mastry And your fraÌ„ches that fre was falleÌ„ is in thraldome And ye Cherles your childreÌ„ 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 WhaÌ„ Christ come her kiÌ„gdome 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 woÌ„der meaneth Haue no meruayle quod mercy myrthe it betokeneth A mayde that hight Marye and mother wtout feling Of any kynnes creature conceiued through speach And grace of the holye gost weâ—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 And that is cause of this clipse the closed now the suÌ„ne In meaning that man shal from merkenes be draweÌ„ 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 thou 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 ê™ 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 Ars vt artem falleret 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 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 WhaÌ„ peace in patieÌ„ce clothed thus aproched nygh heÌ„ twain Rightfulnes hir reuereÌ„ced for hir rich clothiÌ„g 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 ê™ 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 matutinuÌ„ leticia Loue that is my lemman suche letters me sent That mercy my syster and I mankynd shoulde saue And that god hath forgeueÌ„ grauÌ„ted 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 thou ê™ rightwisenes or the 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 And folowed that the fende taught hys felowes wyll Agaynst reasoÌ„ rightwisâ—es record thus with truth That their payne be perpetuall no prayer theÌ„ help Therfore let them cheue as they chose chide we not sisters For it is boteles bale the byt that they eaten And I shal proue ê™ 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 CoÌ„trarâ—es are knowen bi tâ—â— coÌ„trarie that neuer wo suffred Ne what is whote huÌ„gre 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 the 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 with hym I may it well avowe Wote no wight as I wene what is inough to mean Therfore God of his goodnes the 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 aueÌ„tred 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 the peace reineth Ne what is witerly weale till welaweye hym teache Bokes be bolde Than was there a wight wyth two brode eyen Boke hyght that beaupier
there And cry we to kind that he come and defende vs Foles froÌ„ these feÌ„des lims for Piers loue the plowmaÌ„ And cry we to all the commune that they come to vnytie And ther abide and biker against Belials children Kynd CoÌ„science 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 the Lord ech lyfe kepe hys own And than met these men theyr minstrels myght pype And their heraudes of armes had descriued Lordes Age the hoore he was in the vawwarde And bare the baÌ„ner 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 meÌ„ 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 haÌ„d many blouddy arrowes Were fethered with fair behest many a false truth Wyth hys vntidye tales he tened full often CoÌ„science his coÌ„pany 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 with gabbinges he gyled the people 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 ameÌ„dmeÌ„te 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 ê™ Conscience tho would Christ of his grace That couetise were a christeÌ„ 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 ê™ 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 One that much wo wrought slouth was hys name 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 adozeÌ„ 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 the 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 PhisiciaÌ„ Surgiâ— 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 mâ—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 that it wil be sene euer Syr euel taught Elde ê™ I vnheende go wyth she Sith when was the way ouer mens heades Haddest thou bene hend ê™ I thou wold haue asked leue Yea leaue lurden ê™ he and layde on me with age 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 ê™ I what craft is best to learne Learne to loue ê™ kinde and leaue of al other
And that is lyghtly forgeuen and forgetten both 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 beÌ„ impacieÌ„t in her penauÌ„ce pure reasoÌ„ knoweth That they haue cause to coÌ„trary 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 that queÌ„cheth 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 the world willed efte to slepe And lened me to a lenten longe tyme I slepte And of christes passioÌ„ penaunce the 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 seÌ„blable to the Samaritan soÌ„deale to Piers the plowman Barefote on an asse backe boteles came prickynge Without spore or speare spackly he loked As is the kind of a knyght that coÌ„meth 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 whaÌ„ aueÌ„trous coÌ„meth to iustis Old Iewes of IerusaleÌ„ for ioy they soÌ„geÌ„ 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 that the feÌ„d claimeth Pyerce frute the plowmaÌ„ 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 consuÌ„matus deus In Pyerce paltock the plowmaÌ„ this pryker shal ride For no dinte shal him dere as in Deitate patris Who shall iuste with Iesus ê™ 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 froÌ„ the fend Pierce fruit the plowmaÌ„ And laye it there him liketh and Lucifer bind And for to beat and downe bring bale death for euer O Mors ero mors tua ThaÌ„ came Pilate with 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 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 thou be Christ kinges sonne come downe of the rode ThaÌ„ shold we leue that life the loueth wol not let the dye ConsuÌ„matuÌ„ est ê™ 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 the soÌ„ne 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 the other Shal no wight wit witterly who shal haue maistry EresoÌ„ day about suÌ„ne rising sanke with that tyl earth Some saide that he was gods sonne the 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 Besides Christ apon a crosse so was the coÌ„mon lawe 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 soÌ„ne kinde forgaue that time That no harlot were so hardy to lay hand apon him And there came forth a knight with a kene spere grouÌ„d Hight LoÌ„gis as the letter telth He citeth a lye out of the Legendauri â–ª loÌ„g 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 spraÌ„g doune by the spere vnspared his eyen Then fel the knyght vpoÌ„ 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 the dede that I haue done I do me in your grace Haue on me ruth rightful Iesu right with that 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 the blind beat him bouÌ„d it was a boyes couÌ„sel Cursed Caytifes knyghthode was it neuer To misdo a deade bodye by daye nor by nyght The gre yet hath he gottenâ— for al his greate wounde For your champion câ—â—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
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 wisemeÌ„ of thys world in one wit accordeÌ„ That suche a barne was borne in Bethlems citye That mans soule shoulde saue and synne destroye And al the elemeÌ„tes saith the boke hereof bereth witnes That he was god the al wroght the welkeÌ„ 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 that 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 that 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 reuereÌ„ce his rode and his resurrectioÌ„ And bileue on a newe law be lost life and soule Suffer we sayd Truth I heare and I se both Howe a spirite speaked to hell byd vnspar the 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 with 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 heÌ„ 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 the 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 reasoneâ—â— the mateâ—â— 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 apoÌ„ 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 For God wil not be begiled ê™ Gobelyn ne iaped We haue no true title to heÌ„ for bi tresoÌ„ wer thei daÌ„ned Certes I dread ê™ this deuill lest trueth wil heÌ„ fetch Out of our postye and leaden hem hence These .xxx. winter as I wene he hath gone preched I haue assayled him with 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 maÌ„ 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 the 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 with 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 Dominus virtutum Dukes of this dimme place anone vndo these gates That Christ may come in the kynges sonne of heaueÌ„ And with that breath hell brake with belials barres For anye wye or warde wyde open the gates 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. â— Soule for soul â–ª 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 quickeÌ„ quite that 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. â—â— 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 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
Tho the people him apposed with a peny in the 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 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 womaÌ„ it were That suche wise wordes of holy write shewed And I asked her on the height name or she thence yede What she were wisely that wished me so fayre Holy church I am ê™ she thou 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 that 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 that 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 ê™ 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 Who is true of his tonge and telleth no other And doth the worckes therw t and willeth no maÌ„ 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 that is the profession a partly the appeÌ„deth to knights And not to faste one Friday in fiue score wynter But hold with 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 the poynt was apostata in the order But Christe kyng of kynges made knyghtes ten Cherubyn and Seraphyn suche seuen and another And gaue heÌ„ myght in his maiestie the mirier heÌ„ thought And ouer hys meane meiny made heÌ„ archaÌ„gels Taught by the trinitie Trueth to knowe To be buxume at his bidding he bade heÌ„ 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 thousaÌ„des with hym thaÌ„ 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 the hoped it might be so no heueÌ„ might heÌ„ hold 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 ê™ 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 ê™ 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 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 coÌ„mons Right so is loue a leader the law shapeth Vpon man for his misdedes the mercemeÌ„t 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 heÌ„ no woo that wrought him the 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 the 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 that ye
beggar for my foule slouth Hon mihi quia sterilâ—m duxi vitam iuuenilem Repentist thou ê™ RepeÌ„tauÌ„ce right with 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 that his goodnes is more ThaÌ„ sate Slouth vp seyned hym Swyth And made a vowe tofore god for his foule Slouth Shal no soÌ„day 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 the 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 But for thy mikle mercye mitigation I besech 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 RepeÌ„taunce ruth rad heÌ„ 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 ê™ he that of thy goodnes gaÌ„ the 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 the best as I leue what euer the boke telleth O felir culpa O necessarium peccatum Ade For through the synne thy soÌ„ne sent was to the earth And became man of a maide mankind to saue And makest thy selfe with thy soÌ„ne and vs sinful ilyche Genes i. i. Io. iiii Faciamus homineÌ„ ad imagineÌ„ et similitudinem nostraÌ„ 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 maÌ„s sake at ful tyme of the 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 wheÌ„ most light is and mealtyme of saints Feddest with thy fresh blud our forfathers in darknes Populus qui ambulat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam And by the lyght that leaped out of the Lucifer was blent And blew all thy blessed into the blisse of Paradise 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 the 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 that repent hem selues sore That euer they wrathed the in this world in worde thought and dede TheÌ„ heÌ„t Hope an horne of Deus tu coÌ„uersê° viuificabis nos And blew it with Beati quotuÌ„ remisse suÌ„t iniquitates That all Sayntes in heauen songen at once Homines et iumeÌ„ta 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 baÌ„ckes 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 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 thou not wish vs the way where the wight woÌ„nith 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 with halt none helk his hire that 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 Yea leue Piers ê™ these pilgrimes proferd him hyre For to wend with hem to Truethes dwellynge place Nay by my soule health ê™ Piers
dispensator est qui res pauperum Christi in utiliter consumit He doeth not wel that 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 the dredith him for loue And not for drede of vēgeaūce doth therfore the bet He doeth best that wtdraweth 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 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 the 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 with 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 That I made man now it me forthynketh 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 that the floud haue iwashed Cleane away the 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 the syre seld seest thou other Nunquam 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 that 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 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 with 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 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 the 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 with 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 the 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 the is wycked will the 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