and who -so coueyteþ don betere . þan þe boke telleþ

he passeþ þe apostolis lyf . and put him to aungelys .

But I se now as I seye . as me soþ thinkytȝ

þe were lef to lerne . but loþ for to stodie 

þou woldest konne þat I can . and carpen hit after

presumptuowsly . parauenture . a-pose so manye

That myȝthe turne men to tene . ⁊̃ / & theologie boþe

ȝif I wiste witterly . þou woldest don þer-after

al þat þou askest . a-soylen I wolde

skornfully þe scripture . sherte T vp his browes

and on clergie crieþ . on cristes holy name

That he shewe me hit ne sholde . but ȝif stryf were

of þe kynde cardinal wit . and cristned in a font

and seyde so loude . þat shame me thouȝthe

Þat hit were boþe skaþe . and sklaundre to holy cherche

sitthe theologie þe trewe . to tellen hit defendeþ

dauid godes derling . defendyþ hit al-so .

Vidi preuaricationes T ⁊ / & tabescebam .

I saw synful he seyde . þer-fore I seyde no-þing

til þo wrecches ben in wil . here synne to lete

and poul precheþ hit often . prestes hit redyn

Audiui archane que non licet homini loqui .

I am not hardy quod he . þat I herde with erys

telle hit with tounge . to synful wrecches

and god graunted hit neuere . þe gospel hit witnesseþ

in þe passioun whan pilat . a-posed god al-myȝthi

And asked Iesu on hy . þat herden hit an hundred

Quid est ueritas . quod he . verilyche tel vs

God gaf him non answere . but gan his tounge holde

riȝt so I rede quod she . red þou no ferþer

Of þat he wolde wite . wis him no betere

for he cam not by cause . to lerne to do wel 

But as he seyþ such I am . when he with me carpeþ

and when scripture þe skolde . hadde þis w{t}yt T y-sheued

Clergie in-to a caban . crepte a-non after

and drow þe dore after him . and bad me go do wel

Or wycke ȝif I wolde . wheþer me lyked

þan held I vp myn handes . to scripture þe wise

to be hure man ȝif I most . for euere-more after

With þat she wolde me wisse . wher þe toun were

Kynde with hure confessour . hure cosyn was Inne

þat lady þan low . and lauȝthe me in here armes

and sayde my cosyn . kynde wit knowen is wel wide

and his loggyng is with lyf . þat lord is of erþe

And ȝif þou desyre . with him for to a-byde

I shal þe wisse . where þat he dwelleþ

And þanne I kneled on my knes . and kyste her wel sone

and þanked hure a þousand syþes . with þrobbant herte

She called me a clerioun þatT hyȝt . omnia probate . a pore þing with-alle .

þou shalt wende with wil quod she . whiles þat him lykyþ

Til ȝe come to þe burgher . quod bonum est tenete .

ken him to my cosenes hous . þat kinde wit hyȝth

Sey I sente him þis segge . and þat he shewe hym dowel

þus we lauȝþe oure leue . lowtyng at onys

and wente forþ on my way . with . omnia probate .

and ere I cam to þe court . quod bonum est tenete .

Many ferlys me by-fel . in a fewe ȝeris

The fyrste ferly I fond . a-fyngrid me made

as I ȝede thurgh ȝou . þe ȝouþe .C a-ȝen prime dayes

I stode stille in a stodie . and stared a-bowte

al hayl quod on þo and I answered welcome ⁊ / & with whom be ȝe

I am dwellyng with deth . and hunger I hatte

to lyf in his lordshepe . longyt my weyeT

I shal felle þat freke . in a fewe dayes

I wolde folwe þe fayn . but fentesye me hendeþ

me folweþ such a fentyse . I may no ferþer walke

go we forþ quod þe gom . I haue a gret boyste

at my bak of broke bred . þi bely for to fylle

A bagge ful of a beggere . I bouȝþe hit at onys

Than maunged I wit . vp at þe fulle

for þe myssyng of mete . no mesour I coude T

with þat cam a knaue . with a confessoures faceT

he halsed me . and I asked him after

Of when þat he were . and wheder þat he wolde

with deþ I duelle quod he . dayes and nyȝtes

Mi name is feuere on þe ferþe day . I am a-þrest euere

I am masager of deþ . men haue I tweyne

þat on is called cotidian . a {r}courrour T of oure hous

tercian þat oþer . trewe drinkeres boþe

We han letteres of lyf . he shal his lyf tyme tyne

fro deþ þat is oure duk . swyche dedis we brynge

myȝth I so god wot . ȝoure gates wolde I holden T

Nay wil quod þat wyȝth . wend þou no ferther

But lyue as þis lyf . is ordeyned for the

þeT tomblest wiþ a trepget . ȝif þou my tras folwe

and mannes merþe wrouȝþT no mor . þan he deseruyþ here

Whil his lyf and his lykhame . lesten to-gedere

and þer-fore do after do-wel . whil þi dayes duren

þat þi play be plentevous . in paradys with aungelys 

Þou shalt be lauȝth into lyȝth . with loking of an eye

so þat þou werke þe word . þat holy wryt techeþ .

And be prest to preyeres . and profitable werkes

wille þurgh in-wit . þou wostT wel þe soþe

þat þis speche was spedelich . and sped him wel faste

and wrouȝthe þat here is wryten . and oþer werkes boþe

Of peres þe plowman . and mechel puple al-so

and whan þis werk was wrouȝt . ere wille myȝte a-spie

deþ delt him a dent . and drof him to þe erþe

and is closed vnder clourPLX . crist haue his soule

And so bad Iohan but . busily wel ofte

when he saw þes sawes . busyly a-legged

by Iames and by Ierom . by Iop and by oþere

and for he medleþ of makyng . he made þis ende

Now alle kenne creatures . þat cristene were euere

god for his goudnesse . gif hem swyche happes 

to lyue as þat lord lykyþ þat lyf in hem putte

furst to rekne Richard . kyng of þis rewme .

And alle lordes þat louyn him . lely in herte

god saue hem sound . by se and by land

Marie moder and may . for man þou by-seke

þat barn bryng vs to blys . þat bled vp-on þe rode . amen .