1

To speik of gift or almous deidis:
Sum gevis for mereit and for meidis,
Sum, warldly honour to vphie,
Gevis to thame that nothing neidis.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

2

Sum gevis for pryd and glory vane,
Sum gevis with grugeing and with pane,
Sum gevis, in practik, for supple,
Sum gevis for twyis als gud agane.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

3

Sum gevis for thank and sum for threit,
Sum gevis money, sum gevis meit,
Sum gevis wordis fair and sle,
Giftis fra sum ma na man treit.
In giving sowld discretioun be.

4

Sum is for gift sa lang requyrd,
Quhill that the crevar be so tyrd
That, or the gift deliuerit be,
The thank is frustrat and expyrd.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

5

Sum gevis to littill full wretchitly,
That his giftis ar not set by,
And for sic huidpyk haldin is hie
That all the warld cryis on him, fy!
In geving sowld discretioun be.

6

Sum in his geving is so large,
That all ourlaidin is his berge.
Than vyce and prodigalite
Thairof his honour dois dischairge.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

7

Sum to the riche gevis geir,
That micht his giftis weill forbeir;
And thocht the peur for falt sowld de,
His cry nocht enteris in his eir.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

8

Sum givis to strangeris with faces new,
That yisterday fra Flanderis flew,
And to awld serwandis list not se,
War thay nevir of sa grit vertew.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

9

Sum gevis to thame can ask and plenyie,
Sum gevis to thame can flattir and fenyie,
Sum gevis to men of honestie
And haldis all ianglaris at disdenyie.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

10

Sum gettis giftis and riche arrayis,
To sweir all that his maister sayis,
Thocht all the contrair weill knawis hie.
Ar mony sic now in thir dayis.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

11

Sum gevis to gudmen for thair thewis,
Sum gevis to trumpouris and to schrewis,
Sum gevis to knavis awtoritie,
Bot in thair office gude fundin few is.
In geving sowld discretioun be.

12

Sum givis parrochynnis full wyd,
Kirkis of Sanct Barnard and Sanct Bryd,
To teiche, to rewill and to ouirsie,
To thame na wit hes thame to gyd.
In geving sowld discretioun be.