Passus primus de Dobet
þou cowdest telle me & teche me to charite as y leue
þenne lough liberum arbitrium & ladde me forth wiþ tales
Til we cam in-to a contre cor hominis hit highte
Erber of alle priueytees & of holinesse
Euene in þe myddes an ympe as hit were
þat highte ymago dei graciously hit growed
þenne gan y aske what hit highte & he me sone tolde
þe tree hette trewe loue quod he þe trinite hit sette
þorgh louely lokynges hit lyueth & launseþ vp blosmes
þe which blosmes buyrnes · benyngne speche hit calleth
And þerof cometh a goed fruyt þe which men calleþ werkes
Of holines of hendenes of help him þat nedith
þe which is caritas cald cristes owne fode
and solaseth alle soules sorowful yn purgatorie
Now certes y saide & siked for ioye
y þanke ȝou a thousand sithe þat ȝe me hidor kennyd
and sithen þat ȝe vouchon saf to sey me as hit hotith
Cand he þonked me þo but þenne toek y hede
hit hadde shoriers to shuyuon hit vp · þre shides of oenC lengþe
and of oen kynne colour & kynde as me þoughte
alle þre ylich long · & y-liche large
Miche merueiled me · on what More þei growede
and askid eft of him of what wode þay were
þise þre shoriers quod he þat bereth vp þis plonte
Bytokeneth truly þe trinite of heuene
þre persones vndepartable perpetuel wer euere
Of o wille of o wit & here-with y kepe
þe fruyt of þis faire tree fro þre wicked wyndes
and fro falling þe stok hit faile not of his myght
þe world ys a wicked wynd to hem þat wolde truthe
Coueitise cometh of þat wynd & caritas hit abiteth
and forfret þat fruyt · þorgh many faire sightes
and with þe firste planke y palle hem down potencia dei patris
þorgh leccherie & lostes so lowde he gynneth blowe
and many wicked werkes wormes of synne
and al forbit caritas · right to þe bare stalke
þenne sette y þe seconde planteT · Sapiencia dei patris
þe which is þe passioun & þe penaunce & þe perfitnes of Iesu
and þerwith y warde hit othir-while til hit waxe ripe
and þenne fondith þe feend my fruyt to destruye
and laith a laddere þerto of lesinges ben þe ronges
and with alle þe wiles þat he can waggeþ þe rote
þorgh bakbiteres & braules · & þorgh bolde chiders
and shaketh hit ne were hit vnder-shorid
and feccheþ away þe fruyt som-tyme · bifore boþe myn yes
and þenne palle ya-doun / y a-doun þe powke with þe þridde shoriare
þe which is spiritus sanctus & sothfast byleue
And þat is grace of þe holigost & þus gete y þe maistry
y totid vp-on þat tree þo & þenne toek y hede
whethir þe fruyt wer fair or foul forto loke on
and þe fruyt was fair none fairore be myghte
But yn þre degrees hit grew gret ferly me þoughte
and asked eft þo · wher hit were al oen kynde
ȝe certes he saide & sothly leue hit
hit isal / is al of oen kynde & þat shal y preuen
But somme arn swettore þensomme / þen somme & somme woln rotie
Me may see on an appel tree many tyme & ofte
Of oen kynde apples arn not ylich grete
Ne suynge smale ne of swetnesse swete
þo þat sitton yn þe sonne syde sonnere arn ripe
swettore & saueryore & also more grettore
þen þo þat selde han þe sonne & sitton in þe north half
and so hit fareth sothly sone by oure kynde
C¶ Adam was a tree & we arn as his apples
somme of vs sothfast & somme variable
Somme litle somme large ylik apples of oen kynde
as weddid men & wedowes & right worthi maydones
þe which þe seint spirit sueth þe sonne of al heuenne
and counfortith hem in her continence þat lyuon in contemplacion
as monkes & monials men of holichurch
wedowes & wedowares þat her owne wille forsaken
and chast ledon here lif is lif of contemplacioun
and more lykynde to oure lord þen lif as kynde asketh
and folowe þat þe flesh wole & fruyt forth bringe
ȝe sire y saide & sithon · þere arn but two lyues
þat oure lord al allowethT as lerid men vs techith
actiua vita & contemplatiua vita
here bynethe y may nyme yf y nede hadde
Matrimonye a moist fruyt þat multiplieth þe peple
and þenne aboue ys bettere fruyt · but boþe two be gode
wedowhod more worthiore þen wedlok as yn heuen
þenne ys virginite more vertuous & fairest as in heuen
For þatT euene with angels & angels pere
hit was þe firste fruyt þat þe fadyr of heuen blessid
and bad hit be of a bat of erthe · aman / a man & amaide / a maide
yn menyng þat þe fairest thing · þe first thing shold honoure
and þe clennest creature first creatour knowe
sholn serue for þe lord self & so fareth god almyghty
Maydones & martres mynistred him on erthe
and hy heuen his preuyostT & next him by resoun
and for þe fairest fruyt bifore him as of erthe
and swete with-owte swellyng sour worth hit neuere
and bringeth forth fruyt folk of alle nacioun
Boþe perfit & inperfit puyr fayn ich wolde
assaie what sauour hit hadde & saide þat tyme
Leue liberum arbitrium lat som lif hit shake
and anoen he highte Elde · on hy forto clymbe
and shakon hit sharlich / sharplich þe ripe sholdon falle
and clymbeT to þe cropward þenne comsed hit to crie
he wagged wedowhoed · & hit wepte aftir
he meued matrimonye · hit made afoul / a foul noyse
For euere as Elde hadde any down · þe deuel was ful redy
and gaderid hem alle to-gidres boþe grete & smale
adam & abraham & ysaie þe prophete
Sampson & samuel and seint Iohan þe baptist
and baer hem forth baldly · no-body him lette
Cand made of holy men his horde in limbo inferni
þere is derknesse & drede & þe deuel maister
þenne meued him moed in magestate dei
þat libera voluntas dei laughte þe myddel shoriare
and hitte aftir þe feend · happe how hit myghte
Filius by þe fadres wille fley with spiritus sanctus
To go ransake þat rage-man & reue him of his apples
þat þorgh fals bihest & fruyt first man disceyued
and þenne spak spiritus sanctus in grabrieles / gabrieles mouthe
To a maide þat highte marie · a meke þing with-alle
þat oen Iesu a iustises sone moste iowken in here chaumbre
Til plenitudo temporis tyme come y wereT
þat elde felde eft þe fruyt or fulle to be ripe
þat Iesu sholde iouste þerfore & by iuggement of armes
who sholde fecche þis fruyt þe feend or Iesu seluen
þe maide myldely þe messangere she grantid
and saide hendly to him lo me his hand-maide
Forto worchon his wille with-owton any synne
Ecce ancilla domini & cetera .
and yn þe wombe of þat wenche was he fourty woukes
and by-cam man of þat maide mankynde to saue
Byg & abidyng & bloedT in his barnhoed
To haue yfoughte with þe fend ar fol tyme come
But liberum arbitrium leche-craft him taughte
Til plenitudo temporis hy tyme aprochid
þat such a surgien sithen yseye was þere neuere
Ne noen so faithful ficisien for alle þat bysoughte him
he lechid hem of her langour boþe lazeres & blynde
Claudi ambulant leprosi mundantur
¶ and comvne wymmen conuertide & clansid hem of synne
and lift vp lazar þat lay in his tombe
Quatriduanes / Qua[d]riduan[u]s cold quyk dide him rome
But ar he made þat myracle mestus cepit esse
and wepte watur with his yes · þe whi weton fewe
But þo þat sey þat selcouth saide þat tyme
þatT god or godes sone for þat grete wonder
and somme iewes saide with sorcerie he wroughte
ButT þorgh þe myght of mahond & þorgh mysbyleue
demonium habes
þenne ys satan ȝour saueour quod Iesu · & haþ ysaued ȝou ofte
But y saued ȝou sondry tymes & also y fedde ȝou
with fisshes & loues fyue thowsand at ones
and y lefte basketes ful of broke mete bere a-way who-so wolde
vnkynde & vnconnyng quod crist & with a roep smot hem
and ouerturnede in þe temple her tables & her stalles
and drof hem out alle þat þere boughte or solde
and saide þis is an hous of orisounes & of holinesse
and whenne þat my wille is · y wole hit ouer-þrowe
and ar þre dayes after edifie hit newe
þe iewes tolde þe iustice · how þat Iesu saide
But þe ouerturnyng of þe temple bitokened his resurreccion
Enuye & euel wille arn in þe iewes
and pursued him priueyly & for pens him boughte
Ne forte tumultus fieret in populo
of Iudas þe iew Iesus owne disciple
þis bifel on a friday alitel / a litel bifore paske
þat Iudas & iewes Iesu þei mette
aue raby quod þo ribaudes & right til him þei ȝede
and kiste Iesu to be knowe þere-by & caught of þe iewes
falsnesse y finde in þin fair speche
and kene care in þin kissing & combraunce þi-selueT
Thow shalt be myrrour to manye · men to dysceyue
wo to þo þat wilesT vsen to þe worldes ende
CVe homini illi per quem scandalum venit
Sithe y bi tresoun am take · & to ȝour wille iewes
Soffreth my postles in pays & in pees gange
þus iewes to þe iustises Iesu þei ladde
with mych noise þat nyght ner frantik y a-waked
yn inwit in alle wittes aftir liberum arbitrium
yawaited / y awaited weturly but whodir he wente y ne wiste
and þenne mette y with a man amydlentones / a mydlentones sonday
as hor as an hawe-þorn & abraham he highte
Of whennes art þou quod y · & hendelich him grette
y am with faith quod þat frek · hit falleth not me to lye
an herawd of armes ar any lawe were
what is his conysaunce quod y in his cote-armure
þre psones / p[er]sones in oen pensel quod he departable from oþere
Oen speche & spirit springeth out of alle
Of o wit of o wille wer neuere atwynny
and sondry to see vpon solus deus he hotith
Sithe þei ben suyrlepes quod y · þei han sondri names
þat is soth saide he þenne þe sire hatte pater
and þe seconde is a sone of þe sire filius
þe þridde is þat halt al a thing by himselue
holy gost is his name & he is in alle
¶ þis is merk þing for me quod y · & for many anothir
how oen lord myghte lyue a þre y leue hit not y saide
But leue hit lelly al þi lif-tyme
þat þre bilongeth to a lord · þat liggeance claymeth
Mighte & a mene to se his owne myghte
Of him selue & his seruant & what soffreth hem bothe
God þat byginnyng hadde neuere but þo him goed þoughte
Sente forth his sone as for seruant þat tyme
To occupion him here til issue were yspronge
þe which arn childron of charite & holichirch þe moder
Patriarkes & prophetes & apostles wern þe childron
and crist & cristendoem & alle cristene holy chirche
Bytokeneth þe trinite & trewe byleue
Oen god almyghty þat man made & wroughte
semblable to him selue ar any synne were
On þre he is þere he is & hereth &T bereth witnes
þe werkes þat him selue wroughte & þis world boþe
CCeli enarrant gloriam dei & cetera .
And oen god almyghty yf alle men ben of adam
¶ Eue of adam was · & out himT ydrawe
and abel of hem boþe · & alle þre oen kynde
and þise þre þat y carp of adam & Eue
and abel her issue arn bot oen yn manhod
Matrimoyne with-oute moillere ys not mych to preyse
as þe bible berith witnesse aboek / a boek of þe olde lawe
þat acorsede alle couples þat no kynde forth broughte
CMaledictus sit homo qui non reliquit semen in israel
and man with-oute a make myght not wel of kynde
Multiplie ne more-ouere with-owton amake / a make louye
Now go we to godhed in god fader of heuene
was whan god wolde out of þe weye drawe
and as abel of Adam & of his wif Eue
Sprang forth & spaek aspir / a spir of hem tweyne
So out of þe sire & of þe sone · þe seint spirit of hem boþe
ys & ay wer and as þre persones palpable
and puyrlich but oen mankyndeT
þe which is man & his make & moiller her issue
So is god godes sone in þre persones þe trinite
yn matrimonie arn þre & of on man cam alle þre
And to godheed goth þre · & oen god ys alle þre
Lo treis encountur treys quod he in godhed & in manhed
¶ hast þow y-sey þis y seide alle þre & oen god
yn a somur y him sey quod he · as y sat in my porch
where god cam gangyng athre / a thre right by my gate
Tres vidit & vnum adorauit
y roes vp & reuerensed god & right faire him grette
wyshe her feet & wiped hem · & afturward þei eton
and what y þoughte & my wif he vs wel tolde
he byhighte vs issue & air in oure olde age
Ful trewe tokenes bytwene vs ys · when tyme cometh þat ymette / y mette him
how he fondid me first my faire sone ysaakP
To make sacrifice of him he heet me · him to honoure
y wiþ-saet not his hest · y hope & bileue
where y walke in þis world he wol hit me allowe
y circumsised my sone also for his sake
My selue & my mayne & alle þat male were
Bleddon blod for þat lordes loue yhope / y hope to blesse þat tyme
Myn affiaunce & my faith · is ferme in his bileue
Cfor him self saide y sholde haue & myn issue boþe
Lond & lordshipe ynow & lif with-owton ende
To me & myn issue more he me bihighte
Mercy for oure mysdedes as manytymes / many tymes
as we wilnede & wolde with mouth & herte aske
and sithe he sente me to seyn · & saide þat y sholde
worshipe him with wyn & wiþ breed bothe
at ones on an auter in worship of þe trinite
and make sacrifice so sumwhat hit bitokeneth
Cfiet vnum ouile & vnus pastor
þus haue y ben his heraud her & in helle
and counfortid many a carful þere þat aftir his comyng lokon
Saide þat he say hireLX þat sholde saue vs alle
CEcce agnus dei
Cþenne hadde y wonder of his wordes & of his wide cloþes
For in his bosom he baer thing & þat he blessid ofte
and y lokid in his lappe · alazar / a lazar lay þerinne
what awaitest þou quod faith & what wost þou haue
y wolde wite quod y tho what is in thin lappe
Loo quod he & leet me see · lord mercy y saide
þis is apresent / a present of mych pris what prince shal hit haue
and me þerwith quod þe wye · may no wed vs quyte
Ne no barn be oure borough ne bring vs out of þat daunger
fro þe poukes poundfold no maynpris may vs fecch
Til he come þat y carpe of crist is his name
þat shal deliuere vs sumday out of þe deueles power
and betere wed for vs wagon þen we ben alleworthi / alle worthi
and þat is lif for lif · or ligge þus euere
lollyng in my lappe thus · til such a lord vs fecche
¶ Alas y saide þat synne so longe shal lette
þe myght of godes mercy þat myghte vs alle amende
and wepte for his wordes with þat saw y anothir
Rapelich renne þe right way we wente
and y frayned him first fro whennes he come
what he highte & whoder he wolde & wightly he vs tolde
liberum arbitrium
Cor hominis .
Imago . Dei .
Charitas .
Matrimonye . C
Wydowhod . C
Vyrginytie C
A wench
ought to be
A virgine
butt hardly
in this wickitt
age
ought to be
A virgine
butt hardly
in this wickitt
age
Marie
MagdilineC
MagdilineC
nota .
notaC
nota . þe faithfull
seed ofC
Abraham
are not only
promissed all
temporall
plassingesLX .
butt also
eternallC
seed ofC
Abraham
are not only
promissed all
temporall
plassingesLX .
butt also
eternallC
Iohn Baptist
bore in
his bosham
Christe in
the simillitid
of A layser
before his
comminge
in the fleshe which layser represented
all the faitfull borne
before Christe
bore in
his bosham
Christe in
the simillitid
of A layser
before his
comminge
in the fleshe which layser represented
all the faitfull borne
before Christe
no plege
for oure
sinnes butt the
deathes
bloude
of Criste
no not in
the faitful
before his
death &
commingeC
for oure
sinnes butt the
deathes
bloude
of Criste
no not in
the faitful
before his
death &
commingeC
the World .
the fleshe .
The sinn aganst þe holly goste .
Iudas .
Matrimony of
the Bible which þe
Pappists and munks
do allowe is here disconmended / disco[m]mended . C
the Bible which þe
Pappists and munks
do allowe is here disconmended / disco[m]mended . C
A Symylitude
betwixt the
Trenytie . &
Adam Eve &
Abell . /
betwixt the
Trenytie . &
Adam Eve &
Abell . /
nota