That leue was of lere and of liche boeth She was woÌ„derli wroght wit me so teched And al staryng dame study farnely sayde Wel art thou wyse ê™ she to wyt any wysdomes to tell To Flatterers or to foles that frentyke be of wyttes And blamed him and banned him bade him be styl Wyth suche wyse wordes to wyshe any sottes And sayde Noli mittere maÌ„ Margaryre Pearles Amonge hogges that haue hawes at wyll They do but driuel theron drate were him leuer ThaÌ„ al precious Pearles that in Paradice waxeth I saye it by such quoth she the shew it by her works That hem were leuer land By theit workes know theÌ„ and lordshyp on earth Or rychs or rentes and rest at her wyll Than al the soth sawes that Solomon sayde euer Wysedome and wytte nowe is not worth a kerse But if it be carded w e couetis as clothers kembe her woule Who so caÌ„ coÌ„tryue deceites coÌ„spyre wroÌ„gs And lead forth a loue daye to let wyth truth He that such craftes can is oft cleped to counsel They lead Lords wyth leasing es and belieth truth Iob the gentle in his gestes greatly wytnesseth That wycked meÌ„ weldeÌ„ the wealth of this world And the they be lordes of ech lond the out of law lyueth Psal xxii Quare impevruunt be ne est omnibus qui preuaricantur et inique agunt The Psalter sayeth the same by such as done euyl Ecce ipsi peccatores habuÌ„daÌ„tes in seculo obtinueruÌ„t diuitias Psal xi Lo sayth holy lecture which lordes be these shrewes Thilke that god geueth most lest good they dealeth And most vnkind be to the coÌ„meÌ„ that most catel weldeth Psal xi Que perfecisti destrurerunt iustus au tem c. Harlots for her harlotrye maye haue of her goodes And iapers and iudgelers and iangelers of iestes And he that hath holy wryte aye in his mouth And can tell of Tobie and of the twelue Apostles Or preacheÌ„ of the penauÌ„ce Only diuinitie hath no reward the Pilate falsely wrought To Iesu the gentle that Iewes to drawe Lyttle is he loued that suche a lesson sheweth Or daunten or drawe forth I do it on god him selfe But tho that faine hem foles and with faiting lyueth Agayne the lawe of our lorde and lien on hem selfe Spitten and spuen and speake foule wordes Drynken and driuelen and do men for to gape Lyken men lye on hem that leueth hem no gyftes They can no more minstrelsy ne musyke men to glad Than Mundie the milner of Multa fecit deus Ne were hir vyle harlotry haue god my trouth Shoulde neuer kynge ne knight ne canon of Poules Gyue hem to her new yeres gyfte gyfte of a grote And myrth minstrelsy All men loue bandrye amongest men is nought Lechery losenchery and losols tales Glotony and great othes this mirthe they loueth And if thei carpeÌ„ of Christ these clerkes these lewd And they meet in her mirth whan minstrels ben styll Than telleth they of the trinitie a tale or twaine And bringeth forth a blade reason takeÌ„ Bernard to witnes And put forth a presuÌ„ption to preue that soth Thus they dreuell at her dayse the dretie to scorne And gnawen god with hyr gorge whan her guts fallen And the carfull may crye and carpen at the gate Both a fyngerd and a furste and for chel quake Is none to nymen hem nere his noye to amend But hunten hym as a hounde hoten hym go hence Litle loueth he that Lorde that lent hym all the blysse That thus parteth w e the pore apercel whaÌ„ him nedeth Ne were mercy in mean men more than in rich Mendynauntes meatles myght go to bedde God is much in the gorge of these greate maisters And amonges meane men his mercy hys worckes And so sayeth the psalter Psal 3â— I haue sene it oft Ecce audiuimus eum in effrata inueniemus cum in campis silue Clarkes and other kinnes men carpen of god fast And haue him much in the mouth meane men in hert Friers and saytors haue fouden such questions To plese wyth the proud men sith the pestileÌ„ce time And preachen at S. Paules for pure enui fo clarks That folke is not firmed in the faythe ne free of her gooddes Ne sory for her synnes so is pryde waxen In relygion in al the teame amoÌ„gest rich pore That prayers haue no powre the pestilence to lette And yet the wretches of this worlde are none ware by other Ne for dreade of the death wtdraw not her prid Ne ben plentuous to the pore as pure charitie wold But in gaines i glotony forgloteÌ„ her goodes heÌ„ selfe And breketh not to the begger as the boke teacheth Frange esurienti panem tuum Esai lviii c. And the more he wynneth wexeth welthy in ryches And lordeth in landes the lesse good he dealeth To bie telleth you not so take hede ye ryche Howe the byble boke of hym beareth wytnes Si tibi sit copia habundanter tribue Si auteÌ„ eriguum Tobi. iiii illud impertiri stude libeÌ„ter Who so hath much spend maÌ„ly so meaneth Tobie And who so lytle weldeth rule hym thereafter For we haue no letter of our lyfe how long it shal endure Suche lessons lordes shoulde loue to heare And how he myght most meyny manlych fynde Not to fare as a fideler or a frier to seke feastes Homely at other mens houses and haten her owne Elenge is the hal euery day in the weke There the Lorde ne the lady lyketh not to sytte Nowe hath eche ryche a rule to eaten by hem felfe In a priui parler for poore mens sake Or in chambre wyth a chymney and leaue the chiefe hal That was made for meales men to feate in And all to spare to spende that spyll shall an other I haue heard heigh men eatynge at the table CarpeÌ„ as they clarkes were of Christ of his might And leideÌ„ saut vpon the father that formed vs al And carpen againe clarkes crad bed wordes Why would our sauiour suffer such a worme in his blisse That begiled the woman the man after Through wich wiles wordes they went to Hel And al her sede for her synne the same death suffered Here lieth your lore these lordes beginneth to dispute Of the ye clackes vs kenneth of Christ by the gospel Filias non port abit iniquitatem patris Eze. xviii Why should we that now be for the works of AdaÌ„ Roten and torente reasone would it neuer Vuusquispue portabit onus suum Such motiues thei moue Galat. bi these masters in her glory And make men to misbeleue that museÌ„ on her words Imaginatiue here afterward shall answere to your purpose Austen to such arguers telleth this teme Nou plus sapere quam oporter Wylneth neuer to wytte Rom. xii whye that God woulde Suffer Sathan hys sede to begyle And beleue lelly in the loore
halfe a yere and a leuen dayes Fryres with fayre spech fet him thence And for knowing of coÌ„mers coped him as a frier And he hath leaue to leape out as oft as hem lyketh And welcome whan he wyl wonneth with theÌ„ ofte All fledden for feare and flooen into hernes Saue mede the mayde no mo durst abyde And truely to tell she trembled for drede And eke wept and wrong when she was atached Passus textius de visione The king wiâ—â— now of Mede whom she loueth beâ— NOwe is mede the mayd no mo of hem all with Bedels balifs brough before the kinge The king called a clerk can I not his name To take mede the mayd make her at ease I shal assaye her my selfe and sothelych appose What man of this mold that her were leuest And if she worke by wyt and my wyl follow I wol forgeue hir this gylt so me God helpe Curtesy the clerke than as the king hight Toke mede by the middle brought her into chaÌ„bre And there was mirth and minstrelsy Mede to please They that woÌ„ne in westminster worshiped her al Gentlie with Ioye the Iustices came Busked hem to the bower there the brid dwelled To comfort her kindlye by clergies leaue And sayd morne not Mede ne make ye no sorow For we will wish the king and thy waye shape To be weddid at thy will and where the leefe liketh For all conscience cast and craft as I trowe Mildlie Mede than mercied them all Of her great goodnes and gaue hem echone Copes of cleane gold and Cups of siluer Rynges with rubies and riches many The lest man of their menie a moton of gold Than laugh they leeue these lord is at mede With that comon clarkes to comfort her the same And bidden her be blith for we be thine owne For to worke thy wyll the whyle we moune last Hendliche she than bihight them the same To louen hem lellie and lordes to make To begge hem benefices pluralities to haue And in consistory at court do call her names Shall no lewdnes let the clearke that I loue That he ne worth first auaunced for I am beknoweÌ„ Ther cunning clarkes sholen cloke behynde Than came ther a confessor copid as a Frier To mede the mayd he mellud thes wordes And sayd full softly in shrift as it were Though lewd meÌ„ lerned meÌ„ had lien by the both And falsenes had yfouled the all this fifty wynter I shal assoyle the my selfe for a seme of whete And also be thy bedman and beare wel thy message Amongest knightes clerks conscience to turne Then Mede for her myssedes to that man kneled And shroue her of her shroudnes shameles I trowe Told him a tale and toke him a noble For to be her bedman and her broker also Than he assoyled her sone and sithen he sayde We haue a witdow in working wil set vs ful high Woldest thou glase that gable graue therin thi name Seker shoulde thy soule be heauen to haue Wyst I that quod the woman I would not spare The fruites of Popishe penaunce For to be your frende Fryer and fayle you neuer Whyle you loue Lordes that lechery haunten And lake not Ladyes that loue well the same It is fraylenes of the fleshe ye fynde it in bokes And a course of kynde whereof we commen al Who so may escape the slaunder the scath is sone ameÌ„ded It is synne of the seuen sonest released Haue mercy quod mede of men that it haunten And I shal couer your kyrke your cloisture do makeÌ„ Walles do whyten and wyndowes do glasen Do paynten and portraye and pay for the makyng That euery segge shal say I am sister of your house And god to all good folke suche grauyng defend To wryte in wyndowes of her well deades On aueÌ„ter pryd be painted ther pomp of the worlde For Christ knoweth thy conscience thy kind wyll And thy cost and thy couetise who thi catel ought Therfore I learne you lordes leaue such worckes To wryten in wyndowes of your well dedes Or to greddeÌ„ after goddesmen whaÌ„ ye delen doles Math. vi On aueÌ„ter you haue your hire here your haueÌ„ also Nesciat sinistra tua quid facit dextra Lette not thy lefte halfe late ne rathe Wytte what thou worckeste wyth thy right syde For thus biddeth the gospel good meÌ„ done her almes The mayors office Mayres and masters that meanes be betwene The Kynge and the common to kepe the lawes To punyshe on pylaries and pynnynge stoles Brusters and bakesters bouchers and cokes For these ar meÌ„ on this mold What harme yâ— vitiliers do what abuse is in regratâ—g the most harme worketh To the pore people that percell meale byghe For they poysen the people priuely and oft They richen through regratry â—enâ—es hem bighen With that the pore people should put in her wombes For toke they all truely they timbred not so hygh Ne bought no burgages be ye full certen And Mede the mayd the Mayre hath besought Of all such Sellers siluer to take Or presentes without pence as peces of syluer Kinges or other riches the regrators to mainteine For my loue ê™ that Lady loue hem echone And suffer hem to sel some deale agaynst reason Salomon the sage a sermon he made For amend Mayres and men that kepe lawes And tolde hem this teme that I tel thinke I guis deuorabit tabernacula cotuÌ„ Iob. xv qui libeÌ„ter accipiuÌ„t muuera AmoÌ„g these lettred leodes this lateÌ„ is to meane That fyre shal fall and brenne all to blo ashes The houses and homes of hem that desâ—â—eth Giftes or yeres gyfts bicause of her offices The king from the counsel came called after mede And sent for her a swyth with sergeantes many That brought her to boure with blys with ioye Curtesly the king than comsed to tell To mede the mayd melleth these wordes Vnwittely woman wrought hast thou ofte And wurse wroughtest â— neuer than tho thou fals toke But I forgeue the that gilt and graunt the my grace Hence to thy death daye do so no more I haue knight conscience came late from beyonde If he willeth the to wyfe wilt thou him haue Yea lord ê™ that ladie God for bydels But I be wholy at your hest hang me sone And than was Conscience called to come and appeare Before the king and his counsell as clerkes other Knelinge Conscience to the kinge louted To wyt what his wil were and what he do shoulde Wilt thou wedde this woman ê™ the kynge if I wil asseÌ„t For she is fayne of thy felowship for to be thy make ConscieÌ„ce forsaketh Mede for hir euyll conditioÌ„ â–ª Quod conscience to the king Christ it me for bydde Or I wed such a wyfe woo me betyde For she is frayle of her fayth fykell of her speche And maketh men misdo many score tymes Trust of her treasure
Tho the people him apposed with a peny in the temple Whether they shuld therw t worship the kinge Cesar And god asketh hem of whom speaketh the letter And the ymage i like that therin standeth Cesars they sayd we sene here wel echone Redde Cessari quod god that Cesary belongeth Et que sunt dei deo or els ye done yll For rightful reason Luke xx should rule you all And kind wit be warden your wealth to kepe And tutor of your treasure and take you at nede For husbandry and he holden togither Than I frayned her fayre for him that me made Dungion That dungeon in the dale that dredeful is of syght What may it bemeane madame I you byseche That is the castell of care who so commeth therin May banne that be borne was to body or to soule Therin wonneth a wight that wrong is I hote Cayne Father of falsehead and founded it him selfe Adam and Eue he egged to yll Iudas Councelled Cayne to kil his brother Iudas he iaped with Iewes siluer And sithen on an elder hanged him after He is lettar of loue and lyeth hem all That trust in his treasure betraieth he soneste Than had I wonder in my wit what womaÌ„ it were That suche wise wordes of holy write shewed And I asked her on the height name or she thence yede What she were wisely that wished me so fayre Holy church I am ê™ she thou oughtest me to know I vnderfenge the fyrst and the fayth taught Thou broughtest me borowes my byddings to fulfyl And to loue me lelly that while the lyfe dureth Than I courbed on my knees and cried her of grace And prayed her pituosly pray for my sinnes And also kenne me kindly on Christ to beleue That I might worke his wil that wrought me to man Truth is the beste treasure Teach me to no treasure but tell me this ilke How I may saue my soule that saynt art holden When all treasures are tried ê™ she truth is the beste I do it on Deus Charitas to deme the sothe It is as dere worth a drury as dere God hym selfe Who is true of his tonge and telleth no other And doth the worckes therw t and willeth no maÌ„ yll He is a god by the gospel a grounde and a lofte And lyke to our Lord by saynt Lukes wordes The clarkes that knowe thys should kenne it about For christen and vnchristen claymeth it echone Kynges and knyghtes should kepe it by reason Ryden and rapen downe Knygtes office in realmes aboute And taken traungressours and tye hem fast Tyll trueth termined her trespate to the ende And that is the profession a partly the appeÌ„deth to knights And not to faste one Friday in fiue score wynter But hold with him with hir that wolden all truth And neuer leue hem for loue ne for lakyng of syluer For Dauid in his dayes dubbed knightes And did hem swere on her swerde Dauid to serue truth euer And who so passed the poynt was apostata in the order But Christe kyng of kynges made knyghtes ten Cherubyn and Seraphyn suche seuen and another And gaue heÌ„ myght in his maiestie the mirier heÌ„ thought And ouer hys meane meiny made heÌ„ archaÌ„gels Taught by the trinitie Trueth to knowe To be buxume at his bidding he bade heÌ„ noughtels Lucifer with legions learned it in heauen But for he brake buxumnes his blysse can he tine And fell from that felowshyp in a fendes lykenes Into a depe darcke hell to dwell there for euer And moo thousaÌ„des with hym thaÌ„ man could numbre Loppen out with Lucifer in lothlyche forme For these leueden vpon him that lyed on thys maner Ponam pedem in aquilone et similis ero altissimo Esai xiiii And al the hoped it might be so no heueÌ„ might heÌ„ hold But fel out in findes likenes nine dayes togither Tyl god of his goodnes gan stable and stint And garde the heuen to sticke and stonde in quiet When the wicked went out in wonder wyse they fel Some in ayre some in earth and some in hell depe And Lucifer lowest lieth yet of hem al For pride that he pult out his payne had no end And al that worke with wrong wend they shal After their death day and dwell with that shrewe And tho that work wel as holy write telleth And ende as I ere sayd in trueh that is the beaste May be siker that their soules shal wende to heauen There truth is in trinitie and troweth hem al Forthy I say as I sayd ere by syght of these textes Whan all treasures are tried Truth is the greatest treasure truth is the best Lerne on this lewde men for letterd men it knoweth That truth is treasure the triedest on earth I haue no kind knowing ê™ I ye mote me ken better By what craft in my crops it comseth where Thou dotest daffe quod she dul are thy wittis To tel latin thou learnedst leode in thy youth Heu mihi qui a ste rilem duxi vitam iuuenilem It is a kind knowing ê™ he that knoweth in thy herte For to loue the lord leuer then thy selfe No deadly sinne to do dye though thou shouldest This I trowe be trueth who can teach the better Loke thou suffer him to say and sith lerne it after For trueth telleth that loue is triacle for synne May no sinne be on him sene that vseth that spice And al his works he wrought with loue as him list And lerned it Moses for the leuiest thing of al And also the plant of peace most precious of vertues For heauen might not hold it it was so heuy of hym selfe Till it had of the earth yoten it selue And whan it had of this fold flesh and bloud taken Was neuer leafe vpon linde lighter thereafter And portatiue persante as the poynt of a nedle That might none armour it let ne none heigh walles Forthy loue is the leader of the lords loue of heauen And a meane as the maire is betwene the king the coÌ„mons Right so is loue a leader the law shapeth Vpon man for his misdedes the mercemeÌ„t he taxeth And for to know it kindly it comith by might And in the hert there is the head and the hight wyl For of kind knowing in hert ther a might beginneth And that falleth to the father that formid you al He lokid on vs with loue and let his sone dye Mekely for our misdeds to amend vs all And yet wold he heÌ„ no woo that wrought him the payne But mekely with mouth mercy he besought To haue pitie on that people that pained him to deth Here might you se in example in selfe one That he was mightful and meke the mercy can graunt To hem that hanged on height him his hert thirled Forthie I red you Rich haue ruth on the pore Though ye be mighty to mote be meke in your workes For the same mesure that ye
saye Non necaberis I slea not but suffer and all for the beste For I shall punyshe hem in purgatorye or in the pyt of hel Euerye man for his misdedes but if mercy it let Thys is alonge lesson ê™ I and litle I the wyser Where do well is or dobet darkely ye shewen Many tales ye tell that Theology lerneth And that I man made was and my name entred In the legend of lyfe longe ere I were Or els wrytten for some wyckednes as holye wryte manaceth Nemo asceÌ„dit ad celuÌ„ nisi qui de celo desceÌ„dit Ioh. iii I leue it wel bi our lord quod I and no letter better For Solomon the sage that Sapience taught God gaue hym grace of wyt and al his goods after He demed wel and wysely as holy wrytte telleth Aristotle and he who wyshed men better Masters that of gods mercy teachen meÌ„ preachen Of her words they wish vs for wissest as in her time And al holy kyrke holdeth hem both dampned And if I shold worke bi her works to wyn me heuen That for her workes and wyt wonneth in payne Than wrought I vnwysely what so euer ye preach And of felle wytty in fayth lytle farly I haue Though her gost be vngracious god for to please For many men on this molde more setten her hertes In good thaÌ„ in god therfore hem grace fayleth At hyr moste mischiefe whan they shall lyfe lette As SolemoÌ„ did such other the shewed greate wyts And her workes as holi wryte saith were euer the coÌ„trarye Therfore wyse witted meÌ„ wel lettred clarkes As they say hem selues selde done therafter Supra cathedram Moysi Math. 23. c. And I wene it worthes of manye as was in Noes tyme Thei that made Noe a shippe were vnsaued Tho he shoope that ship of shides of bordes No wight the wroght theron was salfe ne ani workmaÌ„ els But birdes and beasses and the blessed Noe And hys wyfe wyth his sonnes also her wyues Of wights that it wrought was none of hem saued God leue it fare not so by folke that the fayth teacheth Of holy kirke the hat borowe is gods house to saue And shilden vs from shame therin as Noes ship did beasts And meÌ„ that made it amyd that stood he drowned The Culor of thys clause curate is to meane That ben carpeÌ„ters holy kirke to make for Christes owne beasts Psalm 36 Homines et iumenta saluabis domine On good Fryday I finde a felon was saued That had liued all hys life with leasinge with thefte And for he beknew on the crosse to Christ shroue him He was souer saued The theâ— was saued before any of the prophets than saint Iohn the Baptiste And or Adam or Isai or any of the prophetis That had lyen wyth Lucifer many longe yeres A robber was raunsomed rather than they all WithouteÌ„ any penaunce of purgatory to perpetual blisse ThaÌ„ Mari MagdeleÌ„ what womaÌ„ did worse Or who worse thaÌ„ Dauid that Vrias death conspired Or Paul the Apostle that no pity had Muche christen kynde to put to death And now be these as souereins sayntes in heauen Tho the wrought wickedlest in worlde tho they were And tho that wisely wordeÌ„ and written many bokes Of wit of wysedome with dampted soules woÌ„neth That SolomoÌ„ saith I trow be soth Eccles ix certeÌ„ of vs al Sunt iusti atque sapientes et opera eorum in manu dei sunt There are witty wellearned her workes ben hid In the handes of almighty god and he wot the sothe Wherfore a maÌ„ worth alowed ther his lelie works Or else for his yll wil and for enuy of herte And be alowed as he liued for by yl meÌ„ know god For how wist meÌ„ what is white if al thig blak were And who wer a goodmaÌ„ but if ther wer some shrew Therfore lyue we forth with other meÌ„ I leue few ben good For Qant oportet vient emplace il nyad que pati And he that may all amend haue mercy on vs all For thou sothist word that euer god said was Nemo bonus Cleargye tho of christes mouthe coÌ„meÌ„ded was litle For he sayd to saint Peter and to such as he loued Cum steteritis ante reges et precides c. Mat. vi Though ye come before kinges clarke of the lawe Be not abashed for I shall be in your mouthes And giue you wit wil and cuÌ„ning to conclude Hem al that agaynst you of christendome disputen Dauid maketh mention he spake amongest kinges And might no king ouercome him as bicuÌ„ning spech But wyt and wisedome wan neuer the maistrye Whan man was at mischiefe wtout the more grace The douties doctour and diumour of diuinitie Was Austen the old and heighest of the foure Sayd thus in a sermon I se it written once Ecce ipsi idiote rapiunt celum vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur And is to meane to Englishe men to more and to lesse Are none rather rauished from the right beleue Than are these cuÌ„ning clarkes that can many bokes Ne none souer saued ne sadder of beleue Than plowmen and pastors pore coÌ„men laborers Sowters and shepeherds such lewed Iuties Percen wyth a Pater noster the palaice of heauen And passeÌ„ Purgatori penauÌ„celes at her heÌ„ce parting Into the blisse of Paradice for her pure beleue That vnperfitelye here knew and eke liued Yea men knowe clarkes that cursed the tyme That euer they could or knew more theÌ„ Credo in deum And priÌ„cipalli her Pater noster mani a persoÌ„ hath wyshed I se exaÌ„ples my selfe so maye many other That seruauÌ„tes the seruen lordes seldoÌ„ fal in artrages But tho that kepe the lordes catell clarkes reues Ryght so lewde men and of lytle knowynge Selde fall they so foule and so ferre in synne As clarkes of holy church the kepe Christes treasure The which is maÌ„s soule to saue as god saith in the go spell Math. xx Ite vos in vineam meam Passus vndecimus de visione THan Scripture scorned me askile loked And lacked me in latine light by me she set And sayd Multi multa sciunt et seipsos nesciuÌ„t Tho wept I for wo wrath of hir speache And in a wynkinge wrath wexed I aslepe And marueylous metals mette me than That I was rauished right there fortune me set And into the land of Longing alone she me brought In a mirrour hight Midle earth she made me to loke SitheÌ„ she said to me here mightest thou se wonders And know that thou couetist come therto peradueÌ„ture Than had Fortune folowing her two fair damosels Concupiscentia carnis The dâ—â—â—sels of 〈◊〉 Fortunâ— men called the elder mayde And Couetis of eyes called was the tother Pryde of perfite liuynge pursued hem both And bade me for my couÌ„tenauÌ„ce accouÌ„t cleargy light Concupiscentia carnis colled me
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
Ryght so ye ryche ye robbe that ben ryche And helpeth heÌ„ that helpe you geueth there no nede is As who so fylleth a tunne of a freshe ryuer Caste water into temes And went forth with that water to woke with Camise Ryghte so ye ryche ye robbe and feede Hem that haue as ye haue hem ye make at ease And religious that rych ben shold rather fest begers Then Burgesis that rych bene as the boke telleth Quia sacrilegium est tes pauperum non pauperibus dare Item peccatoribus dare est demonibus immolare Item Monache si indiges et accipis potius das quaÌ„ accipis Si autem non indiges et accipis rapis Porro non Indiget Monachus si habeat quod nature sufficit Therfore I couÌ„sel al christeÌ„ to coÌ„firme heÌ„ to charitie For charitie wtout chalengyng vnchargeth the soule And mani prisoners bi his praier he pulleth froÌ„ paine And there is a defaut in the folke that the fayth kepeth Wherfore folke is the febler and not firme of beleue As in Lushburth is a luther alay yet loketh like sterling The marke of the money is good the metel feble So fareth it bi some folke now they haue a fair spech Crowne and christendome the kings marke of heuen And the metel that is mans soule with sinne is foule alaied Both lettred and lewde ben arayed now with synne That no lyfe loueth other ne oure Lorde as it semeth For by war wicked works weders vnseasonable Wether wyshyppers and wyttye clarkes also Haue no beleue to the list ne to the lore of Philosophers Astronomers all daye in her arte faylen That whilome warned before what shold fall after ShipmeÌ„ shepeheardes that with shyp shepe weÌ„ten Wyshen by the welken what shoulde betide As of weders and wyndes Al is our of frame they warned men oft Tyllers that tylled the earth tolde her maisters By the seede that they sewe what they sell myghte And what to leaue what to lyue by the land was so true Now faileth the folk of the floud of the land both Sepeheardes and shypmen and so do these tyllers Nether they caÌ„neth ne knoweth one cours before another Astronomers also are at her wyttes ende Of that was calculed of thelemeÌ„t the coÌ„trary they fynd Grammer the ground of al begileth now the childreÌ„ For it is non of these new clarks who so nimeth hede Not one among an huÌ„dred that an auter caÌ„ construe Ne read a letter in ani laÌ„gage but in latine or english Go nowe to any degree and but if gyle be maister And flatterer his felow vnder hym to fourmen Mache wonder me thynketh amonge vs all Doctours of degrees and of diuinitie maisters That shoulde kenne and knowe all kynnes cleargye And answer to argumentes and also to a Quod libet I dare not say it for shame if suche were apposed They should fayle of hir philosophy phisike both Therfore I am afrayed of folke of holye kyrke Lest thei ouerhipeÌ„ as other done in officis in hours And if they ouerhip as I hope not our belefe suffreth As clarkes in Corpus Christi feast singen and readen That Sola fides sufficit to saue wyth lewde people And so may Saracines be saued scribes and Iewes Alas than but oure lores men lyued as they serue vs And for her liuyng the lewde meÌ„ be the lother god agylt For Saracines haue somwhat seming to our beleue For they loue and beleue one god almyghtye And we lerned and lewed in one god beleue The beginnyng of Mahomets law And one Mahomet a man in misbeleue brought Saracines of Surrey and se in what maner At the first he was christeÌ„ for he might not be pope Into Surrey he sought throughe hys sottle wyts Daunted a doue and daye and nyght her fed The corne that she cropped he cast in his eare And if he among the puple preched or in places come Than woulde the Culuer come to the clarkes eare MeniÌ„g as after meat thus Mahomet her enchauÌ„ted ThaÌ„ did folk fal on knees for he swore in his prechiÌ„g That the Culuer that came so came froÌ„ god of heuen As messenger to Mahomet men for to teach And thus through wyles of his wyt a whit doue Mahomet in misbeleue men and women brought That liued tho ther and lyueÌ„ yet leuing on his lawes And sith our sauiour suffred the Saracenes so begiled Through a christen clarke accursed in hys soule For dread of death I dare not tell truth How englishe clarkes a Culuer fede the couetise hyte And ben manered of Mahomet that no maÌ„ vseth truth Ancres and hermets monkes and friers Peren to Apostles through her perfit liuynge Wold neuer the faithfull father that his ministers shold Of tyrantes that teneth true men take any almes But done as Anthony did Dominike Frauncis Benet and Barnarde the which hem first taught To lyue by litle in low houses by lelly mens almes Grasse should grow and be grene through her good liuing And folkes shold find that ben in diuers sikenes The better for her byddynges in bodye and in soule Their prayers their penauÌ„ces to peace shold bryng All that ben at debate and bedmen were true Petite et accipietis c. Luke â—â— Salte saueth cattell sayeth these wyues Vos estis sal terre Math. â—â— The heades of holye churche and they holy were Christe calleth hem salte for Christen soules Et si sal euanuerit in quo salietur For freshe fleshe other fyshe when it salt fayleth It is vnsauerye forsothe sodde or baked So is mans soule sothly that seeth no good exemple Of hem of holy kyrke that the hygh waye should teache And be gyde and go before as a good rauenour And hardeÌ„ hem that behind ben giue heÌ„ good euideÌ„ce A leuen holye men all the world turned Into lellye beleue The Apostles turned al the worlde to the fayth the lyghtloker me thyncketh Should al maner of men we haue so many maisters Priestes and preachers and a Pope aboue That Gods salte should be to saue mans soule All was Heathennes sometyme England Wales Tyll Gregory gard clarkes to go here and preach Austen at Canturburye christened the kynge And bi miracles as meÌ„ mai rede al the marsh he turnid To Christ and to christendome crosse to honour And fulled folke faste and the fayeth taught More through myracles thaÌ„ through much prechiÌ„g As wel through workes as through his holi words And sayd hem what fullinge and faith was to meane Cloth that cometh froÌ„ the weuyng is not comely to wear Til it be fulled vnder fote or in fulling stocks Washen well with water and with tasels cratched Touked and teynted and vnder taylors hand And so it fareth by a barne that borne is of a wombe Tyll the chyld be instructed in Christ it is but as a wilde beaste Til it be christned in christs name coÌ„firmed of
Howe shall I come to cattel so to cloth me to fode And thou loue lelly ê™ he lack shal thou neuer Meat ne worldly wede whyle thy lyfe lasteth And there by counsell of kinde I comsed to runne Through contricyon cofessioÌ„ till I came to vnytye And ther was conscience constable christen to saue The seueÌ„ capitall sinnes besieged coÌ„science And beseged sothelie wyth seuen great Gyantes That with antichrist holden hard agayn conscience Sloth was his slyng and hard assawte made Proude priests come wyth hym mo then a thowsand In paltokes and piked shoes and pissers long kniues Comen agayne conscience with coueryse they helden By Mary ê™ a mansed priest of the march of Ireland I count no more conscience Woulde god there were no such priestes in englande by so I catch siluer Than I do to drinke a draught of good ale And so sayde sixty of the same contrey And shotten agayne with shote many a shefe of othes And brode hoked arowes Gods hert and his nailes And had almost vnity and holynes adowne Conscience cryed helpe cleargye or els I fall Through imperfite priests prelates of holi church Fryes heard hym cry and came him to helpe And for they could not wel her craft coÌ„science hem for soke Nede neighed tho nere and coÌ„science he told That they came for couetise Curates oughte to haue a coÌ„petent lyuyng certayne to haue cure of soule And for thei are pore peraueÌ„ter for patrimony heÌ„ failith They flatter to fare well folke that bene ryche And syth they chosen chele and cheitif pouertie Let theÌ„ chewe as they choseÌ„ charge theÌ„ with no cure For Lomer he lyeth that lyue lode muste begge Then he that laboureth for liuelod leueth it begers And sith fryers forsoke the filicitie of the earth Let them be as beggers or liue by Angels foode Conscience of this counsell tho comsed to laugh And curtesly comforted him and called in al fryers And sayd syrs sothely welcome be you al To vnitye and holy church one thing I you praye Hold you in vnitye and haue no enuy To learned menne to leude but lyue after youre rule And I will be your borow ye shall haue bred cloth And other necessaryes ynow ye shall nothynge fayle Wyth that ye leaue lodgike and learne to loue For loue lost the lordshyp both land and schole Fryer Fraunces and dominyke for loue to be holy And if ye couet cure kynd wyl you teache That in measure God made al maner thinges And set hem at a certen and a seker nombre And nempned names newe and numbred the sterrs Psal 147 Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum omnibus c. Kynges and knyghtes that kepen and defenden Haue officers vnder hem and eche of hem certen And if they wage meÌ„ to war they write hem in noÌ„bre Or they wyl no treasure hem pay trauaile they neuer so sore For all other in battel bene holden brybors Pylors and pikeharneis in eche a place accursed Monkes and moniales and al men of relygion Their order their rule wold to haue a certeÌ„ nombre Of lerned and of lewde the lawe wyll and asked A certen for a certen saue onely of Fryers The Fryers are wtout nuÌ„bre Therfore ê™ coÌ„scieÌ„ce by Christ kinde witte me telleth It is wickid to wage you ye wexe without nombre Heauen hath euen nombre hell is without numbre Therefore I wold witterly the ye were in the registers And your noÌ„bre vnder notaries signe neither mo ne lesse Enuy hard this and bad fryers go to schole And lerne logike and lawe and eke contemplacion And preach men of Plato and priue it by Seneca That all thinges vnder heaueÌ„ ought to be in coÌ„mune And yet he lyeth as I leue that to the lewde so precheth For God made men a law and Moses it taught Exod. xx Non concuptsces rem prorimi tuâ— And euel is this hold in parishes of England For persons paryshe priestes that shold the peple shriue Bene Curatours called to knowe and to heale All that bene their parishers penaunce to enioyne And shuld be ashamd in theyr shryft that heÌ„ weÌ„d maketh And flee to the Fryers as false folke to Westmynster That boroweth bereth thither Thei that went to the Fryers is shriâ—t wer like santuary men theÌ„ biddeth freÌ„ds Yerne of forgiuenes or lenger yeres loue And while he is in Westminster he will be before And make him mery with other mens goodes And so it fareth with much folke that to fryers shriueth As sisours executours they will giue the fryers A percel to pray for hem and make hem selfe mery With the residue the remnauÌ„t the other men beswonken And suffer the dead in det to the daye of dome Enuye therfore hated Conscience And Fryers to philosophy he founde hem to schole The while couetise vnkindnes CoÌ„science assayled In vnitie holye kyrke Conscience helde him And made peace porter to pynne the gates To all tale tellers and tutelers idle Hypocrisye and he and harde assaulte they made Hypocrisye at the gate harde gan to fyght And wounded wel wickedly many wyse teachers That with Conscience accorded Hipocrisâ— wouÌ„deth preachers and cardinal vertues Conscience called a leche that coulde well shryue Go salue tho the syck ben and through synne wounded Shrift shope sharpe salue and made hem do penauÌ„ce For her misdedes that they wrought hadde And that Pierce were payde Redde quod debes Some liked not this leche and letters they sent If any surgeoÌ„ were in the sege that softer could plaster Sir life to lyue in lecherye laye there and groned For fastynge of a Friday he fared as he would dye There is a surgeon in this sege that softe can handle And more of phisike he can and fayrer he plastereth One Fryer flatterer is phisician and surgeon Quod contricion to conscience do him come to vnitie For here is many a man hurt through Hypocrisse We haue no nede ê™ Conscience I wot no better lech Than Person or parishe prieste penitauÌ„cer or bishop Saue Pyerce the plowmaÌ„ that hath power ouer heÌ„ al And indulgence may do but if that dette let it I may wel suffer quod conscience seing ye desieren That Fryer flatterer be fet and phisike you seke The Fryer here of harde and hied full faste Nother patroÌ„ nor bishop regardeth his dutye To a lorde for a letter leaue to haue curen As a curatour he were and came with hys letters Boldely to the byshop and his briefe had In contryes there he came in confession to here And came ther Conscience was knocked at the gate Peace vnpinnen it was porter of vnitye And in haste asked what hys wyll were In fayth quod this Frier for profit and for health Carpe I wold with coÌ„trytion therfore I came hither He is sicke sayde Peace and so is many an other Hypocrisie hath hurt him ful hard is he to couer I am a surgion sayde the segge and salues can make Conscyence knoweth me wel and what I caÌ„ do both I praye the quod Peace tho ere thou passe further What hightest thou I pray the heyle not thy name Certes sayd thys felowe syr Penetrans domos Go thy gates quod Peace by god for al thy phisicke But thou kenne some craft thou coÌ„mest not herein I knewe such one once not eyght winters passed Came in thus coped at a courte wher I dwelled And was my lordes leche and my ladies both And at laste this limitour tho my lord was out He salued so out women tyll some were with childe Heende speach haete Peace to open the gats Let in the fryer and his felow make hym fair there He may se and here so it may befall That lyfe throught his lore shal leaue couetise And be a drade of death and with drawe him froÌ„ prid And accord with conscience and kisse either other Thus through hende speach entred the fryer And came to Conscience and curtesly him grete Thou art welcome ê™ Conscience canst thou hele the sick Here is contricion quod conscience my cosin wouÌ„ded Confort hym quod coÌ„science take kepe to hys sores The plasters of the person and pouders beateÌ„ to sore He letteth hem lygge ouer loÌ„g ioth is to chauÌ„g hem From lenten to lenten his plasters byten That is ouerloÌ„g ê™ thys Limitor I leue I shal ameÌ„d it And goth geopeth coÌ„tricioÌ„ gaue him a plaster Of a pryuy payment I shall praye for you And for all that ye bene holden to all my lyfe longe And make you my Ladye The olde maner of cares shrâ—fre made synners negligent in masses and in mattens As Fryers of our fraternitie for a litle siluer Thus he goth gadereth gloseth ther he shriueth Til contricion had cleane forgoten to crye to wepe And wake for his works as he was wont to do For confort of his confessour Contricion he lost That is the souereynest salue for al kinnes sinnes Slouthe see that and so dyd pride And commen wyth a kene wyll conscience to assayle Conscience cryed oute and bade cleargy helpe him And also contricion for to kepe the gate Helleth dreameth said Peace so doth mani other The fryer with his phisike this folke hath enchauÌ„ted And plastred hem so easely they dread no synne By Christ ê™ CoÌ„science tho I wol become a pylgrime And walken as wyde as the worlde lasteth To seke Pierce the plowman that pryd mai destroy And that Friers had a findinge the for no nede flatteren And coÌ„trepledeth me CoÌ„scieÌ„ce now kynde me aueng And send me hap heale til I haue Pyers the plowmaÌ„ And syth he grad after grace til I gan awake Finis ¶ Imprynted at London by Roberte Crowley dwellynge in Elye rentes in Holburne The yere of our Lorde M. O. L. ⧠Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum