Part 37 (2/2)

We haue by Therence the same commaundement The same is wryten also as I fynde In the holy lawe of the olde testament And therfore he that oft wyll set his mynde For others maters with care his thought to blynde Let hym first se vnto his owne profyte Lyst some mysfortune hym after sharply byte

Let hym turne his labour to his owne auauntage And than do for other where as he seeth moste nede For who that playeth for mony outher gage And on his felawes cast takyth onely hede And nat to his owne, suche one shall seldom spede And is a Fole. So is he that doth ren To quenche another hous, suffrynge his owne to bren

Suche one of his owne damage hath no fere And worthy is his losse and hurte to byde So is he that wyll anothers burthen bere Or takyth anothers charge at any tyde Despysynge his owne werke and settynge it asyde If suche haue losse and after it forthynke No man shall moche force whether he flete or synke

He is well worthy to haue a folys pype That goth vnbyddyn to rype anothers corne And suffreth his owne to stande though it be rype.

And generally all Folys ar worthy scorne Of what maner byrth so euer they be borne If they them self put, to losse or damage Therby to do some other auauntage

Say curyous Fole: say what pleasour thou hast In others maters thy self to intermyt Or theyr great charges thus in thy mynde to cast Thy selfe to socour set thou thy mynde and wyt Let others maters therfore in quyete syt On thy owne profyte of all firste set thy mynde And than (if thou mayst) do somwhat for thy frende

For vtterly that man is moche vnwyse That thus takyth thought for anothers charge And doth his owne by neglygence despyse For suche Folys I forgyd haue this barge But of the same suche men I clene discharge That first of his pryuate profyte can take hede And than helpe a frende and felowe at a nede

THENUOY OF BARKLAY.

Ye that take charge, thought and besy cure For others mysfortune, losse or aduersyte First of your self I aduyse you to be sure For this is the order of parfyte charyte Eche to hym selfe moste louynge ay to be And next to his frende, but who that doth dispyse.

His owne besynes whiche is in ieopardye Seynge to anothers forsoth he is vnwyse

Of the vyce of vnkyndnes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: That Fole can neyther G.o.de nor honeste Whiche whan one doth to hym a frendly dede It gladly takyth, thoughe it be two or thre Lokynge for kyndnes, yet takyth he no hede To shewe the same agayne in tyme of nede Let suche Folys be no thing wroth therfore Thoughe in this Shyp I set them to an ore.]

He is a Fole that crauynge is alway Takynge the seruyce and rewardes of his frende And nat remembryth the same agayne to pay But as a churle it castyth out of his mynde For who that wolde haue one to hym be kynde And lyberall, he ought the same to be For kyndnes meyntayneth bothe loue and charyte

He that wyll charge another with cures harde And great labours greuous to sustayne Ought for his labour hym worthely rewarde That the rewarde may be confort to his payne It is disworshyp and also shame certayne To take the labour of any ryche or pore And nat iustly hym to content therfore

Wherfore the workman ought also to intende Vnto his labour to saue his honestye And workemanly to brynge it the ende If he therby wolde well rewardyd be And if the owner therof beholde and se.

His worke so done, he is a chorle vnkynde If he do nat content the workmannys mynde.

He that wolde gladly that men sholde hym commende Must fully purpose and fyx within his mynde Lyberall to be and nat euer to intende To false Auaryce, whiche many one doth blynde And if he purpose hye honours for to fynde Or hym auaunce to any great degre He must haue mekenes and lyberalyte

He must of maners also be commendable And of his speche als pleasaunt as he can For an olde prouerbe true and verytable Sayth that good lyfe and maners makyth man But euery lawe doth dam and also ban The churlysshe vyce and lewde of vnkyndnes Whiche dryeth vp the well of bounte and goodnes

For vnkynde folys if one labour dylygent And so brynge theyr worke vnto good conclusyon They fynde yet fautis and so ar nat content Withdrawynge the rewarde by theyr collusyon Wherfore let suche thynke it no abusyon Nor haue disdayne ne yet in mynde complayne If the pore laborer gyue vp his worke agayne

These frowarde Folys, doth wronge and iniury To suche as to them do profyte and honour For kyndnes, they render shame and vylany Rebukes sclander extorcion and rygour But whyle they hope to come to great valoure And by such rygour to honours to aryse Theyr hope vanyssheth as doth the snowe or yce

Wherfore who that puttyth one to besynes To charge or labour of body or of mynde Ought hym rewarde agayne for his kyndnes If he do nat forsoth he is unkynde But specyally as I oft wryten fynde It is a thynge whiche doth for vengeaunce cry A pore laborer to put to Iniury

What man can wryte the inconuenyence Whiche groweth of this lewde and cursyd vyce Vnkyndnes causeth great myschefe and offence And is repugnynge to reason and iustyce Wherfore let suche that wyll be namyd wyse Leue it: and folowe lyberalyte Whiche is noryssher of loue and amyte

In dyuers bokes examples we may fynde Howe many Cytees hygh and excellent Agaynst all lawe and reason were vnkynde To suche as dyd theyr dignyte augment O vnkynde rome thou was of this intent Whiche hast Camyllus exyled in great payne Thoughe he euer laboured thy honour to mentayne

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