Part 23 (1/2)
Say what precedeth of this mad outrage But great mysfortune, wo and vnhappynesse But for all theyr chattynge and plenty of langage Whan to the preste they come them to confesse To shewe theyr lewde lyfe theyr synne and wretchydnes Whan they sholde speke, and to this poynt ar come Theyr tunges ar loste and there they syt as domme
Many haue ben whiche sholde haue be counted wyse Sad and discrete, and right well sene in scyence But all they haue defyled with this one vyse Of moche spekynge: o cursyd synne and offence Pyte it is that so great inconuenience So great shame, contempt rebuke and vylany Sholde by one small member came to the hole body
Let suche take example by the chatrynge pye.
Whiche doth hyr nest and byrdes also betraye By hyr grete chatterynge, clamoure dyn and crye Ryght so these folys theyr owne foly bewraye.
But touchynge wymen of them I wyll nought say They can nat speke, but ar as coy and styll As the horle wynde or clapper or a mylle
But that man or woman or any creature That lytell speketh or els kepeth sylence Ar euer of them selfe moste stedfast and sure Without enuy, hatred or malyuolence.
Where as to suche comys moche inconuenyence Sorowe vpon sorowe, malyce and dysdayne Whiche wyll no tyme, his speche nor tunge refrayne
Fayre speche is pleasaunt if it be moderate And spoken in season, conuenyente and dewe To kepe scylence, to pore man or estate Is a great grace, and synguler vertue Langage is lawdable whan it is G.o.d and true A wyse man or he speke wyll be wyse and ware What (to whome) why (howe) whan and whare
BARKLAYE TO THE FOLYS.
Ye bablynge brybours, endeuer you to amende Mytygat by mesure, your prowde hasty langage Kepe well your tunges so, shall ye kepe your frende For hasty speche ingendreth great damage Whan a worde is nat sayd, the byrde is in the cage Also the hous is surest whan the dorys be barryde So whan thy worde is spokyn and out at large Thou arte nat mayster, but he that hath it harde
If thou take hede and set therto thy brayne In this world thou shalt fynde thynges thre Whiche ones past, can nat be callyd agayne.
The firste is (tyme lost) by mannes symplycyte The seconde (youth) reuoked can nat be The thyrde (a worde spoken) it gooth out in the wynde And yet is the fourth, that is (virginyte) My forgetfull mynde, had lefte it nere behynde
Of them that correct other and yet them selfe do nought and synne worse than they whom they so correct.
[Ill.u.s.tration: He lacketh reason and vnderstandynge to Whiche to a towne or Cyte knoweth the way And shewyth other howe they may thether go Hym selfe wandrynge aboute from day to day In myre and fen, though his iourney thether lay So he is mad whiche to other doth preche and tell The wave to heuyn, and hym selfe goth to h.e.l.l.]
Nowe to our Nauy, a sorte maketh asaute Of folys blynde, mad Jugys and Iniust Whiche lyghtly noteth another mannes faute.
Chastynge that synne, whiche theyr owne mynde doth rust By longe abydynge, and increas of carnall l.u.s.t They cloke their owne vyce synne and enormyte Other blamynge and chastynge with moche cruelte
They mocke and mowe at anothers small offence And redy ar a faute in them to fynde But of theyr owne foly and inconuenyence They se no thynge, for fully ar they blynde Nat notynge the vyce rotyd in theyr owne mynde Theyr greuous woundes and secrete malady For theyr owne yll they seke no remedy
The hande whiche men vnto a Crosse do nayle Shewyth the waye ofte to a man wandrynge Whiche by the same his right way can nat fayle But yet the hande is there styll abydynge So do these folys lewde of theyr owne lyuynge To other men shewe mean and way to wynne Eternall ioy themselfe bydynge in synne
He sertaynly may well be callyd a sote Moche vnauysed and his owne ennemy Whiche in a nothers iye can spye a lytell mote And in his owne can nat fele nor espye A moche stycke, so is he certaynly.
Whiche noteth anothers small faute or offence To his owne great synnes gyuynge none aduertence
Many them selfe fayne as chaste as was saynt Johnn And many other fayne them meke and innocent Some other as iust, and wyse as Salomon As holy as Poule, as Job als pacyent As sad as senecke, and as obedyent As Abraham, and as martyn vertuous But yet is theyr lyfe full lewde and vycious
Some lokyth with an aungels countenaunce Wyse sad and sober lyke an heremyte Thus hydynge theyr synne and theyr mysgouernaunce.
Under suche clokys lyke a fals ypocryte Let suche folys rede what Cicero doth wryte Whiche sayth that none sholde blame any creature For his faut, without his owne lyuynge be sure
Without all spot of synne faut or offence For in lyke fourme as a phesycyan.
By his practyse and cunnynge or scyence The sekenes curyth of a nother man But his owne yll nor dyseas he nat can Relefe nor hele so doth he that doth blame Anothers synne: he styll lyuynge in the same
Many ar whiche other can counseyll craftely And shewe the peryll that may come by theyr synne But them selfe they counseyll nat: ne remedy.
Nor take no waye whereby they heuyn may wynne But lye in that vyce that they rotyd ar in Leuynge the way that gydyth to ioy and rest Their owne sensualyte ensuynge as a beest
Wherfore ye prestis that haue the charge and cure.
To teche and enfourme the rude comonte.
In G.o.ddys lawes groundyd in scripture And blame all synnes sparynge no degre Whyle ye rebuke thus theyr enormyte Lyue so that none may cause haue you to blame And if ye do nat: it is to your great shame