As he wold to heuyn flye One of the apostyls there by standyng And se where he is so flyeng He shal coÌ„maund hym throughe the myght Of goddys sonne that he doune lyght And he shal falle doune anon And breke his necke bone Of many a bale they shal do bote And many a syke bryng on fote And al shal of his myght be That shal gyue them that pouste ¶ The CCC.xlvij questyon ¶ Shal they neuer haue no ende Nor no wo that to heuyn wende SOules that are iÌ„ heuyn blys Shal neuer of ioy mys Wo ne shuld they neuer se Nor old shal they neuer be They shal euer be reioysing As a chyld in his best lyking And hool as fysshe in delyte Swyfte as wynd and snow whyte Bryght as the shynyng sonne And know al that aungels conne Leel as ded in althyng And worshypped shal they be as kyng A thowsand yere in game and playe Thynketh them not an howre of the daye And that delyt they are with al With out end them last shal ¶ The CCC.xlviij questyon ¶ Tho that are in helle fest Shal they no mercy haue ne rest THo that shal to helle wende They are dampned with out ende Rest shal they none haue ne mercy For of that they are not worthy He that lettys of his fre wyl The good and takys hym to yl It is ryght that he haue also As that he hym chose vnto And tâ— pray for hym loude or styl Is al ageyne goddys wyl He that in purgatory is To clense and after shal to blys For hym is prayer to make Of his paynes for to slake But he that dampned is to helle He shal euer in sorowe dwelle With out rest with out ro And with out mercy also ¶ The CCC.xlix questyon ¶ They that in heuen shal haue theyr se Shal they clad or naked be THey shal be nakyd of enuye Of pryde and of lechery And clad also neuertheles With grace and blys and bryghtnes Shame of themselfe shal they thynke non Thoughe they haue no clothis on Nomore than Adam of hym thought Or that he the synne wrought When he had of the appul taken Than shamed hym a sawe his makyng No more than shamyth the That man vpon thy vysage se ¶ The CCC.l. questyon ¶ Whan god to deme come shal Quyck deed and the world al And al shal be deed which is than he That shal alyue here be LIfe and deeth of for to sey May be sayd on maners twey Deeth that body goys here to And deeth of sowle in payne also He that god hath serued here And his coÌ„maundments held dere He shal not be deed that day For he shal lyue in blys euer and ay And he that goddys wyl ne wrought And he that trowed on hym nought He shal be deed with out ende And to the payne of helle wende And that the Antechyrst shal turne Fro the fayth they may wel morne Them ware bettar they ware vnborne For many shal by hym be lorne ¶ The CCC.lj questyon ¶ Where shal be borne y t false prophyte That al that wo in erth shal sete ANtechryst shal borne be In Babylon agreat cete A wicked woman hym bere shal And the deuyl shal entre hym with al And wicches shal norysshe hym In aâ—oune hyght corozaym Uery prophyt they shal hym call And many wondres shal of hym fall Al the folke shal he drawe To his assent and to his lawe The rych shal on hym beleue For the gyftes that he shal geue The pouer shal to hym turne also For great awe that he shal put them to And for that he wyse shal be For al the clergye knowe shal he The clerkes shal he to hym alye Through wysdome of his clergye The good men and stedfast That in goddys lawe wold last Many shal he drawe hym to For myracles that he shal do He shal cause the fyre to falle Fro heuyn and his foos borne all Deed men he shal cause aryse To bere wyttnesse of werkes his No dedman but the deuyl onely Shal ryse in dampned body And bere witnesse of his werkys Among lewd men and clerkys Moch people shal to hym drawe Namely folke of the fyrst lawe Thre yere and a halfe shal he Reygne with moch dygnyte Twelue apostyls chose he shal With hym to walke ouer al He shal feyne hym for to deye And two dayes shal he be a weye The thyrd day shal he come with blys And say that he vp rysen ys Than shal come Enocke and Elye And shal prech ageyne his folye Great folke shal they turne hym fro But he shal them bothe slo No lenger there than dwell he wyl But he shal drawe hym to a hyl For to folowe and to do shame Tho that wycked haue his name Sodeyne dethe shal he dye thore For god wyl that he regne â—omore And ful sore may agryse as â—yse Whan they shal to the 〈◊〉 ryse ¶ The CCC.lij questyon ¶ What day shal it befall That goddys sone shal deme vs al ON suche aday shal he deme hyse As he fro deth to lyfe shal ryse That shal be on a sonday That now is sabbat in our lay Of heuen than the orders nyne That neuermore shal heuen tene Shal be fulfyllyd as they were al Or lucifer began to fal Lyuyng men shal then eueryone Dye for drede and ryse anone There shal be none of so great mede That at that day he shal haue drede ¶ The CCC.liij questyon ¶ What tyme shal he come therto For to deme the world also AT the mydnyght forsothe I tel Suche tyme as he shal harowe hel That eche tyme shal he lede out thore Al tho that his frendys wore And that tyme out shal he lede His of this world to geue them mede ¶ The CCC.liiii questyon ¶ How shal he come on what manere When he shal come to deme vs here AS a kyng to a cytye That wyl haue his inentere And inen before hym shal bere His crowne his sheld and his spere Wherby men may haue knowlegyng That thether comyng is the kyng So shal be come to the dome But nother with knyght ne with grome But with ordres of aungels all That bodyes out of theyr graue shal cal And they shal dele and set in twynne The good from thos that deyed in synne ¶ The CCC.liiij questyon ¶ Shal his crosse be there present Whan he shal geue his iugment NAy his crosse shal not be there But the semblaunt as it were And that shal be of more claryte Than men in the sonne se And whan the dome is don al With his to heuyn wend he shal ¶ The CCC.lv questyon ¶ Whan he the folke shal deme also How shal he shew hym them vnto SO as he dyd his dyscypyls tyl Dysfygured vpon an hylle He shal shew hym vnto them Bryghter than eny sonne beme So shal he shew hym to the good And to the wicked hangyng on rode ¶ The CCC.lvj questyon ¶
swayne And for falshed taken wore And in pryson holden sore And abode an euyl endyng At the lordes home comyng The good seruaunt wold he came tyte In trust of the more profyte The wycked wold he taryed lange For at his comyng shuld he hange And euer in pryson leuer were he Than come out and hanged be Also they that in paradyse wone Them longeth after goddes sone The very profyte that come shal That the world shal deme ouer al For than shal theyr blysse be more An hundreth folde than was before For than shal soule and body wende Into heuen withouten ende But soules that to hel go Wold goddes sone neuer came so For at his dome the body shal Come and dwell the soule withal And bothe into helle fare And an hondreth folde haue care More than that he had fyrst Therfore to dwell styl hym lyst For better with one care with inne Than to come out and haue twayne ¶ The CC.l. questyon ¶ Why go not the good that are wyse Unto erthly paradyse IT is not conuenyent dare I say That they thether toke the way Erthly paradyse was wrought To body and to soule nought It is a place erthly Therfore when soule is fro the body It may no where haue dwellyng But it be in goostly thyng For goost reioyseth hym ryght nought In place that bodyly is wrought Goost to goost that is his ryght And body in bodyly thyng hath myght Sowle may no man fele ne se Wherfore in his kynd must he be ¶ The CC.lij questyon ¶ Whether is sowle heuy or lyght Great or smal darke or bryght WEre a thowsand sowles here Lyeng on alefe of papere Heuyar were y e papere nought For they are lyght as thought Under thy nayle myght y u spere A thowsand and be neuer the werre Thy eyen and thy syght before Shuld neuer the lesse thy syght be To se the thyng that thou woldest se No more than thou hast lettyng Of the wynd to se a thyng And in the world is nought so whyte As is of hewe a good spyryte But a synful sowle synful and wycke Is also blacke as eny pycke Great lothly and heuy And fallyth dounward redely There nys man ne woman none That a synful sowle sawe one But yf the more wonder ware Out of his wyt he shuld fare ¶ The CC.liij questyon ¶ Good sowles that fro the body go◠Whyther wend they anon ALl that euer to lyfe came Fro the fyrst tyme of adam Yong and old good and wicked Tyl goddys sonne on rode be deed Holly vnto helle flyed Some to the lowe and some to the hye But after his deeth on the rood So shal the sowles of the good Whan they fro the body shede Wende vnto the clensyng stede And whan they clensed are a ryght Unto the blys of heuyn lyght The wicked shal with out dwellyng Anone in to helle be synkyng And some shal here haue don so That great clensyng nedyth them not to But also sone as they dey Wende to heuyn the hye wey But neuer the lesse at theyr ende Be purgatory shal they wende ¶ The CC.liiij questyon ¶ May no man in heuyn be But he fyrst purgatory se NO man or woman shal euer be Ne was in tyme that is gon perde That shal to heuyn whan he shal dey But by purgatory be his wey Neuer thelesse ther shal be two That ther by nede not to go The prophyt that shal man saue For of clensyng no nede shal he haue That other shal be that mayden bryght That goddys sonne shal in lyght For ful clene shal be of synne The body that he shal lyght in Wherfore shal she with out care With sowle and body to hym fare ¶ The CC.lv. questyon ¶ Sythen god sendys some to helle And some to heuyn for to dwelle Wherto shal the dome be And what thyng than iuge shal he GOod sowles shuld in heuyn dwelle And wicked before the dome in helle And al at the aungels call Unto the dome come shal In sowle and body as they wore In thys world here before And both to gether shal they wende There they shal be with out ende Gloryfyed shal be the wyse Of hym that is the hye iustyse And trobeled than shal be theyr blys That men neuer ne shal mys And bryghter shal than the body be Than is the sonne in his claryte The wicked shal to helle go Sowle and body to dwele in wo The payne that he had fyrst in wold Shal than be encresed thre fold For ryght is the body that was here In yl and good the sowlys fere That it with the sowle fele also Ioy or payne where it goys to Wherfore shal the dome be set Eythere ioy or payne to get ¶ The CC.lvj questyon ¶ Yong chyldren that can not reson Shal they ought fele dampnacyon SHal no man dampned be but he That grauntes wel he worthy be For agayne say may he nought Al the dedes that he hath wrought But cheldren that no good can Ne no wyt had of man Dampnacyon shal none come in For they dyd no deedly synne But yf ony be perchaunce That shuld haue come to creaunce And be deed or it be borne Ioy for euer it hath forlorne But payne it shal none dole Dwele it shal in a darke hole Where they shal fele euery adele Nyther of wo ne of we le ¶ The CC.lvij questyon ¶ Whether in that other world may be Ony how 's toune or cete AFul fayre cete god fyrst dyght Of his conyng and his myght Both to aungel and to man Or that man to synne be gan But after the synne of adam Ech man vnto helle came And that is a ful wicked cete Made to the deuyl and his meyne But whan goddys sonne is come truly And deth hath suffered pityously Than shal men fynd weyes thre Ech one to a dyuers cete The good to heuyn the way shal take The wicked to helle to deuyls blake That repent them here shal be dene To purgatory to make them clene Wonyng stedes be there no mo Where man or woman shal to go ¶ The CC.lviij questyon ¶ Shal they be dampned canst y u me say Chyldren of hethen men that dey CHyldren of hethen in yougth dyed And after theyr fathers lawe a lyued Al shal they dampned be No blys shal they euer se But yong chyldren shal haue no awe That shuld haue be of goddys law In a darcknes shal they dwelle But of payne dare them none tell ¶ The CC.lix questyon ¶ Yf no synne had done Adam Shuld al the folke that of hym cam With flesshe and fel as they are sene Euer in paradise haue bene HAd Adam so hym bethought That he had no synne wrought Of his ospryng shuld neuer none Out of paradyse haue gone But lyued there without torment And fro thens to heuen haue went Ryght as one of heuens meyne Without dethe or any payne Shuld no synne ne no lykyng Haue be than
¶ The history of kyng Boccus Sydracke how he confoundyd his lerned men and in y e syght of them dronke stronge venym in the name of the Trinite dyd hym no hurt Also his diuynyte y t he lerned of the boke of Noe. Also his profycyes that he had by reuelacyō of the aungell Also his answeris to the questions of wysdome both morall and natural wyth moche worldly wysdome contayned in noumber CCC lxv translatyd by Hugo of Caumpeden out of frenche into Englysshe Sidrack Kynge boccus ¶ Iohn̄ Twyne to the redar THe profyt and cōmodite of this boke o gentyl and curteys redar is so euydent open that it nedythe no settyng out nor praysyng for dowtful thynges comenly be praysyd or despraysed be cause trewe iugment may be takē of them but thynges of opē goodnes nede no praysyng for with theyr goodnes they prayse them selfe as thou shalt fynd this boke the whych to speke truly can not be suffycyently praysed I had leuer therfore as Salust sayth of Carthago hold my pese and to speke lytel of yt but shortly to knowe somwhat of his matters in effect he showeth of goddys workes ryght as the old new testament in many volumes declareth Also natural phylosophy expressyng the causes with euydent ensamples of moch moralyte in geuyng good counsel and a delect betwyx good and bade truly more euydēt than euer dyd Plato Arystotyles or Cicero ī theyr manyfold workes he shortly techeth moch knowlege of physyke the dyspocycyon of cōplexcyons the alteracyō of ages with moch secresy of the yere greatly of astronomy course of heuyn planets with theyr respectes breuely and playnly that that ypocras Galyen or Ptholomy comprehendyd in great or iuste volumes Also moch worldly experyence Abundaūt in prophesyes how the maners of mē shal alter and the world shal be ended with his iugment meruelus exhortyng the people to eschew the fylthynesse of synne what paynes are ordayned for yt and the ioyes of heuyn Than is this boke necessary to al men For it exhortyth to wysdome good maners ensamples hystoryis wherfore it may well be called a boke of philosofye that is to say a stody of wysdome Than I coūsayle euery mā to rede this boke or that cannot rede to geue dylygent eere to the reder for they shal fynde therī great frute bothe to the soule and body ¶ Here begynneth the table of this boke ¶ Fyrst the hystory of Boccus Sidracke how by the power of god he dystroyed his ydols and by the counsayle of the aungel shewed hym the vmbre of the trinite wherby he conuerted hym and all his host Than gaue he hym enstructions and answeryd to dyuers questions that he demaundyd of hym ¶ The questyons ¶ Yf god be euer and euer shal be The fyrst questyon Where may it be that god of heuen may be sene ii Yf god be ouer al and euery where iii. Whiche was the fyrst thynge that god made iiii The kyng asked whan aungel was wrought v. Wherfore serue the aungels that are in heuen vi Do deuyls know al rhynge and may do al thyng vii What shape are aungels and what can they do viii Dyd god make Adam with his owne hand ix In what place was Adam made x. Whether went Adam when he came out of paradise xi Dyd Adam any other syn than that he the appul ete and goddes commaundment brake xii What dyd Adam fro god take and howe shal he amendys make xiii Why was not Adam streyght loste when he had that synne wrought xiiii Why wold not god send an aungel or a man to amend Adā xv Why shal god be borne of a mayden she styll a mayden xvi Why is deth called dethe and how many dethes there be xvii Sendeth god man knowlege what deth he shal dye xviii Whan the soule from the body departeth howe goth it to other place xix Whether were the soule or body made fyrst xx Whiche speketh in man the soule or the body xxi The soule that is a goost hathe nother flesshe nor bone howe may it fele well or wo xxii Whiche is more lord the soule or the body xxiii In what place of the body hath the sowle his dwellyng xxiiii Why is the soule no lengar in the body than blode is left xxv How may it be that the people so dye xxvi How may man know that god made mā to his lykenes xxvii Seyng man is made of goddes lykenes why may he not do as god dyd xxviii Where becometh al the blode of man whan he dyeth xxix Where becometh the fyre whan it is quenchyd xxx Why dyethe not the body when he hathe loste halfe his blode or more xxxi Of what complexcion and nature is the body xxxii Ware sowles made at the fyrst or be they made euery day xxxiii May they haue any excusyng that of god know nothīg xxxiiii Shal a man do more than god cōmaundyth hym xxxv How many worldes be there how do mē them call xxxvi Dothe god greatly rewarde them that ryghtly hys seruys here do xxxvii The people that shall be at the commyng of hym and that shall be after shall they byleue in hym stedfastly xxxviii What cōmaundment shall goddes sone geue the people xxxix The blesfulest fayrest worthyest thyng what is it xl The fowlest and most perelous thyng to se which is it xli Shal the good sowles sorowe for the wicked xlii Which is bettar of helth or sycknesse to haue xliii What poure hath god geuen to sowle here xliiii Whan goddys sone is retorned to heuyn shall he leue eny gouerner here to rule the people xlv Goddys how 's who shal kepe it and haue it in holde xlvi He that doth no good but holdyth him styl doth he yl xlvii Lordshype shal it be more of rygour or pyte xlviii Shal aman do good to his kyn or frendes xlix Wherof comyth gentylhed .l. How may it be cold whan the wether is fayr and clere li. May aman by eny tokyn know the good from the yl lii The beleue of ydols shal it be aresed after my deeth liiii Why was it not goddys wyll that man lyued not a weke with one mele of mete liiii Dye the rych men as the pouer do lv Shal men iuge the rych as they do the pouer lvi May wecked men euer get goddys loue as the good haue lvii How may the child that ful of loue is come out of the mothers wombe lviii May eny woman bere mo chyldren at onys than one lix Which is the best thyng that may be or man may haue lx What is the worst thyng that man may haue lxi How may aman be leel and trew lxii Wherof comyth hardynesse and dred in man lxiii Wherof comyth meselry or scalle lxiiii Ware al thynges of goddys makyng made at the begynīg lxv Who noryssheth the trute in erth lxvi The beastes that haue no wyt how wax they ragyus and mad lxvii What beast leuyth longest in
his kynde lxviii Fedyth god al thyng that is in erth of his makyng lxix Fysshes foules and beastes haue they soules or no lxx They that shal be after the incarnacyon shall they lyue as lōge as we do now lxxi How long shal the world endure lxxii Lyue eny men mo out of the erth that we on go lxxiii Why are some men whyt some broune and some blake lxxiiii Wherof comyth felony lxxv Why are not al beastes of one colour lxxvi They that ete or drīke more thā nede do they wel or no. lxxvii Whiche is the best thyng and the worst of the man lxxviii Whether is a man more apter to conyng in etyng of hote metis or of colde lxxix How may aman fle felony wrathe and malencoly lxxx Is it better to haue hate of woman or loue lxxxi A man that is yonge how angeryth he for a lytel thyng lxxxii How may aman blamles be to loue a woman and hym not she lxxxiii Wherof comyth fattnesse in a mannys body lxxxiiii Shal aman chasten a woman with betyng whan she doth amys lxxxv What thyng is gelousy and wherof comyth it lxxxvi Shal aman loue his frend open to hym all the secretes of his mynde lxxxvii May aman do his profyt and labor not for it lxxxviii Shal men do almes dedes to pouer that haue nede lxxxix How shal he order hym selfe that is alday amonge the people lxxxx Is a rych man lesse worthy that hath lost his good or the pouer that hath encresed lxxxxi Wherof comyth the wicked custome of men or maner lxxxxii Seyng yron is so strong and harde wher with was fyrst made the hamer tonges and hyth lxxxxiii Do they amys that swere by theyr god what so he be lxxxxiiii Shal aman in althynges be chair of his body lxxxxv With whom shal aman loue to go and whos company shal he tie from lxxxxvi Which is better to haue of ryehes or to be pouer lxxxxvii Shal a mā honour a pouer mā as he do a rych mā lxxxxviii Delyght the pouer men in theyr pouerte as the ryche men do in theyr ryches lxxxxix Shal aman bost hym of that thyng that he doth c. Why are houndes raster in doyng of theyr kynd than other beastes are c.i. He that coueyteth another mannes wyfe doth he wel or yl c.ii. May not aman scape dethe by ryches myght or by some other meanes c.iii. Is it good to answere them that speke foly c.iiii. Whiche conyng of all is most greuoust to man c.v. They that labour for to wyn cānot why do they not leue c.vi Wherof may it come that men waxe foles and vnwyse c.vii. Is the soule and the body wo whan they shal depart c.viii Whiche shall aman take for the more a yong mā or an old c.ix Why rayneth it more in one yere than in another c.x. Why made not god man so that he myght not haue synned c.xi Is it good to haue entermetynges with all maner of men indyfferently c.xii. Why wold god this world make c.xiii How was this world made as it is nowe and how holdeth it as it is c.xiiii Is there any other than we that hathe the claryte or the lyght of the sonne c.xv. Howe longe is the worlde how brode and how thycke c.xvi Why shall god this world clene vndo c.xvii How are the fowles borne a hye that do flye c.xviii Whence cometh the rayne that falleth c.xix. Hayle stones wherof come they c.xx. Whereof come the tempestes c.xxi Wherof cometh the thonder c.xxii The wynde wherof comethe it c.xxiii How issueth the water out of the hylles whiche hylles seme to be dry c.xxiiii The water that is in the see why is it salte c.xxv. Wherof cometh the lyghtenyng c.xxvi The water that dothe ebbe and flowe wherof come they and whyther do they go c.xxvii Ware not hylles and roches made at the fyrste makynge of the worlde c.xxviii Shall euer so great a flode come eny more as was in the tyme of Noe. c.xxix Why dyd Noe take with hym into the arch venemous beastys as scorpion edder and snake c.xxx Wherof cometh golde c.xxxi How spryngeth some waters out of the erth hote c.xxxi Wherof cometh the Brymstone c.xxxii Wherof cometh carbouncles other precyous stones c.xxxiii How many landys be in the world c.xxxiiii May aman by drye lande go the world round about c.xxxv Myght a man sayle so longe that his shyp came vnrent to the turnyng of the fyrmament c.xxxvi Why made not god man to be euer yonge iolyfe and of powre ryche and of longe lyfe and at his deth to haue blys c.xxxvii Whiche are the aungels that receyuethe mannes sowle into heuen c.xxxviii Which is better of thes two good workes without chaslyte or wycked workes and chast to be c.xxxix What maketh the erthe quake c.xl. Wherof cometh the eclypse of the sonne and mone c.xli. Howe falle the sterres that men se fall and from whens come they all c.xlii How many heuyns are there c.xliii How hye is the heuyn aboue the erthe c.xliiii Of what myght is the fyrmament c.xlv. Of what myght are the planettis what be they called c.xlvi. How many maners of waters be there c.xlvii How many sees be there c.xlviii Why hathe god made the world rounde c.lxix Why is the mone colde and the sonne hote c.l. Whiche is the most thynge that is c.li Is there more grauel in erth or dropes of water in the see c.lii. Maye the grauell in erthe tolde be or dropes of water in the see c.liii How many sterres are on the skye c.liiii How many aungels dyd god make howe many be lefte and how many tell c.lv. Whiche are most of men beastes or fysshes c.lvi. Whiche is the delectablest place in all the world c.lvii Whiche is the most prowes in towne or forest c.lviii If a man haue an euyll wyfe or a wemme in any of his lymmes shall aman cast it in his tethe c.lix Shall men bothe worshyp men and do theyr wyll c.lx. Shall aman forget the seruyce of a good seruaunt that well hathe serued hym c.lxi May a man with holde hymselfe from a woman that he hath in kepyng that he commyt no lechery c.lxii Whiche is the greatest delyght that is c.lxiii Shal a man ought delyght hym with a woman c.lxiiii Whan two hoostes mete shall they streyght fyght c.lxv. Whiche of his membres myght a man worst forgo c.lxvi Who made the fyrst instrument that euer was and howe came it in his thought c.lxvii He that is dumbe defe and can not se what speche in his hert thynkethe he c.lxviii Why are some cloudes of the skye whyte some blacke c.lxix May no creature knowe goddes wyll or thought c.lxx. Shall aman worshyp god all day c.lxxi Wherof comethe bleryd eyen and why c.lxxii What people shall men worshyp in this world c.lxxiii Whiche is the largest man in the world c.lxxiiii Shall a pouer man put hymselfe at any tyme before a reche man c.lxxv
aduoutre he stake ¶ The syxth to manslawter he drewe For he by that hym self slewe ¶ Glotony the seuenth was Whan he put hym in that caas To ete the appul that his wyf bad And that god hym forbodden had Wherfore in that etynge vnwysly Was syn inoughe as me thynkyth truly ¶ The .xiij. questyon ¶ What was y e Adam frō god dyd take And how shall he amendys make FRom god Adam moch toke That tyme that he hym forsoke All that he shuld there haue wrought That Adam shuld forthe haue brought That is that they shulde haue ouercomen The deuyll and his myght haue nomen As the deuyll dyd Adam Bothe hym and all that of hym came Bycause his syn was moche more Than was all the worlde therfore It behouyd hym more agayne to yelde And this had he nought to welde Or fynde a man that shuld more be Than all the world whiche was not he And therfore dyd he ete his brede In laboure and swete tyll he was dede ¶ The .xiiij. questyon ¶ Forlorne for aye why was he nought Whan he so great a syn had wrought FOr it behoueth nedely to stande That god hathe ordeynyd before hād God ordeyned at y e begīyng That of Adam and his osprynge Shuld y e orders of goddis chosen Be fulfyllyd and out losyn And after whan Adam forthought Was angryd that he had so wrought Mercy anone myght he none take For he myght not amendis make And yf god had forgeuen hym this And haue put hym agayne into blysse That aungell was cast fro before For a thought and for no more Than had god bene vnryghtwyse Therfore in synne and wreke he lyse Yf a man founde anone In a sloughe a ryche stone That were fowle and nothynge clene He shuld wasshe it as I wene And in treasure it not laye Untyll the fylthe were awaye But goddes sone that more shal be Than all the worlde shall dye on tre Amendys for Adam to make And hym fro his penaunce take So shall he come out of helle And amonge goddes chosen dwelle ¶ The .xv. questyon ¶ Why wold not god an anngel send Or a man Adam to amende ANd aūgel had bought mā made hī fre His vnderlyne thā shuld he be Man in erthe was maked here For to bere aungell fere And yf aungell the kynde nam Of man and a man becam Then were aungell of lesse posterite Than god hym made fyrst to be And man agayne myght man not wynne For all were they lockyd in one synne For this shall goddes sone of myght In a clene mayden lyght Our kynde shall he in her take And of two kyndys a man make God and man bothe shall he be And of his manhed shal he Begyle the deuyll for euermore As that he dyd man before And of mankynde shall he not twynne Saue that he shall neuer do synne ¶ The .xvj. questyon ¶ Why shall god be borne y ◠me tell Of a maydē and she amayden dwell Syr on thre maners we fynde That god in erth made mānes kynd Fyrst made he man and gaue hym lyfe That nother came of man nor wyfe Man of man onely than he name As Eue that he made of Adam The thyrde maner than shal be Whan god of his powre I ensure the Shall lyght in erthe in a woman Without knowlegynge of any man And sethe the world fyrst began Euermore god lokyd vnto man That he shulde best do his wyll And his commaundementis fulfyll And of his kynde shall chosen be A clene mayden and a free That shal be withouten synne And all vertues her within Her father shall her sonne be And of his dought his mother make shal he She inuyolate shall be in her lyght And dwell in her .ix. monthes ryght For the .ix orders shall he fulfyll Of aungels than in heuen are styll With mannes kynd that shall be borne And forthe haue comen here beforne He shall also throughe his myght Be borne of that mayden bryght And she after chylde berynge Shal be wemmyd of nothynge For as the sonne his lyght casteth Throughe the glas that hole lasteth And cometh out as he fyrst was Without wemme of the glas So shall god in that mayden lende And out of her body wende And she styll left a mayden ryght As the glas fro the sonne lyght ¶ The .xvij. questyon Why is dethe callyd dethe tel me And how many dethes that therbe For bytternes is called dethe in dede And for Adam through euyl rede A bytter byte of the appul he bote That droue hym into laboure and swote And thre maner of dethes theris One that not rype is As of chylderne that are yonge They fele no paynes stronge Another dethe there is also That bytter is to come vnto As a yonge man whan hym lyketh best And the deth be on hym fest Bytternes he feleth and wo Or the goost departe hym fro Goostly deth the thyrd it is There the foule is euer dede fro blys And all thre to man they came For the synne that dyd Adam And yf that synne ne had bene wrought Man ne shuld haue dyed nought ¶ The .xviij. question ¶ Sendeth god ought to man to saye Of what deth that he shall dye NAye he sendeth to no man But he that so moche can That he haueth no menyng of the dede And worketh after the best rede Sodayne deth shall he not dye For he shal go the redy waye And the good that byleueth aryght In god of heuen and his myght And worke as they ought to do To what deth that they go to Whether they be slayne w t sword or knyf◠Or with wylde bestes lese theyr lyfe Or in water drowned be Or hangyd hye vpon a tre Or of some fowle aduenture Maye then the lyfe no lenger endure Wycked deth are none of these In the syght of god and hese For theyr good dedys more and lesse And goddes owne ryghtwysenesse May not he forgottyn in thought For they cursyd fyltynes of syn nought And yf they had oft don amys Through febylnes that in them is Truly yt shall be forgyuen all By the sharpe paynes that they suffer shall But he that in god trowes nought Ne his cōmaundmentis hath not wroght What may it hym a vayle That he haueth gret trauayle And prouys longe or he dye And though men hym fortunat say What deth so euer he dyes I wys Wycked deth and short it is ¶ The .xix. questyon ¶ Whā sowle fro the body shal shede How wendys the soule to other stede THe soule wendes fro the body Whan he dyeth full preuely But whan it is out gone Agayne to the body there cometh none A sorte of deuyls it take And moche ioye and dene therwith make And vnto helle they it bere With many paynes it to dere But after the tyme of goddes sone That he is comen in erthe to wone Of ledynge shall be manners thre Soules to lede there they shall be ¶ One is
his feet But yf they both in lyke caas be Of iugment to here the sentence perde Nomore shal he be dysdaynyng To here the pouer mannys sayeng Than he shal be of the rych mannys matter So as y e pouer maÌ„nys be as good or better Iugment came of god wherfore it shulde Be delyd euyn yf men wolde ¶ The lxxxxix questyon ¶ Delyt the pouer in pouerte also As the rych in theyr ryches do APouer man that hath no mete And to fyl the wombe he may gete He delyteth hym more therin Than y e rych w t al y t he doth wyn For yf the pouer haue his fylle Of mete and drynke he hath his wyl And the rych is hongre ay To gather more than he may And haue he neuer so great fee He may neuer fyllyd be For better at ese than is Iwys The ful man than the hongre is The pouer so of his hongar sesyth The rych in his hongar contynuyth He that longe hath seke leyne Whan he is helyd he is feyne And in his hert reioysyth more Than they that euer in helth wore Whan the syckenes of the pouer That hongre is may ought couer With mete and drynke that he hath gat More delyte he hath in that Than he that is in ryches sad That neuer no defaut had ¶ The C. questyon ¶ Shal aman ought make his roos Of eny thyng that he doos THes wyse meÌ„ shuld bost them nought Of nothiÌ„g that they haue wrought For oâ—fence waâ—e it god vnto And his owne dyshonour also Be he neuer so doughty Ne so valyaunt of his body And he bost hym of his dede Men shal scorne hym to his mede And though they say it not they hym holde For a lyer of that he tolde But a coward of no bounte For men shal wene he doughty be Of moch more his bost wyl make Than euer durst he vnder take Than say some that by hym sat That he is a lyare in that He was neuer worth a torde But a bostar in worde And he that doughty man is tolde And a hardy and a bolde Kepyth his tonge where he doth resorte Sufferyng other of hym to reporte That is moch more his honoure For it is an old auctoure He that hym selfe bostyth in towne With an horse tord men shal hym crowne ¶ The Cj. questyon ¶ Why are howndes faster iÌ„ theyr kynde Than other beastes that men do fynde OF all the beastes that I wote Is none of nature so hote As is a hounde in his nature And whan he shal make engendure Of theyr hete the great glowyng Maketh them together fastenyng As two peces of Iron fare In the fyre whan they wellyd are Ley that one that other vpon And geue them a stroke anon Throughe hete they together bynde And so fare houndes in theyr kynd ¶ The C.ii. questyon ¶ He y t of a nother maÌ„nes wyfe couetis is Or of his good doth he amys HE that is couetous and wode After other mannes good Other his wyfe whether it be Great synne and amys doth he And suche aman as we of tel Is called the deuyls grype of hel For the deuyll coueth aye To drawe vnto hym that he maye And for such a couetous is knowen That more wolde haue than his owne For a man shuld with another do As he wold men dyd hym to What man wold hym take fro His wyfe or his goodys mo I trowe it wold make hym loth And sone make hym wroth Wherfore shulde man hold hym euen As the aungels do in heuen There none couetyth others blys But holdyth hym content as he is ¶ The C.iij. questyon ¶ May no man eschape but dye By ryches myght ne eny rede me sey EUery man is made as thou hast herd Of foure thynges in this mydelerd Of fyre water erth ayre Both the fowle and also the fayre And thes foure ech one be Contrary to other in qualyte And the body may not blyn Where thes foure are gathered in But to gether haue they batayle Ey vnto one of them doth fayle And be the one downe clene brought The body lyueth lengar nought Therfore where so aman be Be it on land or on see The deth cleuyth euer by hym As it ware his owne lyme His lyme myght he away cast But deth cleueth ouer fast So that powre ne rychesse Ne conyng ne doughtynesse No excusacyon may aman make Whan god wyl the deth hym to take For good and bade shrewe and wich Yonge and old pouer and ryche Strong and feble folys and wyse Great and smal may none scape thys The deth that he most to go Unto the erth there he came fro ¶ The C.iiij questyon ¶ Syttyth god to aunswere ay Them that folye speke alday Hym to ferforth aman strykys That answerys hym y t folysly spekys But yf his folye shuld hym dere Than is it good that he answere Somtyme spekyth a fole folye And noman wottyth of whom ne why And men aunswere hym nothynge Is none the wors of his sayenge But yf men aunswere hym thore They bold hym to speke the more And than is a fole al hot To speke more than he wot And his wordes wyl not lete To confyrme with wordes grete And so engendryth great folye And great hathred and enuye And yf men hym answeryd nought His iangelyng were to ende brought Therfore he goth on the egge of a sword That answereth vnto a foles word ¶ The C.v. questyon ¶ What conyng of all that you tel can Is most greuous vnto man OF all conyngis the greuosest That is clargy and eke the best The sotylest and the most of wyt And the moste worshyped is it And therfore is it called arte For it arteth on eche parte His herer vnto conyng And of al thyng knowlegyng And sonest may it auayle But art of the most trauayle Than is wrytynge of al that be For he that wryteth may not se A bought whyle he is in wrytyng Nor here no speche nor other thyng Nor thynke nor lysten ne nought do Bâ—t al onely there vnto Therfore of all trauayles thou wotest Than is wrytyng alther most ¶ The C.vj. questyon ¶ They that trauayle for to wyn And can not lyue why wyl they not blyn MEn that trauayle and ese them nought In great couetyse are they brought And great traldam lyue they in And yet they cannot blyn But they shal trauayl and go ther fro And al that trauayle in such wo Shal another of it make hym blyth That lytel dyd for it but labour lyght I say not y t is gottyn in hast Shal a man dyspend in wast Ne shal of that fele no dysese But he shal with that syt at ese And neuer the lesse at mesure spende Of such as god wyl sende Ese them that not haue And lyfe and sowle so may he saue But he that of trauayl can not late For couetys of wordly bare And hath I now without that He shal neuer man be fate
thynge God his maker heuyn kynge And next his owne body And than his wyfe pryncypaly His chyldren ought aman by kynde For to loue and haue in mynde But whan god fyrst made adam And Eue of his body came He gaue hym her vnto fere And bade hym for to haue her dere Than in that geuyng made he Man and his wyfe one to be And yf thou and thy wyfe be one And that partyng is none Ne none other may forsake Unto deth the one take Thou ought thy wyfe to loue more Than al the chyldren that thyne more If thou forlese thy good wyfe Than lesyst thou the solace of thy lyfe And yf thou thy chyldren forgo Of thy wyfe may thou wyn mo Wherfore shalt thou thy wyfe loue more Than thy chyldren and hold in store ¶ The C.lxxx questyon ¶ If I had no father borne Ne no mother me beforne How shuld I haue borne be In this world or here or se LOnge or god the world wrought Or man or beast therin brought He knewe al that shuld be borne Which saued and which forlorne And al theyr names and thought God had bene elles nought Wherfore he wyst wel of the That thou shuldest borne be And seyng thou nedys shuldest be borne Though thy father the beforne Ne thy mother that was also Had nother come this world vnto Another father thou shuldest haue had And mother that had the both fede and clad ¶ The C.lxxxj questyon ¶ The chyld that hath ful the shap In the mother by what hap Is it somtyme brought to nought And may alyue forth be brought BE thre causes may it come to Why it comyth to pas so One than may be goddys wyl That he wylleth that it shal spyl Another skyl also ther is Why it so fareth somtyme amys The feble norysshyng in the wyfe That it may not come to lyfe For the feblenesse of the which norture Makyth the seed not to dure Feblenes of raynes the thyrd As in woman is be tyde Some woman with chyld may be And so feble of rayns is she That she is not of the myght Of the chyld to suffer the weyght The mother sterys and turnes about So that the chyld fallyth out Whan it is out than is it lorne And so than is it ded borne And by the grace of goddys myght The mother sperys a non ryght ¶ The C.lxxxij questyon ¶ Wymen y t in this world are here Are they al of one manere WImen are made al after one In flesshe blode hyde and bone And al the lymes y u seyst one bere Euery one such lymes were And that men felys one vpon May men fele on euery one But of complexcyon are they sere Of word wyl and of manere But al on one delyte men fynde Whan it comyth to dede of kynde Ofte of wathers may thou se That of dyuers hewes they be But in thy mouth yf thou them take Al as one water shal they smake So do wemen whare they fare Al of one sauyour they are But thynketh some man That swetar is some woman Than some other fyftene And of that may be thre thynges mene One is yf she be fayre and whyte For aman hath more delyte In her that is bryght on ble Than in a lothlyer on to se Another cause is noble wede For aman geuyth gladder mede To her that nobely is dyght Than to a pouer raggyd wyght The thyrd skyl is whan a man So great loue hath to woman That hym thynkyth none so swete to hold For loue hath no lacke it is sayd of olde ¶ The C.lxxxiij questyon ¶ If thy frend haue wyfe and meyne And them mysdo thou se Salt thou vnto thy frēde it sey And his wyfe and meyne be wrey IF thy neyghbor haue a wyfe That be of euyl lyfe And thou may it vndertake That she wronge doth agayne her make Or dystroyer of his good be And thou maye it wete or se Warne hym so preuely and styl That he smyte in none euyl wyl But byd hym that he loke therto So that they nomore do so And make he hym wroth at the fyrst Whan that he the soth hathe wyst And throughe thy wordes he shal take hede And than shal he the better spede And saue his good that shuld away And yf thou hym no word dyd say For men sayne in olde sawes By good neyghbours god day men dawes ¶ The C.lxxxiiij questyon ¶ Yf a man any thynge shal do Shal he hym ought hast therto IF thou thynke to do a good dede Hastly therto thou the spede For good dede shal haue no respyte He doth it twyes that doth it tyte But thynke thou euyl dede to do Haste the nothyng there vnto Be thynke the fyrst in thy herte That it the not after smerte For yf that thou take good hede Euyl haste is al vnspede In lytel tyme may befalle the That thy herte may chaunged be So that thou shalt the with holde Fro that thou fyrst don wolde And than shalt thou lyke wele That thou hasted to it no dele ¶ The C.lxxxv questyon ¶ Shal he that eny good can In this world loue euery man GOostly for god loue shalt thou Euery man and I shal tel the how Tyl his sowle no euyl wyl More than thou wylt thyne owne tyl But bodely thy loue shal be To euery man as he loueth the Loue he the loue hym a geyne And of his company be feyne Hate he the hate hym also And do with hym as he wold to the do Come thou to thy frendes how 's There thy foes thou feryst not thus He wyl receyue the with blys And for the the gladder he is If thou eny thyng hym craue With good wyl thou mayst it haue Such aman shalt thou loue ageyne And his wyl to do be feyne If thou come vnto thy foo That sawe the leuer hang than go Despyte of hym may thou gete Or eyther drynke or mete From such aman shalt thou fle And hate hym as he doth the For in old sawes says men that He that loues there he is hate Agayne the streme he rowes sore And to lese hath he no more ¶ The C.lxxxvj questyon ¶ The folke of this world ech one Are they comune after one BEtwyx them is comunaute In some thynges as thou may se For al are they borne in care And al shal they hens fare And al shal they rotte away And al aryse at domysday But betwyx them in some thyng Is dyuersyte for some is kynge Some pouer and vyle is theyr mete Some lyue by that they may gete Some go clade and some bare And of dyuerse manere men are Of dyuerse wyl of dyuerse thought Here in comune are they nought And as here is dyuersyte So shal there in other world be Some shal in to payne be brought To dole the werkes that he hath wrought And some shal in to payne of helle There with out ende to dwelle And some shal in to
The CC.lxxviij questyon ¶ Tho thaâ— are domâ— â—ooles borne And doys 〈…〉 HOles that no good can Ne no wyt haue of man And are borne of theyr mother so Men tel of them what so they do As a chyld that hath no wyt But doth al that lyketh it And bettar do can it nought But as it falleth in the thought And by cause theyr wyt is no more Dampned be they not therfore But they that in wyt were borne And after it haue forlorne And dyd euyl there before Whyle that they in wyt wore And no mercy of god asked Of that dede whyle theyr wit lasted And after knew nother good nor yl Tho shal be at goddys wyl ¶ The CC.lxxix questyon ¶ Aungels that with god are dere Kepe they mennys sowles here EUery man what so he be That beleuyth in the Trynyte Hath an aungel hym to zeme And to tech hym to good to lene And al his good thoughtes and dedes Puttys hym his aungel that ledys A wicked aungel he hath also Wicked dedes to put hym to And his wyt is lent hym fre And good and euyl knowes he Whether aungel he folowe wyl And the good aungel is fâ—lwo Whan he sees his man mysgo And his ioy is wel the more Whan men doys after his lore For of hym selfe hath man ryght nought But wickydnes in dede and thought ¶ The CC.lxxx questyon ¶ How may aungel y t hath no body Shew hym selfe here to man openly AUngel that is in goddys syght To se al thyng hath he myght But hym may no body se For a goostly thyng is he And throughe mannys pryson Is aungel somtyme sent here doune And he may come also smerte As eny thought in mannys herte Of the ayre he takyth a body And than is he sene openly And than aman here hym can And he hym as another man But were not that body truly Hym myght se no bodely eye ¶ The CC.lxxxj questyon ¶ Are deuyls spyers euer more Of that the folke do euerywhore DEuyls are euer more redy Where so aman doth wickedly And many mynysters haue they That are walkyng nyght and day And that neuer more blynne Men to tempt and brynge in synne And whan man hatâ— doâ— also Anone his mayster heteâ—â—ys it to But yf that it so bâ—falle That eny of the deuyls all With some good man be doune cast His poure wyl no lengar last Among his felowes he shal be sheâ—â— And be cast in great tourment So sore them â—â—nes hespâ—de nought Of the thyng that he after wrought ¶ The .lxxxij. questyon ¶ How is that fyre on what manere Purgatorye that men calle here Fyre of purgatorye is There moch wo is and no blys Thethere shal face al tho That shal be saued and no mo They that are here of repentaunce And do not fully here prâ—â—aunce There shal he it fulfyl be dene For to make hym fully clene But there shewes to them in that wo Aungels and other hallowes mo For whos loue they dyd 〈◊〉 hâ—re And they amend them at theyr shâ—re Syght of them and trust al so Of blys that they shal after to That shal be the comforte all For they wote to blys they shal But that shal after that goddys sonne be Deed truly vpon the rode tr◠¶ The CC.lxxxiij questyon ¶ What thyng is it men calle helle And how come sowles therin to dwell HElle is a stede of payne and wo And yet are there helles two The nether and the vppar helle And the nether the worse we â—el For ther is the great pyne And pryncâ—paly are there in ¶ The fyrst payne is I wot That aboue other fyre is hot As that our fyre is of nature Aboue fyre wrought of the paynture ¶ That other payne than is great cold Such that no man yong ne old May suffer it so straynyng it is And there is nother ioy de blys ¶ The thyrd payne that is in that helle Are dragons and adders felle That in the fyre lyue also As fysshes in the water do ¶ The fourth is such stynke in that hole That nothyng may it thâ—◠¶ The fyfte scourgears fowles to â—ete As smyth doth 〈…〉 â—â—mours great ¶ The syxte payne that there is dyght Is great darknes without lyght ¶ The seuente is the confusyone Of al the synnes aman bâ—e done For euery man shal knowe and se His dede though hym loth be ¶ The ryght payne shal be the crye That the dragons so gryssely And the adders that there wone Shal crye vpon hym euer anon ¶ The nynth is that he shal for go The syght of god and euer to be in wo A wicked shal haue al this pyne For he forsoke the ordres nyne Of aungels that in heuyn wore Ne wrought not after goddys lore But tho that now wend to helle Shal not al in the nether dwelle In the hyer shal be theyr dwellyng As adam and his ospryng Unto the tyme of the prophete That theyr synne with his deeth shal bete ¶ The CC.lxxxiiij questyon ¶ They y â— in holle haue they re dwellyng Wote they or knowe they eny thyng Ryghtwyse sowles knowe wel Al men and thâ—yr dedes euery dele And they wore al that euer is Both in sorowe and in blys Wicked sowlâ— that is in helle Knowes al that with them dwelle But of heuyn wote they nought Ne of no good dede that is wrought The good pray euer more For them that dyd them good before And they present to god also The good dedes that we do And the syght in the Trynyte Makyth them al thyng to know and se ¶ The CC.lxxxv questyon ¶ The good that hens begon al tyte Come they now to ioy perfyte UNto ioy thoughe they be brought Parfyt ioy haue they nought As they shal afterward come tyl And why I shal the say the skyl If thou come vnto a feste There rych metes are and honest And thou be set alone to mete The sadlyare shalt thou ete But yf a good felowe come to the shal That thou daryst to ete with al Thou etyst meryare than thou dedyst before And thy mete doth the good the more Euyn so the sowle that is in blys Hath moch ioy there that he is But perfyt ioy hath it nought Tyl his felowe be therto brought Which is the body that it in lay And that shal be at domysday Whan they to gether shal come agayne Eyther of other shal be fayne And haue of other great delyt Than shal be theyr ioy perfyt And tho that shal to helle fare Shal than haue perfyt care ¶ The CC.lxxxvj questyon ¶ May sowles ought shew theÌ„ vntyl Theyr freÌ„des ech tyme whaÌ„ they wyl GOod sowles that are in blys May ech tyme that theyr wyl is Shew them to frendes that wold them se Slepyng or wakyng whether it be But the sowle that is in helle Behouyth euer more styl to dwelle Tho y t are in purgatory are byleue That the good aungel may them geue