++A Blysful lyf a paysyble {and} a swete
Ledden the poeples in the former age
They helde hem paied of the fructes þ{a}t þey ete
Whiche þ{a}t the feldes yaue hem by vsage 4
They ne weer{e} nat forpampred w{i}t{h} owtrage
Onknowyn was þ^e quyerne {and} ek the melle
They eten mast hawes {and} swych pownage
And dronken wat{er} of the colde welle 8
¶ Yit nas the grownd nat wownded w{i}t{h} þ^e plowh
But corn vp-sprong vnsowe of mannes hond
Þe which they gnodded {and} eete nat half .I.-nowh
No man yit knewe the forwes of his lond 12
No man the fyr owt of the flynt yit fonde
Vn-koruen and vn-grobbed lay the vyne
No man yit in the morter spices grond
To clarre ne to sawse of galentyne 16
¶ No Madyr welde or wod no litester{e}
Ne knewh / the fles was of is former hewe
No flessh ne wyste offence of egge or sper{e}
No coyn ne knewh man which is fals or trewe 20
No ship yit karf the wawes grene {and} blewe
No Marchau{n}t yit ne fette owt-landissh war{e}
No batails trompes for the werres folk ne knewe
Ne towres heye {and} walles rownde or square 24
¶ What sholde it han avayled to werreye [[pg 181]]
Ther lay no p{ro}fyt ther was no rychesse
[Sidenote: [fol. 53.]]
But corsed was the tyme .I. dar+ wel seye
Þ{a}t men fyrst dede hir swety bysynesse 28
To grobbe vp metal lurkynge in dirkenesse
{And} in þe Ryuerys fyrst gemmys sowhte
Allas than sprong+ vp al the cursydnesse
Of coueytyse þ{a}t fyrst owr sorwe browhte 32
¶ Thyse tyrau{n}tȝ put hem gladly nat in pres
No places wyldnesse ne no busshes for to wynne
Ther pou{er}te is as seith diogenes
Ther as vitayle ek is so skars {and} thinne 36
Þ{a}t nat but mast or apples is ther Inne
But þ{er} as bagges ben {and} fat vitaile
Ther wol they gon {and} spar{e} for no synne
W{i}t{h} al hir ost the Cyte forto a-sayle 40
¶ Yit was no paleis chaumbres ne non halles
In kaues {and} wodes softe {and} swete
Sleptin this blyssed folk+ w{i}t{h}-owte walles
On gras or leues in p{ar}fyt Ioye reste {and} quiete 44
No down of fetheres ne no bleched shete
Was kyd to hem but in surte they slepte
Hir hertes weer{e} al on w{i}t{h}-owte galles
Eu{er}ych of hem his feith to oother kepte 48
¶ Vnforged was the hawberke {and} the plate
Þ^e lambyssh poeple voyded of alle vyse
Hadden no fantesye to debate
But eche of hem wolde oother wel cheryce 52
No p{r}ide non enuye non Auaryce
No lord no taylage by no tyranye
Vmblesse {and} pes good feith the emp{er}ice
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
¶ Yit was nat Iuppit{er} the lykerous [[pg 182]]
Þ{a}t fyrst was fadyr of delicasie
Come in this world ne nembroth desyrous
To regne had nat maad his towres hye 60
Allas allas now may [men] wepe And crye
For in owr{e} dayes nis but couetyse
Dowblenesse {and} tresou{n} {and} enuye
Poyson {and} manslawhtr{e} {and} mordre in sondry wyse 64
[Linenotes:
39, 40 MS. transposes the lines
44 _On_--MS. Or
56 A line omitted, but no gap left for one.]
[Headnote:
BALADES DE VILAGE SANZ PEINTURE.]