I am spes quod he a spie ; & spere after a knyȝth

þat toke me a maundement ; vppon þe mount of synay

To rule al rewmes wiþ ; I bere it wrettyn here

It is aselled I said ; may men se þe lettris

Nay he said . I seke him ; þat haþe þe sell to kepe

and þat is crosse and cristendom ; & crist þer-on to hange

and whane it is asellede so ; I wotte well þe soþe

þat lucyffers lordshipe ; laste shall no lenger

late se þi lettris quod I ; we myȝte þe lawe knowe

þanne pluked he ffurþe a patente ; a pece of an hard roche

where-one where wrettyn two wordis ; on þis wise glosid

Dilige deum & proximum et cetera

þis was þe tixt truli ; I toke ffull good ȝeme

þe glose was gloriousli wrettyn ; with a gilte penne

/ In hijs duobus mandatis

Ben here alle þi lordis lawis quod I ; ȝe leue me wel he said

whoso werchiþ after þis writt ; I woll vndirtake

shall neuere dyuell him dere ; ne dette in soule greue

For þouȝ I saie it my-self ; I haue saued with þis charme

of men & of wommen ; many score þouusandis

he seiþ soþ seiþ þe heroud ; I haue ffounden it ofte

lo here in my lappe ; þat leuede on þat charme

Iosue & iudith ; and Iudas machabeus

ȝe and sixti þouusande bi-side fforþe ; þat ben not sen here

ȝoure wordis ben wondirfful quod I ; whiche of ȝou is trewest

and lellest to leue on ; ffor lyff & ffor soule

Abraham seiþ þat he seiȝ ; holly þe trinite

þre persones in parcellis ; departable ffrom oþer

and all þre but oo god ; þus abraham me tauȝte

and haþe saued þat bileue so ; & sori ffor her synne

I can not segge þe summe ; & summe arn in my lappe

what nediþ þe þan ; a newe lawe to bigynne

siþe þe ffrist sufficit ; to sauacion & to blisse

and now bigynneþ spes & spekiþ ; þat haþe aspied þe lawe

and telliþ not of þe trinite ; þat toke him his lettris

To bileue and loue ; in oo lord almyȝty

And siþ riȝt as my-self ; so loue alle peple

þe gom þat goþe with a staffe ; he semeþ in gret he{þ}le

þanne he þat goþe with two staues ; to siȝt of vs all

and riȝt so be þe rode ; reson me schewiþ

It is liȝter to lewde men ; a lesson to knowe

þanne ffor to techen hem two ; & to harde to lere þe leste

It is ffull harde ffor ony man ; on habraham bileue

and wellaway wers ȝit ; ffor to loue a schrewe

It is liȝtter to leue ; in þre loueli persones

þan ffor to loue & lene ; as well lorellis as lelles

Go þi gate quod I spes ; so me god helpe

þo þat leren þi lawe ; litill while vsen it

and as we wentyn þus in þe weye ; wordinge to-gedris

þane seie we a samarithan ; sittinge on a mule

Ridinge ffull rapeli ; þe riȝt weye he ȝede

Comynge P ffrom a cuntre ; þat men callin Ierico

To a iustus in Ierusalem ; he chasede away ffaste

Boþe þe heraud & hope ; & he mette at ones

where a man was woundyd ; and with þeues

he myȝte neiþer stepe ne stonde ; ne stere ffeet ne handis

Ne halpe him-self soþeli ; ffor semyuyf he semede

and as naked as a nedell ; & non hellp aboute him

Feiþ had ffrist siȝt of him ; and he ffleiȝ on side

and nolde not nyȝ him ; by nyne landis lengþe

hope cam hippinge after ; & had so ybostid

how he with moyses maundement ; had many men I-holpyn

and whanne he had siȝt of þat seege ; aside he gan him drawe

Dredeffulli be þis day ; as doke doþe ffrom þe ffauuken

and so sone so þe samaritan ; had siȝt of þis liode

he liȝt adoun of liard ; and ladde him in his hand

and to þe weye he wente ; his woundis to beholde

And parceyued be his pouce ; he was in perell to die

and but if had recouere þe raþer ; þat rise shuld he neuer

with wyn{ene} with oile ; his woundis he wasshed

Enbaumed him and bond his hed ; & in his lappe him leyde

and ladde him so fforþe on lyarde ; to lex christi a graunge

well sex myle or Seuene ; bi-side þe new market

herborwide him at an hostrie ; & to þe hosteler callid

and said haue kepe þis man ; till I come ffro þe Iustus

and lo hire siluer he saide ; ffor salue to his woundis

and he toke him two pens ; to lyflode as it were

and saide wat he spendiþ more ; I make þe good here-after

For I may not quod þat liode ; & harde he be-strode

and rapede him to Ierusalem-ward ; þe riȝt wey to ride

Feiþe ffolowede after ffaste ; and ffo{u}nded to mete with him

and spes sparliche him spedde ; spede if he myȝte

To ouer-take him & talke til him ; er þei to toune come

and whanne I sawȝ þis I soiournede not ; but schope me to renne

and suede þat samaritan ; þat was so ffull of pete

and graunted him to be his grom ; graunt mercy he said

and þi ffrende and þi ffellew ; þou ffyndist me at nede

and I þankide him þo ; & siþ I him tolte

How þat ffeiþe ffleiȝ away ; and spes his ffelaw boþe

For siȝt of þe sorwffull man ; þat robbed was with þeues .

Haue hem excused quod he ; her helpe may litill auaile

may no medecyne on molde ; þe man to hele bringeP

Neiþer ffeiþe ne ffyne hope ; so ffestride ben his woundis

with-ouȝtyn þe bloode of a barn ; born of a maydynC

and he be baþed in þat blood ; baptisid as it were

and þanne plaistred with penaunce ; & passion of þat babi

Che shulde stonde and steppe ; and stalworþe worþe he neuere

Till he haue eten al þe barn ; & his blood drunkyn P

For wente neuere wye In þis world ; þoruȝ þat wildirnesse

þat he ne was robbed or riffled ; rode he þer or ȝede

saue ffeiþ & his ffelaw ; spes & my-selue

and þi-self now & swiche ; þat suen oure werkis

For out-lawes in þe wode ; and vndir bank lotien

and mowen iche man se ; & good merke take

who is be-hynde & who beffore ; & who ben on hors

For he halte him hardiere on hors ; þan he þat is on ffote

For he seiþ me þat am samaritan ; suen ffeiþ & his ffelawe

On my caple þat hate caro ; of mankynde I toke it

he was vnhardi þat harlot ; and hydde him in inferno

and er þis day þre daies ; I dar vnder-take

þat he worþe ffeterid þat ffelon ; ffaste with cheynes

and neuere efte greue gome ; þat goþe þis ilke gate

and þanne shall ffeiþ be fforster heer ; & in þis ffriþe walke

and kenne comune men ; þat knowen not þe cuntre

whiche is þe weie þat iche wente ; & wherfforþe to ierusalem

and hope þe hosteleris man shall be ; þer þe man liþe to helinge

and al þat ffeble & ffeynte ben ; þat ffeiþ may not teche

hope schall lede hem forþe with loue ; as his lettre telliþ

and hostel hem & hele ; þoruȝ holi chirche bileue

Tyll I haue salue ffor al seke ; & þane shall I retorne

And come aȝeyne be þis cuntre ; & comfforte all seke

þat craueþ or coueitiþ it ; and crieþ þer-after

For þe barn was born in bedelem ; of a clene maydyn

þat shall with blode saue ; alle þat leuen in truþe

and ffollewen þe techinge ; of hope þat is his ffellaw

A swete sire I said þo ; where schall I beleue

as ffeiþ & his ffelaw ; enfformen me boþe

and þre persones departable ; þat perpetuel weren euere

and alle þre but oo god ; þus abraham me tauȝte

and hope afterwarde ; he bade me to loueT

loue hem like my-selue ; & oure lord aboue alle

After abraham quod he ; þat heraud of armes

sette ffaste þi ffeiþe ; and fferme bileue

and as hope hiȝte þe ; I hote þat þou loue

þin euen-cristen euere-more ; euen-fforþe with þi-selue

and if concience carpe þer-aȝeyne ; or kynde witte eiþer

Or heretikis with argumentis ; þin hand þou him shewe

For god is after an hande ; I here now & knowe it

þe ffader was ffriste a ffiste ; with oo ffynger ffoldynge

Till him loued & liste ; to vnlose his ffynger

and prophere it fforþe as with a pawme ; to what place it shulde

þe pawme is puriliche þe hand ; and propheriþ fforþe þe ffyngris

To mynystre and to make ; þat myȝt of hand knoweþ

And bitokeneþ truly ; telle who-so likeþ

þe holi gost of heuene ; is as þe pawme

þe ffyngris þat ffre ben ; to ffolde & to serue

Betokeneþ soþeli þe sone ; þat sent was to erthe

þat touuchid & tastede ; at þe techinge of þe pawmeP

Seynt marie a mayde ; & mankynde lauȝte

Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto

þe ffader is þane as a ffyste ; with ffynger to touche

Quia omnia traham ad me ipsum & cetera

All þat þe pawme parceyueþ ; prophetable to ffele

þus arn þey all but on ; as it an hand were

and þre sundry siȝtis ; in on schewingeC

þe pawme ffor he puttiþ fforþ ffyngris ; & þe ffiste boþe

Riȝt so redili ; reson it shwewiþ

how he þat is holi gost ; Sere & sonne preueþ

and as þe hand halt harde ; & all þing ffaste

þoruȝ ffoure ffyngris & a þombe ; fforþ with þe pawme

Riȝt so þe ffader and þe sonne ; & seint spirit þe þrede

halte all þe wide worlde ; with-Inne hem þre

Boþe welkene & þe wynde ; water & erþe

heuene & helle ; & all þat þer-inne is

þus it is . it nedeþ no man ; to trowe non oþer

þat þre þingis bi-longen ; in oure lord of heuene

And arn sereples by hem-self ; asundre were þey neuere

No more þan myn hand may moue ; with-outyn my ffyngris

and as my ffiste is fful hande ; yffolden to-gedris

So is þe ffader a fful god ; fformour & schappere

Tu fabricator omnium & cetera

al þe myȝt myd him is ; in makynge of all þingis

þe ffyngris fformen a ffull hand ; to portreie or to peynte

Keruynge and compassinge ; as crafte of þe ffyngris

Ryȝt so is þe sonne ; þe science of þe ffader

and fful god as is þe ffader ; no ffeblere ne no better

þe plawme is puriliche þe hande and haþe power be him-selue

oþer-wyse þanne þe wreþin ffiste ; or werkmanschipe of ffyngris

For þe pawme haþe power ; to put out all þe Ioyntis

and to vnffoldyn þe ffoldyn ffiste ; at þe ffyngris wille

so is þe holi gost god ; neiþer gretter ne lesse

þanne is þe sire & þe sone ; & in þe same myȝte

And all ar þey but oo god ; as myn hand & my ffyngris

vnffolden or ffolden ; my ffyst & my pawme

al is but on hand ; euene in þe myddis

For þe ffyngris þat ffolde shulden ; & þe ffyst make

For peyne of þe pawme ; power hem ffayliþ

To cluche & to clawe ; to clippe or to holde

where þe mydill of myn hande ; y-maymed or perished

I shulde receyue riȝt nouȝt ; of þat I reche myȝte

and þouȝ my þombe & my ffyngris ; boþe weren to-schullen

and þe myddil of myn hand ; with-oute male-ese

In many kyns maners ; I myȝte my-self helpe

boþe moue & amende ; þouȝ all my ffyngris oken

be þis skylle me þinkiþ ; I se an euydence

þat who-so synneþ in seint spirit ; asoilid worþe he neuere

Neiþer here ne ellis-where ; as I here telle

Qui peccat / in spiritum sanctum & cetera

For he prikiþ god in þe pawme ; þat peccat / in spiritu sancto

For god þe ffader is as a ffist ; þe sone is as þe ffynger

Þe holy gost . of heuene is ; as it were pawmeC

So who synneth in seint sperite it semeþ þat he greveth

God þat he grypeth with and wolde his grace quenche

And to a torche or a tapir þe trinite is lykened

As wex and a weike were twynned to-gedrisC

And þan a ffire fflaumynge fforth out of bothe

And as wex and weike and hote ffire to-gedris

Fostre fforth a fflambe and a ffaire light

So doth þe S{e}yre and þe sone and also spiritus sanctus

Fostren fforth amongis ffolk loue and loiale bileue

Alkynne Cristen clensith of synnes

And as þou seest sum tyme sodeynliche a torche

The blace þer-of blowe out . ȝet brennyth þe weike

with-out leye or lyght þat þe smacche swellith

So is þe holy god and grace with-out mercy

To alle vnkynde creaturis þat coueite to distroie

leele loue oþer lyf þat oure lord ȝaf

and as a glowynge glede ne gladeth nouȝt þese werkmen

That werchin and wakyn in wyntris nyghtis

as doth a kyse or a kandell þat kauȝth hath ffire & blaseth

No more doth Sire ne sone ne seint sperit to-gedris

Grante no grace ne fforȝeuenesse of synnes

T{l}yll þe holy gost gynne to glowe & to blase

So doþ þe holy gost glowith but as a glede

Tille þat lele loue lygge on him and blowe

And þan fflammeth he as ffire on pater & on filius

And melteth her myȝht to mercy as men may se in wynter

Isekellis in euesyngis þoru hete of þe sonne

Melltith in a m{e}ynute while to myste and to water

So grace of þe holy gost ; þe grette myȝth of þe trinite

Melltith to mercy to merciable and to non oþer

And as wex with-out more on a warme glede

{.}wolle brennyn and blasyn be þey to-gedris

And solacyn hem þat mow se þat sytten in dirkenesse

So wulle þe ffor-ȝeue ffolk of mylde hertis

That rewffullich repentyn and restitucion make

In as moche as þey mown amendyn and payn

and if it suffice not ffor a seth þat in swich will deien

Mercy ffor his mekenesse wull make good þe remenant

and as þe weike and ffire wolle make a warme fflambe

For to myrthe men with þat in merke sytten

So wull Crist of his Curteyse and men cry him mercy

bothe ffor-ȝeue and fforȝeue and ȝit bidde ffor us

To þe ffader of heuene ffor-ȝeuenesse to haue

but hewe ffire at a fflynte ffoure hundride wynter

but þou haue tow to take it with tonder or broches

all þi laboure is lost and all þi long trauaile

For may no ffire fflambe make ffaile it his kynde

So is þe holy gost god and grace with-outen mercy

To all vnkynde creaturis Crist him-self wittenessiþ

Amen dico vobis nescio vos & cetera  .

be vnkynde to þin euen-cristen and all þou canst biddyn

delen or do pennaunce day and nyght euere

and purschace all þe pardon of pampilon & rome

and indulgencis ynowȝ and be in-gratus to þi kyndeC

The holy gost hereth þe nouȝt ne helpe may þe be reson

For vnkyndenesse quenchith him þat he can nouȝt shyne

ne brenne ne blace clere ffor blowinge of vnkyndenesse

poule þe apostele proueth where I lye

Si linguis hominum loquare & cetera.

For-thi be war ȝe wyse men þat with þe world delyn

That riche ben and reson knowen rewlith well ȝoure-self

beth nouȝth vnkynde I conceill ȝou to ȝoure euen-Cristen

For many of ȝou riche men by my soule men tellyn

ȝe brenne but ȝe blase nouȝt þat is a blynde bekne

Non omnis qui dicit domine domine & cetera.

dyues died dampned ffor his vnkyndenesse

of his mete and of his mony to men þat it neded

Iche a riche I rede reward at him take

and ȝeueth ȝoure good to þat god þat grace of arisith

For þey þat beth vnkynde to his hope I non oþer

but þey shull dwelle þer diues Is daiez with-outyn ende

Thus is vnkyndenesse þe contrarie þat quenchiþ a{t}s it were

The grace of þe holy gost godis owen kynde

For þat kynd doth vnkynde ffordoth as þese cursid theues

Vnkynde Cristen men ffor coueitise of Enuye

sleth a man ffor his moebles with mouþe or with handis

For þat þe holy gost hath to kepe þe harlottis distroien

þe wyche is lyf and loue þe leþe of mannys body

For euery manere good man may be likned to a torche

Or ellis to a taper to reuerence þe trinite

and who-so mothereth a good man me thynkyth be myn Inwitte

he ffor-doth þe leuest lyght þat oure lord loueth

but ȝet in many mo manerez men offende þe holy gost

but þis is þe werste wyse þat ony wyghte myghte

Synnen aȝeyn seint sperit assenten to distroie

For Coueytise of ony-þing þat Crist dere bouȝte

That wickydliche and wullfulliche wolde mercy anientice

Innocence is next god and nyght and day it crieth

Veniaunce veniaunce P ffor-ȝeue be it neuere

þat shent us and schede oure blode fforschapte us as it were

Vindica sanguinem Iustorum & cetera

Thus vengeaunce vengeaunce verri charite asketh

and sith holy chirche and Charite chargyn þis so sore

leue I neuere þat oure lord wull loue þat Charite lacketh

ne haue pete ffor ony preiere þer þat he pleyneth

I sopose I had synned so and shuld nouȝth die

and now am sory þat I so þeP seint sperit agulte

Conffesse me and crie his mercy god þat all made

and myldeliche his grace axe myȝty I nouȝt be saued

ȝis said þe samaritan so well þou myȝte repente

That rithwynesse þoru repentaunce to rewthe myȝth turne

but ȝet it is but seldom seie þer sothenesse bereth wittenesse

Ony creature þat is coupable affore a kyngis Iustice

be ranceomed ffor his repentaunce þer all reson him dampneth

For þer þat partie pursueth þe peple is so huge

þat þe kyng may do no mercy till boþe men acordeC

and eiþer haue equite as holy writte tellyth

Numquam dimittitur peccatum & cetera .

Thus it ffareth by swiche ffolk þat ffalsly al here lyuez

I wull leuen and lete nouȝt till lyff hem fforsake

Good hope þat helpe shulde to wanhope turneth

Nouȝt of þe nounpower of god þat he ne is myȝtffull

To amende all þat amys is and his mercy gretter

Thanne oure wikkid werkis as holy wrtte tellith

misericordia eius super omnia opera Eius

But er his rithffullnesse to reuthe turne sum restitucion behoueth C

his sorwe is satisffacion ffor him þat may not paie

Thre þingis þer beth þat doon a man be strengthe C

Flen his owen hous as holy writt scheweth

þat on is a wikkid wyff þat woll not be schastisid

here ffiere ffleth ffro hir ffor ffere of hir tonge

and if his hous be vnhillid and reyne on his bedde

he seketh all abouȝte till he liggith drie

and whan smoke or smoldere smytte in his sith

It doth him worsse þan his wyff or wete to slepe

For smoke and smolder smyteth in his eyen

Till he be blere-eyed or blynde and hos in þe þrote

Than Cougheth he and cursith þat crist ȝeue him sorow

þat shulde bringe in better wode or blowe it till it brenne

These þre þat I telle of be þus to vndirstond

þe wyff is oure wykked fflesshe þat wolle not be schastisid

For kynde cleueth on him euere to con{s}trarie þe soule

and þough it ffalle it ffynt skyllis þat ffreelte is made

and þat is lyghtliche ffor-ȝeuen and ffor-ȝeten bothe

To man þat mercy asketh and to amende thanketh

The reyne þat reyneth þer we rest shuld

ben sekenesse and sorowes þat we suffren ofte

as poule þe apostle to þe peple tauȝte

virtus in infirmitate perficitur & cetera .

and þouȝ þat men make moche doell in her angre

and impaciente in her penaunce P pure reson knowith

þat þey haue cause to contrarie by kynde of here sekenesse

and lyghtliche oure lord at here lyues ende

hath mercy on swiche men þat so euell may suffre

CBut þe smoke and þe smolder þat smytte in oure eyne

ys coueytise and vnkyndenesse þat quenchiþ godis mercy

For vnkyndenesse is þe contrarie of all-kynnes reson

For þer nys sike ne sory ne non so moche wrecche

That he ne may loue and him like and lene of his herte

good will and good word both wisshen and willen

alle manere men mercy and ffor-ȝeuenesse

and loue hem like him-self and his lyff amende

I may no lenger lette quod he and hard priked

and wente away as þe wynde and þer-with I awakid