To fe what pyte forth with mercy doth
The cronique is at Rome in thilke empire
Of Conftantine, whiche is a talè fothe,
When him was levir his owne deth defire
Then do the yongè childrin to martire,
Of cruiltie he leftin the quarele,
Pyte he wrought, and pyte was his hele.
For thilkè mann'is pyte whiche he dede
God was pytous, and made him whole at al,
Silvefter came, and in the same stede
He yave him baptisme first in special,
Whiche did awaye the finne original,
And al his lepre' it hath fo purified
That his pyte for er is magnified.
Pyte was the cause why this emperour
Was whole in body and in foulè bothe,
And Rome alfo was fette in thilke honour
Of Chrift'is faith, so that they leve or loth,
Whiche haddin be with Chrift toforè wroth,
Recevid werin unto Christ'is lore;
Thus fhal pyte be praifid evirmore.
My worthy liegè Lorde, Henry by name,
Whiche Englande hafte to governin and right,
Men oughtin wel thy pyte to proclame,
Whiche opinliche in al the world'is fight
It fhewith, with the helpe of God almight,
To yeve us pece, which long hath be debated
Wherof thy prife fhal nevir be abated.
My Lorde, in whom hath evir yet be founde
Pyte, withoutin spotte of violence,
Kepe thilke pece alwayis within bounde
Whiche God hath plantid in thy counscience,
So fhal the cronique of thy pacience
Amonge the faintes be taken into memorie,
To the legende of perdurable glorie.
And to thin erthely prife, fo as I can,
Whiche every man is holdin to commende,
I Gower, whiche am al thy liegè man,
This lettir to thine Excellence I fende,
As I whiche evir unto my live's ende
Wol pray for the estate of thy persone,
In worshippe of thy fceptre and thy throne.
Not onely to my kinge of pece I write,
But to thefe othir princis Chriftin al,
That eche of 'hem his ownè herte endite,
And cefe the werre or more mifchefe yfal,
Sette eke the rightful puppe upon his stall,
Kepe charitè, and drawe pite to hande,
And maintaine lawe, and fo the pece shall stande. 385 Explicit carmen de pacis commendatione, quod, ad laudem et memoriam fereniffimi principis domini regis Henrici Quarti, fuus bumilis orator Johannes Gower compofuit.
Electus Chrifti pie rex Henrice fuisti,
Qui bene venifti, cum propria regna petisti,
Tu mala viciftique bonis bona restituisti,
Et populo trifti nova gaudia contribuisti.
Et mihi fpes lata, quod adhuc per te renovata
Succedent fata prifca probitate beata,
Eft tibi nam grata gratia fponte data.
Henrici Quarti primus regni fuit annus,
Quo mihi defecit visus ad acta mea.
Omnia tempus habent, finem natura ministrat,
Quem virtute fua frangere nemo potest.
Ultra poffe nihil, quamvis mihi velle remanfit,
Amplius ut fcribam non mihi posse manet.
Dum potui fcripfi, fed nunc quia curva fenectus
Turbavit fenfus, fcripta relinquo fcholis.
Scribat, qui veniet poft me, discretior alter,
Ammodo namque manus et mea penna filent.
Hoc tamen in finem verborum quæfo meorum
Profpera quod ftatuat regna futura Deus.
A balade of gode counfeile, tranflated out of Latin verfes in to Englife by Dan Ihon Lidgat, cleped The Monke of
CONSYDIR well every circumstaunce,
Of what eftate foever thou ybe,
Or riche or stronge, or mighty' of puiffaunce,
Prudent or wyfe, or discret or befy,
The dome of folkes in foth thou may nat flie,
What evir thou doift truftith wel this,
A wickid tonge wol alway deme amis.
For in thy porte or in thine apparaile
If thou be cladde and honeftly be saine,
Anone the peple' of malice wol not faile
Without advice or refon for to faine,
That thin array is made or wrought in vain;
Suffre 'hem fpeke, and truftith right wel this,
A wickid tonge wol alway deme amis.
Thou wil to kingis be equipolent,
With grete lordis evin and peregal;
And if thou be to torne and al to rent
Than wol they fay, and jangle ovir al,
Thou art a flogarde that nevir thrive fhal;
Suffre 'hem fpeke, and truftith right wel this,
A wickid tonge wol alway deme amis.
If it befallin that thou take a wife,
They wollin falsly say in ther entent,
Thou art likely evir to lyve in ftrife,
Voide of al reft, without aledgement,
Wivis ben maiftris, this is ther judgement;
Suffrin al ther fpeche, and truft right wel this,
Awickid tonge wol alway deme amis.
"If thou be faire and exce'llent of beaute,
Yet wol they say that thou art amourous,
If thou be foule and uglie on to se,
They wol affirme that thou art vicious,
The peple' of langage is so difpitous;
Suffre' al ther speche, and truftith right wel this,
A wickid tonge wol alway deme amis.
If fo'be that of holie parfitenesse
Thou haft vowid to live in chastite,
Than wollin folke of thy perfone expreffe
Thou 'art impotent t'engendre' in thy degre,
And thus wher thou be chafte or deflavie;
Suffre 'hem fpeke, and trustith right wel this,
A wickid tonge wol alway deme amis.
If thou be fattè othir corpulent,
Than woll thei say thou art a grete gloton,
A devourir, or ellis vinolent,
Yf thou be lene or megre of fashion,
Cal the a nygarde in ther opinion;
Suffre them fpeke, and trustith right wel this,
Awickid tonge wol alway deme amis,
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