Oft must he stoupe his bonet in his honde,
       His maysters back he must oft shrape and clawe,
     His brest anoyntynge, his mynde to understonde,
       But be it gode or bad therafter must he drawe. 
       Without he can Jest he is nat worth a strawe,
     But in the mean tyme beware that he none checke;
     For than layth malyce a mylstone in his necke.

     He that in court wyll love and favour have
       A fole must hym fayne, if he were none afore,
     And be as felow to every boy and knave,
       And to please his lorde he must styll laboure sore. 
       His many folde charge maketh hym coveyt more
     That he had lever[12] serve a man in myserye
     Than serve his maker in tranquylyte.

     But yet when he hath done his dylygence
       His lorde to serve, as I before have sayde,
     For one small faute or neglygent offence
       Suche a displeasoure agaynst hym may be layde
       That out is he cast bare and unpurvayde[13],
     Whether he be gentyll, yeman[14] grome or page;
     Thus worldly servyse is no sure herytage.

     Wherfore I may prove by these examples playne
       That it is better more godly and plesant
     To leve this mondayne casualte and payne
       And to thy maker one god to be servaunt,
     Which whyle thou lyvest shall nat let the want
     That thou desyrest justly, for thy syrvyce,
     And than after gyve the, the joyes of Paradyse.

     [Footnote 11:  Three bolts at once.]

     [Footnote 12:  Rather.]

     [Footnote 13:  Unprovided.]

     [Footnote 14:  Yeoman.]

     OF TO[O] MOCHE SPEKYNGE OR BABLYNGE

     He that his tunge can temper and refrayne
       And asswage the foly of hasty langage
     Shall kepe his mynde from trouble, sadnes and payne,
       And fynde therby great ease and avauntage;
       Where as a hasty speker falleth in great domage
     Peryll and losse, in lyke wyse as the pye
     Betrays hir byrdes by hir chatrynge and crye....

     Is it not better for one his tunge to kepe
       Where as he myght (perchaunce) with honestee,
     Than wordes to speke whiche make hym after wepe
       For great losse folowynge wo and adversyte? 
       A worde ones spokyn revoked can not be,
     Therfore thy fynger lay before thy types,
     For a wyse mannys tunge without advysement trypes.

     He that wyll answere of his owne folysshe brayne
       Before that any requyreth his counsayle
     Shewith him selfe and his hasty foly playne,
       Wherby men knowe his wordes of none avayle. 
       Some have delyted in mad blaborynge and frayle
     Whiche after have supped bytter punysshement
     For their wordes spoken without advysement....