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
That leue was of lere and of liche boeth She was woÌ„derli wroght wit me so teched And al staryng dame study farnely sayde Wel art thou wyse ê™ she to wyt any wysdomes to tell To Flatterers or to foles that frentyke be of wyttes And blamed him and banned him bade him be styl Wyth suche wyse wordes to wyshe any sottes And sayde Noli mittere maÌ„ Margaryre Pearles Amonge hogges that haue hawes at wyll They do but driuel theron drate were him leuer ThaÌ„ al precious Pearles that in Paradice waxeth I saye it by such quoth she the shew it by her works That hem were leuer land By theit workes know theÌ„ and lordshyp on earth Or rychs or rentes and rest at her wyll Than al the soth sawes that Solomon sayde euer Wysedome and wytte nowe is not worth a kerse But if it be carded w e couetis as clothers kembe her woule Who so caÌ„ coÌ„tryue deceites coÌ„spyre wroÌ„gs And lead forth a loue daye to let wyth truth He that such craftes can is oft cleped to counsel They lead Lords wyth leasing es and belieth truth Iob the gentle in his gestes greatly wytnesseth That wycked meÌ„ weldeÌ„ the wealth of this world And the they be lordes of ech lond the out of law lyueth Psal xxii Quare impevruunt be ne est omnibus qui preuaricantur et inique agunt The Psalter sayeth the same by such as done euyl Ecce ipsi peccatores habuÌ„daÌ„tes in seculo obtinueruÌ„t diuitias Psal xi Lo sayth holy lecture which lordes be these shrewes Thilke that god geueth most lest good they dealeth And most vnkind be to the coÌ„meÌ„ that most catel weldeth Psal xi Que perfecisti destrurerunt iustus au tem c. Harlots for her harlotrye maye haue of her goodes And iapers and iudgelers and iangelers of iestes And he that hath holy wryte aye in his mouth And can tell of Tobie and of the twelue Apostles Or preacheÌ„ of the penauÌ„ce Only diuinitie hath no reward the Pilate falsely wrought To Iesu the gentle that Iewes to drawe Lyttle is he loued that suche a lesson sheweth Or daunten or drawe forth I do it on god him selfe But tho that faine hem foles and with faiting lyueth Agayne the lawe of our lorde and lien on hem selfe Spitten and spuen and speake foule wordes Drynken and driuelen and do men for to gape Lyken men lye on hem that leueth hem no gyftes They can no more minstrelsy ne musyke men to glad Than Mundie the milner of Multa fecit deus Ne were hir vyle harlotry haue god my trouth Shoulde neuer kynge ne knight ne canon of Poules Gyue hem to her new yeres gyfte gyfte of a grote And myrth minstrelsy All men loue bandrye amongest men is nought Lechery losenchery and losols tales Glotony and great othes this mirthe they loueth And if thei carpeÌ„ of Christ these clerkes these lewd And they meet in her mirth whan minstrels ben styll Than telleth they of the trinitie a tale or twaine And bringeth forth a blade reason takeÌ„ Bernard to witnes And put forth a presuÌ„ption to preue that soth Thus they dreuell at her dayse the dretie to scorne And gnawen god with hyr gorge whan her guts fallen And the carfull may crye and carpen at the gate Both a fyngerd and a furste and for chel quake Is none to nymen hem nere his noye to amend But hunten hym as a hounde hoten hym go hence Litle loueth he that Lorde that lent hym all the blysse That thus parteth w e the pore apercel whaÌ„ him nedeth Ne were mercy in mean men more than in rich Mendynauntes meatles myght go to bedde God is much in the gorge of these greate maisters And amonges meane men his mercy hys worckes And so sayeth the psalter Psal 3â— I haue sene it oft Ecce audiuimus eum in effrata inueniemus cum in campis silue Clarkes and other kinnes men carpen of god fast And haue him much in the mouth meane men in hert Friers and saytors haue fouden such questions To plese wyth the proud men sith the pestileÌ„ce time And preachen at S. Paules for pure enui fo clarks That folke is not firmed in the faythe ne free of her gooddes Ne sory for her synnes so is pryde waxen In relygion in al the teame amoÌ„gest rich pore That prayers haue no powre the pestilence to lette And yet the wretches of this worlde are none ware by other Ne for dreade of the death wtdraw not her prid Ne ben plentuous to the pore as pure charitie wold But in gaines i glotony forgloteÌ„ her goodes heÌ„ selfe And breketh not to the begger as the boke teacheth Frange esurienti panem tuum Esai lviii c. And the more he wynneth wexeth welthy in ryches And lordeth in landes the lesse good he dealeth To bie telleth you not so take hede ye ryche Howe the byble boke of hym beareth wytnes Si tibi sit copia habundanter tribue Si auteÌ„ eriguum Tobi. iiii illud impertiri stude libeÌ„ter Who so hath much spend maÌ„ly so meaneth Tobie And who so lytle weldeth rule hym thereafter For we haue no letter of our lyfe how long it shal endure Suche lessons lordes shoulde loue to heare And how he myght most meyny manlych fynde Not to fare as a fideler or a frier to seke feastes Homely at other mens houses and haten her owne Elenge is the hal euery day in the weke There the Lorde ne the lady lyketh not to sytte Nowe hath eche ryche a rule to eaten by hem felfe In a priui parler for poore mens sake Or in chambre wyth a chymney and leaue the chiefe hal That was made for meales men to feate in And all to spare to spende that spyll shall an other I haue heard heigh men eatynge at the table CarpeÌ„ as they clarkes were of Christ of his might And leideÌ„ saut vpon the father that formed vs al And carpen againe clarkes crad bed wordes Why would our sauiour suffer such a worme in his blisse That begiled the woman the man after Through wich wiles wordes they went to Hel And al her sede for her synne the same death suffered Here lieth your lore these lordes beginneth to dispute Of the ye clackes vs kenneth of Christ by the gospel Filias non port abit iniquitatem patris Eze. xviii Why should we that now be for the works of AdaÌ„ Roten and torente reasone would it neuer Vuusquispue portabit onus suum Such motiues thei moue Galat. bi these masters in her glory And make men to misbeleue that museÌ„ on her words Imaginatiue here afterward shall answere to your purpose Austen to such arguers telleth this teme Nou plus sapere quam oporter Wylneth neuer to wytte Rom. xii whye that God woulde Suffer Sathan hys sede to begyle And beleue lelly in the loore
saye Non necaberis I slea not but suffer and all for the beste For I shall punyshe hem in purgatorye or in the pyt of hel Euerye man for his misdedes but if mercy it let Thys is alonge lesson ê™ I and litle I the wyser Where do well is or dobet darkely ye shewen Many tales ye tell that Theology lerneth And that I man made was and my name entred In the legend of lyfe longe ere I were Or els wrytten for some wyckednes as holye wryte manaceth Nemo asceÌ„dit ad celuÌ„ nisi qui de celo desceÌ„dit Ioh. iii I leue it wel bi our lord quod I and no letter better For Solomon the sage that Sapience taught God gaue hym grace of wyt and al his goods after He demed wel and wysely as holy wrytte telleth Aristotle and he who wyshed men better Masters that of gods mercy teachen meÌ„ preachen Of her words they wish vs for wissest as in her time And al holy kyrke holdeth hem both dampned And if I shold worke bi her works to wyn me heuen That for her workes and wyt wonneth in payne Than wrought I vnwysely what so euer ye preach And of felle wytty in fayth lytle farly I haue Though her gost be vngracious god for to please For many men on this molde more setten her hertes In good thaÌ„ in god therfore hem grace fayleth At hyr moste mischiefe whan they shall lyfe lette As SolemoÌ„ did such other the shewed greate wyts And her workes as holi wryte saith were euer the coÌ„trarye Therfore wyse witted meÌ„ wel lettred clarkes As they say hem selues selde done therafter Supra cathedram Moysi Math. 23. c. And I wene it worthes of manye as was in Noes tyme Thei that made Noe a shippe were vnsaued Tho he shoope that ship of shides of bordes No wight the wroght theron was salfe ne ani workmaÌ„ els But birdes and beasses and the blessed Noe And hys wyfe wyth his sonnes also her wyues Of wights that it wrought was none of hem saued God leue it fare not so by folke that the fayth teacheth Of holy kirke the hat borowe is gods house to saue And shilden vs from shame therin as Noes ship did beasts And meÌ„ that made it amyd that stood he drowned The Culor of thys clause curate is to meane That ben carpeÌ„ters holy kirke to make for Christes owne beasts Psalm 36 Homines et iumenta saluabis domine On good Fryday I finde a felon was saued That had liued all hys life with leasinge with thefte And for he beknew on the crosse to Christ shroue him He was souer saued The theâ— was saued before any of the prophets than saint Iohn the Baptiste And or Adam or Isai or any of the prophetis That had lyen wyth Lucifer many longe yeres A robber was raunsomed rather than they all WithouteÌ„ any penaunce of purgatory to perpetual blisse ThaÌ„ Mari MagdeleÌ„ what womaÌ„ did worse Or who worse thaÌ„ Dauid that Vrias death conspired Or Paul the Apostle that no pity had Muche christen kynde to put to death And now be these as souereins sayntes in heauen Tho the wrought wickedlest in worlde tho they were And tho that wisely wordeÌ„ and written many bokes Of wit of wysedome with dampted soules woÌ„neth That SolomoÌ„ saith I trow be soth Eccles ix certeÌ„ of vs al Sunt iusti atque sapientes et opera eorum in manu dei sunt There are witty wellearned her workes ben hid In the handes of almighty god and he wot the sothe Wherfore a maÌ„ worth alowed ther his lelie works Or else for his yll wil and for enuy of herte And be alowed as he liued for by yl meÌ„ know god For how wist meÌ„ what is white if al thig blak were And who wer a goodmaÌ„ but if ther wer some shrew Therfore lyue we forth with other meÌ„ I leue few ben good For Qant oportet vient emplace il nyad que pati And he that may all amend haue mercy on vs all For thou sothist word that euer god said was Nemo bonus Cleargye tho of christes mouthe coÌ„meÌ„ded was litle For he sayd to saint Peter and to such as he loued Cum steteritis ante reges et precides c. Mat. vi Though ye come before kinges clarke of the lawe Be not abashed for I shall be in your mouthes And giue you wit wil and cuÌ„ning to conclude Hem al that agaynst you of christendome disputen Dauid maketh mention he spake amongest kinges And might no king ouercome him as bicuÌ„ning spech But wyt and wisedome wan neuer the maistrye Whan man was at mischiefe wtout the more grace The douties doctour and diumour of diuinitie Was Austen the old and heighest of the foure Sayd thus in a sermon I se it written once Ecce ipsi idiote rapiunt celum vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur And is to meane to Englishe men to more and to lesse Are none rather rauished from the right beleue Than are these cuÌ„ning clarkes that can many bokes Ne none souer saued ne sadder of beleue Than plowmen and pastors pore coÌ„men laborers Sowters and shepeherds such lewed Iuties Percen wyth a Pater noster the palaice of heauen And passeÌ„ Purgatori penauÌ„celes at her heÌ„ce parting Into the blisse of Paradice for her pure beleue That vnperfitelye here knew and eke liued Yea men knowe clarkes that cursed the tyme That euer they could or knew more theÌ„ Credo in deum And priÌ„cipalli her Pater noster mani a persoÌ„ hath wyshed I se exaÌ„ples my selfe so maye many other That seruauÌ„tes the seruen lordes seldoÌ„ fal in artrages But tho that kepe the lordes catell clarkes reues Ryght so lewde men and of lytle knowynge Selde fall they so foule and so ferre in synne As clarkes of holy church the kepe Christes treasure The which is maÌ„s soule to saue as god saith in the go spell Math. xx Ite vos in vineam meam Passus vndecimus de visione THan Scripture scorned me askile loked And lacked me in latine light by me she set And sayd Multi multa sciunt et seipsos nesciuÌ„t Tho wept I for wo wrath of hir speache And in a wynkinge wrath wexed I aslepe And marueylous metals mette me than That I was rauished right there fortune me set And into the land of Longing alone she me brought In a mirrour hight Midle earth she made me to loke SitheÌ„ she said to me here mightest thou se wonders And know that thou couetist come therto peradueÌ„ture Than had Fortune folowing her two fair damosels Concupiscentia carnis The dâ—â—â—sels of 〈◊〉 Fortunâ— men called the elder mayde And Couetis of eyes called was the tother Pryde of perfite liuynge pursued hem both And bade me for my couÌ„tenauÌ„ce accouÌ„t cleargy light Concupiscentia carnis colled me
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