heuyC chered y ȝede & elinge in herte
For y ne weste where to ete ne at what place
and hit neyghed ny þe noen & with nede y mette
þat afrountid me foule & faitour me calde
Cowdest þow not excuse þe as dide þe king & othir
þat þow toke to lyue by to clothus & to sustinaunce
was by teching & by tellyng of spiritus temperancie
and þat nomeT no more þen nede þe taughte
and nede hath no lawe ne neuere shal falle in dette
For þre thinges þat he takith his lif forto saue
and he cacche in þat caes · and come þerto by sleiþe
he synneth not sothlich þat so wynneþ his fode
and þogh he come so to a cloþ & can no bettere cheuisaunce
Nede anoen-right nymeth vnder maynprise
and yf him luste forto lape · þe lawe of kynde wolde
þat he dronk at vch adich / a dich ar he deye for furst
So nede at gret nede may nyme as for his owne
So þat he sewe & saue spiritus temperancie
For ys no vertue by fer to spiritus temperancie
Nouthir spiritus iusticie ne spiritus fortitudinis
for spiritus fortitudinis forfetith ful ofte
he shal do more þen mesure many tymes & ofte
and bete men ouer bitere & som body to litel
and greue men grettere þen good faith hit wolde
and spiritus iusticie shal iuggen wol he nyl he
after þe kynges counsel and þe comune like
and spiritus prudencie in many apoynt / a poynt shal faile
of þat he weneth wolT falle · yf his wit ne were
wenyng ys no wysdom ne wys ymaginacion
and nede ys nexst him for anoen he meketh
and as lowe ase a lomb · for lackyng þat him nedith
For nede maketh nede · fele nedes low hertedC
philophres / philo[so]phres forsoke welthe for þei wolde be nedy
and wonedon ful elyngly · & woldon not be riche
and god al his gret ioye gostliche he lefte
and cam & tok mankynde & bycam nedy
so he was nedy as saith þe boek · in many sondri places
þat he saide in his sorowe · on þe self rode
Bothe fox & foul may fle to hole & crepe
and þe fish hath fyn to flete with to reste
þere nede hath ynome me · þat y mot nede abide
and soffre sorowes ful soure þat shal to ioye turne
For-þi be not abasht to abide & be nedy
Sithon he þat wroughte þe world · was wilfollich nedy
Ne neuere noen so nedy ne pororeC dyede
and mette ful merueylously · þat in mannes fourme
antecrist cam þenne · & al þe crop of truthe
Torned hit tid vpsedown · & ouertult þe rote
Cand made fals springe & sprede & spede men nedes
yn vch a contre þere he cam kut awey truthe
and gart gile growe þere · as he a god were
Freres folowed þat fend for he ȝaf hem copes
and religious reuerensed him & rongon her belles
and al þe couent cam to welcome atiraunt / a tiraunt
and alle hise as wel as him · saue onlich folesC
Cwer wel gladdore to deye þen to lyue lengore
and þat were mylde men & holy þat myschefC draddon
defied al falsnesse & folk þat hit vsed
and what kyng þat hem counfortid knowyng her gile
þei corsed & her counselle wer hit clerk or lewed
antecrist hadde þus sone hondredes at his baner
and pruyde hit bar baldely abouteC
with a lord þat lyueth after lyking of body
þat cam aȝen conscience þat keper was & gyour
Ouer kynde cristene & cardinal vertues
¶ I counsele quod conscience tho cometh with me ȝe foles
and crie we to kynde þat he come & defende vs
Foles · fro þe fendes lymes for pers loue þe ploughman
and crie we on al þe comune þat þei come to vnite
and þere abide & bikore aȝens belials childron
¶ kynde conscience þo herde & cam out of þe planetes
and sente forth his forreoures feueres & fluxes
Coughes & cardiakles crampes & tothakes
Reumes & Radegoundes · and roynous scabbes
Byles & bocches and brennyng agwes
Frenesies & Foul eueles forageres of kyndeC
hadde ypriked an prayedC · polles of peple
Clargly a legioun lees þe lif sone
þere was harow & helpe here cometh kynde
with deth þat is dredful to vndon vs alle
The lord þat lyued aftur lust · þo a-lowd cried
after counfort a knyght come & bere his banere
alarme alarme quod þat lord · vch lif kep his owne
Thenne mette thise men asT mynstrals myght pipe
And ar heraudes of armes haddon discreued lordes
Elde þe hore wasT in þe vant-warde
and bar þe baner bifore deth · by right he hit claymed
kynde cam after him with many kene sores
as pockes & pestilenses & myche pepel shente
so kynde þorgh corupcions kilde ful manye
deth cam driuyng after & al to dust pashte
kynges & knyghtes kaysers & popes
þat he hitte him eueneT þat euere stired after
Many a louely lady & her lemmanes knyghtes
swouned & swelte for sorow of deþus dyntes
Conscience of his cortesie þo kynde bysoughte
To sese & to soffre & see wher þei wolde
leue pruyde priueylich and bicome cristeneT
¶ and kynde sesid þo · to see þe peple amende
Fortune gan flateron þenne · to fewe þat wern on lyue
and bihight hem long lif & leccherie he sente
amonges alle manere men weddid & vnweddid
Cand gaderid a greet ost al agayn conscience
þis leccherie leyd on with laughing chere
and with priue speche & peyntid wordesC
and armed him in ydelnes & in hi bering
he bar a bowe in his hond & many brod arwes
wern feþered with fair bihest · and many afals / a fals truthe
with vntidy tales he tened ful ofte
Conscience & his company of holichurche þe techers
Cþenne cam coueitise & cast how he myghte
Ouercome conscience & cardinal vertuesC
and armed him in auarice and hongrilich lyuede
his wepene was al wiles · to wynnon & to huydon
with glosinges & gabbynges he giled þe peple
Symonie him sued to assaile conscienceC
and presed on þe pope & prelates þei made
To holde with antecrist her temporalte to saue
and cam to þe kynges counsel · as a kene baroun
and knocked conscience yn court bifore hem alle
and garte god faith fle & fals to a-bide
Miche of þe wit & wisdom of westmynster halle
he iogged til a iustice & ioustid in his hereLX
and ouertulte al his truþe wyth tak þis on amendment
and yn-to þe arches in hast he ȝede anoen after
and turned Syuyle in-to symonye & siþe he toek þe official
and for a menyuer mantelle he maed leel matrimoyne
departon ar deþ come · and a devors shapte
þat coueitise wer cristene þat is sokene / so kene to fighte
and bold & abyding þe while þe bagge lastith
and þenne lough lif & leet dagge his clothes
and armed him in hast in harlotes wordes
and held holynes a iape & hendnes a wastour
and leet leute a churl & lyare a fre man
Conscience & counsel he countid hit folie
Thus reliede lif for a litel fortune
and priketh forth with pruyde preyseþ he no vertue
Ne carith not how kynd slough and shal come at þe laste
and kille al erthly creature saue conscience onelyT
Chele & y quod he and hynes of herte
shal do þe not drede noþer deth ne elde
and to forȝete ȝouthe & ȝiue not of synne
þis liked lif & his lemman fortuneC
and geton in her glorie a gadeling at þelaste / þe laste
Oen þat miche wo wroughte sleuthe was his name
sleuthe wax wonder ȝerne & sone was of age
Cand weddid on wanhope a wench of þe stuyues
her sire was a sysour þat neuere swor truthe
Oen tomme tow tonge ateynt at vch enquest
This sleuthe was sly of werre & a slynge made
and þorghT drede of dispair a dozeyn myle abouton
For care conscience þo cried vpon Elde
and bad him fonde to fight · and a-fere wanhope
and Elde hente good hope & hastilich shrof him
and wayued away wanhope · & with lif he fightiþ
and lif fley for feer to fisik after helpe
and bisought him of socour and of hir salue hadde
and gaf him gold good oenLX þat gladid her hertes
and þei geuon him agayn a glason houe
lif leued þat leche-craft lette sholde elde
and drif awayP deth with dyaes & drogges
and elde avntred him on lif & at þe laste he hitte
a ficisian with a forred hoed þat fulT in a palesy
and þere died þat doctour ar þre dayes after
Now y see saide lif þat surgerie ne fisik
May not amyte / a myte a-vaile to medlon aȝen elde
and yn hope of his hele good herte he hente
and roed so to reuel a riche place & a mury
The companye of counfort men cleped hit somtyme
Cand elde after him & ouer myn hede ȝede
and made me balled byfore · & bare on þe crowne
Sire euel taught elde quod y · vnhende go with þe
sithon whanne was þe way ouer mennes hedes
haddest þou be hende quod y · þou wost haue asked leue
ȝe leue lordeyn quod he · & leyd on with age
and hitte me vndor þe ere vnneþe may y here
Che boffetid me aboute þe mouth & beet out my wangteþ
and gyued me in goutes y may not go at large
and of þe wo þat y was ynne my wif hadde ruthe
and wyshte wel weturly · þat y were in heuene
For þe leme þat she loued me fore & leef was to fele
on nyghtes namelich when we naked were
so elde & she hit hadde forbete
and as y sat in this sorowe y say how kynde passed
and deþ drough ny me for drede gan y quakon
and cried to kynde out of kare me bringe
Lo how elde þe hore hath me biseye
a-wrek me yf ȝour wille be for y wolde be hennes
yf þow wolt be wreke wende in-to vnite
and halde þe þere euere til y sende for the
and loke þou conne som craft · ar þou þennesT
CounselethC me kynde quod y · what craft be best to lerne
lerne to loue quod kynde · and lef alle oþere
how shal y come to catelle so to cloþe me & to fede
and þou loue lelly lacke shal þe neuere
wede ne worldly mete whil þi lif lastith
and y bycounsel / by counsel of kynde comsed to rome
Thorgh contricioun & confessioun · til y cam to vnite
and þere was conscience constable cristene to saue
and biseged sothly with seuene grete geauntz
þat with antecrist heldon hard aȝen conscience
sleuthe with his slynge · an hard saut he made
Proude prestes come with him passing an hundred
yn paltokes & piked shoes & pissers longe knyues
Comon aȝen conscience with coueitise þei heldon
ycounte / y counte no more conscience by so y cacche suluer
Then ydo / y do to drinke adraught / a draught of good ale
and so saide sixty of þe same contre
and shoton aȝenes him with shet many a shef of oþes
and brode hoked arwes godes herte & his nayles
and haddon al-most vnite and holinesse adowne
Conscience cried help clergie or y falle
þorgh inperfit prestes & prelates of holichurche
Freres herde him crie & comon him to helpe
Cand for þei cowde not wel her craft conscience forsok hem
Nede neyghed þo ner & conscience he tolde
þat þei cam for coueytise to haue cure of soules
and for þei arn pore perauntur for patrimonie hem faileþ
þey wol flatere to fare wel folk þat ben riche
and sithon þey chose chele · and cheitifte pouerte
lat hem chewe as þei chose · and charge hem wiþ no cure
For lomere he lieth · þat liflode mot byeT
þen he þat laboureþ for liflode · & leneth hit beggeres
and sithon freres forsoke · þe felice / felic[it]e of erthe
lat hem be as beggeres · or lyue by angels fode
Conscience of þis counsel þo comsed forto laughe
and corteislich counfortid hem & calde hem in alle freres
and saide sires sothly welcome be ȝe alle
To vnite & holichurche ac oen þing y ȝou preye
holdith ȝou in vnite & haueth noen enuye
To lered ne to lewed bot lyueth after ȝour rule
and y wol / y wol be ȝour borow ȝe shal haue bred & clothus
and othir necessaries ynowe ȝou shal nothing lacke
with þat ȝe leue logik & lerneth forto louye
For loue lefte þei lordshipe boþe lond & scole
Frere Fraunceys & domynyk for loue to be holy
and yf ȝe coueyteth cure kynde wol ȝou telle
þat in mesure god made alle manere thinges
and sette hit at a certeyn & at a sykor nombre
and nempned hem names & nombred þe sterres
CQui numerat multitudinem stellarum & cetera .
kynges & knyghtes þat kepon & defendon
han officeres vnder hem & vch of hem a certeyn
wol no tresorer taken hem wages trauaile þei neuere so sore
Bot hi ben nempned in þe nombre of hem þat beþ wagid
alle othir in bataille ben holde briboures
Piloures & pikharneys yn vch aparish / a parish acorsed
Monks & monials & alle men of religioun
her ordre & her rule wole to haue a certeyn nombre
of lewed & of lered þe lawe wol & asketh
a certeyn for a certeyn saue onlich of freres
For-þi quod conscience by crist kynde wit me tellith
hit is wicked to wage ȝou ȝe wexith out of nombre
heuen hath euene nombre · & helle ys with-outon nombre
For-thi y wolde weturly þat ȝe were in registre
and ȝour nombre vnder notarie signe & noþer mo ne lasse
Enuye herde þis & het freres go to scole
and lerne logik & lawe & eke contemplacion
and preche men of plato & preuon hit by seneca
þat alle thinges vnder heuene ought to be in comune
he lieth as y leue þat to þe lewed so prechith
For god made to men a lawe & moises hit taughte
Non concupisces rem proximi tui & cetera
For persounes & parishprestes / parish prestes þat sholde þe pepel shriue
and þei ben curatoures cald to knowe & to hele
alle þat ben her parishenes penaunses enioynon
and ben a-shamed in her shrifte · but shame makeþ hem wende
and fle to þe freres as fals folk to westmynster
þat boroweþ & berith hit þidor & þenne biddoþ frendes
ȝerne of forȝeuenes · or lengor ȝeres leue
But while he ys in westmynster he wol be bifore
and maken him murye with oþer mennes godes
and so hit fareth with myche folk þat þeT freres shriueþ
as sisoures & secutoures · þei shal ȝiue þe freres
a parcelle to preye for hem & make hem murye with þe remenant
þat othir men byswonkeT
and soffron þe dede in dette · to þe day of dome
Enuye her-fore hatid conscience
and freres to philosophie he fond hem to scole
The while coueytise & vnkyndnes conscience assailed
yn vnite holichurche conscience held him
and made pees portere to pynne þe ȝates
of alle tale tellers and titereres yn idel
ypocrisie & þei an hard sawt þei ȝeuon
ypocrisie at þe ȝate · harde gan fighte
and woundid wel wickedly · many awys / a wys techere
þat with conscience acordid & cardinal vertues
Conscience calde a leche þat couthe wel shriue
Go salue þat sik were & þorgh synne ywoundid
shrifte shop sharp salue and made men do penaunses
For her mysdedes þat þey wrought hadde
And þat pers pardoun wer paid Redde quod debes
somme liked not þis leche · and letteres þei sente
yf any surgien wer in þe sege þat softere cowde plastere
Sire lif to lyue in leccherie lay þere & groned
For fasting of a friday · he ferde as he wolde dye
þere is a surgien in segeT · þat softe can handle
and more of fisik bi fer & fairore he plasteres
Oen frere flaterere ficisienT & surgien
Quod contricioun to conscience do him come to vnite
For here is many hurt þorgh ypocrisie
we han no nede quod conscience ywot / y wot no bettur leche
þen persoun oþer parissh prest penytauncer or bisshope
Saue pers þe ploughman þat haþ power ouer hem alle
and indulgence may do bot yf dette lette hit
y may wel soffre saide conscience sithon ȝe desiron
þat frere flaterere be fet and fisik ȝou seke
¶C þe frere herof herde & hiede faste
To a lord for a lettere · leue haue to curon
as a curatour he were and kam with his lettere
Baldelich to þe bisshope and his brief hadde
yn contreis þere he cam confessiounes to here
and cam þere conscience was · and knocked at þe ȝate
Pees vnpynned hit · was porter of vnite
and yn hast asked what his wille were
yn faith quod this frere · for profith & for helthe
Carpe wolde · I · with contricioun & þerfore y kam hidor
he is sik saide pees · & so ar many othere
ypocrisie haþ hirt hem · ful hard is · ar þei keuere
yam / y am a surgien saide þe frere · and salues can make
Conscience knoweth me wel · and what y kan bothe
what hattist þou · I · preye þe hele not þin name
Certes saide his felawe · sire penetrans domos
ȝe goo þi gate quod persT by god for al þin fisik
bot þow conne any craft þow comest not her-ynne
y knew suchon / such on ones not eighte wyntur passed
kam in þus ycoped at a court þere y dwelte
and was my lordes leche & my ladies bothe
and at þe laste þis limitour þo my lord was oute
he salued so oure wymmen til somme wern with childe
¶ hende speche heet pees þo opene þe ȝates
lat in þe frere & his felawe & make hem fair chere
he may see & here · here so may bifalle
þat lif þorgh his lore shal leue coueitise
and be adrad of deth & withdrawe hemT fro pruyde
and acorde with conscience and kisse her aither oþer
þus þorgh hende speche · entred þe frere
and cam to conscience & corteisliche him grette
þou art welcome quod conscience canst þou hele sike
here is contricioun quod conscience my cosyn wounded
Counforte him quod conscience & take keep to his sores
þe plastereres / plasteres of þe persoun and poudres ben to sore
and let hem ligge ouerlonge · and loth is to chaungen
Fro lenton to lenton · he leet his plasteres bite
þat is ouerlonge quod þis limytour yleue / y leue yshal / y shal amende hit
and gooth gropeth contricioun · & gaf him aplastere / a plastere
of a priue paiement & shal praie for ȝou
and for hem þat ȝe arn holde to al my lif-tyme
and ȝouT my lady in masse & in matynes
Til contricioun hadde clene forȝete to crie & to wepe
and wake for his wicked werkes ase he wonedT bifore
For counfort of his confessour contricioun he lefte
þat is þe souereyne salue · for alle kynne synnes
CSleuthe say þat & so dide pruyde
and comon with a kene wille conscience to assaille
¶ Conscience cried efte clergie come help him
and bad contricioun to come to helpe to kepe þe ȝates
he lith adreint saide pees and so doth many othir
þe frere with his fisik þis folk haþ enchauntid
and doth men drinke dwale þat men drat no synne
By crist quod conscience tho ywol / y wol bicome a pilgrim
and wendon as wide as þe world regneth
To seke pers þe ploughman þat pruyde myght destruye
and þat freres hadde a fynding þat for nede flateron
and counturpledith me conscience now kynde me avenge
and sende me happe & hele til y haue pers ploughman
and sithe he gradde after grace til ygan / y gan awake & cetera
Christ became
need for vsC
need for vsC
Needye . /
nota .
freares folowe
Antechriste .
Antechriste .
nota
but fooles will
rather dye . / /
rather dye . / /
old . age . bereth
deathes standerd
deathes standerd
Death killeth
all estates .
all estates .
lecheryes ·
battayll
ayenst Conscience
battayll
ayenst Conscience
Covetyse also
ayenst Consciens
ayenst Consciens
nota
nota
nota
nota
þe vicare of
Bindbrocke .
Bindbrocke .
No surgerye nor
physik ayenst
old age . /
physik ayenst
old age . /
age is
bald
befor
bald
befor
nota
nota
nota
Ayenst prestes
& freres
& freres
Envye fyndeth
freres at Schole
freres at Schole
ypocrysie . C
woundeth many
woundeth many
prechares
contrition
ys filled
with Ipocracy .
ys filled
with Ipocracy .
nota
consience
desiers þe
company
of þe plough
man who
ys moste
voyde of
pride
of all occupacions ·
desiers þe
company
of þe plough
man who
ys moste
voyde of
pride
of all occupacions ·
Need hath
no Lawe . /
no Lawe . /
nota
nota
Diogines disdained
all vaine glory
all vaine glory
A greate compfort in necessi[[tie]]
Gile þe grounde of
Antechrist
Antechrist
Antechristes battayl
ayenst Conscyence .
ayenst Conscyence .
Knocketh conscyence . C
dryveth away fayth . C
overturneth truth C
turneth Syvile in
þe . Arches . / & C
þe . Arches . / & C
liuely loue
clad in vaine
harlotry which
holdeth religion
a geste
clad in vaine
harlotry which
holdeth religion
a geste
Conscyence accompted
folye . /
folye . /
nota
lyf health and pride
of harte regards
not consience
nor deathe
of harte regards
not consience
nor deathe
lyf and fortune
begate in there
youth Sleuthe
who marride
in his boysage
a Post knigtesLX
daughter
in a vaine hope · of
youthe ·
begate in there
youth Sleuthe
who marride
in his boysage
a Post knigtesLX
daughter
in a vaine hope · of
youthe ·
þe ere yelds to elde
þe teth and
grinders
decaeth
grinders
decaeth
þe leges are
gouttie
gouttie
mariage and elde
killeth lust .
of þe body .
killeth lust .
of þe body .
þe godlie which loue god truly
shall never lacke in this
lyfe , nor in þe lyfe to come
shall never lacke in this
lyfe , nor in þe lyfe to come
Conscyence will
not give ought
to þe freres . they
are so many &
out of Nombre
not give ought
to þe freres . they
are so many &
out of Nombre
freare flatterye a
phisician & surgeanC
phisician & surgeanC
nota
nota
nota
Iesu
mercy lady helpe
Concience ys a-sleppe till he come in againe
Consience will not come into this lande till the proude
Prelates and Couitous lawyeres be swepe awaie /
which will not be longe to Amen · So be it
Prelates and Couitous lawyeres be swepe awaie /
which will not be longe to Amen · So be it