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
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
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 seruaÌ„t And I thanked hym tho and sythe I hym tolde How that fayth fle away and Spes his felow both For sight of the sorowful maÌ„ the robbed was with theues Haue hem excused ê™ he her helpe may lyttle auayle Maâ—â—â— 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 passioÌ„ of that baby He should stand and step and stalworth he neuer Tyll he haue eaten all the barne his bloud dronken For weÌ„t neuer wye in thys world through the 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 beÌ„ on horse For he halt him hardier on horse theÌ„ him that is on fote For he seeth me that am SamaritaÌ„ 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 theÌ„ shal faith be foster here in thys frith walke And kennen out coÌ„men meÌ„ that knoweÌ„ not the coÌ„try Whych is the way that I weÌ„t wher forth to IerusaleÌ„ And Hope the hostylers man shal be ther the maÌ„lyeth in healiÌ„g And al the feble faint be the faith may not tech Hope shall leade hem forth with loue as his lore teach And hostell hem heale through holy kirkes beleue Tyll I haue salue for al sycke Of Christes resurrection thaÌ„ shall I returne And come agayne by thys contrye coÌ„forteÌ„ all sycke That craueth it or coueteth it and crieth therafter For the barne was borne in BethleÌ„ that with his blode shal saue Al the liueÌ„ in fayth foloweÌ„ his fewlowes techiÌ„g 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 with thy selfe And if conscience carpe ther againe or kind wyt other Or heritikes with argumentes thine hande thou 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 with one fynger foldyng Tyll hym loued and lust to vnlosen hys fynger And put it forth as with a paum to what place it shuld The paume is pureli the haÌ„d proferith forth the figers To minister to make the might of hand knowen And betokeneth truly tell who so lyketh The holy goste of heauen he is as the pawme The fyngers that free be to folde and to serue Betokeneth sothly the sonne the 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 〈◊〉 â—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 with the 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 heÌ„ selfe a sunder were they neuer No more than my haÌ„d may moue wtout 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 frameÌ„ a full haÌ„d to purtrey to paynteÌ„ 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 that is puteli the haÌ„d hath power by him self Other wise than the wretheÌ„ fist or workmaÌ„shyp of fingers For the pawme hath power to put out all the ioyntes 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 haÌ„d 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 the middle of my hand wtout malease In many kinnes maners I might my selfe helpe Both moue and ameÌ„d 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 the pricketh god as in the 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 heaueÌ„ is as it were the pawme And who so sineth in s spirite it semeth that he greueth God that he grypeth with 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
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 coÌ„meÌ„ 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 coÌ„missarie and coteth hys clarkes She is assoyled as sone as herselfe lyketh And may nigh as moch do in a month one 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 gaâ—e That fayth mai not be of force her floreÌ„s fly to thick She leadeth the law as her liste louedaies maketh And doth meÌ„ lese through her loue the 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 resoÌ„ the is gret ruth reherse meÌ„ what heÌ„ liketh Barons and burgesies she bringeth in sorowe And al the coÌ„mon 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 meÌ„ meschauÌ„ce heÌ„ betide For pore meÌ„ mai haue no powr to plain heÌ„ wheÌ„ they smarte Such master is mede among meÌ„ 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 tâ— speake to congayne the for euer Naye lord quod that lady leue him the wurse 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 the nowe woÌ„der 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 that 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 coÌ„science councelledst him thens To leuen his lordship for a lytle syluer 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 meÌ„ Mede telleth how neadful she is to all men to honerne hem with 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 meÌ„ to make peace in laÌ„d Men that teachen chyldren crauen after mede Priestes that preachen the people to good asken mede And masse pence and her meat at the meale tyme. All kynne craftes men craueÌ„ Mede for her prentises Marchauntes and mede muste nedes go togythers No wyght as I wene withouten mede may lyue Quod the king to CoÌ„scieÌ„ce by Christ as me thinketh Mede is well worthy the maistrye to haue Nay ê™ Conscience to the king kneled on the earth There are .ii. maner of Medes ConscieÌ„ce telleth the king of .ii maner of Medes my lord with 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 woÌ„ne in thy wonnes with thi holy saynts Or resteÌ„ in thi holy hils this asketh Dauid And Dauid assoyleth it him selfe as the psalter telleth Qui ingreditur sine macula et operatur iusticiam They that entren of one coloure and of one will And haue wrought worckes with 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 that helpe the innoceÌ„t and holden with the rightfull Without Mede doth hem good the truth helpeth Suche maner men my Lorde shal haue the first mede Of god at her greate nede whan they gone hence Ther is an other mede mesureles that 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
land as the leefe lyketh Law shal lead afeld dunge Clerks that were Confessours coupled hem togithers Al to construe this clause for the Kinges profit And not for the coÌ„fort of the 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 maÌ„ what so mi mouth iangleth I fayle florens ê™ the freke fail speche oft Al rightfull recorden that Reason trueth tolde And wit accordid therwith and coÌ„meÌ„did his words And the most people in the hal manye of the greate And letteÌ„ 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 But he be knowen for a cokeolde cut of my nose Mede mourned sore tho and made heauy chere For the most coÌ„mon 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 ReasoÌ„ had rightfully shewed And Moodlych apon Mede with might the king loked And gaÌ„ waxe wroth with law The lawiers kepe the kinge from hys right for mede had it nere sheÌ„t And said by your law as I leue I lese may eschets Mede oueremastreth lawe and muche trueth letteth And ReasoÌ„ shal rekeÌ„ with 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 CoÌ„science to the kyng but the 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 that raught on the rode ê™ Reason to the king But if I rule this your realme ReasoÌ„ 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 CoÌ„science 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 matteÌ„s of the day and the masse after ThaÌ„ waked I of my wiking wo was with 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 araieÌ„ him al the realme to prech And with a Cros afore the 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 th earth In ensample tho segges ye shuld done the better Beches and brode okes were blowen to the grouÌ„de 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 wasâ—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 â—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 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 couÌ„sell your commons apere And be stuardes of your stedes tyl ye be ruled better And sithen he councelled the king his coÌ„mons to loue It is thy tresure if treson ne were treacle at thi nede And sitheÌ„ he praied the Pope haue pity on holy church And ere he gaue any grace gouerne first him selfe And ye the 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 â—eme And gart Wyll wepe water with his eyen Pernell proude herte plate hir to the earth 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 that 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 satisfacioÌ„ Than Lechoure sayd alas on our lady he cried To make mercy for his misdedes bitwene god his soule With that he shold the saturday for seueÌ„ yere after Drynke but myd the daye and dyne but once Enuye Enuy
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 the people But wyt can wysh the ê™ 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 froÌ„ 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 maÌ„ or womaÌ„ this maÌ„ faine wold espy And worch as they thre wold this is his enteÌ„t Passus nonus de visione Et primus de dowell HEre dowel dwelleth ê™ wit not a day hence In a castel that kind made of four kins things Of earth ayre is it mad miÌ„gled togithers Wyth wind with 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 the soule And woulde wynne her away with wiles he myghte And kind knoweth thys well kepeth her the better And dothe her with sir dowel is duke of thys marches Dobet is her damosell sir dowels daughter To serue this lady lelly both late and rathe Dobest is aboue boeth a byshops pere That he byd moote be do he ruleth hem all Anima that lady is led by his lerning And the coÌ„stable of the castell that kepeth all the 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 with thy hand a wight man of streÌ„gth 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 ê™ I canst thou me tell Kynd ê™ 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 the word that he spake Ps xxxiii wexeÌ„ forth bestes Dirit et facta sunt 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 EueÌ„ as a lord shuld make leters he lackid perchmeÌ„ Though he could write neuer so wel if he had no peÌ„ 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 maÌ„ made by might of God almighty Wyth his word his workmaÌ„ship and with life to last And thus god gaue him a goste of the godhed of heueÌ„ And of his great grace graunted him blysse And that is life that aye shall last to al our linage after And that is the castell the 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 the man that misruleth his Inwytte And that 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 the 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 that 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 that turn the tithes to priuate vse Shuld findeÌ„ hem that fauten fatherles children And wydowes that haue nought wherw t to win heÌ„ 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 And finden fell wytnesses amonge the four doctors That I lye not on that I learne the Luke bereth witnes Godfathers godmothers that sene her god children At misease and at mischiefe and moune hem amende Shal haue penauÌ„ce in purgatorye but they hem help For more beloÌ„geth to the litle barne or he the 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 the mouables on this mold he ameÌ„d it might Alas the a christen creature shal be vnkynd to an other Sythen Iewes that we iudge Iudas felowes Eche of hem helpe other of that that hem nedeth Why wil not we christeÌ„ of Christs good be as kynd As Iewes that be our lores men shame to vs all The CoÌ„mune for hir vnkindnes I drede me shal abie Bishops shal be 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
the letter telleth that was the law of Iues That what womaÌ„ wer takeÌ„ in auoutri rich or pore With stones meÌ„ 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 heÌ„ selfe Giltier as afore god greater in sinne Than the woman that ther was weÌ„t away for shame The cleargy that there was consorted the woman Holy kyrk knoweth this the 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 wtout cleargy The which bread is both boote to the rightful And death and dampnation to hem that dye euil And christis caracts coÌ„fortid both culpable shewid The womaÌ„ that the Iews brought the Iesus thought to saue Nolite iudicare et non iudicabimini Right so gods body brethreÌ„ Luke vi but it be worthely take DaÌ„nith vs at the dai of dome as the caracis did the Iuis Therfore I couÌ„sel the for christes sake clergy that 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 thou neuer logyke lawe ne hys customes Ne counterplede clarkes I counsell the for euer For as a man maye not see that misseth his eyne No more caÌ„ 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 the saÌ„plare said what meÌ„ shold wryte Ryght so leadeth letture lewde men to reason And as a blind maÌ„ in battel bereth weapoÌ„ to fight And hath no happe with his axe hys enemy to hytte No more can a kind witty maÌ„ but clarkes him teach Come for all his kind wit to christeÌ„dome be saued Which is the cofer of Christes tresure clarks kepe the kayes To vnlock it at her liking to the 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 liggeÌ„ haÌ„d on that cheste But he were priest or priestes soÌ„ne 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 repreuedeÌ„ hir science And sayde her words ne her couÌ„sell was but foly As to the Cleargy of Christ couÌ„ted it but a trifle Sapientia huius mundi stulticia est apud deum For the hyghe holy gost heauen shal to cleaue And loue shall lepen out after into thys low earth And cleannes shall catche it clarkes shall it fynde Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem Luke â—â— He speakith nought ther of rich meÌ„ ne of right wytty Ne of lordes that were lewde meÌ„ but of the hyeste lettred Abant Magi ab oriente If anie fryer wer fouÌ„d ther Math. iâ— I giue you fiue shillings Ne in no beggers cote was that barne borne But in burgers place in Bethleem the beste Sed noÌ„ 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 soÌ„g of solace Gloria in excelsis deo Clarkes knewe it wel commen wyth her presentes And dyd homage honorabli to hym that was almighty Why I haue tolde al thys I toke ful good hed Howe thou coÌ„triuedest Cleargie with crabbed words How that lewde meÌ„ lyght lucker thaÌ„ 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 meâ—â— caste into Lemmes and in Temes cast hem And both naked as a nedle ther non sikerer thaÌ„ other The one hath cunnynge and can swymme and dyue The other is lewd of that labour lerned neuer to swym Which trowest thou of those two in Temese is most in dred He the neuer diuid ne nought caÌ„ 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 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 cuÌ„ning he knoweth what is sinne And howe coÌ„tricioÌ„ wtout coÌ„fession coÌ„forteth the soule As thou seest in the psalter in psalmes one or twayne How coÌ„tricioÌ„ is coÌ„mended for it catcheth away sinne Psal 32. Beati quoruÌ„ remisse suÌ„t iniquitates et quoruÌ„ recta sunt c. And this coÌ„forteth ech a clarke couereth hi froÌ„ waÌ„hope In which floode the fend fouÌ„deth a maÌ„ hardest There the lewde lieth still and loketh after lente And repenteth not before shrifte thaÌ„ caÌ„ he litle tell And as his sores maÌ„ learneth hi beleueth troweth And that is persoÌ„ parish prest peradueÌ„ture he is VncuÌ„ning to lerne lewd meÌ„ as Luke beareth witnes Luke vi Dum cecus ducit cecum c. Wo was him marked that wade must with the lewde Well maye the barne hem blesse that him to boke set That liueing after letture saueth hi both life soule Dominê° 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 the had gods grace on good friday as thou spak Was for he knew Christ on the cros knowleged his synne And grace asked of god he is euer ready That buxomlych byddeth it beÌ„ in will to ameÌ„d heÌ„ And though the thefe had heauen he had no hie blisse As saint Iohn other saynts that deserued had better Right as if a maÌ„ giue me meat set me amid the flore I haue meat more theÌ„ inough not so much worship As thei the sit at side tables or with soueraignes of the hal But sit as a begger bourdles bi my selfe on that grouÌ„d So it fareth by the feloÌ„ that on good friday was saued He sitteth neither with saint Iohn Simon ne Iude Ne with maideÌ„s ne with martirs coÌ„fessours
wafers And loure whan they lacke hem it is not long passed Ther was a careful coÌ„moÌ„ wheÌ„ no cart came to town With bread froÌ„ Stratford tho gan beggers wepe And workmeÌ„ 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 geiseÌ„ whaÌ„ 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 with mani soÌ„dri 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 Other wise then he hath with hert Hypocrisye or sight shewinge Him willyng that al men weÌ„d he were that he is not For why he bosteth braggeth with many bold othes And is vnobedieÌ„t 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 that 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 that 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 ê™ Hankyn bihinde bifore What on back what on body halfe bi the two sides Hankins garmente is foule MeÌ„ 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 meÌ„ behind her back biddeÌ„ heÌ„ mischauÌ„ce 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 maÌ„s 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 hominuÌ„ deÌ„tes eoruÌ„ arma et sagitte et lingua eoruÌ„ gladius acutus There is no lyfe that me loueth lasting any whyle For tales that I tel no man trusteth to me And whaÌ„ I may not haue the maistry such melaÌ„cholie I take That I catch the craÌ„pe the cardiacle somtyme Or an ague in suche an anger and sometyme a feuer That taketh me al a twelue moneth til the I despice Lechcrafte of our lorde and leue of a witche And say that no clarke ne can ne Christ as I leue To the sortry of Southwarke or of short dyeth dame Eme And seg that 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 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 fastiÌ„gdaies frydayes Yonge lechour old baude for bodeÌ„ 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 with 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 heÌ„ read the 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 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 worldliÌ„g 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 that so sore As wheÌ„ I leÌ„ded leued it lost or loÌ„g ere it wer paied So if I kidde any kindnes mine eueÌ„christeÌ„ 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 waiteÌ„ To marchauÌ„den
Ryght so ye ryche ye robbe that ben ryche And helpeth heÌ„ that helpe you geueth there no nede is As who so fylleth a tunne of a freshe ryuer Caste water into temes And went forth with 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 quaÌ„ accipis Si autem non indiges et accipis rapis Porro non Indiget Monachus si habeat quod nature sufficit Therfore I couÌ„sel al christeÌ„ to coÌ„firme heÌ„ to charitie For charitie wtout chalengyng vnchargeth the soule And mani prisoners bi his praier he pulleth froÌ„ paine And there is a defaut in the 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 the money is good the 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 that is mans soule with 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 Wether wyshyppers and wyttye clarkes also Haue no beleue to the list ne to the lore of Philosophers Astronomers all daye in her arte faylen That whilome warned before what shold fall after ShipmeÌ„ shepeheardes that with shyp shepe weÌ„ten 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 the land was so true Now faileth the folk of the floud of the land both Sepeheardes and shypmen and so do these tyllers Nether they caÌ„neth ne knoweth one cours before another Astronomers also are at her wyttes ende Of that was calculed of thelemeÌ„t the coÌ„trary they fynd Grammer the ground of al begileth now the childreÌ„ For it is non of these new clarks who so nimeth hede Not one among an huÌ„dred that an auter caÌ„ construe Ne read a letter in ani laÌ„gage 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 ouerhipeÌ„ 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 And so may Saracines be saued scribes and Iewes Alas than but oure lores men lyued as they serue vs And for her liuyng the lewde meÌ„ be the 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 christeÌ„ 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 MeniÌ„g as after meat thus Mahomet her enchauÌ„ted ThaÌ„ did folk fal on knees for he swore in his prechiÌ„g That the Culuer that came so came froÌ„ 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 lyueÌ„ yet leuing on his lawes And sith our sauiour suffred the 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 the couetise hyte And ben manered of Mahomet that no maÌ„ vseth truth Ancres and hermets monkes and friers Peren to Apostles through her perfit liuynge Wold neuer the faithfull father that 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 To lyue by litle in low houses by lelly mens almes Grasse should grow and be grene through her good liuing And folkes shold find that ben in diuers sikenes The better for her byddynges in bodye and in soule Their prayers their penauÌ„ces to peace shold bryng All that ben at debate and bedmen were true Petite et accipietis c. Luke â—â— Salte saueth cattell sayeth these wyues Vos estis sal terre Math. â—â— 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 that the hygh waye should teache And be gyde and go before as a good rauenour And hardeÌ„ hem that behind ben giue heÌ„ good euideÌ„ce 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 meÌ„ mai rede al the marsh he turnid To Christ and to christendome crosse to honour And fulled folke faste and the fayeth taught More through myracles thaÌ„ through much prechiÌ„g As wel through workes as through his holi words And sayd hem what fullinge and faith was to meane Cloth that cometh froÌ„ 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 coÌ„firmed of
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
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 thou 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 with 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 beÌ„ 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 And I that am king of kinges shall on such a tyme come There dome to the death daÌ„neth 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 rightwiâ—nes al mi words true And though holy write will that I be wroke of heÌ„ 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 brethreÌ„ 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. â—â—â— 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 â—â—â— Thus by law ê™ 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 bouÌ„d hym wyth chaynes Astaroth and all the route hidde hem in hernes They durst not loken on our lord the boldest of heÌ„ al But letteÌ„ him lead forth what hiÌ„ 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 phebê° post inimicitlas After sharpe shoures ê™ peace moste sheene is the sunne Is no weader warmer than after watery cloudes Ne no loue leuer no better frendes ThaÌ„ after warre wo whaÌ„ 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 ê™ rightuousnes reuereÌ„tly hiÌ„ 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 meÌ„ raÌ„g to the resurrection right with the I waked And called Kit my wyfe and Colet my daughter Aryse and reuerence Gods resurrection And crepe to the 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 the 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 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 ê™ I that Iewes did to death Or is it Pierce PlowmaÌ„ who paynted him so red Quod CoÌ„science kneled tho Pierâ—â— cote armour these are Piers armes His colour cote armour he that cometh so blouddye Is Christ with his crosse conqueroure of christendome Why cal ye him Christ ê™ I sith Iewes cal hiÌ„ 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 thou can reasoÌ„ That knyght kynge conquerour may be one person To be called a knight is fair for meÌ„ shal knele to him To be called king is fayrer for he mai knights make And to be conqueror called that 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 geÌ„tilmen 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 that became christen by couÌ„sell of the baptisme Christe crowned kynge Are frankelens fremen through fullynge that they toke And gentilmen wyth Iesu for Iesus was ifulled And apoÌ„ 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