If your children are saucy, don't curse them, but give 'em a smart flogging. On your daughters' births begin to collect goods for their marriage. 184 Ne perfore spende neuere pe more of a ferthing; It must hoome azen at laste, 188 And if pi children been rebel, & wole not hem 192 lowe,2 If ony3 of hem mys doop, nouper banne hem ne blowe, But take a smert rodde,5 & bete hem on a rowe And euere leuer þe more,6 Mi leue child. 8 And 7 loke to pi douztren pat noon of hem be lorn: 196 Fro pat ilk tyme þat þei be of pee9 born, 200 [Page 112.] Keep all that I've N "Maydens ben fair & amyable, But of her loue ful vnstable," Mi leue child. ow haue y pee tauzt, douztir, As my modir dide me ; pinke peron nyзt and day, forzete pat it not be; And yeue by meyny her hyre at her terme day, Yeue pou hem of thyne owne, & so wysely thee welde 1 Chyldre be 2 bowe My leef chylde. 3 6-6 Leue chylde behoueth lore, And euer þe leuyr the more, 10 be of age 204 Haue mesure and lownes, as y haue pee tauzt, And' what man þe wedde schal, him dare care told you, and your husband won't repent marrying you. Now prift and peedom mote3 pou haue, my swete My sweet girl, barn,4 patriarchs' Of alle oure former fadris þat euere were or aren, may all the alyue,6 212 Her blessinge mote pou haue, & weel mote pou blessing be with priue !7 For weel is pe child bat wip synne wole not be filid, Mi leue child. you, and may you thrive! 216 The blessynge of god mote pou haue, and of May Christ, and his modir brizt, Mary, and all Of alle aungils & of alle archaungils, and of alle Angels bless you, holy wight, And pat pou mowe haue grace to wende pe wey and give you ful rizt grace to get to heaven's bliss!' AMEN. To pe blis of heuene pere sittiþ god almy3t, 1 Omitted 2 þen vntaught 5 And of 3 the blessyng of god mot 4 baren Hear how the wise man taught his son, while it was young and desirous to learn. 'First in the morning, pray to God [Page 187.] that you may not sin. How the Wise Man tauzt His Son. [Lambeth MS. 853, ab. A.D. 1430, page 186.] Istnip lordingis, & 3e schulen here pis song was maad bi good resoun Ther was a wise man tauzt his child To leerne it hadde a good corage, And seide, "my sonne, take good hede, Or pou do ony wordli deede, 20 Lifte vp þin herte to god, & pray And sonne, where pat euere pou go, þin owne tunge may be pi foo; And sonne, what maner man pou be, But take good hede of þi degree, 36 And peron do pi bisynesse. Be waar of reste and ydilnesse, Whiche pingis norischen sloupe, And euere be bisi more or lesse, 40 It is a ful good signe of troupe. And sonne, also y waarne pee, And gete pee mawgre heere & peere 48 More pan pank, an hundrid folde. And sonne, as fer as pou may lere, 52 On no mannys matere, al neiper somme; pan falseli to go upon a qweste. Sonne, pinke upon pat dreedful dōome, 56 How god schal deeme us at pe laste. Don't be too beware what you say, you may repent it afterwards. Don't be idle, but work. Always be busy. [Page 188.] Don't bear office, for you must either offend your neighbours or not do your duty. Don't go on improper inquests, or bear false witness in any cause. You'd better be deaf and dumb. Beware of tavernhaunting, dice, [Page 189.] and lechery. Don't sit up too long, have late suppers, or be out too late. Don't marry a wife for money, but find out all about her, and have a meek one; never mind her being poor. [Page 190.] If she is meek and serves you well, don't burden her too much, but cherish her. And sonne, of oon þing y þee waarne, And flee al letcherie in wil and dede For alle pi wittis it wole ouer lede, And sonne, sitte not up at euen to longe, houz pou be bope hool an strong, And sonne, if pou wolt haue a wijf, Take hir not for coueitise, But wijseli enqweere of al hir lijf, 76 And take good hede, bi myn avice, bat sche be meeke, curteis, and wijs; pouz sche be poore, take pou noon hede, And sche wole do pee more good seruice 80 pan a riccher, whanne pou hast neede. And if þi wijf be meeke and good, 84 To charge hir to greuously; But rewle pee faire and eesili, And cherische hir weel for hir good dede, 88 Makip grijf to growe whanne it is no nede. |