Grace helpe lyf hebe eterne saluacyon Now wyl I rest that trauayled haue al daye For my labour is brought al vnto playe Glad was I tho and on kne felle a doune Held vp myn handes sayd I wold ful fayn Her seruaunt be with alle subiectyon But lady myn maysires hole souerayne Quod I. telle me your labour your payne That ye so long haue had I wyl sayd shÌ„e Yeue audyeuce the gladder shalt thou be A doughtful prynce most myghty most digne Moost excellent and moost vyctoryous Hauyng a sonne four doughters benyngne And a seruaunt whiche with affectuous Loue desyre he cherysshed in his how 's A commaundement yafe his seruaunt in certayn The whiche he brake· deth shÌ„ old he his payn Foure tormentours the kyng cleped to hym Bad one hÌ„ym to put in pryson soure And other shÌ„old quyck flee hym lyth lym The third kil hÌ„ym the fourth shÌ„old him deuoure The four doughters herd telle of this rumoure Who 's names ben Mercy trouthe ryghÌ„t pease But mercy thoughÌ„t hyr faders yre to cease She loked doune in to the pryson depe Her loued seruaunt sawe shÌ„e syttyng there For whome hyr hert gan bothe blede wepe Dystyllyng teres dysteyned al here chere She gan vnlace her tressyd sonnysshe here Nakyd her brest and for compassyon Byfore here fader on knees fel a doun O mercyful and o most mercyable Kyng of kynges and fader of pyte Who 's myghty mercy is inmensurable O prynce eterne O benyngne lord quod shÌ„e To whome mercy is yeuen of properte Of thy seruaunt that lyeth in pryson bound Haue thow mercy or deth myn herte wyl wouÌ„d I am souerayne aboue thy werkes al I am the pure auauÌ„t of thy godhede I am thy child thy geÌ„me celestyal The mynyster of al thy godlyhede The substaunce that al mankynde doth fede I am the tresour of thy deyte O prynce of pees my bone now grauÌ„t thou me See how I sytte dysseueld on 〈◊〉 My crystal eyen see how theyr teres rayne My rosy lyppes see how they perced be The hemed chere eke of my clekes tweyne See how the tery Ryuer doth dysteyne My swaÌ„nysshe throte with syghes in distraynte My breste forbete see fader al is faynte And yf thowe wolt graunt me you prysonere And gyfe me leue to lose hym oute of payne Al this dystresse al this myn heuy chere To gladnes thou myght restore agayne Thy hÌ„ighÌ„ vengeauÌ„ce why shold y u not restrayne And shÌ„e we mercy syn he is penytent With that cam trouth asked what it ment To trouthe than spack hyr fader reuerent And sayd a seruaunt whÌ„iche I loued best On payne of deth I yaue a commandement Whiche for to kepe in hym was al my trest But he it bracke as a proude traytour kest Me to supplaunt and I made my behest For his trespaas he shÌ„old dye at the lest My doughter mercy prayth with voys pyteous I wold foryeue and on hym haue pyte For syth my mercy is moost copyous I must it shÌ„ewe thus argueth shÌ„e to me Nay nay quod trouth fader it may not be Thow must of force obserue thyne owne statute And thy promesse fulfylle for euery fute Thynk that I am thy doughter veryte That of al trouthe doothe execucyon Withouten whome thyne eterne deyte Were vnyat with imperfectyon Thy wyl is lawe thy promesse is reason And syth thy wyl and thy promesse also Was he shÌ„old dye thow mayst not goo ther fro For thy godlyhede put oute al varyaunce Stable thy sentence and thy Iust iugement Lete execute in dede the same penaunce That was forbrokyn of thy commaundement Than sayd mercy vnworthy is that assent For sauns doute euery resonable creature Withoute mercy may not lyue no endure Knowe ye not wele that I am sempyterne Quod mercy tho how may ye me refrayne I am lady aboue the heuen superne Though ye in erthe be pryncesse souerayne My myghty grace is neuer voyde ne vayne Ergo I must releue seruaunt penytent Saue fro the deth assoylle this argument Ryght sensyble preygnaunt for youre path He that strong argument quod veryte But do dyspute mercy is not myn arte Nother in herne ne in hole trouth logeth to me And permanent I am as wele as ye And syn of force my fader must be trewe From his byhest how may ye hym â—â—newe And yf ye thynk he broke not his byhest For to permute with mercy shâ— vengeaunce For one is god than wold ye at the lest In his godhede include bothe ignoraunce And hastynesse and exyle 〈◊〉 And prescyence and aske eke myght I sone Why hyght he that that better 〈◊〉 vndone Than sayd mercy wherto was mercy wrought But yf mercy had execucyon Wherto on me was al my fâ—derâ— thought And al his ioye in my creacyon Was I not made for resâ—yon Of heuenly blysse for necessyre That bothe angel and man must haue of me And yf so were that I were adnychylaâ—â— The heuenly court may not restorely be My faders Royalme were vayne and vacuate A power howshÌ„old it were withouten me Why shÌ„old I not than haue a soueraynte And complement of my petycyon Than answerd trouth for ye aske no reason Though ye al day argue for youre purpoos Trouthe shÌ„al delyuer at her owne volunte My lyberte in no poynt wyl I loos I am my faders chÌ„yld as we le as ye And ryghtwysenes I wote wil holde with me And with y t word trouthe for hÌ„ir suster went Dame ryghtwysenes whiche was anon present On godely wyse but ferful to behold Come ryghtwysenes al bemed ful of lyÈt For shÌ„e ne spared for hote ne for cold For hyghe for lowe for to fulfylle al ryght My sustres stryue qd shÌ„e with voyce on hyght I wyl dyscusse and theyr contencyon As ryght asketh brynge to conclusycn To his seruaunt I thynk what trust grace My fader had and eke â—haryte And in erthe for hym he made a place Of lust delyte and of al lyberte Eche erthely thyng eke vnto hÌ„is soueraynte He had enclyne and be obedyent WhÌ„yles he truly fulfylleth his commandement What thyng in erthe he couthe or myght deuyse For hertes rest and lyues sustenaunce On hym gan laugh in al godely wyse And at hÌ„is lust made hÌ„ym obeysaunce Exyled from hÌ„ym was vnhappy chaunce Aduersyte myght neuer his steppes sewe To his mayster whyles he was seruaunt trewe And yf so were he brake his commandement My fader made a constytucyon That prysoned al quyck flene and rent Dede deuoured shÌ„old be punycyon For hÌ„is trespaas and his transgressyon That both pure loue and fere this iust precept Shold hÌ„ym excyte that it were trewely kept Not withstandyng the promesse statute The trust the loue the bounte and kyndenesse Yone freel seruaunt subiecte to seruytute Saue to conspyre with al vngentylnesse And of y e iust maÌ„dement made ful iust inÌ„sgresse Wherfor of ryght me thynketh he must be
to lowte Echone other enbraced al aboute Glad of that metyng ful of grace What shÌ„old I say it was an heuenly place There was gramer ground of scyence al And Dyaletyk ful of pure knowyng Dame Rethoryk scyence Imperyal Dame Arsmetryk scyence in proporcyonyng Geometry that mesureth euery thyng The lady musyke and Astronomye These ladyes seuen sewed theologye Than from the dongeon grete within the place A solempne towre whiche styed vp to heuen Philosophie the lady ful of grace With ladyes come as after I shal neuen To sapyence the way shÌ„e took ful euen And sayd welcome suster and souerayne They kyssed swete of other bothe were fayne Philosophye is who lust to dyffyne Knowlege of erthely and eke heuenly thyng Y ioyned with sad study and fyne Of gouernaunce honest and good lyuyng It is also the probable connyng Of worldly thyng and goodely thyng ywys As moche as to man possyble is She is cleped also the arte of artes And eke of deth the medytacyon Hyr beyng eke y set in two partes In pure scyence and oppynacyon Scyence thynge techeth by certayne reason Oppynacyon is in certaynte When thyng by reson may not proued be And yf the sonne be more in quantyte Than is the erthe how moche eke is the heuen Of what mater and yf he stable be Or yet moble thys can not scyence neuen If that the mone be moysty holowe or euen This knowe we not by propre pure reason But this we haue by oppynacyon This souerayne lady dame phylosophye Within her self al artes doth contene Nature and kynd vertu and polycye How they y taught eke execute shÌ„old bene In her wysedom shÌ„e hath groundely and clene Wherfor to her annexed ben sustres thre Whiche ladyes ben of al souerayne bounte The fyrst suster is cleped Natural Whome folk of grace clepyn dame phisyca The second hyght the good pryncesse moral Whome they of grece eke clepyn dame Ethyca They clepe also the thyrd Dame Loyca Whome oure clerkes clepyn Racyonal Phylosophye hath these in especyal The fyrst doth teche the cause of euery thyng Her propre kynd hir kyndely properte And in the second is trust of lyuyng Knowlege of vertues and honeste When kynd and vertues may than knowen be The thyrd suster cometh with her resoun Of euyl and good makyng discrypcyoun Millesius one of the sages seuene In grece fyrst drewe as in the craft of kynde By his reason the causes of the heuene And of eche the nature gan he fynde Than come plato a worthy clerke of kynde For natural art sought oute geomatrye Arsmetryk Musyk and astronomye Dame Ethyca pryncesse of polycye Good Socrates fyrst founder of gouernaunce To knewe vertu and conne lyue honestly And four ladyes he sought ful of plesaunce To serue dame Ethyke with obeysaunce Whoo 's names ben prudence and ryghtwysenes Dame fortitude and temporaunce I gesse Than fond plato the lady racyonal Whiche whan that kynd vertu knowen bene Techeth eche man by reson specyal To vnderstonde the subtyl strengthe and clene Of kynd and vertu what they wold mene Than sought he oute Dame Dyaletyca To serue her with Dame Rethorica In these thre sustres grounded may we fynd Dyuynyte yf we loke wele ywys For eche dyuyne other speketh of kynd As in the noble book of Genesis Or of maners as in prouerbes Or of logyk for whome dyuynes al The Cantycle taken in specyal Some sayne that philosophÌ„ye called resoun Hath ladyes twoo subiect in specyal The fyrst hyght Inspectyue whoo 's eye a boun Dyscerneth thyng whÌ„iche is celestyal The second lady hyghÌ„t Actual That of eche thyng maketh discrypcyoun As it shÌ„eweth in operacyon Dame Inspectyue hath seruyng ladyes thre Dame natural and eke dame doctrynal The thyrd in heuen hath syght and soueraynte Wherfor shÌ„e hyght the pryncesse dyuynal The fyrst techeth kynd of thynges al By craft the second geteth Intellect The thyrd Inuysyble thynges hath respect Dame doctrynal hath seruauÌ„tes four ywys The good Arysmetryk and dame Geometrye Dame Musyk eke the lady ful of blysse The fourth pryncesse hyght dame Astronomye Of these four ladyes must I specyally Herafterward in my treatys endyte Of them nomore wherfor now wyl I wryte Dame Actual hath other ladyes thre As dame moral and dame dispensatyue Dame Cyuyle hyght the thyrd ful of bounte The fyrst dysposeth to eche man of lyue Maner of lyuyng the second is actyue Which can her houshÌ„old rewle withoute dystauÌ„ce The thyrd of Cytees hath in gouernaunce We entred in this yate ful of blysse Vnto the fyrst court ful of heuenly lyght Whiche dame scyence had in kepyng ywys Whiche how 's and ward loyal lusty bryght Ellumyned fresshe and peynted to the syght With propre kynd of eche thyng temporal MaÌ„ beest herbe tree ther maist y u know them al Scripture there taÈt hou maÌ„ shÌ„old gouerne him And what he is in body and in bloode And what mater he in lyeth or yet in hym Why this is euyl and why that thyng is good Why this is tame and why that beest is wood Al polycy in erthe and al knowlege Dame scyence ther had in that herbergage There was al natural philosophÌ„ye And in a goodly parlour see I syt The philosopher with his companye Tretyng of kynd and what longeth to it There was clerk note konnyng and wyt The poynt they wryte they dyspute they depure They determyne eche thyng that hath nature Arystotyl auerous and Auycenne Good Algazel Galyene and Appollynus Pyctagoras and Plato with his penne Macrobius Crato Boecius Rasus Isake Calyxte Orbasius Salustius cleophyl Ypocras With many mo whoo 's names I lete pas These had delyte to serue dame scyence And to haue knowlege in phylosophÌ„ye They worshÌ„ypped her they dyd reuerence Theyr hole desyre was to her soueraynly They wake they work they study besyly Whyles that they ben with dame scyence expert Theym to byholde myght rauysshe euery hert Explicit processus de prima Curia Incipit processus de secunda curia Vnto the second court than in we yode The cure of the whiche had dame Intellygence With halle chambres with toures hye good Ful of al lust and heuenly complacence There was depeynted with al reuerence The heuen his blysse and who duelleth in it The Ierarchyes in nyne ordres y knyt Of what degre was euery Ierarchye Of what Offyce and of what obseruaunce And why the fyrst eke hyght ypyphanye There was depaynted with al pure plesaunce Of Lucyfer and his vnhappy chaunce Of the spyrytes whiche that with hym felle There myght men see and of the payne of helle Oure wyttes fyue when they begyn to fayle As in eche inuysyble creature Intellygence must yeue vs than counsayle By her we haue parfyte knowlege and pure When eye nose ere mouthe eke is vnsure And we by them may gete no pure scyence Than must vs renne vnto intellygence There was Dapys Bernard bede barthilmew The good Cardynal the swete bonauenture Within enspyred
Ful of al lust comfort vertu and grace Depeynted fresshe with colour precyous And in a parlour ful solacyous Thappostles al were set with pure delyte And of oure trouthe the artycles they wryte They had byleue in god fadel of myght Maker of heuen and erthe and al that is Of vysyble and inuysyble wyght And in his sonne crist ful of blysse Before the world whiche was alwey ywys I gete not made and consubstauncyal To his fader of whome fourmed is al He cam from heuen and in the mayd Marye By inspyracyon of the holy goost Mankynd he took borne he was for to dye To wyn mans soule out from the fendes hoost And vnder Pylate set with Iewes boost Bounden bete crowned and crucyfyed With watry woundes Innocent he dyed For he was grauen man out from helle he broÈt And rose the thyrd day vnto lyue ageyne Styed to heuen his faders Trone he sought From whens as kyng he shÌ„al come yet certeyn Bothe quyk and dede to deme to lyf or peyn The goode to blysse the euyl to punysshement Heuene erthe helle shÌ„al quake in that iugemeÌ„t And in the holy ghoost byleue they had In holy chirche baptysme communyon Of sayntes eke to hold ferme and sad Of al trespaas to haue remyssyon And for to trowe the resurectyon Of peple dede and in lyf lastyng Vnto the whiche almyghty god vs bryng These artycles with other poyntes al That longeth to the holy Trynyte Dame feyth her self gan telle in specyal With al the secretes of the deyte Whiche in Englysshe not reherced be Suche thyng as shÌ„old be pryuate occult I rede we leue and take quicumque vult There was to feyth doyng al reuerence The holy synner Mary Magdalene Whiche by dame fayth hath geten indulgence Of al her synne and was assoylled clene Good martha eke by her grace gan optene And brought to lyue her broder lasedarus Soo was the sone also of Regulus There was the doughter eke of Canane Whiche by her was brought fro the fendes bond Al other eke that of ony infyrmyte Thorugh feyth was cured with her see I stond Blynde dome and deef leprous fote hond Whome feith hath heled and brought vnto grace With al honour obeyed her in that place There was also the hooly confessours That preched feyth whyle they were on lyue Doctours martyrs and gloryous auctours Wrytyng of feyth and her meryte blyue And on this wyse they gan hyr descryue And sayd that feyth is ground of al godenes Withouten whome lyf hath no sykernes Vnto al good shÌ„e geueth strengthe comfort And who troweth not he falleth impotent The shÌ„eld of feyth who lust to comport Al thyng ouercometh as vnto reuerence His thre enemyes with theyr yrous pretence Ayenst hym shÌ„al neuermore preuayle Aske byleue thyn askyng shÌ„al not fayle She is â—y for as the clerke sayth There is but one god lord perpetual Pryncypally of whome preched is fayth Eke hole shÌ„e is of her artycles al Trewe withoute errour outher grete or smal Lyuely and quyck to do euery quyk dede For elles shÌ„e were but as a body dede There was the lady clennesse wel arrayed Deuocyon and dame vyrgynyte Dame contynence and chastyte the mayd Dame Loulynesse and dame stabylyte Enlumyned fresshe echone in theyr degre These seruen fayth and as they couthe deuyse With blysse they song sayd vpon this wyse If better is to trowe in god aboue Than in mankynd or in many other thyng Who troweth in hym for he can kepe and loue Theyr lust fulfylle grauÌ„t them theyr askyng And in his gospel eke a worthy kyng He sayd hym self in me who lust byleue Though he be dede ywys yet shÌ„al he leue O cursed folk with youre Idolatrye WhÌ„iche in fals goddes setten youre delyte Blynd dome and deth is al youre mametrye Of stok stone men may suche karue thwyte Leue theym for fals with sour and despyte In our one god cast anker and byleue Though ye were dede he can make yow leue He is al lyf whan youre goddes be dede They haue a tyme and he is sempyterne They are but erthe and brought lowe as lede He regneth god aboue the heuen superne Blyssed be he for he no grace wyl werne To them that wyl in hym beset theyr byleue And though they dye ywys yet shÌ„al they lyue Explicit Tractatus de Fide et Cantus famule sue These thynges folowyng is euery Crysten man and woman holde and bounde to lerne and to conne to theyr power in waye of theyr saluacyon The Pater noster The Aue maria And the Crede The ten commandentis Haue one god in worshÌ„yp In this is forboden al maner mawmetrye Wytchecraft Enchauntement Redynge of dremes And al mysbyleue Take not his name invayn In this is forboden al heresyes Al mysmenyng VnworshÌ„yp of god Forsweryng Takyng his name in vayne And suche other Halowe thyne holy day To this belongeth Heryng of thy seruyse Kepynge the oute of dedely synne Vysytyng of thy powre neyghbours Accordyng them that ben at debate And suche other Worspyp thy fader and moder God thy fader Holy chÌ„irche thy moder The ghoostly faders Thy flesshely fader moder Al men of age worshÌ„yp And prelates of holy chirche Slee no man With hond smytyng With mouthe bacbytyng Herte cursynge Ne wyllyng euyl Ne vengeaunce Do no lecherye Here is forboden Alle spousebreche Alle flesshely dedes And al mysshedynge of mannes seed Doo no thefte Here is forboden stelyng Wronge purchacyng DyshÌ„erytyng of heyres Trecherye Vsurye Wronge amersementis False mesure weyghtes And suche other Bere no false wytnes Here is forboden False lyeng Bacbytyng Accusyng Appayryng of good lots And suche other Desyre not thy neyghbours wyf In this is not onely Forboden the dede But also the desyre And wyl of herte Desyre not thy neyghbours thyngê How 's Londe Beest Seruaunt Ne nothyng that is his The seuen dedely synnes Pryde Herof comyth boostyng of proude beryng Dysplesyng Scornyng Hyghe herte Gay array Pryde of Rychesse Faytenes Cunnyng Strengthe Vertue Goodnes Pryde of kynne Vnbuxomnes Vayne glorye Dispyte of thyne neyghbour Ypocrysye suche other Enuye Glad of thy neyghbours euyl fare Heuy of hÌ„is welfare Backbytyng Sownyng of dyscord Scornyng And suche other wrath Fyghtyng Chydynge Hurtyng Betynge Waryeng Cursyng Grutchyng Desiring of vengeaunce Cruelnes Manslaughter And suche other Couetise Falsehode in wynnyng In beyeng In sellyng In metyng In weyeng Gyle Trecherye Sacrrilege Simonye Vsurye Thefte Receyuyng of stolen goodes Extorcion Wrong withholding Withdrawing of seruauntes hire Withholding of tithes and dutees of hooly Chirehe Glotonye Etyng or drynkyng ouer moche To erly To late Oute of mesure Brekyng of fast Vsyng of delycate metes and drynkes Or in vsyng them to strengthe thy body to synne And suche other Slouthe Therof cometh ydlenes Delite in sleepe Neclygence of thy bileue Vnlusty to goddes seruyse Foryetefulnes of shÌ„ryfte Myspendyng of tyme Dyspayer Wanhope and suche other Lecherye In thoughte Wylle Werke Syght Felyng Dede doyng With sengle With comune Wydowes Maydens Wyues Gossybbes Goddoughters Relygyous Or ony other oute of wedlok Synne ayenst kynde or suche other The fyue wyttes Syght Heryng Smellyng Tastyng Feelyng The seuen dedes of mercy bodyly Fede the hungry Yene drynke to the thursty Clothe the naked Herbero we the howseles Vysyte the syke Delyuer the prysoners And burye the poure that ben dede at her deth Tho seuen dedes of mercy ghoostely Teche them that can not Yeue good counseyl to hym that asketh it Chastyse thy subgette that offendith Comforte the sory Foryeue hym that trespâ—ceth to the Haue routhe on the synnar And praye for thyne enemye The seuen pryncypal vertues Fayth This is ground and begynnyng of oure saluacyon And it stondeth in thre thynges In the vnyte of the godhede in thre persones In the manhode of Cryst And in the sacramentes of the chirche Hope This is a trust by the mercy of god to be saued And it standeth in the grace of god and good werkes Charyte This is the ende perfectyon of al the commandementes of god And it standeth in the loue of god aboue al thyng And thy neyghbour as the self Ryghtwysenes This is a payeng of dente of eche thyng that it duly longeth to As to god praysyng and thankyng To thy neyghbour loue and charyte And to thy self besynes to fulfylle goddes wylle Wysedom That is a vertu to departe good fro euyl And it stondeth in chesyng of good and in refusyng of euyl Strengthe Thys maketh a man myghty hardy to doo grete thynges for the loue of god And it stondeth in suffryng pacyently aduersyte And mekely takyng prosperyte Mesure ThÌ„is is a mene bytwene to moche and to lytel And it stondeth in takyng suffycyently that nedeth And in refusyng vtterly that is to moche or to lytel By these thynges shal eche man and woman knowe god These that folowen brynge a man to heuen Good perseueraunce Pacyence in aduersyte Obedyence of the commauÌ„dementes of god RyghÌ„twysenes in dedes Penaunce in the lyf Contrycyon of synne Knowlege of thy self And charyte These bryngen one in to helle Desperacyon Wodenes in aduersyte Vnryghtwysenes of dedes Loue of synne Malyce Obstynacyon in synnes Despyte of the commauÌ„dementes of god Hate of good thynges And ignoraunce The fyue wyttes ghoostely Mynde of the kindenes of god and of thy last ende Vnderstondyng of his benefettys and of his bore Wylle to worshÌ„yppe hym in thought worde and dede Withoute ony werynes Reson to rewle with thy wittes both inward outward Withoute ony blyndenesse Ymagynacyon of vertuous lyuyng nedeful werkes and dredeful dedes of ioye and of peyne