Passus sextus de dowelle
fro þe loue of our lord at his last ende
hewen þat han her huyre bifore &T euermore pore
and selde dyon out of dette to dyne ar he deserue hit
when his deuere is doen and his daies iourne
þenne may men wite what he is worþ & what he haþ deserued
But not toP fonge bifore for drede of disalowyng
so y saye by ȝou riche hit semeth not þat ȝe sholdeC
haue to heuenes for ȝoure here beyng
Miche murþe is in may amonges wilde bestes
and so forth whil somur lasteþ her solas duyreth
and mych myrthe among rich men is þat han meble ynow & hele
But beggeres aboute myssour / mysso[m]ur bredles þey soupe
and ȝut is wyntur for hem worse for weet-shod þey goen
a-furst & a-fyngred · & foule rebuked
Of þis world riche men þat ruthe is to here
Now lorde sende hem somur sumtyme to solas & to ioye
þat al her lif ledon in lowenes & in pouerte
CFor alle myghtest þou haue maed men of gret welthe
and ylich witty & wys and lyue with-oute nede
But for þe beste as yhope / y hope arn somme pore & rich
and make vs alle meke
low & leel & louyng & of herte pore
and sende vs contricion to clanse wiþ our soules
and confessioun to kille alle kynne synnes
and þise ben dowel & dobet & dobest of alle
CCordis contricio cometh of sorowe of herte
and oris confessio þat cometh of shrifte of mouthe
and satisfaccion þat for soules paieth & for alle synnes quitiþ
CCordis contricio oris confessio operis satisfaccio
þise þre with-oute doute tholieth al pouerte
and lereth lewed & lered hy & low to knowe
who doth wel or bet · or best aboue alle
and holychurch & charite herof a chartre made
Elles ys al yn idel al our lyuyng here
Our preyeres & our penaunces & pilgrimages to Rome
But oure spenses & our spending spring of a true welle
Elles ys al our labour lost · lo how men writeth
yn fenestres at þe freres · yf fals be þe foundement
For seuen synnes þat þer ben · þat assailon vs euere
þe feend foloweth hem alle & fondeth hem to helpe
Cand with richesse þo ribaudes rathist men bigileth
For þat richesses regneth reuerenses foloweth
and þat is plesaunt to pruyde yn pore & in richC
and þe rich is reuerensed bi resoun of his richesse
þere þe pore is put byhinde and perauntur can more
of wit & of wisdom þat feraway / fer away is bettere
þen richesse oþer realte and rathir herd in heuen
For þe rich haþ mich to rikene & right soft walkeþ
þe hi way to heuene-ward he halt hit not ful euene
þere þe pore preseth bifore · with a pak at his rugg
COpera eorum sequntur illos
Batauntlich as beggeres doen & baldlich he craueth
For his pouerte & his pacience perpetuel ioye
and pride in richesse regneth rathir þen in pouerte
Or in þe maister or in þe man som mansioun he haueþ
But in pouerte þere pacience ys prid hath no myght
Ne noen of þe seuen synnes sitte ne may þere longe
Ne haue power ne pouerteT · yf pacience him folowe
for þe pore ys ay prest · to plese þe riche
and buxum at his bidding for his breed & his drinke
and buxumnesse & bost arn euermore at werre
Cand aithir hatith othir & may not wone to-gideres
yf wrathe wrastle with þe pore he hath þe wors ende
For yf þei boþe pleyne þere / þe pore is but feble
and yf he chide or chatere him cheueth þe worse
for louelich he lokith & low is his speche
þat mete or money · of straunge men mot beggeT
and his heed vnhiled · vnesilich ywrie
For when he streyneth him to strecch · þe straw is his shete
so for his glotonye & his greet synne
he hath a greuous penaunce · þat is welowo
when he awaketh · & wepeth for coldeT
So he is neuere mury so myschef him foloweth
and þogh coueitise wolde with þe pore wrastle
þey comeT to-gidres & by þe necke namlich
her noen may henton othirT
For men knoweth wel þat coueitise is of a kene wille
and hath hondes & armes · of a long lengthe
and pouerte ys but apety / a pety þing · appereth to his nauelle
and louely laik was hit neuere bitwene along / a long & a short
For pouerte haþ but pokes to putton in his godes
þere auarice haþ almaries · & yre-bounde coffres
To breke a beggeres bagge þen an yron-bounde coffre
Cand leccherie loueþ no pore · for he haþ but litel suluer
Ne doþ men dyne delicatly · ne drinke wyn ofte
and þogh sleuþe sewe pouerte & serue not god to pay
Mischef is ay amene / a mene & maketh him to þenke
þat god is his grettist help & no gome elles
and he is seruant alway he saith · & of his sute boþe
and wher he be or be not · he bereth þe signe of pouerte
and yn þat secte our saueour saued al man-kynde
CFor-þi al pore þat pacient ys of puyr right may clayme
aftir her endyng here heuen-rich blisse
Mich hardiore may he aske · þat here might haue his wille
yn lond & in lordshipe yn likyng of body
and for godes loue alT & liueth as a beggere
as amaide / a maide for a mannes loue · her moder forsoke
her fadir & alle her frendes · & goþ forþ wiþ hir paramour
More þen þat maide ys · þat is maried bi brocage
as by assent of sondri persones and suluer to bote
More for coueitise of catelle þen kinde loue of þe mariage
so hit fareth by such a persone þat possessioun forsaketh
And pot him to be pacient & pouerte weddith
þe wich is sib to crist him-self and semblable bothe
Quod actif þo al angrilich & arguyng as hit were
what is pouerte pacience quod he y preye that þou telle hit
sessio sine calupnia / calu[m]pnia donum dei sanitatis mater absque solitu /
dine / soli[ci]tu
/ dine semita sapiencie temporatrix / temp[e]ratrix negocium sine dampno
/ incerta fortuna absque solicitudine felicitas
y can not telle al þis quod actiua vita
parfay quod pacience properlich to telle hit
al yn english hit is ful hard · but sumdel y shal shewe
Pouerte is þe fist / fi[r]st point þat pride most hatith
þenne is pouerte goed by goed skile · þogh hit greue a litelle
al þat may potte of pruyde en any place þere he regneth
Or a iustise to iugge men me enioyneþ þerto no pore
Ne to be amair / a mair ouer men · ne mynistre vnder kynges
Selde ys any pore yput · to punyshe any peple
Ergo pouerte & pore men perfourme þe comaundement
selde is þe pore right riche · bot of his rightful heritage
wynneth he not with false wightes · ne with vnseled mesures
Ne boroweþ of his neighebore bot þat he may wel paye
and me leneth lightly feweT · & me wene hem pore
Cþe fifte hit is a fortune þat florisheth þe soule
with soberte from alle synnes & also ȝut more
hit defendith þe flesh fram folies ful manye
a collateral counfort cristes owne sonde
and frend yn alle fondinges & of foul eueles leche
Pouerte myght passe wiþ-oute perel of robbyng
For þere-as pouerte passeth pees foloweth comunlich
and euere þe lasse þat oen lede · þe lightore his herte is þere
as he þat wot neuere wiþ wham on nyghtes-tyme to mete
CSeneca paupertas est absque solicitudine semita
þe seuenthe ys a welle of wisdom & fewe wordes sheweþ
For lordes alloweþ him litel · or leith ere to his resoun
¶ The eyghthe ys a leel labour & loth to take more
þen he may soþly deserue · in somur or in wyntur
CNegocium sine dampno
þe nynthe hit is sweet to soules noen sugur swettore
For pacience is his panter · & pouerte pain hir fyndeth
þus lered me a lered man · for our lordes loue seint austyn
þat puyr pouerte & paciense was alow / a low lyuyng on erthe
a blessid lif with-oute besinesse bot onlich for þe soule
Cabsque solicitudine felicitas
Now god þat al gyueth graunte his soule reste
þat wroet þus to wiseT men · what pouerte was to mene
þenne hadde actif a ledere þat hight liberum arbitrium
and knew conscience ful wel · & clergie bothe
he þat hat lond & lordshipe quod he · at þe last ende
shal be porest of power · at his parting hennes
þenne hadde ywonder / y wonder what he was þat liberum arbitrium
and preyde pacience þat y appose him moste
and he soffred me & saide · assaie his othir name
Leue liberum arbitrium quod y · of what lond are ȝe
and yf þow be cristes creature for cristes loue telle me
y am cristes creature quod he · and cristene yn many aplace / a place
and yn cristes court yknowe wel · & of his kyn apartie / a partie
þat wole defende me heuen dore · dynge y neuer so late
at mydnyght at mydday · my vois is so yknowe
þat vch a creature þat loueth crist · welcomeþ me faire
wher-of serue ȝe y saide sire liberum arbitrium
Of somtyme to fighte quod he falsnes to destruyeC
and somtyme to soffre bothe tene & sorowe
laike or leue at my likyng chese
To do wel or wicke · awille / a wille with a resoun
and may not be withT a body · to bere me wher he liketh
þenne is þat body bettere þen þow quod y · nay quod he no bettere
Bot as a wode wer a-fuyre · þenne worcheþ boþe
and aither is oþeres hete · & also of oen wille
and so is man þat haþ his mynde · with liberum arbitrium
and whiles y quike þe cors y-cald am · y anima
and for þat y can & knowe · ycald am y mens
and makeT mone to god · memoria y hatte
and when y deme domes & do as truþe techith
þenne ys racio my right name resoun en english
and when yfele / y fele þat folk tellith · my first name is sensus
and þat is wit & wisdom · þe welle of alle craftes
and when y chalenge or chalenge not · chepe or refuse
þenne am y conscience cald · godes clerk & his notary
and when ywol / y wol do or not do gode dedes or ille
þenne am y liberum arbitrium as lettrid men tellith
and when y loue lelly · our lord & alle othir
þenne ys leel loue my name & yn latyn amor
and when y fle fro þe body & feye leue þe caroyne
þenne am y spirit speche-les · & Spiritus þenne y hote
austyn & ysodorus aither of hem bothe
Nempned me þus to name now þou might chese
how þou coueitest to calle me now þou knowest alle my names
CDum viuificat corpus anima est dum vult animus est
dum recolit memoria est dum iudicat racio est dum sentit
sensus est · dum amat amor est · dum declinat de malo
Cad bonum liberum arbitrium est · dum negat vel consentit con
sciencia est · dum spirat spiritus est
ȝe beth as abisshop / a bisshop quod y al bourdyng þat tyme
For bisshopes yblessid þey bereth many names
and othir names an heep episcopus & pastor
þat is soth he saide nowy / now y se þi wille
þow woldest knowe & conne þe cause of alle her names
and of myne yf þou mightest me thinketh bi thi spech
alle þe sciences vnder sonne and alle þe sotil craftes
y wolde y knew & cowde kyndlich in myn herte
þenne art þou inperfit quod he & oen of prides knyghtes
For such a lust & likyng lucifer fel from heuene
Ponam pedem meum in aquilone & . cetera .
hit were aȝenes kynde quod he & al kynne resoun
þat any creature sholde conne al · excepte crist one
aȝenes such salamon speketh · & dispiseth her wittes
¶ and saith sicut qui mel comedit multum non est ei bonum
CSic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimatur a gloria
To english men þis is to mene þat mowen speke & here
þe man þat mych hony eet his mawe hit engleymeþ
þe wittiore þat eny wight ys but yf he worche þeraftir
Beatus seith seint Bernard qui scripturas legit
Et verba vertit in opera enformethT his power
Coueytise to knoweT alle scienses
Put owt of paradis adam & Eue
CSciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriam spoliauit
and right as hony · ys euel to defie
Right so sotil sciences swellith a mannes sowle
and doth him to be deynous · & deme þat beth not lered
lest synne of pruyde wexe
Freres fele tymes to þe folk þere þei prechon
Meuon motyues many tymes insolibles & fallas
þat bothe lered & lewed · of here byleue douton
To teche þe ten comaundmentz · ten sithe wer bettere
Cas wel freres as othir folk folilich spendon
yn housing yn helyng · in high clergy shewyng
More for pomp & pruyde · as þe pepel woet wel
þat y lie not lo for lordes ȝe plese
and reuerense þe riche þe rathir for her suluer
aȝen þe counsel of crist as holy clergie witnessith
Ne sitis acceptores personarum
Lo what holy writ witnessith of wicked techers
as holinesse & honeste out of holichurche
springeth & spredith · & enspireth þe peple
þorgh perfit presthoed · & prelates of holichurche
Right so out of holy churche al euel spredith
þere inperfit presthoed ys · prechers & techers
and se hit by ensaumple · yn somur tyme on trees
þere somme bowes bern leues · & somme beren none
þo bowes þat bereth not & be not grene yleuedC
þere ys a myschef in þe more of such manere stockes
Right so persounes & prestes & prechoures of holi churche
ys þe rote of þe right faith to reule þe peple
But þere þe rote ys roton resoun woet þe soþe
shal neuere flour ne fruyt wexe ne fair leef be grene
For wolde ȝe lettered leue þe leccherie of clothing
and be curteys & kynde · of holichurch godes
Parte with þe pore & ȝour pruyde leue
Cand þerto true of ȝour tunge & of ȝour tail also
and haten harlotrie & toP vnderfonge tithes
Of vsurers of hores of alle euel wynnynges
loth were lewed bot þei ȝour lore folowedon
and amendon of here mysdedes · more for ȝour ensaumples
ypocrisie ys a braunche of pruyde & most amonges clerkes
and ys ilikned yn latyn to a lothly dongheepe
þat were bysnewed al with snow & snakes wiþ-ynneT
Right so many prestes prechoures & prelates
and as lambes þei loke · & lyuon as wolues
CIohannes Crisostomus · carpeth þus of clerkes
Sicut de templo omne bonum progreditur sic de templo
omne malum procedit Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit tota floret
ecclesia · Si autem corupta fuerit omnium fides marcida est
Si sacerdocium fuerit in peccatis totus populus conuertitur ad peccandum
sicut cum videris arborem pallidam & marcidam intelli
gis quod vicium habet in radice Ita cum videris populum indissipli
natum & irreligiosum sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum
alas lewed men mych lese ȝe that fynde
vnconnynge curatoures to be keperes of ȝour soules
But thing þat wickedlich is wonne & wiþ fals sleithus
as inperfit prestes & prechoures aftir suluer
and þat wiþ gile was gete vngraciouslich be spendid
Curatoures of holichurch & clerkes þat ben auerous
lightly þat þey leue · loseles hit deuouron
þat þus goth her godes at þe last ende
þat lyuon aȝen holy lore & þe loue of charite
¶ Charite quod y tho · þat is a thing forsoþe
þat maistres comenden myche wher may hit be yfounde
y haue lyued in londe many longe ȝeres
charite þat chargeth nought · ne chit þogh me greue him
as paul in his pestil of him bereth witnes
CNon inflatur non est ambisiosa
y knew neuere by crist clerk nothir lewed
þat he ne asked aftir his & othir-whiles coueytid
þing þat nedideT him naught & nyme hit yf he myghte
For þough me soughte al the sektus of sustren & breþeren
and finde him but figuratifly a ferly me thinketh
Chic in enigmate tunc facie ad faciem
and so y trowe truly by þat me tellith of charite
charite ys a childisshe thing as holy churche witnessith
CNisi efficiamini sicut & paruuli & cetera ·
as proud of a peny as of a pound of gold
and as glad of agoune / a goune of gray russet
as of a cote of camaca or of clene scarlet
he ys glad with alle glade as gurles þat laughon alle
and sory when he seeth men sory as þow seest childron
and when aman / a man swerith for soth · for soþe he hit troweth
weneth he þat no wight wolde lye & swerie
Ne þat eny goem wolde gile othir ne greue
For drede of god þat so goed ys & þus-gates vs techith
CQuodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines facite eis
hath he no likyng to laughe ne to likne men to scorne
Calle siknesses & sorowes for solas he hit taketh
and alle manere myscheues · as mynstralcie of heuen
Of deth ne of derth dradde he neuere
Ne mysliked þogh he lore · or lened þat ilke
þat neuere paide peny aȝen · yn places þere he borowed
who fyndT him his fode quod y or what frendes hath he
Rentes oþer richesse to rule him at his nede
of Rentes ne richesse ne reccheth he neuere
a frend he hath þat fint him þat failed him neuere
Oen aperis tu manum tuam alle thinges him fyndeth
and also he can clergie Credo in deum patrem
and portraie wel þe pater noster & peynton hit wiþ auees
¶ and othir-while his wone ys to wende yn pilgrimages
þere pore men & prisounes ben & paie for her fode
what sorowe he soffred yn ensaumple of vs alle
þat pouerte & penaunce paciently ytake
worþ mych merit to þat man þat hit may soffre
and when he haþ visited þus fetured folk & oþer folk pore
þene ȝerneth he in-to ȝouthe · & ȝeeply he seketh
and lauethT in þe lauendrie laboraui in gemitu meo
Boukeþ hem at his breest & betith hit ofte
and with warm watur of his yes wokeþ hit til he white
and þenne singeþ he when he doþ so & somtyme weping
Cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies
were y with him by crist quod y · y wolde neuere fro him
þogh y my bilyue sholde begge · aboute at menne hacches
wher clerkes knowe him not quod y · þat kepon holi church
CEt vidit deus cogitaciones eorum
But þorgh werkes þou myghte wite wherforth he walketh
and compenable yn companye as crist him self techith
Nolite tristes fieri sicut ypocrite
y haue seyn him my self som-tyme in russet
Boþe in gray & in gris & in gult harneys
and also gladlich he hit gaf to gomes þat hit nedid
Edmond & Edward aither wer seyntes
and chef charite with hem & chast alle her lyue
y haue y-seyn charite also syngon & redeC
Ridon & renne in raggid clothis
But biddinge as a beggere biheld y him neuere
But yn riche robes rathist he walketh
And yn a frere frocke wasT yfounde ones
But hit is fer & fele ȝeer yn fraunceys tyme
yn þat sekte sithe to selde he haþ be founde
Riche men he recomendith & of her robes takith
Of þo þat leellich lyuon & louon & bileuon
CBeatus est diues sine macula
yn kynges court he cometh yf his counsel be treweC
But yf coueytise be of his counselle he wil not come þerinne
amonges þe comvne in Court · he cometh but selde
for braulyng & bacbiting & bering of fals witnes
¶ yn constorie bifore comissarie he comeþ not ful ofte
For ouerlenge is her lawe but yf þei lacch suluer
wiþ bisshopes he wolde be · for beggeres sake
But auarice othir-whiles · halt him with-oute þe gate
kynges & cardinals knew him sumtyme
But þorgh couetise & his councelle congeyed is he ofte
and who-so coueyteth to knowe him such a kynde him foloweþ
As y tolde þe wiþ tonge a litel tyme ypassed
For nowthir he beggith ne biddith ne boroweth to eldeT
he halt for a vice · & a foul shame
To begge or to borowe but of god one panem nostrum cotidianum & cetera . T
God might haue
made all men
of like welth &
witte . /
made all men
of like welth &
witte . /
nota
Covetyes hath long
handes and armes .
handes and armes .
Lecherye loveth
not the pore .
not the pore .
the patyent pore ·
may clame heven .
may clame heven .
But it is hard for
him þat hath londe
Lordship & lykinge
of bodye . /
him þat hath londe
Lordship & lykinge
of bodye . /
A Comparason .
pouertye a blessed Life .
nota
nota
to preach & prove
it not , is Ipocrisye . C
it not , is Ipocrisye . C
pride in þe
clergieC
clergieC
Ayenst Inperfect
prestes & prechers
prestes & prechers
Whose goodes euel
gotten are as ·
euell spent . /
gotten are as ·
euell spent . /
nota
Charytie .
nota
nota
the riche haue
not two hevens .
not two hevens .
the riche is reuerensed
the pore put bak
though he be wiser .
the pore put bak
though he be wiser .
{ pryde regneth in
the riche rather
then in þe pore .
the riche rather
then in þe pore .
þe nedy poore
þe dronken roge ·
A diffynicion of
povertye . /
povertye . /
A grett compfort to þe pacient pore
pryde hateth pouertye
the firste
pointe 1
pouertye is seldom
put in auctoritie
put in auctoritie
without consiense
stained . 3 .
stained . 3 .
pouertie
ys the ·
pathe of pees þe
. 6 . pointe
ys the ·
pathe of pees þe
. 6 . pointe
þe meane estait most
blessedC
blessedC
the propertyes of
liberum arbitrium .
liberum arbitrium .
liberum arbitrium
Anima .
Animus .
Mens
Memoria .
Ratio .
Sence
Consience
gods Notory
gods Notory
liberum Arbitrium
Amor
or Leell
Loue ·
Loue ·
Spiritus .
liberum Arbitrium
qui declinat
a malo ad
bonumC
qui declinat
a malo ad
bonumC
Subtyle Scyences
make men proude .
make men proude .
propertie bredeth
singularitie &
Pride .
singularitie &
Pride .
Ayenst freares .
Skornefull
flatterersC
flatterersC
to haue no respecte of personsC
Inperfect presthod all euellC
A Comparason .
Charytie .
Charitie is known
by workes . / .
by workes . / .
Charitie seldom
sene in þe freres
sene in þe freres
nor in þe Kinges
Courte except
Covetyse be
absent . /
Courte except
Covetyse be
absent . /
nor in Constorye
Courte norC
Courte norC
CIn medeo concistit virtus