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
tHe laberoê° y t 〈◊〉 â—eâ—ieyloê° workes Of sapienor syn fâ—â—â—e â—â—gned nature My purpoâ— is to 〈◊〉 as writen clerkes And specyally her moost â—â—â—able oure In my fyrst book I wyl preche deputr It is so plesaunt vnto eche persone That it a book shÌ„al occupye alone Sone after this I shÌ„al wysedom deseryue Her blessyd howshÌ„old and her wonnyng place And than retourne vnto her actes blyue As shÌ„e them wrought by tyme precesse space Al this mater shÌ„e taught me of her grace I spak with her as ye may here and rede For in my dreme I mette her in a mede O clyo lady moost facundyous O Rauysshyng delyte of Eloquence O gylted goddes gay and gloryous Enspyred with the percyng Influence Of delycate heuenly complacence Within my mouth late dystylle of thy showres And forge my tonge to glad myn audytours Myn ignoraunce whome clowded hath eclippes With thy pure bemes illumynyne al aboute Thy blessyd breth lete refleyr in my lyppes And with the dewe of heuen thou them degoute So that my mouthe maye blowe encense oute The redolent dulcour Aromatyke Of thy depured lusty Rethoryck I knowe my self moost naked in al artes My comune vulgare the moost interupte And I conuersaunte borne in the partes Where my natyf langage is moost corrupt And with most sondry tonges myxt rupte O lady myn wherefor I the byseche My muse amende dresse forge mynysse eche For to al makers here I me excuse That I ne can a lycatily endyte Rude is the speche of force whiche I must vse Suche infortune my natyf byrth may wyte But O ye lordes whiche haue your delyte In termes gay and ben moost eloquent This book to yow no plesaunce may present But netheles as tasted bytternesse Al swete thyng maketh be more precious So shal my hook extende the godelynesse Of other auctours whiche ben gloryous And make theyr wrytyng delycyous I symple shal extâ—lle theyr soueraynte And my rudenes shÌ„al shÌ„ewe theyr subtylyts Go wer chaucers erthely goddes two Of thyrst of eloquent delycacye With al youre successours fewe or moo Fragraunt in speche experte in poetrye You ne yet theym in no poynt I enuye Exyled as fer I am from youre glorye As nyght from day or deth from vycherye I you honoure blysse loue and gloryfye And to whos presence my book shÌ„al atteyne His hastyf dome I pray hym modefye And not detcaye ne haue it in dysdayne For I purpoos no makyng for to dystayne Meke herte good tonge and spyryte pacyent Who hath these thre my book I hym present And as hym lyst lete hym detray or adde For syth I am constreyned for to wryte By my souerayne and haue a mater glad And can not please paynte enâ—urne ne endyte Late ignoraunce chyldhode haue the wyte I aske no more but god of his mercy Thy look conferme from sklaunder and enuy Explicit Prohemium All besy swymmyng in the stormy flode Of fruteles worldly medytacyon To purpoos late nothyng semed so good As to telle youthe hath â—mynacyon And for to put in sequestracyon Eche other thyng that hym shold cause vnrest And thus to bed I went with thought my gest The Chesplayer or he a man haue drawen Hath only thought to make good purueaunce For kyng or quene aulfyn knyght or pawne Echone of these he hath in his remembraunce So eche estate and worldly gouernaunce In one eschekker in my mynd I sawe But I ne wyst what drauÈt was best to drawe Fyrst my desyre was to haue drawen my kyng At hertes lust in sure prosperyte But in the chesse I had espyed a thyng The kyng to purpoos may not passe his see To make hym way or some pawne drawen bee Than bothe to guyde the kyng pawnes eke And al other my wyttes were to seke I thought how by moral phylosophye The Chesse was founde and set in dyuersite Of dranghÌ„t for a myrrour of polocye The whiche vertu departed is in thre Fyrst must man conne hym self reule in degre Efte his houshÌ„old and than in vnyuerse Cyte and Reygne these ben the thre dyuerse Arestotyl in hÌ„is poletyke book The fyrst of these seyth hyghÌ„t Monestyca The second parte who hath lust to loke Of Polycy hyght Yconomica The thyrd partye is cleped poletyca But of al these syn I had neuer scole To playe at Chesse I me thought but a foole For in this bord eschekker of my mynd As I fyrst put a man or to drawe a draughÌ„t Fyrst come y e world with dame fortune vnkynd And sayd eschek and so strongly they faught Ayenst me that al my men were caughÌ„t With theyr eschekkes so muche they eche ascate That or I wyst sodenly I was mate Than come reason and thou to me she sayde With moble fortune· and fase worldlynesse O foole of fooles hâ—st thou thy wyl assayde With â—â—y man to countre them eschesse Thou mayse not fynd a poynt of sykeâ—â—sse For in theyr draught al 〈…〉 God forth quod she a foole I the conclude Than 〈◊〉 I woo and prayd a syne 〈◊〉 me were vnto dâ—me supâ— That the myght lerne me som disâ—ne For 〈◊〉 land we my 〈…〉 〈◊〉 ignoraunce myn insufficenâ—â— For from of help for which I gonâ—â— Wepe Whyses at the lâ—sâ— I 〈…〉 Thus bronyt on slep my spiryt forth qan passe And 〈◊〉 I was me thought in a place desert In wyldernes but I nyse when 〈◊〉 In moche â—â—â—stâ—nce in 〈◊〉 in moche 〈◊〉 With wylde 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 Now woode now 〈◊〉 now byâ—â—e now 〈◊〉 Now wynde now rayne I knewe no were The wylde wolues after me sewen 〈◊〉 I wold flee theym but wile sâ—â— I ne myghÌ„t And of a way I was waue of the lose Thorny and seueyor encome 〈◊〉 to the syght Thyder I went I was ware of a syght But forth I thorugh with thornes of to rent And thanked god of lyght whiche 〈◊〉 had sent Oute from a mede moost heuenly vnto loke Aboute whÌ„iche can a lusty ryuer swete A lady cam two with her shÌ„e toke I can to her and so wely gan her grete The watres name asked I shÌ„e sayde quyete And sone shÌ„e sayd my name is sapyence Intellygence this hÌ„yght and this scyence Vnto al vertues we ben ladyes thre Bothe in offyce and degree dyfferent It is my parte to knowe dyuynyte My suster here hath knowlege dylygent Of creatures in heuen and erthe content And dame scyence of thynges temporal Hath knoulege pure thus maist y u know vo al Of vs al thre I am the moost souerayne And yf the lyst me deseryue and dyffyne I am the trewe propre knowlege certayne Of erthely thyng and eke of thyng dyuyne Ay fresshe grene lusty is herte myne Though I seme yong ful old my yeres bene For sapyence in old folk is ay sene The desert place of fere thurgh which thou come Is dredeful worldly occupacyon Sone leue that place duelle with me at home Thou shalt haue wytt lust delectacyon
Damecyne Al other trees with theyr frutes in degre The Rampe the more the laurer and the pyne The Cherubynte swetyng the swete Rasyne The byrche the box the Alme the Sycomore The fyge the wyn of trees I speke no more For euery tree and fruyte in especyal And euery spyce and mace gynger and clowe Peper greynes with other spyces al That euer on tree or busshe or herbe can growe There was at lust and Zepherus gan blowe Oute thorugh the mede and tafia gan refleyr Theyr perfyte blysse illumyned al the eyer Explicit descripcio ArboruÌ„m Incipit descripcio Auium The besy byrdes in theyr melodye Theyr heuenly voys gan to entone Theyr Anglyk rauysshyng Armonye Out thorugh the heuen vnto the hyest trone Gaue pryce and passe the nyne ordres echone O cherubyn they sayd come here to vs Leâ—e with what tune thou shÌ„old synge sanctus The throstel cok vpon the Cedre grene The nyghtyngale vpon the blosme thorn The noble swan with whyte fethers clene The gentyl larke fleyng among the corne Ne cesed not to syng from euen to morne With al other foules of plesaunce Theyr voys gan daunte vnto the concordaunce Eche other foules in kynd there had his blysse His lust his comforte and his sustenaunce They had no nede Raueyn to vse ywys Eche thyng obeyed to theyr plesaunce Debate no staf dyscord ne yet dystaunce Among them myght not engendred be Echone other supporte in degre The proud Pecok his tayl began to whele On which the sparkyng sonne so puerly brent That to the syght he semed euery dele An Archaungel doune from the heuen sent Al heuenly colours in heuen were content His tayl the floures the byrdes eke ywys The eye the nose the ere fode with al blys The Egle fresshe souerayne of fowles al The good GooshÌ„auk the fresshe faucon of pryse With al other that to dysport Royal Dysposed ben ther regned at deuyse The gentyl dowue Innocent of al vyce The Turtyl trewe the Fenyx syngulere In lust in blysse to geders al they were The holsom Pertryche and the Pellycane The sparowes eke the plouer and the pye The Popyngay the Roke the henne the Crane Theyr names al here to specyfye It nedeth not for euery foule shÌ„ortely That is in kynd hath in vertu myght In al comfort reioysed there his flyghÌ„t They flee at lust there is not them to lette They bylde in blysse they haue al lyberte They nede not drede for gyler ne for nette Flee where they wol they ben in al suerte The wynd the rayne ne none aduersyte May them dystourbe al ioye is them among The heuen among aboue delyted in theyr songe Explicit descripcio Auium Incipit descripcio Animalium The noble lyon and the leonesse The vnycorn the Olyfaunt also The leopard the wolf the bere expresse Withouten Ire in rest and pees gan goo The herte the hynd the buk eke the doo The bole the oxe the Cowe and eke her caulf No Raueyn dredde pees was on euery half The herte the hynde and the gentyl doo Proude and myghty and lepyng lustely In hede and brest on foote eke to and fro Iaped paced and started meryly Iak napys nyce made them al mynstralcye Now here now there in eche place was his fete Eche thyng obiect he gan to counterfete The brocke the pantere and the dromydare The asse the Camyl and the lynx ful of syght The bore the Swyne the whesel and the hare The Foxe the Tyger of most spedy myght The hound the Ermyn bryght and whyght The Squerel eke the myse the Cat the RaÌ„me The ghoot the kyd the hors the shÌ„epe the laÌ„me Al other beestes shÌ„ortely for to wyte That ben in kynd that gan sustene In pees and rest in comforte and delyte Eche best byrd fysshe floure herbes grene To stere to swymme synge laugh or flene In wood in nest in water and the mede Theyr parfyte blysse vnto the heuen gan sprede The waters sowne the lusty fysshe and feyre The good ceason the yongly sonne bryght The mede the herbes the floure theyr refleyre The blosmy bowes the fowles fresshe of flyght The tendre wynd with his brethe his myght Enspyred thorugh the blossomes at deuys Hit to seen was an heuenly paradys Explicit descripcio Animalium Incipit descripcio Castri mansionis sapientie Whan I had sene the solempne souerayne syght Dame sapyence led me a lytel besyde Vnto a Cumly Castel shÌ„ynyng bryght Ful of al solace delyte lust and pryde In whoo 's circuite with wantes large wyde Of parfyte blysse y set were towres seuen The lyght of whiche astyed vp to heuen The dyke of hyt y fourmed with delyte Fulfylled was with water of comete The marbyl stone the Alabaster whyte By geometry so frendely gan mete That suche one as in hede body and fete With precyous stones illumyned at deuyse Was neuer seen hit passed paradyse Vpon a Roche it was grounded and set And euery buttras ful of ymagery Eche pynacle Corner to wre and Towret With gold and perle and stones curyously Depaynted was and poudred lustely And on the yate illumyned with al blysse With gold lettres thus y wryte ywys This is the weye to vertu to grace To connyng knowlege wyt and al wysedome This is the wey vnto the heuenly place Ther scorne ne thirst syn vyce ne euil may come This is the wey to that solempne kyngedome Where rest pees blysse comforte seceth neuer Come in who wyl and ryght welcome for euer Seuen ladyes bryght doune from the heuen Came to the yate with many ladyes moo SeruauÌ„tes to them· whoo 's name wol I neuene Feyth hope to fore with charyte goo Prudence the wyse dame fortytude also With temporaunce and ryghtwysenes ywys Met sapyence and hertely gan to kys With feyth was Clemens and vyrgynyte Dame contynence and dame deuocyon Dame lowlmesse· the dame eke chastyte On whoo 's hede was ther garlandes of renoun One for vyrgyns and theyr Relygyon One for spoused peple that lyuen clene The thyrd for wedowes yf they pure contene With hope was gladnes and contrycyon Dame discyplyne and eke dame sapyence Confessyon and contemplacyon The blessyd lady eke dame penytence With charyte was grace and indulgence Pees and acord pyte compassyon And dame mercy Emperesse of al renoun With dame prudence was counceyl and reson The drede of god and tractabylyte Dame dylygence and dame dyscrescyon Dame prouydence causer of al bounte With temporaunce was dame benygÌ„nyte Moralyte maner and tolleraunce Dame sobrenes and propre suffysaunce With fortytude was dame perseueraunce Rest and quyete scyence and stabylyte Ay of one strengthe withoute varyaunce And neuer proude for no prosperyte Nother yet grutchyng for aduersyte With ryght wysenes was lawe correctyon Trouthe ryght and dome and execucyon Than come a lady dyuyne Theologye With ladyes seuen her sewyng in a route Dame sapyence they folowed ful hÌ„umbly Pryst her with blysse and lowely gan