[T]t   hus ich awakede and wrot what ich hadde dremed

   And dyhte me derly · and dude me to churche

   To huyre holliche þe masse and be housled after

In myddes of þe masse þo · men ȝeden to offrynge

Ich feel eft-sones aslepe · and sodeynliche me mette

That peers the plouhman was peynted al blody

And cam yn with acroys / a croys · by-fore þe comune peuple

And right like in alle lymes · to oure lord ihesu .

And þenne calde ich conscience to kenne me þe soþe

Is this ihesus þe Iouster quaþ ich · þat Iuwes duden to deþe

Oþer is hit peers plouhman ho peynted hym so rede

Quaþ conscience and kneolede þo this aren cristes armes

Hus colours and hus cote armure · and he þat comeþ so blody

Hit is crist with isLX crois · conquerour of crystine

Whi calle ȝe hym crist siþthen þat Iuwes cald hym · ihesus

Patriarkes and prophetes propheciede by-fore

Þat alle kynne creatures sholden kneolen and bowen

Anon as men nempned · þe name of god ihesu .

Ergo is no name · to þe name of ihesu .

And non so neodful to nempne by nyghte ne by daye

For alle deorke deoueles · dreden hit to huyre

And synful ben solacede · and saued by þat name

And ȝe callen hym crist for what cause telleþ me

Is crist more of myght · and more worþiere name

Than ihesu oþer iesus þat al oure ioy come of

Thow knowest wel quaþ conscience and þow conne reson

Þat knyght kyng conqurour may be o persone

To beo cald aknyght / a knyght as / [i]s fair · for men shal to hym kneole

To be cald a kyng* · is fairour for he may knyghtes make

And to be cald conquerour that comeþ of special grace

Of hardynesse of heorte and of hendenesse

To make lordes of laddes · of londe þat he wynneþ

And fre men foule þralles · þat folwen nat hus lawes

The Iuwes þat weren gentel men ihesu þei dispiseden

Boþe hus lore and hus lawe · now aren þei lowe cheorles

As wide as þe worlde is wonyeþ þer none

Bote vnder tribut and taillage as tikes and cheorles

And þo þat by-comen cristene · by counsail of þe baptist .

Aren frankelayns and freo þorgh fullyng* þat thei toke

And gentel men with ihesu for ihesus was yfulled

And vp-on caluarie with croys coronede kyng of Iuwes

Hit by-comeþ for a kyng to kepen and defende

And conquerour of hus conqueste hus laies and hus large

So dude ihesus þe Iuwes · he Iustefiede and tauhte hem

The lawe of þe lykyng lyf þat laste shal euere

And fendede hem fro foule vueles feueres and fluxes

And fro feondes þat were in hem and false by-leyue

Þo was he ihesus of Iuwes cald · gentel prophete

And kyng of here kyn{d}gdom · and corone bar of þornes

And þo conquered he on croys as conquerour noble

Myghte no deþ hym for-do ne adoun brynge

Þat he ne aros and regnede · and rauesshede helle

And þo was he conquerour called of quyke and of dede

For he ȝaf adam & eue and oþer mo blisse

Þat longe hadde leye by-fore · as luciferes cheorles

And tok lucifer þe loþliche þat lord was of helle

And bond hym as he is bounde · with bondes of yren

Ho was hardier þan he · hus heorte blode he shadde

To maken alle foolk freo þat folwen hus lawe

And sutthe he ȝaue largeliche · alle hus leel lege

Places in paradis at here partyng* hennes

He may beo wel cald conquerour · and þat is crist to mene

Ac þe cause whi he comeþ þus with croys and hus passion

Ys to wissen ous þer-with · þat when we beo temptid

Ther-with to fighten and fenden ous · fro fallyng* into synne

And seo by hus sorwe þat ho-so loueþ ioye

To penaunce and to pouerte · he mot putte hymselue

And muche wo in þis worlde · wilnen and suffren

Ac to carpe more of crist and how he cam to þat name

Faithly for to speke · hus furste name was ihesus .

Tho he was bore in bethleem · as þe book telleþ

And cam to take mankynde · kynges and aungeles

Reuerencide hym right faire · with richesse of eorthe

Aungeles of heuene · comen kneolede and songen gloria in excelsis deo .

Kynges comen after · kneolede and offride

Muche gold and murre · with-oute mercy askynge

Oþer eny kynne catel bote knewelichede hym souereyn

Boþe of sand sonne and see and sitthen þei wente

In-to here kyngene kutthe by counsail of aungeles

And þer was þat word fulfild · þe wich thou of speke

Omnia celestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine ihesu .

For alle þe aungeles of heuene · at hus burthe kneolede

And al þat wit of þe worlde · was in þo þre kynges

Reson and ryghtfulnesse · and reuthe þei offrede ·

Were-fore and whi wise men þat tyme

Maistres and lettred men magi hem calde

That on kyng cam with reson keuered vnder sense

The secounde kynge sitthen · sothliche he offrede

Ryghtwisnesse vnder red gold · resones felawe

Gold is licknede to leaute þat laste shal euere

And reson to ryche gold · to right and to treuthe

The þridde kynge cam þo · and kneolede to iesu

And presentide hym with pite · aperynge by mirre

For mirre is mercy to mene and mylde speche of tonge

Eorthliche honeste þynges was offred þus at ones

Þorgh þre kynde kynges kneolyng* to ihesu .

Ac for alle þes preciose presentes · oure lord ihesus .

Was noþer kyng no conquerour til he comsede wexe

In þe manere of man · and þat by muche sleithe

As hit by-comeþ for a conquerour to conne menye sleithes

And menye whiles and wyt · þat wol be a ledere

And so dude ihesus in hus dayes · ho-so dorste tellen hit

som tyme he suffrede · and som tyme he hidde hym ·

And som tyme he fauhte faste · and fleih oþer-wile

And som tyme gaf good · and grauntede hele

Boþe lyf and lyme as hym luste he wrouhte

As is of a conquerour so comsede ihesus

Til he hadde alle hem þat he for bledde

In hus Iuuente thes ihesus at Iuwene feste

Turned water in-to wyn · as holy writ telleþ

And þer by-ganT god of hus grace gretliche to dowel

For wyn is lykned to lawe and lyf holynesse

And lawe lackede þo · for men louede nat here enemy

And crist counsaileþ thus · and comaundeþ boþe

To lerede and to lewede · for to loue oure enemys

So at þat feste furst · as ich by-fore tolde

By-gan god of hus grace · and of hus goodnesse dowel

And þo was he clipede and cald · nat onliche crist bote ihesu .

A fauntekyn ful of wytt filius Marie .

For by-fore hus moder Marie made he þat wonder

That sheo furst and formest sholde ferm by-leyue

That he thorgh grace was gete and of no gome elles

He wrouhte þat by no wyt bote by worde one

After þe kynde þat he cam of ther comsede he dowel

And wenne he was woxen more · in hus modres absence

He made lame to leepe and ȝaf light to þe blynde

And fedde with to fisshes and with fyue louesSo afyngred fele

So a-fyngred fele folke · mo þan fyf þousand

Thus he comfortede careful · and cauhte a grettere name

The wiche was dobet wher þat he wente

For deue þorgh hus doynges and dombe speke and herde

And alle he heled and halp þat hym of grace askyde

Tho he was callyd in þe contreo · of þe comune peuple

For þe dedes þat he dude fili dauid Iesus .

For dauid was þe douhtiest · of dedus in hus tyme

The buyrdes so songen saul interfecit mille & dauid decem milia .

For-þi þe contreye þer ihesu cam · cald hym fili dauid .

Nempnede hym of nazareth and no man so worthi

To beo caiser oþer kyng* of þe kyngdom of Iuda

Ne ouere Iuwes Iustice · as ihesus hem þouhte

Her-of hadde cayfas enuye · and oþere Iuwes

And for to do hym to diþe · day and nyght þei casten

And culled hym on croys wyse · at caluarye on afryday / a fryday

And sutthen buriede hus body · and beden þat men sholde

Kepen hit fro nyght-commeres · with knyghtes yarmed

For no freonde sholde hit fecche · for prophetes hem tolde

That þat blesside body · of burielesse sholde aryse

And gon in-to galile · and gladen hus apostoles .

And hus moder Marie thus me by-fore deuynede

The knyghtes þat kepten hit · by-knewen hem-selue

Þat aungeles archaungeles ar þe day spronge

Comen kneolynge to þat corps · and songen

Christus rex resurgens and hit aros after

Verrei man by-fore hem alle · and forþ with hem ȝeode

The Iuwes preyede hem of pees · and preyede þo knyghtes

Telle þe comune þat þer cam · a companye of hus aposteles

And by-wocched hem as thei woke · and away stelyn hit

Ac marie magdalene mette hem by þe weye

Goynge to-ward galile · in god-hede and man-hede

And lyues and lokynge · and heo aloud cryede

In eche companye þer heo cam Christus resurgens .

Thus cam hit out · þat crist ouer-cam · rekeouered and leyuede

Sic oportet christum pati & intrare gloriam suam .

For þat wommen witeþ · may nat wel be consail

Peter parceyuede al þis and porsuede after

Boþe Iames and Iohan . Ihesu to seke

Tadee and ten mo · with thomas of ynde

And alle þese wise weyes · weren to-gederes

In an hous al by-shutt and here dore barred

Crist cam yn and al was closed boþe dore and ȝates

To peter and to hus aposteles · and seyde pax uobis .

And took thomas by þe hand · and tauhte hym þe grepe

And fele with hus fyngres · hus fleshliche heorte

Thomas touchede hit · and with hus tunge seyde dominus meus & deus meus .

Thow ert my lord ich by-leyue · god lord ihesu .

That deydest and deþ þoledest and deme shalt ous alle

And now ert lyuynge and lokynge · and laste shalt euere

Crist carpede þenne · and corteisliche seide

Thomas for thou trowest this · and trewely by-leyuest hit

Yblessed mote þou beo · and beo shalt for euere

And blessed moten þei beo · in body and in soule

Þat neuere shullen seo in syht · as þou seost nouthe

And leelly by-leyuen al this · ich loue hem and blesse hem

Beati qui non uiderunt & crediderunt .

And when þis dede was don dobest he þouhte

And ȝaf peers power · and pardon he grauntede

To alle manere of men · mercy anLX forȝyuenesse

And ȝaf hym myghte to asoylye men · of alle manere synnes

In couenaunt þat þei come and kneweliched to paye

To peers pardon plouhman . Redde quod debes .

Thus haueþ peers power beo hus pardon payed

To bynde and vnbynde · bothe here and elles wer

And assoille of alle synnes · saue of dette one

A-non after an hyh · vp in-to heuene

He wente and woneþ þere and wol come atte laste

And rewardy hem right wel · þat Reddit quod debet .

Payeþ now parfitliche · as pure treuthe wolde

And wat persone payeþ hit nat punysshen he þenkeþ

And demen hym at domesday · boþe quyke and dede

The gode to þe god-hede · and to grete ioye

And wyckede to wonye in wo with-outen ende

Thus conscience of crist and of þe croys carpede

And consailede me to kneole þerto and þenne cam me þouhte

On spiritus paraclitus to peers and to hus felawes

In licknesse of a lyghtynge · a lyghte on hem alle

And made hem come and knowe · alle kynne langages

Ich wondrede what þat was · and waggede conscience

And was aferede for þe lyght · for in fuyres lyknesse

Spiritus paraclitus ouer-spradde hem alle

Quaþ conscience tho and kneolede · this is cristes messager

And comeþ fro þe grete god grace is hus name

Kneole now quaþ conscience and yf þow conne synge

Welcome hym and worshupe hym with veni creator spiritus .

And ich sang* þat song* þo · and so dude meny hondrede

And cryden with conscience help ous god of grace

Tho by-gan grace to go · with péérs the plouhman .

And consailede hym and conscience the comune to someny

For ich wolle dele to-day · and diuyde grace

To alle kynne creatures · þat can hus fif wittes

Tresour to lyue by to h{u}ere lyues ende

And wepne to fighte with þat wol neuere faille

For auntecrist and hise shal al þe worlde greue

And encombry þe conscience · bote yf crist þe helpe

And fele false prophetes flaterers and glosers

Shullen come and be curatours · ouer kynges and Erles

Thanne shal pruyde be pope · and pryns of holychurche

Couetise and vnkyndenesse cardinales hym to lede

For-þi quaþ grace ar ich go · ich wole gyue ȝow tresour

And wepne to fyghte with · wanne aunticrist ȝow assailleþ

And gaf ech man a grace ·to gye with hym-self

Þat ydelnesse ne encombrie hem nat · ne enuye ne pruyde

Diuisiones graciarum sunt .

To somme men he ȝaf wit wordes to shewe

To wynne with truthe þat þe wordle askeþ

As preostes and prechours · and prentises of lawe

Thei to lyue leelly by labour of tounge

And by wit to wyssen oþere · as grace hem wolde teche

And somme he kende hem craftes · and connynge of syghte

With syllynge and byggynge · here by-lyue to wynne

And somme he lerede to laboure a lonnde and a watere

And lyue by þat labour · a leel lyf and trewe

And somme he tauhte tulye to teche and to coke

As here wit wolde · when the tyme come

And somme to dyuyne and dyuyde numbres to kenne

And to compassen and colours to make

And somme to seo and to seye what sholde by-falle

Bothe of wele and of wo · and be war by-fore

As astronomyens · þorw astronomye and philosopheres wise

And somme to ryde and rekeuere þat vnrightfulliche was wonne

He wissede men wynnen hit aȝeyn · þorgh wyghtnesse of handes

And Fecchen hit fro false men with foleuyles lawes

And somme he lererede / lerede to lyue · in longynge to be hennes

In pouerte and in pacience to preye for alle crystyne

And alle he lerede to beo leell and eche acrafte / a crafte loue oþere

Noþer bost ne debat beo among* hem alle

Thauh somme be clannore þan some · ȝe seon wel quaþ grace .

That alle crafte and connyge · cam of my ȝyfte

Loke þat non lacken oþer · bote louye as broþrene

And he þat most maistries can · beo myldest of berynge

And coroneþ conscience kyng* · and makeþ craft ȝoure stywarde

And after craftes consail · cloþeþ ȝow and fedeth

For ich make peers plouhman my procuratour and my reue

And registrer to receyuen redde quod debes .

My power and my plouhman peers shal beo on erthe

And for to tulye treuthe ateome / a teome shal he haue

Grace gaf to peers a teome · of foure grete oxen

That on was luc a large beest and a louh chyrede

Marc and matheu þe þirde · myghty beestes boþe

And Ioyned til hem on Iohan most gentil of alle

The prys neet of peers plouh · passynge alle oþere

And sitthe grace of hus goodnesse gaf peers foure stottes

Al þat hus oxen ereden · thei to harwen after

On hihte austyn . and ambrosie anoþer

Gregori the grete clerk and Ierom þe goode

Theose foure the faith to teche · folwede peers teom

And harowede in an hand-wyle · al holy scripture

With to eythes þat thei hadden an olde and anywe / a nywe

Vetus testamentum et nouum .

And grace gaf to peers greynes cardinales uertues .

And sewe hit in mannes soule and sitthen he tolde here names

Spiritus prudencie þe furste sed hihte

Þat ho-so eete þat seed · ymagenye he sholde

Er he dude eny dede deuyse wel þe ende

And lerede men a ladel bygge with a long stele

That caste for to kele a crokke · and saue þe fatte aboue

The secunde seed highte spiritus temperancie .

He þat eete of þat seed · hadde suche akynde / a kynde

Sholde neuere mete ne myschief make hym swelle

Ne sholde no scornere · out of skyle hym brynge

Noþer wynnynge ne welthe · of wordliche richesse

Wast word ne ydelnesse ne wyckede speche meoue

Sholde no curiouse cloþe come on hus rygge

Noþer mete in hus mouthe · þat maister Iohan spicede

The þrydde seod þat peers · sewe was spiritus fortitudinis .

And ho-so ete of þat seed hardy was he euere

To suffren al þat god sente · syknesses and angres

Mighte no lyere with lesynges ne loos of wordly catell

Make hym for eny mournyng* þat he ne was mury in soule

And bold of a bydyng* busemares to suffren

And plede with pacience · and · parce michi domine .

And keouered hym vnder consail · of caton þe wise

Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique .

The furthe seed þat peers sewe was

And he þat eete of þat seed · sholde be euene trywe

With god and nat a-gast · bote of gyle one

For gyle goþ so priuely · þat good faithe oþer-wyle

May nat be aspiede · þorw spiritus iusticie .

Spiritus iusticie spareþ nat to spille

Hem þat beoþ gulty · and for to corecte

The kyng* and þe kyng* falle · in eny þynge gulty

for counteþ he no kynges wraþthe · when he in court sytteþ

To deme as a domesman · adrad was he neuere

Noþer of duk ne of deþ · þat he ne doþ þe lawe

For present oþer for preyoure · oþere eny princes letteres

He dude equyte to alle · euene-forth hus knowynge

Theese foure seedes peeres sew and sutthen he dude hem harwen

With olde lawe and with newe lawe · þat loue myghte wexe

A-monge these foure vertues and vices destruyen

For cominlicheT in contreies · cammokes and weodes

Fouleþ þe frut in þe felde þer þei growen to-gederes

And so doþ vices anLX vertues · and for-thi quaþ péérs .

Harweþ alle þat conneþ kynde wit · by counsail of theose doctours

And tulieþ after here techinge · þe cardinale uertues .

Aȝeynst þat þi greynes quaþ grace bygynneþ to growe

Ordeyne þe an hous péérs to herberghen in thi cornes

By godes grace quath peers ȝe mote gyue me tymber

And ordeyne þat hous herLX ȝe hennes wennde

And grace gaf hym þe croys with þe corone of þornes

Þat crist vpon caluarie · for mankynde one peynede

And of hus baptisme and blod · þat he bledde on rode

He made a maner morter and mercy hit hihte

And þer-with grace by-gan · to make a good foundement

And watelide hit and wallyde hit with hus peynes and hus passion

And of alle holy writt · he made a roof after

And cald þat hous vnite holychurche in englishe

And wanne þis dede was don grace deuysede

A cart hihte cristendome · to carien hom peers sheues

And gaf hym capeles to hus cart contricion with confession .

And made preosthod haiwarde the wile hym-self wente

As wide as þe worlde is · with peers to tulye treuthe .

And þe londe of by-leyue · þe lawe of holychurche

Now is peeres to þe plouh pruyde hit aspide ·

And gadered hym a gret ost · greuen he þenkeþ

Conscience and alle cristene and cardinale uertues .

To blowen hem doun and breken hem · and bite ato þe rotes

And sente forþ sourquidours · hus seriauns of armes

And hus aspie spille loue · on speke vuel by-hynde

These to comen to conscience and to cristyne peuple

And tolden hem tydynges þat tyne þey sholde

The seedes þat syre peers sewe þe cardinale uertues .

And peers bern worth to broke · and þei þat ben in vnite .

Shullen come out and conscience and ȝoure two capeles

Contricion and confession and ȝoure cart bileyue .

Shal be colered so queyntely and keouerede vnder oure sophistrie

That conscience shal nat knowe by contricion .

Noþer by confession ho is cristyne oþer {.}heþene

Ne no manere marchaunt · þat with monye deleþ

Weder he wynne wit right oþer with wrang* oþer with vsure

With suche colour and queyntise · comeþ pruyde armede

With þe lord þat lyueþ · after þe l{u}oust of hus bodye

To wasten in welfare · and in wickede kepynge

Al þe worldle in awhile · þorugh oure wit quaþ pruyde

Quaþ conscience to alle crystyne tho my consail is we wende

Hastiliche into vnite and holde we ous þere

Preye we þat apees / a pees were in peers bern þe plouhman

For wyterly ich wot wel · we beoþ nat of strengthe

To go a-gayn pruyde bote grace with ous were

And þenne cam kynde wit conscience to teche

He criede and comaundede alle cristyne people

To delue and dike a deop diche al aboute vnite

Þat holychurche stod in holynesse · as hit were apile / a pile

Conscience comaundede þo · alle crystyne to delue

And make a muche mot · þat myghte be a strengthe

To helpe holychurche and hem þat hit kepeþ

Thenne alle kynne cristyne · saue comune wommen

Repentede and refusede synne · saue thei one

And assisour and a somenour · þat weren for-swore ofte

Whitynge and wilffulliche with þe false þei holden

And for seluere were for-swore · sothly þei wisten hit

Ther ne was cristyne creature þat kynde wit hadde

Þat he ne halp a quantyte holynesse wexe

Somme by bedes byddyng* · and somme by pilgrimages

Oþe / Oþe[r] oþere pryueie penaunces · and somme þorw pans delynge

And þenne water wellede · for wyckede werkes

Egreliche ȝernynge · out of mennys eyen ·

Clannesse of þe comune · and clerkes clene lyuynge

Made unite holychurche · in holynesse stonde

Ich care nat now quaþ conscience thauh pruyde come nouthe

The lord of loust shal beo lett · al þis lente ich hope

Comeþ now quaþ conscience ȝe cristyne and dyneþ

Þat han labored leelly · al þis lente tyme

Her is bred yblessid · and godes body þer-vnder

Grace gaf þorw godes worde · to peers plouhman power

And myghte to maken hit · and men for to etyn hit

In help of here hele · ones in a mounthe

Oþer as ofte as thei hadde neode · thei that hadden payed

To peers pardon plouhman . Redde quod debes .

How quaþ alle þe comune · consailest thou ous to ȝelde

Al þat we owen eny wyght · er we go to housele

That is my consail quaþ conscience · and cardinale vertues

Oþer ech man for-ȝeue oþer and þat wole þe paternoster .

Et dimitte nobis debita nostra . sicut & nos & cetera

And so to beo a-soillede · and sytthen beo housled

Ȝe bawe quaþ a brewere ich wol nat beo ruelede

By Ihesu for al ȝoure iangelynge · after spiritus iusticie ·

Ne after conscience by crist for ich couþe selle

Boþe dregges and draf · and drawe at one hole

Thicke ale and þynne ale · and þat is my kynde

And nat to hacke after holynesse · hold þy tonge conscience

Of spiritus iusticie þow spekest muche an ydel

Caitif quaþ conscience corsede wrecche

Vnblessed ert þow brewere bote yf god þe helpe

Bote þow lyue by þe lore of spiritus iusticie .

The chef seede þat peers sewe · saued worst þou neuere

Bote conscience þe comune fede · and cardinale vertues

Leyf* hit wel we beon lost boþe lyf and soule

Thenne is meny man ylost · quaþ a lewede vicory

Ich am a curatoure of holychurche · and cam neuere in my tyme

Man to me þat couthe telle of cardinale uertues .

Oþer þat acountede conscience a cockes feþer oþer an hennes

Ich knew neuere cardinal þat he ne cam fro þe pope

And we clerkes when thei comeþ for here comunes payeþ

For here pelure and palfrayes mete · and pylours þat hem folwen

The comune clamat cotidie eche man to oþere

The countrey is þe corsedour þer cardinales comeþ ynne

And ther thei liggyn and lengen most · lecherie þer regneþ

For-þi quaþ þeis vicory by verrai god ich wolde

Þat no cardinal come a-mong* þe comune peuple

Bote in here holinesse · heolden hem stille

At Auenoun a-mong* Iuwes cum sancto . sanctus eris & cetera .

Oþer in rome as here ruwele wolde · þe relikes to kepe

And thow conscience in kynges court · and sholdest neuere go þennes

And grace þat thou so gredest of · were gyour of alle clerkes

And peers with hus newe plouh · and hus olde boþe

Emperour of alle þe worlde þat alle men were cristyne

Imparfit is þe pope · þat al þe peuple sholde helpe

And soudeþ hem þat sleeþ suche · as he sholde saue

Ac wel worthe peers plouhman þat porsueþ god in doynge

Qui pluit super iustos . & iniustos at ones

And sent þe sonne to saue · a corsed mannes tulthe

As bryght as to þe beste man · oþer to þe beste womman

Right so peers plouhman peyneþ hym to tulie

As wel for awastour / a wastour oþer for awenche / a wenche atte stuwes

As for hym-self and his seruauns · saue he is furst yserued

So blessed beo peers plouhman þat peyneþ hymP to tulie

And trauaileþ and tuleþ · for a tretour al-so sore

As for a triwe tydy man · alle tymes lyke

And worsheped be þat wrouhte al · boþe good and wykke

And suffren hem þat synful beon · til tyme þat thei repenten

And god amende þe pope þat pileþ holichurche

And cleymeþ by-fore þe kynge · to beo kepere ouere cristyne

And counteþ noȝt þauh cristine men be culled and robbed

And fyndeþ folke to fighte and cristene blod to spille

Aȝeyn þe lawe boþe old and nywe · as luk bereþ wittnesse

Non occides . Michi uindictam .

Sikerliche hit semeþ · by so hym-self hadde hus wil

Þat hym reckeþ right nought · of al þe oþer remenaunt

And crist of hus cortesye · þe cardinales saue

And turne here wit to wisedom · and welþe for þe soule

For þe comune quaþ þes curatour counten ful litel

The consail of conscience oþer cardinale uertues .

Bote hit soune as by syght · som-what to wynnynge

Of gile ne of gabbynge · gyueþ þei neuere tale

For spiritus prudencie a-mong* þe peuple is gyle

And tho faire vertues · as vices thei hym semeþ

Eche man soteleþ sleithe · synne to huyde

And coloreþ hit for a connynge · and a clene lyuynge

Thenne louh þer a lorde · and by this light seide

Ich halde hit right and reson · to take of my reeue

Al þat myn auditour · oþer elles my stiwarde

Conseileþ me by here a-counte · and my clerkes wrytynge

With spiritus intellectus thei toke þe reeue rolles

And with spiritus fortitudinis fecche hit wol he nul he

Thenne cam þer a kynge and by hus corone seide ·

Ich am akyng / a kyng with corone þe comune to reule

And holychurche and clergie · fro corsede men to defenden

And yf me lackeþ to lyue by · þa / þ[e] lawe wole þat ich take

Ther ich may haue hit hast{minim}elokest for ich am hefd of lawe

And ȝe ben bote membrys · and ich a-boue alle

Sitthen ich am ȝoure alre hefd ich am ȝoure alre hele

And holychurches chef help · and chefteyn of þe comune

And what ich take of ȝow two ich take hit at techynge

Of spiritus iusticie for ich Iuge ȝou alle

So ich may baldely beo houslede for ich borwe neuere

Ne craue of my comune bote as my kynde askeþ

In condicion quaþ conscience þat þou conne defende

And ruele þy reame in reson right wel and treuthe

Þan þat þou haue þyn askyng* as þe lawe askeþ

Omnia sunt tua ad defendendum . sed non ad deprehendendum .

The vikery hadde feer hom · and faire tok hus leue

And ich a-wakede þer-with · and wrot as me mete