The morale prouerbes of Cristyne
Christine, de Pisan, ca. 1364-ca. 1431., Rivers, Anthony Woodville, Earl of, 1442?-1483.
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The morale prouerbes of Cristyne
tHe grete vertus of oure elders notable
Ofte to remembre is thing profitable
An happy hous is. where dwelleth prudence
For where she is Raison is in presence
A temperat man cold from hast asseured
May not lightly long saison be miseured
Constante couraigis in sapience formed
Wole in noo wise to vicis be conformed
Where nys Iustice▪ that lande nor that coūtre
May not long regne in gode prosperite
Withouten faith may there noo creature
Be vnto god plaisant. as saith scripture
Propre worldly and to god acceptable
Can noman be. but he be charitable
Hope kepeth not promys in eury wise
Yet in this world hit guideth māny a wise
In greet estat ligth not the gloire
But in vertu whiche worth is memoire
A cruell prynce gronded in auarice
Shulde his peuple not truste. if he be wise
Yiuyng in tyme and wisely to refreigne
Maketh oon welthy & in estat to reigne
Now preyse now blame com̄unely by vsance
Sheweth folye and noo maniere constance
A pryncis court withoute a gouuerneur
Beyng prudent can not leste in honneur
Page [unnumbered]Grete diligence with a good Remembrance
Dooth a man ofte to hygh honneur auance
A fool can preyse nought for lak of Raison
And the wise man̄ hath noo presumpcion
A mighty prynce that wole here his consaille
Paciently, to prospere can not faille
He is prudent, that maketh pourueyance
For thing to come bifore er falle the chance
A man in pride fixed with hert and mynde
Casteth noo drede, yet woo soone dooth him finde
That lande hath hap. wherof the lord or kyng
Is sad & trewe, and vseth good lyuyng
Lightly to here & to loue flaterye
Gendreth errour & werre dooth multiplye
Wise is not he. that weneth to be sure
Of his estat, though he haue hit in vre
In souffisance of this worldis richesse
Is surer Reste than in the grete largesse
To hante vertus and vicis to bannysshe
Maketh a man wise, & godly to finysshe
A benigne prince of gode condicions
Draweth māny oon to his opinions
He is happy that can exemple take
Of his neighburgh seing him sorwes make
Wisdam thay lakke, that fortune doo not drede
For māny a wight to trouble dooth she lede
Muche to enquire is noo thing profitable
Nor for to be greetly entermettable
Page [unnumbered]To muche trustyng hath hindred māny a man
Soo hath wenyng, that wel deceyue oon can
A Railing man & for alier knawe
Vnnethe hath truste. though he telle asooth sawe
He is wise, that his Ire can restreigne
And in angre his tongue also refreigne
He▪ that is fed & hath his hertis luste
What peigne the hungry hath. he wole not truste
Falsehede is not to cautele soo applied
But by som̄e folkis somtyme hit is aspied
His Renon shal be good & long lasting
That hath the fame of trouthe in his deling
Ful greet peigne is to change condition
After. that aige hath oon in hire bandon
Whoo wole him self to greet estat enhance
Muste byfore he acqueinted with suffrance
Faueur gileth, and māny a tyme hit tourneth
The Right to wrong, & wrong to right retourneth
Oon aughte to werke. whil he hath liberte
For saison lost can not Recouured be
To muche to thinke or elles hauyng noo thought
Maketh oon foryete suche thyng, as he ne ought
An aiged man withouten wit or connyng
Is a vessel▪ that vertu is lakkyng
He▪ that secheth often other to blame
Yiueth right cause to here of him the same
Trewe gentillesse can be noon other thing
But the palais where honneur is dwellyng
Page [unnumbered]Blame & reprief to haue is he worthy
That seeth the good and Iugeth contrary
He. that may not euyl companye escheue
Yet at the lest late him soone thens Remeue
Grete folye is in him. that taketh hede
Vpon other, and not to his owen nede
Necessite at somtyme to consente
Causeth famyne greet trouble and tormente
Repented hath māny a creature
Thyng doon away. whiche in his hand was sure
Courtoise spekyng refreigneth ofte Ire
For to the hert hit is a greet plaisire
Often is seen a man̄ in Indigence
To hygh estat comen by his diligence
Opinions with faueured sentence
Guideth the world more than vraye seyence
There aughte noman to be fiers ne cruelle
For what may falle him self, he can not telle
Rather to bowe, than breke is profitable
Humylite is a thing commendable
He is a fool. that dooth his charge enhance
Vpon promys without other substance
Hit sitteth not a woman to diffame
For vpon him self shal retorne the blame
For to foryete a yifte or courtosy
Sheweth ingratitude euydently
Sured maniere & fewe wordis wel sette
In women dooth rightwel, where thay be mette
Page [unnumbered]Seruice in court is noo seur heritaige
Hit failleth ofte with litle auantaige
He. that spurneth an al with violence
Vnto him self dooth moost grief & offence
To torne to Iape an Iniury or a wroong
Is greet wisdam to be vsed emoong
Goodly raisons not wel taken̄ ne construde
Semeth floures caste emong bestis rude
A wrettheful man or oon in geleusye
Aughte haue noo truste. for often thay wole lye
Cruell spekyng in a matiere hayneuse
Axeth answer angry and despiteuse
There can noo good endure saison ne space
But oonly suche, as cam by goddis grace
Idele plaisirs vsed coustumably
Be harde to change, though thay be blame worthy
He that loueth euyl tales to reporte
To make debate semeth wel his disporte
Necessite, pouert and Indigence
Causeth māny greet Inconuenience
A meene estat is better to entende
Than hygh climmyng lest that oon sone descende
Right to relesse somtyme is noo dotaige
Soo that hit be for a more auantaige
In wel doyng hauyng a trewe Renon
Bringueth a man to gode conclusion
Foryeting god for this worldis richesse
Sheweth noo faith, but slauthe & grete latchesse
