VII

Syþen þe souerayn in sete so sore for-þoȝt
Þat euer he man vpon molde merked to lyuy,
For he in fylþe watȝ fallen, felly he uenged,
Quen fourferde alle þe flesch þat he formed hade,
Hym rwed þat he hem vp-rerde & raȝt hem lyflode,
& efte þat he hem vndyd, hard hit hym þoȝt;
For quen þe swemande sorȝe soȝt to his hert,
He knyt a couenaunde cortaysly with monkynde þere,
In þe mesure of his mode & meþe of his wylle,
Þat he schulde neuer for no syt smyte al at oneȝ,
As to quelle alle quykeȝ for qued þat myȝt falle,
Whyl of þe lenþe of þe londe lasteȝ þe terme.
Þat ilke skyl for no scaþe ascaped hym neuer,
Wheder wonderly he wrak on wykked men after;
Ful felly for þat ilk faute forferde a kyth ryche,
In þe anger of his ire þat arȝed mony;
& al watȝ for þis ilk euel, þat vn-happen glette,
Þe venym & þe vylanye & þe vycios fylþe,
Þat by-sulpeȝ manneȝ saule in vnsounde hert,
Þat he his saueour ne see with syȝt of his yȝen,
Þat alle illeȝ he hates as helle þat stynkkeȝ;
Bot non nuyeȝ hym, on naȝt ne neuer vpon dayeȝ,
As harlottrye vn-honest, heþyng of seluen;
Þat schameȝ for no schrewedschyp schent mot he worþe!
Bot sauyour mon in þy self, þaȝ þou a sotte lyuie,
Þaȝ þou bere þy self babel, by-þenk þe sum-tyme,
Wheþer he þat stykked vche a stare in vche steppe yȝe,
Ȝif hym self be bore blynde hit is a brod wonder;
& he þat fetly in face fettled alle eres
If he hatȝ losed þe lysten hit lyfteȝ meruayle;
Trave þou neuer þat tale, vn-trwe þou hit fyndeȝ,
Þer is no dede so derne þat ditteȝ his yȝen;
Þer is no wyȝe in his werk so war ne so stylle
Þat hit ne þraweȝ to hym þre er he hit þoȝt haue;
For he is þe gropande god, þe grounde of alle dedeȝ,
Rypande of vche a ring þe reynyeȝ & hert;
& þere he fyndeȝ al fayre a freke wyth-inne
Þat hert honest & hol, þat haþel he honoureȝ,
Sendeȝ hym a sad syȝt to se his auen face,
& harde honyseȝ þise oþer & of his erde flemeȝ.
Bot of þe dome of þe douþe for dedeȝ of schame
He is so skoymos of þat skaþe, he scarreȝ bylyue,
He may not dryȝe to draw allyt, bot drepeȝ in hast
& þat watȝ schewed schortly by a scaþe oneȝ.