When all is done and said, In the end thus shall you find, He most of all doth bathe in bliss That hath a quiet mind: And, clear from worldly cares, To deem can be content The sweetest time in all his life In thinking to be spent.
The body subject is To fickle Fortune's power, And to a million of mishaps Is casual every hour: And Death in time doth change It to a clod of clay; Whenas the mind, which is divine, Runs never to decay.
Companion none is like Unto the mind alone; For many have been harmed by speech; Through thinking, few, or none. Fear oftentimes restraineth words, But makes not thought to cease; And he speaks best that hath the skill When for to hold his peace.
Our wealth leaves us at death; Our kinsmen at the grave; But virtues of the mind unto The heavens with us we have. Wherefore, for virtue's sake, I can be well content, The sweetest time of all my life To deem in thinking spent.
In going to my naked bed as one that would have slept, I heard a wife sing to her child, that long before had wept; She sighèd sore, and sang full sweet, to bring the babe to rest, That would not cease, but crièd still, in sucking at her breast. She was full weary of her watch, and grievèd with her child; She rockèd it and rated it, till that on her it smiled: Then did she say, Now have I found this proverb true to prove, The falling out of faithful friends, renewing is of love.
Then took I paper, pen, and ink, this proverb for to write, In register for to remain, of such a worthy wight; As she proceeded thus in song unto her little brat, Much matter uttered she of weight, in place whereas she sat. And provèd plain, there was no beast, nor creature bearing life, Could well be known to live in love, without discord and strife: Then kissèd she her little babe, and sware by God above, The falling out of faithful friends, renewing is of love.
She said that neither king, nor prince, nor lord could live aright, Until their puissance they did prove, their manhood and their might; When manhood shall be matchèd so that fear can take no place, Then weary works make warriors each other to embrace, And leave their force that failed them, which did consume the rout, That might before have lived in peace their time and nature out: Then did she sing as one that thought no man could her reprove, The falling out of faithful friends, renewing is of love.