Passus primus de visione de dowelle
CThenne hadde wit a wif was hote dame studie
þat ful lene lokid & lifholy semed
she was wonderly wroth · þat wit so me taughte
Al staring dame studie sternelich saide
Wel art þow quod sho to wit such wisdomes to shewe
To any foel or to flatere or to frantik peple
And saide nolite mittere in viam ȝe men margerie perles
among hogges þat haen hawes at wille
þey don but dreuele þeron draf were hem leuere
þen al þe precious perry · þat any prince weldith
y segge hit bisuch / bi such quod wit þat shewen by her werkes
þat louen lond & lordshipe · & likyng of body
More þen holinesse or hendenesse · or al þat seyntes techen
wysdom & wit now · ys not worth a crasse
who can caste & contreue to disceyue þe rightfole
and lette wiþ a loueday truthe & bigile
þat coniecte can & caste þus arn clepid in-to counsel
CQui sapiunt nugas & crimina lege vocantur
Qui recte sapiunt lex iubet ire foras
he ys reuerensed & yrobed · þat can robbe þe peple
þorgh fallas & fals questes · & þorgh fikel speche
Iob þe gentil in his gestes witnessith
what shal worthon of such when þei lif leton
CDucunt in bonis dies suos & in finem descendunt ad infernum
þe sauter saith þe same of alle such riche
CIbunt in progenie patrum suorum & vsque in eternum non videbunt
Clumen Et alibi ecce ipsi peccatores . habundantes . & cetera .
Lo saith holy lettrure · which lordes beþ þes shrewesC
þo þat god most goed ȝiueth greueþ most right & truþeC
CQue perfecisti destruxerunt & cetera
Charlotes for her harlotrie · arn holpen ar nedy pore
and þat is no right ne resoun · for rathir me sholde
helpe him þat hath nought · þen þo þat han no nedeC
But he þat hath holywrit / holy writ ay in his mouth
and can telle of truthe & of þe twelue apostles
Or of þe passioun of crist or of purgatorie þe peynes
litel ys he loued or leet here-fore among lordes at festes
Now ys þe manere at þe mete · when mynstrals ben stille
Þe lewed aȝen þe lered þe holy lore dispute
and tellon of þe trinite how two slowen þe þridde
and bringon forth balled resounes · taken bernard to witnes
þus þei driuele at þe deys · þe deite to knowe
and gnawen god with gorge when here gottes fullon
But þe carfole may crie & quake at þe ȝate
Bathe afyngred & furstT & for defaut spille
ys noen so hende to haue him · bot hote him go þere goed ys
þenne semeth hit to my sight · to such þat so biddeth
God ys not in þat home ne his help nothir
litel loueth he þat lord · þat lente him al þat blisse
þat so parteth with þe pore · a parsel when him nedithC
Ne were mercy in mene men · more þen yn right rich
Many tyme Mendinantz myghte goen a-hungred
and so saith þe sauter y say hit in memento
CEcce audiuimus eam id est caritatem in effrata
CClerkes & knyghtes carpen of god ofte
and han myche in here mouth · but mene yn her herte
Freres & faitoures han founde vp such questiouns
To plese with proude men sithen þes pestilence tymesT
and preching at seint poules and puyr enuye of clerkesC
þat folk ys not ferme yn þe faith · ne fre of here godes
Ne sory for here synnes so ys pruyde enhaunsed
yn religioun & in al þe reume · amonges riche & pore
þat preyeres han no power þes pestilenses to lette
For god ys deef now on dayes and deyneth vs to here
and gode men for oure gultes he al to-grind to dethe
and ȝut þes wrecches of þis world ys noen y-war by othir
Ne for drede of any deth with-draweth him pruyde
Ne parteth with poreT as puyre charite wolde
but yn gayenes & glotenye · for-glotton here godes
and breketh not here breed to þe pore · as þe boek hotith
CFrange esurienti panem tuum
But þe more he wynneþ & hath þe world at his wille
and lordes in ledes þe lasse goed he deleth
Tobie techeth not so · taketh heed ȝe riche
how he tolde yn a tyme · and taughte his sone · dele
CSi tibi sit copia habundanter tribue
Si autem exiguum illud impertiri libenter stude
CAnd ys to mene no more but who myche goed weldith
Be large þerof whil hit lasteth · to ledes þat ben nedy
and yf þou haue litel leue sone · loke by þi lyue
Gete þe loue þerwith þough þow worse fare
But lust no lord now ne lettured man of such lore to here
But lithen how þei myghte lere · lest goed spende
and þat loueþ lordes now · and leton hit adowel / a dowel
For ys no wit worth now · but hit of wynnyng soune
For-thi wit quod she be war · holi writ to shewe
amonges hem þat haen hawes at wille
þe which ys aliking / a liking & lust · þe loue of þe world
and when wit was ywar · what study menedeC
y myghte gete no grayn of wittes grete wittes
Bot al laughing he loutid · & lokid vpon studie
semynge þat y sholde bisechon hire of grace
and when y was war of his wille to þat womman gan y loute
and saide mercy ma-dame ȝour man shal y worthen
as longe as y liue boþe late & rathe
and for to worche ȝour wille þe whil my lif duyreth
with þat ȝe kenne me kyndelich · to knowe what ys dowel
For þi mekenes man quod she · & for þi mylde speche
y shal kenne þe to clergie my cosyn · þat knowethC
Of dobet of dobest · for doctour he is knowen
and ouer scripture þe skilful · and skreueynes wern trewe
For he is sib to þe seuen ars · & also my suster
and clergises weddid wif · as wis as him-selue
Of lore & of lettrure · of lawe & of resoun
so with þat clergie can · & counsel of scripture
þow shalt conne & knowe kyndelich dowel
þenne was y as fayn · as foul of fair morwen
Gladdere þen gleman · þat gold hath to ȝifte
and asked of hire þe hie waye · whare þat clergie dwelte
and telle me somtokene / som tokene quod y · for tyme ys þat y wende
aske þe hie way · hennes to soffre
Boþe wele & wo · yf þow wolt lerne
and ride forth bi richesse · rest not þere-ynne
For yf þou coueytest to be riche · to clergie comest þow neuere
Boþe wymmen & wyn · wreþe yre & sleuthe
yf þow hit vse othir haunte haue god my truthe
To clergie shalt þou neuere come · ne knowe what is dowel
But yf þow happe quod he þat þou hitte on clergie
and hast vnderstondyng what he wolde mene
and say y grete wel his wif · for y wroet hire a bible
and fette / [s]ette hire to sapience & to þe sauter yglosid
Logik y lerned hire & al þe lawe aftir
and alle þe musones yn musik y made hire forto knowe
Plato þe poete y putte him furst to boke
aristotel & othir to arguen y taughte
Gramer for gurles ygart / y gart first write
an beet hem wiþ a baleys · but yf þey wolde lerne
Of alle kynne craftes y contreued her toles
Of carpentrie of kerueres · & contreued þe compas
þus þorgh my lore arn men ylerned · þough y loke dymme
Cac teologie hath tened me ten score tymes
þe more y muse þeronne · þe mystiloker hit semeth
and þe deppore y diuine þe derkore me thinketh hit
hit ys no science soþly but a sothfast bileue
But for hit lereth men to louye ybileue / y bileue þeronne þe betture
For loue ys a likyng thing & loth forto greue
lerne forto louye yf þe lik dowel
For of dobet & dobest here doctour ys dere loue
þo wente y my way with-oute more lettyng
and to clergie y cam · as clerkes me saide
ygrette / y grette him goedly and graithly y him tolde
how þat wit & his wif wissed me to him
To kenne & to knowe kyndelich dowel
By crist quod clergie · yf þow coueyte dowelle
kepe þe ten comaundementz · and kepe þe from synne
Can byleue lelly how godes sone alighty
On þe maide marie for man-kynde sake
and by-cam man of þat maide · with-outon mankynde
and al þat holichirche herof can þe lere
Leue hit lelly & loke þow do theraftir
austyn þe olde her-of made bokes
who was his autour & him of god taughte
Patriarkes & prophetes apostles & aungels
and þe true trinite to austyn apperede
and he vs saide as he say · & so y bileue
þat he say þe fader & þe sone & þe seynt spirit to-gideres
and alle þre but oen god · & herof he made bokesT
who beth his witnesses Ego in patre & pater in me est
& qui me videt patrem meum videt qui in celis est & cetera . T
alle þe clerkes vnder crist · ne coude þis assoile
But þus hit bilongeth to bileue alle þat likeþ to dowel
For hadde neuere freik fyn wit · þe faith to disputeC
Ne man mought haue meryt þerof mought hit be ypreued
CFides non habet meritum vbi humana . ratio & cetera .
þat maketh men to dowel · & dobet & dobest
þenne scripture scorned me & many skiles shewed
and continaunce made on clergie · to congeie me hitC semed
and lacked a latynT & light by me sette
and saide Multi multa sciunt & seipsos nesciunt
þo wepte y for wo · & wrathe of her wordes
and yn a wynkyng y warth · & wonderliche me mette
For y was rauyshed right þere · for fortune me fette
and in-to þe longyngT · and loue she me brought
and yn amyrrour / a myrrour þat hight middelȝerd she made me to loke
and sithen he saide to me · here might þow see wondres
and knowe þat þow coueytest & come þerto perauntur
þenne hadde fortune folowyng hire two faire maidones
CConcupiscencia carnis men calde þe elder maide
and coueitise of yes ycald was þat othir
and pruyde of perfit lyuyng · pursued me faste
and bad me for my continense · counte clerkes teching light
and saide þow art ȝong & ȝeep · & hast ȝeres ynowe
Forto lyue longe · & ladies to louye
þat woln lede þeT to likyng al þi lif tyme
þe secunde saide þe same · y shal sewe þi wille
Til þow be a lord · & haue lond · letton y þe nylle
þat y ne shal folowe þin felawshipe yf fortune like
þe man þat me liketh to helpe · might not myshappe
þenne was þere oen þat highte . Elde · þat heuy was of chere
Man quod Elde yf y mette with þe · By mary of heuene
þow shalt fynde fortune þe faile · at þi moest nede
and concupiscencia carnis clene þe forsake
Bitterliche shalt þow banne þenne · Boþe dayes & nyghtes
Coueytise of yes þat euere þow hire knewe
and pruyde of perfit liuyng to myche peril þe bringe
Ȝe recche þe neuere quod rechelesnes stodforth / stod forth in raggid cloþes
Folowe forth þat fortune wole · þou hast ful fer to heldeLX
Aman / A man may stoupe tmes / t[i]mes ynow · when he shal tyne his croune
Sir wanhope was sib to him · as sum me tolde
For rechelesnes in his ribaudie · right þus he saide
Go y to helle or to heuene · y shalT myn one
wer hit al soþ þat ȝe sayn · þow scripture & þow clergie
y leue neuere þat lord ne lady · þat liueth here on erthe
sholde sitte in godes sight ne see god in his blisse
CIta possibile est diviti intrare in regnum celorum sicut camelus & cetera .
CFor clergie saith þat he say · in þe seint euangelie
þat y man maed was and my name entrid
yn þe legende of lif longe ar y were
predestinat þei prechon prechoures þat þis sheweth
vnwreton for som wickednes · as holy writ sheweth
CNemo ascendit ad celum nisi qui de celo descendit
and y leue hit wel by our lord & on no lettrure betture
For salamon þe sage þat sapience made
God gaf him grace of wit · & of goed aftir
Neuere to man so myche þat man can of telle
To rule alle reumes & riche to make
and demed wel & wisly · wymmen bereþ witnesC
Nec michi nec tibi set diuidatur
aristotel & he who taughte men betture
Maistres þat men techon · of godes mercy & techonT
witnessit þat here wordes · & her werkes bothe
were wonder gode & wyseste · yn here tyme
and holy church as y here haldeth boþe in helle
and yf we sholde worche aftir her werkes to wynnon vs heuen
þat for here werkes & wit · wonen now yn payne
þenne wrought y vnwisly for al ȝour wisteching / wis teching
But y countursegge þe not clergie · ne thi conyng scripture
þat who-so doth by ȝoure doctrine doth wel yleue / y leue
But me wer leuere by our lord · a lippe of godes grace
þen al þe kynde wit þat ȝe can boþe & conyng of ȝour bokesC
For of fele witty in faith litel ferly y haue
þough her goest be vngracious · god forto plese
For many men in this molde · more setton here herte
yn goed þen yn god · for-þi hem grace faileth
at here moste myschef · mercy wer þe beste
and mercy of mercy nedes mot arise
as holy writ witnessith godes word in þe gospel
Eadem mensura & cetera .
wel ywittid men & wel ylettred clerkesC
seldon arn þei seyn so lyue as þei lere
witnessith godes word þat was neuere vntrewe
CSuper cathedra Moisi & cetera
CBut y wene hit worth of many as was yn noes tyme
þo he shoep þe shipe of shides & of bordes
But briddes & bestes & þe blessid noe
and his wif with his sones · & his sones wyues
Of wrightes þat hit wroughte · was noen of hem ysaued
God leue hit fare not so bifolk / bi folk · þat þe faith techon
of holy kirke þat sholde kepe alle cristen soules
for archa noe nymeþ hede ys no more to mene
Bot holichirche herborgh to alle þat ben yblessid
For lewed folk godes foles · and his fre bestes
Chomines & iumenta saluabis & cetera .
at domes-day a deluuye worth · of deþ & fuyr at ones
worcheþ ȝe wrightes of holichurche as holy writ techith
Clast ȝe be lost as þe laborers were · þat laboured vnder noe
Agoed / A goed friday yfinde / y finde · a feloun was ysaued
þat vnlaufullich hadde yliued · al his lif tyme
and for he byknew on þe cros · & to crist shroef him
he was sonnere ysaued · þen seynt Iohan þe baptist
and ar adam othir ysaie · oþer eny of þe prophetes
þat hadde yleye with lucifer many longe ȝeres
A robere was yraunsomed · rathir þen þei alle
with penaunce othir passioun · or any othir payne
passed forth paciently to perpetuel blisse
þenne marie maudeleyn · who myght do worse
as yn likyng of leccherie · no lif denyede
Or dauid þe doughti þat denyedT how vrie
Mighte slilokest be slawe & sente him to werre
Paule þe apostle no pite hadde
Cristene peple · to kille to detheT
and now beth þes seyntes by þat men saiþ & souereynes in heuen
Cþo þat worst wroughton · þe while þat þei wern here
By þat þat salamon saith · hit semeth þat no wight woet
who is worthi · for weel or for wicked
whethir he is worthi to wele or to wicked peyneT
CSunt iusti atque sapientes & opera eorum in manu dei sunt & cetera .
þus y rechelesnes haue rad · registres & bokes
and fond y neuere in faith · for to telle truthe
þat clergie or / o[f] cristes mouth comaunded was euere
For crist saide to seyntes · and such as he louede
CDum steteritis ante reges vel presides & cetera
þogh ȝe come bifore kynges & clerkes of þe lawe
Beþ not a-ferd of þat folk for y shal ȝiue ȝou tonge
and connyng and clergie to conclude such alle
Dauid maketh mensioun he spak amonges kynges
and myght no kyng ouercome him · as yn conyng of speche
soþly saide rechelesnes ȝe see by many euydenses
þat wit ne witnesse · wan neuere þe maistrie
For he þat most sey & saide of þe soþfast trinite
was Austyn þe olde þat euere man wiste
saide þus in his sarmon for ensaumple of grete clerkes
CEcce ipsi idiote / idiote[s] rapiunt celum · vbi nos
sapientes in inferno mergimur
and ys to mene no more to men þat beth lewedC
arn noen rathir rauyshed fro þe right bileue
Comunlich þen clerkes most knowyng & conyng
Ne none sonnere ysaued · ne none saddere yn byleue
Then ploughmen & pastoures & pore comun peple
lewed lele laboreres · and land tulyng peple
persen with a pater noster paradys oþer heuen
and passen þorgh purgatorie penaunce-lees for her perfit byleue
CBreuis oracio penetrat celum
Selde falleth þe seruaunt so depe in arrerage
as doth þe reue or þe countrollour þat rikene mot & acounte
Of al þat þei han had of him þat is her maistur
But lewed laborers of litel vnderstondyng
selde falleth so foule & so depe in synne
as clerkes of holy kirke · þat kepe sholde & saue
lewed men in goed bileue · & lene hem at her nede
homo proponit quod a poete þo & plato he highte
alle þat truþe attacheþ & testifieth for gode
þough þey folowe þat fortune wole · no foly ich hit holde
Ne bigile þe but yf þow woleT
ȝe fare wel fippe quod a fauntelete · & forth gan me drawe
Til concupiscencia carnis · acordid til al my werkes
Of dowel ne of dobet no deynte me ne þoughte
Ne clergie ne his counsel y countid hit ful litel
wytte &
Stodye ·
Stodye ·
his wifeC
Covetyse .
begyle truth . /
nota
nota
gyve to the nedy
in thy lyfe tyme .
in thy lyfe tyme .
nota
And teacheth vs
to love .
to love .
Doo Well .
Age
the Reprobate
Vnwrytten . C
Vnwrytten . C
nota
nota
nota
the rich gyveth
les Almes then
mean men . /
les Almes then
mean men . /
hipocrites of þe clergie
and laitieC
and laitieC
nota
Stodye techethC
To suffer wooC
regard no richesC
beleefe , Truth ,
& Love .
& Love .
Salomon and
Aristotell . in
wysdom & workes
both goode yet .
dyed evelly . /
Aristotell . in
wysdom & workes
both goode yet .
dyed evelly . /
The wysest men &
lernedst do
seldom lyve as
they teche .
lernedst do
seldom lyve as
they teche .
not wytte but þe
grace of god . /
grace of god . /
none ravisshed
soner from fayth
then coning Clerkes
And none soner
saved then comon
people . /
soner from fayth
then coning Clerkes
And none soner
saved then comon
people . /
Sterringe the simple pepell to almes
for there owne proffittC
for there owne proffittC