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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HUNTING: EPILOGUE. TO HAVE A FAITHFUL FRIEND, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A faithful friend would I fain find
Last Line: Send us spending in our purse!
Alternate Author Name(s): Barnes, Juliana; Bernes, Julia
Subject(s): Friendship


A faithful friend would I fain find,
To find him there he might be found;
But now is the world wext so unkind,
That friendship is fall to the ground.
Now a friend I have found,
That I will neither ban ne curse:
But of all friends in field or town,
Ever gramercy mine own purse.

My purse it is my privy wife:
(This song I dare both sing and say:)
It parteth men of muche strife,
When every man for himself shall pay.
As I ride in rich array,
For gold and silver men will me flourish;
By this matter I dare well say,
Ever gramercy mine own purse.

As I ride with gold so rede,
And have to do with landys law,
Men for my money will make me speed,
And for my goods they will me knowe:
More and less to me will draw
Both the better and the worse;
By this matter I say in sawe
Ever gramercy mine own purse.

It fell by me upon a time,
As it hath done by many one mo,
My horse, my neat, my sheep, my swine,
And all my goods, they tell me fro:
I went to my friends and told them so.
And home again they bade me truss:
I said again when I was wo,
Ever gramercy mine own purse.

Therefore I rede you, sires all,
To assay your friends or you have need;
For an ye come down, and have a fall,
Full few of them for you will grede.
Therefore assay them every one,
Both the better and the worse. --
Our Lord, that shope that both sun and moon,
Send us spending in our purse!





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