she was wonderly wroþ . þat wit þus me tauȝþe

and al sternely starynge . dam stodie sayde .

Wel art þou wys wit quod she . my wisdam to telle

to flatereres or to folys . þat frentyk ben in wittes

and blamed him and banned him . and bad him be stille

With swyche wise wordes . to wissen eny folys .

And seyde . noli mittere man . margeri perlys

a-mong hogges þat hauyn . hawes at wille 

þei don but drauelyn þer vp-on . draf were hem leuere

þan al þe precious perre . þat in parades waxeþ

I sey by þo quod she . þat shewe by here werkes

þat hem were leuere lond . þat wirchepe on erþe

or rychesse or rentes . and reste at here wille

þan þe soþ sawes . þat salomon seyde euere

Wisdam and wit now . is not worþ a roysche

but hit be carded with conciens . as cloþeres don her wolle

þat can construe deseytes . and conspiren wronges

and lede forþ þe loue-day . to lette þe truþe .

Þat swicham swich a[n]P kan . is cleped to counseyl

and is serued as a sire . þat serueþ þe deuel T

Quare impiorum uia properatur bene est omnibus . qui praue ⁊ / & inique agunt  .

And he þat haþ holy writ . ay in his mowthe

and can telle of theologie . and of þe xij / twelue apostolys

or prechin of þe penans . þat pilatus wrouȝthe

to Iesu þe Ientyl . þat Iewys to-drowe

On cros vp-on calwarie . as clerkes vs techyn

lytel is he loued or late by . þat such a lessoun teches

or damseld da[un]seld or drawe forþ . þis disoures wite þe soþe

for ȝif harlotrie ne holpe hem betere . so haue god my truþe

More þan musyk or makyng . of god almyȝthi

wolde neuere king ne knyȝt . ne chanoun of seynt powlys

ȝeue hem to here ȝersȝeue . þe value of a grote

ac menstracie and merþe . among men is nowþe

lecherie and losengrie . and broþelles talys .

And glotonye with grete oþes . þes are gamenys now-o-dayes

and ȝif þei carpen of crist . þes clerkes and þes þes lewed

at mete in here merþe . whan menstrales faylen .

Than telle þei of þe trinite . how two slowe þe þredde

and bryng forþ a balled tokne . bernard to witnes

and putten forþ presumpcioun . to prouen þe soþe

þus þei drauelyn at here des . þe deite to knowe .

And gnawe god in þe gorge . when here þrotes fullen

ac þe carful may crien . and carpe at þe gate

boþe for hunger and for thrist . and for chele qwake

þer is non to nemle T him in . ne angwys a-mende

But honushe P him as an hound . and hote him go þennys

lytel loueþ he þat lord . þat leneþ al þat blysse

þat þus parteþ with þe pore . a parcel whan him nedeþ

ne were mercy in mene men . more þan in riche .

Manye mendynauns metelys . myȝt go to bedde

god is mechel in þe gorge . of þes grete maystres

and a-mong mene men . his mercy is in werkes

and so seyþ þe sauter . sek hit in mementote

Ecce audiuimus eum eufrata . inuenimus eam in campis silue .

Clerkes and keddemen . carpen of god faste

and han mechel in her mowtȝ . and many men in herte

freres and faytores han founde vp suche questiouns

to plese with prude men . syn þe pestelens tyme .

That defouleþ oure feyþ als . at festes þer þei sytten

for now is ech boye bold . and he be riche

for to telle of þe trinite . to ben holde a sire

and fyndeþ forþ fantasies . oure feyþ to a-peyre .

And eke defame þe fader . þat vs alle made

and carpen a-ȝen clergie . crabbede wordis

whi wolde our saueour suffre . such a werm in his blisse

þat beC-giled þe womman . and þe wey after .

Thurȝt which werk and wille . þei wente to helle

and al oure sed for þat synne . þe same wo suffred 

swiche notes þei meuyȝt . þis maystres in here glorie

and make me me[n] to misbileue . þat mousen in here wordes

Ac austyn þe hore . for alle swiche precheþ

and for suche tale-telleres . such a teme shewyþ 

Non plus sapere quam oper / ortetT sapere  .

þat is to say T wilneþ . neuere to wyte why

þat god wolde suffre satan . his sed to by-gile .

Ac by-lef lely on þat lord T . of holy cherche

and pray him of pardoun and penauns by þi lyue

and for his moche mercy . to a-mende vs here

for al þat willeþ to wyte . þe weyes of god almyȝthi

I wolde his eye were in his ers . and his hele after

þat euere wilneþ . to wyte whyT 

þat god suffrede satan . his sed to by-gile

or Iudas þe Iew . Iesu be-trayede

Al was as he wolde . lord y-worcheped þou be

and al worþ as þou wilt . what-so we telle .

and now comeþ conioun . and wolde cacche of my wittes

what is do-wel fro do-bet . now def mote he worþe

Swiþe he wilneþ to wyte . which þei ben alle

but ȝif he leue in þe leste day . þat longeþ to do-wel 

I dar be his bolde borwȝ . þat do-bet wil we neuere

þow do-best drawe on him . day after day .

And whan þat wit was war . how his wif tolde

he by-come so confous . he coude not mele 

and also dom as a dore . drow him a-syde

ac for no carping þat he cowde . ne knelyng to þe grounde .

I myȝte gete no greyn . of his grete wittes

but al loutede . and loked vp-on stode

in sygne þat I shulde . seken hure of grace

and whan I was ware of his wile . to his wif gan I knele

And sayde mercy madame . ȝour man shal I worþe

for to werche ȝour wil . whil ȝour lyf durith .

to kenne me kyndely . to knowe what is do-wel

for þi meknesse man quod she . and for þi mylde speche .

I shal kenne þe to my cosyn . þat clergie hotuþ

he haþ wedded a wif . with-inne þis wykes sexe 

is syb to þe sefne ars . þat scripture is y-nempled T

þei two I hope . after my be-seching

shul wisse þe to do-wel . I dar wel vndertake

þan was {....}I as C fayn . as foul of fayr morwen

gladdere þan þe gluman . þat gold haþ to ȝifte

And axked hure þe heyway . wher clergie wonde

and tel me sum tokne of him . for tyme is þat I wende

Axke þe heyway quod she . fro hennys to suffre

and ride forþ by rychesse . rest þe not þer-inne

boþe wel and wo . ȝif þat þou wilt lerne

for ȝif þou couple þe with him . to clergie comest þou neuere

And ek þe longe launde . þat lecherie hatteþ

lef him on þi lyft half . a large mile and more

til þou come to a court . kep wel þi tounge

fro lesynges and lieres speche . and lykerous drynkes

Than shalt þou se soberte . and symplenesse of speche

þat iche wit be in wille . hit hi[s] wit þe to shewe

so shal þou come to clergie . þat can many þinges

and sey him þis signe . I set him to skole  .

And þat I gete grete wel his wyf . for I wrot him þe bible

and sette hure to sapience . and to þe sawter y-glosed

logyk I lerned hure . and al þe lawe after

And al þe mosouns of mosyk . I made hure to knowe

Plato and poete . I putte hem furst to boke

aristotle and oþer mo . I tauȝthe furst to argue

Grammere for gerlis . I gar furst to wryte

and bet hem with a baleys . but ȝif þei wolde lerne

and alle kenne craftes . I construed here to lerne T

Tolus of carpenteres and kerue . I tauȝþe ferst masouns

and lerned hem lyne and leuel . þow I lokede dymme

And thologie th[e]ologie þat tened me . ten skore tymes

for þe more I muse þer-on . þe mistlikere hit semeþ

And þe deppere I deuyne hit . þe deppere me hit þouȝþe

hit is no sciens for soþe . to sotile þer-inne

Ne were þe loue þat lyþ þer-inne . a wel lewed þing hit were

ac for hit laft la[s]tT best by loue . I loue hit þe betere

for þer þat loue is lord . balkeþ neuere grace

leue lely þer-on . ȝif þou thinke do wel .

for do-bet and do-best . ben drawe of loues scole

in oþer sciens hit seyþ . I say hit in catoun .

qui simulat verbis . uel corde est fidus amicus .

Tu quoque fac simile . sic ars deluditur arte .T

Ac theologie techeþ vs not so . who-so takeþ hede

he kenneþ vs þe contrarie . a-ȝen catounys wordes

and byt vs ben as breþren . and blesse oure enmys

and louen hem þat lyen on vs . and lene hem at oure nede

and do good a-ȝens euyl . god him-self hotes

and seyde hit him-self . in exaumple of þe beste

Necesse est vt veniant scandala  .

Ac astronomye is hard þing . and euel for to knowe

gemettrie and gemessie . is greful of speche

þat thinkeþ werche with þo þre . thryueþ wel late

for sorcerie is þe souerayn boke . þat to þat sciens longeþ

ȝut are þre fybicches of forels of manye mannys wittes

of experimens of alkononye alkono[m]yeT . of albertes makyng

Nigramauncie ⁊̃ / & permancie . þe pouke to reyse

ȝif þou thinke do wel . del þer-with neuere

al þese sciences sikerly . I my-selfT founded

hem formest . folk to deseyuen

I be-kenne þe crist quod she I can teche þe no betere

I sayde gramercy madame . and mekly hure grette

and wente witly my way . with-oute more lettyng

and fond as she fayre tolde . ⁊ / & forþ gan I wende

and er I cam to clergie . coude I neuere stynte

I grette þe godeman . as me þe gode-wif tauȝthe

and tolde him T þe toknes . as me tauȝth were

was neuere gome vp-on þe grounde . syn god made heuene

fayrer vnderfonged . ne frendlikere mad at ese

Than my-self soþly . so sone as she it wiste

þat I was of wittes hous . and his wif dam stodieT

and I seyde him sikerly . þei sente me hyder

To lere at ȝow do-wel . and do-bet þer-after

and siþe afterward to se . soum-what of do-best

hit is a wel lely quod she . a-mong þe lewyd peple

actyf hit is y-hoten . hosbondes hit vsen

Trewe tilieres on erþe . talioures and souteris

and alle kynde crafty men . þat konne her craft wynne

with ony trewe trauayle . telye for here fode

dykyn or deluen . do-wel hit hatte

To breke beggeres bred . to baskyn hem with cloþes

comforte þe carful . þat in þe castel ben fetrid

and sekyn out þe seke . and sende hem þat hem nedeþ

obedient as breþren . and sostren to oþere

Þis beþ þo þat dobet . so bereþ witnesse þe sauter .

Ecce quam bonum ⁊ / & quam iocundum habitare fratres in vnum .

Syk with þe sory . syng with þe glade

Gaudere cum gaudentibus . flere cum flentibus .

God wot þis is dobet .T sire dobest haþ benefyces

and so is best worþi .T by þat god in gospel graunteþ

qui facit ⁊ / & docuerit . magnus vocabitur in regno celorum .

For þis do-best is . a bisshopes pere

prince ouer godes peple . to preche and to teche

Dobet doþ ful wel . and dowel he is al-so

and haþ possessiones ⁊ / & pluralites . for pore mennys sake

for mendinant at myschef . þo men were y-dewed

and þat is riȝtful religioun . none renneres abowte

Ne none leperis ouer lond . ladijs to shriue

gregori þe grete clerk . a goud pope in his tyme

of religioun þe rewle . he reherseþ in his morales

and seyþ him in example . þat men shulde do þe betere

when fisshes faylen þe flod . oþ oþ[er] þe fressche water

þei deyen for þe drouthe . when þei drye longe

Ryȝth so by religioun . hit roxlet and steruyþ

þat out of couent in cloystre . coueyteþ to libbe

But now is religioun a ridere . and a rennere by stretes

a ledere of louedays . and a lond byere

Popreþ on a palfray . fro towne to towne

a bedew or a baselard . he beryþ by his syde

godes flesch and his fet . and his fyf woundes

arn more in his mynde . þan memorie of foundour

This is þe lyf of þes lordes . þat shulde lyue with dobet

and wel-a-wey werse . and I wolde al telle

I wende kinges and kniȝtes . and keyseris with erlys

were do-wel and do-bet . and do-best ouer hem alle

for I haue sey hit my-self . and swithe y-rad after

how crist counseyleþ þe comoun . ⁊̃ / & kenneþ hem þis talis

Super cathedram moyli / moy[s]iP sederunt principes . qui dicunt facite  .

for-þer þ[i] I wende þat þo weyes . were dobest of alle

I wolde not skorne quod scripture . but skreueynis lye

kinghod and kniȝthhod . for ouȝth I can a-spie

helpeþ not to heuene-ward . at one ȝeres ende

Ne richesse ne rente . ne rialte of lordes

powel proueþ in-possible . þe riche in heuene

ac pore men and [i]n paciense . and pacient to-gederes

haue here eritage in heuene . and riche men none

Contra . quod I be crist . þat can I wiþ-say

and proue hit bi þe postel . þat peter is y-nemled

qui crediderit ⁊ / & baptizatusP fuerit . saluus erit .

Þat is in extrems / extrem[i]s quod scripture . among sarȝynes sarzynesP ⁊ / & Iewys

mow ben y-saued so . and þat is oure by-leue

þat on-cristene in cas . may cristene and an hethene

and for his leal by-leue . whan he his lyf tynytȝ

Haue eritage in heuene . as an her he[y] cristene

ac cristene men godT wot . com not so to heuene

for cristene haue a degre . and is oure comoun speche

Diliges dominum deum tuum . ⁊ / & proximum tuum sicut teipsum .

Godes word witnesseþ . þat we shul dele oure enmyes T

and alle men þat arn nedy . as pore men and suche T

Dum tempus habemus operemur bonum ad omnes .

maxime autem ad domesticos fidei . ⁊ / & cetera  .

Alle kynde creatoures . þat to crist ben lyche

we ben y-holde heyliche . to herie and honoure

and ȝif hem of oure good . as goud as oure-seluen

and soueraynliche to suche . þat sueþ oure beleue

Þat is ech cristenman cristen man . be kinde to oþer

and swithe hem to helpe . in hope to hem a-mende

to harme hem . or teche hem . god hyȝth vs neuere

For he seyþ hit him-self . and his ten hestes

Non mecaberis . –– ne sle not . is þe kinde englys

For mihi uindictam ⁊ / & ego retribuam . ⁊ / & cetera  .

I shal punshe in purgatorie . or in þe pit of helle

euery man for his mysdede . but mercy hit make

ȝit am I neuer þe ner . for nouȝt þat I haue walked

to wite what is do-wel . witterly in herte

For whom-so I werche in þis wordle . wrong oþer ellys

I was marked withoute mercy . and my name entred

in þe legande of lyf . longe er I ded were

and ellys on-wryten .C for wiled as witnesseþ þe gospel

Nemo ascendit in celum . nisi qui de celo descendit ⁊ / & cetera  .

And I leue on oure lord .C and no lettrure betere

for salamon þe sage . þat sapiens made

God ȝif him grace . and richesse to-gederes

for to reule his rewme . riȝth at his wille

Dede he not wel and wisly . as holy cherche techeþ

boþe in werk and in word . in wordle in his tyme

aristotle and he . who wrouȝthe betere

and al holy cherche . holdeþ hem in helle

And was þer neuere in þis word . two wisere of werkes

of alle counyng clerkes . syn crist ȝede on erþe

taken ensaumple of here sawes . ⁊̃ / & sermownis þat þei makyn

and by here werk and here wordes . wissen vs to do wel

And ȝif I shal wirke by here werk . to wynne me heuene

and I for here werkes and here wit . wende to payne

þan wrouȝthe I vn-wittily . with al þe wit þat I lere

On gode fryday I fynde . a feloun was y-saued

and hadde y-lyued al his lyf . with lesynges and þefthe

and for he kneled to þe cros . and to crist shrof him .

Sonner hadde he sauacyoun . þan seynt Ion þe baptyst

or adam or ysaie . or ony of þe prophetes

That hadden y-leye with lucifer . manye longe ȝeres

a robbere hadde remissioun . raþer þan þei alle

with penans of purgatorie . to haue paradys for euere

þan marie of mawdelein . who myȝthe don worse

Or dude worse þan dauid . þat vrie destroyed

or poul þe postel . þat no pite hadde

cristene kinde . to kylle to dethe

and arn non for soþe . so fer in heuene .T

As þese þat wrouȝthe wickedly . in world whan þei were

and ȝit am T I . for-ȝote for soþe . of vyue wittes teching .

þat clergie of cristes moutȝ . comindeþ what is neuere

for he seyde hit him-self . to some of his desiples

Dum steteritis ante presides . nolite cogitare . ⁊ / & cetera  .

That is as moche to mene . to men þat ben lewyd

whan ȝe ben a-posed of princes . and prestes of þe lawe

for to ansuere hem . haue ȝe no dowte

for I shal graunte ȝou grace . of god þat ȝe seruen

The help of þe holy gost . to ansuere hem alle

the douttyest doctour . deuinour T of þe trinite

þat was austyn þe olde . and hyest of þe foure

sayde þus for a sermoun . so me god helpe .

Ecce ipsi idioti rapient celum . vbi nos sapientes in

And is to mene in our mowtȝ . more ne lesse

arn non raþer raueshid . fro þe ryȝtthe be-leue

þan are þes grete clerkes . þat konne many bokes

ne none sounereT saued . ne sadder of conciens

Than pore peple as plowmen . and pastourres of bestes

souteres and souestreres . and suche lewed Iuttes 

Perchen with a pater noster . þe paleys of heuene

with-oute penauns at here partyng . in-to þe hye blysse .