Bi þi message, man · þat þou to me sentest
256When we sisihen þi sonde · wiþ þi sel prented,
We ave discerned your desire. We kendenþi couaitise · & þat þou king, wilnest
Þe rihte-wisnesse wite · þat to a weih longus.
In þat alowe i þe, lud · þat þe lef were
260Þe best lawe to lere · & lorus of witte;
For riht wisdam is worþ · al þe world riche.
256When we sisihen þi sonde · wiþ þi sel prented,
We ave discerned your desire. We kendenþi couaitise · & þat þou king, wilnest
Þe rihte-wisnesse wite · þat to a weih longus.
In þat alowe i þe, lud · þat þe lef were
260Þe best lawe to lere · & lorus of witte;
For riht wisdam is worþ · al þe world riche.
No emperor can dispense with wisdom. For non emperour on erþe · þat euere was founde,
Þat wantede wisdam · his wihes to gye,
264Mihte lordschipe lache · of oþur low peple;
But þe loweste þat liuede · his lord mihte woþe,
And wiþ him fare as a fol · þat failede his wittus.
Yet, I warn you, Neþeles, sire noble king · y þe now warne,
268To oure painede peple · in-possible hit semeþ,
you cannot endure our customs. Þat ȝe oure manerus mihte · mekliche endure,
Or in þe lif þat we liue · laste any while.
For oure lif & our law · unlich is to ȝoure,
272And al luþur bi-leue · we loþen in herte.
Al þe dedes þat ȝe don · discorden til oure;
For we ne grete noht þe godus · þat ȝe gode holden.
As to your request, Of þat þou senteste, sire king · to say þe tru[t]he
276 Of al þe lore of our lif · wiþ-oute long dwelle,
pray excuse us. Haþel, for þin hendschipe · haue vs exkused,
For we ne konne þe nouht kenne · our costomus alle.
279 Þouȝh .i. lud of our lif · lettrus þe sende,
Prince, hit profiteþ nouht · to preche of our dedus;
Ȝe ne haue no tome no time · to tende my sawus,
For ȝe so busiliche ben wiþ[1] · aboute þe werre.
But say þou nouht, sire king · for sake of enuie,
Þat wantede wisdam · his wihes to gye,
264Mihte lordschipe lache · of oþur low peple;
But þe loweste þat liuede · his lord mihte woþe,
And wiþ him fare as a fol · þat failede his wittus.
Yet, I warn you, Neþeles, sire noble king · y þe now warne,
268To oure painede peple · in-possible hit semeþ,
you cannot endure our customs. Þat ȝe oure manerus mihte · mekliche endure,
Or in þe lif þat we liue · laste any while.
For oure lif & our law · unlich is to ȝoure,
272And al luþur bi-leue · we loþen in herte.
Al þe dedes þat ȝe don · discorden til oure;
For we ne grete noht þe godus · þat ȝe gode holden.
As to your request, Of þat þou senteste, sire king · to say þe tru[t]he
276 Of al þe lore of our lif · wiþ-oute long dwelle,
pray excuse us. Haþel, for þin hendschipe · haue vs exkused,
For we ne konne þe nouht kenne · our costomus alle.
279 Þouȝh .i. lud of our lif · lettrus þe sende,
Prince, hit profiteþ nouht · to preche of our dedus;
Ȝe ne haue no tome no time · to tende my sawus,
For ȝe so busiliche ben wiþ[1] · aboute þe werre.
But say þou nouht, sire king · for sake of enuie,
scientia et sapientia perfecta informari, que omni regno meliores existunt, et nequeunt precio computari; de quo discretionem tuam non modicum commendamus. Imperator enim qui sapientiam ignorat non imperat subiectis, Sed subiecti suo dominatur imperio. Scripsisti siquidem vt vitam moresque nostros indicaremus tibi per literas seriatim; quod impossibile reputamus. Et si tibi de vita nostra aliquid scriberemus, nullatenus tamen mens tua enucleare posset saporem, eo quod mentem tuam cause bellice obtenebrarunt. Sed ne
- ↑ Sic; 'wis'?
