Ye mockynge Folys that in scorne set your ioy
Proudly dyspysynge goddes punycion
Take ye example by Cham the son of Noy
Whiche laughyd his Father vnto derysyon
Whiche hym, after, cursyd for his transgressyon
And made hym seruaunt to all his lyne and stocke
So shall ye Caytyfs at the conclusyon
Syns ye ar nought, and other scorne and mocke
* * * * *
Of them that dyspyse euerlastynge ioye,
and settyth thynges transytory before
thynges eternall and euerlastynge.
[Illustration: He is a foule that weyeth in one balaunce
The heuen and erth to knowe the heuyest
And by his foly and cursed ignoraunce
He thynketh that this wretchyd erth is best
And thoughe that here be neyther ioy nor rest
Yet had some leuer here styll to remayne
Than to depart to heuen voyde of al payne]
My hande is wery: fayne wolde I rest a space
But folys comyth to my shyp so besely
That to haue rest: they wyll graunt me no grace
That nede I must theyr lewdnes notefy
But to recorde this folysshe company
They ar suche that this worlde so greatly loue
That they despyse the heuenly Royalme aboue
They often thynke in theyr mynde preuely
And by them selfe in this wyse oft they say
O glorious lorde raynynge eternally
Graunt me thy grace that I may lyue alway
To se of this worlde the extreme ende and day
This is my wyll and synguler askynge
As for thy royalme, forsoth I set no thynge
But yet this fole doth nat desyre this tyme
Of so longe lyfe, and yeres alway newe
To clens his mynde from all synfull cryme
Nor for the loue of goodnes or vertue
But rather that he his pleasour may ensue
And with his maters and felawes suche as he
To folowe ryot, delytys and enormyte.
To lyue in wantonnes and blyndnes lascyuyte
In pryde in Lechery andin couetyse
Suche sytteth theyr myndes and theyr felycyte
Not ferynge hell whiche is rewarde of vyce.
Those dredefull dennys, in a right ferefull wyse
With fyres flamynge, and manyfolde tourment
Can nat suche folys, theyr synnes cause to stent
O sleuthfull fole say why doste nat thou call
Unto thy mynde that this worldes wretchydnes
Is full of sorowe moche more bytter than gall
Uoyde of all ioy, all pleasour and swetnes
Why settest thou so moche by frayle delyciousnes
On vayne pleasours, whiche shall sothly decay
Lyke as the sone meltyth the snowe away
Man note my wordes and gyue to them credence
I say that pleasours and also ioyes mundayne
As it apereth playne by good euydence
Ar fylled with sorowe bytternes and payne
Without all rest quyete or certayne
And yet alas the worlde so doth men blynde
That it they loue and caste heuen out of mynde
Wherfore it hapneth full often as I fynde
That suche as foloweth shamefull wantonnes
Ungoodly luste, and statelynes of mynde
Shall ofte perceyue great shame and wretchydnes
And them most suffer, with great mundayne distres.
And better charges, and after must nede endure
Cruell deth whiche ende is of euery creature
The worlde shall passe: ye and all ioy mundayne
Without all doute at last shall haue an ende
And euery thynge outher fruytfull or barayne
Shall to the grounde outher firste or last discende
We se also that none can hym defende
From dethes dartis. and for conclusyon.
We dayly se many mennys confusyon.
We dayly se the fallys innumerable
And greuous deth aswell of youth as age
Thus is this wretchyd worlde moche vnstable
Wherfore me thynke it is a great outrage
To trust therto, or for an vnsure stage
Or hye place of welth or worldly honour
The presence to despyse of our sauyoure
But without doute the tyme shall come and houre
Whan all mankynde shall se hym euydent
Some to theyr ioy, some to wo and doloure
None shall eskhape that rightwyse iugement.
But eche be rewardyd as he his tyme hath spent
So they that vertuously haue lyuyd here
Despysynge this worlde shall gladly there apere
But they that here haue led theyr lyfe in vyce
For to depart ar wo in herte and mynde
And ferefull to byde that sentence of iustyce
Syns of theyr synne excuse they can none fynde
But to conclude forsoth that fole is blynde
That for worldly welth, from god wolde hym deuyde
And for vayne clay, the hye heuyn set a syde