I am ymagynatif quod he ; ydel was I neuer

þouȝ I sitte b{e}y my-selue ; in sekenesse & in helþe

I haue ffollwid þe in ffeiþ ; þis ffyue ; & ffourti wynter

and many tymes haue meued þe ; to þenke on þin ende

and how ffele fferneȝeris ar ffaren ; & so ffewe{..} to come

and of þi wilde wantownesse ; þo þou ȝong were

To amende it in þi mydill age ; lest myȝte þe ffaile

In þin olde elde ; þat yuell can suffre

pouerte or penaunce P ; or preyeris bidde

Si non in prima vigilia nec in secunda

amende þe while þou myȝte ; þou hast ben warned ofte

with pouste of pestelences ; with pouerte & with angres

and with þese bitter baleises ; god betiþ his dere childrin

Quem diligo castigo

and dauiþ in þe sauter seiþ ; of swiche þat louen Ihesus

Virga tua & baculus tuuus ipsa me consolata sunt

all-þouȝ þou strike me with þi staf ; with stik{e}k oþer ȝerde

It is but myrþe as ffor me ; to amende my soule

and þou medelest þe with maystries ; & myȝtist go saye þi sauȝter

and bidde ffor hem þat ȝeuen þe bred ; ffor þer ben bokis

To telle me what do-well is ; do-bett & do-best boþe

and prechouris to preue what it is ; of many a peyre ffreris

I seiȝ well he said me soþe ; & sum-what me to excuse

saide caton comforted his sone ; þat clerk þouȝ he were

To solacen him sumtyme ; as I do whane I make

Interpone tuis interdum gaudia

And of holi men I herde quod I ; how þei oþer-while

pleyeden þe parfiter ; to be in many places

and if þer were ony wiȝt ; þat wolde me telle

what were do-well & do-bett ; & do-best at þe laste

wolde I neuer do werk ; but wende to holy chirche

And þer bidde my bedis ; but whane I ete or slepe

poule in his pistyll . quod he ; preueþ what is do-well

Fides spes . caritas et maior horum & cetera .

Feiþe hope and charite ; and alle ben good

And saued men sundri tymes ; & non so sone as charite

For he doþe well withouȝtyn douȝte ; þat doþe as lewte techiþ

þat is if þou be man maried ; þi make þou loue

and leue fforþe as lawe woll ; while ȝe leuen here

C Riȝt so if þou be religious ; renne þou neuere fferþer

To rome ne to rochemadoure ; but as þi rule techeþ

and holde þe vndir obedience ; þat hie wey is to heuene

and if þou be maydyn to marien ; and myȝte well {entene} conteyne

seke þou neuere seint fferþer ; ffor no soule helþe

For what made luciffere ; to lese his hie heuene

Or salomon his sapience ; or sampson his strenþe

Iob þe Iue his ioie ; dere it he abouȝte

Aristotle & oþer mo ; ypocras & virgile

Alexandre þat all wan ; elengeli endid

Catell and kynde witte ; was combraunce to hem all .

Felice hir ffairenesse ; ffelle hir all to slandre

and rosamound riȝt so ; ruffulli bisette

þe bewte of hir body ; in badennesse sche dispendiþ it

Of many swiche I myȝte rede ; of men & womman

Þat wise wordis kun seie ; & wirche þe contrarie

sunt homines nequam de virtute bene

and riche renkes riȝt so ; gaderen & sparen

and þo men þat þey most haten ; mynystrin it at þe laste

and ffor þey suffred & seen ; so many nedy ffo{r}lkis

and louen hem not as god bidiþ ; lesen here soulisC

and richesse riȝt so ; but if þe rote be trewe

Date & dabitur vobiz

and grace is a grasse þer-of ; þe greuaunce to abate

And grace ne groweþ not ; but amonge þe lowe

Pacience & pouerte ; þe place is þer it growiþ

and in lele l{e}yuynge men . & in lijf holi

And þoruȝ þe gifte of þe holi goste ; as þe gospell telliþ

Spiritus vbi vult spirat

Clergie & kynde witt ; comeþ of siȝt & techinge

as þe boke bereþ wittenesse ; to barnes þat kun rede

Quod scimus loquimur quod vidimus testamur

Of quod scimus comeþ clergie ; & kunnynge P of heuene

Of quod vidimus comeþ kynde witt ; of siȝt of diuerse peple

and grace is a gifte of god ; and of grett loue springiþ

knoweþ neuere klerk how it comeþ fforþe ; þe kynde witt þe weyez

Nescit aliquis vnde venit aut quo vadit & cetera .

and ȝit is clergie to commende ; & kynde witte boþe

and namely clergie ffor cristis loue ; þat of clerigie is rote

For moyses wittenessiþ þat god wrotte ; ffor to wisse þe peple

In þe olde lawe as þe letter telliþ ; þat was þe lawe of Iues

þat what womman were in auouuȝtrie taken ; riche oþer pore

with stones men shulld hir strike ; and stonye hir to deþe

a womman as we ffyndyn ; was gilti of þat dede

and crist of his curteisie ; þoruȝ clergie hir saued

For þoruȝ carectis þat crist wrouȝt ; þe Iues knewen hem-selue

Giltiere as affore god ; and in gretter synne

þanne þe womman þat þer was ; & wente away ffor schame

þe clergie þat þer was ; comfortede þe womman

holi kyrke knoweþ þis ; þat cristis writtinge saued

so clergie is comforte ; to creaturis þat repenten

and to manseed men ; mysshef at erT ende

For godis body myȝt not be ; of bred without clergie

þe whiche body is boþe ; bote to þe riȝtffull

and deþ & dampnacioun ; to hem þat dien yuellC

as cristis carectes comfortedid ; & boþe coupled & schewid

þe womman þat þe Iues brouȝten ; þat Ihesus þouȝt to saue

Nolite iudicare et non iudicabimini

Riȝt so goddis body breþeren ; but if it be wurþeli taken

Dampneþ us at þe day of dom ; as þe carettis dede þe Iues

For-þe I conceill þe ffor cristis sake ; clergie to loue

For kynde witte is of his kyn ; & nyȝ cosyns boþe

To oure lord leue me ; ffor-þi loue hem I rede

For boþe ben as myrrours ; to amende oure deffautis

and leders ffor lewde men ; & ffor lettrid boþe

For-þi lakke þou neuere logik ; lawe ne his customes

Ne contirplede clerkis ; I counceile þe ffor euere

For as a man may not se ; þat mysseþ his eyn

No more can a clerk but if he cacche it ; ffrist þoruȝ bokis

al-þouȝ men maden bokis ; god was þe maister

and seint spirit his saumplarie ; & saide what man shulde writte

and riȝt as siȝt serueþ a man ; to se þe hie strete

Riȝt so lediþ lettrature ; lewde men to resounC

and as a blindC man in bataile ; bereþ wepene to ffyȝte

and haþ non happe with his ax ; his enemyes to hitte

No more can a blynde witted man ; but if clerkis him teche

Come ffor all his kynde witt ; to cristendom & be sauedC

whiche is þe cofre of cristis tresore ; & clerkis kepen þe keyes

To vnlokyn it at her likinge ; & to þe lewde peple

ȝeue mercy ffor her myssdedis ; if men it woll aske

Buxumliche & benyngliche ; & biddyn it of grace

Archa dei ; in þe olde lawe ; leuytes it kepten

had neuere lewde man leue ; to ley honde on þe cheste

But he were preste ; or prestis sone ; patriark or prophete

For clergie is keper ; vndir crist of heuene

Was þer neuere no kynge ; but clergie him made

and kynde witte comeþ ; of all-kyns siȝtis

Of briddis of bestis of taastis ; of truþe & of disceytis

lyuyers to-fforn vs ; vseden to marke

þe selcouþe þat þei seyn ; her sones ffor to teche

and helde it an hie science ; her wittis to knowe

and þoruȝ here science soþeli ; was neuere soule saued

Ne brouȝt bi her bokis ; to blesse ne to Ioie

For alle her kynde knowinge ; come but of deuerse siȝtis

Patriarikis & prophetis ; repreued her science

and seiden her wordis ; ne her wisdomys nas but a ffolie

Sapiencia huius mundi stultitia apud domini

As to þe clergie of crist ; counted but a trifuleT

For þe hie holi gost ; heuene shall to-cleue

and loue shall lepe out after ; in-to his lowe erthe

and clennesse shall cacche it ; & clerkis shull ffynde

Pastores loquebantur ad in-vicem

He spekiþ þer of riche men nouȝt ; ne of riȝt witti

Ne of lordis þat weren lewde men ; but of þe heyest letterd out

I-bant magy ab oriente

CIf ony ffrere were ffoundyn þer ; I ȝeue þe ffyue schillingis

Ne in no beggers cote ; was þat barn born

but in a burgeis place ; of bedelem þe beste

set non erat locus in diuersorio & pauper non habet diuersorium

To pastouris and to poietis ; apperede þe aungell

and bad hem go to bedelem ; godis birþe to honoure

and songen a songe of solace ; gloria in excelsis deo

clerkis knew it well ; & comen with her presentes

and dedyn here homage honorabli ; to him þat was almyȝti

and godis sonne þat sittiþ in heuene ; and shall saue us all

why I haue told þe al þis ; I toke ffull good hede

how þou contrariest clerigie ; with crabide wordis

how þat lewde men liȝtliere ; þan lettrid were sauedC

þan clerkis or kynde witti men ; of cristen pepleC

and þou seidest soþe of summe ; & se ȝit in what manere

Take two strong men ; and in tamise hem caste

And boþe naked as a nedill ; ar non sekerere þan oþer

That on haþe kunnynge ; & kan swymme & dyue

þat oþer is lewde of þat laboure ; lerned neuere to swymme

whiche{t} trowist þou of þe two ; in tamise is in moste drede

he þat neuere ne dyued ; ne nouȝt can of swymmynge

or þe swymmer þat is saaf ; be so him-self likeC

Ther his ffellaw fflette fforþe ; as þe fflode likeþ

and is in drede to drinche ; þat neuere dede swymme

þat swymme can not I saide ; It semeþ to my wittis

Riȝt so quod þe renke ; reson it schewiþ

þat he þat knoweþ clergie ; can sonnere arise

Out of synne and be safe ; þouȝ he synne ofte

If him likiþ and liste ; þanne ony lewde leli

For if þe clerk be kunnynge ; he knowiþ what is synne

and how contriscion with-oute confession ; comfortiþ þe soule

and þou sest in þi sauȝter ; in salmes on or tweyn

how contricioun is commendid ; ffor it cachiþ away synne

Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates & quorum tecta & cetera

and þis comforteþ iche a clerk ; and keuereþ him ffro wanhope

In whiche fflode þe ffende ; ffondeþ a man hardest

þere þe lewde liþe stille ; and lokeþ after lenten

and haþe no contricioun er he come to schrefte ; & þanne can he litill telle

and as his lores-man lereþ him ; beleueþ & trowiþ

And þat is after parson or parisshepreste ; & parauuenture he

Vnkunnynge to lere lewde men ; as luke bereþ wittenesse

Dum cecus ducit cecum ambo in foueam & cetera .

woo was him markid þat ; wade mote with þe lewde

well may þe baren blisse ; þat him to boke sette

þat leuynge after letterature ; saued him lijf & soule

Dominus pars hereditatis mee & cetera ; is a merie versett

þat haþe taken ffro tyburne ; twenti score þeues

þer lewde þeues ben lolled vp ; loke how þei ben saued

þe þeef þat had grace of god ; on good ffriday as ȝe speken

was ffor he ȝalte him creaunt ; to crist ; on crosse & knewe him gilti

and grace axed of god ; and he is euere redy

þat buxumli biddiþ it ; and ben in wille to amende hem

and þouȝ þat þeef had heuene ; he had non hie blisse

As seint Iohan and oþer seyntis ; þat deserued had betterC

Riȝt as summe men ȝeuen me mete ; & setten me amyd þe fflore

I haue mete more þanne I-nowe ; & not so moche wurschepe

As þoo þat sitten at þe table ; or with souereyns of þe halle

But sitte as beggers bordles ; bi my-self on þe ground

so it ffareþ be þat ffelon ; þat on good ffryday was saued

he sitteþ neiþer be seint Iohan ; Symond ne Iude

Ne with maydenys ne martires ; conffessouris ne w{e}ydowes

But b{e}y him-self as a soleyn ; & serued on þe erþe

For he þat is onys a {ȝ}þeef ; is euere-more in daunger

And as lawe likiþ ; to l{e}yue or to die

De peccato propiciato noli est sine metu

and ffor to serue a seynt ; & swiche a þeef to-gedris

It were neiþer resoun ne riȝt ; to rewarde hem boþe in liche

and riȝt as troaianus þe true knyȝt tilte not depe in helle

þat oure lord ne had him liȝtlyche ouȝt ; so leue I . þe þeef be in heuene

For he is in þe loweste heuene ; if oure bileue be true

and well loseliche he lolliþ þer ; b{e}y þe lawe of holi chirche

Quia redditur vnicuique iuxta opera sua

And why þat oo þeef on þe crosse ; creaunt him ȝelte

Raþer þanne þat oþer þeef ; þouȝ þou wolde apose

alle þe clerkis {a}vndir crist ; ne couþe þe skylle asoile

Quare placuit ; quia volunt

and so I seie b{e}y þe ; þat sekest after þe weyes

and aresondest a resoun ; a rebuke as it were

and of þe fflouris in þe ffriȝþe ; and of her ffaire heuwes

where-of þey cacchen her colouris ; so cler & so briȝt

and willes of briddis & beestis ; & of her bredinge knowe

why summeP ben alowe ; & summe aloft ; þi likinge it were

and of þe stones & of þe sterres ; þou studiest as I leue

how euery best or bride ; haþe so breme wittis

Clergie ne kynde witte ; ne knewe neuere þe cause

and kynde knowiþ þe cause him-self ; & no creature ellis

he is þe pies patron ; and putteþ in hir ere

þat þer þe þornȝP is þikkest ; to bilden & brede

and kynde kenneþ þe potokT ; to kauken in swiche a kynde

and kenned adam to knowe ; his preuy menbris

and tauȝte him & eue ; to hillen hem with leues

lewide men many tymes ; maistris apposen

why adam hillid not ffrist his mouþ ; þat ete þe appillC

Raþer þanne his likham alow ; lewde axen þus clerkis

kynde knowiþ why he dede so ; & no clerk ellis

and of briddis & of bestis ; men be olde tyme

Ennsaunplis token & termes ; as tellen þe poyetis

And þat þe ffayrest ffoule ; ffoulest engendriþ

And febleste ffoule of ffliȝt is ; þat ffleyeþ or swymmeþ

And þat is þe potok & pohenne ; prouude riche men þey be-tokene

For þe pocok & men pursuen him ; may not fflie hie

For þe traylinge of his tayl ; ouere-takyn is he sone

and his ffleissheP is ffoule ffleissh ; & his ffeet boþe

And vnloueliche on ledne ; & layþ fforto here

Riȝt so þe riche ; if he his richesse kepe

and deliþ it not till his deþ-day ; þe tayl of alle sorwe

Riȝt as þe pennes of þe potok ; peyneþ him in his ffliȝt

so is possession peyne ; of pens & of noblisC

To alle hem þat it holdyn ; till here tayl be pluked

and þouȝ þe riche repente him þanne ; & be-rewe þe tyme

þat euere he gaderid so grette ; & gaf þer-of so litill

þouȝ he crie to crist þanne ; with kene wille I leue

his lede{ne} in oure lordis ere ; is yliche a pies

and whanne his Careyn schall come ; in caue to be beried

I leue it fflawme ffull ffoule ; þe ffolde al abouȝte

and alle þe erþe lere there it liþe ; enuenemeþ þoruȝ his attire

Be þe poo ffeet is vndirstandin ; as I lernede in auynet P

Exsecutores ffals ffrendis ; þat ffulfillen not his wille

þat was wrettyn and þei wittenesse ; to werche as it wolde

þus þe poete proueþ þe pocok ; ffor his ffeþeris is reuerencid

Riȝt so is þe riche ; be reson of his goodis

þe lark þat is a lesse ffoule ; is more loueliche of leddene

and wel way of weenge ; swyftere þanne þe pocok

and of ffleisshe be ffele ffolde ; ffattere & swetter

To lowe leuynge P men ; þe lark is resembled

aristotle þe grett clerk ; swiche talis telliþ

Thus he likeneþ in his logyk ; þe leste ffoule oute

and wher he be saf or not ; þe soþe wott þe clergie

sortes ne saloman ; no scripture can telle

and god is so good I hope ; þat siþe he gaf hem wittis

To wissen vs wey þer-with ; þat wissen vs to be saued

and þe better ffor her bokis ; to biddin we ben holdyn

þat god of his grace ; gyue her soulis reste

For lettrid men were lewde ȝit ; ner lore of her bokis

alle þese clerkis quod I þo ; þat on crist leuen

Seggen in her sermouns ; þat no sarasens ne Iues

Ne no creature of cristis likenesse ; withouȝtyn cristendom worþe to be saued

Contra quod ymagynatif þo ; and Comsid ffor to loure

and saide saluabitur vix iustus ; in die iudicij

Ergo saluabitur quod he ; & said no more latyn

TraianusP was a trewe knyȝt ; & toke neuere cristendom

and he seiþ as seiþ þe boke ; & his soule in heuene

For þer is ffullinge in ffounte ; & ffullinge in blood scheddinge

and þoruȝ ffier is ffullinge ; þat is fferme bileue

aduenitP ignus diuinus non conburens set illuminans .

and trewþe þat trespassid neuere ; ne trauessid aȝens his lawe

But lyueþ as his lawe techeþ ; & leueþ þer be no better

And if þer w{h}ere he wolde amende ; in swiche wille deieþ

Ne wolde neuere trewe god ; but trewþe were alowide

And where it worþe or not ; þe bileue is grette of trueþe

And an hope hangynge þer-inne ; to haue mede ffor his truþe

Quia deus dicitur quasi dans vitam

þe glose graunteþ vppon þat vers ; a grette mede to truþe

And witte & wisdam quod þat wie ; was summe tyme tresore

To kepe with a comune ; no catell was holdyn better

And moche myrthe & manhood ; & riȝt wiþ þat he wanyschede