felowe For thei beÌ„ as our bokes telleth aboue gods werks Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius Psal 4. Yea bawe for bookes ê™ one was brokeÌ„ out of hel I Troianus a true knight toke wytnes at a pope Howe I was dead dampned to dwell in paine For an vnchristen creature clerkes witten the sothe That al the clargi vnder Christ ne might me cratch froÌ„ hel But only loue leauty my lawful domes Gregory wyst wel that and wylned to my soule Saluation for sothnes that he se in my workes And after that he wepte wylned me were grauÌ„ted Grace wtout any bedebydding his bone was vnderfogeÌ„ And I saued as ye se wtout synging of masses By loue and by leadynge of my lyuyng in trueth Brought me froÌ„ bitter paine ther no bidding might Lo ye lords what leuty did bi an emperour of Rome That was an vnchristen creature as clarkes finde in Gregorie Not throught praier of a pope but for his pure truth Was the sarazin saued as s Gregory beareth witnes Wel oughteÌ„ lords the laws kepe that lessoÌ„ hold in mynde And on Troianus truth to think do truth to the puple Lawe wtout loue quod Troianus ley there a beane Or any science vnder the sunne the seuen artes and al But they be learned for our lords loue lost is thi time For no cause to catch syluer by or be called a master But all for loue of our lord the bet to loue the people For saynt Iohn sayd it and soth are hys wordes i. Ioh. iii Qui non diligit manet in morte Who so euer loueth me not liueth in death diyng And that all maner of men enemies and frendes Loue eyther other and lene hem as hem selfe Who so leneth not he leueth not god wot the sothe And cuÌ„mauÌ„deth ech creature to coÌ„forme him to loue And souerainely the pore people her enemies after For hem that haten vs is our merite to loue And pore people to please her praiers may vs helpe Christe was pore And our ioye and our health Iesu Christe of heauen In a pore mans apparayle pursued vs after And loked on vs in hyr likenes that with louely chere To know vs by our kynd hert casting of oure eien Whether we loue the lords here before the lord of blisse And exciteth vs by the euaÌ„gelie that whaÌ„ we make feasts We should not clepen our kinne therto ne no kynnes ryche Luk. xiiii Cum facitis coÌ„uiuia nolite inuitare amicos And call the careful thereto the croked the pore For your frendes wil feden you found you to quite Your festiÌ„g your fayr gift ech freÌ„d quiteth so other And for the pore I shal pay wel quite her trauayle That geue heÌ„ meat or monie and loue heÌ„ for mi sake For the best ben some rych some beggers pore For we al are Christes creatures of his cofers rich And brethreÌ„ as of one bloud as wel begers as Erles For on Calueri of christis blud christeÌ„dome gaÌ„ spriÌ„g And bloudy brethreÌ„ we became thee of one bodi woo As Quasi modo geniti and gentlimen eche one No begger nor no boy among vs Ioh. viii but if sinne it make Qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati In the olde lawe as holy letter telleth Mennes sonnes menne called vs ech one Of Adames issue and Eue aye till god man dyed And after his resurreccion redemptor was his name And we his brethreÌ„ by him bought both rich pore Forthy loue we as leue brethreÌ„ ech man lene other And of the ech man may forbare ameÌ„d ther it nedeth And euerye man helpe other for hence shal we al Alter alterius onera portate Galat vâ— And be we not vnkind of our catel ne of our cunning For wot no maÌ„ how nie it is to be binome froÌ„ both Therfore lacke no others life though he more latine know Ne vndernime not fowle for is noÌ„ wtout faut For what euer clarkes carpe of christendome or els Christ to a coÌ„men woman said in coÌ„mune at the feast That Fides sua should saue hir salueÌ„ hir of al sinnes Then is beleue a lelly helpe aboue logyke or lawe Of logyke or lawe in Legend a sanctorum Is litle alowaunce made but if beleue hem helpe For it is ouer longe or logyke any lesson assoyle And lawe is loth to loue but if he lacke siluer Boeth logike and law that loueth not to lye I counsell all christen cleaue not theron to sore For some words I find writ were of fayths teachiÌ„g That saued sinful men saint Iohn bereth witnes Mat. vii Eadem mensura qua mensi fucritis remetretur vobis Therfore learne we the law of loue as out lord taught And as saynt Gregory sayd for mans soules health Melius scrutari scelera nostra quaÌ„ naturas retum Why I meane thys matter is moste for the pore For in her likenes our Lorde oft hath bene knowen Wytnes in Paske weke when he yede to Emaus Cleophas ne knew him not that he Christ were For his pore apparell and pilgrames wedes Tyll he blessed and brake the bread that they eaten So by these works they wist that he was Iesus And bi clothing they knew him not ne by carping of tong And all was in example to vs sinfull here That we shoulde be lowe and louely of speach And apparel vs not proudly for pilgrimes are we al And in the apparel of a pore maÌ„ pilgrimes lykenes Many tymes god hath ben met among nedy people There neuer segge him see in sette of the rych S. Iohn other saintes were sene in pore clothynge And as pore pilgrymes prayden mens goodes Iesu Christ on a Iews daughter light geÌ„tle though she were Was a pore maid on a pore maÌ„ wedded Martha on Mary Magdalen an hudge playnet she made And to our sauiour selfe sayd these words Domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me solam ministrare Luk. xi And hastely God answerd and eithers wyl folowed Both Marthaas Maries as Mat. bereth witnes And pouertie god put before and praysed that better Maria optimam partem elegit que non c. And al the wise that euer were by ought I caÌ„ espye Praysen pouerty for best lyfe if patience folowe And both better blesseder by many fold thaÌ„ riches And thoughe it be sour to suffer yet after cometh swet As on a walnutte wythout is a bytter barke And after that bitter barke be the shell awaye Is a kernell of conforte lyfe to restore So is after pouertye and penaunce patiently taken For it maketh a maÌ„ to haue mind in god a gret wil To wepe and to wel bid wherof waxeth mercy Of whych Christ is a kernel to confort the soule And well siker he slepeth the man that is pore And lesse he dreadeth death and darke to be robbed Than
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
mete amis other els Ye shall be weine ther with whan ye wenden hence Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis remetietur vobis For though ye be true of your tong Mar. iiii trulieh worch And as chast as a child that in church wepeth But if ye loue lelie and leue the pore Such good as god you sent godliche parte You haue no more merite in masse nor in houres Than Malkin of her maydeÌ„head that no man desireth â–ª For Iames the Ientle Iudged in his bokes That fayth wtout the feate is right nothing worth And as deade as dore tree but if the dedes followe Iacob ii Fides sine operibus mortna est Forthi chastitie wtout charitie worthi cheines in hell It is as lewde as a lampe that no light is in Many chaplens ar chast and charitie is awaye Ar no meÌ„ auarisiouser thaÌ„ they wheÌ„ they be auauÌ„ced Vnkind to their kinne and to al christen Chewen they re charitie and chiden after more Many curatours kepe hem cleane of her bodies They be accuÌ„bred with couetise thei caÌ„ not do it froÌ„ theÌ„ So harde hath auarice hasped them togithers And that is no truth of the trinitie but tricheri of hel And lerning to lewde men the latter for to dele Forthy these wordes be writen in the gospell Luke vi Date et dabitur vobis for I dele you all That is the locke of loue that letteth out my grace To comforten the carefull accombred with synne Loue is leche of lyfe and nexe our lord selfe And also the gate that goeth into heauen Forthy I say as I sayd er by the textes Whan all treasures be tried truth is the best So haue I told you what truth is that no tresur is better I may no luÌ„ger leng ye with now loke ye our lord Passus secundus de visione YEt I corbed on miknes tryed her of grace And seid merci madaÌ„ for maris loue of heueÌ„ That bare the blisful barne that bought vs on the Ken me bi some craft to know the fals rode Loke apon thy lefte halfe and lo where he stondeth Both false and fauel and her feeris many I loked on my left halfe as the lady me taught And was ware of a woman worthylich clothed Purfiled with pelure the finest vpon erthe Crowned with a crowne the king hath no better Fetislych her fingers were fretted with gold wier And there on redde rubies as redde as any glede And diamoÌ„ds of derest price double maner saphirs Orientales and Ewages venemis to destroye Hyr robe was full rich of red scarlet engrayned With rybandes of red gold and of rich stones Her array me rauished suche riches saw I neuer I had wonder what she was whose wife she were What is this woman ê™ I so worthyly attyred That is mede the maid quod she hath noied me ful oft And lacked my lemman that leautie is ihote And bylow her to lordes that lawes haue to kepeÌ„ In the popes palaice she is preuy as my selfe But sothenes wold not so for she is a bastarde For false was her father that hath a fickell toung And neuer soth sayd sithen he came to earth And mede is maried after him right as kinde askith Qualis pater talis filius bona arbor bonum fructum facit Mar. iiii I ought be hier then she I came of a better My father the great God is and ground of all grace One God wtout beginning I his good daughter And hath geuen me mercy to mary with my selfe And what man be mercifull and lelly me loueth Shal be my lorde and I his lyfe in the hygh heauen And what man taketh mede my head dare I lay That he shall lease for her loue a lyppe of Charitatis How coÌ„strueth Dauid the king of men the take mede And men on thys mould that mainteneth truth And howe ye should saue your selfe the psalter bereth Psa xv Do mine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo c. And nowe worth this Mede maried vnto a mauzed witnes To one Fals fikell tonge a fendes bezet Fauel by his faire speach hath this folk enchaunted shrewe And al is lyers ledyng that she is thus wedded The morow was made the maydens brydale And there might thou wit if thou wilt which they beÌ„ all That longen to that lordshyp the lesse and the more Know hem there if thou canst kepe thou thy tonge And lake heÌ„ not but let heÌ„ worch til leauty be iustice And haue powr to punish heÌ„ thaÌ„ put forth thi reason For I beken the Christ ê™ she his cleane mother And let no coÌ„science accoÌ„bre the for couetise of mede Thus lefte me that Ladye lyggynge a slepe And howe mede was maried in metals me thought That al the ryche reteinaunce the rayneth with the false Were bounden to the brydale on boeth two sydes Of all maner of men the meane and the ryche To mary the maide was many a man assembled As of knyghtes of clarks other coÌ„mune people As sisours and somoners shryues and their clarkes Bedelles and bayliffes and brokers of chaffer Forgoers and vitellers and aduocates of tharches I can not reken the route that can about Mede And Simony and Cinyâ—e and Sisours of couries Were most priuie with mede of any men me thought And fauel was the first that fet her out of boure And as a broker brought her to be with false enioyned Whan Simony and Ciuyl see hyr both wyl They assented for syluer to say as both wolde Than lept Lyer forth Meedes charter and sayd lo here a Charter That gile with his great othes gaue hem togyders And prayed Ciuill to see and Simony to reade it Than Simony Ciuil stonden forth both togyther And vnfold the feoffement that False hath ymade And thus begyneth these gomes to gredeÌ„ful heyght Sciant presentes et futuri Maritagium pranum cum feoffemeÌ„to in malo feodo et de peruersa tenuâ—a c. Witteth wytnesseth al that wonneth apon this earth That Mede is maried more for hir goodes Than for any vertue or fayrenes or any fre kynd Falsenes is fayne of hyr for he woteth hyr ryche And Fauell with hys ficle speach feffeth hir by this charter To be princes in prid pouerty to dispise To backebite and to bosten to beare false wytnes To scorne and to scoulde and slander to make Vnbuxome and bold to breake the ten hestes And the Erledome of Enuy and wrath togythers With the Chastilet of Cheest and chatteringe out of reason The county of couetise al the costes about That is vsury and Auarise all I hem graunt In bargaines brocages with al the borough of thefte And all the lordshyp of lechery in length in brede As in works in wordes in waytinges with eyes And in weddes wishinges wyth idle thoughtes There as wyl would the workemanshyp fayleth Glotony he gaue hem eke and great
Doce and Dilige inimicos Disce and dowell Doce and dobet Dilige and do beste thus taught me once Alemman that I loued loue was hyr name With wordes with workes ê™ she wil of thy hert Thou loue lelly thy soule al thy lyfe tyme And so thou learne the to loue for the lordes loue of heueÌ„ Thyne enimies in al wyse eueÌ„ forth with thy selfe Cast coles on hys heade and all kynde of speache Both with works with words found hys loue to wyn And lay on hym thus with loue tyl he laughe on the And but he bowe for this bearing blind might he be And for to fare thus with thy frynde folye it were For he that loueth the lellye lytle of thyne coueteth Kynde loue coueteth not no cattel but speache Wyth halfe a lampeline in latine Ex vi transitionis I bare therin aboute faste bounde Dowell In a sygne of the saturday that set first the Kalender And al the wyt of the wenisday of the next weke after The middle of the mone is the myght of bothe And ther with I am welcome there I haue it with me Vnder it let thys doctour deme if dowel be ther i For by him that me made myght neuer pouerty Mysease ne michiefe ne man wyth hys tonge Colde ne care ne company of theues Ne nether heate ne hayle ne none helle Powke Ne neyther fyre ne floude ne feare of thyne enemie Tene the any time and thou take it wyth the Charitas nihil timet i. Cor. xi It is but a Dido quod thys doctour a disertes tale All the wyt of thys world and wight mens strenght CaÌ„ not coÌ„firme a peace betwene the pope his enimes Ne betwene .ii. christeÌ„ kings caÌ„ no wight peace make Profitable to either people put the table froÌ„ hym And toke cleargy and conscience to counsel as it were That patience tho must passe for pilgrimes caÌ„ wel lie And Conscience carped loude and curteslye sayd Frendes fare wel and fayre spake to Cleargy For I wyl go with this goÌ„me Cleargye is loth the CoÌ„science should go with patieÌ„ce if god wil giue me grace And be pilgraime with Patience til I haue preued more What ê™ cleargy to coÌ„science are ye couetouse no we After yeresegyft or gyftes or yernen to read riddels I shal brynge you a byble a boke of the olde lawe And learne you if you lyke the least poynt to know That Patience the pylgryme perfitlye knewe neuer Nay by Christ ê™ CoÌ„science to Cleargy god the for yeld For al that Patience me profereth proude am I little And the wyll of the wye and the wyll of folke here Hath meued my mode to mourne for my sinnes The good wyll of a wyght was neuer bought to the full For there is no treasure therto to a true wyll Luke xix Had not Magdalen more for a boxe of salue ThaÌ„ zecheus for he said Dimidium bonoruÌ„ meorsi do pau peribus And the pore wydowe for a payr of mites Luke xxi Than all tho that offred into Gaz ophilacium Thus curteslye Conscience congied fyrst the fryer And sythen softlye he sayd in Cleargies eare Me were leuer by our lord and I lyue shoulde Haue Patience perfecli then halfe thy pack of bokes Patience passeth a packe of bokes Cleargy of Conscience no congy would take But sayd full soberlye thou shalt se the tyme Whan thou arte werye for walking will me to couÌ„sel That is sothe sayd Conscience so me god helpe If PatieÌ„ce be our parting felow preuie with vs both There nis wo in this world that we ne should ameÌ„d And confirmen kynges to peace and al kinnes londes Sarazens Surrey so forth al the Iewes Turne into the true fayth and into one beleue That is soth ê™ Cleargye I se what thou meaneste I shal dwell as I do my deuour to shewen And coÌ„fyrmen fauntekyns and other folke learned Till Patience haue preued the and perfect the maked CoÌ„science tho with patience passed pilgrimes as it were ThaÌ„ had patieÌ„ce as pilgrimes haue in his poke vital Sobrietie and simple speach and sothfast beleue To confort him and Conscience if they come in place There vnkindenes couetise is huÌ„gry contryes both And as they went by the way of dowell they carped They mette wyth a minstrell A loiterers lyfe as me tho thought Patience posed him fyrste and praied he should tell To coÌ„scieÌ„ce what craft he could whether he would I am a minstrel quod that maÌ„ mi name is Actiua vita All idle I hate for of actyue is my name A waferer wyll ye wytte and serue many Lordes And fewe robes I fonge or furred gownes Could I lye to do men laugh than lachen I ne shold Other mantill or money amoÌ„ges Lordes minstrels And for I can neither taber ne truÌ„pe ne tel no gestes Farten ne fisten at feastes ne harpen Iape ne iuggele ne gentyllye pype Ne neither saylen ne saute ne synge to the gytterne I haue no good giftes of these greate Lordes For no bred that I bring forth saue a benisoÌ„ on the suÌ„day WhaÌ„ the priest praieth the people the Pater no. to saye For Pierce the plowmaÌ„ and that him profit waiten And that am I actiue that idlenes hate For al true traueilers and tyllers of the earth FroÌ„ Mighelmas to Mighelmas I fynd hem with my wafers Beggers and bidders of my bread crauen Faytours and Friers and folke wyth brode crownes I find pane for the Pope prouender for his palfrey And I had neuer of him haue god my trueth Nether prouender ne parsonage yet of the Popes gift Saue a pardoÌ„ with a piece of leade two poles amids Had I a clarke that could write I would cast him a bil That he seÌ„te me vnder his seale a salue for the pestileÌ„ce And that his blessing his buls botches might destroy Mar. xvi In nomine meo demonia eiicient et super egros manê° imponent et bene habebunt And thaÌ„ wold I be prest to the puple paast to make And buxome and busie about bread and drynke For him and for all his found I that his pardon Myght lechen a man as I beleue it shoulde For sith he hath the power that Peter had him selfe He hath the pot wyth the salue truly as me thinketh Argentum et auruÌ„ non est mihi quod habeo tibi do In nomine domini surge et ambula Act. iii. And if might of miracle him faile it is for men be not worth To haue grace of god no gilt of the Pope For may no blessiÌ„g done vs bote but if we wil ameÌ„d There may no maÌ„ make peace among christeÌ„ people Til pride be purely fordo through payne de faute For ere I haue breade a meale of mote I swete And ere the coÌ„meÌ„ haue corne inough mani cold morniÌ„g So ere my wafars ben wrought much wo I tholy All London I leue liketh well my
chaffreth he chargeth no losse may he charitie winne Negocium sine damno Patience fedeth pouertye The nynth is swete to the soule no suger is sweter For Pacience is pane for pouertye hym selfe And sobrity swete drincke and good lethe in sycknes Thus learned me a lettered maÌ„ for our lords loue of heuen S. Austen a blessed life wtout busines ledde For body and for soule Absque solicitudine felicitas Now god that al good geueth grauÌ„t his soule reste That this first wrote to wisseÌ„ meÌ„ what pouerti was Alas ê™ HaÌ„kin that actiue maÌ„ tho the after mi christeÌ„dom I ne had be dead and doluel for dowels sake So hard it is for Hankin to liue to do no synne Synne sueth vs euer quod he and sory gan wepe And wept water with his eyen wayled the tyme That euer he did dede that deare God dispeased Sworned and sobbed and syghed full ofte That euer he had londe lord shynne lesse or more Or maistrye ouer anye man moe then of hym selfe I were not worthy wot god ê™ HaÌ„kin to weare any clothes He nether shyrt ne shoo saue for shame oneli To couer my caroen quod he and cried mercy fast And wepte and wayled and therwyth I waked Passus .xv. de dowel et incipit dobet ANd after my waking it was wonders long Ere I could kindly know what was dowel And so my witte wexe wained til I a folewer And some lacked mi self alowed it few And letten me for a lorell and loth to reuerencen Lordes or ladyes or any life els As persons in pelure wyth pendantes of siluer To sergeauntes ne to suche sayde I not once God loke you lordes ne louted fayre That folke helden me a fâ—le in that folie I raigned Tyl reason had ruth on me rocked me a slepe Tyll I se as it sorcerye were a sotle thynge wythall One wythouteÌ„ tong or teth told me whither I shold And wherof he came and of what kynne I coniured hym at the laste If he were Christes creature anone me to tellen I am christes creature ê™ he christeÌ„ in many a place In christes court I know well of his kin a party Is neither Peter the porter ne Poule with hys faucheon That will defend me the dore ding I neuer so late At midnight at middaye my voyce is so knowe That ech a creature of his court welcometh me fair What ar ye called ê™ I in that court amoÌ„g christs puple The whils I quickeÌ„ the cours ê™ he Diuersâ— offices of the soule callid am I Anima And whan I wil and woulde Animê° iche hight And for that I can and knowe called am I Mens And wheÌ„ I make mone to god Memoria is mi name And when I deme domes do as trueth teacheth Than is Rasio my ryght name reason in Englishe And wheÌ„ I fele that folke tellith mi first name is seÌ„sus And that is wyt and wisdome the well of all craftes And when I chalenge or chaleÌ„ge not chepe or refuse Than am I coÌ„science called gods clerke his notary And when I loue lelly our lord and al other Than is Leli loue my name and in latin Amor And when I flee from the flesh and forsake the carion Than am I spirite specheles spiritus than iche hyte Austin and Isodorus eyther of them bothe Named me thus to name now thou might chese How thou couetist to cal me now thou knowst al mi names Anima pro diuersis actionibê° diuersa nomina sortitur dum viuificat corpus anima est dum vult animus est duÌ„ scit meÌ„s est dum recolit me noria est dum iudicat ratio est dum sentit sensus est dum amat amor est dum negat vel consentit coÌ„scientia est dum spirat spiritus est Ye bene as a byshop quod I all bourding that tyme For bishops iblessed Bishops haue many names they beare many names Presal and Pontifex and metro politanus And other names an hepe Episcopus and Pastor That is soth sayd he now I sethy wyll Thou woldest know ken the cause of al their names And of mine if thou mightest me thinke by thi speach Yea sir I sayde by so no man were greued All the sciences vnder sunne and all the suttel crafte I wold I knew and coud kindly in mine herte Than arte thou imperfit ê™ he and one of prids knightes For such a lust and liking Lucyfer fel from heauen â—sal xiiii PonaÌ„ pedem in aquilone et similis ero altissimo It were agaynst kind quod he and kinnes reason That anye creature shuld kenne all except Christ one Agayne suche SolomoÌ„ speaketh dispiseth her wis And saith Sicut qui mel comedet multum noÌ„ est ei bonum Pro. xxv Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimitur a gloria That is to mean to english meÌ„ that moweÌ„ speke hear The maÌ„ that much honie eateth his maw is englemed And the more that a man of good matter heareth But he do therfore it doeth him double scathe Beatus est sayeth saint Barnarde qui scripturam legit Et verba vertit in opera fully to hys power Couetise to kenne and to knowe science Putte out of Paradise Adam and Eue. Scientie appetitus homineÌ„ immortalitatis gloria spoliauit And right as honi is euel to defy englimeth the maw Right so he that through reason wold that rote knowe Of God of his great mights hys graces it letteth For in the liking lyeth a prid and likames couetyse Against Christs couÌ„sel and al clerkes teaching That is Non plus sapere quam oportet Rom. xii Friers fel other masters that to the lewd men preachen Mouen matters inmesurable to tel of the Trynytie That oftimes the lewd people of their beliefe douten Better to leaue were many docters Prechers dutye such teching And tel meÌ„ of x. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts toucheÌ„ the seueÌ„ synis And of the braÌ„ches that budde of theÌ„ bringeÌ„ meÌ„ to Hell And how that folke in folies mispend theyr fiue wittes As wel friers as other folke folish spenen In housing in hatering in to high clergie shewing More for pompe theÌ„ for pure charitie the peple wote the soth That I lye not so for lords they pleasen And reuerencen the rich the rather for their siluer Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia Et alibi Psal 117. vt quid diligitis vanitatem et queritis mendatium Go to the glose of the verse ye greate Clarkes If I lye on you to mi lewed wit lead me to breÌ„ning For as it semeth ye forsake no mans almes Of vsurers of whores of auarous chapmen And louteÌ„ to these lordes that maye lene you nobles Again your rule and religion I take record at Iesus Mat. xx That said to his disciples Ne sitis personatuÌ„ acceptores Of thys matter I might make a longe byble And of curats of christeÌ„ peple
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
bridle to hold his heade lowe For he wil make weâ—e twise er he come ther Than CoÌ„science apon his caple caried forth fast And reason with him rit rownynge togithers Waren wysdome wittye folowed Reason Whych maistris Mede maketh on this earth One Waren wysedome and Wytty his fere Folowed hym faste for they had to done In the Escheker at the chauncerye to be discharged of things And rideÌ„ fast for ResoÌ„ shold read hem the best For to saue hem for siluer froÌ„ shame and froÌ„ harmes And CoÌ„science knew hem wel they loued couetise And bade Reason ride fast and reck of hem nether Ther be wiles in her words with mede they dwell Ther as wrath wrangeling is there get they siluer And wher is loue leauty they wil not come there Contricio et infelicitas in vâ—is corum Psa xiii c They ne giue not of God one goose winge Non est timor domini ante oculos eorum Psa xiii c. For God wot they wil do more for a doson chikins Or as many copons or for a seame of Otes Than for loue of our lord or al his leue sayntes Therfore reason let hem tide the rich by hem selfe For CoÌ„scieÌ„ce knoweth heÌ„ not ne Chryst as I trowe And than Reason rode fast the right hie gaâ—e And Conscience him kenned tyl they came to the kyng Curtesly the kynge than came agaynst Reason And betwene him selfe and his sone set hym on beÌ„ch And wordeden wel wisely a great whyle togythers And thaÌ„ came Peace into parlimeÌ„t Peace coÌ„playneth vpoÌ„ wroÌ„g put forth a byll How Wronge agaynst hys wyll had his wife taken And how he rauyshed Rose Rainoldes loue And Margaret of her maydeÌ„hed maugre hir cheeks Both my geese and my gris his gadlinges fetcheth I dare not for feare of hym fight ne chide He borowed my bayard brought hym neuer home Ne no fertinge therfore for ought I could pleade He maynteineth his men to murther myne ewen For stalleth my fayres fyghteth in my chepyng And breketh vp my berne dores stealeth away my wheat And taketh me but a tayl for .x. quarter othes Yet he beateth me therto and lieth by my mayd I am not hardy for him vnneth to loke The king knew he said soth for CoÌ„science him told That WroÌ„g was a wicked luske wrought much sorow WroÌ„g was afraid theÌ„ wisdom he sought To make peace with his pence and proferd him manye And sayde had I loue of the kyng lytle wold I reche If WroÌ„g myght optayne the king is fauour he passeth for no more Though Peace and his power playned hem euer Tho went Wisdome and sir Warren the wittye For that Wronge had wrought so wycked a dede And warnyd Wrong tho with such a tale Who so worketh by wyll wrathe maketh oft I saye it by my selfe you shall it well finde But if Mede it make thy mischyefe is vp For both thy lyfe and thy londe lyeth in hir grace Than wowed Wronge wysedome full yerne To make his peace with his pence handy daÌ„dy payed Wisedome and Wyt than went both togythers And toke Mede midde hem mercy to wynne Peace put forth hys heade and his pan bloudy Wythouten gylt god wot gate I thys scath Conscience and the commune knowen the sothe And wisedome and wyt weren about faste To ouercome the Kynge with cattell if they might The kinge swore by Christ and by his crowne both That wronge for hys workes should wo thorowly Wrong is coÌ„mitted to prison And commaunded a constable to cast him in yrous And let him not these seuen yeres se hys fete once God wot quod Wisedome that were not the beste And he ameÌ„des might make let main price hym haue And be borowe for his bale and byggen him boote And so ameÌ„d that is misdo euermore the better Wytte accorded therewith and sayde the same Better is that bote bale adowne brynge Than bale be ibeate and bote neuer the better Than gan Mede to meuen her mercy she besought And profred Peace a present all of pure golde Haue thys man of me quod she to amend thy scath For I wyll wage for Wronge he will do so no more Pituouslye Peace than prayed to the kinge To haue mercy on the man that misdyd him so ofte For he hath waged me wel Mede stoppeth Peaces mouth as wisdome him taught And I forgiue him that gylte wyth a good wyll So that the kinge assent I can say no better For mede hath me ameÌ„ds made I may no more aske Naye quod the kynge tho so Christe me helpe Wronge weÌ„deth not so away erst I will wyt more For lope he so lightly laughen he woulde And eft be the bolder to beate mine hewen But ReasoÌ„ haue ruth on him he shal sit in my stocks And that as longe as he liueth but lownes him borow Some men rad ReasoÌ„ tho haue ruth on that shrewe And to councel the kynge and conscience after That mede might be meinperner ResoÌ„ thei bisought Rede me nought ê™ Reason no ruthe to haue Tyll Lordes and ladyes loue all Trueth And haten all harlotrye Reasons aduice in the punyshynge of Wronge to heare or to mouth it Tyll Pernels purfill be putte in hir hutche And childerns cherishing be chastisinge with yardes And harlotes holynes be holden for an hynde Tyl clarkes couetise be to clothe the pore and fede And religious Romers recordars in her cloysters As saint Benet hem bade Bernard and Francis And tyll preachers preaching be preued on hem selfe Till the kynges counsell be the coÌ„mon profite Tyll bishops barnes be beggers chambers Her haukes her houÌ„des helpe to pore religious And til saint Iames be soughte there I shall asigne That no man go to Galice but if he go for euer And all Rome runners for robbers of beyond Bare no siluer ouer sea that signe of kyng sheweth Neyther grauen nor vngrauen gold neither syluer Apon forfeture of that fee who so find it at Douer But if he be merchaÌ„t or his maÌ„ or messeÌ„ger with letters Prouisor or priest or penant for hys synnes And yet ê™ ReasoÌ„ by the roode I shall no ruthe haue While Mede hath the masterie in this mouth hal And I may shew examples as I se other whyle I saye it by my selfe quod he and it so were That I were a kyng with crowne to kepe a realme Should neuer wronge in this world that I wyt might Be vnpunished in my power for peril of my soule Ne get my grace for gyftes so me God saue Ne for no Mede haue mercie but if mekenes it made Mat. xvi For Nullum malum the man mette with Impunitum And badde that Nullum bonum be Irremuneratum Let thy coÌ„fessour syr king construe this vnglozed And if ye worken it in werke I dare wed mine eares That law shal be a labourer and leade a felde dounge And loue shall leade the
For sometyme I serued Symme at style And was his prentice plight his profyt to wate Fyrst I lerned to lye a leafe other twayne Wyckedly to wey was my first lesson To Wy and to Winchester I went to the fayre With mani maner merchaÌ„dise as mi master me hight Ne had the grace of gyle igo amongest my chaffer It had bene vnsolde this seuen yere so me God helpe Than draue I me amoÌ„g drapers my donet to lerne To draw the lyser a long the longer it semed Among the rich rayes I rendred a lesson To broch hem with a pacnedel spiyt hem to gythers And put hem in a presse and pynnen them therin Tylten yardes or twelue had tolled out xiii My wyfe was a webster and wolloncloth made She spake to spinsters to spynen it oute And the pound that she payd by passed a quartern more Than mine owne auncer who so weyed trueth I bought her berly malte she brewed it to sell Penyale and puddingale she poured togithers For labourars and low folke that lay by it selfe The best ale lay in my bour or els in my chambre And who so bummed therof bought it thereafter A gallon for a grote god wote no lesse And yet it came in cupemele this craft she vsed Rose the Regrater was hir right name She hath holden huksterye all her life time And I swere now sothelich that sinne wold I let And neuer wickedly wey ne wicked chaffer vse But wend to Walsingham and my wyfe also And byd the rode of broÌ„holme bring me out of dette Repentest thou euer quod repentaunce or restitucion madest Yes once I was heâ—berd ê™ he with an hepe of chapmeÌ„ The restitutioÌ„ that nowe is vsed I rose when they were at rest rifled their males That was not restitucioÌ„ ê™ repeÌ„taÌ„ce but robers theft Thou hadst ben better worthy to be hanged therfore Than for al that thou hast here shewed I toke rifliÌ„g for restitucioÌ„ ê™ he for I neuer red boke I caÌ„ no freÌ„ch in fayth but of the fer ende of Norfolke Vsed thou euer vsury ê™ repeÌ„tance in al thy lyfe tyme Nay sothely he sayd saue in my youth I lerned amonge Lumberdes and Iewes a lesson To wey pence with a payes and pare the heuyest And lene it for loue of crese to laye a wed and lesen it Such dedes I did write if he his day broke I haue mo maners bi rerages thaÌ„ through Miseriatur coÌ„modat I haue lent lords ladies my chaffer And ben her broker after and bought it my selfe Eschaunges and cheuisauncis with suche chaffer Idle And lend folke that lese wyll a lyp at euery noble And with lumbardes letters I lade gold to Rome And toke it by tale here and told hem there lesse LeÌ„dest thou euer lords for loue of her maintenaunce Yea I haue lent lords that loued me neuer after And hath made mani a knight both mercer draper That payd not for his preÌ„tishod one paire of glouis Hast thou pitte on pore men that must nedes borowe I haue as much pitie on the pore as pedler hath of cats That kylth hem if he caÌ„ heÌ„ catch for couet of her skins Art thou maÌ„lich emoÌ„g thineibours of thimete drinke I am holden quod he as hinde as is hound in kitchin Amongest my neibours namely such a name I haue God leue that neuer ê™ repentauÌ„ce but thou repeÌ„t that rather Grace on this ground thy good wel to byset Ne thine heyres after that haue ioye of that thou wynnest To thine executors wel biset Ill gotteÌ„ goodes muslebe il spent the siluer that thou heÌ„ leuest And that was woÌ„ne with wroÌ„g with wicked meÌ„ be dispeÌ„did For wer I frier of the house ther good feith chariti is I nold cope vs wyth thy cattel ne our kirke amende Ne haue a peny to my pittauÌ„ce so god my soul helpe For the best boke in oure house bryght golde if it were And I wist witterly thou were suche as thou tellest Or els that I could know it by any kindes wyt Seruuses alterius cuÌ„ fercula pinguia queris pane tuo potius vescere liber eris Thou art an vnkind creature I can the not assoyle Tyl thou make restitucion and rekening with them all And syth that reason rolle it in the regester of heauen That thou hast made eche maÌ„ good I maye that not assoile Forgette not that the last date wil surely come Psal li Non dimit tur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum For all that haue of thy good haue God my trouth Bene holdeÌ„ at the heygh dome to help the to restitute Who so leueth not this be soth loke in the psalter clause In Miserere mei deus whether I meane truth Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti c. Psal xvii Shal neuer workmaÌ„ in this world thriue with that thou wineste Cum sancto sanctus eris Construe me that in english ThaÌ„ waxt that shrew in waÌ„hope wold haÌ„g him selfe Ne had repeÌ„taÌ„ce that rather True repeÌ„taunce hath hope of mercy recoÌ„forted him in this maner Haue merci in thy mind with mouth besech it For Gods mercy is more than al his other workes And al wikidnes in the world the maÌ„ mai work or think Is no more to the mercy of God thaÌ„ in the sea a glied O muis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei Est quasi scintilla in medio maris Therfore haue thou mercy in mind merchaÌ„dice leue it For thou hast no good ground to get ther with wastell But if it were with thy tong or els with thy two haÌ„des For the good that thou hast gotteÌ„ began all with falshead And as loÌ„g as thou liuest with it thou paâ—st not but borowst And if thou wit neuer to which ne to whom to restore Beare it to the byshope and byd him of hys grace Biset it hym selfe The Byshop shall answere for many as beste is for thy soule For he shall answere for the at the heygh dome For that for many mo that maÌ„ shal gyue a rekening What he learned you in lente leue you none other And leÌ„te you of our lordes good to kepe you from sin Nowe biginneth Gloton for to go to shrifte And carieth him to the kirkeward his coppe to shew And Beton the bruster bade him god morrow And asked him with that whetherward he would To holy kirke saide he for to heare masse And sithen I would be shryuen and sinne no more I haue goodale goship said he glotoÌ„ wold thou assai Haste thou ought in thy purse any hote spices I haue pepper pienes ê™ he a pound of garlyke And a ferding worth of fenel sede for fasting daies Than goeth Glotton in and greate othes after Cisse the souteres sate on the bench Common druÌ„kerds Wat the warner and hys wyfe boeth Tymme the tyncker and tweyne of hys prentises Hycke the Hackeney man and Hughe the nedler Clarise of cockelane and
gan for to swere I nolde fang a ferthinge for saynt Thomas shryne Truth wold loue me the lesse loÌ„gtime therfore after And if ye wil to wend wel this is the way thyther Ye must go thorow mekenes both men and wiues Til ye come into coÌ„science the Christ wit the soth That ye louen our lord God How Piers teacheth the waye to trueth leuest of all thynges And that your neighbours next in no wyse appeire Other wyse thaÌ„ thou woldist he wrought to thy selfe And so bowith forth bi a broke beeth buxoÌ„ of speach Tyll you finden a forde your fathers ye honoureth Honora patrem et matrem c. Exod. xx Wade in that water and washe you wel there And you shall leape the lighter all your lyfe after And so shalt thou se swere not but if it be for nede And namely on idle the name of god almyghty ThaÌ„ shalt thou come bi a croft but come thou not therin That croft hight couet not meÌ„s cattel nor her wines Ne none of her seruantes that noyen hem might Loke ye breke no bows ther but if thei be your own Two stockes ther standen and flynte you not there They hight stele not ne sle not stricke forth by both And leaue hem on the left hand loke not therafter And holde well thy holy daye heighe till euen ThaÌ„ shalt thou bleÌ„sh at a berch bear no false witnes He is frithed in wyth Florens and other foes many Loke thou pluck no plant ther for perals of thi soule Than shal ye se Saysoth so it be to done In no maner els not for no mans biddynge ThaÌ„ shalt thou come to a court as clere as the sunne The mote is of mercie that maner abowte And al the walles bene of wyt to holden wil oute And kerneled wyth christendome mankinde to saue Botrased with beleue so or thou beest not saued And al the houses bene hiled hales and chambres With no lead but with loue low spech as brethern The brydge is of bidewel the better may thou spede Euery piller is of pennaunce of praiers of saynts Of almes deds are the hokes that the gates hangeÌ„ on Grace hyght the Gatewarde Truthâ— Portar a good man forsoth His maÌ„ hight AmeÌ„d you for many meÌ„ him knoweth Telleth hym this token that truth wyt the soth I performed the penauÌ„ce that the priest me enioined And am full sort for my sinnes so shal I euer When I thinke theron though I were a pope Beddeth amende you mekeÌ„ hym tyl his master once To wayne vp the wyket that the woman shute Tho Adam and Eue eaten apples vnrosted Paradisi porta per Euam cutictis clausa est et per vitginem Mariam patefacta est For he hath the key the clicket though the King slept And if grace graunt to the to come in this wyse Thou shalt see in thie selfe Truth sit in thyne herte In a cheyre of charitie as thou a chylde were To suffer hym and sey not agaynst thy Siers wyl And beware than of Wrath that is a weked shrewe He hath Euuye to him that in thy hert sitteth And paketh forth pride to praise thy selfe The boldnes of the benefites maketh the blinde than And thaÌ„ wast thou dryueÌ„ out as dewe the dore closed Keyed and clyketted to kepe the with oute Happilye an hundred winter er thou eft entre Thus mightest thou lesen his loue to let well by the selfe And neuer happely eft enter but grace if thou haue And there are seuen sisterne that seruen Trueth euer And are porters to the posterus Truthes maidens that to the place belong That one of hem hight AbstineÌ„ce Humilitie an other Chartie and Chastitie bene the chiefe maidens there Pacience and Peace do muche people helpe Largenes the Ladye letteth in full manye She hath holpeÌ„ an hundred out of the deuils pinfold And who is sibbe to these seuen so me god helpe He is wondersly welcome and faire vnderfoggen And but ye be sibbe to some of these sisters seuen It is ful hard bi my head ê™ Piers for any of you al To get in gong at any gate ther but grace be the more Now by Christ ê™ a cutpurse theÌ„ I haue no kin there Nor I ê™ an apeward by ought that I can knowe Wyt God quod a wafrester wist I this for soth Shuld I neuer furder a fote for any friers preachiÌ„g Yis quod Piers the plow maÌ„ poked hem all to good Mercy is a mayden there hath might ouer hem all And she is syb be to al synfull and her sonne also And through the helpe of hem two hope ye none other Thou might get grace therby so thou go bytyme Bi. s Paul ê™ a pardoner on aueÌ„ture I be not knoweÌ„ there I wil go fetch my boxke with my breuets al And also a bull wyth a Byshops letters By Christ ê™ a coÌ„moÌ„ womaÌ„ thy coÌ„pany wyl I folow Thou shalt saye I am thy sister I ne wotte whether they be gonne Passus sextus de visione THis were a wicked way but if we had a gide That wold weÌ„d with vs ech a fote the way tell Quod perkin the plowmaÌ„ vi s Peter of rome I haue an halfe acre to erie by the highe waye Had I eryed thys halfe acre and sowen it after I woulde wende wyth you How Peers assigneth women to worke and the waye teache This were a longe lettynge ê™ a lady in a Skleire What should we women worke in the meane while Some shal sowe the sacke ê™ Piers for shedyng of the wheate And ye se louely ladies with your long fingers That ye haue silke and sandell to sowe whan tyme is Chesibles for chaplaynes churches to honour Wyues and wyddowes wole and flaxe spinneth Make cloth I counsell you ken so your doughters The nedy and the naked nimith hede howe they liggeÌ„ And caste hem clothes for so commaundeth truth For I shall lene hem liuelode but if the lande fayle Fleshe and breade boeth to ryche and to pore As longe as I liue for the lordes loue of heauen And al maner of meÌ„ that throgh meate dringe libbeth Help him to worke wightlye that winneth your fode By Christ quod a knight tho he kenneth vs the beste And on the teme truely taught was I neuer And keÌ„ me quod the knyght by Christ I wyll assaye By saint Paule quod Perken ye profer me fayre That I shall swynke and swete Pierce prayeth a knight to helpe to kepe holy church sowe for vs boeth And other labours do for thy loue all my lyfe tyme In couenaunt that thou kepe holy kirke and my selfe FroÌ„ wastours froÌ„ wicked meÌ„ that this world destroyeth And go hunt hardely to hares and to Foxes To dores to brocks the breken adowne my hedges And go affayte the Fawcons wylde fowles to kyll For such cometh to my croft and cropeth mi whetâ— Curtessy the knyght then comsed
I se a master what man he was I nist That lowe he lowted and louelye to scripture Conscience knew him wel and welcomed him fayre They washen and wypen and went to the dyner And patieÌ„ce in the palaice stode in pilgrimes clothes And prayed meate for charitie for a pore hermite Conscience called him in and curteslie sayde Welcome wyght go and washe thou shalt sit sone Thys maister was made sit as for the most worthy And thaÌ„ Cleargy CoÌ„science Patience came after Patience and I were put to be matches And sitten by our selues at the side bourde Conscience called after meate than came scripture And serued hem thus sone of sondry meates many Of AusteÌ„ of Ambrose and of the four Euangelistes Edentes et bibentes que apud illos sunt Luke x And this maister his man no maner fleshe eaten And they ate meate of more cost mortreulx potage Of that men miswonne they made hem well at ease And their sauce was ouer sour and vnsauerly grouÌ„d In a morter Post mortem of many bytter paynes But if they singe for tho soules and wepe salt teares Vos qui peccata hominum commeditis nisi pro eis lachrimas et orationes effunderitis ea que in delitus comeditis in tormentis euometis Conscience full curteslye tho commaunded scripture Before patience bread to bring me that was his match He set a sour lofe before vs sayde Agite penitentiaÌ„ And sithe he brought vs drincke diaperseueraunce As longe quod I as I lyue and likam man endure Here is preti seruice ê™ PatieÌ„ce no price caÌ„ fare better TheÌ„ brought he forth a mes of meat of Miserere mei And he brought vs of Beati quoruÌ„ of Beatus virs makynge Et quorum tectasunt peccata in a dyshe Of dernes shrifte Dixi and Confitebor tibi Psal 23 Bryng Patience some pitaunce priuily ê™ Conscience Psa 32 And thaÌ„ had PatieÌ„ce a pittauÌ„ce Pro hac orabit ad te c And CoÌ„science coÌ„forted vs and carped vs mery tales Psal li. Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies Patience was proude of that propre seruice And made hi merye with his meat I mourned euer For this doctour on the hie deise drancke wine so faste Esai v. Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum He eate many sondrye meates mortrix puddinges Wombe be clouts wild drawne egs fried with grese Than sayde I to my selfe so Patience it harde It is not four daies that this freke before the deane of poules Preched of penauÌ„ce that Poul thapostle suffred In fame et frigore and flappes of scourges ii Cor. xi Ter Cesus sum et a Iudeis quinquies quadragintes And one word they ouerhipped at ech time that they preach That Poule in his pistle to al the puple told Periculum est in falsis fratribus Holy wryte bid men beware I wyl not write it here In English on auenture it should be rehearsed to oft And greue ther with good meÌ„ gramariaÌ„s sholde read Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat quia vt dicitur periculum est in falsis fratribus ii Th. iii And I wist neuer freke that as a frier yead before meÌ„ in english Take it for her theme tel it wtout leasyngs They preach that penaunce is profitable to the soule And what mischefe male ease Christ for maÌ„ tholed And this gods glotton quod I with hys great chekes Hath no pitye on vs pore he perfourmeth euyll That he preacheth he preueth not to Patience I told And wyshed full wytterlye wyth wyl full eger That dyshes and doublers before this ilke doctoure Were molten leade in his mawe Mahound amidst I shall iangle to this Iurdan with his iuste wombe To tel me what penauÌ„ce is of which he preched rath PatieÌ„ce perceiued what I thought winked on me And said thou shalt se this sone A good deuine wheÌ„ he may no more He shal haue a penauÌ„ce in his pauÌ„ch pufatech word And then shal his guts gottilen he shal gulpeÌ„ after For now he hath droncke so depe he woll diuine sone And preueÌ„ it by hir pocalips passion of S. Auarice That nether bacoÌ„ ne brawne blacke manger ne mortreulx Is neither fysh ne flesh but fode for a penauÌ„t And theÌ„ shal he testify of the trinitie take his felow to witnes What he fouÌ„d in a fraile after a friers liuyng And but he first liue by leasinges leue me neuer after And than is tyme to take and to appose thys doctour Of dowel and of dobet and if dobest be any penauÌ„ce And I sate stil as Patience said thus sone this doctoure As ruddye as a rose rubbed hys chekes Coughed and carped and Conscience hym heard And told hem of the Trinitie and towarde vs he loked What is dowel sir doctor ê™ I is dowel ani penauÌ„ce Dowel quod this doctour toke the cup drancke Is do no euill to thine euenchristen not to thy power By this daye syr doctour ê™ I then ye be not in dowel For ye haue harmed vs two in that ye haue eateÌ„ the puddyng Mortreulx other meate we no morsel had And if ye fare so in your farmarye ferly me thynketh But chest be ther chariti shold be childreÌ„ durst plein I wold permute mi penauÌ„ce with you for I am in poit to do wel TheÌ„â—oÌ„scieÌ„ce curtesly a couÌ„tenauÌ„ce made And preynt apon Patience to praye me to be styll And sayde hym selfe syr doctoure and it be your wyll What is dowell and dobet ye diuinours knowe Dowell quod thys doctoure is do as clarkes teache And dobet is he the teacheth traueleth to teath other And do beste doth him selfe so as he sayth precheth Math. v. Cleargye hath seueÌ„ sonnes that is the. vii sciences Qui facit et docuerit magnus vocabitur in regno celoruÌ„ Now the ConscieÌ„ce ê™ Cleargy carpest what is dowel I haue seuen sonnes he sayd seruen in a castell Ther the lord of life woÌ„neth to learne what is dowel Tyll I see the seuen and my selfe accorden I am vnhardy quod he to any wyght to preue it For one Pierce the PloughmaÌ„ hath impuÌ„gned vs al And set al sciences at a Soupe saue loue onelye And no text ne taketh to maintayne hys cause But Dilige deum And Domine quis habitabit Psa xv And sayeth that dowell and dobet are two infinites Which infinites with fayeth fynde out dobest Which shal saue maÌ„s soul thus saith Pierce plowmaÌ„ I caÌ„ not here one ê™ CoÌ„science I know wel Pierce He wil not gainsaie holi writ I dare wel vndertake ThaÌ„ passe we ouer til Pierce come preue it in dede PatieÌ„ce hath ben in mani places peradueÌ„ture mouthed That no clark ne can as Christ beareth witnes Patientes vincunt And your praier ê™ PacieÌ„ce tho so no maÌ„ displese him Disce quod he
with mony make her exchauÌ„ges Myght neuer me conforten in the meane whyle Neyther masse ne mattens ne no maner syghtes Ne neither penaunce performed ne Pater nost sayde That my minde ne was more on mi good in a doubt Than in the grace of god and in hys greate helpe Math. vi Vbi the saurus tuus ibi et cor tuum Whych ben the brauÌ„ches that brynge a maÌ„ to slouth He the mournith not for his misse ne maketh no sorow And penauÌ„ce that the prest inioyneth perfourmeth ill Doth no almesdedes dreade hym of no synne Lyueth agayne the beleue and no lawe holdeth Eche day is holy daye with hym or an hyghe fery And if he ought wyll heare it is an harlots tonge When men carpen of Christ or of clennes of soules He waxeth wroth wil not here but words of mirth Penaunce and pore men and the passion of sayntes He hateth to heare therof and all that he telleth These beÌ„ brauÌ„ches beware that bringeth a maÌ„ to waÌ„ hope The lords thou ladies and legates of holy kirk That feden foles sages flatterers and lyers And haue liking to lithen hem to do you to laugh Ve vobis qui ridetis c. Luke vi And giue hem meat mede and pore men to refuse In your death diynge I feare me full sore Lest tho thre maner of meÌ„ to much sorow you bring Consentientes et agentes pari pena punientur Patriarkes prophetes and prechers of gods word Sauen throughe her sermons mans soule froÌ„ hell Right so flatterers foles arne the fendes disciples To entise men through hir tales to sinne harlotrye And clarkes that knowen holy write shold ken lords What Dauid said of such men as the psalter telleth Non habitabit in medio domus mee Psal Câ— qui facit superbiam et qui loquitur iniqua Should no harlot haue audience in hall ne in chaÌ„bre There wysemen were witnessen gods wordes Ne no misproud man among lordes be alowed And flatterers and foles through her lewde wordes Leden tho that loue hem to Lucifers feaste Wyth Turpiloquio a laye of sorowe Lucifers fidle Thus Hankyn the actiue man had soyled hys cote Til CoÌ„science acouped him therof in a curteis maner Why he had ne washed it or wyped it wyth a brushe Passus .xiiii. de visione I Haue but one hole hattir quod HaÌ„kin I am the lesse to blame Thoughe it be soyled and felde cleane I slepe therin on nightes And also I haue an huswife hewen and chyldren Luk. xiiii Vxoxem duxi et ideo non possum venire That wollen bymollen it manye tymes maugry my chekes Hankins cote wyll not be cleane It hath bene laued in lente and out of lent bothe With the soupe of sickenes that seketh woÌ„ders depe And with the losse of cattell lothe for to agyle God or anye good man by ought that I wyste And was shryuen of a priest that gafe me for my sins To penaunce Patience and pore men to fede Al for couetise of mi christeÌ„dome in clennes to kepe it And could I neuer by Christ kepe it cleane an houre That I ne soyled it with sight or with some idle speach Or through worke or word or wil of my herte That I ne slober it foule from morrowe till euen And I shall ken the quod Conscience of contricion to make That shal claw thy cote of al kindes of filth Cordis contricio c. Dowel shall washe it and wringe it throughe a wyse confessoure Oris confessio Dobet shal beat it boÌ„ke it as bryght as any scarlet And engraueÌ„ it with good wil gods grace to ameÌ„de the And sithen seÌ„d the to satisfaction for to sowne it after Satisfactio dobesse Shal neuer chest bymollen it ne mought after bite it Ne fende ne false man defoulen it in thy lyfe Shall no heraulde ne harper haue a fayrer garment Than HaÌ„kin the actiue maÌ„ thou do bi my teaching Ne no minstrell be more worth among pore ryche ThaÌ„ Hankins wife shew â—â—ereâ— with his actiua vita And I shal puruey the paast patieÌ„ce though no plow And floure to fede folke withal as best be for the soule Though neuer greue growed ne grape apon vyne All that liued and loked liuelode would I fynd And that inough shal none faile of thiÌ„g that hem nedeth We should not be to busye about our liuelode Ne soliciti sitis c. Volucres celi deus pascit Mat. vi c. patientes vincunt Than laughed Hankin a litle and lightly gan swere Who so leueth you by our lord I leue not he be bleste No ê™ Conscience patiently God geueth not lyfe but he prouideth fode and out of his poke hent Vytayles of greate vertues for all maner beastes And said lo here liuelode inough if our beliefe be true For lent neuer was life but lyuelode were shapen Whereof or wherfore or wherby to lyue Fyrste the wylde worme vnder wete earth Fishe to liue in the floude and in the fire the creket The kurlew bi kind of hem are clenest flesh of birdes And beastes by grase by grene and by grene rotes In meaninge that all men might the same do Liue through lelly beleue loue as god wytnesseth QuodcuÌ„que petieritis a patre in nomine meo c Et alibi Non solo pane viuit homo sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei And I loked what liuelod it was that patieÌ„ce so praised And it was a piece of the Pater nost Fiat voluntas tua Haue HaÌ„kin ê™ PatieÌ„ce eat this whaÌ„ thou huÌ„grest Or whan thou clumsest for colde or clyngest for drye Shall neuer giues the greue ne great lordes wrath Prison ne paine for Patientes vincunt By so that thou be sober of sight and of tonge In eating and in handelyng and in all thy fiue wyts Darst thou neuer care for corne nelineÌ„ cloth ne woleÌ„ Ne for drinke ne deaths dread but dye as god liketh Or through honger or through heat at his wil be it For if thou liue after hys lore the shorter life the better Si quis amat Christum mundum non diligit istum For through his breath beasts waxed abrode yedeÌ„ Dixit et facta sunt Ergo through hys breath may men beastes liuen As holy wryte witnesseth whan men se in her graces Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animal benedictione It is found that forti winter folk liued wtout tilling Forty yeres without tyllage And out of the flint sproÌ„ge the floud that folk and beastes dronke And in Helies tyme heauen was closed That no raine ne ronne thus reade men in bokes That many wynter men lyued no meate ne tiliden Seuen slept as sayth the boke seuen huÌ„dred wynter And lyued wtout lyuelode and at the last they woken If meÌ„ liuid as mesure wold shold no more be defaut Lacke of measure
after Confession and knowledging and crauing thy mercy Shold ameÌ„d vs as many sithes as man wold desyre And if the Pope would plede here againe and punish vs in conscience He should take the acquitaunce as quycke and to the A christen mans patente queed shew it Pateat c. per passioneÌ„ domini And put of so the pouke and preuen vs vnder borow And the parchmin of the Patente of pouerty be must And of pure patience and perfect beleue Of pompe and of pryde the parcemyn declareth And principalitie of al people but thei be pore of hert Els is al idle and all that euer we wryten Pater noster and penauÌ„ce pylgrimages to Rome But our spenses and spending sprynge of true wyll Els is all our labour loste lo howe men wryteth In fenestres at the Fryers if false be the fundament Therfore christen shold be in coÌ„meÌ„ rych none couetise for him selfe For seueÌ„ sinnes that ther be assaileÌ„ vs euer The fend foloweth hem al and foundeth hem to help And with riches that rybaunde he rathest men begileth For there that ryches raygneth reuerence foloweth And that is pleasant to pryde in pore and in ryche And the rych is reuerenced by reason of his ryches And the pore is put behynd peraduenture caÌ„ more Of wyt and of wisedome that farre away is better Than ryches or rialtye and rather hard in heuen For the rich hath much to rekeÌ„ right ofte him the walketh The hye way to heuenward ryches him letteth It a possibile diuiti c. There the pore preiseth before the rich Apo. xiiii with a pake at his rygge Opera enim illorum sequntur illos BatauÌ„tly as beggers done boldly he craueth For hys pouerty and his patience a pertual blysse Beati pauperis Luke vâ— quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum And pride in riches raigneth rather than in pouertye Erst in the master or in the maÌ„ some mantioÌ„ he haueth And in pouerty there patience is pride hath no might Ne none of the seuen synnes syt ne may there longe For the pore is aye preste to please the ryche And buxome at hys byddynge for hys broke loues And buxomnes and bost are euermore at warre And either hateth other in al maner workes If wrath wrestle with the pore he hath the worse ende And if they both pleyne the pore is but feble And if he chyde or chatter hym cheueth the worse And if couetise catch the pore they mai not come togithers And by the neke nameli ther noÌ„ mai heÌ„t other For men knowen well that couetouse is of kene wyll And hath hands and armes of a longe length Pouerttis but a petit thing apperith not to his nauel And louelike was yet neuer bitwen the long the short Though auarice wole angry the pore he hath but litle might For poreti hath but pokis to put in his good Ther auarice hath almaries and iron bounde cofers And whether be lighter to breake lasse bost maketh A beggers bagge than an yron bound cofer Lecherye and glotony raigne not much in pouertye Lechery loueth him not for he geueth but litle siluer Ne doth hym not dine delecatlye ne drynke wyne oft A straw for the Stewes it stode not I trowe Had thei nothiÌ„g but of poremeÌ„ her house stode vntild And though swuth sue pouerti serue not god to pay Myschiefe is his master and maketh him to thyncke That god is his greatest helpe and no gome els And he hys saruaunt as he sayth and of his fute both And whether he be or not he beareth the sygne of pouerty And in the secte our sauyoure saued al mankind Therfore al pouertie that patient is may claime and asken After her endyng here heuenlyche blysse Much hardier mai he aske that here might haue his wil Wylfull pouertye In londe and in lorshyp and in lyking of body And for gods loue leueth al and liueth as a begger And as a mayd for mans loue hir mother forsaketh Hyr father and all hyr frendes foloweth hyr make Much more is the loue of hym that such one taketh Than a maiden is that is maried through brocage As by assent of sundry parties and siluer to bete More for couetous of good than kinde loue of both So it fareth by eche parson that possession for saketh And put hym to be patiente and pouerty weddeth Such is sybbe to god him selfe and so â—â—â—chis saintes Haue god mitrougth ê™ HaÌ„kin ye praise fâ—st pouerty What is pouerty with Patience ê™ he properly to meneâ— Paupertas quod Patience est odibile bonum Remotio curarum possessio siue calumpnia Ponum dei Sanitatis mater Absque solicitudine semita Sapientie teÌ„peratrir negotium sine dalimo incerta fortuna absque solicitudine felicitas I can not coÌ„stine al this ê™ HaÌ„kin ye must ken this in english In engish ê™ patieÌ„ce it is wel hard to expouÌ„d And some deale I shall say it by so thou vnderstande Pouerty is the first poynt that pride most hateth Than it is good by good skyll al that agasteth pride Right coÌ„tticion is a coÌ„fortable thing CoÌ„scieÌ„ce wot it well And sorowe of him selfe solace to the soule So pouertye properlye The pâ—â—â—se of pâ—uerty penaunce and ioye Is the bodyes pure spirituall leche Ergo Paupertas est odibile bonum And coÌ„tritioÌ„ coÌ„forteth Cura anima animaruÌ„ the secoÌ„de Selde sitteth pouertye the sothe to declare Or as iustice to iudge men enioyned is no pore Ne to be mayre aboue meÌ„ ne minister vnder kinges Selde is any pore put to punishe anye people Remotio curarum Ergo pouertie pore meÌ„ perfourmen the commauÌ„dementes Nolite iudicate quemquam the thyrde Selde is any pore man ryche of vnrightful heritage Wineth he not with false weight ne with vnseled mesures Ne boroweth of his neighbors but that he mai wel pai Possessio sine calampnia The fourth is a fortune that florisheth the soule Wyth sobrietie from all synne and also yet more It afayteth the fleshe from soles full manye A collaterall conforte Christes owne gyfe Donum dei The fift is mother of helth a frende in all fondynges And for the laâ—â—de 〈◊〉 lech alemman of al clennes Sanitatis 〈◊〉 The sixt is a path of peace ye through the paas of Alton Pouerty myghe passe wont peryll of robbing For there that pouertie passeth peace foloweth after And euer the lesse that he bereth the hardier he is of herte Therfore saith Seneca Paupertas eÌ„ absque solicitudine And an hardi maÌ„ of hert amoÌ„g an heape of of theues Cantabat paupertas coram latrone biatore The .vii. is well of wisdome few wordes sheweth Therfore Lords alow hym little or listeÌ„ to his reasoÌ„ For he teÌ„pereth his tong to truthward no treasure coueteth Sapiencie temperatrix The eyght is a lellye labourer and loth to take more Than he well deserueth in somer or in wynter And if he
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
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