Thanne had witte a wyff ; & was hoton dame stodie

þat lene was of leree ; and of liche boþe

she was wondirliche wroþe ; þat witt me þus tauȝte

And all staringe dame studie ; sterliche said

well art þou wijs quod sche to witt ; ony wisdams to telle

To fflateris or to ffolis ; þat ffrentik ben of wittis

And blamed him & banned him ; & bad him be stille

with swiche wise wordis ; to wisse ony sottis

And sayde noli mittere man ; margerie perles

Amongis hoggis þat han ; hawis at wille

They don but drauelen þeron ; draf were hem leuere

Thanne alle þe precious perre ; þat in paradice waxith

I seie it be swiche quod sche ; þat schewen be her werkis

þat hem were leuere lond ; & lorschipe on erthe

Or Richesse or rentis ; and rest at her wille

þan alle þe soþe sawes ; þat salomon said euere

wisdom and witt now ; is not worþe a kerse

But if it be cartid with coueytise ; as cloþers kyembyn wolle

who-so can contreyue deceytis ; & conspire wrongis

And lede fforþ a loueday ; to lette with truþe

he þat swiche craftis can ; to counceyl is clepid

They leden lordis with lesingis ; & bilieþ truþe

Iob þe gentell in his gestis ; gretteli wittenessiþ

þat wikked men wielden ; þe welþe of þis worlde

And þat þei ben lordis of iche londe ; þat out of lawe l{e}yuen

quare impij viuunt bene est hominibus qui preuaricantur & inique agunt

The sauȝter seiþ þe same ; bi swiche þat don ille

Ecce ipsi peccatores & habundantes in seculo obtinuerunt diuicias

lo seiþ þe holi letture ; whiche lordis ben þese schrewis

þilk þat god most good ȝeueþ ; leeste good þei delen

And most vnkynde to þe Comune ; þat moste catell welden

Que perfecisti destruxerunt ; Iustus autem & cetera .

harlottis ffor her harlottrie ; mown haue of her goodes

And Iapers and I{e} ogelouris ; & Iangeleris of gestis

And he þat haþe holi writt ; ay in his mouþe C

And can telle of tobie ; & of þe twelue appostelis

Or prechen of pennaunce ; þat pilate wrouȝt

To Ihesu þe ientell ; þat Iewes to-drowen

Litil is he loued ; þat swiche a lessoun schewiþ

Or dauntid or drawyn fforþ ; I do it on god him-selue

Butt þoo þat ffeynen hem ffolis ; & with ffaytinge l{e}yuen

Aȝeyn þe lawe of oure lord ; & lyen on hem-selue

Spitten & spewen ; and spekyn ffoule wordis

Drynken & drauelyn ; & don men ffor to gape

Liken men and lyen on hem ; þat lenen hem no giftis

They kunne no more mynstralcie ; ne musik men to glade

þanne munde þe myluere ; of multaP fecit deus

Ne w{h}ere here vile harlottrie ; haue god my truþe

shuld neuer kyng ne knyȝt ; ne schanonP of seint poulis

ȝeue hem to here ȝeresȝeue ; þe value of a grote

And myrþe & mynstralcye ; amongis men of nouþe

Leccherie & losengerie ; and losellis talis

Glotonye and gret oþus ; þese myrþis þei louen

And if þey carpyn of crist ; þese clerkis & þese lewde

At mete in myrþis ; whanne mynstrallis ben stille

þanne telle þei of þe trinyte ; a tale oþer tweyn

And bryngen a ballen reson ; and taken bernard to wittenesse

And putten fforþe a presumpcioun ; to preue þe soþe

Thus þey dreuelen at her dees ; þe deyte to knowe

And gnawen god with þe goorge ; whanne her guttus ben ffull

And þe careffull may crie ; and carpyn at þe ȝate

Boþe an-hungrid & a-þreste ; & ffor chele quake

Is non to nymen hem neer ; his noye to amende

But howen on him as an hound ; and hoton him go þens

Litill loueþ he þat lord ; þat lente him all þat blisse

That þus partyn with þe pore ; a parcell whanne hem nedeþ

Ne were mercy in mene men ; more þan in riche

Mendynauntes meteles ; myȝten go to bedde

God is moche in þe goorde ; of the grette maystrisC

And Amongis mene men ; his mercy and his werkis

and so seiþ þe sauter ; I haue seyn it ofte

Ecce audiuimus eam in effrata inuenimus eam in campis silue

Clerkis and oþer-kyns men ; carpen of god ffaste

And han him moche in þe mouþ ; & mene men in herte

Freris and ffaytours ; han ffoundyn swiche questiouns

To plese with prouude men ; siþe þe pestelence tyme

And prechen at seint poulis ; ffor pure envie of clerkis

þat ffolk ben not ffermed in þe ffeiþ ; ne ffre of her goodis

Ne sory ffor her synnes ; so is pride waxen

In religioun & in al þe rewme ; amongis riche and pore

þat praieris han no power ; þe pestelence to lette

And ȝit þe wrecchis of þis world ; is non war be oþer

Ne ffor drede of þe deþ ; withdrawen not her pride

Ne ben plenti{..}-ouse to þe pore ; as pure charite wolde

But in gaynesse & glotonye ; ffor-glutten her good hem-selue

And breken not to þe begger ; as þe book techeþ

ffrange esurienti panem tuum

And þe more he wynneþ & weltweldeth ; welþis & richessis

And lordiþ in londis ; þe lesse good he deliþ C

Tobie telliþ ȝou not so ; take heede ȝe riche

how þe book of þe bible ; of him berith C wittenesse

Si tibi copia sit ; habundanter tribue ; si autem exiguum ; impertire stude libenter

who-so haþe moche spende moche ; so meneþ tobie

And who-so litill weldiþ ; rule him þer-after

For we han no letter of oure lijf ; how long it shall dure

Swyche lessouns lordis ; shulden loue to here

And how he myȝte moste ; meyne manliche ffynde

And not to ffare as a ffeþeler or a ffrere ; ffor to seke ffestis

homeliche at oþer mennys housis ; & haten her owen

Elenge is þe halle ; iche day in þe weke

þer þe lord & þe lady ; liken not to sitte

Now haþ iche riche a rule ; to ete bi him-selue

In a preuy parloure ; ffor pore menys sake

Or in a chaunbre with a chymeney ; & leue þe cheef halle

That was ffor melis ; men to eten Inne

And to spare to spille ; þat spende shall anoþer

I haue herde hie men ; etynge at þe tableC

Carpyn as þey clerkis weren ; of crist & of his myȝtis

and leyden ffautes on þe ffader ; þat fformede vs alle

and carpyn aȝeyn clerkis ; crabbid wordis

why wolde oure saueoure suffre ; swyche a worme in his blisse

þat bygylide þe womman ; And þe man after

þoruȝ whiche whilez & wordis þei wenten to helle

And alle her seed ffor her synne ; þe same deþe suffred

Here liþe ȝoure lore ; þat þese lordis gynne dispute

Of þat ȝe klerkis vs kennen ; of crist be þe gospell

Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris & cetera

why shulde we þat now ben ; ffor þe werkis of adam

Be Botton and renten ; reson wolde it neuer

vnusquisque portabit onus suum & cetera

Swyche motyues þei meuen ; þese maistris in her glorie

And maken men in mysbyl{y}eue ; þat musen moche on her wordis

ymagynatyf her-afterward ; schall answere to ȝoure purpose

Austyn to swyche Argueris ; telliþ his tyme

Non plus sapere quam oportet et cetera .

wilneþ neuer witte ; why þat god wolde

Suffre sathan ; his seed to bigyle

and bileueþ lelly ; in lore of holi chirche

and preye him of pardon ; & penaunce P in þi lyff

And ffor his moche mercy ; to amende ȝou here

For alle þat wilnen to witte ; þe w{h}eyes of god almyȝti

I wolde his eiȝe where in his ers ; and his ffynger after C

þat euere wilneþ to witte ; whi þat god wolde

Suffre sathan ; his seed to bigyle

Or Iudas to þe Iues ; Ihesus betraie

All was as þou woldest lord ; wurscheped be þou

And all worþe as þou wilte ; what so we disputen

And þo þat vsyn þese hauylounes ; to blynde mennys wittis

what is do-well ffro do-bette ; now deef mote he worþe

Sythe he wylneþ to witte ; whiche þey ben boþe

But if he lyue in þe lijf ; þat longeþ to do-well

For I dar be his bolde boruȝ ; þat do bette wolle he neuer

þouȝ do-best drawe on him ; day after oþer

and whan þat witte was y-war ; what dame studie tolde

he bycome so confuse ; he couþe not loke

And as dombe as deþ; and drow him arere

and ffor no carpinge I couude after ; ne knelinge to þe ground

I myȝte gete no greyne ; of his grette wittis

But al lauȝhynge he louȝted ; & loked vppon studie

In signe þat I shulde ; bi-seche hir of grace

And whanne I was war of his wille ; to his wijf gan I louȝte

And sayd mercy madame ; ȝoure man schall I worþe

as longe as I lyue ; boþe late and raþe

For to wirche ȝoure wille ; þe while my lijf dureþ

with þat ȝe kenne me kyndely ; to knowe what is do-well

For þi mekenesse man quod sche ; & ffor þi mylde speche

I shall kenne þe to my Cosyn ; þat clergie is hotton

he haþe weddid a wijf ; with-Inne þis sex moneþes

Is sibbe to þe seuene artis ; scripture is hir name

þey two as I hope ; after my techinge

shull wisse þe to do-well ; I dar it vndertake

þanne was I also ffayn ; as ffoul of ffaire morwe

And glader þanne þe gleman ; þat gold haþe to ȝifte

And axed hir þe heie weye ; where þat clergie dwelled

And telle me summe tokene quod I ; ffor tyme is þat I wende

axe þe hie wey quod studie ; henns to suffre

boþe well and woo ; if þat þou wilte lerne

And ride fforþe b{e}y richesse ; but reste not þer-inne

For if þou coupliste þe þer-with ; to clergie comeste þou neuerC

and also þe l{e}ykorouse launde ; þat leccherie hatte

leue it on þi liftehalf / lifte half ; a large myle & more

Tylle þou come to a courte ; kepe well þi tunge

Fro lesingez and leþer speche and l{e}ykorous drinkis P

þanne {shi} shalte þu se sobreete ; and symplicite of speche

þat iche wiȝtt be in wille ; his witte þe to schewe

and þus schalte þou come to clergie ; þat can many þingis

Seie him þis signe ; I sette him to scole

and þat I grette well his wijf ; ffor I wrotte hir many bokis

and sette hir to sapience ; and to þe sauȝter glose

logyk I lerned hir ; and many oþer lawes

and alle þe mesours of musyk ; I made hir to knowe

plato þe poete ; I put him ffrist to boke

aristotle and oþer mo ; to argue I tauȝte

Gramer ffor gerles ; I garte ffrist wriȝte

and bette hem with a baleys ; but if þei wuld lerne

Of al-kyns craftis ; I contr{e}yued tooles

Of carpentrie of keruers ; & compassid masouns

I kenned hem leuell & lyne ; þouȝ I loke dymme

Theologie haþe tened me ; ten score tymez

þe more I muse þer-Inne ; þe mystier it semeþ

and þe depere I d{e}yuyne ; þe derker me it þinkiþ

It is no science ffor-soþe ; ffor to sutille Inne

And ffull leþy þinge it w{h}ere ; if þat loue nere

And ffor it lett best be loue ; I loue it þe better

For þer þat loue is ledere ; ne lakkeþ no grace

Loke þou loue lelly ; if þe likiþ do-well

And do-bett and do-beste ; ben of loues kyn

In oþer science it seiþ ; I seiȝ it in caton

Qui simulat verbis ; nec corde est fidus amicus

Tu quoque fac simile ; cum ars d{.}eluditur arte

who-so gloseþ as gilours don ; do hem þe same

And shalte þou ffalse ffolke ; & ffeiþles bigyle

þis is catonsP kennynge ; to clerkis þat he lereþ

and theologie techeþ not so ; who-so takiþ ȝem

and kenneþ vs þe contrarie ; aȝeins catonsP wordis

For he biddiþ vs ; be as breþeren ; and bidde ffor oure enemyes

And loue hem þat lyen {v}on vs ; and lene hem whanne hem nediþ

and do good aȝeins yuell ; god him-selue it hotiþ

Dum tempus habemus operemur bonum ad omnes maxime autem . ad domesticos fidei

poule preched þe peple ; þat parffiȝtenesse loued

To do good ffor goddis loue ; and gyue men þat asken

and nameliche to swiche ; þat suen oure bileue

and all þat lakkiþ us & lieþ vs ; god techeþ vs to loue

And not to greue hem þat greuen vs ; god þat ffor-bediþ

Michi vindictam et ego retribuam

For-þi loke þou loue ; as long as þou dureste

For is no concience vndir sone ; so souereyn ffor þe soule

And astronomye is an hard þing ; & euell ffor to knowe

Geometrie & geomesie ; is synfull of speche

who-so þinkiþ wirche with þo two ; þryueþ ffull late

For sorcerie is þe souereyn book ; þat to þe science longeþ

Ȝit arn þer ffybicchis in fforceris ; of ffele mennys makynge

Experimentis of alkenemye ; þe peple to disceyue

if þou þenke to do well ; dele þer-with neuer

alle þese science I my-self ; sutiled & ordeyned

And ffoundede hem fformeste ; ffolk to disceyue

Telle clergie þese tokenes ; and Scripture after

I counceyll þe kyndely ; to knowe what is do-well

I said graunt mercy madame ; and mekely hir grette

and wente wyȝtliche away ; with-out more lettinge

And tille I come to clergie ; I couȝde neuer stynte

And grette þe good man well ; as studie me tauȝte

And afterwardis þe wijf ; and wurscheped hem boþe

And tolde hem þe tokenes ; þat me tauȝte weren

was neuer gom vppon þis ground ; siþe god made þis world

Fairer vndir-fongen ; ne ffrendeleker at ese

þanne my-self soþely ; sone so he wyste

þat I was of wittis hous ; & with his wijf dame studie

I said to him soþely ; þat sente was I þedere

Do-well & do-bette ; & do-beste to lerne

It is a commune lijf quod clergie ; on holi cherche to bileue

with alle þe articules of þe ffeiþ ; þat ffallen to be knowen

and þat is to bileue lelli ; boþe lered & lewde

On þe grette god ; þat gynnynge had neuere

And on þe sotheffaste sone ; þat sauede mankynde

Fro þe dedly deþe ; and þe deuyll power

þoruȝ þe helpe of þe holi gost ; þe whiche gost is of boþe

þre persones ; & not in plurel nounber

For al is but o god ; & iche is god him-selue

Deus pater deus filius deus spiritus sanctus

God þe ffader god þe sone ; god holi gost of bothe

Maker of mankynde ; & of bestis boþe

Austyn þe olde ; her-of made bokis

And him-selue ordeyned ; to sad vs in bileue

who was his autoure ; all þe ffoure euangelistis

and crist cleped him-selue so ; þe euangelist bereþ wittenesse

Ego in patre & pater in me est ; & qui videt me ; videt & patrem meum

alle þe clerkis vndir crist ; ne couude þis asoile

But þus it longiþ to bileue ; to men þat wollen do well

For had neuer ffreik ffyne witte ; þe ffeiþ to dispute

For man had no merite ; myȝte it ben yproued

Fides non habet meritum ; vbi humana racio prebet experimentum

Cþanne is do-bette to suffre ; ffor þi soulis sake

al þat þe book bidiþ power ; bi holi chirche techynge

and þat is man by þi myȝt ; ffor mercys sake

loke þou wirche it in werk ; þat þi word schewiþ

Swyche as þou semeste in syȝt ; be in asay ffoundyn

Appare quod es vel esto

and late no body be ; by þi beringe bigylid

But swiche in þi soule ; as þou semest with-out

Cþanne is do-beste to be bolde ; to blame þe gylty

Syþen þou seest þi-self ; as in soule clene

And blame þou neuer body ; & þou be blame-worþi

De culpare velis {vel} culpabilis esse cauebis

Dogma tuum sordet cum te tua culpa remordetC

God in þe gospell ; grymly reproueþ

alle þat lacken ony lijf ; & lakkes han hem-self

Quid consideras festucam in oculo fratris tui trabem & cetera.

why meuest þou þi mode ffor a mote ; in þi broþers eye

Siþen a bem in þin owen ; blindeþ þi-selue

Eice primo trabem de oculo tuo & cetera

whiche lettiþ þe to loke ; lesse oþer more

I rede iche a blynde bosard ; do bett to him-selue

For abbottis and priours ; and alle manere of prelatis

as parsones & parishe prestis ; þat preche shulden & teche

alle manere of men ; to amende bi her myȝt

This tixt was tolde ȝou ; to be war er ȝe tauȝten

þat ȝe were swiche as ȝe saiden ; to salue with oþer

For godis word wolde not be loste ; ffor þat worchiþ euere

If it availe not þe comune ; it myȝt availe ȝour-seluen

And it semeþ now soþely ; to þe worldis syȝt

þat goddis word werchiþ not ; on lered ne on lewde

But in swiche manere as mark ; meneþ in þe gospell

Dum cecus ducit cecum

lewde men mown liken ȝou ; þat þe bem lithe in ȝoure eyen

and þe ffestu is ffallen ; ffor ȝoure deffauȝte

In al manere men ; þoruȝ mansed prestes

þe bible bereþ wittenesse ; þat all þe ffolk of israel

Bitter bouȝte þe gyltis ; of two badde {.}prestis

Offynny and ffynees ; ffor her coueitise

archa dei mys-happed ; & eli brake his nekke

For-þi corectouris claweþ her-on ; & corectiþ ffrist ȝoure-seluen

And þanne mowe ȝe saffely seie ; as dauiþ made þe sauȝter

Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis arguam te & statuam contra faciem tuam

þanne shalle borelle clerkis be abasshed ; to blame ȝou or to greue

and carpe not as þey don now ; & calle ȝou dombe houndis

Canes non valentes

and drede to wraþe ȝou in ony word ; ȝoure werkmanschipe to lette

and be prestiere at ȝoure preiere ; þanne ffor a pound of noblis

And al ffor ȝoure holynesse ; haue ȝe þis in herte

In scole þer is a scoren ; but if a clerk wolle lerne

And grett loue and likynge ; ffor iche of hem loueþ oþer

And now is Religion a ridere ; a romere be stretes

A leder of louedaies ; a loond biggere

A priker on a palffrey ; ffro maner to manere

An heep of houndis at his ers ; as he a lord w{h}ere

And but if his knave knele ; þat shall him þe cuppe bringe

he loureþ on him & axeþ ; who{.} tauȝte him curteysie

litill haddyn lordis to do ; to ȝeue lond ffro here eyrisC

To relegiouse þat han no reuþe ; þouȝ it reyne on her auters

In many places þer þei persounes ben ; be hem-selue at ese

Of pore han þei no pete ; & þat is here charite

and þey leten hem as lordis ; her londe lyþe so brode

CAnd þer shall come a kyng ; & confesse ȝou religiouse

and bette ȝou as þe bible telliþ ; ffor brekynge of ȝoure rule

And amende monyalis ; monkis and schannonys

And putt hem to her penaunce P ; ad pristinum statum ire

And barouns & erlis bete hem ; þoruȝ beatus uir techinge

þat her barnes cleymen ; and blamen ȝou ffoule

hij in curribus & hij in equis ipsi obligati sunt

And þanne ffreris in her ffreitoure ; schull ffynde a keye

Of constantynys tresore ; in whiche is þe catell

þat gregories god-childrin ; han euell dispendid

And þanne shall þe abbotte of abyngdon ; & al his issu ffor euere

haue a knok of a kyng ; & in-curable þe wounde

þat þis worþe soþe seke{.} ȝe ; þat ofte ouere-seen þe bible

Quomodo cessauit exactor quieuit tribictum contriuit dominus baculum impiorum

Et virgam dominancium cedencium plaga infanibili

And er þat kyng come ; Caym shall awake

And do-well shall dyng him adoun ; & distrueye his myȝt

þanne is do-well & do-bette quod I ; dominus and knyȝthode

I nyll not scorne quod scripture ; but if schreueneris lie

kynghood & knyȝthood ; bi nouȝt I can awayte

Helpeþ not to heueneward ; on heris ende

Ne richesse riȝt nouȝt ; ne rialte of lordis

poule preueþ impossible ; riche men to haue heuene

Salomon seiþ also ; þat siluer is werste to loue

Nichil iniquius quam amare

And Caton kenneþ vs to coueyte ; not but as it nediþ

Dilige denarium set

And patriarkes and prophetis ; and poetis boþe

wreten to wissen vs ; to wilne no richesse

and preiseden pouerte with pacience ; þe apostelis beret{t}h wittenesse

þat þey han eritage in heuene ; & bi true riȝt

þer riche men no riȝte mown cleyme ; but of ruþe & grace

Contra quod I be crist ; þat can I repreue

and preue it bi peter ; and bi poule boþe

þat ben baptizid ben sauyd ; be þei riche or pore

That is in extremis quod scripture ; amongis sarazens & Iues

They mown be saued so ; and þat is oure beleue

þat arn vncristen in þat caas ; may cristen an heþenC

and ffor his lelle bileue ; whanne he þe liif tyneþ

haue the eritage of heuene ; as ony man cristen

And cristen men with-outyn more ; mown not come to heuene

For þat crist ffor cristen men deyed ; and conffermed þe lawe

þat who-so wolde and wilneþ ; with {.}Crist to arise

Si cum Christo surrexistis & cetera .

he shulld loue & lene & þe lawe ffullfille

þat is loue þi lord god ; leuest aboue al þinge

and after alle cristen creaturis ; in comune iche man oþer

and þus bilongiþ to loue ; þat leueþ to be saued

and but we do þus in dede ; er þe day of dome

It shall be-sittyn vs ffull soure ; þe syluere þat we kepen

And oure bakkis þat moþ-eten ben ; and sene beggers go nakid

Or delite us in wyn & wildffoule ; & wotten ony in deffaute

For euery cristen creature ; shulld be kynde til oþer

and sithen heþen to helpe ; in hope of amendement

God hotiþ boþe hie & lowe ; þat no man hurte oþer

And seiþ sleye ; not þat sembleable is ; to myn owenlikenesse

But if I sende þe summe token ; and seiþ non necabis

I sley not but suffre ; and al ffor þe beste

For I shall punysshe hem in purgatorie ; or in þe pitte of helle

Iche a man ffor his myssdedis ; but mercy it lette

þis is a long lesson quod I ; & litill am I þe wyser

where do-well is or do-bette ; derkeliche ȝe shewyn

Many talis ȝe tellyn ; þat theologie lerneþ

And þat I man made was ; & my name y-entrid

In þe legende of seyntis ; longe er I were

Or ellis wrettyn ffor wickidnesse ; as holi writte wittenessiþ

Nemo ascendit in celum ; nisi qui descendit de celo

I leue well be oure lord quod I ; & on no letture better

For salaman þe sage ; þat sapience tauȝte

god ȝaff him grace of witt ; & all his goodis after

he demede & wisely ; as holy writte telliþ

aristotle and he ; who wissed men better

Maystris þat of goddis mercy ; techen men & prechen

of her wordis þey wissin us ; ffor whiseste as in her tyme

and alle holy chirche ; holt hem boþe y-dampned

and if I shulde werche b{e}y her werkis ; to wynne me heuene

þat ffor her werkis and witt ; now wonneþ in peyne

þan wrouȝte I vnwisely ; what-so-euere ȝe prechen

and fole witti in ffeiþ ; litill fferli I haue

þouȝ her gost be vngracious ; god ffor to plese

For many men on þis molde ; more setten her hertez

In good þanne in god ; ffor-þi hem grace ffailiþ

and þe moste myssecheff is ; whanne þey shull liif lete

as salomon dede and swiche oþer ; þat shewyd grette wittis

and her werkys as holy writt ; seiþ was euere þe contrarie

For-þi wise witted men ; & well lettrid clerkis

as þey seyn hem-self ; seldon don þer-afterC

super cathedram Moysy

and I wene it worþe of many ; as was in noies tyme

þo he schope þat schipe ; of schidis and bordis

was neuer wriyt sauede þat wrouȝte þer-on ; ne oþer werkman ellis

But byrdis & bestis ; & þe blesside noie

and his wyff with his sones ; & also her wyues

God lene it ffare not so be ffolk ; þat þe ffeiþ techen

Of holi chirche þat herberwe is ; and goddis hous to saue

and shilde us ffrom shame þer-inne ; as noies schipe dede bestis

And men þat maden it ; amydde þe fflode adreynten

The culorum of þis cause ; curatouris is to mene

þat ben carpenteris of holye {......}chyrche ; to make ffor cristis owen bestis

Homines et iumenta saluabis domine & cetera .

on good ffryday I ffynde ; a ffelon was saued

þat had l{e}yued al his lyff ; with lesingis & with þefte

and ffor he be-knewe on þe crosse ; & to crist schrowe him

he was sonnere saued ; þanne seint Iohan baptiste

and er adam & ysaie ; or ony of þe prophetis

þat had y-leyn with lucyffer ; many long ȝeris

a robber was I-raumsomed P ; raþer þan þei alle

with-out ony penaunce P of purgatorie ; to perpetuall blisse

and marie magdalene what womman d{e}ydde wers

Or who wers þan dauiþ ; þat vries deþ conspired

Or poule þe apostele ; þat no p{e}yte hadde

moche cristen kynde to kille to deþ

and now ben þese as souereynes ; & seyntis in heuene

þo þat wroutyn wikedest ; in world þo þei weren

and þoo þat wisili werchedid ; & writyn many bokis

of witt and of wisdomys ; with dampned soulis wonnen

þat salomon seiþ I trowe be soþe ; and certeyn of us alle

Siue iusti atque sapientes et opera eorum in manu dei sunt

þat ar witti and welleuynge ; & her werkis ben hid

In{e} þe hondis of all-myȝti god ; & he woot þe soþe

where ffor loue a man worþ alowid ; þer in his lele werkis

Or ellis ffor his yuell will ; & envie of herte

and be alowed as he leued þere ; as liþer men knowyn good

and where-by wetten men whiche is whyte ; if al þing blac were

And wo were a good man ; but if þer where summe schrewe

For-þi lyue we fforþ with lyþer men ; I leue ffewe goode

For quant oportet comeþ in place ; il nad que pati

And he þat may all amende ; haue mercy of vs alle

For soþeste word þat euere god seyde ; was þo he said Nemo bonus

Clergie of cristis mouþ ; commendid was litill

For he seid to seint petir ; & to swiche as he loued

Dum steteritis ante reges &

þouȝ ȝe come bi-ffor kyngis ; and clerkis of þe lawe

beþe not abasshed ffor I shall ; be in ȝoure mouþes

and ȝeue ȝou witte & will ; & kunnynge to conclude

hem all . þat aȝens ȝou ; of cristendom disputen

Dauiþ makiþ mencioun ; he spake amongis kyngis

and myȝt no kynge ouere-come him ; as be cunnynge of speche

But witt ne wisdom ; wan neuere þe maystrie

whanne man was at myscheff ; with-oute þe more grace

þe douȝtiest doctoure ; & dyuynoure of þe trinite

was austyn þe olde ; and heiest of þe ffoure

saide þus in a sermon ; I seiȝ it wretten ones

Ecce ipsi ydeote rapiunt celum ; vbi sapientes in inferno mergimur

and is to mene on englisshe ; to more and to lesse

arn non oþer raþer rauysshed ; ffro þe riȝt bileue

þanne arn þese kunnynge clerkis ; þat kunne many bokis

Ne non sonere saued ; ne saddere of bileue

þan plowmen & pastouris ; & oþer comune laboreris

Souters & scheepherdis ; and swiche lewde Iottis

percyn with a pater noster ; þe paleys of heuene

and passyn purgatorie ; penaunceles ; at here hens partynge

In-to þe blesse of paradice ; ffor her pure bileue

þat imparfiȝtly here ; knewen & eke leueden

Ȝe men knowen clerkis ; þat han cursid þe tyme

þat euere þey couden on þe book ; more þanne credo in deum

and principali her pater noster ; many a parsone haþe wisshed

I se ensamplis many my-selue ; & so mown oþer

þat seruauntis þat seruen lordis ; selde ffalle in eragis

But þo þat kepen þe lordis catell ; clerkis & reues

Riȝt so lewde men ; and of litill knowinge

Selde ffalle þey so ffoule ; & so fferre in synne

as clerkis of holi kyrke ; þat kepen cristis tresore

þe whiche is mannys soule to saue ; as god seiþ in þe gospell

Ite vos in vineam meam