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
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
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
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
felowe For thei beÌ„ as our bokes telleth aboue gods werks Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius Psal 4. Yea bawe for bookes ê™ one was brokeÌ„ out of hel I Troianus a true knight toke wytnes at a pope Howe I was dead dampned to dwell in paine For an vnchristen creature clerkes witten the sothe That al the clargi vnder Christ ne might me cratch froÌ„ hel But only loue leauty my lawful domes Gregory wyst wel that and wylned to my soule Saluation for sothnes that he se in my workes And after that he wepte wylned me were grauÌ„ted Grace wtout any bedebydding his bone was vnderfogeÌ„ And I saued as ye se wtout synging of masses By loue and by leadynge of my lyuyng in trueth Brought me froÌ„ bitter paine ther no bidding might Lo ye lords what leuty did bi an emperour of Rome That was an vnchristen creature as clarkes finde in Gregorie Not throught praier of a pope but for his pure truth Was the sarazin saued as s Gregory beareth witnes Wel oughteÌ„ lords the laws kepe that lessoÌ„ hold in mynde And on Troianus truth to think do truth to the puple Lawe wtout loue quod Troianus ley there a beane Or any science vnder the sunne the seuen artes and al But they be learned for our lords loue lost is thi time For no cause to catch syluer by or be called a master But all for loue of our lord the bet to loue the people For saynt Iohn sayd it and soth are hys wordes i. Ioh. iii Qui non diligit manet in morte Who so euer loueth me not liueth in death diyng And that all maner of men enemies and frendes Loue eyther other and lene hem as hem selfe Who so leneth not he leueth not god wot the sothe And cuÌ„mauÌ„deth ech creature to coÌ„forme him to loue And souerainely the pore people her enemies after For hem that haten vs is our merite to loue And pore people to please her praiers may vs helpe Christe was pore And our ioye and our health Iesu Christe of heauen In a pore mans apparayle pursued vs after And loked on vs in hyr likenes that with louely chere To know vs by our kynd hert casting of oure eien Whether we loue the lords here before the lord of blisse And exciteth vs by the euaÌ„gelie that whaÌ„ we make feasts We should not clepen our kinne therto ne no kynnes ryche Luk. xiiii Cum facitis coÌ„uiuia nolite inuitare amicos And call the careful thereto the croked the pore For your frendes wil feden you found you to quite Your festiÌ„g your fayr gift ech freÌ„d quiteth so other And for the pore I shal pay wel quite her trauayle That geue heÌ„ meat or monie and loue heÌ„ for mi sake For the best ben some rych some beggers pore For we al are Christes creatures of his cofers rich And brethreÌ„ as of one bloud as wel begers as Erles For on Calueri of christis blud christeÌ„dome gaÌ„ spriÌ„g And bloudy brethreÌ„ we became thee of one bodi woo As Quasi modo geniti and gentlimen eche one No begger nor no boy among vs Ioh. viii but if sinne it make Qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati In the olde lawe as holy letter telleth Mennes sonnes menne called vs ech one Of Adames issue and Eue aye till god man dyed And after his resurreccion redemptor was his name And we his brethreÌ„ by him bought both rich pore Forthy loue we as leue brethreÌ„ ech man lene other And of the ech man may forbare ameÌ„d ther it nedeth And euerye man helpe other for hence shal we al Alter alterius onera portate Galat vâ— And be we not vnkind of our catel ne of our cunning For wot no maÌ„ how nie it is to be binome froÌ„ both Therfore lacke no others life though he more latine know Ne vndernime not fowle for is noÌ„ wtout faut For what euer clarkes carpe of christendome or els Christ to a coÌ„men woman said in coÌ„mune at the feast That Fides sua should saue hir salueÌ„ hir of al sinnes Then is beleue a lelly helpe aboue logyke or lawe Of logyke or lawe in Legend a sanctorum Is litle alowaunce made but if beleue hem helpe For it is ouer longe or logyke any lesson assoyle And lawe is loth to loue but if he lacke siluer Boeth logike and law that loueth not to lye I counsell all christen cleaue not theron to sore For some words I find writ were of fayths teachiÌ„g That saued sinful men saint Iohn bereth witnes Mat. vii Eadem mensura qua mensi fucritis remetretur vobis Therfore learne we the law of loue as out lord taught And as saynt Gregory sayd for mans soules health Melius scrutari scelera nostra quaÌ„ naturas retum Why I meane thys matter is moste for the pore For in her likenes our Lorde oft hath bene knowen Wytnes in Paske weke when he yede to Emaus Cleophas ne knew him not that he Christ were For his pore apparell and pilgrames wedes Tyll he blessed and brake the bread that they eaten So by these works they wist that he was Iesus And bi clothing they knew him not ne by carping of tong And all was in example to vs sinfull here That we shoulde be lowe and louely of speach And apparel vs not proudly for pilgrimes are we al And in the apparel of a pore maÌ„ pilgrimes lykenes Many tymes god hath ben met among nedy people There neuer segge him see in sette of the rych S. Iohn other saintes were sene in pore clothynge And as pore pilgrymes prayden mens goodes Iesu Christ on a Iews daughter light geÌ„tle though she were Was a pore maid on a pore maÌ„ wedded Martha on Mary Magdalen an hudge playnet she made And to our sauiour selfe sayd these words Domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me solam ministrare Luk. xi And hastely God answerd and eithers wyl folowed Both Marthaas Maries as Mat. bereth witnes And pouertie god put before and praysed that better Maria optimam partem elegit que non c. And al the wise that euer were by ought I caÌ„ espye Praysen pouerty for best lyfe if patience folowe And both better blesseder by many fold thaÌ„ riches And thoughe it be sour to suffer yet after cometh swet As on a walnutte wythout is a bytter barke And after that bitter barke be the shell awaye Is a kernell of conforte lyfe to restore So is after pouertye and penaunce patiently taken For it maketh a maÌ„ to haue mind in god a gret wil To wepe and to wel bid wherof waxeth mercy Of whych Christ is a kernel to confort the soule And well siker he slepeth the man that is pore And lesse he dreadeth death and darke to be robbed Than
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
loued And in lykenes of a leode that Lorde am of heauen Graciously thy gyle haue quite go gile agaynst gyle And as Adam and all throughe a tree dyed Adam althrough a tree should turne againe to life And gile is gyled and in hys gyle fallen Psal vii Et cecidit in foueam quam fecit Nowe begynneth thy gile agayne the to turne And my grace to growe aye greater and wyder The bitternes that thou hast brued broke it thy selfe Thou art doctor of death drynke that thou madeste For I that am Lord of life loue is my drynke And for that drynke to daye I dyed apon earth If ought so me thristeth yet for mans soules sake May no drynke me moyst ne my thryste stake Tyll the vendage fall in the vale of Iosaphat That I drinke right ripe must Resurrectio mortuoruns And then shal I come as a kynge crowned with angels And haue out of hell all mens soules Fendes and fende kynnes before me shall stande And bene at my biddynge whersoeuer me lyketh And to be merciable to man that my kynd it asketh For we ben brethren of bloud but not of baptisme al And al that beÌ„ my hole brethren in bloude baptisme Shal not be damned to death that is wythout ende Psai li. Tibi soli peccaui c. It is not vsed in earth to hangen a felon Ofter than once though he were a traytoure And if the kyng of that kingdome come in that tyme There the felon thole should death other else The law would haue geue him life if he loked on him And I that am king of kinges shall on such a tyme come There dome to the death daÌ„neth all wycked And if lawe wyll I looke on hem it lyeth in my grace Whether they dye or dye not for that they dyd yll Be it any thynge about the boldnes of their synnes I do mercy through rightwiâ—nes al mi words true And though holy write will that I be wroke of heÌ„ thai did euyl Nullum malum impunitum c. They shold be clensed clearly washen of her sinnes In my pryson Purgatory tyll Parce it hote And mi mercy shal be shewed to many of my brethreÌ„ For bloud may suffer bloude both honger and colde And bloud may not se bloud blede but him rewe Audiui arcana verba qui non licet homini loqui ii Cor. â—â—â— And my rightuousnes and right shall rule al hell And mercye all mankynde before me in heauen For I were an vnkinde kynge but I my kynde helpe And namely at such a nede ther nedes helpe behoueth Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo Psal â—â—â— Thus by law ê™ this Lord leade I wyll from hence Tho that me loued and leued in my comminge And for thy leasing Lucifer that thou liedst to Eue Thou shalt a bye it better bouÌ„d hym wyth chaynes Astaroth and all the route hidde hem in hernes They durst not loken on our lord the boldest of heÌ„ al But letteÌ„ him lead forth what hiÌ„ liked let what him lyste Many hundred of angels harpen sange Culpat caro purgat caro regnat deus dei caro Than pyped Peace of poesye a note Clarior est solito post marima nebula phebê° post inimicitlas After sharpe shoures ê™ peace moste sheene is the sunne Is no weader warmer than after watery cloudes Ne no loue leuer no better frendes ThaÌ„ after warre wo whaÌ„ loue peace be masters Was neuer war in this world ne wickednes so kene That ne loue and him luste to laughyng ne brought And Peace throughe patience all peryl stopped Truse quod Trueth thou tellest vs soth by Iesus Clype we in couenaunt and ech of vs kisse other And let no people quod Peace perceiue that we chid For impossible is nothynge to hym that is almighty Thou saist soth ê™ rightuousnes reuereÌ„tly hiÌ„ kissed Peace and peace here Per omnia secula seculorum Psai 85. Misericordia et veritas obuiauerunt sibi Iusticia et par osculate sunt Truth trumped tho and song Te deum laudamus And than luted Loue in a loude note Psal 133. Ecce quam bonum et quam iocundum c. Tyll the day dawed these damsels daunced That meÌ„ raÌ„g to the resurrection right with the I waked And called Kit my wyfe and Colet my daughter Aryse and reuerence Gods resurrection And crepe to the crosse on knees kisse it for a Iewell For Gods blessed bodye it bare for oure bote And it afereth the fende for suche is the might Maye no gryslye goste glyde there it shadoweth Passus .xix. de visione THus I waked wrote what I had dremed And dight me dearly and dyd me to kyrke To here holy the masse to be housled after In mids of the masse men went to offeringe I fell efte sones a slepe and sodaynely me mette That Pierce the plowman was painted all bloudye And came in with a crosse before the commen people And ryght lyke in all lymmes to our lorde Iesus Than called I Conscience to kenne me the soth Is this Iesu the iuster ê™ I that Iewes did to death Or is it Pierce PlowmaÌ„ who paynted him so red Quod CoÌ„science kneled tho Pierâ—â— cote armour these are Piers armes His colour cote armour he that cometh so blouddye Is Christ with his crosse conqueroure of christendome Why cal ye him Christ ê™ I sith Iewes cal hiÌ„ Iesus Patriarkes and prophetes prophecied before That all kinnes creatures shoulde knele and bowe Anone as men named thys hyghe name of Iesus Ergo is no name to the name of Iesus Ne none so nedeful to name by nyght nor by day For all the darcke deuils are a dreade to heare it And synfull are solaced and saued by that name And ye call hym Christ for what cause tell me Is Christ more of myght and more worthy name Than Iesu or Iesus that all our ioye came of Thou knowest well quod conscience and thou can reasoÌ„ That knyght kynge conquerour may be one person To be called a knight is fair for meÌ„ shal knele to him To be called king is fayrer for he mai knights make And to be conqueror called that cometh of special grace And of hardines of hert and of hendines both To make Lordes or ladies of lande that he wynneth And fre men foule thrales that folowe not his lawes The Iewes that were geÌ„tilmen Iesu they despised Both his lore his law now are they low cherles As wide as the world is wonneth none therin But vnder tribute or tallage as tikes and cherles And tho that became christen by couÌ„sell of the baptisme Christe crowned kynge Are frankelens fremen through fullynge that they toke And gentilmen wyth Iesu for Iesus was ifulled And apoÌ„ Caluery on crosse crowned king of Iewes It becommeth to a king to kepe and to defende As conqueroure of conqueste his lawes hys large And so did