Patience is a [nobel] poynt, þag hit displese ofte.
When heuy herttes ben hurt wyth heþy n g oþ er elles,
Suffrau n ce may aswagen hem & þe swelme leþe;
For ho quelles vche a qued & quenches malyce.
For quo-so suffer cowþe syt, sele wolde folge ;
& quo for þro may nogt þole, þe þikker he sufferes ;
þe n is bett er to abyde þe bur vmbe-stou n des,
þen ay þrow forth my þro, þag me þynk ylle.
I herde on a halyday at a hyge masse,
How Mathew melede, þat his Mayst er his meyny con teche ;
Agt happes he hem hygt & vche on a mede,
Sunder-lupes, for hit dissert, vpon a ser wyse :
Thay arn happen þat han i n hert pouerte
For hores is þe heuen-ryche to holde for eu er ;
þay ar happen also þat hau n te mekenesse,
For þay schal welde þis worlde & alle her wylle haue ;
Thay ar happen also þat for her harme wepes,
For þay schal comfort encroche in kyþes ful mony ;
þay ar happen also þat hungeres aft er rygt,
For þay schal frely be refete ful of alle gode ;
Thay ar happen also þat han i n hert rauþe,
For mercy i n alle man er es her mede schal worþe ;
þay ar happen also þat arn of hert clene,
For þay her Sauyo ur in sete schal se w i t h her ygen ;
Thay ar happen also þat halden her pese,
For þay þe g ra cio us Godes su n es schal godly be called ;
þay ar happen also þat con her hert stere,
For hores is þe heuen-ryche, as I er sayde.
These arn þe happes alle agt þat v us bihygt weren,
If we þyse ladyes wolde lof i n lykny ng of þewes :
Dame Pouert, Dame Pitee, Dame Penau n ce þe þrydde,
Dame Mekenesse, Dame Mercy & Miry Cla n nesse,
& 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 I am put to a poy n t þat Pou er te hatte,
I schal me poruay Pacyence, & play me w i t h boþe ;
For in þe tyxte þere þyse two arn i n teme layde,
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 ;
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 Pou er t enpresses, þag mon pyne þynk,
Much, maugre his mun, he mot nede suffer.
Thus Pou er te & Pacyence are nedes play-feres.
Syþen I am sette w i t h he m samen, suffer me byhoues ;
þe n ne is me lygtloker hit lyke & her lotes prayse,
þe n ne wyþ er wyth & be wroth & þe wers haue.
Gif me be dygt a destyne due to haue,
What dowes me þe dedayn, oþ er dispit make ?
Oþ er gif 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,
What grayþed me þe grychchy ng bot grame more seche ?
Much gif he ne me made, maugref my chekes,
& þe n ne þrat moste I þole, & vnþonk to mede,
þe[t] had bowed to his bode, bongre my hyure,
Did not Jonas i n Jude suche jape su m -whyle :
To sette hy m to sewrte, vnsou n de he hym feches ?
Wyl ge tary a lyttel tyne, & tent me a whyle,
I schal wysse yow þer-wyth, as holy wryt telles.
When heuy herttes ben hurt wyth heþy n g oþ er elles,
Suffrau n ce may aswagen hem & þe swelme leþe;
For ho quelles vche a qued & quenches malyce.
For quo-so suffer cowþe syt, sele wolde folge ;
& quo for þro may nogt þole, þe þikker he sufferes ;
þe n is bett er to abyde þe bur vmbe-stou n des,
þen ay þrow forth my þro, þag me þynk ylle.
I herde on a halyday at a hyge masse,
How Mathew melede, þat his Mayst er his meyny con teche ;
Agt happes he hem hygt & vche on a mede,
Sunder-lupes, for hit dissert, vpon a ser wyse :
Thay arn happen þat han i n hert pouerte
For hores is þe heuen-ryche to holde for eu er ;
þay ar happen also þat hau n te mekenesse,
For þay schal welde þis worlde & alle her wylle haue ;
Thay ar happen also þat for her harme wepes,
For þay schal comfort encroche in kyþes ful mony ;
þay ar happen also þat hungeres aft er rygt,
For þay schal frely be refete ful of alle gode ;
Thay ar happen also þat han i n hert rauþe,
For mercy i n alle man er es her mede schal worþe ;
þay ar happen also þat arn of hert clene,
For þay her Sauyo ur in sete schal se w i t h her ygen ;
Thay ar happen also þat halden her pese,
For þay þe g ra cio us Godes su n es schal godly be called ;
þay ar happen also þat con her hert stere,
For hores is þe heuen-ryche, as I er sayde.
These arn þe happes alle agt þat v us bihygt weren,
If we þyse ladyes wolde lof i n lykny ng of þewes :
Dame Pouert, Dame Pitee, Dame Penau n ce þe þrydde,
Dame Mekenesse, Dame Mercy & Miry Cla n nesse,
& 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 I am put to a poy n t þat Pou er te hatte,
I schal me poruay Pacyence, & play me w i t h boþe ;
For in þe tyxte þere þyse two arn i n teme layde,
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 ;
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 Pou er t enpresses, þag mon pyne þynk,
Much, maugre his mun, he mot nede suffer.
Thus Pou er te & Pacyence are nedes play-feres.
Syþen I am sette w i t h he m samen, suffer me byhoues ;
þe n ne is me lygtloker hit lyke & her lotes prayse,
þe n ne wyþ er wyth & be wroth & þe wers haue.
Gif me be dygt a destyne due to haue,
What dowes me þe dedayn, oþ er dispit make ?
Oþ er gif 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,
What grayþed me þe grychchy ng bot grame more seche ?
Much gif he ne me made, maugref my chekes,
& þe n ne þrat moste I þole, & vnþonk to mede,
þe[t] had bowed to his bode, bongre my hyure,
Did not Jonas i n Jude suche jape su m -whyle :
To sette hy m to sewrte, vnsou n de he hym feches ?
Wyl ge tary a lyttel tyne, & tent me a whyle,
I schal wysse yow þer-wyth, as holy wryt telles.