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Greting to you both yn hertye wyse
As unknowen I sende, and this mye
entente
As I do here, you to advertyse,
Lest that perchaunce your deades
you do repente.
The unknowen man dredes not to
be shente
But sayes as he thinks : so fares it bye me.
That nother ffere nor hope in no degre.
The bodye and the sowle is helde togidder,
Yt is but right, and reason woll
the same,
And fryndelie the oon to love the other,
Yt encresith your beautye and also
your fame ;
But marke well my wordes, for I
fere no blame,
Truste well yourselves, but ware ye trust no mo
For suche as ye think your frende, may fortune be
your
ffoo.
Beware frendelye ere ye have enye nede,
And to frendes reconsilide trust
not greatelye ;
For they that ons with hastie spede
Exiled themselves oute of your
companye,
Tho theye torne againe and speke
farelye,
Fayning themselves to be your frendes faste
Beware of them for thye will disseyve you
at
laste.
Fayre wordes makis foolys fayne,
And bering in hande causith moche
woo ;
For tyme tryeth trothe, therefore refrayne :
And from suche as be redye to doo
: -
None doo I name but this I kno,
That by this faute cause causith moche,
Therefore beware if yo do know anye suche.
"To wise folkes few wordes" is an
old sayeng,
Therfore at this tyme I will write
nomore,
But this short lesson take for a warning,
By soche light frendes set litill
store ;
If ye do otherwise ye will repent
it sore ;
And thus of this lettre making an ende,
To the boddye and the sowle I me commend.
Wryting lyfles at the manner place
Of him that hath no chave nor nowere
dothe dwell ;
But wandering in the wilde worlde wanting that he hase,
And nothr hopis nor fearis heven
nor hell ;
But lyveth at adventure ye kno
him full well.
The twentie daye of marche he wrote yt yn his house,
And hathe him recommendyd to the kat and the
mowse. |
Greeting to you both in hearty wise
As unknown I send, and this my
intent
As I do here, you to advertise,
Lest that perchance your deeds
you do repent.
The unknown man dreads not to be
shent 5
But says as he thinks: so fares it by me.
That neither fear nor hope in no degree. 7
The body and the soul is held together,
It is but right, and reason will
the same,
And friendly the one to love the other, 10
It increaseth your beauty and also
your fame;
But mark well my words, for I fear
no blame,
Trust well yourselves, but ware ye trust no mo, 13
For such as ye think your friend, may fortune be
your
foe.
Beware friendly ear ye have any need,
And to friends reconciled trust
not greatly;
For they that once with hasty speed
Exiled themselves out of your company,
18
Though they turn again and speak
fairly,
Feigning themselves to be your friends fast 20
Beware of them for they will deceive you at last.
Fair words makes fools fain,
And bearing in hand causeth much
woe;
For time trieth truth, therefore refrain, 24
And from such as be ready to do
-
None do I name but this I know,
That by this fault cause causeth much,
Therefore beware if you do know any such. 28
"To wise folks few words" is an old saying,
Therefore at this time I will write
no more, 30
But this short lesson take for a warning,
By such light friends set little
store;
If ye do otherwise ye will repent
it sore,
And thus of this letter making an end, 34
To the body and the soul I me commend.
Writing lifeless at the manor place 36
Of him that hath no chaff nor nowhere
doth dwell,
But wandering in the wild world, wanting that he has,
And neither hopes nor fears heaven
nor hell,
But liveth at adventure, ye know
him full well. 40
The twentieth day of March he wrote it in his house,
And hath him recommended to the cat and the
mouse. |
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NOTES
1-3. It is thought that the poem might be addressed to the body and soul
(you both), sent by a departed spirit. It probably depends on a lost original,
for it contains typical moralistic advice to those setting out on life's
voyage, advice which was not uncommon at the time and was often full of
disguised cynicism.
3. advertise = warn. Lines 1-3 are probably
corrupt.
5. the unknown man = the speaker (who,
being a spirit, addresses the generality of mankind, but remains unknown).
shent = castigated, reproached.
7. in no degree = in
no way.
9. reason will = reason
desires.
10. friendly the one
= it is a friendly thing for the one etc.
13. ware = beware. mo = more.
14. may fortune = may
by chance.
15. friendly ear etc
= that you have any need of a friendly ear (which may deceive you).
22. makes fools fain
= makes willing fools.
23. bearing in hand
= hoodwinking.
24. refrain = hold back.
25. such as be ready
to do = (?) those who advertise themselves to you as friends.
27. this fault = (?)
fair speaking, which can be deceitful.
cause causeth much = (?) there arises much grief.
35. the body and soul
- the supposed addressees of the poem.
36. Writing lifeless
= written by one who has departed this life. At
the manor place - The line is a sort of 'signing off' typical of letters
of the period. 'Written by such and such at such and such place'.
37. chaff = provender,
income. 36-8 are ironical. 'Written by him whose manor is nowhere, who has
no house or sustenance, nor need of anything, but wanders the wide world
as a disembodied spirit'.
40. at adventure = with
whatever chance sends.
42. Of doubtful meaning.
Perhaps it suggests that he is prepared for whatever comes, having backed
both sides. The phrase is probably proverbial. |