Passus septimus de dowelle & explicit
Or beggith or biddith be he rich or pore
And ȝut othir-while wroth wyth-owton any synne
who is wroeth and wolde be a-wreke
Solitarie by him-selue yn here selles lyuede
withT borowyng or beggyng bot of god one
Excepte þat Egide · a hynde othir-while
To his selle selde cam & soffred be mylked
Elles foules fedde hem yn frithes þere þei wonede
Bothe antony & arsoneT & othir ful manye
Paul primus heremita · hadde y-parroked him-selue
þat no man myght see him for mos & for leues
Foules him fedde yf frere Austyns be trewe
For he ordeyned þat ordre · or elles þei gabbon
Paul aftir his preching · paniers he made
and wan with his handes al þat him nedid
petur fisshed for his fode & his fere Andrewe
sum þei sode & sum þey solde & so þei lyuede bothe
Marie þe maudeleyn by mores lyued & dewes
loue & leel bileue held lif & soule to-gidres
Marie egipciaca eet in þretty wyntur
Bot þre litel loues & loue was hir soule
ycan / y can not rikene hem right now ne reherse her names
þat lyuedon þus for oure lordes loue many longe ȝeres
wiþ-owte borowyng or beggyng or þe boek lyeth
and wonedon yn wildernesses amonges wilde bestes
ac durste no best bite hem by day ne by nyght
But myldelich when þei metton hemT madon low chere
and faire bifore þo men faunede with þe tailes
But bestes broughte hem no mete but onlich þe foules
yn tokenyng þat trewe man alle tymes sholde
Fynde honest men & holy men · & othir rightful peple
For wolde neuere faithful god þat freres & monkesC
Toke liflode of lither wynnynges yn al her lif-tyme
as witnessith holy writ what tobie saide to his wif
when he was blynd he herde a lomb blete
wif be y-war quod he what haue we her-ynne
Lord leue quod þat lede no stole þing be her-ynne
þis is no more to mene bot men of holichurchC
and refuce reuerenses & raueyneres offringes
þenne wolde lordes & ladies be loth forto a-gulte
and to take of here tenauntes · more þen truthe wolde
and marchauntes merciable wolde be & men of lawe boþe
wolde religious refuse raueynoures almes
and þenne grace sholde growe ȝit & grene loue wexe
and charite þat child ys now · shold chaufon of him selue
and conforte alle cristene wolde holichirch amende
Iob þe perfit patriark þis prouerbe wroet & taughte
To make men loue mesure þat monkes ben & freres
CNumquam dicit Iob rugiet onager cum habuerit herbam
aut mugiet bos cum autem plenum steteritT presepe
Brutorum animalium natura te condempnat quia cum
papulum comune sufficiat ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua
ar þei amorteised any more for monkes of / o[r] for chanons
Alas lordes & ladies lewed counsel haue ȝe
To feffe such & fede · þat foundid ben to þe fulle
with þat ȝour barnes & ȝour blod by god lawe may clayme
CFor god bad his blessid as þe boek techith
To helpon þin fader formest bifore freres or monkes
Or ar prestes or pardouneres or any peple elles
helpe þin kyn crist bid for þere byginneth charite
and aftirward awaite · who hath most nede
and þere help yf þow hast & þat halde y charite
Lo laurence for his largenes as holi lore tellith
þat his mede & his manhed for euere more shal laste
Iusticia eius manet ineternum / in eternum
he ȝaf godes men goddes godes & not to grete lordes
and fedde þat a-fyngred were · & yn defaut lyuede
Cy dar not carpe of clerkes now · þat cristes tresor kepe
Cþat pore peple by puyr right her part myght aske
Of þat þat holichirch of þe olde lawe claymeth
prestes on aparail & on purnel now spene
Me may now likne lettered men · to a losheborgh or worse
and to a badde peny with a goed prente
Of myche mone þe metal ys noughtT · & ȝit is þe prente trewe
and perfitly ygraue & so hit fareth bi fals cristene her folling is trewe
CCristendom of holy chirch þe kynges mark of heuene
But þe metal þat is mannes soule of þis thechersC
ys alaied with leccherie & othir lustes of synne
þat god coueytith not þe coyn þat crist him-self prentid
and for þe synne of þe soule forsaketh his owne coyne
þus ar ȝe lither likned to lusshborghs sterlynges
þat faire bifore folk prechon & techen
and worcheth not as ȝe fyndeth ywrite & wisseth þe peple
For what þorgh werre & wrake & wicked hedes
May no preyere pees make yn no place hit semeth
lewed men han no byleue · & lettered men erron
Noþer see ne sond ne þe seed ȝeldith
as þey ywoned were · yn wham is defaut
Not yn god þat he ne ys goed & þe ground botheC
and þe see & þe seed · þe sonne & þe mone
doen her deuere day & nyght dide we so also
þere sholde be plente and pees perpetuel euere
wedor-wise shipmen nou & othir witty peple
astromyens alday · in here arte failon
þat whilom warned men bifore what sholde bifalle aftir
shipmen & shepherdes by þe seuen sterres
wiston wel & tolde · when hit sholde reyne
Tuliers þat tiled þe erthe toldon her maistres
By þe seed þat þei sewe what þei sulle myghte
and what lyue by & leueP þe lond was so trewe
Now faileth þis folk boþe folowers & shipmen
Noþer þei ne knoweth ne conneth oen cours by anothir
astromyens also arn at her wittes ende
of þat was calculed of þe climat þe contrarie þei fynde
Gramer þe ground of al · bigileth nouthe childron
For is noen who so nymeth hede þat can versifie faireC
Or formely endite ne þat can construe kyndly þat poetes made
Go we now to eny degree · and bot gile be hold amaistur / a maistur
and flaterare for his vssher ferly me thinketh
doctoures of decree of diuinite maistresT
þat sholde þe seuen ars conne & assoile a quodlibet
But þei faile in filosophie & filosofres lyuedeT
Lord lete þat þes prestes · lelly seyn her masseC
þat þei ouerhippe not forhastite / for hastite as y hope þei do not
þough hit suffice for our sauacioun · sostfast / so[þ]fast byleue
as clekes / cle[r]kes yn corpus Christi feste syngon & redon
þat sola fides sufficit · to saue with lewed peple
For sarisenes may be saued so · yf þei so bileued
yn þe letyng of her lif · to leue on holichirche
Cwhat is holy churche chere frend quod y charite · he saide
lyf & loue & lewte in oen bileue a lawe
a loue knotte of leute & of leel byleue
alle kynne cristene cleuyng on oen wille
with-owton gile & gabbyng · gyue & sulle & lene
loue lawe wiþ-outon leute · allowable was hit neuere
God lereth no lif to louye with-outon leel cause
Cþat lellich þei bileue & ȝut her lawe diuerseth
and oen god þat al bygan wiþ goed herte þei honoureth
and aithir loueth & bileueth yn oen lord almyghty
But our lord alloueth no loue but lawe be þe cause
and þeues louyen & leute haton & at þe laste be hangid
and lewed men lyue as lawe techith · & loue þerof ariseþ
þe which is þe heued of charite & hele of mannes soule
Cdilige deum propter deum . id est . propter veritatem & inimicum tuum propter
mandatum . id est . propter legem & amicum propter amorem . id est . propter caritatem
Loue god for he is goed · & ground of alle truthe
Loue þin enemy enterly · godes hest to fulfille
Loue þi frend þat foloweth þi wille · þat is þi fair soule
For whene alle frendes failon · and flen away in deyng
Thenne seweth þe sowle to sorowe or to ioye
and ay hopeth eft to be with her body at þe laste
yn myrthe or in mournyng & neuere eft to departe
and þat is charite leue child to be cher ouer thi soule
where sarasines y saide · y-se not what is charite
hit may be so þat sarasines han such amanere / a manere charite
Louen as by lawe of kynde our lod / lord god almyghty
hit is kyndly þing creature his creatour to honoure
For þere is no man þat mynde hath · þat ne mekith him & bisechiþ
To þat lord þat him lif lente liflode him sende
and mane menT þer ben as sarazines & iewes
loueþ not þat lord aright as by þe legende sanctorum
and lyuen out of leel byleue for þey loueT a mene
Ca man þat highte macameth for messie þei him holdeþ
and aftir his lering þei lyue · & by lawe of kynde
and when kynde hath his cours & no contrarie fyndeth
þenne ys lawe ylost and lewte vnknowen
Bewte sanz bounte · blessid was hit neuere
Ne kynde saunz curtesie yn noen contrey is preysed
and a cardinal of court · agret / a gret clerk with-alle
and pursued to haue be pope prince of holy chirch
But for he was so likT a lossheborgh · y leue our lord him lette
For-þi soughte he in-to surrie & sotiled how he myghte
Be maister ouer alle þo men · and þis manere he wroughte
¶ he endauntid a dowue · & day & nyght hir fedde
yn aithir of his eres priueilich he hadde
corn þat þe coluer eet · when he come yn places
and yn what place he prechid · and þe pepel taughte
þenne sholde þe coluer come to þe clerkes ereC
Menyng as aftir mete þus macomet hir enchauntid
and when þe coluer cam þus þenne kneled þe peple
For Macameth to men swar · hit was a messanger of heuen
and sothlich þat god him selue yn such a coluer liknes
Tolde him & taught him how to teche þe peple
þus Macameth in mys-bileue man & womman broughte
and on his lore þey leuon ȝit · as wel lerid as lewedT
and sith our saueour soffred such a fals cristene
disceyue so þe sarazines soþly me thinketh
holy men as y hope þorgh help of þe holigost / holi gost
sholdon conuerte hem to crist & cristendom to take
alas þat men so longe · on Macameth bileueth
So many prelates to preche as þe pope maketh
Of nazareth of nynyue of neptalim of damask
sithe ȝe wilne þe name to be prelates & preche
þe passioun of Iesu & as him selue saide
So to lyue & dye Bonus pastor animam suam ponit pro ouibus suis
how þei defouled her flesh forsoek her owne wille
BaldelichT y-beddid no boek but her conscience
Ne no richesse but þe rode to reioyson hem ynne
absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri & cetera .
and now ys ruthe to rede · how þe rede noble
ys reuerensed bifore þe rode & resceyued for þe worthiore
To amende & to make as with men of holichirch
þen cristes cros þat ouercam deþ & dedly synne
and now is werre & wo · & who-so whi asketh
For coueytise aftir a cros þe corone stant yn gold
CBoþe riche & religious þat rode þei honoure
þat in grotes ys graue & in golde nobles
For coueitise of þat cros · clerkes of holichirch
More tresour þen truthe y dar not telle þe sothe
how þo corsed cristene · catelle & richesse worshepid
Resoun & rightfuldom / rightful dom tho religious dampned
¶ Right so ȝe clerkes ȝour coueytise or come ought longe
shal dampne dos ecclesie & depose ȝou for ȝour pride
deposuit potentes de sede & . cetera .
ynT knyghthoed & kynde wit & þe comvne & conscience
To-gidres louon lellich · leueth hit bisshopes
þe lordshipe of Londes lese ȝe shal for euere
and lyuon as leuitici dide · & as our lord ȝou techeth
Per primicias & decimas & cetera
C whan constantyn of his curtesie holy chirch dowede
with Londes & ledes lordshipes & rentes
an angel men herde an hi at rome crie
dos ecclesie þis day hath ydronke venym
and þat han petres power arn appoisouned alle
amedicine / a medicine most þerto þat might amende þe prelates
þat sholde preye for þe pees & possessioun hem lettith
Taketh her londes ȝe lordes & let hem lyue by dymesC
yf þe kynges coueyte in cristes pees to lyuene
For if possessioun be poisoun & inperfit hem make
þe heuedes of holichirch & þo þat ben vnder hem
hit were charite to dischargen hem for holi chirch sake
and purgen hem of þe olde poisoun ar more perelle falle
For were presthoed more perfit þat is þe pope formest
þat with money meynteneth men to werre vpon cristene
aȝen þe lore of our lord as seynt luk witnessith
CMichi vindictam · & cetera .
his preyeres wiþ his paciense to pees sholde bringe
alle londes in-to loue & þat in litel tyme
þe pope wiþ alle prestes pax vobis sholde make
and take heed how macomete þorgh a mylde dowue
hadde al surrie as him self wolde & sarazines in equiteC
Bot þorgh pacience & priuey gile · he was prince ouer hem alle
yn such a manere me thinketh moste þe pope
deuoutly day & nyght & wiþ-drawe hem fro synne
and crie to crist he wolde his coluer sende
þe which is þe hie holigost · þat out of heuen descendit
To make a perpetuel pees · bytwene þe prince of heuen
and alle manere men þat on þis molde libben
yf presthoed wer perfit & preyed þus þe pepel sholde amende
þat contrarion now cristes lawes & cristendom dispison
For sithon þat þes sarazines scribz & þis iewes
han a lippe of our bileue þe lightloker me thinketh
For al paynyme precheth & perfitlich bileueth
yn þe grete god & in his grace asken
and maken her mone to macomete her message to shewe
and þat is ruthe for þo rightful men · þat in þat reume wonyeþ
and a perel for prelates þat þe pope maketh
þat berith name of neptalim of nynyue of damask
For when þe hie kyng of heuen sente his souleT til erthe
¶ Many myracles he wroughte man forT turne
yn ensaumple þat men sholde see by sad resoun
þat men myght not be saued bot þorgh mercy & grace
and þorgh penaunce & passioun & perfit bileue
and bycam man of a mayde · & metropolanus / metropol[it]anus
and baptised & bishined with þe bloed of his herte
alle þat wilnede & wolde · with inwit bileue hit
Many aseint / a seint sithe soffred deth also
Forto enferme þe faith fulwide / ful wide-where dyede
yn ynde in alisaundre · yn armonye yn spayne
and fro mysbylei / mysbyle[ue] many men turned
yn sauacioun of mannes soule seynt Thomas of Canterbury
amonges vnkynde cristene in holichirch was slawe
Cand al holy church honourede þorgh þat deyng
he is a forbiseen to alle bisshopes & a bright myrrour
and souereynly of such þat surieT bereth þe name
and crepe yn amonges curatoures & confesson aȝen þe lawe
CNolite mittere falcem in messem alienam & cetera
Many man for cristes loue was martired amonges romaynes
ar cristendom were kowe / k[n]owe þere or any cros honoured
FondenT hem & follon hem & fere hem fro synne
CIn baculi forma sit presul hec tibi norma
Fer trahe punge gregem seruando per omnia legem
and enchaunte hem to charite on holy church to byleue
For as þe kynde is of a knyght · or for a kyng to betake / be take
and amonges her enemyes yn mortel batailes
To be culd & ouercome þe comvn to defende
So ys þe kynde of a curatour · for cristes loue to preche
And dye for his dere childron · to destruye dedly synne
Bonus pastor & cetera .
and namelich þere þat lewed lyuon & no lawe ne knoweþ
Bisshopes & bokes þe byleue to teche
Iewes lyuon in þe lawe þat oure lord taughte
Moises to be maister þerof til messie come
and on þat lawe þey leue · & leton forT þe beste
and ȝut knew þei crist þat cristendom taughte
and for a perfit prophete þat mych pepel sauede
and of selcouth sores saued men ful ofte
By þe myracles þat he made messie he semyd
þo he lifte vp lazar þat laid was in graue
CQuatriduanes / Qua[d]riduan[u]s cold · quik dide him walke
¶ Iewes saide þat hit say wiþ sorcerie he wroughte
and studiodon how to struyon him & struyodon hem selue
and her power þorgh his pacience to puyr nought turnede
¶ and ȝut þei seyn soþly · & so do þe sarazines
þat Iesu was bot a iogelour a iapere amonges þe comvne
and a sofistre of sorcerie & a speudo-propheta / pseudo-prophetaLX
and his lore was lesinges & lackon hit alle
and hopon þat he be to come þat shal hem rule
Moises oþer Macomete here maystres deuyneth
and han a suspecion to be saf boþe sarazenes & iewes
þorgh Moises & Macomete & myght of god þat made al
and sithe þat þis sarazines & also þe iewes
Conne þe firste clause of our byleue · Credo in deum patrem
prelates & prestes sholde proue yf þei myghte
lere hem litlum & litlum & in Iesum Christum filium
Til þei couthe speleT et in spiritum sanctum
Recordon hit & redon hit wiþ remissionem peccatorum
carnis resurreccionem & vitam eternam amen
nota
nota
Charitie · is þat ·
furst we helpe
father & kynred
& then such as
haue most nede
before freres
&c . /
furst we helpe
father & kynred
& then such as
haue most nede
before freres
&c . /
nota
the pore haue
right to a parte of
Christes treasure
in prestes handes
right to a parte of
Christes treasure
in prestes handes
counterfett
curaitesC
curaitesC
A Comparason
betwixt . a false
Christian & a bad
penye wyth . a good
prynte . /
betwixt . a false
Christian & a bad
penye wyth . a good
prynte . /
holy church . chere
is Charytie .
is Charytie .
Iewes & Sarazins
do both beleue in
God the father
do both beleue in
God the father
No loue vnlaufull
is to be allowed .
is to be allowed .
nota
notaC
holye men had no
boke but Conscyence
boke but Conscyence
Covetyse shall
ouertorne Clerkes .
ouertorne Clerkes .
presthod inperfit
an Vnsownd
opynion . / /
opynion . / /
nota
freres & monkes
lyvelode of
lyther wynninges .
lyvelode of
lyther wynninges .
If men of holye
Church wold do
nought but right
then wold Lordes ,
Lawyers , and
merchauntes , do lyke .
Church wold do
nought but right
then wold Lordes ,
Lawyers , and
merchauntes , do lyke .
Ayenst Monkes
and Chanons .
freres prestes
pardoners .
and Chanons .
freres prestes
pardoners .
· a bad body . doth shewe well
if we did our dutie as all
other creatures , then
shold we haue peace &
plentye . /
other creatures , then
shold we haue peace &
plentye . /
Gyle & flatterye
Master & vssher
in all scyences &
degrees .
Master & vssher
in all scyences &
degrees .
of Masse prestes .
bewtie without bountie
Kynde without curtosye .
Kynde without curtosye .
Macometh was
crystened & wold
haue ben pope .
crystened & wold
haue ben pope .
the deceyte of
Macometh by
a Dove . /
Macometh by
a Dove . /
nota
A Counsayll for
Kynges . to take
possessions from the
pope & all þe
clergie
Kynges . to take
possessions from the
pope & all þe
clergie
nota
Macometh
& the pope
compared .
& the pope
compared .
A Bisshops office
IohnC