18
THEY ARE ALWAYS SAD.
448we lie where we lay. But þere lin as we laie · whan we lif hadde.
Wiþ us schineþ euery schalk · in schippus for to saile,
We do not go to sea. For to wine on þe watur · wordliche fode.
For þe þat sailen on þe see · as we soþ knowen,
452 In gret peril ben iput · & perichen ful ofte.
We do not cultivate learning. We ben lered in oure land · lore of no scole,
Ne to no sience i-set · vs silue to wisse,
Þat mihte vs kenne in þis kiþ · to carpen as wise,
456But þat comeþ us by kinde · we konne noht ellus.
We ne faren to no philozofrus · to fonden hure lorus;
For ay longeþ þat lore · to lesinge & iangle.
Alle oure sawus ben simple · þat we soþ tellen,
460We never lie. & for to lie is us loþ · or luþurly wirche;
But swiche wordus of wise · we wilnen to lere,
Þere nis no iargoun no iangle · ne iuggeme[n]tis falce.
Vs ne schewiþ no schalk · schamfule tacchus,
464We dislike play and mirth. Wjere-wiþ we mihte mis-do · or ony man gile.
We ne louen in our land · no laik nor no mirthe;
But whanne we meuen our mynde · mirþe to here
We only read romances. We raiken to oure romauncus · & reden þe storrius,
468 þat oure elderne on erþe · or þis time wroute.
When the tale is a merry one, & ehn we tenden any tale · þat turne · to bourde
Þat were game for a gome · or good of to lauȝe,
471 we are sad. We sesen of solas · & sorwen in herte;
& maken mourninge of mirthe · whan men scholde glade.
Of oþur wondrus we witen · in þis word here,
Þat likeþ[1] us to loken on · on þe loft heie;
We sen selkouþe þing · þat is ta sain, heuene,
Wiþ us schineþ euery schalk · in schippus for to saile,
We do not go to sea. For to wine on þe watur · wordliche fode.
For þe þat sailen on þe see · as we soþ knowen,
452 In gret peril ben iput · & perichen ful ofte.
We do not cultivate learning. We ben lered in oure land · lore of no scole,
Ne to no sience i-set · vs silue to wisse,
Þat mihte vs kenne in þis kiþ · to carpen as wise,
456But þat comeþ us by kinde · we konne noht ellus.
We ne faren to no philozofrus · to fonden hure lorus;
For ay longeþ þat lore · to lesinge & iangle.
Alle oure sawus ben simple · þat we soþ tellen,
460We never lie. & for to lie is us loþ · or luþurly wirche;
But swiche wordus of wise · we wilnen to lere,
Þere nis no iargoun no iangle · ne iuggeme[n]tis falce.
Vs ne schewiþ no schalk · schamfule tacchus,
464We dislike play and mirth. Wjere-wiþ we mihte mis-do · or ony man gile.
We ne louen in our land · no laik nor no mirthe;
But whanne we meuen our mynde · mirþe to here
We only read romances. We raiken to oure romauncus · & reden þe storrius,
468 þat oure elderne on erþe · or þis time wroute.
When the tale is a merry one, & ehn we tenden any tale · þat turne · to bourde
Þat were game for a gome · or good of to lauȝe,
471 we are sad. We sesen of solas · & sorwen in herte;
& maken mourninge of mirthe · whan men scholde glade.
Of oþur wondrus we witen · in þis word here,
Þat likeþ[1] us to loken on · on þe loft heie;
We sen selkouþe þing · þat is ta sain, heuene,
dum viuimus habitamus, et dum morimur in ipsis sepelimur. Ad negociandum maria non nauigamus. Artem huius loquendi non discimus, sed simplicitate qua fruimur que nos mentiri non sinit omnia enarramus. Philosophum scolas non frequentamus, quorum doctrina discors est, nihilque certum aut stabile, sed super mendacia discurrunt. Ludos non amamus. Dum uero ludrica volumus exercere, nos nostra et nostrorum predecessorum facta perlegimus; et cum deberemus ridere, plangimus et turbamur. Alia vero videmus quibus corda nostra letantur. Uidemus siquidem celum stellis innumerabilibus choruscantem, solem rubicundum, cuius claritate totus mundus
- ↑ MS. 'lileþ'
