Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. I. Early Poetry: Chaucer to Donne

Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340–1400)

Good Counseil of Chaucer

FLE fro the pres, and dwelle with sothfastnesse;

Sufficë thee thy good, though hit be smal;

For hord hath hate, and clymbyng tikelnesse,

Pres hath envye, and wele blent over al.

Savour no more then thee behovë shal;

Do wel thy-self that other folk canst rede,

And trouthe thee shal delyver, hit ys no drede.

Peynë thee not eche croked to redresse

In trust of hir that turneth as a bal,

Gret restë stant in lytil besynesse;

Bewar also to spurne ayein a nal,

Stryve not as doth a crokkë with a wal;

Dauntë thy-selfe that dauntest otheres dede,

And trouthe thee shal delyver, hit is no drede.

That thee is sent receyve in buxumnesse,

The wrasteling of this world asketh a fal;

Heer is no hoom, heer is but wyldernesse.

Forth pilgrime, forth! forth best, out of thy stal!

Loke up on hye, and thonkë God of al;

Weyvë thy lust, and let thy gost thee lede,

And trouthe shal thee delyver, hit is no drede.

L’Envoye

Therfor, thou vache, leve thyn old wrecchednesse;

Unto the worldë leve now to be thral;

Crye him mercy, that of his heigh goodnesse

Made thee of naught; and, in especial,

Draw unto him, and pray in general

For thee, and eek for other, hevenly mede;

And trouthe schal thee delivere, it is no drede.