Say what precedeth of this mad outrage But great mysfortune, wo and vnhappynesse But for all theyr chattynge and plenty of langage Whan to the preste they come them to confesse To shewe theyr lewde lyfe theyr synne and wretchydnes Whan they sholde speke, and to this poynt ar come Theyr tunges ar loste and there they syt as domme Many haue ben whiche sholde haue be counted wyse Sad and discrete, and right well sene in scyence But all they haue defyled with this one vyse Of moche spekynge: o cursyd synne and offence Pyte it is that so great inconuenience So great shame, contempt rebuke and vylany Sholde by one small member came to the hole body Let suche take example by the chatrynge pye. Whiche doth hyr nest and byrdes also betraye By hyr grete chatterynge, clamoure dyn and crye Ryght so these folys theyr owne foly bewraye. But touchynge wymen of them I wyll nought say They can nat speke, but ar as coy and styll As the horle wynde or clapper or a mylle But that man or woman or any creature That lytell speketh or els kepeth sylence Ar euer of them selfe moste stedfast and sure Without enuy, hatred or malyuolence. Where as to suche comys moche inconuenyence Sorowe vpon sorowe, malyce and dysdayne Whiche wyll no tyme, his speche nor tunge refrayne Fayre speche is pleasaunt if it be moderate And spoken in season, conuenyente and dewe To kepe scylence, to pore man or estate Is a great grace, and synguler vertue Langage is lawdable whan it is god and true A wyse man or he speke wyll be wyse and ware What (to whome) why (howe) whan and whare BARKLAYE TO THE FOLYS. Ye bablynge brybours, endeuer you to amende Mytygat by mesure, your prowde hasty langage Kepe well your tunges so, shall ye kepe your frende For hasty speche ingendreth great damage Whan a worde is nat sayd, the byrde is in the cage Also the hous is surest whan the dorys be barryde So whan thy worde is spokyn and out at large Thou arte nat mayster, but he that hath it harde If thou take hede and set therto thy brayne In this world thou shalt fynde thynges thre Whiche ones past, can nat be callyd agayne. The firste is (tyme lost) by mannes symplycyte The seconde (youth) reuoked can nat be The thyrde (a worde spoken) it gooth out in the wynde And yet is the fourth, that is (virginyte) My forgetfull mynde, had lefte it nere behynde * * * * * Of them that correct other and yet them selfe do nought and synne worse than they whom they so correct. [Illustration: He lacketh reason and vnderstandynge to Whiche to a towne or Cyte knoweth the way And shewyth other howe they may thether go Hym selfe wandrynge aboute from day to day In myre and fen, though his iourney thether lay So he is mad whiche to other doth preche and tell The wave to heuyn, and hym selfe goth to hell.]