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Measour is Treasour:
British Library Harley 2255 Verses

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f.143 verso
Folio 143 VersoFolio 144 RectoFolio 144 VersoFolio 145 RectoFolio 145 VersoFolio 146 RectoFolio 146 Verso

Folio 143 Verso
Compare Witnesses:
MEn wryte of Oold / how mesour is tresour
And of al grace / ground moost principałł
Of vertuous lyf suppoort ⁊ eek favour
Mesour conveyeth / and governyth ałł
Trewe examplayr / and orygynałł
to estaatys / of hyħ and lowe degree
In ther dewe ordre / for in especiałł
Alle thyng is weel / so it in mesure be
Mesure is roote / of al good policye
Sustir germayn / vnto discrecioun
Of poopys prelatys / it beryth vp the partye
Them to Conduce / in hyħ perfeccioun
to leve in prayour / and in devocioun
yeve good exaunple of / pees and vnite
That al ther workys / for shoort conclusioun
With trewe mesive / may commendid be
Al ther doctryne / nor ałł ther heolynesse
Kunnyng language / wisdam nor science
Studye on bookys / in prechyng besynesse
Almesse dede / fastyng nor abstinence
Clothe the nakyd / with with1 cost and dispence
Rekne alle these vertues / compassioun and pite
Avayllith nought / pleynly in sentence
But there be mesure / and parfight charyte
Notes
  1. The scribe has accidentially written "with" twice and failed to correct it. MacCraken corrects this to "with."