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The Sayings of St Bernard
¶ Where ben men biforn ous were, {f.280ra}
 Þat houndes ladden & haukes bere
& hadden feld & wode,
Þe riche leuedis in her bour
5000 Þat werd gold in her tresour
¶ Wiþ her briȝt rode?
Þai eten & dronken & made hem glade,
Wiþ joie was al her liif ylade;
Men kneled hem bifore.
1000 Þai beren hem wel swiþe heiȝe -
Wiþ a tv[i]nkling of her eiȝe
Her soules were forlore.
¶ Whare is þat hoppeing & þat song
Þe trayling & þe proude gong,
1500 Þe haukes & þe houndes?
Al þat wele is went oway;
Her ioie is turned to wayleway,
To manie hard stoundes.
¶ Dreiȝe her, man, ȝif þat þou wit;
2000 A litel pine men þe bit.
Wiþdrawe þine aise oft:
ȝif þe pine be vnrede,
& þou þenke of þi misdede
It schal þe þink soft
2500 ¶ ȝif þat þe fende, þe foule þing, Þurth wicked rede of fals egging
Adoun þe haþ ycast,
Vp & be gode champioun,
Stond & falle no more adoun
3000 For a litel blast.
¶ Take þe rode to þi staf
& þenk on him þat þeron ȝaf
His liif þat was so lef.
He it ȝaf for þe, þou ȝeld it him;
3500 Oȝain þi fo þi staf þou nim
& wreke þe of þat þef.
¶ Jhesu Crist ous aboue
Þou grant ous for þi moder loue
At our liues ende.
4000 When we han riȝtes of þe prest
& þe deþ be at our brest
Þe soule mot to heuen wende.
Amen
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