Chapter I

[Sidenote: [Fol. 83a.]]
[Sidenote: Patience is often displeasing, but it assuages heavy
hearts, and quenches malice.]
Pacience is a poynt, þaȝ hit displese ofte,
When heuy herttes ben hurt wyth heþy{n}g oþ{er} elles,
Suffrau{n}ce may aswage{n}[1] hem & þe swelme leþe,
For ho quelles vche a qued, & quenches malyce; 4
For quo-so suffer cowþe syt, sele wolde folȝe,
[Sidenote: Happiness follows sorrow.]
& quo for þro may noȝt þole, þe þikker he sufferes;
[Sidenote: It is better to suffer than to be angry.]
Þe{n} is bett{er} to abyde þe bur vmbe-stou{n}des,
Þen ay þrow forth my þro, þaȝ me þynk ylle. 8
I herde on a halyday at a hyȝe masse,
[Sidenote: Matthew tells us of the promises made by Christ:
Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.]
How mathew melede, þat his mayst{er} his meyny con teche,
Aȝt happes he hem hyȝt & vche on a mede,
Su{n}derlupes for hit dissert vpon a ser wyse: 12
Thay arn happen þat han i{n} hert pouerté,
For hores is þe heuen-ryche to holde for eu{er};
[Sidenote: Blessed are the meek, for they shall “wield the
world.”]
Þay ar happen also þat hau{n}te mekenesse,
For þay schal welde þis worlde & alle her wylle haue; 16
[Sidenote: Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.]
Thay ar happen also þat for her harme wepes,
For þay schal comfort encroche i{n} kythes ful mony;
[Sidenote: Blessed are the hungry, for they shall be filled.]
Þay ar happen also þat hungeres aft{er} ryȝt,
For þay schal frely be refete ful of alle gode; 20
[Sidenote: Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be their
reward.]
Thay ar happen also þat han i{n} hert rauþe,
For mercy i{n} alle man{er}es her mede schal worþe;
[Sidenote: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see
the Saviour.]
Þay ar happen also þat arn of hert clene,
For þay her sauyo{ur} in sete schal se w{i}t{h} her yȝen; 24
[Sidenote: Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be
called God’s sons.]
Thay ar happen also þat halden her pese,
For þay þe g{ra}cio{us} godes su{n}es schal godly be called;
[Sidenote: Blessed are they that live aright, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.]
Þay ar happen also þat con her hert stere,
For hores is þe heuen-ryche, as I er sayde. 28
[Sidenote: These blessings are promised to those who follow
poverty, pity, penance, meekness, mercy, chastity, peace and
patience.]
These arn þe happes alle aȝt þat v{us} bihyȝt weren,
If we þyse ladyes wolde lof i{n} lykny{n}g of þewes;
[Sidenote: [Fol. 83b.]]
Dame pouert, Dame pitee, Dame penau{n}ce þe þrydde,
Dame Mekenesse, Dame mercy & Miry cla{n}nesse, 32
& þe{n}ne Dame pes & pacyence put i{n} þ{er}-aft{er}.
He were happen þat hade one, alle were þe bett{er},
Bot syn[2] I am put to a poy{n}t þat pou{er}te hatte,
[Sidenote: Poverty and patience are to be treated together.]
I schal me poruay pacyence, & play me w{i}t{h} boþe; 36
For in þe tyxte, þere þyse two arn i{n} teme layde,
[Sidenote: They are “fettled in one form,” and have one meed.]
Hit arn fettled in on forme, þe forme & þe laste,
& by quest of her quoyntyse enquylen on mede,
& als i{n} myn vpynyou{n} hit arn of on kynde; 40
[Sidenote: Poverty will dwell where she lists, and man must
needs suffer.]
For þer as pouert hir proferes ho nyl be put vtt{er},
Bot lenge where-so-eu{er} hir lyst, lyke oþ{er} greme,
& þere as pouert enpresses, þaȝ mon pyne þynk,
Much maugre his mun,[3] he mot nede suffer, 44
[Sidenote: Poverty and patience are play-fellows.]
Thus pou{er}te & pacyence arn nedes play-feres.
Syþen I am sette w{i}t{h} he{m} samen, suffer me by-houes,
Þe{n}ne is me lyȝtloker hit lyke & her lotes prayse,
Þe{n}ne wyþ{er} wyth & be wroth & þe wers haue. 48
[Sidenote: What avails impatience, if God send affliction?]
Ȝif me be dyȝt a destyné due to haue,
What dowes me þe dedayn, oþ{er} dispit make?
Oþ{er} ȝif my lege lorde lyst on lyue me to bidde,
Oþ{er} to ryde, oþ{er} to re{n}ne, to rome i{n} his ernde, 52
What grayþed me þe grychchy{n}g bot grame more seche?
Much ȝif he me ne made, maugref my chekes,
[Sidenote: Patience is best.]
& þe{n}ne þrat moste I þole, & vnþonk to mede,
Þe[t] had bowed to his bode, bongre my hyure. 56
[Sidenote: Did not Jonah incur danger by his folly?]
Did not Ionas i{n} Iude suche Iape su{m}-whyle,
To sette hy{m} to sewrte, vnsou{n}de he hy{m} feches?
Wyl ȝe tary a lyttel tyme[4] & tent me a whyle,
I schal wysse yow þer-wyth as holy wryt telles. 60

[Sidenote 1: MS. _aswagend_.]
[Sidenote 2: MS. _fyn_.]
[Sidenote 3: _mon_ (?).]
[Sidenote 4: MS. _tyne_.]

[Headnote: JONAH IS SENT TO NINEVEH.]