| |
Greting to
you both yn hertye wyse
As
unknowen I sende, and this mye
entente
As I do here, you to advertyse,
Lest
that perchaunce your deades
you do repente.
The
unknowen man dredes not to
be shente
But sayes as he thinks : so fares it bye me.
That nother ffere nor hope in no degre.
The bodye
and the sowle is helde togidder,
Yt
is but right, and reason woll
the same,
And fryndelie the oon to love the other,
Yt
encresith your beautye and also
your fame ;
But
marke well my wordes, for I
fere no blame,
Truste well yourselves, but ware ye trust no mo
For suche as ye think your frende, may fortune be
your
ffoo.
Beware
frendelye ere ye have enye nede,
And
to frendes reconsilide trust
not greatelye ;
For they that ons with hastie spede
Exiled
themselves oute of your
companye,
Tho
theye torne againe and speke
farelye,
Fayning themselves to be your frendes faste
Beware of them for thye will disseyve you
at
laste.
Fayre
wordes makis foolys fayne,
And
bering in hande causith moche
woo ;
For tyme tryeth trothe, therefore refrayne :
And
from suche as be redye to doo
: -
None
doo I name but this I kno,
That by this faute cause causith moche,
Therefore beware if yo do know anye suche.
"To wise
folkes few wordes" is an
old sayeng,
Therfore
at this tyme I will write
nomore,
But this short lesson take for a warning,
By
soche light frendes set litill
store ;
If
ye do otherwise ye will repent
it sore ;
And thus of this lettre making an ende,
To the boddye and the sowle I me commend.
Wryting
lyfles at the manner place
Of
him that hath no chave nor nowere
dothe dwell ;
But wandering in the wilde worlde wanting that he
hase,
And
nothr hopis nor fearis heven
nor hell ;
But
lyveth at adventure ye kno
him full well.
The twentie daye of marche he wrote yt yn his
house,
And hathe him recommendyd to the kat and the
mowse.
|
Greeting to you
both in hearty wise
As
unknown I send, and this my
intent
As I do here, you to advertise,
Lest
that perchance your deeds
you do repent.
The
unknown man dreads not to be
shent 5
But says as he thinks: so fares it by me.
That neither fear nor hope in no degree.
7
The body and the
soul is held together,
It
is but right, and reason will
the same,
And friendly the one to love the other,
10
It
increaseth your beauty and also
your fame;
But
mark well my words, for I fear
no blame,
Trust well yourselves, but ware ye trust no mo,
13
For such as ye think your friend, may fortune be
your
foe.
Beware friendly ear
ye have any need,
And
to friends reconciled trust
not greatly;
For they that once with hasty speed
Exiled
themselves out of your company,
18
Though
they turn again and speak
fairly,
Feigning themselves to be your friends fast
20
Beware of them for they will deceive
you at last.
Fair words makes
fools fain,
And
bearing in hand causeth much
woe;
For time trieth truth, therefore refrain,
24
And
from such as be ready to do
-
None
do I name but this I know,
That by this fault cause causeth much,
Therefore beware if you do know any such.
28
"To wise folks few
words" is an old saying,
Therefore
at this time I will write
no more, 30
But this short lesson take for a warning,
By
such light friends set little
store;
If
ye do otherwise ye will repent
it sore,
And thus of this letter making an end,
34
To the body and the soul I me commend.
Writing lifeless at
the manor place 36
Of
him that hath no chaff nor nowhere
doth dwell,
But wandering in the wild world, wanting that he
has,
And
neither hopes nor fears heaven
nor hell,
But
liveth at adventure, ye know
him full well. 40
The twentieth day of March he wrote it in his
house,
And hath him recommended to the cat and the
mouse.
|
| |
 |
NOTES
1-3. It is thought that the poem might be addressed to the body and
soul
(you both), sent by a departed spirit. It probably depends on a lost
original,
for it contains typical moralistic advice to those setting out on
life's
voyage, advice which was not uncommon at the time and was often full of
disguised cynicism.
3.
advertise = warn. Lines 1-3 are probably
corrupt.
5.
the unknown man = the speaker (who,
being a spirit, addresses the generality of mankind, but remains
unknown).
shent = castigated, reproached.
7. in no degree = in
no way.
9. reason will = reason
desires.
10. friendly the one
= it is a friendly thing for the one etc.
13. ware = beware. mo
= more.
14. may fortune = may
by chance.
15. friendly ear etc
= that you have any need of a friendly ear (which may deceive you).
22. makes fools fain
= makes willing fools.
23. bearing in hand
= hoodwinking.
24. refrain = hold back.
25. such as be ready
to do = (?) those who advertise themselves to you as friends.
27. this fault = (?)
fair speaking, which can be deceitful.
cause causeth much = (?) there arises much grief.
35. the body and soul
- the supposed addressees of the poem.
36. Writing lifeless
= written by one who has departed this life.
At
the manor place - The line is a sort of 'signing off' typical of
letters
of the period. 'Written by such and such at such and such place'.
37. chaff = provender,
income. 36-8 are ironical. 'Written by him whose manor is nowhere, who
has
no house or sustenance, nor need of anything, but wanders the wide
world
as a disembodied spirit'.
40. at adventure = with
whatever chance sends.
42. Of doubtful meaning.
Perhaps it suggests that he is prepared for whatever comes, having
backed
both sides. The phrase is probably proverbial.
|