a[A]Las þat riche shal reue · and robbe mannes soule

      For þe loue of oure lorde · at hus laste ende

      Thei haue hure hyre by-fore · aren eueremore poure

And shulle nat deye out of dette · to dyne erthey deseruen hit

When here deuer is don · and his daies iourne

Þen may men white what he is worþ · and what he haþ deseruede

And nouht to fonge by-fore · for drede of disalouwynge

So ich say by ȝow riche · hit semeþ nat ȝe shulle

Haue two heuenes · for ȝoure her beynge

Muche myrthe is in may · a-monge wilde bestes

And so fort wil somer lasteþ · heore solace dureþ

And muche myrthe a-monge riche men is · þat han meoble ynow and heele

And beggers a-boute myd-somere · bredlees þei soupe

And ȝut is wynter for hem wors · for whet-shood þei gangen

A-furst and a-fyngred · and foule rebukede

Of þes wordle riche men · þat reuthe hit is to huyre

Now lord send hem somer som tyme · to solace and to ioye

That al here lyf leden · in lowenesse and in pouerte

For alle myghtes þow haue maked · men of grete welþe

And liche witty an wys · and lyue whit-oute neede

Ac for þe beste ich hope · aren somme poure and some riche

Ryght so haue reuthe of ous alle · þat on þe ronde dydest

And amende ous of al thy mercy · and make ous alle meeke

Louh and lele and louynge and of herte poure

And send ous contricion · to clanse whitLX oure soules

And confession to culle · alle kynne synnes

And satisfaccion the whiche fulfulleþ · þe fadres will of heyene

And these been dowel and dobet and dobest of alle

Cordis contricio comeþ of sorwe in herte

And oris confessio þat comeþ of shrufte of mouthe ·

And operis satisfactio þat for synnes payeth

And for alle synnes · soueraynliche quiteþ

Cordis contricio . oris confessio . operis satisfactio .

Thees thre whit-outen doute · tholen alle pouerte

And lereþ lewed and lered · heh and louh to knowe

Ho þat doþ wel oþer bet oþer best a-bouen alle

And holichurche and charite here of a Chartere maden

Bote þes þre þat ich spak of · on domes-day defenden

Elles is in ydel · al oure leuynge here

Oure preyersP and oure penaunce · and pilgrymages to rome

Bote oure spences and spending · sprynge of a trywe welle

Elles is al oure labour lost · lo how men wryten

In fenestres at þe freres · yf fals be þe foundement

For-thi cristene men scholde been in comun riche no couetise to hym-selue

For seuene synnes þat þer been · þat assaillen ous euere

The fende folweth hem alle · and fondeþ hem to helpe

And whitLX richesse to ribaudes · rathest men by-gylen

For þer þat rychesse regneþ · reuerences foleweth

And þat is plesaunt to pruyde · in poure and in riche

The riche yreuerencede · by reyson of isLX richesse

There þe poure is yput · by-hynde and can parauntre more

Of whiȝt and of wysedome · þat feer wey is bettere

Than richesse oþer reaulte · an raþer yhurde in heuene

For þe ryche haþ muche to rekene · and ryȝth softe walkiþ

The heye wey to heuene-warde · he halt hit nat ful euene

There þe poure presseþ by-fore · whitLX a pak at hus rygge

Opera enim illorum sequntur illos .

Batauntlyche as beggers don · and boldeliche he craueþ

For hus pouerte and pacience · perpetuel ioye

Also pruyde in richesse regneþ · raþer þan in pouerte

Oþer in þe maister oþer · in þe man · som mancion he shewith

Ac in pouerte þer pacience is · pruyde hath no myȝghte

Ne non of þe seuene synnes · sitte no man þer longe

Ne haue power in pouerte · yf pacience hit folewe

For þe poure is ay preest · to plese þe riche

And buxume at isLX biddyng · for hus breed and drynke

And buxumnesse and bost · aren euere more at wratthe

And ayther hateþ oþer · and mowen nat dwelle to-gederes

Yf wratthe wraxle whitLX þe poure · he hath þe worsse ende

For yf þei boþe pleyen · þe poure his bote fyble

An{.}d yf he chide oþer chatere · hym chyuyþ þe worsse

For loueliche he lokyþ and louh is hus speche

That mete oþer moneye of straunge men mote begge ·

And yf glotenye greue pouerte · he gadereþ þe lasse

For hus rentes wol nat reche · ryche metes to bigge

Þauh hus glotenye be of good ale · he goþ to a cold beddyng

And hus heued vn-heled · vneisyliche ywrye

Fo when he streyn{minim}eþ hym to strecche · þe straw is hus whitel

So for hus glotonye and grete synne · he haþ a greuous penaunce

That is weylawey whan he awakeþ · and wepeþ for colde

So is he neuere more ful murye · so meschief hym folweþ

Þaugh couetyce wolde whitLX þe poure wraxle · þei mai nat come to-gederis

By þe necke nameliche · her neiþer may henten oþer

For men knoweþ þat couetise · is of ful kene wil

And haþ hondes and armes · of a long lengthe

And pouerte is a pety þyng · apereþ nat to hus nauele

A loueliche laik was hit neuere · by-twyne a long and a short**

Thauh auerice wolde angrye pouerte · he hath bote lytel myȝthe

For pouerte haþ bote pokes · to putten yn hus goodes

Ther auerice haþ almaries · and yre-bounden coofres

And wheþer be betere to breke · lasse boost hit makeþ

To breke a beggers bagge · þan an yre-bounden cofre

Lecherye loueþ none poure · for he hath bote lytel seluer

Ne doþ men dyne dylicatliche · neyþer drynke wyne ofte

A straw for þe stywes · hy stod nat ful longe

And þay hadde non oþer haunt · bote of poure peple

Thaugh slewþe suwe pouerte · and serue nat god to paye

Meschief is ay amene / a mene · and makeþ hym to þenke

That good hus grettest help · and no gome elles

And he is seruaunt al-way he seith · and of hus seite boþe

And wheþer he be oþer be nat · he beriþ þe sygne of pouerte

And in þat secte oure sauyour · sauede al mankynde

For-thi alle poure þat pacient is · of poure ryght may cleyme

Affter here endyng heere · heuene-riche blysse

Muche hardyloker may he aske · þat her may haue hus will

In lounde and in lordshepes · and lykynge of body

And for goodes loue leueþ al · and lyueþ as a beggere

As amayde / a mayde for amannes / a mannes loue · here moder for-sakeþ

Hure fader and hure frendes · and gooþ forth whithLX hure paramour

Muche is suche amayde / a mayde to loue · here moder for-sakeþ

More þan þat maide is · þat is ymaried by brocage

As by asent of sondry bodyes · and seluer to bote

More for couetice of catel · þan kynde loue of þe mariage

So hit farith by ech apersone / a persone · þat possession forsakeþ

And putteþ hym to be pacient · and to pouerte hym weddeþ

Þe wyche is sibbe to cryst self · and semblab{e}le boþe ·

Quath actyf þo al angryliche · and argueynge as hit were

What is pouerte pacient quaþ he · ich praye þat þou telle hit

C 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 .

Ich can nat construen al this · quath actiua uita .

Parfay quath pacience · propreliche to telle

In englisch hit is ful harde · ac somdel ich shal telle þe

Distinctio paupertatis .

Pouerte is þe firste poynte · þat prude most hateþ ·

Thanne is pouerte good · quaþ good s{h}kyleT þauh hit greue alytel / a lytel

Al þat may putten of pruyde · in place þer he regneþ remocio curarum .

For seilde sitt** pouerte · þe sothe to declare

As a Iustice to Iuge men · men enioyneþ þer-to no poure

Ne to be a mayre ouere men · ne Ministre vnder kynges

Seilde is þe poure put · to punysshe eny peuple

Ergo pouerte and poure men · parfournen þe comaundement

Nolite iudicare quemquam . possessio sine calumpnia .

Seilde is þe poure ryght riche · bote of hus ryght heritage

He wynneþ nat whitLX whyghtesLX false · ne whitLX vnselide mesures

Ne borweþ of is neyghebore · bote þat he may wel paye

And lyghly men leneþ to fewe men · and men hym poure

The feorthe is a fortune · þat florisshiþ þe soule

WhitLX sobrete whithLX alle synnes · and al-so ȝut more

Hit defendit þe flessh · fro folyes ful menye

And a collateral confort · crystes owene sonde donum dei .

Ȝut hit is moder of myrth · and of mannes helthe

And Frende in alle fondyngesP · and of foule vueles leche sanitatis manT .

The syxte hit is a paþ of pees · ȝe þorw þe pas of haultone

Pouerte myghte passe · whith-outeLX peril of robbynge

For þer as pouerte passeþ · pees folweþ commenliche

And euere þe lasse þat eny lyf ledeþ · the lyghter hus herte is þere

As he þat wot neuere whitLX wham · in myghtes to mete

Seneca . pauper est absque soli{ci?}tudine semita .T

The seueþe hit is aweelle of wysedome · and fewe wordes sheweþ

For lordes aloweþ hym lytel · oþer leyth ere to hus reisone

He tempreþ hus tonge to treuthe-ward · þat no tresour coueyteþ

The eyhteþe hit is a leel labour · and loþ to take more

Than he may sothliche deserue · in somer oþer in wynter

And þauh he chaffare he chargeþ no los · mowe he charite wynne

Negocium sine dampno .

Þe nyethe hit is swete to soules · no suger swettere

For pacience is hus paneter · and payn to pouerte fyndeth

And sobrete ȝeuex heere swete drynke · and solaceþ heere in alle angres

Thus leryde me a lerede man · for oure lordes loue seint austyn .

That pure pouerte and pacience · was a louh lyuynge in erthe

A blessid lyf whit-outeLX busynesse · bote oneliche for þe soule

Absque solicitudine felicitas .

Now god þat al þynge gyueþ · graunte hus saule reste

That wrot þis to wis{.}se men · what pouerte was to mene

Thenne hadde actyf a lodere · þat heyhte liberum arbitrium .

That knew conscience ful wel · and clergie boþe

He þat haþ lounde and lordshep quaþ he · at the laste ende

Shal be pourest of power · at hus partyng** hennes

Thenne ich wondrede what he was · thees liberum arbitrium .

And prayede pacience · þat ich a-pose hym moste

And suffrede me and seide · a-say hus oþer name

Leue liberum arbitrium quaþ ich · of what londe ar ȝe

Ȝif þow be cristes creature · for cristes loue tel me

Ich am cristes creature quaþ he · and cristine in menye place

And in cristes court yknowe · and of hus kynne apartye / a partye

Is noþer peter þe porter · ne paul whitLX his fauchon

That wolde defende me heuene dore · dynge ich neuere so late

At mydnyȝth at mydday · my uoise is so yknowe

Þat eche creature þat loueþ criste · wolcomeþ me faire

Wher-of serue ȝe ich seide · syre liberum arbitrium .

Of som tyme to fyghte quaþ he · falsnesse to destruye

And som tyme to suffre · boþe sorwe and teene

Layke oþer leue · at my lykynge chese

To do wel oþer wik{suspension}ee · awil / a wil wit areyson / a reyson

And may nat be whit-oute abody / a body · to bere me wher hym lykeþ

Thenne is þat body bettere þan þow quaþ ich · nay quaþ he no betere

Bote as a wode were a-fure · þenne worchen boþe

And ayþer is oþeres heete · and also of o wil

And so is man þat haþ hus mynde · myd liberum arbitrium .

And þe wyle ich quyke · þe cours cald am ich anima .

And wenne ich wilne oþer wolde animus ich hyhte

And for þat ich can and knowe · cald ich am mannys þouht

And whan ich make mone to god memoria ich hatte

And wen ich deme domes · and do as treuthe techeþ

Thenne is racio my ryhte name · reson in englissh

And wenne ich fele þat folke telleþ · my furste name is sensus .

And þat is witte and wisedome · the welle of alle craftes

And when ichP chalange oþer nat chalange · chepe oþer refuse

Þanne am ich consciencia cald · godes clerk and hus notarie

And when ich wol do oþer nat** do · goode dedes oþer ille

Then am ich liberum arbitrium as lettrede men tellen

And when ich loue leelly · oure lord and alle oþere

Then is leel loue my name · in latyn þat is amor .

And when ich flee fro þe body · and feye leue þe caroygne

Then am ich a spirit specheles and spiritus þenne ich hote

Austyn and ysidorus ayther of hem bothe

Nempnede me þis to name · þow now myght cheese

How þow coueitest to calle me · now knowest þow alle myne names

Anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur dum uiuificat corpus anima est . dum uult animus est . dum recolit memoria est . dum iudicat racio est . dum sentit sensus est . dum amat amor est . dum declinat á malo ad bonum . liberum arbitrium est . dum negat uel consentit consciencia est . dum spirat spiritus est .

Ȝe ben as a bihsshep quaþ ich · al bordynge þat tyme

For bihsshopes blessed · thei bereþ meny names

Presul and pontifex and metropolitanus .

And oþer names an hepe episcopus and pastor .

That is soth he seide · now ich seo þy wil

How þow woldest know and conne · þe cause of alle here names

And of myne yf þow myghtest · me þynkeþ by þy speche

Ȝe syre ich seyde by so · þat no man were a-greuede

Alle þe science vnder sonne · and alle sotile craftes

Ich wolde ich knewe and couthe · kyndeliche in myn herte

Thanne ert þow inparfyȝt quaþ he · and on of prydes knyghtes

For suche a louste and lykynge lucifer feel fro heuene

Ponam pedem meum in aquilone & ero similis altissimo .

Hit were a-geyn kynde quaþ he · and alle kynne reisoune

That eny creature sholde conne al excepte cryst one

Aȝene alle suche salamon spekeþ · and dispiseþ here wittes

And seith sicut qui comedit multum mel . & non ei bonum est .

Sic qui scrutator est magestat opprimatur a gloria .

To englissh men this is to mete · þat mowen speke and huyre

The man þat muche hony eet · is mawe hit engleymeþ

The whyttiour that eny whight is · bote yf he worche þer-after

The biterour he shal a-bygge · bote yf he wol worche

Beatus seith seynt bernard . qui scripturas legit .

Et uerba uertit in opera emforth is power

Couetise to conne · and to knowe science

Pute oute of paradys adam and eue .

Sciencie appetitus hominem immortalitatis gloriam spoliauit .

And ryght so as hony is · vuel to defie

Ryght so sothly sciences · swelleþ in a mannes saule

And doþ hym to be deynous · and deme þat beth nat lerede

Non plus sapere seide þe wyse

Quam oportet sapere lest synne of pruyde wexe

Freres fele sithes to þe folke · þat þei prechin

Meuen motifs meny tymes · Insolibles and fallaces

That boþe lered and lewed · of here by-lyue douten

To teche þe ten commaundemens · where tensithe / ten sithe bettere

And hou þe folk folyliche · here fif wittes myspenden

As wel freres as oþer folk · folliliche spenden

In housyng** and in helyynge · in hih cleregie shewynge

More for pomp and prude · as þe peuple wot wel

That ich lye nat loo · for lordes þei plesyn

And reuerenceþ þe riche · þe rather for here seluer

Aȝens þe counsail of cryst · as holy cleregye whittnesseþ

Ne sitis acceptores personarum .

Loo what holy wryt wyttnesseþ · of wikked techeres

As holynesse and honestete · out of holy churche

Spryngeþ and spredeþ · and enspireþ þe peuple

Þorgh parfit preest-hood · and prelates of holichurche

Ryght so out of holychurche · al vuel spredeþ

Theer inparfit preest-hod is · prechours and techours

And seo hit by ensample · of trees in somer-tyme

Theer somme bowes bereþ leues · and somme bereþ none

The bowes þat bereþ nat · and beeþ nat grene leuede

Theer is a myschif in þe more · of suche manere stockes

Ryght so persones and preestes · and prechers of holy churche

Ys þe rote of ryghit feithe · to reuwele þe peuple

Ac þer þe rote is roten · reson wot þe sothe

Shal neuere floure ne frut wexe · ne fair leef be grene

For wolde þe letteride leue · the lecherie of cloþinge

And be courteis and kynde · of holychurche goodes

Parte whitheLX poure · and ȝoure pruyde leue

And þerto trywe of ȝoure tonge · and of ȝoure tail also

And haten harlotrie · to vnderfonge þe tyþes

Of vserers and of hores · and al vuel wynnynges

Loth were lewede men · bote þey ȝoure lore folweden

And a-menden hem of here mysdedes · more for ȝoure ensamples

Þan for to preche and preuen hit nat ypocrisie hit semeþ

Ypocrisie is abraunche of pruyde · and most among clerkes

And ylikned in latyn · to alothliche / a lothliche dounghep

That were by-snywe al whitLX snowe · and snakes whit-ynneLX

Ryȝt so meny preestes · prechours and prelates

Þat beþ enblaunched with bele paroles and whithLX bele cloþes

And as lambes þei loken · and lyuen as wolues

Iohannes crisostomus karpeþ þus of clerkus

Sicut de templo omne bonum progreditur . sic de templo omne malum procedit .

Alas lewede men muche leese {......}ȝe þat fynden

Vnkynde creatures to beo · kepers of ȝoure soules

Ac þyng þat wikkedliche is wonne · and whitLX false sleithes

Wolde neuere þat oþer-wise god bote wicked men hit hadde

As imparfit preestes · and prechers after seluer

Secutours and sodenes · somners and here lemmannes

And þat with gyle was gete · vngraciousliche be dispendid

Curatours of holychurche · and clerkus þat ben auerous

Lightliche þat þei leue · loseles hit deuoren

Leyueþ hit wel lordes boþe lered and lewede

Þat þus goþ here godes · atte laste ende

And lyuen a-ȝens holy lore and þe loue of charite

Charite quaþ ich þo · þat is a þing** for-sothe

That maistres comenden muche · wher may hit be founde

Ich aueLX lyuede in londen · meny longe ȝeres

And founde ich neuere in faith · as freres hit precheþ

Charite þat chargeþ nat · ne chit þauh men greue hym

As paul in a pistele · of hym bereþ wittnesse

Non inflatur . non est ambiciosa non querit que sua sunt .

Ich knowe neuere by cryst · clek / cle[r]k noþer lewede

That he ne askede after hus · and oþer wyle coueytede

Thyng þat needede hym nat and nyme hit yf he myghte

And fynde hym bote figuratifliche · a ferly me þynkeþ

Hic in enigmate . tunc facie ad faciem .

And so ich trowe trewely · by that men tellen of charite

Charite is a childish thing** · as holichurche wittnesseþ

Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli . et cetera .

As proud of a peny · as of apounde / a pounde of golde

And also glad of a goune · of a grey russett

As of a cote of cammoka · oþer of clene scarlett**

He is glad whitLX alle glade · as gurles þat lauhen alle

And sory wen he seeþ men sory · as þow seest children

Lauhen þer men lauhen an loure þer men loureþ

A{n}nd when a man swereþ for-soþ · for-soþ he hit troweþ

He weneþ þat no whiȝtLX · wolde lyghe and swere

Ne þat eny gome wolde · gylen oþer ne greue ·

For drede of god þat is so good · and þus ous techeþ

Quodcumque uultis ut uobis faciant homines · facite eis .

He hath no lykynge to lauhe · ne lyhe men to scorne

Alle siknesses and sorwes · for solas he hit takeþ

And alle manere meschifs · as minstracie of heuene

Of deþ ne of derþe · drad was he neuere

Ne mysliked þauh he loore · oþer leuede to þat ilke

Þat neuere payed peny aȝe · in place þere he borwede

Who fyndeþ hym is fode quaþ ich · oþer what frendes hath he

Rentes oþer richesses · to releue hym at hus neode

Of rentes ne of richesses quaþ he · reccheþ he neuere

A frende he haþ þat fyndeþ hyme · þat failede hym neuere

On aperis tu manum · alle þynge hym fyndeþ

Fiat uoluntas tua     festeþ hym eche day

And also he can clergie credo in deum patrem .

And portreieþ þe pater noster and peynteþ hit whitLX auees

And oþer-while hus wone is · to wende in pilgrymages

Ther poure men and prysouns beþ · and payeþ for here lyflode

Clotheþ hem and comforteþ hem · and of crist precheþ hem

What sorwes he suffrede · in ensample of ous alle

That pouerte and pacience · parfitliche ytake

Ys muche merit to þat man · þat wel may suffren

Whan he haþ thus visetid fetered folke · and oþer folke poure

Thenne he ȝerneþ in-to þouht · and ȝepliche he secheþ

Pruyde whitLX alle þ / þ[e] portinaunce · and packeþ hem to-gederes

And laueþ hem in þe lauandrie laborauiT in gemitu meo .

And boukeþ hem at hus brest · and beeteþ hit ofte

And whitLX wharme water of hus eyen · wokeþ hit he white

Lauabis me et super niuem dealbabor .

Þanne syngeþ he wanne he so doþ · and som tyme wepynge

Cor contritum & humiliatum . deus non despicies .

Were ich whithLX hym by crist quaþ ich · ich wolde neuere fro hym

Þauh ich my by-lyue sholde begge · a-boute at menne hacches

Wher clerkus knowe hym nat quaþ ich · þat kepen holychurche

Peers the plouman quaþ he · most parfitliche hym knoweþ

Et uidit deus cogitationes eorum .

By cloþynge ne by karpinge · knowe shalt thou hym neuere

Ac þorw werkes þou myght wite · wher forþ he walkeþ operibus credite 

He is þe muriest of mouthe · at metes þer he sitteþ

And compenable in companye · as crist hym-self techeþ

Nolite tristes fieri sicut ypocrite

Ich haue seyen hym my-self · som tyme in russett

Both in greye and in gr{.}eys · and in gylt harneys

And al-so gladliche he gyueþ · to gomes þat hit needeþ

Eadmund and edward    ayþer where seyntes

And chief charite whithLX hem · and chast al here lyue

Ich haue seyen charite al-so · syngen and rede

Ryden and rennen · in raggede cloþes

Ac biddyng as a beggere · by-heold ich hym neuere

Ac in riche robes · raþest he walketh

Y-called and ycrymyled · and huc / hu[s] croune shaue

And in freres frocke · he was yfounde ones

Ac it is feer and fele ȝeres · in fraunceys tyme

In that secte sitthe · to selde he haþ be founde

Richemen / Riche men he comendeþ · and of here robes takeþ

Of þo þat leelliche lyuen · and louen and by-leyuen

Beatus est diues sine macula .

In kynges court he comeþ · hyfLX hus counsail be trewe

Ac yf couetise be of hus counsail he wol nat come þer-ynne

Among þe comunes in court · he comeþ bote seilde

For brawelynge and bacbytynge · and beryng of false whittnesse

In constorie by-fore þe comissarie · he comeþ nat ful ofte

For here lawe is ouere-longe · bote yf þei lacche seluer

WhitLX bihsshopes he wolde beo · for beggers sake

Ac auerice oþer-whiles · halt hym whith-outeLX þe gate

Kynges and Cardineles · knowen hym som tyme

Ac þorw couetise and hus consail · congeied is he ofte

And ho-so coueyteþ to know hym · suche kynde hym folweþ

As ich tolde þe whithLX tonge · a litel tyme passed

For noþer he beggeþ ne biddeþ · ne borweþ to ȝelde

He halt hit anycete / a nycete · and a foul shame

To beggen oþer to borwe · bote of god one panem nostrum cotidianum .