Passus quindecimus finit dowel & incipit dobet
Ar I couth kyndely · knowe what was dowel
And so my witte wex and wanyed · til I a fole were
And somme lakked my lyf · allowed it fewe
And leten [me]T for a lorel · and loth to reuerencen
Lordes or ladyes · or any lyf elles
As persones in pellure · with pendauntes of syluer
God loke ȝow lordes · ne louted faire
Þat folke helden me a fole · and in þat folye I raued
Tyl resoun hadde reuthe on me · and rokked me aslepe
Tyl I seigh as it sorceryeT were · a sotyl þinge with-al
One with-outen tonge and teeth · tolde me whyder I shulde
And wher-of I cam and of what kyndeT · I conIured hym atte laste
If he were crystes creature · for crystes loueT me to tellen
¶ I am crystes creature quod he · and crystene in many aT place
In crystes courte I-knowe wel · and of his kynne a partye
Is noyther peter þe porter · ne poule with hisT fauchoune
Þa[t] wil defende me þe dore · dynge ich neure so late
At mydnyȝt at mydday · my voice [is so]T yknowe
Þat eche a creature of his courte · welcometh me fayre
¶ What ar ȝe called quod I in þat courteT · amonges crystes peple
And whan I wilne and wolde · animus ich hatte
And for þat I can and knowe · called am I mensT
And whan I make mone to god · memoria is my name
And whan I deme domes · and do as treuthe techeth
Þanne is racio my riȝt name · resoun an englissh
And whan I fele þat folke telleth · my firste name is sensus
And þat is wytte and wisdome · þe welle of alle craftes
And whan I chalange or chalange nouȝte · chepe or refuse
Þanne am I conscience ycalde · goddis clerke and his notarie
And whan I loue lelly · owre lorde and alle other
Þanne is lele loue my name · and in latyn amor
And whan I fl[e]eT fro þe flesshe · and forsake þe caroigne
Þanne am I spirit specheles · andT spiritus þanne ich hatte
Austyn and ysodorus [·] ayther of hem bothe
Nempned me þus to name · now þow myȝte chese
How þow coueitest to calle me · now þow knowest alleT my names
Anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur · dum viuificat corpus
anima est · dum vult animus est · dum scit mens est · dum recolit memoria est ·
dum iudicat racio est · dum sentit sensus est · dum amat amor est · dum negat
vel consentit consciencia est · dum spirat spiritus estT
¶ Ȝe ben as a bisshop quod I · al bourdynge þat tyme
For bisshopes yblessed · þeiT bereth many names
And other names an hepe [·] episcopus & pastor
¶ Þat is soth seyde he · now I se þi wille
Þow woldest knowe and kunne · þe cause of alle her names
And of myne if þow myȝtest · me þinketh by þi speche
¶ Ȝe syre I seyde [·]T by so no man were greued
Alle þe sciencesT vnder sonne · and alle þe sotyle craftes
I wolde I knewe and couth · kyndely in myne herte
¶ Þanne artow inparfit quod he · and one of prydes knyȝtes
For such a luste and lykynge · lucifer fel fram heueneT
Ponam pedem meum in aquilone & similis ero altissimo
¶ It were aȝeynes kynde quod he · and alkynnes resoun
Þat any creature shulde kunneT al · excepte cryste one
Aȝein such salomon speketh · and dispiseth her wittes
And seith sicut qui mel comedit multum non est ei bonum
Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprim[a]turT a gloria
TTo englisch men þis is to mene · þat mowen speke & here
And þe more þat a man · of good mater hereth
But he do þerafter · it doth hym double scathe
Beatus est seith seynt Bernard · qui scripturas legit
Et verba vertitT in opera · fullich to his powere
Coueytise to kunne [·] and to knowe scienceT
PulteT out of paradys · Adam and Eue
Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriamT spoliauit
And riȝte as hony is yuel to defye · and engleymeth þe mawe
Riȝt so þat þorw resoun [·] wolde þe rote knowe
Of god and of his grete myȝtes · his gracesT it letteth
For in þe lykyng lith a pryde · and aT lycames coueitise
Aȝein crystes conseille · and alle clerkes techyng
That is non plus sapere quam oportet sapere
Ȝe moeuen materes inmesurablesT · to tellen of þe Trinite
Þat ofte tymes þe lewed peple · of her bileue doutenT
Bettere byleue were monyT · doctoures such techyng
And tellen men of þe ten comaundementz · and touchen þe seuene synnes
And of þe braunches þat burgeouneth of hem · and bryngeth men to helle
And how þat folke in folyes · myspenden her fyue wittes
As wel freres as other folke · folilich spenenT
In housyng in haterynge · in toT hiegh clergye shewynge
More for pompe þan for pure charite · þe poeple wote þe sothe
Þat I lye nouȝt loo · for lordes ȝe plesen
And reuerencen þe riche · þe rather for her syluer
Confundantur omnes qui adorant scul[p]tilia · & alibi
Vt quid diligitis vanitatem & queritis mendacium
Go to þe glose of þe verse · ȝe grete clerkes
If I lye on ȝow to my lewed witte · ledeth me to brennynge
For as it semeth ȝe forsaketh · no mannes almesse
Of vsureres of hores · ofT auarous chapmen
And louten to þis lordes · þat mowen lene ȝow nobles
Aȝeine ȝowre reule and Religioun · I take recorde at Ihesus
Þat seide to his disciples · ne sitis [acceptores personarum]T
¶ Of þis matere I myȝte · make a longeT bible
Ac of curatoures of crystene peple · as clerkes bereth witnesse
I shal tellen it for treuth sake · take hede who-so lyketh
¶ As holynesse and honest[e] [·] oute of holicherche spredeth
Þorw lele libbyng men · þat goddes laweT techen
Riȝt so out of holicherche · alle yueles spredeth
There inparfyt presthod is · prechouresT and techeres
AndT se it by ensample [·] in somer tyme on trowes
Þere somme bowes ben leued · and somme bereth none
Þere is a myschief in þe more · of suche manere bowes
Riȝt so parsones and prestes · and prechoures of holy chercheT
[Is þe]T rote of þe riȝte faith · to reule þe peple
AcT þere þe rote is roten · reson wote þe sothe
Shal neure floure ne frute · ne faire leef be grene
And be kynde as bifel for clerkes · and curteise of crystes goodes
Trewe of ȝowre tonge · and of ȝowre taille bothe
And hatien to here harlotrye · and [a]uȝtT to vnderfonge
Tythes of vntreweT þinge · ytilied or chaffared
¶T Lothe were lewed men · but þei ȝowre lore folwed
And amenden hem þat mysdonT · more for ȝowre ensamples
Þan forto prechen & preue it nouȝt · ypocrysie it semeth
For ypocrysie in latyn · is lykned to a dongehulT
Þat were bysnewed with snowe · and snakes wyth-inne
Riȝt so many prestes · prechoures and prelates
Ȝe aren enblaunched with bele paroles · and with clothesT
Ac ȝowre werkes and ȝowre wordes þere-vnder · aren ful [wol]uelichT
¶T Iohannes crysostomus · of clerkes speketh and prestes
Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit · tota floret ecclesia · si autem corupt[a]T fuerit · omnium fides
Sicut cum videris arborem pallidam & marcidam · inteligis quod vicium habet in radice
Ita cum videris populum indisciplinatum · & irreligiosum sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum
¶ If lewed men wist · what þis latyn meneth
And who was myn auctor · moche wonder me þinketh
Sire Iohan & sire Geffray · hath a gerdel of syluer
A basellarde or a ballokknyf · with botones ouergylte
Ac a portous þat shulde be his plow · placebo to segge
Allas ȝe lewed men · moche lese ȝe on prestes
Ac þinge þat wykkedlich is wonne · and with false sleigthes
Þe which aren prestes inparfit · and prechoures after syluer
Sectoures and sudenes · somnoures and her lemmannes
Þis þat with gyle was geten · vngraciouslich is spendedT
So harlotes and hores · ar hulpen with such goodis
AndT goddes folke for defaute þer-of · forfaren and spillen
¶ Curatoures of holykirke · a[nd]T clerkes þat ben auerouse
Liȝtlich þat þey leuen · loselles it habbeth
Or dyeth intestate · and þanne þe bisshop entreth
And maketh murthe þere-with · and his menT bothe
And seggen he was a nygarde · þat no good myȝte asspare
To frende ne to fremmed · þe fende haue his soule
For a wrecched hous he helde · al his lyf-tyme
And þat he spared and bispered · speneT we in murthe
¶ By lered by lewed · þat loth is to spendeT
Þus gone her godes · be þe goste faren
Ac for good men god wote · gret dole men maken
And bymeneth good mete-ȝyueres · and in mynde hauethT
In prayers and in penauncesT · and in parfyt charite
¶ What is charite quod I þo · a childissh þinge he seide
Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli · non intrabitis in regnum celorum
With-outen fauntelte or foly · a fre liberal wille
¶T Where shulde men fynde such a frende · with so fre an herte
And fonde I neuere ful charite · bifore ne bihynde
Men beth mercyable · to mendynantz & to pore
And wolen lene þere þei leue · lelly to ben payed
I seigh neuere such a man · so me god helpe
That he ne wolde aske after his · and otherwhile coueyte
Þinge þat neded hymT nouȝt · and nyme it if he myȝte
¶ Clerkis kenne me þat cryst · is in alle places
Ac I seygh hym neuere sothly · but as my-self in aT miroure
[Hic]T in enigmate tunc facie ad faciem
And so I trowe trewly · by þat men telleth of charite
It is nouȝt championes fyȝte · ne chaffare as I trowe
¶ Charite quod he ne chaffareth nouȝte · ne chalengeth ne craueth
As proude of a peny · as of a pounde of golde
And is as gladde of a goune · of a graye russet
As of a tunicle of tarse · or of trye scarlet
He is gladde with alle gladde · and good ty[l] alle wykked
Curseth he no creature · ne he can bere no wratthe
Ne no lykynge hath to lye · ne laughe men to scorne
Al þat men seith he let it soth · and in solace taketh
And alle manere meschiefs · in myldenesse he suffreth
Coueiteth he none erthly goodT · but heuene-riche blisse
¶ Hath he any rentes or ricchesse · or any riche frendes
¶ Of rentes ne of ricchesse · ne reccheth he neuere
For a frende þat fyndethT hym · failled hym neuere at nede
Fiat voluntas tua [·] fynt hym euer-more
He can purtreye wel þe pater noster · and peynte it with auesT
Þere pore men and prisonesT liggeth · her pardoun to haue
Þough he bere hem no bred · he bereth hem swetter lyflode
Loueth hem as owre lorde biddeth · and loketh how þei fare
¶ And whan he is wery of þat werke · þanne wil he some-tyme
Labory in aT lauendrye · wel þe lengthe of a myle
And ȝerne in-to ȝouthe · and ȝepliche s[eche]T
Pryde with al þe appurtenaunceT · and pakken hem togyderes
And bouken hem at his brest · and beten hem clene
And leggen on longe · with laboraui in gemitu meo
And with warme water at his eyghen · wasshen hem after
AndT þanne he syngeth whan he doth so · & some-tyme seith wepyng
Cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies
¶ By cryst I wolde þat I knewe hym quod I · no creature leuere
¶ With-outen helpe of Piers plowmanT quod he · his persone seestow neuere
¶ Where clerkes knowen hym quod I · þat kepen holykirke
¶ Clerkes haue no knowyng quod he · but by werkes and bi wordes
Ac piers þe plowman · parceyueth more depper
Et vidit deus cogitaciones eorum
For þere ar ful proude-herted men · paciente of tonge
And boxome as of berynge · to burgeys and to lordes
And to pore peple · han peper in þe nose
And as a lyoun he loketh · þere men lakketh his werkes
¶ For þere ar beggeres and bidderes · bedmen as it were
Loketh as lambren · and semen lyf-holy
Ac it is more to haue her mete · [on]T such an esy manere
Þan for penaunce and parfitnesse · þe pouerte þat such taketh
¶ Þere-fore by coloure ne by clergye · knowe shaltow hym neuere
Noyther þorw wordes ne werkes · but þorw wille one
And þat knoweth no clerke · ne creature inT erthe
But piers þe plowman · petrus id est cristus
For he ne isT nouȝte in lolleres · ne in lande-leperes hermytes
Ne at ancres þere a box hangeth · alle suche þei faiten
Fy on faitoures · and in fautores suos
TFor charyte is goddis champioun · and as a good chylde hende
And þe meryest of mouth · at mete where he sitteth
Þe loue þat lith in his herte · maketh hym lyȝte of speche
And is compenable and confortatyf · as cryst bit hym-selue
Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite tristes &cT
TFor I haue seyn hym in sylke · and somme-tyme in russet
Bothe in grey and in grys · and in gulte herneys
And as gladlich he it gaf · to gomes þat it neded
¶ Edmonde and Edwarde · eyther were kynges
And seyntes ysette · [so]T charite hem folwed
¶ I haue seyne charite also · syngen and reden
Ryden and rennen · in ragged wedes
Ac biddyng as beggeres · bihelde I hym neuere
Ac in riche robes · rathest he walketh
Ycalled and ycrimiled · and his crowne shaueT
And in a freres frokke · he was yfounde ones
Ac it is ferreT agoo · in seynt Fraunceys tyme
In þat secte sitthe · to selde hath he be knowenT
¶ Riche men he recomendeth · and of her robes taketh
Þat with-outen wyles · leden her lyues
Beatus est diues · qui &c
¶ In kynges courte he cometh ofte · þere þe conseille is trewe
Ac if coueityse be of þe conseille · he wil nouȝt come þer-Inne
In courte amonge iaperes · he cometh butT selde
For braulyng and bakbytyng · and beryng of fals witnesse
¶ In þe constorie bifor þe comissarie · he cometh nouȝt ful ofte
For her lawe dureth ouer-longe · but if þei lacchen syluer
And matrimoigne for monye · maken & vnmaken
And þat conscience and cryst · hath yknitte faste
Þei vndon it vnworthily · þo doctours of lawe
[¶ Amonges erchebisshopes and oþer bisshopes · and prelates of holy chercheT
Forto wonye with hem · his wone was sum-tyme
And cristes patrimoigne to þe pore · parcel-mele dele
Ac auarice hath þe keyes now · and kepeth for his kynnesmen
And for his sectoures & his seruantz · & somme for hereT children]
¶T Ac I ne lakke no lyf · but lorde amende vs alle
And gyue vs grace good god · charite to folwe
For who-so myȝte mete with hym · such maneres hym eyleth
Noyther he blameth ne banneth · bosteth ne prayseth
Lakketh ne loseth · ne loketh vp sterneT
Craueth ne coueiteth · ne crieth after more
In pace in idipsum dormiam &c ·T
Þe moste lyflode þatT he lyueth by · is loue in goddis passioun
Noyther he biddeth ne beggeth · ne borweth to ȝelde
Misdoth he no man · ne with his mouth greueth
¶ Amonges cristene men · þis myldnesse shulde laste
In alle manere angres · haue þis at herte
Þat þough þei suffred al þis · god suffred for vs more
In ensample we shulde do so · and take no veniaunce
Of owre foes þat doth vs falsenesse · þat is owre fadres wille
Sholde neuere Iudas neT iuwe · haue Ihesu don on Rode
Ne han martired peter ne Poule · ne in prisoun holden
Ac he suffred in ensample · þat we shulde suffre also
And seide to suche þat suffre wolde · þat pacientes vincunt
¶ Verbi gratia quod he · and verrey ensamples manye
In legenda sanctorum · þe lyf of holy seyntes
What penaunce and pouerte · and passioun þei suffred
In hunger in hete · in al manere angres
Antony and Egidie · and other holi fadres
Woneden in wildernesse · amonge wilde bestes
Monkes and mendynauntz · men bi hem-selue
In spekes anT spelonkes · selden speken togideres
Ac noyther antony ne Egidy · ne hermite þat tyme
Of liouns ne of leoperdes · no lyflode ne toke
But of foulesT þat fleeth · þus fynt men in bokes
Excepte þat Egydie · after an hynde cryede
And þorw þe mylke of þat myldeT best · þe man was susteyned
A[c]T day by day had he hir nouȝt · his hunger forto slake
But selden and sondrie tymesT · as seith þe boke and techeth
¶ Antony adayesT · aboute none-tyme
Had a bridde þat brouȝte hym bredT · þat he by lyued
And þough þe gome hadde a geste · god fondeT hem bothe
¶ Poule primus heremita · had parrokedT hym-selue
Þat no man miȝte hym se · for mosse and for leues
Foules hym fedde · fele wynteres with-alle
Til he founded freres · of austinesT ordre
Poule after his prechyng · panyers he made
And wan with his hondes · þat his wombe neded
Peter fisched for his fode · and his felawe andrewe
Some þei solde and some þei sotheT · and so þei lyued bothe
And also Marie Magdeleyne · by mores lyued andT dewes
Ac moste þorw deuocioun · and mynde of god almiȝty
I shulde nouȝt þis seuene dayes · seggen hem alle
Þat lyueden þus for owre lordes loue · manye longe ȝeresT
Ac þere ne was lyoun ne leopart · þat on laundes wenten
Noyther bere ne bor · ne other best wilde
Þat ne fel to her feet · and fauned with þe taillesT
And if þei couth han ycarped · by cryst as I trowe
Þei wolde haue fedde þat folke · bifor wilde foules
T [For alle þe curteisye þat bestes kunne · þei kidde þat folke ofte
In likkyng and in lowynge · þere þei on laundes ȝede]
Ac god sent hem fode bi foules · and by no fierse bestes
In menynge þat meke þinge · mylde þinge shulde fede
As who seith religious · ryȝtful men shulde fyndeT
And lawful men to lyfholy men · lyflode bryngeT
And þanne wolde lordes and ladyes be · loth to agulte
And to take of her tenauntz · more þan treuth wolde
Fonde þei þat Freres · wolde forsake her almessesT
And bidden hem bere it · þere it was yborwed
For we ben goddes foules · and abiden alwey
Tyl briddes brynge vs · þat we shulde lyue by
For had ȝe potage and payn ynough · and peny-ale to drynke
And aT messe þere-mydde · of o manere kynde
Ȝe had riȝt ynough ȝe Religious · and so ȝowre reuleT me tolde
¶ If lewed men knewe þis latyn · þei wolde loke whom þei ȝeue
And auyse hem bifore · aT fyue dayes or sexe
Or þei amortesed to monkes · or chanouns her rentes
Allas lordes and ladyes · lewed conseille haue ȝe
To ȝyue fram ȝowre eyres · þat ȝowre ayeles ȝow lefte
And ben founded and feffed eke · to bidde for other
¶ Who perfourneth þis prophecye · of þe peple þat now lybbeth
Dispersit dedit pauperibus &c
If any peple perfourme þat texte · it ar þis pore freres
For þat þei beggen abouten · in buildynge þei speneT
And on hem-self sum · and such as ben her laboreres
And of hem þat habbeth þei taken · and ȝyue hem þat neT habbeth
¶ Ac clerkes & knyȝtes · and comuneres þat ben riche
Fele of ȝow fareth · as if I a forest hadde
Þat were ful of faire trees · and I fonded and caste
How I myȝte mo þer-inne · amonges hem sette
Riȝt so ȝe riche · ȝe robethT þat ben riche
And helpeth hem þat helpeth ȝow · and ȝiueth þere no nede is
As who-so filled a tonne [ful]T · of a fressh ryuer
And went forth with þat water · to woke with themese
Riȝt so ȝe riche · ȝe robethT and fedeth
Hem þat han as ȝe han · hem ȝe make at ese
Þan burgeys þat riche ben · as þe boke techeth
Quia sacrilegium est res pauperum non pauperibus dare
Item [idem]T peccatoribus dare · est demonibus immolare
Item monache si indiges et accipis pocius das quam accipisT
Si autem non eges & accipis · rapis
Porro non indiget Monachus · si habeat quod nature sufficit
For-þi I conseille alle cristene · to confourmen hem to charite
For charite with-oute chalengynge · vnchargeth þe souleT
TAc þere is a defaute in þe folke · þat þe faith kepeth
Wherfore folke is þe feblere · and nouȝt ferme of bilieue
As in lussheborwes is a lyther alay · and ȝet loketh he lyke a sterlynge
Þe merke of þat mone is good · ac þe metal is fieble
And so it fareth by some folke now · þei han a faire speche
Croune and crystendome · þe kynges merke of heuene
Ac þe metal þat is mannes soule · with synne is foule alayed
Bothe lettred and lewede · beth allayed now with synneT
That no lyf loueth other · ne owre lorde as it semeth
For [what]T þorw werre and wykked werkes · and wederes vnresonable
Wederwise shipmen · and witti clerkes also
Han no bilieue to þe lifte · ne to þe lore of philosofres
¶ AstrymyanesT alday · in her arte faillen
Þat whilum warned bifore · what shulde [bi]falleT after
Shipmen and sheperdes · þat with shipp & shepe wenten
Wisten by þe walkene · what shulde bityde
As of wederes andT wyndes · þei warned men ofte
TTilieres þat tiled þe erthe · tolden her maistres
By þe sede þat þei sewe · what þei selle miȝte
And what to leue and toT lyue by · þe londe was so trewe
Now failleth þe folke of þe flode · and of þe londe bothe
Sheperdes and shipmen · and so do þis tilieres
Noither þei kunneth ne knoweth · one cours bi-for an other
Astrymyanes also · aren at her wittes ende
Of þat was calculed of þe [c]lementT · þe contrarie þei fynde
Gramer þe grounde of al · bigyleth now children
For is none of þis newe clerkes · who-so nymeth hede
Þat can versifye faire · ne formalich enditenT
Ne nouȝt on amonge an hundreth · þat an auctour can construe
Ne rede a lettre in any langage · but in latyn or in englissh
Go now to any degre · and but if gyle be mayster
And flaterere his felawe · vnder hym to fourmen
MocheT wonder me thynketh · amonges vs alle
Doctoures of decres · and of diuinite Maistres
Þat shulde konne and knowe · alkynnes clergye
And answere to argumentz · and also to a quodlibet
I dar nouȝt seggen it for shame · if suche weren apposed
Þei shulde faillen inT her philosofye · and in phisyk bothe
Wher-fore I am afered · of folke of holikirke
Lest þei ouerhuppen as other don · in officesT & in houres
As clerkes in corpus cristi feste · singen & reden
Þat sola fides sufficit · to saue with lewed peple
¶ And so may sarasenes be saued · scribes and iewes
Allas þanne but owre loresmen · lyuen as þei leren vs
And for her lyuynge þat lewed men beT · þe lother god agulten
For sarasenes han somwhat · semynge to owre bileue
For þei loue and bileue · in o parsone almiȝty
And we lered and lewede · in on god bileueth
T [Cristene and vncristene . on one god bileueth]
AcT one Makometh · a man in mysbileue
Brouȝte sarasenes of surre · and se in what manere
In-to surre he souȝte · and þorw his sotil wittes
Daunted a dowue · and day and nyȝte hir fedde
Þe corne þat she cropped · he caste it in his ere
T And if he amonge þe poeple preched · or in places come
Þanne wolde þe coluer come · to þe clerkes ere
Menynge as after meet · þus Makometh hir enchauntedT
AT dide folke þanne falle on knees · for he swore in his prechynge
Þat þe coluer þat come so · come fram god of heuene
AsT messager to Makometh · men forto teche
And þus þorw wyles of his witte [·] and a whyte dowue
Makometh in mysbileue · men and wommen brouȝte
¶ And sitth owre saueoure suffred · þe sarasenes so bigiled
Þorw a crystene clerke · acursed in his soule
AcT for drede of þe deth · I dar nouȝt telle treuthe
How englissh clerkes a coluer feden · þat coueityse hatte
And ben manered after Makometh · þat no man vseth treuth
¶ Ancres and hermytes · and monkes and freres
PerenT to apostles · þorw her parfit lyuynge
Wolde neuere þe faithful fader · þat his ministres sholde
Of tyrauntz þat teneth trewe men · taken any almesse
But done as Antony did · dominik andT Fraunceys
Benet &T Bernarde · þe which hem firste tauȝte
To lyue bi litel & in lowe houses · by lele mennes almesseT
Grace sholde growe & be grene · þorw her goodT lyuynge
And folkesT sholde fynde · þat ben in dyuerse sykenesse
Þe better for her byddynges · in body and in soule
Her preyeres and her penaunces · to pees shulde bryngeT
Alle þat ben at debate · and bedemen were trewe
Petite & accipietis &c
T Vos estis sal terre &c ·
Þe heuedes of holicherche · and þei holy were
Cryst callethT hem salt · for crystene soules
Et si sal euanuerit · in quo salietur
AcT fressh flessh other fissh · whan it salt failleth
It is vnsauory for soth · ysothe or ybake
So is mannes soule sothly · þat seeth no good ensaumpleT
Of hem of holycherche · þat þe heigh weye shulde teche
And be gyde and go bifore · as aT good baneoure
And hardy hem þat bihynde ben · and ȝiue hem good euydence
¶ Elleuene holy men · al þe worlde torned
In-to lele byleue · þe liȝtloker me thynketh
Shulde al maner men · we han so manye Maistres
Prestes and prechoures · and a pope aboue
Þat goddes salt shulde be · to saue mannes soule
¶ Al was hethenesse some-tyme · Ingelond and wales
Austyn at Caunterbury · crystened þe kyngeT
And þorw myracles as men may rede · al þat marche he torned
To cryst and to crystendome · and crosse to honoure
And fulled folke fasteT · and þe faith tauȝte
More þorw miracles · þan þorw moche prechynge
As wel þorw his werkes · as withT his holy wordes
And seyde hem what fullynge · and faith was to mene
¶ Cloth þat cometh fro þe weuyng · is nouȝt comly to were
Tyl it isT fulled vnder fote · or in fullyng stokkes
Wasshen wel with water · and with taseles cracched
Ytouked and ytented · & vnder tailloures handeT
And so it fareth by a barne · þat borne is ofT wombe
Til it be crystened in crystes name · and confermed of þe bisshop
It is hethene as to heueneward · and helpelees to þe soule
¶ Hethene is to mene after heth · and vntiled erthe
As in wilde wildernesse · wexeth wilde bestes
Rude and vnresonable · rennenge with-out [k]eperesT
He fedde hem with no venysoun · ne fesauntes ybake
But with foules þat fram hym nolde · but folwed his whistellynge
Ecce altilia mea & omnia parata sunt &c
And wyth calues flesshe he fedde · þe folke þat he loued
Þe calfe bytokeneth clennesse · in hem þat kepeth lawes
¶T For as þe cow þorw kynde mylke · þe calf norissheth til an oxe
So loue and lewte · leleT men susteyneth
And maydenes and mylde men mercy desiren
Riȝt as þe cow calf · coueyteth swete mylke
So don riȝtful men · mercy & treuthe
Þat loth ben to louye · with-outen lernynge of ensaumples
Riȝt as capones in a court · cometh to mennes whistlynge
In menynge after mete · folweth men þat whistlen
Riȝt so rude men · þat litel reson conneth
Louen and byleuen · by lettred mennes doynges
And by here wordes and werkes · wenen and trowen
And as tho foules to fynde · fode after whistlynge
So hope þei to haue · heuene þoruȝ her whistlynge
And by þe man þat made þe feste · þe maieste bymeneth
Þat is god of his grace · gyueth al men blisse
With wederes and with wondres · he warneth vs with a whistlere
Where þat his wille is · to worschipen vs alle
And feden vs and festen vs · for euere-more at ones]
¶ Ac who beth þat excuseth hem · arenT persounes and prestes
Þat heuedes of holychercheT ben · þat han her wille here
With-oute trauaille þe tithe del · þat trewe men biswynkyn
Þei wil be wroth for I write þus · ac to witnesse I take
Bothe Mathew and Marke · and Memento domine dauid
[Ecce audiuimus e[a]mT in effrata &c ·]
What Pope or prelate now · perfourneth þat cryst hiȝte
Ite in vniuersum mundum & predicate & c ·
¶ Allas þat men so longe · on Makometh shulde byleue
So many prelates to preche · as þe Pope maketh
Of Nazareth of Nynyue · of Neptalim and damaske
Þat þei ne went as cryst wisseth · sithen þei wil aT name
TTo be pastours and preche · þe passioun of Ihesus
And as hym-self seyde · soT to lyue and deye
Bonus pastor animam suam ponit & c
And seyde it in sauacioun · of sarasenes & other
ForT crystene & vncristene · cryst seide to prechoures
Ite vos in vineam meam ·
And sith þat þis sarasenes · scribes & Iuwes
Han a lippe of owre byleue · þe liȝtloker me thynkethT
Þei shulde torne who-so trauaille woldeT · to teche hem of þe Trinite
Querite & inuenietis &c
T ¶ It is reuth to rede · how riȝtwis men lyued
How þei defouled her flessh · forsoke her owne wille
Fer fro kitth and fro kynne · yuel yclothed ȝeden
Badly ybedded · no boke but conscience
Ne no richchesse but þe Rode · to reioyse hem Inne
Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri &c ·
¶ And þo was plente & pees · amonges pore & riche
AndT now is routhe to rede · how þe red noble
Is reuerenced or þe Rode · receyued for þe worthier
Þan crystes crosse þat ouer-cam · deþ and dedly synne
¶ And now is werre and wo · and who-so why axeth
For coueityse after crosse · þe croune stant in golde
Bothe riche and religious · þat Rode þei honoure
Þat in grotes is ygraue · and in golde nobles
For coueityse of þat crosse · men of holykirke
Shul tourne as templeres did · þe tyme approcheth faste
¶ Wyte ȝe nouȝt wyseT men · how þo men honoured
More tresore þan treuthe · I dar nouȝt telle þe sothe
Resoun & riȝtful dome · þoT Religious demed
Riȝt so ȝe clerkes · for ȝowre coueityse ar longe
Shal þei demen dos ecclesie · and ȝowre pryde depose
Deposuit potentes de sede &c ·
¶ Ȝif knyȝthod & kynde wytte · and comune conscienceT
Togideres loue lelly · leueth it wel ȝe bisshopes
And lyuen as leuitici [·] as owre lorde ȝow techeth
Per primicias & decimas
¶ Whan costantyn of curteysye · holykirke dowed
With londes and ledes · lordeshipes and rentes
An Angel men herde · an heigh at Rome crye
Dos ecclesie þis day · hath ydronke venym
And þo þat han petres powere · arn apoysoned alle
¶ A medecyne mote þer-to · þat may amende prelates
Þat sholden preye for þe pees · possessioun hem letteth
Take her landes ȝe lordes · and let hem lyue by dymes
If possessioun be poysoun · & inparfit hem make
Good were to dischargen hem · for holicherche sake
And purgen hem of poysoun · or more perile falle
¶ Ȝif presthod were parfit · þe peple s[h]olde amende
Þat contrarien crystes lawe · and crystendome dispise
And make her mone to makometh · her message to shewe
Þus in a faith lyuethT þat folke · and in a false mene
And þat is routhe for [þe]T riȝtful men · þat in þe Rewme wonyen
And a peril to þe pope · and prelatisT þat he maketh
Þat bere bisshopes names · of Bedleem & [of]T babiloigne
T [Whan þe hieȝe kynge of heuene · sent his sone to erthe
Many miracles he wrouȝte · man for to turne
In ensaumple þat men shulde se · þat by sadde resoun
Men miȝt nouȝt be saued · but þorw mercy and grace
And þorw penaunce and passion · and parfit byle[ue]T
And bycam man of a mayde · and metropolitanusT
And baptised and bishinedT · with þe blode of his herte
Alle þat wilned and wolde · with InwitteT byleue it
Many a seint sithen · hath suffred to deyeT
In delfol deth deyeden · for hire faith sakeT
In sauacioun of þe faith · seynt [thomas]T was martired
Amonges vnkynde cristene · for cristes loue he deyede
And for þe riȝt of al þis reume · and al reumes cristene
Holy cherche is honoured · hieȝliche þorw his deyinge
He is a forbiseneT to alle bisshopes · and a briȝt myroure
And souereyneliche to suche · þat of surrye bereth þe name]
Nolite mittere falcem in messem alienam &c
¶ Euery bisshop þat bereth crosse · by þat heT is holden
Thorw his prouynce to passe · and to his peple to shewe hym
Tellen hem and techenT hem · on þe Trinite to bileue
And feden hem with gostly fode · and [nedy folke to fyndenT
Ac ysaie of ȝow speketh · and ozias bothe
Þat no man shuld be bisshope · but if he hadde bothe
Bodily fode and gostly fode · to] gyue þere it nedeth
In domo mea non est panis neque vestimentum et ideo nolite constituere me regem · ysaie 3T
Ozias seith for such · þat syke ben and fieble
Inferte omnes decimas in oreum meum vtT cibus in domo mea
¶T Ac we crystene creatures · þat on þe crosse byleuen
Aren fermeT as in þe faith · goddes forbode elles
And han clerkes to kepen vs þer-Inne · and hem þat shal come after vsT
¶ And iewes lyuen in lele lawe · owre lorde wrote it hym-selue
In stone for it stydfast was · and stonde sholde eure
Dilige deum & proximum · is parfit iewen lawe
And toke it moyses to teche menT · til Messye come
And on þat lawe þei l[e]uenT · and leten it þe beste
TAnd ȝit knewe þei cryst · þat crystendome tauȝte
[And]T for a parfit prophete · þat moche peple saued
Of selcouth sores · þei seyne it ofte
Bothe of myracles & meruailles · and how he men fested
With two fisshes anT fyve loues · fyue thousande peple
And whan he luft vp lazar · þat layde was in graue
And vnder stone ded & stankeT · with styf voys hym called
Lazare veni foras ·
Dede hym rise and rowme [·] riȝt bifor þe iuwes
Ac þei seiden and sworen · with sorcerye he wrouȝte
And studyeden to stroyen hym · and stroyden hem-self
And þorw his pacyence her powere · to pure nouȝt he brouȝte
Pacientes vincunt
¶ Danyel of her vndoynge · deuyned and seyde
Cum [veniat sanctus sanctorum &c.]T
And ȝet wenen þo wrecches · þat he were pseudo-propheta
And þat his lore be lesynges · and lakken it alle
And hopen þat he be to come · þat shal hem releue
Moyses eft or Messye · here maisteres ȝetT deuyneth
¶ Ac pharesewes and sarasenes · Scribes & GrekisT
Aren folke of on faith · þe fader god þei honouren
And sitthen þat þe sarasenes · and also þe iewes
Konne þe firste clause of owre bileue · credo in deum patrem omnipotentemT
Prelates of crystene prouynces · shulde preue if þei myȝte
LereT hem litlum & lytlum [·] & in ihesum cristum filium
Tyl þei couthe speke and spelle · et in spiritum sanctum
And re[d]enT it & recorden it · with remissionem peccatorum
Carnis resurreccionem · et vitam eternam amen ·