Part 22 (1/2)
Rede all bokes and thou shalt neuer fynde That dronkennes and wysdome may togyther be For where is dronkennes, there madnes is by kynde Gydynge the hauer to all enormyte And where as is madnes thou shalt neuer se Reason ne wysdome take theyr abydynge In one instant, wherfore lerne this of me That dronkennes is mortell enmy to cunnynge.
Of ryches vnprofytable.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Yet fynde I folys of another sorte Whiche gather and kepe excessyfe ryches With it denyeng their neyghboures to conforte Whiche for nede lyueth in payne and wretchydnes Suche one by fortune may fall into distres And in lyke wyse after come to mysery And begge of other, whiche shall to hym deny.]
It is great foly, and a desyre in vayne To loue and worshyp ryches to feruently And so great laboure to take in care and payne Fals treasoure to encrease and multyply But yet no wonder is it sertaynly Syth he that is ryche hath gretter reuerence Than he that hath sadnes wysdom and scyence
The ryche mannes rewardes stande in best degre But G.o.dly maners we haue set clene asyde Fewe loueth vertue, but fewer pouertye.
Fals couetyse his braunches spreddeth wyde Ouer all the worlde, that pety can nat byde Among vs wretches banysshed is kyndnes Thus lyeth the pore in wo and wretchydnes
Without conforte and without auctoryte But he only is nowe reputed wyse Whiche hath ryches in great store and plente.
Suche shall be made a sergeant or Justyce And in the Court reputed of moste pryse He shall be callyd to counseyll in the lawe Though that his brayne be skarsly worth a strawe
He shall be Mayre baylyfe or constable And he onely promotyd to honoure His maners onely reputed ar laudable His dedys praysyd as grettest of valoure Men laboure and seke to fall in his fauoure He shall haue loue, echone to hym shall sue For his ryches, but nought for his vertue
Se what rewardes ar gyuen to ryches Without regarde had to mannys condycyon A strawe for cunnynge wysdome and holynes Of ryches is the first and chefe questyon What rentes what londes howe great possessyon What stuffe of housholde what store of grotz and pens And after his G.o.de his wordes hath credence.
His wordes ar trouth men gyue to them credence Thoughe they be falsly fayned and sotell But to the pore none wyll gyue aduertence Though that his wordes be true as the gospell Ye let hym swere by heuyn and by h.e.l.l By G.o.d and his sayntes and all that G.o.d made Yet nought they beleue that of hym is sayde
They say that the pore men doth G.o.d dispyse Thouhe they nought swere but trouth and veryte And that G.o.d punyssheth them in suche wyse For so dispysynge of his hye maiestye Kepynge them for their synnes in pouerte And theyr ryche exaltyth by his power and grace To suche ryches, worldly pleasour and solace
The ryche ar rewarded with gyftis of dyuerse sorte With Capons and Conyes delycious of sent But the pore caytyf abydeth without confort Though he moste nede haue: none doth hym present The fat pygge is baast, the lene cony is brent He that nought hathe, shall so alway byde pore But he that ouer moche hath, yet shall haue more
The wolfe etis the shepe, the great fysshe the small The hare with the houndes vexed ar and frayde He that hath halfe nedes wyll haue all The ryche mannes pleasour can nat be denayde Be the pore wroth, or be he well apayde Fere causeth hym sende vnto the ryches hous His mete from his owne mouth, if it be delycious
And yet is this ryche caytyf nat content Though he haue all yet wolde he haue more.
And though this G.o.de can neuer of hym be spent With nought he departyth to hym that is pore Though he with nede harde vexed were and sore.
O cursyd hunger o mad mynde and delyte.
To laboure for that whiche neuer shall do profyte
Say couetous caytyfe what doth it the auayle For to haue all and yet, nat to be content Thou takest nat this sore laboure and trauayle To thy pleasoure but to thy great turment But loke therof what foloweth consequent Whan thou art dede and past this wretchyd lyfe Thou leuyst behynde brawlynge debate and stryfe
To many one ryches is moche necessary Whiche can it order right as it ought to be But vnto other is it vtterly contrary Whiche therwith disdayneth to socoure pouerte.
Nor them relefe in theyr aduersyte Suche shall our lorde sore punysshe fynally And his petycion rightwysly deny
BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Ye great estatis and men of dignyte To whome G.o.d in this lyfe hath sent ryches Haue ye compa.s.sion, on paynfull pouertye And them conforte in theyr carefull wretchydnes G.o.d hym loueth and shall rewarde doutles Whiche to the nedy for hym is charitable With heuenly ioy, whiche treasour is endeles So shall thy riches to the be profytable.
Of hym that togyder wyll serue two maysters.
[Ill.u.s.tration: A fole he is and voyde of reason Whiche with one hounde tendyth to take Two harys in one instant and season Rightso is he that wolde vndertake Hym to two lordes a seruaunt to make For whether, that he be lefe or lothe The one he shall displease, or els bothe.]
A fole also he is withouten doute And in his porpose sothly blyndyd sore Whiche doth entende labour or go aboute To serue G.o.d, and also his wretchyd store Of worldly ryches: for as I sayde before He that togyder wyll two maysters serue Shall one displease and nat his loue deserue
For he that with one hownde wol take also Two harys togyther in one instant For the moste parte doth the both two forgo And if he one haue: harde it is and skant And that blynde fole mad and ignorant That draweth thre boltis atons in one bowe At one marke shall shote to hye or to lowe