and fraynede ful ofte · of folk þat ymette / y mette
yf any wight wiste wher dowel is at ynne
and what man he myghte be of many y asked
was neuere wight in this world · þat me wisse couthe
Til hit byful on a friday · two freres y mette
Maistres of þe menoures · men of greet wit
y hailsed hem hendly · as y hadde ylered
and preide hem purcharite / pur charite arthei / ar thei passed forthere
yf þei knew any cuntree · owthir coestes abowte
where þat dowel dwellith · dere frendes tellith me
For ȝe arn men of þis molde · þat most wide walken
and knowen cuntrees & courtes · & many kynne places
Boþe princes paleys · and pore menne cotes
and do-wel & do-euele where þei dwellon boþe
¶ soþly saide þe frere · he soiourneþ wiþ vs freres
and euere haþ as y hope · and euere wol here-aftircontra quod y as
and saide sothly sepcies in die cadit iustus
Falling fro ioye Iesus woet þe sothe
seuen sithe saith þe boek · synneth day by day
Þe rightfollokest renge · þat regneth on erthe
and who synneth he saideT certes he doth not wel
For who-so synneth sikerly doth euele
and do-wel & do-euele may not dwelle to-gideres
he ys othirT elleswhere to wisson þe peple
¶ y shal say þe my sone · saide þe frere þenne
how seuen sithes þe sad man synneth on þe day
By a forbesene quod þe frere y shal þe faire shewe
lat Bringe aman / a man yn aboet / a boet · a-mydde a brod watur
Þe wynd & þe watur & waggyng of þe boet
maketh þe man many tyme · to stomble yf he stande
For stonde he neuere so stiflich · þorgh stering of þe boet
he bendith & boweth þe body is so vnstable
ac ȝut ys he saf & sound · & so hit fareth by þe rightfole
þough he falle he falleth not · but who felle yn aboet / a boet
þat ay is sauf & sound · þat sit with-ynne þe borde
þogh he þorgh fondynges falle · hefalleth / he falleth not owt of charite
So deedly synne doth he not for dowel him helpeþ
þe watur ys likned to þe world þat wanyeth & wexeth
þe godes of þis ground arn lik to þe grete wawes
þat as wyndes & wedores waloweth aboute
þe boet ys likned to oure body · þat bretil ys of kynde
þat þorgh þe feend & oure flesh · & þis freel world
synneth seuen sithe þe saddest man on erthe
and þe lif-holiest of lif · þat lyueth vnder sonne
But fre wil & fre wit foloweth man euere
To repenton & to arise & rowe owt of synne
To contricioun to confessioun · til he come to his ende
For rathir haue we no reste til we restitue
Our lif to our lord god for our licames gultes
C¶ y haue no kynde knowleching to conceyue al þis speche
But yf y may lyue and loke · y shal go lerne bettere
y by-kenne þe crist quod he · þat on þe cros dyede
and y saide þe same · saue ȝou from myschaunce
and gyue me grace on this ground · with goed ende to dye
y wente forth wide-where · walkyng myn one
By awilde / a wilde wildernes · and By awode / a wode-syde
Blisse of þo briddes · abide me made
and vnder lynde vpon alaunde / a launde · lened y a stounde
To lithen here laies · & her louely notes
myrthe of her mouthes made me þere to slepe
and merueylously me mette amiddes al þat blisse
amych / a mych man as me thoughte ylik to my-selue
Cam & kalde me by my kynde name
what art þow quod y · þat þow my name knowest
woet y quod y who art þow · þought saide he þenne
¶ y haue sued þe þis seuen ȝeer · saugh þou me no rathir
art þow þought quod y tho · þow cowdest me wisse
where þat dowel dwellith · and do me to knowe
Dowel & dobet quod he · & dobest þe þridde
arn þre faire vertues · and be not fer to fynde
who ys trewe of his tunge & of his two handes
and þorgh lele labour lyueth · and loueth his euencristen
and þerto trewe of his tayl · & of his two handes
and ys not dronklewe ne dedeynous · dowel him foloweth
dobet doth al þis · and ȝut he doth more
he is low as a lomb · & louelich of speche
& helpeth alle men · of þat he may aspare
þo Bagges & þe bygirdeles he hath to-brokon hem alle
þat þe erl auerous held · and hise heires
and of mammonaes mone · y-maked him many frendes
and ys ronne in þeT religioun · & haþ rendrid þe bible
and prechith to þe peple seint poules wordes
CLibenter suffertis insipientes & . cetera .
Leue hem & loue hem þis latyn ys to mene
Dobest bere sholde þe bisshopes cros
and hale with þe hoked ende · ille men to gode
and with þe pik putte adown preuaricatores legis
Lordes þat lyuen as hem lust · and no lawe acounte
For her mok & her mobles · such men thenketh
sholde no bisshope be · her biddynges to withsitte
and dobest sholde drede hem not but do as god highte
CNolite timere eos qui possunt occidere corpus & cetera .
þus dowel & dobet demed asT dobest
and crouned oen to be akyng / a kyng to kille wiþ-oute synne
þat wolde not do as dobest deuined & taughte
þus dowel dobetT & dobest þe thridde
Crouned oen to be a kyng to kepon vs alle
and to rule alle reumes by here þre wittes
Bote othirwise ne elles not but as þei þre assentid
y thonked þought þo þat he me so taughte
But ȝut sauereth not me thi sawes so me crist spede
amore / a more kyndore knowyng coueyte y to here
Of dowel & dobet & who doth best of alle
But yf wit wol þe wisse quod þought · where þo þre dwellith
þought & y þus · þre daies we ȝedon
Disputing vpon dowel · day aftir othir
and ar we y-war were · with wit gan we mete
he was long & lene · ylik to noen othir
was pruydeT on his parail · ne pouerte neither
Sad of his semblaunt & with a soft chere
y durste meve no matere · to maken him to iangle
But as y bad þought þo to be mene bytwene
and putte forth sum purpos · to prouon his wittes
what was dowel fro dobet · and dobest from hem bothe
þenne þought in þat tyme · saide þes wordes
where dowel & dobet · & dobest ben in londe
here ys oen wolde y-wite · yf wit couthe teche
and what lyues þei lyue · & what lawe þei vson
and what þei drede & doute dere sire telleth
Sire dowel dwellith quod wit · not aday / a day hennes
yn a castelle þat kynde made · of foure kynne thinges
Of erthe & ayr ys hit maed · ymedlid to-gideres
with wynd & with watur · wittily ioyned
kynde hath closed þerinne craftily with-alle
a lemman þat he loueth · ylik to him-selue
anima she hette · to hire hath enuye
aprowd / a prowd prikere of Fraunce · princeps huius mundi
and wole wynne hire away · with wiles & he myghte
and kynde knoweth þis weel & kepeth hire þe betture
and hath don hire with sire dowel · duk of þis marches
dobet ys hire damysele · sir doweles doughtur
To serue þat lady lelly · bothe late & rathe
Dobest ys aboue bothe · a bishopes pere
and by his lering ys lad · þat ilke lady anima
ys awis / a wis knyght with-alle sir inwit he hatte
and hath fyue fair sones · by his furste wyue
sire sewel & saiwel · & here wel þe endeN
sire worche weel wiþ þin hand · a wight man of strengthe
and sire goed faith go weel · greet lordes alle
þise fiue ben set forto saue anima
Til kynde come or sende and kepe hire him-selue
what kynne þing ys kynde quod y · canst þow me telle
kynde ys creatour quod wit of alle kynne thinges
Fader & Formeour of al þat forth groweth
þe whiche is god grettist · bygynnyng hadde he neuere
Lord of lif & of light of lisse & of payne
angels & alle þing arn at his wille
Man ys him moest lik · of membres & of faceC
and semblable in soule to god but yf synne hit make
and as þow seest þe sonne · sumtyme for cloudesC
May not shine ne shewe · on shawes on erthe
so let leccherie & othir lithir synnes
þat god sueth not such synful men · & soffreth hem mysfare
as somme hangeth hem-selue & othir-while adrencheth
God wol not of hem wite · but lat hem yworthe
as þe sautere saith by synful shrewes
CEt dimisi eos secundum desideria eorum
such lither lyuinge men · somme ben riche
Of gold & of othir goed · but godes grace hem faileth
For þei loueth & bileueth · al her lif tyme
On catelle more þen on kynde · þat alle þinges wroughte
þe which loueT & lif þat lasteþ with-outon ende
Inwit & alle wittes · closed ben þerynne
By loue & By leute · þerby lyueth anima
and lif liueth by inwit · & lering of kynde
yn-wit ys in þe heued · & anima yn herte
and mych worth him þat ynwit mysspendith
For þat ys godes owne god · his grace & his tresour
þat many a lede leseth · þorgh likerous drinke
as loet dide & noe · & herodes þe daffe
ȝaf his doughtur for a daunsing yn a dish þe heued73C
Of þat blessid baptist bifore alle his gestes
Euery man þat hath inwit · & his hele bothe
hath tresour ynow of truthe to fyndon him-selue
andT faunte-kynes & foles þe which þat fauton ynwit
Frendes shal finde hem · & from folie kepe
and holi churche helpe to · so sholde no man begge
Ne spille speche ne tyme ne myspende nowthir
Meble ne vnmeble mete nothir drinke
and þenne dide we alle weel · & wel bet ȝut to louye
Oure enemyes enterly & helpe hem at her nede
and ȝut wer best to ben a-boute & bringe hit to helpeT
þat alleC londes louedon · & yn oen lawe byleuedon
Bisshopes sholdon be heraboute · & bringe þis to hepe
For to lese þerfore her lond · & here lif aftir
þe catelle þat crist hadde · þre clothis hit were
þerof was he robbed & ruyfled · ar he on rode dyede
and sithen he lees his lif · for lawe sholde loue wexe
prelates & prestes & princes of holi churche
sholde not doute no deth · ne no dere ȝeres
To wende as wide as þe world were
To tulie þe erthe with tonge & teche men to louye
yn myschef for defaut of mete · ne for myssing of cloþis
CInquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono
who-so lyueth in lawe · & yn loue doth wel
as þis weddid men þat þis world susteyne
For of here kynde þei come bothe confessoures & martires
prophetes & patriarkes popes & maydones
For god saith him-selue · shal neuere goed appel
þorgh no sotil science · on sour stok growe
and ys no more to mene but menT þat ben bygeton
out of matrimonie not moilere · mown not haue þe grace
þat lele legitimi by þe lawe mown clayme
and þat my sawe ys soth þe sauter bereth witnesse
CConcepit in dolore & peperit iniquitatem
kaym þe corsed creature conseyued was yn synne
after þat Adam & Eue · haddon ysynned
with-outon repentaunce of here rechelesnes aribaud / a ribaud þei engendrid
as an hewe þat erieth not auntreth him soweT
On aleye / a leye lond aȝenes his lordes wille
So was kaym conceyued & so ben corsid wreches
þat licam han aȝen þe lawe þat oure lord ordeyned
alle þat comen of kaym · caitiues wern euere
and for þe synne of kaymes seed · saide god to Noe
CPenitet me fecisse hominem
and bad go shapon a ship · of shides & bordes
þi-selue & þi sones þre · & sithen ȝour wyues
Boske ȝou to þat boet · & abidith þerinne
Til fourty daies be fulfild · & floed haue ywasshe
Clene awey þe corsed bloed þat of caym is spronge
Bestes þat now be shal banne þat tyme
þat euere þat corsed kaym · cam on þis erthe
alle sholon dye for his dedes · by dales & by hulles
and þe foules þat fleeth · forth wiþ othir bestes
Outtake onlich · of vch a kynde apaire / a paire
þat in þin singledT ship · shal be wiþ þe ysaued
here aboughte þe barn · þe belsires gultes
and alle for her fadres · ferdon þe worse
þe gospel ys here-agayn · as gomes may rede
CFilius non portabit iniquitatem patris & . cetera .
holy writ witnesseth · þat for no wicked dede
þat þe sire by him-self doth þe sone sholde be þe worse
But westmynster lawe y woet wel · worcheth þe contrarie
For þough þe fader be a frankleyn · & for a felown be hangidC
þe heritage þat þe heir shold haue ys at þe kynges wille
þat kynde foloweþ kynde · & contrarieth neuere
CNumquam colliguntur de spinis vuas Et alibi
bonus arbor bonum fructum facitT
ac whi þe world was adreint holy writ tellith
was for mariages makyng · þat men made þat tyme
after þat kaym ycursid hadde ykild abel
Seeth adames sone · sithen was engendrid
and god sent to seeth · so sone he was of age
þat for no kynne catelle ne no kynne byhest
soffre his seed sedon with kaymes seed his brothir
and seeth for he soffrid hit god saide me forthinkeþ
þat y man made or matrimonye soffred
For gode sholdon wedde gode · þough þei no goed hadde
For y am via & veritas · & may avaunsen alle
But fewe folk now foloweth þis · for þei ȝiue her childron
For coueitise of catelle & connyng chapmen
Of kyn ne of kynrede counteth men but litel
and þough he be loulich to loken on · & louesom abiddeT
Bot yf he haue othir goed · haue wol hire no riche
But late hem be vnlouely · & vnlouesom abedde
a bastard abonde / a bonde oen abegeneldes / a begeneldes doughtur
þat no curtesie can · but lat hire be knowe
For riche or rentid wel · þogh she be riueled for elde
þer nys squier ne knyght · yn contree aboute
and weddon hire for her welthe · & wisshen on þe morowe
þat his wif were wax or a walet ful of nobles
yn ielosie ioyeles · and iangelyng a-bedde
Many apeire / a peire sithe þes pestilenses han yplight truþe to loue
But þei lyen leixLX her neithir liketh othir
þe fruyt þat þei bringeth forth · arn many foule wordes
han þei no childron but chest · & choppes hem bytwene
þough þei do hem to donemowe · but þe deuel hem helpe
To folowe for þe flicche feccheth þei hit neuere
Bot þei bothe beth forswore · þat bacoun þey tyne
For-þi ycounsele / y counsele alle cristene · coueite neuere be weddid
For no coueitise of catelle yn noen kynne wise
But maydones & maydones marie ȝou to-gideresC
and wedowes & wedowers weddith ȝour aither othir
and loke þat loue be more þe cause · þen lond othir nobles
and euery manere seculer man · þat may not continue
wisly go wedde & war þe fro þat synne
þat leccherie ys a likyng þing · & a limȝerde of helle
and whil þow art ȝong & ȝeep · & þi wepne kene
awrek þe þerwith on wyuyng · for godes werk y holde hit
CDum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortis
Scribitur in portis meretrix est ianua mortis
Cand ȝe þat han wyues be war & worcheth not out of tyme
For sholde no bed-bourde be but yf þei boþe were
Clene of lif & yn loue of soule & yn leel wedlok
For þat dede derne do no man sholde
But wyues & weddid men as holy writ techith
CBonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam heat / h[ab]eat
propter fornicacionem
þat othir-gates ben gete for gadelinges ben haldon
and fals folk & fondlinges faitoures & lyares
vngracious to gete goed or gete loue of peple
waytenT & wasten al þat þei cacche mowe
aȝen dowel þei don euele · & þe deuel serue
and after here deth day · dwelle sholon yn helle
But god ȝiue hem grace here goande to amende
and þus is dowel my freend · to do as lawe techith
To louye & to loue þeLX · & no lif to greue
But to ȝeue & to ȝeme · boþe ȝong & olde
helon & helpon · ys dobest of alle
For þe more aman / a man may do by so þat he do hit
þe more he is worthi & worth · of wise & gode ypreysed