Blame he not þe barn þat þis .a. b. c. made,

But wite he his wickid will & his werk aftir;

It schal neuere greue a good man þouȝ þe gilti be meendid.

Now herkeneþ & heeriþ how y bigynne.

[A]

to amerose, to aunterose, ne argue not to myche.

argue not] Angre the

[Page 31.]
B

to bolde, ne to bisi, ne boorde not to large.

omit ne

not to large] thou nat to brode

C

to curteis, to cruel, ne care not to sore.

[D]

to dul, ne to dreedful, ne drinke not to ofte.

omit ne

not] thow nat

E

to elenge, ne to excellent, ne to eernesfulneiþer.

omit ne

to eernesful] ne curyons

F

to fers, ne to famuler, but freendli of cheere.

fers, famuler, freendli] Ferde, familier, frenfulle

G

to glad, ne to gloriose, & gelosie þou hate.

omit to

& gelosie þou hate] Ne to galaunt never

[H]

to hasti, ne to hardi, ne to heuy in þine herte.

in þine] off

I

to iettynge, ne to iangelinge, ne iape not to ofte.

iettynge] Iocunde

iape not to] Ioye thow nat

K

to kinde, ne to kepynge, & be waar of knaue tacchis.

omit to and &

knaue] knaves

L

to looth for to leene, ne to liberal of goodis.

for to leene] ne to lovyng

goodis] woordys

[M]

to medelus, ne to myrie, but as mesure wole it meeue.

medelus] Mellous

but as mesure wole it meeue] ne to besynesse vnleffulle

N

to noiose, ne to nyce, ne use no new iettis.

ne use no new iettis] ne noughte to neffangle

O

to orped, ne to ouerþwart, & ooþis þou hate.

ouerþwart] ouertwarthe

& ooþis þou hate] Ne othez to haunte

P

to presing, ne to preuy withprincis ne with dukis;

[Q]

to queynte, ne *to quarelose, but queeme weel ȝouresouereyns.

quarelose] querelous

weel ȝoure souereyns] men alle abowte

[* Page 32.]
R

to riotus, to reueling, ne rage not to rudeli.

omit the second to

not to rudeli] thou nat but lyte

S

to straunge, ne to stirynge, ne straungeli tostare.

ne straungeli to stare] Ne starte nat abowte

T

to toilose, ne to talewijs, for temperaunce isbeest.

for temperaunce is best] But temperate euere

[V]

to venemose, ne to veniable, & voide alvilonye.

ne ...] ne violent Ne waste nat to moche

W

to wielde, ne to wraþful, neiþer waaste, ne waade not todepe,

neiþer &c.] Ne to wyse deme the

¶ For a mesurable meene is euere þe beste ofalle.

is euere þe beste of] ys best for vs

X Y Z x y wyche esed & per se.

[“Whi is þis world biloued” follows.]

See two other copies of this A B C in Harl. MS. 541, fol. 213 and 228.

The copy on fol. 213 has the exordium as prose, thus: Who so wylle be wyse, and worspyppe to wynne, leerñ he on lettur, and loke vpon an other of the .A. B. C. of Arystotle; nooñ Argument agaynst that. ffor it is counselle for clerkis and knyghtis a thowsande. And also it myghte amende a meane man, fulle oft the lernyng of A lettur, and his lyf save. It shal not greve a good man though gylt be amende. rede on this ragment / and rule the therafter. The copy on fol. 228 has no Introduction.

Tytelle Tytelle Tytelle thañ Esta Amen.