but a twynkelyng of an eye ¶ The .xxxvij. questyon ¶ Is god of great yeldyng to tho That ryght in his seruyce here go IN al the worlde ne is no man That maye thynke ne tell can The good the honour in many wyse That god gyueth man for his seruyse That in hym ttusteth and in his myght And his coÌ„maundment doth aryght And short coÌ„maundment ordenyd hath he Do good and lete euyl be His sonne shall he send here doune To dye for mannys saluacyon And tho that his seruyse haue in mynde In his blys they shall it fynde For he shall them worshype more Than eny aungel that is thore ¶ The .xxxviij. questyon ¶ The people that in y t tyme shal be Of goddys sonne whan come is he ¶ And after shall they comenly Beleue in hym stedfastly ALl shall they in hym theyr trewth ley His own folke that is to sey But all shall they gatherede be Of dyuers spech and sondre countre But they shall not euerychon Haue coÌ„maundment after one Thâ— coÌ„maundment as men shall se Of goddys sonne shall truly one be After hym his mynisters twelue Shall coÌ„maund that selue But they that come after tho That in stede of mynisters shall go They shall well beholde and fynde The feblenes of mannes kynde And lyghter commaundment for that skyl Shall they make the folke vntyl And eche nacyon shall wene that he Be better than any other be But of them shal be at the fyne As it dothe by a great gardyne Where in many trees standeth And eche of them frewte bereth The tre that best frewte berys Be they appulles or be they peres The plentuousest of berynge And of best sauour in etynge That tre shall the gardynere Most loue and serue in tyme of yere Aâ—so they that shall best byleue In goddes sone and theyr harte hym geue And best shall here in erthe do Whan tyme cometh there vnto They shall most worshypped be In heuen before the Trinite A myrrour that they shall beholde and se Full of ioy that of no tong may expressed be ¶ The .xxxix. question ¶ What coÌ„maundment by thy leue Shall goddes sone his folke geue IT shal be loue and abstynence And charyte and pacyence And that no man other do Than he wolde were done hym to God hymselfe for mannes loue Shall sende his sone from aboue And shall fele here abstynence And sufferaunce and pacyence And bytter deth at the last His folke out of payne to cast And who so beholde these fowre thynges All goodnes out of them sprynges For he that good loue hathe in god Loue in hymselfe is not all odde And he that hathe abstynence And charyte and pacyence And haueth the loue of god with all No doute he shall haue the lyfe eternall ¶ The .xl. questyon ¶ The blesfulest thynge after thy wyt And dygniest and fayrest whiche is it A Sowle that is good of man Of all thynges that I tell can Is the fayrest thynge that maye be For bryghter than the sonne is he And a worthyer thynge is there nought Of all that god in erthe hath wrought For of goddes owne onde it came Whan god blewe on Adam Therfore are aungels set therto To kepe it in all that they maye do ¶ Also the blysfullest it is For it is ordayned to that blys There neuer ende shal be Of ioye and blysse and game and gle And god gaue coÌ„maundement to al thynge For to serue man his blyssynge Than is mannes sowle blysfulest tho And worthyest and fayrest also ¶ The .xlj questyon ¶ The fowlest y e ê‘elousest thynge to se And most wyckedest which may that be Wycked sowle of man I wysse Is the fowlest thyng that is So harde harted man is none And he a wycked sowle sawe one In the ryght lykenes of it That he ne shulde lese his wyt Also it is perelouse For it gothe to a velayne howse There parell is and moche wo Where it neuer shall come fro The most cursyd is it aye For goddes sone on domes daye Before all his aungels thore Shal curse it for euermore And of the payne that it shall to Aungels and Archangels also Shall haue bothe ioye and blysse For that it had done amys ¶ The .xlij. questyon ¶ The good sowles shal they ought For y e wyckyd sorow or take thought GOod men whan the wyckyd spyl Shalbe al of goddys wyl And whaÌ„ they y e dome haue sene Of them y t agayn god hath bene They shal be demt froÌ„ goddis face Which shulbe al theyr solace For the dome shal be ryghtwyse That god shal gyue his enemyes And whan they are in al theyr paynes A monge the other hell hownes The good sowles shal glade be Them in theyr paynes on to se As we haue game to beholde Fysshe swyme in the water colde ¶ The .xliij. questyon ¶ Whether is better so god y e saue Helth or syknes for to haue HElth of sowle is good to wynne To kepe it out of dedly synne For whan it is hole and fayre Of heuyn blys it shal be heyre And his dwellyng with god shal be For his laboure and dylygence If thou haddyst now a knyght That ware strong and stowt in fyght And ware hold bolde and hardy Hym thou woldyst holde the by And thou shuldyst in to fyght And ware he syke and of no myght No where woldyst thou with hym yede Wher thou shuldyst stonde in drede Lyke maner it is of sowles hele God wyl not with that sowle dele That feble is by the syknes of synne But he wyl therof blynne Ageyne the helth of the body To agood man saye I sykerly Is better hole than syke to be For in goodnes his helth vsyth he And they that lyue in synne and wo Sycknes is best for them tho Which for the payne of theyr sycknesse Shal they synne yet the lesse And withdrawe them therfro That in helth shuld not so do ¶ The .xliiij. questyon ¶ What poure is it y t wold I lere That god hath gyuen to sowle here GOd hath geuen sowle vnto Akyngdome for to rule also That yf he kepe it aryght His kynges sete shal be dyght Before god in heuen blys And god shal saye to hym this Come my dere sone to me The kyngdome that I behyght the Thou hast it so kepte in all thynge That thou art worthy to be a kyng Therfore shalte thou crowned be Before my fathers maieste The sowle for the kyng take I And for the kyngdome the body And the commaundment of eche good kyng In his land shuld be done aboue all thynge Therfore what so the sowle wyll The body shuld it do with skyll And but the body do also As the sowle counsaylethe hym to Bothe together they shuld be cast In fyre of hell at the last ¶ The .xlv questyon ¶ When goddes sone to y e erth is sent And agayne to heuen is went Shall he any gouernour leue here In this world the folke to
the erth about it bettar makys And than begynneth it to sprynge And take agayne to his lykynge So it faryth of frendes two If that one fro the other go And after to gether come agayne Eyther wylbe of other feyne And the loue they had before Or that they a sondre wore For new may they them betwene As the tree that eft waxed grene ¶ The CC.x. questyon ¶ How may amā loue woman ryght Or she hym for the syght SOmtyme fallyth aman to mete Afayre woman in the strete His eyen wyl he on her caste Beholdyng her ryght faste And the eyen a non present ryght Unto the braynes that same syght Braynes send the herte vnto And in delyte he fallyth also And as sone as he is in delyte He begynneth to loue tyte The brayne sendyth to the eye agayne That they of that syght are fayne Delytyng them to beholde more So that the herte therfore Fallyth in a fowle lykyng And so begynneth the loue to spryng But and the herte were of myght Stronge to hold hym in that syght And say lorde I thanke it the The syght that I yonder se That thou woldest after thy fygure Make so fayre a creature Temptacyon shuld he none be in Ne falle in no delyte of synne Ne his herte shuld haue no menyng Another tyme to such a thyng No more shuld woman on her syde If she dyd thanke god euery tyde ¶ The CC.xj. questyon ¶ Aman that lyght conscyence berys And by his god falsly swerys Of .x. false thynges for the nonys Is he ought for swore but onys HE that swerys an oth amys By his god what so he is For .x. false thynges al in one Soth as he swerys for ech one And yf ech of the .x. false be Tene tymes forsworne is he An hundreth thynges though it wore So ofte forsworne is he thore And who so assentys therto That he made that othe also Also ofte is he forsworne As he that made that oth beforne ¶ The CC.xij questyon ¶ Tho that any knowlege haue here The folke for to lere Shal eny grace come them vnto More than it shal other men to Ryght it is that euery man That trauayls in labour as he can That it be hym yeldyd so As his trauayle amountys to And he that trauayls here Ony good other to lere Or preches to them how they shal Heuynly blys wyn with al God shal them in heuyn saue And double mede shal they haue For that they haue techyd ryght The way vnto heuyn lyght But two maner of techers be In this world as thou mayst se Unto the sonne is lykened one That geuyth his lyght euer anon And euery lyke his lyght lastes For ought that he doune castes That are the good that teches here Doyng them selfe as they do lere But some are that tech wel And wickydly lyue them selfe euery dele Unto the candel lyght are tho That to other geuyth his lyght hym fro And wasteth hym selfe hastely He that is no grace worthy For yf aman were set to dele Tresour among feele And he myght pay them ech one wel And holde hym selfe a great dele If he dele so his delyng That hym selfe lefte nothyng Or yf ought hym left wicked ware It is but ryght he euyl fare Skyl it is that he fare yl That wyl chose it of hys wyl ¶ The CC.xiij questyon ¶ Thought y t a man thynkes alday Wherof euer come it may COmenly thought in herte wyl spryng Of clere herte and conyng For euer the more that aman Of arte in this world can The more thought he hath thefore And ymagynes more and more The wysdom that thes wyse haue so Of pure corage it comyth them to And that is of pure blode nought elles That about the herte dwelles And the puryte of that blode Cleres the braynes and makys them good And that claryte that in the braynes dure Geuyth to the corage moysture And vnto the eyen claryte And to al the lymes lyght to be The herte it geuyth vnto Blythnes and lykyng also Which makyth aman conyng And to haue thought of moch thyng But for his conyng shal he nought Smyte in to an euyl thought And his thought shal be holly To worshyp god pryncypaly And after to worke at his myght Thynges that be honest and ryght ¶ The CC xiiij questyon ¶ Why than falle the folke also Of the euyl as men se they do FOr thre thynges pryncypaly Falles vmwhyle amannys body One is for colours humors wyk That stere in the body thycke And the humors day and nyght With the good in the body fyght And yf the wicked maysters be The herte somtyme they tourne perde And ableese to the braynes cast That aman falles at the last And for that same vanyte With fote and hand trauayleth he And fome out of the mouth doth falle His wyttes so and doth lose al Another than is deedly synne That aman is combred in And goddys cōmaundment doth nought But in synne is al his thought Such powre hath the deuyl of hym That he hym shewes to hym ful grym The aungel that hath hym in kepyng Rekenys than of hym nothyng Wherfore the deuyl than fouly Turmentys hym this pytyously The thyrd cause than is fantasy That comyth to the herte vnwysly Wherfore it fayles and cowarde is And waxes dredful and losys blys Wherfore somtyme he fallys smert And comyth a fantesy of the herte ¶ The CC.xv questyon ¶ Which is the perolousest lym That mannys body hath in hym OF al the lymes of the body The perylousest than hold I The eyen that shuld the body wys That it not go amys For in peryl both put they Sowle and body euery dey The eyen shew the braynes anon The thyng that they se vpon And the braynes also smert Nuncyes it forth vnto the herte The herte hath lykyng in the syght And fallyth in synne anon ryght And had the eyen se no thynge The herte had falle in no lykynge Also perylouse they ere For they are tender and lyght to dere And pryde and yre and couetys With other synnes mo than this Which thynges had be vnsought And mannys eyen sawe ryght nought And for that of euerychone Perylouser lyme is none ¶ The CC.xvj questyon ¶ Which is the sykerest arte of al And there most peryl may in falle CLerkes that to the world preches And goddys wyl to do them teches And how they shal theyr sowles gyde And the deuyl from them cause to slyde The surest arte haue they tho And the perylousest also For of the world they are the lyght As to the body is eyen syght The eyen lyght the body And ledyth it by way and sty Without hurte there it wylbe Which hurte shuld take myght it not se Also tho that lerne this arte And thech forth therof some parte The ryght way the folke they lede And theyr sowles goostly they fede And yf they do as they say Theyr selfe goyth in the ryght way And
of man was made ech lym The seuenth day god restyd hym For veryhed toke he no rest But for that he chose it day best And bade man that day he in pees And of al werkes to fees Wherfore the Saturday of al The dygnyest day we cal But a tyme shal men se Whan goddys sonne shal man be That he shal dye and after aryse The thyrd day on alwyse Which rysyng day men worshyp shal ay And that shal be the Sonday And after shal men euer calle Sonday the best of al ¶ The CC.ij questyon ¶ Yet wold I wyt more Why slepe was made wherfore SLepe is made for mannys rest Of al thyng one of the best For it esyth the herte namely And myght geuyth to al the body As yf a lorde waken be Wakyd is al his meyne There ne may slepe non of al For to be redy yf he call Tyl he slepe slepe al his Than are they the lyghter in seruys The herte of man the lord call I For it maysteryth al the body And whan it is a slepe anon The lymes rest them euerychon And than al the kyndly hete Of the body geuyth to mete Aboute the stomacke for to brynne And to dygest that ther is with in And than the kynde to hym takys That to hym shal or he wakys And purges hym of that other dele As kynde geuyth hym ful we le Thus gatheryth the body myght And is after stronge and lyght For to do that it shal do That ne ware yf slepe ware not so Therfore hath god the nyght wrought To mannys rest and els nought For payne is none ne no mornyng Unto man agayne wakyng ¶ The CC.iij questyon ¶ Shal euer in this word be Warre and contecte as men now se AT the begynnyng whan there wore Foure men in the world no more Was there warre and enuy And mannys slawghter and felony And it shal neuer seas That the world be al in peas For were the world in peas holly Men myght calle it skylfully Paradyse and els nought For there was neuer no warre wrought But loue peas and charyte And tho may holly here not be But in this world are warres two Goostly and bodely also The goostly warre may no man se Which is of the deuyl and his meyne Nyght and day on man he warres And in al that he may men deres Bodely warre al fyrst began Which is betwyx man and man And that shal neuer to ende torne Untyl it be the day of dome ¶ The CC.iiii questyon ¶ Wrathes god hī ough for mānis dede What ded so he dye good or quede THough god sawe al the world brynne And al the folke dye that are therin And dryed euerydele the see In god shold no wreth be In hym may be no euyl mode For nothyng of this worldes good Mannes dede deryth god no more What dede so he dyes no whore Than it doth the fyre to brynne A hylle that many auntes were in The payne that they fele in brennyng Ne derys them for no kynges thyng No more doth god soth to sey What tyme aman shal here dey No surar thyng than is the dede But of the tyme can no man rede And for that what tyme he dey shal God greuyth hym nothyng with al But sythen man wot no prow Whan he shal dey ne how Loke he be redy ay I rede Than shal hym not the dede drede ¶ The CC.v. questyon ¶ Which folke are it as thou wetes That the world now most susteynes FOure maner of folke there are That were it so that they ne ware The world myght not vp holden be Ne fare so wel as we now se One than are thes men of crafte That lerne other that are dafte Conyng theyr lyuelod for to wynne And god to serue without synne Another are tho that tyl the lande And wynne vs mete and drynke to hande The thryde are lordes that peas kepe For in peas may men suerly slepe If peas were not there were great doute To lyue or eny wher walke aboute The fourth maner of folke than are Chapmen that about fare Fro feyre to feyre fro lande to lande And bryng that men do wande And shuld defaute haue of it also Dyd not chapmen gyue them therto Wherfore the world with out thys Mought be kept on none wyse ¶ The CC.vij. questyon ¶ Whether is hyer as y u doyst vndarstād The kynge or the lawe of the lande LAwe is of more antyquyte Than kyng or prynce may be And yf thou wylt wyt why I shal the tel apertly The name of kynge or emperour Is geuyn for worldly honour And it fallyth to his myght The lawe for to kepe aryght Than is kynge for lawe set To kepe that lawe be not let Than is lawe more than he For to do lawe hath he potence For a thyng y t ordayned is For another than semys thys That he that it is dyght for Of them two is the more And yf the kynge for lawe be Than is lawe more than he Yet shal I say the a nother sawe If the kynge do agayne the lawe Lawe shal hym deme with skyl and ryght Than is lawe aboue his myght And breke he lawe in eny thyng He is not worthy to be kynge Truly here after shal come one A kyng that shal hyght Salomon In his sawes say shal he Blessyd mote they al be That shal in this world rounde Do iustyce and ryght in euery stounde ¶ The CC.viij questyon ¶ May man in ony manere Ony worldly good haue here That he ouer al may with hym bere And the weyght hym not dere AMan in this world may haue Good hym eneywhere for to saue And helpe hym at his nede And euer he may it with hym lede That is conyng of some arte Which wyl not fro man parte Who so hath hym nedyth not to drede For it wyl hym both cloth and fede Bettar tresour neuer no man wan Than is conyng vn to man And whyther so aman wyl go He may it bere with out wo And here vnto none of his Wherfore shal Salomon the wyse Say as aman wel be taught That wyt and wysdome is worldys aught The CC.ix. questyon ¶ If two haue loue to gether stronge And after are a sonder longe And come to gether ought one whore May they loue so as they dyd before LOue betwyx frendes twey That onys is ne shuld not dey And yf that they in sonder be That eyther other longe not se And they to gether come efte The loue y t was before lefte Before that they in sondre wore May come agayne and ryght wel more As thou in a garden mayst se Standyng a wel lykyng tre And the gardynar behaue hym so That he take no hede therto To mucke and tyl and els it dyght It myscaryeth anon ryght Losyng his wel lykyng For it zemyd is nothyng But whan the gardynar it sees That it fayleth among other trees Hede agayne therto he takys And
¶ The history of kyng Boccus Sydracke how he confoundyd his lerned men and in y e syght of them dronke stronge venym in the name of the Trinite dyd hym no hurt Also his diuynyte y t he lerned of the boke of Noe. Also his profycyes that he had by reuelacyō of the aungell Also his answeris to the questions of wysdome both morall and natural wyth moche worldly wysdome contayned in noumber CCC lxv translatyd by Hugo of Caumpeden out of frenche into Englysshe Sidrack Kynge boccus ¶ Iohn̄ Twyne to the redar THe profyt and cōmodite of this boke o gentyl and curteys redar is so euydent open that it nedythe no settyng out nor praysyng for dowtful thynges comenly be praysyd or despraysed be cause trewe iugment may be takē of them but thynges of opē goodnes nede no praysyng for with theyr goodnes they prayse them selfe as thou shalt fynd this boke the whych to speke truly can not be suffycyently praysed I had leuer therfore as Salust sayth of Carthago hold my pese and to speke lytel of yt but shortly to knowe somwhat of his matters in effect he showeth of goddys workes ryght as the old new testament in many volumes declareth Also natural phylosophy expressyng the causes with euydent ensamples of moch moralyte in geuyng good counsel and a delect betwyx good and bade truly more euydēt than euer dyd Plato Arystotyles or Cicero ī theyr manyfold workes he shortly techeth moch knowlege of physyke the dyspocycyon of cōplexcyons the alteracyō of ages with moch secresy of the yere greatly of astronomy course of heuyn planets with theyr respectes breuely and playnly that that ypocras Galyen or Ptholomy comprehendyd in great or iuste volumes Also moch worldly experyence Abundaūt in prophesyes how the maners of mē shal alter and the world shal be ended with his iugment meruelus exhortyng the people to eschew the fylthynesse of synne what paynes are ordayned for yt and the ioyes of heuyn Than is this boke necessary to al men For it exhortyth to wysdome good maners ensamples hystoryis wherfore it may well be called a boke of philosofye that is to say a stody of wysdome Than I coūsayle euery mā to rede this boke or that cannot rede to geue dylygent eere to the reder for they shal fynde therī great frute bothe to the soule and body ¶ Here begynneth the table of this boke ¶ Fyrst the hystory of Boccus Sidracke how by the power of god he dystroyed his ydols and by the counsayle of the aungel shewed hym the vmbre of the trinite wherby he conuerted hym and all his host Than gaue he hym enstructions and answeryd to dyuers questions that he demaundyd of hym ¶ The questyons ¶ Yf god be euer and euer shal be The fyrst questyon Where may it be that god of heuen may be sene ii Yf god be ouer al and euery where iii. Whiche was the fyrst thynge that god made iiii The kyng asked whan aungel was wrought v. Wherfore serue the aungels that are in heuen vi Do deuyls know al rhynge and may do al thyng vii What shape are aungels and what can they do viii Dyd god make Adam with his owne hand ix In what place was Adam made x. Whether went Adam when he came out of paradise xi Dyd Adam any other syn than that he the appul ete and goddes commaundment brake xii What dyd Adam fro god take and howe shal he amendys make xiii Why was not Adam streyght loste when he had that synne wrought xiiii Why wold not god send an aungel or a man to amend Adā xv Why shal god be borne of a mayden she styll a mayden xvi Why is deth called dethe and how many dethes there be xvii Sendeth god man knowlege what deth he shal dye xviii Whan the soule from the body departeth howe goth it to other place xix Whether were the soule or body made fyrst xx Whiche speketh in man the soule or the body xxi The soule that is a goost hathe nother flesshe nor bone howe may it fele well or wo xxii Whiche is more lord the soule or the body xxiii In what place of the body hath the sowle his dwellyng xxiiii Why is the soule no lengar in the body than blode is left xxv How may it be that the people so dye xxvi How may man know that god made mā to his lykenes xxvii Seyng man is made of goddes lykenes why may he not do as god dyd xxviii Where becometh al the blode of man whan he dyeth xxix Where becometh the fyre whan it is quenchyd xxx Why dyethe not the body when he hathe loste halfe his blode or more xxxi Of what complexcion and nature is the body xxxii Ware sowles made at the fyrst or be they made euery day xxxiii May they haue any excusyng that of god know nothīg xxxiiii Shal a man do more than god cōmaundyth hym xxxv How many worldes be there how do mē them call xxxvi Dothe god greatly rewarde them that ryghtly hys seruys here do xxxvii The people that shall be at the commyng of hym and that shall be after shall they byleue in hym stedfastly xxxviii What cōmaundment shall goddes sone geue the people xxxix The blesfulest fayrest worthyest thyng what is it xl The fowlest and most perelous thyng to se which is it xli Shal the good sowles sorowe for the wicked xlii Which is bettar of helth or sycknesse to haue xliii What poure hath god geuen to sowle here xliiii Whan goddys sone is retorned to heuyn shall he leue eny gouerner here to rule the people xlv Goddys how 's who shal kepe it and haue it in holde xlvi He that doth no good but holdyth him styl doth he yl xlvii Lordshype shal it be more of rygour or pyte xlviii Shal aman do good to his kyn or frendes xlix Wherof comyth gentylhed .l. How may it be cold whan the wether is fayr and clere li. May aman by eny tokyn know the good from the yl lii The beleue of ydols shal it be aresed after my deeth liiii Why was it not goddys wyll that man lyued not a weke with one mele of mete liiii Dye the rych men as the pouer do lv Shal men iuge the rych as they do the pouer lvi May wecked men euer get goddys loue as the good haue lvii How may the child that ful of loue is come out of the mothers wombe lviii May eny woman bere mo chyldren at onys than one lix Which is the best thyng that may be or man may haue lx What is the worst thyng that man may haue lxi How may aman be leel and trew lxii Wherof comyth hardynesse and dred in man lxiii Wherof comyth meselry or scalle lxiiii Ware al thynges of goddys makyng made at the begynīg lxv Who noryssheth the trute in erth lxvi The beastes that haue no wyt how wax they ragyus and mad lxvii What beast leuyth longest in
Adam dyd amys And man was made so yf he wolde That he euer leue shulde Without trauayle and without wo But whan he was fallen god fro Myght he not agayne come hym to Without trauayle and wo also And trauayle shulde hym not lyft But yf he had hunger and thyrst And honger thyrst keelth and hete With other paynes that men with mete Shuld man nothynge of haue wyst Had the man not synned fyrst And with honger and thyrst maye Glotony be done awaye And for to mene in mannes thought The glotony that Adam wrought And that synne to wasshe a waye Kyndly hym hongereth euery daye ¶ The .lv. questyon ¶ The ryche men dye they also Lyghtly as the poure men do Ryche and poure that men fynde All god made them of one kynde One whyle waxeth the poure ryche And somtyme made poure is the ryche Up and downe catel is brought But kynde of man ne changes nought Honger and thyrst hete and colde Ioye and sorowe many folde Slepe and wake etynge and drynkynge And many mo kyndes of lyuynge This hath the poure men as well As the rych of kynde euery dele But the poure by reson Are of strongar complexcyon Than the ryche that deyntely doth fede But they in trauayle theyr lyfe do lede But whan deth knocketh truly There is no nother remedy But both alyke shal fare Rych or poure whether they are ¶ The .lvj questyon ¶ Shall men iuge the ryche also As they the poure do IUge they shal them of ryght Stryghter than y e poure wyght And euer the rycher that he be And he mysdo ageyne the The more payne shulde he bere Shulde no ryches hym out were And yf men deme the ryche sore The poure shall hym drede the more But for the poure mannys dede Hath the rych no drede But god rewardys them than The rych more than the poure man And demyth both ryghtwysly After as they are worthy So shuld men deme the quycke Rych and poure al alyke ¶ The .lvij. questyon May the wycked as wel for ay Haue goddys loue as the good may A Wycked man that hath do synne And of wyckydnes wyll blynne Cryēg god mercy wyllyng to do it no more He shal be in goddys fauoure The good are goddys where they go The wycked are fall hym fro Yf aman athynge haue lore That he loued wel before And he may it after fynde That shal he more haue in mynde And more shall therof be glad Than of all the othere that he had By man faryth god euyn so Yf aman ageyne hym mys do And it dedly synne be Far fro god fallen is he But yf he wyll mercy craue Sykerly he shall it haue For therof is god fulfayne And than fyndeth he hym agayne And of his fyndynge is he glad For the great loue that he to hym had Thus maye wycked aswell all daye Haue goddes loue as goodmen maye ¶ The .lviij. questyon ¶ How may the chyld that ful of loue is Come out of y e mothers wōbe tel me this GOd that all hath made of nought More wonders hathe he wrought And as he hath power therto The one body in that other to do So hath he myght it out to brynge For at his wyl are all thynge Whan tyme cometh that woman shall Be delyueryd of that she gothe withall All the ioyntes of her body Open and enlargeth them kyndly All one saue the chyn before And in that tyme the chylde is bore As a lykenes of dethe that ware But as sone as the body bare The ayre hath sauoryd that is here The bones that febely mowe stere Begynne for to drye anon And waxeth harde growyng to bon And all the lyghthes that ware open In the woman agayne are cropen Harken I shal tel the how If aman his fyngar drow The ioynt wyl open and vndo And after shet agayne to So it faryth with woman after chyldynge Throughe the grace of the heuynly kynge ¶ The .lix. questyon ¶ May eny woman bere mo Chyldren in her at onys than two A Woman may bere kyndly Seuen at onys in her body For the matryce of woman If you vnderstande can Hath seuen chambres and no mo And eche one is separat other fro And she may haue in eche of tho A chylde and so with seuen go If goddys wyl be fyrst therto And the kynde of woman also If hote of kynde be the woman And hath great lykyng to the man One chambre or two or thre Of them that in her matryce be Of great wyl open ther agayne That aman hath by her layne The sede falleth in them anone And they close agayne eche one And yf that sede acordaunt fynde It waxeth further in his kynde And yf that other chaumbers be Open and it be that she Knowe man agayne that same nyght Or on the morowe by daye lyght Or the second daye later nought And the sede be therin brought They spere to and holde it fast And norysshe chyldren at the last And so longe they shulde be borne Latter than other are beforne As they ware gete sonderly But vnderstande not therby That euery tyme that aman Knowes flessly awoman That the seed in her rote take Many thynges may lettynge make But it behouyth that he and she Be both to gether atempre For yf aman alecheroure be And haunteth many as men do se The seed of hym is of no myght For feblenes of fowlynge ryght And yf aman holde hym fro That he no woman come to And than doeth as ye wotte The seed of hym is so hotte Whan it is to his chamber brought It brennyth and wastyth all to nought And yf the man be of tempre And yf the woman not so be But brennyng hote and of good wyll It shall the seed in her spylle And yf they both be of tempure Theyr seed shall in his chamber dure Fest there in and so ground fast That yt shall come to man at the last And yf theyr together comynge Be glade and mery in all thynge Of glade semblant theyr chyld shal be As they ware both at the assembly And yf they assemble them wrothly Tother shal be the chyld truly If the one be glade the other nought And the chyld be bytwyx them wrought The chyld shal be somtyme blythe And somtyme great felnes kythe And yf that it befall so That the one of them two Hath eny man greatly in thought Whan the seed is to his chambre brought That seed may lycknes take percaas Of hym that in theyr thought so was ¶ The .lx. questyon Which is the best thyng y t may be Or man may haue tel it me HUmylyte is the best thynge That is vnder heuyn kynge For he that hath with hym humylyte He is indued with vertues thre Unto god and hymselfe also And his neyghbore vnto Al thynges are loued therby And god loueth it greatly The aungels that in heuyn are For humilyte myght not fall in care With the other that fell out For they
gold ne fee But moch honoure makyth she And the tonge hath no bone But it doth breke many one And also wel ware it the wyl Myght it speke the good as yl ¶ The .lxxix. questyon ¶ Whether hath aman more conyng Of hot mets or of colde etyng A Man that vsyth hot metys He chasys his body whan he etys The senewes norysshys he therby And al the vaynes of his body He warmyth the brayne and the hert And makyth them of wyt smerte Colde metes dothe not therto But keleth senowes and vaynes also And styreth the humours wycked and yl That the het held styll And they kele a mannys wyt Wherfore necessaryly behouyth it Whan the wyttes are so colde That they the lesse conynge holde ¶ The .lxxx questyon ¶ How maye aman fle felony And wrathe and malencoly Fyrst shal amā haue ī his thought Hym y t hī hathe made of nought And thanke it hym in al sake Y t he at his likenes wold hī make And he shuld hym bethynke also Of the deth that he shal to That no man may fro shrynke Also shal he hym bethynke How god hath geuen to many Mayme and sekenes of body And to some rotyng of lym And what helthe he gaue to hym Ete and drynke after skyll And slepe as that reason wyll That euyl well ouercome he shall That hym stereth to greue withall And so maye he felony Ouercome and malancoly ¶ The .lxxxj questyon ¶ Whether to haue is more bate Loue of woman or her hate A Good woman is good to loue And holde vnto mannes behoue For of good women comethe nought Neyther in warke nor in thought But good and worshyp where she goeth And euery man therfore her commendeth For but good and trewth and lawe Doth she mene to her felawe And such a woman loue men shal And do worshyp and honour with all A wyckyd woman shal men hate And fle from her in the gate If men may not fle her styl Fynde menys to eschew her wyckyd wyl For men shal neuer haue but folye Of wyckyd womannys companye Moch peryl and great blame And amonge men eschap moch shame Her maners are ful of vyce Moch lyke to a cocatryce Whych is a beast as men of tellyth And in the water most he dwellyth He hath a great hed and a longe And many reth crokyd and wronge Twyes in the yere he is greued With wormes that in hys teth do bred And whan he felyth them so The lande doth he drawe to And lyeth agayne the sonne aldaye Gapynge as wyde as he maye Than comyth a foule that god wold make The wormes out of his teth to take Aprycke on his hed is dyght Shapen as an edyl ryght The fowle crepeth in al nyce In to the mouth of the Cocatryce And the wormes etyth echone The Cocatryce felyth anone That the wormes destroyed be Anon her mouth closyth she And wold that fowle ete for his mede That hath don to hym that good dede The byrd felys her not wel And wotyth that she wyl hym spyl With his mouth that is sharpe before The Cocatryce smytyth thore In the mouth agayne the palat That she openyth her mouth wyth that The byrd fleyth out in haste And spedyth her awaye faste Such seruys yeldyth wyckyd wemen For al his good dede vnto man Wherfore shal good men styl Fle from theyr wyckyd wyl ¶ The .lxxxij. questyon ¶ A man that is in helth and yonge How angerys he for a lytel wronge I Shal tel the how and why The hert is lorde of the body The body is his wardeyn And his seruaunt with al his meyn For al that lyketh the hert vnto Lykes to the body also The eyne are gythers of the herte The erys messyngers smerte The tonge his aduocat is she And the fete his somers be The handes are his knyghtes ensured The hertys castel is the hed The braynes so are castel as I haue sayn That of the hert reseuyth fayn If the hert a worde here veryly Be it scath or be it mery He may it not wyte ne know But his messyngers to hym it show And yf that the tydynges hym lyke He reioysys of it wonderlyke And al his men haue ioy and blys That the hert so mery is But whan y e messyngers tel hym eny thyng Wherto he hath no lykyng He styrreth and quakyth wrothfully And al his men are than sory Al are they wroth and quake also As the wote them selfe do His enemyes are glad therfore On his men waxyng glowyng sore If the hert be strong and wyes And loue the castel there he lyes And his men wyl se vntyl And theyr scath not norysshe wyl Blame charge and the wroth all Upon hym selfe take he shall Holdyng hym faste it agayne Than shal his men rest and be fayne And his foos ouercome be That haue reryd his meyne But yf the hert be feble and vayne His enmyes brennes hym agayne And yf he haue no myght in resestyng Theyr assaut hym assaylyng And his men are as feble as he And remembres nought her aduersyte But to mysdo they styre them smerte And al the sorowe bydeth the herte Wherfor the body may take no scath But the herte felle it rath ¶ The .lxxxiij. questyon ¶ How may a man blameles be ¶ To loue a woman hym not she LOue may they together wel As in god I the tel For god them together festyd louely Of both makyng one body By cause frute shuld be bytwyx them two To goddys name worshype to do Wherfor shuld eyther loue other in blys As the wyl of god is ¶ Of loue ther is another maner After as the world vsyth here As a man to loue his wyfe For her fayrnes and her good lyfe For ryches and her lewte And wyt that in her may be Aman that a good wyfe hauys That hym bothe wynnys and sauys And is of good maner withall The world wyl that he her loue shall And for these skylles shal woman After the worlde agayne loue man But who so loueth other wele And of these vertues haue no dele Moche to blame are they trewly For they loue vnskylfully ¶ The .lxxxiiij. questyon ¶ Wherof comethe the fatnes why That aman hath in his body OF flewmys that in the body renneth Cometh fathed who so them kenneth And yf the flewmys be swete Throughe the body they shete And the hete of other thynges Sle they and themselfe sprynges And lordshyp they haue anone Ouer the humours euerychone And whan that they maysters are The swetnes of them turneth yare In to grece than gather that And maketh so the body fat Yf the flewmes be salte within The flesshe and the body they brenne And company anone they take Unto colours yelowe and blake And whan they in lymmes veynes sprede And tho colours with them lede So longe as they therin dure They let the body of norture And holdis it so lene alwaye That it no grece gather maye
Therfore it is good to many one To let the flewmes out of hym gone For aman may be slaynyd therby Or make great scabbe on his body ¶ The .lxxxv. questyon ¶ Shal a man awoman chastyse With betyng whan she doth amyse GOod wymen to dele with al Theyr mysdedys shal be but smal And yf she haue ought mysgon She repentys her anon Shonysshyng her mysdede Men shal than her chastyse and lede With fayr wordes and soft And shal noman morne her oft Whan a wickyd woman hath myswrought And shonysys it ryght nought But doth vse it al tyte And hath therin great delyte If man her blame that she dyd so Another tyme shal she wors do If men them vpbrede or bete The lesse she shal her folye lete Men shal her warne twyes or thryes With fayrewordes yf he be wyes And with gyfte and fayre hetyng Wyl not leue that thynge Man shal her let and fro her go For it helpyth man no nother to do Unto woman that wyckyd wyl be For of the deuyls wyl is she And the deuyl her dwellyth in That causyth that she cannot blyn Wherfore there is no better wone But let the deuyl and her alone ¶ The .lxxxvj. questyon ¶ What thyng is gelousy to knowe And why is man in gelousy so OF gelousy are maners mo For to tel of than one or two One gelousy of god it is Whan aman heryth spekyng amys Agayne god or agayne his lay As herytykes do al day There shuld aman be ryght gelous And to his lawe ware defyrus Yet shal aman gelous be Ouer his frende yf eny haue he And that gelouse is coÌ„maundment Of clene hert and louyng entent Yet is there a gelousye That comyth of fowle hert and folye And of wyckyd humours also That the hert gatherys vnto That gelousy comyth of woman suerly Enhauntyng them wyckydly The hert brennys of wyckyd thought Rest in the body may it nought Mete and drynke he forgettyth al quyte With al his ioy and his delyte If aman be in such a stryfe For her that is his owne wyfe Out of his thought he shal it late And thynke that it may hym not bate His borden from his backe he thro And cast it vnto grownd lowe And thynke yf she good wolde be Shuld non her kepe so wel as she And thynke tyll he faryth so He sekyth after sorow and wo And yf he loue one wodly That not is his owne properdly He trauaylys in gelousye Of brennyng hert and great folye In angwysshe great lyue he sha And his tyme losyth al He is lyke that man I wys That nyght and daye fyghtyng is Agayne the wynd it for to take His owne at his wyl to make And euer the lengar he doth so The forther is the wynde hym fro ¶ The .lxxxvij. questyon ¶ Shal aman loue his frende And opyn to hym al his mende HIs good frende aman loue shal With good hert and clene with al After his myght and with hym dele And of his charge bere somdele For yf he ryght good frende be No goodnes forgetyth he But of dyuers maners are they al Many that men frendes call Some ther are that wel can shake And aman fayre semblant make Sayeng that he is his frende Untyl he knowe ought of his mende He proferys hym his wyl to do But there is no trust ther to What he doth he rekenyth not nor hew But that it be his owne prow For dyd he ought agayne hym He shuld fynde hym fell and grym And he loueth me lyghtly inbate That for a lytel wyl me hate He that loueth me for myne And not for me that is venyme But he is frende to mannys behoue To trust in and to loue That nought assentyth to the wyl Of hys frend that may turne to yll And seruyth not glosyngly But chastyse hym of his foly And though he apertly hym mysdo He ne says hym no word vnto In that frend shal man haue fyaunce And loue hym and hym auaunce ¶ The .lxxxviij. questyon ¶ May aman his profyt do And no trauayl haue therto SIthen adaÌ„ ete through wyckyd rede The appul that god forbede Fro that tyme vnto nowe Myght neuer adam do his prowe Ware he neuer so myghty Without trauayl of his body The worlde that men on affye Is but vanyte and folye Therfore it behoueth pouer to trauel smere And ryche men in theyr hert As to thynke how they shal saue And multyplye that they haue And also thynke on heuyn kynge To make hym selfe a good endynge Better it is before to trauel hard So that the proue come afterward Than of trauayl here to slake And fowle endyng after to make For without some trauayl May no man in the world auayl ¶ The .lxxxix. questyon ¶ Shal men do good almes dede Unto pouer that haue nede DO good men shal to a pouer man That hym selfe helpe ne can And what befall ne rekyn shal But for goddys loue do all Unto the rych is lent rychesse To helpe the pouer that hath dystresse He shal thynke that pouer borne be Of adam and Eue as wel as he And to his lycknes are wrought And that he hath his ryches nought Of hym selfe but of goddys loue His body to kepe only But his sowle with al to tyle And thynke that after a whyle He shal dye and go hens somwhere And nothynge shal he with hym bere But as he came so shal he fare Both pouer nakyd and bare Therfore shal he pouer gyue vnto Gladly departyng therwith also For that he geuyth that shal he fynde And that he leuyth hym behynde Is the worldys and not his Whreof he shal haue lytel blys ¶ Tâ—e lxxxx questyon ¶ How shal aman hym order me say That is among the folke alday A Man shal hym contayne wysely Among men and curteslye And with fayre semblant euery whore Spekyng at mesure and nomore And here other speke whan they begynne Thoughe he haue no delyt therin For it is great curtesye To cast vnto hym his eye That he spekyth holde with al And to his wordes lysten he shal Yet shal he kepe hym euery a tyde With out bost and also pryde Thoughe he more rycher were Than eny other that are there For euer the myghtyare he be The better behauyour of shuld be he For to be curtys and meke If he wyl honoure seke And yf he shal speke eny whore He shal hym bethynke before And cast than in his hert ryght wel Or that he speke eny dele And whan that he shal tel his wyl Gyue bold and fayre semblaunt there tyl And be abasshed of nothynge Whyl he is in tellynge Aman that shal a reason show A baysshyng as he doth it out throw His knowlege is then lost among For they wyl say that he sayth wrong Be he among foles brought There his wysdome helpyth nought Wherfore he hym contayne Untyl he be among wysmen agayne As foly among wysmen is wyke Wysdome among folys
thynge God his maker heuyn kynge And next his owne body And than his wyfe pryncypaly His chyldren ought aman by kynde For to loue and haue in mynde But whan god fyrst made adam And Eue of his body came He gaue hym her vnto fere And bade hym for to haue her dere Than in that geuyng made he Man and his wyfe one to be And yf thou and thy wyfe be one And that partyng is none Ne none other may forsake Unto deth the one take Thou ought thy wyfe to loue more Than al the chyldren that thyne more If thou forlese thy good wyfe Than lesyst thou the solace of thy lyfe And yf thou thy chyldren forgo Of thy wyfe may thou wyn mo Wherfore shalt thou thy wyfe loue more Than thy chyldren and hold in store ¶ The C.lxxx questyon ¶ If I had no father borne Ne no mother me beforne How shuld I haue borne be In this world or here or se LOnge or god the world wrought Or man or beast therin brought He knewe al that shuld be borne Which saued and which forlorne And al theyr names and thought God had bene elles nought Wherfore he wyst wel of the That thou shuldest borne be And seyng thou nedys shuldest be borne Though thy father the beforne Ne thy mother that was also Had nother come this world vnto Another father thou shuldest haue had And mother that had the both fede and clad ¶ The C.lxxxj questyon ¶ The chyld that hath ful the shap In the mother by what hap Is it somtyme brought to nought And may alyue forth be brought BE thre causes may it come to Why it comyth to pas so One than may be goddys wyl That he wylleth that it shal spyl Another skyl also ther is Why it so fareth somtyme amys The feble norysshyng in the wyfe That it may not come to lyfe For the feblenesse of the which norture Makyth the seed not to dure Feblenes of raynes the thyrd As in woman is be tyde Some woman with chyld may be And so feble of rayns is she That she is not of the myght Of the chyld to suffer the weyght The mother sterys and turnes about So that the chyld fallyth out Whan it is out than is it lorne And so than is it ded borne And by the grace of goddys myght The mother sperys a non ryght ¶ The C.lxxxij questyon ¶ Wymen y t in this world are here Are they al of one manere WImen are made al after one In flesshe blode hyde and bone And al the lymes y u seyst one bere Euery one such lymes were And that men felys one vpon May men fele on euery one But of complexcyon are they sere Of word wyl and of manere But al on one delyte men fynde Whan it comyth to dede of kynde Ofte of wathers may thou se That of dyuers hewes they be But in thy mouth yf thou them take Al as one water shal they smake So do wemen whare they fare Al of one sauyour they are But thynketh some man That swetar is some woman Than some other fyftene And of that may be thre thynges mene One is yf she be fayre and whyte For aman hath more delyte In her that is bryght on ble Than in a lothlyer on to se Another cause is noble wede For aman geuyth gladder mede To her that nobely is dyght Than to a pouer raggyd wyght The thyrd skyl is whan a man So great loue hath to woman That hym thynkyth none so swete to hold For loue hath no lacke it is sayd of olde ¶ The C.lxxxiij questyon ¶ If thy frend haue wyfe and meyne And them mysdo thou se Salt thou vnto thy frēde it sey And his wyfe and meyne be wrey IF thy neyghbor haue a wyfe That be of euyl lyfe And thou may it vndertake That she wronge doth agayne her make Or dystroyer of his good be And thou maye it wete or se Warne hym so preuely and styl That he smyte in none euyl wyl But byd hym that he loke therto So that they nomore do so And make he hym wroth at the fyrst Whan that he the soth hathe wyst And throughe thy wordes he shal take hede And than shal he the better spede And saue his good that shuld away And yf thou hym no word dyd say For men sayne in olde sawes By good neyghbours god day men dawes ¶ The C.lxxxiiij questyon ¶ Yf a man any thynge shal do Shal he hym ought hast therto IF thou thynke to do a good dede Hastly therto thou the spede For good dede shal haue no respyte He doth it twyes that doth it tyte But thynke thou euyl dede to do Haste the nothyng there vnto Be thynke the fyrst in thy herte That it the not after smerte For yf that thou take good hede Euyl haste is al vnspede In lytel tyme may befalle the That thy herte may chaunged be So that thou shalt the with holde Fro that thou fyrst don wolde And than shalt thou lyke wele That thou hasted to it no dele ¶ The C.lxxxv questyon ¶ Shal he that eny good can In this world loue euery man GOostly for god loue shalt thou Euery man and I shal tel the how Tyl his sowle no euyl wyl More than thou wylt thyne owne tyl But bodely thy loue shal be To euery man as he loueth the Loue he the loue hym a geyne And of his company be feyne Hate he the hate hym also And do with hym as he wold to the do Come thou to thy frendes how 's There thy foes thou feryst not thus He wyl receyue the with blys And for the the gladder he is If thou eny thyng hym craue With good wyl thou mayst it haue Such aman shalt thou loue ageyne And his wyl to do be feyne If thou come vnto thy foo That sawe the leuer hang than go Despyte of hym may thou gete Or eyther drynke or mete From such aman shalt thou fle And hate hym as he doth the For in old sawes says men that He that loues there he is hate Agayne the streme he rowes sore And to lese hath he no more ¶ The C.lxxxvj questyon ¶ The folke of this world ech one Are they comune after one BEtwyx them is comunaute In some thynges as thou may se For al are they borne in care And al shal they hens fare And al shal they rotte away And al aryse at domysday But betwyx them in some thyng Is dyuersyte for some is kynge Some pouer and vyle is theyr mete Some lyue by that they may gete Some go clade and some bare And of dyuerse manere men are Of dyuerse wyl of dyuerse thought Here in comune are they nought And as here is dyuersyte So shal there in other world be Some shal in to payne be brought To dole the werkes that he hath wrought And some shal in to payne of helle There with out ende to dwelle And some shal in to
vpon a tree Whan a wynde it touches ought It fallyth vnto ground for nought The old man is in that caas A lytel ese whan that he has He fallyth a slepe quyte And that is greatly his delyte For feble reynes and heuy bonys That causyth hym to slepe for the nonys ¶ The CC.xxvj questyon ¶ If god had so great a mā wrought As al the world myght he ought Haue stond agayne god ryght Thrughe vertu of his myght HAd he made so great aman As any man recken can As al the world dale or doune Woode water feld or toune Agayne god had he no mayne More than an aunte hath hym agayne And yet a thowsand tymes lesse Than hath the aunte in his greatnesse For god with word euynly wrought Heuyn erth and al of nought And wold he byd them synke It shuld be don as thou coudest thynke Seyng he erth and henyn may vndo Euyn with his word also And is but apoynt of his myght Moch more than with ryght Is the remnaunt of his pouste Wherfore to hym may nothyng be ¶ The CC.xxvij questyon ¶ What shuld this word haue be how Had god not dyght it as it is now IT shuld haue be more ne lesse Than a fowle dale of darknesse Or as a darke pryson pyt And nothyng shuld haue aluted it The elements that we now calle Shud haue be troblyd to gether al And god shuld neuer thelesse in blys Haue byn and rought nothyng of this But for the creaturs sake That god wold afterward make The elementes claryfyed he Settyng ech one ther they shuld be And dyghtyd al thynges to mannys prow Also as that they are now ¶ The CC.xxviij questyon ¶ Wether the aūgels of goddys onde cā As dyd the sowle fyrst of Adam ADamys sowle so was wrought Of goddys flate but aungel nought They were of goddys worde alone He bad them be and they were echone But god blewe vpon Adam Goost of lyfe and he forth came Wherfore adam and his ospryng That stedfastly ouer al thyng Trust in god and beleue shal And his byddyng do with al Dygnyer before god shal be Than aungels be resons thre Fyrst he hathe lyfe that may not wonde Of the spririte of goddes onde And that was hygher to my thynkyng Than aungel that came ofspekyng Also aman has enemyes To tempte hym were he goth or lyes And aungel in no temptyng is Wherfore he may not do amys And he that the temptyng withstandis And cometh not in the deuyls handis He is more dignyer than he That in no temptyng may be The thyrd cause then is also That god hath set aungel therto To kepe man both fer and hende And fro al euyl hym to defende And from al encombrement But yf hym selfe therto assent And yf aungel mannys seruaunt be Than is agood man dygnyer than he ¶ The CC.xxix questyon ¶ Now wold I know I wys What thyng is heuynly paradyse HEuynly paradyse than is Nothyng but that same blys That a man hath of the syght Of goddys face that is so bryght For he that sees hym face to face He hath al maner of grace Ioy and delyte endlesse to be Helth fayrhed strenght and lewte Wyt and conyng with ryches also God for his myght send vs therto ¶ The CC.xxx. questyon ¶ The fayrest thyng in this world to se That god made which may it be AMan than is the fayrest thyng That is in erth af goddys makyng And the louelyest of vysage For he hym made after his ymage And for man made sonne and mone With al thynges that vnder wone And also as he wold make Al thynges for mannys sake Seruyse vnto man to do So wil he man to hym shal do ¶ The CC.xxxj questyon ¶ Whether oughtest thou to loue alday That loue the or that y e louest me say THou shalte loue that loueth the And that thou louest some lat be For thou louest some parauenture That of the take ful lytel cure And but thou loue with al shy meyne Hym that loueth the agayne Than wyl I saye thou louyst nought God that at his lykenes the wrought And who so loueth synne here He loueth the deuyl to haue to fere And he ne loueth here no man But to shende al that he can And to put hym in payne and wo Lo what wyse he loueth tho The good he hateth day and nyght But them to dere he hathe no myght For god defendes them with his myght And loueth al that loueth hym a ryght Therfore they that great loue hath the tyl Loue hym agayne for that is skyl ¶ The CC.xxvii questyon ¶ Which are the worthyest wordes y t be And gras and stones as thynketh the GOd gaue vnto thynges thre Moch vertu and potence And to mannes helpe eche one To worde to gras and to stone The worthyest word and most of myght For to saye day or nyght Is to worshyp heuen kyng And pray hym after good endyng For yf this word be worthely spoken It shal be hard fro erth to heuen Also grasses are there feele Made vnto mannys hee le But of so many is there one That may werst be forgone That is where to fode of man Worthyar grasse not I tel can Also are ther many stones Of great vertu for the nones But mylle stones are they tho That man may not wel forgo For the gryndyng of the corne They may werst be forborne And seyng al haues of them nede That with brede shal them fede Worthyest stone I them call Among other stones al ¶ The CC.xxxiij questyon ¶ Shalt thou thy counsel tel euery dele To thy frend that thou louest wel COunsel ought to be tolde To hym that thou al haue wolde Which is god and man elles For he wyl hele that thou telles If thou thy frend tel it vnto It may after befalle so That that frendshyp may ouer go And thy frende becomyth thy fo Than may thou say yf the lyste Now wottyth my foo that my frynd wyst Or yf thou thy frende it sey And wenyst he shal the not wrey And he tellys it preuely Unto another frend hym by And he the fourth as may welbe This may it not long be preuete For that many mouthes wote On some tonge it lyes ful hote Thus myght thou come in blame therfore Wherfore bettar vntolde it wore If thou a preuete haue wrought And thy herte may hele it nought Thynkyng it sadnes in the ryght Untyl thou haue told it to some wyght Go from the folke be the alone That no man here the make no mone And call it than thy selfe to As thou woldest to a nother do Whan thou hast told thy herte shal keel And no more anguyshe shalt thou fele If thou no wayes may it hold Tyl thou haue it a nother told Loke thou tel it to such one That thou may wel trust vpon That he wyl tel it on no syde For no wrath that may be tyde ¶ The CC.xxxiiij questyon ¶ Which are
wymen of most profyte For man to haue to his delyte UNtyl sowle profytes none But amanys wyfe alone But of the body yf thou sey In the yere are sesons twey After which aman loke shal What woman he shal dele with al In wynter whan the ayre is colde And his keelth yeldes manyfolde A yong woman and broune also Profytes than man vnto For broune woman is of hote onde And of hote guttes fonde And her hete hetys man also And great profyt doys hym to In somer whan the ayre is hote And heteth both drye and wote Than is a yong whyte woman Best vnto profyt of man For she is colde of kynde to fele And man of great hete may she kele But an olde woman doth no profyte Unto man nother broune ne whyte For yl onde aboute she beres And moyst guttes that greatly deres She makys aman pure heuy And greuyth euery dele his body And doth chaunge his fayre colour Wherfore in her is no socour ¶ The CC.xxxv questyon ¶ The quakyng that aman is in Somtyme wherof may it begyn QUakyng that sometyme lyghtly Falles aman in his body Cometh of flemes that are colde That the moysture in his body holde For they ouer come of theyr â—ouste Al the colers that in hym be Whan the colers haue al in welde A great keelth in man they yelde That cold reykes forth ther with Unto synnes veynes and ech lyght Which causyth hym to quake begyn And the body shake within As the blast of a colde ayre wyl make A thynne clothyd man for to shake ¶ The CC.xxxvi questyon ¶ Whan aman seyth a thynge Whether geuyth the eye out in seyng Or it receyuyth inward therto The shape that it sees also NOthyng may come out owhore But there that it went in before Nor eye may nothyng geue outward But that it fyrst receyuyd inward Wherfore vnderstand a ryght Thre thynges go to the syght Fyrst that thyng that thou shalte se That other that it coloured be For of al thynges is seen nothyng But only the colouryng The thyrd are bemes of the syght Which vpon that thyng shal lyght That shal be seen and after this Moysture that in the eyne is Drawes vnto hym the shapyng And the facyon of that thyng And that shape yeldes it the branes vnto And the braynes to the herte also The herte sendys it to hym at the last And in memory holdes fast And for that sendyng wyl the herte Thynke a nother tyme ful smerte Of the thyng eyen had somwhore Seen truly therbefore ¶ The CC.xxxvij questyon ¶ How may aman spekyng be Be hym alone and say we AMan is made more ne lesse But after goddys owne lycknesse And also as in the godhed be Rekened ryghtly persons thre So there are in euery man Thre thynges that I reken can Body sowle and the wyt Thes thre are together knyt The tong an instrument is ryght To speke the sowle geuyth myght The wyttes gouern aboue al What so the tong speke shal And seyng euery man hath thes thre In spech may he wel say we ¶ The CC.xxxviij questyon ¶ May with takyng from the see It in any thyng amenysshed be THyng that men alday of take Behouyth to menysshe and slake Now is no water of al that be Fresshe nor salt but of the see And euery day men takys therto Both man and beast and fowle also And al that is taken euery day Ageyne to the see ne may There goyth of it to wast somdele As euery man may wyt wel But the erth yeldes waters her fro That vnto the see go And the see restores eft Of al that men hath it reft And it is so long and wyde And so greatly depe and syde That men may aperceue nothyng That therof goys to wastyng ¶ The CC.xxxix questyon ¶ Whether shal man loue one or other Chyld of the suster or of the brother BOth ought thou for to loue them euin After goddys ryght of heuyn But after the worldys lawe Some man were leuer to hym drawe The brothers chylde and loue hym more Than the susters harken wherfore The chyld takys matter of the wyfe And of the father shape and lyfe And shape of al thyng I wys Is worthyare than the matter is Wherfore that some men wyl sey The brothers chyld is nere of twey But gyle is on that other syde As men hath wyst it ofte betyde My brothers wyfe may be a wyle And may do her husbond gyle And wyt on hym achyld lyghtly That he no more gat than I But achyld that my suster bare Therof am I suer and ware That that behouyth to be kynne of nede But of my brothers chyld is drede ¶ The CC.xl. questyon ¶ Tel me now yf that thou can The peryloust thynges that are in man FOure colours hath man hym in That of foure complexcyons begyn The fyrst is blode that may not mysse That other blacke coloure I wysse The thyrd is fleme whyte on to se And yelow coloure the fourth is he And want aman of thes thre His body were deed anon And ech one behouys to be At his seson in his pouste And yf any lacke them al Out of tyme that they shuld in hym fall In sycknes the body falles Perylous wherfore men them calles And ech one hath his power In dyuers quarters of the yere Thre thynges the fyrst quarter ches Capricorne Aquarius and pisses And of flemes haue they myght And wete and colde is theyr ryght In December they begynne And in mydel of March they blynne Which is the coldest tyme of al For that is that we wynter call ¶ The seconde quarter next therby Haue Aries Taurus Gemini Blode in man haue they myght to And are hote and moyst also In March is theyr begynyng And in Iune is theyr endyng Uer hyght that seson that I mene Al thynges therin waxe grene ¶ The thyrd quarter hath hym vnto Cancer Leo and Uirgo And they are both hote and drye Of yelow colours is theyr maystrye In Iune is theyr begynyng ay And in September they wend away Which is the somer tyde The meryest tyme that men abyde ¶ The fourth hath sygnes thus Libra Scorpio Sagittarius They are both colde and drye And of blacke colour haue sygnorye Who 's begynyng is in September And theyr partyng in December And who so thes foure tymes obserues And his kynd wel in them gydes Fro perelles myght he kepe hym longe And in he le holde his lymmes stronge ¶ The .xlj. questyon ¶ Of al the flesshes y e men may get Which is the holsomest to ete THe flesshe that is of most substance And geuyth man most sustynaunce That flesshe is the holsomest And vnto mannys norysshyng best But who so a good stomacke myght get That myght wel dygest his mete To hym is best though it be grete Flesshe of bugle and of nete For great myght to man they geue But sycke men wyl they greue For a sycke man is feble ryght And