Put case that they also be past and dede Yet ought thou nat to keep it styll with the. The lawe commaundyth, and also it is mede. To gyue it to suche as haue necessyte. With it releuynge theyr paynfull pouertee And so shalt thou discharge thy conseyence. Helpynge the pore, and auoyde great offence But he that others godes tourneth to his owne vse Spendynge and wastynge that thynge that neuer was his Suche certaynly his reason doth abuse And by this meane greuously doth amysse Wherby he lesyth eternall ioy and blysse His soule drownynge depe within hell flodes For his myspendynge of other mennys goodes But to be shorte, and brefe in my sentence And sothe to saye playne as the mater is Forsoth I se nat right great difference Bytwene a thefe, and these folys couetys Both wrongly kepeth that thynge that is nat his Thynkynge that god doth nat therto aduerte Whiche notyth thy dedys, thy mynde thought and herte Wherfore if thou haue a rightwyse conscyence Thou wylt nought kepe whiche longeth nat to the The lawe so commaundeth in payne of great offence For of gode that thou kepest agaynst equyte Thou shalt make accompt after that thou shalt dye To thy great payne in hell for euer more If thou no restytucion make before. Here myght I touche executours in this cryme. Blamynge theyr dedys dysceyte and couetyse If it were nat for wastynge of my tyme For mende they wyll nat them in any wyse Nor leue no poyntes of theyr disceytfull gyse Let them take parte of that whiche I here note And be partynge foles in this present bote. THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY THE TRANSLATOR TO THE FOLYS. Ye false executours whome all the worlde repreuys And ye that fynde mennes goodes or treasoures I call you as bad as robbers or theuys For ye by your falshode and manyfolde errours Kepe falsly that thynge whiche is none of yours And wast here the goodes of hym that is past The soule lyeth in payne, ye take your pleasours. With his ryches, damnynge your owne soule at the last * * * * * Of the sermon or erudicion of wysdome bothe to wyse men and folys. [Illustration: He that delyteth in godly sapience And it to obtayne puttyth his besynes Aboue all folys shall haue preemynence And in this worlde haue honour and rychesse Or a worthy crowne in heuyns blessydnesse Or els bothe welthe here, and after ioy and blysse Where as a fole of bothe the two shall mysse] Wysdome with voyce replete with grauyte Callyth to all people, and sayth o thou mankynde Howe longe wylt thou lyue in this enormyte Alas howe longe shalt thou thy wyt haue blynde Here my preceptis and rote them in thy mynde Nowe is full tyme and season to clere thy syght: Harkyn to my wordes, grounde of goodnes and ryght