[I]ch am spes quaþ he · and spirr after a knyght

     þat tooke me amaundement / a maundement · vp-on þe mounte of synay .

     To ruele alle reames þerwith in right and reison

Loo here þe lettere quaþ he in latyn and in ebrew .

That ich seye is soþe seoho so / seo hoso lykeþ

Ys hit a selede ich seide · may men seo þe letteres

Nay he seyde ich seke hym þat haþ þe seel to kepe

The wiche is criste and cristendome · and a croys þer-on to honge

Were hit þer-with a seeled ich wote wel þe soþe

That lucifers lordshup ligge sholde ful lowe

Leet se thi letteres quaþ ich we myghte þe lawe knowe

He plyghte forþ a patente · a pece of an harde roche

Wher-on was write to wordes · in þis wise glosede dilige deum & proximum .

This was þe tyxt triweliche ich toke ful good gome

The glose gloryousliche was wryte · wyth a gylt penne

In his duobus mandatis pendit tota lex .

Ys her al al þy lordes lettere quaþ ich · ȝe leyf he me sayde

And ho-so worcheþ after þis write ich wol vnder-take

Shal neuere deouel hym dere ne deþ in soule greue

For þauh ich seye hit my-self ich haue sauede with þis charme

Of men and of wymmen · meny score þousend

He seiþ soþ seide faith ich haue founde hit trewe

Loo her in my lappe quaþ faith þat leyuede vp-on þe lettere

Boþe Iosue and Iudith · and Iudas makabeus

And sixe þousand mo quaþ faith ich can nat telle here names

Ȝoure wordes aren wonderful quaþ ich · wher eny of ȝow be trywe

And al leel to be-leyuen on for body oþer for soule ·

Abraam seith þat he seih · holiche þe trinite

Þre persones parcel-mele departable from oþer

And alle þre bote o god · thus abraam bereþ whittnesse

And ysauede þat by-leyueþ so · and sory for here synnes

He can no certayn summe telle · and somme aren in hus lappe

What neodeþ þanne · a newe lawe to brynge

Sutthe þe furste suffisede · so by-leyue and be ysauede

And now comeþ her thes spes and haþ aspied þe lawe

Þat of þe trinite ne telleþ · ne takeþ mo persones

To god-hede bote o god · and o god almyghty

The wiche alle men aren holde · ouere alle þyng to honoure

And sitthe to loue and to lene for þat lordes sake

Alle manere of men · as meche as ousself

And for to louye and to leyue · ino / in o lorde almyghty

Hit is lyght for lewede and fore lered boþe

Ac for to be-leyue in o lorde þat lyueþ in þre persones

And lereþ þat we louye sholde · as wel lyeres as leele

Go þy gat quaþ ich þo spes so me god helpe

Tho þat leorneþ thi lawe · wolle litel wile hit vsen

And as we wente in the way · thus wondrynge in þis matere

Then seih we a samaritan cam syttynge on a mule

Rydynge ful raply þe righte way þat we wente

Comynge fram a contreie · þat men callide Ierico .

To Iusten in ierusalem he Iacede awey ful faste

Boþe abraam and spes adde he metten to-gederes

In a wilde wildernesse · wher theoues hadden bounde

Aman / A man as me tho thouhte · to muce / muche care þei brouhte

For he ne myghte steppe ne stande ne stere fot ne hondes

Ne helpe hym-selue sothliche · for semiuiuus he semede

And naked as a neelde · and non help aboute hym

Faith on hym hadde furst a sight ac he fleih a-syde

And wolde nat neyhle hym · by nyne londes lengthe

Hope cam hippyng after þat hadde so y-bosted

Hou he with moyses maundement hade meny men holpen

And wanne he hadde siht of þis sike · a-syde he gan drawe

And dredfulliche with-drow hym · an dorste go no nerre

Ac as sone so þe samaritan hadde sighte of þat syke ·

He alighte a-non of lyarde · and ladde hym in hus hondes

And to þis weye he wente · hus wondes to by-holde

He parceyuede by hus p{.}ous he was in peril to deþe

And bote he hadde recouer þe raþer þat rise sholde he neuere

He vnbokelede hus boteles and boþe he a-tamede

With wyn and with oile · hus wondes he gan lithe

Enbaumede hym and bond hus heuede · and on bayarde hym sette

And ladde hym forth to lauacrum . lex dei a graunge

Is sixe myle oþer seuene · by-syde þe newe markett

And lefte hym þere alechinge to lyuen hif he myghte

And took two pans to þe hosteler · to take kepe to hym

And þat goþ more for hus medicine ich make þe good aȝenwarde

For may nat lette quaþ þe lede · and lyarde he bystrydeþ

And rapede hym to ride · þe righte wey to ierusalem

Bothe faith and hus felawe spes folweden faste after

Ac ich suwede þe samaritan and seide hou þei boþe

Weren a-fered and flowen · fro þe man y-wondede

Haue hem excused quaþ þe samaritan here help wolde nat vaille

Ne medecine vnder molde · þe man to hele brynge

Noþer faith ne fyn hope · so festered aren hus wondes

With-oute þe blod of þat barn he beoþ nouht ysauede

The wiche barn mot neodes be bore of a mayde

And with þe blod of þat barn · embaumede and baptizede

And þauh he steppe and stande right strong worth he neuere

Til he haue heten al þat barn · and hus blod dronken

And ȝut be plastrede with pacience when fondynges hym prykieþ

For wente neuere man þis way þat he ne was here riflede

Saue my-selue sothliche and suche as ich louede

And ȝut to be-leyue leelly vp-on þat litel baby

Þat is likame lechen atte laste ous alle

A syre ich seide shul nat weye by-leyue

As faith and hus felawe spes enformede me boþe

In þre prosones / p[er]sones a parcelesLX · departable fram oþer

And alle þre bote o god þus abraham me tauhte

And hope afterwarde · of god more me tolde

And lerede me for hus loue to louye al man-kynde

And hym abouen alle and hem as my-selue

Noþer lacky ne alose ne leyue þat þer were

Eny wyckeder in þis wordle þan y were my-self

And most imparfit of alle persones · and pacientliche suffre

Alle manere of men and þauh ich myghte me venge

Ich sholde tholie and þonken hem þat me vuel wolde

He seide soth quaþ þe samaritan and so ich rede þe also

And as abraam þe olde · of o god þe tauhgte

Loke þow louye and by-leyue · al þy lyf-tyme

And if kynde witt carpe her aȝen · and oþer kynne þouhtes

Oþer heretikes with argumens · þyn hond þou hem shewe

For god þat al by-gan · in gynnynge of þe worlde

Ferde furst as a fust · and ȝut is as ich leyue mundum pugillo continens .

As with a fust with o fynger · yfolde to-gederes

Til hym liked and luste · to vnlose þe fynger

And profrede hit forth as with þe paume · to what place hit sholde

The paume is þe piþ of þe honde · and profreþ forþ þe fyngres

To mynestre and to make · þat myght of hond knoweþ

And by-tockneþ trewely · telle ho-so likeþ

The holy gost of heuene · he is as þe paume

The fyngres þat freo beo · to felden and to clycchen

By-tokneþ sotthliche þe sone · þat sent was tyl erthe

Touchede and tastede · at techynge of þe paume

Seynte marie a mayde · and mankynde lauhte natus ex maria virgine .

The fader is þenne as þe fust · with fynger and with paume

To huden and to holde · as holy wriȝth telleþ · omnia traham ad me ipsum .

Al þat þe fynger gropeþ · graythly he grypeþ

Bote yf þat þat he gropeþ · greue þe paume

Thus are thei alle bote on · as hit an hande were

A fust with a fynger · and afoll / a foll paume

And as þe fust is ful hand · yfoolde to-gederes

So is þe fader a ful god · þe furste of hem alle

And as my fust is furst · er ich my fyngers shewe

So is he fader an former · þe furste of alle þynges tu fabricator omnium .

And alle þe myghte with hym is · was and worth euere

Þe fyngres is ful hand for failled thei here {...}þombe

Portrey ne peynte partfitliche / parfitliche ich leyue

Sholde no wryȝth worche · were he aweye

Ryȝght so faillede þe sone · þe syre be ne myghte

Ne holde ne helpe · ne hente þat he louede dextre dei tu digitus .

The paume is pureliche þe honde · and haþ power by hym-self

Oþer-wise þan þe wryt{n(?)}hen fust oþer werkmanshup of fyngres

For þe paume haþ power to putten out þe Ioyntes

And to vnfolde þe fust for hym hit bylongeþ

And receyuen þat þe fyngres rechen · and refuse yf hym likeþ

Al þat þe fyngres and þe fust · felen and touchen

Beo he greuened with here gripe · þe holy gost let falle

Thus is þe holigost god noþer grettoure neC lasse

Thenne is þe sire oþer þe sone · and of þe same myghte

And all þre nys bote o good · as my hand and my fyngres

Vnfolde oþer yfolde · a fust wyse oþer elles

Al is hit bote on hand · hou-so yturne hit

Ac ho-so is hurt in þe hand · euene in þe myddes

He may receyue ryght nouht reson hit sheweþ

For þe fyngeres þat folde sholden · and þe fust make

For peyne of þe paume power hym failleþ

To clucche oþer to clawe · to cluppe oþer to holde

Were þe myddel of myn hand · with-oute mal · ese / malese

In menye kynne manere ich myghte my-self helpe

Boþe meue and amende þauh alle my fyngres oken

By this simile he seide ·ich seo an euidence

That ho-so synegeþ in þe seynt espirit asoillede worth he neuere

Noþer her ne elles wer as ich herde telle qui peccat in spiritum sanctum . & cetera .

He prikeþ god as in þe paume · þat peccat in spiritum sanctum .

For þe fader is as þe fust · þe sone is as þe fyngres

The holy gost of heuene he is as þe paume

So ho-so synegeþ aȝens þe seynte espirit hit semeþ þat he greueþ

God þer he gripeth · and wolde hus grace queynche

For to a torche oþer to a taper · the trinite is likenede

As wexe and a weke · and warme fur to-gederes

And flaumed fuyr forth of hem boþe

And as wex and weke were twynede to-gederes

Fostren forþ a flaume · and a fayr lye

That serueþ þes swynkeres · to seo by anyghtes

So doþ þe syre and þe sone · and seynt espirit to-gederes

Fostren forth a-mong* folke · fyn loue and by-leyue

Þat alle kynne crystene clanseþ of synne

And as þou suxt some tyme · sodenliche of a torche

Þe blase beo blowen out · ȝut brenneþ þe weke

With-outen lye and lyght · lyght fuyr in þe macche

So is þe holy gost god · and grace with -oute mercy

To alle vnkynde creatures · þat coueyten to distruye

Leel lycame and lif · þat oure lorde shupte

And as glowynge gledes · gladeþ nat þes workemen

Þat worchen and waken · in wynteres nyghtes

As doþ a kyx oþer a candele þat cauht haþ fuyr and blaseþ

No more doþ þe syre ne þe sone ne seynte espirit to-gederes

Graunten eny grace · ne for-gyuenesse of synnes

Til þe holy gost by-gynne · to glowen and blase

So þat þe holy gost gloweþ bote as aglede / a glede

Til þat loue and by-leyue · leelliche to hym blowe

Thenne flammeþ he as fuyr · on fader and on filius

And melteþ myghte in-to mercy as wey may seo awynter / a wynter

Isykles in euesynges thorgh hete of þe sonne

Melteþ in amynt while / a myntwhile · to myst and to water

So grace of þe holy · gost · melteþ al to mercy

The grete myghte of þe trinite to mercyable and to none oþere

And as wex wiþ-oute more · vpon awarm / a warm glede

Wol brennen and blasen beo thei to-gyderes

And solasen hem þat mowe nat seon syttyng* in deorknesse

So wol þe fader for-ȝyuen folke · of mylde hertes

That rufulliche repenten · and restitucion maken

In as muche as þei mowen · amenden and payen

And yf hit sufficith nat for a-sethLX þat in suche wile deyn

And þe wicke and þe warme fuyr wol make a fayr flamme

For to murthen men with þat in meerk sytten

So wol crist of hus curtesye and men crye hym mercy

Boþe for-ȝeuen and for-ȝuten and ȝut bydde for ous

To þe fader of heuene · for-ȝyuenesse to haue

Ac hewe fuyr of a flynt · four hundred wynter

Bote þou haue tache to take hit with · tunder and broches

Al þy labour is lost · and al þy longe trauayl

For may no fuyr no flamme make · faille hit hus kynde

So is þe holigost god · and grace with-oute mercy

To alle vnkynde creatures · as crist hym-self wittnesse

Amen dico uobis nescio uos .

Beo vnkynde to þyn emcrystene and al þat þow canst bidde

Dele and do penaunce · day and nyght euere

And p{u}orchace al þe pardoun of paumpelon and or rome

And Indulgences ynowe and be ingrat to þy kynde

The holygost huyreþ nat · ne helpeþ þe be thow certayn

For vnkyndenesse queyncheþ hym · þat he nat shyne

Ne brenne ne blase cleer for blowynge of vnkyndenesse

Seynt paul þe apostel proueþ wer ich lye . Si linguis hominum loquar & cetera .

For-þi beoþ war ȝe wyse men þat with þe wordle deleþ

That ryche beon and reson knowen reueleþ wel ȝoure soule

Beoþ nat vnkynde ich consaile ȝou to ȝoure emcristene

For menye of ryke men by my saule ich lye nat

Ȝe brenneþ ac ȝe blaseþ nat and þat is a blynde bekne

Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit in regnum celorum .

Mynne ȝe nat riche men · to wich a meschaunce

Þat diues deyed and dampned · for hus vnkyndenesse

Of hus mete and of hus moneye to men þat hit neodede

Ȝut wan he hit nat with wrang ne with queynte sleythes

Bote ryȝthfulliche as men þat · al hus richesse cam hym ·

And on hym-self seith þe book · soutelede hou he myghte ·

Most lordliche lyuen and leet hus lycame werie

Cloþes of most cost · as clerkes bereth wittnesse

Epulabatur splendide & induebatur bisso & purpura .

And for he was a nigard · to þe neodful poure

For godes treitour he his tolde for al hus trewe catel ·

And dampned is and dwelleþ · with þe deuel in helle

Sitthþe he with-oute whiles wan · and wel myghte a-temye

Lordliche for to lyuen and likyngliche be cloþede

And is in helle for al þat howe wole riche nouthe

Excuse hem þat beþ vnkynde · and ȝut here catel wonne

With wiles and with luther wittes · and ȝut wollen nat atemye

To gon semliche ne sitte sitth holy writ techeþ

That þat wikkedliche is wonne · to wasten hit and to make frendes

Facite uobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis .

Eche ariche / a riche man ich rede reward her-of take

And ȝeueþ ȝoure goud to þat god · þat grace of ariseþ

For ȝe þat ben vnhende to hyse · hope ȝe none oþer

Bote to dwelle þer diues is dayes with-outen ende

Thus is vnkyndenesse · and a-queyncheþ as hit were

The grace of þe holygost · godes owene kynde

For þat þat kynde doþ · vnkynde for-doth

Acorsede þeoues vnkende cristene men · for couetise and enuye

Sleehþ a man for hus noebles · with mouth oþer with handes

For þat þe holygost haþ to kepe and suche harlotes destruyen

The wiche is lif and loue · the lye of mannes body

For euery maner good man · may be lycknede to a torche

Oþer elles to a taper · to reuerence with þe trinite .

And ho-so morþrerþ / morþer[e]þ a goud man · me þynkeþ in myn Inwitt

He for-doþ þe light þat oure lorde · lokeþ to haue worsshep of

And ȝut in mo maneres · men offendeþ þe holygost

Ac þis is þe worste wise þat eny whight myghte

Synegen a-ȝens þe seynt espirit assenten to destru{e}ye

For couetise of eny kynne · þyng þat cryst dere boughte

How myghte he aske mercy · oþer eny mercy hym defende

That wikkidliche and wilfulliche · wolde mercy anyente

Innocence is next god · and nyght and day hit cryeþ

Veniaunce veniaunce · for-ȝeue be hit neuere

Þat shende ous and shadde oure blod · for-shupte ous as hit semede

Vindica sanguinem iustorum .

Thus veniaunce veniaunce verray charite askeþ

And sitthen þat charite þat holychurche is chargeþ this so sore

Leyue ich neuere þat oure lorde · atte laste ende

Wol louye þat lyf þat loue and leel charite destruyen ·

Ich pose ich hadde syneged so quaþ ich · and sholde nouthe deye

And now am ich sory þat ich so dude · þe seynt espirit to agulte

Confesse me and crye hus grace · god þat al made

And myldeliche hus mercy aske myghte ich nat be saued

Ȝus seide þe samaritan so þou myghtest repente

ThaLX ryght-wisnesse þorgh repentaunce tow reuthe myghte turne

Ac hit is bote seilde seyn ther southnesse bereþ wittnesse

Eny creature be coupable · by-for a kynges Iustice

Beo yraun{c}sende for repentaunce · þer al reson hym dampneþ

Ther þat partye porsueþ þe apeel his so huge

May no kynge mercy graunte til boþe men a-corden

Þat ayþer partye haue a quyte as holy writt wittnesse

Numquam dimittitur peccatum . & . cetera .

Thus hit fareþ by suche folke þat folwen here owene wil

Þat vuel l{y}uen and leten nat til hem for-sake synne

Drede of desperacion þenne dryueþ a-wey grace

Þat mercy in here mynde may nat þenne falle

For good hope þat hem helpe sholde to wham hope turneþ

And nat of þe vnpower of god · þat he nys ful of myghte

To amenden al þat amys is · and hus mercy grettour

Than alle oure wikkede werkus · as holy writ telleþ

Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius .

Ac er hus rightwisnesse to reuthe turne · restitucion hit makeþ

As sorwe of herte is satisfaction · for suche as may nat paye

Ac þre þynges þer beoþ þat doþ aman / a man to sterte

Out of isLX owene houe / house · as holy writ sheweþ

That on is a wikkede wif · þat wol nat be chastede

Hure fere fleeth fro huere · for fere of huere tounge

And yf hus hous be vnhelede · and ryne in hus bedde

He sekeþ and sekeþ · er he slepe drye

Ac when smoke and smorþre · smyt in hus eyen

Hit doþ hym wors þan hus wif · oþer whete to slepe

For þorw smoke and smorþ{.}re · smerteþ hus syghte

Til he be blereyde oþer blynde · and þe borre in hus þrote

Koweþ and corseþ þat crist ȝyue hym sorwe

Þat sholde bryngge yn bettere wode · oþer blowe til hit brente

These þre þat ich telle of thus beoþ to vnderstounde

The wif is oure wikkede fleshe · wol nat be chastede

For kynde clyueþ on hym euere · to contrarie þe soule

And þauh he falle he fynt skyles þat frelete hit made

And þat is lightliche for-ȝyue and for-ȝute boþe

To man þat mercy askeþ and amende þenkeþ

Ac þe reyn þat ryneþ þer we reste sholde ·

Beoþ syknesses and oþer sorwes þat we suffren ouht

As seynt paul þe apostel · in hus pistles techeþ

Nam uirtus in infirmitate perficitur

And þauh men maken muche deol in here angre

And beo inpacient in here penaunces pure reson knoweþ

That þei han cause to contrarien by kynde of here syknesse

And lightliche oure lorde at here lyues ende

Haþ mercy of suche men · þat vuel may suffrye

Ac þe smooke and þe smorþre · þat smyȝt in oure eyen

Þat is couetise and vnkyndenesse · wich quencheþ godes mercy

For vnkyndnesse is contrarie · of alle kynne reson

For þer ne is syk ne sory ne non so muche wrecche

Þat he ne may louye and hym lyke · and leue of hus herte

Goude wil goud worde boþe whusshen and wylnen

Alle manere of men · mercy and for-ȝeuenesse

And louye hem yliche hym-sylf · þat hus lyf amende

Ich may ne lenger lette quaþ he · and lyarde he prykede

And wente away as þe wynde · and þerwith ich awakede