Doce and Dilige inimicos Disce and dowell Doce and dobet Dilige and do beste thus taught me once Alemman that I loued loue was hyr name With wordes with workes ê™ she wil of thy hert Thou loue lelly thy soule al thy lyfe tyme And so thou learne the to loue for the lordes loue of heueÌ„ Thyne enimies in al wyse eueÌ„ forth with thy selfe Cast coles on hys heade and all kynde of speache Both with works with words found hys loue to wyn And lay on hym thus with loue tyl he laughe on the And but he bowe for this bearing blind might he be And for to fare thus with thy frynde folye it were For he that loueth the lellye lytle of thyne coueteth Kynde loue coueteth not no cattel but speache Wyth halfe a lampeline in latine Ex vi transitionis I bare therin aboute faste bounde Dowell In a sygne of the saturday that set first the Kalender And al the wyt of the wenisday of the next weke after The middle of the mone is the myght of bothe And ther with I am welcome there I haue it with me Vnder it let thys doctour deme if dowel be ther i For by him that me made myght neuer pouerty Mysease ne michiefe ne man wyth hys tonge Colde ne care ne company of theues Ne nether heate ne hayle ne none helle Powke Ne neyther fyre ne floude ne feare of thyne enemie Tene the any time and thou take it wyth the Charitas nihil timet i. Cor. xi It is but a Dido quod thys doctour a disertes tale All the wyt of thys world and wight mens strenght CaÌ„ not coÌ„firme a peace betwene the pope his enimes Ne betwene .ii. christeÌ„ kings caÌ„ no wight peace make Profitable to either people put the table froÌ„ hym And toke cleargy and conscience to counsel as it were That patience tho must passe for pilgrimes caÌ„ wel lie And Conscience carped loude and curteslye sayd Frendes fare wel and fayre spake to Cleargy For I wyl go with this goÌ„me Cleargye is loth the CoÌ„science should go with patieÌ„ce if god wil giue me grace And be pilgraime with Patience til I haue preued more What ê™ cleargy to coÌ„science are ye couetouse no we After yeresegyft or gyftes or yernen to read riddels I shal brynge you a byble a boke of the olde lawe And learne you if you lyke the least poynt to know That Patience the pylgryme perfitlye knewe neuer Nay by Christ ê™ CoÌ„science to Cleargy god the for yeld For al that Patience me profereth proude am I little And the wyll of the wye and the wyll of folke here Hath meued my mode to mourne for my sinnes The good wyll of a wyght was neuer bought to the full For there is no treasure therto to a true wyll Luke xix Had not Magdalen more for a boxe of salue ThaÌ„ zecheus for he said Dimidium bonoruÌ„ meorsi do pau peribus And the pore wydowe for a payr of mites Luke xxi Than all tho that offred into Gaz ophilacium Thus curteslye Conscience congied fyrst the fryer And sythen softlye he sayd in Cleargies eare Me were leuer by our lord and I lyue shoulde Haue Patience perfecli then halfe thy pack of bokes Patience passeth a packe of bokes Cleargy of Conscience no congy would take But sayd full soberlye thou shalt se the tyme Whan thou arte werye for walking will me to couÌ„sel That is sothe sayd Conscience so me god helpe If PatieÌ„ce be our parting felow preuie with vs both There nis wo in this world that we ne should ameÌ„d And confirmen kynges to peace and al kinnes londes Sarazens Surrey so forth al the Iewes Turne into the true fayth and into one beleue That is soth ê™ Cleargye I se what thou meaneste I shal dwell as I do my deuour to shewen And coÌ„fyrmen fauntekyns and other folke learned Till Patience haue preued the and perfect the maked CoÌ„science tho with patience passed pilgrimes as it were ThaÌ„ had patieÌ„ce as pilgrimes haue in his poke vital Sobrietie and simple speach and sothfast beleue To confort him and Conscience if they come in place There vnkindenes couetise is huÌ„gry contryes both And as they went by the way of dowell they carped They mette wyth a minstrell A loiterers lyfe as me tho thought Patience posed him fyrste and praied he should tell To coÌ„scieÌ„ce what craft he could whether he would I am a minstrel quod that maÌ„ mi name is Actiua vita All idle I hate for of actyue is my name A waferer wyll ye wytte and serue many Lordes And fewe robes I fonge or furred gownes Could I lye to do men laugh than lachen I ne shold Other mantill or money amoÌ„ges Lordes minstrels And for I can neither taber ne truÌ„pe ne tel no gestes Farten ne fisten at feastes ne harpen Iape ne iuggele ne gentyllye pype Ne neither saylen ne saute ne synge to the gytterne I haue no good giftes of these greate Lordes For no bred that I bring forth saue a benisoÌ„ on the suÌ„day WhaÌ„ the priest praieth the people the Pater no. to saye For Pierce the plowmaÌ„ and that him profit waiten And that am I actiue that idlenes hate For al true traueilers and tyllers of the earth FroÌ„ Mighelmas to Mighelmas I fynd hem with my wafers Beggers and bidders of my bread crauen Faytours and Friers and folke wyth brode crownes I find pane for the Pope prouender for his palfrey And I had neuer of him haue god my trueth Nether prouender ne parsonage yet of the Popes gift Saue a pardoÌ„ with a piece of leade two poles amids Had I a clarke that could write I would cast him a bil That he seÌ„te me vnder his seale a salue for the pestileÌ„ce And that his blessing his buls botches might destroy Mar. xvi In nomine meo demonia eiicient et super egros manê° imponent et bene habebunt And thaÌ„ wold I be prest to the puple paast to make And buxome and busie about bread and drynke For him and for all his found I that his pardon Myght lechen a man as I beleue it shoulde For sith he hath the power that Peter had him selfe He hath the pot wyth the salue truly as me thinketh Argentum et auruÌ„ non est mihi quod habeo tibi do In nomine domini surge et ambula Act. iii. And if might of miracle him faile it is for men be not worth To haue grace of god no gilt of the Pope For may no blessiÌ„g done vs bote but if we wil ameÌ„d There may no maÌ„ make peace among christeÌ„ people Til pride be purely fordo through payne de faute For ere I haue breade a meale of mote I swete And ere the coÌ„meÌ„ haue corne inough mani cold morniÌ„g So ere my wafars ben wrought much wo I tholy All London I leue liketh well my
mete amis other els Ye shall be weine ther with whan ye wenden hence Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis remetietur vobis For though ye be true of your tong Mar. iiii trulieh worch And as chast as a child that in church wepeth But if ye loue lelie and leue the pore Such good as god you sent godliche parte You haue no more merite in masse nor in houres Than Malkin of her maydeÌ„head that no man desireth â–ª For Iames the Ientle Iudged in his bokes That fayth wtout the feate is right nothing worth And as deade as dore tree but if the dedes followe Iacob ii Fides sine operibus mortna est Forthi chastitie wtout charitie worthi cheines in hell It is as lewde as a lampe that no light is in Many chaplens ar chast and charitie is awaye Ar no meÌ„ auarisiouser thaÌ„ they wheÌ„ they be auauÌ„ced Vnkind to their kinne and to al christen Chewen they re charitie and chiden after more Many curatours kepe hem cleane of her bodies They be accuÌ„bred with couetise thei caÌ„ not do it froÌ„ theÌ„ So harde hath auarice hasped them togithers And that is no truth of the trinitie but tricheri of hel And lerning to lewde men the latter for to dele Forthy these wordes be writen in the gospell Luke vi Date et dabitur vobis for I dele you all That is the locke of loue that letteth out my grace To comforten the carefull accombred with synne Loue is leche of lyfe and nexe our lord selfe And also the gate that goeth into heauen Forthy I say as I sayd er by the textes Whan all treasures be tried truth is the best So haue I told you what truth is that no tresur is better I may no luÌ„ger leng ye with now loke ye our lord Passus secundus de visione YEt I corbed on miknes tryed her of grace And seid merci madaÌ„ for maris loue of heueÌ„ That bare the blisful barne that bought vs on the Ken me bi some craft to know the fals rode Loke apon thy lefte halfe and lo where he stondeth Both false and fauel and her feeris many I loked on my left halfe as the lady me taught And was ware of a woman worthylich clothed Purfiled with pelure the finest vpon erthe Crowned with a crowne the king hath no better Fetislych her fingers were fretted with gold wier And there on redde rubies as redde as any glede And diamoÌ„ds of derest price double maner saphirs Orientales and Ewages venemis to destroye Hyr robe was full rich of red scarlet engrayned With rybandes of red gold and of rich stones Her array me rauished suche riches saw I neuer I had wonder what she was whose wife she were What is this woman ê™ I so worthyly attyred That is mede the maid quod she hath noied me ful oft And lacked my lemman that leautie is ihote And bylow her to lordes that lawes haue to kepeÌ„ In the popes palaice she is preuy as my selfe But sothenes wold not so for she is a bastarde For false was her father that hath a fickell toung And neuer soth sayd sithen he came to earth And mede is maried after him right as kinde askith Qualis pater talis filius bona arbor bonum fructum facit Mar. iiii I ought be hier then she I came of a better My father the great God is and ground of all grace One God wtout beginning I his good daughter And hath geuen me mercy to mary with my selfe And what man be mercifull and lelly me loueth Shal be my lorde and I his lyfe in the hygh heauen And what man taketh mede my head dare I lay That he shall lease for her loue a lyppe of Charitatis How coÌ„strueth Dauid the king of men the take mede And men on thys mould that mainteneth truth And howe ye should saue your selfe the psalter bereth Psa xv Do mine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo c. And nowe worth this Mede maried vnto a mauzed witnes To one Fals fikell tonge a fendes bezet Fauel by his faire speach hath this folk enchaunted shrewe And al is lyers ledyng that she is thus wedded The morow was made the maydens brydale And there might thou wit if thou wilt which they beÌ„ all That longen to that lordshyp the lesse and the more Know hem there if thou canst kepe thou thy tonge And lake heÌ„ not but let heÌ„ worch til leauty be iustice And haue powr to punish heÌ„ thaÌ„ put forth thi reason For I beken the Christ ê™ she his cleane mother And let no coÌ„science accoÌ„bre the for couetise of mede Thus lefte me that Ladye lyggynge a slepe And howe mede was maried in metals me thought That al the ryche reteinaunce the rayneth with the false Were bounden to the brydale on boeth two sydes Of all maner of men the meane and the ryche To mary the maide was many a man assembled As of knyghtes of clarks other coÌ„mune people As sisours and somoners shryues and their clarkes Bedelles and bayliffes and brokers of chaffer Forgoers and vitellers and aduocates of tharches I can not reken the route that can about Mede And Simony and Cinyâ—e and Sisours of couries Were most priuie with mede of any men me thought And fauel was the first that fet her out of boure And as a broker brought her to be with false enioyned Whan Simony and Ciuyl see hyr both wyl They assented for syluer to say as both wolde Than lept Lyer forth Meedes charter and sayd lo here a Charter That gile with his great othes gaue hem togyders And prayed Ciuill to see and Simony to reade it Than Simony Ciuil stonden forth both togyther And vnfold the feoffement that False hath ymade And thus begyneth these gomes to gredeÌ„ful heyght Sciant presentes et futuri Maritagium pranum cum feoffemeÌ„to in malo feodo et de peruersa tenuâ—a c. Witteth wytnesseth al that wonneth apon this earth That Mede is maried more for hir goodes Than for any vertue or fayrenes or any fre kynd Falsenes is fayne of hyr for he woteth hyr ryche And Fauell with hys ficle speach feffeth hir by this charter To be princes in prid pouerty to dispise To backebite and to bosten to beare false wytnes To scorne and to scoulde and slander to make Vnbuxome and bold to breake the ten hestes And the Erledome of Enuy and wrath togythers With the Chastilet of Cheest and chatteringe out of reason The county of couetise al the costes about That is vsury and Auarise all I hem graunt In bargaines brocages with al the borough of thefte And all the lordshyp of lechery in length in brede As in works in wordes in waytinges with eyes And in weddes wishinges wyth idle thoughtes There as wyl would the workemanshyp fayleth Glotony he gaue hem eke and great
betrayeth ful many Wyues and widowes wantones she teacheth And learneth hem lechery that loue her giftes Your father she felled through false byhest And hath poysened Popes and peyred holy churche Is not a better band by him that me made Betwene heuen and hell in earth though men sought For she is tykel of her tayle taylewise of her tonge As coÌ„meÌ„ as a carte way to ech a knaue that walketh To monkes and to minstrels to mesels in hedges Sisours and somnours such men her prayseth Shriues of shires were shent if she were not For she doth men lese her land and her lyfe both She letteth passe prisoners and payeth for them ofte And geueth the Gailors gold and grotes togethers To vnfetteren the false fle where him lyketh And taketh the true by the top and tyeth hem fast And hangeth hem for hatred that harme did neuer To be cursed in consistory she counteth not a beane For she copith the coÌ„missarie and coteth hys clarkes She is assoyled as sone as herselfe lyketh And may nigh as moch do in a month one As may your secret Seale in sixscore dayes For she is preuy with the pope prouisors it knoweth For sir Simonie and her selfe sealeth the bulles She blesseth the bishops though they be lewde Prouendreth persons and priestes mainteineth To haue lemmans and lottebies all her lyue dayes And bringeth forth barnes agayne forbode lawes There she is well with the king woo is the Realme For she is fauorable to false and fouleth truth oft Bi Iesus with her Iwels your Iustices she shendith And lyeth ageyne the lawes and letteth hem the gaâ—e That fayth mai not be of force her floreÌ„s fly to thick She leadeth the law as her liste louedaies maketh And doth meÌ„ lese through her loue the law might wyn The maze of a meane man though he more her euer Lawe is so lordleche and loth to make ende Withouten prsentes or pence she pleaseth ful few Bi good resoÌ„ the is gret ruth reherse meÌ„ what heÌ„ liketh Barons and burgesies she bringeth in sorowe And al the coÌ„mon in care that couetith lyse in trueth For Clergie and couetis she coupleth togither This is the life of that lady now lord giue her sorow And al that mainteineth her meÌ„ meschauÌ„ce heÌ„ betide For pore meÌ„ mai haue no powr to plain heÌ„ wheÌ„ they smarte Such master is mede among meÌ„ of good Than morned Mede and mened her to the kinge To haue space to speke spede if she might The king graunted her grace with a good wyll Excuse the if thou canst I can no more sayne For conscience accuseth the Mede hath leue tâ— speake to congayne the for euer Naye lord quod that lady leue him the wurse Whan ye witteh witterly where the wrong lyeth There that mischiefe is great mede may helpe And thou knowest conscience I came not to chyde Ne depraue thy person with a proud herte Wel thou wotest warnard but if thou wilt gabbe Thou hast hanged on me halfe a leuen times And also griped my gold giue it wher the liked And why thou wrathest the nowe woÌ„der me thinketh Yet I may as I might menske the with giftes And mainteine thy manhod more then thou knowest And thou hast famed me foule before the king here For killed I neuer no king ne councelled therafter Ne did as thou demest I do it on the kinge Mede reherseth what she hath done In Normandy was he not noyed for my sake And thou thy selfe sothely shamedst him ofte Crope into a Chabane for colde of thy nayles Wendest that winter wold haue lasted euer And dredest to be deade for a dym cloude And hydest vpward for hunger of thy wombe Without pitie pylore pore men thou robbedst And bare hyr bras at thy backe to Calleis to sell There I last with my lorde his life for to saue I made his man mery and mourning let I batred hem on her backe and bolded her hertes I dyd hem hoppe for hope to haue me at will Had I bene mershall of his men by Mary of heauen I durst haue layd my lyfe and no lesse wed He should haue be lord of that lande in length bredth And also king of that kyth his kynne for to helpe The lest brol of his bloud a barons pere Cowardly thou coÌ„science councelledst him thens To leuen his lordship for a lytle syluer That is the richest realme that rayne ouer houeth It becometh to a kynge that kepeth a realme To gyue mede to men that mekely him serueth To aliantes and to al meÌ„ Mede telleth how neadful she is to all men to honerne hem with giftes Mede maketh him beloued and for a man holden Emperours and Erles and all maner of Lordes For gyftes haue yonge men to go and to ryde The Pope al the prelates presentes vnderfoggen And medeth men hem selues to maintein her lawes Seruauntes for their seruice we se well the sothe Taken mede for hyr maistrys as they may accorde Beggers for their biddynge bidden me Mede Mynstrels for theyr myrth Mede they aske The kyng hath mede of his meÌ„ to make peace in laÌ„d Men that teachen chyldren crauen after mede Priestes that preachen the people to good asken mede And masse pence and her meat at the meale tyme. All kynne craftes men craueÌ„ Mede for her prentises Marchauntes and mede muste nedes go togythers No wyght as I wene withouten mede may lyue Quod the king to CoÌ„scieÌ„ce by Christ as me thinketh Mede is well worthy the maistrye to haue Nay ê™ Conscience to the king kneled on the earth There are .ii. maner of Medes ConscieÌ„ce telleth the king of .ii maner of Medes my lord with your leue That one god of hys grace graunteth in his blysse To hem that well worchen whyle they liuen here The prophet precheth thereof put it in the psalter Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo c. Psal xv Lord who shal woÌ„ne in thy wonnes with thi holy saynts Or resteÌ„ in thi holy hils this asketh Dauid And Dauid assoyleth it him selfe as the psalter telleth Qui ingreditur sine macula et operatur iusticiam They that entren of one coloure and of one will And haue wrought worckes with right with reason And he that vseth not the life of vsurye And enfourmeth pore men and preserueth trueth Psal xv Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram Et munera super innocentem non accipit And al that helpe the innoceÌ„t and holden with the rightfull Without Mede doth hem good the truth helpeth Suche maner men my Lorde shal haue the first mede Of god at her greate nede whan they gone hence Ther is an other mede mesureles that masters desireth To maintaine misdoers mede they take And therof speaketh the psalter in a psalmes ende In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt Psa xxvi Dextera eorum repleta est muneribus And he that grypeth hir golde so me god
helpe Shall abye it bytter or the boke lyeth Priestes and persons that pleasynges desieren That taken mede and money for masses that they singe Taken her mede here as Mathew vs teacheth Mat. vi Amen amen recipiebant mercedem suam That labourers and pore folke takeÌ„ of her maisters It is no maner mede but a measurable hyre In marchaundice is no mede I may it well auowe It is a permutatioÌ„ apertly a peniworth for another And reddest thou neuer Regum thou recraed mede WhaÌ„ the veÌ„geauÌ„ce fel on Saule on hys chyldren God sent to Saule by Samuell the prophete That Agag of Amelec and all hys people after Shoulde dye for a dede that done had her elders Therfore said Samuel to Saul god him self hoteth The be buxume at his bidding his wil to fullfill WeÌ„d to Amelec with thine host what thou findest there flea it Burnes and Beastes brenne hem to death Wydowes and wyues women and children Mouable vnmouable and al that thou might find Brenne it beare not awaye be it neuer so ryche For mede nor for money loke thou distroye it Spyll it and spare it not thou shalt spede the better And for he coueted her cattell and the kinge spared For bare him his beasts both as the bible witnesseth Otherwyse than he was warned of the prophet God sayd to Samuel that Saule should dye And his sede for that synne shamefully ende Such a mischiefe mede made Saule the king to haue That god hated him foreuer all his heyres after The colour of thys case ne kepe I not to tell On auenture it noyed men no ende wyll I make For so is this world wont with hem that haue power That who so sayeth sothe is sonest iblamed I Conscience know this for kind wit This is no prophecy but a resonable gatheriÌ„g me it taught That reason shall rayne and realmes gouerne And right as Agag had happe shall come Samuell shall slea him and Saule shall be blamed And Dauid shall be diademed daunten hem all And one christen kinge kepe hem echeone Shall no more mede be maistry as she is nowe And loue and lownes and leauty togythers Shall be maisters on molde Truthe to saue And who so trespaceth against truth or taketh again his wil Leauty shal done hym lawe no life els Shal no sergeaÌ„t for his seruice wear no silk howne Ne no Pelure in his cloke for pleadynge at the barre Mede of misdoers maketh many Lordes â—â—â—ouer lords lowes ruleth the realmes 〈◊〉 â—nd loue shall come yet and conscience togither Thys is no prophecye but a 〈◊〉 aâ—hered of the scriptures And make of lawe a labourer such loue shall aryse And such a peace among the people a perfite truth That Iewes shal wene in their wyt waxe woÌ„ders glad That Moses Messia be come into this erth And haue wonder in her hertes that men be so true All that beareth bastarde brode swerde or launce Axe or yet hatchet or any weapon els Shal be demed to deth but if he do it smithy Esai ii Into sicle or into sythe to share or to culter Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres Euery man to play with a plow pikeaxe or spade Spynne or spread dong or spil him selfe with sâ—oughe Priestes or persons with place bo to hunte And dynge apon Dauid euery day tyl euen Hunting or hauking if any of them vse Hys boast of benifice worth by nome him after Shal neither king ne knight constable ne mayre Ouerleade the common ne to the court soÌ„mone Ne put hem in panel to done hem plight her truth But after the dede is done one dome shal rewarde Mercy or no mercy as truth wil accord Kinges courte coÌ„mon courte consistorye and chapter Al shal be but one court and one Baron by iustice Than worth true toÌ„g a tidy man the tened me neuer Battels shall none be ne no man beare weapon And what smith that any smithed be smitteÌ„ therw t to death Esai ii NoÌ„ leuable gens contra gentem gladium c. And or this fortune fall find men shal the werste By syx suÌ„nes and a shyp and halfe a shefe of arowes â–ª And the mydle of a mone shal make the Iewes to turne And Sarasines for that sight shall syng Gloria in excelsis Deo For Makometh and Mede mishape shal that tyme For Melius est bonum nomen quam diuitie multe Also wroth as the wind Pro. xxii waxe Mede in a while I can latine ê™ she clerkes wote the sothe Se what Solomon sayth in Sapience bokes That he that geueth giftes the victory winneth And most worship hath therw t as holy write telleth Honorem acquiret qui dat munera I leue wel Lady ê™ coÌ„science That scripture shold be read whole i. Tess v. that latine be true And thou art like a lady that rad a lesson once Was Omnia probate and that pleased her well For that was no longer at the leaues ende Had she loked that other half and the lefe turned She shuld haue fouÌ„d fel wordes folowing therafter Quod bonum est tenete Trueth that texte made And so fared ye Madame ye coude no more finde Tho you loked on Sapience sitting in your study This text that ye haue told were good for lords And you failed a cuÌ„niÌ„g clerk that coud the lefe haue turned And if ye seke SapieÌ„ce oft find ye shall the followeth A full teneful text to hem that take mede And that is Animam autem aufert accipientium c. And that is the taile of the text of that that ye shewed That though we win worship wyth mede haue victory The soule that the sond taketh by so much is bounde Passus quartus de visione CEase sayed the kinge I suffer you no longer Ye shal sangtle forsoth serue me both Kysse hyr quod the king conscience I hote CoÌ„science wil haue reasons aduice Nay by Christ quod Conscience congay me rather But Reason reade me thereto rather wyl I dye And I coÌ„mauÌ„d you ê™ the kyng to Conscience than Rape the to ride and Reason thou fetch Commaund him that he come my counsell to heare For he shall rule the realme and reade me the beste Of Mede and of other and what man shall hir wed And accouÌ„ten with the Conscience so me Christ helpe How thou lernest the people the learned the lewde I am fayne of that forward sayd the freke than And ryt right to Reason rowndeth in his eare And sayd as the kinge bade and sythe toke his leaue I shal aray me to ryde quod Reason reste the awhile And called Caton his knaue curtise of speache And also Thomme true tonge tell me no tales Reason rydeth on sufferaÌ„ce Ne leasyng to laughen of for I loued hem neuer And set my saddle apoÌ„ SufferauÌ„ce till I se my tyme And let waroken it wel with wytty wordes girthes And hang on him the heauy
golde And be fayne by my fayth his phisike to let And learne to labour with hond for lyuelode is swete For murtherers are many leches lorde hem amende They do men dye by their drinks yer destinie it wold By. S. Paule ê™ Pierce these are profetable wordes Wend now hunger when thou wylt the wel be thou euer For this is a louely lesson the lord it the foryelde By hote god quod honger hence ne wil I wend Til I haue dined by this day and dronken both I haue no peny ê™ Pierce polettes for to bye Ne neither gose ne grys but two grene chesis A fewe curdes and creame and an hauer cake And two loues of beanes dran bake for my folke And yet I say by my soule I haue no salt bacon Ne no cokeny by Christ colopes for to make And I haue percely and porets many cole plaÌ„tes And eke a cowe and a calfe and a cart mare To draw a field my dung the while the draught lasteth And by this lyuelod I must lyue to Lammas tyme By that I hope to haue haruest in my crofte And then I maye dight thy dinner as me dere liketh And al the pore people tho pescoddes fetten Beanes and bakeÌ„ apples they brought in her lappis Pore folk fede hunger Chiboles and chernell and rype cheries many And proferd Piers the present to please wyth hys huÌ„ger All hunger eate in hast and asked after more Than pore folke for feare fedde hunger yerne With grene poret pesen to poysen him thei thought By that it neghed to haruest new corne came to cheping Than was folke fayne and fedde hunger with the beste With good ale as GlotoÌ„ taught gart huÌ„ger to slepe And tho wold waster no work but wandreÌ„ aboute Ne no begger eate bread that beanes in were But of Coket and Clermatine or els of cleane wheat Ne no halpeny ale in no wyse drinke But of best of that brownest that in borough is to sell Laborers that haue no laÌ„d to liue on but her handes Deyned to dyne a daye wyth nyght old wortes May no penyale hem paye ne no pece of bacon But if it be fresh flesh other fysh fryed other bakte And that chaÌ„ud or plus chaud for chilling of her maw Prouender pricketh them And but if he be highly hiered els will he chyde And that he was workeman wrought waile the tyme Agaynst Cafons counsel comseth he to iangle Paupertatis onus patienter ferre memento He greuâ—â—h him against god Cato grutcheth agayn reson And than curseth he the king and all hys counsel after Such lawes to loke labourers to greue While huÌ„ger gafe hem hier not one of heÌ„ wold chide Ne striuen against his statute so sternely he loked And I warne you workemen win while ye may For hunger hither ward hasteth him selfe He shall awake with water wastours to chast Ere fiue yere be fulfilled such famine shall arise Through floudes and foule weder This is no prophecy but a pronostication fruite shal fayle And so sayd Saturne and sent you to warne And wheÌ„ ye se the sunne amisse two moÌ„kes heades And a maid haue the maistry and multiply by hight Than shal death withdraw and derth be iustyce And Dauie the dyker shall dye for hunger But if God of his goodnes graunt vs a treue Passus septimus de visione TRuth hearde tell herof and to Pierce sente To taken his teme and tilen the earth And purchased a pardone A pena et a culpa For hym for his heyres Piercis Paxdon for euermore after And bade him hold him at home and erye his laies And all that helpe him to erye to sette and to sowe Or any other mistery that might Pierce auayle Pardon with Pierce plowman Truth hath graunted Knightes and kinges that kepeth holy kyrke And rightfully in realmes ruleth the people Haue pardon through purgatorie to passe ful lightli Wyth patriarks prophets in Paradice to be felow Byshops iblessed if they bene as they should Legisters of both lawes the lewd therw t to preach And in asmuch as they may amend al synful Are peers with thapostles such pardon Pierce sheweth And at the day of dome at the high deyse to syt Marchauntes in the mergen had many yeres And none Apena et culpa the Pope wyl hem graunt For they hold not her holidaies as holy kirk teacheth And for they swere by her soul so god must heÌ„ help Agayn cleane conscience her cattell to sell What merchauÌ„tes shuld do And vnder his secret seale truth sent hem a letter That they shuld bugge boldely that them best lyked And sythen sell it agayne and saue the winning And amend mesoÌ„diux ther mede misease folk help And wycked waies wightely amende And do boote to bridges that to broke were Marien maydens or maken hem Nunnes Pore people and prisonars finden hem her fode And set scholers to schole or to some other craftes Releue religion and renten hem better And I shall send you my selfe s Mihel mine afchaÌ„hel That no deuel shal you dere ne fere you in your doing And witten you from wanhope if ye wil this worke And send your soules in safety to my saynts in Ioye Than were marchaunts mery many wept for Ioy And praised pierce the plowmaÌ„ that purchased the bul Men of law lest pardon had that pleden for mede For the psalter saueth hem not suche as taken gyftes Psal xv Men of law shold take nought but their fee. And namely of Innocentes that no euil ne caÌ„neth Super innocentem munera non accipies Pleders shuld peine hem to plead for such in health Princes and prelates should pay for her trauell A regibus et principibus erit merces corum And mani a Iustice and Iurour would for Iohn do more Than for Dei pietate Lawâ—ars shold take no money leue you no other And he that spendeth his speche speaketh for the pore That is innocent nedy and no man appeyreth Conforteth him in that case wtout couetise of giftes And spekith law for our lords loue as he hath lerned Shal no deuil at his deathes daye dearn hym a mite That he ne worth false his soule the psalter beareth witnes Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo Psal xv And to bug water ne wind ne wit ne fire the fourth These four the father of heueÌ„ made to this fold in coÌ„men These be Truthes treasures truefolk to help That neuer shall wexe ne wane wtout God him selfe WhaÌ„ they drawen on to die indulgeÌ„ce wold haue Their pardon is full petit at their partyng hence That any mede of meane men for their mooting take Ye Legisters and lawyers hold thys for Truthe That if I lye â–ª Mathewe is to blame For he bade me tell you this this prouerbe me told Quod cumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines facite eis Al lyuynge laborers Luke vi that
if dowell and dobet arne agaynste dobeste Than shall the kynge come and caste hem in yrons And but if do best byd for hem they be there for euer Thus dowell and dobet and dobeste the thyrd Crowned one to be kynge to kepen hem all And to rule the realme by her thre wyttes And none other wise but as they thre assented I thanked Thought tho that he me thus taught And yet sauoreth me not thy suging I couet to lerne How dowel dobest do better done among the people But wyt can wysh the ê™ thought wher tho .iii. dwell Els wot I none that can tell that nowe is alyue Thought and I thus thre dayes we yeden Disputynge vpon dowell daye after other And ere we were ware with wyt gan we mete Wyt wyll haue none excesse He was longe and leane lyke to none other Was no pryde on hys apparell ne pouerty nether Sadde of hys semblaunce and of soft chere I durste not moue no matter to make hym to iangle But as I bade thought tho be meane betwene And pur forth some purpose to preuen his wyts What was dowel fro dobet dobest froÌ„ hem both Than thought in that tyme sayd these wordes Whether dowel dobet and dobest ben in land Here is wyl wold wyt if Wit could teach him And whether he be maÌ„ or womaÌ„ this maÌ„ faine wold espy And worch as they thre wold this is his enteÌ„t Passus nonus de visione Et primus de dowell HEre dowel dwelleth ê™ wit not a day hence In a castel that kind made of four kins things Of earth ayre is it mad miÌ„gled togithers Wyth wind with water witterly enioyned Kynde hath closed therin craftely withall A Lemman that he loueth lyke to him selfe Anima she hyght and Enuye her hateth A proude pricker of Fraunce Princeps huius mundi Dowel is keper of the soule And woulde wynne her away with wiles he myghte And kind knoweth thys well kepeth her the better And dothe her with sir dowel is duke of thys marches Dobet is her damosell sir dowels daughter To serue this lady lelly both late and rathe Dobest is aboue boeth a byshops pere That he byd moote be do he ruleth hem all Anima that lady is led by his lerning And the coÌ„stable of the castell that kepeth all the watche In wytte hath fyue sonnes Is a wyse knight withall sir In wyt he hight And hath fyue fayre sonnes by his fyrst wyfe Syr Seewell and Saywel and hearwell the ende Syr worchwel with thy hand a wight man of streÌ„gth And syr Godfray gowell great lordes forsoth These fyue bene set to saue this lady Anima Tyl kind come or send to saue her for euer What kins thing is kind ê™ I canst thou me tell Kynd ê™ wytte is a creator of all kinnis thinges Father and former of all that euer was makyd And that is the great god that gynning had neuer Lorde of lyfe and of light of blys and of payne Angels and all thing arne at his wyl And man is him moste like of marke and of shape For through the word that he spake Ps xxxiii wexeÌ„ forth bestes Dirit et facta sunt And made Adam likest to him selfe one And Eue of his ribbe bone wythout any meane For he was singuler him selfe and sayde faciamus As who saye more must hereto Goddes myghte must help his word then my worde one My myght must helpe now with my speche EueÌ„ as a lord shuld make leters he lackid perchmeÌ„ Though he could write neuer so wel if he had no peÌ„ The letters for al his lordship I leue wer neuer imaked And so it semeth by him as the bible tellith There he sayde Dirit et facta sunt He must worch wyth his worde and hys wyt shewe And in this maner was maÌ„ made by might of God almighty Wyth his word his workmaÌ„ship and with life to last And thus god gaue him a goste of the godhed of heueÌ„ And of his great grace graunted him blysse And that is life that aye shall last to al our linage after And that is the castell the kynde made Caro it hight And is as much to meane as man with a soule And that he wrought with work with word both Through might of the maiesty man was imaked In wyt and all wyts closed bene therin For loue of the ladie Anima that life is nempned Ouer all in mans body she walketh and wandreth And in the herte is her home and hir most rest And Inwit is in the head and to the herte loketh What Anima is leef or loth he leadeth hyr at his wil For after the grace of god the greatest is Inwyt Much wo worth the man that misruleth his Inwytte And that bene glotons glob beris her god is her wombe Phili. iii. Quorum deus benter est For seruen they Sathan their soules shal he haue They liue in sinfull lyfe here hir soules is like the deuil And all that liuen good life are like to God almighty i. Io. iiii Qui manet in charitate in deo manet Alas that drink shall for do that god dere boughte And doth god forsake him that he shope to his likenes Mat. xxv Amen dico vobis nescio vos Et alibi Et dimisi eos secundum desiderata corum Fooles that fauten Inwyt I find that holy church Wo be to you that turn the tithes to priuate vse Shuld findeÌ„ hem that fauten fatherles children And wydowes that haue nought wherw t to win heÌ„ her foode Hande men and maydens that helples were All these lacke In wyt and lore behoueth Of thys matter I might make a long tale And finden fell wytnesses amonge the four doctors That I lye not on that I learne the Luke bereth witnes Godfathers godmothers that sene her god children At misease and at mischiefe and moune hem amende Shal haue penauÌ„ce in purgatorye but they hem help For more beloÌ„geth to the litle barne or he the law know Than nempning of a name and he neuer the wyser Should no christen creature crye at the gate Ne fayle paine ne potage Bestowe your tythes as you are bounde to do prelats did as they shulde A Iewe wol not see a Iew go iangling for defaut For al the mouables on this mold he ameÌ„d it might Alas the a christen creature shal be vnkynd to an other Sythen Iewes that we iudge Iudas felowes Eche of hem helpe other of that that hem nedeth Why wil not we christeÌ„ of Christs good be as kynd As Iewes that be our lores men shame to vs all The CoÌ„mune for hir vnkindnes I drede me shal abie Bishops shal be blamed for beggers sake He is worse then Iudas that geueth Iapers syluer And biddeth the begger go for his broken clothes Proditor est prelatus cum Iuda qui patrimonium Christi minus distribuit Et alibi Perniciosus
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
with mony make her exchauÌ„ges Myght neuer me conforten in the meane whyle Neyther masse ne mattens ne no maner syghtes Ne neither penaunce performed ne Pater nost sayde That my minde ne was more on mi good in a doubt Than in the grace of god and in hys greate helpe Math. vi Vbi the saurus tuus ibi et cor tuum Whych ben the brauÌ„ches that brynge a maÌ„ to slouth He the mournith not for his misse ne maketh no sorow And penauÌ„ce that the prest inioyneth perfourmeth ill Doth no almesdedes dreade hym of no synne Lyueth agayne the beleue and no lawe holdeth Eche day is holy daye with hym or an hyghe fery And if he ought wyll heare it is an harlots tonge When men carpen of Christ or of clennes of soules He waxeth wroth wil not here but words of mirth Penaunce and pore men and the passion of sayntes He hateth to heare therof and all that he telleth These beÌ„ brauÌ„ches beware that bringeth a maÌ„ to waÌ„ hope The lords thou ladies and legates of holy kirk That feden foles sages flatterers and lyers And haue liking to lithen hem to do you to laugh Ve vobis qui ridetis c. Luke vi And giue hem meat mede and pore men to refuse In your death diynge I feare me full sore Lest tho thre maner of meÌ„ to much sorow you bring Consentientes et agentes pari pena punientur Patriarkes prophetes and prechers of gods word Sauen throughe her sermons mans soule froÌ„ hell Right so flatterers foles arne the fendes disciples To entise men through hir tales to sinne harlotrye And clarkes that knowen holy write shold ken lords What Dauid said of such men as the psalter telleth Non habitabit in medio domus mee Psal Câ— qui facit superbiam et qui loquitur iniqua Should no harlot haue audience in hall ne in chaÌ„bre There wysemen were witnessen gods wordes Ne no misproud man among lordes be alowed And flatterers and foles through her lewde wordes Leden tho that loue hem to Lucifers feaste Wyth Turpiloquio a laye of sorowe Lucifers fidle Thus Hankyn the actiue man had soyled hys cote Til CoÌ„science acouped him therof in a curteis maner Why he had ne washed it or wyped it wyth a brushe Passus .xiiii. de visione I Haue but one hole hattir quod HaÌ„kin I am the lesse to blame Thoughe it be soyled and felde cleane I slepe therin on nightes And also I haue an huswife hewen and chyldren Luk. xiiii Vxoxem duxi et ideo non possum venire That wollen bymollen it manye tymes maugry my chekes Hankins cote wyll not be cleane It hath bene laued in lente and out of lent bothe With the soupe of sickenes that seketh woÌ„ders depe And with the losse of cattell lothe for to agyle God or anye good man by ought that I wyste And was shryuen of a priest that gafe me for my sins To penaunce Patience and pore men to fede Al for couetise of mi christeÌ„dome in clennes to kepe it And could I neuer by Christ kepe it cleane an houre That I ne soyled it with sight or with some idle speach Or through worke or word or wil of my herte That I ne slober it foule from morrowe till euen And I shall ken the quod Conscience of contricion to make That shal claw thy cote of al kindes of filth Cordis contricio c. Dowel shall washe it and wringe it throughe a wyse confessoure Oris confessio Dobet shal beat it boÌ„ke it as bryght as any scarlet And engraueÌ„ it with good wil gods grace to ameÌ„de the And sithen seÌ„d the to satisfaction for to sowne it after Satisfactio dobesse Shal neuer chest bymollen it ne mought after bite it Ne fende ne false man defoulen it in thy lyfe Shall no heraulde ne harper haue a fayrer garment Than HaÌ„kin the actiue maÌ„ thou do bi my teaching Ne no minstrell be more worth among pore ryche ThaÌ„ Hankins wife shew â—â—ereâ— with his actiua vita And I shal puruey the paast patieÌ„ce though no plow And floure to fede folke withal as best be for the soule Though neuer greue growed ne grape apon vyne All that liued and loked liuelode would I fynd And that inough shal none faile of thiÌ„g that hem nedeth We should not be to busye about our liuelode Ne soliciti sitis c. Volucres celi deus pascit Mat. vi c. patientes vincunt Than laughed Hankin a litle and lightly gan swere Who so leueth you by our lord I leue not he be bleste No ê™ Conscience patiently God geueth not lyfe but he prouideth fode and out of his poke hent Vytayles of greate vertues for all maner beastes And said lo here liuelode inough if our beliefe be true For lent neuer was life but lyuelode were shapen Whereof or wherfore or wherby to lyue Fyrste the wylde worme vnder wete earth Fishe to liue in the floude and in the fire the creket The kurlew bi kind of hem are clenest flesh of birdes And beastes by grase by grene and by grene rotes In meaninge that all men might the same do Liue through lelly beleue loue as god wytnesseth QuodcuÌ„que petieritis a patre in nomine meo c Et alibi Non solo pane viuit homo sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei And I loked what liuelod it was that patieÌ„ce so praised And it was a piece of the Pater nost Fiat voluntas tua Haue HaÌ„kin ê™ PatieÌ„ce eat this whaÌ„ thou huÌ„grest Or whan thou clumsest for colde or clyngest for drye Shall neuer giues the greue ne great lordes wrath Prison ne paine for Patientes vincunt By so that thou be sober of sight and of tonge In eating and in handelyng and in all thy fiue wyts Darst thou neuer care for corne nelineÌ„ cloth ne woleÌ„ Ne for drinke ne deaths dread but dye as god liketh Or through honger or through heat at his wil be it For if thou liue after hys lore the shorter life the better Si quis amat Christum mundum non diligit istum For through his breath beasts waxed abrode yedeÌ„ Dixit et facta sunt Ergo through hys breath may men beastes liuen As holy wryte witnesseth whan men se in her graces Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animal benedictione It is found that forti winter folk liued wtout tilling Forty yeres without tyllage And out of the flint sproÌ„ge the floud that folk and beastes dronke And in Helies tyme heauen was closed That no raine ne ronne thus reade men in bokes That many wynter men lyued no meate ne tiliden Seuen slept as sayth the boke seuen huÌ„dred wynter And lyued wtout lyuelode and at the last they woken If meÌ„ liuid as mesure wold shold no more be defaut Lacke of measure
after Confession and knowledging and crauing thy mercy Shold ameÌ„d vs as many sithes as man wold desyre And if the Pope would plede here againe and punish vs in conscience He should take the acquitaunce as quycke and to the A christen mans patente queed shew it Pateat c. per passioneÌ„ domini And put of so the pouke and preuen vs vnder borow And the parchmin of the Patente of pouerty be must And of pure patience and perfect beleue Of pompe and of pryde the parcemyn declareth And principalitie of al people but thei be pore of hert Els is al idle and all that euer we wryten Pater noster and penauÌ„ce pylgrimages to Rome But our spenses and spending sprynge of true wyll Els is all our labour loste lo howe men wryteth In fenestres at the Fryers if false be the fundament Therfore christen shold be in coÌ„meÌ„ rych none couetise for him selfe For seueÌ„ sinnes that ther be assaileÌ„ vs euer The fend foloweth hem al and foundeth hem to help And with riches that rybaunde he rathest men begileth For there that ryches raygneth reuerence foloweth And that is pleasant to pryde in pore and in ryche And the rych is reuerenced by reason of his ryches And the pore is put behynd peraduenture caÌ„ more Of wyt and of wisedome that farre away is better Than ryches or rialtye and rather hard in heuen For the rich hath much to rekeÌ„ right ofte him the walketh The hye way to heuenward ryches him letteth It a possibile diuiti c. There the pore preiseth before the rich Apo. xiiii with a pake at his rygge Opera enim illorum sequntur illos BatauÌ„tly as beggers done boldly he craueth For hys pouerty and his patience a pertual blysse Beati pauperis Luke vâ— quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum And pride in riches raigneth rather than in pouertye Erst in the master or in the maÌ„ some mantioÌ„ he haueth And in pouerty there patience is pride hath no might Ne none of the seuen synnes syt ne may there longe For the pore is aye preste to please the ryche And buxome at hys byddynge for hys broke loues And buxomnes and bost are euermore at warre And either hateth other in al maner workes If wrath wrestle with the pore he hath the worse ende And if they both pleyne the pore is but feble And if he chyde or chatter hym cheueth the worse And if couetise catch the pore they mai not come togithers And by the neke nameli ther noÌ„ mai heÌ„t other For men knowen well that couetouse is of kene wyll And hath hands and armes of a longe length Pouerttis but a petit thing apperith not to his nauel And louelike was yet neuer bitwen the long the short Though auarice wole angry the pore he hath but litle might For poreti hath but pokis to put in his good Ther auarice hath almaries and iron bounde cofers And whether be lighter to breake lasse bost maketh A beggers bagge than an yron bound cofer Lecherye and glotony raigne not much in pouertye Lechery loueth him not for he geueth but litle siluer Ne doth hym not dine delecatlye ne drynke wyne oft A straw for the Stewes it stode not I trowe Had thei nothiÌ„g but of poremeÌ„ her house stode vntild And though swuth sue pouerti serue not god to pay Myschiefe is his master and maketh him to thyncke That god is his greatest helpe and no gome els And he hys saruaunt as he sayth and of his fute both And whether he be or not he beareth the sygne of pouerty And in the secte our sauyoure saued al mankind Therfore al pouertie that patient is may claime and asken After her endyng here heuenlyche blysse Much hardier mai he aske that here might haue his wil Wylfull pouertye In londe and in lorshyp and in lyking of body And for gods loue leueth al and liueth as a begger And as a mayd for mans loue hir mother forsaketh Hyr father and all hyr frendes foloweth hyr make Much more is the loue of hym that such one taketh Than a maiden is that is maried through brocage As by assent of sundry parties and siluer to bete More for couetous of good than kinde loue of both So it fareth by eche parson that possession for saketh And put hym to be patiente and pouerty weddeth Such is sybbe to god him selfe and so â—â—â—chis saintes Haue god mitrougth ê™ HaÌ„kin ye praise fâ—st pouerty What is pouerty with Patience ê™ he properly to meneâ— Paupertas quod Patience est odibile bonum Remotio curarum possessio siue calumpnia Ponum dei Sanitatis mater Absque solicitudine semita Sapientie teÌ„peratrir negotium sine dalimo incerta fortuna absque solicitudine felicitas I can not coÌ„stine al this ê™ HaÌ„kin ye must ken this in english In engish ê™ patieÌ„ce it is wel hard to expouÌ„d And some deale I shall say it by so thou vnderstande Pouerty is the first poynt that pride most hateth Than it is good by good skyll al that agasteth pride Right coÌ„tticion is a coÌ„fortable thing CoÌ„scieÌ„ce wot it well And sorowe of him selfe solace to the soule So pouertye properlye The pâ—â—â—se of pâ—uerty penaunce and ioye Is the bodyes pure spirituall leche Ergo Paupertas est odibile bonum And coÌ„tritioÌ„ coÌ„forteth Cura anima animaruÌ„ the secoÌ„de Selde sitteth pouertye the sothe to declare Or as iustice to iudge men enioyned is no pore Ne to be mayre aboue meÌ„ ne minister vnder kinges Selde is any pore put to punishe anye people Remotio curarum Ergo pouertie pore meÌ„ perfourmen the commauÌ„dementes Nolite iudicate quemquam the thyrde Selde is any pore man ryche of vnrightful heritage Wineth he not with false weight ne with vnseled mesures Ne boroweth of his neighbors but that he mai wel pai Possessio sine calampnia The fourth is a fortune that florisheth the soule Wyth sobrietie from all synne and also yet more It afayteth the fleshe from soles full manye A collaterall conforte Christes owne gyfe Donum dei The fift is mother of helth a frende in all fondynges And for the laâ—â—de 〈◊〉 lech alemman of al clennes Sanitatis 〈◊〉 The sixt is a path of peace ye through the paas of Alton Pouerty myghe passe wont peryll of robbing For there that pouertie passeth peace foloweth after And euer the lesse that he bereth the hardier he is of herte Therfore saith Seneca Paupertas eÌ„ absque solicitudine And an hardi maÌ„ of hert amoÌ„g an heape of of theues Cantabat paupertas coram latrone biatore The .vii. is well of wisdome few wordes sheweth Therfore Lords alow hym little or listeÌ„ to his reasoÌ„ For he teÌ„pereth his tong to truthward no treasure coueteth Sapiencie temperatrix The eyght is a lellye labourer and loth to take more Than he well deserueth in somer or in wynter And if he
as clerks bear witnes I shal telleÌ„ it for truths sake take hede who so lykith As holines honesty out of holy church spredith Through lelly leuing men that Gods lawe teachen Ryght so out of holy church al euels spredith Ther imperfit presthode is Prechers muste do as they preach prechers and techers I se it by ensample in sommer time on trees There some bowes bene leaued and some beat none There is a mischefe in the more of such maner bowes Right so of parsoÌ„s priests prechers of holy kyrke That are roote of the right fayth to rule the people And there the rote is rotten reason wote the soth Sall neuer floure ne fruite ne fayre lefe be grene Therfore wold ye letred meÌ„ leaue that lechert of clothiÌ„g And be kind as befel for clarkes curteis of Christs goodes True of your tonge and of your tayle both And hate to heare harlotrye and not to vnderfonge Tythes but of true thinge tilied or chaffered Lothe were lewde men but they your lore folowed And amendeÌ„ hem that misdone more for your ensaÌ„ples Then to preach and proue it not hypocrisie it semeth For hypocrisie in latine is likened to a dunghyll That were beshewed with snowe and snakes wtin Or to a wal that were whitlimed wtout foule wtin Ryght so mâ—nye priestes preachers and prelates Are enblaunched with Belperopis wyth clothes also And your works your words theruÌ„der are ful vnlouely Iohn Chrisostome of clarks spekth priests Sicat de teÌ„plo omne bonum progreditur sic de teÌ„plo omne masum procedit Si sacerdotium incorruptuÌ„ fuerit Chrysostomus tota sloret ecclesia Si autem corruptum fuerit omnium fides marci daeâ— Si sacerdotruÌ„ fuerit in peccatis totâ—s populê° conuertetat aâ— peccatum Sicat cum videris arborem paâ—dam et marridam intelliges quod vicium hader in radice Ita cum videris populum in disciplinatuÌ„ et irreligiosum sine dubio sacerdotium eius non est samum If lewde men wist what this laten meaneth And who was mine auctour much woÌ„der me thinke But if mani prists bear for hir bastards her brochis A payre of bedes in their haÌ„ds a boke vnder their arme Sir Iohn sir Ieffery hath a girdle of siluer A baselard or a ballocke knife with bottons ouergilt And a portus that shuld be his plow Place vo to synge Had he neuer seruice to saue siluer therto seith it with idle wil Alas ye lewd men much lese ye on priests And a thing that wickedly is won Euil gotten euyl spent with false sleights Wold neuer wit of witty God but wickid meÌ„ it had The which ar priests imperfit prechers after siluer That with gile is gotten vngraciously is spended Executors sodemes samoners their lemmans So harlots and hoores are holpen with such goods And Gods folks for defaute therof for fareÌ„ spill Curatours of holy kyrke as clerkes that ben auarous Lightly that they leauen losels it habbeth Or dieth intestat and the bishop entreth And makith mirth thermidde and his men bothe And siggeÌ„ he was an nigard that no good might spare To frend ne to fremid the fende haue his soule For a wretched house he hyled all his lyfe time And that he sparid and bisperid spende we in mirth By learned and by lewde that loth is to spend Thus gone their goods be the gost faren And for good men God wot great dole men maken And be meaneth good meatgeuers in mind haueth In prayers and in penauÌ„ce and in perfit charitie What is charitie ê™ I tho A childish thing he sayd Mata 18 Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli noÌ„ intrabitis regnuÌ„ celoruÌ„ Wythout fauteltie or tolie fre liberall will Wher shuld men finde such a frind with so fre a hert I haue lyued in londe ê™ I my name is long Wyll And founde I neuer full charitie before ne behynde Men be merciable to meÌ„dinauntes and to pore And wollen lene there they leue lelly to be payed Chariti that Poul praisith best Rom. xiii most plesiÌ„g to our God Is NoÌ„ inflatur non est ambitiosa non querit que sua sunt I se neuer such a man so god me helpe That he ne wold aske after hys other whyle couet Thynge that neded hym not nyme it if he myght Clarkes kenne me that Christ is in all places And I se hi neuer sothly but as mi selfe in a myrror In enigmate i. Cor. xiii tunc farie ad faciem And so I trowe trulye by that men sell of charitie It is not champions syght ne chaffer as I trowe Charitie ê™ he chaffreth not ne chaleÌ„geth ne craueth As proude of a peny as of a pouÌ„de of golde And is as glade of a gowne of graye russet As of a tunicle of tars or of tried scarlet He is glad with all glade and good to all wicked And leueth and loueth all that our lorde made Curseth no creature ne he can beare no wrath Ne no likynge hath to lye ne laughe men to skorne All that men same he lete it soth in solace taketh And all maner mischiefe in mildnes he suffeeth Coueteth he no earthly good but heauen lich blisse Hath he any rentes or ryches ne retcheth he neuer For a frend that findeth him faileth hym neuer at nede Fiat voluntas tua fyndeth hym euermore And if he soupe he eateth but a soupe of Spera in deo He caÌ„ portrey wel the Pater noster Goynâ—â— on pilgrimage paint it with pytye And other while he is wonne to wead on pilgimage Ther pore meÌ„ prisoners liggen her pardon to haue Though he bear heÌ„ no bread he beareth sweter fode Loueth heÌ„ as our Lord bade loketh how they fare And wheÌ„ he is wery of the worke thaÌ„ woll he soÌ„tyme Labour in lauendrye well the length of a myle And yarne into youth and yepely speake Pryde with all thappertenauÌ„ces pake hem togithers And boken hem at his breste and beate hem cleane And liggen on longe wyth Laboraui in gemitu meo And with warne water at hys eyen washen hem after And than he syngeth whan he doeth so And sometyme sayeth wepynge Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies Bi Christ I wold I knew him ê™ I Psal ii no creature leuer Wythout the helpe of Pierce plow man quod he hys person seest thou neuer Where clarkes know him ê™ I that kepen holy kyrke Clarks haue no knowiÌ„g ê™ he but vi works word And Pierce the plowman perceiueth more depely What is the wil wherfore that many wyght suffreth Et vidit cogitationes eorum Luke â—â— For there are ful proude herted men patient of tong And buxome as of beringe to burgesis to lordes And to pore people haue pepper in the nose And as a Lyon he loketh there men lacke his works Former are veggers bidders bedemen