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
fayre laye So done the syre and the soÌ„ne also Spiritus sanctus The holy gost shew to by similituds Fostren forth amonges folke loue and beleue And all kynne christen clenseth of synnes And as thou feest sometyme sodenlye a torche The blasse therof blowen out yet burneth the weke Wythout ley or lyght that the matche burneth So is the holy gost god and grace wythout mercye To all vnkynde creatures that couet to destroye Lellye loue or lyfe that our Lorde shapte And as glowing gleden gladeth not these workmen That waken and worken in wynter nyghtes As doth a kex or a caÌ„del that caught hath fyre blaseth No more doth sirene sonne ne saynt spirite togythers Graunte no grace ne forgeuenes of synnes Tyll the holye gost gynne to glowe and to blase So that the holy goste gloweth but as a glede Tyl that lellye loue lygge on hym and blowe And than flameth he as fyre on father and on Filius And melteth her might into mercye as men may se in wynter Isicles eues through heat of the sunne Melt in a minute whyle to mist and to water So grace of the holy gost the great myght of the trinitye Melteth mercy to merciable and to no other And as waxe without more and a warme glede Wyll brennen and blasen all togythers And solacen hem that may see that sytre in darcknes So the father forgeueth folke that haue mild hertes That rufullye repenten and restitution make In as muche as they maye amende and paye And if it suffice not for a seth that in such wyll dyeth Mercy for his mekenes woll make good the remnauÌ„t And as the weke and fyre wyl make a warme flame For to myrthe men wyth that in merke sytten So will Christe of his curtesy meÌ„ crye hym mercy Boeth forgeue and forgette and yet bydde for vs To the father of heauen forgyuenes to haue And new fyre at the flynte four hundred wynter But thou haue to we to take it with tinder or broches All thy labour is loste and thy longe trauell For maye no fyre flambe make fayle it hys kynde So is the holy gost god and grace wythout mercye To all vnkind creatures Christ him selfe witnesseth Amen dico vobis nescio vos Mat. xxv Be vnkind to thine eueÌ„christen al that the canst bydde Deale and do penaunce daye and nyght euer And purchase al the pardon of Pampilon and Rome Add indulgences inowe be vngrateful to thy kynne The holy gost heareth the not ne help may the by reasoÌ„ For vnkindnes quencheth him that he can not shyne Ne brenne ne blasse cleare for blowing of vnkindnes Poule the Apostle proueth i. Cor. xiii whether I lye Si linguis hominum loquar c. Forthy beware ye wyse men that with the world dele That rych ben reasoÌ„ knoweth rule wel your selues Be not vnkynde I counsell you to your euen christen For many of you rych men by my soule men telleth Ye brenne but ye blase not that is a blynde beacon Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit c. Mat. vii Diues died dampned for his vnkindnes Of his meat and of his money to men that it neded Eche a ryche I rede regarde at him take And giue your good to that god that grace of ryseth For they that be vnkynde to his hope I none other But they dwell there Diues is daye without ende Thus is vnkindnes the coÌ„trary that queÌ„cheth as it were The grace of the holy gost gods owne kynde For that kind doth vnkind fordoth as done these cursed theues Vnkind christeÌ„ meÌ„ for couetise enuye Sleeth a maÌ„ for his mouables with mouth or with haÌ„ds For that the holi gost hath to kepe tho harlots destroyeth The whych is life loue the leye of mans body A good maÌ„ is like a torche or a tapoure For euery maner good maÌ„ may be likened to a torch Or els to a tapour to reuerence the trinitie And who the murdreth a good maÌ„ me thinketh by my in wyt He fordoth the leuest lighte that our lord loueth And yet in many moe maners meÌ„ offeÌ„d the holy gost And this is the worst wyse that any wyght myght Sinne against s Spirite assenten to destroyen For couetise any kynnes thyng the Christ dere bought Howe myght he aske mercy or any mercy hym helpe That wycked and wylfullye would mercy amentyce Innocence is next god night and day cryeth Vengeaunce vengeaunce forgyuen be it neuer That sheÌ„t vs shed our bloud forshapt vs as it wer Apoca. vi Vindica domine sanguinem nostrum Thus vengeaunce vengeaunce very charitie asketh And sith holy kyrke and charitie chargeth this so sore Leue I neuer that our lorde wil loue that charitye lacketh Ne haue pitye for any praier there that he pleynyth I pose I had sinned so and shoulde nowe dye And am sory that I dyd so the saynt spirite agylt Confesseme and crye his grace god that all made And mildly his mercy aske might I not be saued Yes sayd the Samaritan so well thou might repent That right witnes bi repentauÌ„ce to ruth might turne And it is but seldome sene the sothnes bereth witnes Any creature that is culpable before a kinges iustice Be rauÌ„somed before his repeÌ„taunce ther al reasoÌ„ him daÌ„neth For ther the party pursueth the plee is so hudge That the kinge may do no mercy til both men accord And eyther haue equitie as holy write telleth Nunquam dimittitur peccatum c. Thus it fareth by such folke that falsely al her liues Euil lyue and letten not tyll life hem forsake Good hope that helpe should to wanhope turneth Not of the no unpower of god that he ne is mightful To amend all that amise is and his mercy greater Than all our wycked workes as holy wryte telleth Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius And er rightousnes to ruth turn Psal â—â—â— some restitutioÌ„ behoueth His sorow is satisfactioÌ„ for him that may not pay Thre thinges there be Thre thinges dryue a man out of hys house that done a man by strength For to flye his owne house as holy wryte sheweth That one is a wycked wife that wyl not be chastised Her fere flyeth from her for feare of her tonge And if his house be vnhiled and raine on his head He seketh all aboute tyll he slepe drye And whan smolke and smoulder smight in his syght It doth him worse than his wyfe or wete to slepe For smolke and smoulder smyteth in hys eyen Tyl he be bleard or blind or hoorse in the throte Cougheth and curseth that Christ gyue hem sorow That shold bring in better wood or blow it til it bren These thre that I tell of ben thus to vnderstande The wife is our wicked flesh that wyl not be chasted For kynd cleueth on him euer to contrary the soule And thoughe it fall it fynt skiles that freilty is made
first seke to knowe them selues That Fortune wyth hyr damosels perswade man to lyue licenciouslye That Age wyll cause them all to forsake him That Fryers couet to burye men for their goodes That manye be called and fewe chosen That the obseruation of the commaundementes of god is of value before god so it springe of loue Howe we should feaste That faith ioyned wyth charitie is moste souerayne salue That eche man shoulde beare with other and search his owne fautes That Pouertye is the beste and sureste lyfe That Priestes neglecte knoweledge Howe Nature teacheth manne by the naturall creatures That man ought not to searche why god doeth or suffereth thynges That all the Lordes Creatures be good That our owne fantisie deceiueth vs shame is the thyng that sonest driueth a drunckard from his vyce The twelfe parte called Passus duodecimus The twelfe parte begynneth in the laste syde of the lix leafe and endeth in the last side of the lxiiii leafe It declarith that GOD chastisith such as he loueth That charitie is dowell That manye talke well but do the contrary That true Cleargye is mercifull and ought to be loued that the holye goste is the autor of bokes That learned men may through their knoledge better eschue sinne than the vnlearned men may That god only knoweth the causes of thynges That rych men be like Pecockis And that there be thre sortes of Baptisme The thyrtenth parte called Passus decimus tertius The thyrtenth parte begynneth on the laste syde of the .lxiiii. leafe and endeth in the firste syde of the .lxxi. leafe It rehearseth much that was spoken before declarith the excesse of the Cleargy That Clargy hath .vii. sonnes That Cleargy hath neyther conscience nor Patience That Patience passeth a packe of bokes That the Plowman findeth vs breade What fautes reigne in labourynge men And what a wordlyng is The fourtenth parte called Passus decimus quartus The fourtenth parte begynneth in the firste syde of the lxxi and endeth in the firste syde of the leafe .lxxvii. It declarith how the labourynge man excuseth hym selfe of hys sinne That god prouideth fode for al hys creatures That Idlenes is cause of synne That satisfaction killeth synne that all men haue ioye here or els where That the mercifull rych shall haue heauen What a christen mans patent is Howe blessed a lyfe pouertie is And that Patience fedeth pouertie ☞ The fyftenth parte called Passus decimus quintus The .xv. part begynneth in the fyrst syde of the leafe lxxvii and endeth in the laste side of the leafe .lxxxvi. It declareth what the soule is And howe of diuerse offices it hath diuerse names That we sholde not search gods secretes The preachers dutye What shall become of euyll gotten goodes The true pylgrimage What compeny charitie haunteth That we shoulde take no gyftes of wicked men That it is sacrilege to spende the tythes otherwise than vpon the pore That no course is certayne Whan and howe Makometes lawe began That the Apostles turned all the worlde to the fayeth That chyldrene differ not frome wylde beastes tyll they be instructed in Christe That couetise of the cleargy wyll destroye the church That possession poysoned the church What the bishops dutye is And that Christe was declared by his miracles to be Messias ¶ The syxtenth parte called Passus decimus sextus The xvi parte begynneth in the last syde of the leafe lxxxvi endeth in the fyrste syde of the leafe lxxxxi It describeth charitie Declareth the Christe deliuered mā out of the thralde me of synne The maner of the betraying of Christ What the Trinitie is and the fayeth of Abraham The seuententh parte called Passus decimus septimus The seuententh parte begynneth in the firste syde of the leafe lxxxxi and endeth in the laste syde of the leafe lxxxxvi It declarith the old law to be abrogate That Christe the Samaritan hath deliuered vs and geuen vs a newe lawe Christes resurrection That the Trinitie is lyke an hande The holy goste by similitudes That a good man is lyke a torche And thre thinges that dryue a man out of hys house The eyghtenthe parte called Passus decimus octauus The .xviii. parte begynneth in the laste syde of the leafe lxxxxvi and endeth in the laste syde of the leafe Ciii It declareth Christes comming into Ierusalem Hys iudgemēt and death That god curseth vsurers That Christe triumphed euer deathe and hell That wealthe is knowne by woe and lyke of all other contraries Howe Christe vanquiseth Lucifer Howe Christe satisfied the lawe And that god is mercifull ☞ The nyntenthe parte called Passus decimus nonus The nintenth parte begynneth in the laste syde of the leafe Ciii and endeth in the laste syde of the leafe Cxi It declareth Christes victorye The gyftes that the thre kynges gaue hym That Christe is shewed to be god by hys myracles Why Christe appeared first to a woman What Pierces pardon is The gyftes of the holye goste Pierces office his oxen his sede that he soweth That Iustice leaueth no sinne vnpunished The fundation of the churche That pride enuieth the church How to withstand prid Who they be that neuer repent How lucre causeth mē to forsake the truth The answer of a blynde curate Howe the plowman foloweth the example of god And what Land lordes and kynges maye take of their tenauntes subiectes The twentieth parte called Passus visecimus The twentieth parte begynneth in the laste syde of the leafe Cxi and endeth in the laste leafe of the boke It declareth what a manne may do when nede compelleth hym That temperaunce is the chiefe vertue Who receyued Antichrist fyrst How Antichrist doth seduce many good men The maner of gods visitatiō The maner of men whan plages cease That couetise and simony make prelats That Life Fortune beget Slouth That Slouth marieth dispaire That Age killeth both phisitian surgian That Nature wolde haue vs to loue That the .vii. capital sinnes besieged Cōsciēce The answere of an Irysh prieste That Curates ought to haue a cōpotent liuinge certaine That Friers haue no nūbre That such as wēt to the Fryers to shrift be like saintuary mē That Hypocrisy woūdeth many prechers The negligence of patrons and bishops And what penauce gostly fathers were wōt to enioye their gostly children Finis IN a somer season when set was the sunne I shope me into shroubs as I a shepe were In habite as an harmet vnholy of werkes Went wyde in thys world wōders to here And on a May morning on Maluerne hilles Me befell a ferly of fayry me thought I was wery of wandering and went me to rest Vnder a brode banke by a bourne side And as I lay and leanid and lokid on the water I slombred into a sleping it swyzed so merye Than gan I to meten a meruelouse swiuen That I was in a wildernes I wyst neuer where As I beheld into theaste on highe to the sunne I saw a tower on a toft
helpe Shall abye it bytter or the boke lyeth Priestes and persons that pleasynges desieren That taken mede and money for masses that they singe Taken her mede here as Mathew vs teacheth Mat. vi Amen amen recipiebant mercedem suam That labourers and pore folke takeÌ„ of her maisters It is no maner mede but a measurable hyre In marchaundice is no mede I may it well auowe It is a permutatioÌ„ apertly a peniworth for another And reddest thou neuer Regum thou recraed mede WhaÌ„ the veÌ„geauÌ„ce fel on Saule on hys chyldren God sent to Saule by Samuell the prophete That Agag of Amelec and all hys people after Shoulde dye for a dede that done had her elders Therfore said Samuel to Saul god him self hoteth The be buxume at his bidding his wil to fullfill WeÌ„d to Amelec with thine host what thou findest there flea it Burnes and Beastes brenne hem to death Wydowes and wyues women and children Mouable vnmouable and al that thou might find Brenne it beare not awaye be it neuer so ryche For mede nor for money loke thou distroye it Spyll it and spare it not thou shalt spede the better And for he coueted her cattell and the kinge spared For bare him his beasts both as the bible witnesseth Otherwyse than he was warned of the prophet God sayd to Samuel that Saule should dye And his sede for that synne shamefully ende Such a mischiefe mede made Saule the king to haue That god hated him foreuer all his heyres after The colour of thys case ne kepe I not to tell On auenture it noyed men no ende wyll I make For so is this world wont with hem that haue power That who so sayeth sothe is sonest iblamed I Conscience know this for kind wit This is no prophecy but a resonable gatheriÌ„g me it taught That reason shall rayne and realmes gouerne And right as Agag had happe shall come Samuell shall slea him and Saule shall be blamed And Dauid shall be diademed daunten hem all And one christen kinge kepe hem echeone Shall no more mede be maistry as she is nowe And loue and lownes and leauty togythers Shall be maisters on molde Truthe to saue And who so trespaceth against truth or taketh again his wil Leauty shal done hym lawe no life els Shal no sergeaÌ„t for his seruice wear no silk howne Ne no Pelure in his cloke for pleadynge at the barre Mede of misdoers maketh many Lordes â—â—â—ouer lords lowes ruleth the realmes 〈◊〉 â—nd loue shall come yet and conscience togither Thys is no prophecye but a 〈◊〉 aâ—hered of the scriptures And make of lawe a labourer such loue shall aryse And such a peace among the people a perfite truth That Iewes shal wene in their wyt waxe woÌ„ders glad That Moses Messia be come into this erth And haue wonder in her hertes that men be so true All that beareth bastarde brode swerde or launce Axe or yet hatchet or any weapon els Shal be demed to deth but if he do it smithy Esai ii Into sicle or into sythe to share or to culter Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres Euery man to play with a plow pikeaxe or spade Spynne or spread dong or spil him selfe with sâ—oughe Priestes or persons with place bo to hunte And dynge apon Dauid euery day tyl euen Hunting or hauking if any of them vse Hys boast of benifice worth by nome him after Shal neither king ne knight constable ne mayre Ouerleade the common ne to the court soÌ„mone Ne put hem in panel to done hem plight her truth But after the dede is done one dome shal rewarde Mercy or no mercy as truth wil accord Kinges courte coÌ„mon courte consistorye and chapter Al shal be but one court and one Baron by iustice Than worth true toÌ„g a tidy man the tened me neuer Battels shall none be ne no man beare weapon And what smith that any smithed be smitteÌ„ therw t to death Esai ii NoÌ„ leuable gens contra gentem gladium c. And or this fortune fall find men shal the werste By syx suÌ„nes and a shyp and halfe a shefe of arowes â–ª And the mydle of a mone shal make the Iewes to turne And Sarasines for that sight shall syng Gloria in excelsis Deo For Makometh and Mede mishape shal that tyme For Melius est bonum nomen quam diuitie multe Also wroth as the wind Pro. xxii waxe Mede in a while I can latine ê™ she clerkes wote the sothe Se what Solomon sayth in Sapience bokes That he that geueth giftes the victory winneth And most worship hath therw t as holy write telleth Honorem acquiret qui dat munera I leue wel Lady ê™ coÌ„science That scripture shold be read whole i. Tess v. that latine be true And thou art like a lady that rad a lesson once Was Omnia probate and that pleased her well For that was no longer at the leaues ende Had she loked that other half and the lefe turned She shuld haue fouÌ„d fel wordes folowing therafter Quod bonum est tenete Trueth that texte made And so fared ye Madame ye coude no more finde Tho you loked on Sapience sitting in your study This text that ye haue told were good for lords And you failed a cuÌ„niÌ„g clerk that coud the lefe haue turned And if ye seke SapieÌ„ce oft find ye shall the followeth A full teneful text to hem that take mede And that is Animam autem aufert accipientium c. And that is the taile of the text of that that ye shewed That though we win worship wyth mede haue victory The soule that the sond taketh by so much is bounde Passus quartus de visione CEase sayed the kinge I suffer you no longer Ye shal sangtle forsoth serue me both Kysse hyr quod the king conscience I hote CoÌ„science wil haue reasons aduice Nay by Christ quod Conscience congay me rather But Reason reade me thereto rather wyl I dye And I coÌ„mauÌ„d you ê™ the kyng to Conscience than Rape the to ride and Reason thou fetch Commaund him that he come my counsell to heare For he shall rule the realme and reade me the beste Of Mede and of other and what man shall hir wed And accouÌ„ten with the Conscience so me Christ helpe How thou lernest the people the learned the lewde I am fayne of that forward sayd the freke than And ryt right to Reason rowndeth in his eare And sayd as the kinge bade and sythe toke his leaue I shal aray me to ryde quod Reason reste the awhile And called Caton his knaue curtise of speache And also Thomme true tonge tell me no tales Reason rydeth on sufferaÌ„ce Ne leasyng to laughen of for I loued hem neuer And set my saddle apoÌ„ SufferauÌ„ce till I se my tyme And let waroken it wel with wytty wordes girthes And hang on him the heauy