helpe Shall abye it bytter or the boke lyeth Priestes and persons that pleasynges desieren That taken mede and money for masses that they singe Taken her mede here as Mathew vs teacheth Mat. vi Amen amen recipiebant mercedem suam That labourers and pore folke takeÌ„ of her maisters It is no maner mede but a measurable hyre In marchaundice is no mede I may it well auowe It is a permutatioÌ„ apertly a peniworth for another And reddest thou neuer Regum thou recraed mede WhaÌ„ the veÌ„geauÌ„ce fel on Saule on hys chyldren God sent to Saule by Samuell the prophete That Agag of Amelec and all hys people after Shoulde dye for a dede that done had her elders Therfore said Samuel to Saul god him self hoteth The be buxume at his bidding his wil to fullfill WeÌ„d to Amelec with thine host what thou findest there flea it Burnes and Beastes brenne hem to death Wydowes and wyues women and children Mouable vnmouable and al that thou might find Brenne it beare not awaye be it neuer so ryche For mede nor for money loke thou distroye it Spyll it and spare it not thou shalt spede the better And for he coueted her cattell and the kinge spared For bare him his beasts both as the bible witnesseth Otherwyse than he was warned of the prophet God sayd to Samuel that Saule should dye And his sede for that synne shamefully ende Such a mischiefe mede made Saule the king to haue That god hated him foreuer all his heyres after The colour of thys case ne kepe I not to tell On auenture it noyed men no ende wyll I make For so is this world wont with hem that haue power That who so sayeth sothe is sonest iblamed I Conscience know this for kind wit This is no prophecy but a resonable gatheriÌ„g me it taught That reason shall rayne and realmes gouerne And right as Agag had happe shall come Samuell shall slea him and Saule shall be blamed And Dauid shall be diademed daunten hem all And one christen kinge kepe hem echeone Shall no more mede be maistry as she is nowe And loue and lownes and leauty togythers Shall be maisters on molde Truthe to saue And who so trespaceth against truth or taketh again his wil Leauty shal done hym lawe no life els Shal no sergeaÌ„t for his seruice wear no silk howne Ne no Pelure in his cloke for pleadynge at the barre Mede of misdoers maketh many Lordes â—â—â—ouer lords lowes ruleth the realmes 〈◊〉 â—nd loue shall come yet and conscience togither Thys is no prophecye but a 〈◊〉 aâ—hered of the scriptures And make of lawe a labourer such loue shall aryse And such a peace among the people a perfite truth That Iewes shal wene in their wyt waxe woÌ„ders glad That Moses Messia be come into this erth And haue wonder in her hertes that men be so true All that beareth bastarde brode swerde or launce Axe or yet hatchet or any weapon els Shal be demed to deth but if he do it smithy Esai ii Into sicle or into sythe to share or to culter Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres Euery man to play with a plow pikeaxe or spade Spynne or spread dong or spil him selfe with sâ—oughe Priestes or persons with place bo to hunte And dynge apon Dauid euery day tyl euen Hunting or hauking if any of them vse Hys boast of benifice worth by nome him after Shal neither king ne knight constable ne mayre Ouerleade the common ne to the court soÌ„mone Ne put hem in panel to done hem plight her truth But after the dede is done one dome shal rewarde Mercy or no mercy as truth wil accord Kinges courte coÌ„mon courte consistorye and chapter Al shal be but one court and one Baron by iustice Than worth true toÌ„g a tidy man the tened me neuer Battels shall none be ne no man beare weapon And what smith that any smithed be smitteÌ„ therw t to death Esai ii NoÌ„ leuable gens contra gentem gladium c. And or this fortune fall find men shal the werste By syx suÌ„nes and a shyp and halfe a shefe of arowes â–ª And the mydle of a mone shal make the Iewes to turne And Sarasines for that sight shall syng Gloria in excelsis Deo For Makometh and Mede mishape shal that tyme For Melius est bonum nomen quam diuitie multe Also wroth as the wind Pro. xxii waxe Mede in a while I can latine ê™ she clerkes wote the sothe Se what Solomon sayth in Sapience bokes That he that geueth giftes the victory winneth And most worship hath therw t as holy write telleth Honorem acquiret qui dat munera I leue wel Lady ê™ coÌ„science That scripture shold be read whole i. Tess v. that latine be true And thou art like a lady that rad a lesson once Was Omnia probate and that pleased her well For that was no longer at the leaues ende Had she loked that other half and the lefe turned She shuld haue fouÌ„d fel wordes folowing therafter Quod bonum est tenete Trueth that texte made And so fared ye Madame ye coude no more finde Tho you loked on Sapience sitting in your study This text that ye haue told were good for lords And you failed a cuÌ„niÌ„g clerk that coud the lefe haue turned And if ye seke SapieÌ„ce oft find ye shall the followeth A full teneful text to hem that take mede And that is Animam autem aufert accipientium c. And that is the taile of the text of that that ye shewed That though we win worship wyth mede haue victory The soule that the sond taketh by so much is bounde Passus quartus de visione CEase sayed the kinge I suffer you no longer Ye shal sangtle forsoth serue me both Kysse hyr quod the king conscience I hote CoÌ„science wil haue reasons aduice Nay by Christ quod Conscience congay me rather But Reason reade me thereto rather wyl I dye And I coÌ„mauÌ„d you ê™ the kyng to Conscience than Rape the to ride and Reason thou fetch Commaund him that he come my counsell to heare For he shall rule the realme and reade me the beste Of Mede and of other and what man shall hir wed And accouÌ„ten with the Conscience so me Christ helpe How thou lernest the people the learned the lewde I am fayne of that forward sayd the freke than And ryt right to Reason rowndeth in his eare And sayd as the kinge bade and sythe toke his leaue I shal aray me to ryde quod Reason reste the awhile And called Caton his knaue curtise of speache And also Thomme true tonge tell me no tales Reason rydeth on sufferaÌ„ce Ne leasyng to laughen of for I loued hem neuer And set my saddle apoÌ„ SufferauÌ„ce till I se my tyme And let waroken it wel with wytty wordes girthes And hang on him the heauy
of holy kyrke And praye hym of pardon and penaunce in thy lyfe And for hys muche mercy to amende you here For who the wylneth to wyt the waies of god almight I would hys eye were in his ars his finger after That euer wylneth to wytte why that god would Suffer Sathan hys sede to begyle Or Iudas to the Iewes Iesu betraye Al was as thou woudest lord worshyp be thou And al worth as thou wold what so we dispate And tho the vse these hanylowes to bliddeÌ„ meÌ„s witte What is do wel fro dobet nowe defe mote he worthe Sith he wylneth to wit which they be both But it he lyue in the life that longeth to dowel For I dare be his bold borow that dobet wil he neuer Though do best draw on hym day after other And whaÌ„ thou wytte was ware what dame studie told He became so confuse he cuÌ„neth not loke And as dome as death and drew him arere And for no carping I cold after ne kneling to therth I myght get no grayne of his great wyttis But al laughynge he louted and loked apon study In sygne that I shulde The maner of theÌ„ the be in office besechen hyr of grace And wheÌ„ I was ware of his wil to his wife I loutid And sayde mercie madame your maÌ„ shal I worth As longe as I liue both late and rathe For to worchen your wil the whyle mi life endureth With the that ye ken me kindly to know what is dowel For thi mekenes maÌ„ ê™ she for thi milde spech I shal ken the to my cosen that clergye is hoten He hath weddyd a wyfe wtin these syx moneths Is syb to the seued artes Scripture is hyr name They two as I hope after my teachinge Shal wishen the dowel I dare vnder take Than wes I as fayne as foule of fayr morow And glader then the gleman that golde hath to gyfte And asked hir the high way where that clergi dwelt And tel me some token ê™ I for tyme is that I wend Aske the hygh waye quod she hence to suffre Both wel and wee if that thou wyllt learne And ryde forthe by riches and rest thou not therin For if thou couplest the therwith to clergie coÌ„mest thou neuer And also the lycores lande that lechery hight Leaue it on thy left half a large mile and more Tyll thou come to a courte kepe well thy tonge FroÌ„ leasinges lyther speach licorus drinckes ThaÌ„ shalt thou se so brietie and simplicitie of speache That ech wight be in his wyll hys wytte to shewe And thus shalt thou come to cleargye that caÌ„ mani thinges Saye hym thys signe I sette him to schole And that I grete wel his wife Studye teacheth al things for I wrot her many bokes And set her to Sapience to the psalter glose Logike I learned her and manye other lawes And all the vnisons in musicke I made her to knowe Plato the poete I put him firste to boke Aristotle and other moe to argue I taught Grammer for gyrles I garde first to wryte And beat hem with a bales but if they would learne Of all kinnes craftes I contriued tooles Of carpenters of caruers and compassed Masons And lerned hem leuel and line though I loke dimme And Theologie hath tened me seuen score times The more I muse therin the mistier it semeth And the deper I deuyne the darker me it thynketh A full lethye thynge it were if that loue nere And for it leet beste by loue I loue it the better For there as loue is Leader ne lacketh neuer grace Loke thou loue lellie if the liketh Dowell For Dobet and Dobest bene of loues kynne In other science it sayth I sawe it in Caton Qui similat verbis Cato nec corde est fidus amicus tu quoque fac simile sic ars deluditur arte Who so gloseth as Gylours done go me to the same And so shalt thou false folcke and faiethles begyle Thys is Catons kenning to clerckes that he lernethe And Theologye teacheth not so who so taketh hede He kenneth the contrary agayne Catones wordes For he biddeth vs be as brethreÌ„ bid for our enmies And loue heÌ„ that lye on vs leÌ„de hem whan they nede And do good agayne euyl god him selfe hoteth Galat. vi â—um tempus habemur operemus bonum ad omnes O arime autem ad domesticos fidoi Pauie preached the people that perfitenes loued To do good for gods loue and gyue men that asken And namely to such that sueth out beleue And aly vs lacke or lye our Lord techeth vs to loue And not to greue heÌ„ the greue vs god him self forbade it Mihi vindictam et ego distribuam Therefore loke thou loue as long as thu durest For is no scieÌ„ce vnder the suÌ„ne so souerain for thy soule And astronomi is a harde thinge and euil for to know Geometrie and geomansye so gylfull of speache The vaniti of scieÌ„ce Who so thinkith worch with tho two thriueth but late For Sorcerie is the souerainst boke that to scieÌ„ce beloÌ„gith Ye ar ther febichers in forcers of fel mens makyng Experimentes of alkinamie the people to deceiuen Yf thou thynke to do wel dele therwyth neuer Al these sciences I me selfe soteled ordeined And founded him formest folke to disceyue Tel Clargy these tokens and scripture after To councel the kyndlye to knowen what is dowel I sayde graund mercy madame mekely her grate And went wightlie awaye wtoute more letinge And til I came to clergie I coulde neuer stinte And grate well the good man as study me taught And afterwarde the wyfe and worshypped heÌ„ both And tolde hem the tekeres that me taught were Was neuer gâ—m on this grouÌ„d sith god mad the world Fayrer vnderfongen ne frendlier at ease Than my selfe sothly sone so he wyste That I was of wittes house and with his wife dame Studye I sayd to heÌ„ sothly the sent was I thither Do well and Dobet and Dobest to learne It is coÌ„men life ê™ Cleargy on holy church to beleue With all the articles of the faith that falleth to be knowen And that is to beleue lelly both learned and leude On the greate God that gynnynge had neuer And on the sothfast Sonne that saued mankinde From the deadly death and from the deuyls power Through the helpe of the holy goste that which gost is of both Thre persons and not in plurell numbre For all is but one god and ech is god hym selfe Deus pater Deus filius Deus spiritus sanetus God the father god the sonne god the holy gost of both Maker of mankynde and of beastes bothe Austen the olde hereof made bokes And him selfe ordeined to saue vs in beleue Who was his auctour all the foure euangelistes And Christ cleped him selfe so the EuaÌ„gelists beareth witnes Al the clarks vnder Christ ne could this assoile But this beloÌ„gith to beleue to lewed the wold dowell For
first seke to knowe them selues That Fortune wyth hyr damosels perswade man to lyue licenciouslye That Age wyll cause them all to forsake him That Fryers couet to burye men for their goodes That manye be called and fewe chosen That the obseruation of the commaundementes of god is of value before god so it springe of loue Howe we should feaste That faith ioyned wyth charitie is moste souerayne salue That eche man shoulde beare with other and search his owne fautes That Pouertye is the beste and sureste lyfe That Priestes neglecte knoweledge Howe Nature teacheth manne by the naturall creatures That man ought not to searche why god doeth or suffereth thynges That all the Lordes Creatures be good That our owne fantisie deceiueth vs shame is the thyng that sonest driueth a drunckard from his vyce The twelfe parte called Passus duodecimus The twelfe parte begynneth in the laste syde of the lix leafe and endeth in the last side of the lxiiii leafe It declarith that GOD chastisith such as he loueth That charitie is dowell That manye talke well but do the contrary That true Cleargye is mercifull and ought to be loued that the holye goste is the autor of bokes That learned men may through their knoledge better eschue sinne than the vnlearned men may That god only knoweth the causes of thynges That rych men be like Pecockis And that there be thre sortes of Baptisme The thyrtenth parte called Passus decimus tertius The thyrtenth parte begynneth on the laste syde of the .lxiiii. leafe and endeth in the firste syde of the .lxxi. leafe It rehearseth much that was spoken before declarith the excesse of the Cleargy That Clargy hath .vii. sonnes That Cleargy hath neyther conscience nor Patience That Patience passeth a packe of bokes That the Plowman findeth vs breade What fautes reigne in labourynge men And what a wordlyng is The fourtenth parte called Passus decimus quartus The fourtenth parte begynneth in the firste syde of the lxxi and endeth in the firste syde of the leafe .lxxvii. It declarith how the labourynge man excuseth hym selfe of hys sinne That god prouideth fode for al hys creatures That Idlenes is cause of synne That satisfaction killeth synne that all men haue ioye here or els where That the mercifull rych shall haue heauen What a christen mans patent is Howe blessed a lyfe pouertie is And that Patience fedeth pouertie ☞ The fyftenth parte called Passus decimus quintus The .xv. part begynneth in the fyrst syde of the leafe lxxvii and endeth in the laste side of the leafe .lxxxvi. It declareth what the soule is And howe of diuerse offices it hath diuerse names That we sholde not search gods secretes The preachers dutye What shall become of euyll gotten goodes The true pylgrimage What compeny charitie haunteth That we shoulde take no gyftes of wicked men That it is sacrilege to spende the tythes otherwise than vpon the pore That no course is certayne Whan and howe Makometes lawe began That the Apostles turned all the worlde to the fayeth That chyldrene differ not frome wylde beastes tyll they be instructed in Christe That couetise of the cleargy wyll destroye the church That possession poysoned the church What the bishops dutye is And that Christe was declared by his miracles to be Messias ¶ The syxtenth parte called Passus decimus sextus The xvi parte begynneth in the last syde of the leafe lxxxvi endeth in the fyrste syde of the leafe lxxxxi It describeth charitie Declareth the Christe deliuered mā out of the thralde me of synne The maner of the betraying of Christ What the Trinitie is and the fayeth of Abraham The seuententh parte called Passus decimus septimus The seuententh parte begynneth in the firste syde of the leafe lxxxxi and endeth in the laste syde of the leafe lxxxxvi It declarith the old law to be abrogate That Christe the Samaritan hath deliuered vs and geuen vs a newe lawe Christes resurrection That the Trinitie is lyke an hande The holy goste by similitudes That a good man is lyke a torche And thre thinges that dryue a man out of hys house The eyghtenthe parte called Passus decimus octauus The .xviii. parte begynneth in the laste syde of the leafe lxxxxvi and endeth in the laste syde of the leafe Ciii It declareth Christes comming into Ierusalem Hys iudgemēt and death That god curseth vsurers That Christe triumphed euer deathe and hell That wealthe is knowne by woe and lyke of all other contraries Howe Christe vanquiseth Lucifer Howe Christe satisfied the lawe And that god is mercifull ☞ The nyntenthe parte called Passus decimus nonus The nintenth parte begynneth in the laste syde of the leafe Ciii and endeth in the laste syde of the leafe Cxi It declareth Christes victorye The gyftes that the thre kynges gaue hym That Christe is shewed to be god by hys myracles Why Christe appeared first to a woman What Pierces pardon is The gyftes of the holye goste Pierces office his oxen his sede that he soweth That Iustice leaueth no sinne vnpunished The fundation of the churche That pride enuieth the church How to withstand prid Who they be that neuer repent How lucre causeth mē to forsake the truth The answer of a blynde curate Howe the plowman foloweth the example of god And what Land lordes and kynges maye take of their tenauntes subiectes The twentieth parte called Passus visecimus The twentieth parte begynneth in the laste syde of the leafe Cxi and endeth in the laste leafe of the boke It declareth what a manne may do when nede compelleth hym That temperaunce is the chiefe vertue Who receyued Antichrist fyrst How Antichrist doth seduce many good men The maner of gods visitatiō The maner of men whan plages cease That couetise and simony make prelats That Life Fortune beget Slouth That Slouth marieth dispaire That Age killeth both phisitian surgian That Nature wolde haue vs to loue That the .vii. capital sinnes besieged Cōsciēce The answere of an Irysh prieste That Curates ought to haue a cōpotent liuinge certaine That Friers haue no nūbre That such as wēt to the Fryers to shrift be like saintuary mē That Hypocrisy woūdeth many prechers The negligence of patrons and bishops And what penauce gostly fathers were wōt to enioye their gostly children Finis IN a somer season when set was the sunne I shope me into shroubs as I a shepe were In habite as an harmet vnholy of werkes Went wyde in thys world wōders to here And on a May morning on Maluerne hilles Me befell a ferly of fayry me thought I was wery of wandering and went me to rest Vnder a brode banke by a bourne side And as I lay and leanid and lokid on the water I slombred into a sleping it swyzed so merye Than gan I to meten a meruelouse swiuen That I was in a wildernes I wyst neuer where As I beheld into theaste on highe to the sunne I saw a tower on a toft
had neuer froke fiue wits the faith to dyspute Ne man had no merite myght it be preued Fides non habet meritum vbi humana ratio prebet experimentum Than is do bet to suffer for thy soules sake All that the holy boke byt by holye kirkes teachinge And that is man by thy might for mercies sake Loke thou worke it in work that thy word sheweth Such as thou semest in sight be in assaye found Appare quoe es vel esto quod appares And let no bodye be by thy bearinge beglied But be suche in thy soule as thou semest with out Than is dobest to be bolde to blame the gylty Sithen thou seest thy selfe as in soule cleane And blame thou neuer body and that be blame worthy Si culpare velis culpabilis esse cauebis Dogma tuum sordet cum te tua culpa remordet God in the gospell greuouslye repreueth Al that lacken any life and lackes haue hem selfe Luke vi Quid consider as festucam inoculo fratris tui trabem in orulo tuo c. Whi meuest that thi mode for a more in thi brothers eie Sithen a beame in thin owne blindeth thy selfe Elice primo trabem in oculo tuo Whych letteth the to loke lesse or more I reade ech a blinde bussarde do boote to him selfe For Abbots for priers and for all maner prelates As persons parish priests the preach should teach All maner men to amend by hir might Thys text was tolde you to beware ere ye taught That ye were such as ye sayde to salue with other For gods word wold not be lost for that worcheth euer If it auailed not the coÌ„men it might auaile your selfe And it semeth now sothly to the worlds sight That gods word worketh not on lerned ne on lewd But in such maner as Mathew meneth in the gospel Dum cecus ducit cecum ambo in foueam cadunt Math xv Agaynst lewed oriestes Lewed men may liken you thus that the beame lieth in your eye And the festue is fallen for your defaut In all maner of men through mauzed priestes The bible beareth witnes that al the folke of Israell Vytterly bought the giltes of two had priestes Offyn and Finces for her couetyse Arch adei myshapped and Eli brake hys necke For thi ye correctors claw here correct first your self And theÌ„ mai ye safely sai as Dauid thou made the psalter Existimasti inique quod cro tui similis arguam te Psalm l. et statuam contra faciem tuam TheÌ„ shal burel clarks be bashed you to blaÌ„e or greue And carpen not as they carpe nowe cal you domme Canes muti non valentes satrare Esaie lâ—â— And to lacke you with a word your workmaÌ„shyp to let boundes But be prester at your praier theÌ„ for a pouÌ„d of no bils And all for your holines haue you this in hert In schole there is skorke but if a clarke wyll learne And great loue liking for ech of hem loueth other And nowe is religion a rider a romer by streate A leader of loue dayes Reade thys and a loude begger A pricker on a palfrey from Maner to Maner An heape of houndes at his arse as he a lorde were And but if hys knaue knele that shall his cope bryng He loured on him asked who taught him curtesye Litle had lords to done to giue landes from her heirs To religious that haue no ruth if it raine on her altares In many places ther they persoÌ„s be bi heÌ„ self at ease Of the pore haue they no pity and that is her charitie And they letten hem as lordes her landes lye so brod And there shall come a king The suppressioÌ„ of Abbayes and coÌ„fesse you religious And beate you as the bible telleth for brekiÌ„g of your rule And amende moniales monkes and chanons And put hem to her penaunce Ad pristinum statum ite And barons with erles beat hem through Beatus virs teching That her barnes claimeÌ„ blame you foule Hii in curribus et hii in equis ipsi obligati sunt c. Psal xxii And than friers in hee fecytor shall fynd a key Of Constantynes cofers in which is the catel That Gregories god chyldren had Ill dispended The Abbot of Abington And thaÌ„ shal the Abot of AbingtoÌ„ al his issue for euer Haue a knocke of a kynge and incurable the wound That this worth soth seke ye that oft ouer se the bible Esa xiiii Quomodo cessauit eractor quieuit tributum coÌ„triuit dominê° baculuÌ„ timpi oruÌ„ virgaÌ„ dominaÌ„tiuÌ„ cedeÌ„tiuÌ„ plaga insanabili And ere that kinge come Cayne shall awake And Dowel shal ding hem down distroi his might TheÌ„ is Dowel dobet ê™ I dominus kinghthod High degre helpeth nothinge to heauenwarde I wyll not skorne quod scripture but if seriuiners lie Kynghode ne knyghthode by ought I caÌ„ a waite Helpeth not to heauen warde one heres ende Ne ryches ryght naught ne ryaltie of lordes Paule preuith it impossible rich men to haue heauen Solomon sayth also that siluer is worst to loue Nihil iniquitus quam amare pecuniam And CatoÌ„ keÌ„neth vs to coueteÌ„ it naught but as nede teacheth Dilige deuarium sed parce dilige formam And patriarkes and prophets and poets bothe Wryten to wyshe vs to wyll no ryches And praise pouerti with pacieÌ„re thapostils bear witnes That they haue heritage in heuen and by true right Ther rich meÌ„ no right may claim but of ruth grate Contra quod I by Christ that can I repreue And preuen it by Peter and by Paul bothe That ben baptised be saued be he ryche or pore That is in extremis quod Scripture amoÌ„g saraceÌ„s Iewes They mow be sauyd so that is our beleue That an vnchrysten in that case may christeÌ„ an heatheÌ„ And for his lely beleue whan he the lyfe tyneth Haue the heritage of heauen as any man christen And christen men wtoute more mai not come to hauen For the Christ for christen meÌ„ died coÌ„firmed the lawe That who so would and willeth with Christ to arilse Si cum Christo surreristis c. He shoulde loue and leue Col iii. and the lawe fulfyll That is loue thy lorde god leuest aboue al thyng And after all christeÌ„ creatures in coÌ„meÌ„ ech maÌ„ other And thus him loÌ„geth to loue that leueth to be saued And but we do thus in dede ere the day of dome It shall besitten vs full sore the syluer that we kepe And our bocks the moteateÌ„ beÌ„ se beggers go naked Or delite vs in wine wild foule wot ani in defaute For euery christen creature shoulde be kinde to other And sithen heathen to helpe in hope of amendment God hoteth boeth hyght lowe that no man hurte other And sayth slea not the seÌ„blable is to mine owne likenes But if I send the some token and
Et vidit deus cuncta que fecerat et crant valde bona And bade euery creature Geue i. in hys kynde encrease All to myrthe with man that most worth holye In foundynge of the fleshe and of the fende bothe For maÌ„ was made of such a matter he mai not well a start That ne soÌ„time him bited to foloweÌ„ his kind Caton accordeth ther with Nemo sine crimine viuit Tho caught I colour anone coÌ„sed to be ashamed And a waked therewyth wo was me than That I in metelis ne myght more haue knowen And than sayde I to my selfe and chyde that tyme Now do I ken dowel ê™ I by dere god as me thinke And as I cast vp my eyen one loked on me asked Of me what thyng it were I wysh syr I sayd To se much and suffer more certes quod I is dowel Haddest thou suffred he saide slepyng tho thou were TheÌ„ hadst the keÌ„de that Clergy can kend more by reson For resoÌ„ wold haue rehearsed the right as cleargi said And for thy inter mitting here art thou forsake Philosophus esses si tacuisses c. Adam whyle he spake not had paradise at wyl But whaÌ„ he maÌ„ blid about meat eÌ„termittid to know The wisedome the wyt of god he was put froÌ„ blis And ryght so fared resoÌ„ with the thou with thy rude spech Lokedst losedst thyng that longed not to be done Tho had he no lyking for to learne the more Pryd now presuÌ„ption peraduenture wol me appele That cleargie thy company ne kepeth not to shew Shal neuer chaleÌ„gyng ne chidyng chast a maÌ„ so sone As shal shame and sheÌ„den hym shape hym to ameÌ„d Shame is the best remedye for dronkardes For let a dronken daffe in a dyke fal Let hym ligge loke not on hym tyl hym lyst to aryse For though resoÌ„ rebuked him thaÌ„ it wer but pure sin And wheÌ„ nede nimeth hym vp for doubt lest he sterue And shame shraketh hys clothes hys skyn washeth ThaÌ„ wot the droÌ„ken daffe wherfore he is to blame Ye sayen sothe quod I iche haue isene it ofte There smiteth nought so smarte ne smelleth so soure As shame ther he she with him for ech maÌ„ hym shoÌ„ith Why ye wish me thus ê™ I was for I rebuked reasoÌ„ Certes ê™ he that is sothe and shope him for to walke And I arose vpright with that and folowed hym after And prayed hym of hys curtesye to tel me hys name Passus duodecimus de visione I Am Imaginatiue quod he idle was I neuer Though I sit bi mi selfe in sikenes in helth I haue folowed the in fayth thys .xlv. wynter And oftimes haue meued the to think on thine end And how fel ferniers are faren so few to comeÌ„ And of thy wild wantoÌ„nes tho thou yong were To amende it in thi middle age lest might the fayled In thyne olde Elde that euil can suffer Pouertye or penaunce or prayer bydde Si non in prima vigilia nec in secunda AmeÌ„d the while thou may thou hast ben warnd oft With pousties of pestileÌ„ces with pouerty and with angers And wyth these bitter baleises god beateth his deare childrene Quem diligo castigo Apoc. iii. And Dauid in the psalter sayth of such the loueth Iesus Virga tua et baculus tuus Psa xxiii ipsa ne consolati sunt Although thou strike with thy staffe with stycke or with yarde It is our mirth as for me to ameÌ„d my soule And thou medlist with makiÌ„gs mightst go sai thi psalter And bid for hem the giue the bread for ther are bokes inow To tel me what do wel is do bet do best both And prechers to preuen what it is of many a peir friers Ise wel he said the soth some what me to excuse I saide Caton coÌ„forted hys soÌ„ne that clarke thoughe he were To solace him som time as I do whaÌ„ I make Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis And of holy men I heard ê™ I howe they other while Pleyden the perfitter to be in many places Holy mâ— vsed recreation And if there were anye wyght that would me tell What were do well and do bet and do best at the last Woulde I neuer do worke but wende to holy kirke And there bid my beades but whan I eate or slepe Paule in his pistle quod he preueth what is dowell Fides spes charitas maior horum i. Cor. xiii c. Fayeth hope and charitie and all beÌ„ good And sauen meÌ„ soÌ„dry tymes none so sone as charitye For he doeth wel wtouteÌ„ dout that doth as leuti techeth That is if thou be man maryed thy make thou loue And lyue forth as lawe wyll whyle you lyuen both Right so if thou be religious ren thou neuer further To Rome ne Roch mad or but as thy rule teacheth And hold the vnder obedieÌ„ce the high waye is to heaueÌ„ And if thou be maiden to mary might wel coÌ„tinue Seke neuer no saynt further for thy soules health For what made Lucifer to lese the hygh heuen Or SolomoÌ„ his sapieÌ„ce or Sampson his strength Iob the Iewe his ioye deare he it bought Aristotle and other mo Hypocrates and Virgil Alexander that all wanne elengelych ended Catell and kinde wyt was combraunce to hem all Felice hyr fayrenes fell hem all to sclaunder And Rosamonde right so rufully to beleue The beauty of hyr body in badnes she dispended Of many such I may read of men and women That wyse wordes wold shew and work the coÌ„trary Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes And ryche reukes ryght so gaderen and sparen And tho men that they most haten minister it at the last And for they suffren and se so many nedye folkes Luke vi And loue not as our lord byd lesen her soules Date et dabitur vobis And ryches right so but if the rote be true And grace is a graffe therof tho greuauÌ„ces to abate And grace ne groweth not but amonges lowe Patience and pouertie the place is there it groweth And in lelly liuynge men and in lyfe holye And through the gift of the holy gost as the gospel telleth Iohn iii. Spiritus vbi vult spirat Cleargy and kinde wyt cometh of sight teaching As the boke bereth wytnes to barnes the can read Quod scimus loquimur quod vidimus testamur Of quod scimus cometh cleargy cunnyng of heaueÌ„ And of quod vidimus cometh kinde wit of sight of diuerse people And grace a gyfte of god of great loue springeth Knew neuer clark how it comth ne kind wit the waies Nescit aliquis vnde venit Ioh. iii. True clergy is mercifull aut quo uadit And yet is cleargy tocommend and kinde wit bothe And namly clergy for christys loue that of clergy is rote For Moses witnesseth the god wrote the puple to wish In thold law as
the letter telleth that was the law of Iues That what womaÌ„ wer takeÌ„ in auoutri rich or pore With stones meÌ„ should strike her stone her to death A woman as we finden was gilty that death And Christ of his curtesy through cleargy hir saued And through caracts that Christe wrote the Iewes knew heÌ„ selfe Giltier as afore god greater in sinne Than the woman that ther was weÌ„t away for shame The cleargy that there was consorted the woman Holy kyrk knoweth this the christs writing saued hir So cleargy is confort to creatures that repenten And to mansede men mischiefe at her ende For bread of gods bodi myght not be wtout cleargy The which bread is both boote to the rightful And death and dampnation to hem that dye euil And christis caracts coÌ„fortid both culpable shewid The womaÌ„ that the Iews brought the Iesus thought to saue Nolite iudicare et non iudicabimini Right so gods body brethreÌ„ Luke vi but it be worthely take DaÌ„nith vs at the dai of dome as the caracis did the Iuis Therfore I couÌ„sel the for christes sake clergy that thou loue For kinde wit is of his kin nigh cosins both To our Lord leue me therfore loue hem I read For both ben as myrours to amend our defautes And leaders for lewde men and for lettred both Therfore lacke thou neuer logyke lawe ne hys customes Ne counterplede clarkes I counsell the for euer For as a man maye not see that misseth his eyne No more caÌ„ no clark but if he caught it fyrst bi boks Although men made bokes god was the maister The holy gost is the autour of bokes And s spirit the saÌ„plare said what meÌ„ shold wryte Ryght so leadeth letture lewde men to reason And as a blind maÌ„ in battel bereth weapoÌ„ to fight And hath no happe with his axe hys enemy to hytte No more can a kind witty maÌ„ but clarkes him teach Come for all his kind wit to christeÌ„dome be saued Which is the cofer of Christes tresure clarks kepe the kayes To vnlock it at her liking to the lewde puple Gyue mercy for her misdeades if men wil it aske Buxomely and beningly and bidden it of grace Archa dei in the olde lawe Leuites it kepten Had neuer lewd man leaue to liggeÌ„ haÌ„d on that cheste But he were priest or priestes soÌ„ne patriarke or prophet For cleargy is keper vnder Christe of heauen Was ther neuer knight but cleargy him made And kinde wyt commeth of all kyndes syghtes Of birde of beastes of tastes of truth of deceits Lyuers aforne vs vseden to make Selden that they sene her sones for to teach And helden it an high science her wyttes to know And through her science sothli was neuer no soul saued Ne brought by her bokes to blysse ne to ioye For al her kind knowings come but of diuerse sights Patriarkes and prophetes repreuedeÌ„ hir science And sayde her words ne her couÌ„sell was but foly As to the Cleargy of Christ couÌ„ted it but a trifle Sapientia huius mundi stulticia est apud deum For the hyghe holy gost heauen shal to cleaue And loue shall lepen out after into thys low earth And cleannes shall catche it clarkes shall it fynde Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem Luke â—â— He speakith nought ther of rich meÌ„ ne of right wytty Ne of lordes that were lewde meÌ„ but of the hyeste lettred Abant Magi ab oriente If anie fryer wer fouÌ„d ther Math. iâ— I giue you fiue shillings Ne in no beggers cote was that barne borne But in burgers place in Bethleem the beste Sed noÌ„ erat ci locus in diuersorio et pauper non habet diuersorium To pastours and to poets Luke ii appeared the angell And bad hem go to Bethleem gods birth to honour And songen a soÌ„g of solace Gloria in excelsis deo Clarkes knewe it wel commen wyth her presentes And dyd homage honorabli to hym that was almighty Why I haue tolde al thys I toke ful good hed Howe thou coÌ„triuedest Cleargie with crabbed words How that lewde meÌ„ lyght lucker thaÌ„ lettred wer saued Than clarkes or kinde witted men of christen people And thou saydest soth of some se in what maner Take two stronge men Two meâ—â— caste into Lemmes and in Temes cast hem And both naked as a nedle ther non sikerer thaÌ„ other The one hath cunnynge and can swymme and dyue The other is lewd of that labour lerned neuer to swym Which trowest thou of those two in Temese is most in dred He the neuer diuid ne nought caÌ„ of swymmyng Or the swymer that is safe be so hym selfe lyke There hys felow flete forth as the flowd liketh And is in dread to drench that neuer did swymme That swymme can not I sayd it semeth to my wyts Ryght so quod the reuke Reason sheweth That he that knoweth clergy can souer arise Out of synne and he be safe thoughe he synne oft If hym lyketh and luste than anye lewde lelly For if the clarke be cuÌ„ning he knoweth what is sinne And howe coÌ„tricioÌ„ wtout coÌ„fession coÌ„forteth the soule As thou seest in the psalter in psalmes one or twayne How coÌ„tricioÌ„ is coÌ„mended for it catcheth away sinne Psal 32. Beati quoruÌ„ remisse suÌ„t iniquitates et quoruÌ„ recta sunt c. And this coÌ„forteth ech a clarke couereth hi froÌ„ waÌ„hope In which floode the fend fouÌ„deth a maÌ„ hardest There the lewde lieth still and loketh after lente And repenteth not before shrifte thaÌ„ caÌ„ he litle tell And as his sores maÌ„ learneth hi beleueth troweth And that is persoÌ„ parish prest peradueÌ„ture he is VncuÌ„ning to lerne lewd meÌ„ as Luke beareth witnes Luke vi Dum cecus ducit cecum c. Wo was him marked that wade must with the lewde Well maye the barne hem blesse that him to boke set That liueing after letture saueth hi both life soule Dominê° pars hereditatis mee is a mery verse That hath taken from Tibunre .xx. stronge theues Ther leud theues be lolled vp loke how thei be saued The thef the had gods grace on good friday as thou spak Was for he knew Christ on the cros knowleged his synne And grace asked of god he is euer ready That buxomlych byddeth it beÌ„ in will to ameÌ„d heÌ„ And though the thefe had heauen he had no hie blisse As saint Iohn other saynts that deserued had better Right as if a maÌ„ giue me meat set me amid the flore I haue meat more theÌ„ inough not so much worship As thei the sit at side tables or with soueraignes of the hal But sit as a begger bourdles bi my selfe on that grouÌ„d So it fareth by the feloÌ„ that on good friday was saued He sitteth neither with saint Iohn Simon ne Iude Ne with maideÌ„s ne with martirs coÌ„fessours
as it were Loken as lambren and semen liue holye And it is more to haue her meat with such a easi maner TheÌ„ for penauÌ„ce or perfitnes that pouert that such taketh Therfore by colour ne by cleargy know shalt thou neuer Nether through works or words but through will one And that knoweth no clarke ne creature on earth But Pierce the plowman Petrus id est Christus For he is not with lesels ne with landlippers hermets Ne with ancres there a boxe hangeth al such they faiteÌ„ Fye on Faytors and Infautores suos For charitie is gods chaÌ„pion Of charitie as a good child hende And the meriest of mouth at meate where he setteth The loue that lieth in his hert maketh him light of spech And is compaignable and coÌ„fortatiue as Christ byd him selfe Nolite fieri sicut hypocrite tristes For I haue sene him in sylke Mat. vi sometime in russet Both in graye and in gryse and in a gylt harneys And as gladly he it gaue to gommes that it neded Edmunde and Edward eyther were kynges And famies set for charitye hem folowed I haue sene charitie also syngyng and reding Ryding and runnyng in ragged weedes And bydden as beggers behelde I hym neuer And in ryche robes rachest he walketh Called and Crimised and his crowne shaueÌ„ And in a Fryers froke he was found once And it is ferne ago in saynt Frances time In that seet syth to selde hath he be knowen Riche men he recommendeth of their robes taketh That withouten wiles ledeth her lyues Beatus est diues qui. c. In kings court he cometh oft ther the counsel is true And if couetis be of counsell What coÌ„pany charitie hauÌ„teth he wil not come therin In court amoÌ„ges tapers he commeth not but selde For brauling backbiting and bearing false wytnes In the coÌ„sistori before the comissari he cometh not ful oft For their law dureth ouerlong but if they lacheÌ„ siluer And matrimony for money maken and vnmaken And that conscience and Christ hath knite fast They vndone it vnworthely the docters of law And I ne lacke no lyue but lorde amend vs all And geue vs grace good God charitie to folowe For who so might mete with him such maners hiÌ„ aileth Neither he blameth ne banneth bosteth ne prayseth Lacketh he ne loseth ne loketh vp sterne Craueth ne couetith ne crieth after more In pace in idipsum dormiam et requiescam The most liuelode he liuith by Psal xiiâ— is loue in gods passioÌ„ Nether he biddeth ne beggeth ne boroweth to yelde Misdoth he no man ne with his mouth greueth Amongest christen men this mildnes shuld last In al maner angers haue this in herte That though he suffered all this God sufferid for vs more In exaÌ„ple we shuld do so takeÌ„ no veÌ„geauÌ„ce Of our foes that done vs falsenes that is our fathers will For wel may eueri maÌ„ wit if god had wold him selfe Shuld neuer Iudas ne Iew haue Iesu doÌ„e on rode Ne haue martrid Peter ne Paule ne in prison holden And he suffred in example that we shulde suffre also And said to such that suffre wold that Patientes vincunt Verbi gracia quod he and verye examples many The LegeÌ„d of say rites beleue it if ye luste In Legenda sanctorum the lyfe of holye sayntes What penaunce and pouertye passion they suffred In honger in heate in all maner angers Antonye and Egedye and other holye fathers Wendynge in wyldernes amonge wyld beastes Monkes and mendinauntes men by hem selfe In spekes and spelunkes seldom speken togyders And neyther Antony nor Egedi ne hermite that tyme Of Lyons ne of Leopardes no lyuelode to take But of fowles that flyeth this finden men in bokes Excepte that Egedi after an hynde cried And throughe the milke of that mylde beast the man was susteyned And day by day had neuer nought his hoÌ„ger to slake But selde sundry tymes as sayth the boke teacheth Antonye eche a daye aboute none time Had a byrd that brought hym bread that he by liued And though the gome had a gest God fouÌ„d hem both Poule primus heremita had proroked hym selfe That no man myght him se for mosse and for leaues Fowles hem fedde fell wynters wythall Tyll he founded Fryers of Austens order Poule after hys preachinge paniers he made And wonne wyth his hands that hys wombe neded Peter fyshed for hys fode and hys felowe Andrewe Some they sold some they soth so thei liued both And also Mary magdalen by moores liued dewes And most through deuotioÌ„ mind of god almighty I shoulde not these seuen dayes seggen hem all That liued thus for our lords loue many long yeres And ther ne was Lyon ne Leopard that on lands went Neyther bear ne bore ne other beastes wilde That ne fell to their fete fawned with their tales And if they could haue carped by Christ as I trowe They wold haue fed that folke before wyld fowles And God seÌ„t theÌ„ foode by foules by no fierse bestes In meanyng that meke thinge mild thinge shuld fede As who say religious A lesoÌ„ for them that take beâ—â—tices at wycked meÌ„ haÌ„de ryghtfull men should fynde And lawfull men to lyfe holy men lyuelode bryng And than would Lordes and ladies be loth to a gilte And to take of her tenauntes more than truth would Found they that Friers would forsake her almes And bidden hem beare it there it was borowed For we bene gods foles and abiden alwaye Tyll byrdes brynge vs that we shoulde liue by For had ye potage pane inough peniale to drinke And a mes there a mid of one maner kynde Ye had right inough ye religious so your rule me told Nunquid dicit Iob rugit Onager cum herbaÌ„ habuerit Aut mugiet bos cuÌ„ ante plenuÌ„ presepe steterit Iob. vâ— BrutoruÌ„ animaliuÌ„ natura te coÌ„deÌ„pnat quia cuÌ„ eis pabulum commune sufficit ex adipe prodiit iniquitas tua If lewde meÌ„ knew this lateÌ„ thei wold loke whoÌ„ they geue And aduice hem before a fiue dayes or syxe Ere they amortised to monkes or chanons her rents Alas Lordes and Ladies lewde counsel haue ye To gyue from your heyres that your elders you left And gyue it to bydde for you to such as ben ryche And ben founden and fedde eke to bydde for other Who perfourmeth this prophecy of the people that nowe liueth Dispersit dedit pauperibus Psal iii If any people performe the text it are these pore friers For that they begge about in building they spende it And on hem selfe some and such as beÌ„ her labourers And of heÌ„ that haue not they take geueth heÌ„ that hath And clarkes knightes and coÌ„muners that ben rych Fell of you fareth as if I a foreste hadde That were full of fayre trees and I found a caste Howe I myght mo therein amonge hem sette