Passus undecimus
Thanne scripture scorned me · and a skile tolde
And lakked me in latyne · and liȝte by me sheT sette
And seyde multi multa sciunt [·]T & seipsos nesciunt
Þo wepte I for woT · and wratth of her speche
And in a wynkyng wratth · wex [til] I [was]T aslepe
A merueillouse meteles · mette me þanneT
And in-to þe londe of longynge · alloneT she me brouȝte
And in a myroure þat hiȝt mydlerd · she mad me to biholde
Sitthen she sayde to me · here myȝtow se wondres
And knowe þat þow coueytest · and come þer-to par-aunter
¶ Þanne hadde fortune folwyng hir [·] two faire damoyseles
Concupiscencia carnis · men called þe elder mayde
And coueytise of eyes · ycalled was þat oþer
Pryde of parfyte lyuynge · pursued hem bothe
And badde me for my contenaunce · acounte clergye liȝte
¶ Concupiscencia carnis · colled me aboute þe nekke
And seyde þow art ȝonge and ȝepe · and hast ȝeres ynowe
For to lyue longe · and ladyes to louye
And in þis myroure þow myȝte se · myrthesT ful manye
Þat leden þe wil to lykynge · al þi lyf-tyme
¶T Þe secounde seide þe same · I shal suwe þi wille
Til þow be a lorde and haue londe · leten þe I nelle
Þat I ne shal folwe þi felawship · if fortune it lyke
He shal fynde me his frende · quod fortune þer-after
Þe freke þat folwedT my wille · failled neuere blisse
¶ Thanne was þere one þat hiȝte elde [·] þat heuy was of chere
Man quod he if I mete with þe · bi Marie of heuene
Þow shalt fynde fortune þe faille ·T at þi moste nede
And concupiscencia carnis · clene þe forsake
Bitterliche shaltow banne þanne · bothe dayes and niȝtes
Coueytise of eyghe · þat euere þow hir knewe
And pryde of parfyt lyuynge · to moche peril þe brynge
¶ Ȝee recche þe neuere quod recchelesnes · stode forth in ragged clothes
Folwe forth þat fortune wole · þow hast wel fer t[o]T elde
A man may stoupe tymesT ynow · whan he shal tyne þe croune
¶ Homo proponit quod a poete [þo]T · and plato he hyght
And deus disponit quod he · lat god done his wille
If trewthe wil witnesse it be wel do · fortune to folwe
Concupiscencia carnis · ne coueityse of eyes
Ne shal nouȝt greue þe gretlyT · ne bigyle þe but þow wolt
[¶]T Ȝee farewel phippe quod fauntelte [·] and forth gan me drawe
Til concupiscencia carnis · acorded [til]T alle my werkes
¶ Allas eye quod elde · and holynesse bothe
Þat witte shal torne to wrecchednesse · for wille to haue his lykyng
T ¶ Coueityse of eyghes · conforted me anon after
And folwed me fourty wynter · and a fyfte more
Þat of dowel ne dobet · no deyntee me neT þouȝte
I had no lykynge leue me if þeT leste · of hem auȝte to knowe
Þan dowel or dobet [·] amonge my dedes alle
Coueytise of eyes [·] conforted me ofte
And seyde haue no conscience [·] how þow come to gode
Go confesse [þe]T to sum frere · and shewe hym þi synnes
For whiles fortune is þi frende · Freres wil þe louye
And fe[tt]eT þe to her fraternite · and for þe biseke
To her priour prouyncial · a pardoun forto haue
And preyen for þe pol bi pol · ȝif þow be peccuniosus
[P]enaT pecuniar[i]a non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis
¶ By wissynge of þis wenche I [dede]T · here wordes were so swete
Tyl I forȝat ȝouthe · and ȝarnT in-to elde
And þanne was fortune my foo · for al hir faire biheste
And pouerte pursued me · and put me lowe
And þo fonde I þe Frere aferde · and flyttynge bothe
Aȝeines owre firste forward · for I seyde I nolde
Be buryed at her hous · but at my parissh cherche
For I herde onys · how conscience it tolde
Þat þere a man were crystened · by kynde he shulde be buryed
Or where he were parissheneT · riȝt þere he shulde be grauen
And for I seyde þus to freres · a fool þei me helden
And loued me þe lasse [·] for my lele speche
Ac ȝet I cryed on my confessoure [·] þat helde hym-self so kunnyng
By my feith frere quod I · ȝe faren lyke þise woweres
Þat wedde none wydwes · but forto welde here godis
Riȝte so by þe Rode · rouȝte ȝe neuere
Where my body were buryed · bi so ȝe hadde my siluer
Ich haue moche merueille of ȝow · and so hath many anotherT
Why ȝowre couent coueyteth · to confesse and to burye
Rather þan to baptise barnes · þat ben catekumelynges
Baptizyng and burying · bothe ben ful nedeful
Ac moche more merytorie · me þynke[th]T it is to baptize
For a baptized man ·T may as maistres telleth
¶ Ac a barne with-oute bapteme · may nouȝt so be saued
Nisi quis renatus fueritT loke ȝe lettred men · whether I lye or do nouȝte
TWherfore lourestow quod lewte · and loked on me harde
Ȝif I durste quod I amonges men · þis meteles auowe
Ȝe bi peter and bi poule quod he · and takeT hem bothe to witnesse
Non oderis fratres secrete in corde tuo · set publice argue illos
¶ Þei wol alleggen also quod I · and by þe gospel preuen
Nolite iudicare quemquam ·
¶ And wher-of serueth lawe quod lewteT · if no lyf vndertoke it
Falsenesse ne faytrye · for sumwhat þe apostle seyde
Non oderis fratremT · and in þe sauter also seithe dauid þe prophete
Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis &c
It is licitum for lewed men · to segge þe sothe
If hem lyketh and leste · eche a lawe it graunteth
Excepte parsones and prestes · and prelates of holycherche
It falleth nouȝte for þat folke · no tales to telle
Þough þe tale were trewe · and it touched synne
¶ ÞingeT þat al þe worlde wote · wherfore shuldestow spare
AndT reden it in Retoryke · to arate dedly synne
Ac beT neuere-more þe fyrste · þe defaute to blame
Þouȝe þow se yuel sey it nouȝte fyrste · be sorye it nere amended
No þinge þat is pryue · publice þow it neuere
Neyther for loue laudeT it nouȝt · ne lakke it for enuye
Parum lauda vitupera parcius
¶ He seith sothe quod scripture þo · and skipte an heigh & preched
Ac þe matere þat she meued · if lewed men it kneweT
Þe lasse as I leue · louyen it þei wolde
[Þe bileue [of] þat lordT . þat lettred men techeth]
¶ This was her teme and her tyxte · I toke ful gode hede
Multi to a maungerye · and to þe mete were sompned
And whan þe peple was plenere comen · þe porter vnpynned þe ȝate
And plukked in pauci priueliche · and lete þe remenaunt go rowme
¶ Al for tene of her tyxte · trembled myn herte
And in a were gan I waxe · and with my-self to dispute
Whether I were chosen or nouȝt chosen · on holicherche I þouȝte
Þat vnderfonge me atte fonte · for one of goddis chosne
For cryste cleped vs alle · come if we wolde
Sarasenes and scismatikes · and so he dyd þe iewes
O vos omnes scicientesT venite &c
And badde hem souke for synne · sa[ue]T at his breste
And drynke bote for bale · brouke it who-so myȝte
¶ Þanne may alle crystene come quod I · and cleyme þere entre
By þe blode þatT he bouȝte vs with · and þorugh baptesme after
Qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit &c
For þough a crystene man coueyted · his crystenedome to reneyeT
Riȝtfulliche to renye · no resoun it wolde
¶ For may no cherle chartre make · ne his catel selle
With-outen leue of his lorde · no lawe wil it graunte
Ac he may renne in arrerage · and rowmeT fro home
And as a reneyed caityf [·] reccheleslyT aboute
Ac Resoun shal rekne with hym · T[and rebuken hym at þe laste
And conscience a-counte with hym ·] and casten hym in arrerage
But if contricioun w[o]lT come · and crye bi his lyue
Mercy for his mysdedes · with mouth orT with herte
¶ Þat is soth seyde scripture [·] may no synne lette
For þey beth as owre bokes telleth · aboue goddes werkes
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius
¶ Ȝee baw for bokes quod one · was broken oute of helle
Hiȝte troianus had ben a trewe knyȝte · toke witnesse at a pope
How he was ded and dampned · to dwellen in pyne
For an vncristene creature [·] clerkis wyten þe sothe
Þat al þe clergye vnder cryste · miȝteT me cracche fro helle
But onliche loue and leaute · [of]T my lawful domes
¶ Gregorie wist þis wel · and wilned to my soule
And after þat he wepte · and wilned me were graunted
Grace wyth-outen any bede-byddynge · his bone was vnderfonge
And I saued as ȝe mayT se · with-oute syngyng of masses
ByT loue and by lernyng [·] of my lyuyng in treuthe
Brouȝte me fro bitter peyne · þere no biddyng myȝte
¶ Lo ȝe lordes what leute did · by an Emperoure of Rome
Þat was an vncrystene creature · as clerkes fyndeth in bokes
Nouȝt þorw preyere of a pope · but for his pure treuthe
Was þat sarasene saued · as seynt Gregorie bereth witnesse
Wel ouȝte ȝeT lordes þat lawes kepe · þis lessoun to haue in mynde
And on troianus treuth to thenke · and do treuthe to þe peple
T [¶ Þis matir is merke for mani of ȝow · ac men of holy cherche
Þe legend[a]T sanctorum ȝow lereth · more larger þan I ȝow telle
Ac þus lele loue · and lyuynge in treuthe
PulteT oute of pyne · a paynym of rome
Yblessed be treuthe · þat so brakT helle ȝates
And saued þe sarasyn · fram sathanas and his power
Þere no clergie ne couthe · ne konnynge of lawes
Loue and leute [·] is a lele science
For þat is þe boke blessede · of blisse and of ioye
God wrouȝt it and wrot hit · with his oneT fynger
And toke it moyses vpon þe mount · alle men toT lere]
[¶]TLawe with-outen loue quod troianus [·] leye þere a bene
Or any science vnder sonne · þe seuene artz and alle
ButT þei ben lerned for owre lordes loue · loste is alle þe tyme
For no cause to cacche siluer þere-by · ne to be called a mayster
But al for loue of owre lorde · and þe bet to loue þe peple
For seynte Iohan seyde it · and soth aren his wordes
Qui non diligit manet in morte
¶T Who-so loueth nouȝte leue me · he lyueth in deth-deyinge
And þat alle manere men · enemys and frendes
Louen her eyther other · and lene hem as her-selue
And comaundethT eche creature · to confourme hym to louye
And souereynelyche pore poeple · and here ennemys after
For hem þat hateth vs · is owre meryte to louye
And pore peple to plese · here prayeres may vs helpe
In a pore mannes apparaille · pursueth vs euere
And loketh on vs in her liknesse · and þat with louely chere
To knowen vs by owre kynde herte · and castyng of owre eyen
Wheþer we loue þe lordes here · byfor owreT lorde of blisse
¶T And exciteth vs bi þe euangelye · þat when we maken festes
We shulde nouȝte clepe owre kynne þer-to · ne none kynnes richeT
Cum facitis conuiuia nolite inuitare amicos
Ac calleth þe careful þer-to [·] þe croked and þe pore
For ȝowre frendes wil feden ȝow · and fonde ȝow to quite
Ȝowre festynge and ȝowre faire ȝifteT · vche frende quyteth so other
¶ Ac for þe pore I shal paye · and pure wel quyte her trauaille
Þat ȝiueth hem mete or moneye · and loueth hem for my sake
[¶ God myȝte riche haue made . alle men if he wolde]T
[Ac]T for þe best ben somme riche · and somme beggers and pore
For alle are we crystes creatures · and of his coffres riche
AndT bretheren as of o blode · as wel beggares as erles
For [at]T caluarye of crystes blode · crystenedome gan sprynge
And blody bretheren we bycome þere · of o body ywonne
As quasi modo geniti · and gentil men vche one
No beggere ne boye amonges vs · but if it synne made
Qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati &c
¶ In þe olde lawe · as [þe]T lettre telleth
Mennes sones · men called vs vchone
Of adames issue and Eue · ay til god-man deyde
And after his resurreccioun · Redemptor was his name
And we his bretheren þourgh hym ybouȝt · bothe riche and pore
And of þat eche man may forbere · amende þere it nedeth
And euery man helpe otherT · for hennes shal we alle
Alter alterius onera portate
And be we nouȝte vnkynde of owre catel · ne of owre kunnynge neyther
For noetT no man how neighe it is · to be ynome fro bothe
For-þi lakke no lyf other · þough he more latyne knowe
Ne vnder-nym nouȝte foule · for is none with-oute fauteT
For what-euere clerkis carpe [·] of crystenedome or elles
Cryst to a comune woman seyde · in comune at a feste
Þat fides sua shulde sauen hir [·] and saluen hir of alleT synnes
¶ Þanne is byleue a lele helpe [·] aboue logyke or lawe
Of logyke ne of lawe [·] in legenda sanctorum
For it is ouerlonge ar logyke · any lessoun assoille
And lawe is loth to louye · but if he lacche syluer
Bothe logyke and lawe · þat loueth nouȝte to lye
I conseille alle crysteneT · cleue nouȝte þer-on to sore
For sum wordes I fynde ywryten · were of faithes techyng
Þat saued synful men · as seynt Iohan bereth wytnesse
Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis remecietur vobis
¶T For-þi lerne we þe lawe of loue · as owre lorde tauȝte
And as seynte Gregory seide · for mannes soule helthe
Melius est scrutari scelera nostra · quam naturas rerum
¶ Why I moue þis matere · is moste for þe pore
For in her lyknesse owre lorde · ofte hath ben yknowe
Witnesse in þe Paske-wyke · whan he ȝede to Emaus
Cleophas ne knewe hym nauȝte · þat he cryste were
For his pore parailleT · and pylgrymes wedes
Tyl he blessed and brak · þe bred þat þei eten
So bi his werkes þei wisten · þat he was Ihesus
Ac by clothyng þei knewe hym nouȝte · ne bi carpynge of tonge
Þat we shulde be low · and loueliche of speche
And apparaille vs nouȝte ouer-Tproudly · for pylgrymes ar we alle
And in þe apparaille of a pore man · and pilgrymes lyknesse
Many tyme god hath ben mette · amonge nedy peple
Þere neuere segge hym seigh · in secte of þe riche
¶ Seynt Iohan and other seyntes · were seyne in pore clothynge
And as pore pilgrymes · preyed mennesT godis
Ihesu cryste on a iewes douȝter alyȝte · gentil woman þough she were
WasT a pure pore mayde · and to a pore man wedded
¶ Martha on Marye magdeleyne · an huge pleynte she made
And to owre saueour self · seyde þise wordes
Domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me solaT ministrare &c
¶T And hastiliche god answered · and eytheres wille folwed
Bothe Marthaes and Maries · as Mathew bereth witnesse
Ac pouerte god put bifore · and preysed it þe bettre
Maria optimam partem elegit · que non &cT
¶T And alle þe wyse þat euere were · by auȝte I can aspye
And bothe bettere and blisseder · by many folde þan ricchesse
AlthoughT it be soure to suffre · þere cometh swete after
As on a walnot with-oute [·] is a bitter barke
And after þat bitter barke · be þe shelle aweye
Is a kirnelle of conforte · kynde to restore
So is after pouerte or penaunce · pacientlyche ytake
[M]akethT a man to haue mynde in gode · and a grete wille
To wepe and to wel bydde · wher-of wexeth mercy
Of which cryst is a kirnelle · to conforte þe soule
And wel sykerer he slepyth · þe [segge]T þat is pore
And lasse he dredeth deth · and in derke to be robbed
Þan he þat is riȝte ryche · resoun bereth wytnesse
Pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris
Diuicias nec paupertates &c
Wyser þan salamon was · bereth witnesse and tauȝte
Þat parfyte pouert was · no possessioun to haue
And lyf moste lykynge to god · as luke bereth witnesse
Si vis perfectus esse · vade & vende &c
TAnd is to mene to men · þat on þis molde lyuen
Who-so wil be pure parfyt · mote possessioun forsake
Or selle it as seith þe boke · and þe syluer dele
To beggeres þat gone and begge · and bidden good for goddes loue
¶ For failled neuere man mete · þat myȝtful god seruedT
As dauid seith in þe sauter · to suche þat ben in willeT
To serue god godeliche · ne greueth hymT no penaunce
Nichil inpossibileT volenti
Ne lakketh neuereT lyflode · lynnen ne wollen
Inquirentes autem dominum · non minuentur omni bono
For masses ne for matynes · nouȝte her mete of vsureres
Ne neither kirtel ne cote · þeigh þey for colde shulde deye
And þei her deuor dedeT · as dauid seith in þe sauter
Iudica me deus & discerne causam meam
Spera in deo speketh of prestes · þat haue no spendyng syluer
Þat ȝif þei trauaille trewlich · and trusten in god almiȝti
Hem shulde lakke no lyflode · noyther wollen ne lynnenT
And þe title þat [ȝe]T take ordres by · telleth ȝe ben auaunced
Þanne nedeth nouȝte ȝowT to take syluer · for masses þat ȝe syngen
For he þat toke ȝow ȝowre tytle · shulde take ȝow ȝowre wages
Or þe bisshop þat blesseth ȝow · if þat ȝe ben worthy
¶ For made neuere kyngeT no knyȝte · but he hadde catel to spende
As bifel for a kniȝte · or fonde hym for his strengthe
It is a careful knyȝte · and of a caytyue kynges makynge
Þe same I segge for sothe · by alle suche prestes
Þat han noyther kunnynge ne kynne · but a croune one
And a tytle a tale of nouȝte · to his lyflode atT myschief
He hath more bileue as I leue · to lacche þorw his croune
Cure ·T þan for konnyng · or knowen for clene of berynge
I haue wonder & why · and wher-fore þe bisshop
Maketh suche prestes · þat lewed men bytrayen
¶ A chartre is chalengeable · byfor a chief iustice
If false latyne be in þa[t]T lettre · þe lawe it inpugneth
Or peynted parenterlinarie · parcelesT ouer-skipped
Þe gome þat gloseth so chartres · for a goky is holden
¶ So is it a goky by god · þat in his gospel failleth
Or in masse or in matynes · maketh any defaute
Qui offendit in vno in omnibus est reus &c
And also in þe sauter · seyth dauyd to ouerskippers
Psallite deo nostro psallite quoniam rex terre deus israel psallite sapienter
TÞe bisshop shal be blamed · bifor god as I leue
Þat crouneth suche goddes kniȝtes · þat conneth nouȝt sapienter
Synge ne psalmes rede · ne segge a messe of þe day
Ac neuer neyther is blamelees · þe bisshop ne þe chapleyne
For her eyther is endited · and þat ofT ignorancia
Non excusat episcopos · nec idiotes prestes
¶ Þis lokynge on lewed prestes · haþ don me lepe fram pouerte
Þe whiche I preyse þere pacyence is · more parfyt þan ricchesse
¶ Ac moche more in metynge þus · with me gan one disputeT
And slepynge I seigh al þis · and sithen cam kynde
And nempned me by my name · and bad me nymen hede
And þorw þe wondresT of þis worlde · wytte for to take
And on a mountaigne þat mydelerd hyȝte · as me þo þouȝte
I was fette forth · by ensaumples to knowe
Þorugh eche a creature and kynde · my creatoure to louye
I seigh þe sonne and þe see · and þe sonde after
Wylde wormes in wodes · and wonderful foules
With flekked fetheres · and of fele coloures
Man and his make · I myȝte [se bothe]T
Pouerte and plente · bothe pees and werre
Blisse and bale · bothe I seigh atT ones
And how men token Mede · and mercy refused
¶ Resoune I seighe sothly [·] suen alle bestes
In etyng in drynkynge · and in engendrynge of kynde
And after course of concepcioun · none toke kepe of other
As whan þei hadde ryde in rotey-tyme · anon riȝte þer-after
Males drowen hem to males · a-mornynges bi hem-self
And in euenynges also · ȝe[de]T males fro femeles
Þere ne was cow ne cowkynde · þat conceyued hadde
Þat wolde belwe after boles · ne bore after sowe
Bothe horse and houndes · and alle other bestes
Medled nouȝte wyth here makes · þat with fole were
¶ Briddes I bihelde · þat in buskes made nestes
Hadde neuere wye witte · to worche þe leest
I hadde wonder at whom · and where þe pye lerned
Þere nysT wriȝte as I wene · shulde worche hir neste to paye
If any masoun made a molde þer-to · moche wonder it were
¶ And ȝet me merueilled more · manyT other briddes
Hudden and hileden · her egges ful derne
In mareys and mores · for men sholde hem nouȝt fynde
And hudden here egges · whan þei þere-fro wente
For fere of other foules · and for wylde bestis
¶ And some tr[e]denT her makes · and on trees bredden
And brouȝtenT forth her bryddes so · al aboue þe grounde
And some bryddes at þe bille · þorwgh brethynge conceyued
And some kauked I toke kepe · how pekokes bredden
Moche merueilled me · what maister þei hadde
And who tauȝte hem on trees · to tymbre so heigh
Þere noither buirn ne beste · may her briddes rechen
¶ And sythen I loked vponT þe see · and so forth vpon þe sterres
Many selcouthes I seygh · ben nought to seye nouthe
¶ I seigh floures in þe fritthe · and her faire coloures
And how amonge þe grene grasse · grewe so many hewes
And somme soure and some swete · selcouthe me þouȝte
Of her kynde and [of]T her coloure · to carpe it were to longe
¶ Ac þat moste moeued me · and my mode chaunged
Þat resoun rewarded · and reuled alle bestes
Saue man and his make · many tymeT and ofte
No resoun hem folwed · and þanne I rebukedT
Resoun · and riȝte til hym-seluen I seydeT
I haue wonder of þe quod I · þat witty art holden
Why þow ne suwest man and his make · þat no mysfait hem folwe
¶ And resoun arated me · and seyde recche þe neuere
Whi I suffre or nouȝt suffre · þi-self hast nouȝt to done
Amende þow it if þow myȝte · for my tyme is to abyde
Suffraunce is a souereygne vertue · and a swyfte veniaunce
Who suffreth more þan god quod he · no gome as I leue
He miȝte amende in a Minute-while · al þat mys-standeth
Ac he suffreth for somme mannes good · and so is owre bettre
T [¶ Holy writt quod þat wye · wisseth men to suffre
Propter deum subiecti estote omni creature
Frenche men and fre men · affaiteth þus her children
[B]eleT vertue est soffrance · mal dire est pety veniance
Bien dire et bien soffrer · fait lui soffrant a bien venir
For-þi I rede [þe] quodT reson · reule þi tonge bettere
And ar þow lakke my lyf · loke þowT be to preyse
For is no creature vnder criste · can formen hym-seluen
And if a man miȝte [·] make hym-self good to þe poepleT
Vch a lif wold be lakles · leue þow non other
Ne þow shalt fynde but fewe · fayne for to here
Of here defautes foule · by-for hem rehersed]
¶T Þe wyse and þe witty · wrote þus in þe bible
De re que te non molestat nolyT certare
TFor be a man faire or foule · it falleth nouȝte forto lakke
Þe shappe ne þe shafte · þat god shope hym-selue
For al þat he [wrouȝt]T was wel ydo · as holywrit witnesseth
Et vidit deus cunta que fecerat et erant valde bona
Al to murthe with man · þat most woo tholyeT
In fondynge of þe flesshe · and of þe fende bothe
For man was made of suche a matere · he may nouȝt wel astert
Catoun acordeth þere-withT · nemo sine crimine viuit
¶ Tho cauȝte I coloure anon · and comsed to ben aschamed
And awaked þer-with · wo was me þanne
Þat I in meteles ne myȝte · more haue yknowen
And þanne seyde I to my-self · and chidde þat tyme
Now I wote what dowel is quod I · by dere god as me þinketh
And as I caste vp myn eyghen · one loked on me and axed
Of me what þinge it were · ywisse sire I seide
To se moche and suffre more · certes quod I is dowel
¶ Haddestow suffred he seyde · slepyng þo þow were
For resoun wolde haue reherced þe · riȝte as clergye saide
Ac for þine entermetyng · here artow forsake
Philosophus esses si tacuisses
Ac whan he mameled aboute mete · and entermetedT to knowe
Þe wisdom and þe witte of god · he was put fram blisse
And riȝt so ferde resoun bi the · þow withT rude speche
Lakkedest and losedest þinge · þat longed nouȝt [þe to] doneT
Þo hadde he no lykynge · forto lere þe more
¶ Pruide now and presumpcioun · par-auenture wole þe appele
That clergye þi compaignye · ne kepeth nouȝt to sueT
[For]T shal neuere chalangynge ne chydynge · chaste a man so sone
As shal shame and shenden hym · and shape hym to amende
For lat a dronken daffe · in a dyke falle
Late hym ligge loke nouȝte on hym · til hym lest to ryse
Of clergie ne of his conseil · he counteth nouȝt a rusche
OrT for to bete hym þanne] · it were but pure synne
Ac whan nede nymeth hym vp · for doute lest he sterue
And shame shrapeth his clothes · & his shynes wassheth
Þanne wote þe dronken daffe · wherfore he is to blame
¶ Ȝe seggen soth [by my soule]T quod I · ich haue yseyne it ofte
Þere smitte no þinge so smerte · ne smelleth so [foule]T
As shame þere he sheweth him · for euery man hym shonyethT
Why ȝe wisse me þus quod I · was for I rebuked resoun
¶ Certes quod he þat is soth · and shope hym forto walken
And I aros vp riȝt with þat · and folwed hym after
And preyed hym of his curteisye · to telle me his name