The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. ?: Dublin, Trinity College, MS 212 D.4.1 (Vc)
author: William Langland
source date: late 14th or early 15th century
edition published: 200?
language: lat; fre; ger
availability: Commercially available: copyright 200?, by SEENET

comune custum to the writer hereof, to vse .u. in places where we vse .i. or .e

[The first line(s) of this annotation has been trimmed, as well as the ends of each of the subsequent lines. The editors would like to thank Mr. Bernard Mackey, who examined the manuscript early in the editing process to help resolve ambiguities.]

as somur for somer. shephurd for shepherd. and to vse .w. for .wh. as wan wuch, wat, for whan, which what.

Hic incipit uisio Willelmi de Petro Plouhman

I N[^1] assomur seson / wan softe was þe sonne
I gan me or I crept in amoong busshes.
Y shop me in-to schrobbus / as y a schephurde were
apparell
In abit as an Eremite / vn-holy of werkes
Y went forth in þe wordle / wondres to here
sawe selcouth or vn.. . quasi. seldom known or vnknowen strange befell, chanced

[There is a horizontal line separating this gloss from the one above it.]

And saih meny selles / and selcouthe þinges
but
Ac on a may morwenyng / on maluerne hulles
for
Me by-fulle fort[^a1] to slepe / for werynesse of wandring
And in a launde as y lay / lened y and slepte
I drempt
And merueylously me mette / as y may ȝow telle
Al þe welþe of þis worlde / and þe wo boþe .
aduisedly i sawe witterly, quasi w... intent of wit.
Walkynge[^a2] as hit were / wyterly y sauh hit
gyle or deceit
Of truthe and of trecherie / treson and gyle
Al y sauh slepinge / as y shal ȝow telle

[^a1: fort (V) | for (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a2: Walkynge (Vc Ac) | Wynkyng (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^1: The letter was flourished the length of the left margin in red and blue]

¶ Estwarde y byheold / aftur þe sonne
And sauh a tour as y trowede / truthe was þere-ynne

while mich...?...

[This much-faded note in a secretary hand is written on three lines.]

¶ Westward y waytede in a wyle aftur
beleue
And sauh a dep dale / deth as y leoue
dwelt
Wonede in tho wones / and wyckede spirites

¶ A Fayr felde ful of folk / fond y þer by-twene
common sort
Al manere of men / þe mene and þe ryche
woorking
Worchynge and wandryng / as þe worlde askeþ

went to lawe seldom tymes
¶ Somme putten hem to þe plouh / and pleyden ful selde
labored
In settyng and in sowyng / swonkon ful harde
wan. got.
And wonnon that þeos wastourrs / wyth gloteny destruen

Pryde did apparell.
¶ Somme putten hem to pruyde and paraileden hem þer-aftur
maner faire
In contenaunce of cloþyng / in meny kynne gyse .

¶ In preyeres and penaunces / putten hem menye
did lyue
Al for þe loue of oure lorde / lyueden ful harde
heuenly
In hope to haue good ende / and heueneryche blisse
P...?... Russia

[This is written in cursive, not by the glossator.]

As

[A later hand has attempted to copy the first word on this folio.]

kepe them their
As ancres and heremites / þat holduþ hem in here selles
Coueyton nat in contreies / to carien a-boute
their lycam - pleasure, delight or appetyte
For no licorouse liflode / here licame to plese

merchaundise thryued . ill i cheue ill thrift .
¶ And som chosen cheffare / þei cheuesede[^a3] þe betere
.h. many tymes for gh. as siht miht for sight might & cetera
As hit semeþ to oure sitht / þat suche men þryueþ

[^a3: cheuesede (Vc Ac) | cheffede (P) | cheuened (Ec) | cheves (Rc) | cheueden (Mc)]

myrthes can
¶ And somme murthes to make / as ministrales conneþ
As
Þat wollen neyþer swynke ne swete / but swere gret oþes
fantasyes
And fynden vp foule feyntises / and foles hem maken .
wurke
And hauen wit at wille / to worche if thei wolde
Þat paul . precheþ of hem / preouen hit y myhte
ad ephesios V. capitulo
Qui turpiloquium loquitur / is lucifers knaue

crauers . went
¶ Bydderes and beggeres / fast a-boute ȝeoden .
Tyl here bagge and here bely / was bretful y-crammed
fayting. counterfayting. lying meat
Faytynge for here fode / and fouhton atten ale

those fellows.
¶ In gloteny tho gomes / goþ þei to bedde
And ryseþ with ribaudrie / tho Roberdes knaues
followeth.
Slep and synful sleuthe / suweþ suche euere

gat
¶ Piligryms and palmeres / plyhten hem[^2] to-gederes
To seche seint Iame / and seyntes of Rome
theyr
Wenten forth in heore way / with meny vnwyse tale
And hauen leue to lie / al here lyf-tyme

[^2: False start on <h>.]

¶ Eremytes on an hepe / with hokede staues
theyr
Wenton to walsyngham / and heore wenches aftur
lurdeyns
Gret lobies and longe / and loþ were to swynke
Cloþede hem in copes / to be knowe fram othere
And made hem-selue Eremytes[^3] here ese to haue

[^3: A fold conceals script at the end of the word; it is impossible to smooth the fold without damaging the parchment.]

¶ Y fond ther Freres / of[^a4] al þe foure ordres[^4]
Prechyng þe people / for profit of þe wombe
And glossyng þe gospel / as hem good likede
For coueytise of copes / contrariede some doctours .

[^a4: Freres / of (Vc) | of Freris (Ac) | Freris (P Rc Mc) | þe freres (Ec)]

[^4: A bracket in the left margin runs from Vc1.56-59, probably in connection with the nota marks.]

begging
¶ Menye of thes maistres / of mendinauns Freres
go foorth
Here money and Marchaundyse / marchen to-gederes
Ac sythe charite haþ beo chapmon / and chief to schryue lordes[^5]
ferlyes als farlyes straunge things
Meny ferlys han fallen / in a fewe ȝeres

[^5: A curly brace links this line with the one below, probably in connection with the nota mark.]

cast doun
¶ But holycherche and charite / choppe a-doun suche schryueres
groweth vp
Þe most meschief on molde / monteþ vp fast .
Ther prechede a pardoner / as he a prest were
And brouht forthe a bulle / with bischopes seles
He seyde þat him-self myht / assoillen hem alle
Of falsnesse of fastinges of vowes to-broke

beleued lyked lewd men, vnlerned men.
¶ Lewede men leuede him wel / and likedon his wordes
kysse
Comen and kneleden / to cusson his bulles
He blessede hem with his bulles / and blered here eye
gat rolles
And rauhte with hys rageman / ringes and broches

¶ Thus ȝe ȝeuen ȝoure gold / glotones to helpe
lend
And leneþ hit to lorelles / þat lecherie haunten

eares.
¶ Were þe bischop blessed / or worþ boþe his eren
nota
His seal scholde nat be sent / in deseit of þe people .[^6]

[^6: This line and the one before it are bracketed left.]

fellow.
¶ A[^7] hit is nat al by þe bischop / þat þe boye precheþ .
parish prest.
Þe parschepreost parsche preost and þe pardoner / parton þe seluer
Þat poure people in parsches / scholde haue if thei ne were

[^7: Vc.1.78:Russell-Kane take the reading to be corrected to Ac.]

¶ Persones and parscheprestes parsche prestes / pleyned to þe byschop .
Þat here par sches beon poure / sith þe pestilens tyme .
lyue
To haue licence and leue / in london to dwelle[^8]
And synge þer for symonie / whil seluer is swete

[^8: A faded pen trial appears in the right margin next to this line.]

of art.
¶ Byschopes and bachilers / bothe maisters and doctours
shaven croun.
Þat han cure vnder crist / and crownynge in tokene
Beon charget with holy cherche / charite to tulye
lawfull
That is lel loue and lif / among lered and lewed
lye. logde. oother tymes
They leyen in london / in lenton and elles

¶ Some seruen þe kyng / and his seluer tellen[^9]
chaunncerye
In the chekere and chauncellerie / chalangynge his dettes
nota
Of wardes and wardemotes / wayues and strayues

[^9: A bracket in the left margin links this line and the next four, probably in connection with the nota mark at Vc1.92.]

¶ Some aren as senechalles / and seruen other lordes
be iudges
And beon in stede of stiwardes / and sitton and demon

communaltie hard it
¶ Concience cam and acusede hem / and þe comune herde hit
And seyde ydolatrie ȝe soffren / in sondry places menye
be iren
And boxes beon set forth / bounden with yre
To vndurtake þe tol / of vn-trewe sacrifice
nota
In menynge of miracles / muche wex hongeþ there
can not
Al the world wot wel / hit myȝth nauȝt be trewe .[^10]

[^10: The two glossed words in this line, myȝth and nauȝt, are not underlined.]

but because toward your purce
¶ Ac for hit profiteþ ȝow to porceward / ȝe prelates soffren
lyue & dye
Þat lewde men in mysbyleue / lyuen an dyen
I can well beleue
Y leue wel by oure lord / for loue of ȝoure couetyse
Þat al þe world beo þe wors / as holy writ telleþ .

what chastisement & mischef
¶ Wat cheste and meschaunce / to children of Israel
fell free.
Ful on hem þat freo were / thorgh two false preostes
primo Regum iiij capitulo
For þe synne of Ophin and fynees his brothur
They were desconfit in bataille / and loston archa dei .

theyr syre synne. offend.
¶ And for here sire sauh hem synegen / and soffred hem don ylle
woold not
And not chastede hem þer-of / and nolde nouȝt rebuke hem
anon
As non[^a5] as hit was tolde hym / þat þe children of Israel
lore, loste
Weren y-disconfit[^a6] in bataille and archa dei . y-loren
And his sonnes sleyen / a-non he felle for sorowe
Fro his chayere ther he sat / and brac his nekke a-tweyne .
chastised, bet.
And alle was for veniaunce / þat he beot nat his children .
And for they weren prestes / and men of holycherche .
God was welle þe wrother / and tok þe raþer veniaunce
For-þi y seye ȝe preostes / and men of holi cherche[^11]
Þat soffren men do sacrifice / and worschupon Mawmetes
And ȝe scholde beo here faderes / and teche hem betre
God schal take veniaunce / on alle suche prestes
Welle hardere and grettere / on suche schrewede faderes
Þan euere he dude on Ophin and Fynees or on here fader
For ȝoure schrewede soffraunce / and ȝoure owene synne

[^a5: As non (Vc) | Anon (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a6: y-disconfit (Vc) | disconfit (P Ec Rc Ac) | discomfited (Mc)]

[^11: A bracket in the left margin links this line to the following lines, up to Vc1.124.]

¶ Ȝoure masse and ȝoure matyns / and mony of ȝoure houres
Aren don vndeuouteliche / drede is at þe laste .
consistorie
Lest crist in his constorie / of ȝowe acorse monye .
Y parceyuede of þe power / þat Petur hadde to kepe
To bynde and to vnbynde / as þe bok telleþ
How he hit left with loue / as oure lord wolde
AMonges foure vertues / most vertuous of vertues
Þat cardinales beon y-cald / and closynge ȝates
Ther crist is in kynedam / to close with heuene .

but got
¶ Ac of the cardinales at cort / þat cauht han suche a name
nota
And power presumen in hem-self / a pope to make .
I will not iudge
To haue þe power þat Petur . hadde Iugunen[^a7] y nelle .
For in loue and letture[^a8] / liþ þe gret eleccioun .
I will not

[It appears that another hand copied the gloss above and then attempted to erase it.]

Conturplede hit nauȝt quaþ Conciense for holychurches sake .

[^a7: Iugunen (Vc Ac) | repugnen (P Ec) | Inpugnen (Rc) | repuyne hem (Mc)]

[^a8: letture (Vc) | lecture (Ac) | in letterure (P Ec Rc) | lettrure (Mc)]

¶ Þen cam ther a kynge / knyhthod him ladde .
Þe muche myhte of þo men / made him to regne
kynde wit, naturall wit.
¶[^12] Þan þenne[^a9] cam kynde wit / and knyhthod to-gederes
Casten þat þe commune / scholde here communes fynde

[^a9: Þan þenne (Vc) | thenne (P Ec Rc Ac) | Þer (Mc)]

[^12: The rubricator has not painted in this paraph mark; it appears as two diagonal slashes in black ink.]

contriued, made.
¶ Kyndewit and þe comune / contreouede alle craftus
And for most profitable to þe people / a plouh thei gon make /
lawfull while
With lel labour to liue / wil lyf and lond lasteþ

¶ Þenne kyndewit to þe kyng / and to þe comune seyde .
it sholde be kingrich. that is kingdoom or kyngly estate
Crist kepe þe kynge / and þi kynde riche[^a10]
lende. graunt, right may loove the.
And lene the lede so thy lond / þat leaute the louye
And for thi riȝthfol ruelyng / be rewarded in heuene

[^a10: kynde riche (Vc Ac) | kyneriche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Conciense to clerigie[^a11] / and to the kyng seyde
sum rex sum princeps / neuter fortasse deinceps
O qui iura regis / christi specialia regis
Hoc vt agas melius / iustus et esto pius .
Nudum ius a te / vestiri wlt pietate
Qualia vis mittere[^a12][^13] / talia grana sere
Si seritur pietas / de pietate metas .

[^a11: clerigie (V) | Clergie (P Ec Ac) | þe clergye (Rc Mc)]

[^a12: mittere (Vc) | metere (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^13: Vc.1.155: The glossator has cancelled the <i> and the first <t> and written a superscript <e> above the <i>.]

¶[^14] Concience and the kyng / in-to cort wenten
clothed, in garmentes clothes. Credo

[Vc.1.182: The glossator's Credo appears to be the equivalent of I think, indicating uncertainty in the gloss.]

Wer houed an hondred / in houes of selk
thei semed
Sergauns hit semeden / þat seruen atte barre
To plede for penyes / and pondes þe lawe .
And nouȝt for oure lordesloue lordes loue / vnlose here lyp ones
better hilles.
Thow myhtest bet mete þe myst / on Maluerne hulles
a mum a woorde
Þan gete a Mom of here mouth / til money be schewed .

[^14: The rubricator has written a double diagonal slash to mark where a paraph mark should appear, but he did not paint one.]

rattes
¶ Þenne ranne ther a rowte of ratones as hit were
mese
And smale Muys with hem / mo then a þousand
Comen to a consel / for here comune profit .
when he lyke
For a cat of a corte / cam wen hym lyket
ouerlept lightly caught to Catch, to reach.
And ouurhepped[^a13] hem liȝthlyche / and lauht hem at wille
And pleyde with som perylosly / and put hem þer him lyked .
sorer. wurse.
And if we grucche of his game / he wol greue vs sarrur /
clawes &
To his cleos clawon vs / an in his cloches holde
we ar wery of
Þat vs loþeþ þe lyf /er he lete vs passe .
withsit, withstand.
Mihte we wiþ eny wit / his wil to wiþsitte
a-loft.
We myhte be lordes of loft / and lyue as vs lusten

[^a13: ouurhepped (Vc) | ouerhopped (Ac) | ouerlep (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Tho sayde a ratoun of renoun / most resonable of tonge
Y haue seye gret syres / in citees and in tones /
coller. bande bright
Bere byes of briȝt golde / al aboute here nekkes
And coleres of crafty werkes[^a14] / bothe knyhtes and squiers
Were ther a belle on here byȝe / by ihesus me þenkeþ
runne credo
Men myȝth wite were thei went / and here way rowme .

[^a14: werkes (Vc Ac) | werk (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ryht so quod þe raton / reson me þenkeþ
biggen. bye.
A belle to buggen of braas / or of bryth seluer
And knutte hit on a coler / for oure comune profit
And hange a-bowte þe cattes nekke / þan here we mowe .[^15]
And a-pere in his presence / wil him pleye likuþ
he be angry may to rome. is to wander. and here to get out of his wey.
And ȝif he wrathe we mowe be war / and his wey rowme .

[^15: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit two lines (RK.P.188 and 189).]

¶ Al the rowte of ratones / to this reson assented
a string a line a bande

[The glossator underlined this word on the previous folio without glossing it.]

Ac tho þe belle was bouȝt / and on the byȝe hanged
ne was
Ther nas no ratoun in al the rowte / for al þe Reome of fraunce
Þat durst haue bounde þe belle / a-bowte þe cattes nekke
Ne haue hit hanged a-bowte his nekke[^a15] / al Engulond to wynne
And leton here labour lost / and alle here longe trauail

[^a15: nekke (Vc Ac) | hals (P Ec Rc Mc)]

good wolde
¶ A Mows þat muche god cowþe / as me þo þouhte .
stept stoutly.
Strok forth sturnely / and stod by-for hem alle
And to the rowte of ratones / rehersede theos wordes
though kylled yet
Tha uh we hadde culled þe cat / ȝut scholde þer come a-noþer
vs though
To cracchen ous and al oure kynde / þaw we crope vndur benches /

¶ For-þi y consaille for comune profit / let þe cat worche
And neuere beo we so bold / þe belle him to schewe
For y herde my sire sayn / seuene ȝeer passed
but feble, weke.
Ther the cat is bout a kyton / þe cort is ful elynge .
ecclesiastes x.
Witnesse atte[^a16] holywrit / ho-so can rede Ve terre ubi puer est Rex

[^a16: atte (Vc) | of (P Ec) | at (Rc Ac) | hit (Mc)]

¶ Y sey hit for me quath þe mous / y see so muchel aftur
Schal neuere þe cat ne no[^a17] kytton / by my consail beo greued .
I will not talke coste
Ne carpen of here colours / þat costed me neuere
And þauh hit costned me catel / by-knowen y ne wolde
say
Bot suffre and sugge nauȝt / and so is þe best .
Til meschief amenden hem / þat mony mon chasteþ .

[^a17: no (Vc Ac) | þe (P Rc) | om. (Ec Mc)]

¶ For mony mannes malt / we muys wold destruye .
And ȝe rowte of ratones / of rest men a-wake
Ne were þe cat of þe cort / and ȝonge kytones toward .
your will. desyre. coolde. your
For hadde ȝe ratones ȝoure red / ȝe cowþe nat rewle ȝow -selue

dremes meanith myrry
¶ Wat this Meteles by-menuþ / ȝe men þat beoþ murie
dere will not (credo)
Dyuine ȝe for y nedar ne dar / by deore god almyȝthy .

yet dremt I
¶ Ȝut mette me more / of mene and of riche /
As barouns and borgeys / and bonde-men of thorpes
Al y sauh sclepyng / as ȝe schul here aftur
Bothe bakers and brewers / bocheres and othere
fullers
Webbesters and walkeres / and wynners with handez
tyllers
As taillours & tanners / and tyliare s the erthe .
As dikeres and deluers / þat don her dedes ylle
And dryueþ forthe here dayes / wiþ dieux saue dame Emme .

Cookes
¶ Kokus and here knaues criden / hote pyes hote .
fat
Good gos and grys / gow dyne gowe[^16]

[^16: The usual reading is go we, but at Vc18.115, the scribe writes, gowe we, indicating that gowe is an intentional spelling for go.]

¶ Tauerners a tast for nouȝt / tolden þe same .
Whit wyn of Oseye / and of Gascoyne
digest.
Of the Ruelle and rochel wyn / þe rost to defye .
sawe tymes
Al this y souh sclepyng / and seuene sithes more .

Explicit primus passus

¶ Incipit passus secundus . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

darke
T hat[^a18] þe montaigne bymenuþ / & þe merke dale
And þe feld fol of folk / y schal ȝou faire schewe
countenance, chere.
A louely lady of lere / in lynnen y-clothed
Cam doun fro þat castelle / and calde me by name .
And sayde w hy[^17] slepest thow / seost thou þis people
how
Hou bysy thei beon / a-boute þe mase .
Þe most partie of þe people / þat passeþ on this eorthe
wolde it
Haue thei worschip in þis worlde / they wilneþ no betre .
Of other heuene þan here / thei holden no tale
Y was a-ferd of hure face / thaw / she faire were
And seide mercy madame / wat may þis beo to mene
hill
Þe tour vpon þe toft quod sheo / trewþe is ther-Inne
And wolde þat ȝeo wrouȝt / as his word techeþ
For he is fadur of faith / and formour of alle
To beo faithful to him / he ȝaf ȝow fyue wyttes
For to worchipon him þer-with / wile ȝeo lyuen here .
gat, appointed
Wer-fore he het þe Elementz / to help ȝow al tymes
debet esse .for. credo.
And bringe forth ȝoure byleue / bothe linnen and wollen
And in mesure þauh hit muche were / to mak ȝowe attese att ese

[^a18: T hat (Vc) | What (P Rc Mc Ac) | hat with space for capital letter (Ec)]

[^17: The other members of the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group read wille, and the scribe likely corrected extemporaneously.]

¶ He comaunded of his cortasie / in comune thre þynges
ar. be take
Aron now nedfol but þo thre / nempne hem y þinke .
And rekene hem by-rewe / reherse hem wher þe likuþ

¶ Þe feorst of tho is fode / and vesture þe secunde .
but
And drynk þat do þe gode / ac drynk nauȝt ouȝt of tyme .
Lo lot . in his lyue / þrow likerouce drynk
Wykkedliche wrouȝte / and wrathed god almyȝhty
he dight, he dressed, here he deflowred
In his dronkenesse a day / his dowtres he dihte
And lay by hem boþe / as the bok telluþ
wenches chereles without chere.
In his gloteny by-gate / gurles þat weren cheorles
And alle he wyted hit þe wyn / his wikkede dede .
Inebriamus eum vino & dormiamus cum eo vt seruare
xix
Possumus de patre nostro semen / Genesis
Thorgh wyn and thorgh wommon / ther was Lot encombred .
theerfore feare.
For-þi dred delitable drynke / bothe day and nyhtes .
Mesure is medicine / þauh thow muche wilne

¶ Al is nauht good to the gost / that the gout askeþ
Ne lyuelode to the licame / þat lef is to the saule
Leof nouȝt thi licame / for a lyer him techeþ
That is this wikked worlde / wolde the by-gyle
For the feond and thy fleisch / folwen to-gederes
And seoth thy saule / and seythe hit the in herte
And wisseþ þe to be war / and wold þe deceyue .
nota
A madame mercy quod y / me likeþ wel ȝoure wordes
Ac the moneye of this molde / þat men so fast kepon
Telluþ me ȝe now[^a19] to wam / that tresour by-longeþ

[^a19: me ȝe now (Vc Ac) | me now (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Go to the gospel quath heo / and seo wat god seyde
Wen the poeple aposede him / of a peny in the temple
And god askeþ[^a20] at hem / wat was þe coyne
Cesares the seyde / sotly[^a21] we knowen
Mathei .xxij.
Reddite Cesari seyde god / þat to Cesar by-falleth
Et que sunt dei deo / or elles ȝe don ille .
for rithfulliche resoun / schold rewle ȝow alle
And kynd wit beo wardeyn / ȝoure welþe to kepe
And tutour of ȝoure tresour / and take ȝowe at nede
For howsebondrye an he / holdeþ to-gederes[^18]

[^a20: askeþ (Vc Ac) | askede (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a21: sotly (Vc) | sothliche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^18: Vc.2.55:Here an is equivalent to and.]

¶ Y Fraynede hure faire tho / for him þat hure made
Þe dep dale and the merk[^a22] / vnsemely to seo
Wat may hit by-mene / madame y by-seche /

[^a22: merk (Vc Ac) | derk (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þat is the castel of care / wo-so comeþ þer-Inne
May banne þat he bore was / in body and sowle .
Ther-Inne wonyeþ a wyht / wrong is his name
Fadur of falshede / fond hit furst of alle
Adam and Eue / he eggede to ille
Consailled caym / to kullon his brother
Iudas he by-Iapede / þrowe Iewene seluer
And afturward he heong him / hey on an Ellerne
He is lettere of loue / and lyeth alle tymes
Þat trust in eorthly tresour / he by-trayeth saunest
To encombre men with couetyse / þat is his kynde
Þen hadde y wondur in my wit / wat wommon sheo were
Þat suche wyse wordes / of holy wryt sowede[^a23]
And hanslede heore on the hy name / er scho þenne went
Wat scho were witturly / þat wissede me so and tauht

[^a23: sowede (Vc) | shewede (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Holycherche y am quod scho / þow ouhtest me to knowe
Y vndurfong þe formest / and freo man þe made
Thow browtest me borwes / my bidding to folfulle
[^19]To leoue on me and louy me / al thy lif-tyme

[^19: The capital "T" here is unusually formed, possibly corrected by the main scribe from another letter.]

¶ Þenne kneoled y on my kneos / and cride heore of grace
And preyed heore pytesly to preye / for me to amende
Al-so to kenne me kyndely / on crist to by-leue
And teche me to no tresour / but tel me this ilke
How y may saue my sowle / þat seynt ert y-holde
Wen al tresours beon tryed quod scheo / trewþe is þe best
primus Iohannis . iiij . capitulo
Y do hit on deus caritas / to deme þe sothe
Hit is as dereworth a druwry / as dere god him-selue
For he is trewe of his tonge / and of his two handes
And dothe þe werkes þer-with / and wilneþ no man ille
He is a god by þe gospel / and graunt may hele
And lyke oure lord al-so / by seynt luc hes wordes .

¶ Clerkes þat knowen this / schold kennen hit a-bowt
For crysten and for vncriston[^a24] / cleymen hit echone

[^a24: for vncriston (Vc Ac) | vncristene (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Kynges and knyhtes / scholde kepon hit by resoun
ryden and rappe a-doun / in reomes a-bowte
And to take trespassours / and tyen hem fast .
Til trewþe had termined / here trespas to the[^20] ende
And halde with him and with heore / þat han trewe accioun
And for no lordeyne loue / leue þe trewe partye
Trewly to take / and trewly to fitht
Is þe profession and pure ordre / þat appendeþ to knyhtes
Ho-so passeþ þat poynt / is apostata of knyht-hod
For thei schold nat fast / ne for-bere serke
But feythfully defende / and fith for trewþe
And neuere leue for loue for loue for loue / in hope to lac seluer

[^20: The <e> of the has an unusual flourish, probably a false start.]

¶ Dauid by his dayes / dobbede knythtes
And dud hem swere on here swerd / to serue trewþe euere

¶ Wan god by-gan heuene / in þat gret blis
He made knyhtes in his cort / creatures tene
Cherubyn and seraphyn suche seuene and a-nother
Lucifer Louelokest tho / ac litel whyle hit dured
He was an archangel of heuene / on of godes knyhtes
He and oþer with him / þat helde nat with trewþe
Lopon out in lotly forme / for his false wille
He hadde leof[^a25] to be lik / his lord god almyhty
ysay xiiij
Ponam pedem meum in aquilone & ero similis altissimo
Lord wy wolde he tho / thulke wikkede Lucifer
lhepen a-loft in the northe syde
To sitten on þe sonne syde / þer þe day roweþ
Ne were hit for northermen[^a26] / a-non y wolde telle

[^a25: leof (Vc Ac) | lust (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a26: northermen (Vc) | northerne men (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ac y wolle lakke no lif / quod that lady sothely
Hit is sikeror by sowþe / ther þe sonne reigneþ
Þanne in þe north by mony notus / no man leoue other
For þuder as þe feond fleih / his fot fort sette
Ther he failede and feol / and his felows alle
And helle is there he is / and he ther y-bounde .
Euene contrarie sit crist / clerkus knowen þe sothe
dixit dominus domino meo / sede a dextris meis
Ac of this matere no more / moeuen y nelle
Hewes in the haliday / aftur heton wayton .
Þey care nouȝt þei hit beo cold / knaues wen thei worchen

¶ In wondurwyse holywrit / telluþ how thei fullon
Some in erthe some in ayer / some in helle deope
Ac lucifer lowest / lithe of hem alle .
For pruyde þat him pokede / his peyne hath non ende
Alle þat worchen þat wykket is / wenden þei schulle .
Aftur here deth-day / and dwelle þer wrong is
And alle þat han wel y-wrouht / wenden thei scholle .
Estward til heuene / euere to a-byde
Ther trewþe is þe throne / þat trinite Inne sytteþ
Lere hit thus lewede men / for lettred hit knoweþ
Þat trewþe and trew loue / is no tresour betere .

¶ Y haue no kynde knowyng quod y / ȝe mot kenne me betere
By wat wey hit waxeþ / and vndur[^a27] out of my menyng

[^a27: vndur (Vc Ac) | wonder (P Ec) | wheder (Rc Mc)]

¶ Thow dotete daf quod scho / dolle ar þi wittes
Y leoue thow lernedest to lyte / latyn yn þi ȝougþe
Heu michi quod sterilem duxi vitam iuuenilem
Hit is a kynde knowyng / þat kenneþ in þyn herte
For to louy thi lord / leouest of alle
And deye rather þen to do / eny dedly synne
Jonas prophete & ecclesiastes tertio

[The verse is in Jonah, but not in Ecclesiastes.]

Melius est mori quam male viuere .
And this y trowe beo trewþe / ho-so can teche þe betre
Loke thow soffre hym to seye / and so myht þow lerne
For trewþe telleþ þat loue / is tryacle of[^a28] synne
And most souereyn salue / for sowle & for body

[^a28: of (Vc Ac) | for (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Loue is plonte of pees / most preciouce of vertus
For heuene holt hit ne myhte / so heuy hit semede
Tyl hit hadde on eorth / ȝoton him-selue
Was neuere[^a29] vpon lynde / lyhter ther-aftur
As wen he[^a30] hadde of þe fold / fleisch and blod taken
Tho was hit portatif and persaunt / as point of an elde
May non armure hit lette / nothur hye walles .
For-thy is loue ledere / and þe lawe schappeþ[^a31][^21]
And a mene as þe meyre is / by-twene þe kynge and þe comune
Riht so is loue a ledere / and þe lawe schappuþ
Vp man for his misdedes / þe mercement he taxeþ

[^a29: neuere (Vc Ac) | neuer lef (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a30: he (Vc Ac) | hit (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a31: and þe lawe schappeþ (Vc Ac) | of oure lordes folk of heuene (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^21: The B-verse has been transferred mistakenly from Vc.2.163.]

¶ And fort fort[o] knowe hit kyndely / hit comseþ by myhte
In the hert þer is þe hesd he[a]d / and þe hye welle

¶ Of kynde knowyng in herte / þe[^a32] comseþ a myhte
That falleþ to þe fader / þat formede vs alle
How[^a33] vs he lokede with loue / and let his sone dye
Meokly for oure misdedes / to amende vs alle
And ȝut wolde he hem nowe[^a34] / þat wrouht him alle þat tene
But mildeliche with mowþe / mercy he by-souhte
To haue pite on that people / þat peynede him to deþe
Here myȝht thow se ensaumple / in him-selue one
Þat he was myhtfol and meok / and mercy gan graunte
To hem þat henge him hye / and his herte thorled .
For-thi y rede ȝow riche / haue rewþe on þe poere
Þauh ȝe be myhty to mote / beoþ meke in ȝoure werkes
Þe same mesure þat ȝe meteþ / a mys other elles
Ȝe schulle be weyon þer-with / wen ȝe wendon hennes
Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis remetietur vobis .
Thaw ȝe be trew of ȝoure tonges / and trewliche wynne
And beo as chast as a child / þat noþur chit ne fyhteþ
But ȝif ȝe loue lellyche / and lene þe pore
Of suche god as god sent / goodliche parte
Ȝe haue no more merit / in masse ne in howres
Þan malkyn of heore Maydenhod / wam no man desiruþ .
For Iames þe gentul / Iuggeþ in his bokes
Þat faith with-owte feat / is febelere þen nouht
And dede as a[^22] deore[^a35] nayl / but ȝif he[^a36] dede folwe
Fides sine operibus mortua est .

[^a32: þe (Vc Ac) | ther (P Ec Rc) | þerof (Mc)]

[^a33: How (Vc Ac) | On (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a34: nowe (Vc Ac) | no wo (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a35: deore (Vc) | dore (P Ec Rc) | der (Mc)]

[^a36: he (Vc Ac) | þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^22: An otiose stroke was written between a and deore.]

¶ Chastite with-oute charite / worth cheyned in helle
Hit is as lewede as a laumpe / þat no liȝht is Inne
Menye chapeleyns aren chast / ac charite hem failleth
Are non hardur þan hongrior / þan men of holy churche
Auerous and euel willed / wan thei ben auaunsed
And vnkynde to here kyn / and to alle cristene

¶ They chewen here charite / and chiden aftur more
Encombred myd[^a37] coueytise / thei connauht owt crepe
So hard hath auerice / hasped hem to-gederes

[^a37: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And þat is no trewþe of þe trinite / but trecherie and sinne
And luthur ensample leoue me / to þe lewed poeple
For theos aren wrodes / writen in þe Euuangelie .
Date et dabitur vobis / for y dele ȝow alle
And þat is lok of loue / þat vnloseþ grace
Þat conforteþ alle cristene / encombred with synne .

¶ So loue is leche of lyf / and lisse of al peyne
And þe graffe of grace / and graythest to heuene

¶ For-thy y may seye as y sayde / by siht of þis tixt
Wen alle tresours ben tried / trewþe is the best

¶ Loue hit quod þat lady / lette may y no lengere
To lere the wat loue is / and leue at me scho lauhte

Explicit passus secundus /

Hic incipit passus tercius . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

A nd thenne y kneled on my knes / & criede to heore of grace
And seyde mercy madame / for mary loue of heuene
Þat bar the blessed barn / þat bouht vs on rode
Kenne me by some craft / to knowe þe falce .
Loke vpon thi left half quod scheo / lo wer he standeþ
boþe falce and fauel / and fikel tonge lyere
And meny of here maneres / boþ men and wymmen
Y lokede on my lift half / as þe lady me tauhte
And sauh a wommon as hit were wondurliche clothed
Heo was purfyled with pelure / non purer In erthe
And coroned in a corone / þe kynge hath no betere
On alle heore fyue fyngres / richelich rynget
And þer-on rede rubyes / and other riche stones
Heore robe was richere / þan y red couthe
For to telle of heore a-tyre / no tyme haue y nowþe
Heore aray with heore rychesse / rauyschede myn herte
Was[^a38] wyf scho were / and wat was heore name .
Leoue lady quod y tho / layn nat if ȝe knowen
Þat is Mede þe mayde quod scheo / hath noyed me ful ofte
And lowen vpon my lemmon / þat leaute is hoten
And lakkede hym to lordes / þat lawes han to kepe
In kynges cort in Comune cort / contraried my techyng
In the popes paleys scho is / pryuey as my-self
Ac sothenesse wold nat so / for scho is a bastard
On fauel was hure fader / þat hath a fykel tonge
And selde soth sayth / but if he souche gyle .
And mede is manerd aftur him / as me[^a39] of kinde ca rpen .
Talis pater talis filius /
For schal neuere brere bere / beryus as a vyne
Ne on a croket kene thorne / kynde fyges wexe
Bonus arbor bonum fructum facit .
Y ouhte ben herror þan scho / i cam of a betere
Þe fader þat me forthe brouhte filius dei he hoteþ
Þat neuere ne lyed ne lawhed / in al his lif-tyme

[^a38: Was (Vc P) | Whos (Ec Mc Ac) | Whas (Rc)]

[^a39: me (Vc Ac) | men (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Y am his dere douhtur / duchesse of heuene
Wat man þat me louieþ / & my wille folowyth
Schal haue grace to god y-novhe / and a good ende

¶ And wat man louede mede[^a40] / my lyf dare y wedde
He schal lese for hure loue / a lap of true charite

[^a40: louede mede (Vc Ac) | loueþ mede (P Ec Rc) | mede louiȝe (Mc)]

¶ Þat most helpuþ man to heuene / mede most letteþ
Y do hit vppon Dauid / the doumbe wol not lye
Dominus quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo & cetera .
Dauid vndoþ hit hym-self / as þe doumbe sheweþ
Et super innocentem munera non accepit .
To-morowe worth mede y-maried / to a mansed wreche
To on fals faithles / of the feondes kynne
Fauel throw his flateryng speche / hath mede foul enchaunted
And alle is lieres ledyng / þat lady is thus wedded
Soffre and þow schalt seo / suche as beon appayed
Þat mede is thus y-maried / to-morow þow shalt aspie
Know him wel ȝif þow canst / and kepe þe from hem alle
Þat louyeth here lordschip / lasse owþur more
Lakke hem nat but let hem worthe / til leaute beo iustice .
And haue power to punyshe hem / þen put forth þy resoun
For y by-kenne þe crist quod scho / and his clene modur
Encombre neuere thy conciense / for couetyse of mede .

¶ Thus left me that lady / lygynge a-sclepe
And sawe hou mede was maried / metynge as hit were

¶ And alle þe riche retenaunce / þat rotuþ hem on fals louynge[^a41]
Were bode to the brydale / on bothe half þe contreye
Of mony maner men / þat were of medes kynne .
Of knytes of clerkes / of othere comune people
As sisours and somnours / schereues and here clerkes

[^a41: louynge (Vc Ac) | lyuynge (P Rc Mc) | leuyng (Ec)]

¶ Budeles and baillyfs and brocours of chaffare
Vorogoers and vitallers / aduocates of þe arches
Y can nat rekene the rowte / þat ran a-boute mede .

¶ Ac symonie and Cyuile / and sisours of contreyes
y y
Weren most pryueie with mede / of eny men me thowte

¶ Ac fauel was þe ferste / þat fet heore ouȝt of chaumbre
And as a brokour brouhte heore forth / to beo ioyned with fals .

¶ Wen symonie and syuile / sauh here botheres wille
frends

[This may be an attempt to gloss botheres in Vc3.71.]

Þay assented þer-to / at selueres preyere .

¶ Þenne help[^a42] lyere forth / and seyde lo her a chartre
Þat gyle hath gyfe to Falsnesse / and graunted to mede
And preyoþ Cyuile hit to seo / and symonie to rede hit

[^a42: help (Vc Ac) | lup (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þan Cymonie and Cyuile / stodon forth boþe
L
And vn-feold þe feffement / þat fals hadde maket

¶ Þenne seyde symonie / þat Cyuile hit herde
Alle þat louen and by-leuen / vp lykynge of mede
Þat folwen falsenesse / fauel and liere
And me and suche men / þat aftur mede waiton
leoueþ hit lelly / this worth here last mede[^23]
Carta / Sciant presentes & futuri & cetera .
Wyten alle and witnessen / þat wonyen here on eorthe
Þat mede is maried more / for hure muchel richesse
Þan for holynesse or hendenesse / or for heye kunde

[^23: Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group place this line here; the other manuscripts place it after Vc.3.79.]

¶ Falsnesse is fayn of heore / for he wot here riche

¶ And fauel hath with fals speche / feffed hem by this lettre

¶ To beo princes of pruyde / and pouerte to despyse

¶ To baggebiton and to boston / and bere fals witnesse

¶ To scorne and to scolde / sclaundres to make

¶ Bothe vnboxom and bold / to brek þe ten hestes
Þe Eorldam of enuye / and Ire he hem graunteþ
With þe Castel of cheste / and chateryng ouȝt of resoun
Þe Countee of couetyse / he consenteþ to bothe
With vsure and auarice / and othere fals sleythes
In bargayns in brogages / with þe borgh of þufte
And al þe lordschipe of lecherie / in lengþe and in brede
As in werkes in wordes / in waytinge of yes .
In wedes in wuschinges[^24] / and with ydul þowtes
Ther þat wil wolde / and werkmanschip failleþ
Gloteny he geueþ hem / and gret othes to-gedere
Al day to drynke / at diuerse tauernes
Þer to iangle and to iape / and guge[^a43] here Emcristine
And fastingdayes to frete / by-fore non and drynke
With spicerye speke ydulnesse / in veyn speche and spene
And sewe forth such felawschip / til þei be fallon in slewþe
And awake with wanhop / and no wil to amende .
For he loueþ beo lost / wen he his lyf leteþ

[^a43: guge (Vc) | iuge (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^24: The <sc> ligature is poorly executed, but the scribe's intentions are tolerably clear.]

¶ This lif to folwe falsenesse / and folk þat on him leoueþ
Aftur heore dethe a-dwellyng / day with-outen ende
In lucifers lordschip / as this lettre sc hweþ
Wiþ al þa portenaunce[^a44] of purgatorie / and þe peyne of helle

[^a44: þa portenaunce (Vc) | þe portenaunce (P Ec Mc Ac) | þe appurtinaunce (Rc)]

¶ In witnesse of this þing / wron[^a45] was þe furste

[^a45: wron (Vc Ac) | wrong (P Ec Mc) | wrangh (Rc)]

¶ And peres þe pardoner / of paulynes queste

¶ Bette the budul / of banburies sokene

¶ Regnald þe Reue / and redynkynges monye

¶ Munde þe mulnere[^25] / and mony mo other .
In the date of þe deuel / þis dede is asseled
By schit[^a46] of sir symonie and Ciuiles leue

[^a46: schit (Vc) | syhte (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^25: The <l> is written over a minim.]

¶ Thenne teonede him theologie / wen he þis tale herde
And seyde to symonie / now sorow mote þow haue
Suche a weddyng to worche / þat wrath myht trewþe
And er this weddyng be wrouht / wo to al ȝore consail .

¶ For mede is moillere / amendes was here dame
Þauh fals were heore fadur / and fikeltonge heor syre
Amendes was hure dame / by trewe men lokynge
With-oute hure modur amendes / mede may nouȝt be wedded .

¶ For trewþe plyht hure trewþe / to wedde on of hure dowtres
And god grauntede hit were so / so þat no gyle were

¶ And thow hauest gyue hure as gyle tauȝhte / god gyf þe sorow
For cyuile and þi-selue / selde fulfulleth
Þat god wold were do / with som deseyte

¶ Y theologye þe tyxt knowe / and trewe dom witnesseþ
Þat Laurens þe leuite / liggyng on the gredyre
Loked vp to oure lord / and a-lhoud seyde
God of þi grace / heuene gates opene
For y man of þi mercy / mede haue deseruet .

¶ And sythe man may an hy / mede of god deserue
Hit semeþ fol sothely / riht so on eorthe
Þat mede may beo wedded / to no man but to trewthe
And thow ast[^26] fefede hure with fals / fy on suche lawe
For thorgh lesynges ȝe lacchen / largelich mede /
Þat ȝe nymeþ and Notaries / to nauht bygunneþ brynge
Holychurche and charite / ȝe cheweþ and deuiorreþ[^a47]
Ȝe schul a-bugge bothe / bot ȝeo amende þe sanner

[^a47: deuiorreþ (Vc Ac) | deuoureth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^26: Here ast = hast.]

¶ For wel ȝeo witeþ wernardes / as holy wryt telluþ
Þat fals is faithles / the feond is his syre
And as a bastard y-bore / byȝute was he neuere .
And mede is moillere / a mayden of gode
Scheo myhte cusse the kynge / as for his kynneswomman

¶ For-thy worcheþ by wisdom / and by wit al-so
And ledeþ heore to londoun / wer lawe may declare
If matrymonye may beo / of mede and of falshede
And þauh Iustises enioynen hem / thorh iurores othes
Ȝut beo war of þe weddyng / for witty is trewþe
And conciense is of his counseil / and knoweþ ȝow alle
And ȝif he fynde ȝow in defaute / with þe false holde
Hit schal sitte ȝoure sowles / ful soure atte last

¶ Herto assented Cyuile / ac symonie ne wolde
Til he hadde siluur for the seal / and signes of notaries

¶ Tho Fette fauel forth / floryns y-nowe
And bad gyle go gyue / gold al a-boute
Namelich to notaries / þat non of hem faille
And feffe falsnesse / wyth floreyns y-nowe
For he may mede amaistren / with his murie speche

¶ Tho this gold was gyuen / gret was þe þonkynge
Þat false and fauel hadde / for heore fayre ȝiftes
And comen fol corteysly / to conforte þe false
Þei seyde to him softely / cesse schul we neuere
Tyl mede beo thy wedded wyf / we wol nouht stente

¶ For we han mede amaistred / throw oure mury tonge
Þat scho graunteþ to go / with a god wille
To londoun and loke / ȝif lawe wol Iugge
To beo Maried for moneye / mede hath assented .
Þenne was fauel fayn / and falsnesse blithe
And leten somne al segges / in eche syde a-boute
And bed hem alle to beon boun / beggeres and other
To wende with hem to westminstre / his weddyng to honoure
Ac hakeneys nad[^a48] thei none / but hakeneys to huyre

[^a48: nad (Vc Ac) | hadde (P Ec Rc) | hadden (Mc)]

¶ Þenne can gyle borow hors / at mony gret maystres
And schop þat a schereue / schold bere Mede
And softely[^a49] in saumbre[^a50] / fram sise to sise
Fals and fauel schold / fecche forth sysours
And ryde on hem and on reues / riht fast by Mede
Symonie and Ciuiyle / seydoun and sworoun
Þat preostes and prouisours / scholde prelates seruen
And y my-self Ciuyle / and symonie my felowe
Wol riden vpon Rectours / and richemen deuotors
And Notaries on persones / that parmuten ofte
And on poere prouisours / and on apeles in the arches
Somenours and suthdenes / þat Supersedeas taketh
On hem that louyeth lecherie / lepuþ vp and rideþ
On executours and suchemen suche men / cometh softelich aftur
At[^a51] let cope comiss arie[^a52] / oure cart schal he drawe
And feche forth oure vitales / of fornicatours
Makeþ of lyere a langecart lange cart / to lede al thus[^a53] other .
As fobbes and faitours / þat on here fet rennen

[^a49: And softely (Vc Ac) | Softliche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a50: saumbre (Vc Ac) | saumbury (P) | chaumbre (Ec Mc) | saunbure (Rc)]

[^a51: At (Vc) | And (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a52: comiss arie (Vc Ac) | þe commissarie (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a53: thus (Vc Ac) | this (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þenne fals and fauel / rydon forth to-gederes
And mede in þe middes / and alle thus[^a54] men aftur
Y naue no tome to telle / þat[^a55] tayl þatte hem folowed
Of mony maner men / for medes sake sent aftur
Ac gyle was for-goere / to gyen alle þe poeple
For to wisse hem the way / and with mede a-byde .

[^a54: thus (Vc) | this (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a55: þat (Vc Ac) | the (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Sothnesse seih hem alle / and sayde but lytul .
And prykede forth on pacience / and passede hem alle
And cam to þe kyngescort kynges cort / to concience he tolde
And conciense to the kyng / carpede hit aftur

¶ Now by crist quod þe kyng / and y cache[^27] mythte
Fals othur fauel / or here felow liere
Y wold be wreke on þat wreches / and on here werkes alle
And do hem honge by the hals / and alle þat hem meynteynoþ
Schal neuere mon on this mold / maynprise þe lest
And rith as þe lawe loketh / let falle on hem alle

[^27: An otiose tilde appears above the <a> in cache.]

¶ He comaunded a conestable / þat cam atte furst
Go attache þat[^a56] tyrauns / for eny tresour y hote

[^a56: þat (Vc Ac) | tho (P Rc) | þe (Ec Mc)]

¶ Let fetere fast falsnesse / for eny kynnes ȝiftes

¶ And gurde of gyles hed / let him go no wyddere

¶ An bryng mede to me / maugree hem alle .
And ȝif ȝe cache[^a57] lyere /[^28]let him nouht aschape
Er he beo put on pillori / for eny preyer y hote

[^a57: cache (Vc Ac) | lach (P Ec Mc) | kachen (Rc)]

[^28: There is an otiose stroke between the virgule and the next word.]

¶ Drede stod atte[^a58] þe dore / and al þat deone[^29] herde
Wat þe kynges wil was / and withliche he wente
And bad falsnesse to fleo / and his freres alle

[^a58: atte (Vc) | at (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^29: RK corrects deone to dome, but deone is an accepted spelling of din (noise).]

¶ Falsnesse for fere / fleith[^a59] to the freres /

[^a59: fleith (Vc) | fleyh (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And gyle dud him to gon / agast for to deye
Ac Marchauns mette with him / and made him a-byde
And schutten him in here schoppes / to schewen here ware
And parayled him like here prentys / þe poeple to seruen

¶ Lithliche liere / lepe a-wey þennes
Lorkynge throw lanes / to-logged of menye
He nas[^a60] nauhware wel-come / for his mony tales
Ouer al hy-honted[^30] ouȝt[^a61] / and y-hot trosse
Tyl pardoners hadden pyte / and polled him to house
They wosche him and wiped him / and wond him in cloþes
And sent him an sonedays / with seales to churches
And gaf pardon for pans / pounde-mel a-bowte

[^a60: nas (Vc Ac) | was (P Rc) | om. (Ec) | ne was (Mc)]

[^a61: hy-honted ouȝt (Vc) | hy honted out (Ac) | honted out (P Ec Rc) | ihonted out (Mc)]

[^30: Hy-honted = y-honted.]

¶ Þenne lorells[^a62] leches / lettres þey sendon
Þat liare schold wone with hem / waterus to loke

[^a62: lorells (Vc Ac) | lourede (P Ec) | lernyd (Rc) | lowreden (Mc)]

¶ Spicers to him speke / to aspie here ware
For he can on here craft / and knoweth mony gomes

¶ Ac Ministralles and messagers / Mette wiþ liare one
Witheold[^a63] hym half ȝer / and elleue dayes .

[^a63: Witheold (Vc Ac) | And wiþhuld (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac Freres throw fair speche / fetten him þennes
For knowyng of comeres / thei coped him as a frere
Ac he hath leue to lepon ouȝt / as oft as him likuþ
And is welcome wen he cometh / and woneþ with hem ofte

¶ Symonie and Cyuile / senton to Rome /
And put hem throw apeles / in the popes grace

¶ Ac Concience to the kyng / accusede hem bothe
And seyde sir kyng by crist / bute clerkes amende
Thei kynedam[^a64] þrow here couetyse / wol ouȝt of kynde wende
And holychurche throw hem / worth harmed for euere

[^a64: Thei kynedam (Vc) | Thy kynedom (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Al fleddon for fere / and flowen in-to heornes
Saue Mede þe mayde / no mo durst a-byde
Ac trewly to telle / scho tremblede for fere
And bothe wrang and wept / wan scho was attached .

Explicit passus tercius

Incipit passus quartus . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

N Ow was[^a65] mede þe mayde / no mo of hem alle
Þrogh bedeles and baillefs / browt by-for þe kynge
Þe kyng called forth[^a66] a clerk / y can nat his name
To tak Mede þe mayde / and make heore at ese
Y schal assaye heore my-self / and sothly appose
Wat man of this worlde[^a67] / by wyse menne consail[^31]
Y wole for-gyue heore al gultes / so me god helpe
Corteselyche þe clerk þenne / as þe kyng hyhte
Tok Mede by þe Middul / and myldelich heore brouhte
In-to boure with blisse / and by heore can sitte :

[^a65: was (V) | om. (Ac) | is (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a66: called forth (Vc Ac) | callede (P Ec) | calleth (Rc) | clepede (Mc)]

[^a67: worlde (Vc Ac) | world þat here is leuest haue // And yf she worche wysely (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^31: Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group, due to the omitted B and A verse, make this one line.]

¶ Ther was murthe and mynistralcy / mede to plesoun
Þat wenden to westminstre / worschuped heore menye

¶ Genteliche with ioye / Iustises some .
Bosket hem to þe boure / þere þis beorde dwelled /
Conforted[^a68][^32] heore as they cowþe / by þe clerkes leue
And seydon morne þow nouȝt mede / make þow no sorow
For we wol wisse þe kyng / and þy weye schape
Fort wende atte þi wille / as[^a69] þe leof lykeþ .
For alle concience cast / and craft as y trowe .

[^a68: Conforted (Vc Ac) | Confortede (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a69: as (Vc Ac) | where (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^32: An expansion mark has been erased over the first <o> of Conforted.]

¶ Mildelich mede þo / mercyed hem alle
Of here gret godenesse / and ȝaf hem gret ȝeftus[^a70]
Cowpes of gret[^a71] gold / coppus of seluer /
Rynges with rubies / and oþer riche ȝeftus
Þe lest of heore Meynie / a moton of gold .

[^a70: gret ȝeftus (Vc Ac) | vchone (P Ec Rc mc)]

[^a71: gret (Vc) | red (Ac) | clene (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Wen þei had taken[^a72] heore leue / at þe[^a73] lady Mede /
Þenne come clerkes / to confort hoere alle[^a74]
And beed heore beo bliþe / for we be þi nowne .
Fort worche þi wille / whyle we mowen deyore[^a75] .

[^a72: taken (Vc Ac) | lauhte (P Ec Rc) | ilauȝt (Mc)]

[^a73: þe (Vc Ac) | this (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a74: alle (Vc Ac) | samen (P Rc) | the same (Ec) | same (Mc)]

[^a75: deyore (Vc) | dure (P Ec Ac) | enduren (Rc) | endure (Mc)]

¶ And Mede Fol hendeliche[^a76] / by-hyȝht hem þe selue[^a77]
To loue hem trewliche / and lordes hem maken
And porchace ȝow prouendres / whil ȝoure pans lasteþ .
And buche[^a78] ȝow benefys / pluralite to haue .
And in constory atte cort / do calle ȝoure names
Schal no lewdnesse let / þe clerk þat y louye .
Þat he ne worth furst a-vaunced / for y am y-knowen[^a79] .
Þer connyng clerkes / schul clokken[^a80] be-hynde

[^a76: Fol hendeliche (Vc Ac) | hendeliche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a77: selue (Vc Ac) | same (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a78: buche (Vc) | bygge (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a79: y-knowen (Vc Ac) | knowen (P Ec Rc) | byknowe (Mc)]

[^a80: clokken (Vc) | clokke (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þen þer come[^a81] a confessour / coped as a Frere .
To Mede þe mayde / myldeliche he sayde .
Þaw lewed men and lered / had layn by þe bothe .
And falshed[^33] y-fond þe / al this forty wyntur .
Y schal a-soyl þe my-self / for a sem wete
And ȝet beo þy bedmon / and bryng down[^a82] concience
A-mong kynges and knyhtes / and clerkes ȝif þe lyke .

[^a81: þer come (Vc Ac) | come þer (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a82: down (Vc Ac) | adoun (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^33: The <s> here is malformed.]

¶ Þenne Mede for heore mysdedes / to þe[^a83] frere knelede .
Schrof heore of heore synnes / schamelesse y trowe
Told hym a tale / and tok hym a noble .
Fort beo heore beodman / and bere wel heore ernede
A-mong kynhtez k[ny]htez and clerkes / concience to turne
And he assoilled heore sone / and seth he sayde we haue
A wyndow worchyng[^a84] / wol stonden vs fol heȝe .
Wold ȝe glaze þat gabul / and graue þer ȝoure name
In masse and in Matyns / for mede we schul synge .
Sollempne-liche and soth-liche / as For a sustur of oure ordre .

[^a83: þe (Vc Ac) | this (P Ec Rc) | þat (Mc)]

[^a84: worchyng (Vc Ac) | awurchynge (P Ec) | in worchynge (Rc Mc)]

¶ Loueliche þat lady / lauhynglyche[^a85] seyde
Y schalle beo ȝoure frend Frere / and faille ȝow neuere
Þe while ȝeo louyeþ þes lordes / þat lecherye hawnten
And lakkeþ nauȝt þes laydies / þat louyeth þe same .

[^a85: lauhynglyche (Vc Ac) | laghynge (P Ec Mc) | leiȝing (Rc)]

¶ Hit is but frelete of fleych / ȝeo fyndeþ wel in bokes .
And a cours of kynde / were-of we comen alle

¶ Ho may a-scape þe sclaundre / þe scha þemay sone be amended
Hit is synne as of seuene / non sannore relessed .

¶ Haue mercy quod mede / of men that hit haunten
And y schal keuere ȝoure kyrke / and ȝoure cloystur maken
Boþe wyndows and wowes / y wol amende and glasse .
And do peynte and portrayon / ho payed for þe makyng
Þat euery man schal seo an day / y am sustre of ȝoure ordre

¶ Ac god to alle goode folk / suche grauyng defendeþ
To wryten in wyndows / of eny gode dedes .
Leost pruyde beo peynted þere / and pompe of þe worlde .
For god knoweþ þy Concience / and þi kynde wil
Thy cost and heore couetyse / and ho þe catel ouhte
For thy leue lordes loue / leueþ suche wrytinges
God in þe gospel / suche grauyng nat a-loweth
Mathei . vj capitulo .
Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera .
Let nat þi lift half oure lord techeþ
Y-wite what þow delest / with þi riȝtht syde

¶ And[^a86] Mede myldely / þe Meyre scho by-sowte
Bothe schereues and sergans / and suche as kepeþ lawes
To punyschen on pylorys / and on pynnyngstoles
As bakeres and brewers / bocheres and kokes
For þes men doþ most harm / to þe mene people
Rechen throw regraterye / and rentes hem buggen
With þat þe poere people / schold putten in here wombe
For tok þei on trewly / þey tymbred nat so hye .
Nowþer bowten borgages / be ȝe ful certayn
They haue no pite on þe people / þat parcelmel mot buggen
Þauh þey take hem on-tydyng[^a87] þing / no treson þei holden hit .
And þauh þei Ful not ful / þat for lawe is seled[^34]
He grypoþ þer-fore as grete / as for þe grete trewþe .
Monye sondry sorowes / in Cytees fallon ofte
Boþe þrow fuyre and flod / and alle for fals people .
Þat by-gyleþ godemen / and greueþ hem wrongly .
Þe whuche cryen on heore knes / þat crist hem a-venge
Heore in[^a88] this eorthe / or elles in helle .
Þat so by-gyleþ hem of here good / and god on hem sendeþ /
Feueres or foulor eueles / or fuyr on here houses .
Moryne othur other meschaunce / and mony tyme hit falloþ
Þat innocens is y-herd / in heuene a-mong seyntes .
Þat lowten forhem for hem to oure lord / and to oure lady bothe .
To grawnton gylours on heorþe / grace to amende .
And haue here penaunce on pure orthe / & nat þe pyne of helle .
And þenne þer falleth[^a89] fuyre / on fals men howses
And good mennes for heore gultes / gloweþ on fuyr aftur

[^a86: And (Vc Ac) | ȝut (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a87: on-tydyng (Vc) | on tyþynge (Ac) | vntidy (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a88: in (Vc Ac) | on (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a89: þer falleth (Vc Ac) | falleth ther (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^34: The <d> is malformed in seled.]

¶ Al this haue we seyon / þat somme tyme throw a brewere .
Menye burgages y-brent / and bodyes þer-inne
And þrow a candul clemyng / in a corsed place
Fel a-don and for-brende / forth alle þe rewe .

¶ For-þi Mayres þat maken freo men / me þenkeþ þat þey ouhten
Fort spure and to aspye / for eny speche of seluer
Wat maner muster / or marchaundyse he vsede .
Er he were vndurfong freo / and felow in ȝoure rolles .

¶ Hit is nat semely for sothe / in cytee ne in borghtoun
Þat vsereres and regratours / for eny kynne ȝiftus .
Beo Fraunchised as[^a90] a freo man / and haue fals name

[^a90: as (Vc Ac) | for (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac Mede þe mayde / þe Meyre scho by-souhte
Of alle suche sulleres / suluer to take
Or presenteþ with-oute pans / and oþer pryue ȝiftes
And haue reuthe on regratours / þat han riche hondes
In psalmo

[It is possible the glossator intended xv rather than In, but the quotation is in fact from Psalm 25, so In is more likely.]

In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextera eorum[^a91] .
Loue hem for my loue / quod þis lady Mede
And soffre hem som tyme / to sulle a-ȝeynst þe lawe
Eliphaz Iobys vrend[^a92] a sarmon he made
In amendement of Meyrus / and other stewardes
And witnesse wat worþ[^a93] hem / þat wol tak mede
Iob .Xv
Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera .
A-mong þes ledred[^a94] Lordes / þis latyn is to mene
Þat Fuyr schal falle and for-brenne / on[^a95] to blak askes
Þe houses & þe homes / of hem þat taken ȝiftes /
Þe kyng from Conseil c am / and called aftur mede
And sent fort see heore / y[^a96] sawe nat hym þat heore ladde .
Corteyslyche þe kyng þo / as his knyde k[yn]de wolde
blamed[^a97] heore a luytulwhit / for þat scho loued gyle .
And wilned to beo wedded with-outen his leue .
Til tewþe had told heore / a tokene from him-selue
And sayde womon vnwitlich / wrouht as þow[^a98] ofte
I haue for-gyue þe mony gultes / & my grace graunted .
[a face]

[Drawn with the same ink as the pointing hand at Vc4.37. This is a face attached to a flourished collar or pillar.]

bothe to þe and to þynne / in hope þow schost amende
And euere þe lengur y lete þe go / þe lasse trewþe is with þe
For worse wrouhtest þow neuere / þan wan[^35] þow fals toke

[^a91: sunt dextera eorum (Vc Ac) | sunt dextera eorum repleta est muneribus (P Ec Mc) | sun dextera eorum &c (Rc)]

[^a92: Eliphaz Iobys vrend (Vc) | Salamon þe sage (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a93: worþ | worþ of (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a94: ledred (Vc Ac) | lettred (P Ec Mc) | lewed (Rc)]

[^a95: on (Vc Ac) | al (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a96: y (Vc Ac) | ac ich (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a97: blamed (Vc Ac) | Lacked (P Ec Rc) | Lokede on (Mc)]

[^a98: as þow (Vc) | hastow (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^35: This non-scribal wan is shared with Nc, but as the manuscripts are otherwise not genetically close, this is likely a coincidence.]

¶ Ȝit y for-ȝeue þe this gult / godes forbot eny more
Thou teone on trewþe / and þow mow by-take[^a99]
In þe castel of corf / y schal do þe close
Þer as an ancre / or in a wors wone
And spille[^a100] þe with meschief / by seynt mary my lady .
Þat alle wymnene wym[m]en of þis lond[^a101] / schul be awar[^a102] by þe one .
And bitturliche corse[^a103] þe / and alle þat bereþ þi name
And teche þe louye trewþe / and take consaille of resoun .
Y haue a knyht hatte conciense / com late from by-ȝende
Ȝif he wilneþ þe to wyue / wolt þow him haue
Ȝe lord quod þat lady / lord hit me for-beode
But y beo holy at þin hest / let honge me elles

[^a99: by-take (Vc Ac) | be ytake (P Ec Mc) | be taken (Rc)]

[^a100: spille (Vc Ac) | marre (P Ec Mc) | mary (Rc)]

[^a101: wymnene wym[m]en of þis lond (Vc Ac) | wommen wantowen (P Ec) | wantowen women (Rc Mc)]

[^a102: awar (Vc Ac) | war (P Ec Rc) | iwar (Mc)]

[^a103: corse (Vc Ac) | banne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þenne was conciense[^36] cald / to come and a-pere
By-fore þe kyng and his consail / as clerkes & othere
Conciense kneolyng / to þe kyng louted
To wyte wat his wil were / and wat he do scholde
Wold þow[^a104] wed þis mayde / quath þe kyng[^a105] ȝif y wol assente
For scho is fayn of þi felauschip / and fort beo þy make

[^a104: Wold þow (Vc) | Woltow (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a105: mayde / quath þe kyng (Vc) | maide (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^36: The red letters have been traced over the original ink.]

¶ Quath conciense to þe kyng / crist hit me for-beode
Er y wedde suche a wif / wo me by-tyde .
for heo is fals[^a106] of here faith / and fikul of heore tonge
And makeþ men misdo / mony score tymes
In trist of heore tresour / heo teoneþ ful monye
Wyfes and wyduwes / wantownesse heo techeþ .
And lereþ hem to lecherie / þat louyeth here ȝiftus .

[^a106: fals (Vc Ac) | frele (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝoure fadur heo felde / / fals and heo to-gedres

¶ Heo hath apoysened popes / heo a-peyroth holychurche
Is nat a betere baude / by him þat me bouhte[^a107]
By-twene heuene and helle / al eorth þauh men souht

[^a107: bouhte (Vc) | made (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For heo is tykul of heore tail / talewys of tonge .
As comyn as þe cart wey / to knaues old and to ȝonge[^a108] alle
To monkes to al men / þe meselles in hegges .
Liggeþ by heore wen hem lust / lered and lewed .
Sysours and somnours / suche men heore preyseþ
Schereues of schires / were schent ȝif heo ne were
For heo doth men lese heore lond / and here lyf bothe

[^a108: old and to ȝonge (Vc) | and to (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Scho leteþ passe prysones / and payeþ for hem ofte
And gyueþ þe gayler gold / and grotes to-gederes
To vnfetere þe falce / and fleo wer hem likeþ
And takeþ trewþe by þe top / and tyeþ him fast
And hongeþ for haterad / þat harmede neuere
To beo corsed in constorie / heo counteþ not a rusche
Heo copuþ þe Commissarie / and coteþ his clerkes .
Heo is assoilled þis sone / as heore-self likeþ .

¶ Heo may nye[^37] as muche do / in a monuþ ones
As ȝoure secre seal / in sixscore dayes .

[^37: Vc.4.184:: This word may simply be the result of a later hand retracing the letters of the original text; the <e>, at least, appears to be written over a scribal <e>. It is the same hand that adds the <s> at the end of the line.]

¶ Heo is pryue with þe poepe / prouisours hit knoweþ .
For symonie and heore-self / seleth here bulles .
¶ Heo blesseþ theos byschopes / þauh þei beo ney lewed /
Heo prouendreþ persones / and preostes heo meynteyneþ
To holde lemmanes[^38] and lotebyez / al here lyf dayes .
And bryngeþ forth barones[^a109] / a-ȝeyns for-bode lawes .[^39]

[^a109: barones (Vc Ac) | barnes (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^38: There is an otiose expansion mark over the <m>]

[^39: Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.3.190α) following Vc.4.191.]

¶ Ther heo is wel wiþ eny kyng / wo is þe reome
For heo is fauerable to fals / þat defowleþ trewþe

¶ by ihesus with heore Iuweles / þe Iustises heo schendoþ
Heo lith a-ȝeyn þe lawe / and letteþ him þe gate

+

[This appears to be a corrector's mark. Note that the paraph mark appears to the left, indicating the cross was there first.]

¶ Þat faith may not habbe his forth / hure floreyns gon so þikke
And ledoþ lawe as hure lust / and louedayes makeþ
Þrow wuche loueday is lost / þat leawte myht wynne .

¶ Þe mase for a mene man / þauh heo plede[^a110] euere
Þe lawe is so lordliche / and lothe to maken ende
With-oute presentes or pans / heo pleseth ful fewe

[^a110: heo plede (Vc) | he plede (Ac) | he mote (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Trewe burgeys and bonde / to nauȝt heo bryngeþ oft
And alle þe Commune in care / and in couetyse .

¶ Religion heo al to-reueþ / and ouȝt[^a111] of rewle to libbe
Ther nis Citee vndur sonne / ne so riche reawme
Þer heo is loued and led[^a112] by / þat last schal eny while .
Withoute wer oþur wo / or wikked lawes .
And costymeos of couetyse / þe commune to destrye

[^a111: ouȝt (Vc) | oute (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a112: led (Vc) | lete (P Ec Mc Ac) | letten (Rc)]

¶ Vnsittyng suffraunz / heore sustur and heore-self
Haue maked al-most / / but mary þe helpe
Þat no lond loueþ the / and ȝut lesest[^a113] þin owne

[^a113: lesest (Vc Ac) | leeste (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For mede hath knut clerkes / and couetyse to-gederus
Þat alle þe wit of þis world / is woxen in-to gyle

¶ Þus þe[^a114] lady ledeþ þi lond / now lord ȝif heore sorow
For pore men durnat dur nat pleyne / ne heore pleynt schowe
Suche a maystur is mede / a-mong men of goode

[^a114: þe (Vc Ac) | þis (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þenne mornede mede / menyng heore to þe kyng
To haue space to speke / spede ȝif he myht .
Þe kyng graunted her grace / with a god wil
Excuse þe ȝif þow canst / y can namore sugge
For concience accuseþ the / to congeye þe for euere .

¶ Nay lord quod þat lady / leoueþ him þe worse .
Wen ȝe wit wit wit witturly / in wom þe wrong ligeþ .

¶ Ther þat meschief is gret / mede may helpon .
And þat knoweþ concience / y cam nat to chide
Ne to depraue þi persone / with a prowde herte .
Wel þow wost witturly / but ȝif þow wol gabbe
Þow hast y-honged on my half / elleue tymes
And al-so gripon of my gold / & y ȝeue[^a115] hit wer þe likeþ
Wy thow wrathest the now / wondur me þenkeþ

[^a115: y ȝeue (Vc Ac) | gaf (P) | ȝaf (Ec) | gyuon (Rc) | gyue (Mc)]

¶ Ȝut y may as y mihte / mensk þe with ȝiftes
And meynteyne þi manhed / more þan þow knowest

¶ Ac thow hast famed me foule / by-fore þe kyng here
For culde y neuere no kyng / ne consailed so to done
Ac y saued my-self / syxti þousand lyues
Boþe here and ellus-were / in alle kynes londes .

¶ Ac thow þi-self sothly / ho-so hit sugge durst
Hast y-harwed[^a116] mony hardy men / þat hadden wil to fiȝhte
To brennen and to britton / to bete a-doun strengthes
In contreis þer þe kyng cam / concience him lette
Þat he ne felde nat his foes / tho fortune hit wolde
And as his riȝhtes[^a117] were ordeyned / by wil of oure lord /

[^a116: y-harwed (Vc Ac) | arwed (P Ec Rc) | iarewed (Mc)]

[^a117: riȝhtes (Vc Ac) | werdes (P) | wardys (Ec) | wyrdus (Rc Mc)]

¶ Caytifliche þou concience / consailledest þe kyng letoun
In his enymis hond / his erytage of fraunce

¶ Vn-connyng is þat concience / a kynedom to sulle
Þat is conquered throw comune help / a kynedam or a duche
May not beo soold sothely / so mony here part asken
Of folk þat fauht þer -fore[^a118] / and folowed þe kinges wil .

[^a118: þer -fore (Vc Ac) | þerfore (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe lest lad þat langeþ to him / beo þe lond wonnon .
Lokeþ aftur lordschip / or other large mede
Wer-by he may as a man / for euere-more lif aftur

¶ And þat is þe kunde of a kyng / þat conquereþ on his enymis .
To help heylich al his folc[^a119] / or elles to graunte
Al þat his men mow wynne / to do þer-mid here best

[^a119: folc (Vc Ac) | oste (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For-þi y consaille no kyng / eny counsail aske
A tte[^a120] concience ȝif he coueite / to conquere a reame
For schold neuere concience / be my constable
Wer y a kyng crowned / by marie quod Mede
be m...
Ne be marischalle of my men / þer y most fiȝhte .
Ac had y mede beo his Marischalle / ouer his men in Fraunce
Y durst haue leyd my lif / and no lasse wed
He had beo lord of þat lond / in lengþe and in brede
And al-so kyng of þat kepe / his kun to haue holpon
Þe lest brol of his blod / a barones peere .

[^a120: A tte (Vc) | Ac (Ac) | At (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Vnkyndely thow concience / consailledest him þennes
To lete so his lordschip / for a litul moneye
Hit by-comeþ for a kyng / þat schal kepe a reome
To ȝiue men mede / þat meokliche him serueþ
To alienes to alle men / to honoure hem wiþ ȝiftes

¶ Mede makeþ him beo by-loued / and for a man y-holde
Emperous[^a121] and Eorles / and alle maner lordes
Þrouh ȝiftes han ȝymmen / to rennen and ryde

[^a121: Emperous (Vc) | Emperours (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þe poepe and alle prelates / presentes vndurfongeþ
And ȝiue mede to men / to meynteyne here lawes

¶ Seriauns for here seruice / mede þei asken
And taken mede of here maystres / as þei mow a-corde
Beggeres and beodmen / crauen mede for here preyers
Munestralles for her ministralsie / a mede þei asken
Maystres þat techen clerkes / crauen huyre mede for huyre[^a122]
+
Preostes þat preochen / and þe poeple techen .
Asken mede and masse pans / and here mete bothe .

[^a122: huyre mede for huyre (Vc Ac) | hure for mede (P Ec Rc) | huyre for heore (Mc)]

¶ Alle kynne crafty men / crauen mede for here aprentys

¶ Marchaundyse and mede / mote nedes go to-gederes

¶ Is no lede þat lyueþ / þat he ne loueþ mede
And glad fort grype heore / gret lord or pore

¶ Tho quath þe kyng to concience / by crist at my knowyng
Mede is worthi me þenkeþ / þe maystry to haue

¶ Nay quath concience to the kyng / clerkes witen þe sothe
Þat mede is euere-more / a meynteynour of gile
As þe sauter seith / by suche as ȝiuen mede

//
¶ Þat vnlawfulliche lyuen / hauen large hondes .
To ȝiue men mede / more othur lasse .
Ac ther is mede a-mercede / and boþe men demen
A desert from[^a123] som doynge / deorne oþer elles

[^a123: from (Vc Ac) | for (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Mede mony tymes / men ȝiuen by-fore þe doyng
And þat is nouȝt reson ne riȝht / ne in no reome lawe
Þat eny[^40] man mede tok / but he hit miȝht deserue
And fort[^a124] to vndurtake / to trauaille for a-noþer
And wot neuere witturly / wer he lyue so longe
Ne haue hap to his hele / mede to deseruen /
Y holde him ouur hardy / or elles nat trewe
Þat per manibus . is payed / or his paye askeþ
Harlotes and hores / and al-so falce leches
They asken here huyre / er thei haue hit deserued

[^a124: fort (Vc) | for (P Ec Rc Ac) | forte (Mc)]

[^40: The apparent expansion mark in this word seems upon inspection to be dirt rather than ink.]

¶ And gilors gyuen by-fore / and god men atte nende
Wen þe dede is do / and þe day ended .

¶ And that is no mede / but a mercede
A maner dewe dette / for þe doyng .

¶ And but hit beo payed prestoly / þe paiere is to blame
As[^a125] þe bok þat bit / no-body to withholde
Þe huyre of his hyne / ouer eue til a-morow
levitici .xjx.
Non morabitur opus mercennarij apud te vsque mane .
And þer is resoun[^41] as a reue / rewardyng trewþe
And boþe þe lord and þe laborer / beo lelly y-serued
Þe mede þat mony preost takeþ / For masses þat þei syngen
luce x capitulo .vj. capitulo

[This separate annotation gives the chapter in Matthew's gospel where the text's quotation originates.]

Amen Amen Matheu Lucas seith[^a126] / dignus est operarius mercede sua mercedem suam recipiunt /[^a127]
In marchaundise is no mede / y may hit wel a-vowe
Hit is a permutacioun a-pertely / a peneworth for a-noþer
vnsemisam

[Despite the efforts of several examiners, the transcription and meaning of this word remain uncertain.]

And þauh þe kyng of his cortasie / kayser oþur pope
Ȝiue lond oþur lordschip / or oþur large ȝiftes
sunt et contra

[This note is written in an italic hand different from the other annotations on the page.]

To here lelle lige / loue is þe cause

[^a125: As (Vc Ac) | As by (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a126: Lucas seith (Vc) | seith (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a127: dignus est operarius mercede sua mercedem suam recipiunt / (Vc) | Mercedem suam recipiunt (P Ec Ac) | Mercedem suam receperunt (Rc Mc)]

[^41: An otiose tilde appears over the <n>.]

¶ And ȝif tho lelle and lige / beo luther men aftur
Bothe kyng and cayser / and þe croned pope
May desavowe wat[^a128] þe dude / and dowe þer-wiþ a-noþur
And a-non by-nymen him hit / and neuere aftur

[^a128: wat (Vc Ac) | that (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Nothur thei noþur[^a129] here heyres / hardy to cleyme .
Þat kyng or cayser him gaf / catel oþur rente

[^a129: thei noþur (Vc Ac) | thei ne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

ecclesiastes .ij. capitulo
¶ For god gaf to Salomon / grace vpon eorthe
Richesse and reson / whil he riȝht lyuede
And as sone as god seye / he sewed nat his wille
He reued him of his richesse / and of his riȝth munde
And soffrede him leue in mysbyleue / y leue he beo in helle

nota
¶ So god gyueþ no thing / þat sinne ne is þe glose
And riht so sothly / may kyng and pope
Bothe gyfe and graunte / þer his grace likeþ .
And eft haue hit a-ȝein / of hem þat don ille
Thus is mede a-mercede / as to manere relacions
nota
Recte and indiret indire[c]t / rennynge bothe
On a sad and a siker / semblabe[^a130] to him-selue
Ac agetif and susteintif / vnite askeþ
And a-cordaunce in kynde / in case and in nombre

[^a130: semblabe (Vc) | semblable (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And aythur is otheres help / of hem comeþ retribucioun
Þat is þe ȝifte þat god ȝiueþ / to alle trewe lyuyng
Grace of good ende / and gret ioye aftur

¶ Quath þe kyng to concience / knowen y wolde
What is relacion recte / and indirecte after
And þenne agetif and sustantif / for engliz was hit neuere

¶ Relacion recte quaþ concience / is a record of trewþe
Quia ante late rei est recordatiuum .
Folwyng and fyndyng out / þe fondement of a strengþe
And stifliche stand forth / to strengþe þe fondement
In kynde and in case / and in cours of nombre

¶ As a trewe laborer / by-leueþ with his maystre
In his paye and his pite / and in his pure trewþe

¶ To paye him ȝif he parformeþ / and haue pite ȝif he faileþ
And take him for his trauail / alle þat trewþe wolde

¶ So of hole herte comeþ hope / and hardy relacioun
Secheþ and seweþ / his sustantif sauacioun

¶ Þat is þe grond of al / a gracious antecedent
And man is relatif recte / ȝif he beo riht trewe
. Iohanis . primo
He a-cordeþ with crist / in kunde Verbum caro factum est .
In case credere in ecclesia . in holy churche to by-leue
saluandorum

[It is possible the annotator meant this word to be an addition before rotye. If so, this would constitute a unique reading.]

In nombre rotye and a-rise / and remission to haue
Of oure sory synnes / asoiled and clansed
And lyf as oure crede vs techeþ / whit crist wiþ-outon ende

¶ Thus is relacion recte / rith as agetif and sustantif
[^42]A-cordeþ in alle kyndes / wiþ his antecedent

[^42: There is a larger than average diagonal mark in the left margin, similar to the paraph marks but singular and placed farther to the left.]

¶ Indirecte þing is / as ho-so coueyted
Alle kynne kunde / to knowe and to folowe
With-ouȝt cause to cache two / and come to boþe noumbres
In whuche beþ good and not good[^43] / and grant here noþeres wille

[^43: There is an extraneous descender on the second <o>.]

¶ Þat is nat resonable ne Rect / to refuse my sires surname
Suth y his sone and seruaunt / suwe for his riht
[^44]For wo-so wol haue to wyue / my worldelich dowter
I wol feffe him with hure fair / & wiþ hure foul taylende
So indirecte þing is / inliche to coueyte
To a-corde in alle kunde / and in alle kynne nombre
Wiþ-ouȝt cost and trauail[^a131] / in alle kynne care[^a132]
Ac relacion rect is / a rithful custome
As a kyng to cleyme / þe comune at his wil
To folwe him to fynde him and feche at hem his consail
Þat here loue thus to him / throw al þe lond acorde .
So comyn cleymoþ of a kyng / thre kynne þynkes[^45]
Lawe *loue / and leaute / and him lord antecedent
Bothe here heued and here kyng / haldyng with no partie
But stande as a stake / þat stykeþ in a mure
By-twene to londes / for a trew mark

[^a131: trauail (Vc Ac) | care (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a132: care (Vc Ac) | trauayle (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^44: There is a larger than average diagonal mark in the left margin, similar to the paraph marks but singular and placed farther to the left.]

[^45: This word could be an error for þynges, but it is also a possible example of a devoiced final stop in the West Midlands dialect.]

¶ Ac þe most partie of the poeple / pure indirect semeþ
For they wilnen and wolde / as best were for hem-selue
Þauh þe kyng and þe comune / al þe cost hadde

¶ Al reson repreoueþ / suche in-parfit people
And halt hem vnstedefast / for hem lakeþ case
As relatif indirecte / recheþ þei neuere
//
Off þe cours of þe case / so þei cacche seluur
beo þe peccunye y-paied / thaw parties chide
Heo[^a133] þat mede may cache[^a134] / maket litul tale .[^46]

[^a133: Heo (Vc) | He (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a134: cache (Vc Ac) | lacche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^46: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit two lines (RK.3.392-393).]

¶ Ac agetif and sustantif / is as y here tolde
Þat is vnite a-cord aunce / in case gendre and nombre

¶ And is to mene in oure mowþe / more ne mynne
But[^a135] alle manere men / wemnen wem[m]en and children
Scholdon conforme to o kunde / on holy churche to by-leue
And coueite þe case / wen þei couthe vndurstonde
To syke for her synnes / and suffre harde penaunce
For þat ilke lordes loue / þat for oure loue deyde
And coueyted oure kynde / and beo called in oure name deus homo
And nymen him into oure noumbre / now and euere-more
par johannis . iiij . capitulo
Qui in caritate manet in deo manet et deus in eo .
Thus is man and man-kynde / in manere of a sustantif
As hic et hec homo . / askynge an agetif
Of thre trewe termisons / trinitas vnus deus .
Nominatiuo pater et filius et spiritus sanctus .
Ac ho-so ratte of regum / rede me may of mede
secundo Regum xxviij .
How heo Absoloun . / to hongynge brouhte
And syþthe for Saul . sauede a kyng for mede
A-ȝayn godes comaundement god tok suche veniaunce
Þat Saul for þat synne / and his sone deide
And gaf þe kenedam[^a136] to his knaue / þat kepte schep & lombren

[^a135: But | But þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a136: kenedam (Vc) | kyndom (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And men rat in Regum / after reuthe of kynges .
primo . Regum . xv . capitulo
Hou god[^a137] sente to Saul . / by Samuel . / þe prophete
Þat Agag of Amelek . and alle his liege poeple
Scholden deye dulfoly[^a138] / for dedes of her eldren
Saul quaþ Samuel . / god him-self hoteþ
To beo buxom at my biddyng / his bone to folfulle
Hast þe wiþ alle þin host / to þe lond of Amelek
And alle þat liueþ in þat lond / oure lord wole þat þow scle hit
Man wommon and wif / wydow child and bestes .

[^a137: Hou god (Vc) | Han (Ac) | How god (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a138: dulfoly (Vc Ac) | delefully (P Ec) | dolfully (Rc) | ful delfulli (Mc)]

¶ Meobles and vn-meobles / man and alle þinges /
Bren hit bere hit nouȝt a-way / beo hit neuere so riche

¶ For eny mede of moneye / alle þat þow myht spille
Spare hit nat / and þow schalt / spede wel þe[^a139] betre .

[^a139: wel þe (Vc Ac) | the (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And for he coueyted heore catel / and þe kyng sparede
For-bare him and his best bestes / as þe bibul witnesseþ
Oþur-wyse þan god wolde / by warnyng of þe profete
God seyde to samuel þat Saul scholde dye
And alle his for that sinne / schenfulliche ende

¶ Thus was kynge saul ouurcome / throw couetyse of mede
Þat god hated him for euere / and alle his eyres after

¶ Þe culorum of this cas / kep y nat to schewe
An auntur hit nuyede me / non ende wol y make

¶ For so is þe worlde went / wiþ þat han þe power
Þat he þat seiht[^a140] most sothest / sannest is y-blamed .
prophecie
I concience know þis / for kynde wit me tauhte
Þat reson schal regne / and reomes gouerne .

[^a140: seiht (Vc) | sayth (P Ec Rc Ac) | oftest seiþ (Mc)]

¶ And riȝht as agag hadde / happon schullon some
Samuel shal sle him / and Saul schal beo blamed
And dauid schal beo dyademed / and daunton al oure enymis
And o Christiane kyng / kepon vs vchone
Schal no mede be maistur / neuere-more aftur

¶ Ac loue and louhnesse / and leaute do [t]o -gederes
Schullen beo maystres on mold / trewe men to helpe
And ho-so takeþ a-ȝeyn trewþe / or transuersed[^a141] a-ȝeins reson
Leaute schal do him lawe / and no lif elles
Schal no seriaunt for þat seruice / wery a selk houe
Ne pelure in his pauilon / for pledyng atte þe barre

[^a141: transuersed (Vc Ac) | transuerseth (P Ec Rc) | trauerseth (Mc)]

¶ Muchel euele is throw Mede / mony time suffred
And letteþ þe lawe / þrow here large ȝiftes

¶ Ac kyndeloue schal come ȝit / and concience to-gederes
And make of lawe a laborer / suche loue schal a-ryse

¶ And suche pees among þe poeple / and a parfit trewþe
Þat Iewes schal wene in here wit / and wexe so glade
Þat here kyng be come / fro þe cort of heuene
Moyses or Messie / þat men beo so trewe
For alle þat beron baselardes / bryȝht swerd or launce
Axe oþur hachet / or[^a142] kyne wepne /
Schal beo demed to þe deth / but he do hit smythie
In-to sikel or to sythe / to schare or to colter
ysaye . ij . capitulo
Conflabunt gladios suos in fomeres / & lanceas suas in falces

[^a142: or (Vc Ac) | oþur eny (P Ec) | or eny (Rc Mc)]

¶ Ech man to pleye with a plowe / a pykoyse or a spade
Spennen[^a143] and speke of god / and spil no tyme

[^a143: Spennen (Vc Ac) | Spynnen (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Preostes and persones Placebo and dirige /
Here sauter and her seuene psalmes / for alle sunful preyen
Haukyng or hontinge / ȝif eny of hem hit vse
Schal leose þer-fore his lyflode / and his lyf parantur
Schal neuere kyng ne knyht / constable ne meyre
Ouurcarke þe comune / ne to þe cort sompne
Ne put[^a144] men in panele / ne put men plihte here trewþe

[^a144: put (Vc Ac) | do (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ But after þe dede þat is do / þe dom schal recorde
Mercy or no mercy / as most trewþe acorden .

¶ Kynges cort and comune cort / constory & chapetre
Al schal beo but o court / and o bern beo iustice

¶ That worth trewe tonge a tydy man / þat teonede me neuere
batailles schullen neuere eft beo / ne mon bere egge tol
And ȝif eny man smyþen hit / beo smyte þer -wiþ to deþe
ysaye . secundo capitulo .
Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium nec exercebunt[^a145] vltra ad prelium
.6. auustum

[The reading of this note is conjectural; if the erasure occurred in the opposite order, it is possible that the reading could be something as drastically different as ".6. ante Christum."]

anno domini Mo ccccoxijo
Ac er this fortune by-falle / fynde me schal þe worste
By six sonnes and a schup / and half a schef of aruwes
And þe myddul of a mone / schal make þe Iuwes torne

[The Latin text, which is what the line should actually read, is not fully boxed: it is bordered by connected lines on the left and bottom.]

credo in Spiritum Sanctum
And sarasyns for þat siht / schul suggen[^a146] heu quid faciemus[^a147]
For makamed and mede / schulle myshappe þat tyme
proverbiorum . xxij .
For melius est bonum nomen / quam diuicie multe
As wrothe as þe wynd / wax mede þer-aftur
Lo what Salomon . seith quod scheo / in sapience þe bible
Þat ȝiuef[^a148] ȝiftes tak ȝeme / þe victorie he wynneþ
And muche worschup þer-wiþ / as holy writ telleþ
proverbiorum v capitulo
[^47] Honorem adquiret qui dat munera .

[^a145: exercebunt (Vc Ac) | exercebuntur (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a146: suggen (Vc Ac) | syng (P Mc) | syngen (Ec) | seyn (Rc)]

[^a147: heu quid faciemus (Vc) | Credo in spiritum sanctum (P Ec Rc) | om. (Mc Ac)]

[^a148: ȝiuef (Vc) | ȝeueth (P Ec Mc Ac) | gyveth (Rc)]

[^47: Vc.4.495:The scribe's intentions here are not entirely clear. We have followed the example of other C witnesses and treat the marginal Latin text written in the text hand as a regular line and not a marginal gloss. This placement also occurs in Rc.]

¶ Y leoue þe lady quaþ concience / for that latyn is trewe
Thow ert like a lady / þat a lesson radde
prima ad thessalonicenses vltimo
Was omnia probate / that plesede heore heorte
That was no lengore / and atte þe leues ende
Ac hadde heo loked on þe lift half / and þe leef turned
Heo scholde haue fond folwyng / fele wordes aftur
Quod bonum est tenete / a tyxt of trewþes makynge

¶ So heo þat secheþ sapience / fynde he schal þat folowiþ
Trusteliche a teonful tixt / to hem þat taken mede
Þe wuche hatte as y haue rad / and oþur þat conne rede .
prover biorum ibid
Animam aufert accipiencium /
Worschip he wynnuþ / þat wol ȝiue mede
Ac he þat receyueþ or recette[^a149] here / is recettur of gile .

[^a149: recette (Vc) | recetteþ (P Ec Mc Ac) | med for (Rc)]

Explicit passus quartus

Incipit passus quintus . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

C Esseth sayde þe kyng / y suffer ȝow no lengur
Ȝe schul sauhtene for sothe / and serue me bothe
Kus hur quod þe kyng / concience y hote .
Nay by crist quod concience / congeie me rather
But reson rede me þer -to / raþer wol y dye .
And y comaunde quod þe kyng / to concience þenne
Rape þe to ryde / and reson þat þow fecche
Comaunde him þat he come / my consaille to here
For he schal rewle my reome / and rede me beste[^a150]
Of mede and of other mo / and what man schal hure wedde .
And a-counte with þe concience / some so me crist helpe
How thow ledest my people / lered and lewed .

[^a150: beste (Vc) | the beste (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Y am fayn of þat forward / in faith þo quaþ concience
And rod forþe to reson / and rowned in his ere
And seyde him as þe kyng seyde / and sithe tok his leue

¶ Y schal a-raye me to ryde / quaþ reson rest a wile
And calde Caton his knaue / corteys of speche
And al-so T ho mme trewe tonge / tel me no tales
Ne lesynges to lauhon of / for y loued hit neuere

¶ And sette my sadul vppon soffre / til y seo my tyme

¶ lette warrok him wel / with a vise by-fore

//
¶ For hit is þe wone of wil / to wynse and to kike .

¶ Lette peytrel him and pole hym / with poytede poy[n]ted wittes

¶ Þen concience on his capul / comsed to prykie .
And reson wiþ him ryt / rownynge to-gederes
Whuche a maystur mede was / a-mong poure and riche

¶ Þanne waryn wisman / and whyly-men[^a151][^48] his felaw
Fayn were to folow hem / and fast to riden[^a152] aftur
To tak rede of resoun / þat recorde scholde
By-fore þe kyng and concience / ȝif þei cowþen pleyne
On whylymen[^a153] and wyttymen[^a154] / and waryn wryng-lawe

[^a151: whyly-men (Vc Ac) | wyleman (P) | wilyman (Ec Mc) | wylliam (Rc)]

[^a152: fast to riden (Vc Ac) | faste ryden (P Ec) | ryden fast (Rc Mc)]

[^a153: whylymen (Vc) | whyly men (Ac) | wilyman (P Ec Mc) | william (Rc)]

[^a154: wyttymen (Vc) | wytty men (Ac) | wittyman (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^48: The usual reading is whylyman, but the scribe consistently spells it with an <e>. See Vc.5.31 below.]

¶ Ac Concience knewe hem wel / and carpede to reson
Here comeþ quod concience / þat coueytise seruen
Ryde forth sir reson / and recche nat of here tales .
for ther wrathe and wranglyng is / ther thei wol a-byde
Ac ther loue and leaute is / hit likeþ nat here heortes
Contricio et infelicitas in vijs eorum et viam pacis no cognouerunt / non est timor dei ante oculos eorum .[^49]
Thei gyueþ nat of good faith / god wot the sothe /
They wolde don for a dyner / or for a doseyne capenos[^a155]
More þenne for oure lordes loue / or oure lady his moder

[^a155: capenos (Vc) | capones (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^49: The Latin appears as two lines in the MS.]

¶ Þenne reson rod forth / and tok reward of no mon
And dude as concience kende / til heo[^a156] þe kyng mette

[^a156: heo (Vc) | he (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Corteysliche þe kyng þenne / cam and grette reson
And by-twene him and his sone / sette þo sire reson .
And spekon wyse wordes / a long while to-gederes
Þo cam pees in-to parlement / and put op a bille
How þat wrong wilfully / hadde his wif for-leyen

¶ And how how [he] rauysede Rose / þe riche widue by nyhte
And Margarete of here maydenhod / as he mette heore late

¶ Bothe my goos and my grys / and my gras he takeþ
Y dar nat for his felauschip / in faith pees seyde
Bere sykurly eny suluer / to seynt gyles downe

¶ Heo a-wayteþ[^a157] ful wel / whan y suluer take
What wey y wende / wel ȝorne he aspieþ
To robbe me and to ryfle / ȝif y ride softe

[^a157: Heo a-wayteþ (Vc Ac) | He waiteþ (P Ec) | He awaytteth (Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝut he is bold to borowe / and baddelich he payeþ
He borowoþ[^a158] of me bayard / and brouȝt him neuere
Ne no ferþing þer-fore / for nouȝt y cowþe plede
He meynteynuþ his men / to morthre myn hynes
And forstalleþ myn fayres / and fihteþ in my chepinges
And brekuþ vp my bernes dores / and beroþ a-wey my wete
And takeþ me but a tayle / for ten quarteres oþur twolue

[^a158: borowoþ (Vc) | om. (Ac) | borwed (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝut he manasseþ me and myne / and liþe be my mayde
I ham nat hardy for hym / vnneþe to loke

¶ Þe kyng knew he sayde soth / for concience him tolde
How wrong was a wikked man / and muche wo wrouȝte

¶ Þo was wrong a-ferd / wisdam he by-souhte
On men of lawe wrong loked / and largelich hem profred
And fort to haue of here help / handydandy paied
Had y loue of þe lord / litul wolde y recche
Of pes and his power / thaw he pleynede euere

¶ Throw wrong and his werkes / þer was mede knowe
For wisdom and wit þo / weton[^a159] to-gederes
And tok mede myd hem / mercy to wynne

[^a159: weton (Vc) | weren (Ac) | wenton (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝut pees putte forth his hed / and his panne blody
With-oute gulte god wot / gate y þis schaþe
Concience knoweþ hit wel / and alle þe trew comune
Ac whyles and wit / weren a-bouwte fast .
To ouurcome þe kyng / throgh catel ȝif þei myhte

¶ Þe kynge[^50] swor þo by crist / and by his crone bothe
Þat wrong for his werkes / schold wo tholye
And comaunded a conestable / to cast wrong in Irenes
Ther he ne scholde in seuene ȝer / se fet ne hondes

[^50: Compare with "kyng"]

¶ God wot quaþ a wyse on / þat were nat þe beste
Ȝif he may amendes do / let meynpryse hem[^a160] haue
And beo borw for his gale[^a161] / and buggen him bote
And amende þat is mys-do / and euere-more þe betere .[^51]

[^a160: hem (Vc) | hym (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a161: gale (Vc Ac) | bale (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^51: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit three lines (RK.4.87-89).]

¶ Þenne can [g]an Mede meoken heore / and mercy by-souhte
And profered pees a present / al of pure golde /

¶ Haue þis man of me quath heo / to Amende thy scathe
For y wol wage for wrong / he wol do so namore

¶ Pytosely pees tho / preyed þe kyng /
To haue mercy on þat man / þat mony tyme greued hym .
For he hath waged me wel / as wisdam hym tauȝte
Mede hath made myn amendes / y may namore asken .
So alle my claymes beon quyt / by so þe kynge assente

¶ Nay by crist quod þe kyng / For concience sake
Wrong goþ nat so a-weye / ar y wyte more .
Lope he so lithliche / lawen heo[^a162] wolde .
And eft beo þe baldere / to bete myn hewes .

[^a162: heo (Vc) | he (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ But reoson haue rewþe of him / heo[^a163] schal reste on stokkes .
As longe as y lyue / For his luther werkes /

[^a163: heo (Vc Ac) | he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Some radde reson þo / to haue rewþe on þat schrewe
And fort to[^a164] consaille þe kyng / on concience þei loked
Þat Mede myhte beo meynpernour / reson þei by-souhte

[^a164: fort to (Vc) | for to (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Rede me nat quath reson / no reuthe to haue /
Tyl lordes and ladies / louon al trewþe
And haten alle harlatrye / to heron or to mowþen hit

prop
¶ And purnels porfil / beo put in þe wuche

¶ And childeren chirysing / beo chasted wiþ ȝerdes
And harlotes holynesse / beo an hy ferie .
Til clerkyne couetyce / beo cloþe for þe pore
Here pelure and here palfreyes / poure men lyf-lode

¶ And relygyous out-ryderes / reclused in here cloystres
And beo as Benet hem bade Domenyk and Fraunceys

¶ Til þat lered men lyue / as they lere and techen

¶ And til þe kynges consail / beo alle comune profit .

¶ Til byschopes beo bakeres / breweres and taillours .
For alle manere men / þat þei fynde neodful

[^52]¶ Tyl seint Iame beo souht / þer pore seke liggen
In prysones and in pore cotes / for pilgremages to Rome .

[^52: The top margin of the folio shows many scratch marks, perhaps made by a dry-point pen.]

¶ So þat non go to galeys / bot hit beo for euere
And alle Rome renneres / for robberes in Fraunce
Bere no seluur ouur see / þat kynges signe scheweþ
Nowþer graue ne vngraue / of gold ne of seluur /
Vp forfeture of þe fee / ho-so fynt him ouur-ward /

¶ But hit beo marchaunt oþer is man / or messagers wiþ letteres
Prouipsour Prouisour oþur preost / or penaunt for his synnes
nota
And ȝut quod Reson by þe Rode / y schal no rewþe haue
Whil Mede hath þe maystrie / þer moting is atte þe barre .

¶ Ac y may seye ensaumples / as y seo othure
Y sey hit for my-self quod Reson / And hit so were
Þat y were kyng wiþ crone / to kepe ony reome
Schold neuere wrong in þis worlde / þat y wite myhte
Beo vnpunysched in my power / for peril of my soule

¶ Ne gete my grace throw eny ȝif ȝif[te] / ne glosyng speche
Ne throw mede do mercy / by mary of heuene .

¶ For man nullum malum . mette with impunitum .
impunitum
And bad þat nullum bonum beo irremuneratum .

¶ let þi confessour sire kyng / construe þis in Englische
And ȝif ȝe worchen hit in werk / y wed boþe my handes
Þat lawe schal beo a laborer / and lede a-feld donge .
And loue schal lede þi lande / as þe lef likuþ .

¶ Clerkes þat weren confessours / complede h em[^a165] to-gederes
To construe þis clause / kyndeliche wat hit menuþ

[^a165: h em (Vc) | him (Ac) | hem (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Mede in þe mothalle þo / on men lawe[^a166] con wynke
In signe þat þei scholde / with som sotil speche
Reherse þo a-non ritht / þat myth reson stoppe

[^a166: lawe (Vc) | of lawe (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And alle rithtful recordedoun / þat reson trewþe seyde .
And kynde wit and concience / cortesiliche þonkede
Reson / for his rithtful speche / riche and pore him louede
And seydon we seo wel / sire reson by þi wordes
Þat meoknesse worþ maystur / ouer mede atte last

¶ Loue let liht of mede / and leaute ȝit lasse
And cried vpon concience / þe kyng hit myht here

¶ Wo-so wilnoþ heore to wyue / for welþe of heore goodes
But heo[^a167] beo knowe for kokewold / kut of my nose

[^a167: heo (Vc Ac) | he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Mede morned þo / and made heuy chere
For þe comune cald heore / queynt comune hore

¶ A sysour and a somonour þo / sofliche forþe ȝeodoun
With Mede þe mayde / ouȝt of þe mothalle

¶ A schereues clerk cried / a / capiatis / mede
Et saluo custodias / sed non cum carceratis /

¶ Þe kyng to his consaille þo / tok concience and reson .
And modeliche vpon mede / mony tyme lokede
And lowred vpon men of lawe / and lithliche sayde

¶ Throw ȝore lawe as y leue / y lese meny eschetes
Mede and men of ȝoure craft / muche trewþe letteþe

¶ Ac reson schal regne myd[^a168] ȝow / ȝif y regne eny while
And deme ȝow by this day / as ȝe han deserued
Mede schal nouȝt meynpryse ȝowe / by mary of heuene

[^a168: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Y wol haue leaute for my lawe / let beo alle ȝoure Iangle
By lelle men and lif holy / my lawe schal beo demed .

¶ Quaþ concience to þe kyng / with-ouȝte þe comune help
Hit is ful hard be myn hede / þer-to hit to brynge
And alle ȝoure licheledes liche ledes[^a169] / to lede thus euene

[^a169: licheledes liche ledes (Vc Ac) | lege ledes (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ By him þat rayhte on rode / quod reson to þe kyng
Bot ȝif ȝe rewle þus alle reaumes / reueþ me my schit s[ih]te[^53]
And bringe alle men to bowe / with-oute bittur wounde
With þout mercement or manslauht / amende alle reomes

[^53: The Middle English Dictionary lists similar spellings as possible errors, but it is also possible that they were accepted variants.]

¶ Y wold hit were quaþ þe kyng / wel al a-bowte
For-þi / reson redely / þou schalt nat riden hennes
But beo my chief chaunceller / in cheker and in parlment
And concience in alle my Cortes / beo As kynges Iustice .

¶ Y assente quaþ reson / by so þat[^a170] þi-self y hure
Audi alteram partem / a-mong aldermen and Comuners
And þat vnsittyng soffraunce / ne sele ȝoure pryue lettres
Ne sende supersedias but y assente quaþ reson
And y dar legge my lyfe / þat loue wol lene þe seluer
To wage thyne and help to wynne / þat þow wilnest aftur
More þan alle þi marchaunȝtes / or þi mytred buschopes
Or lombardes of lukes / as[^a171] lyfe by lone as Iuwes .

[^a170: by so þat (Vc) | by so (P Ec Rc Ac) | so þat (Mc)]

[^a171: as (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe kyng comaunded þo concience[^a172] / to congeye alle his officers
And receyuon tho þat reson louede / and rith wiþ þat y a-wakede

[^a172: þo concience (Vc Ac) | Conscience tho (P Ec Rc Mc)]

Explicit passus quintus /

Incipit passus sextus . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

T Hus y a-wakede wot god / wan y wonede on Cornhulle
Kytte and y in a cote / cloþed as a lollere
And litul y lete by / leof me for sothe
Among lollars of London / and lewede ermytes
For y made of þo men / as reson me tauhte

¶ For as y cam by concience / wiþ reson y mette .
In an hot heruest / wen y hadde my hele .
And lymes to laboure with / and louende[^a173] wel fare
And no dede to do / bot drynke and to slepe
In hele and in vnite / on me apposede .
Romynge in remembraunce / thus reson me a-ratede

[^a173: louende (Vc) | louede (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Canst þow seruen he seyde / or synge in a churche

¶ Or koke for my kokeres / or to a[^a174] cart piche .

[^a174: a (Vc Ac) | þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Mowe oþur Mowen / or make bonde to sheues

¶ Repe or to beo[^a175] a repreue / and a-ryse erly .

[^a175: to beo (Vc Ac) | been (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Or haue an horne and beo hayward / and ligge oute a nyhtes
And kepe my corn in my croft / fro pykeres and þeoues .

¶ Or schape schon oþer cloþes / or schep or kuyn kepe
Eggen or harewen / or swyn or ges dryue .
Or eny oþur kynnes craft / þat[^a176] þe comune neodeþ .
Hem þat bedrede ben / by-lyue to fynde .

[^a176: þat (Vc Ac) | þat to (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Certes y saide / and so me god helpe
I am to wayke to worche / with sykele oþur sythe
And to longe leof me / to lowe for to stowpe .
To worche as a werkemon / eny while to dure

¶ Þenne has thow londes to lyue by / quod reson / or lynage riche
Þat Fyndon þe þi fode / for an ydul man þow semest
A spender þat spende mot / or a spille-tyme /
Or beggest þi by-lyue / a-boute at men haches
Or faitest vpon frydais / or fest dayes in churches
Þe wuche is lollarene lif / þat lytul is preysed .
Ther rithfulnesse rewarduþ / riȝt as men deserueþ
Reddit vnicuique iuxta opera sua .
Or thow art broke so may beo / in body or in membre
Or y-maymed þrow som myshap / wer-by þow myht be excused[^a177]
Wen y ȝong was quaþ y / mony ȝer hennes
My fader and my frendes / founde me to scole
Til y wist witturly / what holy wryt mened
And wat is best for þe body / as þe book telloþ
And sekerest for þe soule / by so y wel[^a178] continue

[^a177: excused (Vc) | accused (Ac) | excused (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a178: wel (Vc Ac) | wol (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And ȝut founde y neuere in faith / sith my frendes deyden
Lyf þat me likede / but in theos longe clothes .

¶ Ȝif y by labour schold lyue / and liflode deseruen
That labour þat y lerned best / þer-with lyue scholde[^a179]
In eadem vocacione qua[^a180] vocati estis /[^54]
And y lyue in londone / and on londone bothe
Þe lomes þat y labore with / and lyflode deserue
Ys pater noster and my prymer placebo and dirige .
And my sauter som tyme / and my sene psalmes

[^a179: scholde (Vc Ac) | y sholde (P Rc Mc) | y wolde (Ec)]

[^a180: vocacione qua (Vc) | vocacione qua vocacione qua (Ac) | vocacione qua (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^54: The deleted words are lined through in text ink.]

¶ Thus y synge for heore sowles / of suche as me helpuþ
And tho þat fyndon me my fode / vowchen-saf y trowe
To beon wel-come wen y come / oþur-while in a monþe
Now with him and now with heore / and thus-gate y begge
With-ouȝte bagge or botel / but my wombe one .

¶ And al-so more-ouer / me þenkeþ sire reson
Men schal[^a181] constrayne no clrek cl[er]k / to knauene werkes

[^a181: schal (Vc Ac) | sholde (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For by lawe of Leuitici / þat oure lord ordeyned
Clerkes þat aron croned / of kynde vndurstondyng
Schold noþur swynk ne swete / ne swere atte enquestes
Ne fiht in no vauntwarde / ne his foo greue
non reddas malum pro malo .[^55]

[^55: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ For hit be heyres of heuene / alle þat beo croned
And in queer in kerkes / cristes owne minestres .
Dominus pars hereditatis mee / et alibi / Clemencia non constringit .

¶ Hit by-comeþ for clerkes / crist fort[^a182] to seruen
And knaues vn-croned / to carte and to worche
For scholde no clerk beo croned / but ȝif he come were
Of Frankeleyns and freo men / and of folk y-wedded .

[^a182: fort (Vc) | for (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Bondemen and bastardes / and beggeres children
These by-longeþ to labour / and lordes kyn schold seruen
Bothe god and godemen / as here degree askeþ
Some to synge masses / or sitten and wryte
Rede and receyue / þat reson ouȝte spende /

¶ Ac sithe bondemen barnes / han be mad byschopes

¶ And barnes bastardes / han beon archidekenes .

¶ And soperes and heore sones / for suluer han beo knytes

¶ And lord sones heore laborers / and led here rentes to wedde
nota bene
for þe riht of þes reome / riden a-ȝeyns oure enymys
In confort of þe comune / and þe kynges worschip

¶ And monkes and moniales / and[^a183] mendinans schold fynde
Han mad here kynne knytes / and knyt fees purchase .

[^a183: and (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Popes and patrones / poure gentul blod refused
And taken symondes sone / seintwarie to kepe
a
Lif-holynesse and loue / hanne beo longe hennes
And wole til hit beo weret ouȝt / or oþer-wyse chaunged /

¶ For-þi rebuke me rith nauȝt / reson / y ȝow preye
For in my concience y knowe / wat crist wolde þat y wrouhte .

¶ Preyers of a parfit man / and penaunce discret
Is þe leuost labour / þat oure lord plesoþ /
[2 casually sketched pointing hands, one directed toward the text on the facing page, the other pointing upward at the last line on this page.]
Non de solo pane y sayde / for sothe viuit homo
Nec in pane et in pabulo / þe pater noster witnesseþ
Fiat voluntas tua / fynt vs alle þynges
Quath concience by crist / i can not se þis lieþ
Ac hit semeþ nat parfitnesse / sad[^a184] in cytees fort[^a185] to begge
But hit beo obedienter / to priour or to ministre .

[^a184: parfitnesse / sad (Vc Ac) | parfitnesse (P Ec Mc) | sad parfitnesse (Rc)]

[^a185: fort (Vc) | for (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þat is sothe y sayde / and so y by-knowe
Þat y haue tynt tyme / and tyme myspended

¶ Ac ȝut y hope as he / þat ofte hath chaffared
Þat ay hathe lost an lost / and atte last him happed
He boute suche a bargayn / he was þe bet euere .
And set his lost at a lef / atte þe last ende
Suche a wynnyng him warthe / throw wirdes of grace .
Simile est regnum celorum thesauro abscondito in agro .
Mulier qui inuenit dragmam .

¶ So hope y to haue / of him þat al is myhty[^a186]
A goped[^a187] of his grace / an by-gonne a tyme /
Þat alle tymes of my tyme / to profit schal turne .

[^a186: al is myhty (Vc Ac) | is almyghty (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a187: goped (Vc) | gobet (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Y rede þe quod reson þo / rape þe to by-gynne
Þe life þat is lowable / and lefe[^a188] to þy soule

[^a188: lefe (Vc Ac) | leele (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝe and continue quaþ concience / and to þe kirke y wente
¶ And to þe kirke can y go / god to honoure
By-fore þe crois on my knees / knoked y my brest
Sykynge for my synnes / suggyng my pater noster .
Wepynge and waylinge / til y was a-slepe .

¶ Þenne mette me muche more / þan y by-fore tolde
Of þe matere þat y met furst / on Maluerne hulles

¶ Y sauh þe feld ful of folk / fram ende til othur
And reson rauested / riht as a pope
And concyence his croser / by-fore þe kynge stande

¶ Reson reuerentliche / by-fore al þe reome
predicacio

[The boxed word is in the line, but we interpret it as a marginal gloss.]

Prechede and prouede / þat þeos pestilens
Was for pure synne / to punysche þe people

¶ And þe sowþewestwynd sowþewest wynd / on setturday at Euee[^a189]
Was perteliche for pruyde and for no poynt elles .

[^a189: Euee (Vc Ac) | eue (P Ec Mc) | euene (Rc)]

¶ Pyries and plomtrees / were poffed to þe erthe
In ensaumple to seggen vs / we schold do þe betere
Beches and brod okes / weron blowe to þe ground
And turned vpward heore tail / in tokenygg tokeny[n]g of drede
Þat dedly synne or domesday / schal for-do vs alle

¶ Of þis matere y myhte / mouele[^a190] fol longe .
Ac y schal sey as y seyh / slepyng as hit were
Hou reson radde al þe reome / ritht fort to lyuen

[^a190: mouele (Vc Ac) | momely (P Ec) | mumelyn (Rc) | mamele (Mc)]

¶ He bad wastours go worche / and wynne here sustinaunce
Þrow som trewe trauail / and no tyme spille .

¶ He preyed purnele / heore purfil to leue
And kepe hit in hure cofre / for catel atte þe neode[^a191]

[^a191: þe neode (Vc Ac) | here nede (P Ec Mc) | her nedeth (Rc)]

¶ He tauȝhte Thomme stowe / to take to staues
And feche felice hom / fram wyfene pyne

¶ He warnede wat / his wife was to blame
for here hed was worþ half marc / and his hod not a grote

¶ He bad bette go kutte / a bowh oþer tweye
And bete beton þer-mid / but scheo wolde worche

¶ He chargete chapmen / to chaste here childeren .
And let no wynnyng for-wene hem / þe while þei ben ȝonge .
For ho-so spareþ þe spryg / spilloþ his childeren .
And so wrot þe wyse / to wysen vs alle qui parcit virge odit filium

¶ And sythe he preyde prelates / and preostes to-gederes
Þat hy precheþ to þe poeple / preouen hem-selue
Lyue ȝe as ȝe lereþ vs / we schulle leoue ȝow þe bettre
And sithe he radde religion / here rewle to holde
lest þe kyng and his consail / ȝoure comunes a-peyre
And beo stiwardes of ȝoure stedes / til ȝe beo stiwed betere
Gregorie þe gret clerk / gart write in bokes
Þe rewle of alle religious / rithfol and obedient

¶ Riht as fiches in floud / wen hem failleþ water
Dyon for drowþe / wen þey dry ligen
Riht so Religion / rotuþ and sterueþ
Þat ouȝt of couent and cloistre / coueyteþ to dwelle
For ȝif heuene beo on þis oerthe / or eny ese for soule
Hit is in cloistre or in scole / by mony skyles y fynde

¶ For in cloystre comuþ no mon / to chide ne to fihte

¶ In scole is loue and lownesse / and lykyng to lerne

¶ Ac mony day men telleþ / boþe monkes and chanons
Han ride ouȝt of a-ray / here rewle vuele holde

¶ Lederes of lawdayes / and londes porchasede
And prykede a-bouȝt on palfreys / fro places and in-to[^a192] maneres
An hep of houndes at his ers / as[^a193] a lord were

[^a192: and in-to (Vc) | into (P Ac) | and to (Ec) | to (Rc Mc)]

[^a193: as (Vc Ac) | as he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And but his knaue knele / þat schal his cop holde
He lokeþ alle lowrynge / and lordeyn him calleþ
Litul had lordes a-do / to ȝiue lond fro here heires
To religiouse þan[^a194] han no rewþe / þauh hit reyne on here auters
In places þer[^a195] persones beoth / be hem-self atte ese
Of þe pore han þei no pyte / þat is here pure charite

[^a194: þan (Vc) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a195: þer (Vc Ac) | þer thei (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝe leten ȝow alle as lordes / ȝoure lond lithe to brode

prophecie .
¶ Ac ȝut schal come a kyng / and confesse ȝow alle
And bete ȝow as þe bible telloþ / for brekyng of ȝoure rewle
And amende ȝow monkes / monials and chanons
prop

[A later hand seems to have been copying the style of the rubricated gloss above.]

And putte ȝou to ȝoure penaunce ad pristinum statum ire .
And barones and here barnes / blame ȝow and repreoue
Hij in curribus & hij in equis ipsi obligati sunt et ceciderunt .

¶ Freres in here freytour / schul fynde þat tyme
Bred with-oute beggyng / to leueby leue by euere aftur
An Costantyn schal beon here coke / and coueroure of here kyrke

¶ For þe abbot of Engelonde // and þe abbesse his nece
Schullon haue a knok on here crones / and in-currable þe wounde .
Contriuit dominus baculum impiorum / virgam dominancium plaga insanabili
prophecie .
Ac er þat kynge come / as cronicles me tolde
Clerkes and holichurche / schal beo cloþed newe
And sithe he consailled þe kyng / his comune to louye .
For þe Comune is þe kynges tresour / concience wot wel

¶ And also quod reson / y rede ȝow riche
And Comuners to a-corden in alle kynne trewþe

¶ Let non kynne consail / ne couetyse ȝowe departe
Þat o wit and o wil / alle ȝoure wardes kepe

¶ Lo in heuene an hy / was an holy comune
Til lucifer þe liere / leouede þat him-selue
Were wittyor and worþior / þan he þat[^a196] his maystur

[^a196: þat (Vc Ac) | þat was (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Hold ȝow in vnite / and he þat wolde oþer
Is cause of alle combraunce / to confounde a reome

¶ And sithen he preyde þe pope / haue pite on holichurche
And no grace to graunte / til god loue were
A-mong alle kynne kynges / ouur cristone people

¶ Comande þat al confessours / þat eny kyng schryueþ
Enioyne him[^a197] pees for here penaunce / and perpetual for-ȝeuenese
Of alle manere accions / and eche mon loue oþur

[^a197: him (Vc Ac) | hem (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And ȝe þat seche seint Iame / And seyntes of rome
Secheþ seint Treuthe in sauacion of ȝoure sowles
Qui cum patre & filio / þat faire hem by-falle
Þat seweþ my sermon / an thus endeþ resoun .

Explicit passus sextus /

Incipit passus septimus . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

W Ith þat ran repetaunce repe[n]taunce / and rehersed his teme
And made wille to wepe / watur with his eyen .
Purnelle proud hert / platte heore to þe erthe
Longe was or he loked opt op / and lord mercy cryde
And by-hytte to him / þat vs alle made
Heo scholde vnsewen hure serk / and set þe þe[r][^a198] an heyre
To affaiten heore fleisch / þat fers was to synne
Schal neuere hy heorte me hente / bot hold me lowe
And soffre to beo myssaied / and so dud y neuere
Bot now wol y meke me / and mercy by-seche .
Of alle þat y haue / hated in my herte

[^a198: þe þe[r] (Vc Ac) | þer (P Ec Rc) | on hure (Mc)]

¶ Repent þe quaþ repentaunce / as reson þe tauhte
and schrif þe scharpeliche / and schak of alle pruyde
Confessio Superbie
Y pruyde paciensliche pacien[t]liche / penaunce y aske
For y formest and furst / to fader and modur
Haue beo vn-boxom / y by-seche god of mercy .
And vn-boxom y beo / not a-bayschede to a-gult
God and alle godemen / so gret was myn herte
Inobedient to holychurche / and to hem þat þer seruen
Demed for here vuele vices / and excited oþur
Trow T[h]row my word and my wit / here euele werkes to schewe

¶ And scorned hem and oþur / ȝif y a skyle founde
Lauhyng al a-lohoud / for lewede men scholde
Wene þat y were witty / and wyser þan a-noþur

¶ Scornere and vnskylfol / to hem þat skyle schowede
In alle manere maners / my name to by-knowe b[e] knowe

¶ Semyng a soueryen on / wer-so me by-fulle
To telle eny tale / y trowede me wiser
To carpon or to consaille / þan eny lered or lewed
Proud of a-parail / in port among þe poeple
Oþer-wyse þan y haue / with-ynne oþur wiþ-oute

¶ Me wilned þat men wende / y were in a neyre[^a199]
Riche and resonable / and rithful of lyuynge

[^a199: a neyre (Vc Ac) | auer (P Rc Mc) | eyre (Ec)]

¶ Bostynge and braggyng / with mony bolde oþes
Auauntyng vpon myn veyne glorie / for eny vndur-nymyng
And ȝut so syngulere by my-self / as to fyht op[^a200] people
Was non suche as my-self / ne non so pop-holy
Somme tyme in one secte / som tyme in a-nother
In alle kynne Couetyse / contreouede how y myhte
Beo holde for holy / and[^a201] hondred syþe by that encheson
Wilnede þat men wende / my werkes were þe best
And Connyngest of my craft / clerkes or other .

[^a200: fyht op (Vc) | syhte of (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a201: and (Vc) | an (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And strengest vpon stede / and styuost vndur gurdel
And loueloken[^a202] to locon on / a lyngyngest ly[k]yngest[^a203] a-bed
And likyng of suche a lyfe / þat no lawe preyseþ

[^a202: loueloken (Vc Ac) | louelokest (P Ec Rc) | Loueliest (Mc)]

[^a203: lyngyngest ly[k]yngest (Vc Ac) | lykyngest (P Er Rc Mc)]

¶ Proud of my feire fetures / and for y song schulle
And wat y gaf for godes loue / to gossipes y tolde
Thei to wene þat y were / wel holy and almesfol .
And non so bold beggere / to bydden and craue

¶ Tales to telle / in tauerners tauernes and in stretes
Thyng þat neuere was þouht / and ȝut y swor y sauh hit
And lied on my licame / and on my lif bothe .

¶ Of werkes þat y wel dude / witnesse take
And seggen to suche / þat seten me by-syde .
Lo ȝif ȝe leue me n at / or þat ȝe wene y lye
Ask at him or at heore / and þei conne ȝow telle
What y soffrede and seih / and somme tyme hadde
And what y knew and couthe / of what kyn y com of .

¶ Al y wolde þat men wuste / wen hit to pruyde soned
As to preysed a-mong þe people / þauh y pore semed
Si hominibus placerem christi seruus non essem . Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire

¶ Now god of his godenesse / gyue þe grace to amende
Quath repetaunce repe[n]taunce rith wiþ þat / and þen ros Enuye

Confessio Inuidie
¶ Enuye with heuy herte / asket aftur schrifte
And cried mea culpa corsyng al his Enymis
His clothes were of corsement / and of kene wordes
He wroþ his fust vpon wrathe / had he wussches at wille
Schold no lyf lyuye / þat on his lond passed

¶ Chidyng and Iangelyng / that was his chief lieflode

¶ And blame men by-hynde here bac / and bidde hem meschaunce
Al that y [a] wyst by wille / to wattekyn he told hit
And that he wist by watkyn / tolde hit wille aftur

¶ And mad foos of frendes / throw falce and ficul tonge
Or throw myht of mouthe / or throw mony scleythes
Venged me fele tyme / o o[r] vred my-self with-ynne
Lyke a schuppesters scheres / and screwede myn emcristone

¶ A-ȝeyns þe conseil of crist / as clerkes fynde[^a204] in bokes /
Cuius malediccione os plenum est & amaratudine sub lingua eius labor & dolor .
Filij hominum dentes eorum arma & sagitte & lingua eorum gladius acutus .

[^a204: fynde (Vc Ac) | fyndeth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Wen y ne may haue þe maystrie / suche malencolye y take
Þat y chache cache þe craumpe / þe cardiacle som tyme
Or an ague in suche an angre / and som tyme a feuere
Þat takeþ me al a twel-month / til þat y dispice
Lechecraft of oure lord / and leoue on a wicche .
And segge þat no clerk can / ne crist as y leoue
To þe soutere of sothewerk / suche is his grace

¶ For god ne godes werkes[^a205] / ne grace halp neuere
But throw a charme had y chaunce / and my chief hele

[^a205: werkes (Vc Ac) | wordes (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Y myht not ete mony ȝer / as a man auhte

¶ For enuy and euul wil / is vuel to defye .

¶ May no sugre ne swete þyng / a-swage my swellynges .
Ne dereworth drynkes[^a206] / dryue hit fro myn herte
Neyþor schame ne schrift / but ho-so schraped my mawe

[^a206: drynkes (Vc Ac) | drynke (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝus redely quaþ repentaunce / and thou beo riht sory

¶ For þi synnes soueraynly / by-seching god of merci

Y am euere sory seide enuy / y am but seld oþur
Þat makeþ me so megre / for y ne may me a-venge

¶ Ȝut am y brokour of bakbityng / and blame menne ware
A-mong marchaunz mony tymes / nameliche in Londoun .
Whan he solde & y not / þan was y a-redy
To lye and to lowre / and to lakke my neyhbours .
Here werkes here wordes / wer-so y sette

¶ Now hit a-þinkeþ me in thouht / þat euere so y[^a207] wrouht[^56]
Lord er y lyf lete / for loue of þi-selue
Graunte me gode lord / grace of amendement
Þenne a-waket wrath / with to whyte yen
Confessio Ire .
And with a nyuylynge[^57] nose / nyppyng his lippes .

[^a207: so y (Vc Ac) | y so (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^56: This line is joined to the next two with a square bracket in the left margin.]

[^57: See final "e" following "g".]

¶ Y am wrath quaþ þat wye / wol gladliche smyte
bothe with ston and with staf / and stele vpon myn enymy
For to sle him slyliche / scleyhes scley[t]hes y by-þeynke

¶ Thaw y sete þis seue ȝer / y schold not wel telle
Þe harm þat y haue don / with hand and with tonge

¶ Inpacient in alle penaunces / and pleyned as hit were
On god wen me greued ouȝt / and gruched of his sonde

¶ As som tyme in somere / and al-so in heruest .
But y had wedur atte my wille / y wited god þe cause
In alle manere angres / þat y had or feled .

¶ Amonges alle manere men / my dwellyng is som tyme
Whiþ lered and wiþ lewed / þat leof beon to hure
Harm of eny man / by-hynde or by-fore .

¶ Freres folwon my fore / fele tyme and oft
And preouen inparfite / prelates of holy churche
And prelates pleynen on hem / for thei here parschynes schryuen
With-out licence and leue / and herby lyueþ wrathe

¶ Thus thei speke and dispute / and eche spiseþ other
[drawing of a face]
Thus beggeres and barones / atte de-bat aren ofte
Til y wrath wax an hyh / and walke with hem bothe
Or til bothe beo beggares / an by spiritualte libben

¶ Or alle riche thus ride / reste schal y nat wrathe
Þat y ne mot folow þis folk / my fortune is no noþur

¶ Y haue an Aunte to nonne / and to an abbesse
Hem he[re] were leuere swowene or swelte / þanne suffren eny peyne

¶ Y haue be cok in here kechene / and þe couent serued
Mony monthes with hem / and with monkes bothe
Y was þe prioresse potager / and oþer pore ladies
And mad here ioutes of ianngles / dame Ione was a bastard[^58]

[^58: Vc.7.136:Here, Vc and Ac alone among the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a line (RK.6.134).]

¶ Dame purnelle a preostes file / pryoresse worth he neuere
For heo had child in þe Capon cote / heo worth chalenget at eleccion

¶ Thus þei sitte two susteres / som tyme and disputen
Til thow lixt and þow lixt / beo lady ouer hem alle .

¶ And þenne a-wake y wrathe / and wold beo A-Venget
And y[^a208] crie and cracche / with my kene nayles
Bote bite and bete / and brynge forthe suche þewes
Þat alle ladies me loþen / þat louen eny worschip

[^a208: y (Vc Ac) | thenne y (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ A-mong wyues and wydewes / am y wonet sitte .
I-parroked in puwes / þe person hit knoweþ
Hou litul y louie / letice atte stile
raþyr þan

[This phrase glosses or in the line.]

For heo had haly bred or[^a209] y / myn hert can chaunge

[^a209: or (Vc) | ar (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Aftur-wart aftur mete / heo an y chyde
And y wrath was war / an worth on hem bothe
Til ayther cleped oþer howr[^a210] / and of wythe þe clothes
Til bothe heore hedes beo bar / and blody here chekes

[^a210: howr (Vc) | hore (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ A-mong monkes myht y beo / ac meny tyme y spare
For ther aren mony feole[^a211] frekes / myne afferes to aspie

[^a211: feole (Vc Ac) | folle (P Ec) | felle (Rc Mc)]

¶ Þat is þe Priour and suppriour and oure pater abbas .
And ȝif y telle eny tales / thei taken hem to-gederes
And don me fast fridais / to bred and to watur

¶ Ȝut am y chalenget in chapitul hous / as y a child were
And baleysed in þe bare ers / and no breche by-twene

¶ Y haue no loust leoue me / to lenge a-mong monkes
For y hete[^a212] more fichse þan fleisch / and feble ale drynke

[^a212: y hete (Vc) | y ete (Ac) | hij eteþ (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac oþer-while wan wyn comeþ / and wen y drynke late
Y haue a flux of a foule mouht / wel fyue dayes aftur
Þat al[^a213] þat y wist wiket / by eny of oure couent
I cowhede hit vp in oure cloistre / þat al þe couent wot hit

[^a213: Þat al (Vc Ac) | Al (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Now repente þe quaþ repentaunce / and reherse neuere
What consail that thow knowest / by countenaunce ne by speche
And drynk nat ouur delicatly / ne to deope neyþer
Þat þi wille ne þi wit / to wrath myht turne
Esto sobrius he seyde / and assoilled him aftur
And bad him to bydde[^a214] to god / beo his help to amende

[^a214: to bydde (Vc) | line om. (Ac) | bid (P Ec Mc) | bydden (Rc)]

Confessio luxurie
¶ Þenne seyde lechery a-las / and to oure lady criede
Lady to þi leue sone / loute for me nowþe
Þat he haue pite on me putour / of his pure mercy
With þat y schal quaþ þat screwe[^a215] / saturdaies for þi loue
Drynge but wiþ þe douke / and dyne but ones .

[^a215: screwe (Vc Ac) | shrewe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ I gulty in gost / to god y me schryue
As in likynge of lecherie / my licames gultus
In wordes in wedes / in waytynge of eyen .
To eche mayde þat y mette / y made here a signe
Semynde to synne-ward / and somme can y taste
A-boute þe mouth and by nekke[^a216] / by-gan y to grope
Til oure boþen[^a217] wil was on / to werke we ȝeodoun .

[^a216: by nekke (Vc) | by þe necke (Ac) | bynethe (P Ec Mc) | byneythen (Rc)]

[^a217: oure boþen (Vc) | oure broþur (Ac) | oure boþers (P) | oure beyres (Ec) | bothe oure (Rc Mc)]

¶ As wel fastyngdaie fastyng daie[^a218] and fridaies / and hi fest an euenes[^a219]
As leof in lente as out of lente / alle tymes liche .

[^a218: fastyngdaie fastyng daie (Vc) | fastyng dayes (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a219: an euenes (Vc Ac) | euenes (P Rc) | eues (Ec Mc)]

¶ Suche werkes with vs / were neuere ouȝt of sesoun
Til we myhte no more / þan had we mury tales
Of putery and of paramours / and preouedon þrow speches
Handelyng and halsynge / and al-so þrow cussyng
Exityng our a yther other / til oure olde synne
Sotilede songes / and send ouȝt olde baudes
For to wynne to my wil / wommon wiþ gile .

¶ by sorcery som tyme / and som tyme mid[^a220] maistrie
Y lay by the louelokest / and louede hem neuere aftur

[^a220: mid (Vc) | with (Ac) | by (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Wen y was old and hor / and had lore þat kynde
Y hadde likyng to lithe of lechery tales .
Now lord for thi leaute / of lechours haue mercy .

¶ Þenne cam couetise / y can nouȝt him discreue
So hongerly and holwe / heruy him-self lokede

¶ He was bitulbrowed / and baburlippot / wiþ to blere eyen
And as a leþerene pors / lollede his checus
Wel syddur þan his chyn / y-chyueled for elde .

¶ As bondemen bacon / his berd was y-schaue
Wiþ his hod on his hed / and his hat boþe
In a toron tabard / of twel wyntur age
But ȝif a lous couthe lepe / y leue hit as y trowe
He schold nat wandre on þat welch / so was hit þred-bare .
Confessio auarice

[The partially trimmed remains of a bracket in rubricating ink appear to the left of the gloss.]

Y haue beo couetous quaþ þis caytif / y by-know hit here
For som tyme y serued Symme atte þe stile[^59]
And was his prentys y-pliht / his profit to wayte

[^59: A bracket in the left margin runs from this line to Vc7.213.]

¶ Furst y lerned to lye / a lesyng or twey .
Wykkedliche to weye / was my furst lessoun
To wy and to wynchestre / y wente to þe faire .
With mony maner marchaundyse / as my maystre hiht
Ne hadde þe grace of gyle / gon a-mong my ware
Hit hadde beo vnsold þis sene ȝeer / so me god helpe

¶ Y drow me a-mong drapers / my donet to lerne
To drawe þe lysure a-long / þe lengur hit semed

¶ A-mong þe riche rayes / y rendred a lesson
To brochen hem wiþ a pac-nelde / an bond hem to-gederes
Putte hem in pressours / and pynned hem ther-Inne
Til ten ȝerd or twelue / tilled out þrettene

¶ My wyf was a webbe / and wollon cloþ made
Heo spac to þe spynnesters / to spynne hit oute
Þe pond þat heo payed hem by / peysed a quarter
More þenne myn auncer / wen y weide trewþe

¶ Y bowte heore barly / heo brew hit to selle /
peny ale and podyngale / heo powrede to-gederes
For laborers and lowhfolc / that lay by him-selue

¶ Þe best lay in my boure / and in my bed chaumbre
And ho-so bommode þer-of / he bowht hit þer-aftur
A Galon for a grote / and þat no good messure
Wen hit comme copmel[^a221] / þis craft my wif vsede

[^a221: copmel (Vc) | in coppemele (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Rose þe regratour / was hure riht name
Heo hath y-holde hokkerye / thes elleue wyntur
Repentest þow neuere quath repentaunce / ne restitucioun madest

¶ Ȝus ones quod he was y-herberwod / with an hep of chapmen .
I ros and riffled here males / when thei a-rest were

¶ Þat was a rihtful restitucion / quod repentaunce for sothe
Thow wolt honge hye þer-fore / here oþer in helle .

¶ Vsedest thow euere vsurie / in al thi lif tyme

¶ Nay sothly he seyde / saue in my ȝouhþe .
I lernede a-mong lombardes / a lesson and of Iuwes
To weie pans with a peys / and pared þe heuegest
And lent for loue of þe wed / þe wuche y let betere
And more worth þan þe money / or men þat y lened
Y lenede folc þat lese wolde / a lip in eche noble
And with lombardes lettres / lened gold atte Rome .
So what bern of me borwed / he bouht þe tinne ti[m]e
Lenesdest Lenedest twow t[h]ow euere to eny lord / For loue of meyntenaunce

¶ Y haue lent to lordes and ladies / þat louede me neuere aftur
And y hi[^a222] haue mad meny knyht / bothe mercer and draper
Payde neuere for her prenteshod / nat a paire gloues
Þat chaffarede with my chyuysaunce / cheuede selde aftur
Now redely quatþ repentaunce / and by þe[^a223] y leoue
Schal neuere executour by-sette wel[^a224] / þe seluur þat þow him lenest
Ne þyn heires as y hope / haue ioye þat þow wan /
For þe pope and alle his penitauncers / power hem failleth
To assoille the of þi synnes / sine restitucione /
augustinus
Numquam dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum .

[^a222: And y hi (Vc) | Ich (P Ec) | And y (Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a223: þe (Vc Ac) | þe rode (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a224: by-sette wel (Vc Ac) | wel bysette (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And[^a225] fals wordes and wittes / y haue wonne my godes .
And with gyle and glosyng / gadered þat y haue .
Medled my marchaundyse / and mad[^a226] go od mounstre
Þe worst lay with-ynne / a gret wit y let hit .

[^a225: And (Vc Ac) | With (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a226: mad (Vc Ac) | made a (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And ȝif my neyhbore had an hyne / or eny best elles
More profitable þanne myne / y made mony wentes
How y myht haue hit / al my witte y caste
And but y hit hadde by other wey / atte last y stal hit
Or pryualiche his pors schok / vn-pykede his lokes

¶ And if y ȝeode to þe plow / y pynchede on his half acre
Þat a fot lond or a forow / fecchen y wolde
Of my neyhebores next / nymen of his eorthe

¶ And ȝif y repe ouer-reche / or ȝaf hem red þat repen
To sese to me with here sykel / þat y sewe neuere

¶ In halidaies atte[^a227] holy churche / when y herd messe
Y had neuere wil witurliche / to by-seche mercy
For my misdedes / þat y ne mornet ofter
For lost of good leof me / þenne for licames gultes

[^a227: atte (Vc) | at (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þauh y dedly sinne dude / y drad hit nat so sore
As wen y lenede & leoued hit lost / or longe er hit were paied

¶ And ȝif y sente ouur see / my seruaunt to bruges
Or in-to sprus my prentys / my profit to a-wayte
To marchaunde wiþ money / and maken heore eschaunge
Mihte neuere mon conforte me / in þe mene tyme
Nothur matyns ne masse / ne oþer maner schytes[^a228]
And neuere penaunce parformede / ne pater noster . seyde
Þat my mynde ne was / more on my goodes
Þanne in godes grace / and in his grete myhte
vbi thesaurus tuus ibi cor tuum[^60]

[^a228: schytes (Vc Ac) | syhtus (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^60: This line appears on the same level and to the right of the previous one.]

¶ Now redely quod repentaunce / y haue reuthe of þi lyuynge
Were y Frere in good faith / for al þe gold on eorthe
Y nolde cope me wiþ þi catel / ne oure kirke amende
Ne take a meles mete of thyne / and my herte hit wiste .
Þat þow were suche as thow seist / y scholde rathere sterue .
ecclesiastici . xxj

[The numerals are slightly ambiguous; a version of the proverb is found in Chapter 40 of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach).]

Melius est mori quam male viuere
Y rede no faithful frere / atte þi fest sitte .
Ȝut were me leuere by oure lord / lyue by welle carses
Þanne haue my fode and my fyndyng / of falce mennes wynnynges .
FSeruus Seruus es alterius cum fercula pinguia queris
Pane tuo pocius / vescere liber eris .
Thow art vncunde creature / y can nat te[^61] assoille
Til thow haue made by þi myht / to alle men restitucioun
For alle þat hauen of þi good / haue god my trewþe
Beoþ holden atte þe hye dom / to helpe þe restitue

[^61: Note the shift from <th> to <t> following a preceding <t>. This phenomenon occurs only here in this manuscript.]

¶ Þe prest þat þi tyþe takeþ / trowe y non noþer[^a229]
Schal parte with þe in purgatorie / and help paye þi dette
Ȝif he wyste þow were suche / wen he receyde recey[ue]de þi offrynge

[^a229: noþer (Vc) | other (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ What lede leoueþ þat y lie / loke in[^a230] sauter glosed
in psalmo
On Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti

[^a230: in (Vc Ac) | in þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ther he schal wite witturly / what vsure is to mene
And what penaunce þe preost schal haue / þat proud is of his tyþes .
For an hore of here ers wynnyng / may hardiloker tyþe
Þan an erraunt vsurer / haue god my trewþe /
And erst schal come to heuene / by crist þat me made
Þan was þer a walisman / was wondurliche sory
//
Hihte ȝeuan ȝeelde a-ȝayn / ȝif y so muche haue
Al þat y wikkedly wan / sythen y wit hadde

¶ And þauh my liflode lakke / leten y nelle
Þat eche man schal haue his / ar y hennes wende

¶ For me is leuur in this lyf / as a lorel beggen .
Þanne in lisse to lyue / and lese lyf and soule .
Robert þe riflere / on Reddite lokede
And for þe[^a231] he[^62] nad[^a232][^63] not wherwiþ / he wepte ful sore

[^a231: þe (Vc) | þer (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a232: nad (Vc) | was (P Ec Mc Ac) | ne was (Rc)]

[^62: This addition may be intended as a gloss or replacement for þe, along with the inline addition in the next word to make sense of this phrase.]

[^63: This non-scribal alteration was made in an attempt to render Vc’s unique reading sensible; it supports the suggestion that this hand worked without an exemplar.]

¶ Ac ȝut þat synful schrewe / seyde to heuene
Crist þat on Caluary / on þe crois dyedest
Þo Bys mas my brother / by-souhte þe of grace
And haddest mercy on þat man / for Memento sake
So rewe on me Robart / þat reddere ne haue
Ne neuere wene to wynne / with craft þat y knowe
For-þi muchel mercy / mytigacioun y by-seche /
dampne me nat at domesday / for þat y dud so ille .

...?...
¶ What bi-felle of þis felon / y can nat faire schewe
Wel y wot he wepte sore[^a233] / watur with his eyen
And to crist knewleched / his coupe ȝut eft-sones
Þat penaunce his pikestaft[^a234] / he wolde polische newe
For he had leye by latro / / lucifers aunte .

[^a233: sore (Vc Ac) | faste (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a234: pikestaft (Vc Ac) | pykstaff (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ By þe rode quaþ repetaunce[^a235] / thow romest toward heuene
By so hit beo in þin herte / as y here þi tonge
Trist in his muchel mercy / and ȝut myht þow by b[e] saued

[^a235: repetaunce (Vc) | repentaunce (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For alle þe wrechednesse of þis worlde / and wikked dedes
Fareþ as a fonke of fuyr / þat ful amyd temese
And dyede for on[^a236] drope of watur / so doþ alle synnes .
Of alle manere men / þat with good wille .
Confesson hem and crien mercy / schullen neuere come in helle .
[^64] Omnis iniquitas que ad misericordiam dei est quasi sintilla in medio mari

[^a236: on (Vc Ac) | a (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^64: A water stain obscures parts of the text on the next six lines.]

¶ Repente þe a-non quaþ repentaunce riht so to þe vsurer
And haue his mercy in þy mynde / and marchaundyse lef hit
For þow hast no good by good faith to bygge þe wiþ a wastel
Þe good þat þow hauest y-goten / by-gan al wiþ falshede
As longe as þow lyuest þer-with / thow ȝeldest nat but borowest

¶ And ȝif þow wite neuere to wham / ne were[^a237] do[^a238] restitue /
Ber hit to þi byschop / and bid him of his grace
To by-setten hit him-self / as best beo for þi soule

[^a237: were (Vc Ac) | where (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a238: do (Vc Ac) | þow sholde (P) | þou schalt (Ec) | to (Rc Mc)]

¶ For he schal vnswere for þe / atte þe hye dome
For þe and for mony mo / þat man schal ȝeue rekenynge
What he lered ȝow to lyue with / and to let ȝow fro þefte
gula
Now by-gynneþ Gloton / for to goo to schrifte
And kayres him toward kyrkeward[^a239] / his gylt[^a240] to scwewe[^a241]
Fastyng on a fryday / forþe can he wende
By betons hous þe brewesters[^a242] / þat bad him good morwe /
And hoderward[^a243] he wolde / þat[^a244] brew-wyf hym asked

[^a239: toward kyrkeward (Vc) | toward þe chirche (Ac) | to churcheward (P Ec) | to kyrkeward (Rc Mc)]

[^a240: gylt (Vc) | gyld (Ac) | coupe (P Ec) | cupe (Rc) | synnes (Mc)]

[^a241: scwewe (Vc) | shewe (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a242: brewesters (Vc) | brewestere (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a243: hoderward (Vc) | whoderward (P Ec Mc Ac) | whider (Rc)]

[^a244: þat (Vc Ac) | the (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ To holykirke quod he / for to here masse
And sythen sitte and beo schryuen / and synnwe no more /

¶ I haue good ale godsib / glotoun wol þow assaie
What hauest þow quath he eny hote spices

¶ Y haue pepor and pyonys / and a pound of garlik
A ferþyngworth of fynkelsed / for fastyng dayes

¶ Þenne goþ gloton In / and gret oþus aftur

¶ Cesse þe sowestere / sat on þe benche

¶ Watte þe warener / and his wyf dronke

¶ Thomme þe tynekere / and twey of his knaues
Hikke þe hakeneyman / and howe þe nedlere

¶ Clarice of Cokkes lane / þe clerk of þe churche
Sir peris of prydie / and purnele of flaundres
An hayward and an Ermite / þe hangeman of Tyborne

¶ Dawe þe dykare / with a doseyne harlotes
Of portours and of pykeporses / and pilede toþ-draweres

¶ A Ribibour a Ratoner / a rakare and his knaue

¶ A Ropere a Redyngking / and Rose þe dischare

¶ Godfray þe garlykmonger / and Griffith þe Walische
And vpholderes an hep / erly by þe moruwe /
Geuen glotom gloto[n] myd[^a245] glad chere / good ale to honsele .

[^a245: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Clement þe cobelere / cast of his cloke
And to þe newe faire / nempnede hit to selle
Hykke þe haykeyney man / hitte his hod aftur
And badde bette boucher / to beo on his syde /
Þer were chapmen y-chose / þe chaffare to preyse
Þat he þat hadde þe hod / scholde nat haue þe cloke /
Þe betere þyng by arbitrours / scholde bote þe worse
Two risen Rapliche / and romed to-gederes
And preysede þe peny-worþes / a-part by him-selue

¶ And ther were oþes an hep / for or[^a246] scholde haue þe worse
Thei cowþe nat by here concien se / a-corde for trewþe
Til Robyn þe Ropere / a-ryse þei by-souhte
An nempned him an nounpere / þat no debat were

[^a246: or (Vc) | on (Ac) | oþer (P) | þe oþer (Ec) | whether (Rc Mc)]

¶ Hikke þe hakeyneye-man / hadde þe cloke
In couenaunt þat Clement / scholde þe cop fulle
And haue þe hakeneysman hes hod / an holde him y-serued

¶ And who repended rathest / scholde a-ryse aftur
And grete sire glotoun / with a galon ale

¶ Ther was lauhinge and lhikering / and lette go þe coppe
Bargaynes and beuerages / by-gonne to a-Ryse
And seten so til euesong rang / an songon him by-while[^a247]
Til glotoun had y-globbed / a galon and a gille

[^a247: him by-while (Vc Ac) | songe (P Ec) | songen (Rc Mc)]

¶ His gottes gonne godele / as to gredy sowes
He pissed a potelle / in a pater-noster while
And blew his round rewet / at þe Ruggebones ende
Þat alle þat herde þe horne / held here nose aftur .
And whusched hit had be vexed[^a248] / with a wysp breres[^a249] .
He myht noþur step ne stande / til he staf[^a250] hadde .
Þen gan he go like / a gleemannes byche /
Som tyme a-syde / som tyme a-rere
As ho-so leith lynes / for to kacche foules /

[^a248: vexed (Vc Ac) | wexed (P Rc) | ywaxed (Ec Mc)]

[^a249: breres (Vc Ac) | of breres (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a250: staf (Vc Ac) | a staf (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And when he drouwe to þe dore / þan dymmed his yen
He þrompeled atte þe thresfolde / and þrew to þe erthe .

¶ Þo clement þe cobelere / cauht him by þe myddul .
Fort to lift him on loft / he ledde him on his knewes

¶ Ac gloton was a gret cherl / and groned on þe liftynge
And cowed vp a cawdel / in clementes lappe

¶ Is non so hongry hound / in hertforde schire
durst lape of þat leuyng / so vn-louely hit smauhte

¶ With al þe wo of þe worlde / his wyf and his wenche
Beren him to his bedde / and brouht him þer-ynne

¶ And aftur al þis exces / he hadde an accidie /
He slep saterday and soneday / til sonne ȝeode to reste

¶ Þan a-waked he wel wan / and wolde haue y-dronke
Þe furst word þat he spac // was / ho halt þe bolle

¶ His wif and his Inwit / edwited him of his synne
He waxed[^a251] a-schamed that screwe[^a252] / and schrof him al-so swithe

[^a251: waxed (Vc Ac) | wax (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a252: screwe (Vc) | shrewe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

confessio gule .
¶ To Repentaunce rith þus / haue rewþe on me he seyde
Thow lord þat on loft art / and alle lyues schop

¶ To þe god y gloton / gulty y me ȝeelde
Of my trespas with tonge / y can nat telle how oft
Sworon thi soule and sydes / and so help me god al-myhty
When þat non need was / mony tyme falsly

¶ And ouer souped at my sopper / and som tyme atte[^a253] nones
More þenne my kunde / myht wel defye .
And as a hound þat ete graas / so gan y to brake
And spilled þat y a-speled myht / y can nat speke for schame
Þe vylanie of my foule mouth / and of my foule mawe /

[^a253: atte (Vc Ac) | at (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ On fastingdaies fasting daies by-fore noen / y fedde me with ale
Ouȝt of reson among Ribaudes / here Ribaudrie to hure

¶ Heere-of good god / graunt me for-ȝeuenesse
Of alle my luther lyuynge / in alle my lif-tyme

¶ For y a-vowe to verray god / for honger of o[r] for furst
Schal neuere fi sch on fryday / defye in my wombe
Til abstinence my aunte / haue ȝiue me leue .
And ȝut haue y hated heore / al my lif-tyme

Explicit passus septimus

Incipit passus octauus . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

Confessio accidie

[The box is also a pointing hand.]

T Ho cam sleuthe al by-slobered / wiþ to slymed eyen .
Y most sitte to by schriue quod he / or elles schal y nappe
Y may not stande ne stoupe / ne wiþ-ouȝte stole knele .
Were y browt in my bedde / but my tailende hit made
Scholde no ryngyng do me ryse / til y were ripe to dyne

¶ Benedicite he by-gan with a boolk / and his brest knocked
Rasklette and remed / and rowte atte þe laste

¶ What a-wake Renk quod repentaunce / rape þe to schrifte

¶ Shold y die quod he by þis day / y drede me so sore
Y can nat parfitly my paternoster / as þe preost hit syngeþ

¶ Y can rymes of Robyn hod / of Randolf Erl of chestre
Ac of oure lord ne of oure lady / þe lest þat euere was maked

¶ Y haue a-vowed wowes forty / and for-ȝut hem a-morowe

¶ Y parformed neuere penaunce / þat þe preost me hihte .
Ne rith sory for my synnes / y sey neuere þe tyme
And bidde[^a254] eny beodes / but hit beo in wrathe
That y telle wiþ my tonge / is ten myle fro my herte .

[^a254: bidde (Vc Ac) | y bidde (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Y am ocupied eche day / haliday and oþer
Wiþ ydul tales atte nale / and oþur-while in churches
Godes spine[^a255] and his passioun / is pure seld in my thowt

[^a255: spine (Vc) | pyne (P Ec Rc Ac) | payne (Mc)]

¶ Y visited neuere feble man / ne fetered man in prysone

¶ Y had leuere here of harlotrye / or a reson[^a256] to lauhen of
Or lakke men or likken[^a257] hem / in vnlikyng manere
Þan al þat Euere Marc made Mathow Iohan or Lucas

[^a256: reson (Vc Ac) | lesyng (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a257: likken (Vc) | lickem (Ac) | likene (P Ec Mc) | lykenen (Rc)]

¶ Vygilies and fastinges[^a258] / y can for-ȝut hem alle
and ligge a-bedde in lente / my lemmon in my narmes
Til matyns and messe beo doun / þenne haue y memorie at freres .
Y am nat y-schriue som-tyme / but seknesse hit make
Nat twies in ten ȝer / ȝut tel y not haluondol .
Y haue beo preost and person / passing þritty wintur
Ȝut can y nowþer soolfe[^a259] ne syng / ne a seintes lif rede
Ac y can fynde in a felde / and in a forlong an hare
And holden a knytes Cort / and a-Counte with þe Reue
Ac can y[^a260] nat construe Canoun / ne clerchialy redoun .
Ȝif y bugge and borow ouht / but hit beo y-tailled /
Y for-ȝete hit as ȝorne / and ȝef eny mon hit askeþ /
Six sythe or seuene / y for-sake hit with othes .
Þus haue y teoned trew men / ten hondred tymes .
And som tyme my seruauns her salarie is by-hynde
Ruthe is to here þe rekenynge / wen we schul rede a-countes
Þat with so wikked wil / my werkmen y paye .

[^a258: fastinges (Vc Ac) | fastyngdayes (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a259: soolfe (Vc) | solfe (Ac Mc) | solfye (P Ec) | selven (Rc)]

[^a260: can y (Vc) | can (Ac) | y can (Pc Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝif eny man doþe me a bien-feat / or helpuþ me at nede
I am vnkynde a-ȝeins cortasie / y can nat vndurstand hit
For y haue and haue had / somdel haukes maneres
I am nat lured myd[^a261] loue / but ouȝt ligge vndur thombe /
Þe kyndenesse of[^a262] my emcristen / kud me ferne-ȝer
Syxti sythe y sleuthe / haue for-ȝete hit sythe /

[^a261: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a262: of (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ In speche an in sparing of speche / y pilt[^a263] mony tymes
Boþe fleisch and eke fiche / and vytaille kept so longe
Tyl eche a lyf hit loþed / to loke þer-on or smelle hit

[^a263: y pilt (Vc Ac) | yspilde (P Rc Mc) | spilt (Ec)]

¶ Boþe bred and ale / botere mylk and chese
For-sleuþe hit[^a264] in my seruice / and set ous[^a265] a-fuyre .
And ȝeode a-boute in my ȝouthe / and ȝaf me to no þeedam .
And sithe a beggare haue y beo / for my soule[^a266] sleuthe .
Heu michi quod sterilem duxi vitam iuuenilem .
Repente þe quod repentaunce / riht wiþ þat he swoned
Til vigilate þe veille / vette watur atte his eyen .
And flat on his face / and fast on him criede
And seyde war From wanhope / þat wol þe by-traie /
Y am sory for my synnes / sey to þi-selue
And bete þi-self on þe brest / and bidde god of grace
For þer is non gult[^a267] so gret / þat his goodnesse is more .

[^a264: For-sleuþe hit (Vc Ac) | Forslewþe (P) | Forsleuthed (Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a265: ous (Vc) | hous (P Ec Rc Ac) | houses (Mc)]

[^a266: soule (Vc) | foule (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a267: non gult (Vc) | non (P Ec Ac) | non synn (Rc Mc)]

¶ Þan sat sleuthe vp / and seyned him ofte
And made a vowe by-fore god / for his foule sleuthe

¶ Schal no soneday þis seuene ȝer beo / but syknesse hit make
Þat y ne schal do me er day / to þe dere churche
And here matyns and masse / as y a monk were

¶ Schal non ale aftur mete / holde me þennes
Til y haue herd Euesong / y by-hote to þe rode

¶ Ac whuche beon þe branches / þat bryngeþ me me[n] to sleuthe

¶ Ys wan a man morneþ nat / for his misdedes

¶ Þe penaunce þat þe preost enioyneþ / parformeþ vuele /

¶ doþ non almesdedes / and drat nat of synne

¶ Lyueþ a-ȝeynst þe by-leoue / and no lawe kepoþ

¶ And hathe no likyng to lerne / ne of oure lord here
But harlotrie and hordomm / or elles of som wynnyng .

¶ Whan men carpen of crist / or clennesse of soule
He wexet wroth and wol not here / but wordes of murthe

¶ Penaunce and pore men / þe passioun of seyntes
He hateþ to here þer -of / and alle þat þer-of karpoun .

[This pointing hand may simply be copied as practice from the one below.]

¶ thes beoth þe branches be war / þat bryngeþ men to wanhope /

¶ Ȝe lordes and ladies / and legates of holy churche
Þat feden folsages fol sages / flaterers and lyares
And han likyng to here[^a268] hem / in hope to do ȝow lauhe
Ve vobis qui ridetis / And ȝiueþ suche mede & mete / & pore men refusen[^65]
In ȝoure deþ-deyinge / y drede me sore /
Lest þo manere men / to muche sorow ȝow bryng
Consencientes et agentes pari pena punientur
Patriarkes and prophetis / prechours of godes wordes
Sauen þrow here sarmons / mannes soule fro helle .
Riht so flaterers and foles / aren þe fendes procuratours .
Entysen men þrow here tales / to synne and to harlotrie .

[^a268: here (Vc Ac) | lythen (P Rc Mc) | leuen (Ec)]

[^65: The scribe has combined the usually separate Latin and English lines into one.]

¶ Clerkes þat knoweþ þis / scholde kenne lordes
What dauid seyde of suche men / as þe sauter telleþ
Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit superbiam . qui loquitur iniqua

¶ Scholde non harlot haue audience / in halle ne in chaumbre /
Ther þat wise men were / witnesse on godes wordes
Nothur a mysproud man / a-mong lordes a-lowed .

¶ Clerkes and knytes / wel-comeþ lordes[^a269] ministralles
And fore loue of here lordes / lithen hem at festes /

[^a269: lordes (Vc) | knyhtes (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Muche more me þenkeþ / riche men auhte
Haue beggares by-fore hem / þe wuche beoþ godes ministralles
As he seith him-self seint Iohan . bereþ witnesse
qui vos spernit me spernit[^66]

[^66: The Latin appears in the right margin next to the previous line.]

¶ Þer-fore i rede ȝow riche / reueles wen ȝe maken
For to solace ȝoure soules // suche ministralles to haue .
Þe pore for a fol sage / sittyng at þi table
With a lered man to lere þe / what oure lord suffrede
for to saue þi soule / from satan þin Enymi .
And fithele þe with-ouȝt flatering / of god friday þe feste

¶ And a blind man for a bordiour / or a bedereden wommon
To crie a largeis to-fore oure lord / ȝoure gode los to schewe

¶ Þes þre manere ministrales / maken a man to lauhe
And in[^67] his deþe-dyinge / þei don him gret confort
Þat bi his lif loueþ hem / and loueþ hem to hure

[^67: There is a false start ahead of the <i>]

¶ Þeos solasen þe soule / til him-self be-falle
In a wel hope for he wrouȝt so / a-mong worþi seyntes

¶ Þer flateres and foles / with here foule wordes
leden þo þat hereþ[^a270] hem / to Lucifers / feste
With turpiloquio a lay of sorowe / and Lucifers fythele
To perpetual peyne / or purgatorie as wikke
For he loueþ[^a271] and liþeth[^a272] / þat godes lawe despiseþ
. dare histrionibus & cetera[^68]

[^a270: hereþ (Vc) | lereþ (Ac) | liþeþ (P Rc Mc) | lenen (Ec)]

[^a271: loueþ (Vc Ac) | litheþ (P Mc) | liþe (Ec) | leyeth (Rc)]

[^a272: liþeth (Vc Ac) | loueþ (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^68: The Latin line appears in right margin of the previous line.]

¶ Þo was repentaunce a-redi / and radde hem alle to knele
I schal by-seche for alle synfol / oure saueour of grace
To amende ous of oure misdedes / do mercy to vs alle

¶ God of þi goodnesse / gonne þe worlde make
And of nouȝt madest ouȝt / and man liche þi-selue
Sythe soffredest him do synne / a seknesse to vs alle
And for oure best as y bi-leoue / what-euere þe bok telle
O felix culpa / o necessarium ade peccatum

¶ For throw þat synne thi sone / sent was til eorthe
And by-cam man of a mayde / man-kynde to amende
And madest þi-seelf wiþ þi sone / oure soule and body liche
Ego in patre et pater in me est / Et qui vidit me patrem meum vidit
And syþe in oure secte / as hit semed deidest
On a fryday in forme of man / feledest oure sorow /
Captiuam duxit captiuitatem /

¶ Þe sonne for sorow þer-of / lees lith for a tyme
A-boute midday when most liȝt is / and mel tyme of seyntes
Feddest þo with þi freische blod / oure foure-faderes in helle
Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam .

¶ Þe liht þat lemed ouȝt of þe / Lucifer hit blente
And brouhte þin blessed fro þennes / to þe blisse of heuene

¶ Þe þridde day þer-aftur / þow ȝeodest in oure secte
A synful Marie þe seih / er seint marie þi moder
And alle to solasen sinful / thow soffredest hit so were /
Non veni vocare iustos sed peccatores /

¶ And al þat Marc hath y-mad Mathow Iohan or Lucas .
Of þin douhtiost dedes / was don in oure secte
verbum caro factum est .[^69]

[^69: The Latin appears in the right margin of the previous line.]

¶ And by so muche hit semeþ / þe sikerloker we mowe
Bidde and by-seche þe / ȝif hit beo þi wille /
¶ Þat ert furst oure fader / and of fleisch oure broþer
And sythen oure saueour / and seidest wiþ þi tonge
Þat what tyme we synful men / wolden beon sory
For dedes þat we han don ylle / dampned ne schold we be neuere
Ȝif we knewleched and cride / crist þe of[^a273] mercy
Quandocumque gemuerit[^a274] peccator omnes iniquitates eius non recordabor amplius .

[^a273: þe of (Vc Ac) | þerof (P Ec) | therof thie (Rc Mc)]

[^a274: gemuerit (Vc) | genuerit (Ac) | ingemuerit (P Ec Mc) | ingemmerite (Rc)]

¶ And for þat muchel mercy / and marie loue þi moder
Haue reuthe of alle þes ribaudes / þat repenten hem sore
Þat euere þei agult a-ȝenis þe god / in gost or in dede

¶ Þenne hente hope an horne / of deus tu conuersus viuificabis nos
And blew hit with beati quorum / remisse sunt iniquitates / & quorum tecta & cetera .
Þat alle seintes with synfol men / songen wiþ dauid /
Homines et iumenta saluabis domine / quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus .

¶ A þousend of men þo / þrongen to-gederes
Cryinge vp-wart to crist / and to his clene moder
To haue grace to go to treuthe god leoue þat þei mote /
Ac þer was wye non so wys / þat þe waie þidur couthe /
But blustred forþ as bestes / ouer baches and hulles
Til late was and longe / þat þei a lede mette /
A-parailed as a paynym / in piligryms wyse
He bar a bordoun y-bounde / wiþ a brod list
In a weþe-wynde wyse / y-wriþe al a-bout
A bolle and a bag / he bar by his syde
And an hundred hanypeles / on his hat seten[^70]
Sygnes of syse / and schelles of gales
And mony crouche on his cloke / and keyes of Rome .

[^70: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ And þe vernicle by-fore / for men scholde knowe
And see by his signes / wham he souht hadde .
Þis folc frayned him furst / fro whennes he come
Fro synay he sayde / and fro þe sepulcre
In bethleem in babiloyne / y haue i-beo in bothe .
In Ermanie in Alisaundre and in damascle

¶ Ȝe may see by signes / þat sitten in my cappe .
I haue souht goode seintes / for my soules helþe
And walket ful wide / in wete and in drye

¶ Knowest thou ouȝt a corseint quod y / þat me me[n] clepeþ treuthe
Couthest þow wissen vs þe way / wodur-out treuthe wonyeþ
Nai so me god helpe / seyde þat gome þenne
I seih neuere palmare / with pik ne wiþ scrippe
Asken aftur him er now / in þis ilke place /
Hic primio comparet petrus plouhman

[The gloss is artfully flourished on either side making a box-like effect.]

Petur quod a plouhman / and putte forth his hed
I know him as kyndely / as clerkes don here bokes

[A later hand has copied the beginning of the above rubrication and then erased it.]

Concience and kynde wit / kende me to his place
And made me sykeren him sethen / to seruen him for euere .

¶ Bothe to sowe ant to sette / þe while y swynke myhte
And to sowen his seed / suwen his bestes
With-ynne and with-ouȝt / to waiton wait on his profit .

¶ Y haue beo his folwere / al this forty wyntur
And serued treuthe sothly / somdel to paie
In alle kyne craftes / þat he couthe dyuise
Profitable to þe plouh / he put me to lerne

¶ And þauh y seie hit my-self / y seruede him to paie /

¶ Y haue my huyre of him wel / and oþer-while more /

¶ He is most prest paiare / þat eny pore man knowiþ

¶ He ne halt[^a275] non hiwe / his hure ouer Euen

[^a275: ne halt (Vc Ac) | withhalt (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶He is a a[s] louh as a lomb / and lel of his tonge

¶ And who-so wilneþ to wyte / wer þat treuthe wonyeþ /
I wol wyssen ȝow wel / ritht to his place
Ȝe leue Peres quod tho pilegryms / and profred peres mede .

¶ Nay by þe peril of my saule / Peres gan swere
Y nolde fong a ferþing / for seint Thomas schryne
Were hit told to treuthe / þat y tok mede /
He wolde loue me þe lasse / a long tyme aftur

¶ Ac ho-so wol wende / þer as treuthe dwelleþ /
This is þe hye way þuderward / witeþ wel þe soþe .

¶ Ȝeo most gon throw meoknesse / al men and wymmen .
Til ȝe come in-to concience / knowen of god selue
decem precepta

[The gloss is bracketed with a diamond-shaped box.]

¶ Þat ȝe loue him as lord / lelly a-bouen alle
Þat is to sey sothly / ȝe scholde raþer dye
Þan eny dedly synne do / for dede[^a276] or for preyere

[^a276: dede (Vc Ac) | drede (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And þenne ȝoure neyhbors next / in none wyse a-peire
Other-wyse þan ȝe wolde / þei wrouht ȝow alle tymes .

¶ And so goþ forþ by þe bok / a brygge as hit were
Tyl ȝe fyndoun a ford / ȝoure fadres honoureþ /
Wadeþ wel in þat watur / and waysche ȝow wel þere
And ȝe schul lepe þe lithloker / al our[^a277] lif-tyme
Honora patrem & matrem .

[^a277: our (Vc) | ȝoure (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þan schalt þow swere nat / but hit beo for neode
Nameliche on Idel / þe name of god almyhty

¶ Þan schalt þow come by a croft / ac com þow nouȝt þer-Inne
Þe croft hatte Coueite nat / mennes catel ne heore wyues
Ne none of here seruauns / þat nuyen hem myhte
Loke thow bere nat þer a-weye / but hit be þy nowe .

¶ To stokkes ther standen / ac stunt þow nouȝt þere
Þei hatte stele nat and sle nat / strik for[^a278] by hem bothe
And lef hem on þi lift half / and loke nat þer-aftur .

[^a278: for (Vc) | forth (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And holde wel þin halyday / hye til euen

¶ Þen schalt þow blenche at a birche[^a279] / ber non fals witnesse
Is frythed In with floreyns / and oþer fees monye
Loke thou plokke þer no braunche[^a280] / for peril of þi saule

[^a279: birche (Vc Ac) | bergh (P Ec) | borwȝ (Rc Mc)]

[^a280: braunche (Vc Ac) | plaunte (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þen schalt þow sey soth / so hit beo to done
In non manere elles nat / for no mannes preyere

¶ So schalt þou come to a Cort / as cler as þe sonne
Þe mot is of mercy / in myddes þe manere /

¶ Al þe wallyng is of whit[^a281] / for wil ne schold hit wynne

[^a281: whit (Vc Ac) | wyt (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe kernelles beon of cristondomm / þat kynde to saue
And boterassed wiþ by-leue so / or þow beost nat saued .[^71]

[^71: Following this line, over 40 lines are omitted in Vc and Ac (RK.7.237-84).]

¶ Wytegod Wyte god quaþ a wafrestre / wust y þe soþe
Y wolde no forþer a fot / for no frere prechyng

¶ Ȝus quath peres plouhman . and poukede hem alle to gode
Mercy is a mayde þer / hath myhte ouer hem alle
And he is sibbe to al synfol / and hure sone boþe
And þrow þe help of hem two / hope þow non oþer /
Þow miht gete grace þer / so thow go by-tyme .

¶ Ȝe villam emy quath on / and now most y þidere
To loke how me like hit / and tok his leue at Peres .

¶ A-noþer a-non ritht / neode seyde he hadde
To folwen fyue ȝokes / for-þi me bi-houeþ
To gon with a good wil / and greitheliche hem dryue .
For-þi y preie ȝow Peres / / parauntur ȝif ȝe metten
Truthe telluþ to him / þat y beo excused .

¶ Þenne was on hiht Actif ./ an housebond he semed
I haue wedded a wif quaþ he / wel wantowne of maners
Were y sene nyht fro hure siht / synegon he wolde
And loure on me and lithly chide / and seyde y louede a-noþer
For-þi Peres plouhman / y pray þe tel hit treuthe
I may not com for a kitte / so scho cleueþ on me /
vxorem duxi et ideo non possum venire /
Quaþ Contemplacioun by crist / thau y care suffre
Famine and defaute / folwon y wol Peres .
Ac þe weie is so wikkede / but ho-so hadde a gyde
Þat myht folwen ous eche fot / for drede of mis-tornynge /

Explicit passus octauus /

Incipit passus nonus / [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

+
T Ho seide perkyn plouhman / by seint petur of Rome
Y haue an half acre to erien / by þe heie weie
Had y ered þat half acre / and sowed hit aftur
I wolde wende wiþ ȝou / and þe weie teche /

¶ that were a longe lettyng / quod a lady in a cheyre
What scholde we wemmen / worche þe whiles
Y prey ȝow for ȝoure profit / quaþ Peres to þe ladies
Þat somme sewen[^a282] þe sak / For schedyng of þe whete
And ȝe worþely wommen / with ȝoure longe fyngres
Þat ȝe on selk and sendel / to sewen wen tyme is
Chesibles for chapeleyns / churches to honoure

[^a282: sewen (Vc Ac) | sowe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Wyues and wydues / wolle and flex spynneþ
Concience consailleþ ȝou / cloth fort[^a283] to make
For profit of þe pore / and plesaunce of ȝow-selue
For y schal lene hem liflode / but ȝif þe lond faile
As longe as y lyue / for oure lordes loue of heuene
And al manere men / þat bi þis molde is susteyned
Helpeþ him to worche wihtly / þat wynneþ ȝoure fode .

[^a283: fort (Vc) | for (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ By crist quaþ a knyt þo / he kenneþ vs þe beste
Ac on þe tem trewly / tauht was y neuere
Y wolde y couthe quod þe knyt / by crist and his modur
Y wolde assaie som tyme / For solas as hit were

¶ Sykerly sir knyt / seyde peres thenne
I schal swynke and swete / and sowe for vs bothe
And labour for þe whil þow lyuest / al þi lif tyme .

¶ In couenaunt þat þow kepe / holichurche and me-selue
Fro wastours and wikkedmen / þat þis worlde str uen

¶ And go hunte hardiliche / to hares and foxes
To bores and to bokkes / þat brekeþ doun myn hegges

¶ Affaite þi faukones / to kulle whilde foules
For þei comen in-to my croft / my corn to defoule /

¶ Cortesely þe knyt þenne / comsede þeos wordes
By my power peres / y plyhte þe my treuthe
To defende þe in faith / fiht þauh y scholde /

¶ And ȝut a point quath Peres / y pray ȝow ouer more
Loke ȝe teone no tenaunt / but truthe wol assente /

¶ When ȝe a-mercen eny man / let mercy beo tauxour
And meoknesse þi maistur / maugrei medes chekes
Þan[^a284] poure men profere ȝow / presentes and ȝiftes
Nim hit nat a-uaunter / þow mowe hit nat deserue
For thow schalt ȝelde so hit[^a285] may be / and som-del a-bigge /

[^a284: Þan (Vc) | Whan (Ac) | thogh (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a285: so hit (Vc Ac) | so (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Misbeod nat thi bondeman / þe bet may þe spede
Þauh he beo heor þin vndurling / in heuene parauntur
He worth raþer receyued / and reuerent-loker sitte
. Amice ascende s uperius[^72]
Atte þe[^a286] churche in þe charnel / cheorles aren euul to knowe
Or a knyt fro a knaue / a quene fro a queene .

[^a286: Atte þe (Vc) | At þe (Ac) | At (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^72: The Latin is written to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Hit by-comeþ to a knyt / to beo corteys and hende
Trewe of his tonge / tales loþ to here /
But thei beo of bounte / of batailles and of trewþe

¶ Halt nat of harlotes / here nat here tales
Nameliche atte þe mete / suche men eschue
Hit beon the deoueles dysours / to draw men to synne .
Countur-plede nat concience / ne holy churche rihtes .

¶ Y assente by seint Gyle / seide þe knyt þenne
For to worche by þi whit / and my wif bothe

¶ Y schal apparaille me quaþ perkyn / in piligrims wyse
And wendoun wiþ al þo / þat wol lyue in treuthe .

¶ He cast on him his cloþes / of al kyne craftes /
His kokeres and his coffes / as kyndewit him tauhte
And heng his hoper on his half . / in stede of a sckrippe /

¶ A bousschel of brede-corne / brouht was þer-inne .
For y wol sowe hit my-self / and sith wol y wende
To pilgrimages as palmeres doun / pardoun to wynne
My plouh bot schal beo my pykstaf / a[^a287] piche a-two þe rotes
And helpe my coltor to kerue / and clause þe forowes .

[^a287: a (Vc) | and (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And al þat helpe me to erye / or elles to wedoun
Schal haue leue by oure lord / to go and clene aftur
And make him murie þer-myd / maugre ho by-grucche

¶ And alle kyn crafty men / þat conne lyue in treuthe
I schal fynde hem fode / and[^a288] feithfolliche libben .

[^a288: and (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Saue Iacke iogelour / and Ionete of þe stiwes
And daniel dees pleyere / and deno se[^a289] þe baude /
And al-so frere faitour / and folk of þat ordre
Þat lollares and loseles / for lel men halden .

[^a289: deno se (Vc) | denote (P Rc Mc Ac) | denyce (Ec)]

¶ And Robyn þe ribaudour / for his rousty wordes .

¶ For treuthe told me ones / and bad me telle forþor /
deleantur de libro viuencium[^73]
Y scholde nat dele with hem / for holy churche hoteþ
Of hem to aske no tyþe quia cum iustis non scribantur
Þei beon aschape[^a290] good aunter / now god hem amende .

[^a290: aschape (Vc Ac) | ascaped (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^73: The Latin is written to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Dame worche when tyme is / Peres . wyf hihte
His doutur hiht do rith so / or þi dame schal þe bete

¶ His sone hihte suffre / thi souereyns haue here wil
dem hem nat for ȝif þow do / thow schalt dere a-bigge /
Consaille nat þe Comune / þe kyng to displese
Ne hem þat han lawes to loke / lac nat hem[^a291] y hote
Let god worche with al / as holy writ techeþ
super cathedra moysi sedent & cetera .[^74]
Maystres as þe meyres beon / and gret men senatours
What þei comaunde as by þe kyng / countreplede hit neuere /

[^a291: nat hem (Vc Ac) | hem nat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^74: The Latin is written to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Al þat þei hote / y hote heyliche / thow soffre hem .
By here warnyng and worching / worche þow þer-aftur .
om nia qui dicunt facite & seruate .[^75]

[^75: The Latin appears to the right of the previous line, with two virgules in black to separate the & from the word peres in the next line.]

¶ Ac aftur here doynge do þow nauȝt / my dere sone quaþ peres .
For now y am old and hor / and haue of myn owen .
To penaunce and to pilgremages / y wol passe with o þre
For-thi y wol or y wende / do writen my by-quuste .
testamen tum petri p louhman

[The two lines of this gloss are bracketed on the right in red.]

In dei nomine amen . / y make hit my-self
He schal haue my soule / þat al soules made /
And defende hit fro þe feond / and so is my by-leoue .
In[^a292] kirke schal haue my kareyne / and kepe my bones .
For of my corne and catel / he craued my tyþe
Y paied hit prestly / for peril of my soule .

[^a292: In (Vc Ac) | The (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ He is holdynge y hope / to haue me in his masse
And menge me in his memorie / among al cristene

¶ My wif schal haue of þat i wan / with treuthe and no more
And dele hit among my dowtres / and my dere childeren

¶ For thauh y dye þis dai / my dedtes beon quited
Y bar hom þat y borowed / er y to bed ȝeode /

¶ With þe residue and remenaunt / by þe rode of lukes
Y wol worschip þer-with / treuthe al my lyue
And beo a pilegrym atte þe plouh / for profit of poure and riche

¶ Now perkyn . with þe pilgryms / to þe plouh is faren
To eryen his half acre / holpen him menye
Dikers and deluers / dygedoun op þe balkes
Þer-with was perkyn a-paied / and paied wel here huyre

¶ Othere werkmen þer-fore[^a293] / þat wrouhten ful ȝeorne
Eche man in his manere / made him-self to done
And some to plese perkyn . / pykede a-wei þe wedus

[^a293: þer-fore (Vc Ac) | þer were (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ At hy prime Peres / let þe plouh stonde
And ouur-seye hem him-selue / ho-so best wrouhte
He scholde beo huyred þer-aftur / when heruest tyme come

¶ Þenne seten some / and songon at nale
And holpon erye this half acre / with hoy trolilolly .

¶ Quaþ Peres þe plouhman / in al[^a294] pure teone
But ȝe ryse þe rather / and rape ȝou to worche
Schal no greyn þat here groweþ / gladon ȝou at nede
And þauh ȝe die for lack þe deouel haue þat recche

[^a294: in al (Vc Ac) | al in (P Ec) | in a (Rc Mc)]

¶ Þo were faitors a-ferd / and feyned hem blynde .
And leggen[^a295] legges[^a296] a-lery / a s suche lorelles conneþ
And maden here mone to Peres / and for ȝore plouh bothe[^76]
Þat god of his grace / ȝoure grayn multiplie
And ȝelde ȝow of ȝoure almesse / þat ȝe ȝeuen ous here /
We may nouther swynke ne swete / suche syknese ous leth .
We haue no lymes to laboure with / lord god we þonkeþ

[^a295: leggen (Vc Ac) | leyden (P Ec Mc) | ledden (Rc)]

[^a296: legges (Vc Ac) | here legges (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^76: Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the B-verse of this line and the A-verse of the next, making one line out of two (RK.8.130-131).]

¶ Ȝoure preyeres quod peres / and ȝee parfit were
Mihte helpe as y hope / ac hye trewþe wolde
Þat no Faiterie were Founde / in folc þat gon a-begged

¶ Ȝeo beon wastours y wot wel / þat waston and deuoren
Þat lel land tylinge men / lelly by-swynken

¶ Ac truthe schal teche ȝow / his tem fort to dryue
Or ȝeo schul ete barly bred / and of þe brok drynge
But ȝeo beo blynde or brokelegged / or boltot with yren .

¶ Suche poure quatþ Peres / / schullen parten wiþ my goodes
Boþe of my corn and of my clothe / to kepe hem fro defaute .

¶ Ancres and Eremites / þat eten but at nones
And freres þat flateren nat / and pore folk seke
What y and myne / wol fynde hem þat hem neodeþ .

¶ Þenne gan wastour to wrathe / and wolde haue fouhten
And to Peres plouhman / profrede to fihte
And bad him go pisse with his plouh / peuyssche screwe[^a297] .
A brutoner cam braggynge / a-bostete peres al-so
Wol thou ne wol thou / we wol haue our wil
Boþe þi flour and þi fleisch / fecchen wen vs likeþ
And make vs murie þer-myd / maugrey ho by-gruccheþ
Peres þe plouhman þo / pleynede to þe knyt
To kepe him and his catel / as couenaunt was bi-twene hem .
A-wreke me of þes wastours / þat maken þis worlde dere
Thei counte nat of corsyng / ne holy churche dreden

[^a297: screwe (Vc) | schewe (Ac) | shrewe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þer worthe no plente quod peres / / and þe plouh ligge .

¶ Cortesily þe knyht þen / as his kynde askeþ[^a298]
Warnede wastour / and wissede him betere
Or y schal bete þe by þe lawe / and brynge þe in stokkes .

[^a298: askeþ (Vc Ac) | wolde (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ I was nat[^a299][^77] woned to worche quod wastour / y wol not now by-gynne .
And let liht of þe lawe / and lasse of þe knyht
And of peres sette[^a300] at a pese / pleyne him wher he wolde .

[^a299: was nat (Vc) | was (Ac) | was nat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a300: And of peres sette (Vc) | And of Peres (Ac) | And sette Peres (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^77: The additions on this page appear to be scribal, but they are done in a darker ink than the main text.]

¶ Now by crist quod Peres / y schal a-peire ȝow alle
And houped after honger þat herde him at þe furste

¶ Y pray þe quod Peres þo / par charite sir honger
A-wreke me of þes wastours / for þe knyht wol nat

¶ Honger hent in haste / wastour by þe mawe
And wrang him by þe wombe / þat al watered his eyen

¶ He buffated þe brutoner / a-boute þe chekes
Þat he lokede like a lanterne / al his lyf after

¶ He bet hem so boþe / he barst neyh here gottes
Ne had peres with a pese lof / preyed him by-leue

¶ Honger haue mercy on him quod Peres / and let me ȝiue him benes
And þat was bake for bayard / may beo here bote

¶ Þo were faitours a-ferd / and f lowen to Peres bernes
And flabbed[^a301] on with flailles / fro morow til Euene
Þat honger was nat hardy / on hem for to loke
For a pot-fol of patage / þat Peres wif made

[^a301: flabbed (Vc Ac) | flapton (P Rc Mc) | flatten (Ec)]

¶ An hep of Eremites / henten hem spades
Spitten and spradde donge / in despit of hunger .
Thei coruen here copes / and cortepies hem made
And weten[^a302] as werkmen / to wedyng and mowyng
Al for drede of here deth / suche duntes ȝaf honger
Blinde and brokelegged / he bodned[^a303] a þousand
And lame men he lechede / with longes of bestes

[^a302: weten (Vc) | wenten (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a303: bodned (Vc) | betened (Ac) | botened (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Preostes and other people / to Peres þei drowen .
And freres of alle fyue ordres / al for fere of hunger .

¶ For that þat was bake for bayart / was bote for mony hongry
Drosones and dregges / drinke for mony beggares

¶ Þer was no lad þat lyuede / þat ne lowed him to Peres .
To beo his holde hyne / þauh he had no more
But liflode for his labour / and his loue at nones .

¶ Þo was Peres ful proud / and putte hem alle at werke
In daubyng in deluyng / in dong a-feld berynge
In þreshing in þekkynge / in thwytyng of pynnes .
In alle kynne trew craft / þat man couthe dyuyse

¶ Was no beggare so bold / but ȝif he blind were
Þat dorste withsitte þat Peres seyde / for fere of sir honger .
And Peres was proud þer-of / and put hem al to swynke .
And ȝaf hem mete and money / as þei myhte deseruen .

¶ Þo hadde Peres pite / on al poure people
And bad honger in hast / hye him out of Countre
Hom in-to his owne erd / and hald him þer euere
For y am wel a-wreke / of wastours þrow þi myht .

¶ Ac y preye þe quod Peres / honger er þow wende .
Of beggares and byddares / what best beo to done
For y wot wel beo þow went / worche þei wol fol ille

¶ Meschief hit makeþ / þei beon so meoke nowþe
And for defaute þis folk / folwen my hestes .

¶ Hit is noþing for loue / thei laboure thus fast
But for fere of famyn / in faith sayde Peres .

¶ Is no fynal[^a304] loue with þis folk / for alle here faire speche
And hit aren my blody breþeren / for god bouȝte vs alle .

[^a304: fynal (Vc) | fyal (Ac Rc) | fynal (P Ec) | lel (Mc)]

¶ Truthe tauhte me ones / to louy hem echone .
And helpen hem of al thing / ay as hem neodeþ
Now wolde y wyte er thow wentest / what were þe beste
Hou y myhte a-maystren hem / to louy and laboure
For here lyflode / lere me sir honger

¶ Now herkne quaþ honger / and hold hit for a wisdomm
Bolde beggares and bigge / þat mowe here bred by-swynke
With hundesbred hundes bred and horsebred horse bred / hel hem when þei hongren
And a-baue hem with benes / for bollyng of here wombe .
And ȝif þo gromes gruche / byd hem to[^a305] swynke .
And he schal soupe þe swetere / when he hath hit deserued .
Ac if thou fynde eny folk / wham false men han a-peired
Conforte hem myd[^a306] þi catel / for so comaundeþ treuthe
Loue hem and lene hem / so lawe of kunde wolde
alter alterius honera portate .

[^a305: to (Vc Ac) | go (P Ec Rc) | go and (Mc)]

[^a306: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And al manere men / þat þow myht aspie
In meschief or in mal-ese / and þow myhte hem helpe
Loke by þi lyue / let hem nat for-fare
If thow hast won ouȝt wikkedly / wisly dispene hit
Mathei .vj.
Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis .
I wold not greue god quaþ peres / for al þe god on eorthe
Miht y synneles do as thow seist / seyd Peres plouhman . /

¶ Ȝee y bi-hote þe quod honger / or elles þe bible lieþ
Go to oure by-gynnyng / þo god þe worlde made
As wyse men han write[^a307] / and as withnesseþ Genesis .
Þat seith wiþ swynk and with swot / and sweting face .
Bi-tulye and bi-trauaile / trewly oure lyflode .
Genesis . iij
In labore et sudore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo .
And Salamon þe sage / with þe same acordeþ
Þe slowe caytif for colde / wolde no corne tulie
In somour for his sleuthe / he schal haue defaute
And gon a-brybeþ and beggen / and no man bete his hongur
Piger propter frigus noluit arare / mendicabit in yeme & non dabitur ei .

[^a307: write (Vc Ac) | ywryte (P Ec) | wryten (Rc Mc)]

¶ Matheu makeþ mencion / of a man þat lente
His seluer to thre manere men / and menynge þat þei scholde
Chaffare and cheue þer-with / in chele and in hete
And he þat best laborede / best was a-lowed .
And lederes for here laboryng / ouer alle þe lordes godes .
Ac he þat was a wrecche / and wolde nat trauaille
Þe lord for his lachesse / and his luthere slewþe
By-nom him alle þat he hadde / and ȝaf hit to his felawe
Þat lely had y-labored / and þenne þe lord seyde .

¶ He þat hath schal haue / and help þer him likeþ
And he þat nauht naueþ[^a308] / he schal nouȝt haue
And no man ȝut helpe him / and þat he weneþ haue
Y wol hit him by-reue / for his rechelesnesse .

[^a308: naueþ (Vc) | line om. (Ac) | haueþ (P Ec) | hath (Rc Mc)]

¶ Lo what þe sauter seith / to swynkeres wiþ handes
I-blessed beo al þo / þat he by-lyue by-swynken
Þrow eny lel labour / as throw lymes and handes
labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis

¶ Theos aren euidences quod honger / for hem þat wol nat swynkyn .
Þat here lyflode beo lhene / and lutul worþ here clothes

¶ By crist quath peres plouhman . þo / theos prouerbes wol y schewe
To beggares and to boies / þat loth beon to worche
nota

[The nota's form is a musical pun.]

Ac ȝut y pray þe quod Peres / par charite sir honger
If ȝe can or knowe / eny kynne thing of fysik .
for some of my seruans / and my-self boþe
Of al a woke worche nat / so oure wombe groneþ .

¶ Y wot wel quaþ honger / what sekenesse ȝow ayleþ
Ȝe haue manget ouur muche / þat makeþ ȝow by[^a309] seke

[^a309: by (Vc) | be (P Ec Rc Ac) | to be (Mc)]

¶ Ac et nat y hote / er honger þe take /
And send þe of his sauce / to sauere with þi lippes
And kepe som til soper tyme / and sitte nat to longe
At non ne at non tyme / nameliche at sopere .

¶ let nat sir sorfaitht / sitten at þi borde .
And loke þow drynke no day / er thow dyne som-what

¶ Þeynk þat diues for his delicat lyf / to þe deuel wente
And lazar þe lheuene[^a310] beggare / þat longede aftur cromes
And ȝut had he hem nat / for y hongur culde him
And sith y sauh him sitte / as he a syr were
At al manere ese / in abrahammes lappe

[^a310: lheuene (Vc Ac) | lene (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And if þow beo of pouer / Peres y the rede
Al þat gredoun at þi gate / for godes loue aftur fode /
Parte with hem of þin payn / of potage or of souel
Lene him somdel[^a311] of þi lof / þauh thow þe lasse chewe

[^a311: him somdel (Vc Ac) | hem som (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And þauh lieres and lachedrawers / and lollares knocke .
Let hem a-byde til þe bord be drawe / ac bere hem non cromes .
Til al þi neody neihbores / haue none y-maked .
¶ And ȝif thow dyete þe thus / y dar legge myn eres
Þat fysik schal his forrede hodes / for his fode sulle /
And his cloke of calebre / for his comunes legge .
And beo fayn by my faith / his fisik to lete
And lerne laboure myd[^a312] lond / lest liflode him faile .
Þer aren mony luther leches / ac lele leches fewe
Thei don men dye throw here drynkes / er destine hit wolde .

[^a312: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ By seint Paul quaþ Peres[^78] / thow peyntest neih þe trewþe
And lelly seyst as y leoue / lord þe for-ȝeelde
Wend now wher thow wolt / and wel beo thow euere
For thow hast wel a-wroke me / and al-so wel y-tauht me .

[^78: The name is written in display script.]

¶ Y by-hote þe quaþ honger / þat hennes nelle y wende
Er y haue dyned by þis dai / and y-dronke bothe .

¶ I haue no peny quod Peres / polettes fort to bugge
Nother gos nother grys / but two grene cheses
A fewe croddes and creym / and a kake of otes
And bred for my barnes / of benes and of peses
And ȝut y seie bi my saule / y haue no salt bacon .
Nouht a cokeney by crist / colhoppes to make

¶ Ac y haue porettes . plontes / persely and scalones
Chibolles and chireuelles / and chiries sam-rede
And a Cow wiþ a calf / and a cart mare .
To drawe a-feld my donge / þe while drowþe lasteþ

¶ By this liflode we moste lyue / til lammasse tyme
And by that y hope to haue / heruest in my crofte
Þenne may y dihte þi diner / as me dere likeþ

¶ Alle þe pore people tho / peosecoddes fetten
benes and bacon apples / thei brouht in here lappe
And proferede peres þis present / to plese with honger

¶ Honger ette al in haste / and asket aftur more .
Poure folc for fere tho / fedde honger ȝeorne
With creym and with croddes / with carces and othere herbes .

¶ By that hit neihed heruest / and newe corne cam to chepynge
Þenne was þis folc fayn / and fedde honger[^79] deyntouseliche
And gloton tho with good ale / gerte honger slepe /

[^79: The hand that added this <r> may be the same that made the textual changes on 31r.]

¶ Tho wolde wastour not worche / but wandred a-boute
Nother beggare ete bred / þat benes were Inne
But clermatyn and coket / and of clene whete

¶ Þei wolde non halpeny ale / in none wise dr ynke
But of þe beste and brounest / þat þe brewesters sellen .

¶ Laborers þat han non lond / to lyuen on but here handes
Deyned no[^a313] to dyne a day / nyht old wortes .
May no peny ale hem paye / ne a pece of bakon
But hit beo freisch fleisch or fichse / fryed or y-bake .
And þat chaud and pluschaud plus chaud / for chillyng of her mawe /

[^a313: no (Vc) | noght (Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ But he beo hieliche y-huyred / elles wol he chide
Þat he was werman[^a314] y-wrouht / warien þe tyme .
Corteis catones consail / comseþ he by-gruche
Paupertatis honus pacienter ferre memento .

[^a314: werman (Vc Ac) | a werkman (P) | werkman (Er Rc Mc)]

¶ And þenne he corseþ þe kyng / and alle þe kynges Iustices
Suche lawes to lere / labores to greue
Ac while honger was here maistur / wolde non chide
Ne stryue a-ȝenis þe statut / he lokede so sterne
prophecie
Ac y warne ȝow werkmen / wynneþ while ȝe mowe
For honger hiderwardes / hieþ him faste
He schal a-wake throw wature / wastours to chaste
Ar fewe ȝeres beon fulful[^a315] / famyne schal a-ryse
prophecie

[A sweeping line in brown ink connected to this gloss brackets the first four lines on this folio.]

And so seith saturnus / and sente[^a316] to warne

[^a315: fulful (Vc Ac) | fulfeld (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a316: sente (Vc Ac) | sente ȝow (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þrow flodes and foule wederes / fruytes schullen faile
Pruyde and Pestilences / schal muche people fecche .
Þre schupes and a schaft / with an .viii. eight folOyng[^80]
Schul brynge bane and bataille / on boþe half þe mone .
And þenne schal dethe with-drawe / and deorþe be iustice
And dawe þe deluare / deye for defaute
But ȝif god of his godenesse / graunte vs a trewe /

[^80: The capital <O> indicates that the scribe might have misparsed the word as fol Oyng.]

Hic explicit passus nonus /

Incipit passus decimus / [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

T Reuthe herde telle her-of / and to Peres sente
To taken his teome / and tulye þe eorthe
And porchased him a pardoun / a pena et a culpa .
For him and for his heires / for euere to be assoiled
And bad hald him at tom / and erien his leyes .
And al þat hulpe him to erie / to setten or sowe[^a317]
Or maner[^a318] muster / þat miht peres a-vaile .
Pardon wiþ Peres plouhma n / perpetual he graunteþ

[^a317: sowe (Vc Ac) | to sowe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a318: maner (Vc Ac) | eny manere (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Kynges and knyhtes / þat holy churge[^a319] defenden[^81]
And rithfulliche in reomes / ruelen þe Comune
Han pardon throw purgatorie / to passe ful lithly
With Patriarches and prophites / in paradis to sitte

[^a319: churge (Vc) | churche (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^81: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ Bischopes y-blessed / if thei beon as þei scholde

¶ lele and fol of loue / and no lord dreden .

¶ Merciable to meoke / and mylde to þe goode

¶ And bytynge on bad men but if þei wol amende .

¶ And drede[^a320] drede nat for no deth / to destruye by her power
Lecherie a-mong lordes / and here luthure custumes
And sithen lyuen as thei lereþ men / oure lord treuthe hem graunteþ
To beo Peres to apostles / al people to rule
And deme with hem at domesday / boþe quike and dede

[^a320: drede (Vc Ac) | dredeþ (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Marchans in þe margine / hadden mony ȝeres
Ac a pena et a culpa / treuthe nolde hem graunte .
For þei holden nat here halidaies / as holy churche techeþ
And for þei swere by here saule / and so god mote hem helpe
A-ȝeins clene Concience / for couetyse of wynnyng .

¶ Ac vndur his secre seal / treuthe sent him a lettre
Þat bad him bugge baldely / what him best liked
And sithen sellen hit a-ȝeyn / and saue þe wynnynges

¶ Amendon meson dieux þer -wiþ / and meseise men fynde
And wikkede weies / with here good amende .
And brugges to-broke / by þe hye weyes .
Amenden in som manere wyse / and maydenes helpen
Poure people bederedene / and prysones in stokkes
Fynde hem for godes loue / and fauntekyns to scole

¶ Releue religioun / and reten re[n]ten hem betere

¶ And[^a321] schal sende ȝow my-seelf / seynt Mihel my angel
Þat no deuel schal ȝoure[^a322] dere / ne despeire ȝow in ȝour in ȝoure in ȝoure doynge .
And sende ȝoure soules / þer y my-self dwelle
And ther a-byde body and soule / in blisse for euere /

[^a321: And (Vc Ac) | And y (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a322: ȝoure (Vc) | ȝow (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þo weren Marchans murye / som wepten for ioye .
And preyde for Peres plouhman / þat purchased hem þis bulle

¶ Al þe people hadde pardon y-nouh / þat parfitliche lyuedenn

¶ Men of lawe hadden lest / þat lothe were to plede
But thei per manibus were payed / for pledyng atte þe barre .

¶ Ac he þat speneþ his speche / and spekeþ for þe pore
Þat Innocent and neody is / and no man harm wolde
Þat confort suche in eny caas / and coueyt nat here ȝiftes
And for þe loue of oure lord / lawe for hem declareþ /
Schal haue grace of good y-nouh / and a gret ioye aftur .

¶ Beoþ y-war ȝe wyse men / and wytty of þe lawe
For wan ȝe drawen to þe deþ / and indulce indul[gen]ce wold haue
His pardoun is ful petit / at his partyng hennes /
Þat mede of mene men / for here motyng takeþ .

¶ For hit is symonie to sulle / þat send is of grace
That is wit and watur / wynd and fuyr þe feorthe
Theos foure scholden be free / to al folk þat hit neodeþ .

¶ Al libbyng laborers / þat lyuen with here handes
Lellyche and lauhfolliche / oure lord treuthe hem graunteþ
Pardon perpetuel / rith as peres plouhman .
Beggares and biddares / beoþ nat in þat bulle
But þe sugestion beo good[^a323] / þat schapeþ hem to begge .

[^a323: good (Vc Ac) | soth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For heo[^a324] þat beggeþ or biddeþ / but if þei haue neode
He is fals and faitour / and defraudeþ þe neody /
And al-so gileth him þat gyueþ / and takeþ a-gayns his wil .

[^a324: heo (Vc) | he (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For he þat gyueþ for godes loue / wolde nat gyue his þankes
But ther he wiste hit were / wel gret neod to gyuen
And most meritorie to men / þat he ȝeeueþ fore

¶ Catoun . acordeþ þerwith / cui des videto /

¶ Wot no man as y wene / wo is worþi to haue
Þe most neody aren oure neihborus / and we nym good hede
As prysones in puttes / and pore folk in cotes
Charget with childeren / and chief lordes rente /
Þat þei with spynnyng may spare / spenen hit in houshuyre hous huyre
Bothe in mylk and in meole / to make with papelotes
To a-gloty with here gerles / þat gredon aftur fode .

¶ And al-so hem-selue / suffren muche hongur
And wo in wyntur tyme / with wakyng a nyhtes
To rise to þe ruel / to rokke þe cradel
Boþe to carde and to kembe / to clouton and to waische
To roube to reole / rusches to pilie /
Þat reuthe is to rede / or in ryme schewe .
Þe woo of þes wemmen / þat wonieþ in cotes .

¶ And of mony other men / þat muche wo soffren
Boþe a-fyngret and a-furst / to turne þe faire outward
And beoþ a-baisched for to begge / and wol nat beo a-knowe
What hem neodeþ at here neihbors / at noen and at euen

¶ This y wot witturly / as þe world techeþ
What oþer by-houeþ / þat hath mony children
And hath no catel but his craft / to cloþe him and to feede
And fele to fong þer-to / and fewe pans takeþ .
ther is payn and peny ale / as for a pitaunce take
Colde fleisch and cold fiche / for venison y-bake .
Frydais and fastyng-dais / a ferþing-worþ of muscles
Were a fest for suche folc / or so fele cokkes /

¶ These were almesse to helpe / þat han suche charges
And to conforte suche cotyers / and croked menne and blinde .

¶ Ac beggares wiþ bagges / þe wuche brewhouses beon her churches
But þei beo blind or to-broke / or elles beo syke
Þ auh he fal for defaute / þat faiteþ for his liflode /
Reccheþ neuere ȝe riche / þauh suche lorelles steruen .
For alle þat han here hele / and here eyen sihte
And lymes to laboure wiþ / and lollares lif vsen . /
Lyuen a-ȝeyns godes lawe / and lore of holy churche .

¶ And ȝut ar þer oþer beggares / in hele as hit semeþ
Ac hem wanteþ here wit / men and wommen boþe
Þe wuche aren lunatik lollares / and lheperes a-boute
And madden as þe mone sit / more oþer lasse .
Þei caren for no cold / ne counton of non hete
And aren meouyng aftur þe mone / moneyles þei walke
With a good wil witlees / mony wyde contreys .

¶ Riht as petur . dud and Paul . / saue þat þei preched nat
Ne myracles maken / ac mony tyme hem happeþ /
To prophecien of þe people / pleying as hit were /

¶ And to oure siht as hit semeþ / suþe god hath þe myhte
To ȝeuen eche a whit wit / welthe and his hele .
And soffreth suche so gon / hit semeþ to myn Inwit
Hit aren as his aposteles suche people / or ar his priue disciples
¶ For he sent hem forthe seluurles / in a somur garnement
With-ouȝte bred and bagge / as þe bok telleþ .
Quando misi vos sine pane et Pera .
¶ Barfot and bredeles / beggeþ thei of no man
And þauh he mete with þe meyre / in myddes þe strete
He reuerenceþ him riht nauht / no rather þan a-nother
=
Neminem salutaueritis per uiam .

¶ Suche manere of men / Matheu vs techeþ
We scholde haue hem to house / and helpe wen þei come
Et egenos vagos induc in domum tuam .
For hit aren murie mouthed men / ministralles of heuene
And godes boyes bordiours / as þe boke telleþ
prima ad corynthios
Si quis videtur sapiens / fiet stultus vt sit sapiens .

¶ And alle manere ministralles / men wot wel þe soþe
To vndurfonge hem faire / by-falleþ for þe riche
For þe lordes loue or ladies / þat þei with lengen
Men soffren al þat suche seyn / and in solas taken .
And ȝut more to suche / men doth er þei passe
Gyuen hem giftes and goold / for grete lordes sake .
Riht so ȝe riche / rather ȝe scholde for sothe
Welcomen and worschipon / and with ȝoure gold helpen
Godes ministralles and his messagers / and his murie bordiours
Wuche[^a325] aren Lunatik lollares / and lhepers a-boute
For vndur godes secre seal / here synnes beon y-keuered .

[^a325: Wuche (Vc Ac) | The whiche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For þei bere no bagges / ne botelles vndur clokes
Þe wuche is lollaren lyf / and lewede Ermites
Þat loken ful louhliche / to lacchen mennes almes
In hope to sitte at euen / by the hote coles

¶ Vn-louke his legges a-brod / or ligge at his ese
Reste him and rost him / and his rugge turne
drinke drue and deope / and drawe him þenne to bedde
And when him likeþ and lust / his leue is to a-ryse

¶ When he is rysen romeþ out / and riht wel aspieþ
War he may rathest haue a repast / or a rond a[^a326] bakon .
Suluer os o[r] sode mete / and som-tyme bothe
A lof oþer half lof / or a lompe of chese
And carieþ hit hom to his cote / and cast him to lyue
In ydulnesse and ese / and by otheres trauail

[^a326: a (Vc) | of (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And what freke of this folde / fiskeþ þus a-boute
With a bag at his bac / a begeneldes wyse
And can som manere craft / in cas he wolde hit vse
Throw wuche craft he couthe come / to bred and to ale
And ouer-more to an hater / to hely with his bonus
And liueþ like a lollere / godes lawes[^a327] him dampneþ .

[^a327: lawes (Vc Ac) | lawe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Lollares lyuynge in sleuthe / and ouur lond strikares
Beoþ nat in this bulle quaþ Peres / til þey ben amended
Nother beggares þat beggon / but ȝif þei haue neode .

¶ Þe boke blameþ al beggarie / and banneþ in þis manere
Iunior fui etenim senui et alibi / Infirmata est virtus mea paupertate

¶ Hit neodeþ nat nowþe / a-non for to preche
And lere thus[^a328] lewede men / what þis latyn meneþ
For hit blameþ alle beggerie / beo ȝeo ful certayn

[^a328: thus (Vc Ac) | this (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For þey lyue in none loue / no lawe þei holden .
Þei wedde non wommen / þat þei with delon
Bryngeþ forthe bastardes / beggares of kynde
Or þe bak or som bo n / þei breke of here children
And gon faitynge with here fauntes / for euere-more after

¶ Þer aren mo mischapene / among suche beggares
Þan of eny oþer men / þat on þis molde walken

¶ Tho þat lyuen þus here lyf / leoue ȝe non noþer
Þei han no part of pardoun / of preyeres ne of penaunces

¶ Ac olde men and hore / þat helpeles beoþ and neody

¶ And wommen with childe / þat worche ne mowen .

¶ Blind men and bedredene / and broken in here membres /

And al pour pacient / a-payd of godes sonde

¶ As meseles and mendinauns / men y-falle in meschief

¶ As prysones and pilgrims / parauntur men y-robbed

¶ Or by-low þrow luþer men / and lost here catel aftur

¶ Or throw fuyr or þrow flod / falle to pouerte /

¶ Þat takeþ þes meschiefs meokliche / and mildeliche at herte /
For loue of here lowe hertes / oure lord hath hem graunted
Here penaunce and here purgatorie / vpon þis poure eerthe
And pardoun myd[^a329] Peres plouhman / a pena et a culpa .
//
Ac Ermites þat enhabiten / by þe hye weyes
And in borghs a-mong brewstars / & beggyng in churches
Al þat holy Erymites / hateden and dispisede
As richesse and reuerences / and al[^a330] riche mennes almes /
//
Theos lolleres lachedrawers / lewede Eremites
Coueiton þe contrarie / as cotyers þei libben

[^a329: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a330: and al (Vc Ac) | and (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For hit beoþ bot boies / bolleres at þe nale
Of linage ne of lettrure / ne lyf-holy as eremites
Þat wonedon whilom in wodes / with beros[^a331] and Lyons .

[^a331: beros (Vc) | beres (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Som hadden lyflode of here linage / and of no lif elles .

¶ And somme lyuede by here lettrure / and labour of her hondes

¶ Somme hadde foreyns to frendes / þat hem fode sente .

¶ And bryddes brouht to som bred / wer-by thei lyueden .

¶ Al theos holy Eremites / were of hye kynne /
For-sok lond and lordschip / and likynges of body .

¶ Ac thus[^a332] Ermytes þat edifien thus / by þe hye weyes
Whilom were werkmen / webbus and taillors
And carteres knaues / and clerkes with-out grace
Heoldon ful hongry hous / and hadde muche defaute
Long labour and litul wynnyng / and at þe last aspidoun
Þat faitours in Freres cloþinge / hadde fatte chekes /
For-þi lefte þei her labour / theos lewede knaues
And clothede hem in copes / clerkes as hit were
Or on of som ordre / or elles a prophete

[^a332: thus (Vc Ac) | thise (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ A-ȝeyns þe lawe he lyuyeþ / ȝif latyn beo trewe
Non licet uobis legem voluntati / sed voluntatem coniungere legi .
Now kyndeliche by crist / beoþ suche calde lollares
As by englis of oures[^a333] eldres / of old menne techyng .
He þat lolleþ is lame / or his legge ouȝt of ioynte
Or maymed in som membre / for to meschief hit soneþ
And riht so sothly / suche manere Ermytes
Lollen a-ȝeyn þe by-leoue / and lawe of holychurche
For holy churche hoteþ / al manere people
Vndur obedience fort[^a334] beo / and boxom to þe lawe

[^a333: oures (Vc) | oure (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a334: fort (Vc) | for to (Ac) | to (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Furst religious of religion / here rewle to holde
And vndur obedience to beo / by dayes and by nyhtes
Lewede men to labory / lordes to honte
In frythes and in forestes / for fox and oþer bestes
Þat in wilde wode beon / and in wast places
As wolues þat worieþ men / wommen and children
And vpon sonedayes to cese / godes seruice to here
Boþe matyns and masse / and aftur mete in churches
To here here euesonge / euery man ouhte
Þus hit longeþ for lord / for lered and lewed
Eche holyday to hure / holly þe seruice .
Vigilies and fastyngdais / forþer-more to knowe
And folfulle þo fastinges / but infirmite hit made
Pouerte oþer oþur penaunce / as pilgremages & trauailes

¶ Vndur theos obedience / are we echone .
Ho-so brekeþ þis beo wel war / but ȝif he repente
Amenden him and mercy aske / and meokliche him schryue
Y dred me and he dye / hit worþ for dedly synne
A-countet by-fore crist / but concience excuse him .
Loke now wher theos lollares / and lewede Ermites
If þei breke þis obedience / þat beon so fro churche
Wher seo we hem on sonedays / þe seruice to hure
As Matyns by þe morwe / tyl masse by-gonne[^a335]
Os O[r] sonedays at Euesonge / seo we wel fewe
Or labory for his[^a336] liflode / as þe lawe wolde
Ac at mydday mel tyme / y mete with hem ofte
Comyng in a cope / as he a clerk were
A bachelere or a beupere / best him by-semeþ

[^a335: by-gonne (Vc) | beo bygonne (Ac) | bygynne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a336: his (Vc Ac) | oure (P) | here (Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And for þe cloþ þat keuereþ him / cald is he a Frere
Waisscheþ and wypeþ / and with þe furst sitteþ .

¶ Ac þe[^a337] while he wrouht in þis world / and wan his mete wiþ treuthe
He sat atte þe syde benche / at þe secunde table
Cam no wyn in his wombe / throw þe wuke longe
Nother blanket in his bedde / ne whit bred to-fore[^a338] him .
Þe cause al of[^a339] þis caytif / comeþ of mony bischopes
Þat soffren suche sottes / and other synnes regne

[^a337: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a338: to-fore (Vc Ac) | byfore (P Ec) | to coumfourt (Rc) | biforen (Mc)]

[^a339: al of (Vc Ac) | of al (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Certes ho-so durste segge[^a340] / Symon quasi dormit
Vigilare wer fairor / for thow hast gret charge
For mony waker wolues / beon y-broke[^a341] in-to þi foldes
thyne beorkares beoþ al blynde / þat bryngen forthe þi lambren
dispergentur oues / thy dogge dar nat beorke .

[^a340: segge (Vc Ac) | hit segge (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a341: y-broke (Vc Ac) | broke (P Ec Mc) | broken (Rc)]

¶ Þe tarre is vntydy / þat to þyn schepe by-longeþ
Here salue is of supersedeas / in sompnours boxes
Thyne schep beoþ[^a342][^82] al schabbed / þe wolf sch et[^a343][^83] wolle
Sub molle pastore[^84]
How hurde wher is þin hound / and þin hardy heorte
Fort to wyrie þe wolf / þat þi wolle fowleþ .
Y leoue for þi lachesse / thou leost mony weþeres
And fol mony feir flus / falsliche[^a344] waische
When þi lord lokeþ to haue / alowaunce of his bestes
And of þe money thou haddest þer-myd / his meoble to saue /
And þe wolle worthe weyed[^a345] / wo is þe þenne
Redde racionem villicacionis . or in a-rerage falle
Thin hure hurde as y hope / haþ nat to quite þi dete
Ther as mede ne mercy / maynot may not a myte vaile[^a346] .
But haue this for þat / þo þat þow toke
Mercy for mede / and my lawe breke
Loke now for þi lachesse / weþer lawe wol þe graunte /
Purgatorie for þi paye / or perpetuel helle
For schal no pardon pray for ȝow þar / noþer prynces lettres

[^a342: om. (Vc) | neuere (Ac) | ner (P Rc) | almoste (Ec) | neiȝ (Mc)]

[^a343: sch et (Vc) | shyt (Ac Rc) | shiteþ (P Ec) | schent (Mc)]

[^a344: falsliche (Vc) | falliche (Ac) | falsliche (P Ec Mc) | walslich (Rc)]

[^a345: weyed (Vc) | weye (P Ac) | ywey (Ec) | wayen (Rc) | iweied (Mc)]

[^a346: vaile (Vc Ac) | availle (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^82: Vc and Ac's neuere likely results from a mistaken interpretation of ner as an abbreviation.]

[^83: The intended meaning of the non-scribal alteration is not entirely clear; schet may be a form of sheten, "to hasten" or "to shoot." The operative force in the alteration may not have been sense so much as delicacy (see Vc.15.46, where the same hand alters strompet to woman.]

[^84: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. Pastore is written on a separate line with a bracket connecting it to molle.]

¶ Pers quath a preost þo / thi pardoun most y rede
Y con not[^a347] construe eche a word / and kenhit ken hit þe in englische
And peres at his preyere / þe pardon f[^85] vnfolded
And y bi-hynde hem boþe / bi-heold al þe bulle
In to lynes hit lay / and no lettre more
And was whrite riht þus / in withnesse of treuthe
Qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam qui vero mala in ignem eternam .
Petur quath this[^a348] preost þo / y can no pardoun fynde .
But do wel and haue wel / and god schal haue þi saule .
do euul and haue euul / and hope thow non oþur
But he þat euul lyueþ / vuele schal ende .
Þe Preost thus and perkyn / of þe pardon iangled
Throw here wordes y a-wok / and waiteted a-boute
And seyh þe sonne in þe souht[^a349] / sitte þat tyme
Meteles and moneyles / on maluernes hulles

[^a347: not (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a348: this (Vc Ac) | the (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a349: souht (Vc Ac) | southe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^85: The <f> seems to be a mistake, though it is not cancelled.]

¶ Musyng in þis meteles / a myle wey y ȝeode
And meny tyme þis meteles / made me to studie

¶ Of þat y seih sclepyng / ȝif hit so beo myhte

¶ And of Pers plouhman . pensif in herte
And wuche a pardoun Pers hadde / þe poeple to gladoun
And hou þe preost Inpugned hit / throw two propre . wordes

¶ Ac Men sette nat by songewarie / men seo hit oft faille
Caton count[^a350] hit at nauht / and cononistres[^a351] at lasse
Ac for þe bok þe[^a352] bible / bereþ good witnesse
How Daniel . Dyuynede / and vndude þe dremeles
Of kyng Nabugodonosor / þat no peer hadde /
And sith aftur to his sones / seyde hem what þei þouhte

[^a350: count (Vc Ac) | counteth (P Ec Rc) | acounteþ (Mc)]

[^a351: cononistres (Vc Ac) | Canonistres (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a352: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And ioseph mette merueillousliche / how þe mone and þe sonne
And elleue sterres / hailsede him alle

¶ Þenne Iacob iugede / Iosephs sweuene
B eau fitz quaþ þe fadur / we schul for defaute
I my-self and my sones / seche þe for neode
Hit by-ful as þe fadur seyde / in pharao his tyme
Þat Ioseph was iustice / Egypte to saue
His elleue breþeren / him for neode souhte
And his fader Iacob / an[^a353] al-so his dame
Al this makeþ me / on meteles to studie .
And how þe preost preoued / no pardon to dowel
And demede þat dowel / Indulgenses passet
Byanals and triannals / and bysschopes lettres

[^a353: an (Vc) | and (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For ho-so doþ wel here / at þe day of dome
Worþ faire vndurfonge / by-fore god þat tyme

¶ So dowel passeþ pardoun / and pilgrimages to Rome
¶ Ȝut hath þe pope power / pardon to graunte
To people with-oute penaunce / to passen in-to ioye
As lettred men vs lereþ / and lawe of holychurche
Quodcumque ligaueris super terram / erit ligatum & in celis
And so y by-leoue lelly / lord for-bode elles
Þan[^a354] pardon and penaunce / and preyeres don saue
Saules þat han y-syneged / seue sythes dedly .

[^a354: Þan (Vc Ac) | That (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac to tristen vpon trianals / trewly me þenkeþ
Is nat so syker for þe saule / certes as is Dowel

¶ For-þi y rede ȝow renkes / þat riche beon on þis eorthe
Vp trist vp[^a355] ȝour tresour / triennals to haue
Beo ȝe neuere þe boldere / to breke þe ten hestes .

[^a355: vp (Vc Ac) | of (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And nameliche ȝe maystres / meires and iuges
Þat han þe welþe of þis worlde / and wyse men beon holden .
To purchace ȝow pardoun and þe popes bulles .

¶ At þe dredful day of dome / when dede men schul ryse
And comen al by-fore crist / a-countes to ȝeelde
How we ladde oure lyf here / and his lawe kepte
And how we dud day by day / þe dom wol reherse

¶ A poke ful of pardon þere / ne prouincials lettres
Þauh he beo founde in fraternite / of alle þe fyue ordres
And haue Indulgences dowbulfold / but dowel vs helpe
I sette by pardoun nat a pese / noþur a pye hele
For-þi y counseil al cristene / to cry god mercy
And marie his moder / beo oure mene to hym .
Þat god ȝif vs grace her er we go hennes
Suche werkes to worche / whil we beon here
Þat aftur our deþ day / dowel reherse /
At þe day of dome / we dude as he tauhte . Amen /

Hic Explicit visio williami de Petro plouhman .[^86]

[^86: Vc.10.357: The Hic is written in the left margin and intended to serve for the opening of both explicit and incipit. A red bracket connects the explicit and implicit on the right as well.]

Incipit visio eiusdem Williami de dowel [Vc.11.000: The Hic is shared by both explicit and incipit.]

sin nota

[The nota is placed within the capital <T>.]

T Hus Robed in russet / y romed a-boute
al a somur seson / for to seke dowel
And Fraynede fol ofte / of folc þat y mette
If eny white wiste / wer dowel was at Inne
And what mat ma[n] he myht beo / of mony man y asket

¶ Was neuere white in þis worlde / þat wisse me cowþe
Wher þat he lengede / lasse ne more .
¶ Til hit by-fel on a fry-day / two freres y mette
Maystres of þe menours men of grete witte .
I hailsede hem hendely / as y had lered
And preyed par charite / ar thei passed forther
If þei knew eny contrey / or costes a-boute
Wher þat dowel dwelleþ / dere frendes telleþ me .

¶ For ȝe ar men of þis molde / þat most wilde walken /
And knowen contreis and cortes / and mony kyne places
Boþe Princes paleis / and pore menne cotes
And dowel and do-euele / where þei dwellen boþe .

¶ Sothly seide þe frere / he soiorneþ with vs Freres
And ay hath as y hope / and wol her-after

¶ Contra quaþ y as a clerk / and comsed to dispute
And seyde sothly Sepcies / indie in die cadet iustus
Fallyng for[^a356] ioye ihesus / wot þe sothe /
Seuene sythe say[^a357] þe boke / synegeþ day by daye
Þe alther rihtfullokest renk / þat regneþ vpon erthe .
And ho-so synegeþ y seyde / certes doþ nat wel .
For ho-so synegeþ / sykurly doþ euele /
And dowel and do-euul / may not dwelle to-gederes
Ergo he is nat al-way / at hom a-mong ȝow Freres
He is vm-while elles-wher / to wysse þe people .
I schal sey þe my sone / seide þe Frere þenne
How seuene sythes þe sad man / synegeþ on þe daye
By-for bysene[^a358] quath þe frere / y schal þe faire schewe

[^a356: for (Vc Ac) | fro (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a357: say (Vc) | sayth (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a358: By-for bysene (Vc Ac) | By a forbisene (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ let brynge a mon in a bot / in myddes a brod watur
Þe wynd and þe watur / and waggyng of þe bote
He bendeþ and boweþ / þe body is vnstable
Ac ȝut he is saf and sound / so fareth hit by þe rithfol
Þan he falle he falleþ not / but as ho fulle in a bot
Þat ay is saf and sound / þat sitte wiþ-in þe borde

¶ So hit fareþ quaþ þe frere / by rithful mannes fallynge
Þauh he þrow fondynge falle / he falleþ nat out of charite
So dedly synne doþ he nat / for dowel him helpeþ .

¶ Þe watur is likned to þe worlde / þat wanyeþ and wexeþ
Þee goodes of þis grounde / ar like to gret wawes
As wyndes and wederes / walwen a-boute
Þe bot is likned to oure body / þat brutul is of kunde
Þat throw þe feond and oure fleisch / and þis frele worlde
Synegeþ sene[^87] sythes / þe saddest mon an eorthe
And lyef-holyest of lyf / þat lyuieth[^a359] vndur sonne

[^a359: lyuieth (Vc) | lyueth (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^87: Both seue and sene are possible here.]

¶ Ac fre wil and freo wit / folweþ a mon euere
To repenten and a-ryse / and rowen out of synne
To contricion to confession / til he come to his ende /

¶ Rather haue we no reste / til we restitue
Oure lyf to oure lord god / for oure licames gultes .

¶ Y haue no kynde knowyng quath y / to conceyue al þis speche
Ac if y may lyue and loke / y schal go lerne betere

¶ Y by-kenne þe crist quod he / þat on þe crois dyede
And y seyde þe same / saue ȝow fro myschaunce
And gyf me grace on this grount / wiþ good ende dye[^a360] .

[^a360: dye (Vc Ac) | to deye (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ I went forþ wyde-where / walkyng myn one
In a wilde wildernesse / by a wode syde
Blisse of þe briddes / a-byde me made
And vndur lynde in a laund / lenede y a stounde
To lythen here layes / and here louely notes .
Murthe of here murye notes[^a361] / made me to slepe
And merueylously me mette / amyddes al that blisse .

[^a361: notes (Vc Ac) | mouthes (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ A muche man me þouhte / lyke to me-selue
Cam and callede me / by my riht name

¶ What art þow quaþ y / þat my name knowest
That wost þow Wille quod he / and no whit betere

¶ Wot y quaþ y ho ert þow / thou ht seyde he þenne
I haue sewede þe þis seuene ȝer / sey þow me no rather
Ert þow þouht quath y þo / thow couthest me wisse
Wher þat dowel dwelleþ / and do me to knowe
Do-wel . and dobet quaþ he / and dobest / þe þrydde
Beoþ þre fayre vertues / and beoþ nat fer to fynde .
Wo-so is trewe of his tonge / and of his two handes

¶ And þrow lel labour lyueþ / and loueþ his emcristene
And þer-to trewe of his tail / and halt wel his handes
Nat dronkelew ne deynous / dowel him foloweþ
Dobet al this doþ[^a362] / ac ȝut he doþ more
He is lowe as a lomb / and loueliche of speche

[^a362: al this doþ (Vc Ac) | doth al this (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And helpoþ hertly al men / of that he may as-spare
Þe bagges and þe bygurdeles / he hath to-broke hem alle
Þat þe eorl auerous / held and his heyres
And of Mammonaes monye / mad hem mony frendes /
And his ronne in-to religion / and rendreþ his bible
And precheþ to þe people / seint powles wordes
Libenter suffertis incypientes /
Ȝe worldliche wyse / vnwyse þat ȝe soffre
Lene hem and loue hem / this latyn is to mene /

¶ Dobest bere scholde / þe byschope croce
And halye with þe hoked ende / ille men to goode
And with þe pyke putte a-don . / preuaricatores legis .

¶[^88] Lordes þat lyuien[^a363] as hem lust / and no lawe a-conten .

[^a363: lyuien (Vc) | lyuen (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^88: This paraph marker is of an unusual form.]

¶ For here mok and for here meoble / suche men þhynkyn[^a364]
Þat no bysschop scholde / here byddyng with-sitte .

[^a364: þhynkyn (Vc) | thenketh (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ac Dobest sholde nat drede hem / but do as god hihte
Nolite timere eos qui possunt occidere corpus & cetera .
Þus . dowel . and . dobet dyuynede a . dobest .
And cronede on to beo a kyng / to kulle wiþ-oute synne
Þat wolde nat don as . Dobest . dyuynede and tauhte

¶ Thus dowel and dobet / and dobest þe þridde
Cronet on to beo a kyng / and kepon vs alle
And rewle al reomes / by here þre wyttes /
But oþer-wyse ne elles nat / but as þei þre assented .

¶ Y þonkede þouht þo / þat he me so tauhte
Ȝut sauereþ me nat þi sawe quod y / so me crist spede
A more kynde knowyng / coueyte y to here
Of dowel . and of dobet / and ho doþ best of alle

¶ But wit wol þe wisse quod thowt / wer þo þre dwellen
Elles know y non þat can / in non kynne-riche

¶ Þouht and y þus þre dayes / to-gederes we ȝeoden[^89]
disputyng vpon dowel / day aftur oþur
And er we wer war / wiþ wit gan we mete

[^89: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ He was long and lene / like to non oþer
Was no pruyde in his a-parail / ne pouerte noþur
Sad of his semblaund / with a softe speche /
I durst meue no matere / to maken him to Iangle
But as y bad thout . þo / beo mene by-twene
And putte forth som porpos / to preouen his wittes /
What dowel was fro dobet and dobest fro hem boþe /
Þenne þouht in þat tyme / seyde thus[^a365] wordes
Whar dowel and dobet / and dobest beon in londe /
Here is on wolde wite / ȝif wit couthe teche
And wat lyues þei lyuen / and[^a366] lawe þei vsen
What þei drede and douton / dere sire telleþ .
Syre dowel dwelleþ quath wit not a day hennes
In a castel þat kynde made / of foure kyne þynges
Of eorþe / of air / hit is mad / medlet to-gederes /
Wiþ wynd / and with watur / wytteliche enioyned .

[^a365: thus (Vc Ac) | this (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a366: and (Vc Ac) | and what (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Kynde hath closed þer-ynne / crafteliche with-alle
A Lemm an þat[^a367] loueþ wel / lyke to him-selue
Anima scheo het / to heore hath enuye
A proud prikare of Fraunce princeps huius mundi
And wolde wyn heore a-way / with whyles ȝif he myhte

[^a367: þat (Vc Ac) | þat he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And kynde knoweþ þis wel / and kepuþ here betere[^a368]
And don here with sir / Dowel duk of þis marches
dobet is heore damesele / sire doweles douhter
To serue þat lady lelly / bothe late and rathe

[^a368: betere (Vc Ac) | þe betere (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ dobest is a-boue bothe / a buschopes pere
And by his leryng is ladde / þik[^a369] lady anima .

[^a369: þik (Vc) | þat ilke (P Rc) | þat (Ec) | þulke (Mc Ac)]

¶ Þe conestable of þat castel / þat kepeþ hem alle
Is a wys knyht wiþ-al / sire Inwit he hatte
And hath fyue faire sones / by his furst wyue

¶ Sire seo wel sir s ey wel / sir hure wel þe hende
Sir worch wel . wiþ þin hand / a whit man of strenþe
And sir good faith go wel / gret lordes alle

¶ These fyue beon set / fort to saue Anima
Til kynde come or sende / and kepe heore him-selue

¶ What lynes [k]ynes þing is kunde quaþ y / canst þow me telle
Kynde is creatour quaþ wit / of kyne þinges
Fadur and formour / of al þat forþ groweþ
Þe wuche is god grettest / þat gynnynge had neuere
Lord of lyf and of liht / of lisse and of payne
Angelus and al þing / aren at his wille

¶ Man is him most lyke / of membres and face
And semblabe semblab[l]e in soule to god / but ȝif synne hit make

¶ And as þou sykst þe sonne / som-tyme for cloudes
May not schyne ne schewe / on schalkes in eorthe /
Riht so letteþ lecherie / and oþur luther synnes
Þat god seweþ nat synfolmen synfol men / and suffreþ hem mysfare

¶ As som hongeþ hem-selue / and oþer-while a-drencheþ .
God wol nat of hem wyte / but leteþ hem y-worþe
As þe sauter seyeþ / by suche synful schrewes .
Et dimisi eos secundum desiderium eorum /

¶ Loke suche luthur men / lome beon riche

[This erased hand points toward the text on the facing page.]

Of gold and of other good / ac godes grace hem failleþ

¶ For þei loueþ and bileeueþ / al here lif-tyme
More on catel þan on kynde / þat al kynnes[^a370] þinges wrouhte
Þe wuche is boþe loue and lyf / and lasteþ with-outen ende

[^a370: kynnes (Vc Ac) | kyne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Inwit and alle wittes / closed beoþ þer-inne
Bi loue and by leaute / þe by[^a371] lyueþ Anima
And lyf lyueþ by Inwit / and leringe of kunde

[^a371: þe by (Vc) | þeby corrected (Ac) | þerby (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Inwit is in þe hed / and Anima in þe herte
And muche wo worchen[^a372] hym / þat Inwit myspeneþ
For þat is godes owne goode / his grace and his tresour
Þat mony lede leoseþ / throw likerouse drynke .
As Lot dude and Noe / and Herodes þe daffe
Ȝaf his dowter for a daunsyng / in a disch þe heued
Of þe blessed / Baptist / by-fore al his gyftes
¶ Euery man þat hath Inwit / and his hele Bothe
Haþ tresour y-now in trewþe / to fynde wiþ him-selue .

[^a372: worchen (Vc) | wrothen "rot" over erasure in another hand (Ac) | worth (P Ec) | worcheþ (Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac Fauntekyns and foles / þe wuche fawten Inwit
Freondes schul fynde hem / and fro folye kepe
And holychurche help to / so scholde no mon begge
Ne spille speche ne tyme / ne myspende nother
Meoble ne vnmeoble / mete nowþer drynke .

¶ And þenne dude we al wel / and ȝut wel bet to louye
Oure enymys entierly / and helpe hem at here neode .

¶ And ȝut were best to beo a-boute / and brynge hit to hepe
Þat al londes loueden / and in o lawe by-leouede

¶ Bysschopes scholde be here a-boute / and brynge þis to hepe
Fort to lese þer-fore here lond / and here lyf after

¶ Þe catel þat cryst hadde / þre clothes hit were
Þer-of was he ryfled / and robbed er he dyede
Aftur þat he lese his lyfe / for lawe scholde loue wexe

¶ Prelates and preostes / and prynces of holychurche
Scholden doute non dethe / noþur deore ȝeeres
To wendon as wyde / as þe worlde were /
To tulyen þe orthe wiþ tonge / and teche men to louye

¶ For ho-so loueþ leue hit wel / god wol not let him sterue
In meschief for lak of mete / ne for myssyng of clothes .
Inquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono .

¶ Ho-so lyueþ in lawe / and in loue doþ wel
As þees wedded men / þat þis worlde susteynen .
For of here kynde þei come / confessours and martires
Patriarches and prophites / popes and maydones .

¶ For god saith hit hym-seelf / schal neuere good appel
T horgh no sotyl science / on sowre stok growe .

¶ And is no more to mene / but men þat beoþ by-geten
Out of matrimoyne nat moillire / mowe nat haue þe grace /
Þat lelle legitime / by lawe may cleyme .
And[^a373] my sawe beo soeþ / þe sauter bereþ witnesse
Concepit in dolore et peperit iniquitatem .

[^a373: And (Vc Ac) | And þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Caym þe corsed creature / conseyued was in synne
Aftur þat Adam and Eue / hadden y-syneged
With-out repentaunce / of here rechylesnesse
+
A Ribaud þei engendred / and a gome vn-rithfol
As an hyne þat ereþ nat / auntreþ him to sowe /
On a ley-lond / a-ȝeins þe[^a374] lordes wil

[^a374: þe (Vc Ac) | his (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ So was caym conceyued / and so beon corsed wreches
Þat lycame han a-ȝeinst þe lawe / þat oure lord ordeyned

¶ Alle þat comen of caym / caytifs were euere
And for þe synne of kaymes seed / said god to Noe

[This erased note may be an erroneous citation, in Roman numerals, of the verse from Genesis.]

Penitet me fecisse hominem .
And bad schap him a schup / of schides and bordes
Thy-self and þi sones þre / and sythen ȝoure wyfes
Buske ȝow to þat bot / a-bydeþ þer-Inne
Til forty daies beo folfulled / and flod haue waische
Clene a-wei þe corsed blod / þat of kaym is spronge /

¶ Bestes þat now beoþ / banne schul þat tyme
Þat euere þa[^a375] corsed caym / cam on þis eorthe

[^a375: þa (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Alle schullen dye for his dedes / by dales and hulles
And þe foules þat fleon / forþ wiþ oþer bestes /
Excepte onlyche / of eche kynde a peire
Þat in þi schingled schup / with þe schal by[^a376] saued
Here a-boute þe barn / his belsires gultes
And al for here for-faderes ferdon þe worse
Þe gospel is here-agayn / as gomes may reden
filius non portabit iniquitatem patris / & cetera
Holywrit witnesseþ / þat for no wykyde dede
Þat þe sire him-self doth / by his owne wil
Þe sonne for þe syres synne / schold nat beo þe worse .

[^a376: by (Vc) | be (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Westmunstre lawe y wot wel / worcheþ þe contrarie .
For þauh þe fadur beo a fraunkeleyn / and for a felon beo honged
Þe erytage þat heir[^a377] schulde haue / is at þe kynges wil .
Ac þe gospel is a glose ther / hudynge þe grayþe trewþe
For god seyde ensaumple / of suche maner vsue
Þat kynde foloweþ kynde / and contrarieþ neuere .
Numquam colligit de spinis vuas / & alibi / bonus arbor bonum fructum facit

[^a377: heir (Vc) | þe eyer (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ac wy þe worlde was a-dreynt / holy writ telleþ
Was for mariages of man-kynde / þat men maden þat tyme
Aftur þat caym þe corsed / hadde culled[^a378]
Seth Adames sone / sythen was engendred

[^a378: culled (Vc Ac) | killed abel (P Ec Rc) | ykuld abel (Mc)]

¶ And god sente to / seth so sone he was of age
Þat for kyne[^a379] catel / ne non by kynne heste[^a380]
Suffren his[^a381] seeden / with caymes seed his brother .
And for þat seth suffred hit / god seyde me for-þenkeþ
Þat y man made / or matrimonie suffred .
For goode schulden wedden goode / þauh þei no good ne hadde
//
For y am via et veritas / and may a-vaunce hem alle

[^a379: kyne (Vc Ac) | no kyne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a380: by kynne heste (Vc Ac) | kyne byheste (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a381: his (Vc Ac) | his seed (P Ec Rc) | þi seed (Mc)]

¶ Ac fewe folk now foloweþ þis / for þei ȝeue here childeren
For coueytyse of catel / and connynge chapmen /

¶ Of kyn ne of kynredene / a-conteþ men but litul
Þauh he beo loueliche to loken on / and lofsom a-bedde
A mayde wel y-manered / of goode men y-spronge
But heo haue eny oþer good / haue wol heore no riche .

¶ Ac let heore beo vnlouely / vnlofsom a-bedde
A bastard a bonde on[^90] / a begeneldes douhter
Þat no cortesie can / but let here beo knowe
For riche or for[^a382] wel y-rented / þauh he ryuele for elde
Þer nis squier ne knyt / in contreye a-boute
Þat he nel bowe to þat bonde / to beode here an hosebonde
And wedden here for here welþe / and wuschen on þe morwe
Þat his wyf were wex / or a watul ful of noebles
In ielosie ioyeles / and iangelyng a-bedde

[^a382: or for (Vc Ac) | oþer (P Ec) | and (Rc) | or (Mc)]

[^90: There is a false start before the <o>.]

¶ Mony peire seth pestilence tyme / han pliht trewþe to louye
Ac þei lyen lelly / here noþur loueþ oþer
Þe fruyt þat þei bryngeþ forth / are mony foule wordes
Þei han no children but chiste / and choppes hem by-twene
Þauh þei don hem to done-mowe / but þe deuul hem helpe
To folow for þe flicche / feccheþ þei hit neuere
But þei boþe beo for-swore / that bakon they tyne
For-þi y conseil al cristine / coueite neuere beo wedded
For couetyse of catel / in no kynne wyse
But maydones and maydones / marie ȝow to-gederes
And wydowers and wydowes / weddeþ ayther other
And loke þat loue beo more þe cause / þan lond oþer nobles
And euery maner seculer man / þat may not continue
Wisly go wedde / and war þe fro þat synne
Þat lecherie is a likyng þing / and lym-ȝerd of helle

¶ And whil þow art ȝong and ȝelpe[^a383] / and þi wepne kene
A-wreke þe þer-with on wyuyng / for godes werk y hold hit .
Dum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortis
Scribitur in portis / meretrix est ianua mortis

[^a383: ȝelpe (Vc Ac) | ȝep (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝee þat han wyues beoþ war / worcheþ nat out of tyme
As Adam dude and Eue / as y whiler tolde

¶ For scholde no bed-bord beo / but ȝif þei boþe were
Clene of lyf and loue in soule / and in lelle wedlok
For þat derne dede / do no man schulde
But wedded men with here wyues / as holy writ telles
Bonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat propter fornicacionem .
Þat oþer-gates beon gete / for gadelinges aren holde

¶ And fals folc and foundelynges / faitours and lyeres

¶ Vngracious to gete good / or go od loue of people .

¶ A-waytinge and wastinge / al þat þei cacche mowe

¶ A -ȝeins dowel þei don vuele / and þe deuul seruen

¶ And aftur here deþ-day / dwellen schol in helle /
But god gyue grace her / goynge to Amende .

¶ And þus is Dowel my frend / to do as lawe techeþ
To louye and to lowe þe / and no lyf to greue

¶ Ac to louye and to lene / leof me þat is dobet

¶ Ac to ȝeue and to ȝeme / boþe ȝong and olde
Helon and helpon / is dobest / of alle

¶ For þe more a man may do / by so þat he do hit
Þe more is he worthe and worþi / of wyse and goode y-preysed

Hic explicit passus primus /

Incipit passus secundus / de dowel . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.] [The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

T Hen hadde wit a wyf / was hote dame studie
Þat fol lene lokede / and lyf-holy semede
Heo was wordely[^a384] wroþ / þat wit so me tauhte
Al staryng dame / studie / sturneliche seyde
Wel ar thow wys quaþ heo to wit / suche wisdom to schewe
To eny fol or flaterer / or to frentyk people
And seyde nolite mittere / ȝe men margery perles
A-mong hogges þat hauen / hawes at wille
Thei don bot dreuely þer-on / draf were hem leuere
Þan al þe preciouce perey / þat eny prynce weldeþ
I sege hit by suche quod studie / þat schewen by here werkes
Þat loueþ lond and lordschip / and likyng of body more
Þan holynesse or hendenesse / or al þat seyntes techeþ

[^a384: wordely (Vc) | worldly (Ac) | wonderly (P Ec Rc) | wonder (Mc)]

¶ Wisdom and wit now / is nat worþe a carce
but hit beo carded myd[^a385] couetyse / as cloþeres kymben wolle

[^a385: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ho þat can contreue or[^a386] caste / to deceyue þe people
A[^a387] lette with a loueday / trewþe an[^91] by-gyle hym
+
Þat can coueyte and cast thus / aren cleped in-to consail
Qui sapiunt vugas [n]ugas / et crimina lege vocantur
Qui recte sapiunt / lex iubet ire foras .

[^a386: or (Vc Ac) | and (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a387: A (Vc Ac) | And (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^91: Vc.12.17 an, "and."]

¶ He is reuerenced and robed / þat can robbe þe people
Þrow fallas and fals questes / and throw fekul speche

¶ Iob þe gentul and wyse / in his gest witnesseþ
What schal worþe of suche / when þei lyf leten
ducunt in bonis dies suos / et in fine descendunt ad infernum .
Þe sauter seith þe same / of al suche riche
Ibunt in progenie s[^92] patrum suorum & usque in eternum non videbunt lumen . & alibi . ecce ipsi peccatores

[^92: The dot on the <i> is also in text ink.]

¶ Lo holy lettrure seith / wuche lordes beon theos schrewes
To[^a388] þat god gyueþ most good[^a389] / most greuen riht and trewþe
Que perfecisti destruxerunt iusticiam/

[^a388: To (Vc Ac) | Tho (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a389: gyueþ most good (Vc Ac) | most goed gyueþ (P Rc) | most goed ȝeueth (Ec) | most goed doþ (Mc)]

¶ And harlotes for harlotrie / aren holpe er neody poure
And þat is no riht ne reson / for rather men scholde
Helpe hym þat hath nouht / þan þo þat han no neode

¶ Ac he þat hath holywrit / ay in his mouthe
And can telle of trewþe / and of þe twelue aposteles
Or haue[^a390] þe passion[^a391] / or of purgatorie peynes
Lytul is he alowed þer-fore / a-mong lordes at festes

[^a390: haue (Vc Ac) | of (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a391: passion (Vc Ac) | passioun of Crist (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Now is þe manere at mete / when ministralles beoþ stille
Þe lewed a-ȝeinst þe lered / þe holy lore to dispute
And tellon of þe trinite / how two slowen þe þrydde
And bryngeþ forþe ballede resones / and taken bernard to witnesse
And putten forþ presumpciouns / to preouen þe sothe

¶ Thus þei dryuelen at þe deys / þe deyte to knowe
And gnawen god with gorge / when here gottus fullon

¶ Ac þe carefol may crye / an[^93] quaken at þe ȝate
boþe a-fyngret and a-furst / and for defaute spille
Is non so hende to haue[^a392] In / but hote hym go ther god is .
Þenne semeþ hit to my siht / to suche as so byddeþ
God is nat in þat hom / ne his helpe neyþur

[^a392: haue (Vc Ac) | haue hym (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^93: Vc.12.45 an, "and."]

¶ Lytul loueþ he þat lord / þat lente him al þat blisse
Þat so parteþ wiþ þe poure / a parcel when hym neodeþ

¶ Ne were mercy in mene men / more þenne in riht riche
Mony tyme mendinans / myhte gon a-fyngred
And so seith þe sauter / y sauh hit in Memento
Ecce audiuimus eam . id est . caritatem in eufrata inuenimus in campis silue

¶ Clerkes and knyhtes / carpon of god ofte
And haueþ him muche in here mouthe / ac mene men in herte

¶ Freres and faitors / han founde vp suche questions
To plese with proude men / sythe þe pestilences
Þat folk is nat ferm in þe faith / ne free of here goodes .
Ne sory of here synnes / so is pruyde enhaunsed
In religion and in al þe Reome / a-mong riche and pore
Þat preyers han no power / þeos pestilences to lette

¶ For god is def now-a-dayes / and deyneþ vs to here
And gode menne for oure gultes / he al to-grynt to deþe
And ȝut[^a393] wreches of þis worlde / is non war by other
Ne for drede of eny deth / with-draweþ hem fro pruyde
Ne partoþ with þe poure / as pure charite wolde

[^a393: ȝut (Vc Ac) | ȝut this (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ But in Gaynesse and glotenye / for-glotton heore goodes
And brekeþ not here bred to þe poure / as þe bok hoteþ /
X
Frange esurienti panem tuum & cetera .
Ac þe more he hath and wynneþ / þe worlde at his wil
And lordeþ in leodes / þe lasse gode he deleþ
X
Thobie tauht nat so / takeþ hede ȝe riche
Howe he told in a tyme / and tauhte his sone dele
X
Si tibi sint copia habundanter tribue / si autem exiguum illud impertire libenter stude .

¶ And is no more to mene / but who-so muche weldeþ
Beo large þer -of whil hit last / to leedes þat beon nedy
If þou haue litul leue sone / loke by þi lyue
Get þe loue þer-with / þauh thow þe worse fare[^94]

[^94: A bracket in the right margin, in the light brown ink used by glossator3, joins this line with the next.]

¶ Ac lust no lord ne lewed man / of suche lore non to here
But lithen hou thei myhte lerne / lest good to spene
And so lyuen lordes nowe / and leten hit a Dowel
For is no wit worþ now / but hit of wynnynge soune

¶ For-þi quod heo / to wit be war / holywrit to schewe
Amonges hem þat hauen / hawes at wille
Þe wuche is a lykynge and loust / and loue of þe worlde

¶ An[^95] whan wit was war / what studie menede
I myhte gete no greyn / of wittes grete wittes
But al lauhhynge he lotede / and loket vpon studie .
Semynge þat y scholde / by-seche heore of grace

[^95: Vc.12.88 an, "and."]

¶ When y was war of his wil / to þat womman y loutede
And seyde mercy madame / ȝoure man schal y worþe
As longe as y leue / boþe late and rathe
And fort to worche ȝoure wil / þe while my lyf dureþ
+
With that ȝe kenne me kundely / to knowe wat is dowel .

¶ For þi meoknesse quaþ heo / and for þi mylde speche
I schal þe kenne to clergye / my cosyn þat knowiþ
Alle kyne connynges / and comsynges of dowel
Of dobet and of / dobest / for doctour he is knowe
And of scripture þe skilful / and scryuaynes were trewe .

¶ For heo is sibbe to seuene ars / and al-so my sostere
And clergies wedded wyf / as wys as him-selue
Of lore / and of lettrure / of lawe and of Resoun
So with þat þat clerigie can / and consail of scripture
Thow schalt come and knowe / kyndeliche dowel

¶ Þenne was y al-so fayn / as foul of feir morownynge
Gladdere þan gleman / þat golde hath to gyfte
And asket at heore þe hye waye / wer þat clergie dwelede
And tel me som tokene quaþ y / for tyme is þat y wende /

¶ Aske þe hye way quaþ heo / hennes to soffre
Bothe wele and muche wo / ȝif thow wolt lerne
And ryde forthe by richesse / ac rest þe[^a394] nat þer-Inne
If thow coueite to beo riche / to clergie comst þow neuere
Boþe wommen and wyn / wrath . Ire . envy[^96] & sleuthe
If thow hit vse or haunte / haue god my treuthe
To clergie shalt þow neuere com / ne know wat is dowel

[^a394: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^96: It is not entirely clear whether the glossator intends envy as a gloss or a textual correction; Envy accords with the reading found in all other manuscripts in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group.]

¶ Ac ȝif þou happe quod heo / þat þow hit on clergie
And hast vndurstondyng / what he wolde mene
Sey to him thy-self / ouer-seo my bokes

¶ And sey i grette wel his wyf / y wrot heore a bible

¶ And sette heore to sapience / and to þe sauter glosed
Logyke y lered here / and al þe lawe aftur /
Al þe musovns in musik / y made here to knowe

¶ Plato þe poete / y putte him furst to boke

¶ Aristotile and other / to arguen y tauhte

¶ Gramere for gurles / y gart furst write
And bet hem wiþ a ȝeerde[^a395] / but ȝif þei wolde lerne

[^a395: ȝeerde (Vc Ac) | baleyse (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Of alle kynne craftus / y contreoued here toles
Of carpentrie of keruars / and contreeued þe compas
And cast out by squyre / boþe lyne and lyuel
Thus throw my lore men beoþ lered / þauh y loke dymme .

¶ Ac theologie haþ teoned me / ten score tymes
Þe more y muse þer-on / þe mystiloker hit semeþ
And þe deopere y dyuyne / þe deorkere me þenkeþ hit
Hit is no science sothly / but a soth-fast by-leoue

¶ Ac for hit lereþ men to louye / y by-leue þer-on þe betre
For loue is a lykyng þing / and loth for to greue

¶ Lerne for to louye / if þe like dowel .
For of dobet and of dobest here doctor is dere loue

¶ Þo went y my way / wiþ-oute more lettynge
And to clergie y cam / as clerkes me seyde

¶ And y gret him goodly / and graithly him tolde
Hou þat wit and his wyf / wissed me to hym
To kunne and to knowe / kyndeliche dowel

¶ By crist þo quath clergie / ȝif þow coueite dowel
Kep þe ten comaundemens / and kepe þe fro synne
And by-leof lelly / hou godesone[^a396] a-lyhte .
On þe mayde marie / for manne -kyn des[^a397] sake
And by-cam man of þat mayde / wiþ- oute mannes kynde .

[^a396: godesone (Vc) | goddes loue (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a397: manne -kyn des (Vc) | monnes kynnes (Ac) | mankynnes (P Ec Rc) | manes kynde (Mc)]

¶ And al þat holy churche / here-of can þe lere
By-leof lelly þer-on / and loke þow do þer-aftur

¶ Her-of Austyn þe olde / made bokes and bokes
Who was his Auctour / and him of god tauhte

¶ Patriarches and prophites / a-posteles and angles
And þe trewe trynite / to Austyn Aperede

¶ And he vs seyde as he seyh / and so y by-leoue
Þat he seyh þe sire and þe sone / and seint espirit to-gederes
And al þre but o god / and here-of made he bokes
lovk Ȝe bysyliche bokes / who beoþ his wytnesses
Iohan 14
Ego in patre & pater in me & qui me vidit patrem meum vidit qui in celis est

¶ Alle þe clerkes vndur crist / ne couthe þis assoile
but thus by-longeþ to by-leeue / alle þat likeþ Dowel
For hadde neuere frek fyn wit / þe faith to dispute
Ne man myhte haue ne[^a398] meryt þer-of / myht hit beo preoued
gregorius & augugustinus
Fides non habet meritum vbi human a racio prebet experimentum[^a399]
Thus byleoue / and lewte / and loue is þe þrydde
Þat makeþ men to dowel / dobet / and dobest

[^a398: ne (Vc Ac) | no (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a399: racio prebet experimentum (Vc) | om. (Ac) | racio possidet dominium (P) | racio prebet experimentum (Ec Rc) | prebet experimentum (Mc)]

¶ Þenne scripture scornede me / and mony sckiles schewed
And countenaunce made to[^a400] clergye / to congeye me hit semed
And lakkede me in latyn / and liht by me sette
bernardus sciunt

[This word is written above sapiunt in the line and may be intended to replace rather than gloss it. All the other manusscripts in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group have sapiunt.]

And seyde / multi multa sapiunt / et seipsos nesciunt .
Tho wept y for wo / and wrathþe of his wordes
And in a wynkynge y warþ / and wondurly mette
For y was raueyschet riht þere / fortune me fette
In-to a lond of longynge / and loue / he me brouhte

[^a400: to (Vc) | me to (Ac) | to (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And in a myrrour hat myddul ert / heo made me to loke
And sythen seyde to me / her myht thow see wondres
And knowe þat þow coueitest / and come þer-to paraunter

¶ Þenne hadde Fortune folwynge heore / two faire maydones
Concupiscencia carnis / men calde þe eldere mayde
And coueytise of yen / y-cald was þat othere
And pruyde of parfit leuynge / porsuede me fast
And bad me for my continence / conte clergies lore lihte .

¶ Concupiscencia carnis / confort me in þis wyse
And seyde þow art ȝonge and ȝeep / and hast ȝeres y-nowe
For to lyue longe / and ladies to louye
And in þis mirrour þow myht seo / murthes fol monye
Þat lede wol þe[^a401] to lykynge / al þi lyf-tyme /

[^a401: wol þe (Vc Ac) | þe wol (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe secunde mayde seyde y schal sewe þi wil
Til thou beo a lord of londe / leten þe y nulle
Þat y ne schal folow þi felauschip / ȝif fortune like

¶ Heo schal fynde me his freond / quod fortune her-aftur .
Þat man þat me likeþ helpe / myht nat mysfare[^a402]

[^a402: mysfare (Vc) | myshappe (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þenne was þer on hihte Elde / þat heuy was of chere

¶ Man quaþ Elde mete y wiþ þe / by marie of heuene
Þow schalt fynde fortune faile / at þi most neode /
And Concupiscencia carnis / clene þe for-sake .
Byturly schalt þow banne þenne / boþe a day and nyhtes
Couetyse of eyen / þat euere þow here knewe
And pruyde of parfit lyuynge / to muche peryl þe brynge .
Ȝe recche þe neuere quod rechelesnesse / stod forþe in raggede cloþes
Folwe forþe þat fortune wol / þow hast ful fer to elde
A man may stoupe tyme y-nowh / when he schal tyne þe crone .
Sir Wanhop was[^a403] to hym / as some men me tolde

[^a403: was (Vc Ac) | was sib (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For rechelesnesse in his rybaudrie / ryht þus he seyde
Go y to helle go y to heuene / y schal nat go myn one .

¶ Were hit soþ al[^a404] þat ȝe seyn / thow scripture and clergie
Y leoue neuur þat lord ne lady / þat lyueþ here on eorþe
Scholde sitte on godes sete / ne seo god in his blisse
Ita possibile est diuiti intrare in regnum celorum sicut camelus & cetera .

[^a404: soþ al (Vc Ac) | al soth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For clergie seiht[^a405] þat he seyh / in þe seynt Euuangelie
Þat y man maket was / and my name entred
In þe legende of lyf / longe er y were

[^a405: seiht (Vc) | saith (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Predestinat þei prechon / prechours þat þis schowen
Or prechen in-parfit / i-pult out of grace
de Salamone
Vnwriten for som wikednesse / as holy writ scheweþ[^97]
Nemo ascendit in celum nisi qui descendit de celo
Y leoue wel by oure lord / and non lettrure betere

[^97: The first two lines on this page are bracketed by a later hand in the left margin.]

¶ For salamon þe sage / þat sapience hit[^a406] made
God ȝaf him grace of wit / and of good after
Neuere to man so muche / þat man con of telle
To ruele al reomes / and riche to make[^98]
And deme wel and wysly / wommen bereþ witnesse
Nec michi nec tibi sed diuidatur .

[^a406: hit (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^98: A bracket by a later hand in the right margin connects this line is connected to the next six.]

¶ Aristotele and he / hy tauhten men boþe

¶ Maystres þat techeþ men / of godes muchel mercy
Witnesseþ þat here wordes / and here werkes boþe
Weren wondry[^a407] goode / and wyse in here tyme
And holychurche as y here / haldeþ boþe in helle

[^a407: wondry (Vc) | wonder (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

nota
¶ Ȝif we scholde worche worchen[^a408] after here werkes / to wynnen ous heuene
Þat for here werkes and wit / wonyeþ now in peyne
Þan wrouhte we vnwysely / for al ȝoure wyse techyng

[^a408: worche worchen (Vc Ac) | worchen (P) | wurche (Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac y countresegge þe nat clergie / ne þe connynge scripture
Þat wo-so doþe by ȝoure doctrine / doth wel y leoue

¶ Ac me were leuere by oure lord / a lyppe of godes grace
Þan al þe kyndewit þat ȝe can boþe / and connynge of ȝoure bokes

¶ For of fele witty in faith / litel ferly y haue
Þauh here gost beo vngracious / god for to plese

¶ For mony men of þis molde / setten more here herte
In worldeliche good þan in god / for-þi grace hem failleþ
Atte here most meschief / mercy were þe beste
And mercy / of mercy / neodes most a-rise
As holy writ witnesseþ / godes word in þe gospel
eadem mensura & cetera[^99]

[^99: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Riht wel y-witted men / and wel letred clerkes
Selde are þei seyen / so lyue as þei lere
Witnesse on godes wordes / þat was neuere vntrewe
Super cathedra moysi & cetera[^100]

[^100: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Ac y wene hit worth of mony / as was in Noes tyme .
Þo þat he schop þe schip / of schides and bordes
Was neuure wriht þer[^a409] þer -on wrouhte / ne werkman y-saued
But bryddes and bestes / and þe blessed Noe .
And his wyf with his sones / and his sones wyues
Of wryhtes þat hit wrouhten / was non y-saued

[^a409: þer (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ God leue hit fare nat so by folk / þat þe faih[^a410] techen
Of holykirke þat scholde kepe / al cristine soules .

[^a410: faih (Vc) | faith (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For Archa noe nymeþ hede / is no more to mene /
but holychurche / herborgh to alle þat beon blessed .
Þe culorum of this clause / curatores is to mene
Þat beon carpenters vndurcrist vndur crist / holy churche to make
For lewed folc godes foules / and his freo bestes
Homines et Iumenta saluabis domine .

¶ A domesday a dyluuye worþ / of deþ and fuyr at ones
Worcheþ ȝe wryhtes of holychurche / as holiwrit telleþ[^a411]
lest ȝee beon lost as þe laborers were / þat labored vndur[^a412]

[^a411: telleþ (Vc Ac) | techeth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a412: vndur (Vc Ac) | vnder Noe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ A Gode Fryday y fynde / a felon was y-saued
Þat vn-lawefuly hadde y-lyued / al his lyf-tyme

¶ And for he by-knewe on þe cros / and to crist schrof him
He was sonere y-saued / þat þa[n] seint Iohan þe baptist
And ar adam or Isaye / or eny of þe prophetis
Þat haddon ley with / Lucifer mony longe ȝeres /

¶ A robbour was y-raumsoned / rather þen þei alle
With-out penaunce or passioun / or eny oþur peyne
He passede forth paciently / to perpetuel blysse

¶ Al-so marie magdaleyne / ho myhte do worse
As in lykynge of lecherie / no lyf denyede

¶ And dauid þe douhty / þat dyuynede hou vrie
Myhte slilokest beo sclayn / and sente hym to werre
Lellyche as by his lok / wiþ a lettre of gyle
Paul þe apostele þat no pyte hadde / cristone people to kulle

¶ Now beoþ þus[^a413] seyntes as men seyn / and souereyns in heuene
Tho þat worst wrouhten / while þei weren here

[^a413: þus (Vc) | this (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ By that þat salamon seyth / hit semeþ þat no whyte
Wot ho is worþi / for were[^a414] or for wykke /
Wethur he is worthi to wele / or to wykked peyne .
Sunt iusti atque sapientes / et opera eorum in manu dei sunt .

[^a414: were (Vc Ac) | wele (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thus y rechelesnesse haue rad / registres and bokes
And found y neuere in faith / for to telle truthe
Þat cleregie of cristes mouth / comendet was euere .
For crist seyude to seyntes / and to suche as he louede
dum steteris ante reges et presides & cetera
Þauh ȝe by-come[^a415] by-fore kynges / and clerkes of þe lawe
Beoþ nat a-ferd of þat folk / for y schal ȝiue ȝow tonge
Connynge and clergie / to conclude hem alle
Dauid makeþ mencion / he spak amonge kynges
And myht kyng non[^a416] hym ouurcome / as in conninge speche

[^a415: by-come (Vc Ac) | come (P Ec Mc) | comen (Rc)]

[^a416: kyng non (Vc Ac) | no kyng (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Sothly seyde rechelesnesse / y seo by mony euidences
Þat noþur . Wit . ne . Withnesse / wan neuure þe maystrie
Wiþ-oute þe grete gyft of god / with his grace & fortune

¶ For he þat most seih and seyde / of þe sothfast trinite
Was austyn þe olde / þat euere man wuste
He seyde þus in his sarmon / For ensaumple of grete clerkes
Ecce ipsi idioti rapiunt celum / vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur .
This is to mene no more / to men þat beon lewede
Ar non rather raueschid / fro þe riht by-leoue /
Comunliche þat[^a417] clerkes / most knowyng and connynge

[^a417: þat (Vc Ac) | then (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And non sannere y-saued / ne saddere in þe by-leoue
Þan plouhmen and pastours / and pore comune people

¶ lel lewed[^a418] laborers / and land tylyng people
Persen with a pater noster paradys oþer heuene
Passynge purgatorie penaunceles / for here parfit byleoue
Breuis oracio penitrat celum

[^a418: lel lewed (Vc Ac) | Lewed lele (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Selde falleþ þe seruaunt / so deope in arrerages
As doþ þe Reue or counteroller / þat rekene mot and a-conte
Of al þat þei hauen had / of him þat is here maystur

¶ Ac theos lewede laborers / of lytul vndurstondyng
Selde fallon so foule / and so deope in synne
As clerkes of holychurche / þat kepon scholde and saue
lewede men in good by-leue / and lene hem at her neode
Homo proponit quath a poete þo / and plato he hihte
Et deus disponit quaþ he / let god do his wil .

¶ Al þat treuthe attacheþ / and testifieþ for goode
Than þei folow þat fortune wole / no foly y hit holde

¶ And Concupiscencia carnis / acordede til al my werkes[^101]

[^101: Here, Vc and Ac along in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the B-verse of RK.11.307, the entirety of RK.11.308 and 309, and the A-verse of RK.11.310 to form one line.]

¶ Of dowel ne of dobet / no deynte me þouhte

Clerigie and his counsail / y counted ful litul .

¶ Hic explicit passus secundus /

Hic incipit passus tercius / [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

A Las eye quaþ Eolde / and holynes boþe
Þat wit schal turne to wrechednesse / for welþ haþ al his wyl .
+
Couetyse of eyen / conforted me aftur
And seyde rechelesnesse / recche þe neuere
By so þow riche were / haue þow no concience
Hou þat þow come to goode / confesse þe to som frere
He schal assoile þe þus sone / how þow euere wyn hit

¶ For while fortune is þi frend / freres wollon þe louye
And fastne þe in here fraternite / and for þe by-seche
To here priour prouincial / his pardon to haue
And prey for þe pol by pol / ȝif þou beo pecunious .
Pena pecuniaria no n sufficit & cetera .

¶ By this[^a419] of þis wenche y dude / hure wordes were so swete
de Freres
Tyl y for-ȝat ȝouthe / and ȝorne in-to elde

[^a419: this (Vc Ac) | wissyng (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þenne was fortune my fo / for al here feire by-heste
And pouerte porsuede me / and put me to beo lowe

¶ And flittynge found y þe frere / þat me confessede
And seyde he myhte me nat assoille / but y suluer hadde
To restitue resonably / for al vnryht-ful wynnynge

¶ Owh houȝ quaþ y tho / and my hed waggede
By my faith frere quath y / ȝe fare lyke þe woware
Þat wilneþ þe wydue / but for to wedde hure goodes
Riht so by þe rode quath y / rouht þe neuure
Where my body buryed were / by so ȝee hadde my goodes

¶ Þanne louh leaute / for y lourede on þe frere .

¶ Why lourest þou quath leaute / leue sir y sayde
For þis Frere flatered me / while he found me riche
Now y am poure and penyles / at litul prys he set me
I wolde hit were no synne y seyde / to seye þat were truthe

¶ Þe sauter saith hit is no synne / for suche men as beon trewe
For to seggen as thei seon / and saue only preostes
Existimasti inique quod / ero tui similis . Arguam te & statuam contra faciem tuam .
Þei wollon allegen al-so / & by þe gospel preuen hit
nolite iudicare quemquam .[^102]

[^102: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Wher-of serueþ lawe quod leaute / and no lyf vndurtoke
Falcenesse ne faiterye / for som-wat þe apostel sayde
Non oderis fratrem tuum secrete in corde .

¶ Þynge þat al þe worlde wot / where-fore scholdest þou spare
To rehersen hit by retoryk / to a-rate dedly synne

¶ Ac beo þow neuere þe furst / þe defaute to blame
Þauh þow se sey nat / som tyme þat is trewe

¶ Þynk þat wolde beo pryuey / publisse þow hit neuure
Noþur for loue labbe hit nauht[^a420] / ne lak hit for enuye .
Parum lauda / vitupera parcius .

[^a420: nauht (Vc Ac) | out (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ He seith sothe quath scripture / and skypte an hy and prechede
Ac þe matere þat he mouede / if lewede men hit knewe
Þe lasse as y leue / louye þei wolde
Þe byleue of oure lord / þat lettrede men techen .
Of here teme and of here tales / y tok fol good hede
He seyde in heore sermon / selcouþe wordes
multi to a mangerie / and to mete were sompned
And wan þe people was plener come / þe porter vn-pynned þe gate
And pluhte In pauci pryueyliche / and let þe remenant go roome .

¶ Al for teone of here tixt / tremblete myn herte
And in a were can y wexe / and with my-self to dispute
de [Traiano]
Wheþer y were chose or nat y-chose / on holy churche y þouhte
Þat vndurfynge me at þe font / for on of godes chosene

¶ For cryst clepede vs alle / com ȝif ȝe[^a421] wol de
/
Sarysynes and Scismatice / and so he dede þe Iuwes
And bad hem souken at his breost / sauete for synne
And drynke bote for bale / brouke hit ho-so myhte
+
O vos omnes sicientes venite ad aquas /

[^a421: ȝe (Vc) | we (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þenne may al cristone come / and cleyme þer-to entre
By that blod þat he boute vs with / and baptisme as he tauhte
Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit & cetera

¶ For þauh a cristone man coueytede / his cristondam to reney
Rihtfolliche to reney / no reson hit wolde /

¶ For may no cherl a chartre make / ne his catel sulle
With-oute leue of þe lord / no lawe wolde hit graunte

¶ Ac he may renne in arerage / and rome from home
As a recheles caytyf / or reneyhed as hit semeþ

¶ Ac reson schal rekene with him / and rebuke him at þe last
And concience a-counte wiþ him / and caste him in arerages
And putte him þenne in pryson / in purgatorie to brenne
Rewardyng hym þere for his rechelesnesse / riht to þe day of dome

/
¶ But contricion and confession / crye by his lyue
Mercy for his mysdedes / with mouth and with heorte /

¶ That is soth seyde scripture / may no synne lette
Mercy þat heo ne may amende al[^a422] / ȝif meoknesse heore folwe
Þei boþe as oure bokes telleþ / aren a-bouen[^a423] godes werkes
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius .

[^a422: amende al (Vc Ac) | al amende (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a423: aren a-bouen (Vc Ac) | aren aboue (P Rc Mc) | are aboue (Ec)]

¶ Ȝe baw for bokes quaþ on / was broken out of helle
I Troianus a trewe knyt / y take witnesse of a pope
How y was ded and dampned / to dwellen in helle
For an vncristone creature / seynt Gregore wot þe soþe
Þat al þe cristondom vndur cryst / ne myhte me cracche þennes
But onliche loue and leaute / as in my lawes demynge
Gregore wust þis wel / and wilnede to my soule
Sauacion for þe sothnesse / þat he sey in my werkes

¶ And for he wilnede wepynge / þat y were saued
God of his godenesse / seih his grete wil
With-out mo bedes-byddynge / his bone was vndurfonge
nota

[This nota symbol is combined with a pointer indicating the intended line.]

And y-saued as ȝe may see / wiþ-oute syngynge of messes

/
¶ Loue with-oute lel by-leue / and my lawe rithful /
Sauede me sarasyn / soule and body boþe

¶ Lo lordes what leaute dude / and lel dom y-vsed
Wel auȝte ȝee lordes þat lawes kepon / this lesson to haue in munde
And on Troianes truthe to þenke / alle tymes in ȝoure lyue
And louye for ȝoure lordes loue / and do leaute euur-more
For lawe with-oute leauhte / leye þer a bene
/
Or eny science vndur sonne / þe seuene ars and alle
But loue and leaute hem lede / y-lost is al þe tyme
Of hym þat trauailleþ þer-on / but treuthe beo his lyuynge

¶ Lo loue and leaute / beon oure lordes bokes
And cristes owne Clergie / he com from heuene to teche hit
And sythen seynt Iohan / seyde hit of his techyng
Qui non diligit manet in morte /

/
¶ And nameliche poure people / here preyeres may ous helpon
For god as þe gospel seith / goþ ay as þe poure
And as þe Euuangelist witnesseþ / wen we maken festes
We scholde nat clepie knyhtes þer -to / ne none kyne ryche
Cum facitis conuiuia / nolite vocare amicos & cetera .

¶ Ac calleþ þe careful þer -to / þe crokede and þe poure .

¶ For eche Frend fedeþ oþer / and fondeþ hou he may quite
Meles and manschupes / eche a riche mon oþer

¶ Ac for[^a424] poure may not paie / y wol paye my-self
And[^a425] louyeþ hem[^a426] and loneþ[^a427] hem / largeliche schal y quite

[^a424: for (Vc Ac) | for þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a425: And (Vc Ac) | That (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a426: louyeþ hem (Vc) | louieth (P Ac) | loueþ (Ec Mc) | loueth hem (Rc)]

[^a427: loneþ (Vc) | leneth (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ At caluary of cristes blod / cristondam gan sprynge
And blod breþeren by-cam we there / of o body wonne
As quasi modo geniti / gentul men vchone
No beggare ne boy amonges vs / but if synne hit make
Qui facit peccatum / seruus est peccati /

¶ In þe olde lawe as lettrure telleþ mennessones men cald ous
And Adames vsue and Eue / ay tyl god man deyde
And aftur his resurrexioun / Redemptor was his name
And we his blody breþeren / as wel beggares as lordes

¶ For-þy loue we as leue childeren / and lene him þat neodeþ
And Euery man helpe oþur / for hennes schul we alle
To haue as we han deserued / as holychurche witnesset
Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam /

¶ For-þi lerne we lawe of loue / as oure lord tauhte
Þe poure people faille we nat / whil eny peny vs lasteþ
For in here lyknesse oure lord / lome hath beo knowe
Witnesse in[^a428] Pasche-woke / when he ȝeode to Emaus
Cleophas ne knew hym nat / þat he cryst were
For his poure apparail / and pilgrymes clothes
Til þat he blessed here bred / and brak hit by-twene hem
. nota . to.

[The nota is a musical pun.]

So by his werkes þei wuste / þat he was ihesus
Ac by his cloþinge thei knew hym nat / so caytifly heo[^a429] ȝeode

[^a428: in (Vc Ac) | in þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a429: heo (Vc Ac) | he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Al was ensaumple sothly / to ous synful here
We scholde beo louh and louelyche / and lel eche man to other
//
And pacient as pilgryms / for pilgryms aren we alle /

¶ In þe parail of a pilgrym / and in poure lyknesse
Holy seyntes him seih / ac neuere in secte of riche
And seynt Marye his modur / as Matheu bereþ witnesse
Was a pure poure mayde / and to a poure man wedded
Martha on marie magdalene / a hugy pleynt heo made
And to oure sauyour self / seyde þeos wordes
domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquid me sola ministrare .

¶ And here aytheres wil / hastelyche god assoilede
/
And aytheres werkes and wil / riht wel he alowede
Ac god putte pouerte by-fore / and preoued hit for þe betere
Maria optimam partem elegit / & cetera
X
And al þat[^a430] wyse þat euere were / by out y can aspye
Preysede pouerte for best / ȝif patience hit wolde[^a431]
And boþe betere and blesseder / by mony fold þat[^a432] rychesse
Þat[^a433] hit beo sour to soffre / þer comeþ a swete aftur

[^a430: þat (Vc Ac) | þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a431: wolde (Vc Ac) | folowe (P Ec) | folewide (Rc Mc)]

[^a432: þat (Vc Ac) | then (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a433: Þat (Vc Ac) | Thauh (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ As In a walnote with-oute / is a bittur barke
And aftur þat byttur barke / beo þe scale a-weye
Is a cornel of confort / kynde to restore

X
¶ So aftur pouerte and penaunce / pacientliche take
Makeþ man haue mynde in god / and his mercy craue
Þe wuche is cornel of confort / for alle cristone soules

¶ And wel sykeror he sclepeþ / þe seg þat is poure
And lasse drat by daye / or in deorke to ben robed
Þan he þat is ryht riche / reson bereþ witnesse
Pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris & cetera .

¶ Holychurche witnesset ho-so forsakeþ
His fadur or his frendes / fremde oþer sybbe
Or eny welþe in þis worlde / his wyf or his childeren
For þe loue of oure lord / loweþ hym to beo poure
He schal a hondred-fold / of heuene-ryche blysse
And lyf lastyng for euere / by-fore oure lord in heuene
Quicumque relinquit patrem et matrem & cetera .

¶ Cryst acordeþ eft herwyþ / clerkes wyten þe soþe
What god hym-self seyde / to a sek[^a434] þat he louede

[^a434: sek (Vc Ac) | segg (P Ec Rc) | man (Mc)]

¶ Yf þe lykeþ quaþ god to lyue / þe lyf þat is parfite
Al that þou hauest[^a435] here / hastely go sulle hit
Ȝiue poure people þe pans / þer-of porce þow none
Ac ȝyue hem forthe to poure folk / þat for my loue askeþ
For-sake al and suwe me / and so is þe beste
Si vis perfectus esse vade et vende omnia & cetera

[^a435: hauest (Vc Ac) | hast (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thus consailleþ crist / in comyn vs alle
Ho-so coueyteþ to come / to my kyn-riche
He mot for-sake hym-selue / here[^a436] suster and her[^a437] brother
And al þat þe worlde wolde / and my wil folwen[^103] .
Nisi renunciaueritis omnia que possidetis & cetera .

[^a436: here (Vc Ac) | his (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a437: her (Vc Ac) | his (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^103: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ Mony prouerbes y myht haue / of mony holy seyntes
To testifie for trewþe / þe tale þat y s hewe
And Poetes to preouen hit / porforie and Plato .
Aristotele / Ouidius . and elleuene hondred
Tulius / tholomeus / y can nat telle here names
Preouen paciente pouerte / pryns of alle vertues .

¶ And by greyn þat groweþ / god ous al techeþ
Meschiefs of þis molde / meokliche to soffren
Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terra mortuum fuerit & cetera .
But if þe seed þat sowen . is / in þe slow sterue
Schal neuere spir spryngen vp / ne spik on strawe curne

¶ Scholde neuere whete wexe / but wete furst deyde
And oþer seedes al-so / in þe same wyse
Þat beon leyd on louh eorthe[^104] / y-lore as hit were
And þrow þe grete grace of god / of greyn ded in eorþe
At last lauynceþ vp / wher-by we lyuen alle

[^104: There is a false start over the first <e> of eorthe.]

¶ Ac seedes þat beon sowen / and mowen suffre wyntres
Aren tydyour and towour / to mannes by-hofþe
Þan seedes þat beon sowen[^a438] / and mowen nat myd[^a439] forstes
Wiþ wyndes ne with wederes / as in wyntur tyme

[^a438: beon sowen (Vc Ac) | sowen ben (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a439: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ As Lynseed and leeksed / and lente-seedes alle
Aren not so worþi as whete / ne so wel mowen
In þe feeld with þe forst / and hit frese longe

¶ Riht so for sothe / þat suffre may penaunces
Worth a-lowed of oure lord / at here last ende
And for heore pacience beo preysed / as for a pure martyr
Or for a confessour y-kud / þat counteþ nat a rusche
Fere ne famyne / ne falce menne tonges

¶ But as a housebonde hopeþ / aftur an hard wyntur
If god gyueþ hym þe lyf / to haue a goode heruest

¶ So proueþ theos prophetes / þat paciensliche suffreþ
Meschiefs and myshappes / and mony tribulacions
By-tokeneþ ful trewly / in tyme comyng aftur /
Murthe for his mornyng / and þat muche plente

¶ For cryst seyde to his seyntes / þat for his sake þoleden[^105]
Pouerte penaunces / persecucion of body
Angelus in here angre / on þis wyse hem grette
Tristicia vestra vertetur in gaudium /

[^105: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ Ȝoure sorow in-to solas / schal turne at þe laste
And ouȝt[^a440] of wo in-to wele / ȝoure wyrdes schulle change .

[^a440: ouȝt (Vc) | out (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ac ho-so redes of þe riche / þe reuers he may fynde
Hou god as þe gospel telleþ / gyueþ hym foul tow name .
And þat his gost schal go / and his good by-leue

¶ And askeþ him aftur / ho schal hit haue
Þe catel þat he kepoþ so / in cofers and in bernes
And art so loþ to leue / þat leue schalt neodes
O stulte ista nocte anima tua egrediatur . thesaurizat & ignorat

Nota
¶ An vnredy Reue / thy residue schal spene
Þat mony mouthe was maystur Inne / in a mynte-while
Vpholders on þe hul / schullen haue hit to selle

¶ Lo lo lordes lo / and ladyes takeþ hede
//
Hit lasteþ nat longe / þat is licour swete
As[^106] pesecoddes and per Iunties[^a441] / plomes and chiries
Þat lithliche launceþ vp / litul while dureþ
And þat þat raþest rypeþ / roteþ most sannest

[^a441: per Iunties (Vc) | perus (Ac) | pere ionettes (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^106: The <A> is oddly formed.]

nota

[This nota is a musical pun.]

nota

[Another musical pun, in a different hand than the one in the left margin.]

¶ On fat lond and ful donge / fowlest wedes groweþ

¶ Riht so for sothe / suche þat beon byschopes
Eorles and erchedekenes / and oþere riche clerkes
Þat chaffaron as chapmen / and chyden but þei wynne
And hauen þe worlde at here wil / oþer wyse to lyuene /
Riht as wedes wexen / in wose and in donge
So of richesse vpon rychesse / aryst alle vices .

¶ Low lond ouurlayd / with marl and with donge
Whete þat waxeþ þer-on / worþ ligge ar hit rype

Nota
¶ Riht so for soþe / fort to segge treuthe
Ouer plente pruyde noryscheþ / þer pouerte destrue d hit[^a442]

[^a442: destrue d hit (Vc) | destrueþ hit (P Ec Rc Ac) | hit distrueth (Mc)]

¶ For how hit euure beo wonne / but hit beo wel despendit
Worldeliche wele is wikkede þing / to hym þat hit kepeþ

¶ For if he[^107] beo feer þer-fro / ful ofte hath he drede
Þat fals folc facche a-waye / felonliche his goodes
And ȝut more hit makeþ men / mony tyme and ofte
To synegen and to souchen / sotylytes of gyle
For couetyse of þat catel / to kulle him þat hit kepeþ

[^107: There is a false start after the <e>.]

¶ And so[^a443] mony man y-mordred / for his owne goodes
And þo þat duden þat dede / y-dampned þe-fore[^a444] after

[^a443: so (Vc Ac) | so is (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a444: þe-fore (Vc) | þerfore (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And he for his hard holdynge / in helle paraunter
So couetyse of catel / was combraunce to hem alle

¶ Lo how pans purchased / faire places and drede
Þat rote is robberes / þe richesse wiþ-Inne /

¶ Hic explicit passus tercius

Incipit passus quartus / de dowel . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.] [The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

Nota land
Ȝ E wel worþe pouerte / for he may walke vnrobbed
A-mong pylours in pees / if pacience him folwe
Oure prince Ihesu . pouerte ches / and his aposteles alle
And ay þe lengur þei lyuedoun / þe lasse good þei hadde
Tanquam nichil habentes & cetera .
Ȝut men rat þat abraham and Iob were wonder riche /
And out of nombre þo men / meny meobles hadden .
Abraham for al his good / hadde muche teone
In gret pouerte was he put / a prynce as hit were
By-nom him his hosewyf / and heold here him-selue
And Abraham nat hardy / ones to letten hym
Ne for bryhtnesse of here beaute / heore spouce to be by-knowe

¶ And for he suffrede and seyde nouht / oure lord sent tokne
Þat þe kynge cryde / to Abraham mercy
And delyuered hym his wyf / with muche welþe after

¶ And as so[^a445] Iob þe gentul / what ioye hadde he on eorthe
How bittere he hit bouhte / as þe bok telleþ

[^a445: as so (Vc Ac) | also (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac For he song in his sorow / si bona accipimus a domino /
dereworþe deore god / do we so mala /
Al his sorow to solas / þrouh þat songe turned
And Iob by-cam a iolyf man / and al his ioye newe

¶ Lo hou pacience in here pouerte / theos patriarches releued
And brouȝt hem al a-boue / þat in bale rotede
As greyn þat liþe in þe greot / and throw grace at þe laste
Spryngeþ vp and spredeþ / so spedde þe fadur Abraham
And al-so þe gentul Iob . / here ioye nath[^a446] non ende

[^a446: nath (Vc Ac) | hath (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac leoueþ nat ȝe leawede men / þat y lakke richesse
Þauh y preyse pouerte þus / and preued[^a447] hit by ensaumples
Worþiour as by holy wryt / and wyse philosofres /
Boþe two beon goode / beo ȝeo fol certayn
And lyues þat oure lord loueþ / and large weyes to heuene

[^a447: preued (Vc Ac) | preue (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac þe poure pacient / purgatorie passeþ
Rather þenne þe riche / þauh þei renne at ones

¶ For if a marchaunt & a messager / metten to-gederes

¶ And scholden wende o way / wher boþe mosten reste
And rekene by-fore resoun / a resonable a-counte
What on haþ wat oþer haþ / and what þei hadde boþe
Þe marchaunt most neode by let / lengur þan þe messagere

¶ For þe parcelles of his pauper / and oþer pryue dettes
Wol let hym as y leoue / þe lengþe of a myle

¶ Þe messagere doþ na more / but with his mouþe telleþ
His lettre and his erende scheweþ / and is a-non delyuered .

¶ And þauh þei wende by þe weye / þo two to-gederes
Þauh þe messager make his weye / a-mydde þe whete
Wol no wysmon wroþ beo / ne his wed take
/ necessitas non habet legem /[^108]
Is non hayward y hote / his wed for to take

[^108: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line]

¶ Ac ȝif þe marchaunt make his weye / ouur menne corne
And þe haywarde happe / with hym for to mete /
Or his hat or his hod / or elles his gloues
Þe marchaunt mot for-go / or money of his porce

¶ And ȝut be let as y leoue / for þe lawe askeþ
Marchauns for here marchaundyse / in mony places to tullon .

¶ Ȝut þauh þei wendoun on way / as to wynchestre fayre
Þe marchaunt with his marchaundise / may not go so swyþe
As þe messager may / ne with so muchel ese

¶ For þat on bereþ bot a box / a breuet þer-Inne
Þer þe marchaunt ledeþ a male / wiþ mony kynne þynges
And dredeþ to beo ded þer-fore / and he in deorke mete
Wiþ robbers and reueres / þat riche men dispoilon

¶ Þer þe messager is as[^a448] murye / his mouhþe fol of songes
And leoueþ for his lettres / þat no whit[^a449] wol hym greue .

[^a448: as (Vc Ac) | ay (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a449: whit (Vc) | wit (Ac) | wyht (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac ȝut myht þe marchaunt / þrow money and oþer ȝiftes
Haue hors and hardy men / thauh he mette þeoues /
Wolde non suche assaillon hym / for hem þat hym folowyþ
As safly passe as þe messager / and as sone at his hostel .

//
¶ Ȝe witon wel ȝee wyse men / what þis is to mene /
Þe marchaunt is no more to mene / bot men þat beon riche
Aren a-countable to cryst / and to þe kyng of heuene
Þat holdon mot þe hye weye / euene ten hestes
boþe louye and lene / þe lele and vnlele .

¶ And haue reuthe and releue / with his grete richesse
By his power al maner men / in meschief y-falle .
Fynde beggares bred / bakkes for þe colde
Tyþen heore godes trewliche / a tol as hit semeþ /
Þat oure lord lokeþ aftur / of eche a lyf þa t wynneþ
Wit-oute whiles or wronge / or wymmen at þe stuwes .

¶ And ȝut more to make pes / and quite menne dettes
Boþe spele and spare / to spene vpon þe neodful
As crist self comaundeþ / to al cristone people
Alter alterius onera portate .

¶ Þe messager aren þe mendinauns / þat lyuen by menne almes
Beoþ not y-bounde as beoþ þe riche / to boþe two þe lawes
To lene and to lere / ne lentenes to faste
And other pryue penaunces / þe wuche þe preost wot wel
Þat þe lawe ȝeueþ leue / suche lohwe folc beo excused .

¶ As none tyþes to tyþen ne cloþe ne[^a450] nakede
Ne in enquestes to come / ne contumax þauh he worche
Halyday or holy eue / his mete to deserue
For yf he loueþ and by-leoueþ / as þe lawe techeþ
Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit & cetera .
Telleþ þe lord a tale / as a trewe messagere
And schewet by seal and sith by lettre / wiþ wat lord he dwelleþ
Knewlecheþ hym cristone / and as[^a451] holy churche by-leoueþ
Þer nis no lawe as y leue / wol lette hym þe gate
Þer god is gateward hym-selue / and eche a gome knoweþ .
Þe porter of pure reuthe / may par forme þe lawe
In þat he wilneþ and wolde / eche whit as hym-selue .

[^a450: ne (Vc) | the (P Ec Rc Ac) | none (Mc)]

[^a451: as (Vc Ac) | of (P Ec Rc) | on (Mc)]

¶ For þe wil as muche worþe / of a wrecche beggare
As[^a452] þat þe riche may reyme / and rihtfolliche dele .

[^a452: As (Vc Ac) | As al (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And as muche mede / for a myte þat he offreþ /
As þe riche man for al his moneye / and more as by þe gospel .
Amen dico vobis quia hec vidua paupercula & cetera
So þat poure pacient is / parfitest lyf of alle

¶ And alle parfite preostes / to pouerte scholden drawe
For spera in deo spekeþ of preostes / þat han no spendynge seluur
Þat if þei trauaile trewliche / and tristen in god al-myhti
Hem scholde neuere lac lyuelode / noþer lynnen ne wollen

¶ Þe tytle þat ȝe takeþ ȝoure ordres by / telleþ ȝe beoþ auaunced
And neodeþ nat to nyme no[^a453] suluer / for masses þat ȝe syngen .

[^a453: no (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For he þat tok ȝow tytele / scholde take ȝow wages
Or þe bysschop þat blessed ȝow / and enbaumed ȝoure fyngres

¶ For made neuere kyng knyht / but he had catel to spene
As by-fel for a knyht / and of a caitif kynges makynge[^109]
Þat hath no lond ne lynage riche / ne good los of his hondes

[^109: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the A-verse of RK.13.109 and the B-verse of RK.13.110 to make a single line.]

¶ Þe same y seye for sothe / by suche þat beon preostes
Þat han noþur kynnynge[^a454] ne kyn / but a crone one
And a tytle a tale of nouht / to his lyflode as hit were

[^a454: kynnynge (Vc Ac) | connyng (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Vuele beon þei suffred / suche þat schendon masses
Þrouh here luthure lyuynge / and lewede vndurstondynge

¶ A chartre is chalengable / by-fore a chief iustice
If fals latyn beon in þat lettre / þe lawe hit inpugneþ
Or peyntede paraunter lynarie / parceles ouur-sc kipped
Þe gome þat so gloseþ chartres / a goky he is holden

¶ So is he a goky by god / þat in þe gospel faylleþ
In masse or in matyns / makeþ eny defaute
Qui offendit in vno in omnibus est reus /

¶ And ouurskypperes al-so / in þe sauter saith dauid
Psallite deo nostro psallite q uonia m rex terre deus . sallite sapienter .
Þe bysschop schal beo blamed / by-fore god as y leue
Þat croneþ suche clerkes / as for godes knyhtes
Þat conneþ nat sapienter / noþur synge ne rede

¶ Ac nother nys[^a455] al blameles / ne bysschop[^a456] þe chapeleyn .
For ignorancia non excusat / as y haue herd in bokes

[^a455: nys (Vc Ac) | is (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a456: ne bysschop (Vc Ac) | the bischop ne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thus rechelesnesse in a rage / a-resonede clergye
And scornede scripture / þat monye skyles schewede
Tyl þat kynde cam / clerigie to helpon
And in þe myrrour of myddul-ert / made hym eft loke
To knowe by eche creatour / kynde to louye

X
¶ And bowed my body / by-holdyng al a-boute
And seyh þe sonne and þe see / and þe sande aftur
Wher þat bryddes and bestes / by here make ȝeodon /

¶ Wylde wormes in wodes / and wonderfol foules .
With flekkede feþeres / and of fele colours

¶ Man and his make / y myhte se bothe

//
¶ Pouerte and plente / boþe pees and werre

¶ Blisse and bitter bale / boþe y seyh at ones

¶ And how þat men mede token / and mercy refuseden[^110]

[^110: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

[long horizontal line]
¶ Reson y seyh sothly / suwen al bestes
In etynge in drynkynge / in engendryng of kynde
After cours of concepcion / non tok kep of other
As wan þei hadde ruteyed / a-non þei resten aftur

¶ Maules drowen hem to maules / on morownynges by hem -selue
And femeles to femeles / herdyed and drowe

¶ Þer ne was cow ne kowekynde / þat conceyued hadde
Þat beer aftur bole / ne bor aftur sowe

¶ Ther was ne[^a457] kyne kynde / þat conceyued hadde
Þat ne les þe lykinge of loust / of fleisch as hit were
Saue man and his make / and þer-of me wondrede

[^a457: ne (Vc) | no (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For ouȝt of reson þei ryde / and rechelesliche token on
As in durne dedes / boþe drynkyng and elles

¶ Bryddes y by-heolde / in bosches maden nestes
Hadde neuere wye wit / to worche þe leste

¶ I hadde wondur at wham / and wher þat þe pye
Leornede legge stykkes / þat leyen in here neste
Þer is no whrit as y wene / scholde worche here nest to paye
Ȝif eny mason þer-two[^a458] / makede a molde
With al here wyse castes / wondur me þenkeþ

[^a458: þer-two (Vc) | þerto (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And ȝut y merueilede more / mony of þo bryddes
Huddon and heledoun / durneliche here egges
For no foul scholde hem fynde / but his fere and hym-selue

¶ And some treden y toke kepe / and on trees breddon
And brouht forþ here bryddes / al a-boue þe grounde

¶ In mareys and in Mures / in mores & in wateres
dompynges dyuedoun / deore god y sayde
Wher hadden suche[^a459] wilde such wit / and at what scole
And whan þe pecok caukede / þer-of toke y kepe
How vncorteisly þe cok / his kynde forþ strewede
And ferly hadde of his fairnesse / and of his foul leodene

[^a459: suche (Vc Ac) | thise (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And seþe y lokede on þe see / and so forþe on þe sterres
Mony selcouþe y seyh / aren not to segge nouþe
Ne what on floures in feeldes / and of here faire colours
How out of greot and of grace / grew so mony hewes
Some soure and some swete / selcouþe me thoute
Of here kynde and of here colours / to carpen hit were to longe

¶ Ac þat þat meouede me / and my mod chaunget
Was þat y seih resoun / suwen al bestes
Saue man and mankynde / mony tymes me þouhte
Reoson rewled hem nat / nouther riche ne poure

¶ Þenne y a-resonede resoun / and riht tyl hym seyde
Y haue wondur in my wit / so wis as thow ert holde
Wher-fore and why / so wyde as thou regnest
Þat þow ne reulest rather / renkes þenne oþur bestes

¶ For y seo noen so ofte surfeton / sothly so man-kynde
In mete out of mesure / and mony tymes in drynke
In wommen in wedes / and in wordes boþe
Thei ouur-don hit day and nyht / and so doþ non other

¶ Bestes rewlen hem al by resoun / and renkes fol fewe
And þer-fore merueyleþ me / for man as in makynge
Is most liche to[^a460] þe / of wit and of werkes
Whi he ne louyeþ þi lore / and lyueþ as thou techest

[^a460: liche to (Vc Ac) | yliche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And reson a-resonede me / and seyde reche þe neuure
Why y suffre or nat suffre / certes y seyde
Ech a sege for him-selue / salamon vs techeþ
de Re que te non molestat nolite certare /
Ho soffreþ more þenne god quaþ he / no gome as y leoue
He myhte amende in amyntwhile a myntwhile / al þat amys stondes
Ac he soffreþ in ensaumple / þat we scholde al suffren

¶ Is no vertue so fayr / of value ne of profit
As is suffraunce souereynliche / so hit beo for godes loue
And so witnesseþ þe wyse / and wysseþ þe freynsche
Bele vertu est suffraunce / mal dire est petit veniaunce[^111]
Bien dire & bien suffrire / fait ly suffrable a bien venir

[^111: These lines are bracketed in red on the right.]

¶ For-þi quaþ reson y rede þe / ruwele þi tonge euere
And er thow lakke eny lyf / loke ho is to preyse

¶ For is no creature vndur crist / þat can hym-self make
And if cristone creatours / couthen make hem-selue
Eche led wolde beo laclese / leof þou non oþur

¶ Man was made of suche matere / he may not wel asterte /
Þat som tymes hym tyt / to folwon his kynde
Catoun a-cordeþ herwyth / Nemo sine crimine viuit

¶ Þo cauhte y colour a-non / and comsed to beo a-schamed
And a-wakede þer-wiþ / wo was me þenne
Þat y ne had met more / so murye as y slepte
And seyde a-non to my-selue / slepyng y had grace
To wyte wat dowel is / ac wakynge neuere

¶ And þenne was þer a whit / what he was y nuste
//
What is dowel quaþ þat whit / y wis sire y seyde /
//
To see muche and suffren al / certes is sire[^a461] dowel .

[^a461: is sire (Vc Ac) | syre ys (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Haddest þow suffred he seyde / sclepyng þo þow were
Þow scholdest haue knowe þat clergie can / & more coueyted[^a462] þrouh resoun
For Reson wolde haue rehersed to þe /[^112] riht as clergie seyde .
Ac for þin enturmetyng / here art þow for-sake
Philosophus fuisses si tacuisses . & alibi . Locutum me aliquando penituit tacuisse nunquam .

[^a462: coueyted (Vc Ac) | conceyued (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^112: The virgule was originally a false start for the <r> of riht.]

¶ Adam whiles he spac nat / hadde paradys at wille
Ac whan he mameled a-boute mete / and musede for to knowe
Þe wysdom and þe wit of god / he was putte out of blisse

¶ Riht so ferd reson by þe / for þi rude speche
And for þou woldest wite why / of resones pryueite

¶ For pruyde and presumpcioun / of þi parfit lyuynge /
Reson refusede þe / and wold not reste with þe
Ne clergie of his connynge / kepeþ þe nat swewe[^a463]
//
For schal neuere er schame come / a schrewe wel beo chasted

[^a463: swewe (Vc) | shewe (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For let a dronken daffe / in a dyche falle
Leet him ligge loke nat on hym / tyl him a-luste[^a464] a-ryse

[^a464: a-luste (Vc) | luste (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For þauh reson rebuke hym þenne / reccheþ he neuere
Of clergye ne of kyndewit / counteþ he nat a russche
To blame hym or to bete hym þenne / y halde hit but synne

¶ Ac when neode nymeþ hym vp / a-non he is asschamed
And þenne wot he wer-fore / and why he is to blame

¶ Ȝe seggeþ soth by my saule quod y / y haue seyn hit ofte
Þer smyt no þing so smerte / ne smelleþ so foule
As schame þer he sheweþ hym / ech ma n shoneþ his compaignie
Why ȝeo wordon to me thus / was for y aresonede reson .

¶ Ȝee certes þat is soth quaþ he[^a465] / and schop hym to walke
And y ros vpriht wiþ þat / and reuerencede hym faire
And if his wil were / he wolde his name telle

[^a465: þat is soth quaþ he | quod he þat is soth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

Hic explicit passus quartus /

Incipit passus quintus de Dowel . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.] [The single de Dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

I[^113] Am ymaginatyf quod he / Idul was y neuere
Þauh y sete by my-self / suche is my grace /
Y haue folowed þe in faith / mo þan forty wyntur
And wissched[^a466] þe fol ofte / wat Dowel was to mene
And consailled þe for cristesake / no creature to by-gyle
Noþur to lye ne to lakke / ne lere þat is defended
Ne to spille speche / as to speke on ydul
And no tyme to tyme / ne trewe þing to teonen
Lowe þe and to lyue forþe / in þe lawe of holychurche
Þan dost þow wel with-oute drede / ho can dobet no force
Clerkes þan connen al / y hope þei can do betere
Ac hit sufficit to beo saue d / and beo suche as y tauhte
And for to louye and lene / and lyue wel and by-leoue
Is y-cald Caritas kynde loue in englissche

[^a466: wissched (Vc) | wissed (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^113: The initial is outlined in black by a later hand.]

¶ And þat is dobet ȝif eny such beo / y-blesset[^a467] man þat helpeþ
Þat pees beo and pacience / and poure wiþ-oute defaute
quia beacius est predicare quam audire
Beacius est dare quam petere /
Ac catel and kyndewit / encombreþ fol monye
Wo is hym þat hem weldeþ / but he hem wel dispene
Scientes et non facientes varijs flagellis vapulabunt

[^a467: y-blesset (Vc Ac) | a blessed (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ ¶ Ac Comunilyche connynge / and vnkynde rychesse
As lorelles to beo lordes / and lewede men techeres
And holychurche horen help / auerous and couetous
Droweþ vp dowel / and destrueþ dobest

¶ Ac grace is a gras þer-fore / to don hem eft growe
Ac grace groweþ nat / tyl good wyl gynne reyne
And woky þorgh goode werkes / wyckede hertes .

¶ Ac er suche a wil wexe / god hym-self worcheþ
And sent forth seynt espurit / to don loue sprynge
Spiritus ubi wlt spirat[^114]
So grace wiþ-oute grace of god and goode werkes
May not beo / beo þow syker / thauh we bydde euere .

[^114: Flourish here does not mark expand "e."]

¶ Cleregie comeþ but of syht / and kynde wit of sterres
As to beo bore oþur by-gete / in suche constellacioun
Þat wit waxit þer-of / and oþer wirdes boþe .
Wltus huius seculi sunt subiecti vultibus celestibus .
Sa[^a468] grace is a gyft of god / and kynde wit a chaunce
And clergie a connynge / of kyndeswit[^a469] techynge

[^a468: Sa (Vc) | Saue (Ac) | So (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a469: kyndeswit (Vc) | kynde wittes (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And ȝut is clergie to comende / for cristes loue more
Þan eny connynge of kyndewit / but clergie hit rewle

¶ For moyses witnesseþ þat god wrouht[^a470] / in ston wiþ his fyngur
Lawe of loue oure lord wrouht[^a471] / longe er cryst were
And cryst cam and confermede / and holykirke made

[^a470: wrouht (Vc Ac) | wroet (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a471: wrouht (Vc Ac) | wroet (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And in sond a signe wrot / and seyde to þe iewes
Þat seoþ hym-self synneles / cesse nat y hote
To stryke wiþ ston or wiþ staf / þis to deþe woman[^115]
Quis vestrum sine peccato est et cetera .

[^115: The non-scribal alteration seems to be made in an effort to render the text less vulgar (compare Vc.10.269, where the same hand alters schit to schet.]

¶ For-þi y counsail al cristene / clergie to honoure
For as a man may not seo / þat misseþ his eyen
No more can no clerkes / but if hit beo of bokes

¶ Al-thauh men maden bokes / god was here magister .
And seint espurit þe saumplarie / and seyde wat men scholde write
And riȝht as siht serueþ a man / to seo þe hye strete
Ryht so lereþ lettrure / lewede men to reson .

¶ And as a blynd mon in bataille / bereþ wepne to fihte
And hathe non happe wiþ his axe / his enymy to hitte /
No more can a kyndewittede man / but clerkes him teche
Come for alle his kynde wittes / þorgh cristondam to beo saued
Þe wuche is cofre of cristes tresour / and clerkes kepuþ þe keyes
To vn-louke hit at here lykyng / þe lewede and lered to helpe

¶ To ȝeue mercy for mysdedes / if men wolde hit aske
Buxomliche and benyngliche / and bydden hit of grace
// Archa dei in þe olde lawe / leuites hit kepten .
Hadde neuere lewede man leue / to legge hond on þat cheste
But hit were preost or preostes sone / patriark or prophete
Saul for he sacryfisede / sorowe him by-tyded
And his sones for his synnes / sorwe þei hadden

¶ For-þi y consaille al creatours / no clerk to dispyse
Ne sette schort by here science / what so þei don hem-selue

¶ Take we here wordes a worth / for here witnesses beoþ trewe
And medle we nat muche wiþ hem / to meouen eny wrathe
Lest chest chauf vs so / and chop eche mon oþer
And do we as dauid techeþ / for doute of godes veniaunce
Nolite tangere cristos meos / & cetera

¶ For clergye is cristes vicory / to conforte and to curen
Boþe lered and lewed were lost / if clergie ne were

¶ Kyndewitted men han / a clergie by hem-selue /
Of cloudes and of custumes / þei contreuede mony þinges
And markede hit in heore maneres[^a472] / and musede þer -on to knowe
And of þe selcouþes þat þei seyhen / here sones þer -of þei tauhte

[^a472: maneres (Vc Ac) | manere (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thei heolden hit For a hy science / heore sotylites to knowe
Ac þrow here science sothly / was neuere soule y-saued
Ne brouht þrow here bokes / to blisse ne to ioye .

¶ For al here kyndeknowyng cam / but of diuerse syhtes
Of bryddes and of bestes / of blisse and of sorowe

¶ Patriarches and prophetes / repreuede here science /
And seyde here wordes and wysdomes / ne was but a folye
As to þe cleregie of crist / thei countede hit but a tryfle
ad corinthios
Sapiencia huius mundi / stulticia est apud deum .

¶ For þe hye holygost / schal heuene to-cleue
And loue schal leope out aftur / in-to þis lowe eorthe
And clannesse schal cachen hit / and clerkes schul hit fynde
lucam secundo
Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem & cetera .

¶ Hit spekeþ of richemen riche men rith nouht / ne of riche lordes
But of clennesse and of clerkes / and keperes of bestes
Ibunt magi ab oriente /[^116]

[^116: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

neque crux neue apostoli ibi erant

[This gloss is keyed to the end of the a-verse of Vc15.97 with a signe de renvoi.]

¶ If eny Frere found were[^a473] þere / ich ȝeue fyue schillinges
Nothur in cote ne in a[^a474] caytif hous / was crest[^a475] y-bore
opinio ..borum est
But in a Borgeyses hous / þe best of al þe toune

[^a473: found were (Vc Ac) | were founde (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a474: ne in a (Vc) | noþer in (P Mc) | ne in (Ec Ac) | ne (Rc)]

[^a475: crest (Vc) | crist (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ To pastours and to poetes / aperede þe aungel
And bad hem go to bethleem / godes burthe to honoure
Lucam 2o secundo .
And sungen a songe of solas Gloria in excelsis deo

¶ Richemen Riche men routten þo / and in here reste weren
Þo hit schon to þe schepherdes / a scwewere[^a476] of blisse .

[^a476: scwewere (Vc) | sheware (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Clerkes knewen þe Comete and comen myd[^a477] here presentes
And dude here homage honorably / to hym þat was al-myhty

[^a477: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Why y haue tolde þe al this / y took fol good hede
Hou þow contrariedest clergye / with crabbede wordes
That is how lewede men and luthere / lithlocour were saued
Þan connynge clerkes / of kunde vndurstondyng
And þow seydest soþe of somme / ac y seye in wat manere .

¶ Tak two stronge men / and in temese cast hem
And boþe naked as a nedle / here non heuegour þan oþur

¶ Þat on hath connynge and can / swymmen and dyuon
Þat oþer is lewede of þat labour / & lernede neuere swymme
Wuche is trowest þou of þo two / in temse most in drede /

¶ He þat can not swymme y seyde / hit semeþ to al wittes /

¶ Riht so quaþ þat renk / reson hit scheweþ
Þat he þat knoweþ clergie / can sannere a-ryse
Out of synne and beo saf / þauh he synege ofte
If hym likeþ and lust / þan eny lewede sothly

¶ For if þe clerk beo connynge / and knoweþ wat is synne
. id est . ante

[This phrase glosses wiþ-oute]

in the line below, attempting to clarify the text's doctrinal position.
And hou contricioun wiþ-oute confessioun / conforteþ þe soule
As we seon in þe sauter in psalmes / on or tweye .
Hou contricion is comended / for hit cacheþ a-weye synne
Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates

¶ And þat conforteþ eche clerk / and keuereþ fro wanhope
In whut flod þe fend / fondeþ men hardest

¶ Þer þe lewede lithe stille / and lokeþ aftur lente
And hath non contricioun / ar he come to schrifte
And þenne can he litul telle / of on or of oþer
but as his lores-man leres hym / he by-leoueþ & troweþ
And þat is aftur person or parsch preost / & parauntur boþe beoþ lewed
For to lere lewede men / as luk bereþ witnesse
dum cecus ducit cecum .[^117]

[^117: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ For muche wo was him market / þat wade schal wiþ þe lewede
Wel may þe barn blesse / þat hym to boke sette
Þat lyuynge aftur lettrure / sauede him lyf and soule .
¶ dominus pars hereditatis mee / is a murye verset
Hit haþ y-take fro tyborne / twenty stronge þeoues

¶ Þer lewede þeoues beon lollede vp / loke hou þei beon saued

¶ Þe þeof þat hadde þe[^a478] grace of god / a godefryday gode fryday as þou toldest
//
Was for he ȝelded[^a479] him creaunt to crist / and his gr ace askede
And god is ay gracious / to alle þat gredeþ to hym
He wol no wykkede mon beo lost / but if he wol him-self
Nolo mortem peccatoris sea ut magis[^a480] & cetera .

[^a478: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a479: ȝelded (Vc Ac) | ȝeld (P Ec Rc) | held (Mc)]

[^a480: magis (Vc Ac Rc) | magis conuertatur & uiuat (P Ec Mc)]

¶ Ac þauh þe þeof hadde heuene / he had non hye blisse
As seint Iohan and oþerer[^a481] seyntes / þat han a-serued beterre

[^a481: oþerer (Vc) | oþer (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Riht as some men ȝyueþ me mete / & sette me a-mydde þe flor
I haue mete more þenne y-nouh / ac nat wiþ so muche worschip
As þo þat sitten at þe heye or syd[^a482] table / or wiþ þe souereyns in halle
But as a beggare bord-les / by my-seelf on þe grounde

[^a482: heye or syd (Vc Ac) | syde (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ So hit ferde by þe felon / þat a good fryday was seued[^a483]
He sit noþur myd[^a484] seint Iohan wiþ Symon ne wiþ Iude
Ne with maydones ne wiþ martyres / ne wiþ mylde wydues
But as a solayn by him-self / and serued vpon þe grounde

[^a483: seued (Vc) | saued (P Ec Rc Ac) | isaued (Mc)]

[^a484: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For he þat is ones a þeef / is euere-more in daunger
And as þe lawe likeþ / to lyue or to dye
de peccato propiciato noli esse sine metu .

¶ And for to seruen a seynt / and suche a þeof to-gederes
Hit were no reson ne ryht / to rewarde boþe liche

¶ Ryht as Troianus þe trewe knyht / tulde nat deop in helle
Þat oure lord ne hadde him litliche out / so leoue y of þat þeof in heuene .
For he is in lowest heuene / if oure by-leue beo trewe
And wel lofliche lolleþ þere / as by þe lawe of holy churche
Et reddit vnicuique secundum opera sua
Ac why þe þeof vpon þe crois / creaunt him ȝeelde
Raþer þenne þat oþur / þauh þow woldest appose
Al þe clerkes vndurcrist vndur crist / ne couthe þis assoille
Quare placuit quia uoluit & cetera .[^118]

[^118: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ And so y seye by þe / þat sekest aftur weyes
Hou creatours and kyndewit / and clerkes comen to bokes
And hou þe floures in þe frith / comeþ to faire hewes .

¶ Was neuere creature vndur crist / þat knew wel þe by-gynnyng
But kunde þat contreued hit furst / of corteyse wil .

¶ He tauhte þe tortle to trede / þe pecok ta[^a485] cauke
And adam and eue / and oþere bestes alle

[^a485: ta (Vc) | to (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ A cantel of kynde wit / here kynde to saue
Of goode and of wik / kynde was þe furste
He seyh hit and suffred hit / and seyde hit beo scholde
dixit & facta sunt .[^119]

[^119: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Ac whi he wolde þat wikkede were / y wene and y leoue
Was neuere man vpon molde / þat myhte hit aspie
Ac longe libbynge men / lyknede mennes lyuynge
To bryddes and to bestes / as here bokes telleþ .
Þat þe fayrest foul / foulest engendreþ
And feblest foul of flyht is / þat flucþ[^a486] oþer swymmeþ
¶ That is þe pecok and þe popyiay / wiþ here proude feþeres

[^a486: flucþ (Vc) | flueþ (Ac) | flucht (P) | fleeth (Ec Rc Mc)]

By-tokeneþ riht richemen riche men / þat regnen here on eorþe

¶ For pursue a pecok / or a po hen to cacche
And haue hem in haste / at þin owene wil

¶ For þei may not fleo fer / ne ful hye noþur
[^120]For heore federes þat faire beon / to fleo fer hem letteþ .
His leodene is vnlouelyche / and lothliche his caroyne
Ac For his peynted feþeres / þe pecok is honoured
More þenne for his faire fleisch / or for his mury note

[^120: A bracket in the form of a line runs down the left margin for the entire length of the page, from Vc15.193 to Vc15.233. It is crossed at Vc15.212.]

¶ Riht so menne reuerenseþ more þe riche / for his muche meoble
Þan for þe kyn þat he cam of / or for his kynde wittes

¶ Thus þe poete preyseþ / þe pecok for his feþeres
And þe riche for his rentes / or richesse in his schoppe

¶ Þe larke þat is a lasse foul / is louelokour of leodene
And swetterour[^a487] of sauour / and swuftor of wynge

[^a487: swetterour (Vc) | swettore (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ To lowe lyuynge men / þe larke is resembled
And to lelle and to lyf-holy / þat louon al treuthe

¶ Thus Pofirie[^a488] and Plato / and poetes monye
Lykneþ in here Logik / þe lest foul oute

[^a488: Pofirie (Vc) | porfirie (P Rc Ac) | purfurie (Ec Mc)]

¶ And weþur hy beo saf or not saf / þe soþe wot nat clergie
Ne of Sortes ne of Salamon / / no scripture can telle
Wheþer þei beoþ in heuene oþur in helle / or Aristotle þe wyse

¶ Ac god is so good y hope / sith he gaf hem wyttes
To wisson vs weyes þer -with / þat wenon to be saued
And þe betere for here bokes / to bidden we beoþ holde
Þat god for his grace / gyue here soules reste .
for letred men were but lewedmen lewed men ȝut / ne were þe lore of þo clerkes .

¶ Al theos clerkes quod y þo / þat on crist by-leouen
Seggen in here sarmons / þat noþer sarasyns ne Iewes
Wiþ-oute baptisme as by here bokes / beoþ nat y-saued

¶ Contra quaþ ymaginatif þo / and comsode to loure
And seyde vix saluabitur iustus / in die Iudicij
Ergo saluabitur quath he / and seyde no more latyn
Troianus was a trewe knyht / and tok neuere cristondom
//
¶ And he is saf seith þe boke / and his soule in heuene

¶ Þer is follyng of font / and follynge in blod-schedyng
And throw fuyr is follyng / and al is ferm by-leoue
Aduenit ignis diuinus non comburens sed illuminans /

¶ Ac treuthe þat trespasseþ neuure / ne transuersede a-ȝeinst þe lawe
But leouede as his lawe tauhte / and leoueþ þer beo no bettere
And ȝif þer were he wolde / and in such a wil deyeþ /
Wolde neuere trewe god / but trewe treuþe were a-lowed

¶ And were hit worþe or not worþe / þe by-leoue is gret of treuþe
And hope hongeþ ay þer -on / to haue þat treuþe deserueþ
Quia super pauca fidelis fuisti / supra multa te constituam
And þat is loue and large huyre / ȝif þe lord beo trewe
And a cortesye more þenne couenaunt was / what so clerkes carpon
For al worþ as god wolo[^a489] / and þer-wiþ he vanyschede /

[^a489: wolo (Vc) | wol (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

Hic explicit passus quintus /

Incipit passus sextus / de dowel / [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.] [The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

A nd y a-waket þer-wiþ / witles nerhande
As a frek þat feye were / forþ can y walke
In manere of a mendinaunt mony ȝeres aftur
And mony tymes of þis meteles / muche þouht y hadde
Furst hou fortune me faylede / at my most neode
And hou Elde manasede me / so myhte happe
Þat if y leuede longe / leue me by-hynde .
And vanysche al myn vertues / and myne faire lokkes
And how þat Freres folowden / folk þat was riche
And people þat was poure / at litul pryse setten .
Ne corps of poure Commune / in here kirke-ȝerd most ligge .
But he quyke by-queþe hem auht / or wolde helpe quite here dettes
And how couetyse þus[^a490] ouur-cam / alle kynne sectes
As wel lered as lewed / and lord as þe bonde

[^a490: þus (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And how þat lewede men beon lad / but oure lord hem helpe
Þorgh vnconnynge curatours / to incurable peynes

¶ And hou Imaginatif / in dremeles me tolde
Of kynde and of his connynge / & what connynge he ȝaf to bestes

¶ Hou louynge he is to eche a lyf / a londe and a watere
For al he wisseþ and ȝiueþ wit / þat walkeþ or crepeþ
And y merueilede in herte / hou ymaginatif seyde
Þat Iustus by-fore ihesu / in die iudicij .
Non saluabitur / but vix helpe /
And wen he had seid so / how sodeynliche he vanyschede
And so y musede vpon þis matere / þat me luste slepe .

¶ Þenne came concience / and clergie aftur .
And beden me ryse and rome / for wiþ resoun scholde y dyne

¶ And y aros and romede forth / wiþ reson we mette
We reuerencede reson / and romede forth softely
And metten wiþ a maystur / a man like a frere

¶ Concience knew hym wel / and welcomed him faire .
Þei weschen and wypedoun / and wenton to þe dyner

¶ Pacience as a poure þing cam / and preyde mete for charite
Y-like to Peres plouhman / as a palmere were
Crauede and cryde / for cristes loue of heuene /
A meles mete for a poure man / or money if þei hadden .

¶ Concience knew him wel / and welcomed hem alle
Weschen and wypeden / and wenten and seten .

¶ Þe maystur was made sitte furst / as for þe most worþi
Reson stode and styhlede / as for a styward of halle

¶ Pacience and y weren / y-put to beo mettes
And seton by oure-selue / at a syde table /

¶ Clergye cald aftur mete / and þenne cam scripture
And seruede hem thus sone / of sondry metes monye
Of Austyn of Ambrosie / of alle þe foure Euuangelies
Edentes et bibentes que apud illos sunt .

¶ Ac of þes metes thes maystur / myhte nat wel chewe
For-þi he ete mete of more cost / mortrews and potages
Of that þat menne myswonne / thei made hem wel at ese

¶ Ac here sauce was ouur soure / and vnsauerly grounde
In a morter Post mortem / of mony byttur peynes .
But if þey synge for þo soules / and wepe salte teres
Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis nisi pro eis lacrimas & eorum effuderitis ea que in delicijs comeditis in tormentis euenitis[^a491][^121] : & cetera .
Þenne reson radde / rith a-non aftur
Þat concience comaunde scholde / to do come scripture
And brynge bred for pacience / bytynge a partie
And to me þat was his mette þo / and oþer mete boþe

[^a491: euenitis (Vc Ac) | en emergitis (P) | emergitis (Ec) | euometis (Rc Mc)]

[^121: The correct Latin reading is euometis. It is possible the Vc and Ac scribes misread an exemplar's <om> for <en>, and hence we have expanded as the scribes presumably intended.]

¶ He sette a sour lof and seyde / agite penitenciam
And seth he drow vs drynke / diu perseuerans .
As longe quaþ he as þe lyf / and lycame may dure

¶ This is a semely seruice / seyde pacience

¶ Þenne cam contricioun / þat hadde coked for hem alle
And brouht forþ a pytaunce / was pro hac orabit omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno .

¶ Concience confortede vs / boþe cleregie and scripture
And seyden cor contritum et humiliatum / deus non despicies .

¶ Pacience was wel a-payed / of this propre seruice
And made murye wiþ þis mete / ac y mornede euere
For a doctor at þe hy deys / drank wyn faste
Ve uobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum /
And ete mony sondry metes / mortrews and poddynges
Brawon and blod of þe goos / bakon and colhoppes .

¶ Þenne seyde y to my-self / þat pacience hit herde
Ȝut is nat þre days[^a492] don[^122] / þat thes doctor prechede
At seynt poules by-fore þe people / what penaunce þei suffreden
Alle þat coueyted to come / to heuene kynne ioye
And how þat Paul þe apostle / what penaunce he þolede
For oure lordes loue / and[^a493] holy lettrure telleþ
/ in fame & frigore /[^123]

[^a492: days (Vc) | daies (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a493: and (Vc Ac) | as (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^122: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

[^123: This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Ac me wondreþ in my wit / why þat þei ne preche
As paul þe apostele prechede / to þe people ofte
periculum in falsis fratribus[^124]
Holywrit bit men beo war / and wysly hem kepe
Þat non falce frere / throw flateryng hem by-gyle

[^124: This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Ac me is loth þau y latyn knowe / to lakken eny secte
For al we beoþ breþeren / thau we beo diuerse cloþed .

¶ Ac wust y neuere frek / þat frere is y-called
Of þe fyue mendinauns / and made eny sarmon
Þat toke þis for his teome / and tolde hit with-oute glose .
Thei prechen þat penaunce / is profitable for þe soule
And wat meschief and mal-ese / crist for man þolede .

¶ Ac this doctor and dyuynour / and decresistre of canoun
And al-so a gredy glotoun / with two grete chekes
Hath no pyte on vs poure / he parforneþ vuele
That he precheþ he preoueþ nat / to pacience y tolde

¶ And wuschede wytturly / with a wylful wyl ful egre
Þat in þe mawe of þat mayster / alle þo metes were
Disches and dobelers / with al þe deyntes aftur

¶ Y schal iangle to this iordan / with his iuste wombe
And appose hym what penaunce is / and purgatorie on erthe
And why he leueþ nat as he lereþ / let beo quaþ pacience

¶ And seyde þow schalt seo þus sone / whan he may no more
He schal haue a penaunce in his panche / and poffe at eche worde

¶ Þenne schul his gottes godolon / and he gonne to galpe
Now he hathe dronke so deope / he wol dyuyne sone
And preouen hit by here apocalips / & by þe passion of seynt aueray
Þat noþur bakon ne brawon / blammanger ne mortrews
Is nothur fichsche ne fleisch / but fode for penaunces[^a494]
And take witnesse at þe trinite / and take his felow to witnesse
What he found in a forel / of a Freres lyuynge
And but þe furst lef be lesynge / leof me neuere aftur

[^a494: penaunces (Vc Ac) | penantus (P Rc Mc) | penaunce (Ec)]

¶ And þenne is tyme to talke / and to appose this doctour
Of dowel and of dobet / and if dobest do eny penaunce .

¶ Y sat stille as Paciens wolde / and þus sone þis doctour
As rody as a Rose / roddede his chekes
Kowede and carpede / and concience hym herde
And tolde of a Trinite / and toward me he lokede

¶ What is dowel sir doctour quaþ y is dobest eny penaunce
dowel quath þis doctour / and he drank aftur
do þi neyhbore non harm / ne þi-selue noþer
Þan dost þow wel and wysely / y dar hit wel a-vowe

¶ Certes sire þan sayde y / hit semeþ nat here .
In þat ȝe parteþ nat with vs poure / þat ȝe passeþ dowel /
Nothur louyeþ as ȝe lereþ / as oure lord wolde
Et visitauit et fecit redemptionem & cetera .
And ȝee fare þus wiþ ȝoure seke freres / ferly me þenkeþ
But dowel endite ȝow / in die Iudicij .

¶ Þenne concience ful corteysly / a contenaunce he made
And preynte vpon pacience / to prey me beo stille

¶ And seyde him-self sire doctour / by so hit beo ȝoure wil
What is dowel and dobet / ȝe dyuynours knoweþ

¶ I haue seyde seyde þe seg / y can say no betere
Bute do as doctours telleþ / For dowel y hit holde

¶ Þat trauailleþ to teche oþere / For dobet y hit holde
And he þat doþ as he techeþ / y hald hit for þe beste
Qui facit et docuerit magnus vocabitur /

¶ Now þow clergie quaþ concience / carpe what is dowel

¶ Haue me excused quath clergie / by crist bot in scole
Schal no suche motyf beo meoued / for me bute there
For Peres loue þe plouhman / þat inpugnede ones
Al kynne connynges / and alle kynne craftes
Saue loue and leaute / and louhnesse of herte

¶ And no tyxt takeþ / to preoue þis for trewe
Bute dilige deum et proximum / and domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo .
And preoueþ by pure sckil / inparfit alle þinges
Nemo bonus /[^125]
But lel loue and treuþe / þat loþ is to beo founde

[^125: This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Quaþ Peres þe plouhman / pacientes vincunt
By-fore alle[^a495] perpetual pees y schal / preoue þat y seyde
And a-vowe by-fore god / and for-sake hit neuure
Þat disce . doce . diligere / deum and þin enymy
Hertely þow him helpe / emforþ þy myhte

[^a495: alle (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Mc) | the (Rc)]

¶ Cast hote coles an his hed / of alle kynde speche
Fond þow[^a496] þrow wit and word / his loue for to wynne
And ȝif hym eft and eft / euere at his neode
Conforte hym with þi catel / and with þi kunde speche
And leye on him þus wiþ loue / til he lauh on þe
And but he bowe for þis betynge / blynd mot y worþe .

[^a496: þow (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And when he hadde worded þus / wuste no man aftur
Were Peres plouhman by-cam / so pryueliche he wente
And reson ran aftur / and riht with hym ȝeode
Saue concience and clergie / y couthe no mo aspie .

¶ And pacience propreliche spake / þo peres was þus passed
Þat loueþ lelly quath he / bute lutul þing coueyteþ .
exper imen tum

[The gloss is elaborately displayed on three lines with a curved bracket, also red, connecting the syllables. The first two syllables occur before Vc16.164. The middle two syllables are placed before Vc16.168, and the final syllable before Vc16.175.]

¶ I wolde and y wil hadde / wynnen al Fraunce
With-outen bruttyng of burnes / or eny blod-schedynge
I take witnesse quod he / at holy writ a partye
pacientes vincunt .[^126]

[^126: This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ For by him þat me made / myhte neuure pouerte
Meseise ne meschief / ne man with his tonge
Teone þe eny tyme / and þow take Pacience
And bere hit in þin bosom / a-boute wher þow wendest
In þe cornel of a cart wheol / wyþ a crow crone
Schal neuure burne beo a-baysched / þat haþ þis a-boute hym .
Nothur hete ne hayl / ne helle pouke hym greue
Noþur Fuyr noþur flod / ne beo a-ferd of enymy
Caritas expellit omnem timorem .

¶ Þer nys whit in þis worlde / þat wolde þe lette
To haue al londes at þi likynge / and þe here lord make
And maystre of al heore meoble / and of here money aftur
Þe kynge and al þe comune / and clergye to þe loute
As for heore lord and ledere / and lyuen as þou teches

¶ Þis is a dido quaþ þis doctor / a dysours tale
Al þe wit of þis world / ne whit[^a497] mennes strenthe
Can not parformen a pees / of þe pope & of his enymys
Profitable for boþe parties / and put þe bord fro hym .
And toke concience and Clergie / to consail as hit were .
Ac y toke kepe hou concience / conieyed sone þis doctour
And sithe he seyde to clergie / so þat y hit herde .

[^a497: whit (Vc) | wyghtes (P) | wiȝty (Ec) | wyhte (Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ By crist quaþ concience / clergie y wol nat lye
Me were leuur by oure lord / and y lyf scholde
Haue pacience parfitliche / þan half þi pak of bokes

¶ Lettrure and longe studye / letteþ fol monye
Þat þei knoweþ nat quod pacience[^a498] / what is kynde pacience .

[^a498: pacience (Vc Ac) | Concience (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For-þi quaþ concience / cryst y the by-teche
With pacience wol y passe / parfitnesse to fynde
Thus þei wente forþe here way / wiþ a[^a499] gret wil y folwed .

[^a499: a (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þenne hadde pacience al[^a500] pilgryms hauen / in here poke vitailes
Sobrete and sympul speche / and sothfast by-leoue
To conforte hym and concience / if þei come in place
Þer vnkyndenesse and couetyse is / hongry contreis boþe

[^a500: al (Vc Ac) | as (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And as þei wente by þe way / of dowel can þei carpe
Þei mette wiþ a Mynustral / as me þo þouhte

¶ Pacience apposede hym / and preyde he sholde telle
What craft þat he couþe / and cortesly he seyde

¶ Y am a Ministral quaþ þis man / my name is actiua vita
Peres prentys þe plouhman / alle people to conforte
What manere ministralsie / my dere frend quaþ concience
Hast þow vsed or haunted / al thy lyf-tyme

¶ Ministracye can y nat muche / bute maken[^a501] men murye
As a waffrer with waffres / and wel-come godes gyftes

[^a501: maken (Vc Ac) | make (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Of my labour þei lauhe / þe lasse and þe more
Þe poure and þe riche / y plese and payn fynde .
And fewe robes y founde[^a502] / or forrede gownes
Wolde y lye and do men lauhe / þen lacchen y scholde .
Manteles oþer moneye / a-monge lordes Ministralles

[^a502: founde (Vc Ac) | fonge (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ I can nat taboure ne trompe / ne telle faire gestes .
Farten ne fythelon / at festes ne harpon
Iapen ne iogelon / ne genteliche pipe
Noþe[^a503] sailen ne sautrien / ne synge wiþ þe geterne

[^a503: Noþe (Vc) | noþer (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ I haue none goode gyftes / at[^a504] these grete lordes
For no bred þat y by trauaile / to brynge by-fore lordes
Ne were hit þat þe parische / prayeþ for me an sonedays
I am sory þat y sewe or sette / but for my-self one

[^a504: at (Vc Ac) | of (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac þe preost and oþer people / prayeþ for peres plouhman
And for me Actif his man / þat ydelnesse hatte
For lordes and lorelles / luthere and goode
Fro myhelmasse to myhelmasse / y fynde mete and drynke .

¶ Y fynde payn for þe pope / and pray hym y wolde
Þat pestilences to pees / and to parfit loue turne
For funde y þat his blessynge / and his bulle myhte
Letten this luther eyr / and lechen þe syke
As þe bokes bereþ witnesse / þat he bere myhte
In his mouth mercy / and amende vs alle
Super egros manus imponent et bene & cetera .
Þenne wolde y beo bysy / and boxom to helpe
Eche kynne creature / þat on cryst by-leeued[^a505]

[^a505: by-leeued (Vc Ac) | byleyueþ (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For sythe he hath þe pouer / þat seynt petur hadde
He hathe pureliche þe pot / with þe same salue .
Argentum et aurum non est michi quod autem habeo hoc tibi do /

¶ Ac if myhte of myracle hym faile / hit is for men beoþ nat worþi /
Fort to haue þe grace of god / and no gult in þe pope
For may no blessynge do vs bote / but if we wol amende
Ne mannes preyere make pees / a-mong cristone people /
Tyl pruyde beo pureliche for-do / and þat þrow payn defaute
Ex habundancia panis et vini turpissimum peccatum aduenit /
Pure plente of payn / þe people of sodomye .
And rest of[^a506] riche metes / rybaudes hem made /

[^a506: of (Vc Ac) | and (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Pees quath pacience / y preye þe syre[^a507]
For þauh neuere payn ne plouh / ne potage were
Pruyde wolde putte hym-self forthe / thauh no plouh erye .

[^a507: syre (Vc Ac) | sire actyf (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Hit am y þat fynde al folk / and from honger saue
Throw þe hye help of hym / þat me hydur sente
And seyde lo here lyflode y-nouh / if oure[^127] by-leoue beo trewe
¶ For lente was þer neuure lyf / bute lyflode were y-schape
Wher-of or were-fore / and where-with to lyuen .
Þe worm þat woneþ vndur erthe / and in watur fyssches .
nota

[The ink of this character may be the same as that which underlined and corelu in the text.]

Þe cryket by kynde of fuyr / and corelu by þe wynde

[^127: There is a false start on the <o>.]

¶ Bestes by gras and by grayn / and by grene rotes
In menynge þat al men / myhte þe same
Lyuen throw lel by-leoue / as oure lord witnesseþ .
Quodcumque pecieritis patrem in nomine meo dabitur enim vobis . & alibi . Non in solo pane viuit homo sed de omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei

¶ Hauest þow ay quath Actyf suche mete wiþ þe

¶ Ȝee quaþ pacience and hente / out of his poke
A pece of þe Pater noster / and profrede to vs alle

¶ And y lustned and lokede / what lyflode hit were
Þen was hit fiat voluntas tua . þat scholde fynde vs alle
Haue Actyf quaþ pacience / and ette þis when þe hongreþ
Or when þow clomsest for corde[^a508] / or clyngest for drouþe
Ne[^a509] schal neuure gyues þe greue / ne gret lordes wrathe
Prysone ne oþer payne / for pacientes vincunt

[^a508: corde (Vc) | colde (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a509: Ne (Vc Ac) | And (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ By so þow beo sobre of syht / and of tonge boþe
In ondyng in hondelyng / in alle þy fyue wittes
Þat þow care for no corne / for cloþ ne for drynke
Ne deþ drede ne deuul / dey as god likeþ
Wheþur throw hongur or throw hete / at his wil beo hit
For if þow lyuest aftur his lore / þe schorter lyf þe betere
Si quis amat christum / mundum non diligit istum .
Throw his breþ bestes woxon / and a-brod ȝedon dixit & facta fuerunt
Ergo þrow his bestes lyuen / boþe men an fysches
As witnesseþ holy writ / when we seye oure graces
Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne & cetera .

¶ Hit is founde þat fourty wyntur / folc lyueden and not tylede
And ouȝt of flynt sprang þe flod / þat folke and bestes dronken

¶ And in Elyes tyme / heuene was y-closed
Þat no regne reynede / thus redeþ men in bokes
Þat mony wyntur men lyueden / and of no mete telden .

¶ Seuene slepen as seyþ þe bok / more þan syxti wyntur
Lyuedoun wiþ-oute lyflode / and at þe last a-wakedoun

¶ And if men lyueden as mesure wolde / scholde neuure beo defaute
A-mong cristone creatours / if crystes word beo trewe .
dabo tibi secundum peticionem tuam & cetera .

¶ What is parfit pacience / quath actiua vita
Meoknesse and mylde speche / and men of o wil
Þe wuche wil loue ledeþ / to oure lordes place
And þat is charite chaumpioun / chief of alle vertues

¶ And þat is poure pacient / al peryles to suffre

¶ Where pouerte and pacience / plese more god al-myhty
Þan doþ rithfol richesse / and resonabli to spende .

¶ Ȝe quis est ille quaþ pacience quyk laudabimus eum .

¶ Þaugh men rede of riche / ryht to þe worldes ende
And whan he drouh hem to þe deþ / þat he ne dradde him sarrer
Þan eny poure pacient / and þat preoue y by resoun .

¶ Hit are but fewe folk of þes riche / þat ne falleþ in arerage
Þer þe poure dar plede / and preoue by pure Resoun
To haue a-lowaunce of his lord / by lawe he claymeþ ioye
Þat neuure ioye hadde / of rythful Iuge he askeþ

¶ And seith lo bryddes and bestes / þat no blisse knoweþ
And wylde wormes in wodes / þrow wyntur þow hem greuest
And makest hem wel nere meok / and mylde for defaute
Aftur þenne þow sendest hem somor / þat is hem seuereyn ioye
And blisse to al þat beon / boþe wylde and tame

¶ Þenne may beggares as bestes / aftur blisse asken
Þat al here lyf han lyued / in langor and defaute .
But god sende hem tyme / of som manere ioye
Other here or elles-wer / elles were hit reuþe
For to wroþerhele was he wrouht / þat neuere was ioye y-schape

¶ Angeles þat in helle now beon / hadden some-tyme ioye .
And diues in his deynteys lyuynge / and in douce vie .
And now he buyeþ hit fol bittere / he is a beggare of helle

¶ Mony man haþe his ioye here / for al here wel dedes
And lordes and ladies beon cald / for leodes þat þei haue
And slepeþ as hit semeþ / and somor euure hem folowiþ

¶ When deþ awakeþ hem of here wele / þat were here so riche
Þenne aren hit pure pore þinges / in purgatorie or in helle

¶ Dauid in þe sauter / of suche makeþ muyde muy[n]de
And seith dormierunt / et nichil inuenerunt & cetera . & alibi . velud sopnium so[m]pnium surgencium .

¶ Hic Explicit passus sextus /

Incipit passus septimus / de dowel . [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.] [The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

A las þat richesse schal reue / & robbes[^a510] mannes soule
Fro þe loue oure[^a511] lord / at his last ende
Thei þat han here huyre byfore / aren euere -more poure
And schul nat dye oute of dette / to dyne or thei deseruen hit
When his deuer is y-don / and his dayes iorne[^128]
Þen men may wite wat he is worþ / & what he haþ deserued
And not fonge by-fore / for drede of desalowynge
So y say by ȝou riche / hit semeþ nat þat ȝe schulle[^129]
Haue two heuenes / for ȝou re herbeoynge[^a512]
Muche murthe is in may / a-monge wilde bestes
And so forthe whil somer lasteþ / here solas dureþ
And muche murthe a-mong riche men is / þat han meoble y-now and hele .
Ac beggares a-boute myssomer / bredles þei soupe
And ȝut is wyntur for hem worse / for wetschohed þei gangen .
A-furst and a-fyngret / and foule rebuket
Of þis worlde richemen riche men / þat reuthe is to here[^130]

[^a510: robbes (Vc) | robbe (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a511: oure (Vc) | of oure (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a512: herbeoynge (Vc Ac) | herberwynge (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^128: This line is connected to the following line with a bracket on the left.]

[^129: This line is connected to the following line with a bracket on the left.]

[^130: This line is connected to the following three lines with a bracket on the left.]

¶ Now lord send hem somor som-tyme / to solas and to ioye
Þat al here lyf ledoun / in lownesse and in pouerte

¶ For alle mystest thou haue maked / men of grete welthe
And liche wytty and wyse / and lyue wiþ-oute neode
Ac for þe best as y hope / aren some poure and riche

¶ Riht so haue reuthe on vs alle / þat on þe rode deidest
And amende vs of þi mercy / and make vs alle meoke
Lowh and lel . and louynge / and of herte poure
And sende vs contricioun / to clanse wiþ oure soules
And confession to kulle / alle kynne synnes
And satisfaccion þe wuche folfulleþ / þe faderes wil of heuene
And þese beon / dowel and dobet / and dobest of alle
Cordis contricio / comeþ of sorowe of herte
And Oris confessio . that comeþ of schrift of mouthe
And Satisfaccio that for synnes payeþ
And for alle synnes / souereynliche quiteþ
Cordis contricio / oris confessio / operis satisfaccio /

¶ Theos thre wiþ-outen doute / tholen al pouerte
And lereþ lewade and Lered / hyh and lowe to knowe[^131]
Ho þat doþ wel oþur bet / or best a-bouen alle
And holychurche and charite / her-of a chartre maden
But theos þre þat y spac of / on domesday vs defendoun
Elles is in ydul / alle oure lyuynge here
Our preyeres and oure penaunce / and pilgrimages to Rome
But oure spenses and spendyng / sprynge of a trewe welle
Elles is al oure labour lost / lo hou men wryten
In fenestres atte þe Freres / yf falce beo þe fundement[^132]

[^131: A faint bracket extends on the left from this line to the end of the page.]

[^132: This and the following two lines are bracketed in brown in the left margin, apparently by glossator3.]

¶ For-þi cristine men scholde beon in comyn riche / no couetyse to hem-selue .
For seuene synnes þat þer beon / þat assaillon vs euere

¶ Þe feond foloweþ hem alle / and fondeþ hem to helpe
And wiþ richesse to rybaudes / rathest men by-gylen
For there þat richesse regneþ / reuerences followyþ
And þat is plesaunt to pruyde / in poure and in riche

¶ Þe riche is reuerenced / by reson of his richesse
Þer þe poure is pult[^a513] by-hynde / and canne parauntur more
Of whit and of wysdom / þat feorwey is betere
Þan richesse or reaute / and rather y-herde in heuene

[^a513: pult (Vc Ac) | yput (P) | potte (Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For þe riche hath muche to rekene / and riht soft walkeþ
Þe hye weye to heueneward / he halt hit not ful euene
Ther þe poure preseþ by-fore / wiþ a pak at his rugge[^133]
Bataunt-liche as begares doun and boldliche he craueþ
For his pouerte and pacience / perpetuel ioye

[^133: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.16.54α).]

¶ Al-so pruyde in richesse regneþ / rather þan in pouerte
Or in þe maystre or in þe mon / som mancion he schoweþ

¶ Ac in pouerte þer pacience is / pruyde hatþ þe[^a514] myhte
Ne none of þe seuene synnes / sitte ne may þer longe
Ne haue pouer in pouerte / if pacience hit folowe .
For þe poure is ay prest / to plese þe riche .
And boxom at his byddyng / for his bred and drynke

[^a514: þe (Vc) | no (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And boxomesse boxom[n]esse and bost / aren euere-more at wrathe .
And aythur hateþ oþur / and mowen nat dwelle to-gederes

¶ If wrathe wrascle[^a515] with þe poure / he hath þe wors ende
For ȝif þei boþe pleyon / þe poure is but feble
And ȝif he chide or chatere / hym cheueþ þe worse

[^a515: wrascle (Vc) | wraxle (P) | wrastle (Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For loueliche he lokeþ / and louh is his speche
Þat mete oþur moneye / of strange men mot begge .

¶ And ȝif gloteny greue pouerte / he gadereþ þe lasse
For his rentes wol nat reche / riche metes to bugge

¶ Þauh his gloteny beo of gode ale / he gothe to a cold beddyng
And his hed vnheled / vuelyche[^134] y-wrye

[^134: The usual reading is vnesylyche, but the scribal reading is sensible and probably intentional.]

¶ For when he streyneþ hym to streche / þe straw is his witel
So for his glotonye and gret synne / he hath a greuouse penaunce
That is weylaweye when he wakeþ / and wepuþ for colde
So is he neuure-more ful murie / so meschief him folowiþ .
Þauh couetyse wolde with þe poure wrascle[^a516] / thei may not come to-gederes
By þe nekke nameliche / heor non may henton oþer
For men knowe þat couetyse / is of a kene wil .
He[^a517] hath hondes and armes / of a longe lengþe
And pouerte is but a pety þing / a-pereþ nat to his nauele
A louely layk was hit neuere / by-twene a long and a schort

[^a516: wrascle (Vc Ec) | wraxle (P) | wrastle (Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a517: He (Vc Ac) | And (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Than[^a518] auerice wolde angre pouerte / he hath but litul mythe
For pouerte hath but pokes / to put yn his goodes
Þer auarys hath almarys / and yrebounde cofres
And weþur beo betre to breke / lasse bost hit makeþ
to breke a beggares bagge / þan a yrebounde cofre

[^a518: Than (Vc Ac) | thogh (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ lecherye loueþ non pore / for he haþ but litul seluur
Ne doþe men dyne delicat-liche / neyþur drynke wyn ofte
A strawe for þe stewes / hy stode not fol longe
And þei hadde non oþur haunt / but of poure people

¶ Þauh sleuthe sew pouerte / and serue not god to paye
-
Meschief is ay a mene / and makeþ hym to þenke
Þat god is his grettest help / and no gome elles
And he is seruaunt al-way he saith / and of his secte boþe
And weþur he beo or beo nat / he beruþ þe signe of pouerte
And in þat secte oure saueour / saued al men-kunde

¶ For-þi al poure þat pacient is / of pure ritht may cleyme
-
Aftur here endyng here / heuene-riche blisse

-
¶ Muche hardiloker may he aske / þan he þat haþ[^a519] his wil
In lond and in lond or[^a520] in lordschipes / lykyng of body

[^a519: þan he þat haþ (Vc Ac) | þat here myhte haue (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a520: and in lond or (Vc) | & in ley or (Ac) | and (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And for godes loue leueþ al / and lyueþ as a beggare

¶ As a mayde for a monnes loue / hure modur for-sakeþ
Hure fadure and heore frendes / and goþ forþ with hure paramours

¶ Muche is suche a mayde to loue / of a mon þat suchon such on takeþ
More þan þat mayde is / þat is y-maried by brocage
As by assent of sondry bodies / and suluer to bote
More for couetise of catel / þan kynde loue of þe mariage

¶ So hit fareþ by eche a persone / þat pocessioun for-sakeþ
And put him to beo pacient / and to pouerte him weddeþ
Þe wuche is sibbe to crist him-self / and semblabe[^a521] boþe .

[^a521: semblabe (Vc) | semblable (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Quath Actyf þo al angreliche / and arguete as hit were
What is pouerte Pacient quod he / y prey þat þow telle hit
Paupertas quaþ pacience / est odibile bonum Remocio curarum / possessio sine calumpnia . donum dei . sanitatis mater Absque solicitudine semita . sapiencie . temperatrix . negocium sine dampno Incerta fortuna / absque solicitudine felicitas

¶ Y can nat construe al this / quath Actiua vita

¶ Parfey quaþ pacience / proprelicle proprelic[h]e to telle
In englische is fol hard / ac som-del y schal tel þe

¶ Pouerte is þe furst point / þat pruyde most hateþ
Þan is pouerte good quod good sckil / þauh hit greve[^a522] a litul[^135]
Al þat may putten of pruyde / in place þer he regneþ
Remocio curarum[^136]

[^a522: greve (Vc) | gre (Ac) | greue (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^135: Lines Vc17.123-129 are bracketed in brown on the left, apparently by glossator3.]

[^136: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ For selde sit þe[^a523] pouerte / þe sothe to declare
As a iustice to iuge men / men enioyneþ þerto no poure .
Ne to beo a mayre ouur men / ne ministur vndur kynges
Selde is þe poure put / to punysche eny people
Ergo Pouerte and poure men / parformen þe comaundement
nolite iudicare quemquam .[^137]
Possessio sine calumpnia[^138]

[^a523: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^137: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

[^138: This line is written in the margin to the right of the following line.]

¶ Selde is þe poure ryht riche / but of his rithful heritage

[This word has either been deliberately erased or just badly smudged.]

He wynneþ nauht with whites false / ne wiþ vn-seled mesures .[^139]
Ne borowiþ of his neihborwe / but what[^a524] he may wel paie
And lithly men leneþ to fewe men / and men wene hem poure

[^a524: what (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^139: Lines Vc17.134-138 are bracketed in brown in the left margin.]

¶ Þe feorthe . hit is a fortune / þat florisschet þe soule
With sobrete fro alle synnes / and al-so ȝut more
Hit defendeþ þe fleysche / fro folies ful monye
And a collateral confort / cristes ownes[^a525] sonde
. donum dei[^140]

[^a525: ownes (Vc) | oune (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^140: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Ȝut hit is modur of myht / and of mannes helthe[^141]
And frende in alle fondynges / and of foule vueles leche
sanitatis mater[^142]

[^141: Lines Vc17.142-147 are bracketed in brown in the left margin.]

[^142: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Þe syxthe . hit is a paþ of pees / ȝe throw þe pas of Aultone
Pouerte myhte passe / wiþ-oute peril of robbynge .
For þer as Pouerte passeþ / pees folowyþ comuniliche
And euure þe lasse þat eny lyf ledeþ / þe lyhtur his herte is there
[pen trials]
As he þat wot neuure wiþ whom / in nyhtes tyme to mete[^143]
Senca Sen[e]ca pauper est absque solicitudine semita

[^143: This line is bracketed in brown in the left margin.]

¶ Þe seuethe . hit is a wel of wysdom[^144] / & fewe wordes sweweþ[^a526][^145]
For lordes a-loweþ hym lytul / or leith ere to his resoun
He tempreþ his tonge to trewþward / þat no tresour coueyteþ

[^a526: sweweþ (Vc) | sheweth (P Ec Mc Ac) | seweth (Rc)]

[^144: There is an otiose tilde over the <m>.]

[^145: Lines Vc17.151-155 are bracketed in brown in the left margin.]

¶ Þe eyhteþe . hit is a lel labour / and loth to take more
Þan he may sothly deserue / in somer or in wyntur
And þauh he chaffare he chargeþ no los / mowe he charite wynne
Negocium sine dampno /

¶ Þe nythe . hit is swete to sowles / no suggor swettour[^146]
For Pacience is his paniter / and payn to pouerte fyndeþ
And sobrete ȝeuuþ heore swete drynke / & solaceþ hure in al angres
Þus lered me a lewed man / for oure lordes loue seynt[^a527]
Þat pure pouerte and pacience was / a longe lyuyng on eorthe
A blessed lyf wiþ-oute bysynesse / but oneliche for þe soule

[^a527: seynt (Vc Ac) | seynt Austyn (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^146: Lines Vc17.158-162 are bracketed in brown in the left margin.]

¶ Absque solicitudine felicitas /
¶ Now god þat al thyng gyueþ / graunt his soule reste
Þat wrot þus to wysse men / what pouerte was to mene

¶ Þan hadde Actyf a ledere / þat hihte liberum arbitrium .
Y[^a528] knew Concience ful wel / and clergie boþe
He þat hathe lond and lordscip quaþ he / at þe last ende
Schal beo pourest of pouer / at his partynge hennes /

[^a528: Y (Vc Ac) | That (P Ec) | A (Rc Mc)]

¶ Þen y wondrede what hit[^a529] was / thes liberum arbitrium
And preyde pacience / þat y appose hym myhte
And suffrede me and seyde / assay his other name

[^a529: hit (Vc Ac) | he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Leue liberum arbitrium quaþ y / of what lond ar ȝe
If thou beo cristes creature / For cristes loue tel me

¶ I am cristes creature quaþ he / and cristone in mony place
And in crist[^a530] cort y-knowe / and of his knyde k[yn]de[^a531] a partie
Is nothur Petur þe porter / ne Paul wiþ his fauchon
Þat wol defende me heuene dore / dynge y neuure so late
At Midnytht at Midday / my Vois is so y-knowe
Þat eche creature þat loueþ crist / welcomeþ me faire

[^a530: crist (Vc) | cristen (Ac) | cristes (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a531: knyde k[yn]de (Vc) | kuynde (Ac) | kynne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Wher-of serue ȝe y seide / sire liberum arbitrium
Of somtyme to fyhte quod he / fals-nesse to destrue
And somtyme to soffre / boþe sorow and teone
layke other leue / at my lykynge chese
To do wel oþur wykke / a wil wyþ a resoun
And may not beo wiþ-oute a body / to bere me were hym likeþ

¶ Þenne is þat body betre þan thow quod y / nay quod he no betere
But as[^a532] wod were a-Fuyre / þanne worchen boþe
And aythur is oþures hete / and al-so of o wil
And so is man þat hath his munde / myd liberum arbitrium

[^a532: as (Vc) | as a (P Ec Mc Ac) | as (Rc)]

¶ And whyle y quyke þe cors cald am y Anima

¶ And whenne y wilne or wolde / Animus y hyhte

¶ And for that y can and knowe / cald am y mannes[^a533][^147]

[^a533: mannes (Vc Ac) | mannes þouȝt (P Ec) | mens (Rc Mc)]

[^147: All but two of the manuscripts in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group record the misinterpretation of Latin mens as an English word.]

¶ And when y make mone to god / memoria y hatte

¶ And when y deme domes / and do as treuthe techeþ /
Þen is Racio my rith name / reson in Englissch

¶ And when y fele as[^a534] folk telleþ / my fur st name is sensus
And that is wit and wisdom / þe welle of alle craftes

[^a534: as (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And wen y kalange[^a535] or kalenge[^a536] nat / chepe or refuse
Þan am y conciencia cald / godes clerk and his notarie

[^a535: kalange (Vc Ac) | chalenge (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a536: kalenge (Vc Ac) | chalange (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And when y wol do or nat do / goodes dedes or ille
Þenne am y liberum arbitrium / as lettrede men tellen

¶ And whenne y loue lelly / oure lord and alle oþere
Þenne is lel loue my name / in latyn þat is Amor

¶ And whenne y fleo fro þe body and feye leue þe coroigne[^a537]
Þen am y spirit specheles / and spiritus þenne y hote

[^a537: coroigne (Vc) | caroyne (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Austyn and ysodorus / ayþur of hem bothe
Nempnede me thus to name / now þou myhte chese
Hou þou coueytest to cal me / now knowest al my names .

¶ Anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur . dum viuificat corpus anima est Dum wlt . animus est / dum recolit memoria est / dum iudicat racio est dum sentit sensus est dum amat amor est . dum declinat a malo ad bonum liberum arbitrium est dum negat vel consentit consciencia est / dum spirat spiritus est .

¶ Ȝeo beon as a bysschop quaþ y / al bordynge þat tyme
For Bysschopes blessed / thei bereþ mony names .
nota
Presul and Pontifex and Metropolanus
An othere names an hepe Episcopus and Pastor

¶ Þat is sothe he sayde / now y seo þi wil
Hou thow woldest knowe and conne / þe cause of al here names
And of myne if þou myhtest / me þenkeþ by þi seche[^a538]

[^a538: seche (Vc Ac) | speche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝee sire y seid by so / þat no man by[^a539] agreued
Al þe sciences vndur sonne / and alle sotile craftes
I wolde y knewe and couthe / kyndeliche in my herte

[^a539: by (Vc) | beo (Ac) | were (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þen art þou inparfit quod he / and on of pruydes knyhtes
For suche loust[^a540] and lykynge / lucifer feol fro heuene
ponam pedem meum in aquilone[^148]

[^a540: loust (Vc Ac) | a lust (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^148: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous one and bracketed on the right in rubricating ink.]

¶ Hit were a-gayne kunde quod he / and alle kynne resoun
Þat eny creature scholde conne al / excepte crist one
A -ȝeyns al suche salomon spekeþ / and despiseþ here wittes
And seyth sicut qui mel comedit[^a541] non est ei bonum Sic qui scrutator est / magestatis opprimatur a gloria

[^a541: comedit (Vc Ac) | comedit multum (P Mc) | commedit multum (Ec) | comodit multum (Rc)]

¶ To englische men þis is to mene / þat mowen speke and here
Þe mon þat muche hony ette / his mawe hit engleymeþ
Þe wittyour þat eny whit is / but if he worche þer-aftur
Þe bitterour he schal a-bugge / but if he wel worche

¶ Beatus seith seynt Bernard / qui scripturas legit
Et verba vertit in opera / emforth his power

¶ Couetise to conne / and to knowe sciences
Put out of paradys adam and Eue
Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriam spoliauit

¶ And rith so as hony / is vuel to defye
Ryht so sothly sciences / swelleþ a mannes soule
And dothe hym to beo deynous / and deme þat beoþ nat lered
Non plus sapere / seyde þe wyse
quam oportet sapere / lest synne of pruyde wexe .

¶ Freres fele sithes / to þe folc þat þei prechon
Meouen motyfs mony tymes / insolibles and fallaces
Þat boþe lered and lewed / of here by-leoue douten

¶ To teche þe te n comaundemens / ten sythe were betre
contra fratres

[This is the same hand annotating in light brown as found elsewhere in the manuscript, but faded due to water damage. The expansion marks for <ra> in contra and fratres have been trimmed off.]

And how þat folk folliche / here fyue wittes myspenden

¶ As wel freres as othur folk / folliche spenden[^149]
In housynge and in helynge / in hih clergie swewynge[^a542]
More for pompe and pruyde / as þe people wot wel
Þat y ly not loo / for lordes thei plesoun
And reuerensceþ þe Riche / þe rather fo[^a543] here syluur
A-ȝeins þe counseil of crist / as holychurche witnesseþ
Ne sitis acceptores personarum

[^a542: swewynge (Vc) | schewynge (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a543: fo (Vc) | for (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^149: A light brown line runs down the left margin from Vc17.248-Vc17.272. It appears to be the same hand that wrote contra freres at the top of the page.]

¶ loo what holychurche[^a544] witnesseþ / of wykkede techeres
As holynesse and honestete / out of holy churche
Spryngeþ and spredeþ / and enspireþ þe poeple /
Throw parfit preosthod / and prelates of holychurche /

[^a544: holychurche (Vc Ac) | holy writ (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Riht so out of holychurche / al vuel spredeþ
Þer inparfit preost-hod is / precheres and techeres

¶ And see hit by ensaumple / on treos in somurtyme
Þere some bowes bereþ leues / and som bereþ none

¶ Þe bowes þat bereþ not / and beoþ nat grene leued
Þer is a meschief in þe more / of suche manere stokkes

¶ Riht so persones and preostes / and prechours of holy churche
Is þe rote of þe ryht feythe / to ruele þe poeple

¶ Ac þer þe rote is roton / reson wot þe soþe
Schal neuere flour ne fruyt wexe / ne fair leof beo grene

¶ For wolde þe lettrede leue / þe lecherie of cloþinge
And beo corteys and kunde / of holy churchez goodes
Parte wiþ þe poure / and ȝoure pruyde leue
And þer-to trewe of ȝoure tonge / and of ȝoure tail al-so
And haton harlotrye / to vndurfonge þe tyþes
Of vsurers and of hores / and al vuel wynnynges /

¶ loþ were lewed men / but þei ȝoure lore foloweden
And amende hem of here mysdedes / more for ȝoure ensaumples
Þan for to preche and preoue hit nat / ypocrysie hit semeþ

¶ Ypocrysie / is a braunche of pruyde / & most a-mong clerkes
And y-likned in latyn / to a lothly dongehep
Þat were by-snewe al wiþ snowe / and snakes wiþ-Inne

¶ Rith so mony preostes / prechours and prelates
Þat beoþ enblaunched wiþ bele paroles and wiþ bele clothes
And as lambes þei loken / and lyuen as wolues
Iohannes Crysostomus ca r puþ þus of clerkes

¶ Sicut de templo omne bonum progreditur / sic de templo omne malum procedit Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit tota floret ecclesia / si autem corrupta fuerit[^150] om nium fides marcida est Si sacerdocium fuerit in peccatis totus populus conuertitur .
ad peccandum / sicut cum videris arborem pallid a m et marcidam intelligis quod vicium habet in radice / Ita cum videris populum indiciplinatum et irreligiosum / sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum[^151]

[^150: This word has an unusual appearance, as the expanded <er> is placed over the <t>, but the intent is clear.]

[^151: This line is a continuation of the Latin from the previous page.]

¶ A-las lewede men / muche leose ȝe þat fyndoun
Vnkynde creatours / to beo / keperes of ȝoure soules
Ac thinge þat wikkedliche y-wonne[^a545] / and wiþ falce slythes
Wolde neuure oþer-wyse god / but wykkede men hit hadde
As inparfite preostes / and preochours aftur suluer
Secutours and sodones / somenours and here lemmans
And þat wiþ gyle was gete / vngraciouslicle vngraciouslic[h]e despended

[^a545: y-wonne (Vc Ac) | is wonne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Curatours of holy churche / and clerkes þan[^a546] beo auerous
Rihtliche þat þei lyue / loseles hit deuouroun

[^a546: þan (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

/
¶ leoueþ hit wel lordes / boþe lered and lewede
Þat þus goþ here goodes / atte þe last ende
Þat lyuen a-ȝeyns þe holy lore / and þe loue of charite

¶ ¶ Charite quaþ y þo / þat is a þing for-sothe
Þat maystres comende muche / wher may hit beo founde

¶ Ich haue lyued in londoun / mony longe ȝeres
And found y neuure in faith / as freres hit precheþ
Charite þat chargeþ nat / ne chit þauh men greue hit[^a547]
As Paul in a Pystle / of him bereþ witnesse
Non inflatur non est ambyciosa /

[^a547: hit (Vc Ac) | hym (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Y knew neuure by crist / clerk noþur lewede
Þat he ne asket aftur his / and oþer-while coueytede
Think þat neoded him nauht / and nym hit if he myhte[^152]

[^152: A bracket in light ink extends on the left from this line to the end of the page.]

¶ For þauh men souhte alle sectes / of sustren and breþeren
And fynd hym but figuratifly / a ferly me þenkeþ .
Hic in Enygmate / tunc facie ad faciem

¶ And so y trow trewly / by that men tellen of charite

distinctio caritatis
¶ Charite is a childisch thyng / as holy churche witnesseþ
Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli
Als proud of a peny / as of a pound of goolde
And als glad of a gowne / of a grey russet
As of a cote of camoka / or of clene charlet[^a548]

[^a548: charlet (Vc) | scarlet (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ He is glad wiþ al glade / as gurles þat lawhen alle
And sory when he seeþ men sory / as þow seost children
lawhen þer men lawhen / and loure þer men loureþ

¶ And when a man swereþ for soþe / forsoþe he hit troweþ
He weneþ þat no whit / wolde lye and swere
Ne þat eny gome wolde / gylen oþer ne greue
For drede of god þat is so good / and þus vs teche[^a549]
Quodcumque vultis vt vobis faciant homines / facite eis

[^a549: teche (Vc) | techeth (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ He naþ[^a550] no lykynge to lauhe / ne likne me[^a551] to scorne

[^a550: naþ (Vc Ac) | hath (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a551: me (Vc) | ne (Ac) | men (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Alle sekenesse and sorows / for solas he hit takeþ

¶ And alle manere meschiefs / as Ministralcie of heuene

¶ Of deþ ne of deorþe / drad was he neuere
Ne myslike d þauh he leore[^a552] / or leuede to þat ylke
Þat neuure payed peny aȝe / in place þer he borowed

[^a552: leore (Vc Ac) | lore (P Ec Rc Mc)]

-
¶ Who fyndeþ hem here[^a553] fode quod y / or what frendes haþ he
Rentes oþur richeses / to releue hym at his neode

[^a553: hem here (Vc Ac) | hym his (P Rc Mc) | his (Ec)]

se
¶ Of rentes ne of richesses quath he / reccheþ he neuure
On Aperis tu manum / alle þyng him fyndeþ
Fiat voluntas tua / festeþ hym eche daye

¶ And al-so he can clergie / credo in deum patrem
And portreyeþ wel þe Pater noster . and peynteþ hit with auees

¶ And othur-while his wone is / to wende in pilgrymages
Þer poure menne and prysones beoþ / and payeþ for here lyflode
Cloþeþ hem and conforteþ hem / and of crist precheþ hem .
What sorowes he suffrede / in ensaumple of vs alle
Þat pouerte and pacience / parfitteliche y-take
Is muche merit to þat man / þat wel may soffren

¶ When he hath þus vysited fetered folk / and oþer folc poure
Þan he ȝerneþ in-to þouht / and ȝeply he secheþ
Pruyde with alle þa portenauncez / and packeþ hem to-gederes
And laueþ hem in þe lauendry
laboraui in gemitu meo[^153]
And boukeþ hem at his breost / and beteþ hit ofte
And wiþ warm watur of his eyen / wokeþ hit til he white
Lauabis me et super niuem dealbabor .
Þanne syngeþ he wan he so doþ / and some-tyme wepynge
Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies

[^153: This line is written to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Wher y wiþ hym by crist quod[^154] y / y wolde neuure fro hym
Þauh y my by-lyfe schold begge / a-boute at men hacches

[^154: An unusual flourish follows this word.]

¶ Wher clerkus knowe him not quod y / þat kepon holy churche
Peres þe plouhman . quaþ he / most parfitliche him knoweþ
Et vidit de us cogitaciones eorum
By cloþinge ne by carpynge / know schalt þou hym neuere
Ac throw werkes þow myhte wyte / wher forþ he walkeþ /
operibus credite[^155]

[^155: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ He is muriest of mouthe / at metes þer he sitteþ
And compenable in companye / as crist hym-self techeþ
Nolite tristes fieri / sicut ypochrite

¶ Y haue seyn hym my-self / som-tyme in russet
Bothe in grey and in Grys / and in gylt harneys .

-
And al-so gladliche he gyueþ / to gomes þat hit neodeþ
Edmund and Edwarde / ayther were seyntes
And chief Charite wiþ hem / and chast al here lyue

¶ I haue seyn Charite / also / syngen and rede
Riden and rennen / in raggede cloþes
Ac byddynge as a beggare / by-heold y hym neuere

¶ Ac in riche robus / rathest he walkeþ
Y-called and y-Cromyled / and his croune y-schaue

[heavy curved line]
¶ And in a Freres frok / he was y-founde ones
Ac hit is fer and fele ȝeeres / in Fraunceys tyme
In þat secte sythe / to selde he haþ be founde
Riche men he comendeþ / and[^a554] here robes takeþ
Of þo þat lelliche lyuen / and louen and byleouen .[^156]

[^a554: and (Vc Ac) | and of (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^156: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.16.359α).]

¶ In kynges cort he comeþ / if his consail beo trewe
Ac if couetyse beo of his consail / he wol not come þer-Inne

¶ A-monges þe Comunes in cort / he comeþ but selde
For brawlyng or for[^a555] bacbytynge / and beryng of fals witnesse

[^a555: or for (Vc Ac) | and (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ In constorie by-fore þe Commissarie / he comeþ nat ful ofte
For here lawe is ouur longe / but if thei lacche suluer

¶ With b ysschopes he wold beo / for beggares sake
Ac auarice oþur-whiles / halt hym with-oute þe gate
Kynges and cardinals / knewen hym som-tyme
Ac throw couetyse and his consail / congeyed is he ofte

[large curved mark]
¶ And wo-so coueyteþ to knowe hym / suche a kynde him folowiþ
As y tolde þe with tonge / a lytul tyme passed
For noþur he beggeþ ne byddeþ / ne borowyþ to ȝeelde
He halt hit a nycete / and a four[^a556] schame /
To beggen or to borowe / but of god one .
panem nostrum cotidianum .[^157]

[^a556: four (Vc) | foule (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^157: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

Hic explicit passus septimus & vltimus de dowel[^158] /

[^158: The word <dowel> is bracketed on the left and top with a red line.]

Hic incipit passus Primus de dobet . [The word <dobet> is bracketed on the left and top with a red line.]

T Her is non suche y sayde / þat som-tyme ne borweþ
Or beggeþ or byddeþ / beo he riche or poure
And ȝut oþer -wyle wroþ / wiþ-oute eny synne
Ho-so is wroþ & wolde beo a-wreke / holywrit quod he preueþ
He passeþ chief charite if holychurge beo trewe
+
Caritas omnia suffert
Holywrit witnesseþ / þer were suche Eremites
Solitarie by hem-selue / and in here selles lyuedoun
Wiþ-oute borwyng or beggynge / but of god one
Excepte þat Egydie / an hynde oþur-while
To his selle selde cam / and soffrede to beo mylked .
Elles foules fedden hem / in frithes þer þei woneden
Boþe antony and Erseny / and othere mo fele
Paul primus Eremyta / hadde parroket him-selue
Þat no man myhte seo hym / for muche mos and leues
Foules hym fedde / yf frere austyn . beo trewe
For[^a557] ordeynede that ordre / or elles þei gabben

[^a557: For (Vc Ac) | For he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Paul aftur his prechynge / panyeres he made
And wan wiþ his hondes / al that hym neoded
Petur Fischede for his fode / and his fere[^a558]
Som þei solde and som þei sende / and so þei lyueden boþe
Marie magdeleyne / by mores lyuede and dewes
loue and lel by-leoue / heold lyf and soule to-gederes
Maria Egipciaca / eet in þritty wyntur
But þre litul loues / and loue was here souel
I can nat rekene hem riht nowe / ne reherse her names
-
Þat lyueden thus for oure lordes loue / mony longe ȝeres
Wiþ-oute borowynge or beggynge / or þe bok lieþ
And wonedoun in wildurnesses / amonge wilde bestes

[^a558: fere (Vc Ac) | frere Androwe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac durst no best byten hem / by daye ne by nyhte
But myldeliche when þei metten / maden louh chere
And faire by-fore þo men / faunede wiþ þe tailles

¶ Ac bestes brouhte hem no mete / but oneliche þe foules
In tokenynge þat trewe men / alle tymes scholde
Fynde honeste men and holy men / and other rithful people

¶ For wolde neuure faithful god / þat freres and monkes token
Lyflode of luthur wynnynges / in al heore lyf-tyme

¶ As witnesseþ holy wryt / what Thobie seyde
To his wyf whan he was blynde / he herde a lamb blete

¶ A wyf beo war quaþ he / what ȝe haue her-Inne
Lord leue quaþ þat lede / no stole þynge beo her-Inne
Videte ne furtum sit / et alibi* Melius est mory quam male viuere /
This is no more to mene / but men of holychurche
Scholde receyue riht nauht / but þat ryhte wolde
And refuse reuerences / and raueners offrynges

¶ Þenne wolde lordes and ladies / beo loþe for to a-gulte
And to take of here tenauns / more þen trewþe wolde
And marchans merciable wolde beo / and men of lawe bothe

¶ Wolde religious refuse / raueners almesse
Þenne grace scholde growe ȝut / and grene leued wexe

¶ And charite þat cheld is nowe / scholde chaufen of hem-selue
And conforte al cristone / wolde holy churche amende
Iob þe parfit patriarke / this prouerbe wrot and tauhte
To make men louye mesure / þat monkes beoþ and freres
Numquam dicit iob rugiet onager cum habuerit herbam / aut mugiet bos cum ante plenum presepe steterit . Brittorum[^a559] animalium natura te condempnat quia cum pabulum comune sufficiat ex adipe prodiit iniquitas[^159]
If lewede men knewe þis latyn / a lytul thei wolde a-uyse hem
Er thei amortisede eny more / for monkes or for chanouns

[^a559: Brittorum (Vc) | Brutorum (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^159: The final word is written below prodiit and connected by a curved red line.]

¶ A-las lordes and ladyes / lewede counsail haue ȝe
To feffe suche and fede / þat founded beoþ to þe folle
With þat ȝoure barnes and ȝoure blod / by goode lawe may cleyme

¶ For god bad his blessed / as þe bok techeþ
Honora patrem et matrem[^160]
To helpe þi fadur formest / by-fore freres and monkes
And er preostes or pardoners / or eny people elles .

[^160: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Help þi kynne cryst bydeþ / for þer by-gynneþ charite
And aftur-ward a-wayte / ho hath most neode
An þer help if thou hast / and þat halde y charite

¶ Loo Laurens for his largenesse / as holy lore telleþ
Þat his mede and his manhed / for euure-more schal laste[^161]
Iusticia eius manet in seculum seculi /

[^161: A bracket in the left margin by glosstaor3 connects this line to the next two.]

¶ He gaf godes men godes goodes / and not to grete lordes
And fedde þan[^a560] a-fyngred[^a561] / and in defaute lyuedoun

[^a560: þan (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a561: a-fyngred (Vc Ac) | afyngred were (P Ec) | afyngred was (Rc) | ofhongret were (Mc)]

[curving horizontal line]
¶ I dar not carpe of clerkes now / þat cristes tresour kepen
Þat poure people by pure riht / here part þei myhten aske
Of that þat holychurche / of þe olde lawe cleymeþ /
Prestes on aparail / and on purnele spenen

¶ Men may likne letrerdmen[^a562] / to a luscheborg or worse
And to a bad peny / with a good prente

[^a562: letrerdmen (Vc) | lettred men (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For of muche moneye / þe metal is ryht nauht
Ȝut is þe prent ryht trewe / and parfitliche y-graue

¶ And so hit faruþ by falce cristine / here follouht is trewe
X

[The cross extends from this line down to the line below.]

Cristondom of holykirke / þe kynges mark of heuene

¶ Ac þe metal þat is mannes soule / of mony of þes techeres
Is a-layed with lecherie / and oþur lustes of synne
And[^a563] god coueyteþ nat þe coyne / þat crist hym-self pryntede
And for synne of þe soule / for-sakeþ his owne coygne

[^a563: And (Vc Ac) | That (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thus are þe luthur lyknede / to luscheborue sterlynges
Þat faire by-fore folc / prechen and techen
And worchen nat as þei fynde y-writen / and wissen þe people

¶ For what throw werre and wrake / and wykkede hedes
May no preyere pees make / in no place hit semeþ
Lewede men han non by-leoue / so lettred men erren

¶ Nothur þe see ne þe sand / ne þe seed ȝeeldeþ .

[four dots]
¶ As þei y-woned were / in wham is þe defaute
Nat in god þat he nis good / and þe ground bothe
And þe see and þe seed / þe sonne and þe mone
done here deuere day and nyht / and if we duden also
Þer scholde beo plente and pees / perpetuel for euure /
Wondur-wyse schupmen now / and oþur witty people
Han non by-leue to þe lyft / ne to þe lode-sterres

¶ Astronomyers al-day / in here art fayllen
Þat whilom warnede men by-fore / what sholde by-falle aftur .
Schupmen and schepherdes / by þe seuene sterres
Wyston wele and tolden / whenne hit scholde regne[^a564]

[^a564: regne (Vc Ac) | reynen (P Rc) | ryne (Ec) | reyne (Mc)]

¶ Tyliers þat tyledoun þe eorthe / tolden here maystres
By þe seed þat þei sewe / what þei scholde notye
And what lyueby and lyue[^a565] / þe lond was so trewe

[^a565: lyue (Vc Ac) | leue (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Now failleþ þis folc / boþe soweres and schupmen
Nowthur þei knoweþ ne conneþ / ocours o cours by a-noþur

¶ Astronomyens al-so / aren at here wyttes ende
Of þat þat[^a566] was calkuled of þe clymat / þe contrarie þei fyndeþ .
Gramere þat ground is of al / by-gyleþ now children
For þer is nouthe non / who-so nymeþ hede
Þat can vercifie faire / or formeliche endite
Ne that can construe formiliche[^a567] / þat poetes maden

[^a566: þat þat (Vc Ac) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a567: formiliche (Vc Ac) | kyndelyche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Gowe[^a568] we nouh to eny degree / and but gile beo halde a maystur
And a flaterere for his huscher / and ferly me þynkeþ

[^a568: Gowe (Vc Ac) | Go (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Doctours of decree / and of deuyne maystres
Þat scholde þe seuene ars conne / and assoille[^a569]
But þei faile in philosophie / and philosofres lyuedoun .

[^a569: assoille (Vc Ac) | a quodlibet (P Rc Mc) | adiþlibet (Ec)]

¶ Lord leue þat preostes / lelly seyen here masses
Þat þei ne ouurhuppe nat for haste / as y hope þei do nat

¶ Thauh hit suffice for oure sauacioun / sothfast bileoue
As clerkes[^a570] Corpus Christi feste / syngen and reden[^162]
Þat sola fides sufficit / / to saue with lewede people

[^a570: clerkes (Vc Ac) | Clerkes in (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^162: There is an otiose tilde over the <n> in reden.]

¶ Ac if preostes don here deuer wele / we schul do þe betere
For sarasyns may beo saued so / if þei so by-leouede
In þe lenthynge of here lyf / to leoue on holychurche

¶ What is holychurche frend quod y / charite he seyde /
Lyf / and loue / and leaute / in o byleue a lawe
A loue-knot of leaute / and of lel byleue
Al kynne cristone / cleuynge on o wil
Wiþ-oute gyle / and gabbyng / gyue and selle / & lene

¶ Loue . lawe . with-oute leaute / a-lowable was hit neuere
God lereþ no lyf to loue / wiþ-oute lel cause /

¶ Iuwes / Gentiles / and sarasyns / iugen hem-selue
Þat lelliche þei by-leeuen / and ȝut here lawe diuerseþ
And o god þat al by-gan / wiþ goode herte þei honoureþ
And aythur loueþ and by-leeueþ / on o lord almyhty

¶ Ac oure lord loueþ no loue / but lawe beo þe cauce

¶ For lechours louen a-ȝeyn þe lawe / and at last beoþ dampned .
And þeoues leaute haten / and at last beoþ hanged
And lelle men louen as lawe techeþ / and loue þer -of a-ryseþ
Þe wuche is heued of charite / and hele of mannes sowle
dilige deum propter deum / idest id est ppter veritatem Et inimicum tuum propter mandatum / idest id est propter legem & amicum propter amorem / id est propter caritatem

¶ loue god for he is good / and ground of al trewþe

¶ loue þin enymy entierly / godes hest to folfulle

¶ loue þi Frend þat foloweþ þi wille / þat is þi faire soule

¶ For when al frendes faillen / and fleon a-way in dyinge
Þen seweþ þe þi soule / to sorow or to ioye
And ay hopeþ eft to beo / wiþ hure body at þe laste /
In murthe or in mornyng / and neuure efte to departe

¶ And þat is charite my leue child / to beo chere ouur þi soule
Contrarie hure nat as in concience / if þow wolt com to heuene /

¶ Wher sarasyns y sayde / seo nat what is[^a571]

[^a571: is (Vc Ac) | is charite (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Hit may beo þat sarasyns / hauen suche amanere a manere[^a572]
Louye as by lawe of kynde / oure lord god al-myhty

[^a572: amanere a manere (Vc Ac) | a manere charite (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Hit is a kunde þinge creature / his creatour to honoure
For þer is no man þat munde haþ / þat ne meokeþ hym & bysecheþ
To þat lord þat hym lyf lente / and lyflode hym sendeþ

¶ Ac mon y maner men þer beoþ / as sarasyns and Iuwes
loueþ nat þat lord a-riht / as by legende Sanctorum
And leuen out of lel by-leoue / for þei leoue in a mene /
An[^a573] man þat hihte Makamede for Messie þei him heolde
And aftur his lerynge þei lyuen / and by lawe of kynde

[^a573: An (Vc) | And (Ac) | A (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And when kynde haþ his cours / and no contrarie fyndeþ
Þenne is lawe y-lost / and leaute vn-knowe
Beaute sanz bountee / / blesset was hit neuure /
Ne kynde saunz cortesye in no contreye preysed

¶ Men fyndeþ þat[^163] Ma ka m ede / was a man y-crystened
And a cardinal of court / a gret clerk wiþ-alle
And porsuede to haue beon pope / prynce of holy churche
And for he was like a loysceborue / y leue oure lord hym lette /
For-þi souht he in-to Surrye / and sotilede hou he myhte
Beo maystur ouur al þo men / and on þis maner he wrouhte

[^163: Paleographically useful for word-final e's?]

¶ He endauntede a Dowe / day and nyht here fedde
In aythur of his eres / pruueliche he hadde
Corne þat þe coluer eete / when he cam in places
And in what place þat he prechede / and þe people tauhte
Þe[^a574] scholde þe coluere com / to þe clerkes eere /
Menyng as aftur his mete / thus Makamede heore enchaunted

[^a574: Þe (Vc Ac) | Thenne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And when þe[^a575] cam thus / þen knelede þe people
For Makamed to men swor / hit was a messagere of heuene
And sothly god self / in suche a coluere likenesse
Tolde hym and tauht hym / hou to teche þe people

[^a575: þe (Vc) | he (Ac) | þe coluer (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thus Makamed in mysbyleoue / man and wommon brouhte
/

[This mark stretches down three lines.]

And in his lore þei lyuen ȝut / as wel r[^164] lered as lewade

[^164: This <r> would seem to be a false start that was not canceled.]

¶ And sythe our saueour suffrede / suche a fals cristene
deseyue so sarasynes / sothly me þenkuþ
Holy men as y hope / throw help of þe holy gost
Scholde conuerte hem to criste / and cristondam take

¶ A-las þat men so longe / on makamede by-leouen
So monye preostes to preche / as þe pope makeþ
Of Nasareth of Nynyue of Neptalym of damascle
Þat þei ne wendeþ þe weye / as holy writ byddeþ
Ite in vniuersum mundum / / siþe ȝe wilneþ þe name
To beo prelates and preche / þe passioun of ihesus
And as hym-self seyde / so lyue and dye
Bonus pastor animam suam ponit pro ouibus suis

¶ Hit is reuthe to rede / ho[^a576] rith holy men lyueden
Hou þei defouleden[^165] here fleisch / for-sokene her owne wil

[^a576: ho (Vc) | how (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^165: There is an otiose tilde on the <n>.]

¶ Feor fro kyþe and fro kyn / vuel cloþed ȝeodon
Baddeliche beddyd / no bok but here concience
Nothur richesse bot þe rode / to reioyce hem Inne
Absit nos gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri ihesu christi .
And þo was pees and plentee / amonge poure and riche

+

[The cross extends down to Vc18.211.]

¶ And now is reuthe to rede / hou þe rede Noble /
Is receyuede by-fore þe Rode / and receyuede for þe worthiour
To amende and to make / as wyþ men of holychurche /
Þan crist or croys þat ouurcam / deþe / and dedly synne .

¶ And now is werre and wo / and wo-so why askeþ /
For couetyce aftur crois / þe crone s tant in golde /

¶ Bothe riche and religious / that rode þei honouren /
Þat In þe[^a577] grotes is y-graue / and in þe[^a578] gold Noobles /

[^a577: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a578: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For couetyse of þat croys / clerkes of holychurche
Schulle ouur-turne as templers duden / þe tyme a-procheþ faste

¶ Mynne ȝe nat lered[^a579] men / hou þo men honourede
More tresour þan trewþe / y dar not telle þe soþe
Hou þo cursed cristine / catel and richesse worschepdoun
Reson and rithful dom / tho religious dampnede
prophecie

[A red line connects <prophecie> to the beginning of the line.]

¶ Rith so ȝee clerkes / oure[^a580] couetice or come out longe
Schal dampne dos ecclesie and depose ȝow fro ȝoure pruyde
Deposuit potentes de sede /

[^a579: lered (Vc Ac) | lettred (P Ec Rc) | ȝe letterd (Mc)]

[^a580: oure (Vc Ac) | ȝoure (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ If knyhthod and kyndewit / and þe commune and concience
To-gederes louyen leuliche / leueþ hit wel bisschopes
Þe lordschip of londes / lese ȝe schal for euure
And lyuen as leuitici dude / and as oure lord ȝow techeþ
per primicias & decimas[^166]

[^166: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ When constantyn of his cortasie / holykirke dowede
With londes and leedes / lordschupes and rentes
An angel men herde an hyh / at rome crye
dos ecclesie this day / hathe y-dronke venym
And þo þat han Petres power / aren apoysened alle

¶ A medicine most þer-to / þat myhte amende þe prelates
Þat scholden preye for þe pes / and possession hem letteþ

¶ Takeþ here londes ȝee lordes / and let hem lyue by dymes
If ȝe kynges coueyten / in cristone pees to lyuen
For if possession beo poyson / and inparfit hem make
Þe hefdes of holichurche / and þo þat beon vndur hym
Hit were charite to deschargen hem / for holychurches sake /
And purge hem of þe olde poysoun / er more peril falle

¶ For were preosthod more parfit / þat is þe pope formest
Þat wiþ moneye meynteyneþ men / to werren vpon cristene
A-ȝeins þe lore of oure lorde / as seint Luk witnesseþ[^a581]
His preyeres wiþ his pacience / to pes schulde brynge
Al londes in-to loue / and þat in lytul tyme

[^a581: witnesseþ (Vc Ac) | witnesseth Mihi vindictam &c (P Ec Rc Mc)]

/
¶ Þe pope wiþ alle preostes / pax vobis scholde make
And take hede hou Makamed / þrow a mylde dowe
Hadde al surrye as him-self wolde / and sarsyns in quiete

¶ Nouht þrow mannes-slauht and strengþe / makamed had þe maistrie
//
But throw pacience and pryue gile / he was prince ouur hem alle

¶ In suche manere me þinkeþ / most þe pope
Prelates and preostes / preyen and by-seche
deuouteliche day and nyht / and wiþ-drawe hem fro synne

¶ And crie to crist þat he wolde / his coluore sende
Þe whuc is þe holy gost / þat out of heuene descendede
Ta make perpetual pees / by-twene þe prince of heuene
And al manere men / þat on þis molde libben

¶ If preost-hod were parfit / and preyede þus / þe peple scholde amende
Þat now contrarien cristes lawes / and cristondom despyseþ

¶ For sythe þat theos sarasyns / scribes and þes Iuwes
Hauen a lyppe of oure by-leoue / þe lithlocour me þenkeþ
Thei scholde turne þat trauaile wolde / and of þe trinite teche hem .

¶ For alle Paynymes preyen / and parfiteliche byleouen
In þe grete hye god / and his grace asken /
And maken here mone to / makamed her message to schewe

¶ Thus in a faith lyueþ þat folc / and in a falce mene
And þat is ruthe for þe rythfol men / þat in þat reme wonyeþ
And a peryl for þo[^a582] prelates / þat þe pope makeþ
Þat bereþ name of Neptalym / of Nynyue and of damaske

[^a582: for þo (Vc Ac) | for (P Ec) | for þe (Rc Mc)]

//
¶ For when þe holy kynge of heuene / sende his son to eorthe
Mony myracles he wrouht / man for to turne
In ensaumple þat men scholde / seo by sad resoun
+

[The cross extends three lines down.]

Þat men myhte nat be saued / but throw mercy and grace
And þrow penaunce and passion / and parfit by-leoue

¶ And by-cam man of a mayde / and Metropolanus .
And baptizede and bysschopede / wiþ þe blod of his heorte
Al þat wilnede or wolde / wiþ Inwit byleoue hit

¶ Mony seint sithe / suffrede deþe also
For to enferme þe faith / fulwyd were dyeden
In Inde and in Alisaundre / in Ermanye in spayne
And fro mysbileoue / mony men turnede

¶ In sauacion of mannes soule / Seint Thomas . of kaunterbury
A-monge vn-kynde cristene / in holy kirke was sleye
And al holy churche / honoured for þat dyinge

¶ He is a forbusne to alle bysschopes / and a bryht myrrour
And souereynliche to al suche / þat of Surrye bereþ name

¶ And nat in Engulond to huppe a-boute / and halwen men auteres
And crepe In a-monge curatours / and confesson a-ȝeyn þe lawe[^167]

[^167: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.17.280α).]

¶ Mony man for cristes loue / was martred a-mong romayns
Er cristondam were knowe þere / or eny crois honoured

¶ Euerich bysschop by þe lawe / scholde boxomliche wende
And paciens-liche[^a583] þrow his prouince / & to his people hym scewe
Feden hem and fullen hem / and fere hem fro synne
In baculi forma / sit presul hec tibi norma
Fer trahe punge gregem / seruando per omnia legem
And enchaunten hem to charite / on holy churche to by-leoue

[^a583: paciens-liche (Vc Ac) | pacientliche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For as þe kynde is of a knyht / or for a kyng to be take
And amonge here enemys / in mortelez batailles
To beo culled and ouurcome / þe comune to defenden /
So is þe kynde of a curatour / for cristes loue to preche
And deye for his dure children / to destrue dedly synne /
Bonus pastor[^168]
And nameliche þer as lewede lyuen / and no lawe knowen

[^168: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Ac we cristone conneþ þe lawe / and hauen of oure tonge
bysschopes and bokes / þe by-leue to teche

¶ Iuwes lyuen in þe lawe / þat oure lord tauhte
Moyses to be maistur þer-of / til þat Messye come
And in þat lawe þei lyue / and leten hit for þe beste
And ȝut knewe þei crist / þat cristondom tauhte
And for a parfit prophete / þat muche people sauede
And of selcouþe sores / sauede men fol ofte

¶ By þe miracles þat he made / Messye he semede
Þo he lyfte vp Lazar / þat leyd was in graue
Quatriduanus cold / quike dude hym walke
Iuwes seyden þat hit seyen / wiþ sorcerie he wrouhte
And fondeden to strye hym / and stryeden hem-selue
And her power throgh his pacience / to pure nouht brouhten
And ȝut þei seyen sothly / and so doþe þe sarasynes
Þat ihesus was but a Iogulor / a Iapere a-monge þe comune
||

[These marks extend from this line to Vc18.330.]

And a sophistre of sorcerie / and pseudo propheta
And þat his lore was lesynge / and lacken hit alle
And hopon þat he beo to comynge / þat schal hem releue
Moyses or Makamed / / here maystres dyuyneþ
And hauen a suspecion to beo saf / boþe sarasyns and Iuwes
Throw Moyses and Makamed / / and myhte of god þat made al .

¶ Now sithe þat þeos sarasyns / and al-so þus[^a584] Iuwes
Conne þe furst clauce of oure by-leue Credo in deum patrem
Prelates and preostes / scholden preoue if þei myhte
lere hem litulum and litulum / / and in ihesum christum filium eius
Til þei couþe speke and spele / and in spiritum sanctum
Recorden hit and reden hit / wiþ remissionem peccatorum
Carnis resurreccionem et vitam eternam amen /

[^a584: þus (Vc) | þe (P Rc Mc) | þise (Ec Ac)]

Hic explicit passus primus

Incipit passus secundus de dobet [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.] [The single de dobet seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

L Eue liberum arbitrium quaþ y / y leoue as y hope
Þou couþest tel & teche me / to charite y leoue
Þenne louh liberum arbitrium & ladde me forþ with tales
Til we comen in to a contrey cor hominis hit hihte
Herber of al priueytees / and of holynesse /
Euene in þe myddes / an ympe as hit were
Þat hyhte ymago dei . / graciousliche hit growyþ

¶ Þan can [g]an y aske what hit hihte / and he me sone tolde

¶ Þe treo hihte trewe loue quod he / þe Trinite hit sette
Þrogh louely lokynge hit leueþ / and launceþ vp blosmes
Þe wuche blosmes burnes / benyngne speche hit callen .
And þer-of comeþ a good fruyt / þe wuche men calleþ werkes
Of holynesse of hendenesse / and[^a585] helpe hym þat neodeþ
Þe wuche is called / Caritas cristes owne fode

[^a585: and (Vc Ac) | of (P Ec Rc) | to (Mc)]

¶ And solaceþ al soules / sorweful in purgatorie

¶ Now certes y sayde / and sykede for ioye
I þong[^a586] þe a þousandsithes þousand sithes / þat ȝe me hydur kende
An sythen ȝe vouchen saf / to sey me what hit hihte

[^a586: þong (Vc) | thonke (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And þonket me þo / but þenne toke y hede
Hit hadde schorieres to schoue hit vp / þre schydes of o lengþe
And of kynne colour / and o kynde as me þouhte
Alle þre y-liche longe / and y-liche large /

¶ Muche merueyled me / on what more þei growed
And eft askede hym / of what wode þei were

¶ Theos þre schoriers quod he / þat bereþ vp þis plonte
Thei by-tokeneþ trewly / þe Trinite of heuene /
Þre persones indepartable / perpetuel were euere
Of o wil . of o wit / and her-wiþ y kepe /
Þe fruyt of þis faire treo / fro þre wykkede wyndes
And fro fallynge of stok / hit faile nat of his myhte
X
¶ Þe worlde is a wykkede wynd / to hem þat wolde treuþe
Couetyse comeþ of þat wynd / and hit abiteþ caritas .
And forfreteþ þat fruyt / wiþ monye faire sihtes
And wiþ þe furst plaunke y palle hym a-doun / potencia dei patris

¶ Þenne is fleisch a feol wynd / in florynge tyme
Þrow lecherie and lustus / so lloude he gynneþ blowe
Þat hit noryscheþ nyce syhtes / and som-tyme wordes
And mony wykkede wormes / workes of synne
And al-so forbit Caritas / to þe bare stalke .

¶ Þenne set y þe secunde plaunk / sapiencia dei patris
Þe wuche is þe passion and penaunce / & þe parfitnesse of ihesus
And þer-with y warde hit oþer -whyle / tyl hit wexe rype

/
¶ Þen fondeþ þe feond / my fruyt to destrue
And leyþ a laddre þer-to / of lesynges beo þe ronges
With al þe wyles þat he can / waggeþ þe rote .
Throgh bakbyters and brawlers / and þrow bolde chideres
And shakeþ hit ne were hit vndurschored / certes hit scholde nat stande /
So þees lordeynes lyþeren þer-to / þat al þe leues fallen .
And fecheþ a-wey þis fruyt som-tyme / by-fore boþe myn eyen .

¶ Þenne palle y a-doun þe pouke / wiþ þe þridde schoryere .
Þe wuche is spiritus sanctus and sothfast by-leoue
And þat is grace of þe holy gost / and þus gate y þe maystrie .

¶ I totede vpon þe treo þo / and þenne toke y hede
Wheþur þe fruyt were faire / or foul for to lokon on .

¶ And þe fruyt was wondur fair / no fairer beo myhte
Ac in þre degres hit grewe / gret fe rly me thouhte
And askede þo if hit were / al of o kynde

¶ Ȝe certes he seyde / and sothliche þow leue hit
Hit is al of o kynde / and þat schal y preouen .
Ac some aren swettere þan some / and sannere woloþ[^a587] rotye

[^a587: woloþ (Vc) | wollen (P Mc Ac) | woll (Ec Rc)]

nota

[Another musical pun.]

//
¶ Men may seo on an appul treo / mony tyme and ofte
Of o kynne apples / aren not y-liche grete
Ne of suwynge smale / ne of o swetnesse swete

¶ Þo þat sytten in þe sonne syde / some aren rype
Swetour and saueryour / and al-so more grettour
Þan þo þat selde hauen þe sonne / and sytten in þe norþ half

¶ And so hit fareþ sothly / soone by oure kynde
Adam was as a treo / and we aren as his apples
Some of vs sothfast / and some variable
Some litul and some large / like appeles of kynde

¶ As wedded men / and wydowes / and rith worþi maydones
Þe wuche þe seint espurit suweþ / þe sonne al of[^a588] heuene
Conforteþ hem in here continence / þat lyuen in contemplacioun
As monkes and moniales / men of holychurche
//
Þus[^a589] hauen hete of þe holy gost / as crop of treo þe sonne .
Wydowes and wydowers / þat here owne wil for-saken
And chast ledoun here lyf / is lyf of contemplacioun
And more lykynge to oure lord / þan lyue as kunde askeþ
And folwe þat þe fleisch wole / and fruyt forþe brynge /
Þat letred men in here langage / Actiua lyf callen .

[^a588: al of (Vc Ac) | of al (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a589: Þus (Vc Ac) | These (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ȝe sire y seyde and sithen / þer aren but two lyues
Þat oure lord a-loweþ / as lered men vs techeþ
That is actiua vita / / and vita contemplatiua /
Why groweþ þes treos[^a590] fruyt in þre degres / for a good skile he seyde

[^a590: þes treos (Vc Ac) | this (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Her by-neoþe y may nyme / if y neode hadde
Matrimonie a moyst fruyt / þat multiplieþ þe people

¶ Þenne a-boue is betere fruyt / ac boþe two beon goode
Wydowot more worþiour / þen wedlok as in heuene /
þan is virginite more vertues[^a591] / & fairest as in heuene /[^169]
For þat is euene with angelus / and angelus peer
Hit was þe furst fruyt / þat þe fadur of heuene blessed
And bad hit beo of a bat of eorthe / a man and a mayde
In menynge þat þe fairest þinge / þe furst þing scholde honoure
And þe clennest creature / creatour furst y-knowe

[^a591: vertues (Vc Ac) | vertuous (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^169: The scribe possibly missed this line initially, due to eyeskip.]

¶ In kynges cort and knyhtes / þe clennest men and fairest
Schullen serue for þe lord self / so fareþ god almyhty

¶ Maydones and martires / mynistreþ him here on eorthe
And in heuene is most pryueist[^a592] / and nexte hym by resoun .
For þe fairest fruyt / by-fore hym as of eorthe
And swete wiþ-oute swellynge / sour worth hit neuure .

[^a592: pryueist (Vc) | priueoste (Ac) | most pryue (P Ec Mc) | most pryves (Rc)]

//
¶ This is a propre plonte quaþ y / and pryueliche hit bloweþ
And bryngeþ forth fair fruyt / folc of al nacioun
Boþe parfit and inparfit / pure fayn y wolde /
Assaye wat sauour hit hadde / y seyde þat tyme .

¶ Leue liberum arbitrium / let som lyf hit schake
=
A-non he het Elde / and[^a593] hyh for to clymbe
An shaken hit scharply / þe rype scholden falle

[^a593: and (Vc) | an (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Elde clam toward þe crop / þan comsede hit to crye

¶ He waggede wydowod / and hit wepte aftur

¶ He meouede matrymonie / hit made a foul noyse

// =
¶ For euere as Elde hadde eny doun[^170] / þe deuul was wel redy
And gadered hem al to-gederes / boþe grete and smale

[^170: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ Adam and Abraham and Isaye þe prophite
Sampson and Samuel / and seint Iohan þe baptist
And bar hem forthe baldely / no body þo hym lette
And made of holy men his hord / in limbo doun[^171] inferni
Ther is deorkenesse and drede / and þe deuul maystur

[^171: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ Þenne meouede hym mod / in maiestate dei
Þat libera voluntas de de[i] / lauhte þe myddul schoryere
And hitte aftur þe feond / happe hou hit myhte

¶ filius by þe faderes wil / fleih with spiritus sanctus
To ran-sake þat Ragman / and reue hym his appeles
Þat furst man deceyuede / throw fruyt ad[^a594] falce by-heste

[^a594: ad (Vc Ac) | and (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And þenne spak / spiritus sanctus / in gabrieles mouþe
To a mayde to[^a595] hihte Marie / a meok þing wiþ-alle
Þat on ihesus a Iustice sone / moste iouken in here chaumbre
Tyl plenitudo temporis /[^172] tyme y-come were
Þat Elde felde eft þe frut / or fulle to beo rype
Þat ihesus scholde iouste þer -fore / and Iugement of armes
Who scholde fecche þis frut / þe feond or ihesus self

[^a595: to (Vc) | þat (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^172: The <s> is written over a text-ink virgule.]

¶ Þe mayde myldeliche þo / þe messagere heo onswerede
-
And seyde hendeliche to hym / lo me his hand-mayde
For to worchen his wil / wiþ-oute eny synne
Ecce ancilla domini .[^173]

[^173: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ And in þe wombe of þat wenche / he was fourty wykes
And man by-come of þat mayde / to saue man-kynde
Byg and a-bydynge / and bold in his barnhed
To haue fouhten with þe feond / ar fol tyme come .

¶ Ac liberum arbitrium / leche-craft hym tauhte
Tyl plenitudo temporis / hih tyme a-prochet
Þat suche a surgyen sythen / y-sey was þer neuure
Ne non so faithful fisissian / for alle þat hym by-souhte
X
He lechede hem of here langour / lazares and blynd boþe
Claudi ambulant leprosi mundantur
And comune wymmen conuertede / and clansede hem of synne
And he lyft vp Lazar / þat lay in his toumbe
Quatriduanus cold / quyke dud him rome

¶ Ac er he made þat miracle / mestus cepit esse
And wepte watur wyþ his eyen / þe why wyten fewe
Ac þo þat seyen þat selcouþe / seyden þat tyme
Þat he was god or godesone / for þat grete wondur .

¶ And some Iewes seydoun / wyþ sorcerie hit[^a596] wrouhte
And throw þe myhte of mahon / and throw mysbileoue
demonium habes[^174]

[^a596: hit (Vc Ac) | he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^174: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Þen satan is ȝour sauyour quod ihesus / and hath sauede ȝow ofte
Ac y sauede ȝow sondry tymes / al-so y fed ȝow
With fyue fisches and loues / fyue þousand at ones
And þer-of lefte basketes / ful of broke mete
Broke bred to beren hit / a-wey wo-so wolde

+
¶ Vnkynde and vnknowynge quod crist / and wiþ a rop smot hem
And ouurturnede in þe temple / here tables and here stalles
And drof hem oute alle / þat þere bouhten and solde
And seyde þis is an hous of orisons / and of holynesse
And when þat my wil is / y wol hit ouur-throwe
And er þre dayes aftur / edyfie hit newe
Þe Iuwes tolden þe Iustice / hou þat ihesus seyde

¶ Ac þe ouurturnynge of þe temple / by-tokned þe resurreccioun

¶ Enuy and euul wyl / ȝorne in þe Iuwes
And pursuede hym pryueiliche / and for pans him bouhte
Ne forte tumultus fieret in populo /
Of Iudas þe iewe / Ihesus owne dycyple

¶ This by-feol on a fryday / a litul by-fore pasche
Þat Iudas and Iuwes / Ihesus þei mette
Aue raby quaþ þat ribaud / and riht til hym he ȝeode
And kuste ihesus to beo knowe þer-by / and kauht of þe Iuwes

¶ Þan Ihesus to Iudas / and to þe Iuwes seyde
Falsnesse y fynde / in þy faire speche
And kene kare in þi cussyns / and combraunce to þi-selue

¶ Thow schalt beo mirrour to monye / men to deceyue
Wo to hem þat þi wiles vsen / to þe worldes ende
ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit[^175]

[^175: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Sythe y by treson am take / and to ȝoure Iuwes
Soffreþ mony[^a597] aposteles in pees / and in pees gangen

[^a597: mony (Vc Ac) | my (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thus Iewes to þe Iustices / ihesus þei ladden
With muche noyse þat nyht / ner frentyk y a-wakede
In Inwit and in alle wittes / after liberum arbitrium
I a-waytede witturly / ac y[^a598] ne wyste houder[^a599] he wente

[^a598: y (Vc) | om. (P) | ich (Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a599: houder (Vc) | weder (P) | whodere (Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And þenne mette y with a man / on mydlentene soneday
As hore as an haweþorne / and abraham he hyhte

¶ Of wennes ert þou quath y / and hendeliche hym grette .

¶ Y am with faith quaþ þat frek / hit falleþ not me to lye
An heraud of armes / er eny lawe were /

¶ What is conisaunce quod y / in his cote armure

¶ Þre persones in o pensel quaþ he / departable from oþur
O speche and spirit / spryngeþ out of alle
O[^a600] o wit / of o wil / were neuure a-twynne
And sondry to seo vpon / solus deus he hoteþ

[^a600: O (V) | Of (P Ec Mc) | om. (Rc Ac)]

¶ Sythen þei beon surlepes quaþ y / þei han sondry names

¶ That is[^a601] seyde he / þe syre hatte pater
And þe secunde is a sone / of þe sire filius
Þe r Þe[^176] þridde is þat halt al / a þyng by hym-selue
Holy gost is his name / and he is in alle /
This is merk þyng for me quaþ y / and for mony othur
How o lord myhte lyue a a[s] thre[^177] / y leoue hit nouht y sayde .

[^a601: is (Vc Ac) | is soth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^176: The scribe wrote this <r> by mistake but went on without cancelling the letter.]

[^177: RK emend to in thre.]

¶ Muse nat to muche þer-on quaþ Faith / tyl þow more knowe
Ac loke þou leue hit lelly / al þy lyf-tyme
Þat þre by-longeþ to o lord / þat ligaunce cleymeþ

¶ Myhte . and amene a mene / to seo his owne myhte
Of hym-self and his seruaunt / and what soffreþ hem boþe

¶ God þat gynnynge had neuure / but þo him good thoute
Sent forþe his sone / as for seruaunt þat tyme
To ocupien hym here / til Issue were spronge
Þe wuche aren children of charite / & holychurche þe modur
Patriarches and prophites / and aposteles were þe children
And crist and cristondom / and cristone holychurche
By-tokenuþ þe trinite / and trewe by-leoue
O god almyhty / þat man made and wrouhte
Semblabe[^a602] to hym-self / er eny synne were

[^a602: Semblabe (Vc) | Semblable (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ A thre he is / ther he is / and here-of bereþ witnesse
Þe werkes þat hym-self wrouhte / and þis worlde boþe
Celi enarrant gloriam dei / & cetera

¶ Þat he is þre persones departable / y preue hit by mankynde
And o god al-myhty / if alle men beo of[^a603]

[^a603: of (Vc) | of eorþe (Ac) | of Adam (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Eue was of Adam / and ouȝt of hym y-drawe
And abel of hem boþe / and al þre o kynde
As theose þre þat y carpe of Adam and Eue
And abel here vssue / aren but on in manhede

¶ Matrymoyne wiþ-oute moillire / is nat muche to preyse
Þe bible bereþ witnesse / a bok of þe olde lawe
Þat acorsede al couples / þat no kynde forthe brouhte
Maledictus homo sit qui non relinquit[^a604] semen in Israel
And a Man with-oute a make / myhte nat wel of kunde
Multiplie ne more-ouer / with-oute a make louye
Ne wyþ-oute a sowere beo suche seed / this we seon alle

[^a604: relinquit (Vc Ac) | reliquit (P Ec Rc) | reliquid (Mc)]

¶ Now gowe[^178] to godhed / in god fadur of heuene
Was þe sone in hym-selue / in a simile as Eue
Was whan god wolde / ouȝt of þe wye drawe
And as abel of adam / / and of his wif[^a605]
Sprange forþe and spak / a spyr of hem tweyne /
So out of þe sire and þe sone / þe seint espurit of boþe
Is and ay weren / and worþe wiþ-oute ende /
And as þre persones palpable / is pureliche but o mankynde
Þe wuche is man and his make / and moyllire here issue /
So is god godenesse[^a606] / in þre persones þe trynite

[^a605: wif (Vc Ac) | wyf Eue (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a606: godenesse (Vc Ac) | godes sone (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^178: The usual reading is go we, but at Vc18.115, the scribe writes, gowe we, indicating that gowe is an intentional spelling for go. See Vc1.224.]

¶ In matrymonie aren þre / and of o man cam al thre

¶ And to godhede goþ þre / and o god is al thre
Loo treys encountre treys / quaþ he / in godhed and in manhed

¶ Hauest þou y-seyen þis y seyde / alle þre and o god /

¶ In assomur a ssomur y sey hem[^a607] quaþ he / as y sat in my porche
Wher god cam goynge a þre / riht by my gate
tres uidit & unum adorauit[^179]

[^a607: sey hem (Vc Ac) | seyh hym (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^179: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ I ros vp and reuerenced god / and riht faire hym grette
Wesche here fete and wypede hem / and aftur þei eten

¶ And what y þouhte and my wyf / he ous wel tolde
He by-hyhte ous issue and heir / in oure olde age
Ful trewe tokne by-twene ous is / what tyme þat y met hym .
//
How he founded me furst / my faire sone Isaak
To make sacrifice of hym / he het me hym to honoure

/
¶ I with-sat nat his heste / y hope and by-leoue
Wher y walke on[^a608] þis worlde / he wol hit me a-lowe

[^a608: on (Vc Ac) | in (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ I circumcised my sone / al-so for his sake
My-self and myne meyne / and al þat maule were /
Bledden blod for þat lordes loue / y hope to blesse þat tyme

¶ Myn affiaunce and my faith / is ferm in his by-leoue
For hym-self seyde y sscolde haue / and myn issue boþe

[The hand points away from the text, directed instead at the beginning of the next Passus on the facing page.]

Lond and lordschip y-nouh / and lyf wiþ-outen ende

¶ To me and to myn vssue / more he by-hihte
/
Mercy for oure mysdedes / as mony tymes /
As we wilnede and wolde / wiþ mouþe and herte asken

¶ And sythe he sende me to sayn / and seyde þat y scholde
Worshipen him wiþ wyn / and wiþ bred boþe
At ones on an auter / in worschip of þe trinite
And make sacrifice so / som-what hit by-tokeneþ
I leoue þat ilke lord þenke / a newe lawe to make
fiet vnum ouile et vnus pastor /

¶ Thus haue y beo his heraud / her and in helle
And conforted monye carful þere / þat aftur his comynge loken

¶ For-þy y seke hym y seide / for seint Iohan þe baptist
Seyde þat he seyh hym here / þat scholde[^a609] ous alle
ecce agnus dei .[^180]

[^a609: scholde (Vc Ac) | sholde ioye (P Ec) | sholde saue (Rc Mc)]

[^180: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Then had y wondur of þus[^a610] wordes / and of his wyde cloþes
For in his bosom he bar a þyng / and þat he blesset ofte

[^a610: þus (Vc) | þis (Ac) | his (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And y loked in his lappe / a lazar lay þer-Inne
With patriarches and prophetes / pleyinge to-gederes

¶ What a-waytest þow quath Faith / and woldest þow haue

¶ I wold y wite quaþ y tho / what is in þin lappe

¶ loo quaþ he and let me seo / lord mercy y seyde
This is a present of muche prys / what prince schal hit haue

¶ Hit is a preciouse present quaþ he / ac þe pouke hit haþ a-tached
And me þer-wiþ quaþ þe wye / may no wed vs quite
Ne no barn beo oure borow / ne brynge ous of daunger
For þe poukes punfold / no maypryse may ous fecche
Til he come þat y carp l carp[^181] of / crist is his name
Þat schal dylyuere ous som-day / out of þe deueles pouer
And betur wed for ous wagen / þan alle we beoþ worþi .

[^181: The scribe wrote an <l> by mistake but went on without cancelling the letter.]

¶ And þat is lyf for lyf / or lygge thus euere
Longynge in my lappe þus / til suche a lord ous fecche .

¶ Alas y seyde þat synne / so longe schal lette
Þe myhte of godes mercy / þat myhte ous al amende

¶ And wepte for his wordes / wyþ þat y seyh an noþur
Rapeliche ronne[^a611] / þe ryht wey we wente .
And y fraynede hym furst / fro whennes he come
What he hihte / and whodir he wolde / and whitelich he vs tolde /

[^a611: ronne (Vc) | renne (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

Hic explicit passus secundus /

Incipit passus tercius / de dobet [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.] [The single de dobet seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

I Am spes aspye a spye quaþ he / and spure aftur a knyht
Þat toke me amaundement a maundement / vpon þe mont of synay
To rule alle reomes þer-wiþ / in ryht and in reson
+
Loo here þe lettre quod he / in latyn and in ebreu
That þat y seye is soþe / seo ho-so likeþ

¶ Is hit asseled y seyde / may men seo þi lettres /
Nota
Nay he seyde y seke hym / þat haþ þe sele to kepe
Þe wuche is crist and cristindom / & croys þer -on-to honge
Wer hit þer-wiþ asseled / y wot wel þe sothe
Þat Luciferes lordschup / ligge scholde ful lowe

¶ Leet seo þi lettres quaþ y / we myhte þe lawe knowe

¶ He plyhte forþe a patent / a pece of an hard roche
Wher-on was write two wordes / in þis wyse glosed .
dilige deum & proximum[^182]

[^182: This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ This was þe tixt trewly / y tok ful goode gome

¶ Þe glose gloriously was write / with a gyld penne
In his duobus pependit tota lex /

¶ Is here al þi lordes lettre quod y / ȝe leof me he seyde
+
And wo-so worcheþ aftur þis writ / y wole vndurtake
+
Schal neuure deuul hym dere / ne deþe in soule greue

¶ For þauh y sey hit my-self / y haue saued myd[^a612] þis charme
Of menne and of wynmen wy[m]men / mony score þousand
+
He seyth soþe sayde Faith / y haue founde hit trewe
Lo here in my lappe quaþ faith / þat leued vpon þat lettre
Boþe Iosue and Iudith / and Iudas machabeus
And sixe þousand mo quaþ . Faith / y can nat telle here names

[^a612: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ȝoure wordes aren wondurfol quaþ y / wher eny of ȝow be trewe /
And lel to by-leue on / for body or for soule

X
¶ Abraham seyth þat he seyh / holly þe trinite
Þre persones parcel-mele / departable from other
And al thre but o god / thus abraham bereþ witnesse
And y-saued þat by-leoued so / and sory for here synnes
He can non certayn sunne su[mm]e telle / and some aren in his lappe

¶ What neodeþ þenne / a new law to brynge
Suthe þe furst suffysede / so by-leoue and beo saued

+
¶ And nowe comeþ here thes spes / and haþe aspied þe lawe
Þat of þe trinite[^183] ne telleþ / ne takeþ mo persones
To godhede but o god / and o god almylty almy[h]ty
Þe wuche alle men aren y-holde / ouur al þinge to honoure /
And sythe to loue and to lene / for þat lordes sake
Al manere of men / as muche as oure-selue .

[^183: The <i>'s are dotted in red ink.]

¶ And for to louye and byleoue / in o lord al-myhty
Hit is lyht for lewade / and for lered boþe

¶ Ac for to by-leoue in o lorde / þat lyueþ in þre persones
And lereþ þat we louye scholde / as wel liares as lelle /

¶ Go þi gate quaþ y to spes / so me god helpe
Tho þat lerneþ þi lawe / wol litul while hit vsen .

¶ And as wente in þe waye / thus wordynge of þis matere
X -
Þenne seih we a samaritan / cam sittynge on a mule
Rydynge ful rapely / þe riht wey þat we wente
Comynge fram a contreye / þat men calde Ierico[^a613][^184]
To iousten in Ierusalem / he iacede a-weye ful faste
Boþe abraham and spes / and he metten to-gederes
In a wylde wyldurnesse / wher theoues hadden bounde
A man as me þo þouhte / to muche care þei brouhte .

[^a613: calde Ierico (Vc) | calde (Ac) | callid Ierico (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^184: The rubricated word is written at an odd angle, larger than normal, and in an ink that is slightly more orange.]

¶ For he ne myhte step ne stande / ne stere fot ne handes
Ne helpe hym-self sothly / for semyuyf he semede
And naked as a nelde / and non help a-boute hym .

¶ Faith on hym hadde furst syht[^a614] / ac he fleyh a-syde[^185]
And wolde nat neyhle hym / by nyne londes lengthe
Hope Cam huppynge aftur / þat hauede so y-bosted
Hou he wyth moyses maundemaunt / hadde mony men holpen
And whan he hadde syht of þis syke / a-syde he can drawe
And dredfolly wiþ-drowe hym / and durste gon non nerre

[^a614: syht (Vc Ac) | a sight (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^185: A light brown bracket extends in the left margin from this line to Vc20.61.]

¶ Ac as sone so þe samaritan / had syht of þat syke
He a-lyhte a-non of lyard / and ladde hym in his hondes
And to þis wye he wente / his woundes to by-holde

¶ He parceyuede by his pous / he was in peril to dye
And but he had recouer þe rather / þat ryse scholde he neuure

¶ He vnbokeled his botelles / and boþe he a-tamede
Wiþ wyn and wiþ oyle / his wondes he can lyþe
Enbaumede hym a-boute his hed / and on bayard hym sette
And ladde him forthe to Lauacrum / Lex dei a graunge
Is six myle or seuene / by-syde þe newe market
And laft hym þer a-lechynge / to lyuen if he myhte
And tok two pans to[^a615] hosteler / to take kepe to hym
And þat goþ more for his medicine / y make þe goode a-ȝeynward
For y may not lette quod þat lede / and lyard he by-strydeþ
And rapede hym to ryde / þe ryhte wey to Ierusalem

[^a615: to (Vc Ac) | to þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Boþe Faith and his felowe spes / folweden faste aftur .
Ac y suwede þe samaritan / / and seyde hou þei boþe[^186]
Weren a-ferd and flowen / fro þe man y-wonded /

[^186: A light brown bracket extends in the left margin from this line to Vc20.93.]

¶ Haue hem excused quaþ þe / samaritan / here help may nat vaile
Ne medicine vndur molde / þe man to hele brynge
Nothur faith ne fyn hope / so festred aren his wondes
Wiþ-oute þe blod of a barne / he beoþ nat y-saued

¶ Þe wuche barn mot neodes / beo bore of a mayde
And wiþ þe bloud of þat barn / enbaumed & y-baptized

¶ And þauh he step and stande / ryht strong worþe he neuure
Til he haue eten al þat barne / and his blod dronken .
And ȝut beo plastred with pacience / when fondynge hym prykkeþ .

¶ For wente neuure man þis waye / þat he ne was here y-ryfled
Saue my-self sothly / and suche as y louede
And ȝut to by-leouy lelly / vpon þat litul baby
Þat his licame schal lechen / atte last ous alle

¶ A sire y sayde / schul nat we by-leoue
As faith and his felawe spes / enformede me boþe
In þre persones a-parcelles / departable from other
And al þre but o god / thus habraham me tauhte /

¶ And hope afturward / of god more me tolde
And lerede me for his loue / to louye al man-kynde
And hym a-bouen alle / and hem as my-selue

¶ Nother lakke ne alose / ne leoue þat þer were[^187]
Eny wykkeder in þis worlde / þen y were my-self
And most in-parfit of alle persones / and pacienceliche suffre
Al manere of men / and þauh y myhte me venge
I scholde þolye and þonken hem / þat me vuel wolde

[^187: There are faded marks in the right margin, possibly a pen trial.]

¶ He sayde soth quaþ þe samaritan / and so y rede þe al-so
And as abraham þe olde / of o god þe tauhte
Loke þou louye and by-leoue / alle þy Lyf-tyme

¶ And if kyndewit carpe hereaȝeyn / or kynne þouhtes
Ore Eretykes with argumens / thyn hond þow hem scewe

+
¶ For god þat al by-gan / in gynnynge of þe worlde
Ferde furst as a fust / and ȝut is as y leoue
mundum pugillo continens

¶ As wyth a fust wiþ o fyngur / y-folde to-gederes
Til hym likede and lust / to vnlowse þat fyngur .
And profrede hit forthe as wiþ þe paume / to what place hit scholde

¶ Þe paume is þe pith of þe hond / and profreþ forthe þe fyngres /
[a hand pointing at the bottom edge of the page]
To mynistre and to make / þat myhte of hond knoweþ
And by-tokeneþ trewly / telle ho-so Likeþ

¶ Þe holygost of heuene / he is as þe paume[^188]
Seint marie a mayde / and mankynde Lauhte
/ natus ex maria uirgine[^189]

[^188: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit three lines (RK.19.122-124).]

[^189: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Þe fadur is þenne as þe fust / wiþ fynger and wiþ paume
To huden and to holde / as holywrit telleþ
omnia traham ad me ipsum[^190]

[^190: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Al þat þe fyngur gropuþ / graythly he grypeþ
But if that he gropeþ / greue þe paume[^191]
And as þe fust is a folhand fol hand / y-folde to-gederes /
So is þe fadur a ful god / þe furst of hem alle

[^191: After this line, which RK represents as the B-verse of the previous line, Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit two lines (RK.19.129-130).]

¶ And as my fust if furst / er y my Fyngres schewe
So is he fadur and formour / þe furst of alle þinges
tu fabricator omnium[^192]
And al þe myht wiþ hym is / was . and worþe euere .

[^192: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Þe Fyngres is a fol hond / for failled thei her þombe[^193]
Portreye ne peynte / parfitliche y leue
Scholde no wryht worche / were he a-weye .
Ryht so faillede þe sone / þe syre beo ne myhte
Ne holde ne helpe / ne hent þat he louede /.
dextere dei tu digitus[^194]

[^193: A blurred curly bracket extends in the right margin from this line to Vc20.138.]

[^194: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Þe paume is purliche þe hand / and hath power by hym-selue
Oþur-wyse þan þe wryþen fust / or werkmanschupe of fyngres .

¶ For þe paume hath pouer / to putten out þe ioyntes /
And to vnfolde þe fust / for him hit by-longeþ
And receyuen þat þe fyngres rechen / and refuse if hym likeþ
Al þe[^a616] fyngres and þe fust / felon and touchen
Beo he greued wiþ heore[^a617] / þe holy gost let falle .
Thus is þe holygost god /. noþur grettour ne lasse
Þen is þe sire oþur sone[^a618] / and of þe same myhte
And al thre nys but o god / as my hand and my fyngres
Vnfolde or y-folde / a fust wyse or elles .
Al is hit but an hond / hou-so y turne hit /

[^a616: þe (Vc Ac) | þat þe (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a617: heore (Vc Ac) | here grype (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a618: sone (Vc Ac) | the sone (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac ho-so is y-hurt in þe hand / euene in þe myddes
He may receyue ryht nauȝt / reson hit scheweþ .

¶ For þe fyngres þat folde scholden / and þe fust make
For peyne of þe paume / power hym failleþ
to cluche or to clawe / to cluppe or to holde

¶ Were þe myddul of myn hand / wiþ-oute mal-ese
In mony kynne manere / y myhte my-self helpe
Boþe meoue and amende / þauh alle my fyngres oken .

¶ By this simile he seyde / y seo an euydence
Þat ho-so synygeþ in þe seint espurit assoilled worþe he neuure /
noþur her ne elles-wer / as y herde telle /
qui peccat in spiritum sanctum[^195]
¶ He prekeþ god as in þe paume / þat peccat in spiritum sanctum
For þe fadur is as þe fust / þe sone is as þe fyngur
Þe holy gost of heuene / he is as þe paume

[^195: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ So ho-so synnegeþ a-ȝeins þe seint espirit he[^a619] semeþ þat he greueþ /
God þer he grypeþ / and wolde his grace quenche
For to a torche or to a tapre / þe Trinite is likned
As wex and a wyke / were twyned to-gederes .
And flammede fuyr / forthe of hem boþe .
And as wex and wyke / and warm fuyr to-gederes
Fostren forþe a flamme / and a fair lyeght[^a620]
Þat serueþ þeos swynkeres to seo by a nyhtes /

[^a619: he (Vc Ac) | hit (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a620: lyeght (Vc) | lye (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ So doþe þe syre and þe sone / and seint espurit to-gederes
Fostren forth amonge folc / fyn loue and by-leoue
Þat al kynne crystine /clanseþ of synne

¶ And as þou suxt som-tyme / sodeynliche of a torche
Þe blase beo blowen ouȝt / ȝut brenneþ þe wyke
Wiþ-outen lye and lyht / lyþ fuyr in þe macche /

[pen trials, possibly a partial doodle or an elaborate nota mark]
¶ So is þe holygost god / and grace wiþ-oute mercy
To alle vnkynde creatours / þat coueyten to destruye
Lel licame and lyf / þat oure lord schupte

¶ And as glowyng gledes / gladeþ nat theos werkmen
Þat worchen and waken / in wynteres nyhtes
As dothe a kyx or a candel / þat cauht haþ fuyr and blaseþ

¶ No more doþ þe syre ne þe sone / ne seint espurit to-gederes
Graunten eny[^196] grace / ne for-gyuenesse of synnes
Tyl þe holy gost by-gonne[^a621] / to glowen and balse /

[^a621: by-gonne (Vc Ac) | begynne (P Ec) | begynneþ (Rc Mc)]

[^196: Vc.20.190: An abbreviation, probably for <er> (thus rendering the reading euery) has been erased between <n> and <y>.]

//
¶ So þat þe holygost / gloweþ but a glede /
Tyl þat loue and by-leoue / lelliche to hym blowe

¶ Þenne flammeþ he as fuyr / on fadur and on filius
And melteþ myht in-to mercy / as we may seo a wyntur /
Isykles in Euesynges / throw hete of þe sonne
Melty[^a622] in a mynt-wyle / to myst and to watur

[^a622: Melty (Vc) | Meltyþ (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ So grace of þe holygost / melteþ al to mercy
Þe grete myht of þe trinite / to merciable & to non othere

//
¶ And as wex wiþ-oute more / vpon a warm glede
Wol brennen and blasen / beo þei to-gederes
And solacen hem þat mowe nat seon / syttynge in derkenesse
So wol þe fadur for-ȝeuen / folk of mylde hertes
Þat reufeliche repenten / and restitucioun maken[^197]
In as muche as þei mowen / amendoun and payen

[^197: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>]

¶ And if hit sufficeþ nat for aseþ / þat in suche wil dyen /
Mercy for his meoknesse / wol make goode þe reminaunt
And as þe wyke and warm fuyr / wol make a faire flamme
For to murþen men with / þat in merk sytten /
So wol crist of his cortasie / and men crie hym mercy
Boþe for-ȝeuen and for-ȝeten / and ȝut bydde for vs
To þe fadur of heuene / forȝeuenesse to haue .

¶ Ac hewe fuyr of a flynt / foure hondred wyntur
But þow haue tach to take hit wiþ / tundur and broches
Al þi labour is lost / and al þy longe trauail
For may no fuyr flamme make / faille hit his kynde

¶ So is þe holygost god / and grace with-oute mercy
To alle vnkynde creatours / as crist hym-self witnesseþ
Amen dico vobis nescio vos
X
Beo vnkynde to þy emcristone / & al þat þow canst bydde
Dele and do penaunce day and nyht euure
And purchace al þe pardoun / of paumpelon and of Rome
X
And Indulgences y-nowe / and beo ingrat to þi kynde /
X
Þe holy gost hureþ þe hat / ne helpeþ þe beo þou certayn
For vnkyndenesse quencheþ hym / þat he can nat schyne
Ne brenne ne blase clere / for blowyng of vnkyndenesse
Seint paul þe apostle / preoueþ wher y lye
si linquis hoominum loquar & cetera[^198]
For-þi be war ȝe wysemen wyse men / þat wiþ þe worlde deleþ
Þat riche beon and reson knowen / rewleþ wel ȝoure soule
Beoþ not vnkynde y consail ȝow / to ȝoure emcristene

[^198: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ For mony of ȝow riche men / by my soule y lie nat
Ȝe brenneþ ac ȝe blaseþ nat / and þat is a blynd bekne
Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit in regnum celorum

¶ Mynne ȝe nat ȝe riche men / to wuche a myschaunce
Þat diues deyde and dampned / for his vnkyndenesse
Of his mete and of his moneye / to men þat hit neoded
Ȝut wan he hit nat wiþ wronge / ne wiþ queynte scleyþes
But rithfulliche as men rat / al his richesse cam hym
And on hym-selue seiþ þe bok / souteliche[^a623] hou he myhte
Most lordliche lyuen / and ȝut his licame werye
Cloþes of most cost / as clerkes bereþ witnesse
X
Epulabatur splendide et induebatur bysso /

[^a623: souteliche (Vc Ac) | sotiled (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And for he was a nygard / to þe neodful poure
For godes tretour he is told / for al his trew catel
And dampned is . and dwelleþ / wiþ þe deuul in helle .

¶ Syþe he wiþ-oute wiles wan / and wel myhte a-temye
Lordliche for to lyuen / and likyngliche beo cloþed /
And is in helle for al that / hou wol riche nouthe
Excuse hem þat beoþ vnkynde / and ȝut here catel wonne
With wiles and with luþur wittes / and ȝut wol nat atymye
To gon semeliche ne sitte / sith holy writ techeþ
Þat þat wykkedliche is wonne / to wasten hit and maken frendes
Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis /
Eche a ryche man y rede / reward here-of take
And gyueþ ȝoure good to that god / þat grace of a-ryseþ
For þat ȝe[^a624] beon vnhende to hise / hope ȝe non other
But to dwelle ther diues is dayes with-outen ende

[^a624: þat ȝe (Vc Ac) | ȝe þat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Thus is vnkyndenesse / and quencheþ as hit were
Þe grace of þe holy gost / godes owne kynde

//
¶ For þat þat kynde doþe / vnkynde for-doþe
A-cordsede[^a625] theues vnkynde crystonmen / for couetyse and enuye
Slethe a man for his meobles / with mouthe or wiþ handes

[^a625: A-cordsede (Vc) | Acorsede (P Ec Rc Ac) | corsede (Mc)]

¶ For that þe holy gost hathe to kepe / suche harlotes destruen
Þe wuche is lyf and loue / þe lye of mannes body

¶ For euery maner good man / may beo lykned to a torche
Or elles to a taper / to reuerence with þe trinite

¶ And ho-so morþereþ a good man / me þynkiþ by my Inwit
He for-doþe þe liht þat oure lord / lokeþ to haue worschipe of

¶ And ȝut in mo maners / men offendeþ þe holygost
Ac þis is þe worst wyse / þat eny whit myhte
/
Synegen a-ȝeinst þe seint espurit / assenten to destruye
For couetyse of eny kynne þynge / þat crist dere bouhte
Hou myhte he aske mercy / or eny mercy hym defende
Þat wikkeliche[^a626] and wilfolliche / wolde mercy anyente
Innocence is next god / and nyht and day hit crieþ

[^a626: wikkeliche (Vc) | wikkedliche (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Veniaunce veniaunce / for-ȝeue beo hit neuure
Þat schende ous and schedde oure blod / for schupte vs as hit semeþ
Vindica sanguinem iustorum
Thus veniaunce veniaunce / verrei charite askeþ
+

[This cross extends from Vc20.280 to 283.]

And sithe charite þat holichurche is / chargeþ þis so sore /
Leue y neuure þat oure lord at þe laste ende
Wol louye þat lyf / þat loue and lel charite destruyen

¶ I pose y had syneget so quaþ y / and scholde nouthe dye
And now am sory þat y so þe seint espurit a-gulte
-
Confesse me and crie his grace / god þat al made
And myldeliche his mercy aske / myht y not beo saued /

¶ Ȝus seyde þe Samaritan / so þou myhtest repente
Þat ryhtwissnesse þrow repentaunce / to reuthe myht turne

¶ Ac hit is but selde y-seyn / þer sothnesse bereþ witnesse
Eny creature beo compable / by-fore a gynges [k]ynges iustice
Beo y raumsoned for repetaunce repe[n]taunce / ther al reson hym dampneþ
Ther þat partie pursueþ / þe apel is so huge /
May non kynge mercy graunte / tyl boþe men a-corden
Þat ayþur partie haue equite / as holy writ witnesseþ
Numquam dimititur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum[^a627]
Thus hit fareþ by suche folc / þat folwen here owne wil .
Þat vuel lyuen and leten nat / tyl hem for-sake synne

[^a627: nisi restituatur oblatum (Vc) | nisi restituatur ablatum (Ac) | &c (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Drede of desparacioun / þen dryueþ a-way grace
Þat mercy in here munde / may nat þenne falle .

¶ For goode hope þat hem helpe scholde / to wanhope turneþ
And not for þe non-power of god / þat he nis fol of myhte
To amenden al þat mis is / and his merci grettour
Þan alle oure wykkede werkes / as holy writ telleþ
-
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius /

¶ Ac er his rithwisnesse to reuthe turne / restitucioun hit makeþ
As sorow of herte is satisfaccion / for suche as may not paie

¶ Ac þre þinges þer beoþ / þat doþe a man to sterte
Out of his owne house / as holywrit scheweþ

¶ Þat on is a wykked wyf / þat wol not beo chasted
Heore fere fleoþ fro here / for fere of here tonge

¶ And ȝif his house beo vnheled / and reyne on his bedde
He sekeþ and sekeþ til he slepe drye .

¶ Ac when smoke and smorþre / smyt in his eyen
Hit doþe hym worse þan his wyf / or wete to sclepe

¶ For throw smoke and smorþre / smerteþ his syhte
Tyl he bler yed or blynd / and þe borre in his throte
Koweþ and corseþ / þat crist ȝiue him sorowe
Þat scholde brynge in betur wode / or blow tyl hit brente

¶ These þre þat y tel of / thus beoþ to vndurstande

¶ Þe wyf is oure wykkede fleisch / wol not beo chasted
For kynde cleueþ on hym euure / to contrarie þe soule
And þauh he falle he fynt skiles / þat frelete hit made
And þat is lithliche for-ȝuie / and for-ȝute boþe
To man þat mercy askeþ / and amende þenkeþ

¶ Ac þe reyn þat reyneþ / ther we reste scholde
Beoþ sekenesses and other sorowes / þat we suffren ofte
As seint paul þe apostle / in his pistles teches[^199]

[^199: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.19.321α).]

¶ And þauh men maken / muche deol in her angre
And beo inpacient in here penauncez / pure reson hit knoweþ
Þat þei han cause to contrarien / by kynde of here seknesse
And lithliche oure lord / at here lyues ende
Hath mercy on suche men / þat vuele may suffre

¶ Ac þe smoke and þe smorþre / þat smyt in oure eyen
Þat is couetyse and vnkyndenesse / wuche quencheþ godes mercy .
For vnkyndenesse is contrarie of alle kynne resoun

//
¶ For þer ne is sik ne sory / ne non so muche wreche
Þan[^a628] he ne may louye and hym like / and lene of his herte
Good wil / good worde / boþe wuschen and wilnen
Alle manere of men/ mercy and forȝeuenesse
And louye hem y-liche hym-selue / þat his lyf amende
I may no longur lette quaþ he / and lyard y-prykede[^a629]
And wend[^a630] a-way as þe wynd / and þer-wiþ y a -wakede

[^a628: Þan (Vc Ac) | That (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a629: y-prykede (Vc Ac) | a prikede (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a630: wend (Vc Ac) | wente (P Ec Rc Mc)]

Hic explicit passus tercius de dobet

Hic incipit passus quartus de dobet [The words de dobet are written only once, with brackets connecting them to both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one.]

F ol wery and wetschod / wente y forþe aftur
As recheles renk / þat recheþ nat of sorowe
A[^a631] ȝeede forthe like a lorel / al my lyf tyme
Tyl y wexe wery of þis worlde and wilned eft sclepe[^200]
Of gurles and of Gloria laus gretliche me dremed
And hou Osanna by orgne / olde men songen
On was semblable to þe samaritan and somdel to peres plouhman
Barfot on an asse bak / botles cam prykie
With-oute spores oþur spere / ac braggeliche[^a632] he lokede
As is þe kyn de of a knyht / þat comeþ to beo dobbed
To getoun his guld spores / and galoches y-coped

[^a631: A (Vc Ac) | And (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a632: ac braggeliche (Vc Ac) | and sprakliche (P) | & sparklich (Ec) | ac spraklyke (Rc Mc)]

[^200: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a line (RK.20.5).]

¶ Þenne was faith in a fenestre / and cryde fili dauid
As doþe an herraud of armes / when auntres comeþ to ioustes
Olde Iuwes of ierusalem for ioye þei songon
benedictus qui uenit in nomine domini[^201]

[^201: This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Þan y frayned at faithe / what al þat fare by-mente
And ho scholde iousten in Ierusalem / Ihesus he seyde
And fecche þat þe feond cleymeþ / Peres fruyt þe plouhman .

¶ Is peres in þis place quaþ y / and he preynkede vpon me .

¶ liberum dei arbitrium / quaþ he / for loue hath vndurtake
Þat þes ihesus of his gentery / schal iouste in peres armes
In his helme and in his haburion / humana natura
Þat crist be not y-knowe / for consummatus[^202] deus

[^202: There is an otiose minim in the sequence <umm>.]

¶ In peres plates þe plouhman / theos prykiere schal ryde
For no dunt schal him dere / as in deitate patris

¶ Ho schal iouste wyþ ihesus quaþ y / Iuwes or scribes .

¶ Nay quaþ faith but þe feond / and fals dom to deye
dethe seith he wol for-do / and a-doun brynge
Al that lyueþ or lokeþ / a-londe and on watere

¶ Lyf seith he lyeþ / and hathe leyd his lyf to wedde
Þat for al þat deþe can do / wyþ-in þre dayes
To walke and fecche fro þe feeond / Peres fruyt þe plouhman[^203] .
And legge hit þer hym likeþ / and lucyfer bynde
And for-bite a-doun and brynge / bale deth for euere
O mors mors tus tu[a] ero morsus /[^204]

[^203: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

[^204: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Þenne cam pilatus wiþ muche people[^a633]
To seo hou douhteliche deth scholde do / and deme her beyer ryhte

[^a633: people (Vc Ac) | peple sedens pro tribunali (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe Iuwes and þe iustices / a-ȝeins ihesus þei were
And alle þe court cryed / Crucifige honde[^a634]

[^a634: honde (Vc) | loude (P Rc Mc Ac) | longe (Ec)]

¶ Þenne putte hym a pelour / by-fore Pilat and seyde
Thes ihesus of oure Iuwene temple / Iapede and despisede
To fordon hit on o day / and in þre dayes after
Edifien hit eft newe / her he stant þat seyde hit[^205]
And ȝut maken hit as muche / in alle manere poyntes .
Boþe as longe and as large / a-loft and a-grounde
And as wyde as hit euure was / þis we witnesse alle
Crucifige quaþ a kachepol / he can of wuche-crafte
Tolle tolle quaþ a-noþur / and tok of kene þornes

[^205: The <i> is dotted twice.]

¶ And by-gan of grene þorne / a garlaund to make
And sette hit sore an his heued / and sith seyde in enuye .
Aue Rabi quaþ þat ribaud / and reodes schotte at his eyen .
And naylede hym wiþ þre nayles / naked on þe rode
And wiþ a pole poyson / putten to his lippes
And bede hym drynke / his deþe to lette / and his dayes lengþen
And seyde if he sothfast beo / he wol hym-selue helpen

¶ And now if þow beo crist / criste godes sone
Com a-doun of þis rode / and þen wol we leue
Þat lyf þe louyeþ / and wol not let þe deye
Consummatum est quaþ crist / and comsede for to swouene[^a635]
Pitouslyche and pale / as pryson þat dyeþ

[^a635: swouene (Vc) | sounye (P) | swowny (Ec) | swoene (Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þe lord of lyf and of liht / þo leyde his eyen to-gederes

¶ Þe day for drede þer-of wiþ-drow / and derk by-cam þe sonne

¶ Þe wal of þe temple to-clef / euene a two peces

¶ Þe hard roche al to-rof / and riht deok deo[r]k nyht hit semede

¶ Þe eorþe quok and quasked / as hit quyke were

¶ And dede men for þat deone / comen out of deop graues
And tolde why þat tempest / so longe tyme durede
For a byttur bataille / þe dede body sayde
Lyf and deþ[^206] in þis deorkenesse / her on fordoþ þat oþur .
Ac schal no white wite witturly / ho schal haue þe maystrie
Or soneday a-boute þe sonne rysyng / and sank wiþ þat tyl eorthe /

[^206: There is the false start of a letter <a> here.]

¶ Some sayde he was godes sone / þat so faire deyede
vere filius dei erat iste /[^207]
Some sayde he can of sorcerie / good is þat we assaie
Wher he beo ded or nat ded / doun or he be take

[^207: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Tho þeues þer were / tholeden deþ þat tyme
Vpon crois by-sydes crist / so was þe comune lawe .

¶ Quicklyche cam a chachepol[^a636] / and craked a-two here leggus
And here armes aftur / of eueriche of þo þeues

[^a636: chachepol (Vc) | cacchepol (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ac þer was ne[^a637] boy so bolde / godes body to touche
For he was knyht and kyngessone kynges sone / kynde for-ȝaf þat tyme
Þat no boy hadde hardinesse / hym touche[^a638] in dyinge

[^a637: ne (Vc) | no (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a638: touche (Vc Ac) | to touche (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ac þer cam forthe a blynd knyht / wiþ kene spere y-grounde
Hihte longius as þe lettre telleþ / and longe hadde lore his syht
By-fore Pilat and oþer people / in þe place he houede

¶ Maugrey his mony teþ / he was mad þat tyme
To iouste with ihesus / this blynd iew longius

¶ For alle hy weren vnhardy / þat houede þer or stode
To touche hym or to tryne hym / or to take hym doun ar[^a639] graue him .
But þis blynde bacheler / þat bare hym þrow þe herte

[^a639: ar (Vc) | or (Ac) | & (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe blod sprang doun by þe spere / and vnsperrede þe knyhtes eyen
//
Þo feol þe knyht vpon knes / and cride ihesu mercy
A-ȝeins my wil hit was quaþ he / þat y ȝow wounde made

¶ He syhed and seyde / sore hit me for-þynkeþ
Of þe dede þat y haue don / y do me in ȝoure grace

¶ My lond and my licame / at ȝoure lyukyng[^a640] takeþ hit
And haue mercy on me rithful ihesu / . rith wiþ þat he wepte .

[^a640: lyukyng (Vc) | likynge (P Ec Rc Ac) | wille (Mc)]

¶ Þenne gan Faith foully / þe falce Iuwes to despysen
And calde hem caytifs a-corsed / for þis was a vile vilanie
Veniaunce is to ȝow falle / þat makede þe blynde
Beten hym þat was ded / hit was a boies dede

¶ Corsede caytifs / knyhthod was his[^a641] neuere
To bete a body bunde / with eny bryht wepne
Þe gree ȝut hathe he getoun / for alle his grete woundes

[^a641: his (Vc) | hit (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For ȝoure chaumpion chyualer / chief knyht of ȝow alle
Ȝelt hym recreaunt remynge / riht at ihesus wil

¶ For beo þis deorkenesse y-do / deþ worth y-venkysed
And ȝe lordynges han lost / for lyf schal haue þe maystrie
And ȝoure Fraunchise þat freo was / fallen is to þraldame
And alle ȝoure children cherles / cheuen schul þei neuure
Ne haue lordschup in londe / noþur lond tulye
And as barayne beo / and by vsure libbe
Þe wuche is lyf þat oure lord / in alle lawes defendeþ

[erasure of rubricated line]

[Presumably the scribe accidentally wrote the rubricated Latin verse two lines too early and then erased it.]

¶ Now beoþ ȝoure god dayes don / as daniel / of ȝow telleþ
When crist wiþ croys ouur-cam / ȝoure kynedom schal to-cleue
Cum uenerit sanctus sanctorum cessabit vnctio vestra[^208]

[^208: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ What for fere of þis ferly / and of þis falce iewes
I drow in þat deorkenesse / to descendit ad inferna
And þer y sayh sothly / secun dum scripturas /
Out of þe west as hit were / a wenche as me þouhte
Cam walkynge in þe way / to helle-ward he lokede
Mercy / hihte þat mayde / a mylde þink wiþ-alle
And fol benigne burde / and boxom of speche

¶ Heore sustur as hit semede / cam softely walkynge
Euene out of þe est / and westard he thoughte
A comely creature and clene / treuþe scho hyghte
For þe vertu þat hure folowede / a-ferd was scho neuure

¶ When þus[^a642] maydones metten / Mercy and treuthe
Ayþur axede of oþur / of þis grete wondur
Of þe dene and derknesse / and hou þe day roued
And wuche a lyht and leem / lay by-fore helle

[^a642: þus (Vc) | this (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ I haue ferly of this fare / in faith seyde treuthe
And y[^a643] am wendynge to wyte / what þis wondur meneþ

[^a643: y (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Haue no meruaille þer -of guaþ Mercy / murthe hit by-tokneþ
A mayde þat hatte arie and modur wiþ-oute velynge
Of eny kynde of creature / conceyuede þrow speche
And grace of þe holygost / wax gret wiþ childe
Wiþ-oute wommone wem / in-to þis worlde brouht hym
And þat my tale is trewe / y take god to witnesse

¶ Sythen þis barn was y-bore / beoþ þritty wyntur passet
deyde and deþ þolede / þis day a-boute mydday
Þat is þe cause of þis eclypse / þat ouur-c loseþ now þe sonne
In menyng þat man schal / fro meorknesse beo drawe
Þe while þis lyht and þis leom / schal lucyfer a-blynde

¶ For patriarches and prophetes / han preched her-of ofte
Þat þynge þat tynt was wiþ treo / treo schal hit wynne
And that þat deþ doun brouhte / deþe schal releue

¶ That þat þou tellest quaþ / treuthe is but a tale of walterot
For Adam and Eue / and abraham with oþere
Patriarches and Prophetes þat in þe[^a644] peyne liggen
Leof hit neuere þat ȝeon lyht / hem a-loft brynge
Ne haue hem out of helle / hold þi tonge mercy

[^a644: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Hit is trufle þat þow tellest / y treuthe wot þe soþe
That þing þat ones is in helle / out comeþ hit neuure
For Iob þe parfit patriarke / repreoueþ þi sawes
Quia in inferno nulla est redempcio /

¶ Þen Mercy ful myldely / mouthede þeos wordes
Þrogh experience quaþ heo / y hope þei schulle beo saued
For venym for-doþe venym / þer fecche y euydence
Þat adam and Eue / hauen schol bote

¶ Of alle fretynge venymes / þe vylest is þe scorpion
May no medicine amende / þe place þere he styngeþ
Til he beo ded y-do þer-to / and þenne hit destruyeþ /
Þe furst venymus mete[^a645] / þrow vertue of hym-selue

[^a645: venymus mete (Vc Ac) | venemouste (P Rc Mc) | venymost þing (Ec)]

¶ And so schal þis deþ for-do / y dar my lyf legge
Al þat deþ and þe deouel / dude formost to Eue

X
¶ Ryht as þe gylour þrow gyle / by-gyled man formast
So schal grace þat al by-gan / make a good ende
And by-gyle þe gylour / and þat is a good sleihþe[^a646]

[^a646: sleihþe (Vc Ac) | sleythe Ars vt Artem falleret (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Now suffre we seyde treuthe / y seo as me þinkes
Out of þe nype of þe norþe / not fol feor hennes
Rithwysnesse com rennynge / reste we þe while
For he wot more þenne we / he was er we boþe

¶ Þat is sothe seyde Mercy / and y seo her by southe
Wher comeþ pees pleynge / in pacience cloþed
Loue heore hathe coueyted longe / leoue y non noþur[^a647]
But Loue haue sent hure som lettre / what þis liht by-meneþ
Þat ouur-houeþ helle þus / he schal vs telle

[^a647: noþur (Vc) | oþere (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ When pees in pacience cloþed / aproched ayþur othur
Ryhtwysness reuerencede Pees / in heore riche cloþinge
And preyde pees to tellen heore / to what place he wolde
In hure gay garnemens / wham heo glady þouhte

¶ My wil is to wende guaþ pees and to[^a648] wel-come hem alle
Þat mony day myht not y[^a649] seo / for merkenesse of synne
Adam and Eue / and othere more in helle
Moyses and mony mo / mercy schullen synge
And y schal daunce þer-to / do al-so þou sustur
Nota
For ihesus ioustede wel / ioye by-gynneþ dawyen
ad vesperum demorabitur fletus & ad matutinum leticia .[^209]

[^a648: to (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a649: not y (Vc Ac) | y nat (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^209: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Loue þat is my lemman / suche lettres heo me sente
Þat Mercy my sustur and y / mankynde schullen saue

//
¶ And þat god hath for-gyue / and graunted to man-kynde
Mercy my sustur and me / to meympryse hem alle
And crist haþ couerted[^a650] þe kynde of rihtwysnesse
In-to pees and pyte / of his pure grace /

[^a650: couerted (Vc) | conuerted (P Rc Mc Ac) | conforted (Ec)]

¶ Lo here þe patente quaþ pees / in pace in idipsum
And þat þis dede schal dure / dormiam et requiescam

¶ Rauest þou quaþ rithwisnesse or þou art riht dronke
Leouest þow þat ȝonde liht / vnlouke myhte helle
And saue mannes soule / sustur wene hit neuure
At þe by-gynnynge of þe worlde / god gaf þe dom hym-self
Þat Adam and Eue / and al his vssue /
Scholden deye doun -riht / and dwellen in peyne euure
If þei touched þe treo / and of þe fruyt eten
Adam afturward / a-ȝeins his defense
Fast fret of þat fruyt / and for-soke as hit were
Þe lel loue of oure lord / and his lore boþe
And folowede þat þe feond tauhte / and his fleises[^a651] wil
A-ȝeins reson and rithwisnesse / recorde þis wiþ trewþe
Þat here peyne is perpetuel / no preyere may hem helpe

[^a651: fleises (Vc) | sheshes (P) | flesches (Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For-þi let hem chewe as þei chose / and chide we nat sustres[^210]
for hit is a boteles bale / þe bite þat þei eten

[^210: A bracket in the brown hand of glossator3 extends in the left margin from this line to Vc21.222.]

¶ And y shal preye quaþ / pees heore peyne mot haue ende
Þat heore wo in-to wele / wende mote at þe laste

¶ For had þei wuste of no wo / wele hadde þei not knowe
For wot no whit wat wele is / þat neuure wo suffrede
Ne what is hot hongur / þat had neuure defaute

¶ Of[^a652] couthe kyndeliche / whit colour discreue
If alle þe worlde were whit / or swan wiht al þinges
If no nyht were / no man as y leoue
Scholde wite witturly / what day were to mene

[^a652: Of (Vc Ac) | Ho (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ne hadde god suffrede of som / oþer þan him-selue
He hadde not wuste witturly / weþur deþ were sour or swete

¶ For scholde neuure rihtriche riht riche man / þat lyueþ in reste and hele
I-wite what wo is / ne were þe deþ of kynde

¶ So god þat al by-gan of his goode wil
By-cam man of a mayde / mankynde to saue
And suffrede to beo sold / to seo þe sorow of deynge
Þe wuche vnknutte[^211] al care / and comsynge is of reste

[^211: There are four minims between the <k> and the first <t>. See Kane 20.224, however, which groups Vc unambiguously with P Ec Rc Mc Q Fc Gc Nc . Ac reads "vnkutte"; Z reads "vnquytte"; Wa reads "vnquyteþ".]

¶ For tyl moryne mete with ous / y may hit wel a-vowe
Ne wot no whit as y wene / what is y-now to mene

¶ For-þi / god of his godenesse / þe furst man Adam .
He sette hym in soloce furst / and in souerayne murthe
And sithe soffrede hym to synige / sorow to fele
To wite þer-þrow what wele was / and kyndely to knowe

¶ And aftur a-untrede god him-self / and toke adames kynde
To wite what he hadde y-suffrede / in þre sondry places
Boþe in heuene and in eorthe / and now to helle he þenkeþ
To wite what al wo is[^a653] / þat wot of alle ioye /
Omnia probate / quod bonum est tenete
So schal hit fare by þis folc / here folye and here synne
Schal lere hem wat loue is / and lisse wiþ-oute ende

[^a653: al wo is (Vc) | al wo is (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ For wot no whit wat werre is / þer-as pees regneþ
Ne what is witturliche wele / tyl welawey him teche

¶ Þenne was þer a whit / wiþ to brode yen
Bok hiht þat beupere / a bold man of speche
By godes body quaþ þis bok / y wol bere witnesse
nota

[The form of all the nota marks on this page is that of a musical pun.]

nota
Þo þis barne was y-bore / þer blased a sterre
Þat alle þe wyse of þis worlde / in o wit acordede
Þat suche a barne was y-bore / in bethleem þe cyte
Þat mannes soule scholde saue / and sinne distruye
And al þe Elemens quath he[^a654] Bok / here-of bereþ witnesse

[^a654: he (Vc Ac) | the (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þat he was god þat al wrouhte / þe welkene furst sewede[^a655]
Þo þat weren in heuene / token Stella comata
And tenden hit as a torche / to reuerence his burthe
Þat liht folowede þe lord / in-to þe low eorthe

[^a655: sewede (Vc Ac) | shewede (P Ec Rc) | scheweden (Mc)]

¶ Þe watur witnessed þat hit[^a656] was god / for god wente on hym drye
Petur þe apostle / parceyuede his grace
And as he wende vpon þe watur / wel hym knewe and seyde
domine iube me venire ad te

[^a656: hit (Vc Ac) | he (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Lo hou þe sonne gan louke / hure lyht in hure-selue
When heo sey hym suffre deþ / þat sonne and see made

¶ lo þe eorthe for heuynesse / þat he wolde deþ suffre
Quakede as quyk þing / and al to-quasche þe roches

¶ lo helle myht not holde / but openede / þo god deþ þolede
And let out symondes sones / to seo him honge on rode
non visurum se mortem[^212]

[^212: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Now schal lucifer leoue hit / thauh him loþe þinke
For Ihesus as a geaunt / with a gyn comeþ ȝende
To breken and to betoun a-doun[^213] / al þat beon a-gayns hym
And to haue out alle / of hem þat him likeþ

[^213: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

nota
¶ And ȝut y bok wol beo brent / but he a-ryse to lyue
And conforten al his kyn / and out of care brynge

¶ And al þe Iuwene ioye / vnioynen and vnlouken
And but if þei reuerence his resurreccion / and þe rode honoure
And by-leue on a newe lawe / beo y-lost lyue and soule

¶ Suffre we seyde truthe y hure and seo boþe
nota
A spirit speke to helle / and bit vnsperre þe ȝates[^214]
nota

[This nota, too, is a musical pun.]

A vois loude in þat liht / to lucyfer seyde
Prynces of þis paleys / preost[^a657] vn-do þe ȝates
For here comeþ with crowne / þe kyng of alle glorie

[^a657: preost (Vc) | prest (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^214: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.20.270α).]

¶ Þenne syhede satan / and seyde to helle
Suche a liht a-ȝeins ous alle[^a658] / lazar hit fette
Colde care and combraunce / is come to ous alle
If þes kyng comen In / Mankynde he wol fecche[^215]
And leden hit þer lazar is / and lithliche me bynde
patriarches and prophetes / han parlet her-of longe
Þat suche a lord and a lyht / schal leden hem al hennes

[^a658: ous alle (Vc Ac) | oure leue (P Ec Rc) | oure bileue (Mc)]

[^215: A bracket in light brown ink runs faintly down the left margin from this line to the end of the page.]

¶ Ac ryse vp Ragemoffyn / and reche me al þe barres
Þat belial þy belsyre / beot wyþ þi damme
And y schal lette þis lord / and his liht stoppe
Þat no liht leopon In / atte þe[^a659] louer ne at loupe

[^a659: þe (Vc Ac) | om. (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And þou astrot hote out / and haue out knaues
Coltynge and al his kyn / oure catel to saue

¶ Broimstoun boylaunt / brennynge out cast hit
Al hot on here hefdes / þat entren ny þe walles

¶ Setteþ bowes of brake / and brasone gonnes
And scheoteþ out schot y-nouh / his scheltrom to blende

¶ Sette mahon at þe mangenel / and mulle-stones þroweþ
With crokes and calketrappes / a-cloye we hem echone

¶ lustneþ quath lucyfer / for y this lord knowe
//
Boþe þis lord and þis lyht / is longe gon y knewe hym
May no deþe þis lord dere / ne no deueles queyntyse

¶ And wher he wole is his waye / ac war hym of þe periles
If he reue me of my ryht / he robbeþ me by maystrie

¶ For by ryht and reson / þe renkes þat beon here
Body and soule beoþ myne / boþe goode and ille

¶ For he hym-self hit seyde / þat sire is of helle
Þat Adam and Eue / and alle his issue

¶ Scholden deye with deol / and here dwelle euure
If þat þei touched a treo / or toke þer-of an appul
Þus þis lord of liht / suche a lawe made

¶ And syþe he is so lel a lord / y leoue þat he wol nat
Reuen vs of oure ryht / syþen resoun hem dampned

¶ And sythe we han beo sesed / seuene þousand wyntur
And neuure was þer-a-ȝein / and now wolde by-gynne /
He were vnwrayst of here[^a660] worde / þat witnesse is of treuthe

[^a660: here (Vc Ac) | his (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þat is soþe sayde Satan / but y me sore doute
//
For þow gete hym with gyle / and his gardeyn broke
A-gayns his loue and his leue / on his lond ȝeodest
Not in forme of a feond / but in forme of an eddre
And Entysedest Eue / / to ete by heore one
And by-heitest heore and hym / aftur to knowe
As two godes wiþ god / boþe good and ille
Thus with treson and tricherie / thou troiledest hem boþe
And dudest hem breke here buxumnesse / throw falce by-heste

¶ Thus haddest þou hem out / and hidur at þe laste
Hit is not greythely getoun / þer gyle is þe rote[^216]

[^216: A bracket in the brown hand of glossator3 extends in the left margin from this line to Vc21.330.]

¶ And god wol not beo by-gyled / quaþ gobylyn ne by-Iaped[^217]
We haue no trewe tytle to hem / for þi treson hit makeþ

[^217: The last word is preceded by a false start of an uncompleted character.]

¶ For-þi y drede me quaþ þe deuul / lest treuthe wol hem fecche
And as þou by-gylest godes ymage / in goynge of an eddre
So hathe god by-gyled vs alle / in goynge of an wye

¶ For god haþ gon quaþ gobylyn / in a gome liknesse /
This þritty wyntur as y wene / and went a-boute and preched

¶ I haue assailed him wiþ synne / and some-tyme y askede
Wher he were god or godesone[^a661] / he gaf me schort vnswere[^a662]
Thus haþe he troylod and trauayled / in his tyme
Forþe like a tydy man / this two and þritty wyntur

[^a661: godesone (Vc) | godes sone (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^a662: vnswere (Vc) | answere (P Ec Rc Ac) | vnswered (Mc)]

¶ And whan y sey þat hit was so / y sotylede hou y myhte
Lette hem þat louede hym nat / lest þei wolde martre

¶ I wolde a[^a663] lengþed his wyf [l]yf / for y leued if he deyde
And soule[^a664] hydur come / he scholde schende vs alle

[^a663: a (Vc Ac) | haue (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a664: soule (Vc Ac) | his soule (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe body whyles hit on bones ȝeode / a-boute was hit euure
To lere men to beo lelle / eche man to loue oþur

¶ Þe wuche lyf and lawe / beo hit longe y-vsed
Hit schal vndon vs deuules / and doun brynge vs alle

¶ Now y seo where his soule comeþ / seylynge hydurwardes
With glorie and wiþ grete liht / god hit is y wote wel

¶ I rede we Fleo quaþ þe feond / faste al hennes
For ous were betre not beo / þan a-byde in his sihte .

¶ For þi lesynges lucyfer we losten furst oure ioye
And oute of heuene hydur / thy pruyde made vs falle
For we leued on þin lesynges / ther losten we blisse

¶ And now for a latere lesynge / þat þow lowe tyl Eue
We han lost oure lordschip / a londe / and in helle
nunc princeps huius mundi[^218]

[^218: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Sy[^a665] þat satan mysseyde thus foule
Lucyfer for his lesynges / leoue y non other
But oure lord at þe laste / lyheres here rebuke
And wyten hem al þe wrechednesse / þat wrouhte is on eorthe
Nota
Beoþ y-war ȝee wyse clerkes / and witty men of lawe
Þat ȝeo by-gyle nat þis lewede men / for atte þe laste[^a666]
Witnesseþ in his wrytinge / what is lyeres mede
Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem / perdes omnes qui locuntur mendacium
A litul ich ouur-lipe / for lesynges sake
Þat y ne segge as y seyh / suynge my teme

[^a665: Sy (Vc) | Sethe (P Ec Mc Ac) | Sithen (Rc)]

[^a666: laste (Vc Ac) | laste dauid (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For eft liht[^a667] bade vnlouke / and lucifer aswerede
What lord art þow quath lucyfer a vois a-louhd seyde
Þe lorde of myht and of mayn / þat made alle þinges
Duke of þis dymme place / a-non vndo þe ȝates
Þat criste mowe comen In / þe kynges son of heuene

[^a667: liht (Vc Ac) | þat lihte (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And with þat breþe helle brake / wyþ al belial[^a668] barres
For eny wy or w arde / wyde openede þe ȝates
patriarches and prophetes / populus in tenebris
Songen with seynt Iohan /Ecce agnus dei .

[^a668: belial (Vc Ac) | belialles (P Ec Rc Mc)]

/ ¶ Lucyfer loke ne myhte / so lith hym a-blente
And þo þat oure lord louede / with þat liht forþe flowen

¶ lo me here quaþ oure lorde / lyf and soule boþe
For alle synful soules / to saue oure bey ryht
Myne þei were and of me / y may þe bet hem clayme

¶ Al-þauh reson recorde / and riht of my-selue
Þat if þei eten þe appul / al scholden deye
I by-hihte hem nat here / helle for euure

¶ For þe dedly synne þat þei duden / þi deceyte hit made
With gyle þou hem gete / a-gayne al resoun

¶ For in my paleys paradys / in person of an eddre
Falsliche fecchedest[^a669] þere / þat me by-fel to loke
By-glosedest hem and bygyledest hem / and my gardyn breke
A-ȝeins my loue and my leue / þe olde lawe techeþ
Nota
Þat gylours beo by-gyled / and in here gyle by-falle[^a670]

[^a669: fecchedest (Vc Ac) | fettest (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a670: by-falle (Vc) | beo yfalle (A) | falle (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And wo-so hitteþ out a mannes eye / or elles his fore-teþe
Or eny maner membre / maymeþ or hutteþ[^a671]
-
Þe same for schal he haue / þat eny so smyteþ
dentem pro dente et oculum pro oculo /

[^a671: hutteþ (Vc Ac) | herteth (P Ec Rc Mc)]

=
¶ So lyf schal lyf lete / þer lyf haþ lyf aneynted
So þat lyf qui te lyf / þe olde lawe hit askeþ
Ergo / soul schal soul quite / and synne to synne wende
And al þat man mysdude / y man to amendon hit

¶ And þat þat deþ fordude / y deþ to releuen
Boþe aquite and quykie / þat was a-queynte þrow synne
And gyle beo by-gyled / þrow grace at þe laste /
Ars ut artem falleret .[^219]

[^219: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ So leue hit nat lucyfer þat y a-ȝeins þe lawe[^220]
Fecche here eny sunfol soule / souereynly by maistrie
But throw rith and resoun / raumson here my lige
Non veni soluere legem / sed ad-implere /
So that þorhg gyle was getoun / þrow grace is nowe y-wonne .

[^220: Parts of the b-verses from here to Vc21.413 are damaged by smudging, but they are still legible.]

¶ And as Adam and alle / þrow a treo deydoun
Adam and alle þrow a treo / schal turne to lyue

¶ And now by-gynneþ þi gyle / a-gayn on þe turne
And my grace to growe / ay wyddur and wyddur

¶ The bitturnesse þat þow hast browe / now brouke hit þi-self
x
Þow ert doctour of deþe / dryng þat þou madest .

¶ For y þat am lord of lyf / loue is my drynke
And for þat drynke to-day / deide as hit semed .

¶ Ac y wol drynke of non dysche / ne of non deop Clergye
But of comune coppes / al cristone soules

¶ Ac thy drynk worþe deth / and deop helle þi bolle
/
I fauht so . me furstuþ ȝut / for mannes soules sake
scicio sicio[^221]

[^221: This word is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ May no piement ne pomade / ne precious drynkes
Moyste me to þe folle / ne my furst slocke
Til þe vendage valle / in þe vale of iosophat
And drynke ryht ripe most / resurreccio mortuorum /

¶ Þenne schal y come as a kynge / with crone and with angeles
And haue out of helle / al mennes soules

¶ Feondes and feondkynes / by-fore me schulle stande
And beo at my byddynge / at blisse or at peyne

//
¶ Ac to beo merciable to man / þenne my kynde askeþ
For wo[^a672] beoþ breþeren of blod / ac nat in baptisme alle
Ac alle þat beon myn half breþeren / in blod and in baptisme
Schal neuure eft in helle come / beo he onus oute
/ tibi soli peccaui & ma= lum coram te feci[^222]

[^a672: wo (Vc) | we (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

[^222: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous and following lines.]

¶ Hit is not vsed on eorthe / to hongon eny felones
Oftur þanne ones / thau þei weron treytours

¶ And if þe kynge of þe kynedom / come in þe tyme
Ther a þeof þolie scholde / dethe or Iuwyse
Lawe wole he ȝeue hym lyf / and he lokede on hym
And y þat am kyng ouur kynges / schal come suche a tyme
Ther þat dom to þe deth / dampneþ al wykede
And if lawe wole y loke on hem / hit lith in my grace
Weþer þei deye or dey not / dude þei neuure so ill .[^223]
As nullum malum impunitum & nullum bonum irremuneratum .
And so of alle wykkede / y wole here take veniaunce
And my kunde in my kene Ire / schal constrayne my wil
domine ne in furore tuo arguas me
To beo merciable to meny / of myn half-breþeren

[^223: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit three lines (RK.20.430-432).]

¶ For blod may seo blod / boþe a-furst and a-kale
Ac blod may not seo blod / blede but hym rewe
Audiui archana verba que non licet homini loqui
Ac my rithwesnesse and riht / schal regnen in helle
And mercy and man-kynde / by-fore me in heuene

¶ For y were an vnkynde kynge / but y my kyn holpe
And nameliche at suche a neode / þat neodes help askeþ
Non intres in iudicio cum seruo tuo /

¶ Thus by lawe quaþ oure lorde / lede y wol fro hennes
Al tho þat y louye / and leouede in my comynge
Ac for þe lesynge þat þow lowe / lucyfer tyl eue
Þou schalt a-buy bittere quod god / and bound hym wiþ cheynes

¶ Astrot and al othere / hudden hem in hurnes
Þei durst not loke on oure lord / þe leste of hem alle
But lette hym lede forþ wuch hym lust / and leue wuche hym likede
Mony hondred of angelus / harpedoun þo and songoun
Culpat caro purgat caro regnat deus
Þenne pipede pees of poetes / a note
Clarior est solito / post inimcicias inim[i]cicias clarior est et amor
Aftur scharpest schoures quaþ pees / / most schene is þe sonne
Is no wedur warmor / þan aftur watery cloudes
Noþur loue leuere / ne leuere frendes
Þan aftur werre and wrake / whan loue and pees beoþ maystres

¶ Was neuure werre in þis worlde / ne wykkedor enuye
Þat loue and hym luste / to lauhinge brouhte

¶ Truwes quaþ treuth / thow tellest soþe by ihesus
Cluppe we in couenaunt / and eche of vs cusse othur
And leet no people quaþ pees parceyue þat we chydde
//
For inpossible is no þinge / to hym þat is al-myhty

¶ Thow seist sothe quaþ rithwesnesse / and reuerently heo custe
Pees and pees heore / per secula seculorum
Misericordia & veritas obuiauerunt sibi / iusticia & pax osculate sunt .
treuthe trompode þo / and songe te deum laudamus

¶ And þenne lutede loue / in a loud note / Ecce quam bonum & quam iocundum

¶ Tyl þe day dawede / þese damyseles daunsede
Þat men rang to þe resurreccion / and wiþ þat y a-wakede
And calde kitte my wyf / and kalote my dowtur
A-rys and go reuerence / godes resurreccion
And creop on kneos to þe cros / and cusse hit for a Iuwel
And rithfollokest a relyk / non richerre on eorþe

¶ For godes blesset body / hit bar for oure bote
And hit a-fereþ þe feond / for suche is þe myhte
May no gryseliche gost / glide þer hit schadewiþ .

Explicit passus quartus et vltimus de dobet

Incipit primus passus de . dobest [The implicit of this passus is linked to the explicit of the previous passus with a red bracket on the right.]

T Hus y a-wakede & wrot / what y hadde dremed
And dyhte me derly / and dude me to kerke
To huyre holy þe masse / and beo housled aftur
In myddes of þe masse þo / menne ȝeoden to offrynge
I feol eft sones a-sclepe / and sodenly me mette
Þat peres þe plouhman was peynted al blody
And cam in wiþ a crois / by-fore þe comune people
And riht like in al lymes / to oure lord ihesu

¶ And þenne cald y concience / to kenne me þe soþe
Is þis ihesus þe ioustour quod y / þat Iuwes duden to deþe
Or is hit peres plouhman / ho peynted hym so rede

¶ Quaþ Concience and knelede þo / this aren cristes armes
His colours and his cote armure / and he þat comeþ so blody
Hit is crist wiþ his croise / conquerour of cristine

¶ Why cal hym crist / syþen Iuwes cald hym ihesus
patriarches and prophetes profecied by-fore
Þat al kynne creators / scholden knelen and bowen
An non as men nempned / þe name of god ihesu
ergo is no name / to þe name ihesus
name nota

[Another musical pun. It extends down to the line below.]

And non so neodfol tou[^224] nempne / by nyht ne by day .

[^224: What has been transcribed here as a <u> seems at some point to have been interpreted as an <n>, possibly anticipating the <n> in nempne. It was separated from the <to> by a hairline.]

¶ For al deorke deueles / dreden hit to here
And synful beon solaced / and saued by þat name

¶ And ȝeo callen hym criste / for what cause telleþ me
Is crist more of myhte / and more worþiour name
Þan ihesu or Ihesus / þat al oure ioye cam of .

¶ Þou knowest wel quod Concience / and þow conne resoun
Þat knyht kyng conquerour / may beo o persone
To beo called a knyht is fair / for men schal to him knele
To beo called a kyng is fairor / for he may knyhtes make
And to beo called conquerour / þat comeþ of special grace
Of hardynesse of herte / and of hendenesse

¶ To make lordes of laddes / of lond þat he wynneþ
And freo me[^a673] foule þralles / þat folowon not his lawes
Þe Iuwes þat were gentul men / ihesu þei despiseden[^225] .
Boþe his lore and his lawe / now aren þei lowe cheorles .

[^a673: me (Vc Ac) | men (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^225: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ As wyde as þe worlde is / wonieþ þer none
But vndur tribut and tallage / as tykes and cheorles

¶ And þo þat by-comeþ cristine / by counseil of þe baptist
Aren frankelayns and freo / throw folling þet þei toke
And gentyl men myd[^a674] ihesu for Ihesus was y-fulled
And vpon Caluarie on crois / croned kyng of Iuwes

[^a674: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

//
¶ Hit by-comeþ for a kyng / to kepen and defende
And conquerour of his conqueste / his laies and his large

¶ So dude ihesu þe Iuwes / he iustified and tauhte hem .
Þe lawe of þe lykynge l yf / þat laste schal euure .
And fendede hem fro foule vueles / feueres and fluxes
And fro feondes þat weren in hem / and fals by-leoue

¶ Þo was he ihesus of Iuwes cald / gentyl prophete
And kyng of here kynedom / and crone bar of þornes

¶ And þo conquered he on crois / as conquerour noble
Myht no deþe hym for-do / ne a-doun[^226] brynge
Þat he ne aros and regnede / and rauysched helle

[^226: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ And þo was he conquerour calde / of quyke & of dede
For he ȝaf adam and Eue / and othere mo blisse
Þat longe hadden ley by-fore / as lucyfers cheorles

¶ And tok lucyfer þe lothliche / þat lord was of helle
And bond hym as he is y-bounde / with bondes of yren .

¶ Ho was hardiour þan he / his heorte blod he schadde
nota

[The form of this nota is unusual, consisting of an <x> within a curve or a stylized <n>.]

To maken al folk freo / þat folwen his lawe .
And suche he ȝaf largeliche / al his lelle lige
Places in Paradys / at here partyng hennes
He may wel by called[^a675] conquerour / and þat is crist to mene

[^a675: wel by called (Vc) | be wel called (P Ec) | ben cald well (Rc) | wel be callid (Mc Ac)]

¶ Ac þe cause whi he comeþ þus / wiþ crois and his passion
Is to wyssen vs þer-wiþ / þat when we beo ytempted
Þer-with to fyhten and fendon vs / fro fallyng in-to synne .

//
¶ And seo by his sorowe / þat wo-so louyeþ[^a676] ioye
//
To penaunce and to pouerte / he mot putte hym-selue
And muche wo in þis worlde / wilnen and suffren

[^a676: louyeþ (Vc) | loueth (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Ac to carpe more of crist / and hou þat he cam to þat name
Faithfolly for to speke / his furst name was ihesus

¶ Þo he was bore in bethleem / / as þe bok telleþ
And came to take man-kynde / kynges and angeles
Reuerensed hym riht faire / with richese of eorthe
Angeles of heuene / comen knelede and songon
. gloria in excelsis . deo .[^227]

[^227: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ Kynges comen aftur / knelede and offrede
Muche gold and myrre / with-oute mercy askynge
Or eny kynne catel / but knewleched hym souereyn
Boþe of sand sonne and see / and sythen þei went
In-to heore kyngene kythe / by counseil of angeles
And þer was þat word folfulled / þe wuche þow of speke
Omnia celestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine ihesu .
//
For all þe angeles of heuene / at his burthe knelede
nota

[Another musical pun.]

And al þe wit of þe worlde / was in þo þre kynges
//
Reson and rihtfulnesse / and reuthe / the[^a677] offrede
Wher-fore and wy / wysmen þat tyme
Maystres and lettred men / Magi hem calde

[^a677: the (Vc) | thei (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þat on kynge came myd[^a678] resoun / keuerede vnder sense

[^a678: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Þe secunde kyng sythen / sothly he offrede
Ryhtwysnesse vndur red gold / to ryht and to treuthe[^228]

[^228: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the B-verse of RK.21.88, all of RK.21.89, and the A-verse of RK.21.90 to form one line.]

¶ Þe þryd kyng cam þen[^a679] / and knelede to ihesu /
And presented him myd[^a680] pite / aperyng by myrre
//
For myrre is mercy to mene / and mylde speche of tonge

[^a679: þen (Vc Ac) | þo (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^a680: myd (Vc) | with (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Eorliche[^a681] honeste þinges / was offred thus at ones
Þrohg þre kynde kynges / knelyng to ihesu /

[^a681: Eorliche (Vc Ac) | Ertheliche (P Ec Mc) | Thre hardelich (Rc)]

¶ Ac for alle þeos preciouse presentes / our lord ihesus
Was noþur kyng ne conquerour / tyl he comsed wexe
In þe manere of a man / and þat by muche slythe

//
¶ As hit by-comeþ for a conquerour / to conne mony slythes
And mony wyles and wit / þat wol beo a ledere .

¶ And so dude ihesus in his daies / ho-so durste tel hit
Som-tyme he suffrede / and som-tyme he hydde hym
And som-tyme he fauhte fast / and felih oþer-wyle

¶ And som-tyme he gaf good / and grauntede hele
Both lyf and lym / as hym lust he wrouhte
As kynde is of a conquerour / so comsede ihesus
Tyl he hadde al hem / þat he fore bledde

/
¶ In his Iuuente thes Ihesus / / at Iuwene feste
Turned watur in-to wyn / as holy write telleþ
And þer by-gan god of his grace / gretly to dowel

¶ For wyn is likned to lawe / and lyf holynesse
And law lakkede þo / for men louede nat her enymy

¶ And crist consailleþ thus / and comaundeþ boþe
To lerede and to lewade / for to loue oure enymys .

¶ So at þat feste furst / as y by-fore tolde
By-gan god of his grace / and goodnesse dowel

¶ And þo was he cleped and cald / nat only crist but Ihesu
A Faunteleyn[^a682] fol of wit / filius marie
For by-fore his modur Marie / / made he þat wondur
//
Þat scheo furst and formest / scholde ferm by-leoue
Þat he þrow grace was gete / and of no gome elles

[^a682: Faunteleyn (Vc Ac) | fauntekyn (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Heo[^a683] wrouhte that by no wit / but þrow word one
Aftur þe kynde þat he cam of / ther comsed he dowel

[^a683: Heo (Vc) | He (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ And whan he was wexen more / in his modur absence
He made lame to lepe / and ȝaf liht to þe blynde
And fedde with two fissches / and wiþ fyue loues
hungred . many
Sore a-fyngred fele folc / mo þan fyue þousand

¶ Thus he confortede carefol / and cauht a grettor name
Þe wuche was dobet / wher þat he wente

¶ For deeue þrow his doynges / and dombe speke and herde
And al he heled and halp / þat hym of grace asked

¶ Þo was he called in contreye / of þe comune people
//
For þe dedes þat he dude / fili dauid ihesus
For dauid was þe douhtyest / of dedes in his tyme
Þe buyrdes þo songen saul interfecit mille / & dauid decem milia

¶ For-þi þe contreye þer ihesu cam / cald hym fili dauid
Nempnede hym of Nazareth / and no man so worþi
To beo kayser or kynge / of þe kynedam of Iuda
Ne ouur Iuwes iustice / as Ihesus was hem thoute

¶ Her-of hadde Cayphas / enuye and oþere Iuwes
And for to do hym to deþe / day and nyht þei casten
And culled hym on crois-wyse / at caluarie on a fryday
And sythen buried his body / and bedoun þat men scholde
Kepon hit fro nyhtcomers / wyþ knyhtes y-armed /
For no frend scholde hit fecche / for pphetes p[ro]phetes hem tolde
Þat þat blessed body / of buryles scholde a-ryse /
And go in-to Galile / and gladon his aposteles
And his modur marie / thus men to-fore[^a684] dyuynede

[^a684: to-fore (Vc Ac) | bifore (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Þe knyhtes þat kepton hit / by-knewen hem-selue
Þat Angeles and archangeles / ar þe day spronge
mare

[This faded note is accompanied by two heavy, vertical lines in brown ink that extend down to Vc22.104.]

Comen knelynge / to þat corps and songoun
Cristus rex resurgens / / and hit aros aftur
Verrei mon by-fore hem alle / and forþe wiþ hem ȝeode

¶ Þe Iuwes preyede hem of pes / and preyde þo knyhtes
Telle þe comune þat þer cam / a compaignie of his aposteles
And by-wacched hem as þei wok / and a-way stelen hit

¶ Ac Marie magdeleyne / mette wiþ hym by þe waye
Goynge toward Galilee / in godhede and manhede
And liues and lokynge / and heo aloud cryde /
In eche compaignie þer heo cam . cristus resurgens .

¶ Thus cam hit out þat crist ouurcam / rekeouerde and lyuede
Sic oportet christus[^a685] pati & intrare & cetera / .
nota

[Another musical pun.]

For that þat wommen wyten / may not wel beo consail .

[^a685: christus (Vc) | xpistum (Ac) | christum (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Petur parceyuede al this / and pursued aftur
Boþe Iames and Iohan / / Ihesu / to seke
tadee and ten mo / with thomas of Inde

¶ As alle theos wyse wyes / weren to-gederes .
In an hous al byschet / and here dore barred[^229]
Crist cam in and al was closed / boþe dorre and ȝates
To petur and his aposteles / and seyde[^a686]
And tok Thomas by þe hand / and tauhte hym to grope
And fele with his fyngres / his fleyscheliche herte
thomas touched hit / and wiþ his tonge seyde
dominus meus & deus meus[^230]
Thou art my lord y by-leoue / god lord ihesu /
Þow deidest and deþ þoledest / and deme schalt ous alle
And now art lyuynge and lokynge / and laste schal euure

[^a686: seyde (Vc Ac) | saide pax vobis (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^229: A vertical line in the left margin extends from Vc22.116-117.]

[^230: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

The eyes of all thinges Doo loke
¶ Crist carpede þenne / and corteysliche seyde
Thomas for thou trowest this / and trewly by-leouest hit
I-blessed mot þou beo / and beo schalt for euure

-
¶ And blessed mot þei beo / in body and soule
Þat neuure schullen seo in syht / as þou seost nouthe
And lelly by-leouen al this / y loue hem and blesse hem .
Beati qui non viderunt et crediderunt

¶ And when þis dede was don / dobest he þouhte
//
And ȝaf peres power / and pardoun he graunted /
To alle manere of men / mercy and forȝeuenesse
And ȝaf hem myhte to assoile hem[^a687] / of al manere synnes
In couenaunt þat þei come / and knewleched to paye
To peres pardoun plouhman[^231] / redde quod debes .

[^a687: hem (Vc Ac) | men (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^231: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ Thus haueþ peres power / beo his pardoun payed
To bynde and vnbynde / boþe here and elles
And assoille of al synnes / saue of dette one

¶ A-non aftur an hyh / vp in-to heuene
He wente and wonyeþ þere / and wol come at þe last
And rewarde hym riht wel / þat reddit quod debet

¶ Payeþ nouthe parfitly / as pure treuthe wolde
And what persone payeþ hit nat / punyschen he þenkeþ
And demen hem a domesday / boþe quyke and dede

¶ Þe goode to godhede / and to grete ioye

¶ And wykkede to wonye / in wo wiþ-oute ende .

¶ Thus concience of Crist / and of þe croys carpede
And consailed me to knele þer-to / and þenne cam me thoute
On spiritus paraclitus to peres and two[^a688] his felawes
In liknesse of a lihtynge / alihte on hem alle
And made hem conne and knowe / al kynne langage

[^a688: two (Vc) | to (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ Y wondrede what þat was / and waggede concience
And was a-ferd for þe lyht / for in fures liknesse
Spiritus paraclitus / ouur-spradde hem alle /

¶ Quaþ concience þo and knelede / this is cristes messager
And comeþ from þe grete god / grace is his name
Knele now quaþ Concience / and if þow con synge
Wel-come hym and worschipe hym / with veni creator
And y sang that song þo / and so dude mony hondred
//
And cryden with Concience / help vs god of grace /

¶ Þo by-gan grace to go / with peres þe plouhman
And consailed hym and concience / þe comune to someny
/
For y wol dele to-day / and dyuyde grace /
To al kynne creatours / þat can his fyue wittes
Tresour to lyue by / to here lyues ende
And wepne to fyhte with / þat wol neuure faille

¶ For antecrist and hyse / schal al þe worlde greue
And encombre þe concience but if crist the helpe
And fele fals prophetes flaterers and glosers
Schullen come and beo curatours / ouer kynges & eorles

¶ Þan schal pruyde beo pope / and prynce of holichurche
Couetyse and vnkyndenesse / cardinals hym to lede

¶ For-thi quaþ grace ar y go / y wol gyue ȝow tresour
And wepne to fyht with / whan antecrist ȝow ass ailleþ
And gaf eche man a grace / to gye with hym-selue
Þat ydulnesse ne encombre hem nat / ne enuye ne pruye[^a689]
diuisiones graciarum sunt /

[^a689: pruye (Vc) | pryde (P Ec Rc Mc Ac)]

¶ To some men he ȝaf wit / with wordes to scewe
To wynne with treuthe / þat þe worlde askeþ
As preostes and prechours / and prentyses of lawe
Thei to lyue lelly / by labour of tonge
And by wit wyssen[^a690] othere / as grace hem wolde teche

[^a690: wyssen (Vc Ac) | to wissen (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And somme he kende hem craftes / and connynge of syhte
With sellynge and buggynge / her-by lyue to wynne

¶ And som he lerede to laboure / a-lond and a-water
And lyue by that labour / a lel lyf and a trewe

¶ And somme he tauhte tulye / to teche and to koke
-
As here wit wolde / when þe tyme come

¶ And som he dyuynede[^a691] / and dyuyde nombres to kene
And to compasson / and colour s to make

[^a691: he dyuynede (Vc Ac) | to deuyne (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And somme to seo and to seye / what scholde by-falle
Boþe of wele and of wo / and beo war by-fore
As astromyens þrow astronomye / and pholosofres wyse

¶ And some to ryde and rekeuere / þat vnrythfolliche was wonne
And[^a692] wyssede men wynnen hit a-ȝeyn / / þrow witnesse of hondes
And feche hit fro falcemen / with foleuyles lawes

[^a692: And (Vc Ac) | He (P Ec Rc Mc)]

/
¶ And som he lerede to lyue / in longynge to beo hennes
In pouerte and in pacience / to prey for al cristine /

/
¶ And alle he lerede to beo lelle / and eche a craft to loue other
Noþur bost ne debat / be among hem alle

¶ Þauh some beo clennere þan some / ȝe seon wel quaþ grace
Þat al craft and connynge / cam of my ȝifte

¶ Loke þat non lacken othur / but louyeþ as bretheren
And he þat most maystres can / beo myldest of berynge

¶ And croneþ concience kyng / and makeþ craft ȝoure styward
/
And aftur craftus consail / cloþeþ ȝow and fedeþ

¶ For y make peres plouhman / / my prokeratour and my reue
And registre to reseyuen / redde quod debes

¶ My power and my plouhman / peres schal beo on eorthe
And for to tulye truthe / a teme schal he haue

nota

[Another musical pun.]

[The tail of this nota extends from Vc22.199 to 204.]

¶ Grace gaf to peres a teom / of foure grete oxen
Þat on was luk a large best / and a louh chered
Marc and Matheu þe þridde / myhty bestes bothe
And ioyned tyl hem on Iohan / most gentil of alle
Þe prys neet of peres plouh / passynge al othere

¶ And sythen grace of his goodnesse gaf peres four stottes
Al þat his oxen ereden[^232] / thei to harowen aftur
On hihte / austyn and ambrosie a-nother
Gregore þe grete clerk / and Ierom þe gode

[^232: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ These foure þe faith to teche / folowede peres teme
And harwede in an hand-while / al holy scripture
With two eythes þat þei hadden / and old / and an newe
id est vetus testamentum & nouum .[^233]

[^233: This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line.]

¶ And grace gaf to peres greynes cardinal vertues
And sewe hit in mannes soule / and sythen he tolde here names
X -
spiritus prudencie / þe furst seed heyhte
Þat ho-so ete þat seed / ymagyni he scholde
Or he dude eny dede . / dyuyse wel þe ende

¶ And lered men a ladele bugge / wiþ a long stele /
[a face and penstrokes]
And caste fort kele a crokke / and saue þe fat a-boue

¶ Þe secounde sed hihte spiritus temporancie
He þat eete of þat seed / hadde suche a kynde
//
Scholde neuure mete ne meschief / make hym to swelle
Ne scholde non scornere / out of skile hym brynge
/
Nothur wynnynge ne welthe / of worldeliche rychesse
Wast word of ydulnesse / ne wykkede speche meoue
Schold non curyous clothe / come on his rugge
-
Nother mete in his mouth / þat maystur Iohan spicede .

¶ Þe þridde seed þat peres sew / was spiritus fortitudinis
And ho-so ete of þat seed / hardy was euure
/
To soffren al þat god sente / syknesse and angres
Mihte non lyare wiþ lesynges / ne loos of worldly catel
/
Make hym for eny mornyng / þat he ne was murye in soule
/
And bold and a-bydynge / bysemares to soffre
/
And plede with pacience / and wiþ parce michi domine
And keuerde hym vndur consail / of Catoun þe wyse
- versus

[There are two additional strokes on the <us> expansion symbol, possibly ornamental.]

Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique
Þe feorthe seed þat peres sewe / was spiritus Iusticie
-
And he þat ete of þat seed / scholde beo euene trewe
Wiþ god and not a-gast / but of gyle one
For gyle goþ so preuely / þat good faith oþer-while
May not beo aspied . / . þrow spiritus iusticie

¶ Spiritus iusticie spareþ not to spille
Hem þat beoþ gylty / and for to corecte
-
Þe kyng and þe kyng falle / in eny þing gulty

¶ For counteþ he not no[^a693] kynges wrathe / wen he in cort sytteþ[^234]
To deme as a domesman / a-drad was he n euure
Noþur of duke ne of deþ / þat ne ne doþ þe lawe
For present or for preyere / or eny prynces lettres .
He dude equite to alle / euene forþe his knowynge

[^a693: not no (Vc Ac) | no (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^234: A bracket in glossator3's light brown ink extends in the right margin connecting this and the following two lines.]

//
¶ Þees foure seedes peres sew / and syþen he dude hem arewen

¶ With olde lawe and neu lawe / þat loue myhte wexe
A-mong þes foure vertues / and vices destruyen .

¶ For communeliche in contreies / cammokes and wedes
Fouleþ þe fruyt in þe feld / ther þei grow to-gederes
And so doþe vices vertues / and for-þi quaþ peres .
Harweþ al þat conne kynde wit / by consail of þeos doctours
And tulieþ aftur here techyng / þe cardinals vertues

¶ A-ȝeinst þat þi greynes quaþ / grace / by-gynneþ to growe
Ordeyne þe an hous peres to herberghen In þi cornes
By god Grace quaþ Peres / ȝe mot gyue me tymbur
And ordeyne þat hous / er ȝe hennes wende

=
¶ And grace gaf hym þe crois / with þe crone of þornes
Þat Crist / vpon Caluary for mon-kynde on peynede
And of his baptisme and blod / þat he bledde on rode

¶ He made a manere morter / and mercy hit hihte
And þer-wyþ grace / by-gan / to make a good fondement
And wateled hit and walled hit / wiþ his peynes of passioun

¶ And of al holy writ / he made a rof aftur
And calde þat hous vnite / holichurche in englische

¶ And whan this dede was doun / grace dyuysede
A carte hihte cristondom[^235] / to karien hom peres schefes
And gaf hym capeles to his cart / contricioun with Confessioun
And made preosthod hay-warde / þe while hym-self wente
As wyde as þe worlde is / with peres to tulye treuthe
And þe lond of by-leoue / þe lawe of holychurche

[^235: There is an otiose tilde over the <m>.]

¶ Now is peres to þe plouh / pruyde hit aspyde
And gadered hym a gret host / greuen he þenkeþ
Concience and alle cristone / and cardinal vertes
To blowe hem doun and breke hem / and bite a-to þe rotes

¶ And sente forthe surquidours / his seriauns of armes[^236]
to þe ro

[Presumably this phrase is copied from Vc22.252, above.]

And his aspie spille lof[^a694] / on speke vuel by-hynde

[^a694: lof (Vc Ac) | loue (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^236: In the left margin, a light brown stroke, presumably by glossator3, extends vertically from this line to the next two.]

¶ These two comen to concience and to cristone people
-
And tolden hem tydynges / þat tyne þei scholde
Þe seedes þat sire peres sew / þe cardinale vertues

¶ And peres berne worþe to-broke / and þei þat beoþ in[^a695]
Schullen come out and concience and ȝoure two capeles
Contricioun and confessioun / and ȝoure cart bileoue
//
Schal beo colered so queyntely / & keouered vndur oure sophistrie
Þat concience schal nat / knowe by contricioun
Nothur by confessioun ho is cristene or heþene

[^a695: in (Vc Ac) | in vnite (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Ne no maner marchaunt / þat with money deleþ
Weþur he wynne wiþ riht / with wrong oþur with vsure

¶ With suche colours and queyntyse / comeþ pruyde armed
With þe lord þat lyueþ / aftur þe loust of his body

¶ To waston in wel-fare / and in wykkede Kepynge
Al þe worlde in a while / þrow oure wit quaþ pruyde

¶ Quath concience to al cristone þo / my consail is wende[^a696]
-
Hastiliche in-to Vnite / / and holde weo ous þere
Prey we þat a pees were / in peres berne plouhman

[^a696: wende (Vc Ac) | we wende (P Ec) | ye wende (Rc) | to wende (Mc)]

¶ For witturly y wot wel / weo beoþ not of strenthe
To gon a-gayn / pruyde / but grace wiþ ous were

¶ And þenne cam kyndewit / concience / to teche
He cryde and comaundede / al cristone people
To delue and dyke an deop diche / al a-boute vnite
Þat holychurche stod in holynesse / as hit were a Pyle

¶ Concience comaunded þo / al cristone to delue
And make muche[^a697] mot / þat myht beo a strengþe
To helpe holychurche / and hem þat hit kepeþ .[^237]

[^a697: muche (Vc Ac) | a moche (P Ec Mc) | a michell (Rc)]

[^237: A light brown bracket, presumably by glossator3, extends in the left margin from this line to Vc22.285.]

¶ Þenne al kynne cristene / saue commune wommen
Repentede and refusede synne / saue thei one
And an assysour and a somenour / þat weren for-swore oft
Wytynge wel and wilfoly / wyþ þe falce þei helden[^238]
And for seluur weren for-swore / sothly þei wisten hit

[^238: There is an otiose tilde over the <n>.]

¶ Ther ne was cristone creature / þat kynde wit hadde
Þat he ne halp a quantite / holynesse to wexe

¶ Some by bedes byddynge / and som by pilgremages
Or othere pryue penaunces / and som þrow pans delynge

//
¶ And þenne water wellede / for wykkede werkes
//
Egreliche ȝernynge / out of mennes eyen

¶ Clannesse of þe Comune / and clerkes clene lyuynge
-
Made vnite holychurche / in holynesse stonde

¶ Y care nat now quaþ / concience / thaw pruyde come nouthe
-
Þe lord of loust schal beo let / al þis lente y hope

//
Comeþ nouthe[^a698] quaþ concience ȝe cristine and dyneþ
Þat han labored lelly / al this lenten tyme
[a triangle of 3 dots, flourised with single curved line]
Her is bred y-blesset / and godes body þer-vndur

[^a698: nouthe (Vc) | om. (Ac) | now (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Grace gaf þrow godes word / to peres plouhman power
And myht to maken hit / and men for to eten hit
In help of here hele / ones in a monthe
Or as oft as þei han neode / thei þat hadden payed
To peres pardon plouhman / redde quod debes
Hou quaþ al þe comune / consailest þou vs to ȝeelde
Al þat we owen eny whit / er we go to housle

¶ That is my consail quath concience and cardinals vertues
Or eche man for-ȝeue other / and þat wol þe pater noster
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra /
And so to beo assoilled / and sythen beo housled

¶ Ȝe baw quaþ a Bruware / y wol not beo rueled
By ihesu for al ȝoure ianglyng / aftur spiritus iusticie
Ne aftur Concience by cryst / for y couthe selle
Boþe dregges and draf / and draw at on hole
Þykke ale and þynne ale / and þat is my kynde
And not to hakke aftur holynesse / hold þy tonge[^a699]
Of Spiritus iusticie / / þou spekest muche an ydul .

[^a699: tonge (Vc Ac) | tonge consience (P Ec Mc) | pees consience (Rc)]

¶ Caytyf quath Concience // corsede wreche
Vn-blessed art þou brewere / but if god þe helpe
But þou lyue[^239] by þe lore / of spiritus iusticie
Þe chief seed þat peres sew / saued worst þou neuure
But concience þe comune fede / and cardynal vertues
+

[The cross is written over the two diagonal marks.]

//
Leof hit wel we beon lost Boþe lyf and soule

[^239: The previous word and the word chief below are smeared but readable.]

¶ Þenne is mony mon y-lost / quaþ a lewede Vycary
I am a curatour of holykirke / and cam neuure in my tyme
Man to me þat couþe telle / of cardinal vertues
Or that a-countede concience / a cokkes feþur oþur hennes .

¶ Y knew neuure cardinal / þat he ne cam fro þe pope
And we clerkes wan þei comeþ / for here comunes payeþ
For here pelure and palfreis mete / and pilours þat hem foloweþ
Þe Comune clamat cotidie / ech a man to other
Þe contrey is þe corsedourr / þer cardinals comeþ Inne
And þer þei liggen and lenge most / lecherie þer regneþ

¶ For-þi quaþ thes vykary / by verrey god y wolde
Þat no cardinal come / a-mong þe comune people
But in here holynesse / holden hem stille
At Auynoun a-mong þe Iuwes cum sancto sanctus eris /
Or in Rome as heore rewle wolde / þe relykes to kepe

¶ And þou concience in kynges cort / and scholdest neuure go þennes

¶ And grace þat thow so gredest of / were gyour of alle clerkes
And peres with his newe plouh / and his olde Bothe
Emperour of al þe worlde / þat al men were cristone
Inparfit is that pope þat al þe people scholde helpe
And sowdeþ hem þat slepe suche / as he scholde saue

¶ Ac wel worþe peres plouhman þat pursueþ god in doynge
Qui pluit super iustos / & iniustos at ones
And sente þe sonne to saue / a corsed mannes tylthe
As briht as to þe best mon / or to þe best womman /

¶ Riht so peres plouhman peyneþ hym to tulye
As wel for a wastour / or for a wenche at stuwes
As for hym-self and for his seruans / saue he is furst y-serued

¶ So blessed beo peres plouhman / þat peyneþ to tulye
And trauailleþ and tuleþ / for a tretour al-so sore
As a[^a700] trewe tydy man / al tymes liche

[^a700: a (Vc Ac) | for a (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ And worschuped beo heo þat wrouhte al / boþe gode and wykke
And soffreþ hem þat synful beon[^240] ¶ tyl tyme þat þei repenten[^241]
And god amende þe pope / þat pileþ holy churche
And cleymeþ by-fore þe kynge / to beo kepere ouur cristene
And counteþ nat þauh criston men / beo culled and robbed
And fyndeþ folc to fyhte / and cristone blod to spille
A-ȝeins þe lawe boþe old and newe / as luk bereþ witnesse
Non occides / michi vindictam
Sykerly hit semeþ / by so hym-self hadde his wil
Þat hym recheþ riht nauht / of al þe oþur remenaunt

[^240: There is an otiose expansion mark over the <n>.]

[^241: There is an otiose expansion mark over the final <n>.]

¶ And crist of his cortesye / þe cardinals saue
And turne here wit in-to wysdom / and welþe for þe soule

¶ For þe comune quaþ þes curatour / counten fol litul
Þe consail of concience or cardinal vertues
But if hit sonne as by wit[^a701] / som-wat to wynnynge

[^a701: wit (Vc Ac) | sihte (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ Of gile ne of gabbynge / gyueþ þei neuure tale
For spiritus prudencie / a-mong þe people is gyle
And þo faire vertues / as vices þei hem semeþ

¶ Eche man sotileþ a sleythe / synne to huyde
And colereþ hit for a connynge / and a clene lyuynge

¶ Þenne louh þer a lord / and by þis liht seyde
I halde hit riht and resoun / to take of my Reue
Al þat my auditour / or elles myn styward
Consailleþ me by here a-compte / and my clerkes wrytyng
With spiritus intellectus / þei toke þe reeue rolles
And wiþ spiritus fortitudinis / fecche hit wol he nulle he

¶ Þan cam þer a kynge / and by his corone seyde
I am kyng with crone / þe comune to reule
And holykirke and clergie / fro corsed men to defenden[^242]

[^242: There is an otiose expansion mark over the final <n>.]

¶ And if me lakkeþ to lyue by / þe lawe wol þat y take
Þer y may haue hit hastilokest / for y am hed of lawe
And ȝee beon but membres / and y a-boue alle

¶ Sythen y am ȝoure alre hed / y am ȝoure alre hele
And holychurches chief help / and chefteyn of þe comune
And[^243] what y take of ȝou two / y take hit at techyng
Of spiritus Iusticie / for y iuge ȝow alle /
So y may baldely beo houseled / for y borow neuere
Ne craue of my comune / but as my kynde askeþ

[^243: The line of deletion is in red ink.]

¶ In condicioun quaþ concience / þat þou conne defende
And reule þi reome in resoun / riht wel and in treuthe /
Þan þat þow haue þin askyng / as þe lawe askeþ
depredandum

[The marginalia is in very black ink in a script that differs from the other glossators. The same person has underlined the last word of the Latin line, though deprehendendum is the correct reading.]

Omnia sunt tua ad defendendum / sed non ad deprehendendum /
Þe vikery hadde feer hom / and faire toke his leoue
And y a-wakede þer-with / and wrot as me mette

Explicit passus primus de dobest /

Incipit passus secundus [The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.]

A Nd as y wente by þe way / when y was þus a-waked
heavy . carefull
Heuy chered y ȝeode / and elyng in herte
For y ne wuste wher to ete / ne in what place
[w]as allmost noon.
And neyhed ny þe non / and what[^a702] Neode y mette
counterfeator.
Þat a-fronted me foule / and faitour me calde
coust þou not he sayd excuse þe / as dude þe kyng and oþere
Þat þow toke to lyue by / to sustinaunce and cloþes
As by techyng and tellyng of spiritus temp erancie
took
And þat þou nome no more / þan neode þe ta uhte
Neode hath non lawe / and neuure schal falle in dette
For þre þinges þat he takeþ / his lyf for to saue
vseth or usyeth

[The transcription of this phrase is slightly conjectural, but it is a gloss on weldeþ]

blame fort

[Half of the final letter is cropped, as are any potential following letters.]

Þat is mete . wan men hym werneþ / for he no money weldeþ
to lay

[Written above to legge.]

suretie. pledge.
And wot þat non wol be his borgh / noþur haþ wed to legge
gyle, iniust meanes.
And he cacche in þat cas / and come þer-to by scleyþe .
Sothliche he synneþ not / þat so wynneþ his fode

[^a702: what (Vc Ac) | with (P Ec Rc Mc)]

shift.
¶ And þauh he come so to a-cloþe / and can no betere cheuyssaunce
taketh. suretiship.
Neode nymeþ hym a-non / vndur his maynpryse
And ȝeueþ hym lost for to lape / þe lawe of kynde wolde
Þat he dronke of eche a dysch / er he deyde for þurste

¶ So neode hath[^a703] gret neode / may nyme as for his owne
With-oute consail of concience or cardinal vertues
So þat he sewe and saue spiritus temp erancie

[^a703: hath (Vc Ac) | at (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For is non vertue by feor[^a704] / to spiritus temp erancie /
Nothur spiritus iustie ne spiritus fortitudinis /

[^a704: by feor (Vc Ac) | before (P Ec Rc) | tofore (Mc)]

¶ For spiritus fortitudinis / forfeteþ fol ofte[^244]
beates me to bytterly. too lyttle soom too mooch, and soom too li ttle
And bete men ouur bittere / and som body to luyte
And greue men grettour / þan good faith wolde

[^244: Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a line (RK.22.26).]

will he, or will he not.
¶ And spiritus Iusticie / schal iugen wol he nul he
pleasing of the peple .
Aftur þe kynges consail / and þe comune like

¶ And spiritus prudencie in mony poynt schal faile
Of þat he weneþ wolde falle / if his wit ne were

¶ Wenynge is non wysdom / ne wys ymaginacioun
Homo proponit / deus disponit god gouerneþ alle
maketh meke.
Goode vertues . next hym is Neode / for an-non he meokeþ
And is a[^a705] louh as a lombe / for lackynge of þat hym neodeþ

[^a705: a (Vc Ac) | as (P Ec Rc Mc)]

¶ For Neode makeþ neody / for nede louh herted /
Filosophres forsoken welthe / for þei wolde beo neody
dwelt carefull. pensif.
And wonedoun wel elyngliche / and wolden nat beo riche

¶ And god of[^a706] his grete ioye / gosteliche he lefte
And cam and toke man-kynde / and by-cam fol neody
He was so neody saith þe bok / in mony sondry places
Þat he seyde in his sorow / on þe selue rode
Bothe fox and foul may / fleo to hole and creope
And þe fiche hath fynnes / to flete wiþ to reste
[...]e Non habet vbi caput suum reclinet
Þeer Neode hath y- nome me so / þat y mot neode a-byde
And soffre sorowes soure / þat schal to ioye turne

[^a706: of (Vc Ac) | al (P Ec Rc) | at (Mc)]

¶ For-thy beo not a-baysched / to bidde[^245] and beo neody
Syth he þat wrouht al þe worlde / was wylfulyche neody
Neuere non so neody / ne non so poure deyde

[^245: The underlining of this word suggests that the later hand had glossed it as "beg" in the margin, but the cropping of the page has obliterated the gloss.]

¶ When neode hadde vndurnome me thus / a-non y fel a-slepe
dre amed.
And mette folle merueylousliche / þat in mannes forme
Antecrist cam þenne / and al þe crop of treuthe
turned.
Torned hit tyd vp-sedoun / and ouur- tulte þe rote
And made fals to sprynge and sprede / & spede menne neodes
In eche contrey þer he cam / he cutte a-wey treuthe
cau sed
And gert Gyle growe þer / as he a god were

¶ Freres folowede þat feond / for he ȝaf hem copes
And religioun receyuede[^a707] hym / and rongon here belles
Al þe couent þo cam / to welcome þat tyraunt
And al his as wel as him / saue onliche foles

[^a707: receyuede (Vc Ac) | reuerensed (P Ec Rc) | reuerenceden (Mc)]

¶ Þe wuche foles weren / gladdere to deye
[...] dealing
Þan lyue lengur sithe leaute / was so rebuked
And a fals feond Antecrist ouur al folc regnede
That were mylde men and holy / þat no meschief dreddoun
defyeden al falsenesse / and folk þat hit vsede /
And what kynge conforted hem / knowyng here gyle
vnlearned.
Þei corsede and here consail / were hit clerk or lewed .
Antecryst thus sone hadde / hondredes at his baner
And pruyde bar þat baner / boldeliche a-boute
With a lord þat lyueþ / aftur lykynge of his body
gyder. defender.
And cam a-ȝeins concience þat kepere was and gyour
Ouer kynde cristene / and cardinals vertues

¶ Y consaile concience[^a708] þo / comeþ wiþ me ȝe foles
In-to vnite holychurche / and hald we vs there
And cry we to kynde / þat he come and defende
vs.
Ous foles fro þe feondes lymes / for peres loue þe plouhman
And crye we on al þe comune / þat þei come to vnite
fight
Ther to a-byde and bykere / a-ȝeyns belials children[^246]
Kynde herd þo concience / and come out of þe planetes
fo regoers
And sent forthe his foreyours / feueres and fluxes
Kouhes and cardiacles / craumpes and toþe eches
Reeomes and radegoundes / and roynose skabbes
Bules and boches / and brennynge a-guwes
Frenesies and foule vueles / these foragers of kynde
Hadden pryked and preyed / polles of people
Largeliche a legyon / lees þe lyf sone /[^247]

[^a708: concience (Vc Ac) | quod Consience (P Ec Rc Mc)]

[^246: There is an otiose tilde on the <n>.]

[^247: It is possible that another line was written below this and then erased, but it is difficult to confirm the situation.]

kou-hes and kou

[Both of these boxed repetitions of the first words on the page are in a later, unpracticed hand.]