Of The Mean And Sure Estate Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABA BCB CDC DED EDE DFD FGF GDG DFD FH HIH IDI DJD KD F FJF BJ BBB BLB LML MHM HNH CDC DOD OPO PDP DBD BDB DBD BKQ KDK DDD DLD LRL RST SDS DBDB

My mother's maids when they did sew and spinA
They sang sometime a song of the field mouseB
That for because her livelood was but thinA
-
Would needs go seek her townish sister's houseB
She thought herself endur d too much painC
The stormy blasts her cave so sore did souseB
-
That when the furrows swimm d with the rainC
She must lie cold and wet in sorry plightD
And worse than that bare meat there did remainC
-
To comfort her when she her house had dightD
Sometime a barley corn sometime a beanE
For which she laboured hard both day and nightD
-
In harvest time whilst she might go and gleanE
And where store was stroy d with the floodD
Then well away for she undone was cleanE
-
Then was she fain to take instead of foodD
Sleep if she might her hunger to beguileF
'My sister ' quod she 'hath a living goodD
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And hence from me she dwelleth not a mileF
In cold and storm she lieth warm and dryG
In bed of down the dirt doth not defileF
-
Her tender foot she laboureth not as IG
Richly she feedeth and at the richman's costD
And for her meat she needs not crave nor cryG
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By sea by land of the delicates the mostD
Her cater seeks and spareth for no perilF
She feedeth on boiled bacon meet and roastD
-
And hath thereof neither charge nor travailF
And when she list the liquor of the grapeH
Doth glad her heart till that her belly swell '-
-
And at this journey she maketh but a japeH
So forth she goeth trusting of all this wealthI
With her sister her part so for to shapeH
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That if she might keep herself in healthI
To live a lady while her life doth lastD
And to the door now is she come by stealthI
-
And with her foot anon she scrapeth full fastD
Th' other for fear durst not well scarce appearJ
Of every noise so was the wretch aghastD
-
At last she ask d softly who was thereK
And in her language as well as she couldD
'Peep ' quod the other 'Sister I am here '-
-
'Peace ' quod the towny mouse 'why speakest thou so loud '-
And by the hand she took her fair and wellF
'Welcome ' quod she 'my sister by the Rood '-
-
She feasted her that joy it was to tellF
The fare they had they drank the wine so clearJ
And as to purpose now and then it fellF
-
She cheer d her with 'How sister what cheer '-
Amids this joy befell a sorry chanceB
That well away the stranger bought full dearJ
-
The fare she had for as she look askanceB
Under a stool she spied two steaming eyesB
In a round head with sharp ears In FranceB
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Was never mouse so fear'd for the unwiseB
Had not i seen such a beast beforeL
Yet had nature taught her after her guiseB
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To know her foe and dread him evermoreL
The towny mouse fled she know whither to goM
Th' other had no shift but wonders soreL
-
Feard of her life At home she wished her thoM
And to the door alas as she did skipH
The Heaven it would lo and eke her chance was soM
-
At the threshold her silly foot did tripH
And ere she might recover it againN
The traitor cat had caught her by the hipH
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And made her there against her will remainC
That had forgotten her poor surety and restD
For seeming wealth wherein she thought to reignC
-
Alas my Poynz how men do seek the bestD
And find the worst by error as they strayO
And no marvail when sight is so opprestD
-
And blind the guide anon out of the wayO
Goeth guide and all in seeking quiet lifeP
O wretched minds there is no gold that mayO
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Grant that ye seek no war no peace no strifeP
No no although thy head were hooped with goldD
Sergeant with mace hawbert sword nor knifeP
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Cannot repulse the care that follow shouldD
Each kind of life hath with him his diseaseB
Live in delight even as thy lust wouldD
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And thou shalt find when lust doth most thee pleaseB
It irketh straight and by itself doth fadeD
A small thing it is that may thy mind appeaseB
-
None of ye all there is that is so madD
To seek grapes upon brambles or breresB
Nor none I trow that hath his wit so badD
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To set his hay for conies over riversB
Ne ye set not a drag net for an hareK
And yet the thing that most is your desireQ
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Ye do mis seek with more travail and careK
Make plain thine heart that it be not knottedD
With hope or dread and see thy will be bareK
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From all affects whom vice hath ever spottedD
Thyself content with that is thee assignedD
And use it well that is to thee allottedD
-
Then seek no more out of thyself to findD
The thing that thou hast sought so long beforeL
For thou shalt feel it sitting in thy mindD
-
Mad if ye list to continue your soreL
Let present pass and gape on time to comeR
And deep yourself in travail more and moreL
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Henceforth my Poynz this shall be all and someR
These wretched fools shall have nought else of meS
But to the great God and to his high doomT
-
None other pain pray I for them to beS
But when the rage doth lead them from the rightD
That looking backward Virtue they may seeS
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Even as she is so goodly fair and brightD
And whilst they clasp their lusts in arms acrossB
Grant them good Lord as Thou mayst of Thy mightD
To fret inward for losing such a lossB

David Mckee Wright



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