Through sloth of careless folk, whom ease so fat doth feed;

13

Whose idle hands do nought but waste the fruit of others'

seed;

Which to themselves persuade, that little got with ease More thankful is, than kingdoms won by travail and disease.

Another sort I saw without both friend or kin,

Whose greedy ways yet never sought a faithful friend to win,

Whose wretched corpse no toil yet ever weary could, Nor glutted ever were their eyes with heaps of shining gold.

But, if it might appear to their abused eyen

20

To whose avail they travail so, and for whose sake they pine,

Then should they see what cause they have for to repent The fruitless pains and eke the time that they in vain

have spent.

Then 'gan I thus resolve-More pleasant is the life Of faithful friends that spend their goods in common without strife.'

For as the tender friend appeaseth every grief,

So, if he fall that lives alone, who shall be his relief?
The friendly feres lie warm in arms embraced fast;
Who sleeps alone, at every turn doth feel the winter

blast:

30

What can he do but yield, that must resist alone?
If there be twain, one may defend the t'other over-
thrown:

The single twined cords may no such stress endure
As cables braided threefold may, together wreathed sure.
In better far estate stand children, poor and wise,
Than aged kings, wedded to will, that work without advice.

In prison have I seen, or this, a woful wight,

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That never knew what freedom meant, nor tasted of

delight,

With such unhoped hap in most despair hath met, Within the hands that erst wore gyves to have a sceptre

set.

And by conjures1 the seed of kings is thrust from state, Whereon a grieved people work ofttimes their hidden hate. Other, without respect I saw of friend or foe,

With feet worn bare in tracing such, whereas the

honours grow.

And at death of a prince great routs revived strange, Which, fain their old yoke to discharge, rejoiced in the change.

But when I thought, to these as heavy even, or more, Shall be the burden of his reign, as his that went

before,

And that a train like great upon the dead attend,

I 'gan conclude, each greedy gain hath its uncertain end. In humble spirit is set the temple of the Lord;

51

Where if thou enter, look thy mouth and conscience may

accord!

Whose Church is built of love, and deck'd with hot desire,

And simple faith; the yolden ghost 1 his mercy doth require:

Where perfectly for aye he in his word doth rest,

With gentle ear to hear thy suit, and grant thee thy request. In boast of outward works he taketh no delight,

Nor waste of words; such sacrifice unsavoureth in his sight.

1 'Conjures :' conspiracies. Yolden ghost: devoted.

CHAPTER V.

WHEN that repentant tears hath cleansed clear from ill The charged breast, and grace hath wrought therein amending will,

With bold demands then may his mercy well assail

The speech man saith; without the which request may none prevail.

More shall thy penitent sighs his endless mercy please, Than their importune suits, which dream that words God's wrath appease;

For heart, contrite of fault, is gladsome recompense; And prayer, fruit of faith, whereby God doth with sin dispense.

As fearful broken sleeps spring from a restless head,
By chattering of unholy lips is fruitless prayer bred. 10
In waste of wind, I rede, vow nought unto the Lord,
Whereto thy heart to bind thy will freely doth not accord;
For humble vows fulfill'd by grace right sweetly smoke:
But bold behests, broken by lusts, the wrath of God
provoke.

Yet bet1 with humble heart thy frailty to confess,
Than to boast of such perfectness, whose works such fraud

express.

With feigned words and oaths contract with God no guile;

Such craft returns to thine own harm, and doth thyself defile:

And though the mist of sin persuade such error light, Thereby yet are thy outward works all dampnèd1 in his sight.

As sundry broken dreams us diversely abuse,

So are his errors manifold that many words doth use. 1 Bet' better.- Dampned:' con lemned.

With humble secret plaint, few words of hot effect

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Honour thy Lord; allowance vain of void desert neglect. Though wrong at times the right, and wealth eke need

oppress,

Think not the hand of justice slow to follow the redress:
For such unrighteous folk as rule withouten dread,

By some abuse or secret lust he suffereth to be led.
The chief bliss that in earth to living man is lent,

Is moderate wealth to nourish life, if he can be content. 30
He that hath but one field, and greedily seeketh nought,
To fence the tiller's hand from need, is king within his
thought.

But such as of their gold their only idol make,

No treasure may the ravin of their hungry hands aslake.
For he that gapes for good, and hoardeth all his gain,
Travails in vain to hide the sweet that should relieve his

pain.

Where is great wealth, there should be many a needy

wight

To spend the same; and that should be the rich man's
chief delight.

The sweet and quiet sleeps that wearied limbs oppress,
Beguile the night in diet thin, not feasts of great excess:
But waker1 lie the rich; whose lively heat with rest 41
Their charged bulks2 with change of meats cannot so soon
digest.

Another righteous doom I saw of greedy gain;

With busy cares such treasures oft preserved to their

bane:

The plenteous houses sack'd; the owners end with shame Their sparkled goods; their needy heirs, that should enjoy the same,

Waker:' wakeful.-Bulks: bodies.-Sparkled:' scattered.

From wealth despoiled bare, from whence they came they

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went, Clad in the clothes of poverty, as Nature first them sent. Naked as from the womb we came, if we depart,

With toil to seek that we must leave, what boot to vex the heart?

What life lead testy men then, that consume their days In inward frets, untemper'd hates, at strife with some always?

Then 'gan I praise all those, in such a world of strife, As take the profit of their goods, that may be had in

life.

For sure the liberal hand that hath no heart to spare This fading wealth, but pours it forth, it is a virtue rare: That makes wealth slave to need, and gold become his

thrall,

Clings1 not his guts with niggish2 fare to heap his chest withal;

But feeds the lusts of kind3 with costly meats and wine; And slacks the hunger and the thirst of needy folk that

pine:

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No glutton's feast I mean in waste of spence to strive, But temperate meals the dulled spirits with joy thus to

revive.

No care may pierce where mirth hath temper'd such a

breast:

The bitter gall, season'd with sweet, such wisdom may digest.

''Clings:' shrinks up.- 'Niggish:' niggard.—3 'Lusts of kind:' desires of nature.