Passus septimus decimus et secundus de dobet
That toke me a maundement [·] vpon þe mounte of synay
To reule alle rewmes [þere-]withT · I bere þe writte here
[¶]T Nay he sayde I seke hym · þat hath þe sele to kepe
And þat is crosse and crystenedome · and cryst þere-on to hange
Þat Lucyferes lordeship · laste shal no lenger
¶ [A] plokkedT forth a patent · a pece of an harde roche
Wher-on wasT writen two wordes · on þis wyse yglosed
Dilige deum & proximum tuum &c
Þis was þe tixte trewly · I toke ful gode [gome]T
Þe glose was gloriousely writen · with a gilte penne
And who-so worcheth after þis writte · I wil vndertaken
Shal neuere deuel hym dere · ne deth in soule greue
For þough I seye it my-self · I haue saued with þis charme
Of men & of wommen · many score þousandes
Lo here in my lappe · þat leued on þat charme
Iosue and Iudith · and Iudas Macabeus
[A]ndT sexty þousande bisyde-forth · þat ben nouȝt seyen here
¶ Ȝowre wordes aren wonderful quod I thoT · which of ȝow is trewest
And lelest to leue on · for lyf and for soule
Abraham seith þat he seigh ·T holy þe Trinite
Thre persones in parcelles · departable fro other
And alle þre but o god · þus abraham me tauȝte
And hath saued þat bileuedT so · and sory for her synnes
He can nouȝte segge þe somme · and some aren in his lappe
What neded it þanne · a newe lawe to b[rynge]T
Sith þe fyrst sufficeth · to sauacioun & to blisse
¶ And now cometh spes and speketh · þat hath aspied þe lawe
And telleth nouȝte of þe Trinitee · þat toke hym his lettres
To byleue and louye · in o lorde almyȝty
And sitthe riȝt as my-self · so louye alleT peple
T ¶ Þe gome þat goth with o staf · he semeth in gretter hele
Þan he þat goth with two staues · to syȝte of vs alle
And riȝte so by þe Rode · resoun me sheweth
It is lyȝter to lewed men · a lessoun to knowe
Þan for to techen hem two · and to harde to lerne þe leest
It is ful harde for any man · on abraham byleue
And welawey worse ȝit · for to loue a shrewe
It is liȝtor to leue · in þre louely persones
Þan for to louye and lene · as wel lorelles as lele
Þo þat lerneth þi lawe · wilT litel while vsen it
Þanne seye we a samaritan · sittendeT on a mule
RydyngeT ful rapely · þe riȝt weye we ȝeden
Comynge fro a cuntre · þat men called Ierico
To a iustes in iherusalem · he chaced awey faste
Bothe þe heraud and hope · and he mette at ones
Where a man was wounded · and with þeues taken
He myȝte neither steppe ne stonde · ne stere fote ne handes
Ne helpe hym-self sothely · for semiuyf he semed
And as naked as a nedle · and none helpe abouteT
¶ Feith had first siȝte ofT hym · ac he flegh on syde
And nolde nouȝt neighen hym · by nyne londes lengthe
¶ Hope cam hippyng after · þat hadde so ybosted
How he with Moyses maundement · hadde many men yholpe
Ac whan he hadde siȝte of þat segge · a-syde he gan hym drawe
Dredfully by þis day as duk · doth fram þe faucoun
¶ Ac so sone so þe samaritan · hadde siȝte of þis lede
He liȝte adown of lyard · and ladde hym in his hande[s]T
And to þe wye he went · his woundes to biholde
And parceyued bi his pous · he was in peril to deye
[And breyde to his boteles . and bothe he atamede]T
Wyth wyn & with oyle · his woundes he wasshed
Enbawmed hym and bonde his hed · & in his lappe hym layde
And ladde hym so forth on lyard · to lex cristi a graunge
Wel six myle or seuene · biside þe newe market
Herberwed hym at an hostrye · and toT þe hostellere called
And sayde haue kepe þis man · til I come fro þe iustes
And lo here syluer he seyde · for salue to his woundes
And he toke hym two pans · to lyflode as it were
And seide what he speneth more · I make þe good hereafter
For I may nouȝt lette quod þat leode · & lyarde he bistrydeth
And raped hym to iherusalem-ward · þe riȝte waye to ryde
¶ Faith folwethT after faste · and fonded to mete hym
And spes spa[r]klichT hym spedde · spede if he myȝte
To ouertake hym and talke to hym · ar þei to toun come
¶ And whan I seyȝ þis I soiourned nouȝte · but shope me to renne
And suwed þ[e]T samaritan · þat was so ful of pite
And graunted hym to ben his gromeT · gramercy he seyde
Ac þi frende and þi felawe quod he · þow fyndest me at nede
¶ And I thanked hym þo · and sithT I hym tolde
How þat feith fleigh awey · and spes his felaw bothe
For siȝte of þe sorweful man · þat robbed was with þeues
[¶]T Haue hem excused quod he · her help may litel auaille
May no medcyn [vnder]T molde · þe man to hele brynge
Neither feith ne fyn hope · so festred ben his woundis
With-out þe blode of a barn · borne of a mayde
And be heT bathed in þat blode · baptised as it were
And þanne plastred with penaunce · and passiounT of þat babi
He shulde stonde and steppe · ac stalworth worth he neureT
Tyl he haue eten al þe barn · and his blode ydronke
For went neuere wy in þis worlde [·] þorw þat wildernesse
Þat he ne was robbed or rifled · rode he þere or ȝede
Saue faith & his felaw · spes and my-selue
And þi-self nowT · and such as suwen owre werkis
¶ For outlaw[e is]T in þe wode · and vnder banke lotyeth
Who is bihynde and who bifore · and who ben on hors
For he halt hym hardyer on horse · þan he þat is a-foteT
For he seighT me þat am samaritan · suwen feith & his felaw
On my caple þat hatte caro · of mankynde I toke it
He was vnhardy þat harlotT · and hudde hym in inferno
Ac ar þis day þre dayes · I dar vndertaken
Þat he worth fettred þat feloune · fast with cheynes
And neure eft greue [g]omeT · þat goth þis ilke gate
¶ And þanne shal feith be forester here · and in þis fritth walkeT
And kennen outT comune men · þat knoweth nouȝte þe contre
Which is þe weye þat ich went · and wherforth to iherusalem
And hope þe hostelleres man shal be · þere þe man lith an helynge
And alle þat fieble and faynt be · þat faith may nouȝt teche
Hope shal lede hem forth with loue · as his lettre telleth
And hostel hem and hele · þorw holicherche bileue
Tyl I haue salue for alle syke · and þanne shal I retourneT
And come aȝein bi þis contree · and confort alle syke
Þat craueth it or coueiteth it · and cryeth þere-after
For þe barne was born in bethleem · þat with his blode shal saue
Alle þat lyueth in faith · and folweth his felawes techynge
As feith and his felawe · enfourmed me bothe
In þre persones departable · þat perpetuel were euere
And alle þre but o god · þus abraham me tauȝte
And hope afterwarde · he bad me to louye
O god wyth al my good · and alle gomes after
Louye hem lyke my-selue · ac owre lorde aboue alle
¶ After abraham quod he · þat heraud of armes
Sette fasteT þi faith · and ferme bileue
And as hope hiȝteT þe · I hote þat þow louye
Thyn euene-crystene euermore · euene-forth with þi-self
And if conscience carpe þere-aȝein · or kynde witte oyther
Or heretykes with argumentz · þin honde þow h[e]mT shewe
For god is after an hande · yhere now and knowe it
¶ Þe fader was fyrst as a fyst · with o fynger fold[en]T
Tyl hym louedT and lest · to vnlosen his fynger
And profre[d]T it forth as with a paume · to what place it sholde
Þe paume is purely þe hande · and profreth forth þe fyngres
To mynystre and to make · þat myȝte of hande knoweth
And bitokneth trewly · telle who-so liketh
Þe holygost of heuene · he is as þe paume
Þe fyngres þat fre ben · to folde and to serue
Bitokneth sothly þe sone · þat sent was til erthe
Seynt Marie a Mayde · and mankynde lauȝte
Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto &c
Þe fader is þanne as a fust · with fynger to touche
Quia omnia traham ad me ipsum &c
Al þat þe paume parceyueth · profitable to fele
Thus ar þei alle but one · as it an handeT were
And þre sondry siȝtes · in one shewynge
Þe paume for heT putteth forth fyngres [·] and þe fust bothe
Riȝt so redily · reson it sheweth
How he þat is holygoste · sire & sone preueth
And as þe hande halt harde · and al þynge faste
Þorw foure fyngres and a thombe · forth with þe paume
Riȝte so þe fader and þe sone · & seynt spirit þe þridde
Bothe welkneT and þe wynde · water and erthe
Heuene & helle · and al þat þere is InneT
That thre þinges bilongeth · in owre lorde of heuene
And aren serelepes by hem-self · asondry wereT neure
¶ And as my fust is ful honde · yfolde togideres
So is þe fader a ful god · formeour and shepper
Tu fabricator omnium &c
And al þe myȝte myd hym is [·]T in makyng of þynges
¶ The fyngres fourmen a ful hande · to purtreye or peynten
Riȝt so is þe sone · þe science of þe fader
And ful god as is þe fader · no febler ne no better
Þe paume is purelich þe hande · hath power bi hym-selue
Otherwyse þan þe wrythenT fuste [·] or werkmanschip of fyngres
And receyue þat þe fyngres recheth · and refuse botheT
Whan he feleth þe fuste · andT]
þe fyngres wille
So is þe holygoste god · nother gretter ne lasse
Þan is þe sire [or]T þe sone · & in þe same myȝte
And alle ar þei but o god · as is myn hande & my fyngres
Vnfolden or folden · my fuste & myn paume
Ac who is herte in þe hande · euene in þe myddes
T He may receyue riȝt nouȝte · resoun it sheweth
For þe fyngres þat folde shulde · and þe fuste make
For peyne of þe paume · powere hem failleth
To clicche or to clawe · to clyppe or to holde
¶ Were þe myddel of myn honde · ymaymed or ypersshedT
I shulde receyue riȝte nouȝte · of þat I reche myȝte
Ac þough my thombe & my fyngres [·] bothe were to-shullenT
And þe myddel of myn hande · with-oute male-ese
In many kynnes maneres · I myȝte my-self helpe
Bothe meue and amende · þough alle my fyngres oke
Bi þis skil [he seide]T · I se an euydence
Þat who-so synneth in þe seynt spirit [·] assoilled worth he neure
Noither here ne elles-where · as I herde telle
Qui peccat in spiritu sanctoT &c
For he prikketh god as in þe paume · þat peccat in spiritu sancto
For god þe fader is as a fuste [·] þe sone is as a fynger
The holy goste of heuene · is as it were þe pawme
So who-so synneth [aȝeins þe]T seynt spirit · it semeth þat he greueth
God þat he grypeth with · and wolde his grace quenche
As wex and a weke · were twyned togideres
And þanne a fyre flaumendeT · forth oute of bothe
And as wex and weyke · and [warme]T fyre togyderes
Fostren forth a flaumbe · and a feyre leye
So doth þe sire & þe sone · & also spiritus sanctus
T Fostren forth amonges folke · loue & bileue
Þat alkyn crystene [·] clenseth of synnes
And as þow seest some-tyme [·] sodeynliche a torche
The blase þere-of yblowe out · ȝet brenneth þe weyke
With-oute leye or liȝte · þat þe macche brenneth
So is þe holygost god · & grace with-oute mercy
To alle vnkynde creatures · þat coueite to destruye
Lele loue other lyf · þat owre lorde shapte
Þat worchen & waken [·] in wyntres niȝtes
As doth a kex or a candel · þat cauȝte hath fyre & blaseth
Namore doth sire ne sone · ne seynt spirit togyderes
GraunteT no grace · ne forȝifnesse of synnes
Til þe holi goste gynne · to glowe and to blase
So þat þe holygoste · gloweth but as a glede
Tyl þat lele loue · ligge on hym & blowe
And þanne flaumbeth he as fyre [·] on fader & on filius
And melteth her myȝte in-to mercy · as men may se in wyntre
Ysekeles in euesesT [·] þorw hete of þe sonne
Melteth in a mynut-while · to myst & to watre
So grace of þe holygoste · þe grete myȝte of þe trinite
Melteth toT mercy · to mercyable & to non other
And as wex with-outen more · on a warme glede
Wil brennen & blasen · be þeiT to-gyderes
And solacen hem þat mayT se · þat sitten in derkenesse
So wole þe fader forȝif [·] folke of mylde hertes
Þat reufulliche repenten · & restitucioun make
In as moche as þei mowen · amenden & payen
And if it suffice nouȝte for assetzT · þat in suche a wille deyeth
Mercy for his mekenesse · wil make good þe remenaunte
And as þe weyke and fyre · wil make a warme flaumbe
For to myrthe men withT · þat in merke sitten
So wil cryst of his curteisye · and men crye hym mercy
Bothe forȝiue & forȝete · & ȝet bidde for vs
To þe fader of heuene · forȝyuenesse to haue
¶ Ac hew fyre at aT flynte · fowre hundreth wyntre
Bot þow haue [tacche]T to take it with · tondre or broches
Al þi laboure is loste · and al þi longe trauaille
For may no fyre flaumbe make · faille it his kynde
So is þe holy gost god · & grace with-outen mercy
To alle vnkynde creatures · cryst hym-self witnesseth
Amen dico vobis nescio vos &c ·
¶ Be vnkynde to þin euene-cristene · and al þat þow canst bidden
Delen & do penaunce · day & nyȝte euere
And purchace al þe pardoun [·] of Pampiloun & Rome
Þe holy goste hereth þe nouȝt · ne helpe may þe by resoun
For vnkyndenesse quencheth hym · þat he can nouȝte shyne
Ne brenne ne blase clere · for blowynge of vnkyndenesse
Poule þe apostle [·] preueth wherT I lye
Si linguis hominum loquar &c
For-thy beth war ȝe wyse men · þat with þe wo[r]ldeT deleth
That riche ben & resoun knoweth · reuleth wel ȝowre soule
Beth nouȝte vnkynde I conseille ȝow · to ȝowre euene-crystene
For many of ȝow riche men · bi my soule men telleth
Ȝe brenne but ȝe blaseth nouȝte · [&]T þat is a blynde bekene
Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit &c ·
¶ Diues deyed dampned · for his vnkyndenesse
Of his mete & hisT moneye [·] to men that it neded
Vch a riche I rede · rewarde at hym take
And gyueth ȝowre good to þat god · þat grace of ariseth
For þatT ben vnkynde to his · hope I none other
But þei dwelle þere diues is · dayes with-outen ende
Þus is vnkyndenesse þe contrarie · þat quencheth as it were
Þe grace of þe holy gooste · goddes owne kynde
For þat kynde dothe vnkynde fordoth ·T as þese cursed theues
Vnkynde cristene men · for coueityse & enuye
Sleeth a man for his moebles · wyth mouth or wyth handes
For þat þe holygoste hath to kepe · þo harlotes destroyeth
Þe which is lyf & loue · þe leye of mannes bodye
For euery manere good man · may be likned to a torche
Or elles to a tapre · to reuerence þe Trinitee
And who-[so]T morthereth a good man · me thynketh by myn Inwyt
He fordoth þe leuest lyȝte · þat owre lorde loueth
¶ Ac ȝut in many mo maneres · men offenden þe holygoste
Ac þis is þe worste wyse · þat any wiȝte myȝte
Synnen aȝein þe seynt spirit · assenten to destruye
For coueityse of any kynnes þinge · þat cryst dere bouȝte
T How myȝte he axe mercy · or any mercy hym helpe
Þat wykkedlich & willefullich · wolde mercy anynte
Innocence is nexte god · & nyȝte and day it crieth
Veniaunce veniaunce · forȝiue be it neuere
Vindica sanguinem iustorum
Thus veniaunce veniaunce [·] verrey charite asketh
And sith holicherche & charite [·] chargeth þis so sore
Leue I neure that owre lorde [·] wil loue þat charite lakketh
Ne haue pite for any preyere · þere þat he pleyneth
¶ I pose I hadde synned so · and shulde now deye
Confesse me & crye his grace · god þat al made
And myldliche his mercy axe · myȝte I nouȝte be saued
¶ Ȝus seide þe Samaritan · so þow myȝte[st]T repente
Þat riȝtwisnesse þorwT repentance · to reuthe myȝte torne
Ac it is but selden yseye · þere sothenesse bereth witnesse
Be raunsoned for his repentaunceT · þere alle resoun hym dampneth
For þere þat partye pursueth · þe peleT is so huge
Þat þe kynge may do no mercy · til bothe men acorde
And eyther haue equite · as holywrit telleth
Numquam dimittitur peccatum &c
Þus it fareth bi suche folke · þat falsely al her lyuesT
Euel lyuen & leten nouȝte · til lyf hem forsake
Þat mercy in her mynde · may nauȝt þanne falle]
Good hope þat helpe shulde · to wanhope torneth
Nouȝt of þe nounpowereT of god · þat he ne is myȝtful
To amende al þat amys is · and his mercy grettere
Þan alle owre wykked werkes · as holiwrit telleth
Misericordia eiusT super omnia opera eius
Ac ar his riȝtwisnesse to reuthe tourne · some restitucioun bihoueth
T His sorwe is satisfaccioun [·] for hym þat may nouȝte paye
¶ Thre þinges þere ben · þat doth a man by strengthe
Forto fleen his owne hous · as holy wryt sheweth
Þat one is a wikked wyf · þat wil nouȝt be chastedT
Her fiere fleethT hyr · for fere of her tonge
And if his hous be vnhiled · and reyne on his bedde
He seketh and seketh · til he slepe drye
And whan smoke & smolder [·] smyt in his syȝte
It doth hym worse þan his wyf · or wete to slepe
For smoke & smolder · sm[er]tethT his eyen
Þat sholde brynge in better wode · or blowe it til it brende
¶ Þise thre þat I telle of · [þus ben]T vnderstonde
For kynde cleueth on hym euere · to contrarie þe soule
And þowgh it falle it fynt skiles · þ[at]T frelete it made
And þat is liȝtly forȝeuen · and forȝeten bothe
To man þat mercy asketh · and amende þenketh
¶ The reyne þat reyneth · þere we reste sholde
As Powle þe Apostle · to þe peple tauȝte
Virtus in infirmitate perficitur &c ·
And þowgh þat men make · moche deol in her angre
And [be]T inpacient in here penaunce · pure resoun knoweth
Þat þei han causeT to contrarie · by kynde of her sykenesse
And liȝtlich owre lorde · at her lyues ende
Hath mercy on suche men · þat so yuel may suffre
¶ Ac þe smoke and þe smolder [·] þat smyt in owre eyghenT
Þat isT coueityse and vnkyndenesse · þat quencheth goddes mercy
For vnkyndenesse is þe contrarie · of alkynnes resoun
For þere nys syke ne sori · ne non so moche wrecche
Þat he ne may louye & hym lyke · and leneT of his herte
Alle manere menT · mercy & forȝifnesse
And louye hemT liche hym-self · and his lyf amende
I may no lenger lette quod he · and lyarde he pryked
And went away as wynde · and þere-with I awaked
id est cristusT