¶Passus primus de visione
WHat this moūtein bemeineth, & y
e merk dale
And y
e feld full of folk, I shal you faire shew
A louely lady of lere, in linnen iclothed
Came downe from a castel, & called me fair
And said sonne slepest thou, seest thou this people?
How busy they be, al about the mase
The tour
The most part of this puple, y
e passeth on this earth
Haue they worship in this worlde, they wil no better
Of other heauen then here, hold they no tale
I was afrayde of her face, though she fayre were
And sayd mercy madame, what is this to meane?
The toure vpon the toft, trueth is therein
And woulde that ye wrought, as his word teacheth
For he is father of fayth, and former of you al
Both with fel and w
t face, and gaue you fyue wyttis
For to worship him ther w
t, the while you bene here
Of wollen of lynnen, and of liuelode at nede
In mesurable maner to make you at ease
And cōma ūded of his curtesy, in cōmen thre thynges
Arne none nedful but tho, and nempē hem I think
And reken hem by reason, reherse ye hem after.
That one is vesture, from cheyle to saue
[Page]And meate at meale, for disease of thy selfe
And drinke whā thou driest, & do nought out of reasō
That y
u worth the worse, whā thou worke shouldest.
For Loth in his dayes, for liking of drinke
Did with his doughters,
Loth
that the Deuill lyketh
Delited in drinke, as the deuell wolde
And lechery him laught, and lay by hem both,
And al he wite the wine, that wicked dede
Inebriamus eum vino, dormiamusque cum eo,
Gen. xix.
vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen.
Through wiue & womē, ther was Loth accombred
And ther gat in glotony, girles that were cherels
Forthy, dred delectable drinke, & thou shalt do the better
Measure is medicine, though you michel yerne
It is not al for the goste, that the gutte asketh
Leue not thy likam, for a lyer him teacheth
That is the wretched worlde, wold the betray
For the fende and the flesh, foloweth the togithers
This & that seyth thy soule, and seeth it in thine herte.
And for thou shouldest beware, I wish the y
e best.
Madame mercy ꝙ I, me lyketh wel your wordes
And y
e mony of this moulde, that men so fast holdeth
Tel me to whom madame that treasure appendeth.
Go to the gospel ꝙ she, that god sayd him selfe.
Tho y
e people him apposed, with a peny in y
e temple
Whether they shuld therw
t, worship the kinge Cesar
And god asketh hem, of whom speaketh the letter
And the ymage i like, that therin standeth
Cesars they sayd, we sene here wel echone
Redde Cessari, quod god, that Cesary belongeth
Et que sunt dei deo, or els ye done yll
For rightful reason,
Luke. xx.
should rule you all
And kind wit be warden your wealth to kepe
[Page]And tutor of your treasure, and take you at nede
For husbandry and he, holden togither.
Than I frayned her fayre, for him that me made
Dungion
That dungeon in the dale, that dredeful is of syght
What may it bemeane, madame I you byseche.
That is the castell of care, who so commeth therin
May banne that be borne was, to body or to soule,
Therin wonneth a wight, that wrong is I hote
Cayne
Father of falsehead, and founded it him selfe
Adam and Eue, he egged to yll,
Iudas
Councelled Cayne, to kil his brother
Iudas he iaped, with Iewes siluer
And sithen on an elder, hanged him after
He is lettar of loue, and lyeth hem all
That trust in his treasure, betraieth he soneste
Than had I wonder in my wit, what womā it were
That suche wise wordes, of holy write shewed
And I asked her on y
e height name, or she thence yede
What she were wisely, that wished me so fayre.
Holy church I am ꝙ she, y
u oughtest me to know
I vnderfenge the fyrst, and the fayth taught
Thou broughtest me borowes, my byddings to fulfyl
And to loue me lelly, y
t while the lyfe dureth
Than I courbed on my knees, and cried her of grace
And prayed her pituosly, pray for my sinnes
And also kenne me kindly, on Christ to beleue
That I might worke his wil, y
t wrought me to man
Truth is the beste treasure.
Teach me to no treasure, but tell me this ilke
How I may saue my soule, that saynt art holden,
When all treasures are tried ꝙ she, truth is the beste
I do it on Deus Charitas to deme the sothe
It is as dere worth a drury, as dere God hym selfe,
[Page vi]Who is true of his tonge, and telleth no other
And doth the worckes therw
t, and willeth no mā yll
He is a god by the gospel, a grounde and a lofte
And lyke to our Lord, by saynt Lukes wordes.
The clarkes that knowe thys, should kenne it about
For christen and vnchristen, claymeth it echone
Kynges and knyghtes, should kepe it by reason
Ryden and rapen downe,
Knygtes office.
in realmes aboute
And taken traungressours, and tye hem fast
Tyll trueth termined, her trespate to the ende
And y
t is y
e profession a partly, y
e appēdeth to knights
And not to faste one Friday, in fiue score wynter
But hold w
t him & with hir, that wolden all truth
And neuer leue hem for loue, ne for lakyng of syluer.
For Dauid in his dayes, dubbed knightes
And did hem swere on her swerde,
Dauid
to serue truth euer
And who so passed y
e poynt, was apostata in y
e order.
But Christe kyng of kynges, made knyghtes ten,
Cherubyn and Seraphyn, suche seuen and another.
And gaue hē myght in his maiestie, y
e mirier hē thought
And ouer hys meane meiny, made hē archāgels
Taught by the trinitie, Trueth to knowe
To be buxume at his bidding, he bade hē noughtels
Lucifer with legions, learned it in heauen
But for he brake buxumnes, his blysse can he tine
And fell from that felowshyp, in a fendes lykenes
Into a depe darcke hell, to dwell there for euer
And moo thousādes w
t hym, thā man could numbre
Loppen out with Lucifer, in lothlyche forme
For these leueden vpon him, that lyed on thys maner
Ponam pedem in aquilone, et similis ero altissimo.
Esai. xiiii
And al y
e hoped it might be so, no heuē might hē hold
[Page]But fel out in findes likenes, nine dayes togither
Tyl god of his goodnes, gan stable and stint
And garde the heuen to sticke, and stonde in quiet
When the wicked went out, in wonder wyse they fel
Some in ayre some in earth, and some in hell depe.
And Lucifer lowest lieth, yet of hem al
For pride that he pult out, his payne had no end
And al that worke with wrong, wend they shal
After their death day, and dwell with that shrewe
And tho that work wel, as holy write telleth
And ende as I ere sayd, in trueh that is the beaste
May be siker that their soules, shal wende to heauen
There truth is in trinitie, and troweth hem al,
Forthy I say as I sayd ere, by syght of these textes,
Whan all treasures are tried,
Truth is the greatest treasure,
truth is the best
Lerne on this lewde men, for letterd men it knoweth
That truth is treasure, the triedest on earth.
I haue no kind knowing ꝙ I, ye mote me ken better
By what craft in my crops, it comseth & where.
Thou dotest daffe, quod she dul are thy wittis
To tel latin thou learnedst leode in thy youth.
Heu mihi, qui a ste rilem duxi, vitam iuuenilem.
It is a kind knowing ꝙ he, that knoweth in thy herte
For to loue the lord, leuer then thy selfe.
No deadly sinne to do, dye though thou shouldest.
This I trowe be trueth, who can teach the better,
Loke thou suffer him to say, and sith lerne it after
For trueth telleth that loue, is triacle for synne
May no sinne be on him sene, that vseth that spice
And al his works he wrought, with loue as him list
And lerned it Moses, for the leuiest thing of al
And also the plant of peace most precious of vertues
[Page vii]For heauen might not hold it, it was so heuy of hym selfe
Till it had of the earth, yoten it selue
And whan it had of this fold, flesh and bloud taken
Was neuer leafe vpon linde, lighter thereafter
And portatiue & persante, as the poynt of a nedle
That might none armour it let, ne none heigh walles
Forthy loue is the leader, of the lords loue of heauen
And a meane as the maire is, betwene the king & the cōmons
Right so is loue a leader, & the law shapeth
Vpon man for his misdedes, the mercemēt he taxeth
And for to know it kindly, it comith by might
And in the hert there is the head, and the hight wyl
For of kind knowing in hert, ther a might beginneth.
And that falleth to the father, that formid you al
He lokid on vs with loue, and let his sone dye
Mekely for our misdeds, to amend vs all:
And yet wold he hē no woo, y
t wrought him y
e payne
But mekely with mouth, mercy he besought
To haue pitie on that people, that pained him to deth
Here might you se in example, in selfe one
That he was mightful and meke, y
e mercy can graunt.
To hem that hanged on height him, & his hert thirled
Forthie I red you Rich, haue ruth on the pore
Though ye be mighty to mote, be meke in your workes
For the same mesure y
t ye mete, amis other els
Ye shall be weine ther with, whan ye wenden hence
Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis.
For though ye be true of your tong,
Mar. iiii.
& trulieh worch
And as chast as a child, that in church wepeth
But if ye loue lelie, and leue the pore
Such good as god you sent, godliche parte
You haue no more merite, in masse nor in houres
[Page]Than Malkin of her maydēhead, y
t no man desireth▪
For Iames the Ientle, Iudged in his bokes
That fayth w
tout the feate, is right nothing worth
And as deade as dore tree, but if the dedes followe
Iacob. ii.
Fides sine operibus mortna est.
Forthi chastitie w
tout charitie, worthi cheines in hell:
It is as lewde as a lampe, that no light is in
Many chaplens ar chast, and charitie is awaye
Ar no mē auarisiouser thā they, whē they be auaūced
Vnkind to their kinne, and to al christen
Chewen theyre charitie, and chiden after more
Many curatours kepe hem, cleane of her bodies
They be accūbred w
t couetise, thei cā not do it frō thē
So harde hath auarice, hasped them togithers
And that is no truth of y
e trinitie, but tricheri of hel
And lerning to lewde men, the latter for to dele
Forthy these wordes be writen in the gospell
Luke vi.
Date et dabitur vobis. for I dele you all.
That is the locke of loue, that letteth out my grace
To comforten the carefull accombred with synne
Loue is leche of lyfe, and nexe our lord selfe
And also the gate, that goeth into heauen
Forthy I say as I sayd er, by the textes
Whan all treasures be tried, truth is the best
So haue I told you what truth is, y
t no tresur is better
I may no lūger leng ye w
t, now loke ye our lord
Passus secundus de visione
[Page viii]
YEt I corbed on miknes, & tryed her of grace
And seid merci madā, for maris loue of heuē
That bare y
e blisful barne, y
t bought vs on y
e
Ken me bi some craft, to know y
e fals. rode
Loke apon thy lefte halfe, and lo where he stondeth
Both false and fauel, and her feeris many
I loked on my left halfe, as the lady me taught
And was ware of a woman, worthylich clothed
Purfiled with pelure, the finest vpon erthe
Crowned with a crowne, the king hath no better
Fetislych her fingers, were fretted w
t gold wier
And there on redde rubies, as redde as any glede
And diamōds of derest price, & double maner saphirs
Orientales and Ewages, venemis to destroye
Hyr robe was full rich, of red scarlet engrayned
With rybandes of red gold, and of rich stones
Her array me rauished, suche riches saw I neuer.
I had wonder what she was. & whose wife she were.
What is this woman ꝙ I, so worthyly attyred?
That is mede y
e maid quod she, hath noied me ful oft
And lacked my lemman, that leautie is ihote
And bylow her to lordes, that lawes haue to kepē
In the popes palaice, she is preuy as my selfe
But sothenes wold not so, for she is a bastarde
For false was her father, that hath a fickell toung,
And neuer soth sayd, sithen he came to earth
And mede is maried after him, right as kinde askith.
Qualis pater talis filius, bona arbor bonum fructum facit.
Mar. iiii
I ought be hier then she: I came of a better
My father the great God is: and ground of all grace
One God w
tout beginning, & I his good daughter
And hath geuen me mercy, to mary with my selfe
[Page]And what man be mercifull, and lelly me loueth
Shal be my lorde and I his lyfe, in the hygh heauen
And what man taketh mede, my head dare I lay
That he shall lease for her loue, a lyppe of Charitatis
How cōstrueth Dauid the king, of men y
e take mede?
And men on thys mould, that mainteneth truth
And howe ye should saue your selfe, y
e psalter bereth:
Psa. xv.
Do mine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo &c.
And nowe worth this Mede, maried vnto a mauzed witnes
To one Fals fikell tonge, a fendes bezet
Fauel by his faire speach, hath this folk enchaunted shrewe
And al is lyers ledyng, that she is thus wedded
The morow was made, the maydens brydale
And there might y
u wit if thou wilt, which they bē all
That longen to that lordshyp, the lesse and the more
Know hem there if thou canst, & kepe thou thy tonge.
And lake hē not but let hē worch, til leauty be iustice.
And haue powr to punish hē thā put forth thi reason
For I beken the Christ ꝙ she, & his cleane mother
And let no cōscience accōbre the, for couetise of mede,
Thus lefte me that Ladye, lyggynge a slepe
And howe mede was maried, in metals me thought
That al the ryche reteinaunce, y
e rayneth w
t the false
Were bounden to the brydale, on boeth two sydes
Of all maner of men, the meane and the ryche
To mary the maide, was many a man assembled
As of knyghtes & of clarks, & other cōmune people.
As sisours and somoners, shryues and their clarkes.
Bedelles and bayliffes, and brokers of chaffer
Forgoers and vitellers, and aduocates of tharches
I can not reken the route, that can about Mede.
And Simony and Ciny
[...]e, and Sisours of couries
[Page ix]Were most priuie w
t mede, of any men me thought
And fauel was the first, that fet her out of boure
And as a broker brought her, to be w
t false enioyned
Whan Simony and Ciuyl, see hyr both wyl
They assented for syluer, to say as both wolde
Than lept Lyer forth,
Meedes charter.
and sayd lo here a Charter
That gile w
t his great othes, gaue hem togyders
And prayed Ciuill to see, and Simony to reade it,
Than Simony & Ciuil, stonden forth both togyther
And vnfold the feoffement, that False hath ymade
And thus begyneth these gomes, to gredēful heyght
Sciant presentes et futuri.
Maritagium pranum cum feoffemē to in malo feodo, et de peruersa tenu
[...]a.
&c.
Witteth & wytnesseth, al y
t wonneth apon this earth
That Mede is maried, more for hir goodes
Than for any vertue or fayrenes, or any fre kynd
Falsenes is fayne of hyr, for he woteth hyr ryche
And Fauell with hys ficle speach, feffeth hir by this charter
To be princes in prid, & pouerty to dispise
To backebite and to bosten &, to beare false wytnes.
To scorne and to scoulde, and slander to make
Vnbuxome and bold, to breake the ten hestes
And the Erledome of Enuy, and wrath togythers
With the Chastilet of Cheest, and chatteringe out of reason
The county of couetise, & al the costes about
That is vsury and Auarise, all I hem graunt
In bargaines & brocages, w
t al y
e borough of thefte,
And all the lordshyp of lechery, in length & in brede
As in works & in wordes, & in waytinges with eyes
And in weddes & wishinges, & wyth idle thoughtes.
There as wyl would, & the workemanshyp fayleth.
Glotony he gaue hem eke, and great othes togyther
And all day to drinke, at diuers tabernes.
[Page]And there to iangle & to iape, & iudge her euē christen
And in fastynge dayes to frete, ere full tyme were
And than to sytte and soupe, tyll slepe hem assayle
And brede forth as borough swyne, & beddē hē easely
Tyll Slouthe and slepe, slyken her sydes
And thā Manhope to awaken hem so, w
t no wil to amend
For they liuen by luste, that is her last end
And they to haue and to hold, and hir heyres after
A dwellynge with the deuill, and damned be for euer
With al y
e appertinaūcis of purgatory, into y
e pain of hell
Yeldynge for thys thynge, at one yeres ende,
Theyr soules to Sathan, to suffer with him paynes
And w
t hym to wōne in wo, whyle god is in heauen
In wytnes of whyche thyng, Wronge was the first
And Pierce the pardoner, of Paulinus doctrine
Bette the bedle, of Buckyngham shyre
Raynolde the reue, of Rutlande soken
Munde the mylner, with manye mo other
In the date of the deuyll, thys dede I enseale
By syght of syr Simony, and Ciuils leaue
The true preacher.
Thā tened hym Theology, whan he this tale heard
And sayd to Ciuill, nowe sorow myght you haue
Such weddynges to worch, to wrath wyth Truthe
And ere thys weddinge be wrought, wo the betyde
For Mede is mulier, of amendes engendred
And God grauntethe, to gyue Mede to Truthe
And y
u hast giuē hir to a gilor, now god gyue y
e sorow
Thy te
[...]te telleth the not so, Trueth woote the sothe.
For Dignus est opetatius.
Luke x. Who it is that shameth holy church.
hys hyre to haue
And thou haste fastned hir to False, fye on thy lawe
For all by leasynge thou lyuest, & lecherous works
Simonye and thy selfe, shenden holye church
[Page x]The notaries and ye, no ye the people
Ye shal abye it both, by God that made me
Well ye wit wernardes, but if your wyt fayle
That False is faythles, and fykil in his werkes
And was a bastard borne, of Belsabu vs kynne
And Mede is a mulier, a mayden of good
And might kisse the kynge, for cosin if shewold.
Therfore worke by wysdome, and by my wyt also
And leade hir to London, there it is shewed
If any lawe wil loke, they liggen togither
And though iustices iudge hir, to be ioyned to False
Yet beware of wedding, for wytty is truth
And cōsciēce is of his coūsel, & knoweth you echone
And if he find you in default, and with false hold
It shal be set your soules, ful sore at the last
Here to assented Cyull, and Simony ne wolde
Til he had siluer, for his seruice, & also the notaries
Than fet Fauell forth, florences inowe
And bade gyle go gyue,
Brybes
golde about
And namely to the Notaries, that hem none fayle
And feffe False wytnes with florences inowe
For they may Mede amaistry, and maken at my wil.
Tho this gold was geuen, great was the thankyng
To False and to Fauell, for her great giftes
And come to conforten, fro care the False
And sithen saide certes syr, ceasen shall we neuer
Til mede be weddid thy wife, through wits of vs all
For we haue Mede amastrid, with our mery speach.
That she graūted to gone, with a good wyl
To London to loke, if the lawe wolde
Iudge you ioyntlye, in ioye for euer
Than was Falsenes fayne, and Fauell as blyth,
[Page]And letten sommon al seges, in shyers about
And bad hem al to be bowne, beggers and other
To wēd w
t him to westminster, to witnes this dede.
What horses thei y
t
[...]ed wyth mede had
And thā caried they forth caples, to cary hem thither.
And Fauel setforth then, foles in owe
And set mede vpon a Shireue, shode al newe
And False sate on a Sisour, that softlych troted
And Fauell on a slatterrer, feetly attired
Tho had Notaries none, anoied they were
For Simony and Ciuil, should on their fete gange
And than swore Simony, and Ciuyll both
That somners should be sadled, & serue hem echone.
And let apparel these prouisors, in palfreis wise
Sir Simony him selfe, shal syt on their backes
Deanes, and subdeanes, draw you togither
Archedecons and officials, and al your regesters
Let saddle hem with siluer, our sinne to suffer
As aduoutry and diuorces, and derne vsury
To beare bishops about, abrode in visiting
Paulinus primus, for pleyntis in consistory
Shal serue my selfe, that Ciuill is inempned
And cartsaddle the comisary, our carte shall he leade,
And fetche vs vitayles, at fornicatores
And maketh of Lier a long cart, to lede al these other
As friers and faytours, that on their fete runnen,
And thus False and Fauel, faren forth together
And Mede in the mides, and al these men after.
I haue no tyme to tel, the taile that here foloweth
Of many maner men, that on thys mould lybbeth
Trueth maketh haste to y
e kynge.
And gyle was foregoer, and guided hem all
Sothenes seeth hem well, and sayth but litle
And pricked his palfrey, and passed hem all:
And came to the kinges court, & Consciente it tolde
[Page xi]And Conscience to the king, carped it after.
Now by Christ ꝙ the king, and I catch might
Fals or Fauell, or any of their feeris
I wold be worken of tho wreches, y
t worken this yll
And done hē hang by y
e hals, & al y
t hem meinteyneth
Shal neuer man on this mold, mainprise the leaste
But right as the law wol loke, let fall on hem all
And cōmaunded a constable, that can at the first
To attache tho tyrauntes, for any thynge I hote
And fetter fast Falsenes, for any kinnes giftes
And girde of Gyles head, and let him go no ferther
And if ye latche Lyer, let hym not escapte,
Or he be put on the pillery, for any prayers I hote
And bring mede to me, in maugre them all,
Drede at the dore stode, and the dome harde
How the king cōmaūded,
Drede maketh the gilty flee.
Constables & Sergeantes
Falsenes and his feloshyp, to fetter and to binden
Than drede went wightely and warned the Fals,
And bad him fle for feare, and his fellowes al.
Falsenes for feare then, fledde to the friers
And Gyle dothe him to go, agast for to dye
And marchauntis meten w
t him, & made hym to byde
And shytte him in her shoppes, to shewen her ware
Appareled him as a prentise, the people to serue.
Lyghtlye Lyer leaped, and away ranne
Lurkynge through lanes, tolugged of many.
He was no where welcome, fore his many tales
Ouer all thonted,
False can lack no maister
and I hote trusse
Tyl Pardoners had pety, and pulled him into house.
They wash him & wipe him, & woundē him in clouts
And sent hym with seales, on sondayes to churches
And gaue him pardon for pence, pound meale aboute
[Page]Than loured leches, and letters they sent
That he should wonne with hem, waters to loke
Spicers speken with him, to spye their ware
For he coud of ther craft, & knew many gommes
And minstrels and messengers, met with him once
And held him halfe a yere, and a leuen dayes
Fryres with fayre spech, fet him thence
And for knowing of cōmers, coped him as a frier
And he hath leaue to leape out, as oft as hem lyketh
And welcome whan he wyl, & wonneth w
t thē ofte
All fledden for feare, and flooen into hernes
Saue mede the mayde, no mo durst abyde
And truely to tell, she trembled for drede
And eke wept and wrong, when she was atached
Passus textius de visione.
The king wi
[...] now of Mede whom she loueth be
[...].
NOwe is mede the mayd, & no mo of hem all,
w
t Bedels & balifs, brough before the kinge
The king called a clerk, can I not his name.
To take mede the mayd, & make her at ease
I shal assaye her my selfe, and sothelych appose
What man of this mold, that her were leuest
And if she worke by wyt, and my wyl follow
I wol forgeue hir this gylt, so me God helpe
Curtesy the clerke than, as the king hight
Toke mede by the middle, & brought her into chābre,
And there was mirth and minstrelsy, Mede to please
They that wōne in westminster, worshiped her al
Gentlie with Ioye, the Iustices came
Busked hem to the bower, there the brid dwelled
To comfort her kindlye, by clergies leaue
And sayd morne not Mede, ne make ye no sorow
[Page xii]For we will wish the king, and thy waye shape
To be weddid at thy will, and where the leefe liketh.
For all conscience cast and craft, as I trowe.
Mildlie Mede than, mercied them all
Of her great goodnes, and gaue hem echone
Copes of cleane gold, and Cups of siluer
Rynges with rubies, and riches many
The lest man of their menie, a moton of gold.
Than laugh they leeue, these lord is at mede.
With that comon clarkes, to comfort her the same
And bidden her be blith, for we be thine owne
For to worke thy wyll, the whyle we moune last
Hendliche she than, bihight them the same
To louen hem lellie, and lordes to make
To begge hem benefices, pluralities to haue
And in consistory at court, do call her names
Shall no lewdnes let, the clearke that I loue
That he ne worth first auaunced, for I am beknowē
Ther cunning clarkes, sholen cloke behynde.
Than came ther a confessor, copid as a Frier
To mede the mayd, he mellud thes wordes
And sayd full softly, in shrift as it were
Though lewd mē & lerned mē, had lien by the both
And falsenes had yfouled the, all this fifty wynter
I shal assoyle the my selfe, for a seme of whete,
And also be thy bedman, and beare wel thy message.
Amongest knightes & clerks, conscience to turne
Then Mede for her myssedes, to that man kneled
And shroue her of her shroudnes, shameles I trowe
Told him a tale, and toke him a noble
For to be her bedman, and her broker also
Than he assoyled her sone and sithen he sayde
We haue a witdow in working, wil set vs ful high.
[Page]Woldest thou glase y
t gable, & graue therin thi name
Seker shoulde thy soule be, heauen to haue.
Wyst I that quod the woman, I would not spare
The fruites of Popishe penaunce.
For to be your frende Fryer, and fayle you neuer
Whyle you loue Lordes, that lechery haunten
And lake not Ladyes, that loue well the same.
It is fraylenes of the fleshe, ye fynde it in bokes
And a course of kynde, whereof we commen al
Who so may escape the slaunder, y
e scath is sone amēded
It is synne of the seuen, sonest released
Haue mercy quod mede, of men that it haunten
And I shal couer your kyrke, your cloisture do makē
Walles do whyten, and wyndowes do glasen
Do paynten and portraye, and pay for the makyng
That euery segge shal say, I am sister of your house.
And god to all good folke, suche grauyng defend
To wryte in wyndowes, of her well deades
On auēter pryd be painted ther, & pomp of y
e worlde
For Christ knoweth thy conscience, & thy kind wyll:
And thy cost and thy couetise, & who thi catel ought
Therfore I learne you lordes, leaue such worckes
To wryten in wyndowes, of your well dedes
Or to greddē after goddesmen, whā ye delen doles
Math. vi.
On auēter you haue your hire here, & your hauē also.
Nesciat sinistra tua quid facit dextra
Lette not thy lefte halfe, late ne rathe
Wytte what thou worckeste, wyth thy right syde
For thus biddeth y
e gospel, good mē done her almes.
The mayors office
Mayres and masters, that meanes be betwene
The Kynge and the common, to kepe the lawes
To punyshe on pylaries, and pynnynge stoles
Brusters and bakesters, bouchers and cokes.
[Page xiii]For these ar mē on this mold,
What harme y
[...] vitiliers do & what abuse is in regrat
[...]g.
y
e most harme worketh
To the pore people, that percell meale byghe
For they poysen the people, priuely and oft
They richen through regratry, &
[...]en
[...]es hem bighen,
With that y
e pore people, should put in her wombes
For toke they all truely, they timbred not so hygh
Ne bought no burgages, be ye full certen.
And Mede y
e mayd, the Mayre hath besought
Of all such Sellers, siluer to take
Or presentes without pence, as peces of syluer
Kinges or other riches, the regrators to mainteine
For my loue ꝙ that Lady, loue hem echone
And suffer hem to sel, some deale agaynst reason.
Salomon the sage, a sermon he made
For amend Mayres, and men that kepe lawes
And tolde hem this teme, that I tel thinke.
I guis deuorabit tabernacula cotū,
Iob. xv.
qui libēter accipiūt muuera.
Amōg these lettred leodes this latē is to meane
That fyre shal fall, and brenne all to blo ashes
The houses and homes, of hem that des
[...]eth
Giftes or yeres gyfts, bicause of her offices.
The king from the counsel came, & called after mede,
And sent for her a swyth, with sergeantes many
That brought her to boure, with blys & with ioye
Curtesly the king than, comsed to tell
To mede the mayd, melleth these wordes.
Vnwittely woman, wrought hast thou ofte
And wurse wroughtest
[...] neuer, than tho y
u fals toke
But I forgeue the that gilt, and graunt the my grace
Hence to thy death daye do so no more.
I haue knight conscience, came late from beyonde
If he willeth the to wyfe, wilt thou him haue?
[Page]Yea lord ꝙ that ladie, God for bydels,
But I be wholy at your hest, hang me sone.
And than was Conscience called, to come and appeare
Before the king and his counsell, as clerkes & other
Knelinge Conscience, to the kinge louted
To wyt what his wil were, and what he do shoulde.
Wilt y
u wedde this woman ꝙ y
e kynge, if I wil assēt?
For she is fayne of thy felowship, for to be thy make
Consciēce forsaketh Mede for hir euyll conditiō ▪
Quod conscience to the king, Christ it me for bydde
Or I wed such a wyfe, woo me betyde
For she is frayle of her fayth, fykell of her speche
And maketh men misdo, many score tymes
Trust of her treasure, betrayeth ful many
Wyues and widowes, wantones she teacheth
And learneth hem lechery, that loue her giftes
Your father she felled, through false byhest
And hath poysened Popes, and peyred holy churche
Is not a better band, by him that me made
Betwene heuen and hell, in earth though men sought
For she is tykel of her tayle, taylewise of her tonge
As cōmē as a carte way, to ech a knaue that walketh
To monkes and to minstrels: to mesels in hedges
Sisours and somnours, such men her prayseth
Shriues of shires, were shent if she were not
For she doth men lese her land, and her lyfe both.
She letteth passe prisoners, and payeth for them ofte
And geueth the Gailors, gold and grotes togethers
To vnfetteren the false, fle where him lyketh
And taketh the true by the top, and tyeth hem fast
And hangeth hem for hatred, that harme did neuer
To be cursed in consistory, she counteth not a beane
For she copith the cōmissarie, and coteth hys clarkes
She is assoyled as sone, as herselfe lyketh
As may your secret Seale, in sixscore dayes
For she is preuy with the pope, prouisors it knoweth
For sir Simonie and her selfe, sealeth the bulles
She blesseth the bishops, though they be lewde
Prouendreth persons, and priestes mainteineth
To haue lemmans and lottebies, all her lyue dayes
And bringeth forth barnes, agayne forbode lawes
There she is well with the king, woo is the Realme
For she is fauorable to false, and fouleth truth oft
Bi Iesus with her Iwels, your Iustices she shendith
And lyeth ageyne the lawes, and letteth hem the ga
[...]e
That fayth mai not be of force, her florēs fly to thick
She leadeth the law as her liste, & louedaies maketh
And doth mē lese through her loue, y
e law might wyn
The maze of a meane man, though he more her euer
Lawe is so lordleche, and loth to make ende
Withouten prsentes or pence, she pleaseth ful few
Bi good resō y
e is gret ruth, reherse mē what hē liketh
Barons and burgesies, she bringeth in sorowe
And al the cōmon in care, that couetith lyse in trueth
For Clergie and couetis, she coupleth togither
This is the life of that lady, now lord giue her sorow
And al that mainteineth her mē, meschaūce hē betide
For pore mē mai haue no powr, to plain hē whē they smarte
Such master is mede, among mē of good,
Than morned Mede, and mened her to the kinge
To haue space to speke, spede if she might
The king graunted her grace: with a good wyll
Excuse the if thou canst: I can no more sayne
For conscience accuseth the:
Mede hath leue t
[...] speake
to congayne the for euer
Naye lord quod that lady: leue him the wurse
[Page]Whan ye witteh witterly, where the wrong lyeth
There that mischiefe is great, mede may helpe.
And thou knowest conscience, I came not to chyde
Ne depraue thy person, with a proud herte
Wel thou wotest warnard, but if thou wilt gabbe
Thou hast hanged on me, halfe a leuen times
And also griped my gold, giue it wher the liked
And why thou wrathest y
e nowe, wōder me thinketh
Yet I may as I might, menske the with giftes
And mainteine thy manhod, more then thou knowest
And thou hast famed me foule, before the king here
For killed I neuer no king, ne councelled therafter
Ne did as thou demest, I do it on the kinge
Mede reherseth what she hath done
In Normandy was he not, noyed for my sake
And thou thy selfe sothely, shamedst him ofte
Crope into a Chabane, for colde of thy nayles
Wendest that winter, wold haue lasted euer
And dredest to be deade, for a dym cloude
And hydest vpward, for hunger of thy wombe.
Without pitie pylore, pore men thou robbedst
And bare hyr bras at thy backe, to Calleis to sell
There I last with my lorde, his life for to saue.
I made his man mery and mourning let
I batred hem on her backe, and bolded her hertes
I dyd hem hoppe for hope, to haue me at will
Had I bene mershall of his men, by Mary of heauen
I durst haue layd my lyfe, and no lesse wed
He should haue be lord of y
t lande, in length & bredth
And also king of that kyth, his kynne for to helpe
The lest brol of his bloud, a barons pere.
Cowardly thou cōscience, councelledst him thens
To leuen his lordship, for a lytle syluer
[Page xv]That is the richest realme, that rayne ouer houeth.
It becometh to a kynge, that kepeth a realme
To gyue mede to men, that mekely him serueth
To aliantes and to al mē,
Mede telleth how neadful she is to all men.
to honerne hem w
t giftes
Mede maketh him beloued, and for a man holden.
Emperours and Erles, and all maner of Lordes
For gyftes haue yonge men, to go and to ryde
The Pope & al the prelates, presentes vnderfoggen
And medeth men hem selues, to maintein her lawes.
Seruauntes for their seruice, we se well the sothe
Taken mede for hyr maistrys, as they may accorde.
Beggers for their biddynge, bidden me Mede
Mynstrels for theyr myrth, Mede they aske.
The kyng hath mede of his mē, to make peace in lād
Men that teachen chyldren, crauen after mede.
Priestes that preachen y
e people to good, asken mede
And masse pence and her meat, at the meale tyme.
All kynne craftes men, crauē Mede for her prentises
Marchauntes and mede, muste nedes go togythers
No wyght as I wene, withouten mede may lyue.
Quod the king to Cōsciēce, by Christ as me thinketh
Mede is well worthy, the maistrye to haue.
Nay ꝙ Conscience to y
e king, & kneled on the earth
There are .ii. maner of Medes,
Consciēce telleth y
e king of .ii maner of Medes.
my lord w
t your leue
That one god of hys grace, graunteth in his blysse
To hem that well worchen, whyle they liuen here
The prophet precheth thereof, & put it in the psalter.
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo. &c.
Psal. xv.
Lord who shal wōne in thy wonnes, & with thi holy saynts
Or restē in thi holy hils? this asketh Dauid.
And Dauid assoyleth it him selfe, as y
e psalter telleth.
Qui ingreditur sine macula, et operatur iusticiam.
They that entren of one coloure, and of one will
And haue wrought worckes, w
t right & with reason
And he that vseth not, the life of vsurye
And enfourmeth pore men, and preserueth trueth
Psal. xv.
Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram
Et munera super innocentem non accipit.
And al y
t helpe the innocēt, and holden w
t the rightfull
Without Mede doth hem good, & the truth helpeth
Suche maner men my Lorde, shal haue y
e first mede
Of god at her greate nede, whan they gone hence
Ther is an other mede mesureles, y
t masters desireth
To maintaine misdoers, mede they take.
And therof speaketh the psalter, in a psalmes ende.
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt
Psa. xxvi
Dextera eorum, repleta est muneribus.
And he that grypeth hir golde, so me god helpe
Shall abye it bytter, or the boke lyeth
Priestes and persons, that pleasynges desieren
That taken mede and money, for masses y
t they singe
Taken her mede here, as Mathew vs teacheth
Mat. vi.
Amen amen, recipiebant mercedem suam.
That labourers and pore folke, takē of her maisters
It is no maner mede, but a measurable hyre
In marchaundice is no mede, I may it well auowe
It is a permutatiō apertly, a peniworth for another
And reddest thou neuer Regum, thou recraed mede
Whā the vēgeaūce fel on Saule, & on hys chyldren
God sent to Saule, by Samuell the prophete
That Agag of Amelec, and all hys people after
Shoulde dye for a dede, that done had her elders
Therfore said Samuel to Saul, god him self hoteth
The be buxume at his bidding, his wil to fullfill
[Page xvi]Wēd to Amelec w
t thine host, & what y
u findest there flea it
Burnes and Beastes, brenne hem to death
Wydowes and wyues, women and children
Mouable & vnmouable, and al that thou might find
Brenne it beare not awaye, be it neuer so ryche
For mede nor for money, loke thou distroye it
Spyll it and spare it not, thou shalt spede the better
And for he coueted her cattell, and the kinge spared
For bare him & his beasts both, as y
e bible witnesseth
Otherwyse than he was, warned of the prophet
God sayd to Samuel, that Saule should dye
And his sede for that synne, shamefully ende
Such a mischiefe mede made, Saule y
e king to haue
That god hated him foreuer, & all his heyres after
The colour of thys case, ne kepe I not to tell
On auenture it noyed men, no ende wyll I make
For so is this world wont, w
t hem that haue power
That who so sayeth sothe, is sonest iblamed
I Conscience know this, for kind wit,
This is no prophecy, but a resonable gatherīg.
me it taught
That reason shall rayne, and realmes gouerne
And right as Agag had, happe shall come
Samuell shall slea him, and Saule shall be blamed
And Dauid shall be diademed, & daunten hem all
And one christen kinge, kepe hem echeone
Shall no more mede be maistry, as she is nowe
And loue and lownes, and leauty togythers
Shall be maisters on molde, Truthe to saue
And who so trespaceth against truth, or taketh again his wil
Leauty shal done hym lawe, & no life els
Shal no sergeāt for his seruice, wear no silk howne
Ne no Pelure in his cloke, for pleadynge at the barre
Mede of misdoers, maketh many Lordes,
[Page]
[...]ouer lords lowes, ruleth the realmes
[...]
[...]nd loue shall come yet, and conscience togither
Thys is no prophecye, but a
[...] a
[...]hered of the scriptures.
And make of lawe a labourer, such loue shall aryse
And such a peace among the people, & a perfite truth,
That Iewes shal wene in their wyt, & waxe wōders glad
That Moses & Messia, be come into this erth
And haue wonder in her hertes, that men be so true.
All that beareth bastarde, brode swerde or launce
Axe, or yet hatchet, or any weapon els
Shalbe demed to deth, but if he do it smithy.
Esai. ii.
Into sicle or into sythe, to share or to culter.
Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres.
Euery man to play with a plow, pikeaxe, or spade,
Spynne or spread dong, or spil him selfe w
t s
[...]oughe,
Priestes or persons, with place bo to hunte
And dynge apon Dauid, euery day tyl euen
Hunting or hauking, if any of them vse
Hys boast of benifice, worth by nome him after
Shal neither king ne knight, constable ne mayre
Ouerleade the common, ne to the court sōmone
Ne put hem in panel, to done hem plight her truth
But after y
e dede is done, one dome shal rewarde
Mercy or no mercy, as truth wil accord.
Kinges courte, cōmon courte, consistorye and chapter
Al shalbe but one court, and one Baron by iustice
Than worth true tōg, a tidy man y
e tened me neuer
Battels shall none be, ne no man beare weapon
And what smith that any smithed, be smittē therw
t to death
Esai. ii.
Nō leuable gens contra gentem gladium, &c.
And or this fortune fall, find men shal the werste
By syx sūnes and a shyp, and halfe a shefe of arowes▪
And y
e mydle of a mone, shal make y
e Iewes to turne,
For Makometh and Mede, mishape shal that tyme
For Melius est bonum nomen quam diuitie multe
Also wroth as the wind,
Pro. xxii.
waxe Mede in a while
I can latine ꝙ she, clerkes wote the sothe
Se what Solomon sayth, in Sapience bokes
That he that geueth giftes, the victory winneth
And most worship hath therw
t, as holy write telleth.
Honorem acquiret, qui dat munera.
I leue wel Lady ꝙ cōscience,
That scripture shold be read whole. i. Tess. v.
that latine be true
And thou art like a lady: that rad a lesson once
Was Omnia, probate and that pleased her well
For that was no longer, at the leaues ende
Had she loked that other half, and the lefe turned
She shuld haue foūd fel wordes folowing therafter
Quod bonum est tenete. Trueth that texte made
And so fared ye Madame, ye coude no more finde
Tho you loked on Sapience, sitting in your study
This text that ye haue told, were good for lords
And you failed a cūnīg clerk, y
t coud y
e lefe haue turned
And if ye seke Sapiēce oft, find ye shall y
e followeth.
A full teneful text, to hem that take mede
And that is, Animam autem aufert accipientium. &c.
And y
t is the taile of the text: of that that ye shewed
That though we win worship, & wyth mede haue victory
The soule that the sond taketh, by so much is bounde.
Passus quartus de visione
CEase sayed the kinge, I suffer you no longer
Ye shal sangtle forsoth, & serue me both
Kysse hyr quod the king, conscience I hote
[...]
[...]
[Page]
Cōscience wil haue reasons aduice.
Nay by Christ quod Conscience, congay me rather
But Reason reade me thereto, rather wyl I dye.
And I cōmaūd you ꝙ the kyng, to Conscience than
Rape the to ride, and Reason thou fetch
Commaund him that he come, my counsell to heare
For he shall rule the realme, and reade me the beste
Of Mede and of other, and what man shall hir wed
And accoūten w
t the Conscience, so me Christ helpe
How thou lernest y
e people, the learned & the lewde.
I am fayne of that forward, sayd the freke than
And ryt right to Reason, & rowndeth in his eare
And sayd as the kinge bade, and sythe toke his leaue.
I shal aray me to ryde quod Reason, reste the awhile
And called Caton his knaue: curtise of speache
And also Thomme true tonge, tell me no tales
Reason rydeth on sufferāce.
Ne leasyng to laughen of, for I loued hem neuer
And set my saddle apō Sufferaūce, till I se my tyme
And let waroken it wel, with wytty wordes girthes
And hang on him the heauy bridle, to hold his heade lowe
For he wil make we
[...]e, twise er he come ther
Than Cōscience apon his caple caried forth fast
And reason with him rit, rownynge togithers
Waren wysdome & wittye folowed Reason
Whych maistris Mede, maketh on this earth
One Waren wysedome, and Wytty his fere
Folowed hym faste, for they had to done
In y
e Escheker & at y
e chauncerye, to be discharged of things
And ridē fast, for Resō shold read hem y
e best
For to saue hem for siluer, frō shame and frō harmes.
And Cōscience knew hem wel, they loued couetise
And bade Reason ride fast, and reck of hem nether
Ther be wiles in her words, & with mede they dwell:
Ther as wrath & wrangeling is, there get they siluer
And wher is loue & leauty, they wil not come there.
[Page xviii]Contricio et infelicitas in v
[...]is corum.
Psa. xiii.
&c,
They ne giue not of God, one goose winge.
Non est timor domini ante oculos eorum.
Psa. xiii.
&c.
For God wot they wil do more, for a doson chikins
Or as many copons, or for a seame of Otes
Than for loue of our lord, or al his leue sayntes.
Therfore reason let hem tide, the rich by hem selfe
For Cōsciēce knoweth hē not, ne Chryst as I trowe.
And than Reason rode fast, the right hie ga
[...]e
And Conscience him kenned, tyl they came to y
e kyng,
Curtesly the kynge than, came agaynst Reason
And betwene him selfe and his sone, set hym on bēch
And wordeden wel wisely, a great whyle togythers.
And thā came Peace into parlimēt,
Peace cō playneth vpō wrōg
& put forth a byll
How Wronge agaynst hys wyll, had his wife taken:
And how he rauyshed Rose, Rainoldes loue
And Margaret of her maydēhed, maugre hir cheeks
Both my geese and my gris, his gadlinges fetcheth,
I dare not for feare of hym, fight ne chide
He borowed my bayard, & brought hym neuer home
Ne no fertinge therfore, for ought I could pleade
He maynteineth his men, to murther myne ewen
For stalleth my fayres, & fyghteth in my chepyng.
And breketh vp my berne dores, & stealeth away my wheat
And taketh me but a tayl, for .x. quarter othes
Yet he beateth me therto, and lieth by my mayd
I am not hardy for him, vnneth to loke
The king knew he said soth, for Cōscience him told
That Wrōg was a wicked luske, & wrought much sorow
Wrōg was afraid thē: & wisdom he sought
To make peace w
t his pence, and proferd him manye
And sayde, had I loue of the kyng: lytle wold I reche
[Page]
If Wrōg myght optayne the king is fauour, he passeth for no more,
Though Peace and his power, playned hem euer
Tho went Wisdome, and sir Warren the wittye
For that Wronge had wrought, so wycked a dede
And warnyd Wrong tho, with such a tale.
Who so worketh by wyll, wrathe maketh oft
I saye it by my selfe, you shall it well finde
But if Mede it make, thy mischyefe is vp
For both thy lyfe and thy londe, lyeth in hir grace.
Than wowed Wronge, wysedome full yerne
To make his peace w
t his pence, handy dādy payed
Wisedome and Wyt than, went both togythers
And toke Mede midde hem, mercy to wynne.
Peace put forth hys heade, and his pan bloudy
Wythouten gylt god wot, gate I thys scath
Conscience and the commune, knowen the sothe
And wisedome and wyt weren about faste
To ouercome the Kynge, with cattell if they might:
The kinge swore by Christ, and by his crowne both
That wronge for hys workes, should wo thorowly
Wrong is cōmitted to prison,
And commaunded a constable, to cast him in yrous
And let him not these seuen yeres, se hys fete once
God wot quod Wisedome, that were not the beste
And he amēdes might make, let main price hym haue
And be borowe for his bale, and byggen him boote.
And so amēd that is misdo, & euermore the better
Wytte accorded therewith, and sayde the same
Better is that bote, bale adowne brynge
Than bale be ibeate, and bote neuer the better
Than gan Mede to meuen her, & mercy she besought
And profred Peace a present, all of pure golde
Haue thys man of me quod she to amend thy scath
For I wyll wage for Wronge, he will do so no more
[Page xix]Pituouslye Peace than, prayed to the kinge
To haue mercy on y
e man, that misdyd him so ofte
For he hath waged me wel,
Mede stoppeth Peaces mouth
as wisdome him taught
And I forgiue him that gylte, wyth a good wyll
So that the kinge assent, I can say no better.
For mede hath me amēds made, I may no more aske
Naye quod the kynge tho, so Christe me helpe
Wronge wēdeth not so away, erst I will wyt more
For lope he so lightly, laughen he woulde
And eft be the bolder, to beate mine hewen
But Reasō haue ruth on him, he shal sit in my stocks
And y
t as longe as he liueth, but lownes him borow
Some men rad Reasō tho, haue ruth on that shrewe
And to councel the kynge, and conscience after
That mede might be meinperner, Resō thei bisought
Rede me nought ꝙ Reason, no ruthe to haue
Tyll Lordes and ladyes, loue all Trueth
And haten all harlotrye,
Reasons aduice in the punyshynge of Wronge.
to heare or to mouth it
Tyll Pernels purfill, be putte in hir hutche
And childerns cherishing, be chastisinge w
t yardes
And harlotes holynes, be holden for an hynde
Tyl clarkes couetise, be to clothe the pore and fede
And religious Romers, recordars in her cloysters
As saint Benet hem bade, Bernard and Francis
And tyll preachers preaching, be preued on hem selfe
Till the kynges counsell, be the cōmon profite
Tyll bishops barnes, be beggers chambers
Her haukes & her hoūdes, helpe to pore religious
And til saint Iames be soughte, there I shall asigne
That no man go to Galice, but if he go for euer
And all Rome runners, for robbers of beyond
Bare no siluer ouer sea, that signe of kyng sheweth
[Page]Neyther grauen nor vngrauen: gold neither syluer
Apon forfeture of that fee, who so find it at Douer
But if he be merchāt or his mā: or messēger w
t letters
Prouisor or priest: or penant for hys synnes
And yet ꝙ Reasō by the roode: I shall no ruthe haue
While Mede hath the masterie: in this mouth hal
And I may shew examples, as I se other whyle
I saye it by my selfe quod he: and it so were
That I were a kyng with crowne, to kepe a realme
Should neuer wronge in this world: y
t I wyt might
Be vnpunished in my power: for peril of my soule
Ne get my grace for gyftes, so me God saue
Ne for no Mede haue mercie but if mekenes it made
Mat. xvi,
For Nullum malum the man mette with Impunitum
And badde that Nullum bonum be Irremuneratum
Let thy cōfessour syr king, construe this vnglozed
And if ye worken it in werke: I dare wed mine eares
That law shal be a labourer: and leade a felde dounge
And loue shall leade the land, as the leefe lyketh.
Law shal lead afeld dunge.
Clerks y
t were Confessours, coupled hem togithers
Al to construe this clause, for the Kinges profit
And not for y
e cōfort of y
e pore comon: ne kinges soule
For I se Mede in the mouth hal: on men of law wink
And they laughing lope to her: and left reason many
Waren wisedome, winked apon Mede
And sayd madam I am your mā: what so mi mouth iangleth
I fayle florens ꝙ the freke, & fail speche oft:
Al rightfull recorden, that Reason trueth tolde
And wit accordid therwith, and cōmēdid his words
And the most people in the hal: & manye of the greate
And lettē mekenes a master, & mede a manzed shrew.
Loue lett of her light: and leautie yet lasse
And sayd it so highe: that all the hall it herde
Who so wilneth her to wyfe: for welth of her goods
[Page xx]But he be knowen for a cokeolde, cut of my nose.
Mede mourned sore tho, and made heauy chere
For the most cōmon of that court, called hir an hore
And a Sisoure and a somnour. sued hir faste
And a shriues clarke, beshrewed all the route
For ofte haue I quod he, holpen you at the barre
And yet gaue ye me neuer, the worth of a ryshe.
The kynge called Conscience, and afterwarde Reason
And recorded that Reasō, had rightfully shewed
And Moodlych apon Mede, w
t might the king loked
And gā waxe wroth w
t law,
The lawiers kepe the kinge from hys right,
for mede had it nere shēt
And said, by your law as I leue, I lese may eschets
Mede oueremastreth lawe, and muche trueth letteth
And Reasō shal rekē w
t you, if I raigne anye whyle
And deme you by this daye, as ye haue deserued
Mede shal not maynprise you, by Mary of heauen,
I wil haue Leauty in law, & let be your ianglyng
And as most folk witnesseth, Wrong shal be demed.
Quod Cōscience to y
e kyng, but y
e common wil assent
It is full harde by myne heade, here to to brynge it
All your lege lordes, to leden thus euen.
By hym y
t raught on y
e rode, ꝙ Reason to the king
But if I rule this your realme,
Reasō taketh vpon hym to rule the realme.
rente out my guts
If ye bidden buxumnes, be of myne assente.
And I assent sayd the kyng, by, S. Mary my ladye
By my counsell commune, of clarkes & of erles
And reddily reason, thou shalt not ride from me
For as longe as I lyue, leaue the I nell
I am ready quod Reason, to rest with you euer
So Cōscience be of our counsell, I kepe no better
And I graunt quod the king, god forbid it faile
As long as our liues lasteth, lyue we togyther
Passus quintus de visione,
THe Kyng and his knights, to the kirke wente
To here mattēs of the day, and y
e masse after
Thā waked I of my wiking, & wo was w
t al
That I ne had slept sadder, & sighen more
And er I had faren a furlong, Fentise me hente
That I ne might farder a fote, for defaut of slepinge
And sar softly adoune, and sayd my beleue
And so I babled on mi beads, thei brought me aslep
And than I saw much more, then I before of tolde
For I se the field full of folke, that I before of sayde
And howe reason gan araiē him, al y
e realme to prech
And with a Cros afore y
e king, comsed thus to techen
He preued that this pestylences: were for pure synne
And the south westorne wind,
Pestylences come for sinne,
on satterday at euen
Was partly for pure prid, and for no poynt els.
Piries and plumtres, were puffed to thearth
In ensample tho segges, ye shuld done the better
Beches and brode okes, were blowen to the groūde
Turned vpwardes the tayles, in tokening of dred
That dedly synne erdomes day, shall fordone hem al
Of this matter I might, mamelie full long
And I shall saye as I sawe, so me god helpe
How partly before the people, reason began to prech
He bad wast or go worke, that he best coude
And win his was
[...]ing, with some maner craft
He prayed Pernell her putfyles to let
And kepe it in her cofer, for cattel at her nede
Tomme Stowne he taught, to taken two staues
And fech Felicie home, frome the winen
[...]ine
And he warried Wat his wife was to blame
That hirked was worth half a marke, & his hod not worth a grot
And he had Bet, cut a bow or twain
[Page xxi]And beate Beton therwith,
One correction muste be had
but if she wil werke
And then he charged chapmen, to chasten hir children
Let no winninge hem forwany, whyle they be yonge
Ne for no poust of pestilence, please hem not out of reson
My syer sayd to me, and so did my dame,
That the leuer chyld, the more lore behoueth
And Salomon sayd the same, that Sapience made,
Qui parcit virge,
Pro .xiii.
odit filium
The Englysh of thys latine, who so wyll know
Who so spareth the spring, spylleth hys chyldrene
And sithen he prayed prelates, and priestes togither
That ye preach to the people, preue on your selfe
And do it in dede, it shall driue you to good,
If ye liue as ye learne vs, we shal leue you the better.
And sithen he radde religion, her rule to holde
Lest the king and his councel,
The suppression of Abbayes. Good coū sell.
your commons apere
And be stuardes of your stedes, tyl ye be ruled better.
And sithen he councelled the king, his cōmons to loue
It is thy tresure if treson ne were, & treacle at thi nede
And sithē he praied y
e Pope, haue pity on holy church
And ere he gaue any grace, gouerne first him selfe.
And ye y
e haue lawes to kepe, let trueth be your couetyse
More then gold or giftes, if ye wyll god please
For who so contrarieth truth, he teleth in the gospel,
That god knoweth hem not, ne no saynt in heauen.
Mat xxv.
Amen dico vobis, nescio vos.
And ye that seke saynt Iames,
True pilgrimage.
& sayntes at Rome
Seke saynt truth, for he may saue you all,
Qui cum patre et filio that fayre hem befal,
That sueth my sermon, and thus sayd Reason.
Than ranne Repentaunce, and reherced his
[...]eme
And gart Wyll wepe, water with his eyen
Pernell proude herte, plate hir to the earth
[Page]And lay along or she loked, and lord mercy cryed
And behyght to him, that vs al made
She shoulde vnsow her serke, and set theron here
Shal neuer high hert me hent: but hold me low
To affaynten her flesh, y
t firrce was to synne,
And suffer me to be missayd, and so dyd I neuer
But now wyll I meke me, and mercy beseche
For al this I haue hated in my hart.
Lechour. The olde satisfaciō
Than Lechoure sayd alas, & on our lady he cried,
To make mercy for his misdedes, bitwene god & his soule
With y
t he shold y
e saturday, for seuē yere after
Drynke but myd the daye, and dyne but once
Enuye.
Enuy with heuy herte, asked after shrifte
And carefully Mea culpa, he comsed to shew
And was as pale as a pellet, in the palsey he semed
And clothed in Caurymaury, I can it not disceiue,
In kyrtel and curtepy, and a knife by hys syde
Of a friers frocke, were the foresleues
And as a leke that hath lyed long in the sunne
So loked he with leane chekes, louring foule
His body was to bole for wrath, y
t he bote his lippes
And wringīg w
t y
t first, to wreke him self he thought,
With workes or w
t wordes, whan he se his tyme
Ech word that he warped, was of an edders tonge
Of chyding and of chalenging, was his chief liuelode
With backbiting & bismer, & bearing false wytnes
This was al his curtesy, wher y
t euer he shewed him
I wold be shriuen ꝙ this shrew, if I for shame durst.
I wold be gladder by god, y
t Gyb had mischaunce
Enuious worckes.
Than if I had won this weke, a wey of Essexe chese
I haue a neighbour nye me, I haue noyed hym ofte,
And lowen on him to lords, to don him lose his siluer
And make his frend be his foe, through my false tōg
[Page xxii]His grace and his good happes, greueth me fulsore
Betwene many and many, I make debate oft
That both lyfe and lyme, is lost through my spech.
And when I mete him in market, that I most hate
I halse him hendlech, as I his frende were
For he is doughtier then I, I dare do none other,
And had I mastry and might, god wot my wyll
And whan I come to y
e kirke, & shuld knele to the rode
And pray for the people, as the priest teacheth
For pilgrimes & for palmers, & for al the people after
Than I cry on my knees, y
u Christ geue him sorow
That bare away my bole, and my broke shete
Away from the aulter, then turne I mine eyen
And behold how Elen, hath a new coate
I wysh that it were mine, w
t al the webbe after
And at mens lesing I laugh, that mine herteaketh
And for ther winning I wepe, and wele the tyme
And deme that they do yll, though I do well worse
Who so vndermineth me herof, I hate him deadly after
I wold that eche a wight, were my knaue
For who so hath more then I, y
e angreth me sore.
And thus I lyue loueles, like a lyther dogge
That all my body bolneth, for bytter of my gall
I might not eaten many yeres: as a man ought
For enuy and euell wyll, is euell to defye
May no suger ne no swetethynge, swage the swelling
Ne no Diapenidion, driue it from my harte
Nether shrift nether shame, but shraping of mi maw
This I reade ꝙ repentaunce, & rede him to y
e beste
Sorow for synnes, saluacion is of soules.
Se how
[...] Enuy repenteth.
A am sory quod that segge, I am but selde other
And y
e maketh methus megre, for I ne may me veng
[Page]Amonges Burgesis haue I be, dwellyng at Lōdon
And gard backbitīg be a broker, to blame mēs ware
Whan he sold and I not, than was I ready
To lye & lour on my neyghbour, & to lak his chaffer
I wil amēd this if I may, through myght of god almighty
Now awaketh Wrath,
Wrath.
w
t two white eien
And niueling with the nose, and his necke hanginge.
I am Wrath quod he, I was sometyme a Fryer
And the couentes gardiner, for to graften Impes
On Limitours and Legisters, lesynges I imped
Til they bear leaues of smoth speach, lords to please
And sithē they blosomed abrod, in bour to hear shrift
And now is fallē therof a frute, y
e folke han wel leuer
Shew her shrifts to hem, thā shriue hē to her persōs
And persons haue perceiued, y
e friers part with hem
These possessours preach, and depraue Friers
And Friers findeth hē in defaut, as folk bear wytnes
And whā thei prech y
e people, in many places aboute
I Wrath walke w
t hem,
A good scholemaster.
and wish hem of my bokes
Thus thei spekē of mi spiritualtie, & despiseech other
Tyl they be both beggers, & by my spiritualty lib bē
Or els al rich and riden about, I Wrath rest neuer
That I ne most folow this wicked folke, for such is my grace
I haue an aunt to Nun,
Nunnes.
& an Abbes both
Her had leuer swone or swelt, thā suffer any paine
I haue bene coke in her kitchen, and hir couent serued
Many monethes with hem, & with Monkes both
I was the Priores potager, and other pore ladyes
And made hē Iowts of iāgling, y
e dame I one was a bastarde
And dame Clarence a knightes daughter,
a cokolde was hir sire.
And dame Pernel a prests file, priores was she neuer
For she had child in chery time, al our chapter it wyste
Tyll thou liest and thou liest, lopen out at once
And eyther hyt other, vnder the cheke
Had they had kniues bi Christ, ether had killed other
Saint Gregory was a good pope,
Gregory wold not suffer wo menne to hear confession.
& had a good forewit
That no priores were prieste, for y
e he prouided
Lest haply they had had no grace, to hold harlatry in
For they are
[...]icle of hir tonges, & must al secretes tell.
Amōg monkes I might be, and many times ishamen
For they be many fell frekes, my fetis to espie
Both Prior and subprior, and our Pater abbas
And if I tell anye tales, they taken hem togithers
And do me faste frydaies, to breade and to water
I am chalenged in Chapter house, as I a child were
And balaced on the bare arse, and no breach betwene
Therfore haue I no likynge, w
t tho leodes to wonne
I eate there vnhende fishe, and feble ale dryncke
Other while whan wine cometh, & I drinck it at euē
I haue a fluxe of a foule mouth, well fiue daies after
Al y
e wickednes that I wot, by anye of our brethren
I knoth it in our cloyster, that all our couent wot it
Now repēt the ꝙ Repētaūce, and reherse thou neuer
Councel that y
u knowest, by coūtenaunce ne by sight.
And drincke not ouer delicately, ne to depe neither
That thy wil bicause therof, to Wrath myght turne
Esto sobrius he saide, and assoyled him after
And bade hym wil to wepe, hys wickenes to amēd.
And than came Couetis, can I him not discriue
So hungerly and hollowe:
Couetits.
so sternely he loked
He was vittle browed, and baberlypped also
Wyth two blered eyen, as a blinde hagge
And as a lethren purse, lolled his chekes
[Page]Well syder then his chyn they sheuered for olde
And as a boūd mā of his bacō, his berd was bidrauled
With a hode on his heade,
The image of couetise.
& a lousy hatte aboue
And in a tauny teberd, of twelue winter age
Al totorne and baudye, and full of lyce crepinge
But if that a louse, could haue lopen the better
She had not walkt on y
e welte, so was it thredbare
I haue bene couetice quod this caytife, I beknowe it here
For sometyme I serued, Symme at style
And was his prentice plight, his profyt to wate
Fyrst I lerned to lye, a leafe other twayne
Wyckedly to wey, was my first lesson
To Wy and to Winchester, I went to the fayre
With mani maner merchādise, as mi master me hight
Ne had the grace of gyle, igo amongest my chaffer.
It had bene vnsolde this seuen yere, so me God helpe
Than draue I me amōg drapers, my donet to lerne
To draw the lyser a long, the longer it semed
Among the rich rayes: I rendred a lesson
To broch hem w
t a pacnedel, & spiyt hem to gythers,
And put hem in a presse, and pynnen them therin
Tylten yardes or twelue, had tolled out. xiii
My wyfe was a webster, and wolloncloth made
She spake to spinsters to spynen it oute
And the pound y
t she payd by, passed a quartern more
Than mine owne auncer, who so weyed trueth
I bought her berly malte, she brewed it to sell
Penyale and puddingale, she poured togithers
For labourars and low folke, that lay by it selfe.
The best ale lay in my bour, or els in my chambre
And who so bummed therof, bought it thereafter.
A gallon for a grote, god wote no lesse
Rose the Regrater, was hir right name
She hath holden huksterye, all her life time
And I swere now sothelich, that sinne wold I let
And neuer wickedly wey, ne wicked chaffer vse
But wend to Walsingham, and my wyfe also.
And byd the rode of brōholme, bring me out of dette
Repentest thou euer (quod repentaunce)
or restitucion madest?
Yes once I was he
[...]berd ꝙ he, w
t an hepe of chapmē.
The restitutiō that nowe is vsed.
I rose when they were at rest, & rifled their males.
That was not restituciō, ꝙ repētāce but robers theft
Thou hadst ben better worthy, to be hanged therfore
Than for al that, thou hast here shewed.
I toke riflīg for restituciō ꝙ he, for I neuer red boke
I cā no frēch in fayth, but of the fer ende of Norfolke
Vsed thou euer vsury ꝙ repētance, in al thy lyfe tyme?
Nay sothely he sayd, saue in my youth
I lerned amonge Lumberdes, and Iewes a lesson
To wey pence w
t a payes, and pare the heuyest
And lene it for loue of crese, to laye a wed and lesen it,
Such dedes I did write, if he his day broke
I haue mo maners bi rerages, thā through, Miseriatur & cōmodat
I haue lent lords & ladies, my chaffer
And ben her broker after, and bought it my selfe
Eschaunges and cheuisauncis, w
t suche chaffer Idle
And lend folke that lese wyll, a lyp at euery noble
And with lumbardes letters, I lade gold to Rome
And toke it by tale here, and told hem there lesse
Lēdest thou euer lords, for loue of her maintenaunce?
Yea I haue lent lords, that loued me neuer after
And hath made mani a knight, both mercer & draper
[Page]That payd not for his prētishod, one paire of glouis
Hast thou pitte on pore men, y
t must nedes borowe?
I haue as much pitie on y
e pore, as pedler hath of cats
That kylth hem if he cā hē catch, for couet of her skins
Art y
u mālich emōg thineibours, of thimete & drinke?
I am holden quod he as hinde, as is hound in kitchin
Amongest my neibours namely, such a name I haue
God leue y
t neuer ꝙ repentaūce, but y
u repēt y
t rather
Grace on this ground, thy good wel to byset
Ne thine heyres after y
t, haue ioye of y
t thou wynnest
To thine executors wel biset,
Ill gottē goodes muslebe il spent,
y
e siluer y
t thou hē leuest.
And y
t was wōne w
t wrōg, w
t wicked mē be dispēdid
For wer I frier of y
e house, ther good feith & chariti is
I nold cope vs wyth thy cattel, ne our kirke amende.
Ne haue a peny to my pittaūce, so god my soul helpe
For y
e best boke in oure house, bryght golde if it were
And I wist witterly thou were suche as thou tellest.
Or els that I could know it by any kindes wyt
Seruuses alterius cū fercula pinguia queris.
pane tuo potius vescere liber eris.
Thou art an vnkind creature, I can the not assoyle
Tyl thou make restitucion, and rekening w
t them all,
And syth that reason rolle it, in the regester of heauen
That y
u hast made eche mā good, I maye y
t not assoile
Forgette not that y
e last date wil surely come. Psal. li
Non dimit tur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum.
For all that haue of thy good, haue God my trouth
Bene holdē at the heygh dome, to help the to restitute
Who so leueth not this be soth, loke in y
e psalter clause
In Miserere mei deus whether I meane truth
Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti. &. &c.
Psal. xvii
Shal neuer workmā in this world, thriue with that thou wineste
Cum sancto sanctus eris. Construe me that in english
[Page xxv]Thā waxt y
t shrew in wāhope, & wold hāg him selfe
Ne had repētāce y
t rather,
True repētaunce hath hope of mercy.
recōforted him in this maner
Haue merci in thy mind, & with mouth besech it
For Gods mercy is more, than al his other workes
And al wikidnes in y
e world, y
e mā mai work or think
Is no more, to y
e mercy of God, thā in y
e sea a glied.
O muis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei
Est quasi scintilla, in medio maris.
Therfore haue y
u mercy in mind, & merchādice leue it
For thou hast no good ground, to get ther w
t wastell
But if it were w
t thy tong, or els w
t thy two hādes
For y
e good that y
u hast gottē, began all w
t falshead
And as lōg as y
u liuest w
t it, y
u pa
[...]st not but borowst
And if y
u wit neuer to which, ne to whom to restore
Beare it to the byshope, and byd him of hys grace
Biset it hym selfe,
The Byshop shall answere for many
as beste is for thy soule
For he shall answere for the, at the heygh dome
For y
t & for many mo, that mā shal gyue a rekening
What he learned you in lente, leue you none other
And lēte you of our lordes good, to kepe you from sin
Nowe biginneth Gloton, for to go to shrifte
And carieth him to the kirkeward, his coppe to shew
And Beton the bruster, bade him god morrow
And asked him w
t that, whetherward he would
To holy kirke saide he, for to heare masse
And sithen I would be shryuen, and sinne no more
I haue goodale goship said he, glotō wold thou assai
Haste thou ought in thy purse, any hote spices?
I haue pepper & pienes ꝙ he, & a pound of garlyke
And a ferding worth of fenel sede, for fasting daies
Than goeth Glotton in, and greate othes after
Cisse the souteres, sate on the bench
[Page]
Common drūkerds
Wat the warner, and hys wyfe boeth
Tymme the tyncker, and tweyne of hys prentises
Hycke the Hackeney man, and Hughe the nedler
Clarise of cockelane, and the clarke of the churche
Dauie the diker, and a dosen other.
Syr Pierce of Prydy, and Pernell of Flaunders
A Ribiboure, a ratener, a rakier of chepe
A Roper, a redinge kinge, and Rose the disheresse
Godfray of garlike hyue, and Gryffin the walshe
And vpholders an heape, earely by the morrowe
Geuen Glotō with glad cheare, good ale to hansell
Clemente the Cobler, caste of hys cloke
And at the newe fayre, he nempned it to sel
Hycke the hackeney man, hytte hys hode after
And bade Bete the butcher, be on hys syde
There were chapmen ichose, thys wa
[...]e to praise
Who so hath y
e hode, should haue amēds of y
e cloke
Two risen vp in
[...]ape, and rouned togythers
And praysed these penyworthes, apart by them selfe
They could not by their cōscience, accorden in truth
Tyl Roben the roper, arose by the South
And named him for an vmpere, that no debate nere
For to trye this chaffer, betwexte hem there
Hycke the Hosteler, hadde the cloke
In couenaunte that Clement, shoulde the cup fyll
And haue Hickes hode y
e hosteler, & holdē him serued
And who so repented rathest, should arise after
And greten sir Gloton, wyth a gallon of ale
There was laughyng & louring, & let go the cuppe
And so sytten they to euēsong, and songen other while
Tyll Gloton had igalped, a gallon and a gill
His guttes began to gothlen, as two gredy sowes
He pissed a pottell in, a Pater noster while
[Page xxvi]And blew his round rewet, at his rudge bones end
That al that harde that horne, helde her nose after
And wished it had bene wyped, w
t a wyspe of firses
He might neyther stepe nor stand, or he a staffe had
And than gan he to go, like a glemans bytch
Sometyme a syde,
The descripsion of a drunken man.
and sometyme a rere
As who so layeth lynes, for to latche foules
And whā he drough to the dore, thē dimned his eyen
He stōbled on the threshold, and threwe to the earth
Clement the cobler, cought him by the myddle
For to lyft hym alofte, and laide him on his knees
And Gloton was a great churle, and a grime in liftīg
And kought vp a caudel, in Clementes lappe
There is none so hongry hounde, in Herforte shere
Durst lap of tho leuings, so vnlouely they smaught
[...]
With al y
e wo of thys world, hys wyfe & hys wench
Bare hym home to his bede, and brought him therin
And after al this excesse, he had an accidie
That he slept saturday & sonday, tyll sūne went to rest
Than waked he of hys wynking, & wyped hys eyes
The first word y
t he warped was, wher is y
e bole?
His wit gā edwite him tho, how wickedly he liued
And Repentaunce right tho, rebuked him that tyme.
As w
t words & workes, y
u wroughtest yl in thy lyfe
Shriue y
e & be ashamed therof, & shewe it w
t mougth.
I Gloton quod the gome, giltye me yelde
That I haue trespaced w
t tong, I cā not tel how oft
Sworne gods soule, so god me helpe & holidome
There no nede was, nyne hundred tymes
And ouer se me at my soupe, and sometyme at nones
That I Gloton gyrte vp, ere I had gone a mile.
And I spilt y
t might be spared, & spent on some hūgry
[Page]Ouer delicatli on fasting daies, drōk and eaten both
And sat sūtime so long ther, y
t I slept & eate at once
For loue of tales in taberns, to drink y
e more I dined
And hied to y
e meat er none, whā fasting daies were.
This shoyng shrift ꝙ repentaunce, shall be merit to y
e
And than gan gloten grete, and great dole make
For his lewde lyfe, that he lyued had
Prety vowes.
And vowed to fast, for honger and for thurste
Shal neuer fishe on fryday, diffien in my wombe
Tyl abstinence myne aunt, haue gyuen me leue
And yet haue I hated her, al my lyfe tyme
Than came Sloth al beslaberd, w
t two slimy eyne
I must sit sayde y
e Segge, or els I must nedes nap
I maye not stond ne stoupe, ne w
t out mi stole knele
Were I brought a bed, but if my talende it made
Shuld no ringing do me rise, or I were ripe to dine
He begā Benedicite w
t a belke, and hys brest knoked
And raskled and rored, and rut at the laste.
Awake reuke quod repētance, & rape y
t to shrift.
If I shulde dye by thys daye, me lyste not to loke
I cā not perfitli my Pater nost, as y
e priest it singith,
But I cā rimes of Robēhod, & Randall of Chester
But of our lorde or our lady, I lerne nothyng at all.
I haue made vowes xl. & forgottē thē on y
e morow
I performed neuer penaunce, as y
e preist me hyght
Ne right sorie for my sinnis, yet was I neuer
And if I byd any beades, but if it be of wrathe
That I tel w
t my toung, is two mile from my herte
I am occupied euery daye, holy daye, and other
With Idle tales at y
e ale, & other whyle in churches
Gods paine & his passion, ful selde thynke I theron
I visited neuer feblemen, ne fettred folke in pyttes
Or leasinges to laughe at, and bilye my neighbours
Thē all y
t euer marke made, Math, Ihō, & Lucas.
And vigiles and fastynge dayes, al these let I passe
And lye in bedde in lent, & mi lemmā in mine armes.
Tyl mattens & masse be done, & than go I to y
e friers
Come I to Ite missa est I holde me serued,
I am not shryuen sometyme, but if sickenes it make
Not twyse in two yere, and than vp gesse I shriue me
I haue ben priest & person, passynge thyrty winter
Yet can I nether solfe ne singe, ne saintes liues read
But I cā find in a fielde, or in a furlong an ha
[...]e
Better than in Beatus
[...]ir or in Beati omnes.
Construe one clause, and ken it to my parishens
I can holde loue daies, and heare a reues rekening
And in Cannon & in decretals, I can not read a line
If I bugge and borow ought, but if it be tayled
I forget it as sone, and if men me it aske
Syxe sithes or seuen, I forsake it wyth othes
And thus tene I true men, ten hundred tymes
And my seruaūtes salary, sometymes is behynde
Ruth is to hear y
e rekning, whā we shal make accoūt
So w
t wicked wil & w
t wrath, my workmē I paye
If anye man do me benifite, or helpe me at nede
I am vnkind against his curtesi, & cā not vnderstand it
For I haue & haue had, somdeal haukes maners
I am not lured w
t loue, but if ought be vnder y
e thōb
That kindnes that myne euē christen, kid me ferther
Syxe sythes I Slouth, haue forgotten it syth
In spech & in sparing of spence, I spilt many a tyme
Both fleshe and fishe and many other vitailes
Both bread and ale, butter, mylke and chese.
[Page]For slouthed in my seruice, tyl it myght serue no man
I ranne aboute in youth, and gaue me not to learning
And euer sith haue ben a beggar, for my foule slouth
Hon mihi quia steril
[...]m duxi, vitam iuuenilem.
Repentist thou ꝙ Repētaūce, & right w
t he swoned
Tyll Vigilate,
An admonition to beware of dispair in repentaunce
the veile, fet water at hys eyes
And flapte it on hys face, and faste on hym cryed
And sayed ware the, for wanhope wyl the batraye
I am sorye for my synnes, saye to thy selfe
And beate thy selfe on the brest, byd god of grace
For is no gilte here so great, but y
t his goodnes is more
Thā sate Slouth vp, & seyned hym Swyth
And made a vowe tofore god, for his foule Slouth
Shal no sōday be thys seuen yere, but sikenes it let
That I ne shal do me or day, to the dere church
And heare matteus and masse, as I a monke were
Shall no ale after meate, holde me thence
Tyll I haue euensong hearde, I behote to the rode
And yet woll I yelde agayne, if I so much haue
All that I wickedly wanne, sithen I wytte had
And thoughe my liuelode lacke, letten I nell
That eche man ne shall haue hys, or I hence wende
And with the residue and the remnaunte, by y
e rode of Chester
I shall seke Trueth erste, or I see Rome
Robert the robber, on Reddite loked
And for there was not wherof, he wept swith sore
And yet the sinfull shrewe, sayde to hym selfe
Christe that on Caluery, vpon the crosse didest
Tho Dismas my brother besought you of grace
And haddest mercy on that man, for Memento sake
So rue on thys robber, that Reddere ne haueth
Ne neuer wene to wynne, with craft that I knowe
Ne dampe me not at domisday, for that I did yll
What befell of this felowe, I can not fayre shewe
Well I wote he wept faste, water wyth hys eyen
And knowleged hys gilte, to Christe yet eft sones
That Penitentia hys pycke, he shoulde polish newe
And leape with him ouer lande, all his life tyme
For he had layne by Latro Lucifers aunte
And than had Repētaunce ruth, & rad hē al to knele
For I shall besech for al sinful, our sauiour of grace
To amend vs of our misdedes, & do mercy to vs al
Now god ꝙ he, y
t of thy goodnes, gā y
e world make
And of nought madest ought, & man most like thi lelf
And sithen suffcedest for sinne, a sickenes to vs al
And al for y
e best as I leue, what euer y
e boke telleth
O felir culpa O necessarium peccatum Ade.
For through y
e synne thy sōne, sent was to the earth
And became man of a maide, mankind to saue
And makest thy selfe w
t thy sōne, and vs sinful ilyche.
Genes. i. i. Io. iiii.
Faciamus hominē ad imaginē et similitudinem nostrā. Et alibi. Qui manet in charitate, in deo manet, et deus in eo.
And syth with thy selfe sonne, in our sute dyedest
On good Friday for mās sake, at ful tyme of y
e daye
There thy selfe ne thy sonne, no sorow in death feled
But in our sect was the sorow, & thy sonne it ladde,
Captiuam duxit captiuitatem.
Ephe. iiii.
The sunne for sorow thereof, lost light for a tyme
At midday whē most light is, and mealtyme of saints
Feddest w
t thy fresh blud, our forfathers in darknes
Populus qui ambulat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam
And by y
e lyght y
t leaped out of y
e, Lucifer was blent
And blew all thy blessed, into the blisse of Paradise
[...]
[...]
[Page]The thyrde daye after, thou yedesie into our sute
A sinful Mary the sawe, ere saint Mary thy dame
And all to solace synful, thou suffredest it soner.
Mat. ix.
Non veni vocare iustos, sed peccatores ad penitentiam
And al y
e Marke made, Mathew Iohn & Lucas
Of thy doubty dedes, were done in our armes.
Iohn. i.
Verbum caro factum est, et habitauit in nobis.
And by so much me semeth, the sikerer we maye
Bydde and beseche, if it be thy wyll
That art our father & our brother, be mercifull to vs
And haue ruth on these ribaudes, y
t repent hem selues sore
That euer they wrathed the, in this world
in worde, thought, and dede.
Thē hēt Hope an horne of Deus tu cōuersꝰ viuificabis nos
And blew it w
t Beati quotū remisse sūt iniquitates.
That all Sayntes in heauen, songen at once
Homines et iumēta saluabis quemadmodum multiplicasti, misericordiam tuam deus.
Psal, 36.
A thousande of men tho, throngen togythers
Criden vp warde to Christe, and to his cleane mother
To haue Grace to go with hem, Truth to seken.
And there was none so wise, the way thyther could
But blustering forth as beastes, ouer bāckes & hils
Tyll late was and longe, ere they a leode mette
Appareled as a paynime, in pylgraimes wyse
He bare a burden bounden, wyth a brode lyfte
In a wythe wandes wyse, wounden aboute
A bole and a bagge, he bare by hys side
An hundred amples, on his hatte sette
Signes of Sinai, and shelles of Galice
And mady a crouch on his cloke, & keyes of Rome
And the vernicle before, for men should knowe
[Page xxix]And se by hys signes, whom he so sought hadde.
Thys folke trained hym fyrst, from whence he came
From Snai he seid, and from our Lords sepulchre.
In Bethlem and in Babilon, I haue bene in both,
In Ermonie and Alexander, and many other placis.
Ye maye see by my signis, that be set in my hatte
That I haue walked full wyde, in wette and in drye
And sought many good Seints, for my soulis helpe
Knoweste thou not a crossent, that men call truth?
Coudst y
u not wish vs y
e way, where y
e wight wōnith
Naye so me God helpe, seyd that gome than
I sawe neuer Palmer, with poke nor with scrippe
Aske after him ere, tyll nowe in this place.
Peter, quod a plowman, and put forth his heade
I knowe him as kyndly,
The plowman is Truthes seruaunt.
as clerke doeth his boke
Conscience and kynd witte, kenned me to his place,
And dyd me sweren sykerly, to serue him for euer
Both to sowe and to set, the whyle I swinke myght.
I haue ben his folower, al thys fifty wynter
Boeth so wen his seed and sued hys beastes
Wythin and wythoute, I wayted his profite.
I dyke and delue, and do that truth hoteth
Sometyme I sowe, and sometyme I thresh
In Tailars and tinkers craft, what truth can deuise
I weue and I wynde, and do what truth hoteth
For though I sey it my self, I serue hym to paye.
Iche haue myne hyre well, and other whyles more.
He is prestiste payar that pore men knoweth,
Hene w
t halt none helk his hire, y
t he ne hath it at euen
He is as lowe as a lambe, and louely of spech.
And if ye wyll wytt where he wonnith:
I shall wyshe you witterly, the hye waye to his place
[Page]Yea leue Piers ꝙ these pilgrimes, & proferd him hyre
For to wend w
t hem, to Truethes dwellynge place
Nay by my soule health ꝙ Piers, & gan for to swere
I nolde fang a ferthinge, for saynt Thomas shryne
Truth wold loue me y
e lesse, lōgtime therfore after
And if ye wil to wend wel, this is the way thyther
Ye must go thorow mekenes, both men and wiues
Til ye come into cōscience, y
e Christ wit the soth
That ye louen our lord God,
How Piers teacheth the waye to trueth.
leuest of all thynges
And that your neighbours next, in no wyse appeire
Other wyse thā thou woldist, he wrought to thy selfe
And so bowith forth bi a broke, beeth buxō of speach
Tyll you finden a forde, your fathers ye honoureth
Honora patrem et matrem. &c.
Exod. xx.
Wade in that water, and washe you wel there
And you shall leape the lighter, all your lyfe after
And so shalt thou se swere not, but if it be for nede
And namely on idle, the name of god almyghty
Thā shalt y
u come bi a croft, but come thou not therin
That croft hight couet not, mēs cattel nor her wines
Ne none of her seruantes, that noyen hem might
Loke ye breke no bows ther, but if thei be your own
Two stockes ther standen, and flynte you not there
They hight stele not ne sle not, stricke forth by both
And leaue hem on the left hand, & loke not therafter
And holde well thy holy daye, heighe till euen
Thā shalt thou blēsh at a berch, bear no false witnes
He is frithed in wyth Florens, and other foes many
Loke thou pluck no plant ther, for perals of thi soule
Than shal ye se Saysoth, so it be to done
In no maner els not, for no mans biddynge
Thā shalt thou come to a court, as clere as the sunne
[Page xxx]The mote is of mercie, that maner abowte
And al the walles bene of wyt, to holden wil oute
And kerneled wyth christendome, mankinde to saue
Botrased with beleue so, or thou beest not saued
And al the houses bene hiled, hales and chambres
With no lead but w
t loue, & low spech as brethern
The brydge is of bidewel, the better may thou spede
Euery piller is of pennaunce, of praiers of saynts
Of almes deds are y
e hokes, that the gates hangē on
Grace hyght the Gatewarde,
Truth
[...] Portar
a good man forsoth
His mā hight Amēd you, for many mē him knoweth
Telleth hym this token, that truth wyt the soth
I performed the penaūce, that the priest me enioined
And am full sort for my sinnes, & so shal I euer
When I thinke theron, though I were a pope
Beddeth amende you mekē hym, tyl his master once
To wayne vp the wyket, that the woman shute
Tho Adam and Eue, eaten apples vnrosted
Paradisi porta per Euam cutictis clausa est, et per vitginem Mariam patefacta est.
For he hath the key & the clicket, though y
e King slept
And if grace graunt to the, to come in this wyse
Thou shalt see in thie selfe, Truth sit in thyne herte
In a cheyre of charitie, as thou a chylde were
To suffer hym and sey not, agaynst thy Siers wyl
And beware than of Wrath, that is a weked shrewe
He hath Euuye to him, that in thy hert sitteth
And paketh forth pride, to praise thy selfe
The boldnes of the benefites, maketh y
e blinde than
And thā wast y
u dryuē out as dewe, & the dore closed
Keyed and clyketted, to kepe the with oute
Happilye an hundred winter, er thou eft entre
[Page]Thus mightest y
u lesen his loue, to let well by the selfe
And neuer happely eft enter, but grace if thou haue
And there are seuen sisterne, that seruen Trueth euer
And are porters to the posterus,
Truthes maidens
y
t to the place belong
That one of hem hight Abstinēce, Humilitie an other
Chartie and Chastitie, bene the chiefe maidens there
Pacience and Peace, do muche people helpe
Largenes the Ladye, letteth in full manye
She hath holpē an hundred out of the deuils pinfold
And who is sibbe to these seuen, so me god helpe
He is wondersly welcome, and faire vnderfoggen
And but ye be sibbe, to some of these sisters seuen
It is ful hard bi my head ꝙ Piers, for any of you al
To get in gong at any gate ther, but grace be y
e more
Now by Christ ꝙ a cutpurse thē, I haue no kin there
Nor I ꝙ an apeward, by ought that I can knowe
Wyt God quod a wafrester, wist I this for soth
Shuld I neuer furder a fote, for any friers preachīg
Yis quod Piers y
e plow mā, & poked hem all to good
Mercy is a mayden there, hath might ouer hem all
And she is syb be to al synfull, and her sonne also
And through y
e helpe of hem two, hope ye none other
Thou might get grace therby, so thou go bytyme
Bi. s. Paul ꝙ a pardoner, on auēture I be not knowē there
I wil go fetch my boxke, w
t my breuets al
And also a bull, wyth a Byshops letters.
By Christ ꝙ a cōmō womā, thy cōpany wyl I folow
Thou shalt saye I am thy sister, I ne wotte whether they be gonne.
Passus sextus de visione:
THis were a wicked way, but if we had a gide
That wold wēd w
t vs ech a fote, & y
e way tell
Quod perkin y
e plowmā, vi. s. Peter of rome
I haue an halfe acre to erie, by y
e highe waye
Had I eryed thys halfe acre, and sowen it after
I woulde wende wyth you,
How Peers assigneth women to worke.
and the waye teache
This were a longe lettynge, ꝙ a lady in a Skleire
What should we women worke, in the meane while
Some shal sowe y
e sacke ꝙ Piers, for shedyng of the wheate
And ye se louely ladies, w
t your long fingers
That ye haue silke and sandell, to sowe whan tyme is
Chesibles for chaplaynes, churches to honour
Wyues and wyddowes, wole and flaxe spinneth
Make cloth I counsell you, & ken so your doughters
The nedy and the naked, nimith hede howe they liggē
And caste hem clothes, for so commaundeth truth
For I shall lene hem liuelode, but if the lande fayle
Fleshe and breade boeth, to ryche and to pore
As longe as I liue, for the lordes loue of heauen
And al maner of mē, y
t throgh meate & dringe libbeth
Help him to worke wightlye, that winneth your fode
By Christ quod a knight tho, he kenneth vs the beste
And on the teme truely, taught was I neuer
And kē me quod y
e knyght, & by Christ I wyll assaye.
By saint Paule quod Perken, ye profer me fayre
That I shall swynke and swete,
Pierce prayeth a knight to helpe to kepe holy church.
& sowe for vs boeth
And other labours do for thy loue, all my lyfe tyme
In couenaunt that thou kepe, holy kirke and my selfe
Frō wastours & frō wicked mē, y
t this world destroyeth
And go hunt hardely, to hares and to Foxes
To dores & to brocks, y
e breken adowne my hedges
And go affayte the Fawcons, wylde fowles to kyll
[Page]For such cometh to my croft, and cropeth mi whet
[...]
Curtessy the knyght then, comsed these wordes
By my power Pers quod he, I plyght the my trouth
To fulfill thys forwarde, though I fyght should
As longe as I lyue, I shal the mayntayne
Pierce coūcelleth y
e knyghte wisely
Yea and yet a poynt quod Piers, I pray you of more
Loke ye tene no tenaunt, but truthe wol assent
And though ye mai amarcye hem, let merci be taxour
And mekenes thie master, manger Medes chekes
And though pore mē proffre you, presentes and gyfts
Nym it not on a venture, ye maye it not deserue
For ye shal yelden it agayne, at one yers ende
In a ful parilous place, Purgatory it high
And misved not thi bond mē, y
e better might y
u spede
Though he be thi vnderling here, wel it may happen
That he were worthelier set, & w
t more blis in heuen
Than thou, but thou do bet, and liue as thou shoulde
Amice asccude superius.
Luke xiiii
For in charnel & in churche, cherls be ful euel to know
Or a knight from a knaue there, know this in thi hert
And y
t thou be true of thy tonge, & tales y
t thou hate
But if thei be of wisdō or wit, thy workmē to chastē
Holde wyth no harlots, ne here not her tales
And namelie at thy meate, suche meneschew
For it be the deuills dyssours, I do the to vnderstōde
I assent be sainte Iame, the knyght said than
For to work bi thy wordes, y
e while my lyfe endureth
And I shal aparel me quod Parkē, in pilgremes wise
And wend wyth you I wyl, tyl we finde truthe
And cast on my clothes, clouted and hole
Micokers and mi cuffes, for colde on my nailes
And hang mi hoper at mi hals, in slede of a scripe
A bushel of bread corne, bring me therein
[Page xxxii]For I wil sowe it my selfe, and sith will I wend
To pilgrimages as palmers do, pardō for to haue
And whoso helpeth me to erye, and sower I wende
Shal haue leaue by our lord, to glene here in heruest
And makē hē mery thermid, mangre who so grudge it
And all kinne crafty men, that can liue in truth
I shall fynde hem fode, that faythfully lybbeth
Saue Iake the iudgeler, and Ienet of the stewes
And Daniel the displeyer, and Benot the baude
And Fryer faytoure, and folke of hys order
And Robin the ribauder, for hys rustye wordes
Trueth tolde me it once, and bade me tel it after.
Deleātur de libro viuētium. I should not deale w
t hem
For holye church is hote,
Psal. 69.
of hem no tythes to take
Quia cum tustis non scribantur.
They be escaped good auenture,
Pierces wife
God hem amend
Dame werche whan tyme is, Pierce wife hyght
His daughtir high do right so, or thi dame shal y
e bete
His sōne hight Suffer thy souerains, to haue her wil
Deme hem not for if thou doest, y
u shalt it dere abye
Let God worcke withall, for so his word teacheth
For now I am old and hore, and haue of mene owne
To penaūce & to pilgrimage, I wil pas w
t thes other
Therfore I wil er I wend, do write my bequest,
How Piers maketh hys testamēt,
In dei nomine amen, I make it my selfe
He shall haue my soule, that best hath deserued it
And from the fende it defend, for so I beleue
Tyll I come to my countes, as my Crede me telleth
To haue a release and a remission, on that rētal I leue
The kyrke shal haue my carren, and kepe my bones
For of my corne and cattell, she craued my tythes
I payed it him prestly, for the perell of my soule
[Page]Therfore is he holdē I hope, to mind me in his mas
And mengen in hys memori, among all christen
My wife shal haue of y
t I wan, w
t Truth & no more,
And deale among my doughters, and mi dear childrē
For though I bye to day, my dettes are quite
I bare home that I borrowed, or I to bedde yede
And w
t the residue & the rēnaunt by y
e rode of Lukes
I will worshyp therwith, Truthe by my life
And bē hys Pilgraime at y
e plowe, for pore mēs sake
Mi plow fote shal be mi pikstaf, & pitch ato y
e tootes
And helpe my culter to kerne, and clense y
e forowes.
Nowe is Perkin & hys pilgraymes, to y
e plow faren
To erie this halfe acre, helpen him many
Dikers and deluers, dygged vp the balkes
Therwith was Perkin apaied, & praysed hem faste
Other workemen ther were, that wrought ful yerne
Euery man in his maner, made hym selfe to done
And some to please Perkin, picked vp the wedes.
At high prime Pierce, let the plow stonde.
To ouer se hem him selfe, and who so best wroughte
He shoulde be hyred therafter, whā heruest time came
And than satten some, and songe at the nale,
Iolye workmen
And holpen erie his halfe acre, with hey trolly lolly
Now by y
e peril of mi soule ꝙ Pierce, all in pure tene.
But ye arise the rather, and rape you to werke
Shal no graine that groweth, glad you atende
And though ye dye for dole, y
e deuyll haue that retche.
Tho were faytors aferd, and feyned hem blind
Some layde her legges a lyrye, as such losels can
And made her mone to Pierce, & prayed him of grace
For we haue no lims to labour w
t lord, graced be ye
And we pray for you Pierce, & for your plowe both
And yelde you for your almes, that you geue vs here
For we cā nether swink ne swet, such siknes vs ailith
If it be soth ꝙ Pierce y
t ye sayne,
Lerne to answere counterfaite beggers
I shall it sone espye
Ye be wasters I wote well, and trueth wot the sothe
And I am his old hine, and hight him to warne
Which thei wer in this world, his workmē apeared
Ye wast y
e men winnen, with trauayle and wyth tene
And truth shall teach you, his teme to dryue
Or ye shall eat barly bread, and of the broke drinke.
but if ye be blind or brokē leggid, or bolted with irōs
Ye shall eate wheat bread, and drinke wyth my selfe
Tyl God of his goodnes, amendement you sende,
And ye myght trauel as trueth wold, & take meate & hyre
To kepe kine in the field, y
e corne frō the beasts
Dyken or deluen, or dingine vpon sheues
Or helpe make morter, or beare mucke a fielde
In licherie and in losengery ye, lyue and in slouth
And al is through sufferaūce, that vengeaunce you ne taketh
And Ankers and hermits, y
e eate but at nones
And no more or morow, my almes shal not they haue
And catell to kepe hem w
t, y
t haue cloysters and churches
And Robert runabout, shal not haue of myne
Ne apostles but thei prech cā, & haue bishopes power
They shal haue pane & potage, & make her self at ease
No reasonable religion, hath right nought of certen.
And thā gan a wastoure to wrath him, & wolde haue fought
And to Piers y
e plomā, he proferd his gloue
A britoner a bragger,
The wastour will fight
and bofeted Pierce also
And bad him go pysse w
t his plow, forpyned shrewe
Wilt thou or nilt thou, we wyll haue our wyll
Of thy flour and of thy flesh, fetch when vs lyketh,
[Page]And maken vs mery there myd, maugre thy chekes
Pierce playneth to the knight.
Than Pierce y
e plowman, plained him to the knyght
To kepe him as couenaunt was, fro cursed shrewes
And frō these wastors wolueskins, y
t make y
e worlde dere
For tho wasten & win nought, & that ilke while
Worth neuer plēty amōg y
e paple, y
e while my plowe liggeth
Curtesly the knight thā, as his kind wolde
Warned wastour, and wished him the better,
Or y
u shalt abie by the lawe, by thorder that I beare.
I was not wonte to worke ꝙ wastour, & now I nill begyn
And let light of the law, & lesse of the knight,
And set Pierce at a pese, and his plow both
And manaced Piers and his men, if they met eft sone
Pierce prcied hō ger to reuēg hym.
Now bi y
e peril of mi soul ꝙ piers, I shal apeir you al
And whouped after hunger, that heard him at y
e first.
A wreke me of these waftours ꝙ he, y
e this world shendeth
Hunger in hast tho, hent wastour by the maw
And wrōg him so bi the wombe, y
t both his eien watered
He buffeted the breton, about the chekes,
That he loked lyke a lanterne, al his life after
He beate hem so both, he brake nere her guttes
Ne had Pierce wyth a pese lof, prayed hūger to cease
They had bene doluen, ne deme thou none other
Faytours worke for fear of hō ger
Suffre hē liue he sayd, & let hē eate with hogges,
Or els beanes and branne, i baken togethers
Or els milke or meane ale, thus prayed Pierce for hē.
Faitours for feare therof, flowen into barnes
And flapped on with flailes, from morow till euen
That hunger was not so hardy, on hem for to loke.
For a potte full of pese, that Pierse had ymaked
An heape of Heremites, henten hem spades
And kit her copes, and courtebies hem made
And doluen and diggen, to driue away hunger,
What nede can do.
Blind and bedridden, were botened a thousand
That sitten to begge siluer, sone were they healed
For bred bakē for baierds, was bote for mani hōgri
And mani beggers for beanes, buxum wer to swink
And ech pore mā wel apayed, to haue pesē for his hire
And what Pierce praied hē to do, as preste as a hauk
And therof was Pierce proude, & put hem to worke
And gaue hē meat as he migh ford, & reasonable hire
Than had Pierce pity, & prayd hunger to wende,
Home vnto his owne yarth, and holdē him there
For I am wel a wroke of wasters, by thi might now
And I pray the er thou passe, quod Pierce to honger
Of beggers and bidders, what best to be done?
For I wote wel be thou went, they wil worch ful yll
For mischefe it maketh, they be so meke nowe
And for defaut of her fode, this folke is at my wyl.
They ar mi bloudy brether ꝙ pierce, for god bought vs al
Truth taught me once, to loue hem eche one
And helpen hem of all thing, aye as hem nedeth
And now wold I wit of the, what were the best
And how I might mastren hem, & make hem work.
How begers maye be made to worke.
Heare now quod hunger, and holde it for wysedome,
Bold beggers & bygge, that may her bread swinke
With hoūds bread & horsebread, hold vp her hartes
Abate hem wyth beanes, for bollinge of her wombe
And if the gommes grutch then, bid hem go swynke
And he shall soupe sweter, when he hath it deserued
And if thou find any freke, y
e fortune hath apaired
Or any maner falty man, fond thou such to knowe
Confort hem w
t thy cattell, for Chrystes loue of heuē
[Page]Loue hem, and lene hem, for so the law teacheth
Gal vi a.
Alter alterius onera portate
And all maner of men, that thou myght espye,
That nedy ben and noughty, help hem of thy goods
Loue & lacke hē nought, lest god take the vengeaūce
Though they do euyll, let god worche
Mihi vindictam, er ego distribuam,
Hebr. xii. Rom. xii. De. xxxii. Luk. xvi.
If y
u wilt be gracious to go, do as the gospel techeth
And byloue y
e amōg low men, so shalte y
u latch grace.
Facite vobis amicos de maminone iniquitatis,
I nold greue god ꝙ Pierce, for al the good on groūd
Myght I synles do as thou sayst, said Pierce then
Yea I behote the ꝙ hunger, or els the bible lyeth.
Go to Genesis the gyant, the engendrour of vs all.
In Sudore and in swynke, thou shalt thy meattilye
And labour for thy lyuelode, for so our lord hyght
And Sapience sayth the same, I sawe it in the bible
Piger pre frigore, no fyelde woulde tilye,
Prou xx. The slouthfull suffer hōger Mat xxv
And therfore he shall begge & byd, & no man bate his hūger
Mathew w
t mās face, mouthed these words
That Seruus nequā had a mnā, & for he nold chaffer
He had inaugre of his maister, for euermore after
And biname hym hys Mnam, for he ne wold worch
And gafe that Mnam to hym, that ten Mnams had
And with that he sayd, that holy kirke it hearde
He that hath shall haue, and helpe there it nedeth
And he y
u hath not shall not haue, ne no mā him helpe
And y
t he weneth well to haue, I will it him bereue
Kynde wyt woulde, that ech a wyght wrought.
Or in digging or in deluing, or trauaile of prayers
Cōtēplatiue life, or actiue life, Christe wold they worught
The psalter saith in y
e psalmes of beati omnes,
The freke y
t fedeth him selfe, w
t hys faythful laboure
[Page xxxv]He is blessed by the boke in body and in soule.
Lobores manuum tuarum,
Psal. 128 How
[...] piers prayeth hūge
[...] to teach
[...] him a
[...] crafte for him and for hys seruaūtes
quoniam manducabis
Yet I pray you ꝙ Pierce, pur charitie & ye can
Any leefe leche craft, lere it me my deare
For some of my seruants, and mi selfe both
Of al a weke worke not, so our wombe aketh
I wote wel ꝙ hunger, what sikenes the ayleth,
Ye haue manged ouer muche, & y
t maketh you grone
And I hote the ꝙ hunger, as thou thy hele wilneste,
That thou drinke no day, ere thou dine some what,
Eate not I hote the, ere hunger, the taketh
And send the of his sauce, to sauour with thy lyppes,
And kepe some tyl souper time, and syt not to longe,
And ryse vp ere appetite, haue eaten his fyll:
Let not syr Surfyte, syt at thy borde,
Leue him not for he is licherous, & lycorous of tonge
And after many maner of meat, his maw is a hūgred
And if thou diet the thus, I dare lay my eares
That Phisike shal his furred hode, for his fode sell,
And his cloke of Calabrie, wyth al y
e knaps of golde
And be fayne by my fayth, his phisike to let
And learne to labour w
t hond, for lyuelode is swete
For murtherers are many leches, lorde hem amende,
They do men dye by their drinks, yer destinie it wold
By. S. Paule ꝙ Pierce, these are profetable wordes
Wend now hunger when thou wylt, y
e wel be y
u euer
For this is a louely lesson, the lord it the foryelde,
By hote god quod honger, hence ne wil I wend
Til I haue dined by this day, and dronken both
I haue no peny ꝙ Pierce, polettes for to bye
Ne neither gose ne grys, but two grene chesis,
A fewe curdes and creame, and an hauer cake.
[Page]And two loues of beanes & dran, bake for my folke,
And yet I say by my soule, I haue no salt bacon
Ne no cokeny by Christ, colopes for to make
And I haue percely and porets, & many cole plātes,
And eke a cowe and a calfe, and a cart mare
To draw a field my dung, y
e while y
e draught lasteth.
And by this lyuelod, I must lyue to Lammas tyme
By that I hope to haue, haruest in my crofte
And then I maye dight thy dinner, as me dere liketh
And al the pore people tho, pescoddes fetten,
Beanes and bakē apples, they brought in her lappis
Pore folk fede hunger.
Chiboles and chernell, and rype cheries many
And proferd Piers y
e present, to please wyth hys hūger
All hunger eate in hast, and asked after more
Than pore folke for feare, fedde hunger yerne
With grene poret & pesen, to poysen him thei thought
By y
t it neghed to haruest, new corne came to cheping
Than was folke fayne, and fedde hunger w
t the beste
With good ale as Glotō taught, & gart hūger to slepe
And tho wold waster no work, but wandrē aboute,
Ne no begger eate bread, that beanes in were
But of Coket and Clermatine, or els of cleane wheat
Ne no halpeny ale, in no wyse drinke
But of best & of y
t brownest, that in borough is to sell
Laborers that haue no lād to liue on, but her handes
Deyned to dyne a daye, wyth nyght old wortes
May no penyale hem paye, ne no pece of bacon
But if it be fresh flesh, other fysh fryed other bakte
And y
t chāud, or plus chaud, for chilling of her maw
Prouender pricketh them
And but if he be highly hiered, els will he chyde
And that he was workeman wrought, waile y
e tyme
Agaynst Cafons counsel, comseth he to iangle,
Paupertatis onus patienter ferre memento
He greu
[...]h him against god,
Cato,
& grutcheth agayn reson
And than curseth he the king, and all hys counsel after
Such lawes to loke, labourers to greue.
While hūger gafe hem hier, not one of hē wold chide.
Ne striuen against his statute, so sternely he loked
And I warne you workemen, win while ye may
For hunger hither ward, hasteth him selfe
He shall awake with water, wastours to chast.
Ere fiue yere be fulfilled, such famine shall arise
Through floudes and foule weder,
This is no prophecy but a pronostication
fruite shal fayle
And so sayd Saturne and sent you to warne.
And whē ye se the sunne amisse, & two mōkes heades
And a maid haue the maistry, and multiply by hight.
Than shal death withdraw, and derth be iustyce
And Dauie the dyker, shall dye for hunger
But if God of his goodnes graunt vs a treue
Passus septimus de visione.
TRuth hearde tell herof, and to Pierce sente.
To taken his teme, and tilen the earth
And purchased a pardone A pena et a culpa
For hym & for his heyres,
Piercis Paxdon.
for euermore after
And bade him hold him at home, and erye his laies
And all that helpe him to erye, to sette, and to sowe
Or any other mistery, that might Pierce auayle:
Pardon w
t Pierce plowman, Truth hath graunted,
Knightes and kinges, that kepeth holy kyrke,
And rightfully in realmes, ruleth the people
Haue pardon through purgatorie, to passe ful lightli
Wyth patriarks & prophets, in Paradice to be felow
Byshops iblessed, if they bene as they should,
[Page]Legisters of both lawes, the lewd therw
t to preach,
And in asmuch as they may, amend al synful
Are peers w
t thapostles, such pardon Pierce sheweth
And at the day of dome, at the high deyse to syt
Marchauntes in the mergen, had many yeres
And none Apena et culpa, the Pope wyl hem graunt
For they hold not her holidaies, as holy kirk teacheth
And for they swere by her soul, & so god must hē help
Agayn cleane conscience her cattell to sell
What merchaū tes shuld do.
And vnder his secret seale, truth sent hem a letter
That they shuld bugge boldely, that them best lyked
And sythen sell it agayne, and saue the winning
And amend mesōdiux, ther mede, & misease folk help
And wycked waies, wightely amende
And do boote to bridges, that to broke were
Marien maydens, or maken hem Nunnes.
Pore people and prisonars, finden hem her fode
And set scholers to schole, or to some other craftes
Releue religion, and renten hem better.
And I shall send you my selfe, s. Mihel mine afchāhel
That no deuel shal you dere, ne fere you in your doing
And witten you from wanhope, if ye wil this worke
And send your soules in safety, to my saynts in Ioye
Than were marchaunts mery, many wept for Ioy
And praised pierce the plowmā that purchased y
e bul
Men of law lest pardon had, that pleden for mede
For the psalter saueth hem not, suche as taken gyftes
Psal. xv. Men of law shold take nought but their fee.
And namely of Innocentes, that no euil ne cāneth.
Super innocentem munera non accipies.
Pleders shuld peine hem to plead, for such in health
Princes and prelates should pay for her trauell,
A regibus et principibus erit merces corum
[Page xxxvii]And mani a Iustice and Iurour would for Iohn do more
Than for Dei pietate,
Law
[...]ars shold take no money
leue you no other
And he that spendeth his speche, & speaketh for y
e pore
That is innocent & nedy, and no man appeyreth
Conforteth him in that case, w
tout couetise of giftes,
And spekith law for our lords loue, as he hath lerned
Shal no deuil at his deathes daye, dearn hym a mite
That he ne worth false & his soule, y
e psalter beareth witnes
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo?
Psal. xv.
And to bug water ne wind, ne wit, ne fire the fourth
These four the father of heuē made, to this fold in cōmen
These be Truthes treasures, truefolk to help
That neuer shall wexe ne wane, w
tout God him selfe.
Whā they drawen on to die, & indulgēce wold haue
Their pardon is full petit, at their partyng hence
That any mede of meane men, for their mooting take
Ye Legisters and lawyers, hold thys for Truthe
That if I lye▪ Mathewe is to blame,
For he bade me tell you this, & this prouerbe me told
Quod cumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines facite eis.
Al lyuynge laborers,
Luke. vi.
that libben wyth her handes
That truly taken, and truly wynnen,
And liuen in loue and in law, for their lowe hertes
Haueth the same absolution that sent was to Pierce
Beggers & bidders,
Of giuīg of almes.
ne be not in the bulle
But if the suggestion be south, y
t shapeth hē to begge
For he that beggeth one byt, but if he haue nede
He is false wyth the fende, and defraudeth the nedy
And also he begileth the gyuer, agaynst his wyll
For if he were not nedy, he would giue y
t to an other,
That were more nedy thā he, so y
e nedest shuld be holpen
Caton kenneth me thus, & the clerke of Stories
[Page]Cui des dideto, is Catons teachinge
And in the stories, he teacheth to bestow your almes
Sit elimosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui des
And Gregory was a good man,
Gregorie
& bade vs geuen all
That asketh for his loue, that vs al leneth
Non eligas cui miserearis, ne forte pretereas illū qui meretur accipere. Quia incertum est pro quo deo magis placeas.
For ye wyt not who is worthy, & god wot the nedie.
In him that taketh is y
e trechery, if any treson walke
For he that geueth yeldeth, and yarketh him to rest
And he y
e biddeth boroweth, & brigeth him selfe in det
For beggers borowē euer, & their borow is god almighty
To yeld hē y
t geueth hē, & yet vsurie more
Quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam,
vt ego veniēs meum cum vsuris exigerem?
Luke xix
Therfore bid not ye begers, but if ye haue great nede
For he y
t hath to bug hi bread, y
e bow bereth wytnes
He hath inough y
t hath bred, though he haue nought els
Satis diues est qui non indiget pane
Let vsage be your solace of saintes lyues readynge
The boke bāneth begeri, & blameth hē in this maner
Iunior fui et iam senui, et non vidi iustum derelictum
nec semen eius querens panem.
Psal. 37
For ye lyue in no loue, ne no lawe holde
Mani of you ye wed not, the women y
t ye wyth deale
But as wild beasts wyth wehe, worthē vp & worchē
And bringen forth barnes, that bastardes men callen.
Or the backe or some bone, he breaketh in his youth:
And sithe gone faiten w
t your faūtes, for euer after
There is more mishappe puple, amōg these beggers
Than of al maner of mē that on thys molde walketh
And they that lyue thus her lyfe, may loth the tyme
[Page xxxviii]That euer they were mē wrought, whā thei shal hēce fare
And olde mē & hore, that helples be of strength
And women wyth chylde,
Patiente pouertie.
that worke ne may
Blynde and bedriden, and broke their membres
That taken the mischeues mekely, as mesels & other
Haue as plaine pardon as the plowman hym selfe
For loue of her low hertes, our lorde hath hē graūted
Their penaunce & their purgatory, here on this earth
Pierce quod a priest tho, thy pardon must I reade
For I wyl construe ech a clause, & ken it y
e in englishe
And Pierce at his prayer, his pardon vnfolded
And I behinden hem both, beheld all the bulle
All in two lines it laye, and not a leefe more
And was wrytten ryght thus, in witnes of Truthe,
Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam etexnam.
Qui vero mala in ignem eternam.
Mat. xxv
Peter quoth the prieste tho, I can no pardon fynde
But dowel and haue wel, & god shall haue thy soule
And do Ill and haue Ill, hope thou none other
But after thy deathes day, y
e deuil shal haue thi soule
And Pierce for pure tene, pulled it in twayne.
And sayde.
Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis
Non timebo malum quoniam, tu mecum es.
Psal. xxiii
I shal cease of my sowyng quod Pierce, & swinke not so harde
Ne about my bealy ioy, so busy be no more
Of prayers & of penaūce, my plowe shall be hereafter
And wepe whē I shold slepe, though whete bread me faile
The prophet his paine ate, in penaūce, & sorow
By that the psalter sayeth, so dyd other manye
That loueth god lelly, his liuelode is full easy,
Fuerunt mihi sachrime mee, panes die ac nocte.
And but if Luke lye,
Psal. lii.
he learneth vs by fowles
[Page]We shoulde not be busye, aboute the worldes blysse
Math. vi.
Ne soliciti sitis he sayth in the gospell
And sheweth in examples our selues to wishe
The foules in y
e field, who findeth hē meate in winter
Haue they no garner to go to, but god fedes hem all:
What ꝙ the priest to Parkin, Peter as me thinketh
Thou art lettered a litle who learned the on boke?
Abstinēce y
e Abbes ꝙ Pierce, mine. a.b.c. me taught
And cōsciēce came afterward, & kēned me much more.
Were y
u a priest ꝙ he,
A blynd. priestes taunt
y
u might preach wher y
t should
As diuinor in diuinitie w
t Dirit insipiens to thy teme.
Lewd Lorel ꝙ Pierce, litle lokest thou on the bible
On Salomons sawes, seldome thou beholdest.
Ecce derisiones et iurgia cum eis ne crescant.
The priest and Perkin,
Pro. xxii.
apposed either other
And I through her wordes awoke, & wayted about
And sawe the sunne, in the south sit that time
Meatelesse and moneilesse, on Maluerne hylles
Musinge on these metales, and my waye ich yede.
Many tymes these metals, hath made me study
Of that I se slepynge, if that so be myght
And also for Pierce the plowman, full pensife in herte
And what a pardon Pierce had, al y
e people to cōforte
And howe y
e priest impūgned it, w
t .ii. propre wordes
And I haue no sauery in sōgwary, for I seit oft faile
Caton and canonisters, counsell vs to leaue
To set sadnes in songwary, for Somnia ne cures
And for the byble boke beareth wytnes
Howe Daniell demed,
How Daniel demed the dreames of Nabuchodonosor.
the dreames of a kinge
That was Nabugodonosor, named of clarkes
Daniel sayde sir kynge, thy dreames betoken
That vnkought knights shall come, thi kingdome to clayme
[Page xxxix]Amongest lower Lordes, thy land shall be departed
And as Daniel demed, in dede it fell after
The kyng lost his lordship, and lower men it had
And Ioseph met marueilously,
Of the dreames of Ioseph
howe y
e mone and the sunne
And the. xi starres, halsed him all
Than Iacob iudged, Iosephes swyuen
Beau fitz quod hys father, for defante we shall
I my selfe and my sonnes, seche the for nede
It befell as hys father sayde, in Pharaos tyme
That Ioseph was iustice, Egypte to loken
It befel as his father tolde, his frēds ther him sought
And all this maketh me, on this metals to thinke
And howe the prieste preued, no pardon to do wel
And demed that dowel, in dulgence passed
Biennales and triennales, and byshops letters
And how dowel at y
e day of dome, is dignely vnderfōgen
And passed al the pardō,
Note howe hescorneth the auctority of Popes Math. vi.
of. s. Peters church
Now hath the pope power, pardō to graūt y
e people
Wythout any penaūce, to passe into heauen
This is our beliefe, as lettered men do vs teach
Quod cūque ligaueritis super terram, erit ligatum et in celis
And so leue lellye Lordes, forbode els
That pardon and penaunce, & prayers done saue
Soules that haue sinned, seuen sythes deadly
And to truste to these trentals, truely me thinketh
Is not so siker for the soule, as to do well
Therfore I red you reukes, that rich be on this earth
Apon truste of treasure, trientales to haue
Be ye neuer the holder, to breake the ten hestes
And namely ye maisters, mayres and iudges
That haue the welth of this world,, & for wise mē be holdē
To purchase you pardōs, & the popes buls
[Page]At the dreadfull dome, whan the dead shall arise
And commen all tofore Christ, accountes for to yede
How thou leadest thi lyfe here, and his lawes kepest
And how thou didest day by day, y
e dome wil reherse
A poke full of pardon there, ne prouinciall letters
Though ye be foūden in y
e fraternitie, of y
e .iiii. orders
And haue indulgēce an .C. fold, but if do wel you help
I beset your patentes & your pardons, at a pies hele
Therfore I counsell all christen, to crye god mercy
And make Christe our meane, that hath made emēds
That and gyue vs grace here, or we go hence
Such wockes to worke, while we ben here
That after our deathes daye, dowel rehearse
At the day of dome, we did as he hyght.
Passus octauus de visione. Et hic incipit inquisitio prima de dowell.
THus robed in russet, I romed aboute
All a Somer season, for to seke dowell
And freyned full oft, of folke that I mette
If ani wight wiste, wher dowel was at inne
And what man he might be, of many man I asked
Was neuer wight as I went, that me wysh could
Where this ladde lenged, lesse or more.
Tyll it befell on a Fryday, two Fryers I mette
Maisters of the Minours, men of greate wytte
I halsed hem hendelye, as I had learned
And prayed hem for charitie, or they passed further
If they knewe any courte, or contrye as they went
Where that do well dwelleth, do me to wytte
For they be mē on this mould, that most wide walkē
[Page xxxix]And knowē contries & courtes, & many kinnes places
Both princes palaces, and pore mens cotes
And dowel & do euil, where they dwel both.
Amongest vs ꝙ the minours, that man is dwellinge
And euer hath as I hope, and euer shall hereafter,
Contra quod I, as a clarke, and cumsed to of sputen
And sayde hym sothly, Septies in die cadit iustus.
Prou. 24.
Seuen sythes sayeth the boke, synneth the rightfull.
And who so synneth I saye, doth euel as me thinketh
And do wel and doeuyl, may not dwel togither,
Ergo he is not alwaye, among you Fryers
He is other whyle els where, to wyshen the people.
I shall say the my sonne, sayed the Frier than,
Howe seuen sithes the sadde man, on a day synneth.
By a forbisue quod the Frier, I shall the faire shewe
Let bryng a man in a bote, amyd the brode water
The wynde and the water, and the bote waggyng
Make a man many tyme, to fall and to stande
For stand he neuer so stiffe, he stumbleth if he moue
And yet is he safe and sound, and so hym behoueth,
For if he ne arise the rather, and raght to the stere,
The wind would w
t the water, the boote ouerthrow
And thā were his life lost, through latches of him self
And thus it falleth quod y
e Frier, bi folk here on erth
The water is likned to y
e world, y
t waneth & wexeth
The goodes of this world, ar likned to y
e gret waues
That was wynds and wethers, walken about.
The boote is likened to our body, y
e brytil is of kynd
That through the fleshe, and the frayle worlde
Synneth the sadde man, a day seuen tymes
And deadly synne doeth he not, for do wel him kepeth
And y
t is charitie y
e chāpion, chiefe helpe againe sinne
[Page]For he strēgtheth man to stand, & stirreth mans soule
And thoughe thy body bowe, as bote doth in water,
Aye is thy soule safe, but if thou wylt thy selfe
Do a deadlye sinne, and drenche so thy soule
His opinion of frewyll.
God wyll suffer wel thy slouth, if thy selfe lyketh
For he gafe the two yeresgifts, to teme well thy selfe
And y
t is Witte & Frewil, to euery wight a portion
To flyinge foules, to fishes, and to beastes
And man hath moste therof, and most is to blame
But if he worth wel therw
t, as dowel hym teacheth.
I haue no kind knoyng ꝙ I, to cōceyue all your wordes
And if I may liue & loke, I shall go learne better
I bikenne the Christ, that on the crosse dyed
And I said the same, saue you from mischaunce
And giue you grace on this groūd good mē to worth
And thus I went wide, wher walking mine one
By a wyde weldernes, and by a woddes syde
Blisse of the birdes brought me on slepe,
And vnder a lynde on a land, lened I a stounde
To lyth the layes, tho louely fowles made
Myrthe of her mouthes, made me there to slepe
The maruelousest metelles, mette me than
That euer dremed wyght, in world as I wene.
A much man as me thought, and like to my selfe
Came and called me, by my kinde name
What art y
u quoth I tho, thou y
t my name knoweste
That thou wottest wel quoth he, and no wight better
Wot I what thou art? Thought sayd he than,
I haue sued the this seuen yeres, se y
u me no rather?
Art thou Thought ꝙ I tho, thou couldest me wishe
Wher y
e Dowel dwelleth, & do me that to knowe
Dowel, & Dobetter, & Dobest the thirde, quod he
[Page xii]Are thre fayre vertues, and be not farre to finde.
Who so is true of hys tonge, & of his two handes
And through his labor or his lōd, his liuelod wīneth
And is trusty of his taylyng, taketh but his owne
And is no drunklewe ne de digious, dowel him foloweth
Dobet doth ryght thus, & he doth much more
He is as lowe as a lambe, and louely of speache
And helpeth all men, after that hem nedeth
The bagges & the bigirdles, he hath to brok hem all,
That the Erle Auarous, helde and hys heyres
And thus w
t māmōs mony, he hath made him frēdes
And is runne to religion, and hath rendred the Bible
And preacheth to the people, saynte Paules wordes
Libenter suffertis insipientis cum siits ipsi sapintes.
ii. Cor. xi.
And suffereth the vnwyse, wyth you for to lyue
And w
t glad wil doeth hē good, for so god you hoteth
Dobest is aboue boeth, and beareth a bishops crosse
Is hoked on that one ende, to halye men from hell
A pyke is on the potent, to pull downe the wycked
That wayten anye wyckednes, do well to tene
And dowell and dobet, amongest hem haue ordeyned
To crowne one to be kynge, to rule hem boeth
That if dowell and dobet, arne agaynste dobeste
Than shall the kynge come, and caste hem in yrons
And but if do best byd for hem, they be there for euer
Thus dowell and dobet, and dobeste the thyrd
Crowned one to be kynge, to kepen hem all
And to rule the realme, by her thre wyttes
And none other wise, but as they thre assented,
I thanked Thought tho, that he me thus taught
And yet sauoreth me not thy suging, I couet to lerne
How dowel dobest & do better, done among y
e people
[Page]But wyt can wysh the ꝙ thought, wher tho .iii. dwell
Els wot I none that can tell, that nowe is alyue.
Thought and I thus, thre dayes we yeden
Disputynge vpon dowell, daye after other
And ere we were ware, with wyt gan we mete
Wyt wyll haue none excesse.
He was longe and leane, lyke to none other
Was no pryde on hys apparell, ne pouerty nether
Sadde of hys semblaunce, and of soft chere
I durste not moue no matter, to make hym to iangle
But as I bade thought tho, be meane betwene
And pur forth some purpose, to preuen his wyts
What was dowel fro dobet, & dobest frō hem both
Than thought in that tyme, sayd these wordes
Whether dowel dobet, and dobest ben in land
Here is wyl wold wyt, if Wit could teach him
And whether he be mā or womā, this mā faine wold espy
And worch as they thre wold, this is his entēt
Passus nonus de visione. Et primus de dowell.
HEre dowel dwelleth ꝙ wit, not a day hence
In a castel y
t kind made, of four kins things
Of earth & ayre is it mad, mīgled togithers
Wyth wind & w
t water, witterly enioyned
Kynde hath closed therin, craftely withall
A Lemman that he loueth, lyke to him selfe
Anima she hyght, and Enuye her hateth
A proude pricker of Fraunce, Princeps huius mundi
Dowel is keper of y
e soule.
And woulde wynne her away, w
t wiles & he myghte
And kind knoweth thys well, & kepeth her the better
And dothe her w
t sir dowel, is duke of thys marches
Dobet is her damosell, sir dowels daughter
To serue this lady lelly, both late and rathe.
That he byd moote be do, he ruleth hem all
Anima that lady, is led by his lerning.
And y
e cōstable of y
e castell, that kepeth all y
e watche,
In wytte hath fyue sonnes.
Is a wyse knight withall, sir In wyt he hight
And hath fyue fayre sonnes, by his fyrst wyfe
Syr Seewell and Saywel, and hearwell the ende
Syr worchwel w
t thy hand, a wight man of strēgth
And syr Godfray gowell, great lordes forsoth
These fyue bene set, to saue this lady Anima
Tyl kind come or send, to saue her for euer
What kins thing is kind ꝙ I, canst thou me tell?
Kynd ꝙ wytte is a creator, of all kinnis thinges
Father and former of all, that euer was makyd
And that is the great god, that gynning had neuer
Lorde of lyfe and of light, of blys and of payne
Angels and all thing, arne at his wyl,
And man is him moste like, of marke and of shape,
For through y
e word that he spake,
Ps. xxxiii
wexē forth bestes
And made Adam, likest to him selfe one
And Eue of his ribbe bone, wythout any meane
For he was singuler him selfe, and sayde faciamus
As who saye more must hereto,
Goddes myghte must help his word.
then my worde one
My myght must helpe, now with my speche
Euē as a lord shuld make leters, & he lackid perchmē
Though he could write neuer so wel, if he had no pē
The letters for al his lordship, I leue wer neuer imaked
And so it semeth by him, as the bible tellith.
There he sayde. Dirit et facta sunt,
He must worch wyth his worde, and hys wyt shewe
And in this maner was mā made, by might of God almighty
[Page]Wyth his word & his workmāship, and w
t life to last
And thus god gaue him a goste, of y
e godhed of heuē
And of his great grace, graunted him blysse
And y
t is life that aye shall last, to al our linage after
And y
t is the castell y
e kynde made, Caro it hight
And is as much to meane, as man with a soule
And that he wrought with work, & with word both
Through might of the maiesty, man was imaked
In wyt and all wyts, closed bene therin
For loue of the ladie Anima that life is nempned
Ouer all in mans body, she walketh and wandreth
And in the herte is her home, and hir most rest
And Inwit is in the head, and to the herte loketh
What Anima is leef or loth, he leadeth hyr at his wil
For after the grace of god, the greatest is Inwyt
Much wo worth y
e man that misruleth his Inwytte
And y
t bene glotons glob beris, her god is her wombe
Phili. iii.
Quorum deus benter est.
For seruen they Sathan, their soules shal he haue
They liue in sinfull lyfe here, hir soules is like y
e deuil
And all that liuen good life, are like to God almighty
i. Io. iiii.
Qui manet in charitate, in deo manet.
Alas that drink shall for do, that god dere boughte
And doth god forsake him, y
t he shope to his likenes?
Mat. xxv
Amen dico vobis, nescio vos. Et alibi Et dimisi eos secundum desiderata corum.
Fooles that fauten Inwyt, I find that holy church
Wo be to you y
t turn the tithes to priuate vse.
Shuld findē hem that fauten, & fatherles children
And wydowes y
t haue nought, wherw
t to win hē her foode
Hande men and maydens that helples were
All these lacke In wyt, and lore behoueth.
Of thys matter I might, make a long tale
[Page xliii]And finden fell wytnesses, amonge the four doctors
That I lye not on y
t I learne y
e, Luke bereth witnes
Godfathers & godmothers, y
t sene her god children
At misease and at mischiefe, and moune hem amende
Shal haue penaūce in purgatorye, but they hem help
For more belōgeth to y
e litle barne, or he y
e law know
Than nempning of a name, and he neuer the wyser
Should no christen creature, crye at the gate
Ne fayle paine ne potage,
Bestowe your tythes as you are bounde to do.
& prelats did as they shulde
A Iewe wol not see a Iew, go iangling for defaut
For al y
e mouables on this mold, & he amēd it might
Alas y
e a christen creature, shalbe vnkynd to an other
Sythen Iewes that we iudge, Iudas felowes
Eche of hem helpe other of y
t that hem nedeth
Why wil not we christē, of Christs good be as kynd
As Iewes that be our lores men, shame to vs all.
The Cōmune for hir vnkindnes I drede me shal abie
Bishops shalbe blamed, for beggers sake
He is worse then Iudas, that geueth Iapers syluer,
And biddeth the begger go, for his broken clothes.
Proditor est prelatus cum Iuda qui patrimonium Christi minus distribuit. Et alibi, Perniciosus dispensator est qui res pauperum Christi in utiliter consumit.
He doeth not wel y
t doeth so, ne dredith God of might
He loueth not Salomōs sawes that sapience taught
Initium Sapientie timor domini.
Eccle. i.
That dredeth god he doeth wel, y
e dredith him for loue
And not for drede of vēgeaūce, doth therfore y
e bet
He doeth best that w
tdraweth him, by day & by night
To spyl any speche, or any, space of tyme.
Qui offendit in vno,
Iaco. ii.
in omnibus est reus
Lesyng of time, truth wotes the sothe
[Page]Is moste hated apon earth, of hem that be in heauen
And sithen to spyll sheach, that enspired is of grace
And gods gleman, and a game of heauen,
Wold neuer y
e faythful father, his fydle were vntemperd
Ne his gleman a gadlinge, a goer to tauerne,
To all true tidy men, that trauell desyren
Our lord loueth hem & lente (lowd other styll)
Grace to go to hem, and agone her lyfelode
Inquirentes autem dominū, non minuentur omni bono.
Psa. 34. Mariage is praised
True weddid liuing folke, in this world is do well,
For they moote worke and win, & the world susteyne
For of her kind they come, that cōfessoures be nēpned
Kynges and knightes, Caysers and cherles
Maydens and martires, out of one man come
The wyfe was made the way, to helpe to worch
And thus was wedlocke iwrought w
t a meane persō
First by the fathers wyll and the frendes counsell,
And sithē by the assent of hē self, as thei might accorde
And thus was wedlocke iwrought, & god him self it made
In earth & in heuen, him selfe was the wytnes
And false folke faythtles, theues and lyers,
Wastours and wretches, out of wedloke I trowe
Cōceiued ben in yll time, as Cayne was of Eue,
Of such sinfull shrewes, the psalter maketh mynde
Concepit in dolore et peperit iniquitatem,
Psal. vii.
And al that come of that Cayne: come to euell ende
For god sent to Sem, and sayd by an aungell
Learn to chose the a wyfe.
Thine issue in thine issue, I wyl that they be ioyned,
And not thy kind in Caines kind, coupled nor spoused
Yet Sem agayne the soūd, of our sauioure of heauen
Caines kind and his kind, coupled togithers
Til god wrothed for her workes, & such a word sayd
Penitet me, fecisse hominem,
And came to Noe anone,
Gene. v
[...]
and bade him not let
Swythe go shape a shyp, of shydes and of bordes
Thy selfe, & thy sons thre, & sithen your wyues
Buske you to that bote, and byde you therin,
Tyl forty dayes be fulfilled, y
t the floud haue iwashed
Cleane away y
e cursed bloud, that Cayne hath made,
Brastes that nowe ben, shall banne the tyme
That euer that cursed Cayne, came on thys earth
All shall dye for hys dedes, by dales and by downes
And the fowles that flowe forth, wyth other beastes
Except onely, of euerye kynde a couple,
That in thy shingled shyppe, shall be isaued
Here bought the barne, the belsyres gyltes
And all for her forefathers, fareden the worse
The gospell is here agayne, in one degre I finde,
Filiuns non portabit iniquitatem patris,
Eze, xviii
Et pater non portabit iniquitatem filii.
And I fynde if the father, be false and a shrewe
That som deale the sonne, shall haue the syrs tutches
Impe on an elderne, and if thyne apple be swete
Much maruayle me thynketh, and more of a shrewe
That bryngeth forth any barne, but if it be the same
And haue a sauour after y
e syre, seld seest thou other
Nun
(quam) colligitur de spinis vua, nec de tribulis ficus.
Luke. vi.
And thus through cursed Caine, came care apō earth
And al for they wrought, wedlocke ayenst gods wyl
Forthy haue they inaugre of her mariges, y
t mary so her childrē
For some as I see, now soth for to tell
For couetise of cattell, vnkindlich be wedded
And carefull conception, cometh of suche mariages
As befell of the folke, that I before tolde
[Page]For good shold wed good, though they no good had
Ioh. xiiii
I am Via et veritas, sayth Christe, I maye auaūce all
It is an vncomely couple, by Christ as me thinketh
To geue a yonge wenche, to an olde feble
Or wedden any wyddowe for wealth of her goodes
That shall neuer barne heare, but if it be in armes
Many a pair sithē y
e pestilēce, hath plight hē togyther
The frute that they brynge forth, are foule wordes
In ielousye ioyeles,
The frutes of wicked mariage.
and ianglen a bed
Haue thei no childrē but chests, & clapping thē betwē
And though thei do hē to dōmow, but if y
e deuil help
To follow after the fliche, fetche they it neuer
And but they both be forsworne that, bacon thei tyne
Forthy I coūcell al christen, couer not to beweddid
For couetis of cattell, ne of kinred ryche
And maydens and maydens, matche you togythers
Wydowes and wydowes worche the same
For no landes but for loue, loke ye be wedded
And than get ye y
e grace of god, & good inough to liue with
And euery man seculer, that may not conteyne
Wisely goo wed, and ware him from synne
For lecherie in lokyng, is lyme yarde of hell
Whyles thou art yonge, and thy wheapon kene
Wreke the w
t wyueyng, if thou wilt be excused
Dum sis vir fortis, ne des tua robora scortis
Scribitur in portis meretrir est Ianua mortis-
Whan ye haue wyued, be ware and werch in tyme
The maryed couple muste kepe themselues cleane.
Not as Adam & Eue, whan Cayne was Ingendred
For in one time truly betwene, man and woman
Ne shuld no bourd on bed be, but if they both were cleane
Both of lyfe & of soule, and in perfit charytie
That ylke derne dede, do no man ne shoulde
[Page xlv]And if they lead thus their life, it liketh god almighty
For he made wedlocke fyrste, and hym selfe saide
Bonum est vt vnusquisque vrorem suam habeat propter fornicationem.
i. Cori. vii
And they y
e other gates bē getē,
Bastards.
for gedlings ben hold
As falce folke, fūdlinges, faytours and liers
Vngratious to get good, or loue of the people
Wandren and walien, what they catche maye
A gayne dowel they do euyl, & the deuyll serue,
And after their deathes daye, shall dwel w
t the same
But god gyue hem grace here, hem selues to amende.
Do well my frende is to done, as lawes teachen
To loue thy frende and thy foe, leue me y
e is do bet.
To geue vnto menne both, yonge and olde
To healen and to helpen, is do best of all,
And do well is to dreade god, and do bette to suffer
And so cometh do best of both, & bringeth adowne the modie
And y
e is wycked will, y
e many work shendeth
And dryueth awaye dowell, through deadly sinnes.
Passus decimus de visione, Et secundus de dowell.
THā had Wit a wyfe, was hote dame study,
Wyttes wyfe
That leue was of lere, and of liche boeth
She was wōderli wroght wit me so teched
And al staryng dame study farnely sayde
Wel art y
u wyse ꝙ she to wyt, any wysdomes to tell
To Flatterers or to foles, that frentyke be of wyttes
And blamed him and banned him, & bade him be styl
Wyth suche wyse wordes, to wyshe any sottes
And sayde, Noli mittere mā Margaryre Pearles,
Amonge hogges, that haue hawes at wyll.
They do but driuel theron, drate were him leuer,
Thā al precious Pearles that in Paradice waxeth.
[Page]I saye it by such quoth she, y
e shew it by her works
That hem were leuer land,
By theit workes know thē
and lordshyp on earth
Or rychs or rentes, and rest at her wyll
Than al the soth sawes, that Solomon sayde euer
Wysedome and wytte, nowe is not worth a kerse
But if it be carded w
e couetis, as clothers kembe her woule
Who so cā cōtryue deceites, & cōspyre wrōgs
And lead forth a loue daye, to let wyth truth
He that such craftes can, is oft cleped to counsel
They lead Lords wyth leasing es, and belieth truth
Iob the gentle in his gestes, greatly wytnesseth
That wycked mē weldē, y
e wealth of this world
And y
e they be lordes of ech lond, y
e out of law lyueth
Psal. xxii
Quare impevruunt, be ne est omnibus qui preuaricantur et inique agunt.
The Psalter sayeth the same, by such as done euyl.
Ecce ipsi peccatores habūdātes in seculo obtinuerūt diuitias
Psal. xi
Lo sayth holy lecture, which lordes be these shrewes
Thilke that god geueth most, lest good they dealeth
And most vnkind be to y
e cōmē, y
t most catel weldeth.
Psal. xi
Que perfecisti destrurerunt, iustus au tem. &c.
Harlots for her harlotrye, maye haue of her goodes
And iapers and iudgelers, and iangelers of iestes
And he that hath holy wryte, aye in his mouth
And can tell of Tobie, and of the twelue Apostles
Or preachē of y
e penaūce,
Only diuinitie hath no reward
y
e Pilate falsely wrought
To Iesu the gentle, that Iewes to drawe:
Lyttle is he loued, that suche a lesson sheweth
Or daunten or drawe forth, I do it on god him selfe
But tho that faine hem foles, and with faiting lyueth
Agayne the lawe of our lorde, and lien on hem selfe
Spitten and spuen, and speake foule wordes
Drynken and driuelen, and do men for to gape
[Page xlvi]Lyken men, & lye on hem, y
t leueth hem no gyftes
They can no more minstrelsy, ne musyke men to glad
Than Mundie the milner, of Multa fecit deus
Ne were hir vyle harlotry, haue god my trouth
Shoulde neuer kynge ne knight, ne canon of Poules
Gyue hem to her new yeres gyfte, gyfte of a grote,
And myrth & minstrelsy,
All men loue bandrye,
amongest men is nought
Lechery, losenchery, and losols tales,
Glotony and great othes, this mirthe they loueth,
And if thei carpē of Christ, these clerkes & these lewd.
And they meet in her mirth, whan minstrels ben styll
Than telleth they of the trinitie, a tale or twaine
And bringeth forth a blade reason, & takē Bernard to witnes
And put forth a presūption, to preue y
t soth
Thus they dreuell at her dayse, the dretie to scorne
And gnawen god w
t hyr gorge, whan her guts fallen
And the carfull may crye, and carpen at the gate
Both a fyngerd and a furste, and for chel quake
Is none to nymen hem nere, his noye to amend
But hunten hym as a hounde, & hoten hym go hence,
Litle loueth he that Lorde, that lent hym all y
e blysse,
That thus parteth, w
e the pore, apercel whā him nedeth
Ne were mercy in mean men, more than in rich
Mendynauntes meatles, myght go to bedde.
God is much in the gorge, of these greate maisters,
And amonges meane men, his mercy & hys worckes
And so sayeth the psalter,
Psal. 3
[...].
I haue sene it oft
Ecce audiuimus eum in effrata, inueniemus cum in campis silue.
Clarkes and other kinnes men, carpen of god fast
And haue him much in y
e mouth, & meane men in hert
Friers and saytors, haue fouden such questions
To plese wyth the proud men, sith the pestilēce time
[Page]And preachen at. S. Paules, for pure enui fo clarks
That folke is not firmed in the faythe, ne free of her gooddes
Ne sory for her synnes, so is pryde waxen,
In relygion, & in al the teame, amōgest rich & pore
That prayers haue no powre, the pestilence to lette
And yet y
e wretches of this worlde, are none ware by other
Ne for dreade of y
e death, w
tdraw not her prid
Ne ben plentuous to the pore, as pure charitie wold
But in gaines & i glotony, forglotē her goodes hē selfe
And breketh not to the begger, as the boke teacheth.
Frange esurienti panem tuum.
Esai. lviii
&c.
And y
e more he wynneth, & wexeth welthy in ryches
And lordeth in landes, the lesse good he dealeth
To bie telleth you not so, take hede ye ryche
Howe the byble boke, of hym beareth wytnes
Si tibi sit copia habundanter tribue
Si autē eriguum,
Tobi. iiii
illud impertiri stude libēter
Who so hath much spend māly, so meaneth Tobie
And who so lytle weldeth, rule hym thereafter,
For we haue no letter of our lyfe, how long it shal endure
Suche lessons lordes, shoulde loue to heare
And how he myght most meyny, manlych fynde
Not to fare as a fideler, or a frier to seke feastes
Homely at other mens houses, and haten her owne.
Elenge is the hal, euery day in the weke
There the Lorde ne the lady, lyketh not to sytte
Nowe hath eche ryche a rule, to eaten by hem felfe
In a priui parler, for poore mens sake
Or in chambre wyth a chymney, and leaue the chiefe hal
That was made for meales, men to feate in
And all to spare to spende, that spyll shall an other
I haue heard heigh men, eatynge at the table
[Page xlvii]Carpē as they clarkes were, of Christ & of his might
And leidē saut vpon the father, that formed vs al
And carpen againe clarkes, crad bed wordes
Why would our sauiour suffer, such a worme in his blisse
That begiled the woman, & the man after
Through wich wiles & wordes, they went to Hel
And al her sede for her synne, the same death suffered
Here lieth your lore, these lordes beginneth to dispute
Of y
e ye clackes vs kenneth, of Christ by the gospel.
Filias non port abit iniquitatem patris.
Eze. xviii
Why should we that now be, for the works of Adā
Roten and torente, reasone would it neuer
Vuusquispue portabit onus suum
Such motiues thei moue,
Galat. bi
these masters in her glory
And make men to misbeleue, that musē on her words
Imaginatiue here afterward, shall answere to your purpose
Austen to such arguers, telleth this teme.
Nou plus sapere, quam oporter
Wylneth neuer to wytte,
Rom. xii.
whye that God woulde
Suffer Sathan, hys sede to begyle,
And beleue lelly, in the loore of holy kyrke
And praye hym of pardon, and penaunce in thy lyfe
And for hys muche mercy, to amende you here
For who y
e wylneth to wyt. y
e waies of god almight
I would hys eye were in his ars, & his finger after
That euer wylneth to wytte, why that god would
Suffer Sathan, hys sede to begyle
Or Iudas to the Iewes, Iesu betraye
Al was as thou woudest lord, worshyp be thou
And al worth as thou wold, what so we dispate
And tho y
e vse these hanylowes, to bliddē mēs witte
What is do wel fro dobet, nowe defe mote he worthe
[Page]Sith he wylneth to wit, which they be both
But it he lyue in the life, that longeth to dowel
For I dare be his bold borow, y
t dobet wil he neuer
Though do best draw on hym, day after other
And whā y
u wytte was ware, what dame studie told
He became so confuse, he cūneth not loke
And as dome as death, and drew him arere
And for no carping I cold after, ne kneling to therth
I myght get no grayne, of his great wyttis
But al laughynge he louted, and loked apon study
In sygne that I shulde,
The maner of thē y
e be in office.
besechen hyr of grace
And whē I was ware of his wil, to his wife I loutid
And sayde mercie madame, your mā shal I worth
As longe as I liue, both late and rathe
For to worchen your wil, the whyle mi life endureth
With y
e that ye ken me kindly, to know what is dowel
For thi mekenes mā ꝙ she, & for thi milde spech
I shal ken the to my cosen, that clergye is hoten
He hath weddyd a wyfe, w
tin these syx moneths
Is syb to the seued artes, Scripture is hyr name
They two as I hope, after my teachinge
Shal wishen the dowel, I dare vnder take
Than wes I as fayne, as foule of fayr morow
And glader then the gleman, that golde hath to gyfte
And asked hir the high way, where that clergi, dwelt
And tel me some token ꝙ I, for tyme is that I wend
Aske the hygh waye quod she, hence to suffre
Both wel and wee, if that thou wyllt learne
And ryde forthe by riches, and rest thou not therin
For if y
u couplest y
e therwith to clergie cōmest y
u neuer
And also the lycores lande that lechery hight
Leaue it on thy left half, a large mile and more,
Frō leasinges & lyther speach, & licorus drinckes
Thā shalt thou se so brietie, and simplicitie of speache
That ech wight be in his wyll, hys wytte to shewe
And thus shalt y
u come to cleargye, y
t cā mani thinges
Saye hym thys signe, I sette him to schole
And that I grete wel his wife,
Studye teacheth, al things
for I wrot her many bokes
And set her to Sapience, & to the psalter glose
Logike I learned her, and manye other lawes
And all the vnisons in musicke, I made her to knowe
Plato the poete, I put him firste to boke
Aristotle and other moe, to argue I taught
Grammer for gyrles, I garde first to wryte
And beat hem w
t a bales, but if they would learne
Of all kinnes craftes, I contriued tooles
Of carpenters of caruers, and compassed Masons
And lerned hem leuel and line, though I loke dimme
And Theologie hath tened me, seuen score times
The more I muse therin, the mistier it semeth
And the deper I deuyne, the darker me it thynketh
A full lethye thynge it were, if that loue nere
And for it leet beste by loue, I loue it the better
For there as loue is Leader, ne lacketh neuer grace
Loke thou loue lellie, if the liketh Dowell
For Dobet and Dobest, bene of loues kynne
In other science it sayth, I sawe it in Caton
Qui similat verbis,
Cato.
nec corde est fidus amicus
tu quoque fac simile, sic ars deluditur arte.
Who so gloseth as Gylours done, go me to y
e same
And so shalt thou false folcke, and faiethles begyle
Thys is Catons kenning, to clerckes that he lernethe
And Theologye teacheth not so, who so taketh hede
[Page]He kenneth the contrary, agayne Catones wordes
For he biddeth vs be as brethrē, & bid for our enmies
And loue hē y
t lye on vs, & lēde hem whan they nede
And do good agayne euyl god him selfe hoteth
Galat. vi
[...]um tempus habemur operemus bonum ad omnes,
O arime autem ad domesticos fidoi.
Pauie preached the people, that perfitenes loued
To do good for gods loue, and gyue men that asken
And namely to such, that sueth out beleue
And aly vs lacke or lye, our Lord techeth vs to loue
And not to greue hē y
e greue vs, god him self forbade it
Mihi vindictam, et ego distribuam.
Therefore loke thou loue, as long as thu durest
For is no sciēce vnder y
e sūne, so souerain for thy soule
And astronomi is a harde thinge and euil for to know
Geometrie and geomansye, so gylfull of speache
The vaniti of sciēce
Who so thinkith worch w
t tho two, thriueth but late
For Sorcerie is y
e souerainst boke, y
t to sciēce belōgith
Ye ar ther febichers in forcers, of fel mens makyng
Experimentes of alkinamie, the people to deceiuen
Yf thou thynke to do wel, dele therwyth neuer
Al these sciences I me selfe, soteled & ordeined
And founded him formest, folke to disceyue
Tel Clargy these tokens, and scripture after
To councel the kyndlye, to knowen what is dowel.
I sayde graund mercy madame, & mekely her grate
And went wightlie awaye, w
toute more letinge
And til I came to clergie I coulde neuer stinte
And grate well the good man as study me taught
And afterwarde the wyfe, and worshypped hē both
And tolde hem the tekeres, that me taught were
Was neuer g
[...]m on this groūd sith god mad y
e world
Than my selfe sothly, sone so he wyste
That I was of wittes house, and w
t his wife dame Studye
I sayd to hē sothly, y
e sent was I thither
Do well and Dobet, and Dobest to learne
It is cōmen life ꝙ Cleargy, on holy church to beleue
With all y
e articles of y
e faith, y
t falleth to be knowen
And that is to beleue lelly, both learned and leude
On the greate God, that gynnynge had neuer
And on the sothfast Sonne, that saued mankinde
From the deadly death and from the deuyls power
Through y
e helpe of y
e holy goste, y
t which gost is of both
Thre persons, and not in plurell numbre
For all is but one god, and ech is god hym selfe
Deus pater, Deus filius, Deus spiritus sanetus
God the father god y
e sonne, god the holy gost of both
Maker of mankynde, and of beastes bothe
Austen the olde, hereof made bokes
And him selfe ordeined, to saue vs in beleue.
Who was his auctour all the foure euangelistes
And Christ cleped him selfe so, y
e Euāgelists beareth witnes
Al y
e clarks vnder Christ, ne could this assoile
But this belōgith to beleue, to lewed y
e wold dowell
For had neuer froke fiue wits, the faith to dyspute
Ne man had no merite, myght it be preued.
Fides non habet meritum, vbi humana ratio prebet experimentum.
Than is do bet to suffer, for thy soules sake
All that the holy boke byt, by holye kirkes teachinge
And that is man by thy might, for mercies sake
Loke thou worke it in work, that thy word sheweth
Such as thou semest in sight, be in assaye found,
Appare quoe es, vel esto quod appares.
And let no bodye be, by thy bearinge beglied
But be suche in thy soule, as thou semest with out
Than is dobest to be bolde, to blame the gylty
Sithen thou seest thy selfe, as in soule cleane
And blame thou neuer body, and y
t be blame worthy
Si culpare velis, culpabilis esse cauebis
Dogma tuum sordet, cum te tua culpa remordet.
God in the gospell, greuouslye repreueth
Al that lacken any life, and lackes haue hem selfe
Luke. vi.
Quid consider as festucam inoculo fratris tui, trabem in orulo tuo. &c.
Whi meuest y
t thi mode, for a more in thi brothers eie
Sithen a beame in thin owne, blindeth thy selfe
Elice primo trabem in oculo tuo.
Whych letteth the to loke, lesse or more
I reade ech a blinde bussarde, do boote to him selfe
For Abbots & for priers, and for all maner prelates
As persons & parish priests, y
e preach should & teach
All maner men, to amend, by hir might
Thys text was tolde you, to beware ere ye taught
That ye were such as ye sayde, to salue with other
For gods word wold not be lost, for y
t worcheth euer
If it auailed not y
e cōmen, it might auaile your selfe
And it semeth now sothly, to the worlds sight
That gods word worketh not, on lerned ne on lewd
But in such maner, as Mathew meneth in the gospel
Dum cecus ducit cecum, ambo in foueam cadunt.
Math xv. Agaynst lewed oriestes
Lewed men may liken you thus, y
t the beame lieth in your eye
And the festue is fallen, for your defaut
In all maner of men, through mauzed priestes
The bible beareth witnes, that al the folke of Israell
Vytterly bought the giltes, of two had priestes
Arch adei myshapped, and Eli brake hys necke
For thi ye correctors claw here, & correct first your self
And thē mai ye safely sai, as Dauid y
u made y
e psalter.
Existimasti inique quod cro tui similis, arguam te,
Psalm. l.
et statuam contra faciem tuam.
Thē shal burel clarks be bashed, you to blāe or greue
And carpen not as they carpe nowe, & cal you domme
Canes muti non valentes satrare.
Esaie. l
[...]
And to lacke you w
t a word, your workmāshyp to let boundes
But be prester at your praier, thē for a poūd of no bils
And all for your holines, haue you this in hert
In schole there is skorke, but if a clarke wyll learne
And great loue & liking, for ech of hem loueth other
And nowe is religion a rider, a romer by streate
A leader of loue dayes,
Reade thys
and a loude begger
A pricker on a palfrey, from Maner to Maner
An heape of houndes at his arse, as he a lorde were
And but if hys knaue knele, that shall his cope bryng
He loured on him & asked, who taught him curtesye
Litle had lords to done, to giue landes from her heirs
To religious y
t haue no ruth, if it raine on her altares
In many places ther they persōs be, bi hē self at ease
Of the pore haue they no pity, and that is her charitie
And they letten hem as lordes, her landes lye so brod
And there shall come a king,
The suppressiō of Abbayes.
and cōfesse you religious
And beate you as the bible telleth, for brekīg of your rule
And amende moniales, monkes, and chanons
And put hem to her penaunce, Ad pristinum statum ite
And barons w
t erles, beat hem through, Beatus virs teching
That her barnes claimē, & blame you foule
Hii in curribus, et hii in equis ipsi obligati sunt. &c.
Psal. xxii
And than friers in hee fecytor, shall fynd a key
Of Constantynes cofers, in which is the catel
That Gregories god chyldren, had Ill dispended
The Abbot of Abington
And thā shal y
e Abot of Abingtō, & al his issue for euer
Haue a knocke of a kynge, and incurable the wound
That this worth soth seke ye, that oft ouer se y
e bible
Esa. xiiii.
Quomodo cessauit eractor quieuit tributum cōtriuit dominꝰ baculū timpi orū virgā dominātiū, cedētiū plaga insanabili
And ere that kinge come, Cayne shall awake
And Dowel shal ding hem down, & distroi his might
Thē is Dowel & dobet ꝙ I, dominus & kinghthod
High degre helpeth nothinge to heauenwarde.
I wyll not skorne quod scripture, but if seriuiners lie
Kynghode ne knyghthode, by ought I cā a waite
Helpeth not to heauen warde, one heres ende
Ne ryches ryght naught ne ryaltie of lordes
Paule preuith it impossible, rich men to haue heauen
Solomon sayth also, that siluer is worst to loue.
Nihil iniquitus quam amare pecuniam.
And Catō kēneth vs to couetē it naught, but as nede teacheth
Dilige deuarium sed parce dilige formam
And patriarkes and prophets, and poets bothe
Wryten to wyshe vs, to wyll no ryches
And praise pouerti w
t paciēre, thapostils bear witnes
That they haue heritage in heuen, and by true right
Ther rich mē no right may claim, but of ruth & grate
Contra quod I, by Christ that can I repreue
And preuen it by Peter, and by Paul bothe
That ben baptised be saued, be he ryche or pore.
That is in extremis quod Scripture, amōg saracēs & Iewes
They mow be sauyd so, & y
t is our beleue
That an vnchrysten in that case, may christē an heathē
And for his lely beleue, whan he the lyfe tyneth
[Page li]Haue the heritage of heauen, as any man christen
And christen men w
toute more, mai not come to hauen
For y
e Christ for christen mē died, & cōfirmed the lawe,
That who so would and willeth, with Christ to arilse
Si cum Christo surreristis: &c.
He shoulde loue and leue,
Col iii.
and the lawe fulfyll
That is loue thy lorde god, leuest aboue al thyng,
And after all christē creatures, in cōmē ech mā other.
And thus him lōgeth to loue, that leueth to be saued
And but we do thus in dede, ere the day of dome,
It shall besitten vs full sore, the syluer that we kepe
And our bocks y
e moteatē bē, & se beggers go naked
Or delite vs in wine & wild foule, & wot ani in defaute
For euery christen creature, shoulde be kinde to other,
And sithen heathen to helpe, in hope of amendment
God hoteth boeth hyght & lowe, y
t no man hurte other
And sayth slea not y
e sēblable is, to mine owne likenes
But if I send the some token and saye, Non necaberis
I slea not but suffer, and all for the beste
For I shall punyshe hem in purgatorye, or in y
e pyt of hel
Euerye man for his misdedes, but if mercy it let,
Thys is alonge lesson ꝙ I, and litle I the wyser
Where do well is or dobet, darkely ye shewen,
Many tales ye tell, that Theology lerneth,
And that I man made was, and my name entred
In the legend of lyfe, longe ere I were,
Or els wrytten for some wyckednes, as holye wryte manaceth
Nemo ascēdit ad celū, nisi qui de celo descēdit,
Ioh. iii
I leue it wel bi our lord quod I, and no letter better
For Solomon the sage, that Sapience taught
God gaue hym grace of wyt, and al his goods after
He demed wel and wysely as, holy wrytte telleth.
[Page]Aristotle and he, who wyshed men better?
Masters that of gods mercy, teachen mē & preachen
Of her words they wish vs, for wissest as in her time
And al holy kyrke, holdeth hem both dampned
And if I shold worke, bi her works, to wyn me heuen
That for her workes and wyt, wonneth in payne
Than wrought I vnwysely, what so euer ye preach
And of felle wytty in fayth, lytle farly I haue
Though her gost be vngracious, god for to please
For many men on this molde, more setten her hertes,
In good thā in god, therfore hem grace fayleth
At hyr moste mischiefe, whan they shall lyfe lette,
As Solemō did & such other, y
e shewed greate wyts
And her workes as holi wryte saith, were euer y
e cōtrarye
Therfore wyse witted mē, & wel lettred clarkes
As they say hem selues, selde done therafter.
Supra cathedram Moysi.
Math. 23.
&c.
And I wene it worthes of manye, as was in Noes tyme
Thei that made Noe a shippe were vnsaued
Tho he shoope that ship, of shides & of bordes
No wight y
e wroght theron was salfe, ne ani workmā els
But birdes and beasses, and the blessed Noe,
And hys wyfe wyth his sonnes, & also her wyues,
Of wights that it wrought, was none of hem saued
God leue it fare not so by folke, that y
e fayth teacheth,
Of holy kirke y
e hat borowe is, & gods house to saue
And shilden vs from shame therin, as Noes ship did beasts
And mē y
t made it, amyd y
t stood he drowned
The Culor of thys clause, curate is to meane,
That ben carpēters, holy kirke to make, for Christes owne beasts
Psalm. 36
Homines et iumenta saluabis domine
On good Fryday I finde, a felon was saued,
[Page lii]That had liued all hys life, w
t leasinge & with thefte,
And for he beknew on y
e crosse, & to Christ shroue him
He was souer saued,
The the
[...] was saued before any of the prophets
than saint Iohn the Baptiste
And or Adam or Isai, or any of the prophetis.
That had lyen wyth Lucifer, many longe yeres,
A robber was raunsomed, rather than they all,
Withoutē any penaunce of purgatory, to perpetual blisse
Thā Mari Magdelē, what womā did worse?
Or who worse thā Dauid, y
t Vrias death conspired
Or Paul the Apostle, that no pity had,
Muche christen kynde, to put to death
And now be these as souereins, & sayntes in heauen
Tho y
e wrought wickedlest, in worlde tho they were
And tho that wisely wordē, and written many bokes
Of wit & of wysedome, w
t dampted soules wōneth,
That Solomō saith I trow be soth,
Eccles. ix
& certē of vs al
Sunt iusti atque sapientes, et opera eorum in manu dei sunt
There are witty & wellearned, & her workes ben hid
In the handes of almighty god, and he wot y
e sothe
Wherfore a mā worth alowed ther, & his lelie works
Or else for his yll wil, and for enuy of herte,
And be alowed as he liued, for by yl, mē know god
For how wist mē what is white, if al thig blak were
And who wer a goodmā, but if ther wer some shrew
Therfore lyue we forth, w
t other mē, I leue few ben good
For Qant oportet vient emplace, il nyad que pati.
And he that may all amend, haue mercy on vs all
For y
u sothist word y
t euer god said, was Nemo bonus
Cleargye tho of christes mouthe, cōmēded was litle,
For he sayd to saint Peter, and to such as he loued.
Cum steteritis ante reges et precides. &c.
Mat. vi
Though ye come before kinges, & clarke, of y
e lawe,
[Page]Be not abashed, for I shall be in your mouthes
And giue you wit & wil, and cūning to conclude
Hem al that agaynst you, of christendome disputen
Dauid maketh mention, he spake amongest kinges
And might no king ouercome him, as bicūning spech
But wyt and wisedome, wan neuer the maistrye
Whan man was at mischiefe, w
tout the more grace
The douties doctour, and diumour of diuinitie
Was Austen the old, and heighest of the foure
Sayd thus in a sermon, I se it written once.
Ecce ipsi idiote rapiunt celum, vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur.
And is to meane to Englishe men, to more and to lesse
Are none rather rauished, from the right beleue
Than are these cūning clarkes, that can many bokes
Ne none souer saued, ne sadder of beleue
Than plowmen and pastors, & pore cōmen laborers
Sowters and shepeherds, & such lewed Iuties
Percen wyth a Pater noster, the palaice of heauen
And passē Purgatori penaūceles, at her hēce parting
Into the blisse of Paradice, for her pure beleue
That vnperfitelye here knew, and eke liued
Yea men knowe clarkes, that cursed the tyme
That euer they could or knew more thē Credo in deum
And prīcipalli her Pater noster. mani a persō hath wyshed
I se exāples my selfe, & so maye many other
That seruaūtes y
e seruen lordes, seldō fal in artrages
But tho that kepe the lordes catell, clarkes & reues,
Ryght so lewde men, and of lytle knowynge,
Selde fall they so foule, and so ferre in synne,
As clarkes of holy church, y
e kepe Christes treasure,
The which is mās soule to saue, as god saith in y
e go spell
Math. xx
Ite vos in vineam meam.
Passus vndecimus de visione.
THan Scripture scorned me, & askile loked
And lacked me in latine, & light by me she set
And sayd, Multi multa sciunt, et seipsos nesciūt,
Tho wept I for wo, & wrath of hir speache.
And in a wynkinge wrath, wexed I aslepe.
And marueylous metals, mette me than
That I was rauished right there, & fortune me set
And into the land of Longing, alone she me brought
In a mirrour hight Midle earth, she made me to loke
Sithē she said to me, here mightest thou se wonders
And know that y
u couetist, & come therto peraduēture
Than had Fortune folowing her, two fair damosels
Concupiscentia carnis,
The d
[...] sels of
[...] Fortun
[...]
men called the elder mayde
And Couetis of eyes, called was the tother
Pryde of perfite liuynge, pursued hem both
And bade me for my coūtenaūce, accoūt cleargy light
Concupiscentia carnis, colled me about the necke
And said thou art yong & yemp, & haste yeares inowe
For to liue longe, and Ladyes to loue
And in this myrrour y
u might se, mirthes ful many
That leaden the wily wise, to liking al thy life time
The seconde sayde the same, I shal sue thy wyll
Tyll thou be a lorde and haue land, let the I nell
That I ne shal folow thi felowship, if Fortune it like
He shall finde me hys frende, quod Fortune therafter
The freke that foloweth my wil, failed neuer blysse.
Thā was ther one y
t hight Eld, y
t heauy was of chere
Man quod he if I mete with the, by Mary of heauen
Thou shalt finde Fortune the fayle,
Age.
at thy most nede
And Concupiscentia carnis cleane theforsake
Bitterly shalt thou banne hem, both day and nyght
[Page]Couetise of eye, that euer thou hyr knewe
And prid of perfite liuing, to much perell the brynge
The coū sel of Reebles
Yea rech y
e not ꝙ rechles, & stode forth in raged cloths
Folow forth y
e Fortune wol, thou hast wel far til Eld
A mā may stoupe time inough, whā Eld shal tine thy crowne
Homo proponit
(quam) a poete, & Plato he hight
And Deus disponit, quoth he, let god do his wyll
If Truth do witnes it is wel done, fortune to folow
Concupiscentia carnis, ne Couetis of eyes
Ne shall greue the greatly, ne but y
u wilt begyle the.
Yea fare wel Phip
(quam) Fanteltie, & forth gan me draw
Till Concupiscentia carnis, accorded all my workes
Alas Eighe quod Elde, and holines both
That wyt shall turne to wrechednes, for will to haue his liking
Couetise of eyes, cōforted me anone after
And folowed me forty winter, or fifty and more
That of dowell ne do bet, no deinty me thought
I had no liking ne no luste, of hē ought to know
Couetise of eies, came after in my mind
Than dowell or dobet, amonge my deades all
Couetise of eyes, conforted me oft
And sayd haue no conscience, how thou come to good
Go confesse the to some Frier, & shew hym thy sinnes
For while Fortune is thy frend Friers wil the loue
And fetche the to their fraternitie, and for the beseche
To her Prior prouincial, a pardon to haue
And pray for the pole by pole, if thou be pecuniosus.
Sed pena pecuniaria non sufficit, pro spiritualibus delictis
By wishing of this wēch I wrought, hir words wer so swete
Til I forgate youth, & yarne into Elde
And than was Fortune my foe, for al her faire behest
[Page liii]And pouertie pursued me, and and put me lowe
And tho found I the Frier aferde, and flytting bothe
Agaynste our fyrste forwarde, for I sayde I nolde
Be buried at her house, but at my paryshe church
For I heard once, how conscience it tolde
That kind wold mē be buried, ther thei were christēid
Or where y
t he wer parishē, y
t ther he shold be grauen
And for I sayd thus to Friers, a fole they me helden
And loued me the lesse, for my lely speache
And yet I cried on my confessour, y
t helde him self cūnig
By mi fayth,
Friers did not seke y
t bodi but the monie,
frier ꝙ I ye farē like these wowers
That wed none wedows, but for to weld her goods
Ryght so by the rode, rought you neuer
Where my body were buried, by so ye had my siluer
I haue much maruaile of you, & so hath many other
Why your couent coueteth, to confesse and burye
Rather then to baptise barnes, that be catechislinges
Baptisynge and buriynge, both be neadfull
And much more meritorie me thīketh, it is to baptise
For a baptised man may, as these maisters telleth
Through cōtritiō come to y
e high heuē, sola cōtricione
And barne without baptisme, may not be saued
Nisi quis renatus fuer it, loke ye lettred mē,
Iohn. iii.
wher I lye or do not
And leauti loked on me, & I loured after
Wherfore lourest y
u ꝙ leauty, & loked on me hard
If I durste ꝙ I amongeste mē, these metels auowe
Yes bi Peter & bi Poule ꝙ he, & toke hē both to wytnes
Non oderis fratres in corde tuo secrete.
Leuit. xii
sed publice argue illos.
They will aledge also quod I, & by the gospel preuē
Nolite iudicare quemquam.
Rom. ii.
And wherof seruith law ꝙ Leautie, if no life vndertoke it
[Page]Falsenes ne flatterye, for some what thapostle sayd.
Non odoris fratrē, & in the psalter also, saith Dauid the prophet.
Psal. 115.
Eristimasti inique, quod ero tui similis.
It is lefull for lewde men, to say the sothe
If hem liketh and luste, ech a lawe it graūteth
Except persons and priestes, & prelates of holy kirke
It falleth not for that folke, no tales to tell
Thoughe the tale were true, and it touched synne
Thing y
t al y
e worlde wot, wherfore shouldest y
u spare
And reden it in Rethorike, to arate deadly sinne
And be neuermore first, the defaute to blame
Though y
u se I
[...], say it not first, be sory it nere amēdid
No thyng that is pryuie, publishe thou it neuer
Neyther for loue laude it not, ne lacke it for enuy
Parum lauda vitupera percius
He sayeth soth ꝙ scripture tho, & skipte vp & preached
And y
e matter y
t she meaned, if lewde mē it knewe
The lesse as I leue, louen it they would.
This was her theme, & hir text, I toke ful good hede
Math. xx and .xxii
Multi to a mangery, and to the meate were sūpted
Whā y
e people were plener come, y
e orpter vnpend the gate
And plucked in Pauci, priuily, & let y
e rēnaūt go
And for tene of her text, trembled my herte
And in a were gan I wexe, & wyth my selfe to dispute
Whether I were chose or not, on holy kirke I thoght
That vnderfonged me at y
e fōt, for one of gods chosē
For Christe cleped vs al, come if we woulde
Saracyns & Scismatikes, and so he did the Iewes
Esai. lv.
O bos omnes sitientes venite. &c.
And badde hem sonke for sinne, safely at hys breast
And dryncke bote for bale, brooke it who so myght
Thā may all christē come quod I, & claime her enter
[Page lv]By y
e bloude y
t he bought vs w
t, & through baptisme after
Qui crediderit,
Mat xvi.
et baptisatus fuerit
For though a christen mā coueted, his christēdome to rente
Ryghtfullye to reney, no reason it woulde,
For may no cherle charter make, ne hys catell sell
Wythout leaue of his Lord, no lawe wyll it graunt
And he may runne in arerages, and runne so frō home
And as a reneyed kayeyfe, recheles runnen aboute
And reason shall rekē wyth him, & cast him in arerage
And put him after in a prison, in purgatory to brenne
For his arerages rewardē hym there, tyll domes day
But if contrition wyll come, and crye by hys lyue
Mercy for his mysdeades, with mouth or wyth hert
That is so the sayde scrypture, maye no synne lette
Mercy all amende, and mekenes hyr felowe
For thei bē as our bokes telleth, aboue gods werks
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius.
Psal. 4.
Yea bawe for bookes ꝙ one, was brokē out of hel,
I Troianus a true knight, toke wytnes at a pope
Howe I was dead, & dampned to dwell in paine
For an vnchristen creature, clerkes witten y
e sothe
That al y
e clargi vnder Christ, ne might me cratch frō hel
But only loue & leauty, & my lawful domes
Gregory wyst wel that, and wylned to my soule
Saluation for sothnes, that he se in my workes
And after that he wepte, & wylned me were graūted
Grace w
tout any bedebydding, his bone was vnderfogē
And I saued as ye se, w
tout synging of masses
By loue and by leadynge, of my lyuyng in trueth
Brought me frō bitter paine, ther no bidding might
Lo ye lords what leuty did, bi an emperour of Rome
That was an vnchristen creature, as clarkes finde in
[Page]
Gregorie
Not throught praier of a pope, but for his pure truth
Was y
e sarazin saued, as. s. Gregory beareth witnes
Wel oughtē lords y
e laws kepe, y
t lessō hold in mynde
And on Troianus truth to think, & do truth to y
e puple
Lawe w
tout loue quod Troianus, ley there a beane
Or any science vnder the sunne, the seuen artes and al
But they be learned for our lords loue, lost is thi time
For no cause to catch syluer by, or be called a master
But all for loue of our lord, & the bet to loue y
e people
For saynt Iohn sayd it, and soth are hys wordes.
i. Ioh. iii
Qui non diligit, manet in morte.
Who so euer loueth me not, liueth in death diyng
And that all maner of men, enemies and frendes
Loue eyther other, and lene hem as hem selfe
Who so leneth not he leueth not, god wot the sothe
And cūmaūdeth ech creature, to cōforme him to loue
And souerainely the pore people, & her enemies after
For hem that haten vs, is our merite to loue
And pore people to please, her praiers may vs helpe
Christe was pore
And our ioye, and our health, Iesu Christe of heauen
In a pore mans apparayle, pursued vs after
And loked on vs in hyr likenes, & that w
t louely chere
To know vs by our kynd hert, & casting of oure eien
Whether we loue y
e lords here, before the lord of blisse
And exciteth vs by y
e euāgelie, y
t whā we make feasts
We should not clepen our kinne therto, ne no kynnes ryche
Luk. xiiii
Cum facitis cōuiuia, nolite inuitare amicos.
And call the careful thereto, the croked & the pore.
For your frendes wil feden you, & found you to quite
Your festīg & your fayr gift, ech frēd quiteth so other
And for the pore I shal pay, & wel quite her trauayle
That geue hē meat or monie, and loue hē for mi sake
[Page lv]For the best ben some rych, & some beggers & pore
For we al are Christes creatures, & of his cofers rich
And brethrē as of one bloud, as wel begers as Erles
For on Calueri of christis blud, christēdome gā sprīg
And bloudy brethrē we became thee, of one bodi woo
As Quasi modo geniti, and gentlimen eche one
No begger nor no boy among vs,
Ioh. viii.
but if sinne it make
Qui facit peccatum, seruus est peccati,
In the olde lawe, as holy letter telleth
Mennes sonnes, menne called vs ech one
Of Adames issue and Eue, aye till god man dyed
And after his resurreccion, redemptor was his name
And we his brethrē by him bought, both rich & pore
Forthy loue we as leue brethrē, & ech man lene other
And of y
e ech man may forbare, amēd ther it nedeth
And euerye man helpe other, for hence shal we al
Alter alterius onera portate.
Galat, v
[...]
And be we not vnkind of our catel, ne of our cunning
For wot no mā how nie it is, to be binome frō both
Therfore lacke no others life, though he more latine know
Ne vndernime not fowle, for is nō w
tout faut
For what euer clarkes carpe, of christendome or els
Christ to a cōmen woman said, in cōmune at the feast
That Fides sua should saue hir, & saluē hir of al sinnes
Then is beleue a lelly helpe, aboue logyke or lawe
Of logyke or lawe in Legend a sanctorum,
Is litle alowaunce made, but if beleue hem helpe
For it is ouer longe or logyke, any lesson assoyle
And lawe is loth to loue, but if he lacke siluer
Boeth logike and law, that loueth not to lye
I counsell all christen, cleaue not theron to sore
For some words I find writ, were of fayths teachīg
[...]
[...]
[Page]That saued sinful men, saint Iohn bereth witnes
Mat. vii.
Eadem mensura qua mensi fucritis remetretur vobis.
Therfore learne we y
e law of loue, as out lord taught
And as saynt Gregory sayd, for mans soules health.
Melius scrutari scelera nostra, quā naturas retum.
Why I meane thys matter, is moste for the pore
For in her likenes our Lorde, oft hath bene knowen,
Wytnes in Paske weke, when he yede to Emaus
Cleophas ne knew him not, that he Christ were
For his pore apparell, and pilgrames wedes
Tyll he blessed and brake, the bread that they eaten
So by these works, they wist that he was Iesus
And bi clothing they knew him not, ne by carping of tong
And all was in example, to vs sinfull here
That we shoulde be lowe, and louely of speach
And apparel vs not proudly, for pilgrimes are we al
And in the apparel of a pore mā, & pilgrimes lykenes
Many tymes god hath ben met, among nedy people
There neuer segge him see, in sette of the rych
S. Iohn & other saintes, were sene in pore clothynge
And as pore pilgrymes, prayden mens goodes
Iesu Christ on a Iews daughter light, gētle though she were
Was a pore maid, & on a pore mā wedded
Martha on Mary Magdalen, an hudge playnet she made
And to our sauiour selfe, sayd these words
Domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me solam ministrare?
Luk. xi.
And hastely God answerd, and eithers wyl folowed
Both Marthaas & Maries, as Mat. bereth witnes
And pouertie god put before and praysed that better
Maria optimam partem elegit que non. &c.
And al the wise that euer were, by ought I cā espye
Praysen pouerty for best lyfe, if patience folowe
[Page lvii]And both better & blesseder, by many fold thā riches
And thoughe it be sour to suffer, yet after cometh swet
As on a walnutte wythout, is a bytter barke
And after that bitter barke, be the shell awaye
Is a kernell of conforte, lyfe to restore
So is after pouertye and penaunce, patiently taken
For it maketh a mā to haue mind in god, & a gret wil
To wepe and to wel bid, wherof waxeth mercy
Of whych Christ is a kernel, to confort the soule
And well siker he slepeth, the man that is pore
And lesse he dreadeth death, and darke to be robbed
Than he that is right rych, reason bereth wytnes
Pauper ego ludo, dum tu diues meditaris.
All though Solomon sayth, as folke seth n the bible
Diuitias uec paupertates.
Wiser than Solomō was,
Prou. xx
[...]
bereth wytnes & taught
That perfite pouertye was no possession to haue
And lif most liking to god, as Luke bereth witnes
Si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende. &c.
And is to meane to men,
Mat. xix.
that on thys moulde liuen
Who so wil be pure perfite, muste possessions forsake
Or sell it as sayeth the boke, and the siluer deale
To begers y
t gone & beg, & biddē good for gods loue
For failed neuer mā meate, that mightful god serued
As Dauid saith in y
e psalter, to such as bene in wyll.
To serue god goodlich, ne greth hem in penaunce
Nihil impossiblie volenti.
Ne lacketh neuer liuelode, linnen ne wollen.
Inqui rentes autem dominum nō minuentur omni bono
If priestes were perfite,
Psal. 34.
they would no siluer take
For masses ne for mattens, ne her meates of vsurers
Ne nether kirtle ne cote, though thi for cold shold die
[Page]And they hir deuour did, as Dauid saith in y
e psalter.
Psa. xliii
Iudica me deus, et decerne causam meam.
Spera in deo speketh of prists, y
e haue no spēding siluer
Thā if they trauel truly, & trusten in god almighty
Hem should lacke no liuelode, nether wollen nor liuen
And y
e title they toke orders bi, telleth thei be aduāced
Thā nede not you to take siluer, for masses y
t ye singe
For he y
e tok you your title, shold paie you your wage
Or the bishop that blessed you, if that ye be worthye
For made neuer kig a knight, but he had catel to spēd
As befell for a knight, or found him for hys strength
It is a carefull knight, & of a kaytife kynges makyng
That hath no land ne linage rich, ne good loos of his hādes
The same I saye forsoth, by al suche priestes
That haue neither cūning ne kinne, but a crowne one
And a title a tale of nought, to liue by at his mischiefe
Priesting was an occupation. to lyue by
He hath more beleue I leue, to latch by hys crowne
Cure than for kēning, or knowyng, or for clene bering
I haue wonder why, and wherfore the bishop
Maketh such priestes, that lewed men betrayen
A charter is chalengeable, before achiefe Iustice
If false latine be in that letter, the law it impungeth
Or painted pentrelniarie, or percell ouerskipped
The gome y
e gloseth so chartes, for a goki is holden
So it is a goky by god, that in hys gospel fayleth
Or in masse or mattens, maketh any defaute
Qui offendit in buo, in omnibus est reus
Iacob. ii.
Also in the psalter, sayth Dauid to ouerskippes
Psalite deo nostro psalite, quoniam rex terre deus Israel,
Psa. xlvii
psalite sapienter.
The bishope shall be blamed, before god as I leue
That crowneth such gods knights, y
t cā not sapiēter
[Page lviii]Synge ne psalme read, ne say a masse of the daye
And neuer nether is blamles, the bishop or y
e chaplen
For euer ether is indited, & that is ignorantia
Non excusat episcopos, necidiotes priestes
This loking on lewe priestes, I am leapt frō pouerti
Which I praise, her patiēce is more perfit thā riches
And much more in meting thus, w
t me gā one disput
And slepyng I se all thys, and sythen came kynd
And named me by my name, and bad me nimen hede.
Nature teacheth man
And through the wōders of this worlde, wyt to take
And on a moūtain y
e mydle erth hight, as me though
I was fette forth, by ensamples to know
Through ech a creature & kynd, my creatour to loue.
I se the sūne & the sea, and the sonde after
And wher that brydes & beastes by her makes they yedē
Wyld wormes in woodes, & wōderful fowles
Wyth fleked ferthers, and of fell colours
Man and hys make, I myght bothe behold
Pouertye and plenty, both peace and warre
Blysse and bale bothe, I se al at once
And howe men toke mede, and mercye refused
Reason I see sothlye, sewen all beastes
In eatyng & drynkyng, & in engendryng of kynde
And after course of cōception, none toke kepe of other
As whā they had rydē in rote tyme, right anone after
Males draw hē to males, on morninge bi hem selfe
And in eueninges also the males ben frō the females
There ne was cowe ne cowekinde, y
e conceiued had
That wold a bellow after boles, ne bore after sowe
Both horse and houndes, & all other beastes
Medled not wyth her makes, that w
t fole were
Byrdes I behelde, that in bushes made nestes
[Page]Had neuer wryghte wytte, to worke the leste
I had wonder at whome, and where the Pie learned
To lygge the stickes in whiche, she layeth & breadeth
Nis wryght as I wene, coulde worch hir nest to pay
If ani masō made a mold therto, much wōder it were
And yet me marueiled more, howe many other birds
Hydden and hylden, her egges ful derne
In maryes and mores, for men should hem not fynd
And hydden her egges, whan they therfro went,
For feare of other fowles, and for wylde beastes
And some treden her markes, and on trees breden
And broughtē forth hyr byrds so, all aboue y
e ground
And some byrds at y
e byl, through brething cōceyued
And some cauked I toke kepe, howe pecocks breadē
Much marueyled me, what master they had
And who taught hem, on trees to tymbren so hyghe
That neither barne ne beast, maye hyr byrdes rechen
And sithē I loked on the sea, & so forth apō y
e starres
Many selkougthes I see, be not to se nowe
I see floures, in the frythe, and her fayre colours
And how amōg y
e grene grasse, growed so many huis
And some soure, & some swete, selkougth me thought
Of her kindes & of her colours, to carpē it wer to lōg
And that most meued me, and my mode chaunged
That reason rewarded, and ruled al beastes
Saue man and hys make, manye tyme and ofte
No reason hem folowed, and than I rebuked
Reason and right, tyl hym selfe I sayde
I haue wonder of the quod I, that wyttye art holdē
Whi y
u ne suiste mā & his make, y
t no myffeat hē folow
And reason arated me, and sayd retche the neuer
Why I suffer or not suffer, thy selfe hast not to do
[Page]Amende y
t it if thou myght, for my tyme is to abide
Suffraūce is a suffrain vertue, and a swifte vēgeaūce
Who suffreth more thā god ꝙ he, no gome as I leue
He might amēd in a minut while, al y
t amisse stādeth
And he suffreth for some mās good, & so is our better
The wyse and the wytty, wrote thus in the byble
De re que te non molestat, noli certare.
Eccle. xi.
For be a man fayre or foule, it falleth not for to lacke
The shampe ne the shape, that god shope hym selfe
For al y
t he did was wel do, as holy write witnesseth
Et vidit deus cuncta que fecerat, et crant valde bona.
And bade euery creature,
Geue. i.
in hys kynde encrease
All to myrthe with man, that most worth holye
In foundynge of the fleshe, and of the fende bothe
For mā was made of such a matter, he mai not well a start
That ne sōtime him bited, to folowē his kind
Caton accordeth ther with, Nemo sine crimine viuit.
Tho caught I colour anone, & cōsed to be, ashamed
And a waked therewyth, wo was me than
That I in metelis ne myght, more haue knowen
And than sayde I to my selfe, and chyde that tyme
Now do I ken dowel ꝙ I, by dere god as me thinke
And as I cast vp my eyen, one loked on me & asked
Of me what thyng it were I wysh, syr I sayd.
To se much and suffer more, certes quod I, is dowel
Haddest thou suffred he saide, slepyng tho thou were
Thē hadst y
e kēde y
t Clergy can, & kend more by reson
For resō wold haue rehearsed y
e, right as cleargi said
And for thy inter mitting, here art thou forsake.
Philosophus esses, si tacuisses. &c.
Adam whyle he spake not, had paradise at wyl
But whā he mā blid about meat, & ētermittid to know
[Page]The wisedome & y
e wyt of god, he was put frō blis
And ryght so fared resō w
t the, thou w
t thy rude spech
Lokedst & losedst, thyng that longed not to be done
Tho had he no lyking, for to learne the more
Pryd now & presūption, peraduenture wol me appele
That cleargie thy company, ne kepeth not to shew
Shal neuer chalēgyng ne chidyng, chast a mā so sone
As shal shame and shēden hym, & shape hym to amēd
Shame is the best remedye for dronkardes.
For let a dronken daffe, in a dyke fal
Let hym ligge loke not on hym, tyl hym lyst to aryse
For though resō rebuked him thā, it wer but pure sin
And whē nede nimeth hym vp, for doubt lest he sterue
And shame shraketh hys clothes, & hys skyn washeth
Thā wot the drōken daffe, wherfore he is to blame.
Ye sayen sothe quod I, iche haue isene it ofte.
There smiteth nought so smarte, ne smelleth so soure.
As shame ther he she with him, for ech mā hym shōith
Why ye wish me thus ꝙ I, was for I rebuked reasō
Certes ꝙ he that is sothe, and shope him for to walke
And I arose vpright w
t that, and folowed hym after
And prayed hym of hys curtesye, to tel me hys name
Passus duodecimus de visione.
I Am Imaginatiue quod he, idle was I neuer
Though I sit bi mi selfe, in sikenes & in helth
I haue folowed y
e in fayth, thys .xlv. wynter
And oftimes haue meued y
e, to think on thine end
And how fel ferniers are faren, & so few to comē
And of thy wild wantōnes, tho thou yong were
To amende it in thi middle age, lest might the fayled
In thyne olde Elde, that euil can suffer
Pouertye or penaunce, or prayer bydde
Si non in prima vigilia, nec in secunda
Amēd the while thou may, thou hast ben warnd oft
With pousties of pestilēces, w
t pouerty and w
t angers
And wyth these bitter baleises, god beateth his deare childrene
Quem diligo castigo.
Apoc. iii.
And Dauid in y
e psalter sayth, of such y
e loueth Iesus
Virga tua et baculus tuus,
Psa. xxiii
ipsa ne consolati sunt
Although thou strike w
t thy staffe, w
t stycke or with yarde
It is our mirth as for me, to amēd my soule
And y
u medlist w
t makīgs, & mightst go sai thi psalter
And bid for hem y
e giue the bread, for ther are bokes inow
To tel me what do wel is, & do bet do best both
And prechers to preuen what it is, of many a peir friers
Ise wel he said y
e soth, & some what me to excuse
I saide Caton cōforted hys sōne, y
t clarke thoughe he were
To solace him som time, as I do whā I make
Interpone tuis, interdum gaudia curis
And of holy men I heard ꝙ I, howe they other while
Pleyden, the perfitter to be in many places.
Holy m
[...] vsed recreation.
And if there were anye wyght, that would me tell
What were do well and do bet, and do best at the last
Woulde I neuer do worke, but wende to holy kirke
And there bid my beades, but whan I eate or slepe
Paule in his pistle quod he, preueth what is dowell
Fides spes charitas, maior horum.
i. Cor. xiii
&c.
Fayeth hope and charitie, and all bē good
And sauen mē sōdry tymes, & none so sone as charitye
For he doeth wel w
toutē dout, y
t doth as leuti techeth
That is if thou be man maryed, thy make thou loue
And lyue forth as lawe wyll, whyle you lyuen both
Right so if thou be religious, ren thou neuer further
To Rome ne Roch mad or, but as thy rule teacheth
[Page]And hold the vnder obediēce, y
e high waye is to heauē
And if thou be maiden to mary, & might wel cōtinue
Seke neuer no saynt further, for thy soules health
For what made Lucifer, to lese the hygh heuen?
Or Solomō his sapiēce, or Sampson his strength?
Iob the Iewe his ioye, deare he it bought?
Aristotle and other mo, Hypocrates and Virgil?
Alexander that all wanne, elengelych ended
Catell and kinde wyt, was combraunce to hem all
Felice hyr fayrenes, fell hem all to sclaunder
And Rosamonde right so, rufully to beleue
The beauty of hyr body, in badnes she dispended
Of many such I may read, of men and women
That wyse wordes wold shew, and work the cōtrary
Sunt homines nequam, bene de virtute loquentes.
And ryche reukes ryght so, gaderen and sparen
And tho men y
t they most haten, minister it at y
e last
And for they suffren and se, so many nedye folkes
Luke. vi.
And loue not as our lord byd, lesen her soules.
And ryches right so, but if the rote be true
And grace is a graffe therof, tho greuaūces to abate
And grace ne groweth, not, but amonges lowe
Patience and pouertie, the place is there it groweth
And in lelly liuynge men, and in lyfe holye
And through y
e gift of y
e holy gost, as y
e gospel telleth
Iohn. iii.
Spiritus vbi vult spirat.
Cleargy and kinde wyt, cometh of sight & teaching
As the boke bereth wytnes, to barnes y
e can read.
Quod scimus loquimur, quod vidimus testamur.
Of quod scimus, cometh cleargy, & cunnyng of heauē
And of quod vidimus, cometh kinde wit of sight of diuerse people
[Page]And grace a gyfte of god, & of great loue springeth
Knew neuer clark how it comth, ne kind wit y
e waies
Nescit aliquis vnde venit,
Ioh. iii. True clergy is mercifull.
aut quo uadit
And yet is cleargy tocommend, and kinde wit bothe
And namly clergy for christys loue, y
t of clergy is rote
For Moses witnesseth y
e god wrote, y
e puple to wish
In thold law as y
e letter telleth, y
t was y
e law of Iues
That what womā wer takē in auoutri, rich or pore
With stones mē should strike her, & stone her to death
A woman as we finden, was gilty that death
And Christ of his curtesy, through cleargy hir saued
And through caracts that Christe wrote, the Iewes knew hē selfe
Giltier as afore god, & greater in sinne
Than the woman y
t ther was, & wēt away for shame
The cleargy that there was, consorted the woman
Holy kyrk knoweth this, y
e christs writing saued hir
So cleargy is confort, to creatures that repenten
And to mansede men, mischiefe at her ende
For bread of gods bodi, myght not be w
tout cleargy
The which bread is, both boote to the rightful
And death and dampnation, to hem that dye euil.
And christis caracts cōfortid, & both culpable shewid
The womā that y
e Iews brought, y
e Iesus thought to saue.
Nolite iudicare, et non iudicabimini.
Right so gods body brethrē,
Luke. vi.
but it be worthely take
Dānith vs at y
e dai of dome, as y
e caracis did y
e Iuis
Therfore I coūsel the for christes sake, clergy y
t thou loue
For kinde wit is of his kin, & nigh cosins both,
To our Lord leue me, therfore loue hem I read
For both ben as myrours, to amend our defautes
And leaders for lewde men, and for lettred both
Therfore lacke y
u neuer logyke, lawe ne hys customes
[Page]Ne counterplede clarkes, I counsell the for euer
For as a man maye not see, that misseth his eyne
No more cā no clark, but if he caught it fyrst bi boks
Although men made bokes, god was the maister
The holy gost is the autour of bokes
And .s. spirit y
e sāplare, & said what mē shold wryte
Ryght so leadeth letture, lewde men to reason
And as a blind mā in battel, bereth weapō to fight
And hath no happe with his axe, hys enemy to hytte
No more can a kind witty mā, but clarkes him teach
Come for all his kind wit, to christēdome & be saued
Which is y
e cofer of Christes tresure, & clarks kepe y
e kayes
To vnlock it at her liking, & to y
e lewde puple
Gyue mercy for her misdeades, if men wil it aske
Buxomely and beningly, and bidden it of grace
Archa dei in the olde lawe, Leuites it kepten
Had neuer lewd man leaue, to liggē hād on that cheste
But he were priest or priestes sōne, patriarke or prophet
For cleargy is keper, vnder Christe of heauen
Was ther neuer knight, but cleargy him made
And kinde wyt commeth, of all kyndes syghtes
Of birde & of beastes, of tastes of truth & of deceits
Lyuers aforne vs, vseden to make
Selden that they sene, her sones for to teach
And helden it an high science, her wyttes to know
And through her science sothli, was neuer no soul saued
Ne brought by her bokes, to blysse ne to ioye,
For al her kind knowings, come but of diuerse sights
Patriarkes and prophetes, repreuedē hir science
And sayde her words ne her coūsell, was but foly
As to y
e Cleargy of Christ, coūted it but a trifle.
Sapientia huius mundi, stulticia est apud deum.
For the hyghe holy gost, heauen shal to cleaue,
[Page]And loue shall lepen out after, into thys low earth
And cleannes shall catche it, & clarkes shall it fynde
Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem.
Luke.
[...].
He speakith nought ther of rich mē, ne of right wytty
Ne of lordes y
t were lewde mē, but of y
e hyeste lettred
If anie fryer wer foūd ther,
Math. i
[...]
I giue you fiue shillings
Ne in no beggers cote, was that barne borne
But in burgers place, in Bethleem the beste.
Sed nō erat ci locus in diuersorio, et pauper non habet diuersorium.
To pastours and to poets,
Luke. ii.
appeared the angell
And bad hem go to Bethleem, gods birth to honour
And songen a sōg of solace, Gloria in excelsis deo.
Clarkes knewe it wel, & commen wyth her presentes
And dyd homage honorabli, to hym y
t was almighty
Why I haue tolde al thys, I toke ful good hed
Howe thou cōtriuedest Cleargie w
t crabbed words
How y
t lewde mē lyght lucker, thā lettred wer saued
Than clarkes or kinde witted men, of christen people
And thou saydest soth of some, & se in what maner.
Take two stronge men,
Two me
[...] caste into Lemmes.
and in Temes cast hem
And both naked as a nedle, ther non sikerer thā other
The one hath cunnynge, and can swymme and dyue
The other is lewd of y
t labour, lerned neuer to swym
Which trowest y
u of those two, in Temese is most in dred
He y
e neuer diuid, ne nought cā of swymmyng
Or the swymer that is safe, be so hym selfe lyke?
There hys felow flete forth, as the flowd liketh
And is in dread to drench, that neuer did swymme?
That swymme can not I sayd, it semeth to my wyts
Ryght so quod the reuke, Reason sheweth
That he that knoweth clergy, can souer arise
[Page]Out of synne and he be safe, thoughe he synne oft
If hym lyketh and luste, than anye lewde lelly
For if the clarke be cūning, he knoweth what is sinne
And howe cōtriciō w
tout cōfession, cōforteth the soule
As thou seest in y
e psalter, in psalmes one or twayne
How cōtriciō is cōmended, for it catcheth away sinne
Psal. 32.
Beati quorū remisse sūt iniquitates, et quorū recta sunt. &c.
And this cōforteth ech a clarke, & couereth hi frō wāhope
In which floode y
e fend, foūdeth a mā hardest
There the lewde lieth still, and loketh after lente
And repenteth not before shrifte, & thā cā he litle tell
And as his sores mā learneth hi, beleueth & troweth
And that is persō & parish prest, & peraduēture he is
Vncūning to lerne lewd mē, as Luke beareth witnes
Luke. vi.
Dum cecus ducit cecum. &c.
Wo was him marked, that wade must w
t the lewde
Well maye the barne hem blesse, that him to boke set
That liueing after letture, saueth hi both life & soule
Dominꝰ pars hereditatis mee, is a mery verse
That hath taken from Tibunre .xx. stronge theues
Ther leud theues be lolled vp, loke how thei be saued
The thef y
e had gods grace on good friday, as y
u spak
Was for he knew Christ on y
e cros, & knowleged his synne
And grace asked of god, & he is euer ready
That buxomlych byddeth it, & bē in will to amēd hē
And though y
e thefe had heauen, he had no hie blisse
As saint Iohn & other saynts, y
t deserued had better
Right as if a mā giue me meat, & set me amid y
e flore
I haue meat more thē inough, & not so much worship
As thei y
e sit at side tables, or w
t soueraignes of y
e hal
But sit as a begger bourdles, bi my selfe on y
t groūd
So it fareth by y
e felō, that on good friday was saued
[Page lxiii]He sitteth neither with saint Iohn, Simon ne Iude
Ne w
t maidēs, ne w
t martirs, cōfessours ne widows
But by hym selfe as a solayne, and serued vpon erth
For he that is once a thiefe, is euermore in daunger
And as lawe lyketh, to lyue or dye
De peccato propitiato noli osse sine meta.
And forto seruen a saynt, and such a thefe togythers
It were neyther resōne right, to reward hē both ilike
And as Troianꝰ y
e true knight, dwelt not so dep in hel
But our lord had hi lightly out, so leue I y
e thef be in heuē
For he is in y
e lowest heuē, if our bileue be true
And well losellych he lolleth ther, by law of holi kyrke
Qui reddit vnicuique iurta opera sua.
Mat. xvi.
And why y
e one thefe on y
e cros, creant gan him yelde
Rather thē the other thef, though y
u wouldest appose
All the clarkes vnder Christ, ne could the skil assoyle.
Quare placuit? quia voluit.
And so I saye by the, that sekest after the wayes
And reasonest reason, a rebukinge as it were
And of the floures in the frith, and of her fayre hewes
Wherof they catch hir coloures, so faire & so bright
And wollest of birds & beasts, & hir breding to know
Why some be alow & some aloft, thy lyking it were
And of y
e stons & of the sters, thou studiest as I leue
How euery beast & byrd,
Onli god knoweth y
e causes of thyngs
hath so her wyttes
Cleargy nekynde wytte, ne knew neuer the cause
And kind knoweth the cause him selfe, no creature else
He is the Pies patron, and putte it in hir eare
That there the thornes it thickest, to build & bread
And kind keneth the Pecoke, to canken in such a kind
And kenned Adam to know his priuie membres
And taught him and Eue, to heale hem with leaues
[Page]Lewed men mani times, masters they apposen
Why Adā ne hilled not first, his mouth y
t eat y
e apple
Rather thā his likā alowe, lewde axen thus clarkes.
Kynd knoweth why he did so, and no clarkes els
And of byrdes and of beastes, men by olde tyme
Ensamples tokē and termes, as tellen the poetes
And that the fayrest foule, foulest engendreth
And feblst fowle of flight is, y
e flyeth or swymmeth
Rych mē be compared to the Pecocke.
And y
e Pecock & the pehē, proud rich mē they betokē
For the Pecok & mē pursue him, he may not fly high
For the trailynge of his tayle, ouertake is he sone
And hys fleshe is foule fleshe, and his fete both
And vnlouely of leden, and layeth for to heare
Right so the rych, if he hys ryches kepe
And deleth it not til hys deths day, y
e taile of al sorow
Right as y
e pēse in y
e pecock, paineth him in his flight
So is possession paine of pence, and of nobles
To al hem that it holdeth, tyl her taile be plucked
And though the rych repent thā, and birue y
e tyme
That euer he gathered so great, & gaue therof so litle
Thoughe he cry to Christ than, w
t keene wyll I leue.
His leden be in our lords eare, lyke a pies chattering
And whan his carion shall come, in caue to be buried
I leue it flowme full fowle, the folde all about
And all y
e other there it lyeth, enuenimed through his
By y
e posere is vnderstād, as I haue lerned in Auenet
Executors, false frendes, that fulfyll not hys wyll
That was writtē & thei witnes, to werk al y
e it wold
And thus the poet preueth, y
e the pecock for fethers is reuerēced
Right so the rych, by resō of hys goods
The larke y
t is a lesse fowle, is more louely of leadene
And wyll away of wyng, swyfter than the pecocke
To lowe lyueinge men, is resembled the larke
Aristotle the greate clarke, suche tales he telleth
Thus he likeneth in hys logyke, the lest foule out
And whether he be safe or not, the soth wot no clergy
Ne of Sortes ne of Solomon, no Scripture can tel
And god is so good I hope, that sith he gaue hē wits
To wishē vs waies ther w
t y
t wishen vs to be saued
And the better for her bokes, to bidden we be holden
That god of his grace, gyue her soules reste
For lettred menne were lewd yet, ne were lore of her bokes
And these clarkes ꝙ I tho, y
t on Christ leuen
Seithē in her sermōs, y
e nether Sarasins ne Iewes
Ne creature of christes liknes, worth safe vnchristēid
Cōtra quod Imaginatiue tho, & comsed for to loure
And said Saluabitur vir iustus in die iudicii.
i. Pet. iiii
Ergo saluabitur quod he, and said no more latine
Troianus was a true kinght,
Troianꝰ
& toke neuer christēdōe
And he is safe sayth the boke, and his soule in heauen
For ther is fulling in font, & falling in blud shedinge
And through fire is fullynge, that is firme beleue
Aduenit ignis diuinus non combutens sed illuminans. &c.
And truth y
t trespaced neuer, ne trāsuersed agaist his law
But liuith as y
e teacheth, & leueth ther be no beter
And if ther were, he would amēd, and in such wil dye
Ne would neuer true god, but trueth were alowed
And were it worth or worth not, y
e belefe of it is gret
And an hope hāgīg therin,
Psa. xxiii
to haue mede for his truth
For Deus dicitur, quasi dās vitā eternā sais, hoc est fidelibꝰ
Et alibi, si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis:
The glose graūteth apō y
e verse, a grete mede to truth
And wit & wisdome ꝙ y
e wight, was sōtime treasure
[Page]To kep with a commune, no cattell was hold better
And much mirthe & māhode, & right w
t that he vanyshed
Passus .xiii. de visioue:
ANd I awaked there w
t, wities nere hand
And as a freke y
t tre were, forth gā I walke
In maner of a mēdinaunt, many a yere after
And of this meting mani time, much thoght I had
Fyrst how Fortune me failed, at my most ned
And howe y
t Elde manaced me, might we euer meten
And how the Fryers folowed, folke that was ryche
And folke that was pore, at litle price they set
And no cors in hir kyrkeyard, nor kirke was buried
But quik he bequeth hē oght, or quit part of hir dets
And howe that couetise euercame, clarkes & priestes
And how y
t lewde men be ladde, but our lord hē help
Through vucunning creatures, to incurable paines
And how that imaginatiue, in dreames me tolde
Of kind & of his cūning, & how curtise he is to beasts
And how louing he is to beasts, on lande & on water
Leaueth he no lyfe, lesse ne more.
The creatures that crepen, of kinde they be engēdred
And sithē how imaginatiue sayde, Vix saluabitur iustꝰ.
And when he had sayd so, how sodenly he passed
I laye longe in thys thoughte, and at the last I slepte
And as Christ wold cōsciēce came, to cōfort me y
t time
And bade me come to his curt, w
t clargy shold I dine
And for cōsciēce of clergy spake, I came wel y
e rather
And ther I se a master, what man he was I nist
That lowe he lowted, and louelye to scripture
Conscience knew him wel, and welcomed him fayre
They washen and wypen, and went to the dyner
[Page lxv]And patiēce in the palaice, stode in pilgrimes clothes
And prayed meate for charitie, for a pore hermite
Conscience called him in, and curteslie sayde
Welcome wyght go and washe, thou shalt sit sone
Thys maister was made sit, as for the most worthy
And thā Cleargy & Cōscience, & Patience came after
Patience and I, were put to be matches
And sitten by our selues, at the side bourde
Conscience called after meate, & than came scripture
And serued hem thus sone, of sondry meates many
Of Austē of Ambrose, and of the four Euangelistes.
Edentes et bibentes: que apud illos sunt.
Luke. x,
And this maister & his man, no maner fleshe eaten
And they ate meate of more cost, mortreulx & potage
Of that men miswonne, they made hem well at ease
And their sauce was ouer sour, and vnsauerly groūd
In a morter Post mortem, of many bytter paynes
But if they singe for tho soules, and wepe salt teares
Vos qui peccata hominum commeditis, nisi pro eis lachrimas et orationes effunderitis, ea que in delitus comeditis, in tormentis euometis.
Conscience full curteslye tho, commaunded scripture
Before patience bread to bring, & me y
t was his match
He set a sour lofe before vs & sayde, Agite penitentiā,
And sithe he brought vs drincke, diaperseueraunce
As longe quod I as I lyue, and likam man endure.
Here is preti seruice ꝙ Patiēce, no price cā fare better
Thē brought he forth a mes of meat, of Miserere mei
And he brought vs of Beati quorū, of Beatus virs makynge
Et quorum tectasunt peccata in a dyshe
Of dernes shrifte Dixi, and Confitebor tibi,
Psal, 23,
Bryng Patience some pitaunce priuily ꝙ Conscience
[Page]
Psa. 32
And thā had Patiēce a pittaūce, Pro hac orabit ad te. &c
And Cōscience cōforted vs, and carped vs mery tales
Psal. li.
Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies
Patience was proude, of that propre seruice
And made hi merye w
t his meat, & I mourned euer
For this doctour on y
e hie deise, drancke wine so faste.
Esai. v.
Ve vobis qui potentes estis, ad bibendum vinum.
He eate many sondrye meates, mortrix & puddinges
Wombe be clouts & wild drawne, & egs fried w
t grese
Than sayde I to my selfe, so Patience it harde
It is not four daies that this freke, before y
e deane of poules
Preched of penaūce, y
t Poul thapostle suffred
In fame et frigore, and flappes of scourges
ii. Cor. xi.
Ter Cesus sum et a Iudeis quinquies quadragintes.
And one word they ouerhipped, at ech time that they preach
That Poule in his pistle, to al the puple told
Periculum est, in falsis fratribus.
Holy wryte bid men beware, I wyl not write it here
In English on auenture, it should be rehearsed to oft
And greue ther w
t good mē, & gramariās sholde read
Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat, quia vt dicitur periculum est in falsis fratribus.
ii. Th. iii
And I wist neuer freke, y
t as a frier yead before mē in english
Take it for her theme, & tel it w
tout leasyngs
They preach that penaunce, is profitable to the soule
And what mischefe & male ease, Christ for mā tholed
And this gods glotton quod I, w
t hys great chekes
Hath no pitye on vs pore, he perfourmeth euyll
That he preacheth he preueth not, to Patience I told
And wyshed full wytterlye, wyth wyl full eger
That dyshes and doublers, before this ilke doctoure
Were molten leade in his mawe, & Mahound amidst
I shall iangle to this Iurdan, with his iuste wombe
To tel me what penaūce is, of which he preched rath
[Page lxvi]Patiēce perceiued what I thought, & winked on me
And said thou shalt se this sone,
A good deuine.
whē he may no more
He shal haue a penaūce in his paūch, & pufatech word
And then shal his guts gottilen, & he shal gulpē after
For now he hath droncke so depe, he woll diuine sone
And preuē it by hir pocalips, & passion of. S. Auarice
That nether bacō ne brawne, blacke manger ne mortreulx
Is neither fysh ne flesh, but fode for a penaūt
And thē shal he testify of y
e trinitie, & take his felow to witnes
What he foūd in a fraile, after a friers liuyng
And but he first liue by leasinges, leue me neuer after
And than is tyme to take, and to appose thys doctour
Of dowel and of dobet, and if dobest be any penaūce
And I sate stil as Patience said, & thus sone this doctoure
As ruddye as a rose, rubbed hys chekes
Coughed and carped, and Conscience hym heard
And told hem of y
e Trinitie, and towarde vs he loked
What is dowel sir doctor ꝙ I, is dowel ani penaūce
Dowel quod this doctour, & toke the cup & drancke
Is do no euill to thine euenchristen, not to thy power
By this daye syr doctour ꝙ I then, ye be not in dowel
For ye haue harmed vs two, in y
t ye haue eatē the puddyng
Mortreulx & other meate, & we no morsel had
And if ye fare so in your farmarye, ferly me thynketh
But chest be ther chariti shold be, & childrē durst plein
I wold permute mi penaūce w
t you, for I am in poit to do wel
Thē
[...]ōsciēce curtesly a coūtenaūce made
And preynt apon Patience, to praye me to be styll
And sayde hym selfe syr doctoure, and it be your wyll
What is dowell and dobet, ye diuinours knowe
Dowell quod thys doctoure, is do as clarkes teache
And dobet is he y
e teacheth, & traueleth to teath other
[Page]And do beste doth him selfe so, as he sayth & precheth
Math. v. Cleargye hath seuē sonnes, y
t is the. vii sciences.
Qui facit et docuerit, magnus vocabitur in regno celorū
Now y
e Consciēce ꝙ Cleargy, carpest what is dowel
I haue seuen sonnes he sayd, seruen in a castell
Ther the lord of life wōneth, to learne what is dowel
Tyll I see the seuen, and my selfe accorden
I am vnhardy quod he, to any wyght to preue it
For one Pierce the Ploughmā, hath impūgned vs al
And set al sciences at a Soupe, saue loue onelye
And no text ne taketh, to maintayne hys cause
But Dilige deum, And Domine quis habitabit
Psa. xv.
And sayeth that dowell and dobet, are two infinites
Which infinites with fayeth, fynde out dobest
Which shal saue mās soul, thus saith Pierce plowmā
I cā not here one ꝙ Cōscience, & I know wel Pierce
He wil not gainsaie holi writ, I dare wel vndertake
Thā passe we ouer til Pierce come, & preue it in dede
Patiēce hath ben in mani places, & peraduēture mouthed
That no clark ne can, as Christ beareth witnes
And your praier ꝙ Paciēce tho, so no mā displese him
Disce quod he, Doce and Dilige inimicos.
Disce and dowell, Doce and dobet, Dilige and do beste
thus taught me once.
Alemman that I loued, loue was hyr name
With wordes & w
t workes ꝙ she, & wil of thy hert
Thou loue lelly thy soule, al thy lyfe tyme
And so y
u learne the to loue, for the lordes loue of heuē
Thyne enimies in al wyse, euē forth w
t thy selfe
Cast coles on hys heade, and all kynde of speache
Both w
t works & w
t words, found hys loue to wyn
And lay on hym thus w
t loue, tyl he laughe on the
[Page lxvii]And but he bowe for this bearing, blind might he be
And for to fare thus w
t thy frynde, folye it were
For he that loueth the lellye, lytle of thyne coueteth
Kynde loue coueteth not no cattel, but speache
Wyth halfe a lampeline in latine Ex vi transitionis.
I bare therin aboute, faste bounde Dowell
In a sygne of the saturday, that set first the Kalender
And al the wyt of the wenisday, of y
e next weke after
The middle of the mone, is the myght of bothe
And ther with I am welcome, there I haue it w
t me
Vnder it let thys doctour deme, if dowel be ther i
For by him that me made, myght neuer pouerty
Mysease ne michiefe, ne man wyth hys tonge
Colde ne care, ne company of theues
Ne nether heate ne hayle, ne none helle Powke
Ne neyther fyre ne floude, ne feare of thyne enemie
Tene the any time, and thou take it wyth the
Charitas nihil timet.
i. Cor. xi
It is but a Dido quod thys doctour, a disertes tale
All the wyt of thys world, and wight mens strenght
Cā not cōfirme a peace, betwene y
e pope & his enimes
Ne betwene .ii. christē kings, cā no wight peace make
Profitable to either people, & put the table frō hym
And toke cleargy and conscience, to counsel as it were
That patience tho must passe, for pilgrimes cā wel lie
And Conscience carped loude, and curteslye sayd
Frendes fare wel, and fayre spake to Cleargy
For I wyl go w
t this gōme,
Cleargye is loth y
e Cōscience should go w
t patiēce
if god wil giue me grace
And be pilgraime w
t Patience til I haue preued more
What ꝙ cleargy to cōscience, are ye couetouse no we?
After yeresegyft or gyftes, or yernen to read riddels?
I shal brynge you a byble, a boke of the olde lawe
[Page]And learne you if you lyke, the least poynt to know
That Patience the pylgryme, perfitlye knewe neuer
Nay by Christ ꝙ Cōscience to Cleargy, god y
e for yeld
For al that Patience me profereth, proude am I little
And the wyll of the wye, and the wyll of folke here
Hath meued my mode, to mourne for my sinnes
The good wyll of a wyght, was neuer bought to the full
For there is no treasure therto, to a true wyll
Luke. xix.
Had not Magdalen more, for a boxe of salue
Thā zecheus for he said, Dimidium bonorū meorsi do pau peribus.
And the pore wydowe, for a payr of mites
Luke. xxi.
Than all tho that offred into Gaz ophilacium?
Thus curteslye Conscience, congied fyrst the fryer
And sythen softlye he sayd, in Cleargies eare
Me were leuer by our lord, and I lyue shoulde
Haue Patience perfecli, then halfe thy pack of bokes
Patience passeth a packe of bokes
Cleargy of Conscience, no congy would take
But sayd full soberlye, thou shalt se the tyme
Whan thou arte werye for walking, will me to coūsel
That is sothe sayd Conscience, so me god helpe
If Patiēce be our parting felow, & preuie w
t vs both
There nis wo in this world, that we ne should amēd
And confirmen kynges to peace, and al kinnes londes
Sarazens & Surrey, & so forth al the Iewes
Turne into the true fayth, and into one beleue
That is soth ꝙ Cleargye, I se what thou meaneste
I shal dwell as I do, my deuour to shewen
And cōfyrmen fauntekyns, and other folke learned
Till Patience haue preued the, and perfect the maked
Cōscience tho w
t patience, passed pilgrimes as it were
Thā had patiēce as pilgrimes haue, in his poke vital
Sobrietie and simple speach, and sothfast beleue.
[Page lxviii]To confort him and Conscience, if they come in place
There vnkindenes & couetise is, hūgry contryes both
And as they went by the way, of dowell they carped
They mette wyth a minstrell,
A loiterers lyfe
as me tho thought
Patience posed him fyrste, and praied he should tell
To cōsciēce what craft he could, & whether he would
I am a minstrel quod that mā, mi name is Actiua vita
All idle I hate, for of actyue is my name
A waferer wyll ye wytte, and serue many Lordes
And fewe robes I fonge, or furred gownes
Could I lye to do men laugh, than lachen I ne shold
Other mantill or money, amōges Lordes minstrels
And for I can neither taber ne trūpe, ne tel no gestes
Farten ne fisten at feastes, ne harpen
Iape ne iuggele, ne gentyllye pype
Ne neither saylen ne saute, ne synge to the gytterne
I haue no good giftes, of these greate Lordes
For no bred y
t I bring forth, saue a benisō on y
e sūday
Whā y
e priest praieth y
e people, y
e Pater no. to saye
For Pierce the plowmā, and that him profit waiten
And that am I actiue, that idlenes hate
For al true traueilers, and tyllers of the earth
Frō Mighelmas to Mighelmas, I fynd hem w
t my wafers
Beggers and bidders, of my bread crauen
Faytours and Friers and folke wyth brode crownes
I find pane for the Pope, & prouender for his palfrey
And I had neuer of him, haue god my trueth
Nether prouender ne parsonage, yet of y
e Popes gift
Saue a pardō w
t a piece of leade, & two poles amids
Had I a clarke y
t could write, I would cast him a bil
That he sēte me vnder his seale, a salue for y
e pestilēce
And y
t his blessing & his buls, botches might destroy
Mar. xvi.
In nomine meo demonia eiicient, et super egros manꝰ imponent, et bene habebunt
And thā wold I be prest, to y
e puple paast to make
And buxome and busie, about bread and drynke
For him and for all his, found I that his pardon
Myght lechen a man, as I beleue it shoulde
For sith he hath the power, that Peter had him selfe.
He hath the pot wyth the salue, truly as me thinketh.
Argentum et aurū non est mihi, quod habeo tibi do.
In nomine domini surge et ambula.
Act. iii.
And if might of miracle him faile, it is for men be not worth
To haue grace of god, & no gilt of the Pope
For may no blessīg done vs bote, but if we wil amēd
There may no mā make peace, among christē people
Til pride be purely fordo, & through payne de faute
For ere I haue breade, a meale of mote I swete
And ere y
e cōmē haue corne inough, mani cold mornīg
So ere my wafars ben wrought, much wo I tholy
All London I leue, liketh well my wafers
And loure whan they lacke hem, it is not long passed
Ther was a careful cōmō, whē no cart came to town
With bread frō Stratford, tho gan beggers wepe
And workmē were agast a litle, this wol be thought longe
A deare yere,
In date of our dryght, in a drye Apriell
A thousande and thre hundred, twyse twenty & ten
My wafers ther wer geisē, whā Chicester was Mair
I toke good kepe bi Christ, and Conscience both
Of Hankyn the actyue man, and how he was clothed
He had a cote of christendome, as holy kirke beleueth
And it was moled in mani places w
t mani sōdri plots
Of prid here a plotte, & ther a plot of vnbuxome spech
Of scorning & of scoffinge, & of vnskilful bearinge.
As in apparel & in porte, proude amonge the puple
[Page lxix]Other wise then he hath with hert,
Hypocrisye.
or sight shewinge
Him willyng y
t al men wēd, he were that he is not
For why, he bosteth & braggeth, w
t many bold othes
And is vnobediēt to be vndernome, of any lyfe liuing
And none so singuler by him selfe, nor so pope holy
In habite as an hermet, an order by hym selfe
Religion sans rule, and vnreasonable obedience
Lacked lettred men, and lewde men bothe
In lykinge of lely lyfe, and a lyer in Soule
With inwyt and outwyt, imaginen and studie
As beste for hys body be, to haue a bad name
And entermeten hym ouer all, there he hath not to do
Wylnynge that men wend, hys witte were the beste
And if he giue ought to pore goms, tel what he delith
Pore of possession in purse, and in cofer both
And as a Lyon on to loke, and Lordly of speach
Boldest of beggers, a boster that nought hath
In towne and in tauernes, tales to tell
And saye thyng y
t he neuer se, and forsoth swere it
Of dedes that he neuer dyd, domen and bosten
And of warkes that he wel dyd, wytnes and siggen
Loe if ye leue me not, or that I lye wenen
Aske at hym or at hym, and he the can tell
What I suffred and see, and sometimes had
And what I could and knew, & what kin I came of
Al he would y
t men wyste of werkes and of wordes
Whyche myght please the people,
Gala, i.
& prayse himselfe
Si hominibus placerem Christi seruus non essem,
Et alibi. Nemo potest duobus dominis scruire.
By Christ quod Conscience tho, thi best cote Hankyn
Hath many moles and spottes, it must be washed
Yea, who so toke hede ꝙ Hankyn, bihinde & bifore
[Page]What on back & what on body halfe, & bi y
e two sides
Hankins garmente is foule.
Mē should find many frownces, & many foule plots
And he turned him as Tit, and than toke I hede
It was fowler by fell folde, then it fyrste semed
It was bydropped with wrathe, and wycked wyll
Wyth Enuy and euyll speache, entysynge to fyght
Lyinge and laughynge, and lefe tonge to chyde
All that he wyste wycked by anye wyght, tellen it
And blame mē behind her back, & biddē hē mischaūce
And that he wyst by Wyll, tellen it to Watte
And that Watte wyst, Wyll wyste it after
And made of frendes foes, through a false tonge
Or wyth might of mouth, or through mās strength
Auenge me fell tymes, other feete my selfe
Psal. x.
Within as a shepsters shere, I shrewed men & cursed
Cuius maledictione os plenum est, et amaritudine, sublingua eius labor et dolor. et alibi. Filii hominū dētes eorū arma et sagitte, et lingua eorū gladius acutus.
There is no lyfe that me loueth, lasting any whyle
For tales that I tel, no man trusteth to me
And whā I may not haue y
e maistry, such melācholie I take
That I catch y
e crāpe, y
e cardiacle somtyme
Or an ague in suche an anger, and sometyme a feuer
That taketh me al a twelue moneth, til y
e I despice
Lechcrafte of our lorde, and leue of a witche
And say that no clarke ne can, ne Christ as I leue
To y
e sortry of Southwarke, or of short dyeth dame Eme
And seg y
t no gods word gaue me neuer bote
But throughe a charme had I chaunce, & mani chiefe heale
I wayted wisloker, and than was it soyled
Wyth lykyng of lechery, as by lokinge of his eyght
For ech amaid that he met, he made hir to sygne
[Page lxx]Semyng to synnewarde, and sometime he gan taste
About the mouth or beneth, begynneth to groppe
Tyll eythers will waxeth kene, & to the werke yeden
As wel in fastīgdaies & frydayes,
Yonge lechour old baude.
& for bodē nightes
And as well in lent as out of lent, all tymes ylyke
Such werkes wyth hem, were neuer out of season
Tyll they myght no more, and then merye tales
And howe that lechours loueth, laughen and iapen
And of her harlotrye and horedome,
The spottes of Haukins cote.
in her age tellen
Than Patience perceyued, of poyntes of thys cote
Was culmy throughe couetise, & vnkinde desierynge
More to good than to god, the gomme his loue caste
And imagined howe he it might haue,
With false mesures and mete, and w
t false weightes
Leued for loue of the wedde, and loth to do trouth
And awayte by whych waye, he myght begyle
And menged his machandise, & made a good mastry
The worst within was, a greate wytte I leete it
And if my neighbour had any hynde, or any beast els
More profitable then myne, many sleyghtes I made
Howe I myght haue it, all my witte I caste
And but if I had by other waye, at last I stole it
Or priuilye his purse shoke, vnpiked hys lockes
Or by night or by daye, aboute was iche euer
Through gyle to gadren, the goodes that ich haue
If I yede to the ploughe, I pynched so narrow
That a fote lande or a surrowe, fetchen I would
Of my nexte neighboure, nimen of hys earth
And if I reape ouer reachen, or gaue hē read y
e repen
And cese to me with hir sycle, that I fowed neuer
And who so borowed of me, about the tyme
Wyth presentes priuelye, or paye some certayne
[Page]So would he or would he not, wynnen I would
And both to kith & to kynne, vnkind of that ich had
The Image of a worldlīg
And who so cheped my chaffer, chiden I would
But he profered to pay, a peny or twayne
More than it was worth, and yet would I swere
That it coste me much more, sware many othes
In holy dayes at holy kirke, whan ich hard masse
Hadde I neuer wyll wot god, witterly to besech
Mercy of my misdeades, that I ne mourned sore
For losse of good leue me, than for my lykam giltes
And if I had deadly synne done, I dred not y
t so sore
As whē I lēded & leued it lost, or lōg ere it wer paied
So if I kidde any kindnes, mine euēchristē to helpe
Apon a cruell couetise, mine herte gan hange
And if I sente ouer sea, my seruauntes to Bryges
Or into Prucelande my prentice, my profite to waitē
To marchaūden with mony, & make her exchaūges
Myght neuer me conforten, in the meane whyle
Neyther masse ne mattens, ne no maner syghtes
Ne neither penaunce performed, ne Pater nost. sayde
That my minde ne was more, on mi good in a doubt
Than in the grace of god, and in hys greate helpe
Math. vi
Vbi the saurus tuus, ibi et cor tuum.
Whych ben the braūches, that brynge a mā to slouth
He y
e mournith not for his misse, ne maketh no sorow
And penaūce that the prest inioyneth, perfourmeth ill
Doth no almesdedes, dreade hym of no synne
Lyueth agayne the beleue, and no lawe holdeth
Eche day is holy daye w
t hym, or an hyghe fery
And if he ought wyll heare, it is an harlots tonge
When men carpen of Christ, or of clennes of soules
He waxeth wroth & wil not here, but words of mirth
[Page lxxi]Penaunce and pore men, and the passion of sayntes
He hateth to heare therof, and all that he telleth
These bē braūches beware, y
t bringeth a mā to wā. hope
The lords & y
u ladies, and legates of holy kirk
That feden foles sages, flatterers and lyers
And haue liking to lithen hem, to do you to laugh.
Ve vobis qui ridetis. &c.
Luke. vi.
And giue hem meat & mede, and pore men to refuse
In your death diynge, I feare me full sore
Lest tho thre maner of mē, to much sorow you bring
Consentientes et agentes pari pena punientur.
Patriarkes & prophetes, and prechers of gods word
Sauen throughe her sermons, mans soule frō hell
Right so flatterers & foles, arne the fendes disciples
To entise men through hir tales, to sinne & harlotrye
And clarkes that knowen holy write, shold ken lords
What Dauid said of such men, as the psalter telleth
Non habitabit in medio domus mee,
Psal. C
[...]
qui facit superbiam et qui loquitur iniqua.
Should no harlot haue audience, in hall ne in chābre
There wysemen were, witnessen gods wordes
Ne no misproud man, among lordes be alowed
And flatterers and foles, through her lewde wordes
Leden tho that loue hem, to Lucifers feaste
Wyth Turpiloquio. a laye of sorowe, & Lucifers fidle
Thus Hankyn the actiue man, had soyled hys cote
Til Cōscience acouped him therof, in a curteis maner
Why he had ne washed it, or wyped it wyth a brushe
Passus .xiiii. de visione.
I Haue but one hole hattir quod Hākin, I am
the lesse to blame
Thoughe it be soyled and felde cleane, I slepe
therin on nightes,
[Page]And also I haue an huswife, hewen and chyldren
Luk. xiiii
Vxoxem duxi et ideo non possum venire.
That wollen bymollen it manye tymes, maugry my chekes,
Hankins cote wyll not be cleane.
It hath bene laued in lente, and out of lent bothe
With y
e soupe of sickenes, that seketh wōders depe.
And with the losse of cattell, lothe for to agyle
God or anye good man, by ought that I wyste
And was shryuen of a priest, that gafe me for my sins
To penaunce Patience, and pore men to fede
Al for couetise of mi christēdome, in clennes to kepe it
And could I neuer by Christ, kepe it cleane an houre
That I ne soyled it w
t sight, or with some idle speach
Or through worke or word, or wil of my herte
That I ne slober it foule, from morrowe till euen
And I shall ken the quod Conscience, of contricion to make
That shal claw thy cote, of al kindes of filth
Dowel shall washe it and wringe it, throughe a wyse confessoure.
Dobet shal beat it & bōke it, as bryght as any scarlet
And engrauē it w
t good wil, & gods grace to amēde y
e
And sithen sēd the to satisfaction, for to sowne it after
Shal neuer chest bymollen it, ne mought after bite it
Ne fende ne false man, defoulen it in thy lyfe
Shall no heraulde ne harper, haue a fayrer garment
Than Hākin the actiue mā, & thou do bi my teaching
Ne no minstrell be more worth, among pore & ryche
Thā Hankins wife shew
[...]ere
[...], with his actiua vita
And I shal puruey y
e paast & patiēce though no plow
[Page lxxii]And floure to fede folke withal, as best be for y
e soule
Though neuer greue growed, ne grape apon vyne
All that liued and loked, liuelode would I fynd
And that inough shal none faile, of thīg y
t hem nedeth
We should not be to busye, about our liuelode
Ne soliciti sitis. &c. Volucres celi deus pascit.
Mat. vi.
&c. patientes vincunt.
Than laughed Hankin a litle, and lightly gan swere
Who so leueth you by our lord, I leue not he be bleste
No ꝙ Conscience patiently,
God geueth not lyfe, but he prouideth fode,
and out of his poke hent
Vytayles of greate vertues, for all maner beastes
And said lo here liuelode inough, if our beliefe be true
For lent neuer was life, but lyuelode were shapen
Whereof or wherfore, or wherby to lyue
Fyrste the wylde worme, vnder wete earth
Fishe to liue in the floude, and in the fire the creket
The kurlew bi kind of hem, are clenest flesh of birdes
And beastes by grase & by grene, and by grene rotes
In meaninge that all men, might the same do
Liue through lelly beleue, & loue as god wytnesseth
Quodcūque petieritis a patre in nomine meo. &c:
Et alibi Non solo pane viuit homo, sed in omni verbo
quod procedit de ore dei.
And I loked what liuelod it was, y
t patiēce so praised
And it was a piece of y
e Pater nost. Fiat voluntas tua.
Haue Hākin ꝙ Patiēce, & eat this whā thou hūgrest
Or whan thou clumsest for colde, or clyngest for drye
Shall neuer giues the greue, ne great lordes wrath
Prison ne paine, for Patientes vincunt,
By so that thou be sober, of sight and of tonge
In eating and in handelyng, and in all thy fiue wyts
Darst thou neuer care for corne, nelinē cloth ne wolē
Ne for drinke ne deaths dread, but dye as god liketh
[Page]Or through honger or through heat, at his wil be it
For if thou liue after hys lore, the shorter life y
e better
Si quis amat Christum, mundum non diligit istum.
For through his breath beasts waxed, & abrode yedē
Ergo through hys breath, may men & beastes liuen.
As holy wryte witnesseth, whan men se in her graces
Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animal benedictione
It is found that forti winter, folk liued w
tout tilling
Forty yeres without tyllage.
And out of y
e flint sprōge the floud, y
t folk and beastes dronke
And in Helies tyme, heauen was closed
That no raine ne ronne, thus reade men in bokes
That many wynter men lyued, & no meate ne tiliden
Seuen slept as sayth the boke, seuen hūdred wynter
And lyued w
tout lyuelode, and at the last they woken
If mē liuid as mesure wold, shold no more be defaut
Lacke of measure is cause of scarcitie.
Amonge christen creatures, if christes words be true
And vnkindnes Caristiā. maketh amōge christē puple
And ouer plenty maketh pryd, amonges pore & rych
Therfor mesure is so mich worth, it cā not be to dere
For the mischife & the mischaūce amōgs mē of Sodō
Wext throughe plenty of pane, and of pure Slouth.
O ciositas et habundantia panis, peccatum turpissimum nutriuit.
For they measured not hē selfe, of y
t they ate & dranke
They dyd deadlye synne, that the deuyll liked.
So vengeaunce fell apon hem, for her vyle synnes
They sonken into hell, the cityes eche one
Therfore mesure we vs wel, & make faith our feltron
And through faith cometh cōtricion, cōsciēce wot wel
Whych driueth away deadly syn, & doth it to veniall
And though a mā might not speke, cōtritiō might saue
And bring his soule to blish, by so y
e faith were witnes
[Page lxxiii]That while he liued he beleued, in y
e law of holy kirke
Ergo cōtrition, fayth & cōscience, is kindly dowel
And surgeōs for dedli sin, whē shrift of mouth faileth
And shrift of mouth more worthy is, if mā be cōtrite
For shrift of mouth sleeth sinne, be it neuer so deadlye
Per confessionem to a prieste, peccata occiduntur,
Ther contricion doth driue downe, into veniall synne
And Dauid saith in y
e psalter,
Psal. 32. Satisfaction kylleth sinne
Et quorū recta sūt peccata
And satisfaction seketh out the rote, and both sleeth and voydeth.
And as it neuer had bē, to nought bringeth dedly syn
That eft it is not sene no sore, but semith a woūd helid
Wher wōnith chariti ꝙ Hākin, I wist neuer in mi life
Man that with him spake, as wide as I haue passed
That perfite trouth & pore hert is, & Patient of tong
There is charitie y
t chiefe chāberer, for god him selfe
Wher patiēt porti ꝙ Hākī, be mor plesāt to our dright
Thā riches rightfully wōne, & resonably dispended?
Yea Quis est ille quod Patience, quicke laudabimus eum
Though men read of riches, right to the worlds end
I wist neuer reuke y
e rych was, y
e whā he rekē should
Whē he drough to his dethes day, y
t hene dred hī sore
And y
t at the rekening in arerage fel, rather thē out of dette
Ther y
e pore dare pleate, & preue by pure reasō
To haue alowaūce of his lord, bi y
e law he it claimeth
Ioy that neuer ioy had, of ryghtful iudge he asketh
And seeth so birds and beastes, y
t no blis ne knoweth
And wild wormes in wods, bi winters hem greueth
And maketh hem welnigh meke, & mylde for defaut
And after y
u sēdest hē somer, that is her soueraine ioye
And blyshe to hem that bene, both wylde and tame
Then may beggers as beastes, after bote waiten
[Page]
Neuer treature was with out ioye here and hence to.
That al her life haue liued, in langour and in defaut
But god sent hem sometyme, some maner ioye
Or here or els where, kynde would it neuer
For to ouermuch wo was he wrought, y
t neuer was ioy shapē
Angels y
t in hel now bē, had ioy sometyme
And Diues in deyntis liued, and in Douce vie
Right so reason sheweth, that the men that were rich
And her makes also, liued hir lyues in myrthe
And god is of a wōderous wil, by y
t kind wit sheweth
To giue mani mā mercimony, ere he it hath deserued
Right so fareth god by some rich, ruth me it thinketh
For they haue her hire here, and heauen as it were
And great liking to liue, without labour of the bodye
And whē he dyeth is disalowed, as Dauid said in the psalter
Psal. 76.
Dormierunt, et nihil inuenerunt.
And in an other stede also, Velunt sompnum surgentium. domine.
In ciuitate tua, et ad nichillum rediges.
Alas that ryches shall reue, and robbe mans soule
From the loue of our Lorde at hys laste ende
Newen that haue her hire before, are euermore nedye
And selde dieth he out of det, y
t dineth or he deserue it
And tyll he haue done hys deuour, & his dayes iorney
For whā a workmā hath wrought, thē mē say y
e soth
What he were worthy for his worke, & what he hath deserued
And not to fig before for dred of disanullīg
So I say by you rich, it semeth not that ye should
Haue heauen in your here beyng, and heuen hereafter
Right as a seruāt taketh his salari before, & sith wold claime more
As he y
t none had, & hath hire at y
e last
It may not be ye rych men, or Mathew on god lyeth.
Mat. xix.
De delictis ad delicias, difficile est transite.
And if ye ryche haue ruthe, and rewarde well the pore
Christ of hys curtesy, shal confort you at the laste
And reward you al double riches,
The rych that be mercyfull shal haue heauen.
y
e ruful hert haue
And as an hyne that had hys hyre, ere he begane
Whē he hath dōe his deuour wel mē do him ouirboūt
Giue him a tote aboue his couenaūt, right so Christe geueth heuē
Both to rich & not rich, y
t rufully liueth
And al y
t done her deuour wel, han double hire for hir trauel
Here forgiuenes for her sins, & heuē blis after
And it is but seld sene, as by saynts bokes
That god rewarded double rest, to any rych man
For much myrth is among rych, as in meat & clothes
And much myrth in May, is amongest wyld beasts
And so forth y
e while somer lasteth, her solace dureth
And beggers aboute midsomer, breadles thei soupe
And yet is winter for hē worse, for wetshod thei gāg
A furst sore, and a fyngred, and fowle rebuked
And rated of ryche men, that ruth is to heare
Now Lorde send hem somer, and some maner ioye
Heuen after her hence goyng, y
t here haue such defaute
For all mightest y
u haue made, none meaner thā other
And lyke wytty and wyse, if the well had lyked
And saue ruth of these rich mē, y
t reward not thi prisoners
Of the good that y
u hem giuest, ingrati bē mani
And god of thy goodnes, giue hem grace to amend
For mai no derth hē deare, drough ne were he gieue
Ne nether heate ne haile, haue they her health
Of that they wyl and would, wanteth hem not here
And pore puple thi prisoners lord, in y
e pit of mischef
Confort the creaturs, that much care sufferen
Through derth & through drough, al her dayes here
Wo in winter tymes, for wantynge of clothes
[Page]And in somer tyme selde, soupen to the full
Conforte thy careful, Christe in thy ryches
For how y
u cōfortest al creatures, clarkes bereth witnes
Esai. xlv.
Conuertimini ad me, et salui eritis
Thus in general of gentryes Iesu Christ sayde
To robbers and to reuers, to rich and to pore
Thou taughtest hem in the trinitie, to take baptisme
And be cleane through y
e christening, of al kins sinnes
And if vs fell through foly, to fal in synne after
Confession and knowledging, and crauing thy mercy
Shold amēd vs as many sithes, as man wold desyre
And if the Pope would plede here againe, and punish vs in conscience
He should take the acquitaunce as quycke and to the
A christen mans patente.
queed shew it, Pateat. &c. per passionē domini
And put of so the pouke, and preuen vs vnder borow
And the parchmin of the Patente, of pouerty be must
And of pure patience, and perfect beleue
Of pompe and of pryde, the parcemyn declareth
And principalitie of al people, but thei be pore of hert
Els is al idle, and all that euer we wryten
Pater noster and penaūce, & pylgrimages to Rome
But our spenses and spending, sprynge of true wyll
Els is all our labour loste, lo howe men wryteth
In fenestres at the Fryers, if false be the fundament
Therfore christen shold be in cōmē rych, none couetise for him selfe
For seuē sinnes y
t ther be, assailē vs euer
The fend foloweth hem al, and foundeth hem to help
And w
t riches that rybaunde, he rathest men begileth
For there that ryches raygneth, reuerence foloweth
And that is pleasant to pryde, in pore and in ryche
And the rych is reuerenced, by reason of his ryches
[Page lxxv]And the pore is put behynd, & peraduenture cā more
Of wyt and of wisedome, that farre away is better
Than ryches or rialtye, and rather hard in heuen
For y
e rich hath much to rekē, & right ofte him y
e walketh
The hye way to heuenward, ryches him letteth
It a possibile diuiti. &c.
There the pore preiseth before y
e rich,
Apo. xiiii
w
t a pake at his rygge
Opera enim illorum sequntur illos,
Bataūtly, as beggers done, & boldly he craueth
For hys pouerty and his patience, a pertual blysse.
Beati pauperis,
Luke. v
[...]
quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum
And pride in riches raigneth, rather than in pouertye
Erst in the master or in y
e mā, some mantiō he haueth
And in pouerty there patience is, pride hath no might
Ne none of the seuen synnes, syt ne may there longe
For the pore is aye preste, to please the ryche
And buxome at hys byddynge, for hys broke loues
And buxomnes and bost, are euermore at warre
And either hateth other, in al maner workes
If wrath wrestle w
t the pore, he hath the worse ende
And if they both pleyne, the pore is but feble
And if he chyde or chatter, hym cheueth the worse
And if couetise catch y
e pore, they mai not come togithers
And by the neke nameli, ther nō mai hēt other
For men knowen well that couetouse is of kene wyll
And hath hands and armes, of a longe length
Pouerttis but a petit thing, apperith not to his nauel
And louelike was yet neuer bitwen, y
e long & y
e short
Though auarice wole angry y
e pore, he hath but litle might
For poreti hath but pokis, to put in his good
Ther auarice hath almaries, and iron bounde cofers
[Page]And whether be lighter to breake, & lasse bost maketh
A beggers bagge, than an yron bound cofer
Lecherye and glotony raigne not much in pouertye.
Lechery loueth him not, for he geueth but litle siluer
Ne doth hym not dine delecatlye, ne drynke wyne oft
A straw for the Stewes, it stode not I trowe
Had thei nothīg but of poremē, her house stode vntild
And though swuth sue pouerti, & serue not god to pay
Myschiefe is his master, and maketh him to thyncke
That god is his greatest helpe, and no gome els
And he hys saruaunt as he sayth, and of his fute both
And whether he be or not, he beareth y
e sygne of pouerty
And in y
e secte our sauyoure, saued al mankind
Therfore al pouertie that patient is, may claime and asken
After her endyng here, heuenlyche blysse.
Much hardier mai he aske, y
t here might haue his wil
Wylfull pouertye.
In londe and in lorshyp, and in lyking of body
And for gods loue leueth al, and liueth as a begger
And as a mayd for mans loue, hir mother forsaketh
Hyr father and all hyr frendes, & foloweth hyr make
Much more is the loue of hym, that such one taketh
Than a maiden is, that is maried through brocage
As by assent of sundry parties, and siluer to bete
More for couetous of good, than kinde loue of both
So it fareth by eche parson, that possession for saketh
And put hym to be patiente, and pouerty weddeth
Such is sybbe to god him selfe, and so
[...]chis saintes
Haue god mitrougth ꝙ Hākin, ye praise f
[...]st pouerty
What is pouerty w
t Patience, ꝙ he properly to mene
[...]
Paupertas quod Patience, est odibile bonum
Remotio curarum, possessio siue calumpnia, Ponum dei, Sanitatis mater, Absque solicitudine semita, Sapientie tēperatrir, negotium sine dalimo, incerta fortuna, absque solicitudine felicitas.
[Page lxxvi]I can not cōstine al this ꝙ Hākin, ye must ken this in english
In engish ꝙ patiēce, it is wel hard to expoūd
And some deale I shall say it, by so thou vnderstande
Pouerty is the first poynt, that pride most hateth
Than it is good by good skyll, al that agasteth pride
Right & cōtticion is a cōfortable thing, Cōsciēce wot it well
And sorowe of him selfe, & solace to the soule
So pouertye properlye,
The p
[...]se of p
[...] uerty
penaunce and ioye
Is the bodyes pure, spirituall leche.
Ergo Paupertas est odibile bonum.
And cōtritiō cōforteth, & Cura anima animarū, y
e secōde
Selde sitteth pouertye, the sothe to declare
Or as iustice to iudge men, enioyned is no pore
Ne to be mayre aboue mē, ne minister vnder kinges
Selde is any pore put, to punishe anye people.
Ergo pouertie & pore mē, perfourmen the commaūdementes
Nolite iudicate quemquam, the thyrde
Selde is any pore man ryche, of vnrightful heritage
Wineth he not w
t false weight ne w
t vnseled mesures
Ne boroweth of his neighbors, but y
t he mai wel pai
Possessio sine calampnia.
The fourth is a fortune, that florisheth the soule
Wyth sobrietie from all synne, and also yet more
It afayteth the fleshe, from soles full manye
A collaterall conforte, Christes owne gyfe,
The fift is mother of helth, a frende in all fondynges
And for the la
[...]de
[...] lech, alemman of al clennes.
The sixt is a path of peace, ye through y
e paas of Alton
Pouerty myghe passe, wont peryll of robbing
[Page]For there that pouertie passeth, peace foloweth after
And euer y
e lesse that he bereth, y
e hardier he is of herte
Therfore saith Seneca, Paupertas ē absque solicitudine
And an hardi mā of hert, amōg an heape of of theues
Cantabat paupertas, coram latrone biatore.
The .vii. is well of wisdome, & few wordes sheweth
Therfore Lords alow hym little, or listē to his reasō
For he tēpereth his tong to truthward, & no treasure coueteth
The eyght is a lellye labourer, and loth to take more
Than he well deserueth, in somer or in wynter
And if he chaffreth he chargeth no losse, may he charitie winne
Patience fedeth pouertye.
The nynth is swete to the soule, no suger is sweter
For Pacience is pane, for pouertye hym selfe
And sobrity swete drincke, and good lethe in sycknes
Thus learned me a lettered mā, for our lords loue of heuen
S. Austen a blessed life, w
tout busines ledde
For body and for soule, Absque solicitudine felicitas.
Now god that al good geueth, graūt his soule reste
That this first wrote to wissē mē what pouerti was
Alas ꝙ Hākin y
t actiue mā tho, y
e after mi christēdom
I ne had be dead and doluel, for dowels sake
So hard it is for Hankin to liue, & to do no synne
Synne sueth vs euer quod he, and sory gan wepe
And wept water with his eyen, & wayled the tyme
That euer he did dede, that deare God dispeased
Sworned and sobbed, and syghed full ofte
That euer he had londe, lord shynne lesse or more
Or maistrye ouer anye man, moe then of hym selfe
I were not worthy wot god ꝙ Hākin, to weare any clothes
He nether shyrt ne shoo, saue for shame oneli
And wepte and wayled, and therwyth I waked.
Passus .xv. de dowel, et incipit dobet.
ANd after my waking, it was wonders long
Ere I could kindly know, what was dowel
And so my witte wexe & wained, til I a folewer
And some lacked mi self, alowed it few
And letten me for a lorell, and loth to reuerencen
Lordes or ladyes, or any life els
As persons in pelure, wyth pendantes of siluer
To sergeauntes ne to suche, sayde I not once
God loke you lordes, ne louted fayre
That folke helden me a f
[...]le, & in that folie I raigned
Tyl reason had ruth on me, & rocked me a slepe
Tyll I se as it sorcerye were a sotle thynge wythall
One wythoutē tong or teth, told me whither I shold
And wherof he came and of what kynne, I coniured
hym at the laste
If he were Christes creature, anone me to tellen
I am christes creature ꝙ he, & christē in many a place
In christes court I know well, & of his kin a party
Is neither Peter y
e porter, ne Poule w
t hys faucheon
That will defend me the dore, ding I neuer so late
At midnight, at middaye, my voyce is so knowe
That ech a creature of his court, welcometh me fair.
What ar ye called ꝙ I in y
t court, amōg christs puple
The whils I quickē y
e cours ꝙ he,
Diuers
[...] offices of the soule,
callid am I Anima
And whan I wil and woulde, Animꝰ iche hight
And for that I can and knowe, called am I Mens
And whē I make mone to god, Memoria is mi name
And when I deme domes, & do as trueth teacheth
[Page]Than is Rasio my ryght name, reason in Englishe
And whē I fele y
t folke tellith, mi first name is sēsus
And that is wyt and wisdome, the well of all craftes
And when I chalenge or chalēge not, chepe or refuse
Than am I cōscience called, gods clerke & his notary
And when I loue lelly, our lord and al other:
Than is Leli loue my name, and in latin Amor
And when I flee from y
e flesh, and forsake the carion
Than am I spirite specheles, spiritus than iche hyte
Austin and Isodorus, eyther of them bothe
Named me thus to name, now thou might chese
How y
u couetist to cal me, now y
u knowst al mi names
Anima pro diuersis actionibꝰ, diuersa nomina sortitur, dum viuificat corpus, anima est, dum vult animus est, dū scit mēs est, dum recolit me noria est, dum iudicat ratio est, dum sentit sensus est, dum amat amor est, dum negat, vel consentit, cōscientia est, dum spirat spiritus est.
Ye bene as a byshop quod I, all bourding that tyme
For bishops iblessed,
Bishops haue many names
they beare many names
Presal and Pontifex, and metro politanus
And other names an hepe, Episcopus and Pastor.
That is soth sayd he, now I sethy wyll
Thou woldest know & ken, y
e cause of al their names
And of mine if thou mightest, me thinke by thi speach
Yea sir I sayde, by so no man were greued
All the sciences vnder sunne, and all the suttel crafte
I wold I knew and coud, kindly in mine herte
Than arte y
u imperfit ꝙ he, and one of prids knightes
For such a lust and liking, Lucyfer fel from heauen
[...]sal. xiiii
Ponā pedem in aquilone, et similis ero altissimo.
It were agaynst kind quod he, and kinnes reason
That anye creature shuld kenne all, except Christ one
And saith Sicut qui mel comedet multum, nō est ei bonum.
Pro. xxv.
Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimitur a gloria
That is to mean to english mē, y
t mowē speke & hear
The mā y
t much honie eateth, his maw is englemed
And the more that a man, of good matter heareth
But he do therfore, it doeth him double scathe
Beatus est sayeth saint Barnarde, qui scripturam legit.
Et verba vertit in opera, fully to hys power
Couetise to kenne, and to knowe science
Putte out of Paradise, Adam and Eue.
Scientie appetitus hominē immortalitatis gloria spoliauit.
And right as honi is euel to defy, & englimeth y
e maw
Right so he y
t through reason, wold y
t rote knowe
Of God & of his great mights, hys graces it letteth
For in the liking lyeth a prid, and likames couetyse
Against Christs coūsel, and al clerkes teaching
That is. Non plus sapere quam oportet,
Rom. xii.
Friers & fel other masters, y
t to y
e lewd men preachen
Mouen matters inmesurable, to tel of the Trynytie
That oftimes y
e lewd people, of their beliefe douten
Better to leaue were many docters,
Prechers dutye.
such teching
And tel mē of x. cōmaūdemēts, & touchē y
e seuē synis
And of y
e brāches y
t budde of thē, & bringē mē to Hell
And how that folke in folies, mispend theyr fiue wittes
As wel friers as other folke, folish spenen
In housing in hatering, & in to high clergie shewing
More for pompe thē for pure charitie, y
e peple wote y
e soth
That I lye not so, for lords they pleasen
And reuerencen the rich, the rather for their siluer.
Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia. Et alibi,
Psal. 117.
vt
quid diligitis vanitatem et queritis mendatium?
[Page]Go to the glose of the verse, ye greate Clarkes
If I lye on you to mi lewed wit, lead me to brēning
For as it semeth ye forsake, no mans almes
Of vsurers of whores, of auarous chapmen
And loutē to these lordes, that maye lene you nobles,
Again your rule and religion, I take record at Iesus
Mat. xx.
That said to his disciples Ne sitis personatū acceptores
Of thys matter I might, make a longe byble
And of curats of christē peple, as clerks bear witnes
I shal tellē it for truths sake, take hede who so lykith
As holines & honesty, out of holy church spredith,
Through lelly leuing men, that Gods lawe teachen
Ryght so out of holy church, al euels spredith
Ther imperfit presthode is,
Prechers muste do as they preach
prechers and techers
I se it by ensample, in sommer time on trees
There some bowes bene leaued, and some beat none
There is a mischefe in y
e more, of such maner bowes
Right so of parsōs & priests, & prechers of holy kyrke
That are roote of the right fayth, to rule the people
And there the rote is rotten, reason wote the soth
Sall neuer floure ne fruite, ne fayre lefe be grene
Therfore wold ye letred mē, leaue y
t lechert of clothīg
And be kind as befel for clarkes, & curteis of Christs goodes
True of your tonge, and of your tayle both
And hate to heare harlotrye, and not to vnderfonge
Tythes but of true thinge, tilied or chaffered
Lothe were lewde men, but they your lore folowed
And amendē hem y
t misdone, more for your ensāples
Then to preach and proue it not, hypocrisie it semeth
For hypocrisie in latine, is likened to a dunghyll
That were beshewed with snowe, and snakes w
tin
Or to a wal y
t were whitlimed w
tout, & foule w
tin
[Page lxix]Ryght so m
[...]nye priestes, preachers and prelates
Are enblaunched w
t Belperopis, & wyth clothes also
And your works & your words, therūder are ful vnlouely
Iohn Chrisostome of clarks spekth & priests
Sicat de tēplo omne bonum progreditur sic de tēplo omne masum procedit. Si sacerdotium incorruptū fuerit:
Chrysostomus
tota sloret ecclesia. Si autem corruptum fuerit: omnium fides marci dae
[...]. Si sacerdotrū fuerit in peccatis: tot
[...]s populꝰ conuertetat a
[...] peccatum. Sicat cum videris arborem pa
[...]dam et marridam intelliges quod vicium hader, in radice: Ita cum videris populum in disciplinatū et irreligiosum, sine dubio sacerdotium eius non est samum.
If lewde men wist, what this laten meaneth
And who was mine auctour, much wōder me thinke
But if mani prists bear for hir bastards & her brochis
A payre of bedes in their hāds, & a boke vnder their arme
Sir Iohn & sir Ieffery, hath a girdle of siluer
A baselard or a ballocke knife, w
t bottons ouergilt
And a portus y
t shuld be his plow, Place vo to synge
Had he neuer seruice to saue siluer therto, seith it with idle wil
Alas ye lewd men, much lese ye on priests
And a thing that wickedly is won,
Euil gotten euyl spent
& w
t false sleights
Wold neuer wit of witty God, but wickid mē it had
The which ar priests imperfit, & prechers after siluer
That with gile is gotten, vngraciously is spended
Executors & sodemes, samoners & their lemmans,
So harlots and hoores, are holpen with such goods
And Gods folks for defaute therof, for farē & spill
Curatours of holy kyrke, as clerkes y
t ben auarous
Lightly that they leauen, losels it habbeth
Or dieth intestat, and the bishop entreth
And makith mirth thermidde, and his men bothe
And siggē he was an nigard, y
t no good might spare
To frend ne to fremid, the fende haue his soule
[Page]For a wretched house he hyled, all his lyfe time
And y
t he sparid and bisperid, spende we in mirth
By learned and by lewde, that loth is to spend
Thus gone their goods, be the gost faren
And for good men God wot, great dole men maken
And be meaneth good meatgeuers, & in mind haueth
In prayers, and in penaūce, and in perfit charitie.
What is charitie ꝙ I tho? A childish thing he sayd.
Mata. 18,
Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli nō intrabitis regnū celorū
Wythout fauteltie or tolie, fre liberall will,
Wher shuld men finde such a frind, with so fre a hert?
I haue lyued in londe ꝙ I, my name is long Wyll
And founde I neuer full charitie, before ne behynde
Men be merciable to mēdinauntes, and to pore
And wollen lene there they leue, lelly to be payed
Chariti y
t Poul praisith best,
Rom. xiii
most plesīg to our God
Is Nō inflatur, non est ambitiosa, non querit que sua sunt.
I se neuer such a man, so god me helpe
That he ne wold aske after hys, & other whyle couet
Thynge that neded hym not, & nyme it if he myght,
Clarkes kenne me that Christ, is in all places
And I se hi neuer sothly, but as mi selfe in a myrror
In enigmate,
i. Cor. xiii
tunc farie ad faciem.
And so I trowe trulye, by that men sell of charitie
It is not champions syght, ne chaffer as I trowe
Charitie ꝙ he chaffreth not, ne chalēgeth ne craueth
As proude of a peny, as of a poūde of golde
And is as glade, of a gowne of graye russet
As of a tunicle of tars, or of tried scarlet
He is glad w
t all glade, and good to all wicked
And leueth and loueth, all that our lorde made
Curseth no creature, ne he can beare no wrath
[Page lxxx]Ne no likynge hath to lye, ne laughe men to skorne
All that men same he lete it soth, & in solace taketh
And all maner mischiefe, in mildnes he suffeeth
Coueteth he no earthly good, but heauen lich blisse
Hath he any rentes or ryches, ne retcheth he neuer
For a frend y
t findeth him, faileth hym neuer at nede
Fiat voluntas tua, fyndeth hym euermore
And if he soupe, he eateth but a soupe of Spera in deo,
He cā portrey wel y
e Pater noster,
Goyn
[...] on pilgrimage
& paint it w
t pytye
And other while he is wonne, to wead on pilgimage
Ther pore mē & prisoners liggen, her pardon to haue
Though he bear hē no bread, he beareth sweter fode
Loueth hē as our Lord bade, & loketh how they fare
And whē he is wery of y
e worke, thā woll he sōtyme
Labour in lauendrye, well the length of a myle
And yarne into youth, and yepely speake
Pryde w
t all thappertenaūces, pake hem togithers
And boken hem at his breste, and beate hem cleane
And liggen on longe, wyth Laboraui in gemitu meo,
And w
t warne water at hys eyen, washen hem after
And than he syngeth, whan he doeth so
And sometyme sayeth wepynge
Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies
Bi Christ I wold I knew him ꝙ I,
Psal. ii
no creature leuer
Wythout the helpe of Pierce plow man quod he, hys person seest thou neuer.
Where clarkes know him ꝙ I, y
t kepen holy kyrke?
Clarks haue no knowīg ꝙ he, but vi works & word
And Pierce the plowman, perceiueth more depely
What is the wil & wherfore y
t many wyght suffreth
Et vidit cogitationes eorum.
Luke.
[...]
For there are ful proude herted men, patient of tong
[Page]And buxome as of beringe, to burgesis & to lordes
And to pore people, haue pepper in the nose
And as a Lyon he loketh, there men lacke his works
Former are veggers & bidders, bedemen as it were
Loken as lambren, and semen liue holye,
And it is more to haue her meat, w
t such a easi maner
Thē for penaūce or perfitnes, y
t pouert y
t such taketh
Therfore by colour ne by cleargy, know shalt y
u neuer
Nether through works or words, but through will one
And y
t knoweth no clarke, ne creature on earth
But Pierce the plowman Petrus id est Christus
For he is not w
t lesels, ne w
t landlippers hermets
Ne w
t ancres there a boxe hangeth, al such they faitē
Fye on Faytors, and Infautores suos,
For charitie is gods chāpion,
Of charitie.
& as a good child hende
And the meriest of mouth, at meate where he setteth
The loue y
t lieth in his hert, maketh him light of spech
And is compaignable and cōfortatiue, as Christ byd him selfe
Nolite fieri sicut hypocrite tristes.
For I haue sene him in sylke,
Mat. vi.
& sometime in russet
Both in graye and in gryse, and in a gylt harneys
And as gladly he it gaue, to gommes that it neded
Edmunde and Edward, eyther were kynges
And famies set, for charitye hem folowed
I haue sene charitie also syngyng and reding
Ryding and runnyng, in ragged weedes
And bydden as beggers, behelde I hym neuer
And in ryche robes, rachest he walketh
Called and Crimised, and his crowne shauē
And in a Fryers froke, he was found once
And it is ferne ago, in saynt Frances time
In that seet syth, to selde hath he be knowen
[Page lxxxi]Riche men he recommendeth, & of their robes taketh
That withouten wiles, ledeth her lyues
Beatus est diues qui. &c.
In kings court he cometh oft, ther the counsel is true
And if couetis be of counsell,
What cō pany charitie haū teth,
he wil not come therin
In court amōges tapers, he commeth not but selde
For brauling & backbiting, and bearing false wytnes
In y
e cōsistori before y
e comissari, he cometh not ful oft
For their law dureth ouerlong, but if they lachē siluer
And matrimony for money, maken and vnmaken
And that conscience and Christ, hath knite fast
They vndone it vnworthely, the docters of law
And I ne lacke no lyue, but lorde amend vs all
And geue vs grace good God, charitie to folowe
For who so might mete w
t him such maners hī aileth
Neither he blameth ne banneth, bosteth ne prayseth
Lacketh he ne loseth, ne loketh vp sterne
Craueth ne couetith, ne crieth after more
In pace in idipsum dormiam et requiescam.
The most liuelode he liuith by,
Psal. xii
[...],
is loue in gods passiō
Nether he biddeth ne beggeth, ne boroweth to yelde,
Misdoth he no man, ne with his mouth greueth
Amongest christen men, this mildnes shuld last
In al maner angers, haue this in herte
That though he suffered all this, God sufferid for vs more
In exāple we shuld do so, & takē no vēgeaūce
Of our foes y
t done vs falsenes, y
t is our fathers will
For wel may eueri mā wit, if god had wold him selfe
Shuld neuer Iudas ne Iew, haue Iesu dōe on rode
Ne haue martrid Peter ne Paule, ne in prison holden
And he suffred in example, that we shulde suffre also
And said to such y
t suffre wold, that Patientes vincunt
[Page]Verbi gracia, quod he, and verye examples many
The Legēd of say rites, beleue it if ye luste.
In Legenda sanctorum, the lyfe of holye sayntes
What penaunce and pouertye, & passion they suffred
In honger in heate, in all maner angers
Antonye and Egedye, and other holye fathers
Wendynge in wyldernes, amonge wyld beastes
Monkes and mendinauntes, men by hem selfe
In spekes and spelunkes, seldom speken togyders
And neyther Antony nor Egedi, ne hermite that tyme
Of Lyons ne of Leopardes, no lyuelode to take
But of fowles that flyeth, this finden men in bokes
Excepte that Egedi, after an hynde cried
And throughe the milke of that mylde beast, the man was susteyned.
And day by day had neuer nought, his hōger to slake
But selde & sundry tymes, as sayth y
e boke & teacheth
Antonye eche a daye, aboute none time
Had a byrd that brought hym bread, that he by liued
And though the gome had a gest, God foūd hem both
Poule primus heremita, had proroked hym selfe
That no man myght him se, for mosse and for leaues
Fowles hem fedde, fell wynters wythall
Tyll he founded Fryers, of Austens order
Poule after hys preachinge, paniers he made
And wonne wyth his hands, that hys wombe neded
Peter fyshed for hys fode, and hys felowe Andrewe
Some they sold & some they soth, & so thei liued both
And also Mary magdalen, by moores liued & dewes
And most through deuotiō, & mind of god almighty
I shoulde not these seuen dayes, seggen hem all
That liued thus for our lords loue, many long yeres
And ther ne was Lyon ne Leopard, y
t on lands went
That ne fell to their fete, & fawned with their tales
And if they could haue carped, by Christ as I trowe
They wold haue fed that folke, before wyld fowles
And God sēt thē foode by foules, & by no fierse bestes
In meanyng that meke thinge, mild thinge shuld fede
As who say religious,
A lesō for them that take be
[...]tices at wycked mē hāde.
ryghtfull men should fynde
And lawfull men to lyfe holy men, lyuelode bryng
And than would Lordes and ladies, be loth to a gilte
And to take of her tenauntes, more than truth would
Found they that Friers would, forsake her almes
And bidden hem beare it, there it was borowed
For we bene gods foles, and abiden alwaye
Tyll byrdes brynge vs, that we shoulde liue by
For had ye potage & pane inough, & peniale to drinke
And a mes there a mid, of one maner kynde
Ye had right inough ye religious, so your rule me told
Nunquid (dicit Iob) rugit Onager cum herbā habuerit. Aut mugiet bos, cū ante plenū presepe steterit.
Iob. v
[...].
Brutorū animaliū natura te cōdēpnat, quia cū eis pabulum commune sufficit, ex adipe prodiit iniquitas tua.
If lewde mē knew this latē, thei wold loke whō they geue
And aduice hem before, a fiue dayes or syxe
Ere they amortised to monkes, or chanons her rents
Alas Lordes and Ladies, lewde counsel haue ye
To gyue from your heyres, that your elders you left
And gyue it to bydde for you, to such as ben ryche
And ben founden and fedde eke, to bydde for other
Who perfourmeth this prophecy, of y
e people y
t nowe liueth?
Dispersit dedit pauperibus.
Psal. iii
If any people performe y
e text, it are these pore friers
For that they begge about, in building they spende it
[Page]And on hem selfe some, and such as bē her labourers
And of hē that haue not they take, & geueth hē y
t hath
And clarkes & knightes, and cōmuners that ben rych
Fell of you fareth, as if I a foreste hadde
That were full of fayre trees, and I found a caste
Howe I myght mo therein, amonge hem sette
Ryght so ye ryche, ye robbe that ben ryche
And helpeth hē y
t helpe you, & geueth there no nede is
As who so fylleth a tunne, of a freshe ryuer
Caste water into temes.
And went forth w
t that water, to woke with Camise
Ryghte so ye ryche, ye robbe and feede
Hem that haue as ye haue, hem ye make at ease
And religious that rych ben, shold rather fest begers
Then Burgesis that rych bene, as the boke telleth.
Quia sacrilegium est tes pauperum non pauperibus dare
Item peccatoribus dare est demonibus immolare
Item Monache, si indiges et accipis potius das quā accipis
Si autem non indiges et accipis, rapis. Porro non
Indiget Monachus, si habeat quod nature sufficit.
Therfore I coūsel al christē, to cōfirme hē to charitie
For charitie w
tout chalengyng, vnchargeth the soule
And mani prisoners bi his praier, he pulleth frō paine
And there is a defaut in y
e folke, that the fayth kepeth
Wherfore folke is the febler, and not firme of beleue
As in Lushburth is a luther alay, yet loketh like sterling
The marke of y
e money is good, & y
e metel feble
So fareth it bi some folke now, they haue a fair spech
Crowne and christendome, the kings marke of heuen
And the metel y
t is mans soule, w
t sinne is foule alaied
Both lettred and lewde, ben arayed now with synne
That no lyfe loueth other, ne oure Lorde as it semeth
For by war & wicked works, & weders vnseasonable
Haue no beleue to y
e list, ne to y
e lore of Philosophers
Astronomers all daye, in her arte faylen
That whilome warned before, what shold fall after
Shipmē & shepeheardes, y
t with shyp & shepe wēten
Wyshen by the welken, what shoulde betide
As of weders and wyndes,
Al is our of frame
they warned men oft
Tyllers that tylled the earth, tolde her maisters
By the seede that they sewe, what they sell myghte
And what to leaue & what to lyue by, y
e land was so true
Now faileth y
e folk of y
e floud, & of y
e land both
Sepeheardes and shypmen, and so do these tyllers
Nether they cāneth ne knoweth, one cours before another
Astronomers also, are at her wyttes ende
Of y
t was calculed of thelemēt, the cōtrary they fynd
Grammer the ground of al, begileth now the childrē
For it is non of these new clarks, who so nimeth hede
Not one among an hūdred, that an auter cā construe
Ne read a letter in ani lāgage, but in latine or english
Go nowe to any degree, and but if gyle be maister
And flatterer his felow, vnder hym to fourmen
Mache wonder me thynketh, amonge vs all
Doctours of degrees, and of diuinitie maisters
That shoulde kenne and knowe, all kynnes cleargye
And answer to argumentes, and also to a Quod libet.
I dare not say it for shame, if suche were apposed
They should fayle of hir philosophy, & phisike both
Therfore I am afrayed, of folke of holye kyrke
Lest thei ouerhipē as other done, in officis & in hours
And if they ouerhip as I hope not, our belefe suffreth
As clarkes in Corpus Christi feast, singen and readen
That Sola fides sufficit, to saue wyth lewde people
[Page]And so may Saracines be saued, scribes and Iewes
Alas than but oure lores men, lyued as they serue vs
And for her liuyng y
e lewde mē be, y
e lother god agylt
For Saracines haue somwhat, seming to our beleue
For they loue and beleue, one god almyghtye
And we lerned and lewed, in one god beleue.
The beginnyng of Mahomets law
And one Mahomet a man, in misbeleue brought
Saracines of Surrey, and se in what maner.
At the first he was christē, & for he might not be pope
Into Surrey he sought, & throughe hys sottle wyts
Daunted a doue, and daye and nyght her fed
The corne that she cropped, he cast in his eare
And if he among the puple preched, or in places come
Than woulde the Culuer come, to the clarkes eare
Menīg as after meat, thus Mahomet her enchaūted
Thā did folk fal on knees, for he swore in his prechīg
That the Culuer that came so, came frō god of heuen
As messenger to Mahomet, men for to teach
And thus through wyles of his wyt, & a whit doue
Mahomet in misbeleue, men and women brought
That liued tho ther and lyuē yet, leuing on his lawes
And sith our sauiour suffred, y
e Saracenes so begiled
Through a christen clarke, accursed in hys soule
For dread of death, I dare not tell truth
How englishe clarkes a Culuer fede, y
e couetise hyte
And ben manered of Mahomet, y
t no mā vseth truth
Ancres and hermets, monkes and friers
Peren to Apostles, through her perfit liuynge
Wold neuer the faithfull father, y
t his ministers shold
Of tyrantes that teneth true men, take any almes
But done as Anthony did, Dominike & Frauncis
Benet and Barnarde, the which hem first taught
Grasse should grow and be grene, through her good liuing
And folkes shold find y
t ben in diuers sikenes
The better for her byddynges, in bodye and in soule
Their prayers & their penaūces, to peace shold bryng
All that ben at debate, and bedmen were true.
Petite et accipietis. &c.
Luke.
[...].
Salte saueth cattell, sayeth these wyues.
Vos estis sal terre.
Math.
[...].
The heades of holye churche, and they holy were
Christe calleth hem salte, for Christen soules.
Et si sal euanuerit in quo salietur.
For freshe fleshe other fyshe, when it salt fayleth
It is vnsauerye forsothe, sodde or baked
So is mans soule sothly, that seeth no good exemple
Of hem of holy kyrke, y
t the hygh waye should teache
And be gyde and go before, as a good rauenour
And hardē hem y
t behind ben, & giue hē good euidēce
A leuen holye men, all the world turned
Into lellye beleue,
The Apostles turned al the worlde to the fayth,
the lyghtloker me thyncketh
Should al maner of men, we haue so many maisters
Priestes and preachers, and a Pope aboue
That Gods salte should be, to saue mans soule
All was Heathennes sometyme, England & Wales
Tyll Gregory gard clarkes, to go here and preach
Austen at Canturburye, christened the kynge
And bi miracles as mē mai rede, al y
e marsh he turnid
To Christ and to christendome, & crosse to honour
And fulled folke faste, and the fayeth taught
More through myracles, thā through much prechīg
As wel through workes, as through his holi words
And sayd hem what fullinge, and faith was to meane
[Page]Cloth that cometh frō the weuyng, is not comely to wear
Til it be fulled vnder fote, or in fulling stocks
Washen well with water, and with tasels cratched
Touked and teynted, and vnder taylors hand
And so it fareth by a barne, that borne is of a wombe
Tyll the chyld be instructed in Christ it is but as a wilde beaste
Til it be christned in christs name, cōfirmed of bishop
It is hethē as to heuēward, & helples to the soule
Hethen is to meane, after heath and vntilled earth
As in wilde wildernes, waxeth wilde beastes
Rude and vnreasonable, runnyng without cropers
Ye menen wel how Mathew sayth, how a mā made a feaste
He fed hē w
t no venison, ne fesaūtes baked
But w
t fowls y
t frō him nold, but folowed his whistlynge
Math. xx
Ecce altilia mea, et omnia parata sunt.
And with calues fleshe he fedde, y
e folke that he loued
The calfe betokeneth clēnes, in hē that kepeth lawes
For as y
e cow through kind milke, y
e calfe nourisheth til an oxe
So loue & leauty, lelly men susteyneth
And maydens and mylde men, mercy desieren.
Ryght as the cowe calfe, coueteth swete milke
So done rightfull men, mercye and trueth
And who so y
t excuseth hem, that ar persōs & priestes
That heneds of holy kyrke bē, that haue her wil here
Without trauel y
e tith deale, that true men biswinkē
Thei wold wroth for I write this, & to witnes take
Both Mathew & Marke, and Memento domine dauid
What pope or prelat now, performeth y
e christ hight
Ire in vniuersum mundū, et predicate euangelium.
Mat. xvi
Alas that mē so longe, on Makometh should beleue
So many prelates to preache, as the Pope maketh
Of Nazareth of Niniue, of Nepthalim & Damasco
That they ne went as Christ wysheth, sithē they wyl haue name
And as hem selfe sayde, so to lyue and dye.
Bonus pastor animam suam ponit. &c.
Iohn. x.
And sayde it in saluation, to Saracines and other
For christen and vnchristen, Christ sayde to preachers
Ite vos in vineam meam.
Math. xx
And syth that these Saracines, scribes and Iewes
Haue a lyppe of oure beleue, the lyghlier me thynketh
They should turne who so traueiled, to teach hem of the trinitye
Querite et inuenietis.
Mat. vii
&c.
It is ruth to reade, howe ryghtwyse men lyued
Howe they defowled her fleshe, forsoke her owne wil
Farre fro kyth and from kynne ill clothed yeden
Badlye bedded, no boke but Conscience.
Ne no ryches but the rode, to reioyce hem therin
Absit vos gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri. &c.
Galat. vi
And tho was plenty and peace, among pore and rych
And nowe is ruth to read, how the redde noble
Is reuerēced ere the rode,
How couetise of the cleargy wyll destroy y
e church.
& receiued for the worthier
Then Christes crosse, y
t ouercame death & deadly syn
And nowe is warre and wo, and who so why asketh
For couetise after crosse, the crowne standes in golde
Boeth ryche and religious, that rode they honoure
That in grotes is grauen, and in nobles
For couetous of that crosse, men of holye kyrke
Shal turne as tēplars did, the time approcheth nere
Wyt ye not ye wyse men, howe tho men honored
More treasure then trouth, I dare not tell the soth
Reason and ryghtfull dome, the religious demed
Ryght so you clarkes, for your couetise ere longe
Shal they deme Dos ecclesie, and your pride depose.
De posuit potentes de sede.
Luke.
[...].
&c.
[...]
[...]
[Page]If knyghthode and kyndwyt,
An admonicion to y
e cleargy
& commune by cōsciēce
To gyther loue lelly, leueth it well ye byshoppes
The lordshyps of landes, for euer shall ye lese
And lyue as Louitiei, as our Lorde you teacheth
Per primitias et decimas. &c.
Whan Constantyne of curtesy,
Deut. 18. Nume. v.
holy kyrke dowed
With landes, and leades, lordshyps and rentes
An angell men harden on hyghe at Rome crye
Dos ecclesie, thys day hath dronke venyme
And they that haue Peters power, are poysoned al
A medicine muste therto, that may amend prelates
That should praye for peace, possession hem letteth
Take her landes ye lordes,
A medicyne for y
e Cleargye
& let hem lyue by decimus
If possession be poyson, and imperfit hem make
Good were it to discharge hem, for holy kyrke sake
And purge hem of poyson, ere more peryl fal.
If priesthode were perfect, the people should amende
That cōtrarien Christes law, & christendome despise
For al Paynymes prayeth, and perfectly beleueth
In the holy great god, and his grace they asken
And make her mone to Makomet, her message to she we
Thus in fayth lyue that folke, & in a false meane
And y
t is ruth of ryghtfull men, y
t in realme wonneth
And a peril of the Pope, and prelates that he maketh
That bear bishops names, of Bethlem, & of Babilō
That hip about in Englāde, to hallow mens aulters
And crepen amōg curatours, cōfessen againe the law
Nolite mittere falcem, in messem alienam.
Mani a mā for christes loue,
Bishops. dutye.
was martyred in Rome
Ere any christendome was knowne ther, or any crosse honored
Eueri bishop y
t bereth cros, bi y
e he is holdē
Through his prouīce to passe, & to his puple to shew
[Page lxxxvi]Tellen hem and teachen hem, on the trinitie to beleue
And fedē hem w
e gostly fode, & gyue there it neadeth.
In domo mea non est panis neque vestimentum.
Esai. iii.
Et ideo nolite, constituere me regem.
Malachias sayth for suche, as sycke be and feble.
Inferte omnes decimas in horreum meum,
Mal. iii.
vt sit cibus in domo mea.
And we christian creatures, that on the crosse beleuen
Are fyrme in the fayeth, god forbode els
And haue clarkes to kepe vs therin, & hē y
e come after
And Iues liuē in lelly loue, our lord wrote it him selfe
In stone for it stedfast was, and stande shal euer
Dilige deum et prorimum, is perfite Iewes lawe
And toke it to Moyses to teach mē, til Messias came
And on that lawe they leue yet, and leten it the best
And yet knewe they Christ, that christendome taught
For a perfite prophete, that muche people saued
Of selkougth sores, they sawe it ofte
Both of miracles & meruels, & howe he men feasted
Wyth two fishes & fiue loues, fyue thousande people
And by y
e māgerye men might se, y
e Messias he semed
And when he lift vp Lazar, that layed was in graue
And vnder stone & stanke, w
t styfe voyce him called.
Lazare veni foras.
Iohn. xi.
Dyd hym ryse and roome, right before the Iewes
And they sayd and swore, w
e sorcery he wrought
And studyed to destroye him, and stroyed hem selues
And throughe his patience, her powre to naughte he broughte.
Daniell of her doynge, diuined and sayde.
Cum sanctus sanctorum veniat, cessabit vnctio bestra.
And wenē tho wretches, y
e he were pseudo propheta
And that hys lore be leasynges, and lacken it all
[Page]And hopen that he be to come, that shall hem releue
Moses eft or Messie, her maisters yet diuineth
And Phariseis and Sarasins, Scribes & Grekes
Are folke of one fayth, the father god they honouren
And sithen that the Sarasines, and also the Iewes
Konne the fyrste clause of our beleue Credo in deum
Prelates of christē prouīcis, shold preue if thei might
To learne hem litle & litle, Et in Iesum christum filium,
Tyl they could speake and spel, Et in spiritum sanctum
And reade it and record it w
t remissionem peccatorum.
Carnis resurrectionem et vitam eternam amen.
Passus .xvi. et primus de dobet.
NOwe fayre fal you ꝙ I tho, for youre fayre shewyng:
For Hankins loue the actyue manne, euer I shall you loue.
And yet I am in a were, what charitie is to meane
It is a full tried tree quod he, truly to tell
Mercy is the moore therof, the middle stocke is ruth
The leaues ben lelly wordes,
A discriptiō of charitie.
the lawe of holy kirke
The blossomes ben buxome speach, & vening loking
Patience hight the pure tre, and pure simple of hert
And so through god & good mē, groweth y
e frute charitie
I wold trauel ꝙ I this tre to se .xx. C. myle
And to haue my fyl of y
e frute, forsake all other salue
Lorde ꝙ I if any wight wit, whither out it groweth
It groweth in a garden ꝙ he, y
e god made him selfe.
Amids mans bodye, the moore is of that stocke
Herte hyght the herboure, that it in groweth
And Liberum arbitrium, hath the land to farme
Vnder Piers the plowman, to picke it & to wede it
Pierce the Plowman ꝙ I tho, & al for pure ioye
That I hard nempe hys name, an on I swoned after
That Pierce the Plowman, all the place me shewed
And vade me to totre on y
e tree, on toppe & on rote
With .iii. piles was it vnderpight, I perceiued it sone
Pierce ꝙ I, I praye the, why stond these piles here?
For wyndes, wylt y
u wyt ꝙ he, to wyten it frō falling
Cum reciderit iustus, nō collidetur, quia dominus supponit manum suam.
Psal. 37.
In blowing rune bite y
e flours, but if thes piles help
The world is a wicked wind, to hem that wil trouth
Couetise comith of y
e wind, & crepith amōg the leues
And forfretith nigh y
e fruit, through mani faire sights
Thā w
t y
e first pile, I pale him down, y
e is Potētia Dei Patris
The flesh is a fel wynde & in flouryng tyme
Through liking and lustes, so loud ginneth to blow
That it nourisheth nye sightes, & sometime words
And wicked workes thereof, wormes of synne
And forbyteth the blosomes, euen to the bare leaues
Than set I to the seconde pyle, Sapientia dei patris.
That is the passiō and the power, of our prince Iesu
Through prayers & throughe penaūce, gods passion in mynde
I saue it til I se it ripē, & some dele fruted
And than fondeth the fend, my frute to destroye
Wyth al the wyles that he can, & waggeth the rote
And casteth vp the crompe, vnkynde neyghbours
Backbyters breake the chest, brawlers & chiders
And leyth a ladder therto, of lesynges are y
e roundes
And fetch away my flours, sōtime afore both myne eies
And Liberum arbitrium, letteth hem sometime,
That is leuetenaunt to lokē it wel, bileaue of my self
Vidiatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum nūquā remitterur.
Hoc est idem qui peccat per liberum arbitriū non repurgatur
And whā the fend & the flesh,
Mat. xii.
forth w
t the world
[Page]Manacen behinde me,
Pierces
[...]efence
my fruite for to fetche
Than liberum arbitriū, latcheth the first plante
And palleth adoune the pouke, purely through grace
And helpe of the holy ghost, & thus haue I y
e mastrie
Now fayre fall you Piers ꝙ I, so fayre ye descriuen
The power of these postes, and their propre might
And I haue thought a threwe, of thes thre poles
In what wood thei wopē, & where that they growed
For all are they a lyke long, none lesse than other
And to mimid as me thīketh, on a more thei growed
And of one greatnes, and grene of greyne they semen
That is so the quod Pierce, so it maye befall
I shall tell the as tyte, what thys tree hyght
The grounde there it groweth, goodnes it hyght
And I haue told y
e what hight y
e tre,
The tre & the frutes thereof.
y
e trinity it meaneth
And egerly he loked on me, & therfore I spared
To aske him any more therfore, & bade him ful fayre
To descriue the frute, that so fayre hangeth
Here nowe beneth quod he tho, if I nede had
Matrimonye I maye name, a moyst fruite wythall
Then cōtinence is here the crop, as caile way bastard
Then beareth the crop kind fruite, and clennest of all
Maydenhode angels pere, and rathest wyll be rype
And swete without swellynge, soure worth it neuer
I prayed Pierce to pull downe, an apple if he would
And suffer me to assaye, what sauour it had
And Piers cast to the crop, & than comsed it to crye
And wagged widowhead, and it wept after
And when it meued Matrimony, it made a full noyse
I had ruth when Piers ragged, it grad of ruthfullye
For euer as they dropped downe, y
e deuel was ready
And gathered them altogyther, both great and small
Sampson Samuell, and saynt Iohn Baptist
Bare hem forth boldlye, no bodye him let
And made of holy men hys hoorde, In limbo inferm.
There is darckenes and dread, and the deuyll maister
And Pierce of pure tene, of that apple caught
He hytte ofte at hym, hytte if he myght
Filius, by the fathers wyll, & frenes of Spiritus sancti,
To go rob that ragmā, & reue the fruite from hym
And speake Spiritus sanctus, in Gabriels mouth
To a maid that hight Mary, a meke thinge wythall
That one Iesu a iustice sōne, must tōken in her wōbe
Tyll Plenitudo temporis, full ye commen were
That Pierces fruite floured, and fyll to rype
And Iesus shold iust therfore, by iudgemēt of armes
Whether shold fonge the fruite, the fende or him selfe
The mayde myldelye tho, the messenger greted
Add sayde hendelye to hym, lo me his handmayden
For to worke hys wyll, wythout any synne.
Ecce ancilla domini, fiat mihi.
Luke.
[...].
&c.
And in the wombe of y
e wench, was he fortye wekes
Tyll he wext a faunt through hir flesh, & of fyghtyng could
To haue fought w
e the fend, ere ful time came
And Pierce the Plowman, perceyued plener time
And learned him lechcrafte, hys lyfe for to saue
That woūdid w
t his enmy, he might warish him selfe
And did him assay his surgery, on hem that sick were
Tyll he was perfite practiser, if any daunger fell
And soughte oute the sycke and synfull boeth
And salued sycke and synfull, doth blynde and croked
And commen women conuerted, and to good turned
Non est sanis opus medico. &c.
Both mesels and mute, and in the menison bloudye
Ofte he healed suche, he ne helde it for no maistrye
Saue tho he healed Lazar, that had laye in graue
Iohn. xi.
Quatriduanas, Quelte quycke did hym wake
And as he made the mastrye, Messus cepit esse.
And wept water wyth his eyen, ther seighen it many
Some that the syght syghen, sayde that tyme
That he was leche of lyfe, and lorde of hyghe heuen
Iewes iangled there agayne, and iudged lawes
And said he wrought through witchcraft, & w
t the deuils might
Then are ye cherls quod I, and your children both
And Satan your sauiour, your selfe now ye wytnes
For I haue saued your selfe saith Christ, & your sons after
Your bodies, your beastes, & blind mē holpen
And fedde you with two fyshes, and with fiue loues
And left baskets ful of brokē meat, bear awai y
t wold
And missayd the Iewes manly, & manaced hē to beat
And knocked on hem w
t a cord, & cast downe hir stals
That in churche chafferden, or chaūge den any money
And sayde it in syght of hem all, so that all hearden
I shall ouerturne thys temple, and downe throwe
And in three dayes after, edifye it newe
And make it as much or more, in all maner poyntes
As euer it was and as wyde, & therfore I hote you
Of prayers and of perfitnes, thys place that ye call.
Mat. xxi.
Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur.
Enuye and euyll wyll, was in the Iewes
They castē & contriueden, to kil him when they might
Eche day after other, her tyme they awayted
Tyll it befell on a Fridaye, a lyttle before paske
The thursedaye before, there he made hys maundye
I am solde throughe one of you, he shall the tyme rue
That euer he his sauiour sold, for syluer or els.
Iudas iangled theragaynst, and Iesus him tolde
It was him selfe sothlye, and sayde Iudicis,
Thā wēt forth that wicked man,
The maner of Iudas
[...] trayng
[...] vsed
& w
t y
e Iewes met
And told them a token, howe to knowe Iesus
And whyche token to thys daye, to muche is vsed
That is kissing & fayre countenaūce, and vnkynd wil
And so was wyth Iudas tho, that Iesus betraied
Aue rav by quod that ribaude, & ryght to him he yede
And kyst hym to be caught therby, killed of y
e Iewes
Then Iesus to Iudas, and to the Iewes sayd
Falsenes I fynde, in thy fayre speache
And gile in thy glad chere, and gall in thy laughynge
Thou shalte be mirroure to manye, men to deceyue
And thy worke & wickednes, shal worth vpō thi selfe.
Necesse est vt veniant scādala,
Mat.
[...].
ve tamen homini illi per quem scandalum venit.
Thoughe I by treason, be at your owne wyl
Suffer myne apostles, in peace and in paise gauge
On a thursedaye in the sterns, thus was he take
Throughe Iudas and Iewes, Iesus was his name
That on the Friday folowynge, for mankindes sake
Iusted in Ierusalem, a ioye to vs all
On crosse vpon caluerye, Christe toke the battel
Against death & the deuil, destroyed both her mights
Dyed and death fordyd, and daye of nyght made
And I awaked therwyth, and wyped myne eyen
And after Pierce the plowman, pried and stared
Eastwarde and westwarde, I wayted after fast
And yede forth as an Idiote, in countrey to espye
[Page]After Pierce the Ploweman, many a place I sought
And than met I wyth a man, on Mydlenten sondaye
As hore as an Hauthorne, and Abraham he hyght
I frayned him firste, from whence he came
And from whēce he were, & whither that he thought
I am Fayth quod that freke, it falleth not to lye
And of Abrahams house, an heraude of armes
I seke after a segge, that I see once
A full bolde bachiler, I knowe hym by hys blasen
What beareth that burne ꝙ I tho, so blishe the betide
A discription of the trinitiei.
Thre leodes on a lyth, none lenger then other
Of one mikell and one myght, in measure & in lengthe
That one doth all doth, and eche doth by hys owne
The first hath might & maiestie, maker of al thynges
Pater is his propre name, a person by hym selfe
The seconde of that syre is, sothfastnes Filius
Warden of that wyt hath, was euer w
tout gynninge.
The thirde hyght the holy gost, a person by him selfe
The lyght of all that lyfe hath, on land and on water
Confortour of creatures, of hym cometh all blyshe
So thre belongeth for a lord, that lordshyp claymeth
Myght, and a mene, to knowe hys myght
Of him & of his seruaunt, and what they suffer boeth
So God that gynnynge had neuer, but tho him good thought
Sēt forth his sōne, as for seruaūt y
e time
To occupye hym here, tyll issue were spronge
That is children of charity, & holy kyrke the mother
Patriarkes & prophetes, & apostles were the childrē
And Christ and christendome, and christen holy kyrke
In meanynge that man must, in one God beleue
And there him liked & loued, in .iii. persōs him shewed
Wedlocke and widowhead, w
t virginitie nempned
[Page lxxxx]In to kenninge of the trinitie, was out of man taken
Adam our olde father, Eue was of him selfe
And the issue that they had, it was of hem both
And either is others ioye, in thre sondrye parsones
And in heauen and in earth, one singuler name
And thus is mākynd or māhode, of matrimony sprōg
And betokeneth the trinitie, and true beleue.
Myghty is matrymonye, and multyplieth the earth
And betokeneth truly, tell if I durste
Hym that firste formed al, father of heauen
The sonne if I durst saye, resēbleth wel the wydowe
Deus meus deus meus, vt quid dereliquisti me.
Psal. xxii
That is creator was creature, to know what was both
As wydow w
tout wedlocke, was neuer yet se
No more might god be man, but if he mother had
So widowe without wedlocke, may not wel stonde
Ne matrimony w
tout moylerie, is not much to praise
Maledictus homo qui non reliquit semen in Israel.
Thus in thre persons, is parfitly manhode
That is man and his make, and moiler children
And is not but gēder of generatiō, bifore Iesu Christ
So is the father forth w
t the sōne, & fre wil of hē both
Spiritus procedens a patre et filio.
Whiche is the holy goste of all, and al is but one god
Thus in a somer I him se, as I sate in my porche
I rose vp and reuerenced him, & right faire him grete
Thre men to my sight, I made well at ease
Washt her fete & wyped hem, & afterward they eaten
Calues fleshe & cake bread, & knewe what I thought
Ful true tokens betwene vs bē, to tell whā me liketh
Fyrst he fonded me, whether I loued better
Him or Isaac myne heire, which he hight me to kill
[Page]He wyst my wyll by hym, he woll me it alowe
I am full syker in soule therof, and my sonne boeth
Abraham is circumcised.
I circumcised my sonne, sithen for hys sake
My selfe and my meyny, and all that male were
Bled bloud for y
e lordes loue, & hope to blysse y
e tyme
Mine affiaūce and my fayth, is ferme in this beleue
For him selfe behyght to me, & to myne issue both
Londe and lordeshyppe, and life wythout ende
To me and to myne issue, more yet he me graunted
Mercy of our mysdedes, many tymes as we aske,
Quam olim Abrahe promisisti, et semini eius.
And syth he sent me to sey, I sholde do sacrifice
And done him worship w
t breade, & wyth wine boeth
And called me fote of hys faith, his folke for to saue
And defēd hem from the fende, folke that on me leued
Thus haue I ben his Heraude, here and in hell
And cōforted many a careful, y
t after his cōming waiten
And thus I seke him he said, for I heare say late
Of a barn y
t bapsid hym, I. Baptyst was hys name
That to patriarkes & to prophetes, & to other people in darknes
Said that he se here, y
t should saue vs al.
Iohn. i.
Ecce agnus dei. &c.
I had wōder of his words, and of his wyde clothes
For in his bosome he bare a thing, y
t he blessed euer
And I loked in hys lappe, a Lazare lay therin
Among patriarkes and prophetes, pleyinge togiders
What awaitest thou ꝙ he, & what wouldest y
u haue
I would wit ꝙ I tho, what is in your lappe
Lo quod he and let me se, lord mercy I said
This is a presēt of mich price, what price shal it haue
It is a precyous presēt ꝙ he, & y
e pouk hath it atachid
And me thermid ꝙ y
t man, there may no wed me quite
[Page lxxxxi]Ne no barne be our borow, ne bring vs frō his dāger
Out of y
e powkes pinfold, no mainprice mai vs fetch
Tyl he come that I carpe of, Christ is hys name
That shal deliuer vs some day, out of y
e deuyls powr
And better wed for vs ligge, thā we be all worthy
That is life for life, or lygge thus euer
Lollinge in my lappe, til such a lorde vs fetche
Alas I said that sinne, so long shall lette
The myght of gods mercy, that might vs wel amēd
I wept for his wordes, with that I saw an other
Rapelich renne forth, the ryght way he went
I frained hym firste, from whence he came
And what he hight, & whether he wold, & wightly he tolde
Passus. xvii. de visione.
I Am Spes ꝙ he, and spye after a knyght
That toke me a mādemēt, vpō y
t mōt Synai
To rule al realmes w
t, I beare y
e wryte here
It is ensealed I said, maye mē se the letters?
Nay he sayd I seke him that hath the seale to kepe
And y
t is crosse & christendome, & Christ theron to hāg
And when it is ensealed so, I wot wel the soth
Than Lucifers Lordeshyp, shall last no lenger
Let vs se the letters ꝙ I, we myght the lawe knowe
Than pulled he forth, a pyece of a hard roche
Wherin were written these words, on this wyse iglosed
Dilige deum, et proximum. &c.
Mat. xxii
This the text truly, I toke full good yeme
The glose was glorious, written w
t a gylt penne.
In hiis duobus mandatis, tota lex peudet et prophete.
Be here al the Lordes lawes ꝙ I, yea leue me he said
And who so worcheth after this write, I wyl vndertake
[Page]Shall neuer deuil him dere, ne death in soule greue
For thoughe I saye it my selfe, I haue saued w
t thys charme
Of men & women, mani score thousandes
He saith sothe said this heraude, I haue it found oft
Lo here in my lappe, that leued on that charme
Iosue and Iudith, and Iudas Machabeus
Yea and .vi. thousand beside forth, y
t ben not sene here
Your wordes are wōderful ꝙ I tho, which of you is truest?
And lelest to leue on, for life and for soule
Abraham sayth, that he se wholy the trinitie
Abraham saw thre distincte persons in trinity
Thre persons in percels, ech departable from other
And all thre but one god, thus Abraham me taught
And hath saued that beleued so, & sory for her sinnes.
I can not suggest,
[...]nme, and some are in mi lappe
What neded it than, a newe law to beginne?
Sith the first sufficeth, to a saluasion and blysse
And now cōmeth Spes, & speaketh y
t hath espied the law
And telleth not of y
e triniti, y
t toke him his letters
To beleue and loue, in our Lorde almyghty.
And sith right as my selfe, so loue al the people
The gome y
e goth w
t a staffe, he semeth in greater heal
Than he that goth with two slaues, to syght of vs al
And ryght so by the rode, reason me sheweth
It is lighter to lewd men, one lesson to knowe
Than for to teach hē two, & to hard to learne the leste
It is full harde for any man, on Abraham beleue
And well awaye worse yet, for to loue a shrewe
It is lighter to leue, in thre louely persons
Than for to loue and leue, as wel lorels as lelly
Go thy gate quod I to Spes, for so me god helpe
Tho that learne thy lawe wel, litle while vsen it
And as we wēten in y
e way, thus wording togithers
Rydynge well rapelye, the ryght waye we yeden
Cumming from a contrye, men call Iericho
To a Iustis at Ierusalem, he chaseth away fast
Both the heraude and hope,
The man wounded of theues
and he met at once
Where a man was wounded, and wyth theues takē
He myght neither steppe ne stand, ne stirre fote ne hād
Ne helpe him self sothly, for Semiuife he semed
And as naked as a nedle, & no helpe about him
Fayth had first syght of him, and he fle a syde
And would not nyghen him, by nine landes length
Hope came hipping after, that had so bosted
Howe he w
t Moses maūdement, had many mē holpē
And whā he hadde sight of y
e segge, a side he gan hym draw
Dredfully by this day, as duck doth frō faucō
And so sone this Samaritan, had sight of this leode
He light downe of liard, ladde him in his hand
And to the wye he went, his woundes to beholde
And perceiued by his pulse, he was in perill to dye
And but he had recouer the rather, that rise should he neuer
With wine & w
t oyle, hys woūdes he washed
Enbaumid him & boūd his hed, & in his lap him laid
And lad him so forth on liard, to Ler Christi, a graūge
Well syxe myles or seuen, besyde the newe market
Herberde hym at an hostrye, and to the hostler called
And said haue kepe this man, til I come frō the iustis
And lo here siluer he sayd, for salue for hys woundes
And he toke him two pence, for liuelode as it were
And said who so spēd more, I make it good heraftir
For I may not let ꝙ that leode, & liarde he bestrideth
And raped hym to Ierusalem, the right way to ryde
Fayth folowed after fast, and fonded to meten hym
[Page]And Spes spaklich hym sped, spede if he myght
To ouertake him & talke to him, er he to towne come
And whā I se this I soiorned not, but shope me to rē
And sewed that Samaritan, that was so ful of pity
And graunted him to be his grome, gramercy he said
And thy frend and thy felow, thou fyndest me at nede
Pierce profereth Christ to be come his seruāt
And I thanked hym tho, and sythe. I hym tolde
How that fayth fle away, and Spes his felow both
For sight of y
e sorowful mā, y
e robbed was w
t theues
Haue hem excused ꝙ he, her helpe may lyttle auayle
Ma
[...] medicine on molde, the man to heale bryng
Neither faith ne fine hope, so festred be his woundes
Wythout the bloude of a barne, bore of a mayden
And he bathed in that bloud, baptised as it were
Than plastered wyth penaunce, & passiō of that baby
He should stand and step, and stalworth he neuer
Tyll he haue eaten all the barne, & his bloud dronken
For wēt neuer wye in thys world through y
e wyldernes
That he ne was robbed or rifled, rode he or yede
Saue Fayth and his felowe Spes, and my selfe
And thy selfe nowe, and stich as suen our worckes
For an outlaw in the woode, & vnder bancke louteth
And maye eche man se, and good marke take
Who is behynde & who before, & who so bē on horse
For he halt him hardier on horse, thē him y
t is on fote
For he seeth me y
t am Samaritā, sue faith & his felow
On my caple that hyght Caro, of mankynd I toke it
He was vnhardy that harlot, and hyd hym in inferno
And ere thys daye thre dayes, I dare vndertaken
That he worthe fettred that felon, fast wyth chaynes
And neuer eft greue gome, that goeth thys ilke gate
And thē shal faith be foster here, & in thys frith walke
Whych is the way y
t I wēt, & wher forth to Ierusalē
And Hope y
e hostylers man, shal be ther y
e mālyeth in healīg
And al y
e feble & faint be, y
e faith may not tech
Hope shall leade hem forth w
t loue, as his lore teach
And hostell hem & heale, through holy kirkes beleue
Tyll I haue salue for al sycke,
Of Christes resurrection.
& thā shall I returne
And come agayne by thys contrye, & cōfortē all sycke
That craueth it or coueteth it, and crieth therafter
For y
e barne was borne in Bethlē, y
t w
t his blode shal saue
Al y
e liuē in fayth, & folowē his fewlowes techīg
A swete sir sayd I tho, whether shal I beleue
As Fayth and his felow, enfourmed me both
In thre persons departable, that perpetual wer euer
And all thre but one god, thus Abraham me taught
And hope afterward, he bade me to loue
One god wyth all my good, and al gomes after
Loue hem lyke my selfe, and our lord aboue al.
After Abraham quod he, that heraud of armes
Set fast thy faythe, and fyrme beleue
And as hope hyghe the, I bote the that thou loue
Thyne euen christen euermore, euen forth w
t thy selfe
And if conscience carpe ther againe, or kind wyt other
Or heritikes w
t argumentes, thine hande y
u him shew
For god is after an hand,
The triniti lyke an hande
here nowe and knowe it
The father was first as a fyst, w
t one fynger foldyng
Tyll hym loued and lust, to vnlosen hys fynger
And put it forth as w
t a paum, to what place it shuld
The paume is pureli y
e hād, & proferith forth y
e figers
To minister & to make, y
e might of hand knowen
And betokeneth truly, tell who so lyketh
The holy goste of heauen, he is as the pawme
[Page]The fyngers that free be, to folde, and to serue
Betokeneth sothly the sonne, y
e sent was to the earth
That touched and tasted, at teachynge of the pawne
Saynte Marye a mayde, and mankind laught.
Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto.
The father is then as a fyst, wyth fyngers to touch
Quia omnia traham ad me ipsum.
[...].
[...]ii.
All that the pawme perceyueth, profitable to fele
Than are they all but one, as it a hande were
And thre sundrye syghtes, in one shewynge
The pawme, for he putteth out fingers & fist both
Ryght so reddilye, reason it sheweth
Howe he that is holye gost, syre and sonne preueth
And as the hande holdes harde, and all thynges fast
Through four figers & a thombe, forth w
t y
e pawme
Right so the father & the sonne, &. s. spirite the thyrde
Wythin hem three, the wyde worlde holden
Boeth the welken and the wynde, water and earth
Heauen and hell, and all that therein is
Thus it is, nedeth no man trowe none other
That thre thynges belongeth, in our lorde of heauen
And ar Serples by hē selfe, a sunder were they neuer
No more than my hād, may moue w
tout my fyngers
And as my fyst is full hande, folden togythers
So is the father a full God, former and maker.
Tu fabricator omnium. &c.
The Trinitye lyke an hand.
And al the myght myd him is, in making of al things
The fyngers framē a full hād, to purtrey & to payntē
Caruynge and compassinge, is craft of the fingers
Ryght so is the sonne, the science of the father
And full god as is the father, no febler nor no better
The paume y
t is puteli y
e hād, hath power by him self
Other wise than y
e wrethē fist, or workmāshyp of fingers
And to vnfold the folden fist, at the fingers wyll
So is the holy goste god, neither greater ne lesse
Than is the syre and the sonne, & in the same myght
And al thre but one god, as is mi hād & mi fingers
Vnfolden or folden, my fest and my pawme
Al is but one hande, howe so euer I turne it
And who so is hurte on the hande, euen in the middes
He may receyue ryght nought, reason it sheweth
For the fingers that folde should, and the fist make
For payne of the pawme, power hem fayleth
To cratche or to claw, to clype or to holde
Were the middle of my hand, maymed or pershed
I should receiue ryght nought, of that I reach might
And though my thombe & my fingers, boeth were to swolen
And y
e middle of my hand, w
tout malease
In many kinnes maners, I might my selfe helpe
Both moue and amēd, though al my fingers oke
By thys skyll me thinketh, I se an euidence
That who so sinneth in the .s. Spirite, assoyled worth he neuer
Nether here ne else where, as I heare tell.
Qui peccat in spiritum sanctum. &c.
For he y
e pricketh god as in y
e pawme,
Mat. xii.
Qui peccat in spi
For god the father is as a fist, the sonne is as a finger
The holy gost of heauē, is as it were the pawme
And who so sineth in .s. spirite, it semeth y
t he greueth
God that he grypeth w
t, & would hys grace quentch
And to a torche or a tapoure, the trinitie is lykened
As waxe and a weeke, were twined togither
And than a fyre flaming, forth out of both
And as waxe and weeke, and hote fyre togyther
Fostren forth a flame, and a fayre laye.
[Page]So done the syre and the sōne, & also Spiritus sanctus,
The holy gost shew to by similituds
Fostren forth amonges folke, loue and beleue
And all kynne christen, clenseth of synnes
And as thou feest sometyme, sodenlye a torche
The blasse therof blowen out, yet burneth the weke
Wythout ley or lyght, that the matche burneth
So is the holy gost god, and grace wythout mercye
To all vnkynde creatures, that couet to destroye
Lellye loue or lyfe, that our Lorde shapte
And as glowing gleden, gladeth not these workmen
That waken and worken, in wynter nyghtes
As doth a kex or a cādel, y
t caught hath fyre & blaseth
No more doth sirene sonne, ne saynt spirite togythers
Graunte no grace, ne forgeuenes of synnes
Tyll the holye gost gynne, to glowe and to blase
So that the holy goste gloweth, but as a glede
Tyl that lellye loue, lygge on hym and blowe
And than flameth he as fyre, on father and on Filius
And melteth her might into mercye, as men may se in wynter
Isicles & eues, through heat of the sunne
Melt in a minute whyle, to mist and to water
So grace of the holy gost, the great myght of the trinitye
Melteth mercy to merciable, and to no other
And as waxe without more, and a warme glede
Wyll brennen and blasen, all togythers
And solacen hem that may see, that sytre in darcknes
So the father forgeueth folke, that haue mild hertes
That rufullye repenten, and restitution make
In as muche as they maye, amende and paye
And if it suffice not for a seth, that in such wyll dyeth
Mercy for his mekenes, woll make good y
e remnaūt
And as the weke and fyre, wyl make a warme flame
So will Christe of his curtesy, & mē crye hym mercy
Boeth forgeue and forgette, and yet bydde for vs
To the father of heauen, forgyuenes to haue
And new fyre at the flynte, four hundred wynter
But thou haue to we to take it w
t, tinder or broches
All thy labour is loste, and thy longe trauell
For maye no fyre flambe make, fayle it hys kynde
So is the holy gost god, and grace wythout mercye.
To all vnkind creatures, Christ him selfe witnesseth.
Amen dico vobis, nescio vos.
Mat. xxv
Be vnkind to thine euēchristen, & al that y
e canst bydde
Deale and do penaunce, daye and nyght euer
And purchase al the pardon, of Pampilon and Rome
Add indulgences inowe, & be vngrateful to thy kynne
The holy gost heareth the not, ne help may y
e by reasō
For vnkindnes quencheth him, that he can not shyne
Ne brenne ne blasse cleare, for blowing of vnkindnes
Poule the Apostle, proueth,
i. Cor. xiii
whether I lye
Si linguis hominum loquar. &c.
Forthy beware ye wyse men, that w
t the world dele
That rych ben & reasō knoweth, rule wel your selues
Be not vnkynde I counsell you, to your euen christen
For many of you rych men, by my soule men telleth
Ye brenne but ye blase not, that is a blynde beacon
Non omnis qui dicit domine domine, intrabit. &c.
Mat. vii.
Diues died dampned, for his vnkindnes
Of his meat and of his money to men, that it neded
Eche a ryche I rede, regarde at him take
And giue your good to that god, y
t grace of ryseth
For they that be vnkynde to his, hope I none other
But they dwell there Diues is, daye without ende
[Page]Thus is vnkindnes y
e cōtrary, y
t quēcheth as it were
The grace of the holy gost, gods owne kynde
For that kind doth, vnkind fordoth, as done these cursed theues
Vnkind christē mē, for couetise & enuye
Sleeth a mā for his mouables, w
t mouth or w
t hāds
For y
t the holi gost hath to kepe, tho harlots destroyeth
The whych is life & loue, y
e leye of mans body
A good mā is like a torche or a tapoure.
For euery maner good mā, may be likened to a torch
Or els to a tapour, to reuerence the trinitie
And who y
e murdreth a good mā, me thinketh by my in wyt
He fordoth the leuest lighte, y
t our lord loueth
And yet in many moe maners, mē offēd the holy gost
And this is the worst wyse, that any wyght myght
Sinne against .s. Spirite, assenten to destroyen
For couetise any kynnes thyng, y
e Christ dere bought
Howe myght he aske mercy, or any mercy hym helpe
That wycked and wylfullye, would mercy amentyce
Innocence is next god, & night and day cryeth
Vengeaunce vengeaunce, forgyuen be it neuer
That shēt vs & shed our bloud, forshapt vs as it wer
Apoca. vi
Vindica domine sanguinem nostrum.
Thus vengeaunce vengeaunce, very charitie asketh
And sith holy kyrke and charitie, chargeth this so sore
Leue I neuer y
t our lorde wil loue, y
t charitye lacketh
Ne haue pitye for any praier, there that he pleynyth
I pose I had sinned so, and shoulde nowe dye
And am sory that I dyd so, the saynt spirite agylt
Confesseme and crye his grace, god that all made
And mildly his mercy aske, might I not be saued?
Yes sayd the Samaritan, so well thou might repent
That right witnes bi repentaūce, to ruth might turne
And it is but seldome sene, the sothnes bereth witnes
Be raūsomed before his repētaunce, ther al reasō him dāneth
For ther y
e party pursueth, y
e plee is so hudge
That the kinge may do no mercy, til both men accord
And eyther haue equitie, as holy write telleth
Nunquam dimittitur peccatum. &c.
Thus it fareth by such folke, y
t falsely al her liues
Euil lyue and letten not, tyll life hem forsake
Good hope that helpe should, to wanhope turneth
Not of the no unpower of god, that he ne is mightful
To amend all that amise is, and his mercy greater
Than all our wycked workes, as holy wryte telleth.
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius.
And er rightousnes to ruth turn,
Psal.
[...].
some restitutiō behoueth
His sorow is satisfactiō, for him y
t may not pay
Thre thinges there be,
Thre thinges dryue a man out of hys house.
that done a man by strength.
For to flye his owne house, as holy wryte sheweth
That one is a wycked wife, that wyl not be chastised
Her fere flyeth from her, for feare of her tonge
And if his house be vnhiled, and raine on his head
He seketh all aboute, tyll he slepe drye
And whan smolke and smoulder, smight in his syght
It doth him worse than his wyfe, or wete to slepe
For smolke and smoulder, smyteth in hys eyen
Tyl he be bleard or blind, or hoorse in the throte
Cougheth and curseth, that Christ gyue hem sorow
That shold bring in better wood, or blow it til it bren
These thre that I tell of, ben thus to vnderstande
The wife is our wicked flesh, that wyl not be chasted
For kynd cleueth on him euer, to contrary the soule
And thoughe it fall it fynt skiles, that freilty is made
And that is lyghtly forgeuen, and forgetten both
[Page]To man that mercy asketh, and amend thynketh
The raine that raigneth, there we reste shoulde
By sykenes and sorowes, that we suffren oft
As Poule the apostle, to the people taught
ii. Cor. xii
Virtus infirmitate perficitur.
And though that men make, muche dole in her anger
And bē impaciēt in her penaūce, pure reasō knoweth
That they haue cause to cōtrary, bi kind of her siknes
And lyghtly our Lord, at her lyues end
Hath merci on such men, that so euil may suffer
And the smolke & the smolder, that smyte in our eien
That is couetise & vnkindnes y
t quēcheth gods mercy
For vnkindnes is the contrary, of al kinnes reason
For there nis sicke ne sorye, ne none so much wretch
That he ne may loue if him like, & leue of his herte
Good wyl and good word, boeth wishen and willen
Al maner of mercy, and of forgiuenes
And loue hem like him selfe, and his life amend
I may no lenger let quod he, and lyard he pricked
And went away as wynd, & therwyth I waked.
Passus. xviii. de visione.
WOlward & wetshode, went I forth after
As a rechles reuke, that of no wo retcheth
And yede forth like a lorel, al my lyfe tyme
Til I waxt wery of y
e world, & willed efte to slepe
And lened me to a lenten, & longe tyme I slepte
And of christes passiō & penaunce, y
e people of taught
Rest me ther and rut fast, tyll Ramis palmarum,
Of gerles and of Gloria laus, grealye me dreamed
And howe Osanna by Organye, olde folke songen
One sēblable to y
e Samaritan, & sōdeale to Piers the plowman
Without spore or speare, spackly he loked
As is the kind of a knyght, that cōmeth to be dubbed
To get him gilt spores, and galoches couped
Than was fayth in a fenester, and cried O fili Dauid,
As doth an heraud of armes, whā auētrous cōmeth to iustis
Old Iewes of Ierusalē, for ioy they sōgē
Benedictus qui venit in nomine demini.
Mat. xxi.
Than I frained at fayth, what all that fare bymente
Who should iuste in Ierusalem, Iesus he sayde
And fetch y
t the fēd claimeth, Pyerce frute y
e plowmā
Is Piers in this place quod I, & he preint on me
This Iesus of his gentry, wil iust in Pierces armes
In his helme & in his herbergeon, Humana natura.
That Christ be not knowne here, for consūmatus deus
In Pyerce paltock the plowmā, this pryker shal ride
For no dinte shal him dere, as in Deitate patris,
Who shall iuste w
t Iesus ꝙ I, Iewes or scribes?
Nay quod he the fould fende, & false dome & death.
Death sayth he shall for do, and adowne brynge
All that lyueth or loketh, in londe or in water
Lyfe sayth that he liueth, and layeth his lyfe to wed
That for all that death can do, within thre dayes
To walke & fetch frō the fend, Pierce fruit y
e plowmā
And laye it there him liketh, and Lucifer bind
And for to beat and downe bring, bale death for euer
Thā came Pilate w
t mich puple, Sedens pro tribunali.
Ozce. xiii
To se how douty deth shold do, & deme her brothers right
The Iews & iustices, agayne Iesu they were
And all the court on him cried, Crucifige sharpe
Tho put him forth a pylour, before Pylate and said
[Page]This Iesus apon Iewes temple, iaped & dispised
To for do it on one daye, and in thre dayes after
Edifie it eft newe, here he standes that saide it
And yet make it as muche, in al maner of poyntes
Both as longe and as large, by loft and by grounde
Crucifige quod a catch pole, I warrant him a witche
Iohn. xix
Tolle Tolle quod another, and toke of kent thornes
And began of kene thornes, a garlande to make
And set it sore on his head; and sayde in enuy
Aue Rabbi sayd that rybaude, and threw redes at him
Nailed him wyth thre nailes, naked on the rode
And poyson on a pole, they put vp to his lyppes
And bydde him drynke his dethes euil, his daies wer done
And if that thou sotle be, helpe nowe they selfe
If y
u be Christ & kinges sonne, come downe of y
e rode
Thā shold we leue y
t life y
e loueth, & wol not let y
e dye
Consūmatū est, ꝙ Christe, and comseth for to swonne
Pitiously and pale, as a prisoner doth that dieth
The Lord of life & of light tho, laied his eies togither
The day for dread wythdrew, & darck became y
e sōne
The wall wagged and clefte, & all the world quaued
Dead men for that dine, came out of depe graues
And told why that tempest, so longe time endured
For a bitter battel, the dead body said
Lyfe & deth in this darknes, here one fordoth y
e other
Shal no wight wit witterly, who shal haue maistry
Eresō day about sūne rising, & sanke w
t that tyl earth
Some saide that he was gods sonne, y
e so fayre dyed
Mar. xv
Vere filius dei erat iste
And some said he was a witch, good is that we assaie
Whether he be dead or not dead, down er he be taken
Two theues also, tholed death that tyme
A catchpole came forth, and cragged both the legges
And the armes after, of eyther of tho theues
And was no boye so bolde, gods body to touch
For he was knight & kings sōne, kinde forgaue y
t time
That no harlot were so hardy, to lay hand apon him
And there came forth a knight, w
t a kene spere groūd
Hight Lōgis as y
e letter telth,
He citeth a lye out of the Legendauri▪
& lōg had lost his sight
Before Pilate and other puple, in the place he houed
Maugre hys manye teath, he was made that tyme
To take his speare in his hande, & iusten wyth Iesus
For al thei wer vnhardy, that houed on horse or stode
To touche or to tast hym, or taken downe of rode
But this blinde bachyler, bare him through the hert
The blud sprāg doune by y
e spere, & vnspared his eyen
Then fel the knyght vpō his knees, & cried him mercy
Against my wyll it was Lorde, to wound you so sore
He syghed and sayde, fore it me for thinketh
For y
e dede that I haue done, I do me in your grace
Haue on me ruth rightful Iesu, & right w
t y
t he wept
Than gan Fayeth fellye, the false Iewes despise
Called hem caytifes, accursed for euer
For thys foule villanye, vengeaunce to you all
To do y
e blind beat him boūd, it was a boyes coūsel
Cursed Caytifes, knyghthode was it neuer
To misdo a deade bodye, by daye nor by nyght
The gre yet hath he gotten
[...] for al his greate wounde
For your champion c
[...]ualer, chiefe knight of you all
Yelde him recreant, renning ryght at Iesus wyll
For be this darcknes ido, hys death worth auenged
And ye lurdens haue lost, for life shal haue the mastry
And your frāches that fre was, fallē is in thraldome
[Page]And ye Cherles & your childrē, chiuen shall you neuer
Ne haue Lordeshyppe in lande, ne no lande tyll
The lord accurseth vsurers
But all bareyne be, and vsurye vsen
Whyche is lyfe that our Lorde, in all lawes accurseth
Now your good daies ar done, as Dani. prophecied
Whā Christ come, her kīgdome & croune shuld cease
Dani. ix.
Cum venerit sanctus sanctorum, tunc cessabit vnctio vestra.
What for feare of the farlye, and of the false Iewes
I drowe me in that darkenes, to Descendit ad inferna.
And there I sawe sothlye, Secundum scripturas,
Out of the west cost, a wenche as me thought
Came walkynge in the waye, to helward she loked
Mercye hyght that mayde, a meke thynge wythall
A ful benyngne byrde, and boxome of speach
Hyr syster as it semed, came worthelye walkynge
Euen out of the east, and westwarde she loked
A full comelye creature, Trueth she hyght.
For the vertue that her folowed, afered was she neuer
When these maydens mette, mercye and trueth
Eyther asked other, of thys greate meruayle
Of the dyn and of the darcknes, & how the day renned
And what a syght and a leme, laye before hell
I haue farly of this fare, in fayth sayd truth
And am wendinge to wit, what this wōder meaneth
Haue no meruayle quod mercy, myrthe it betokeneth
A mayde that hight Marye, and mother w
tout feling
Of any kynnes creature, conceiued through speach
And grace of the holye gost, we
[...]t greate wyth chylde
Without wembe into this world, she brought hym
And that my tale be true, I take God to wytnes
Syth this barne was borne, be thyrty wynter paste
Which died & death tholed, this day about myddaye
[Page lxxxxix]And that is cause of this clipse, y
e closed now the sūne
In meaning that man shal, from merkenes be drawē
The which this light & this leem, shal Lucifer ablind
For Patriarks & Prophets, haue preached it often
That man shall man saue, through a maydens helpe
And that was tyne throughe tree, tree shal it wynne
And that death downe brought, death shall releue
That thou tellest quod truth, is but a tale of waltrot
For Adam and Eue, Abraham and other
Patriarkes and Prophetes, that in payne lyggen
Leue thou neuer that yon lyght, hem may aloft bring
Ne haue hem out of hell, hold thy tonge mercy
It is but a trifle that y
u tellest, I truth wote the soth
For that is once in hell, out commeth he neuer
Iob the prophet patriarke, repungneth thy sawes.
Quia in inferno nulla est redemptio.
Iob. vii.
Than mercy full mekelye, mouthed these wordes
Through experience ꝙ she, I hope I shall be saued
For venine for doth venine, & that I proue by reason
For of all venimes, foulest is the Scorpion
May no medicine helpe the place, there he styngeth
Tyll he be deade and do therto, the euil he destroyeth
The first venime moyst,
Poyson expelleth poyson,
through venime of him selfe
So shall thys death for do, I dare my lyfe lygge
Al that death did fyrst, throughe the deuils entisynge
And as throughe gyle, man was begiled
So shall grace that began, make a good sleyght.
Nowe suffer we sayde truth, I se as me thynketh
Out of the nyppe of the north, not full farre hence
Ryghtwisenes come rennynge, reste we the whyle
For he wotteth more then we, he was ere we both
[Page]That is soth sayd mercye, and I se here by south
Where peace cometh playinge, in patience clothed
Loue hath coueted hir longe, leue I none other
But he sent hir some letter, what this light bemeneth
That ouerhoueth hell thus, she vs shall tell
Whā peace in patiēce clothed, thus aproched nygh hē twain
Rightfulnes hir reuerēced, for hir rich clothīg
And prayed peace to tel her, to what place she would
And in her gaye garment, whom she grete thought
The talke betwene Iustice &c Peace.
My wyl is to wend ꝙ she, and to welcome hem all
That many a day myght not se, for merknes of synne
Adam and Eue, and other moe in hell
Moses and many moe, mercy shall haue
And I shall daunce the reto, do thou so syster
For Iesus iusteth well, ioye begynneth to dawe.
Psal. xxx.
Ad vesperum demorabitur fletus, et ad matutinū leticia.
Loue that is my lemman, suche letters me sent
That mercy my syster and I, mankynd shoulde saue
And y
t god hath forgeuē, & graūted me peace & mercy
To be mans meinpernour, for euermore after
Lo here the patent quod Peace, In pace in idipsum,
And that this dede shall dure, Dormiam et requiescam.
What rauest y
u ꝙ rightwisenes, or y
e art right dronke
Leuest thou that yon lyght, vnlocke might hell
And saue mans soule? sister wene it neuer
At the begynnynge God gaue the dome him selfe
That Adam and Eue, and all that hem sewed
Shoulde dye downe ryght, and dwell in payne after
If that they touched a tree, and the fruite eaten
Adam afterwarde, agaynste his defence
Frete of that fruite, and forsoke as it were
The loue of our Lorde, and his lore boeth
[Page C]And folowed y
t the fende taught, & hys felowes wyll
Agaynst reasō & rightwis
[...]es, record thus with truth
That their payne be perpetuall, & no prayer thē help
Therfore let them cheue as they chose, & chide we not sisters
For it is boteles bale, the byt y
t they eaten.
And I shal proue ꝙ peace, theyr payne must haue end
And we into weale, must wende at last
For had thei wyst of no wo, weale had thei not know
For no wight wotes what weale is,
Cōtrar
[...] es are knowen bi t
[...] cōtrarie
that neuer wo suffred
Ne what is whote hūgre, that neuer had defaut
If no night nere, no man as I leue
Should wyte witerly, what day is to meane
Should neuer ryght rychman, y
e liueth in rest and ease
Wyte what wo is, ne were the death of kinde
So God that began all, of his good wyll
Became man of a mayd, mankinde to saue
And suffer to be sold, to se the sorow of dyinge
The which vnknytteth all care, and comsing is of rest
For tyl modicum met w
t hym, I may it well avowe
Wote no wight as I wene, what is inough to mean
Therfore God of his goodnes, y
e first gome Adam
Set him in solace and in souereine myrth,
And syth he suffred him sinne, sorowe to fele
To wyt what weale was, kyndly to knowe it
And after God auētred him selfe, & toke Adams kynd
To wyt what he had suffred, in thre sundry places
Both in heauen and in earth, and to hel he thinketh
To wyt what al wo is, that wote of all ioye
So it shal fare by thys folke, their foly & their synne
Shal lerne hem what langor is, & lyfe wythout end
Wote no wyght what warre is, ther y
e peace reineth
Ne what is witerly weale, till welaweye hym teache
[Page]
Bokes be bolde.
Than was there a wight, wyth two brode eyen
Boke hyght that beaupier, a bolde man of speach
By gods body, quod thys boke, I wil bear witnes
That tho this barne was borne, there blased a starre
That al the wisemē of thys world, in one wit accordē
That suche a barne was borne, in Bethlems citye
That mans soule shoulde saue, and synne destroye
And al y
e elemētes saith the boke, hereof bereth witnes
That he was god y
e al wroght, y
e welkē first shewed
Tho that were in heauen, tooken Stella cometa,
And tinde den hir as a torche, to reuerence hys byrth
The light folowed the lorde, into the lowe earth
The water witnessed he was god, for y
t he went on it
Peter the apostle perceiued his gate
And as he went on the water, wel him knew and said
Mat. xiiii
Iube me venire ad te super aquas.
And lo how the sunne gan lacke, her light in her selfe
When she see him suffer, that sunne and sea made
The earth for heeuines, that he would suffer
Quaked as quycke thing, and al to quassed the roch
Lo hell myght not holde, but opened tho God tholed
And let out Simons sonnes, to se him hang on rode
And now shal Lucifer leue it, though him loth thinke
For Gygas the gyant, with a gynne engined
To brake and to beate downe, y
t bene agayne Iesus
And I boke wolbe brente, but Iesus rise to lyue
In al mightes of man, and his mother glad
And conforten al hys kynne, & out of care brynge
And all the Iewes ioye, vnioyne and vnloken
And but if thei reuerēce his rode, and his resurrectiō
And bileue on a newe law, be lost life and soule.
Suffer we sayd Truth, I heare and I se both
[Page Ci]Howe a spirite speaked to hell, & byd vnspar y
e gates
Attollite porta. &c.
Ps. xxiiii.
A voyce lowde in that light, to Lucifer sayd
Princes in this place, vnpinneth and vnlocketh
For here commeth w
t crowne, that king is of glorye
Than sighed Sathan, and sayde to hem all
Such a light agaynste our leaue, Lazar out fette
Care and combraunce, is commen to vs all
If this kinge come in, mankind wil he fetch
And lead it there him liketh, and lightly me bind
Patriarkes and prophetes, haue parled hereof longe
That suche a Lorde & a light, shoulde lead hē al hence
Listeneth quod Lucifer, for I this lorde knowe
Both this Lorde & this light, is long ago I knew it
May no death him deare, ne no deuiles quentise
And wher he wil is his wai, & warne him of y
e perels
If he reue me of my ryght, he robbeth me bi mastrye
For by right and by reason, the reukes that ben here
Body and soule be mine, both good and euill
For him selfe saide,
Lucifer reasone
[...] the mate
[...]
that syre is of heauen
If Adam eate the appel, all shoulde dye
And dwel wyth vs deuels, this threatenyng he made
And he that sothnes is, said these wordes
And sithen he seased, seuen hundred wynter
I leue that lawe nill not, leaue him the least.
That is sothe quod Satan, but I me sore dreade
For thou gate hem with gile, and his garden brake
And in semblaunce of a serpent, sate apō the apple tre
And eggedest hem to eate, Eue by hyr name
And toldst hir a tale, of treason were thy wordes
And so thou haddest hem oute, and hider at the last
It is not graithlye gayten, there gyle is the rote
[Page]For God wil not be begiled ꝙ Gobelyn, ne iaped
We haue no true title to hē, for bi tresō wer thei dāned
Certes I dread ꝙ this deuill, lest trueth wil hē fetch
Out of our postye, and leaden hem hence
These .xxx. winter as I wene, he hath gone & preched
I haue assayled him w
t sinne, and sometime asked
Wher he were god or gods son, he gaue me short answer
And thus he hath trolid forth, this .xxxii. witer
And when I see it was so, sleapynge I went
To warne Pilatus wife, what done mā was Iesus
For Iewes hated him, and haue done him to death
Pilates wyfe.
I wolde haue lengthed his life, for I leued if he died
That his soule should suffer, no synne in his syght
For y
e body while it on bones yede, about was euer
To saue man from synne, if hym selfe woulde
And now I se wher a soul cometh hitherward sailig
With glory and w
t great light, god it is I wote well
I red we flee quod he, faste all hence
For vs were better not be, than abide his syght
For thy leasynges Lucifer, loste is all our praye
Fyrste throughe the we fell, from heauen so hye
For we beleued on thy lesings, ilorne we haue Adam
And all our Lordshyp I leue, on land and on water
Luke. xii.
Nunc princeps huius mundi, eiicietur foras.
Eft the lyght bade vnlocke, and Lucifer answered
What lorde art thou quod Lucifer, Quis est iste?
Ker glorie, the lyght soone sayde,
And lord of might and of mayne, & al maner vertues
Dukes of this dimme place, anone vndo these gates
That Christ may come in, the kynges sonne of heauē
And with that breath hell brake, with belials barres
For anye wye or warde, wyde open the gates
[Page Cii]Patriarkes and prophetes, Populus in tenebris
Songen saynt Iohns songe, Ecce agnus dei
Lucifer loke ne might, so lyght hym ablent
And tho that our lorde loued, into his light he laught
And sayd to Satan, lo here my soule to amendes
For all sinfull soules, to saue tho that ben worthy
Mine they be and of me, I mai the better hem claime
Although reason recorde, and myght of my selfe
That if they ate the apple, all shoulde dye
I behyght them not here, hell for euer
For the dede that they dyd, thy disceyte it made
Wyth gyle thou hem gote, agaynste all reason
For in my palace Paradice, in parson of an addre
Falsely thou fettest there, thynge that I loued
Thus lyke a lysard, wyth a Ladyes visage
Thefely thou me robbeste, the olde lawe graunteth
That gilers be begyled, and that is good reason
Dentem pro dente, et oculum pro oculo.
Deut.
[...] Soule for soul▪
Ergo soule shal soule quite, and synne to synne wende
And all that man hath misdo, I may well amend
Membre for membre, in the olde lawe was amends
And life for life also, and by that lawe I clayme it
Adam and al his issue, at my wyll hereafter
And that death in hem fordid, my death shall releue
And both quickē & quite, y
t queint was thorow sinne
And that grace gile destroyeth, good fayth it asketh
So leue I not Lucifer, againe the lawe I fetch hem
But by ryght and by reason, raunsome here my liges
Non beni soluere legem, sed adimplere.
Mat.
[...]
Thou fettedste mine in my place, against all reason
Falsely and felonly, good fayth me it taught
To recouer hem by raunsome, and by no reason els.
[Page]So that throughe gile thou gate, throughe grace it is wonne
Thou Lucifer in lykenes of a luther edder
Gatiste by gyle, tho that God loued
And in lykenes of a leode, that Lorde am of heauen
Graciously thy gyle haue quite, go gile agaynst gyle
And as Adam and all, throughe a tree dyed
Adam & althrough a tree, should turne againe to life
And gile is gyled, and in hys gyle fallen.
Psal. vii.
Et cecidit in foueam quam fecit.
Nowe begynneth thy gile, agayne the to turne
And my grace to growe aye, greater and wyder
The bitternes that y
u hast brued, broke it thy selfe
Thou art doctor of death, drynke that thou madeste
For I that am Lord of life, loue is my drynke
And for that drynke to daye, I dyed apon earth
If ought so me thristeth, yet for mans soules sake
May no drynke me moyst, ne my thryste stake
Tyll the vendage fall, in the vale of Iosaphat
That I drinke right ripe must, Resurrectio mortuoruns
And then shal I come as a kynge, crowned w
t angels
And haue out of hell, all mens soules
Fendes and fende kynnes, before me shall stande
And bene at my biddynge, whersoeuer me lyketh
And to be merciable to man, that my kynd it asketh
For we ben brethren of bloud, but not of baptisme al
And al that bē my hole brethren, in bloude & baptisme
Shal not be damned to death, that is wythout ende.
Psai. li.
Tibi soli peccaui. &c.
It is not vsed in earth, to hangen a felon
Ofter than once, though he were a traytoure
And if the kyng of that kingdome, come in that tyme
There the felon thole should, death other else
The law would haue geue him life, if he loked on him
[Page Ciii]And I that am king of kinges, shall on such a tyme come
There dome to the death, dāneth all wycked
And if lawe wyll I looke on hem, it lyeth in my grace
Whether they dye or dye not, for that they dyd yll
Be it any thynge, about the boldnes of their synnes
I do mercy through rightwi
[...]nes, & al mi words true
And though holy write will, y
t I be wroke of hē thai did euyl
Nullum malum impunitum. &c.
They shold be clensed clearly, & washen of her sinnes
In my pryson Purgatory, tyll Parce it hote
And mi mercy shal be shewed, to many of my brethrē
For bloud may suffer bloude, both honger and colde
And bloud may not se bloud blede, but him rewe.
Audiui arcana verba, qui non licet homini loqui.
ii. Cor.
[...]
And my rightuousnes and right, shall rule al hell
And mercye all mankynde, before me in heauen
For I were an vnkinde kynge, but I my kynde helpe
And namely at such a nede, ther nedes helpe behoueth
Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo.
Psal.
[...]
Thus by law ꝙ this Lord, leade I wyll from hence
Tho that me loued, and leued in my comminge
And for thy leasing Lucifer, that thou liedst to Eue
Thou shalt a bye it better, & boūd hym wyth chaynes
Astaroth and all the route, hidde hem in hernes
They durst not loken on our lord, the boldest of hē al
But lettē him lead forth what hī liked, & let what him lyste
Many hundred of angels, harpen & sange.
Culpat caro, purgat caro, regnat deus dei caro.
Than pyped Peace, of poesye a note.
Clarior est solito post marima nebula phebꝰ, post inimicitlas
After sharpe shoures ꝙ peace, moste sheene is y
e sunne
Is no weader warmer, than after watery cloudes
[Page]Ne no loue leuer, no better frendes
Thā after warre & wo, whā loue & peace be masters
Was neuer war in this world, ne wickednes so kene
That ne loue and him luste, to laughyng ne brought
And Peace throughe patience, all peryl stopped.
Truse quod Trueth, thou tellest vs soth by Iesus
Clype we in couenaunt, and ech of vs kisse other
And let no people quod Peace, perceiue that we chid
For impossible is nothynge, to hym that is almighty
Thou saist soth ꝙ rightuousnes, & reuerētly hī kissed
Peace and peace here, Per omnia secula seculorum.
Psai. 85.
Misericordia et veritas obuiauerunt sibi.
Iusticia et par osculate sunt.
Truth trumped tho, and song Te deum laudamus.
And than luted Loue, in a loude note.
Psal. 133.
Ecce quam bonum, et quam iocundum. &c.
Tyll the day dawed, these damsels daunced
That mē rāg to y
e resurrection, & right w
t y
e I waked
And called Kit my wyfe, and Colet my daughter
Aryse and reuerence, Gods resurrection
And crepe to y
e crosse on knees, & kisse it for a Iewell
For Gods blessed bodye, it bare for oure bote
And it afereth the fende, for suche is the might
Maye no gryslye goste glyde, there it shadoweth
Passus .xix. de visione.
THus I waked, & wrote what I had dremed
And dight me dearly, and dyd me to kyrke
To here holy y
e masse, & to be housled after
In mids of the masse, men went to offeringe
I fell efte sones a slepe, and sodaynely me mette
That Pierce the plowman, was painted all bloudye
[Page Ciiii]And came in with a crosse, before the commen people
And ryght lyke in all lymmes, to our lorde Iesus
Than called I Conscience, to kenne me the soth
Is this Iesu the iuster ꝙ I, that Iewes did to death
Or is it Pierce Plowmā, who paynted him so red?
Quod Cōscience & kneled tho,
Pier
[...] cote armour.
these are Piers armes
His colour & cote armour, & he y
t cometh so blouddye
Is Christ w
t his crosse, conqueroure of christendome
Why cal ye him Christ ꝙ I, sith Iewes cal hī Iesus
Patriarkes and prophetes, prophecied before
That all kinnes creatures, shoulde knele and bowe
Anone as men named, thys hyghe name of Iesus
Ergo is no name, to the name of Iesus
Ne none so nedeful to name, by nyght nor by day
For all the darcke deuils, are a dreade to heare it
And synfull are solaced, and saued by that name
And ye call hym Christ, for what cause tell me
Is Christ more of myght, and more worthy name
Than Iesu or Iesus, that all our ioye came of?
Thou knowest well quod conscience, and y
u can reasō
That knyght, kynge, conquerour, may be one person
To be called a knight is fair, for mē shal knele to him
To be called king is fayrer, for he mai knights make
And to be conqueror called, y
t cometh of special grace
And of hardines of hert, and of hendines both
To make Lordes or ladies, of lande that he wynneth
And fre men foule thrales, that folowe not his lawes
The Iewes that were gētilmen, Iesu they despised
Both his lore & his law, now are they low cherles
As wide as the world is, wonneth none therin
But vnder tribute or tallage, as tikes and cherles
And tho y
t became christen, by coūsell of the baptisme
[Page]
Christe crowned kynge.
Are frankelens fremen, through fullynge y
t they toke
And gentilmen wyth Iesu, for Iesus was ifulled
And apō Caluery on crosse, crowned king of Iewes
It becommeth to a king, to kepe and to defende
As conqueroure of conqueste, his lawes & hys large
And so did Iesus y
e Iewes, he iustified & taught hē
The lawe of life, that laste shall euer
And defende from foule euiles, feuers and fluxes
And from fendes that in them were, & false beleue
Tho was he Iesus of Iewes, called gētle prophete
And king of her kingdome, & crowne bare of thorns
And tho conquered he on crosse, as cōquerour noble
Might no death him fordo, ne adowne bryng
That he naroos and raygned and rauished hell,
And tho was he conquerour called, of quick & of dead
For he gaue Adam and Eue, and othermoe blyssed
That longe had layne before, as Lucifers cherles
And sythen he gaue largelye, all hys lelly lieges
Places in paradice, at her partinge hence
He may wel be called cōqueror, & y
t is Christ to mene
And the cause y
t he cometh thus, w
t crosse of passion
Is to wishen vs therw
t, that whē that we be tēpted
Therw
t to fight & fend vs, frō fallyng into sinne
And se by hys sorowe, that who so loueth ioye
To penaunce and to pouerty, he must put him selfe
And much wo in thys world, willen and suffren
And for to carpe more of Christ, & how he came to y
e name
Faithly to speake, his first name was Iesus
Tho he was borne in Bethlem, as the boke telleth
And came to take mankinde, kynges and angels
Reuerenced him faire, wyth ryches of this earth
Angels out of heauen came, knelinge and songe
Gloria in excelsis deo.
The gyftes that y
e iii. kyng
[...] offered.
Kynges commen after, knelinge and offred,
Myrre and much golde, wythout mede askinge
Or ani kins catel, but knowledging him soueraigne
Both of sonde, sunne, and sea, & sithen they wenten
Into their kingdome kyth, by counsel of angels
And ther was y
e word fulfilled, y
e which y
u of spake.
Omnia celestia terrestria flectātur, in hec nomine Iesu.
Phili. ii
For al the angels of heauen, at hys byrth kneled
And all the wyt of y
e worlde, was in tho thre kinges
Reason & rightuousnes, and
[...]uthe they offered
Wherfore and why, wyse men that tyme
Maisters and lettred men, Magi hem called.
That one kinge came w
t reason, couered vndersence
The second kynge sothly, sithens he offered
Ryghtuousnes vnder redde golde, reasons felowe
Golde is likened to leauty, that last shall euer
And reason to ryche golde, to ryght and to truth.
The thyrd kynge tho, came knelyng to Iesu
And presented hym wyth pitye, apperynge to mirre
For myrre is mercy to meane, & mild speach of tong
Thre in like honest things, were offred thus at once
Throughe thre kinne kinges, knelinge to Iesus
And for al these precious presēts, our lord prīce Iesus
Was nether king ne cōqueror, til he gā to w
[...]xe
In the maner of a man, and that by much sleght
As becōmeth a conquerour, to konne many slightes
And many willes and wytte, that woll be a leader
And so did Iesus in those daies, who so had time to tell it
Somtime he suffred, & somtyme he hid him
And somtime he fought fast, and fle other while
And somtime he gaue good, & graunted heale both
[Page]Lyfe and lyme, as he lyste he wrought
As kinde is of a conquerour, so comsed Iesu
Tyll he hadde all them, that he for bledde
In his inuente, this Iesus at the Iewen feast
Christ worketh miracles
Water into wyne turned, as holy wryte telleth
And there began God of his grace to dowel
For wine is likened to lawe, and life of holines
And law lacked tho, for mē loued not her enmies
And Christ coūceleth thus, & commaūdeth also
Both to lerned & to lewde, to loue our enemies
So at the feaste fi
[...]ste, as I before sayde
Began god of his grace, & of his goodnes to dowell
And tho was he cleped & called not only Christ but Iesu
A faunt fine ful of wytte, Filius Marie,
Before his mother Mary, made he that wonder
That she firste and formoste, ferme should beleue
That he through grace was get, & no gome els
He wrought that by no wit, but by word onely
After the kynd y
t he came of, there cōsed he to dowell
And whē he was wexē more, in his mothers absence
He made lame to leape, and gaue light to blynd
And fedde with two fyshes, and wyth fyue loues
Sore afingered folke, mo than fyue thousande
Thus he cōforted the carefull, and caught a greate name
The which was dober, wher that we went
For defe through his doīgs to hear, & dōb to speake he made
And al he heled & helpt, y
t hī of grace asked
And tho was he called in cōtry, of the cōmon people
For the dedes that he did. Fili Dauid Iesus.
For Dauid was doutiest of dedes in hys time
The birds tho sōg Saul interfecit mille.
[...]. Ke
[...]. 1
[...]
& Dauid. x. mi.
Therfore y
e cōtry ther Iesu came, called hī fili Dauid
[Page Cvi]And named him of Nazareth, & no man so worthy
To be Cayser or kynge, of the kyngdome of Iuda
Ne ouer Iewes iustice, as Iesu was hem thought
Wherof Cayphas had enuy, & other of the Iewes
And for to do hym to death, day & nyght they casten
Kylled hym on crossewyse, at caluery on a Frydaye
And sithen buried his body, & beden that mē should
Kepe it from night commers, w
t knyght armed
For no frendes shold him fetch, for prophets hē tolde
That, that blessed bodye, of buriels should aryse
And gone into Galile, and gladden his apostles
And his mother marye, thus men before demed
The knightes that kept it, beknewe it hem selues
That angels and archangels, ere the day spronge
Came kneling to the corps & song, Christus resurgens,
Verye man before hem all, & forth w
t hem he yede
The Iewes praydē peace, & besoughte the knyghtes
Tel y
e cōmen, y
t ther came a cōpanye of his apostles
And bewiched hem as they wokē, & away stollē him
And Marye Magdalen, met hym by the waye
Goynge toward Galile, in godhead and manhead
A lyue and lokynge, and she a lowde cryed
In eche a company there she came, Christus resurgens,
Thus came it out y
e Christ ouercame, recouered, and lyued
Sic oportet Christum pati et intrare.
Luke. 24 Why Christ appeared fyrste to a woman.
For that women wytteth, may not well be counsell
Peter perceyued this, and pursued after
Both Iames and Iohn, Iesu for to seke
Thade and ten moe, wyth Thomas of Inde
And as these wise wyes, weren togythers
In an house al be shette, and the dores barred
Christe came in and all closed, both dores and gates
[Page]To Peter and to his apostles, saide Pax vobis,
And toke Thomas bi y
e hand, & taught him to grope
And fele wyth his fingers, his fleshye herte
Thomas Didimus Iohn. xx
Thomas touched it, and with his tonge sayde.
Dominus m
[...]us, et deus meus.
Thou art my Lord I beleue, god lorde Iesu
Thou diedst and death tholedst, and deme shall vs all
And now art liuing and lokynge, & last shalt euer
Christe carped than, and curteslye sayde
Thomas for thou trowest it, and trulye beleuest it
Blessed might thou be, and be shalt for euer
And blessed might they all be, in body and in soule
That neuer shall se me, in syght as thou dost nowe
And lelly beleue all this, I loue hem and blesse hem.
Iohn. xx
Beati qui non viderunt. &c.
And when this dede was done, Dobest he taught
And gaue Pierce power, and pardon he graunted
To all maner of men, mercye and forgiuenes
Hym might to assoyle men, of all maner of synnes
In couenaunt y
t they come, and knowledge to paye
Pierces pardon is pay that y
u
[...]weste.
To Pierces pardon the plowman, Redde quod debes,
Thus hath Pierce power, be his pardon payed
To binde and vnbind, both here and els where
And assoylen men of all synnes, saue of dette onelye
Anone after, an hyghe into heauen
He went and wonneth there, and wil come at laste
And reward him right well, that Reddit quod debet.
And payeth perfitelye, as pure trueth woulde
And what person payeth it not, punyshe he thynketh
And demen hem at domes day, both quicke & deade
The good to the Godheade, and to greate ioye
The wicked to wonne, in wo without ende.
[Page Cvii]Thus Cōscience of Christ, and of the crosse carped
And coūceled me to knele, & thā came as me thought
One Spiritus paracletus,
The holy Goste.
to Pierce and to his felowes
In lykenes of a lyghteninge, he lyght vpon hem all
And made hem kon and knowe, all kynne languages
I wōdered what that was, and wagged Conscience
And was aferde of the lyght, for in fyers lykenes
Spiritus paracletus, ouer sprede hem all
Quod Cōscience & kneled, this is Christes messenger
And cometh frō the great god, and grace is hys name
Knele now quod Conscience, and if thou can synge
Welcome him & worship him, with Veni creator spiri.
Than sange I that songe, and so did many hundred
And cried with Conscience, helpe vs god of grace
Than began grace, to go with Pierce plowman
And coūseled him & Cōscience, the cōmune to sūmon
For I wyll deale to daye, and deuide grace
To all kinne creatures, that han her fyne wyttes
Treasure to lyue by, to her lyues ende
And weapen to fyght wyth, that shal neuer fayle
For Antichriste and his, all the world shall greue
And accumbre the cōscience, but if Christe helpe
And false prophetes, fell flatterers and glosers
Shal come & be curatours, ouer kynges & Erles
And pryde shal be Pope, and prince of holy kyrke
Couetise and vnkyndenes, cardinalles hem to leade
Therfore ꝙ grace ere I go, I wil geue you treasure
And wepō to fight w
t, whā Antichrist you assayleth
And giue eche man grace, to guide with hym selfe
That idlenes encumbre him not, enuye nor pryde.
Diuisiones graciarum sunt.
To some he gaue witte, with wordes to shew
[Page]
The gyftes of the holy gost.
Wyt to wyn her liuelode with, as y
e world asketh
As preachers and priestes, and prentises of lawe
They lellye to lyue, by laboure of tonge
And by wit to wishen other, as grace hem wold teach
And some he kenned craftie, and cunnynge of syght
With selling and bigging, their liuelodes to wynne
And learned some to labour, a lelly lyfe and a true
And some he taught to tilly, dytch and to hedge
To wyn w
t their liue lode, by lore of his teachinge
Some to diuine and deuide, numbres to kenne
And some to se and to saye, what shoulde befall
Astronomers.
Boeth of well and of woe, tyll it or it fell
As astronomers by astronomie, & philosophers wise
And some to ride & recouer, y
e vnrightfully was w
[...]n
He wished hē wi
[...] it againe, through wightnes of hād
And fetch it from false men, with soule euyll lawes
And some he learned to liue, in longynge to be hence
In pouerty and in penaunce, to praye for all christen
And al he learned to be
[...]elly, and ech a craft loue other
And forbade hem al debate, y
t none were amōge hem
Though some be cleaner then some, ye se wel ꝙ grace
That mē of y
e fayrest craft, to y
e foulist I coulde haue put
Thinke al ꝙ grace, y
t grace cometh of my gift
Loke that none lacke other, but loue all as brethren
And who y
e most masteries can, the mildest of beryng
And crown cōsciēce king, & make craft your steward
And after craftes counsell, cloth you and fede
Pierces offices.
For I make Pierce plowman, my procuratour & my reue
And register to receiue, Redde quod debes,
My prouisor & my plowman, Pierce shal be on earth
And for to tell trueth, a teme shall he haue
Grace gaue Pierce a t
[...]me, foure greate oxen,
[Page Cviii]That one was Luke,
Pierce Plowemannes ore. 1.
a large beast & a low chered
And Mark & Mathew y
e third, mighty blasts both
And ioyned to hem one Iohn, most gentle of al
The price net of Pierces plow, and passing al other
And grace gaue pierce, of hys goodnes four stottes
Al that his oxen cried, they to harrowe it after
One hyght Austen, and Ambrose an other
Gregory the greate clarke, and Ierome the good
These four y
e faith to teach, foloweth Pierces teme
And harowed in an hande while, all holy scripture
With two harowes that they had, an old & a newe.
Id est vetus testamentum et nouum.
And Grace gaue graines, the cardinall vertues
And sew it in mans soule, & sithē told her names
Spiritus prudencie, the firste sede hyght
And who so eateth that,
The sede y
e Pierce soweth.
ymagen he shoulde
Ere he did anye dede, deuise well the ende
And learned men a ladie bugge, wyth a longe stele,
That caste for to kepe a croke, to saue the fat aboue
The seconde sede hyght, Spiritus temperantie
He that eate of that sede, had suche a kynd
Shuld neuer meat ne much drink, make him to swell
Ne shoulde no scorner ne skolde, oute of skyll hym bringe
Ne wynning ne wealth, of worldly riches
Waste worde of ydlenes, ne wicked speach moue
Should no curious cloth, come on hys rygge
Ne no meate in his mouth, y
e master Iohn spiced.
The third sede y
e piers sew was, Spiritꝰ fortitudinis
And who so eate of that sede, hardye was euer
To suffer all that God sente, sickenes or angers
Myght no leasinges ne lier, ne losse of worldly cattel
Make him for any mourning, y
t he has mery in soule
[Page]And bolde and abidinge bismeres to suffer
And playeth al with patience, and Parce mihi domine
And couereth him vnder counsel, of Caton the wyse
Esto forti animo, cum sis damnatus inique.
The fourth sede y
e Pierce s
[...]w, was spiritus iusticie
And he that eateth of that sede, shal be euer true
With god and not agaiste, but of gile one
For Gile goth so priuelie, y
e good fayth other while
May not be espied, fro spiritus iusticie.
Spiritus iusticie, spareth not to spil,
Iustyce leaueth no sinne vnpunished.
Them that bē gyltye, and for to correct
The kynge if he fall in gylte or in trespace
For coūteth he no kings wrath, whē he court sitteth
To demen as a demes man, adrad was he neuer
Neither of Duke ne of death, that he ne dyd lawe
For presentes ne for prayers, or ani princes letters
He did equitie to all, euen forth to his power
These four sedes piers sewe, & sith he did hē hard we
With thelde lawe and newe, that loue myght wexe
Amonge the four vertues, and vices to destroy
For communely in contries, cammokes & wedes
Fouleth y
e frute in the feld, ther they grow togiders
And so done vices, vertues worthy
And Piers harroweth al, y
e konneth kind witte
By counsel of thefe doctours
And tilleth after her teachinge, y
e cardinall vertues
Againe these graines ꝙ grace, groneth for to ripe
Ordeine the an house Piets, to hather in y
e corne
By god Grace quod Piets, ye moote giue timbre
And ordayne that house, or ye hence winde
And Grace gaue him y
e crosse, w
t y
e crown of thorns
That Christ apon caluery, for mankynde on pined
[Page]And of his baptisme and bloud,
The foū dation of y
e church.
that he bled on rode
He made a maner mortare, and mercy it hight
And therwyth grace begā, to make a good fundamēt
And walled it & watled it, w
t his paines & his passion
And of al holy wryte, he made a roufe after
And called that house vnytye, holy churche in englysh
And whan this dede was done, grace deuised
A carte hight christendome, to cary Pierces sheues
And gaue him caples to his carte, cōtrition & cōfessiō
And made pryesthode hayward, whyle him selfe wēt
As wyde as the world is, w
t Pierce to tilly truth.
Nowe is Pierce to the plowe,
Pride enuieth the church.
and pryde it spied
And gadered him a greate host, to greue hym he thinketh
Cōscience & all christen, and cardinall vertues
Blow hē downe & breake hem, & bite at wo y
e mores
And sent forth Surquidous, his sargeant of armes
And his spye spyll loue, one speake euil behynd
These two comen to cōscyence, and to chrysten people
And tolde hem tidinges, that tine thei sholde the sedes
That Pierce there had sowne, the cardinal vertues
And Pierce barne were broken, & they y
t be in vnytye
Should come out, & conscyence and your two caples
Confession and contrition, and your cart the beleue
Shal be colored so queintly, & couered vnder our sophistry
That cōscience shall not know, by contrition
Ne by confession, who is christen ne heathen
Ne no maner marchant, that w
t mony dealeth
Whether he wyn w
t ryght, or w
t wronge, or w
t vsery
With such colour and queintise, commeth prid armed
Wyth the lorde that liueth, after the luste of his body
To wasten on welfare, and on wicked kepynge
All the worlde in a while, through our wit ꝙ Pryde
[Page]Quod cōscience to al christē tho, my counsel is to wēd
The way to w
tstand pryde.
Hastely into vnytie, and holde we vs there
And pray we y
e a peace wer, in Pierces barne y
e plow mā
For witterly I wot wel, y
t we be not of strength
To gone agayne pryde, but grace were with vs
And than came kinde wytte, conscience to teache
And cried and commaunded, to al christen people
For to deluen and digge, depe aboute vnitye
That holy kyrke stode in vnitie, as it a pyle were
Conscience commaunded tho, all christen to doluē
And maken a much mote, that might be a strength
To helpe holy kyrke, and hem that it kepeth
Than al kynne christen, saue commen women
Who thei be that neuer repent.
Repented and refused sinne, saue they onely
And false men flatterers, vsurers and theues
Lyers and questmongers, that were forsworne oft
Wyttingly and wilfully, wyth the false holden
And for syluer were forsworne, sothly they wist it
There nas no christen creature, that kind wit had
Saue shrewes onely, suche as I speake of
That he ne holpe a quantitie, holines to waxe
Some by bedes bidinge, and some by pilgrimage.
And other priui paines, & some through pens delinge
And than welled water, for wicked workes
Egrely renynge, out of mens eyen
Clennes of the commune, and clarkes cleane liuinge
Made vnitie holy kirke, in holynes to stande
I care not quod Conscience, though pride come now
The lord of lust shall be letted, al this lent I hope
Come quod Conscience, ye christen and dyne
That haue laboured lelly, all thys lent tyme
Here is bread blessed, and gods body therunder
[Page Cx]Grace through Gods worde, gaue Pierce power
And myght to make it, and men to eate it after
In helpe of their heale, once in a moneth
Or as oft as they had nede, tho that had payed
To Pierces pardon the plowman, Redde quod debts,
How quod all the common, y
u councelest vs to yelde
All that we owe any wight, ere we go to housell
That is my counsell ꝙ conscience, & cardinal vertues
That eche man forgeue other, & that will the Pa. no.
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra.
Math. vi
&c.
And so to be assoyled, and sithen houseled
Yea bawe quod a bruer,
What lucre maye dooe.
I wyll not be ruled
By Iesus for your ianglynge, w
t Spiritus iusticie
Ne after Conscience by Christe, while I can sell
Both dragges and draffe, and draw it at one hole
Thycke ale and thine ale, for that is my kynde
And not hacke after holines, hold thy tong Cōscience
Of Spiritus iusticie, thou speakest muche on idle
Caytife quod Conscience, cursed wretche
Vnblessed arte thou bruer, but if the God helpe
But if thou lyue by lore, of Spiritus iusticie,
The chiefe sede that Pierce sewe, saued worth neuer
But Cōscience the commune fede, & cardinall vertues
Leue well they be loste, both lyfe and soule
Than is manye a man loste, quod a lewde vicory
I am a curator of holy kirke,
A blinde curate.
& came neuer in my time
Men to me that coulde tell, of cardinall vertues
Or that coūted Cōsciēce, at a cockes fether or an hens
I ne knew neuer cardinall, y
t he ne come fro the Pope
And we clarks whē they come, for her cōmens payen
For her pelures & palfreis meate, & pilors y
e hem folow
The cōmune Clamat quotidie, ech a man to other
[Page]
The praise of cardinals.
The contrey is the curseder, that Cardinals cōmen in
And there they lyg & leng, most lechery there raigneth
Therfore quod this vicory, by very god I would
That no cardinal ne come, among the commē people
But in her holines, helden hem styll
At Auion among the Iewes, Cum sancto sanctus eris.
Or in Rome as their rule will, the relikes to kepe
And thou Conscience in kynges court, and shouldest neuer come thense.
And Grace that thou gredest so of, gider of al clarkes
And Pierce w
t hys new plow, & eke wyth hys olde
Emperour of al the world, that al men were christen
Imperfite is the Pope, that al the world shold helpe
Pierce foloweth y
e example of God Math. v.
And sendeth hem that sleeth, such as he should haue
And well worth Pierce plowman, y
t pursueth god in doinge
Qui pluit super iustos et iniustos attonce
And sent the sonne to saue, a cursed mans tylth
As bryght as to the best man, or the best woman
Ryght so Pierce the plowman, peyneth him to tyll
As wel for a wastor, and wenches of the stewes
As for him selfe & his seruaūts, saue he is fyrst serued
And traueileth and tilleth, for a traytour also sore
As for the true tidye men, all tymes ylyke
And worshiped be he y
e wrought al, both good & yll
And suffreth y
e sinfull be, tyll sometyme y
t they repent
Of the Pope
And God amend the pope, that pylleth holy kyrke
And claymeth before the kinge, to be kept of christen
And coūteth not though christen, be killed & robbed
And fynde folke to fyght, and christen folke to spill
Agayne thold law & new law, as Paule therof witnesseth.
Hebru. x.
Non occides mihi vindictam. &c.
It semeth by so him selfe hadde his wyll
[Page Cxi]That he ne retcheth ryght nought, of all the rēnaunte
And Christ of his curtesy, mend the cardinals frame
And turne her wyt to wisedome, & weale of her soule
For the cōmune ꝙ this curatour, counten full lyttle
The counsell of Conscience, or cardinall vertues
But if they se as by syght, somewhat to wynning
Of gyle ne of gabynge, gyue thou neuer tale
For Spiritus prudentie, amonge the puple is gyle
And all the foule vices, as vertues they semen
Eche man sutteleth a slyght, synne for to hyde
And colereth it with cunning, and a cleane liuynge
Then laught there a Lorde,
Of land-lorde
[...].
and by the lyght sayde
I holde it ryght and reason, of my reeue to take
All that myne auditours, or els my stewarde
Coūceleth me by their account, & by clarkes writing
Wyth Spiritus intellectus, they seke the reues roles
And with Spiritus fortitudinis, fetchen it I wyll
And than came ther a kyng, and by his crowne sayd
I am a kinge with crowne,
Of kings
the commune to rule
And holy kyrke and cleargy, frō cursed men to defēde
And if me lacketh to liue, by the law wil I take it
Ther I mai most hastly it haue, for I am head of law
For ye be but membres, and I aboue all
And sith I am your allerhed, I am your allerhele
And holy kyrkes chefe helpe, & chefest am of y
e cōmon
And what I take of you two, I take it of y
e techinge
Of Spiritus iusticie, for I iudge you all
So may I boldly be houseled, for I borow neuer
Ne craue of my commune, but as my kynd asketh
In condition quod conscience, that thou can defend
And rule thy realme by reason, as ryght wyll & truth
Take thou might in reason, as the lawe asketh
[Page]Omnia tua sunt ad defendendum sed non ad depredandum.
The vycar had farre home, and fayre toke his leaue
And I awaked therwith, and wrought as me met.
Passus. xx. et primus de dobest.
THā I wēt by y
e way, whā I was thus awaked
Heauy chered I yede, and eleng in hert
I ne wist wher to eate, ne at what place
And it nighed nie the none, and w
t nede I mee
That afrowned me foule, and faytour me called
Canst thou not excuse the, as dyd the kynge and other
That y
u toke to thy beleue, to clothes & to sustinaūce
As by teaching and by telling, of spiritus temperancie,
And thou nome no more, then nede the taught
And nede hath no lawe, ne neuer shall fall in dette
For three thynges he taketh, his life for to saue
That is meat whē mē hī warn, & he no moni weldeth
Ne wight y
t wil be his borow, & hath no wed to ligg
What liberti nede geueth.
And he caught in that case, & came therto by sleights
He synneth not sothlye, that so winneth his fode
And though he cā so to a cloth, & cā no beter cheuisāce
Nede anone right, winneth him vnder maynprice
And if him list for to lape, the lawe of kinde would
That he dronke at eche ditche, ere he for thyrst died
So nede at great nede, may nimen as for his owne
Without coūsell of Conscience, or cardinall vertues
So that he sewe and serue, Spiritus temperancie,
For is no vertue by fer, to Spiritus temperancie,
Neither spiritus iusticie, ne spiritus fortitudinis
Temperaunce is the chiefe vertue.
For spiritus fortitudinis, forfeteth full ofte
He shall do more then measure, many a time and oft
And beate men ouer bitter, and some of hem to lyttle
And greue men greater, then good fayth it would
[Page Cxii]And Spiritus iusticie shal iudge, wyl he nyll he
After the kynges counsel, and the commen lyke
And spiritus prudencie, in many points shal fayle
Of that he weneth wold faile, if his witte ne were
Wening is no wisdome, ne wyse ymaginacyon
Homo proponit, deus disponet & gouerneth al good vertues
And nede is next him, for anon he maketh him
And as low as a lambe, for lacking of y
t hym endeth
Wise men forsoke weale, for they wold be nedye
And weneden in wyldernes, and would not be riche
And God al his great ioye, gostly he left
And came and toke mankind, and became nedy
So nedy he was as sayth the boke, in many sondry places
That he sayd in his sorow, on the selfe rode
Both foxe and foule mayste, and to hole crepe
And the fyshe hath fyn, to flete with to rest
There nede hath innomed me, y
e I muste nedes abide
And suffre sorowes ful soure, that shall to ioye turne
Therfore be nought a bashed, to bide and to be nedy
Syth he y
e wrought all the world, was wilfully nedy
Ne neuer none so nedy, ne pore died
Whan nede had vndone me, thus anon I fell a slepe
And met full maruelously, in a mans forme
Antichrist came than, and al the croppe of trueth
Turned vpsidoune, and ouer tilt the rote
And false sprange and spred, and sped mens nedes
In ech a contrey ther he came, he cut away trueth
And gart gile growe there, as he a God were
Friers folowed that fende,
Who receyued Antichriste fyrste▪
for he gaue hem copes
And religious reuerenced him, and range theyr belles
And al the couent furth came, to welcome that tyrant
And all his as well as him, saue onely fooles
[Page]Whiche foles were wel leuer, to dye than to liue
Lenger then Leten, to be so rebuked
And a false fende Antechriste, ouer all folke raygned
How Antichriste doth seduce many good men
And y
t were myld mē & holy mē, y
t no myschyefe dred
Defieden all falsenes, and folcke that it vsed
And what kyng y
t hē cōforted, knowyng hē any while
They cursed & her coūsell, were it clarkes or lewde
Antichrist had thus sone, hundredes at his banner
And prid it bare boldly, about where he yede
With a Lord that liueth, after the likinge of his body
That came agayne Cōscience, y
e keper was & gydour
Ouer kynde christen, and cardinall vertues
I counsell quod Conscience, come with mefoles
Into vnytye holy church, and holde we vs there
And cry we to kind, that he come and defende vs
Foles frō these fēdes lims, for Piers loue y
e plowmā
And cry we to all the commune, y
t they come to vnytie
And ther abide and biker, against Belials children
Kynd Cōscience tho heard, & came out of the planets
And sent forth his forriours, feuers and fluxes
Coughes and cardiacles, crampes and toth aches
Reumes and radgondes, and raynous scalles
Byles and botches, and burnynge agues
Freneses and foule euill, foragers of kynde
Hadden pricked and praied, polles of the people
That largely a legion, losten their liues sone
There was harow and helpe, here commeth kinde
A greate signe of infidelity
Wyth death that is dreadeful, to vndone vs all
The lorde that lyueth after lust, tho aloude cried
After confort a knight, to come and beare his banner
A larme a larme quod y
e Lord, ech lyfe kepe hys own
And than met these men, theyr minstrels myght pype
[Page Cxiii]And their heraudes of armes, had descriued Lordes
Age the hoore, he was in the vawwarde
And bare y
e bāner before death, by right he it claimed
Kynde came after, with manye kene sores
As pockes and pestilences, and much puple shent
So kinde through corruptions,
The maner of goddes visitation.
killed ful many
Death came driuynge after, and all to dust pashed
Kynges and Kaysers, knyghtes and Popes
Learned ne lewed, he ne let no man stande
That he hitte euen, he neuer stode after
Many a louelye Ladye, and lemmans of knightes
Swoned and swelted, for sorow of deathes dintes
Conscience of hys curtesye, to kynd he besought
To cease and suffer, and se wher they woulde
Leaue pryde priuelye, and be perfite christen
And kynde ceased tho, to se the people amende
Fortune gan flatteren then,
The maner of mē when plages cease
tho fewe that were a lyue
And hight hem longe life, and lechery she sent
Amonge all maner of men, wedded and vnwedded
And gathered a greate hoste, all against Conscience
This Lecherye layed on, with a laughing chere
And with a priuye speach, and painted wordes
And armed him in idlenes, and in highe bearynge
He bare a bow in his hād, & many blouddy arrowes
Were fethered with fair behest, & many a false truth
Wyth hys vntidye tales, he tened full often
Cōscience & his cōpany, of holy kyrke the teachers
Than came Couetise, and caste howe he might
Ouercome Conscience, and cardinall vertues
And armed him in auaryce, and hongrichly liued
His wepen was all wiles, to winnen and to hiden
With glosinges & w
t gabbinges, he gyled the people
[Page]
Couetise and Simony make prelates.
Simony him seme, to assayle Conscience
And preached to the people, and prelates they maden
To hold with antichriste, their temporalties to saue
And came to kynges counsell, as a kene baren
And kneled to Conscience, in court before hem all
And garde good fayth flee, and false to abide
And boldly bare adowne, with many a bryght noble
Much of the wit and wisedome, of Westminster hall
He iusteled to a Iustice, and iusted in his eare
And ouertilt al his truth, wel take this on amēdmēte
And to the arches, he yede anone after
And turned ciuile into simony, & sith he toke thofficial
For a mantil of miniuer, he made lelly matrimonye
Departed ere death came, and deuorse shaped
Alas ꝙ Conscience tho, would Christ of his grace
That couetise were a christē, that is so kene a fyghter
And bolde and abidinge, while his bagge lasteth
And then laught life, and let dagge his clothes
And armed him in haste, in harlottes wordes
And held holines a iape, and hendnes a waster
And lete leautye a cherle, and lyer a freman
Conscience and counsell, he counted it folye
Thus rayled lyfe, for a lyttle fortune
And pricked forth wyth pryde, praysed he no vertue
He careth not how kind slow, & shall come at last
And kyl al earthely creatures, saue conscyence onelye
Life lept asyde, and laught him a lemman
Health and I ꝙ he, and heauynes of herte
Shall do the no dreade, neyther death ne Elde
Lyfe and Fortune beget Slouth.
And to forget sorow, and giue nought of sinne
Thys liked lyfe, and his lemman fortune
And gat in their glory, a gadlinge at the last
Slouth wexe wonder yerne, and sone was of age
And wedded one wanhope,
Slouthe marieth dispayre
a wench of the stewes
Hyr syre was a sysor, that neuer swore trueth
One Tomme two tong, atteint of ech a quest
This Slouth was ware of warre, and a flyng made
And threw dread of dispayre, adozē myles about
For care conscience tho, cried apon age
And bad him fond to fight, and afere wanhope
And age hent good hope, and hastely he shyfte him
And wamed away wanhop, & wyth lyfe he fighteth
And lyfe fleeth for feare, to phisike after helpe
And besought him of his succour, & of his salue had
And gaue hym gold good wonne, y
e gladded hys hert
And they gaue him agayne, a glasen howne
Lyfe leued that lechecraft, let shold Elde
And dryue awaye death, wyth dias and dragges
And Elde auentred him on lyfe, and at laste he hyt
A phisician with a furred hode,
Age killeth boeth Phisiciā & Surgi
[...]
that he fel in the palsy
And ther died that docter, er thre dayes after
Now I see said life, that surgery ne phisike
May not a myte auayle, to medle agayne Elde
And in hope of his heale, good hert he hente
And rode so to reuel, a rych place and a mery
The company of courte, m
[...]n cleped it sometyme
And Elde anone after, and ouer my head he yede
And made me bald before, and bare on my crowne
So harde he yede ouer my head, y
t it wil be sene euer
Syr euel taught Elde ꝙ I, vnheende go wyth she
Sith when was the way, ouer mens heades?
Haddest y
u bene hend ꝙ I, thou wold haue asked leue
Yea leaue lurden ꝙ he, and layde on me with age
[Page]And hit me vnder the eare, vnneth may ich heare
He buffeted me about the mouth, and bet out mi teth
And gyued me in goutes, I may not go at large
And of the wo that I was in, my wyfe had ruth
And wished full witterly, that I were in heauen
For the lyme that she loued me for, & leef was to feele
On nights namely, when we naked were
I ne might in no maner, make it at hyr wyl
So Elde and she sothely, had forbeaten it
And as I satte in this sorow, I se kinde passed
And death drewe nere me, for dread gan I quake
And cryed to kinde, out of care me brynge
Lo Elde the hore, hath me besette
A wreke me if your wil be, for I would be hence
If thou wold be wroken, wend into vnitye
And hold the there euer, tyll I sende for the
And loke thou konne some craft, ere thou come thence
Nature wolde we shoulde learne to loue.
Counsell me kynd ꝙ I, what craft is best to learne
Learne to loue ꝙ kinde, and leaue of al other
Howe shall I come to cattel so, to cloth me & to fode?
And thou loue lelly ꝙ he, lack shal thou neuer
Meat ne worldly wede, whyle thy lyfe lasteth.
And there by counsell of kinde, I comsed to runne
Through contricyon & cofessiō, till I came to vnytye
And ther was conscience constable, christen to saue
The seuē capitall sinnes besieged cō science.
And beseged sothelie, wyth seuen great Gyantes
That with antichrist holden, hard agayn conscience
Sloth was his slyng, and hard assawte made
Proude priests come wyth hym, mo then a thowsand
In paltokes and piked shoes, and pissers long kniues
Comen agayne conscience, with coueryse they helden
By Mary ꝙ a mansed priest, of the march of Ireland
[Page Cxv]I count no more conscience,
Woulde god there were no such priestes in englande.
by so I catch siluer
Than I do to drinke, a draught of good ale
And so sayde sixty, of the same contrey
And shotten agayne with shote, many a shefe of othes
And brode hoked arowes, Gods hert and his nailes
And had almost vnity, and holynes adowne
Conscience cryed helpe cleargye, or els I fall
Through imperfite priests, & prelates of holi church
Fryes heard hym cry, and came him to helpe
And for they could not wel her craft, cōscience hem for soke
Nede neighed tho nere, and cōscience he told
That they came for couetise,
Curates oughte to haue a cō petent lyuyng certayne
to haue cure of soule
And for thei are pore perauēter, for patrimony hē failith
They flatter to fare well, folke that bene ryche,
And syth they chosen chele, and cheitif pouertie
Let thē chewe as they chosē, & charge thē w
t no cure
For Lomer he lyeth, that lyue lode muste begge
Then he that laboureth for liuelod, & leueth it begers
And sith fryers forsoke, the filicitie of the earth
Let them be as beggers, or liue by Angels foode
Conscience of this counsell tho, comsed to laugh
And curtesly comforted him, and called in al fryers
And sayd syrs sothely, welcome be you al
To vnitye and holy church, one thing I you praye
Hold you in vnitye, and haue no enuy
To learned menne to leude, but lyue after youre rule
And I will be your borow, ye shall haue bred & cloth
And other necessaryes ynow, ye shall nothynge fayle
Wyth that ye leaue lodgike, and learne to loue
For loue lost the lordshyp, both land and schole
Fryer Fraunces and dominyke, for loue to be holy
And if ye couet cure, kynd wyl you teache.
[Page]That in measure God made, al maner thinges
And set hem at a certen, and a seker nombre
And nempned names newe, and numbred the sterrs
Psal. 147
Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum & omnibus. &c.
Kynges and knyghtes, that kepen and defenden
Haue officers vnder hem, and eche of hem certen
And if they wage mē to war, they write hem in nōbre
Or they wyl no treasure hem pay, trauaile they neuer so sore
For all other in battel, bene holden brybors
Pylors and pikeharneis, in eche a place accursed
Monkes and moniales, and al men of relygion
Their order & their rule wold, to haue a certē nombre
Of lerned and of lewde, the lawe wyll and asked
A certen for a certen, saue onely of Fryers
The Fryers are w
tout nūbre
Therfore ꝙ cōsciēce by Christ, kinde witte me telleth
It is wickid to wage you, ye wexe without nombre
Heauen hath euen nombre, & hell is without numbre
Therefore I wold witterly, y
e ye were in y
e registers
And your nōbre vnder notaries signe, & neither mo ne lesse
Enuy hard this, and bad fryers go to schole
And lerne logike and lawe, and eke contemplacion
And preach men of Plato, and priue it by Seneca
That all thinges vnder heauē, ought to be in cōmune
And yet he lyeth as I leue, y
t to the lewde so precheth
For God made men a law, and Moses it taught
Exod. xx.
Non concuptsces rem prorimi tu
[...].
And euel is this hold, in parishes of England
For persons & paryshe priestes, y
t shold y
e peple shriue
Bene Curatours called, to knowe and to heale
All that bene their parishers, penaunce to enioyne
And shuld be ashamd in theyr shryft, y
t hē wēd maketh
And flee to y
e Fryers, as false folke to Westmynster
[Page Cxvi]That boroweth & bereth thither,
Thei that went to y
e Fryers is shri
[...]t wer like santuary men.
& thē biddeth frēds
Yerne of forgiuenes, or lenger yeres loue
And while he is in Westminster, he will be before
And make him mery, with other mens goodes
And so it fareth with much folke, y
t to fryers shriueth
As sisours & executours, they will giue the fryers
A percel to pray for hem, and make hem selfe mery
With y
e residue & y
e remnaūt, y
e other men beswonken
And suffer the dead in det, to the daye of dome
Enuye therfore hated Conscience,
And Fryers to philosophy, he founde hem to schole
The while couetise & vnkindnes, Cōscience assayled
In vnitie holye kyrke, Conscience helde him
And made peace porter, to pynne the gates
To all tale tellers, and tutelers idle
Hypocrisye and he, and harde assaulte they made
Hypocrisye at the gate, harde gan to fyght
And wounded wel wickedly, many wyse teachers
That w
t Conscience accorded,
Hipocris
[...] woūdeth preachers
and cardinal vertues
Conscience called a leche, that coulde well shryue
Go salue tho y
e syck ben, and through synne wounded
Shrift shope sharpe salue, and made hem do penaūce
For her misdedes, that they wrought hadde
And that Pierce were payde, Redde quod debes.
Some liked not this leche, and letters they sent
If any surgeō were in the sege, y
t softer could plaster
Sir life to lyue in lecherye, laye there and groned
For fastynge of a Friday, he fared as he would dye
There is a surgeon in this sege, that softe can handle
And more of phisike he can, and fayrer he plastereth
One Fryer flatterer, is phisician and surgeon
Quod contricion to conscience, do him come to vnitie
[Page]For here is many a man hurt through Hypocrisse,
We haue no nede ꝙ Conscience, I wot no better lech
Than Person or parishe prieste, penitaūcer or bishop
Saue Pyerce the plowmā, y
t hath power ouer hē al
And indulgence may do, but if that dette let it
I may wel suffer quod conscience, seing ye desieren
That Fryer flatterer be fet, and phisike you seke
The Fryer here of harde, and hied full faste
Nother patrō nor bishop, regardeth his dutye
To a lorde for a letter, leaue to haue curen
As a curatour he were, and came w
t hys letters
Boldely to the byshop, and his briefe had
In contryes there he came in, confession to here
And came ther Conscience was, & knocked at the gate
Peace vnpinnen it, was porter of vnitye
And in haste asked, what hys wyll were
In fayth quod this Frier, for profit and for health
Carpe I wold w
t cōtrytion, & therfore I came hither
He is sicke sayde Peace, and so is many an other
Hypocrisie hath hurt him, ful hard is he to couer
I am a surgion sayde the segge, and salues can make
Conscyence knoweth me wel, and what I cā do both
I praye the quod Peace tho, ere thou passe further
What hightest thou I pray the, heyle not thy name
Certes sayd thys felowe, syr Penetrans domos.
Go thy gates quod Peace, by god for al thy phisicke
But thou kenne some craft, thou cōmest not herein
I knewe such one once, not eyght winters passed
Came in thus coped, at a courte wher I dwelled
And was my lordes leche, and my ladies both
And at laste this limitour, tho my lord was out
He salued so out women, tyll some were w
t childe.
Heende speach haete Peace, to open the gats
[Page Cxvii]Let in the fryer and his felow, & make hym fair there
He may se and here, so it may befall
That lyfe throught his lore, shal leaue couetise
And be a drade of death, and with drawe him frō prid
And accord w
t conscience, and kisse either other
Thus through hende speach, entred the fryer
And came to Conscience, and curtesly him grete
Thou art welcome ꝙ Conscience, canst y
u hele y
e sick?
Here is contricion quod conscience, my cosin woūded
Confort hym quod cōscience, & take kepe to hys sores
The plasters of y
e person, and pouders beatē to sore
He letteth hem lygge ouer lōg, & ioth is to chaūg hem
From lenten to lenten, his plasters byten.
That is ouerlōg ꝙ thys Limitor, I leue I shal amēd it
And goth & geopeth cōtriciō, & gaue him a plaster
Of a pryuy payment, & I shall praye for you
And for all that ye bene holden to all my lyfe longe
And make you my Ladye,
The olde maner of cares shr
[...] fre made synners negligent
in masses and in mattens
As Fryers of our fraternitie, for a litle siluer
Thus he goth & gadereth, & gloseth ther he shriueth
Til contricion had cleane forgoten, to crye & to wepe
And wake for his works, as he was wont to do
For confort of his confessour, Contricion he lost
That is the souereynest salue, for al kinnes sinnes
Slouthe see that, and so dyd pride
And commen wyth a kene wyll, conscience to assayle
Conscience cryed oute, and bade cleargy helpe him
And also contricion, for to kepe the gate
Helleth & dreameth said Peace, & so doth mani other
The fryer with his phisike, this folke hath enchaūted
And plastred hem so easely, they dread no synne
By Christ ꝙ Cōscience tho, I wol become a pylgrime
[...]
[...]
[Page]And walken as wyde, as the worlde lasteth
To seke Pierce the plowman, that pryd mai destroy
And that Friers had a findinge y
e for no nede flatteren
And cōtrepledeth me Cōsciēce, now kynde me aueng
And send me hap & heale, til I haue Pyers y
e plowmā
And syth he grad after grace, til I gan awake.
Finis.