Truth

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  Fle fro the pres, and dwelle with sothefastness{.e},
  Suffise thin owen thing, thei it be smal;
  For hord hath hate, and clymbyng tykelness{.e},
  Prees hath envye, and wel{.e} blent overal.
  Savour no more thanne the byhov{.e} schal;
  Reule weel thiself, that other folk canst reed{.e};
  And trouth{.e} schal delyvere, it is no dred{.e}.

  Tempest the nought al croked to redress{.e},
  In trust of hire that tourneth as a bal.
  Myche wel{.e} stant in litel besyness{.e};
  Bywar therfore to spurne ayeyns an al;
  Stryve not as doth the crokk{.e} with the wal.
  Daunt{.e} thiself, that dauntest other{.e}s ded{.e};
  And trouth{.e} shal delyvere, it is no dred{.e}.

  That the is sent, receyve in buxumness{.e};
  The wrestlyng for the worlde axeth a fal.
  Here is non home, here nys but wylderness{.e}.
  Forth, pylgryme, forth! forth, beste, out of thi stal!
  Know thi contré! loke up! thonk God of al!
  Hold the heye weye, and lat thi gost the led{.e};
  And trouth{.e} shal delyvere, it is no dred{.e}.


[L'envoy.]

  Therfore, thou Vache, leve thine olde wrechedness{.e};
  Unto the world leve now to be thral.
  Crie hym mercy, that of hys hie godness{.e}
  Made the of nought, and in espec{.i}al
  Draw unto hym, and pray in general
  For the, and eke for other, hevenelyche med{.e};
  And trouth{.e} schal delyvere, it is no dred{.e}.

© Geoffrey Chaucer