The proverbs of Lydgate. GO kiss the steps of them that were furthering Laureate poets which had sovereignty Of eloquence to support thy making And pray all though/ that shall this process see In thine excuse/ that they list to be Favourable to lack or to commend get tyhgrounde upon humility Unto their grace that thou mayst up ascend In a short clause thy content rehearsing As one up climbeth to great prosperity So another by expert knowledging From great richesse is brought to poverty Alas oh book what shall I say in the Thy tragedies through all the world to send Go forth I pray excuse thyself and me Who loveth most virtue highest shall ascend Black by the weed of complaint and morning Called fall of princes from their felicity Like chantyplur now singing now weeping Woe after mirth/ next joy adversity So intermeddled there is no surety Like as this book doth praise and reprehend Now on the wheel/ now set in low degree Who will increase by virtue must ascend Sudden departing out of felicity In to misery & mortal heaviness Unware depriving of our prosperity Change of gladness in to wretchedness Long languishing in woe and bitterness Contynuell sorrow dread/ dole and offence Were first brought in by inobyence Adam and Eve lost their liberty Their franchise & their blessedness Put in to exile and captivity To live in labour woe and pensyfnesse Through false desire of pompous wilfulness To the serpent when they gave credence The lord mistrusting through inobedience But oo alas as they were free Of joy eternal stood in sickerness They were to blind alas it is pity To leave their rest and live in weariness All their of spring to bring in distress Drawing fro god his dew reverence Through false consenting to inobedience Wherefore ye princes avysyly do see As this tragedy in manner beareth witness Where as wanteth in any commonty subjection for lack of meekness And while povert pride hath an interest There followeth after through froward insolence Among the people falls inobedience And noble princes which hath the sovereignty To govern the people in rightwiseness Like as ye cherysshe them in peace and unity Or frowardly destroy them or oppress So againward their courages they will dress Lowly to obey/ to your magnificence Or disobey by inobedience ¶ Pauꝑtas conqueritur super fortunam THis wretched world is transmutation As we'll/ and woe/ now poor/ & now/ honour Withouten order/ or wise discretion Governed is by fortune's error But nevertheless/ the lack of her favour Ne may not do me/ sing though that I die jay toutz ꝑdu mon temps et mon labour For finally/ fortune I defy Yet is me left the sight of my reason To know friend fro foe in my mirror So moche hath yet thy turning up & down I taught me to know in an hour But truly no for'rs of thy reddoure To him that on himself hath mastery My suffisance shall be my succour For finally fortune I defy O Socrates thou steadfast champion She might never be thy tormentor Thou never dreddest her oppression Ne in her cheer found thou no favour Thou knew well/ the deceit of her colour And that her most worship is to lie I know her eke/ a false dyssymulour For finally fortune I dyffye ¶ Fortuna ad pauꝑtatem. No man is wretched/ but himself it ween And he that hath himself hath suffisance Why sayest thou than/ I am to the so keen That hast thyself out of my governance Say thus gramercy of thine abundance That thou hast lent/ or this thou shalt not strive What wottest thou yet how I will the advance And eke thou haste/ thy best friend alive I have the taught/ division between Friend of effect/ and friend of countenance The needeth not/ the gall of none hen That cureth eyen/ duke for penance Now sayst thou clear/ that were in ignorance Yet hold thine anchor/ & yet thou mayst arrive There bounty beareth/ the key of my substance And eke thou hast thy best friend alive How many have I refused to sustene Sith I the fostered/ have in my pleasance wilt thou than make/ a statute on thy queen That I shall be aye at thine ordinance Thou borne art in my reign of variance About the wheel with other must thou drive My lore is better than thy wicked governance And eke thou hast thy best friend alive ¶ Paupertas ad fortunam. Thy lore I damn/ it is adversity My friend/ mayst thou not reave blind goddess And that I friends knew/ I thank it the Take them again/ let them go lie on press The negardes/ keeping their richesse Pronostyk is/ her tour thou wilt assail Wicked appetite/ cometh a before sickness In general this rule may not fail ¶ Fortuna ad paupertatem Thou pynchest at my mutability. For I the lente a drop of my richesse And now me liketh to withdraw me Why shouldest thou my royalty oppress The se may ebb/ & flow more & less The sky hath might/ to shine rain and hayll Right so may I stowe my brytylnesse In general this rule may not fail ¶ Pauꝑtas ad fortunam. So execution of the majesty That all purveyeth of his ryghtwysmesse That same thing fortune clepe ye You blind beasts/ full of rudeness The heaven hath property of sickerness This world hath ever/ restless travail Thy last day is end of mine intresse In general I this rule may not fail ¶ Finis. ¶ Ecce bonum consilium galfridi chaucers contra fortunam. I'll from the prece & devil with so the fastness suffice unto thy good though it be small For hoard hath hate/ & climbing tykylnesse Prece hath envy/ and we'll is blent over all savour no more than the behove shall Rule thyself that other folk canst reed And truth the shall deliver it is no dread pain the not each crooked to redress In trust of her that turneth as a ball great rest▪ stand in little business Be ware also to sporne against a wall strive not as doth a cockle with a whale Daunt thyself that dauntest other deed And truth the shall deliver it is no dread That the is sent receive it in buxumnesse The wrestling of this world asketh a fall Here is none home/ here is but wilderness Forth pilgrim forth/ forth be'st out of the stall Look up on high/ and thank our lord of all Weigh thy lust/ & let thy ghost the lead And truth the shall deliver it is no dread THe unsure gladness the joy transitory He unstable sureness the transmutations The gloury brightness/ the false eclipsed glory Of earthly princes which have possessions And monarchies and dominations Their sudden change declareth to us all Their pompous figures meint with bitter gall This blind goddess in her consystour With her pleasance meddleth dissensions After triumphs conquest and victor reaveth fro princes their sceptres & their crowns And troubleth the people with false rebellyownes Sith by these dukes which from her whelebe fall All worldly sugar is meint with bitter gall This tragedy maketh a memory Of dukes twain & of their high renowns And of their law write a great history And how they conquered divers regyownes Governed cities countries and eke towns Till fortune their prowess died appall To their sugar was meint with bitter gall princes princesses seethe how deceptour Been all these worldly revolutions And how fortune in her reclinatour With her treacle tempreth false poisons So marvelous been her confections Of frowardness she will what so befall Aye with her sugar of custom temper gall ¶ A commendation of patience. Virtue of virtues/ oh noble patience With Lauret crowned for virtuous constance Laude/ honour/ praise/ and reverence Be give to the princess of most pleasance most renowned by ancient remembrance Of whom the mighty martial armure Again all vices/ longest may endure Ground & beginning/ to stand at dyffence Again Satan's/ infernal puissance Laureate queen/ where thou art in presence foreign outrages/ have no governance conduit hedspring/ of plenteous abundance Crystal well/ celestial of figure Again all vices which longest may endure Chief foundress/ by sovereign excellence Of ghostly building/ & spiritual substance Empress of most magnificence With heavenly spirits/ next of alliance With life everlasting/ the triumph to advance And joy eternal/ thy noblesse to assure In thaureate throne/ perpetually to endure Three hierarchies/ there being in presence With whom humility/ hath sovereign acquaintance Where Osanna/ with devout diligence Is song of angels/ by long continuance Tofore the throne/ keeping their observance saying Sanctus Sanctus record of scripture With voice memorial perpetually to endure The brenning love/ of Cherubyn by fervence Parfyre in charity/ and diligent obeisance And Seraphin with humble obedience And orders. ix. by heavenly concordance Dominationes/ with virtuous attendance Afore the trinity/ sing freshly by measure With voice memorial perpetually to endure suffrance of paynims/ hath but an apperence Done for vainglory/ hanging in balance But Christ's martyrs/ in very existence list again tyrants/ make repugnance Rather die/ than do god displeasance showed in no mirror/ likeness nor picture Take full possessyone/ forever with christ tendure suffrance for virtue/ hath the pre-eminence Of them that set/ in god their affiance Record of Steven/ Vincent and Laurence blessed Edmonde by long perseverance Suffered for our faith/ victorious grievance King maid/ & martyr a palm to recture In the heavenly court/ perpetually to endure And for to set a manner difference In this matter told every circumstance How for our faith/ by full great violence divers saints/ have suffered great penance Stable of their cheer/ visage and countenance Never to vary for none adventure Like Christ's champions/ perpetually to endure Whose foundation by notable providence Grounded on christ/ their souls to advance Grave in their hearts/ & in their conscience Voiding all trouble/ of worldy perturbance Changes of forture/ with her double haunce loved god & dread/ above each creature In hope with him perpetually to endure Mine author Bochas writeth no longer process Of julius death complaining but a while To write of Tully in haste he 'gan him dress compendiously his life for to compile Complaining first/ his barren style Is insuffycyente to write as men may seen Of so notable a rethorycyen The name of Tullius/ was known in many place His eloquence in every land was rife His language made him stand in grace And be preferred during all his life Married he was/ & had a right fair wife Children many servants young and old And I find he held a good household This thing was done/ when that in rome town The strife was greatest between Cesar & pompey And for Tullius drew him to Caton With pompeius Cesar to warreye And of julius the party disobey Out of Rome Tullius died him high Fled with Pompey in to Thessalye Cesar after of his free moncyoune When that he stood highest in his glory Him reconciled again to Rome town Upon Pompey accomplished the victory But julius slain in the consistory By sixty senators being of assent Tullius was again in to exile sent And in a city called Farnuan Tullius his exile died endure For Antonius was to him enemy than Because that he/ percase of adventure Compiled had an Inuentyf scripture Again Anthonyne rehearsing all the case Of his defaults and of Cleopateas Thus of envy and of mortal hatred His death was compassed by Antonius And afterward execute in deed By procuring of one Pompilius Gate commission the story telleth thus Of false malices & forth anon went he In to Gayte/ of champaygne a city And by the virtue of his commyssyowne Taking of Anthyne licence & liberty Chief Rethorycyen that ever was in the town Among romans to worship the city Was slain alas of hate & enmity By Pompilius rote of all falsehood Proffering himself to smite of his heed Tullius afore had been his defence From the gallows and his death eke let Which had deserved for his great offence To have been hanged upon a high gibbet Who saveth a thief when the rope is knet About his neck as old clerks write With some falls torn the brybour will him quite Lo here the vice of ingratituding By experience brought fully to a proof Who in his heart treason doth include Cast for good will to do a man reproof What is the guerdon for to save a thief When he is scaped look ye shall find Of his nature ever to be unkynnde This poplyve traitor most audible To show himself false cruel & vengeable Toward Tully died a thing horrible When he was deed/ this brybour most culpable Smote of his right hand/ to here abominable With which hand he living on him took To write of virtues many a famous book The hand/ the heed of noble Tullyus Which every man aught of right complain Were take and brought by Pompylyus Upon a stake set up both the twain There to abide whether it died shine or rain With wind and weather till they were yffyed In token all favour was to him denied THis tragedy doth naturally complain Upon this vice called unkindness Which to punish is torment/ none nor pain Rygoure condign/ flagell/ nor duresse Enprysoning/ nor none earthly distress That may suffice briefly to conclude Again the vice of ingratituding All creatures on this vice complain Law/ nature/ deers/ rightwiseness This monster in kind doth the light dysteyne Of every virtue derketh the brightness Alysander can bear hereof witness Which to his for theirs he of tatches rude showed the vice of ingratituding Of Cerberus thinfernal tryble chain Nor of Tantalus hunger nor thrustynesse Of Xxion or Cicius both twain reckon their torment remember their sharpness All were to little to chastise or redress The hateful vice of them that can delude Their friends old/ by false ingratituding Noble princes which in your domain Have governance of all worldy richesse Again folk unkind look that ye disdain Suffer them not have none interest For to approach to your high nobleness For there is no vice more hateful to conclude Than is the vice of ingratituding Consulo quisquis eris: qui pacis sedera queris Consonus esto lupis: cum quibz esse cupis I Counsel what so ever thou be Of policy/ foresyght and prudence If thou wilt live in peace and unity Conform thyself & think on this sentence Where so ever thou hold residence Among wols/ be wolvish of courage Lion with lions/ a lamb for Innocence Like the audience/ so utter thy language The unicorn is caught with maidens song By dysposycyour record of scryptuee With cormorauntes make thy neck long In ponds deep/ thy prays to recure Among fox's/ be foxysshe of nature Among raveners think for advantage With empty hand/ men may not hawks lure And like thy audience so utter thy language With holy men speak of holiness And with a glouton/ be delicate of thy fare With drunken men/ do surfeits by excess And among wasters no spending that thou spare With wodcockes/ learn for to dare And sharp thy knife/ with pillars for pylage Like the market/ so praise thy chaffer And like thy audience so utter thy language With an Otyr spare river none nor pond With them that forette/ rob conyngers A blood hound with bow & arrow in hand Maugre the watch of fosters & parkers Like thy fellowship/ spare no dangers For life nor death/ thy life put in mortgage Among knights/ squires canons monks freers Like thy audience utter thy language Danyell lay/ a prophet full notable Of god preserved/ in prison with lions Where god list spare/ a Tiger is not vengeable Not cruel beasts/ bears nor griffons And if thou be in caves with dragons Remember how abacuk/ brought pottage So far to danyel/ to many regions As case requireth so utter thy language With wise men talk of sapience With philosophers speak of philosophy With shipmen sailing that have experience In troubly sees/ how they shall them guy And with poets talk of poetry Be not presumptuous/ of cheer nor of visage But where thou comest/ in any company Like the audience/ so utter thy language This little ditty/ concluding in meaning Who that cast him/ this rule for to keep Must conform him/ like in every thing Where he shall bide/ unto the fellowship With watch men wake/ with sloggy folk sleep With wood men would/ with frontyke folk savage Renne with beasts/ with wild worms creep And like thy audience/ utter thy language Among all these/ I counsel yet take heed Where thou abidest/ or rest in any place In chief love god/ & with thy love have dread And be fearful again him to trespass With virtuous men/ increase shall thy grace And vicious folk/ are cause of great damage In every fellowship so for thyself purchase Where virtue reigneth/ there utter thy language Be paid with little/ content with suffisance Climb not to high/ thus biddeth Socrates Glad poverty is/ of treasures most substance And Caton saith/ is none so great encreas Of worly treasure/ as for to live in peace Which among virtues/ hath the vassalage I take record of Dyogenes Which to Alexander had this language His palace was a little poor ton Which on a wheel/ with him he 'gan carry Bad this Emperor/ ride out of his son Which dempte himself/ richer than king darye Kept with his vessel/ fro winds most contrary Wherein he made daily his passage This philosopher/ with princes list not tarry Nor in their presence/ to utter no language Between these twain a great comparison King Alexander/ he conquered all Dyogenes lay in a small dungeon Like sundry weders/ which turned as a ball Fortune to Alexander/ gave a sudden fall The philosopher disposed the comynage He thought virtue/ was more imperial Than is acquaintance/ with all his proud language Anthony & Poule despised all richesse Lived in desert/ of wilful poverty Cesar and Pompey/ of martial woodness By their envious/ compassed cruelty Between germany & affrycke was great enmity No comparison between good greyn and forage Praise every thing like to his degree And like thy audience/ so utter thy language I found a likeness depyct upon a wall Armed in virtues/ as I walked up and down The heed of three/ full solemn and royal Intellectus/ memory/ and reason With eyen and ears/ of clear discretion Mouth and tongue/ avoyden all outrage Again the vice of false detraction To do not surfeit/ in word nor in language Hand and arms/ with this discretion Where so man have/ force or feebleness Truly to mean/ in his affection For fraud or favour/ to follow rightwiseness Outrayles inward/ devotion with meekness Passing pygmalion/ which graved an image Prayed to Venus of lovers chief goddess To grant it life/ & quickness of language Of hole intent/ pray we to christ Ihu To quick a figure/ in our conscience Reason as heed/ with membres of virtue Afore rehearsed/ briefly in sentence Under support of his magnificence Cryst so list govern/ our worldly pilgrimage between vice and virtue/ to set a difference To his pleasance/ to utter our language ¶ lenvoy. Toward the end of frosty Ianuarye When watery phoebus/ had his purpose take. For a season to sojourn in aquary And Caprycorne had utterly forsake Toward aurora amorowe as I 'gan wake A feldfare/ full early took her flight Tofore my study/ sang with her feathers black Look in thy mirror & dame none other wight Though the peacock/ have wings bright & sheen Granted by nature to his great avail Withgolde & azure/ and Emendes' green And Argus eyen/ portrayed in his tail bearing up his feathers/ displayed like a sail Toward his feet/ when he cast down his sight To bate his pride there is no bet counsel Look in thy mirror and dame none other wight The king of fowls/ most imperial Which with his look/ pierceth the fervent son The Eagle as chief/ of nature most royal As old clerks/ well devise konne To phoebus palace/ by flight when he hath won What followeth after/ for all his great might But men remember/ upon his feathers done Look in thy mirror and dame none other wight In large lakes/ and rivers fresh renewing The yellow swan/ famous and agreeable Again his death/ melodiously singing His fat all notes/ piteous & lamentable Plainly declare/ in earth is nothing stable His bill his feet/ who look a right In token of morning/ been of colour sable Look in thy mirror & dame none other wight The hardy lion/ of beasts lord and king When he sit crowned/ as prince of wilderness All other beasts/ obey at his bidding As kind hath taught them/ their lady & mistress But notwithstanding his bestial sturdiness When he is most furious in his might There cometh a quartan/ sith in his great actesse Look in thy mirror and dame none other wight The Tiger of nature/ excelleth of swiftness The Lynx with looking/ pierceth a stone wall The unicorn by musical sweetness Between two maidens/ is take & hath a fall All worldy thing/ turneth as a ball The heart/ the roo/ been of their course full light By their prerogatives/ but none alone hath all Look in thy mirror/ & dame none other wight Among all beasts/ the lion is most strong Of nature the lamb/ hath great meekness The wolf disposed/ by ravayne to do wrong The sleighty fox/ small pollet doth oppress To fish in water/ the Ottyr doth duresse great difference between day and night Lack of discretion causeth great blindness Look in thy mirror and dame none other wight Though thou have power/ oppress not thy parayll Of one matter/ was made each creature Pride of a tyrant/ a season may prevail A churl to regne/ is contrary to nature No vengeable heart/ shall no while endure Their tort power/ nor falls usurped might List for no doctor/ nor teaching of scripture Look in their mirror & dame none other wight eyse up a beggar/ that came of naught Set in a chair/ of worldy dignity When falls presumption/ is entered in his thought Hath clean forget/ his state of poverty And as up raised/ unto the royal see Of a lion/ knoweth not day fro night A fool list not/ in his prosperity Look in his mirror & dame none other wight Thus by a manner/ of similitude tyrants likened/ to beasts ravenous Folk that been humble/ plainly to conclude Resemble beestes/ meek and virtuous Some folk peaceable/ some contrarious Sondrymelled/ now heavy/ & now light One is froward/ another is gracious Look in thy mirror and dame none other wight Some man of heart/ disposed to pride By disposition/ of froward surquedy Some man may suffer/ & long time abide Some man vengeable/ of old melancholy Some man consumed/ with hate & false envy To hold a quarrel/ whether it be wrong or right But unto purpose this matter to apply Look in thy mirror & dame none other wight No man is clear/ without some trespass blessed is he/ that never died offence Do man is meek/ another doth menace Some man is fierce/ some man hath patience One is rebel/ another doth reverence Some man coorbed/ some man goeth upright Let each man search his own conscience Look in thy mirror/ & dame none other wight Things contrary/ be not according A poor man proud/ is not commendable Nor a fair saphyr/ set in a copper ring A beggars threat/ with mouth to be vengeable Nor fair behests/ of purpose variable A lords heart/ a purse that poiseth light Outward gay speech/ in meaning deceivable Look in thy mirror/ & dame none other wight Some give no force/ for to be sworn Only for lucre/ abraiding on falseness Some can dyssymyle/ & blow the bucks hoorne By appearance/ of feigned kindness Under flowers/ of fraudulent freshness The serpent dareth/ with his scales bright Gall under sugar/ hath double bitterness Look in thy mirror & dame none other wight Cure not thy conceit/ with no feigned glosses Some golden flowers/ have a bitter rote Sharp thorns/ hid sometime under roses Fowl heir oppressed/ with synamomes soot Let falls/ presumption play ball under foot Torches compared to phoebus beams bright What doth clear pearl/ on a bawdy boot Look in thy mirror/ and dame none other might Kind in her works/ can hinder & prefer Set differences many more than one Atwene phoebus/ & a little star Between a flint/ and a precious stone Between a dull mason/ & pygmalion Between Tercytes/ and Hector a good knight Let every man gnaw on his own bone Look in thy mirror & dame none other wight Some man is strong/ bears to bind Another feeble/ preferred with prudence One swift to run/ another cometh behind One hath sloth another hath diligence Some man hath cunning/ lacking eloquence Some have force/ yet they dare not fight Peas most profiteth with this experience Look in thy mirror/ & dame none other wight Some man hath beauty/ another hath goodness One hath joy/ another adversity Some man fortune/ & plenteous richesse Some man content/ & glad with poverty Some one hath health/ another infirmity What ever god sent/ thank him with all thy might grudge not again/ & learn this thing of me Look in thy mirror/ & dame none other wight There is no garden/ so full of fresh flowers But that there are/ among them some weeds seen The wholesome Roser/ for all his sweet odours Grows on thorns/ pricking sharp and keen Alcestis flower/ with white/ with red & green Dysplayeth her crown/ again phoebus beams bright In storms dreepeth/ conceive what I mean Look in thy mirror & dame none other wight The summer's day/ is never or selden said With some clear air/ but that there is some sky Nor no man earthly/ so virtuous in certain But that he may/ be hindered by envy A voice dystuned/ troubleth all melody As saith musycyens/ which know that craft aright On true accord/ standeth all armony Look in thy myrrure & dame none other wight comparisons/ conceived in nature By a morality of virtuous likeness Let every man/ do his busy cure To race out pride/ and set in first meekness Again covetise compassion and alms From poor people let no man turn his sight Again fleshly lust/ chastity and cleanness Look in thy mirror/ & dame none other wight Of every man by report of language Affyle thy tongue/ of true affection Of haste nor rancour/ with mouth do no damage Restrain thy courage/ fro falls detraction From flattery/ and adulation withstand wrong/ sustain truth and right flee doubleness/ fraud & collusion Look in thy mirror and dame none other wight No man of kind/ is more suspeccyous Than he that is most vicious & culpable Because he halteth/ & is not virtuous He would cche man to him were resemblable A galled horse will winch in a stable For noise of saddles heavy either light A fool that is/ by report reprovable Should look in his mirror & dame none other wight That man for virtue may were a diadem With stones. xii remembered by auctors And as king/ well crowned he may been That hath no weed/ growing among his flowers Though April have many sweet showers from jupiter/ a unware thunder light Sith with an hail/ fro sagyttaryes towers Look in thy mirror/ & dame none other wight With virtuous pity/ & just compassion rue on thy neighbour/ when he is culpable Let mercy mode●ye/ rigorous correction All we be sinners/ though god be not vengeable We might not live/ but he were merciable That his patience/ poised adown his right After your domes/ ye judges most notable Look in your mirror & dame none other wight Set a mirror/ of light discretion Tofore your face/ by politic governance Far farer with them/ that have contrition And for their surfettes/ in heart have repentance Let not your sword/ be whet to do vengeance between flat & edge/ though sharpness token light The flat of mercy/ print in your remembrance Look well your mirror/ or ye dame any wight Go little bill/ with out title or date And of hole heart/ recommend me Which that am called johan Lydgate To all though folk/ which list to have pity On them that suffer trouble & adversity Beseech them all that the shall read a right Mercy to meddle with truth & equity And look well their mirrors & dame none other wight ¶ Here endeth the proverbs of Lydgate upon the fall of princes. imprinted at London in Flete street at the sign of the son by Wynkyn de word.