tempest on se, and wyndes sturdynesse
Make men unstable and feerful of livyng.
Titan somwhile fresshly dothe appeere,
Than corny th a storm and doth hii^ lihte difface,
The soyl in somyr with floures glad of cheere,
Wyntris rasour doth al away arrace;
Al erthely thyng sodeynly doth pace,
Which may have heer no siker abydyng,
Eek alle estatys fals fortune doth manace ;
How shuld man than be stedfast of lyvyng ?
Considre and see the transmutacioun,
How the sesoun of greene lusty age.
Force of juventus, hardy as lioun,
Tyme of manhood, wisdam, sad corage,
And how decrepitus turneth to dotage,
Al cast in ballaunce, be war, forget nothyng,
And thu shalt fynde this lyfF a pilgrymage,
In which ther is no stedfast abydyng.
Man ! left up thyn eye to the hevene,
And pray the Lord, which is eternal !
That sitt so ferre above the sterrys sevene,
In his paleys moost Imperyal !
To graunt the grace heer in this liff mortal,
Contricioun, shriflPt, hoosyl at thy partyng,
And, or thu passe, rerayssioun fynal,
Toward that lyf wher joye is ay lastyng !
lydgate's minor poems. 199
A SATIRICAL DESCRIPTION OF HIS LADY.
[From MS. Harl. 2255, fol. 153-15C.]
WHAN SHE HATH ON HIRE HOOD OF GRENE.
My fayr lady, so fressh of hewe,
Good thryft come to your goodly face,
Of colourys like the noble newe,
As bryght as bugyl or ellys bolace ;
So weel were he that myght purchace
At good leyser with hire to been,
Hire semly cors for to embrace,
Whan she hath on hire hood of green.
For yif I shuld hire al discrye,
Fro the heed to the novyl, and so forth down,
I trowe there is noon suych alyve.
For to begynne at hire motle crown,
The whyght flekkyd with the brown,
Shoorn as a sheep with sherys keen.
There is noon so fayr in al our town.
Whan she hath on hire hood of green.
The kyrspe skyn of hyr forheed,
Is drawyn up and on trustily bownde.
Of colovvrys dunue, yelewe, pale, and reed.
And thervvithal hire cheekys been rownde ;
A I'eynbowe hew so fayr she is fownde,
For whan the sunne shyneth sheen.
Alias 1 she gevith myn herte a wownde,
Whan she hath on hire hood of srreen.
200 i.ydgate's minor poems.
Here smothe browys blake and fyn,
Arn soft and tendir for to fele.
As been the bruskelj's of a swj-n ;
Hera jowys been rovvnde as purs or bele ;
That though hire herte were made of stele,
And I ne myght hire nevir seen,
Yit must I love hire evir wele,
Whan she hath on hire hood of green.
Here greet shulderys, square and brood ;
Here breestys up bere, hire bely so large.
For upon hire is a greet carte lood,
She is no bot, she is a barge ;
A stouhte that no man may charge,
Whoos boody may not sufFysed been,
And evir abrood she beryth hire tarage,
Undir hire daggyd hood of green.
This fair floure of womanheed
Hath too pappys also smalle,
Bolsteryd out of lenghth and breed,
Lyche a large campyng balle ;
There is no bagpipe halfF so talle.
Nor no cormyse, for sothe as I ween,
Whan they been ful of wynde at alle,
And she have on hire hood of green.
And forth to speke of hire entraylle,
Liche a cow hire wombe is gert,
Ryrapled liche a nunnys veylle,
And smothe berdyd liche a gete.
lydgate's minor poems. 201
Hire teeth been whight as ony jete.
And lych a seergecloth hire nekke is clene,
And for to kepe hire froom the heete,
She weryth a daggyd hood of grene.
Hire skyn is tendyr for to towche,
As of an hownd-fyssh or of an hake,
Whoos tewhyng hath coost many a crowche,
Hire pylche souple for to make ;
Wheer ovir many an hed hath ake,
In skorn whan she lyth on the splene,
And yit she shal hyra clene out shake,
Undir hire daggid hood of grene.
Hire buttokys ar not lowe sunke,
But brood as is a Spaynych stede.
For febylnesse she is nat shrunke,
Men may that se thorugh out hire wede ;
Hire crowpe doth the semys shrede.
Whan they so streyght lasyd been ;
Now good thryfft have he for hys mede,
That best can shakyn hire hood of green.
Hire lemys not smal but liche a spere,
But jurabelyd but lyke as is an oly vaunt,
The greet clocher up for to here,
A belfrey for the bodyfaunt;
Or ellys for to pley at the,
Or for an hasard of heightene.
So weel were he that had a graunt
To towche hire daggyd hood of grene.
202 lydgate's minor poems.
This is the lady that I serve,
That hath so many men on honde ;
For of hire can no man thank deserve,
That ti'ottyth on the drye londe,
But on them she wyl have a bonde,
As weel of bayard as of brende,
And yit for sorelle she wyl stonde,
Though men hire daggyd hood wolde rende.
In cherysshyng of the yemanry.
She hath weykyd many a bowe,
But moost she lovith specially,
Hym that can shote bothe styfFe and lowe ;
And but the deer be ovir-throwe,
The arwe was nat fyled kene,
And to the deth she can weel blowe,
Whan she hath on hire hood of grene.
Hire watir lyme is maad ful weel,
Bothe for the corraeraunt and the snyte,
The botoore that etith the greet eel.
Is cause yif he wyl his rochys byte ;
The semewe with his fetherys whyte,
Nor the caldmawe, nouthir fat nor lene,
Gooth not from hire panteer quyght,
Whan she hath on hire hood of grene.
Of huntyng she beryth the greet pryse,
For buk or doo, bothe hert and hynde ;
But whan she dotyth and wyl be nyse,
Maale deer to chaase and to fynde,
lydgate's minor poems. 203
That can hym feede on bark or rynde,
And in hire park pasturyd been.
That weel can beere with a tynde,
Undir hire daggyd hood of green.
This sovereyn lady moost enteer,
On hobying whan she lyst to fare,
With hire brood serkelys hire behynde,
To make the larke for to dare,
That fro hir gravys and hir snare,
Goth not awey that comyth between,
The thruschylcok nor the feldfare.
Whan she hath on hire hood of green.
It is deynty of this flowyr.
That is so boold upon hire braunche,
And wyl abyde every schowyr,
Whoos thruste may noo stormys staunche ;
But the flood wyl ovir launche,
That no man may wade, it is so kene,
It wyl not palle in hire haunche,
Whan she hath on hire hood of grene.
Now what she beryth I wyl yow telle,
Although I can not armys blase.
Nor to the fulle rynge hire belle,
That is so wrymplyd as a mase ;
So longe a man may loke and gase,
To telle what shuld hire baggys been,
Whoos fenestralle were hard to glase,
Whan she hath on hire hood of green.
204 lydgate's minor poems.
Hire cote arrrmre is duskyd reed,
With a boordure as blak as sabyl,
A pavys or a terget for a sperys heed,
Wyde as a chirche that hath a gabyl ;
For who shalle justyn in that stabyl,
But he be shodde he is not sene,
Litel Morelle were not abyl,
Whan she hath on hire hood of grene.
Hire cote armure though it be rente,
Yit hernyd she nevir the bak,
Though many a robe hath be shente
On hire sarpelere and on hire sak ;
Evir moore she stood for al the wrak,
And for shot she lyst not to fleen,
A castyng dart took no tak,
Undir hire daggyd hood of green.
Now fareweel hert and have good dey,
Of yow me lyst nat moore to endight,
Colowryd lyche a rotyn eey,
In morwe among your pj'lwys whight ;
The blak crowe moote yow byght.
Your byl clothyd thirke and on clene,
A froward velym upon to wryt,
Whan she hath on hire hood of grene.
Now fareweel fayr and fressh so cleer !
For whoom I may noo mone take,
Thowh I se yow not of alie this yeere,
I can not moorne for your sake.
lydgate's minor poems. 205
Tyl every foul chesyth hys make,
And the nytynggale that syngeth so sheen,
And that the cokkow me awake,
To looke upon your hood of green.
A PRAYER TO ST. LEONARD, MADE AT YORK.
[From MS. Harl. 22.55, fol. IH.]
Reste and refuge to folk disconsolat,
Fadir of pite and consolacioun,
Callyd recoumfort to folk desolat,
Sovereyn socour in tribulacioun,
Vertuous visitour to folkys in prisoun,
Blissid Leonard 1 graunt of thy goodnesse.
To pray Jhesu with hool affectioun,
To save thy servauntis fro myscheef and distresse.
Remembre on hem that lyn in cheynes bounde,
On folk exiled ferre from ther contre,
On swych as lyn with many grevous wounde
Fetryd in prisoun and have no liberie ;
Forgete hem nouhte that pleyne in poverte.
For thrust and hungir constreyned with siknesse ;
Pray to Jhesu of merciful pite.
To save alle tho that calle the in distresse.
Lat thy prayeer and thy grace availle,
To alle tho that calle the in tlier neede,
And specially to women that travaille,
To ache of boonys and goutys that do spreede ;
206 lydgate's minor poems.
Helpe staunchc veynes which cesse nat to bleede,
Help feverous folk that tremble in then accesse,
And have in niynde of mercy and tak heede,
To pray for alls that calle the in distresse.
Sobre and appeese suche folk as falle in furye,
To trist and hevy do mytigacioun,
Suche as be pensyfFmake hem glad and murye,
Distrauhte in thouhte refourme hem to resoun ;
Releeve the porail fro fals oppressioun
Of tyrannye, and extort brotilnesse,
Take hem of mercy in thy proteccioun,
And save thy servauntis fro myscheef and distresse.
Thes signes groundid on parfite charite,
In thy persone encresyng ay by grace,
O glorious Leonard ! pray Jhesu on thy kne,
For thy servauntis resortyng to this place,
That they may have leyseer, tyme, and space,
Al cold surfetys to refourme and redresse,
Hosyl and shriffte, or they hens pace,
With the to regne in eternal gladnesse.
Merciful Leonard ! gracious and benigne !
Shew to thy servauntis som palpable sygne,
Passyng this vale of wordly wrecehydnesse,
With the to regne in eternal gladnesse,
Ther to be fed with celestial manna,
Wher angelis ar w'ont to syngen Osanna !
lydgate's minor poems. 207
THE DESERTS OF THEEVISH MILLERS AND
BAKERS.
These curious stanzas are taken from MS. Harl. 2255, fol. 157 ;
but the ditty is unfortunately imperfect at the commencement.
Sir Harris Nicolas has printed them at the end of his " Chronicle
of London."
Put out his hed lyst nat for to dare.
But lyk a man upon that tour to abyde.
For cast of eggys wil not oonys spare,
Tyl he be quaylled, body, bak, and syde ;
His heed endooryd, and of verray pryde,
Put ouj his armys, shewith abrood his face.
The fenestrallys be made for hym so wyde,
Clemyth to been a capteyn of that place.
The bastyle longith of verray dewe ryght, —
To fals bakerys it is trewe herytage,
Severelle to them, this knoweth every wyght,
Be kynde assyngned for ther sittyng stage,
Wheer they may freely shewe out ther visage,
Whan they take oonys there possessioun,
Owthir in youthe, or in myddyl age ;
Men doon hem wrong, yif they take hym doun.
Let mellerys and bakerys gadre hem a gilde,
And alle of assent make a fraternite,
Undir the pillory a litil chapelle bylde.
The place amorteyse, and purchase liberie;
For alle thoo that of ther noumbre be.
What evir it coost aftir that they wende.
They may cleyme be just auctorite,
Upon that bastile to make an ende.
208 lydgate's minor poems.
MEASURE IS TREASURE.
[From MS. Harl. 22,55, fol. 143-146.J
Men wryte of oold how mesour is tresour,
And of al grace ground moost prineipalle,
Of vertuous lyfe suppoort and eek favour,
Mesour conveyeth and governith alle, —
Trewe examplayr and orygynalle,
To estaatys of hyhe and lowe degree,
In ther dewe ordre, for, in especialle,
Alle thyng is weel so it in mesure be.
Mesure is roote of al good policye,
Sustir-germayn unto discrocioun,
Of poopys, prelatys, it beryth up the partye.
Them to conduce in hyhe perfeccioun,
To leve in preyour and in devocioun,
Yeve good exaumple of pees and unite,
That al ther werkys, for shoort conclusioun,
With trewe mesure may commendid be.
Al theyr doctryne, nor alle ther hoolynesse,
Kunnyng, language, wisdam, nor science,
Studye on bookys, in prechyng besynesse,
Almesse dede, fastyng, nor abstinence;
Clothe the nakyd with cost and dispenee,
Rekne alle these vertues, compassioun, and pite,
Avayllith nought, pleynly in sentence,
But there be mesure and parfight charite.
lydgate's minor poems. 209
Myghty emperours, noble wourthy kynges,
Pryncis, dukys, eriys, and barounnys,
Ther greet conquestys, ther surquedous rydynges,
But ther be mesure in ther condicyounnys,
That attemperaunce conveye ther renownys,
Rekne up the noblesse of every conquerour,
What availlith al ther processiounnys,
But ther ende conclude in just mesure.
Kyng Alisaundre, that gat al myddjd erthe,
Affryk, Asye, Europe, and eek Ynde,
And slowh Porrus with his dreedful swerde,
Yit in his conquest mesure was set behynde;
For which, ye lordys, lefit up yoer eyen blynde I
The stoon of paradys was fyn of his labour,
In al his conquest, have ye wel in mynde.
Was sett ferre bak for lak of just mesure.
Knyghthood in Grece and Troye the cite
Took hys principlys, and next in Rome toun,
And in Cartage, a famous greet cuntre,
Recoord of Hannybal and wourthy Scipioun ;
The greete debaatys and the divisioun
Among these kyngdaunnys by marcial labour,
Fynal cause of ther destruccioun,
Was fawte of vertu and lakkyng of mesure.
To knyghthood longith the chirche to suppoorte,
Wydewys, and maydenys, and poore folke to diffende,
Men in ther ryght knyghtly to recoumfoorte,
To comoun profight nyght and day entende,
210 lydgate's minor poems.
Ther lyfF tlie good manly to dispende,
To punysshe extorcioun, raveyne, and eche robbour,
And brynge alle unto correccioun,
That be froward unto the just mesour.
Trewe juges and sergeauntis of the lawe,
For hate or frenshippe they shal ther doomys dresse,
Withoute excepcioun, and ther band withdrawe,
Fro meede and yifFtes alle surfFetys to represse ;
Hoide trouthe and sustene rightwisnesse,
Mercy preferre alwey to-for rigour,
That fals for-sweryng have there noon interesse,
For lak of trouthe and lak of just mesour.
So egally ther doomys to avaunce,
Of God and trouthe alwey to takyn hede.
And Cambises to have in remembraunce.
That was slayn because that he took meede
Of poore folk, the causys they shalle speede,
To moordre nor thefFte they shal doo no favour,
In al ther doomys of conscience to dreede,
That right goo not bak, equyte, nor mesour.
Meyris, sherevys, aldirmen, cunstablys,
Which that governe bourghes and citees,
Kepith your fraunchise and statutys profitablys,
That moost avaylle may to the comountees ;
In no wise lese nought your libertees,
Accorde eche man with his trewe neyhbour,
As ye ar bounde to hihe and lowhe degrees.
That peys and wheyghte be kept, and just mesour.
lydgate's minor poems. 211
Among yoursilf suffre noon extorcioun,
Let no wrong be doo unto the poraylle,
On thefFte and manslaughte doo execueioun,
Beth weel provided for stuff and for vitaylle ;
Let no devisioun, Salamon doth counsaylle,
Withinne yoursilf hold no secour ;
And for a tresour which greetly may avaylle,
Among alle thyng kepe pays and just mesour.
Famous marchauntys, that ferre cuntrees ryde,
With al ther greete rychesse and wynnynges.
And artificerys, that at horn abyde,
So ferre castyng in many sundry thynges.
And been expert in wondirful konnyngges,
Of dyvers crafftys t'avoyden al errour ;
What may avaylle al your ymagynynges,
Withoute proporciouns of weyghte and just mesour ?
Reken up hesyk with alle ther lectuaryes,
Grocerys, mereerys, with ther greet habundaunce.
Expert surgeyns, prudent potecaryes,
And alle ther weyghtes peysed in ballaunce,
Masouns, carpenterys, of Yngelond and of Fraunce,
Bakerys, browsterys, vyntenerys, with fressh lycour,
Alle set at nought to rekne in substaunce,
Yiff peys or weyghte doo lakke, or just mesour.
Ploughmen, carterys, with othir laborerys,
Dicliers, delverys, that greet travayllc endure,
Which bern up alle, and have doon many yeerys,
The staatis alle set here in portrature,
p2
212 lvix.'ate's minor poems.
On Goddys wylle and also by nature,
Alle oon ymage divers in ther degree,
Shulde be alle oon by recoord of Scripture,
13e large mesour of parfight charytc.
Fro yeer to yeer th'experience is seyn,
Ne were the plough no staat myght endure,
The large feeldys shulde be bareyn,
No corn up growe nor greyn in his verdure,
Man to suppoorte, nor beeste in his nature.
For w^hich we shulde of trouthe for our socour
VVourshippe the plough, sithe every creature
Hath of the ploughman his lyffloode be mesour.
So as the shepperde wacchith upon ther sheep.
The hoote somyr, the coold wynterys nyght,
Spiritual heerdys shulde take keep
In Crystes foold, w ith al ther ful myght,
By vertuous doctryne as they ar holde of ryght,
To save ther sogettys fro wolvys felle rygour.
That heretikys quenche nat the lyght
Of Crystes feith nor of just mesour.
Heerdys with sheep shul walke in good pasture,
And toward nyght sewrly sette a foolde,
Of Isaak and Jacob a ful pleyn figure,
That wer sheppt-rdys whyloom be dayes oolde
Which lyk prekitys and bysshoppes as I toolde,
Th'estaatys here sett in charyte shal governe,
Bv good exauniple in heete and froostys coolde,
That ryght and mesure shal holde up the lanterne.
lydgate's minor poems. 213
Strong as Hercules of manhood and of myght,
I am set here to stondyn at dyfFencc,
Wrong to represse, and to suppoorte rgyht.
With this burdoun of sturdy violence ;
But unto alle that wyl doo reverence.
To alle the staatys sett here in portrature,
I shall to hem make no resistence,
That be governyd justly be mesure.
Among boarys, beerys, and leounnnys,
Myn office is to walke in wyldirnesse,
Reste a-nyght in cavys and dongeounnys,
Tyl Phebus shewe a-morwen his bryghtnesse;
Now stonde I here to kepe in sekirnesse
This hows in sewyrte with al my besy cure,
To letyn in folk that of gentilnesse
Lyst hem governe justly be measure.
BALLAD ON PRESENTING AN EAGLE TO THE
KING AND QUEEN ON THE DAY OF
THEIR MARRIAGE.
[From MS. Harl. 2251, fol. 275.]
This hardy fowle, this bridde victorious,
This stately fowle most imperial,
Of his nature fiers and corageous,
Callid in Scripture the fowle celestial,
This yeeris day to youre estate royal
Lowly presentith, to encrese of youre glorye,
Honour and knyghthod ! conquest and victorye !
214 lydgate's minor poems.
This statly bridde clothe ful highe sore,
Percyng the beames of the highe sonne,
And of his kynde excellithe evermore.
In soryng up above tlie skynnes donne ;
And for this bridde hath the crowne wonne,
Above briddes alle, presentithe to your glorye,
Honour of knyghthode ! conquest and victory I
This fowle is sacred unto Jupiter,
The lord of briddis in the highe heven,
Wele willy ng planete beholdyng from so ferre,
Above the paleys of the sterris seven,
Alle constellaciouns that any man can neven,
This same fowle presentithe to youre glorie,
Honour of knyghthode ! conquest and victorye !
This is the fowle, as clerkis telle can,
Whiche leete downe falle in the nativyte
Of Crist Jhesu unto Octovyan
The grene olyve of pees and unite ;
Whan the high lord toke oure humanyte,
This royal egle sendithe to youre glorye
Honour of knyghthode ! conquest and victorye !
This is the fowle whiche Ezechiel,
In his avisioun, saugh ful yoore agon,
He saugh foure bestis tornyng on a whele,
Amonges whiche this royal bridde was oon,
Callid in Scripture th' Evangelist seynt John,
This yeeris day presentyng to youre glorye
Honour of knyghthode I conquest and victorye !
lydgate's minor poems. 215
This royal bridde most persaunt of hir sight, [sheene,
Ageyn Phebus streaines most shynyng, fresslie, and
Blenchithe never for al the cliere light ;
Presentith also unto the noble qwene.
That sittith now here ful gracious unto seene,
This yeeris day downe from that hevenly see,
Helthe and welfare, joy and prosperite !
This fowle also, by title of hir nature,
Of fowles alle is qwene and eraperesse,
Flyeth hiest and longest may endure,
Batyng hir wynges witheoute werynesse ;
To Junoes castel in heven a grete goddesse,
Sendith to you, pryncesse, her sittyng in youre see,
Helthe and welfare, joy and prosperite !
He sendithe also unto youre noblesse,
Of al vertues fulsom habundaunce,
Fredam, bounte, honour, and gentillesse,
Whiche we the meane by gracious allyaunce
To sette in pees England and Fraunce,
To whos hyghnesse downe from the hevenly see,
Helthe and welfare and prosperite.
This bridde in armes of emperours is born,
Whiche in the tyme of Cesar Julius,
In Rome apperyng, whan Crist Jhesu was born
Of a mayde most clene and vertuous ;
Wherfore, O pryncesse ! happy and gracious,
To yow presentithe this egle, as he dothe flee,
Helthe and welfare, joy and prosperite I
216 lydoate's minor poems.
This fowle withe briddes hathe hold his parleraent,
Where as the lady whiche is callid Nature
Satte in hir see liche a president,
And al ichon thej- dide hir besy cure,
To sende to yow goofle happe, goods aventure,
Al j'oure desires accomplisshed for to be,
Helthe and welfare, joye and prosperite !
Most noble prince ! whiche, in especial,
Excelle al other, as maked is memory.
This day be gyf unto youre estate royal,
As I sayd erst, honour, conquest, victory,
Liche as this egle hath presented to youre glorye.
And to yow princesse he wil also ther be
Helthe and welfare, joye and prosperyte.
THE TRIUMPH OF VIRTUE.
[From MS. Harl. 2255, fol. 12-14. Other copies are in MS.
Raw!. Oxon. C. 86, and MS. Bib. CoU. Jes. Cantab. Q. T. 8.]
LET MEN TERTU LEERE.
As of hony men gadren out swetnesse.
Of wyn and spices is maad good ypocras,
Fro silver wellys that boyle up with fresshenesse
Cometh crista! watir rennyng a gret pas ;
So as Phebus perceth thoruhe the glas,
With brihte beemys, shynyng in his speere,
Byforn our dayes this proverb provid was, —
Of prudent folk men may vertu leere.
lydgate's minor poems. 217
Quyk lusty sprynges, that boile up in the welle,
Do gret refresshyng and coumfort to the sihte,
Mong holsoni herbys in vertu that excelle,
What folwith aftir makith hertis glad and lihte ;
Good haire a morwe aftir the dirke nyhte,
Passyng holsom al sesouns of the yeere,
Concludyng thus of verray trouthe and rihte. —
Wo sueth vertu, vertn he shal leere.
Frut fet fro fer tarageth of the tre,
Wyn takith his pris of the holsom vyne.
Of puryd flour raaad holsom breed parde,
As clerkys wyse is holsom the doctryne ;
The wyntres nyhte is glad whan sterrys shyne,
Somer toward whan buddys first appeere,
And the May-dewhe round lik perlys fyne, —
Who sueth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
Eche thyng of kynde drawith to his nature,
Som to profite in wysdam and science,
Som also to studyen in Scripture,
A fool is dullyd of sloulh and necligence;
Konnyng conqueryd with long experyence,