pryde is gretly notifyed in holdyng of grete meyne whan they be of lityl pâ—â—uffit and namely whan the meyne is felenous damageâ—us to the pâ—ple by hardynes of her lordship or by wey of office For certes such lordis sellyn her lordshipps to þ e deuil of â—elle whan they susteyne þ e wickednes of her meyne or els whan these folk of lowe degre as they þ â— holden hostelryes susteyne thefte by their hostelers that is in many maners of discâ—ytes suche maner of folk bâ—n the flyes þ â— folowen þ e hony Or els tâ—â—â—â—undes that folâ—wen þ e carein which forsaid folk straÌ„gâ—â—n spirituelly her lordship For which thus saith dauid Wickednâ—s mâ—t come on the lorshipps god gyue that they mowâ— desâ—enâ—â— dâ—un in to helle For in her houses is iniquyte shreudnes not goâ— of heuyn certes yf þ u do no mendement right as 〈◊〉 his blessing to laban be cause of Iacob to pharao for þ â— sâ—â—â—ise of iosâ—ph right so wil god ieâ—e his malison to â—uche lordes that susteyne the wickednes of her seruauntâ—s But the comyn pryde of the table apperith eke ful ofte For certes riche men be cleped to festis and poure folk be put awey and rebuked And ther is excesse of diuerce metes and drynkes namely of curyous maner of bakemâ—tis and of semblable wast so that it is abusion for to thynke And eke in grete precyousnes of vessel and curiosite of mynystralcye by the whiche a man is styred more to the delytes of luxurye yf so be that he sette his herte the lesse vpon our lord Ihesu Crist certeyn it is a synne And certes the delycate metis and the delyte myght be so greet in the caas that men might the lightlyer falle by hem in to dedly synne The spyces that sourden of pryde sothly is whan they sourden of malice ymagined and auised and forn cast or els of vsage been dedely synnys it is no doubte And whan they sourden by freelte vnauysed sodeinly and sodenly withâ—drawe agayn al be they greuous synnys I gesse suppose they be not dedly Now myght men aâ—e wherof that pryde sourdeth and spryngeth And I saye that somtyme it spryngeth of goodes of nature And somtyme of the goodes of fortune and som tyme of the goodes of grace Certâ—s the goodes of nature stonden in the goodes of body oâ— of soule Certes the goodes of the body ben â—ele of body â— sâ—renghte deâ—lyuernes beaute gentrye and fraâ—â—nchises The goodis of nature of the soule ben good witte with sharp vnderstondyng subtil engyn vertu naturel â— good memorye â— Goodes of fortune ben riches high degrees of lordshippis prey syng of the peple Goodes of grace ben science â— power to â—ufâ—fre spirytuel trauayll benignytees vertuous contemplacoÌ„n Withstandyng of temptacion and semblable thynges Of whiche forsaid goodes certes it is a grete foly a man to pryden hym in ony of hem alle Now as for to speke of goodes of nature god wote that som tyme we haue them in nature as muche to our damage as to our prouffyt As for to speke of hele of body certes it passith ful lightly And eke it is ful ofte thencheson of the â—ikenes of the sowle For god wote the flesh is a ful grete enemy to the soule And therfore the more that a body is hool the more be we in peryl to falle Eke for to pryde hym in his strenghte of body it is a grete folye For certes the flesh coueyteth ayenst the spiryte And euer the more stronger the flesh is the soryer may the soule be And ouer al this strength of the body and wordly hardynes causeth ful oste many men to perylle and mysâ—hance Eke for to pryde hym of his genterye it is ful grete folye For ofte tyme the genterye of the body begynneth of the gentrye of the sowle And eke we be alle of one fader â—â—f â—ne moder And alle we ben of one nature rotyn and corupt bothe riche and poure For sothe a maner gentrye is for to preyse that apparaylleth mannes corage with vertuâ—s or moralyteâ—s and makiâ—h hym a Cristen child For trustâ—th wel that what man that synne hath ouer maistryd is very choâ—le to synne Now ben ther thre general thynges of gentilnes as eschewyng of vicys or rybaudrye And seruage of synne in word and werk in contenance And vsyng vâ—rtu as couâ—tesye clennesse and to be liberal that is to saye large by mesure For that that passith mesure is folye and synne Another is that he remembre hym of the bounte that he of other folk hath resseyuyd Another And is to be benygne ouer his â—ubgette werfore as saith Seneke Ther is nothyng more couenable to man of high estate that debonayrte And these flyes that men clepen Bees whan they make her kynge they chesen one that hath non prykke wherwith he may stynge Another is a man to haue a noble herte and a diligent tatteyne to hye vertuoê° thynges Certes also who that prydeth in the goodis of fortune he is ful lyke a grete fole For somtyme a man is a ful grete man by the morow that is a wrecche or a caytyf or it be nyght And somtyme delytes of man ben cause of greuous maladye thorugh whiche he deyeth Certes the commendacion of the peple is somtyme ful fals and ful brotyl for to truste This day they preyse to morow they blame god woot Eke desire to haue comendacion of the peple hath cau sed deth to many a man Now certes a man to pryde hym in the goodis of grace is eke an outrageous folye for the yeftes of grace that shold haue torned hym to goodnes and to medecyne tornyth to venym and to confusion as saith seynt Gregore Now sith that so is that ye haue vnderstonde what is pryde and whiche ben the spicis of hit and how mennys pryde sourdeth and spryngith Now shal ye vnder ande whiche is the remedye agaynst pryde And thâ—â— is humylyte or mekenes That is a vertu thurgh whiche man hath very knowleche of hym self and holdeth of hym self no deynte ne no pryce as in regard of his desertes consideryng euer his freelte Now ben ther thre maners of humylyte as humylyte in herte and another in the mouth and þ e thirde in werkis The humylite in herte is in foure manâ—rs that is whan a maÌ„ holdeth hym self as nought worth bâ—fore god of heuyn Another is whan he dâ—spiseth none other man The thirde is that â—e reckith not though men holde hym nought The fourthe is whan he is not sory of his humiliacion Also the humyliacion of mouth is in foure thinges In attemperat speche And whan he knoweth with his owen mouth that he is suche as he thinketh that he is in his â—erte Another whan he preiseth the debonairte of another maÌ„ And also nothyng therof amenusith Humylite eke in werkis is in foure maners The first is whan he put men before
wol kepe it for your owen toth Ye be to blame be god I say you soth Suche maner wordis hadde we on honde Now wol I speke of my firste husbonde My firste husbond was a reuelour T ys is to say he hadde aparamour And I was yonge and ful of ragery Stoborn strong and pliant as a pie Welcoude he daunce and harpe smale And synge as mery as ony nychtyngale When I hadde dronke adranghte of swete wyn Metnllms the foule chorle the swyne That with a staf berafte his wif har lif For she drank wyne and I hadde be his wif He sholde not haue dauntid me so fro drinke And after wyne ou venus muste I thinke For also sikir as cold eugendrith hail A licorous month muste haue a licorons tail In vynolent ê‘sone is no defence This knowen lechours be experience But lord crist whan it remembrith me Vpon my youthe and on my Iolite It tiklith so vpon my herte rote Vnto thysday it doth my herte bote That I haue had my worlde my tyme But age allas that al wol enuenyme Hath me berafte my beaute my pith Let go fare wee l the deuil go perwith The flour is go â—her is nomore to telle The bren as I best may now muste I selle Now to beright mery now wil I fonde Now wyl I telle of my fourthe husbonde I Sey he hadde in his herte a gret despytâ— That I ony other hadde delyt But he was quyt be god and be seynt Iose I made hym of the same wode a croce Nat of my body in no foul manere That certenly I made folk suche chere That in his owen grece I made hym frye For angir and for verry Ielousye Be god in erthe I was his verry purgatory For whiche I hope his soule be in glorye For god it woot he sat ful ofte and songe When that his sho bittirly hym wronge Thâ—r was no wâ—ght saue god and he that wyste In many wyse how sore I did hym twiste He deyde when I com fro Iherusalem And lith I graued vnder the rode beem Al is not his toumbe so curius As was the sepulcre of hym Darius Whiche that appelles wroughte subtilly It is but wast to birye hym preciously Let hym fare wel god yeue his soule good reste He is now in his grane and leyd in his cheste Now of my fyfthe husbonde wol I telle God lete her soulis neuer come in helle And yâ—t was the fyfthe to me the moste shrewe That fele I on my riâ—bis reâ—wâ— by rewe And euer shal vnto myn endyng day But in â—ur bâ—d he was ful fresh and gay And therwith al also he coude so wel glose That though he hadde bete me on euery boon He coude wynne my loue ayeen anoon I trowe I loued hym best for that he Was of his loue so daungerous vnto me We wymmen haue yf that I shal not lye In this mater a queynte fantesye Wayte what thing we may not lightly haue Ther aftir wil we crye alday and craue Forbede vs thing and that desiren we Preese on vs and than wil we sle With daunger vtter we al our chaffare Greet prees at market makith dere ware And to greet cheep is holdyn a febyl pryce This knoweth euery woman that is wyse MY fyfthe husbonde god his soule blesse Wichiche I took for loue and no richesse He sumtyme was a clerk of Oxenforde And hadde lefte scole and wente at hoom to berde With my gossib tho duellinge in our toun God haue her soule her name was alisoun She knew my herte and eek my pryuyte Bettir than our parish prest so mot I the To here bewreyed I my counsel al For hadde myn husbond pissid ayens a wal Or do a thing that he sholde haue lost his lyff To her â—â—nd also to another wyff When that he wolde haue my bele chose And to my Nece whiche that I loued wee l I wolde haue told his counsel euerydell â—nd so I did ful ofte god it woot That made his face ful ofte reed and hoot For vâ—rry shame and blamed hym self that he Hadde told to me so gret a priuyte And so be fyl that onys in a lente So ofte tyme I to my gossib wente For euer I loued to be gay alleway And forto walke in March aperyl and May Fro hous to hous to here sondry talis That Iankyn clerk and my gossib dame alis And I my self in to the feldis wente My husbond was at london al that lent I hadde the bettir leyser forto pleye And forto se and eke forto be seye Of lustâ— folk what wiste I where my grace Was shapyn forto be or in what place Therfore I made my visitacions To vigilis and to processions To prechinge eke and to pilgremagis To pleyis of myraclis and to mariagis And wâ—rid vp on my gay scarlet gites Thyse wormys ne these mowthis ne thyse mytis Vpon my parel frayde hem neuer adeel And wost thow why for they were vsed wel Now wol I telle forth what happid me I say that in the feldis walkid we Til truly that we hadde suche daliaunce This clerk and I what of my purueaunce I spak to hym and sayde how that he If I were widow he sholde wedde me For certeyn I say you for no bobance Yet was I neuer withoute purueaunce Of mariage ne of othir thingis eek I holde a mons herte not worth a leek That hath but on hool to sterte to And yf that fayle than is al I do I bare hym on hond he hadde enchauntid me My dame taughte me forsoth that sotilâ—e And eke I sayde y mette of hym al nyght He wolde a shamed me as I lay vp right And al my bed was ful of very blood But yet I hope truly ye shul do me good For blood betokenyth gold as I was taught And alwas fals I dremed of him right naught But as I folowid ay my damys lore As wel of that as of othir thingis more And now sire lete se what sholde y sayn A ha by god I haue my tale agayn Whan that my fourthe husbond was on beere I wepte algate and made a sory chere As wyuys motyn for it is the vsage And with my kercher I clerid my visage But for that I was purueyed of a make I wepte ful lityl I dar vndertake To chirche was my husbond bornÌ„ on morow With neyghbours that for hym made sorow And Iankyn our clerk was on of tho As helpe me god whan I saw hym go Aftir the beere me thoughte he had a peyre Of leggis and feet so clene and so feyre That al my herte I yaf vnto his hold He was I trow twenty wynter old But I was .xl. yf I shal sey the soth But yet I hadde alwey a coltis toth Gappe tothid y was but that be cam me wee l I hadde the prynt of saint venus fel As helpe god I was a ful lusty on
awhyle and thou shalt se This carter thackid his hors on the croupe And they begonne to drawe and to stoupe Hait now quod he that Ihesu crist you bles And al his hondy work bothe more and les That was wel y twight myn owen liard boy I pray to god saue the and saint loy Now is my carte out of the slowgh parde Lo brother quod the fend what tolde I the Here may ye se myn owen dere brother The chorle spak o thing but he thoughte another Lat vs go forth aboute our viage Here wynne I no thing vpon this cariage Whan that they comyn somwhat out of the toun This sompnour to his brothir gan to roun Brother quod he here wonyth an old rebecke That hadde almost as leef to lese her necke As forto yeue apeny of her good I wol haue xijd though that she be wood Or I wol somone hir vnto our office And yet god woot of hir I knowe no vice But for thou canst not as in this contre Wynne thy cost take here ensaumple of me This sompnour clappid at the widowis gate Com out he sayde thou olde verry trate I trow thou hast som preest or frere with the Who knockith said this wyf benedicite God saue you sir what is your swete wyl I haue quod the sompnour of the a bil Vp on peyne of cursinge loke that you be To morow beforn the Archedekenys kne To answere to the court of certeyn thing Now lord quod she Ihesu crist heuene kyng So wisly helpe me as y ne may I haue be sik and that â—ul many a day I may not go so fer quod she ne ryde But I be ded so prickith it in my syde May I nat axe a libel sire sompnour And answere there be my proktour To suche thing as men wol appose me Yes quod the sompnour pay anon let se Twelf pens to me and I wol the quyte I shal no prouffit haue therby but lyte My maister hath the prouffit and not I Com of and let me ryde hastely Yeue me .xij. pens for I may no lenger tary Xij. pens quod she a lady sainte mary So wisly helpe me out of care and synne This wyde worlde though I sholde it wynne Ne haue I not â—ijd with in my holde Ye knowe wel that I am poure and olde Kithe your almes ou me poure wrecche Nay than quod he the foule fend me fecche If I the excuse though thou sholdist be spilt Allas qd she god woot I am not in the gilt Pay me quod he or be swete saint anne I wol anone bere awey thyn newe panne For dette whiche thou owest me of olde When that thou madist thyn husbond cokeolde I payde at hoom for thy correction Thow lixt quod she be my sauacion Ne was I neuer or now widow or wyf Sompned vnto your court in al my lyf Ne neuer y was but of my body trewe Vnto the deuyl blak and rowgh of hewe Yeue I thy body and eke my panne to And when the deuyl herde hir curse so Vp on her knees he sayde in this manere Now mabyll myn owen moder dere Is this your wyl in ernest as ye saye The deuyl quod she fette hym or he dey And panne and al but he wol hym repent Nay olde stot that is not myn entent Quod the sompnour forto repent me For ony thing that I haue had of the I wolde I hadde thy smook and euery â—loth Now brothir quod the deuyl be not wroth Thy body and this panne is myn be right Thou shalt with me to helle yet to nyght Where thou shalt knowe of our priuyte More than a maister of diuinite And with that word the soule fend hym hent Body and soule he with the deuyl went Where that thyse sompnours haue her heritage And god that made aftir his ymage Mankynde saue and gide vs alle and som And leue that Sompnours gode men be com Lording I coude telle you quod the frere Hadde I had leue for this sompnour here Aftir the text of câ—ist Poule and Iohn And of our other doctours meny on Suche poyntis as your hertis mighte agryse Al be it so nothing may I deuyse Though that I mighte a thousand wynter telle The peynys of that cursid peyne of helle But forto kepe vs fro that cursid place Wakith and praieth Ihesu of his grace So kepe vs fro the temptour Sathanas Hâ—rkenyth this word bewaar in this caas The lioun sittith in his awayte alway To sle the Innocent yf that he may Dispose ye your hertis ay to withstonde The fend that wol make you thral and bonde He may not tempte you ouyr your might For crist wol be yoâ—r champioun and knyght And pray that the sompnour hym repente Of his mysdedis or that the deuyl hym hent Here endith the Freris tale And begynnyth the Sompnours prolog THis Sompnour in his stirop high stood Vp on this frere his herte was so wood That lik an aspin leef he quook for yre Lordingis quod he o thing I desire I you beseche of your curtesye Sithe ye haue herd this fals frere lye As suffrith me I may a tale telle This frere bostith that he knoweth helle And god woot that is litil wonder Freris and fendis been but litil a sunder For parde ye haue ofte tyme herd telle How that a frere rauysshed was to helle In spirit onys be auysioun And as an aungil ledde hym vp and doun To shewe hym the preuytes that were there In al the place saw he not a frere Of othir folk he saw ynowe in wo Vnto this aungil spak this frere tho Now sire quod he haue freris suche a grace That non of hem shal come in this place Yes quod the aungel many a myllioun And vnto Sathanas he ladde hym a doun And now hath Sathanas suche a tayl Bradder than of a Carik is the sayl Hold vp thy tayl thou Sathanas quod he Shew sorth thyn ars and let the frere se Where is the nest of Freris in this place And er that a furlong wey of space Right so as bees swarme out of an hyue Out of the deuelis ars they gon dryue Twenty thousand freris on a route And thorow out helle swarmed al aboute And cam ayeen as faste as they may goon And in to his ars they crepte in euerichon He clippid ayeen his tayl and lay stylle This frere when he lokid had his wille Vp on the tormentis of this sory place His spirit god restorid of his grace Vnto his body ayeen and he awook But natheles for feer yet he quok So was the deuyl ay in his mynde Than is it his heritage of verry kynde God saue you alle saue this cursid frere My prolog wil I ende in this manere ¶ Here endith the prolog And begynneth the Sompnours tale LOrdingis qd he in yorkshire as I gesse Is a mersh contre that callid is holdernes In
perylous that he that is dispeyred that ther is no felonye ne no synne that he doubtyth for to doo as shewd wel by Iudas â—ertes thenne abouen alle is this synne most displaysaunt and most aduersary to Crist Certes he that dispeyreth is lyke the coward champyon recreaunt nedelâ—s dispeyreth For certes the mercy of god is euer redy to the penitent hit is a boue al his werkis Alas can not a man bethynke hym on the gospel of saynt luke Luce xv â— Where as Crist saith that as wel shal ther be more ioye in heuen vpon a sinful man that doth penitence than vpon nyenti and nyne rightful men that neden no penitence loke ferther in the gospel the ioye and the feestis of the good man that hâ—d lost his sone whan his sone with repentaunce was retorned to his faâ—er Can they not remembre eke as saith saint luke xxiij â— How that the theef that was honged beside Ihâ—su Sayde lord remembâ—e on me whan thou comest to thy regne forsoth said Crist this day shalt thou be with me in paradys Certes theâ— is none so horrible synne of man that it ne may in his lâ—f be distroied by penitence thurgh vertu of þ e passion of Crist Alas what nedeth man thâ—nne to be dispey red sithen his mercy is so redy aske haue Thenne cometh sompnolence that is sluggy slumbryng whyche makith a man to be heuy and dul in body and in sowle And this synne comyth of slouthe And certes the tyme as by weye of reson men shold not slepe that is by the morow but yf it were cause resonable For sothe in the morow is most couenable a man to saye his prayers and for to thynke on god and to honoure god and to yeue almes to the poure that first comen in the name of Crist Lo what Salamon saith who so wil by the morow a wake to seke me he shal fynde me Thenne cometh negligence or rechelesnes that reâ—kith of no thyng And how that ignorance is moder of alle harme Certes negligence is the norice negligence doth no forswhan he shal do a thing whether he do it wel or badly Of the remedy of thyse two synnys as saith the wiseman that he that dredeth god sparith not to doo that hym ought to doo and he that louyth god wil do diligence to plese god by his werkis and habounden hym self with al his myght wel for to doo Thenne comyth ydlenes that 〈◊〉 the yate of alle harmys an ydle man is lyke to a place that hath no wallis the deuyl may entre on euery syde This ydlenes is the thurrok of all vilayns and wickid thoughtâ—s and of alle Ianglis tryflis al ordure Certes heuen is yeuen to hem that wil laboure and not to ydle men Eke dauid saith That they be not in the labour of men ne they shal not be whipped with men that is to saye in purgatorye Certes thenne semyth it they shal be toâ—mentid with the deuyl in helle but yf they do penytence Thenne comyth the synne that men clepe tarditas as whan a man it so lettyd and so taryed or he wil turne to god and certes that is a grete folye he is lyke hym that fallith in the diche and wil not aryse And this vice comyth of fals hope that he thynketh that he shal lyue longe but that hope faylleth ful ofte Thenne comyth laches that is he that whan he begynneth ony good werk anon he wil forlete hit and stynte as do they that haue ony wyght to gouerne and take of hym no kepe Anone as they fynde ony contrary or ony anoye Thyse ben the newe shepherdes that leten her sheep wytyngly go renne to the wolf that is in the breris and do no force of her owen gouernance Of this comyth pouerte and destruction both of spirytuel and temporel thingis Thenne cometh a maner of coldnes that fresith al the herte of man Thenne comyth vndeuocion thurgh whiche a man is so blont As saith seynt Bernard and hath suche langâ—ur in his soule that he ne may rede ne synge in holy chirche ne here ne thynke of deuocion ne trauaylle with his hondes in no good werke but it is to hym vnsauery and al apallid thenne wexith he sore sluggish and slumbry and soon wil he be wroth and soon is enclyned to hate and to enuye And thenne comyth the synne of worldly sorow that is cleped Tristicia that sleeth a man as sâ—ith seynt paule For certes suche sorow werkith to the deth of the sowle and of the body also For therof comyth that a man is anoyed of his owen lif for suche sorowe shortith the lif of many a man or that his tyme come by way of kynde Ayenst this hâ—rryble synne of accidye and the braunchis of the same ther is a vertu that is callid fortitudo or strengthe that is affâ—ctyon thurgh whyche man dyspyseth al other thyngis noyous Thys vertu is so myghty and so vigorous that it dar withstande myghtily and wrastle ayenst the sawtes of the deuyl and wisely kepe him self fro perils that ben wicked For it enhaunsith and enforsith the sowle right as accidye abatith it and maketh it feble For this fortitudo may endure with longe suffranÌ„ce the traueyllis that ben couenable This vertu hath many spicis the first is clepid magnanymyte that is to saye grete corage For certes ther behoueth grete corage ayenst acâ—idye leest that it swalowe the sowle by the synne of sorow or distroye it with wanhope This maketh folk to vndertake hard and greuous thingis by her owen will wisely and resonably And for as muche as the deuyl fightith ayenst man more by queyntyse and by sleyght than by strength therfore a man shal withstande hym by wit by reson and by discrecion Thenne ben ther the vertues of feyth and hope in god and in his saintis to achyeuen and complisshe the good werkis in whiche he purposith fermly to contâ—nue Thâ—nne cometh sewrte and sikernesse and that is whan a man doth and ê‘fourmeth grete werkis of goodnes that he hath begunne And that is the ende why men shold do goâ—d werkis For in the complisshyng of good werkis lieth the grete guerdon Thenne is the constance that is stablenes of corage and thys shold be in herte by stedfast feyth and in mouth and in beryng in chere and in dede Eke ther ben mo special thingis and remedies ayenst accidye in diuerse werkis in consideracion of the peyne of helle and of the ioye of heuen And in tâ—ust of the grace of the holy goost that wil yeue hym might to ê‘fourme his entent Sequitur de Auaricia AFter accidye now wil I speke of auaryce and of couetyse of whiche synne saith seynt Poule The rote of alle synne is couetyse For sothly whan the herte of a man is confounded in hit self and troblid and that the soule hath lost the comfort of god Thenne seketh â—e an
t so knowith your wickidnes And also Thesus Sirak as I gesse Ne spekith of you but seldyn reuerence A wylde fyre and a corupt pestilence So falle on your bodies yet to nyght Ne se ye not this honourable knyght Be cause allas that he is blind and old His owen man shal make hym Cokeold Lo where he sit the lechour in the tre Now wol I graunte of my mageste Vnto this olde blynde worthy knyght That he shal haue ayen his sight Whan that his wyf wolde do hym vilonye Than shal he knowe al her harlotry Bothe in repreef of here and other mo Ye shal quod preserpina and wol ye so Now be my modris sâ—ris soule I swere That she shal redily excusen her And alle womÌ„en after for her sake Though they be in ony gilty take With face bold they shal hem self excuse And bere hem doun that wolde hem accuse For lak of answer non of hem shul dyen Al hadde he seen a thing with bothe his yen Yet shul we so visage it hardely And wepe and swere and chyde subtilly That ye shul be as lewd as fele gees That reckith not of here auctoritees I woot wel this though this Salamon Fond of vs women mo foolis than on But though he ne fond no good woman I pray you take the sentence of the man He ment thus that in souereyn bounte Nys non but god that sittith in tryynte Ey for very god that nys but on What make ye so muche of Salamon What though he made a tempyl goddis hous What though he were riche and glorious So made he eke a tempyl of false goddis How myghte he do a thing that more bad is Parde as fayre as ye his name enplastre He was a lechour and eke an ydolaster And in his elde he verry god forsook And yf god ne hadde as saith the book Asparyd for his fadris sake he sholde Haue lost his regne rathir than he wolde I yeue right nought of al the velonye That he of women writith a butter flye I am a woman nedis y muste speke Or ellis swelle til myn herte to breke For sithen ye sey that we be Iangeleressis As euer hool I moot broke my tressis I shal not spare now for no curtesie To speke hym harm that wolde vs velonye Dame quod this Pluto be no lenger wroâ—h I yeue it vp but sith I sweer myn oth That I wyl graunte hym his sighte agen My word shal stonde I say you certeyn I am a kyng it sit me not to lye And I a quene quod she of the feirye Her answer shal she haue I vndertake Lete vs nomo wordis here of make For soth I wol you no lenger tary Now lete vs turne ayen to Ianuary That in the gardyn with his fresh may Syngith ful merier than the Popingeay Yow loue y best and shal and other non So longe aboute the aleyys is he goon Tyl he was come ayens that pery Where as this damyan sittith ful mery An high among the fresh leuys grene This fresh may that is so bright and shene Gan forto sighe and sayde allas my syde Now sire quod she for aught that may betyde I muste haue of the peris that I se Or y muste dye so sore longith me To ete of the smale peris grene Help for his loue that is of heuen quene I telle you wel a womman in my plit May haue in fruyt so gret an appetit That she may dien but she of it haue Allas quod he that I ne hadde here a knaue That coude clymbe allas quod he That I am blind ye sire no force quod she But wolde ye vouchesauf for goddis sake The pery with ynne your armys forto take For wel I woot that ye mystruste me Than sholde I clymbe wel ynough quod she So I my feet myght sette vp on your bak Certis quod he therof shal be no lak Mighte I you helpyn with myn herte blood He stoupith adoun and on his bak she stood And caughte hir be a twiste and vp she goth Ladyes I pray you be not wroth I can not glose I am a rude man And sodenly anon this damyan Gan pulle vp the smok in he throug A greet tente a thrifty and a long She sayde it was the meriest fytte That euer in her lif she was at yet My lordis tente seruith me nothing thus He foldith twifolde be swete Ihesus He may not swyue worth a leek And yet he is ful gentil and ful meek This is leuyr to me than an euynsong And whan that Pluto saw that wrong To Ianuary yaf ayeen his sighte And made hym se as wel as euyr he mighte And whan that he hadde caught his sighte agayn Ne was ther noman of thing so fayn But on his wyf his thought was euyr mo Vp to the tre he cast his yen two And saw how damyan his wyf hath dressid â—n suche manere as it may not be expressid But yf I wolde speke vncurteisly And vp he yaf a roringe and a cry As doth the moder whan the child shal dy Out help allas harow he gan cry For sorow almost he gan to dy That his wyf was swyuyd in the Pery O stronge lady hore what dost thow And she answerde sire what eylith yow Haue pacience and reson in your mynde I haue yow holpyn on bothe your yen blinde Vp peril of my soule y shal not lyen As me was taught to hele with your yen Was no thing bet to make you to se Than forto strogil with aman in a tre Good woot y dede it in ful good entent Strogil quod he ye algate in it went Stif and round as ony belle It was no wonder though her bely swelle The smok on his brest lay so theche And euer me thoughte he poyntid on the brechâ— God you yeue bothe a shamys deth to dyen He dide the so I saw it with myn yen And ellis I behangid be the hals Than is quod she my medicine fals For certeinly yf ye myghte se Ye wolde not sey thyse wordes to me Ye haue som glymsinge and no parfit sight I se quod he as wel as euer I myght Thankid be god with bothe myn yen two And be my trowthe me thoughte he did so Ye may deme as ye list gode sere quod she This thank haue I for I made yow se Allas quod she that euyr I was so kynde Now dame quod he lat al passe out of mynde Comdoun my leef and yf I haue myssayde God helpe me so as y am euyl a payd But be my fader soule I wente haue seyn How that this Damyan hadde by the leyn And that thy smok he leyde vp on thy brest Ye sire quod she ye may wene as ye lâ—st But sire qd she aman that wakith of his sleep He may not so sodenly wel take keep Vp on a thing ne se it so parfitly Tâ—l that he be wel adawâ—d verily Right
and I am another I am vnknowen now in this contre Of thyn acqueyntaunce thenne I pray the And eek of bretherhed yf that thou list I haue gold and siluyr in my chist Yf that the happith to come in our shire Al shal be thyn right as thou wolt desire Gramercy quod this sompnour be my feith Euerich in other hond he leyith Forto be sworn til that they deye In daliaunce they ryde forth and pleye This sompnour whiche was ful of Iangelis As ful of venym ben thyse wereâ—angelis And euer enquiryng vpon euery thing Brothâ—r quod he where is now your duellyng Anothir day yf that I shal you seche This yoman hym answerde with softe speche Brothâ—r quod he fer in the North cuntre Where as I hope som tyme I shal the se Er we departe y shal the so wel wis That of my hous ne shalt thou neuer mys Now brother quod this sompnour I you pray Teche me whyles ye ridith be the way Syn that ye be a baylly and so am I Som subtilte as tellith me seithfully In myn office how I may most wynne And sparith not for conscience of synne But dere brothir tel me how do ye Now be my trouthe dere brother said he As I shal telle the a faithful tale My wagis be ful streâ—t and smale My lord is hard to me and daungerous And myn office is ful laborous And therfore by extorsions I lyue For soth I take al that men wol me yeue Algate be sleyghte or be violence From yeer to yeer I wynne al my dispence I can no bettir telle the feithfully Now certis quod the sompnour so fare I I spare not to take god it wot But yf it be to heuy or to hoot That I may geâ—e in counsel priuely Nomore conscience of that haue I Nere myn extorsioun I mighte not liuyn Of suche iapis wol I not be shryuyn Stomak ne conscience know I none I shrewe the shrifte fadris euerichone Wel be we met be god and be saint Iame But leue brothir tel me thy name Quod this sompnour in this mene whyle This yeman gan a lityl forto smyle Brothir quod he wolt thou that y the telle I am a fend my duellynge is in helle And here I ryde aboute my purchasinge To wite if men wol yeue me ony thing To purchace is the effect of al my rent Loke how thou ridist for al the same entent To wynne good thou reckist neuer how Right so fare I for ryde wold I now Vnto the worldis ende for a pray A quod the sompnour benedicite what ye say I wende ye hadde been a yoman trewly Ye haue a mannys shap as wel as I Haue ye than a figure determynat In helle there ye be in your astat Nay certeinly quod he there haue we noon But whan vs likith we can take vs on Or ellis make you wene we be shape Somtyme lik a man and somtyme lik an ape Or lik an aungel can I ryde or go It is no wonder thing though it be so A lowsy iogolour can disceyue the And parde yet more craft can I than he Why quod the sompnour ryde ye than or goon In sundry shap and not alwey in oon For we qd he wol vs in suche fourme make As most auayl is our prayes forto take What makith you to haue al this labour Wel many a cause leue sir sompnour Sayde this fend but al thing hath tyme The day is short and it is passid pryme And yet ne gat I no thing in this day I wol entende to wynnynge yf I may And not entende our wittis to declare For brothir myne thy wittis ben al to bare To vnderstonde though I tolde hem the But for thou axist why laboure we For sumtyme we be goddis instrumentis And meues to do his comaundementis When that hym list vpon his creaturis In diuers acte and in diuers figuris Withoute hym we haue no might certeyn Yf that hym list to stonden there agayn And som tyme at our pray haue we leue Only the soule and not the body to greue Witnes of Iob whom we dide woo And som tyme haue we might on bothe two This is to say on soule and on body eek And somtyme we be suffrid for to seke Vp on a man and do his soule vnreste And not his body and al for the beste Whan he withstandith our temptacion It is a cause of his saluacion Al be it that it was not oure entent He sholde be saaf by goddis Iugement And somtyme we be seruaunt vnto man As to the archebisshop saint Dunstan And to the apostil seruaunt was I Yet tel me quod the sompnour feithfully Make ye your bodyes in suche wyse alway Of elementis the fend answerde nay Som tyme we faynyn and som tyme we aryse With dede bodyes in fele sondry wyse And speke as resonabil faire and wel As the Phitonysse did to Samuel And yet wol som men sayn it was not he I do no force of your diuinite But o thing warne I the I wol not iape Thou wolt wete algatis how we be shape Thou shalt here aftirward my brother dere Come where it nedith not of me to lere For thou shalt by thyn owen experience Conne in the chayer rede this sentence Better than Virgile whyle he was on lyue Or dauid also now leet vs ryde belyue For I wol holde company with the Til it be so that thou forsake me Nay quod the sompnour that shal not betide I am a yeman that knowen am ful wyde My trouthe wol I holde to the as in this caas Foâ— though were the deuyl Sathanas Take thou thy part of that men wol the yeue And I shal myne thus may we bothe lyue And yf that ony of vs haue more than other Let hym be trewe and parte with his brothir I graunte quod the deuyl be my fey And with that word they riden forth hir wey And right at an entre of a townys ende To whiche the sompnour shoop hym forto wende Thâ—y sawe a carte that charged was with hey Whiche that a carter drof forth in the wey Deep was the wey for whiche the Carte stood This carter smoot and cryde as he were wood What heyt brok heyt scot spare ye for the nonys The fend quod he you fecche body and bonys As ferforth as euer ye were y folid So mykil wo as I haue for you tholid The deuyl haue bothe hors Carte and hey Quod the sompnour here shal we haue a pley And neer the feend he drow as naught ne were Ful priuely and rowned in his ere Herkyn my brother herkyn be thy feith Herist thou not hou the carter seith Take hit anon for he hath yeue it the Both hey and carte and eek his capullis thre Nay quod the deuyl god woot neuer a â—eel It is not his entent trust me wee l Aske hym self yf that thou trowest not me Or ellis stynte
song and no thing ellis Sone aftir to crist I bad an holy orisoun Thankynge hym of my good reuelacioun For sire and dame trustith me right wee l Our orisons been more effectuel And more we se of cristis secret thingis Than borel pepil al be they kyngis We lyue in pensifnesse and in abstinence And borel folk in riches and dispence Of mete and drynke and in foul delyte We haue the worldis lust al in despit Lazar and diues liueden ful diuersly And diuers guerdoms had they ther by Who so wol praye muste faste and be clene And satte his soule and make his body lene We fare as saith the Apostil cloth and food Suffisith vs though they be not ful good The clennâ—sse and the fastynge of vs freris Makith that Crist exâ—eptith our praieris Lo moyses .xl. daies and .xl. nyght Fastid or that god ful of his myght Spak with hym in the mount Synay With empty wombe of fastynge many a day There resceyued he the lawe that was writyn With goddis fynger and Ely wel ye wetyn In the mounte Oreâ— or he hadde ony speche With high god that is our lyuys leche He fastid longe and was in contemplance Aaron that hadde the tempil in gouenaunce And eke the othir prestis euerichonÌ„ Into the tempil whan they sholde goon To prayen for the pepyl and do seruise They nolde drynke in no maner wyse No drynke that mighte hem dronke make Bâ—t there in abstinence to praye and wake Lest that they deyden take hede what I say But they be sober that for the pepyl pray Ware that I say for it ynow suffisith Our lord Iesu as holi writ deuisith Yaf vs ensampyl of fastinge and praieris Therfore we mendicantis we poure freris Been weddid to pouerte and to continoice To charite humbilnes and pacience To persecucion for euery rightwisnes To weping misericord and to clennes And therfore mowe ye se that our praiers I speke of vs we mendicaunt freris Be to the high god more exceptable Than youris with your festis at your tubyl Fro Paradis first yf I shal not lye Was man out chasid for his glotenye And cast was out to labour certeyn But herken now Thomas what I shal sayn I haue no text of it as I suppose But I fynde a maner thing of a glose That specially our swete lord Ihesus Spak this by freris whan he sayde thus Blissid ben they that poure in spiryt been And so forth al the gospel mowe ye seen Whethir it be liker to our professioun Or heris that swymmen in possessioun Fye on her Poompe and her glotenye And of her lewdnesse I hem deffye Me thynketh they be lik to Iomman Fat as a whale and walke lik a swan Al vinolent as a botel in the spence Her praier is of ful litil reuerence When they for soulis say the psalme of Dauid Lo buf they sey Cor meum eructauit Who folowith cristis gospel and his lore But we that humble be chast and pore Workars of goddis wordis nat auditours Therfore right as an hauk vp on his sours Vp springith in to the eyr so praieris Of charitable and chast fâ—eris Makyn hem sowne to goddis eris two Thomas Thomas so moot I ryde or go And by that lord that clepid was saint Iue Ne thou our brother were sholdist þ u nener thryue In our chapitre praye we bothe day and nyght To crist to sende the bothe helthe and myght Thy body forto welden ful hastely God woot quod he no thing ther of fele I As helpe me god as in fewe yeris Haue I spendid on many diuers freris Ful many apound yet fare I neuer the bet Certeyn my good haue I almost beset Farwel my gold for it is al a go The frere answerd o Thomas dost thou so What nedith the dyuers freris forto seche What nedith hym that hath a parfyt leche To sechen othir lechis in ony toun Your in constaunce is your confusioun Hold ye than me and eke al our couent To preye for you be not sufficient Thomas that iape is not worth a myte Your maladye is for we haue to lyte And yeue that couent four and twenty grotis And yeue that couent half a quartir otis And yeue that frere a peny and let hym go Nayâ— nay Thomas it may no thing be so What is a ferthing worth partid on twelue Lo eche thing that is onyd in hym selue Is more strong than whan it is skaterid Thomas of me thou shalt not be flaterid Thou woldist haue our labour al for nought The high god that al this worlde haâ—h wrought Saith that the workman is worthy his hire Thomas of your tresour nought wol I desire As for my self but that our Couent To praye for you be ay so diligent And forto holde vp cristis owen chirche Thomas yf ye wol lerne forto wirche Of bildynge vpon chirchis mow ye fynde Yf it be good in Thomas lif of ynde Ye lyen here ful of angir and of yre With whiche the deuyl set your herte on fire And chiden here the holy Innocent Your wyf that is here so meke and so pacient And therfore Thomas trow me yf thou list Ne stryue not with thy wyf as for the best And bere thyse word awey now be thy faith Touching such thing lo what the wyse saith With ynne thy hous ne be thou no lioun To thy subiectis do thou noon oppression Ne make thyn acqueyntaunce not to fle And Thomas yet â—ft sones warne I the Be war of her that in thy bosom slepith Ware fro the serpent that so slily crepith Vndir the gras and styngeth ful subtilly Bewar of her and herkyn paciently That twenti thousand men haue lost her lyuys For striuyng with her lemmans her wyuys Now syn ye haue so holy a meke wyf What nedith you Thomas to make stryf Ther nys iwys no serpent so cruell Whan a man tredith vpon his tayl ne half so fel As a woman is whan she hath caught yre Verry vengeaunce is than al her desire Ire is a synne of the grete seuyn And ful abhominabil to the kyng of heuyn And to hym self it is a destruction This euery lewd vicar or parson Can sey how Ire engendrith homicide Ire in soth is the executour of pryde I coude of Ire say right muche sorow That my tale sholde laste til to morow And therfore pray I god bothe day and nyght That to an yrous man god sende litil myght It is gret harm and certis gret pyte To sette an yrous man in high degre â—Hylom ther was an yrous potestate Whiche hasty was in Iugement algate Vpon a day out riden knyghtis two And as fortune wolde that it was so That on of hem cam hoom that other did nought Anon the knyght before the Iuge is brought That sayde thus thou hast thy felow slayn For whiche I deme the to the deth certayn And to anothir knyght
it greuyâ—h not me half so sore As that the olde â—horl with loâ—kis hore Blassemyd hath our holy Couent eke Now maister quod the lord I you beseke No maister sir quod he but seruitour Though y haue had in scole that honour God likith not that raby men vs calle Nothir in market ne in our large halle Ne fo rs quod he but tel me al your greef Sir quod this frere in odious myschief This day be tyd is myn ordre and me And so ê‘ consequens in eche degre Of holy chirche god amende it sone Sir quod the lord ye woot what is to done Distempere you not ye be my confessour Ye be the salt of the erthe and the sauour For goddis loue your pacience now hold Tel me your greef and he anon hym told As ye haue herd beforne ye woot wel what The lady of the hous ay stylle sat Til she hadde herd what the frere sayde Ey goddis moder quod she the blissid mayde Is ther aught ellis tel me feithfully Madame quod he how thinke ye ther by How that me thinkith quod she so god me spede I say a chorl hath do a chorlis dede What sholde y say god let hym neuer the His sik hed is ful of vanite I holde hym in a maner of a fransy Madame quod he be god I shal not lye But I in ony wyse may on hym a wreke I shal diâ—fame hym ouer al where y speke That fals blasfemur that chargid me To parte that wol not departid be To euery ylike moche with myschaunce The lord sat stille as he were in a traunce And in his herte he rollid vp and doun How that this chorle had dilectacion To shewe suche a probleme to the frere Neuer erst to now herde I of suche a matere I trow the deuyl put it in his mynde In ars metrik shal ther noman fynde Beforn this day of suche a questioun Who sholde make a demonstracion That euery man sholde haue lik his part As of a soun or of a souour of a fart O nyce prowd chorle I shrew his face Lo sirs quod the lord with hard grace To euery y like tel me how That a fart sholde be departid now Hit is an impossible it may not be Ey nyce chorle god lete hym neuer the The rombling of a fart and euery soun Nys but of ayer reuerberacioun And there it wastith litil and litil awey Ther is noman can deme be my fey Yf that it were departid equally What lo this chorle lo how shrewdly Vnto my confessour to day he spak I holde hym certayn a demonyak Now ete your mete and let the chorl go pley Lete hym go hange hym self a deuyl wey Now stood the lordis squier at his bord That carf his mete and herde word be word Of al this thing of whiche I haue you said My lord quod he be not euyl a payd For I coude telle for a gowne cloth To you sire frere so that ye be not wroth How that this fart sholde euyn desid be Among your couent yf it like sithee Tel quod the lord and thou shalt haue anon A gowne cloth be god and be seynt Iohn My lord quod he when that the wedir is fair Right here before you sittyng in a chair Let bringe a cartewhele right in to this halle But so that it haue his spokis alle Xij. spokis hath a carte whele comynly And bring me .xij. freris woot ye why For .xiij. is a couent as I gesse Your confessour here for his wordynesse Shal parfourme vp the noumbir of his couent Than shul they knele doun by one assent And to euery spokis ende in this manere Ful sadly ley his nose shal a frerâ— Your nobyl confessour ther 〈◊〉 hym saue Shal holde his nose vpright vnder the naue Than shal this chorle with bely styf tought As ony â—abour hider be y brought And set hym on the wheel right of this cart Vp on the nauâ— and make hym lâ—te a fart And ye shul se vp peril of my lif The preef whiche that is demonstratif That equally the sound of it wol wende And eke the stynk out at the spokis ende Saue that this worthy man your confessour Be causâ— he is a man of gret honour Shal haue the firste fruyt as reson is The nobil vsage of freris yet it is The worthieâ—t man of theym shal first be seruid And certeinly he hath it wee l deseruid He hath to day taught vs so muche good With prechinge in the pulpet there he stood That I maâ— vouchesauf I say for me He hadde the firste smel of fartis thre And so wolde al his couent hardely He hâ—rith hym so faire and so holily Thâ— â—â—rd thâ— lady and eche man saue the frere Sayde that Iankyn spak in this matere As wel as Ouyde or Ptholome Towching the chorlis they sayde subtilite And by wyt made hym speke as he spak He nys no fool ne demoniak And Iankyn hath y wonne a newe gowne My tale is doon we be a 〈…〉 Toune ¶ Here begynneth the prolog of the clerk of Oxenford SIr clerk of Oxenâ—ord our ost sayde Ye cryde as quoy stille as doth a mayde Were new sponsid sittyng at the bord This day herde I of your tunge no word I trowe ye stody aboute som sophyme But Salamon sayde euery thing hath tyme For goddis sake be of good chere It is no tyme now to stody here Tel vs som mery tale be your fey For what man is entrid in to a pley He nedis moot in to the pley assente But prechith not as freris do in lente To make vs for our old synnys wepe Ne that thy tale make vs not to slepe Tel vs som mery thing of auenturis Your termys your colours and your figuris Kepe hem in store til so be that ye endite High style is when men to kyngis wryte Spekith so playn at this tyme I you pray That we may vnderstonde what ye say This worthy clerk benignely ansuerde Ost quod he I am vnder your yerde Ye haue of vs as now the gouernaunce And therfore I shal do your obeysaunâ—e As fer as reson askith hardely I wol you telle a tale whiche that I Lernyd at Padow of a worthy clerk As preuyd is he his wordis and his work He is now ded and leyd in cheste I pray to god yeue hys soule goode reste Fraunceys petrark the laureat poete Highte this clerk whoo 's rethorik swete Enlumyned al Itayle of poetrie As Lucane did of philosophie Or lawe or other art particuler But deth that wol not suffre vs to duelle here But as it were the twynkelyng of an ye Hem bothe hath slayn and alle shal we dye But forth to telle of this worthy man That taughte me this tale as I began He first with high stile enditith Er he the dite of his tale writith A probleme in whiche discriueth he Pemounte and of Saluces the
fend hath hym in hond Wel oughte vs worche ydelnes withstond And though men drede neuer forto dye Yet se men wel be reson doutles That ydelnesse is hotyn slogardrye Of whiche ther comyth neuer no good encrees And syn that slougthe her holdith in a lees Only forto slepe and ete and drynke And to deuouryn al that othir swynke And forto put vs from suche ydelnes That cause is of so gret confusionÌ„ I haue here doon my feithful besines Aftir the legend and translacionÌ„ Right so thy glorious lyf and passionÌ„ Thou with thy garlond wrought of rose of lilye The mene I mayde and martir saint Cecily And thou that flour art of virginis alle Of whom that Bernard list so wel to wryte To the at my firste begynnynge I calle Thou comfort of vs wreâ—chis do me endite Thy maydens deth that whan thoroâ— her merite The eterne lyf thou graunte of the fend victory As men mowe aftir rede in her story Thou mayde and moder doughter of thy sone Thou welle of mercy synful soulis to cure In whom that god of bounte chaas forto wone Thou humbil and high ouer euery creature Thou noblist so ferforth ouer natâ—re That no disdeigne thy maker had of kynde His sone in blood aâ—â— flessh to clothâ— wyndâ— Whiche in the cloister of thy blisful entrees Toke mannys shapthe the eterne loue pâ—es That of thy tryne compas lord and gâ—de is Whom heuyn and erthe and se withoute les Ay herien and thou virgine doutles Baar of thy body and dueldist mayd pure The creatour of euery creature Assemblâ—d is in the â—agnificence With mercy goodnâ—â— and suche pyte That thou that art â—he soune of excellenâ—e Not only helpist theym that praieth the But oftyn tyme oâ—â—hy benignite Ful frely or that â—â—n thyn help seche â—hou gosâ—â—eforn â—â—d art our â—oulis leche â—ow help â—hou 〈◊〉 and meke fair mayde Me flemyd wreâ—â—◠〈◊〉 this desert of gall Think on the woman of Canane that sayde That whelpis 〈◊〉 som of the cromys small That from her loâ—â—â—s table ben y falle And though thâ—t I vnworthy sone of Eue Be sâ—nful yet accepte my beleue And for that â—eith is ded withoute werkis So forto werkyn â—eue me witte and space That I be quyt from thens that most derk is O thou that art so fair and ful of grace Be myn aduocate in that high place There as withouten ende is sunge Osanne Thou cristis moder doughter dere of anne And of thy light my soule in prison lâ—ght That troublid is be thâ— cogitacion Of my body and also be the wight Of ertly lust and fals affection O hauyn of refut o saluacion Of hem that been in sorow and distresse Now help forto my work I wol me dresse Yet y pray you that redyn that I wryte For yef me that I do no diligence This ilke story besily to endite For bothe haue I the wordis and the â—â—â—tence Of hym that atte seyntis reuerence The story wroot and folowed her 〈◊〉 As ferforth as god wyl me grace seâ—â— First wolde I yow the name of saint 〈◊〉 Expoune as men may in her story se It is to say in englissh heuenys lyâ—ye For pure chastnes of virginite Or for she witnes hadde of honeste And grene of conscience and of god â—â—me The swete sauour lily was her name Or Cecily is to say the wey to blynde For she ensaumpil was be good techinge Or ellis Cecily as I writyn fynde Is ioyned be a maner connynge Of heuyn and lya in her infigurynge The heuyn is set for thought of holynes And lya for her lastinge besines Cecily may eek be said in this manere Wantyng of blyndnes for her gret light Of sapience and for her thewis clere Or ellis lo this maydens name bright Of heuyn and leos comyth of whiche be right Men mighte her wel the heuyn of pâ—pil calle Ensample of good wyse workis with alle For leos pepil in englissh is forto say And right as men may in the heuyn se The sonne and mone and sterris euery way Right so men gostly in this mayden fre Sawyn of feith the grete magnanimite And eek the clerenes hool of sapience And sondry werkis bright of excellence And right so as thyse philosophris wryte That heuyn is swift round eke brennynge Right so was faire Cecily the whyte Ful swift and besy in euery good werkyng And rounde and hool in good ê‘seuerynge And brennynge euer in charite ful bright Now haue I declared you what she hight ¶ THere endith the Second Nonnys prolog ¶ And here begynneth the tale This maiden bright Cecili as her legende saith Was comyn of romayns of nobil kynde And from her â—â—adil vp fostrid in the faith Of crist and baar his gospel in mynde She neuer seced as I writen fynde Of her praiere and god to loue and drede Besekynge hym to kepe her maydenhede And whan this mayde sholde vnto a man I weddid be that was ful of yong age Whiche that y clepid was valerian And day was come of her mariage She ful deuout and humbil in her corage Vnder her robe of gold that sat ful feyre Hadde next her flessh I clad her in an heir And whyle that the Organs made melody To god aboue thus in her herte song she O lord my body and eek my soule gy Vnwemmyd lest I confoundid be And for his loue that vp on the tre Euery seconde and thridde day she fast Ay biddynge in her orisons ful fast The nyght cam and to bedde must she goon With her husbonde as it was the manere And priuely she sayde to hym anoon O swete and welbelouyd spouse dere Ther is a counsel and ye wol it here Whiche that right fayn I wolde to you seye So that ye swere ye wil it not bewrey Valerian gan faste to her swere That for no caas ne thing that might be He sholde neuer to none bewreyen her And than at erst to hym sayde she I haue an aungel whiche that louyth me That with gret loue wher so I wake or slepe Is redy ay my body forto kepe And yf that he may felen out of drede That ye me touche or loue in vilony He right anon wil sle you with the dede And in your youthe thus shul ye dy And yf that ye in clene lif me gy He wol you loue as me for your clennes And shewe to you his ioye and his brightnes This Valerian correctid as god wolde Answerde agayn yf I shal triste the Lete me that aungel se and hym beholde And yf that it a verâ—y aungel be Than wol I do as thou hast praid me And yf thou loue anothir man for soth Right with this swerd than wol I sle you both Cecily answerde anon right in this wyse Yâ—f that you list anon right the aungel shul ye se So that ye trowe on crist and you baptise Goth forth to via appâ—a quod
of many a good woman men may telle And eke more ouer whan our lord god had made adam our former fader he sayde in this wise hit is not good man to be allone make we to hym an helpe semblable to hym self lo here may ye see that yf womâ—n were not good and her counceyll good and prouffytable our loâ—d god of heuen wold neuer haue wrought hem ne called hem helpe of man but rather confusion of man And ther said ones a clerk in two versis What is better than Iasper wisedom And what is better than wisedom woman and what is better than good woman no thing And so sir by many other resons may ye sâ—e that many women been good and their counceyll good prouffytable And therfore yf ye will truste to my counceillyng I shal restore yow your doughâ—er hool and sounde And eke I wil doo so moche that ye shâ—l haue hâ—nour in this caas Whan Melle bee had herd the woâ—des of his wif Prudence He sayde thus I see wel that the worde of Salamon is soth He saith that wordes that ben spoken discretly by ordenance been honycombes for they yeue swetenes to the soule and holsomnes to the body â— Be cause of thy swete wordes and eke for I haue assaied preuyd thy grete sapience and thy grete trouthe I wil gouerne me by thy counceill in alle maner thing Now sire said dame Prudence syn ye vouchesauf to be gouerned be my counceyll I wil enforme yow how ye shal gouerne yow in chesing of your counceyll First to fore alle werkis ye shall beseche the hyghe god that he be your counceyll And shape yow to suche entente that he yeue yow counceyll and comforte As Thobye taught his sone At alle tymes thou shall plese and praye hym to dresse thy weyes And loke that alle thy counceyll be in hym for euermore Saynt Iame eke saith Yf ony of yow haue nede of sapience Axe hyt of god And after that than shall ye take counceyll in your self And examyne well your thoughtys of suche thynges as ye thynke that ben beste for your prousfyt And than shall ye dryue away from your hertes tho thynges that ben contraryous to good counceill this is to saye Ire couetyse and hastynes First he that axeth counceyll of hym self Certes he muste be withouten yre for many causes The fyrst is this that he that hath grete Ire and wrath in hym self he weneth alway to do thing that he may not doo And secondly he that is Irous and wrathfull may not deme well And he that may not deme well may not well counceyll Another is this that he that is Irous and wrathfull as saith seneke may not speke but blameful thinges And with his vicyous wordes he steryth other folke to anger and to Ire And eke syr ye muste dryue couetyse out of your herte For thapostle saith that couetyse is the rote of all harmes And truste well that a couetous man can not deme well ne thinke but only to suffylle the ende of hys couetyse and certes that may neuer be accomplysshyd For euermore the more haboundance a man hath of rychesse the more he desyreth And ye muste also dryue out of your herte hastynes For â—ertis ye may not deme for the beste hastely a soden thought that falleth in your herte but ye muste auise yow on hit ful ofte For as ye herde to fore the comyn prouerbe â— whiche is this he that sone demeth sone repenteth Syre ye be not alway in like disposition For certes somtyme suche thing as semeth that is good for to doo Another tyme hit semeth to yow the contrarye And whan ye haue take counceill in your self haue demed by good deliberacoÌ„n â—uche thing as semeth yow best Than I counceille yow to kepe hit secrete And bewreye not your counceyll to ony persone but yf hit so be that ye wene sikerly that thorugh your be wreyng your condition shal be to yow the more prouffytable For Ihesus sirak saith neyther to thy frende ne to thy foo discouer not thy secrete counceyll ne thy folye For they will yeue the audience lokyng and supportyng in your presence And scorne yow in your absence An other clerk saith that scarsely shal thou fynde ony personne that maâ— kepe counceyll secretly The book saith whilis that thou kepest thy counceyll in thy herte thou kepest hit in thy â—rison And whan thou wreyest hit to ony wight he holdeth the in his snare And therfore hit is better to hyde your counceyll in your herte than praye hym to whom ye haue bewiryd your conceyll that he wole kepe it cloes stille For Seneca saith yf hit so be that thou ne may thy counceill hyde How darst thou pray ony other wight to hyde thy counceyll and kepe hit secrete But natheles yf thou wene sikerly that thy bewreyyng of thy counceyll to a personne will make thy condition stonden in the better plight than shal thou telle hym thy counceyll as in this wise First thou shalt make no semblanÌ„ce whether they were leuer pees of werre or this or that ne shewe hym not thy wyll ne thyn entente For truste well that comunly these counceyllours ben flaterers namely the counceyllours of grete lordes For they enforce them alway rather to speke plaisanÌ„t wordes enclynyng to the lordes luste than wordes that ben trewe and prouffitable And therfore men sayn that the riche man hath selde whanÌ„ good counceyll but yf he haue hit of hym self And after that thou shalt considere thy frendes and thyn enmyes and as touching thy frendes thou shalt considere whiche of hem ben most trewe wisest most feythfull oldest and most approued in counceyllyng And of hem shalt thou axe thy câ—unceyll as the caas requyreth I saye first that ye shal clepe to your counceyll your frendes that ben trewe for Salamon saith right as the herte of a man delyteth in sauour that is swete right so the counceyll of trewe frendes yeuth swetnesse to the soule he saith also ther may no thing be liknyd to a trewe frende For certes gold ne siluer be not so moche worth as the good will of a trewe frend And eke he saith that a trewe frende is a grete defence who that it findeth certes he fyndeth a grete tresour Than shal ye eke vnderstonde yf that your trewe frendes ben discrete wyse for the book saith Axe alway thy counceyll of hem that ben wyse And by this same reson shal ye clepe to your counceyll of your frendes that ben of age whiche that haue seyn many thinges and ben experte in diuerse thinges and ben approâ—â—d in counceylling For the book saith in old men is the sapience and in longe tyme the prudence And Tullius Sayth That grete thynges ben not ay accomplysshyd by strengthe ne be deliuernes of body but by counceill and by auctorite of ê‘sones by science the whiche thre thinges ne be not feble by age but certes they
wilfulnes to doo hasty vengeance And leet considere also who be they and how many be they that consenteden to your aduersaries And certes as to the first poynt it is wel knowen whiche folke they be that consented to your hasty wilfulnes For certes alle tho that counceylled you to make sodeyn warre be not youre frendes Lete vs now considere whiche be they that ye holden so gretly your frendes as to your persone For al be hit so that ye be so myghty and riche Certes ye be but allone For ye haue no chylde but a doughter Ne ye haue no brethernÌ„ ne cosyns germans ne none other nyghe kynrede Wherfore that your enemyes for drede shold stynte to plete with yow or destroyen your ê‘sone Ye knowe also that your ryches muste be dispended in dyuerse parties And whan that euery wight hath his â—â—rte they ne wil take but lityll reward to vengen your deth But youre enemyes ben thre and they haue many children brethernÌ„ Cosyns and other nyghe kynrede And though so were that thou baddest slayn two or thre of hem yet dwellen there ynough to wreken her deth and to sle thy persone And though so be that your kynrede be more syker and stedfast than the kynred of your aduersaries yet natheles your kynred nys but after kynrede they be but lityl â—ubget to you And the kynred of your enemyes ben nygh â—ibbe to hem And certes as in that her condition is better than youris Than leet vs considere also yf that the counceyll of hem that counceylle yow to taste sodeyn vengeance whether hit accorde to reson or no and certes ye knowe wel nay For as by right or reson ther may noman take vengeance on no wight but the Iugge that hath þ â— Iurisdiction of hit whan hit is granted hym to take that vengeance hastely or temê‘atly as the lawe requireth And yet more ouer of that word that Tullius saith clepeth consentyng thou shalt considere yf thy myght thy power may consente susfyse to thy wilfulnes to thy counceillours And certes thou maist wel saye nay For sâ—kerly as for to speke properly we may do no thing but only suche thynges as we may do ryghtfully And certes thou maist rightfully take no vengeance as of your propre auctorite Than maye ye see that your power ne consâ—nteth ne accordeth your wyfullnes Lete vs examyne the thirde poynt that Tullius clepeth consequent thou shalt vnderstande that the vengeance that thou purposest to take is consequent And therof foloweth another vengeance peryll and warre and other domÌ„ages withoute nombre of whiche we be not wâ—re as at this tyme. and as touching the fourth parte that Tullius clepeth engendryng Thou shalt consydere that thys wronge whiche is don to the is engendryd of the hate of thyn enemyes of vengeance takyng vpon hem that wole engendre another vengeance and moche sorowe wastyng of ryches as I said before Now syre as to the fyfthe poynt whiche that Tulliê° clepeth causes whiche is the last poynt Thou shalt vnderstande that Ilke wronge that thou hast resceyuyd hath certeyn causes whiche that clerkes clepen oriens and efficiens and causa loginqua causa propinqua this is to saye the fer cause the nyghe cause The fer cause is almyghty god that is cause of alle thynges The neer cause is thy thre enemyes The cause accidental was hate The cause material Is the .v. woundes of thy doughter The cause formal is the cause of her worchyng that broughten ladders and clomben in at the wyndowes The cause fynall was to sle thy doâ—ghter hit letted not in as moche as in hem was But for to speke of this fynal cause as to what ende they shal come or what shal fynally betyde of hem in this caas ne can I not deme But by coniectyng and supposyng For we shal suppose that they shal come to a wicked ende be cause that the book of the decrees sayth Selde or with grete peyne be causes brought to a good ende whan they be badly begonne Now syre yf men wold axe me why that god suffreth men to do this vilonye Certes I can not wel answere as fâ—r no sothfastnes For thapostle saith That the science and the Iugementes of our lord god almighty been full depe Ther may no man coÌ„prehende ne serche hem sufficiently Natheles by certayn psumptions and coniectyng I holde and bilâ—â—â— That wight that is ful of Iustice and rightfulnes hath suffrid this to betyde be Iuste cause and resonable Thy name is Mellebe This is to saye a man that drynketh hony thou hast dronken so moche hony of swete temporel ryches delices of honour of this world that thou art dronke and hast forgoten Ihesu crist thy creatour Thou ne hast don to hym suche honour reuerence as thou oughtest ne thou ne hast wel taken kepe of the wordes of Ouyde that saith Vnder the hony of the goodes of the body is hid venym that sleeth the soule And Salamon saith Yf thou hast founde hony ete of hit that suffyseth For yf thou ete of hit out of meâ—ure thou shalt spewe and be nedy and poure And parauenture Crist hath the in dispyte and hath torned away fro the his face and his misericorde And also he hath suffryd that thou hast be punysshid in the maner that thou hast trespassed Thou hast don synne agayn our lord Ihesu crist For certes the thre enemyes of mankynde that is to saye the flessh the fende and the world thou hast suffryd hem for to entre in to thy herte wilfully by the wyndowes of thy body And hast not defended thy self sufficyently agaynst her assaultes and her temptacions so that they haue wounded thy soule in fyue places this is to saye the dedely synnes that ben entrid in to thy herte be thy fyue wyttes And in thys maner our lord Ihesu Crist hath suffryd that thy thre enmyes ben entryd in to thy hous by the wyndowes And haue wounded thy doughter in the maner aforesaid CErtes said Mellebe I see well that ye enforce yow mykyl by wordes to ouercome me in suche maner as I shal not venge me of myn enemyes Shewyng me the perill the euyll that myght befalle of this vengeance But who so wold considere in alle vengeances the peryll the euyll that might sewe of vengeance takyng a man wold neuer take vengeance that were harme for by vengeance taking ben wicked men disseuerd from the good men And they that haue wil to do wickednes restreyue her wicked purpoos Whan they see the punysshyng the chastysing of the trespassours And yet saye I more that right as by singuler psumpcion he synneth in taking vengeance of another man right so synneth the Iuge yf he take not and do vâ—ngeance on hem that hit haue deseruyd Senek saith thus That maister he saith is good that repreuyd shrewis And cassiodre sayth a man dredeth to doo outragiously whan he woot
trowe ye wâ—l and eke beleue stedfastly that he is not wel norysshid ne well taught that will not haue pacience ne wil not receyue pacience For Salamon saith That the doctryne of a man and the witte is knowen be pacience And in another place he saith that he that is pacient gouerneth hym by grete prudence the same salamon saith The angry and the wrathful man maketh noyses And the pacient man attemprith hym and stilleth hym he saith also hit is more worth to be pacyent than for to be ryght strong And he thaâ— may haue the lordship of his owen herte is more to preyse than by his force or strengthe taketh grete cytees And therfore saith saynt Iame in his epistle That pacience is a grete vertue of perfection Certes said Mellebe I grante dame prudence that pacience is a grete vâ—rtu of ê‘fection but euery man may not haue the perfection that ye seke ne I am none of that nombre of right parfight men For my herte may neuer be in pees vnto the tyme that â—iâ— be venged And al be hit so that hit was grete paryll to myn enemyes to doo me a viloyne in takyng vengeance vpon me Yet toke they no hede of the paryll but fulfylled their wicked will and corage And therfore me thinketh men ought not to repreue me though I put me in a lityll paryll for to venge me And though I doo a grete â—xcâ—sse That is to saye that I a venge one outrage by another A Said dame Prudence ye saye your wil as you liketh But in no caas of the world a man shold not do outrage ne excesse for to venge hym For cassiodre saith that as euyl doth he that avengeth hym by outrage as hâ— that doth the outrage And therfore ye shal venge yow after the ordre of right that is to saye by the lawe and not by excesse ne by outrage And also yf ye will venge you of the oultrage of your aduersaryes in other maner ye synne And therfore saith Senek that a man shal neuer venge shrewdnes by shrewdnes and yf that ye saye that right axeth a man to defende violence by violence and fightyng by fightyng Certes ye saye soth whan the defence is don anon withouten interuall or withouten taryeng or delaye for to defende hym and not forto venge hym And yet behoueth that a man put suche temperance in hys defence that men haue no cause ne mater to reproche hym that defendeth hym of oultrage or of excesse For ellys were it agayn reson Parde ye knowe well that ye make no defence as now for to defende yow but for to venge yow and so sueth it that ye haue no will to do your will attempâ—ratly And therfore me thynketh that pacyence is good For Salamon sayth That he that is not pacyent shal haue grete harm CErtes said Mellebe I graunte yow that whan a man is inpaciente and wroth of that whiche towcheth hym not that apperteyneth not to hym though hit harme hym it is no wonder For the lawe saith that he is culpable that entermeteth or medlâ—th of thyng that apperteyneth not to hym And Salamon sayth That he that entermeteth hym of the noyse of stryf of another man is lyke to hym that taketh a strange hound by the eerys For right as he that taketh a strange hounde by the eerys he is otherwhyle byten wyth the hound ryght in the same wyse it is reson that he haue harme that by hys Inpacyence medlyth hym of the noyse of another man whâ—â—e as hit apperteyneth not to hym But ye knowe well that this dede that is to saye my grief and my desire toucheth me right nygh and therfore though I be wroth and inpacient it is no meruayll And sauyng your grace I can not see that I shold gretly harme me though I toke vengeance For I am richer and more mighty than myn enemyes ben it is wel knowen that by money and hauyng grete possessions ben al thinges of this world gouerned And also salamon saith that allâ— thise thinges obeyen to moneye Whan prudence had herde her husbonde avaunte hym of his ryches of his moneye dispreysyng the power of his enemyes she spack and said in this wife Certes dere syre I graunte you that ye be riche and myghty and that riches ben good to hem that haue goten hem well and that wel can vse them For right as the body of a man may not lyue withoute the soule nomore may the lyf withoute temporel goodes And by richesse may a man gete hym grete frendes And therfore saith pamphilâ—s yf an erlis doughter be riche he saith she may chese of a thousand men whom she wil take to her husbonde For of a thousand men one wil not forsake her And this pamphiles saith also yf that thou be right happy that is to saye yf thou be riche thou shalt fynde a grete nombre of felaws and frendes and yf thy fortune change farewel frendship and felawship for thou shalt be allone withoute ony companye but yf hit be the companye of poure folk And yet saith this pamphiles more ouer that they that â—en bonde thral of lignage shull be made worthy noble by richesse And right so as by richesse ther comen many goodes right â—o by pouerte ther comen many harmes euylles And therfore clepeth cassiâ—dre pouerte the moder of ruyne that is to saye the moder of ouerthrowyng or of fullyng doun And therfore saith Peter alfons one of the grettest aduersitees of thys world is whan a freman of kynde or of birthe is constreyned be pouerte to ete the almesse of hys enemye And the same saith Innocence in one of his bookes that sorowfull and myshappy is the condition of a poure beggar For yf he axe not his mete he dyeth for hunger And yf he axe he dieth for shame and algate necessite constreyneth hym to axe And therfore saith Salamon That better it is to dye than to haue suche pouerte And as the same salamon saith better it is to dye a bitter deth than to lyue suche a lyf Be thyse resons that I haue said vnto you and by many other that I coude say I graunte that richesse ben good to hem that gete hem well to tho that vse well this richesse And therfore wole I shewe yow how ye shal behaue yow in gadryng of your richesse and in what maner ye shal vse them First ye shal gete hem withouten grete desyre by good leyzer sokyngly and not ouer hastely For a man that is to desiring in getyng riches haboundeth hym first to thefte and to alle other mysrewles And therfore saith salamon â—e that hasteth hym to besâ—ly to wexe ryche he shal be none Innocent he saith also that the ryches that hastely cometh to a man soone and hastely goth and passeth from a man But that riches that cometh lityll a lityll wexeth alway and multeplieth And therfore ye shal gete riches by your witte and by
harme and torment Honour is eke cleped grete dignyte and highnes but in helle shall they alle be fortroden with deuylles as god saith The hâ—rrible deuylles shulle goo and comyn vpon heedes of dampned folk And this is for as muche that the hyer that they were in this present lyf the more they shul be abated and defowlâ—d in helle Ayenst the riches of thys world shal they haue mysese of pouerte And this pouerte shal be in .iiij. thynges In defawte of tresour of whiche Dâ—uid saith The riche folk that enbracen and coueyten in al her herte þ e riches of this world shulle slepe in the slepyng of deth as nothing shul they fynde in there hondes of all her tresour And more ouer the mysese â—f helle shal be in defaute of mete and drynke For god saith thus by Moyses Ye shal be wasted with hunger And the birdes of helle shal deuoure hem with bitter deth And the galle of the dragon her morsellis And â—ertherouer her mysese shal be in defaute of clothing for they shal be naked in body as of clothing Saue the fyre in whiche they brenne and other fylthes And naked shal they be in sowle of alle maner vertues whiche that is the clothing of sowle Where ben thenne the gay robis and the softe shetis and fyn shertis Lo what sayth god of hem by the prophete Ysaye that vnder hem shal be strawed mothes and her couertours shal be of wormys of helle And furtherouer her mysese shal be in defaute of frendes for he is not poure that hath good frendes but ther is no frende For neyther god ne good creature shal be frende to hem And euery of hem shal hate other with dedely hate The sones and the doughters shul rebelle ayenst the fader and moder And kynrede ayenst kynrede and chyden and dâ—sâ—pisen eche other both day and nyght as god saith by the prophete Micheas And the louyng children that somÌ„e tyme loueden so flesshely euerich of them wolde ete other yf he myghte For how sholde they loue to gyder in the prynâ—s of helle whan they hated eche other in the prosperyte of this lyf For trust wel her fleshly loue is dedly hate as saith the prophete Dauid who so loueth wickednes â—e â—aâ—tith his sowle And who so hateth his owen sowle Certes he may loue none other wight in no maner And therfore in helle is no frendship but euer the more cursyng the more chydyng and the more dedly hate is among hemâ— And furtherouer they shal haue defautes of alle maner deliâ—â—s for why For delites ben appâ—tites of the wâ—tteâ— as sight Heeryng smellyng sauouryng and towchyng But in â—elle her sight shal be ful of derknes of smoke and ful of teris And her heeryng ful of weymenting and of gruntyng of teth as sayth Ihesu Crist Her nostrellys shal be ful of stynkyng And as sayth Ysaye the Prophete Her sauouryng shal be full of bitter galle And as touchyng her body it shal be coueryd with fyre that neuer shal be quenchid And with wormys that neuer shal deye as god saith by the mouth of Ysaye And for as muche as they shul not wene that they mowe deye for peyne and by her deth fle fro peyne that may they vnderstond in the word of Iob that saith that there is the shadow of deth Certes a shadowe hath a lykenes of the thyng of whyche it is shadowyd Right so farith the peyn of hâ—lle it is lyke deth for the angwissh horryble and why For it peyneth hem euer as though men shold dye anon But certes they shal not dye For as saith seynt Gregore to wrecchid caytyfs shal be deth withoute deth and ende withoute ende and defaute withoute faylyng For her deth shal all way lyue And her ende shal euermore begynne and her defaute shal neuâ—r fayle And therfore sayth seynt Iohn the Euaungeliste They shal folowe deth and they shal not fynde hâ—m and to desyre to dye and deth shal fle fro them And eke Iob sayth That in hâ—lle is none ordre of râ—ule And al be it so that god hath created all in ryght ordre and nothyng wythoute ordre But alle thynges be ordeyned and nombred Yet natheles they that be dampned be no thyng in ordre ne holde non ordre For the erthe shal bere hem no fruyt For as the prophete Dauid saith God shal destroye the fruyt of the erth from hem Ne water shal yeue hem no moysture ne the eyer no refresshyng ne the fyre no light For as saith saynt Basyle The brennyng of the fyre of this world shal god yeue to hem that ben dampned in helle But the light and the clerenes shal be yeuen in heuen to his children right as the good man yeueth breed to his children and bones to his houndes And so they shal haue none hope to escape And therfore speketh Iob Atte last ther shal horrour and grisly drede dwellen withouten endâ— Horrour is alle way drede of harme that is to come And thys drede shal euer dwelle in the hertes of â—em that ben dampned And therfore haue they losâ— al her hope for vâ— causes First for god that is her Iuge shal be withouten mercy to hem ne they may not plese hym ne none of his halowis ne may paye no thing for her raunson ne thâ—y hauâ— no â—â—ys to speke to hym ne they mowe not â—le fro â—â—â—ne And therfore sayth Salamon the wicked man deyeth And whan he is dede he shal haue none hope to escape from payne Who so wolde wel vnderstonde these peynes and bethynke hym wel that he hath deseruyd the peynes for his synnes Certes he sholde haue more talent to syghe and wepe than for to synge and for to playe For as sayth Salamon who that had the science for to knowe the peynes that ben establysshyd and ordeyned for synne â—e wold forsake synne That science saith saynt Austyn makith a man to weymenten in his herte The fourthe poynt that a man ought to make contricion fore is the sorouful remembraunce of the good that he hath lefte to do â—ere in erthe and eke the good that he hath lorn Sothly the good werkis that he hath lefte â—yther they be the good werkis that he wrought er he fyll in to dedely synne or ellis the good werkis that he wrought whyle he lay in dedely synne Sothly the good that he dyde beforn that he fyl in dedely synne ben al mortyfyed astoned and dulled by the eft synnyng The other werkes that he wrought whyle he lay in synne ben vtterly dede as to the lyf perdurable in heuen Than thilke good werkes that ben mortyfyâ—d by efte synnyng whyche good werkes he dyde whyles he was in charyte mowe neuer quycken ayen wythoute verey restreynt and wythdrawyng the strenges of mans corage and the meuynges in his herte in suche manere as they ne skyppe out by anger ne by Ire And therof sayth god by the mouth of Ezechiel That yf
the rightful man retorne agayn from his ryghtwysnes and to wirche wickednes shal he lyuen nay For alle the good werkis that he hath wrought shulle neuer be in remembraunce For he shal dye in his synne And vpon that chappytre sayth Seynt Gregory thus that we shal vnderstande pryncypally that whan we do dedely synne it is nought Neyther for to drawe in to memorye the good werkes that we haue wrought byfornÌ„ For certes in thâ— werkyng of dedely synne ther is no trust to good werk that we haue don befornÌ„ That is to saye as to haue ther by the lyf pardurable in heuen But sothly the good werkes that men don whyles they ben in dedly synne for as myâ—â—l as they were don in dedely synne they may neuer quycken For certes thyngis that neuer had lyf may neuer quycken And natheles al be it that they auayle not to haue the lyf perdurable yet auaylen they to a brygge of the peyne of helle Or ellis to gete temporel riches or ellis that god wyl raâ—ther enlumyne and lighten the herte of the synful man to haue repentaunce And eke they auayle to a man to do good werkis that the fende hath the lasse power of his sowle And thus the curteys lord Ihesu Crist wil that no good werke be lost For in sumwhat it shal auaylle but for as muche as the good werkis that men don whyles they ben in good lyf been al mortifyed by synne folowyng And eke sith alle the good werkes that men don whylis they be in dedly synne ben vtterly dede as for to haue the lyf perdurable wel may that man that no good werk doth syng that fresh new song Iay tout perdu mon temps et mon labour For certes it bereueth a man goodnes and naâ—ture and eke the goodnes of grace For soth the grace of the holy gost farith as fyre that may not be ydle For fyre fayleth anon as it leseth his werchyng Than leseth the synful man the goodnes of glorye that only is beâ—oten to good men that labouren and werken wel may he be sory thenne that oweth al his lyf to god as longe as he liueth And eek as longe as he shal lyue that no goodnes hath to paye with his dette to god to whom â—e oweth al his lyf For trust wel â—e shal yeue acountys As sayth Saynt Bernard of alle the goodes that haue be yeuyn hym in this present lyf And how he hath dispendid them not so muche that ther shal perysshe an heer of his heed ne a moment of an hour that he ne shal yeue therof a rekenyng ¶ The fyfthe thing is that ought to meue a man to contrycion is remembraunce of the passyon that our lord Ihesu suffrid for our synnys For as saith seynt Bernard whylis that I lyue I shal haue remembraunce of the trauayllis that our lord Ihesu Crist suffryd in prechyng his werynes in trauelyng his temptacions whan he fasted his longe wakyngis whan he prayd his teris whan he wepte for pyte of good peple the woo and the shame and the fylthe that men seyden to hym of the foule spittyng that men spytten in his face of the buffâ—â—tys that men yaf hym of the foule mouthis and of the foule repreuys that men to hym sayden of the naylis with the whiche he was nayled to the Crosse and of alle the remenaunt of his passyon that he suffryd fâ—r mannys synne and nothyng for his gylt And ye shal vnderstande þ â— euâ—ry maner ordre of ordenaunâ—e is torned vp so doun For it is soth that god and reson and sensualyte and the body of a man be so ordeyned that euerich of thyse foure thynges shul haue lordship ouer that othâ—r as thus god shold haue lordship ouer reson and râ—sâ—n ouer sensualyte and sensualyte ouer the body of man But sothly man semeth al this order of ordenaunce is turned vp so doun And therfore thenne for as mykyl as the reson of man wyl wil not be â—ubget ne obeissaunt to god that is lord by right Therfore leseth it the lordship that it shold haue in sâ—nsualite and eke ouer the body of man And why for sensualite rebelleth thenne ayenst reson And by that wey â—â—sith reson his lordship ouer sensualite and ouer the body For right as reson is rebel to god Right so is sensualite rebel to reson and the body also And certes thys ordeâ—naunce And this rebellion our lord Ihesu Crist aboughte vpon his body wel deer and â—erkeneth in whiche wyse For as mykyll thenne as reson is rebâ—ll to god therfore is man worthy to haue sorowe and to be dede This suffrid our lord Ihesu for man after he was betraid of his disciple and distreyned bound so that the blood brast out at euery naylle of his hondes as saith saynt Augustâ—nâ— And ferthermore for as mykyl as reson of man wil not daunte sensualite whan it may Therfore is man worthâ— to haue shame And this suffred our lord Ihesu Crisâ— for man whan they spitten in his visage â— And ferther ouer then for as muche as the caytyf body of man is rebell bothe to reson and to sensualite therfore iâ— is worthy the dethâ— And this suffrid our lord Ihesu Crist fâ—r man vpon tâ—e crosse Where as ther was no parte of his body fre without grete payne and bitter passion And al this suffred Ihesu Crist that neuer forfeted To muche am I peyned for tho thinges that I neuer deseruyd and to mykâ—l defouled foâ— frendship that man is worthy to haueâ— And therfore may the sinful man wel saye as seynt Bernard sâ—ith A cursid be the bitternes For certis aâ—ter diuersâ— discordaunâ—es of our wickednes was the passion of Ihesu Crist y ordeyned in diuerse thinges as thus Certes synful mans soule beâ—trayd the deuyl by couetyse of temporel prosperite and scoâ—nys by disceyt whan he chefith flesshly delites And is tormentyd be Impacyence of aduersite and bespet by seruage in subiectyon of synne And atte laste he is slayn fynally For this discordance of synful man was Ihesu Crist first betraid and aftir that was he bounde that cam for to vnbynde vs of synne and of the peyne Thenne was he bescourged that only shold be honourid in alle thingis and of al thingis Thenne was his visage bespyt that ought to be desyred for to be seyn of al mankynde In whiche visage aungels desiren to loke and theryn was vilenisly bespeâ—te Thenne was he scorrned that nothing had gilt And fynally thenne was he crucifyed sleyn Thenne wâ—re complished the wordes of Ysaye that saith He was wounded for our misdedis and defouled for our vilonyes Now sith that Ihesu Crist toke on hym self the peyne of al our wickednes mikyl ought synfull man to wepe and to bewaylle that for his synnes goddis sone of heuen shold al this peyne endure ¶ The .xj. thing that ought to meue a maÌ„ to contricion is the hope of thre thinges that is to saye
hym The seconâ— is to chese the lowest place The .iij. is gladly to assente to good counceyl The .iiij. is gladly to stonde in obedience of his souereyn or of hym that is higher in degre Certes that is a grete werk of humylite ¶ Sequitur de Inuidia AFter pryde wil I speke of the foule synne of enuye whiche that is as by the worde of the philosophre sorow of other mennys prouffit And after the word of seynt Austyn it is sorow of othâ—r mens wele and Ioye of other mennys harm This foule synne is platly ayenst the holy gost Al be it so that euery synne is ayenst the holy gost Yet for as mucâ—e as bâ—unte apperteyneth to the holy gost properly And enuye cometh properly of malice Therfore it is properly ayenst the bounte of the holy gost Now hath malyce two spices that is to saye hardynes of herte and wickednes or ellis the flesh of man is so blynde that he consyderyth not that he is in synne whyche is the hardynes of the deuyl That othâ—r spyce of enuye is whan a man warrith ayâ—nst trouthe whan that he woot that it is trouth And eke whan that he warrith the grace that god hath yeue to his neyghebour And al this by enuye certes than is enuye the werst synne that is For sothly alle other synnys be som tyme ayenst one specyal vertu But certes enuye is ayenst alle maner vertues and alle goodnes for it is sory of al bounte of his neyghbours And in this maner it is dyuerce from al synnys For vnnethe is ther ony synne that it ne hath som delyte in hym self saue only enuye that euer hath in hym self anguysh and sorow The spices of enuye ben thyse Ther is first sorow of other mens goodnes And of her prosperyte ought to be kyndely mater of Ioye Thanne is enuye a synne ayenst kynde The second spice of enuye is ioye of other mens harme Of this second spice cometh bakbytyng or detraction that hath two spicis as thus Som men preyse her neyghbour by wicked entent For he maketh alway awicked knotie atte last ende alway he maketh a but that is signe of more blame than worth is al the preysing The second spice is that a man be good and doo and saye a thing to good entent The bacbitar wil torne al the goodnes vp so doun to his shrewd entent The thirde is to aâ—emise the bounte of his neyghbour The fourth spice of bacbityng is this that yf men speke goodnes of a man the bacbitar wil say perfay yet is suche a maÌ„ better than he in dispreysing of hym that men preyse The fyfthe is to consente gladly to herkne the harm that men speken of other folk this synne is ful grete and ay â—â—cresith after the wicked entent of the bacbiter After bacbytyng comyth grucchyng or murmurance And somtyme it spryngeth of Impacience ayenst god somtyme ayensâ— man Ayenst god is whan a man grucchyth agaynsâ— the payne of helle or ayenst pouerte or losse of catel or ayenst rayn or tempest or els gruâ—â—heth that shrewis haue prosperyte or ellis that good men haue aduersite And alle these thinges shold men suffre paciently For they comyn by the rightful Iugement and ordynance of god SomÌ„e tyme comith gruâ—chyng of auarice as Iudas gruâ—ched ayenst Magdaleyn whan she anoynted the hede of our lord Ihesu Crist with her precyous oynement This maner of murmur is such as whan men gruâ—â—hen of goodnes of that men hem self done or that other folk doon of her owen catel Somtyme comith murmur of pride as whan Symon the pharise gruâ—chid ayenst Magdaleyn whan she approchid to Ihesu Crist And wepte at his feet for her synnys And somtyme it sourdeth of enuye when men discoueren a mans harm that was pryue or berith hym on honde thing that is fals Murmur is eke ofte among seruanÌ„tes whan her souereyns bidden hem do lefful thingis And for as muche as they dar not openly withsaye the comandement of her maister yet wil they saye harme gruâ—â—he murmure priuely for very dispite whiche wordes men clepe the deuylles pater noster though so be the deuyl had neuer pater noster but that folk yeue suche a name somtyme it cometh of yre or of pryue hate þ â— norissheth rancour in herte as after I shal declare Thâ—nne cometh eke bitternes of herte Thurgh whiche bitternes euery good dede of his neyghbour semyth to hym bitter vÌ„nsauory Than cometh discorde that vnbindeth al maner of frendship Thenne cometh scornyng of his neighbour al do he neuer so wel thenne cometh accusing as whan men sekin occasion to annoye his neighbour whiche that is like the craft of þ e deuil þ t wayteth both night day to accusen vs alle Thenne cometh malignyte thurgh whiche a man noyeth his neyghbour pryuely yf he may And yf he nought may algate his wicked wil shal not wante as for to brenne his hous pryuely or empoysen hym or sle his bestis and semblable thingis Now wil I speke of the remedy of this foule synne of enuye The first is the loue of god principally and louyng of hym self and of his neyghbour For sothly that one may not be withoute that other And Crist wil in the name of thy neyghbour that thou shalt vnderstande thy broder For certes alle we haue one fader fleshly one moder that is to saye Adam and Eue And eke one fader spirytuel that is to saye god of heuen Thy neyghbour art thou holde for to loue and wille hym al goodnes And therfor saith god loue thy neyghbour as thy self that is to saye to lyf and to soule and saluacion And more ouer thou shalt loue hym in worde benigne chere and monysshyng and chastisyng in a voys to comforte hym praye for hym with al thy herte And in dede thou shalt loue hym in suche wyse that thou shalt do to hym in charyte as thou woldest were done to thyn owen ê‘sone And therfore thou shal do to hym no domage in wicked word ne harm in his body ne in his catel ne in his sowle by entysyng of wicked ensample Thou shalt not desire his wyf ne none of his thingis Vnderstonde eke that in the name of thy neyghbour is comprehendid his enemy Certes a man shal loue his enemy for the comandement of god And sothly thy frende shal thou loue in god I say thyn enemye shal thou loue for gods sake by his comandement For it were reson a man shold hate his enemy For soth god wol not receyue vs to his loue that ben his enemyes Ayenst thre maner wrongis that his enemy doth to hym he shal do thre thingis as thus ayenst hate rancour of herte he shal loue hym in herte ayenst chyding and wicked wordes he shal praye for his enemye ayenst the wicked dede of his enemye he shal do hym bounte For Crist saith loueth your enemyes and praieth for hem that
Iohn saith that thauowtrers shul be in helle in a sâ—ynkyng brennyng pyt of fyre brymston For lecherye is likenyd to brymstom for the stynke of her ordure Certes the bereuyng breking of this sacrameÌ„t is an horrible thinge Hâ—t was made of god hym self in paradyse confermed by Ihesu Crist As saith seynt Mathew in the gospel A man shal lete fader moder take hym to his wyf and they shal be two in one flessh This sacrament betokeneth the knyttyng to gyder of Crist of holy chirche And not only that god forbad auowtry in dede but eke he comanded that þ u sholdest not coueyte thy neyghbours wyf In this heest saith saint Austyn Al maner couetyse to do lecherye is forboden Lo what saith seynt Mathew in the gospel who so seeth awomaÌ„ to couetyse of his lust He hath don lecherye with her in his herte Here may ye see that not only the dede of this synne is â—orbode but eke the desyre to do that synne This cursid synne anoyeth greuously hem that it haunte and first to the soule For he obligeth it to synne and to peyne of deth that is pâ—rdurable and to the body anoyeth it greuously For it dryeth hym and of his blood he maketh sacrifyce to the fende of helle hit wasteth his catel his substance And certes yf it be a foule thing a man to waste his catel on women yet is hit a fouler thing that whan for suche ordure women spenden vpon men her catel and substance This synne as saith the prophete byreuyth a man and a woman her good fame and al her honour and it is ful playsant to the deuyl For therby wynneth be the most party of this world And right as a marchant deliteth hym most in chaffare that he hath most auauntage of right so deliteth the fende in this ordure This is that other hand of the deuyl with fyue fyngers to cacche the peple to this vilony The first fynger is the foule lokyng of the fool woâ—man that slâ—eth right as the basiliook sleeth folk by the venym of his sight For couetyse of the eyen foloweth thâ— couetyse of the herâ—e The second fynger is the vilayns touchyng in wickid maner And therfore saith Salamon That who so touchith and handelith a woman he faâ—th lyke hym that handelyth the scorpion that sâ—yngyth and sodeinly sleeth thurgh his â—â—uemynyng or as who so tâ—uchyth pycche he shendeth his fyngris The thirde is foule wordes that farith lyke fyre that brennyth that right anon brennyth the herte The fourthe is kyssing And trewly he were a grete fole that wold kysse the mouth of a brâ—nnyng ouyn or of a furneys And more foolis ben theâ— that kyssen in vilony For that mouth is the mouth of helle And namely thyse olde dâ—tardis holours yet wil they kysse though they may not dâ—â— and smater â—em Certes they be lyke to houndis For an bâ—und whan he cometh by the roser or by other benchis â—f he may not pysse yet wil he heue vp his legge and make countenaunce to pysse And for that man wenyth that he may not synne for lichorousnes that he doth with his wyf Certes that oppynyon is fals God woot a man may sle hym silf with his owen knyff and make hym dronke with his owen tonne Certes be it wyf or chylde or worldly thing that he louith before god it is his mawmet and he is an ydolastre Man shold loue his wyf by discrecion paciently and attemperatly And than is she as though she were his suster The fyfte fynger of the deuyllis hond is the stynkyng dede of lecherye He grypeth hym by the reynes for to throwe hym in to the furneâ—s of helle there as they shal haue the fyre and the wormâ—s that euer shal lasten wepyng and wayling sharp hunger and thirst Grislynes of deuillis that shulle al to trede hym withoute respite and withouten ende Of lecherye as I sâ—yde sâ—urden diuerce spyces as fornicacion that is betwiâ— man and woman that ben not maryed and this is dedely synne and aâ—â—â—st nature And destruction to nature is ayenst nature Persay the reson tellith hym eke that it is dedely synne for as muche as god forbad lecherye And seynt Poule yeuyth hym the regne that is due to no wight but to hem that do no dedely synne Another synne of lecherye is to bereuen a mayde of hâ—r maâ—denhede For certes he that so doth he cacchyth a mayde out of the hâ—est degre that is in thys present lyf And â—ereueth her that precyous fruyt that the book clepeth the hundred fruyt I can say it none other wyse in englissh but in latyn it hight centesimus fructus Certes he that so doth is cause of many domÌ„ages and vilonyes mo than ony manÌ„ can rekene right as he somtyme is cause of alle damages that bestis doo in the fâ—lde that breketh the hegge of the closure thurgh whiche he destroieth that may not be restored For certis nomore may maydenhede be restored than an arme that is smyten fro the body may retorne ayen towexe She may haue mercy this woot I well yf she do penytence but neuer shal it be but that she is corupt and al be it soo that I haue spoke somwhat of auoultrye it is good to shewe mo peryllis that longen to aduoultry for teschue the foule synnys of aduoultrye In latyn it is for to saye thapproching of another mannys bed thurgh whiche they that were one flessh habounden her bodyes to other persones Of thys synne as sayth the wyseman come many harmys First brekyng of feith And certis feith is keye of Cristendome And whan that keye is broken and â—â—â—n Certeyn cristendom standith without fruyt This synne is eke thefte for thefte generally to speke of is for to reue a thing of a man ayenst his will Certis this is the foulâ—st thefte that may be whan a woman stelith her body from her husbond and yeueth it to her holour to defoule it and stelyth her soule from Crist and yeuyth hit to the deuyll This is a foule thefte for to stele and breke the Chalys For thyse aduoultreris breken the temple of god spirytuelly and stelyn the vessel of grace that is the body and the sowle For whiche Crist shal destroye hem as saith seynt Paule Sothly of thys thefte doubtyd gretly Ioseph whan that his lordis wyf praid hym of vilonye whan he said Lo my lady â— how my lord hath take to me vnder my ward al that he hath in this world â— ne nothing is out of my power but only ye that be his wyf and hou shold I thenne do this wickidnes and synne so horrible ayenst god Alas al to litil is suche trouth now y founde The thirde harm is the fylthe thurgh whiche they breke the comandement of god and defowle the awter of her matrymonye that is Crist. For certis in so mykyl as the sacrament of mariage is so noble and so digne so muche
it is the gretter synne to breke it For god made mariage in paradyse in the state of Innocencye to multiplye mankynde to the seruyse of god And therfore is the brekyng therof greuous Of whiche brekyng comyn fals heyres often tyme that wrongfully occupien folkis heritagis And therfore wil Crist put hem out of the regne of heuen that is herytage to good folk Of this brekyng comyth eke that folk vn waar wedde or synne with her owen kynrede And namely the harlottis that haunten bordellis Thise fool women mowe be likenâ—d to a comyn gonge where as men purge her ordure What sayâ— we eke of putyers that lyuen by the horryble synne of putrye and constreyne women ye somÌ„e her owen wyuys or his childe as don thyse bawdis to yelde hem a certeyn rente of hâ—r bodily putrye Certis thyse ben cursid synnys Vnderstonde ye eke that aduoultrye is set comynly in the ten comandementis bitwene thefte and manslaghter For it is the grettest thâ—fte that may be For it is thefte of body and of sowle And it is lyke to homicyde For it keruyth a two hem that first were made one flessh And by the olde lawe they shold be slayn but natheles by the lawe of Ihâ—su Crist that is the lawe of pyte whan he sayd to the woman that was founde in auoutrye and shold haue be slayn with stones after the wil of the Iewis as was her lawe Goo quod Ihesu Crist and haue nomore will to do synne Sothly vengeance of auoultrye is awarded to the peyn of helle but it be distourbyd with penaunce Yet ben ther mo spyces of this cursid synne as whan that one of hem is religyous or ellis bothe or of folk that ben entryd in to ordre as Subdeken or deken prest or hospitalers and euer the hyer that he is in order the gretter is the synne For they haue made grete vowes to kepe Chastite This synne of brekyng of his auowe of chastite is whan he resceyued order And soth it is that holy order is chief of alle the tresour of god and is a special signe and mark of chastite whiche that is the most precyous lyf that is And eke this ordrid folk ben specially titled to god for whiche whan they doo dedely synne they ben the specyal traytours of god and of his peple For they lyue by the peple to praye for the peple And whyles they be suche traytours her prayers auayle not to the peple Prestis ben as aungellis as by the mystery of her dignyte But forsorâ—e saynt Paule saith that Sathanas transfourmeth hym in an aungel of light Sothly the preeft that hauntith synne He may be likned to an aungel of derknes transformed in to an aungel of light He semeth an aungel of light but forsothe he is an aungel of derknes Suche prestis ben the sonys of hely as is shewd in the book of kynges that they were the sonys of Belyal that is the deuyll Belial is to saye withouten Iuge And so faren they hem thynketh that they be fre and haue no Iuge nomore than hath a free bole that taketh whiche kowe that hym liketh in the toun so faren they be women For right as a fre bole is ynowh for al a toun right so is a corupt preest ynowh for al a parysh or a contre Thyse preestis as saith the book knowe not the mynistery of preesthode to the peple ne to god ne they holde hem not a paid as saith the book of sode flesh that was to hem offryd But they take by force the flesh that is rawe Certis right so thyse shrewis holde hem not a payd of rostid flesh and soden with whyche the pepyl â—eden hem in grete reuerence but they will haue rawe flesh as folkis wyuys and her doughters And certis thyse women that consentyn to her harlottis do grete wronge to Crist to holy chirche to alle halowis and to alle soulis for they bereuyn hâ—m al that shold worship Crist holy chirche and also to prayen for al cristen soulis And therfore haue sucâ—e â—â—â—â—stis her lemÌ„ans that consentyn to her lechery the maliâ—â—n of the cristen court til they come to amendement The thirâ—â— spyce of auoultrye is somtyme betwix a man his wyf â— And that is whan they take no regarde in their assembling but only for flesshly delyte as saith seynt Iherome and recke of nothing but they be assemblid by cause they be maried Al is good y nowh as thinketh to hem But in suche folk hath the deuil power as saide the aungel raphael to Tobye For in her assembling they put Ihesu Crist out of her herte and yeue hem self to alle ordure The fourth spyce is of hem that assemblyn by her kynrede or of hem that ben of one affâ—nyte or els with hem with whom her faders had delid with the synne of lecherye This synne maketh hem like houndis that taken none hede of kynrede And certes parentela is in two maners or gostly or flesshly gostly is for to delyn with her gossibs For right so as a godfader is her fader spirytuel For whiche a woman may in no lesse synne semble with her gossib than with her owen brother The fyfthe synne is that abhomynable synne of whiche noman ought to speke of ne wryte natheles it is openly rehercid in holy wryt Certes holy wryt may not be defouled more than the sonne that shyneth on a donghill Another synne apperteyneth to lecherye that comyth in slepyng and this synne cometh ofte to hem that ben maydens and eke to hem that ben corupt And this synne is cleped pollucion that cometh in foure maners Somtyme it cometh of languysshyng of the body of man Somtyme it cometh of Infirmyte for the feblenes of the vertu retentyf as phesik maketh mencyon Somtyme of furfete of mete and drynke and somtyme for violente thoughtis that ben enclosid in mannys mynde whan he goth to slepeâ— whiche may not be with oute synne For whiche men muste kepe hem wisely or els may they synne greuously Now cometh remedye ayenst lecherye and that is generally chastice and contynence that refreyneth alle disordinat meuyngis that comyn of fleshly talentis And euer the gretter merite shal he haue that refreyneâ—â—â—â—ost the wicked chauffyng or ordure of this synne And this is in two maners that is to saye chastite of mariage and chastite of wedowâ—ede Now shalt thou vnderstande that Matrymony is leefful assemblyng of man and woman that receyuen the vertue of the sacrement the bonde whiche that may not be departid in al her lyf this is to saye whylis they lyue bothe This is as sayth the book a ful grete sacrement God made it as I haue said in paradyse and wolde hym self be born in mariage and forto halowe mariage he was atte wedding where he torned water in to wynÌ„ whiche was the first miracle that he wrought in erthe to fore his discyples The trewe effect
man ought hastely to shewe his synne for many causis and for drede of deth that cometh ofte tyme so sodenly is in no certein what tyme it shal be ne in what place And eke the lenger he tarieth the ferther is he fro Crist And yf be abyde vnto his last day scarsely may he shriue or amende hym for his synnys or repente hym for the greuous maladye of his deth And for as muche as he hath not in his lif her kenyd Ihesu crist whan he hath spoken vnto him he shal crye vnto our lord at his last day skarcely he shal herken hym Vnderstonde that this condicion muste haue foure thinges First that thy shrifte be pourueid afore and auised And that a man can shriue hym of his synnys be it of pryde or of enuye so forth with the spicis circumstanÌ„cis And that hâ— haue comprehendid in his mynde the nombre the gretenes of his synnys and how long he hath leyen in synne and eke that he be contrite of his synnys and be in stedefast purpoos by the grace of god neuer efte to falle ayen in synne to whiche he is incâ—â—ned also thou shalt shriue the of alle thy synnys to one maÌ„ and not parcelmele to one man parcelmele to another Than is it to be vnderstande in th entent to ê‘ten thy confession as for shame or drede for it nys but strangling in thy soule For certes Ihesu crist is all good in hym is none imê‘fection And therfore he fâ—ryeuith al ê‘fightly els neuer a deel I saye not yf þ u be assigned to the penetanÌ„cer for â—ertain synne that thou art bounde to shewe him all the remenaunt of thy synnys of which þ u hast be shriuen of thy curate but yf it â—â—ke þ â— of thin humilite this is no deê‘ting of shrifte ne I say not there as I speke of diuision of coÌ„fession That yf thou haue licence to shryue the to a discrete and an honest preest and where the liketh and by the licence of thy curate that thou ne maist wel shryue the of alle thy synnys but leet no blot behynde lete no synne be vntold as fer as thou hast remembraunce And whan thou shalt be shryuen of thy curate telle hym eke alle the synnys that thou hast donÌ„ syth thou were last shryuen Also the very shryfte askith certeyn condicions First that thou shryue the by thy fre wil not constreyned ne for shame of folk ne for maladye or suche thingis for it is reson that he that trespaceth by his fre will confesse his trespaas ne none other man shal telle his synne ne wrathe hym aâ—ensâ— the preest for his amonesshyng to lete his synne The seâ—ond condicion is that thy shryfte be lawful that is to saâ—e â—hâ—u that shryuest the and eke the preest that â—erith thy confesâ—sion been verily in the feith of holy 〈◊〉 and that a man be not dispayrid of the mercy of Ihesu â—â—â—â—t as Caâ—â— and Iudas were And eke a man muste accuse hym self of â—is owen trespaas and not another but he shal blame and wyte hym self of his owen malice and of his sâ—nne and non other But natheles yf another man be eâ—â—â—â—son of enâ—tysyng of his synnys or yf the estate of a persone be suche by whiche his synne is agreggid or els that he may not pleinly shryue but he telle the persone whiche he hath synnyd with thenne may â—e telle so that his entente be not to bacâ—byte the persone but only to declair his confession â— Thou shalt eke make no lesynge in thy confession for humylyte Perauenture to saye that thou hast do synnys of whiche thou were neuer gilty For sâ—ynt Ausâ—yn sâ—â—th yf thou by cause of humylite makist a lesyng of thy self though thou were not in synne a fore yet art thou in synne thenne thurgh thy lesynge Thou shalt eke shewe thy synne by thy propre mouth but thou be dombe and not by letter for thou that hast do synne thou shalt haue the shame of thy confession Thou shalt not eke peynte thy confession by faire â—ubtil wordes to couere the more thy synne For thenne begylest thou thy self and not the preest thou muste telle it pleinly be it nâ—uer so horrible â—e so foull Thou shalt eke shriue the to a preest that is discrete to counceyl the And eke thou shalt not shriue the for veyn glorye ne for ypocresye ne for no cause but only for the doubte of Ihesu Crist and the hele of thy soule Thou shalt not eke renne to â—he preest al sodenly to â—â—lle hym lightly thy synne as who tellith a iape or a tale but auisedly with grete deuocion and general to shriue the â—â—ter than onys of synne whiche thou hast be shriuen of it is the more merite For as saith saint Austyn thou shalt hâ—ue the moâ—e â—â—ghtly relece grace of god bothe of synne and of payne And certis onys a yere at the lest weye it is lawful for to â—e houselid For sothly ones a yere alle thynges renouelyn ¶ Incipit tercia pars penitencie NOw haue I tolde of vâ—ry confession that is the sâ—cond part of penitencie The thirde part is satisfaction stondeth generally in almes dede in bodely payne Now benther thre maner of almesse Contricion of herte where a maÌ„ offrith hym sâ—lf to god Another is to haue pyte of defaute of his neyghbours The thirde is in yeuyng of good counceyl and coâ—fort bodely and gostly where men haue nede and namely in substaunce of mannys food And take kepe that a man hath nede of these thingis generally he hath nede of food of clothing and herberowh he hath nede of charitable counceyllyng and visityng in pryson and maladye and sepulture of dede bodyes And yf thou maâ—st not visite the nedeful with thy persone visite hym with thy message thy yeftis These ben the general almesses of werkis of charite of hem that haue temporel richesse or discrescion in counceyllyng Of these werkis shalt thou 〈◊〉 at the day of dome this almesse sholdest thou do of thy proper thingis and hastely and priuely yf thou maâ—st But natheles yf thou maist not do it priuely thou shalt not forâ—eâ—e to do almes though men see hit so that it be not do for thâ—nk of the world but only for to haue thanke of our lord Iâ—esu Crist For as witnessith saynt Mathew A Câ—te maâ— not be hyd that is set vpon a mountayn ne men light not a lantern and put hit vnder a bussâ—el but secâ—en it vpon a Candelstik to lighten the men in the hous Right so shal your light lighten before men that they mowe see your good werkis and gloryfye your fader that is in â—euenâ— Now as for to speke of bodily peyne it stont in prayers 〈◊〉 waking In fastyng and in vertuouse techyng of orisons â—e shal vnderstande that orisons or prayers is for to saye A pictoâ—â—ys of herte that is redressid in god and expressing it
by worde outward to remeue â—â—rmeful thâ—ngis and to haue thingis spirytuel and durable and somtyme temporel thingis Of whiche orisons in the oâ—ison of pater noster hath Ihesu Crist enclosid moste thingis Cerâ—â—â— it iâ— pryuylegid of thre thingis in his dignyte for whiche it is more digne than ony other prayer for that Ihesu Crist hym self made it and it is short for it shold be coude the more lightly and forto withholde more esely in herte and helpe hym self the â—fter with thorison and for a man shold be the lesse wery to saye it and for a man may not excuse hym to lerne it hit is so short and so esy and for it comprehendith in hym self alle good prayers Thexposicyon of of this holy prayer that is so excellent and so digne I betake to the maistres of theolegye Saue thus muche wyl I saye That whan thou prayest that god shold foryeue thâ— thy giâ—tys as thou forgâ—â—yst hem that haue agiltyd the Be wel ware that thou be not out of charyte This holy â—â—ison amenusâ—th eke venyal synne And therfore it apper â—â—ynâ—th specially to penitence This prayer muste be treuly said in very feith and that men praye to gâ—d ordinatly disâ—retly and deuoutly Alleway a man shal put his will â—o be subiect to the wil of god This oryson muste eke be sayd with grete humblenes and ful pure and honestly and not to the anoysaunce of ony man or woman hit muste eke be contynued with werkis of charite hit auayleth eke ayenst the vicis of the soule For as saith saint Iherome by fastyng be sauyd the vicis of the flessh and by prayeres the vicis of the soule After this thou shalt vnderstande thaâ— bodely peyne stont in waking For Ihesu crist saith wake yâ— praye ye that ye ne entre in to wicked temptacion ye shal vnderstande that fastyng standeth in thre thinges in forbering of bodily mete drynke in forbering of wordly Iolytees in forbering of dedely synne with al his migh And thou shalt vnderstande that god ordeyned fastingâ— And to fastyng apperteyneth foure thingis largines to poure folk gladnes in herte spirytuel not be angryd ne to be anoyed ne to grucche for he fastith And also resonable houre for to ete by mesure That is to saye that a man shold not ete in vntyme ne sitte the lenger at his table for he fastith Thenne shalt thou vnderstande that bodily peyne stondeth in disciplyne or techyng by worde or by wrytyng or by ensample Also in weryng of heir or of stamyn or of an habergeon on her naked flesh for cristis sake that â—uche maner penauncis ne make not thy herte biâ—ter or angry ne anoyed of thy self For better is to caste away thyn heyr than to caste awey the swetenes of our lord Ihesu Crist. And therfore saith saynt Poule Clothe you as they that ben chosen of god in herâ— of mysâ—ricorde debonairte suffraunce and suâ—â—â—â—â—aner of clothyng in whiche Ihesu crist is more apaid than in an heyr or habergeon than is disciplyne eke in knockyng of thy breste in scourgyng with yerdis in knelyng in tribulacions in suffryng 〈◊〉 wrongis that be do to hym and eke in pacient suffryng of maladyes or lâ—synges of worldly catel 〈◊〉 wyf or chylde or other frendis Thâ—nne shalt thou vnderstande whiche thinges distourblen penaunce And this is in thre maners that is drede shame and wanhope that is desperaâ—â—on And for to speke of drede for whiche he weneth he may suffre no penaunce ther ayenst is remedye for to thynke that bodely penaunce is but short atte regarde of helle that is cruel and so longe that it lastyth withouten ende Now ayenst shame that a man hath to shryue hym Sholde a man thynke by way of reson that he hath not be a shamed to do foule thing Certis hym ought not to be ashamed to do feir thingis and good thyngis And that is confessyons A man shold thynke that god woot al his thoughtis and his werkis and to hym may no thing be hyd ne couerid Men shold eke remembre hem of the shame that is to come at the day of dome to hem that be not penytent in this present â—â—f For al the creaturis in heuene and in erthe and in helle shul see appertly al that they hiden in this world Now for to speke of hem that ben so necligent and slowe to shriue hem it stondeth in two maners That one is that he hopeth to liue longe and forto purchace muche riches for his delyte And thenne wil he shriue hym as he saith he may as hym semeth tymely ynow come to shrifte Another is the furquydrye that he hath in Cristes mercy And ayenst the first he shal thynke that our lyf is in no sikernes And eke that alle the riches of the world is in auenture passyng as a shadowe on a wal And as saith sâ—mt Eregore That it apperteyneth to the grete rightwysnesse of god that neuer shal the peyne stynte of them that neuer wold withdrawe hem fro synne her thankis but euer contynued in synne For that perpetuel will to do synne shal they haue perpetuel peyne Wanhope is in two maners The first wanhope is in the mercy of god That other is that they thinke that they may not longe perseuere in goodnes The first wanhope cometh of that he demeth that he hath synned so gretly so ofte and so longe leyn in synne that he shal not be saued Certis ayenst þ â— cursid wanhope he sholde thinke that the passion of Ihesu is more stronge to vnbyndâ— than synne is to bynde And ayenst the seconde wanhope he shal thynke that as ofte as he fallith he shal 〈◊〉 by penytence And though he neuer so longe haue leyn in synne Thâ— mercy of Crist is alway redy to resceyue hym to mercy 〈…〉 wanhope that he demyth that he shold not longe pers 〈◊〉 in goodnes he shal thynke that the febilnes of the deuyâ— may no thing do but men wol suffre hym And eke he shal haue strengthe of god and of alle holy châ—rche and of the protectyon of aungellis yf hym list Thenne shulle men vnderstonde what is the fâ—uyt of penaunce and after the word of Ihesu Crist it is endeles blisse of â—â—uene There ioye hath no contrariosite of woo ne greuaunce there alle harmys be past of this present lyf there as is sikernes fro the peynes of helle there as is the blessid companye that reioysen euermore eueriche of others Ioye there as the body of man that whylâ—m was foull and derk is more clere than the sonne there as whylom the body was seke and freel feble and mortal Is iâ—mortal and so stronge and so hool that ther may no thing enpayre hit tâ—â—re as neyther is hunger ne thrist ne colde but euery soule replenesshid with the sight of the parfyght knowyng of the trynyte This blesssid regne may man purchace by pouert spirytuel and the glorye by lownesse the plente of Ioye by hunger and thrâ—st And the reste by trauayll and the lyf by deth and mortificacion of synne To that lyf he vs brynge that bought with his precyous blood Amen ¶ Explicit Tractatus Galfrydi Chaucer de ¶ Penitencia vt dicitur pro fabula rectoris NOw pray I to hem alle that herkene this litil tretyse or rede that yf ther be ony thing that liketh hem that therof they thanke our lord Ihesu Crist of whom proâ—eth al wit goodnes And yf ther be ony thing th 〈…〉 plese hem I praye hem also that they arette it to the defa 〈…〉 myn vnconnyng For our book saith al that is writen is writen for our doctrine And that is myn entent wherfore I beseke you mekely for the mercy of god that ye for me praye that crist haue mercy on me foryeue me my giltis and namely of my translacions of wordly vanytees the whiche I reuoke in my retractions as is the book of troylus the book also of fame the book of xxv ladies the book of þ e duchesse the book of seynt valentyns day of the parlament of bredis the talis of Caunterbury tho that sownyn vnto synne the book of the 〈…〉 many other bokis yf they were in my remembranÌ„ce 〈…〉 a songe many a lecherous laye that crist of his 〈◊〉 mercy foryeue me the synne But of the translacion of Boece de coÌ„solacoÌ„ne other bookis as of legendis of saintis and omelies moralite and deuocion that thanke I of our lord Ihesu crist his blessâ—d moder all the saintis of heuene Beseching hâ—m that they from hensforth vnto my liuys ende sâ—nde me grace to bewayle my giltis that it may stande vnto thâ— sauacion of my soule graunte me grace of verrey repentance confession and satisfaction to doo in this present lif thurgh the benigne grace of hym that is kynge of kyngis prâ—est of alle preestis that bought vs with the precyous blood of his herte so that I may be one of hâ—m at the day of dome that shal be sauid Qui cuÌ„ patre et spuÌ„ scoÌ„ viuit et regnat deus Per omnia secula seculorrum Amen