Part 30 (2/2)

Obstynat frowarde or in.o.bedyent Ought he nat be, but with a pacyent mynde Shewe all his soris truly playne and euydent To the Phesician if he wyll socour fynde.

And thoughe his saluys in paynes hym sore bynde.

Let nat for that, but after his wyll the gyde Better a shorte payne, than that doth longe abyde

No sore can be releuyd without payne.

Forsake nat the short, the longe payne to eschewe To the Phesycian we ought in worde be playne And shewe hym our sore, whether it be olde or newe For in thy wordes if that thou be nat trewe Or kepe ought close, thou dysceyuest be thou sure Thy selfe. and nat hym that of the hath the cure.

In lyke fourme who comyth vnto confessyon There to declare howe he his lyfe hath spent And shewyth nat his synne lyke wyse as he hath done Hymself he disceyuyth, as blynde of his entent.

Thus many one endureth infernall tourment With wo contynuall and payne for euermore For kepynge secrete there, of his goostly sore.

Thus who that is payned in any malady Bodely or gostly, ought nat to be callyd wyse To the Phesycian without that he aply.

And his preceptis hant kepe and exercyse But now olde wytches dare boldly interpryse To intromyt to hele all infyrmyte And many them byleue, whiche sothly is pyte

Suche wytches of theyr byleue abhomynable On brest or hede of the paynfull pacyent With theyr wytchecraftis shall compa.s.se chat and bable a.s.surynge hym of helth, and short amendement Than he that is seke fyxith his intent Upon hir errour: to haue helpe of his sore But she hym leuyth wors than he was before

Poule the apostyll doth boldly say and preue That they whiche to suche wytches wyll a.s.sent Ar heretykes, Lolardes and false of theyr byleue Brekynge G.o.ddes lawes and commaundement And oft also by profe it apereth euydent That suche as to wytches craftis wyll intende By theyr fals Phesyke come soner to theyr ende

Theyr body dede, theyr soule in ieopardy By mysbyleue for euer in paynes infernall.

Whiche ar rewarde for wretchyd synne and heresy But if thou to thy mynde and reason call And of this wrytynge perceyue the sence morall Whan thou art fallen seke and in dedely syn Seke helpe betyme, and byde nat longe therein

THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.

Thou man or woman, that lyest seke in vyce To G.o.ddes vycayrs confesse thy syn holly So shalt thou from thy goostly yll aryse.

For thy soule fyndynge helpe and remedy Without leasynge shewe hym thy synne playnly Let nat for shame nor fall nat thereto agayne Better shewe thy sore there to one secretely Than after openly: and byde eternall payne

Ensewe the counsell of a wyse confessour Take nat colde water in stede of vermayll wyne: For moche swetnes, endure thou a lytell soure Kepe well the dyet and threfolde medicyne Ordayned for synne by spirituall doctryne That is confessyon, the next contrycyon.

With satisfaccion these thre, with grace deuyne Ar salues parfyte for all transgressyon

Of ouer open takynges of counsel.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Who that to clerely layeth his net or snare Before the byrdes whome he by gyle wolde take Them playnly techyth of his gyle to be ware And is a fole whether he slepe or wake Right so is he (and doth a sauegarde make) For his foes them (techynge remedy to fynde) Whiche sheweth them by thretenynge the secret of his mynde]

Who that intendyth by chraft and polycy To take many byrdes, outher small or great And layeth before them to playne and openly His lynes snarys, his lyme twyggis or his net He shall no profyte gayne nor auauntage get For if that he his engynes can nat hyde The byrdes shall be ware, and lyghtly fle asyde

So he that wyll openly manace and threte With worde and hande, as he wolde sle adowne ryght Is oft scant abyll a symple hounde to bete.

For in his worde is all his force and myght And he that alway thretenyth for to fyght.

Oft at the profe is skantly worth a hen For greattest crakers ar nat ay boldest men

Who that agaynst his ennemy wolde fyght And gyueth hym before wepyn and armour.

Agaynst hym selfe to encreas his foes myght Suche one hath reason and wyt of smal valour.

Ryght so that sole is led in lyke errour Which nought can do, of mater les or more Without he crake and boste therof before.

And also suche bosters and crakers comonly Whiche doth theyr mynde in hasty wordes declare Of other men ar lytell or nought set by And by theyr wordes, full often yll they fare A man also may ryght easely be ware Of folys whiche thus theyr counsell out expres Whose thretenyngs to theyr foes is armour and harnes

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