Je voy en siècle qu’ore court gentes
superbire,
D’autre biens tenir grant court, quod
cito vult transire.
Quant vendra le haut juggement,
magna dies iræ,
S’il ne facent amendement, tunc
debent perire.
Rex dicit reprobis, “ite:”—“venite,”
probis.
Dieu, que fustes coronée cum acuta
spina,
De vostre pueple eiez pitée gratia
divina!
Que le siècle soit aleggée de tali
ruina!
A dire grosse veritée est quasi rapina.
Res inopum capta, nisi gratis, est
quasi rapta.
Tel tribut à nul feor diu nequit durare;
Devoyde qy puet doner, vel manibus
tractare?
Gentz sunt à tiel meschief quod
nequeunt plus dare;
Je me doute, s’ils ussent chief, quod
vellent levare.
Sæpe facit stultas gentes vacuata
facultas.
Yl y a tant escarceté monetæ inter
gentes,
Qe honme puet en marché, quam
parci sunt ementes,
Tot eyt honme drap ou blée, porcos
lbidt
There is so much scarcity of
money among people,—that
people can in the market, there
are so few buyers,—although
they may have cloth or corn,
swine or sheep,—make nothing
of them, in truth, there are so
many needy people.—The people
is not joyful, when money is so
scarce.
If the king would take my
advice, I would praise him then,
—to take the vessels of silver,
and make money of them;—it
would be better to eat out of
wood, and to give money for
victuals—than to serve the body
with silver, and pay with wood.—
It is a sign of vice, to pay for
victuals with wood.
The commissions of those who
are employed over sea are too
dear;—now the poor have not
their lands to sustain the same.
—I do not know how they can
save their souls,—who would live
upon other people’s goods, and
save their own.—They cannot
doubt but they will be punished,
who covet the property of
others.
May God, for the sake of his
holy name, confound errors,—
and those who meditate treason,
and the disturbers of the peace!
—and take vengeance on such
tormentors!—and confirm and
grant love between the kings!—
May he lose consolation who
breaks the peace! Amen.