John Lydgate Quotes

The wheel of Fortune tourneth as a ball;
Sodeyn clymbyng axeth a sodeyn fall.

Comparable with Chawcer, yet more occupyed in supersticious and odde matters than was requesite in so good a wytte.

For a story which is nat pleynli told,
But constreynyd undir woordes fewe
For lak off trouthe, wher thei be newe or olde,
Men bi report kan nat the mater shewe.

A voluminous, prosaick, and drivelling Monk.

In images of horror, and in a certain terrible greatness, our author comes far behind Chaucer. Whether they were not suited to the genius or the temper of Lydgate, I do not determine; but it is certain that, though they naturally seemed to present themselves, he has almost generally chose to avoid them: yet is there frequently a stiller kind of majesty both in his thought and expression, which makes one of his principal beauties.

Harde to likke hony out of a marbil stoon,
For ther is nouthir licour nor moisture.

A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.

For he owre englishe gilte with his sawes,
Rude and boistous firste be olde dawes,
That was ful fer from al perfeccioun
And but of litel reputacioun
Til that he cam, and thorugh his poetrie,
Gan oure tonge firste to magnifie
And adourne it with his eloquence:
To whom honour, laude and reuerence.

Off oure language he was the lodesterre.

Who lesethe his fredam, in faith! he loseth all.

A prowde hert in a beggers brest,
A fowle visage with gay temples of atyre,
Horrible othes with an holy prist,
A justice of juges to selle and lete to hyre,
A knave to comande and have an empire,
To yeve a jugement of that never was wrought,
To preche of pees and sette eche man on fyre,
It may wele ryme but it accordith nought.

Odyous of olde been comparisonis.

Also Johnn Lydgate
Wryteth after an hyer rate;
It is dyffuse to fynde
The sentence of his mynde,
Yet wryteth he in his kynd,
No man that can amend
Those maters that he hath pende;
Yet some men fynde a faute,
And say he wryteth too haute.

Woord is but wynd; leff woord and tak the dede.

There is no rose
Spryngyng in gardeyns, but ther be sum thorn.