As lyttel barneȝ on barme þat neuer bale wroȝt, & wy{m}men vnwytté þat wale ne couþe Þat on hande fro þat oþ{er} for[24] alle þis hyȝe worlde, 512 [Sidenote: And there are others who cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand.] Bitwene þe stele & þe stayre disserne noȝt cu{n}en, What rule renes i{n} rou{n} bitwene þe ryȝt hande & his lyfte, þaȝ his lyf schulde lost be þer-for; [Sidenote: There are also dumb beasts in the city incapable of sinning.] & als þer ben dou{m}be besteȝ i{n} þe burȝ mony, 516 Þat may not sy{n}ne i{n} no syt hem seluen to greue, Why schulde I wrath wyth hem, syþe{n} wyȝeȝ wyl torne, & cu{m}[25] & cnawe me for ky{n}g, & my carpe leue? Wer I as hastif a[s] þ{o}u, heere were harme lu{m}pen, 520 Couþe I not þole bot as þ{o}u þer þryued ful fewe; I may not be so mal[i]cio{us} & mylde be halden, [Headnote: GOD JUSTIFIES HIS MERCY AND FORBEARANCE.] [Sidenote: Judgment must be tempered with mercy.] For malyse is noȝ[t] to may{n}tyne boute mercy w{i}t{h}i{n}ne; Be noȝt so gryndel god man, bot go forth þy wayes.” 524 [Sidenote: He that is too hasty to rend his clothes must afterwards sit with worse ones to sew them together.] Be preue & be pacient, i{n} payne & i{n} Ioye, For he þat is to rakel to renden his cloþeȝ, Mot efte sitte w{i}t{h} more vn-sou{n}de to sewe he{m} togeder. [Sidenote: Poverty and pain must be endured.] For-þy when pou{er}té me enpreceȝ & payneȝ i{n}-noȝe, 528 Ful softly w{i}t{h} suffrau{n}ce saȝttel me bihoueȝ, [Sidenote: Patience is a noble point, though it displeases oft.] For þe penau{n}ce & payne to preue hit i{n} syȝt, Þat pacience is a nobel poy{n}t, þaȝ hit displese ofte. Amen. [Sidenote 22: _de_ altered to þe.] [Sidenote 23: _vnto_ (?).] [Sidenote 24: MS. _fol_.] [Sidenote 25: _Or_ cu{n}.] NOTES: _Patience_. P. 89. l. 3 _þe swelme leþe_, lessen the heat. 4 _qued_, evil. 5 _syt_, sorrow; _sele_, happiness. 6 _þro_, anger. 7 _þen is better to abyde þe bur vmbe-stoundes_, Then is it better to abide the blow sometimes. 10 _melede_, related. 11 _aȝt_, eight. 12 _sunder-lupes_, severally. 13 _happen_, blessed. P. 90. l. 30 _lyknyng_, likeness; _þewes_, virtues. 42 _lyke oþer greme_, pleasing or displeasing. 47 _lyȝtloker_, more easily; _lotes_, forms. 50 _what dowes me þe dedayn_, what avails me anger. 53 _grayþed_, availed. 56 _þe(t) had bowed_, etc., That should have been obedient. P. 91. l. 63 _Goddes glam to hym glod_, God’s message came to him. 66 _wythouten oþer speche_, without contradiction, without more words. 67 _my saȝes soghe_, etc., my saws (words) sow, etc. 77 _typped schrewes_, great sinners; literally, extreme, tip-top, schrews. 78 _ta me_, take me, seize me. 82 _mansed_, cursed. 94 _glwande_, glowing, bright; _gloumbes_, sees (indistinctly).