Be thou not too bitter or too debonaire with them;
But look well what most needs to be done,
And set thy people at it, both rathely[[101]] and soon.
For ready is at need
A foredone[[102]] deed,
My lief child.
And if thy husband be from home, let not thy folk do ill,
But look who doeth well and who doeth nil;
And he that doeth well, quit him well his while,
But he that doeth other, serve him as the vile.