& as a Freek / Freek [þat] a-feerd were / forþ gan y walke.
In manere of a Mendynaunt / many a ȝeer after.
& of þis meetynge many tymes / Merveyle y hadde.
Fyrst how Fortune faylede me / at my moost nede.
& how þat Elde manased me / myghte we euere metyn.
& how þat Frerys folwede folk / / [/ folk] þat weren ryche.
& poore folk þat weryn / lytyl of hem þey settyn.
But quik he wolde be-qwethe hem / or quite out here dettys.
& how Coueytyse ouer-cam / clerkys & preestys.
& hou þat lewid men ben lad / but oure lord hem helpe.
/ / [¶] I lay doun longe in þis þowht / & at þe laste y slepte.
& as crist wolde cam Conciense / & confortyd me þat tyme.
& bad me come to his cuntre / with Clergye shulde y dyghne.
& for Conciense of Clergye spak / y cam wel þe rathere.
& þere y seyȝ a Mayster / what man he was / y nyste.
¶ But Concyense knew me wel / & wolkomed me faire.
Þan wysshe þey & wypeden / & wentyn after to dyghner.
/ / [¶] But Pacyence in þe paleyȝs stood / in pylgrimes wedys.
& prayede mete pur Charite / for a poore hermyte.
Wolkome weyȝ . goo & washȝ / & þou shalt sytte in haste.
/ / [¶] Þe Mayster was maad syttyn / as moost of hem worthy.
& þan Clergye & Concyence / & pacience cam after.
& setyn be oure-selue / at a syȝd-table.
¶ Þan Concyense callid after meete / & sone cam scripture.
& seruede hem þus soone / of sundry metys manye.
Of Austyn & Ambrose / & with þe foure ewangelis.
Edentes & bibentes que apud eos sunt.
/ / [¶] Þe Mayster ne non oþir man / non maner fleshȝ etyn.
Of þat men mys-wonnyn / þey made hem wel a tese / at ese.
But here saws . was ouer sowr / & vn-saverly grounde.
In a Morter post mortem / / with many a bytter peyȝne.
Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis . nisi pro eis lacrimas & oraciones effunderitis ea que in delicijs comedistis / comeditis in tormentisT evometis.
¶ Concyence curteysly þo / comaundide scrypture
By-fore Pacience breed to brynge / & me þat was his meete
He sette a-fore vs a sour loof / & seide agite penitenciam.
& after he drowh vs a drynk / was diu perseuerans.
/ / [¶] Here / Here [is] propre seruyse quod Pacience / no Prince faret bettre.
& þan he browhte a-noþir mees / was miserere mei deus.
& deerne shryfte dixi / & confitebor tibi
¶ Bryng pacyence sum pitaunce / pryvyly quod Concyense.
& þan was brouht to pacyence / þis pytance ful soone.
Pro hac orabatT omnis sanctis in tempore oportuno.
& þan Concyense confortyde me / & carpede merye talys.
A-mong was . cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies.
¶ Þan was Pacyence prowhd / of þat propre seruyse.
For þe doctoures on þe dees / drunke wyȝn so faste.
Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum.
Whyȝlde braun & whombe clowtys / & bacoun with eggys fryed.
¶ Þanne seyde y my-selue / þat Pacyense it herde.
It ys not goo foure dayes þat þis freek / be-fore folk at poulis.
Ter cesus sum & a Iudeis quinquies quadragenas.
¶ But o woord þey ouer-hyppid / at ech tyme þey preche.
Þat Powl in his pistil / to þe peple tolde.
¶ Holy wryt biddis be war / y wil not wryte it heere.
On englyshȝ enawnter / it sholde be reersyd to ofte.
& greve þerewith / þat goode men been / but gramaryenys shul it rede.
Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat.
Qvia dicitur periculum est / in falsis fratribus.
¶ I nyste neuere ȝit Frere preche / be-fore men on englyshȝ.
Took it for his teeme / & tolde it with-outyn glosyng.
What myscheef & male-ese / crist for man tholede.
¶ But þis goddys glotoun quod y with hise grete chekys.
He haþ no pyte on þe poore / he parformeþ his speche evele.
& wyȝshede wyttyrly with wille / with woordys ful egre.
Were Mooltyn leed in his Mawe // & Mahoun a-myddys.
¶ I shal Iangle to þat Iurdan / with his Iusty whombe.
& seyde þou shalt seen after soone / whan he may etyn no more.
& þanne shulle hise guttys gowle / & he shal galpen after.
For now he haþ drunke so depe / he wille dyvyne sone.
& takþ testemonye on þe Trynnyte / & ek his felowe to borwe.
& but þe firste lyȝne be in a lesyng / leve me neuere after.
& þanne is tyme to a-posen / & pyttyn to þe Doctour.
If Dowel and Dobet / and Dobest be penaunce.
¶ I sat stylle as pacyence bad / & sone þe Doctour after.
As rody as þe Rose / gan rodye hise chekys.
He Cowhede & Carpede / & Concyense hym herde.
& tolde / tolde [hym] of þe Trynnyte / & towardis vus he lokede.
Do no evil to þyn evyncristenn / nowht be þyn powher.
/ / [¶] By þis day sire quod y þan be ȝee nowht nou in Dowel.
For ȝee have harmed vus two / in þat ȝee etyn þe puddyng.
& Morterelis & oþir mete / & we no mussel hadde.
If ȝe fare so in ȝoure fermerye / ferly me þynkeþ.
& plukkid vp-on pacyense / & prayede hym be stylle.
& seyde hym-selue / sire Doctour / & it be ȝoure wille.
/ / [¶] Dowel quod þat doctour / ys / to doon as clerkes teche.
& dobet ys he / þat techeþ / & trauayleþ to teche oþere.
& dobest dooþ hym-selue so / as he seyþ & techeþ.
Qui facit & docuerit . hic magnus uocabitur in regno celorum.
¶ A Clergye quod Conscience / þou carpist what is Dowel.
I have sevene sones he seyde / þat seruyn in a Castel.
Þere þe lord of lyf woneþ / to lerne hem to dowel.
He set alle scyenses at a sop / save love oone.
& non oþir tyxt takþ he / to meyntene his cause.
But dilige deum / and domine quis habitabit.
¶ He seyþ þat dowel & Dobet / ben tweye Infynytis.
Wiche Infynytis with a feyþ / fyȝnden owt / owt [Dobest].
Þat shal save mannys soule / þus seyþ Peers Plowhman.
He wil not speke a-geyn holy wryt / y dar wel wel / wel vndir-take.
Now passe we ouer tyl Pers come / & preve þis in deede.
Pacyense haþ ben in many place / & paraventure he knoweth.
Pacientes vincunt
/ / [¶] At ȝowre prayere quod Pacyense þo / so no man be displesyd.
Disce quod he and doce /and dilige inimicos tuos.
Disce and dowel / doce and dobet.
Dilige and dobest / thus was tawht me onis.
¶ Þanne a Lemman þat Lovely spak / Love was hire name.
With wordis & with werkis quod she / & good wille of þyn herte.
Þy sowle þowh love leely / al þyn lyf-tyȝme.
& þyn Enemy in alle wyse / love evene as þy-selue.
Caste kolys on his heed / þat ys alle kynde speche.
Boþe with werkis & with wordis / to wynne his love þou fonde.
& leyȝ on hym þus with love / tyl he lawhe on the.
& but he bowe for þys betynge / blynd mote he worthe.
/ / [¶] But for to fare þus with þy freend / greet folye it were.
For kende love coueyteþ not / no catel / but speche.
With half a lampe lyne of latyȝn / ex vi transicionis.
& beryþ þerInne a-bowte / faste y-bownde Dowel.
In a sygne of þe Saturday / þat syt first in þe kalender.
& al the wit of þe wednysday / & þe nexte wyke after.
Þe Myddil of þe Moone / ys þe myght of bothe.
& þerfore am y wolkome / þere y have yt with me.
For by hym þat me maade / myghte neuere pouerte.
Myssese ne myscheef / ne man with his tunge.
Ne Catel ne Care / ne cumpanye of thevys.
Neyþir heete ne hayl / ne non helle powke.
Ne neythir feyȝr ne flood / ne feere of þyn enemy.
Teene the ony tyme / & þou take it with the.
Caritas nichil timet.
Þere nys Emperour ne Empresse / neyþir Erl ne baroun.
Pope ne Patriark / þat pure resoun shal the make.
Mayster of alle men / þoruhȝ myght of his reede.
Pacientes vincunt
Kunne not conferme pees / twixe þe pope & hise enenyȝs / ene[m]yȝs.
Ne twene two cristene kyngis / þei cunne no pees make.
Profytable to euery peple / & þerwith he pytte þe table fram hym.
& took Clergye & Consciense / to conseyle as it were.
& leet Pacyense forþ passe / for pylgrime / pylgrime[s] kunne wel lyȝe.
Freendys fareþ alle wel / & faire spak to Clergye.
For y wille goon with þis goome / if god wil gyve me grace.
& been pylgrym with pacyense / tyl y have preved moore.
/ / [¶] What quod Conscyense to Clergye / are ȝee coveytous nowthe
After ȝyresȝevis & ȝiftys / or ȝeernyn to reedyn redelys.
I shal brynge ȝow a byble / a book of þe olde lawe.
& leerne ȝow if ȝee lykynT / þe leeste lyȝne to knowe.
Þat Pacyense þat pylgrym / parfyȝtly knewh neuere.
¶ Nay be crist quod Consciense / cryst þe for-beede.
For al Pacyense me proferyþ / prowhd am y / but lyte.
But þe wille of þe weyȝ / & wille of folk heere.
Have meved my mood / to moorne for my synnys.
For þe goode wille of euery whyȝt / was neuere bowht to dere.
For þere is no tresor þerto / as to a trewe wille.
/ / [¶] Hadde not Marie Mawdeleyn / more for a boox of salue.
Þanne Zacheus hadde / for dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus.
& þe poore wydewe / for a peyȝre of Mytys.
Þanne alle þo þat offreden gold / in Gazophylaciom.
& sytthe softely he seyde / in Clergyes ere.
Me wolde leuerere by oure lord / & longe y lyve sholde.
Have Pacyence parfyȝtly / þan half þy pakke of bookys.
/ / [¶] Clergye ne Consciense / no congye wolde take.
But þei seiden ful sobrely / þou shalt se the tyme.
Whan þou art wery for-walkyd / wylne me to conseyle.
¶ Þat is soþ quod Consciense / so me god helpe.
If Pacyense be oure partynge feere / & preve with vs boþe.
Þere is no wrong in þis world / þat we / we [ne] shulle yt a-mende.
& turnen hem to trewe feyþ / & in-to trewe beleve.
¶ Þat is soþ quod Clergye / I see wel what þou menys.
I shal dwellyn as y doo / my dever to shewe.
& enformen fawntekynes / & oþire folk to leerne.
Tyl Pacyense haþ previd þe / & parfyȝtly / parfyȝt þe makyd.
/ / [¶] Consciense with Pacyense / passeden / pylgrimes as þei were.
Þan hadde Pacyense in his pooke / pylgrimes vytailys.
Sobrete & symple speche / & soþfast beleve.
To conforte hym & consciense / where þey kemen in place.
For vnkyȝndenesse & coveytyse / be hungri cuntres bothe.
Pacyense a-posede hym / & prayede hym to tellen.
To Consciense what craft he cowhde / & to what cuntre he wolde
/ / [¶] I am a Menstral quod þat Man / my name is actiua vita
Al maner ydelnesse y hate / for actif ys my name.
But fewe Robis y fonge / or onye furrede gownes.
Eyþir Mentyl or Moonee / a-mongys oþire Menstralis.
But for y can neyþir taboure / ne tellyn no Ieestys.
Ne sawtrye ne saylen / ne synge with þe harpe.
I have no good gyftes / of þese grete Lordis.
Whan þe preest prayeþ þe peple / þe Pater noster to bidde.
For Pers þe Plowhman / & alle hym profyghte wayteþ.
& for me Actyf also / þat haate al ydelnesse.
& for alle trewe tylyeris / & trauayloures on erthe.
Boþe beggerys & bydderys / of myn breed craven.
& Freris & Faytoures / & folk with brode crownes.
I fyȝnde payn for þe Pope / & provendre for his palfrey.
& ȝit hadde y neuere of hym / have god my trewthe.
Neyþir personage ne provendre / of þe popis gyfte.
Save a pardoun with a plum of leed / & twey pollys a-myddis.
¶ I wolde euery clerk þat cowde wryte / hadde cast hym a bylle.
Þat þe Pope wolde seendyn his seel / a salue for þe pestylence.
In nomine meo demonia eicient
Et super egros manus imponent & bene habebunt
& buxum & besy also / a-bowtyn breed & drynke.
For hym & for alle hise / to fyȝnden swich a pardoun.
Þat myghte leechen a man / as y be-leeve he sholde.
He haþ þe pot with þe salue / soþly as me þynkyþ.
Argentum & aurum non est michi quod autem habeo hoc tibi do.
In nomine domini Surge & ambula.
¶ But if myracle hym fayle / to men þat be not worthy.
Þere may no blessynge do vs boote / but we wille a-mende vs.
/ / [¶] For er y have breed of mele / mychil moste y swete.
& er þe commounys have hoom here corn / is many a cold morwe.
Er my wafreres / wafres been wrouht / mychel woo y tholye
It was not longe y-passed / lewed men weryn needy.
Þere was a kareful comounte / wan no carte com to towne.
With bake breed fram Stratforde / þo gan beggerys wepe.
& werkmen were so a-gast / it be þouht on longe after.
In þe date of oure dryghten / in a drye Aprille.
How / [Of] Haukyn þe actyf man / & how he was y-Clothyd.
He hadde on a cote of cristendom / as holy chirche be-leviþ.
Of skornyngis of skoffyngis / & of vn-skylful berynge.
As of a-parayle peyntyd / & prowhd a-mong þe peple.
For-why he bosteþ & braggeþ / with fele bolde oþis.
& goo / [s]oo synguler be hym-selue / in syghte of þe peple.
It is lakkyng to lewid men / & to lerede men boþe.
In lyknesse it is a leel lyf / & a lyȝere to his soule.
Boþe with Inwit & owtwit / he ymageneþ & stodyeþ.
& to entremete hym oueral / þere he haþ nouht to done.
Wyllynge þat men wendyn / his wit were þe beeste.
Or strengest on steede / or styffest gyrt with gyrdel.
& lowlyestT to loken on / & leellest of werkys.
& non so holy as he / ne non of lyf clennere.
Or fayrest of fetoures / of face / ne of forme.
Or most sotyl of song / or slyest of hondys.
Or looþ for to leene / & large for to cacche.T
& as a lyoun to looken on / & lordly of speche.
& boldest of beggerys / boostynge at þe nale.T
In towne & in tauernys / talis to tellyn.
& seyn þyng he neuere y-seyȝ / & for-soþe swere it.
Of dedis he neuere dyde / to demen & boosten.
& of werkis he wel dede / wytnesse & tellyn
Loo if ȝee leve nowht / þat y lyȝe / ȝee wene.
Goo aske hym / or hire / & he ȝow can telle.
What y suffrede / or seyde / or what y sum-tyme hadde.
Or what y cowde or knew / or of what ken y com of.
Al he wolde þat men wiste / of werkys & wordis.
Swiche talis plese þe peple / wan he preyseþ hym-selue.
Si hominibus placerem cristi seruus non essem.
Et alibi . Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire
By crist quod Consciense þo / þy corteby Haukyn.
Haþ manye moolis & spottys / yt moste ben y-washe.
Who takþ heede / quod Haukyn / by-hyȝnde & be-fore.
What on bak & on body half / & on bothe syȝdes.
Men sholde fyȝnde fele frunnces / & fele foule spottys.
& þerwith / he turnede hym as tyȝt / & þanne y took heede.
Þat yt was foulere be fele fold / þan it first semede.
It was by-droppid with wratthe / & with wykkide wylle.
With evil speche & envye / & excitynge to fyghte.
& al þat he wiste be ony wyȝt / wykkydly out it telle.
& blame men by-hyȝnde here bak / & bydde hem myschaunce.
& al þat he of walter wiste / willyem wiste it soone.
Also he made freendis foos / þoru his false tunge.
Or þoru myght of mowþe / or þorwh mannys strengþe.
& but y a-venge me fele tymes / evele y frete my-selue.
Cuius malediccione os plenum est & amaritudine & dolo sub lingua eius labor & dolor.T
Þere is no lyf y leve / wille leste me ony whyle.
For talis þat y telle / no man tristneþ to me.
& whan y have not þe maystrie / swich malekolye y take.
& þat sone y cacche þe Crompe / & þe Cardyacle after.
Or an Agewh / for anger / & þerwith an hoot fyuere.
Þat takþ me a twelmoneþ / tyl þat y dispyse.
Lechecrafte be oure lord / & be-leve on a wycche.
Þat seyþ / þat no Clerk can / by crist as y beleve.
As doþ sowtere of sowþwerk / or of sordych dame Emme.
Þey seyn þat goddis woord / gaf me neuere boote.
¶ I wayted wislykore on hym / & þan was he soyled.
With lykyngeryȝe / [lykynge of leccheryȝe] / with lokyngis with myn eyȝen.
For euery Mayde þat y mette / y made swiche syghnes.
Semynge to synne-warde / & summe y gan a-taste.
Tyl eythrys wylle wexe kene / & þan to werke wentyn.
As wel fastyng day & fryday / & for-bode nyghtys.
Tyl þey myghte no more do / but helde it merye talkyng.
How þat leccherous men love wel / with lawynge & Iapis.
¶ Þan Pacience parceyvede / þe poyntes of his coote.
Was crumplyd / þoru coveytyse / with vnkynde dysyryng.
Moore to good / þan to god / þe goome his love caste.
& ymagenede nyght & day / how he myghte it have.
With false Mesures / & false met / & eek with fals witnesse.
& leenede for love of þe weed / & looþ to doon trowþe.
& waytede þoru his wit / fele wyȝes / to be-gyle.
& mengede his Marchaundyse / & made a fayr mustre.
More profytable þan myn / manye sleyghtis y maake.
How y myghte wynne yt / al my wit y caste.
& but y gete yt be ony way / y geete it be stelthe.T
Þoru gyle to gadren / þe goodis þat y welde.
For if y ȝeede to þe plowhȝ / y pynchede so narwe.
To seese me with here sykyl / þe wiche y sew neuere.
/ / [¶] & who wolde borwe Monee // tyl a serteyn tyȝme.
So wheyþir he wolde / or he nolde / wynnyn y wolde.
& boþe to kyþ & to kyn / vnkyȝnde of þat y hadde.
& who þat Chepede my chaffare / chyden y wolde.
But he proferede to peyȝen / a peny or tweyne.
Moore þan it was worþ / & ȝit wolde y swere faste.
¶ & in halydayes in holy chirche / wan y sholde here messe.
Hadde y neuere wille god whot / witturly god by-sechen.
Ne aske mercy for my myse / þat y ne moornede moore.
For leesynge of myn goodys / þan for my lykames gilte.
As whan y hadde do dedly synne / y dredde not þat so sore.
As whan y leenede good / & lost it / or longe er it were peyed.
& if y kydde ony kyȝndenesse / myn evyn-cristene to helpe.
Vp-on a cruel Coveytyse / my Conscience gan hangen.
/ / [¶] & if y sente ouer þe see / ony seruaunt to Brugges.
Myghte neuere þynk conforte me / in þe mene tyme.
Neyþir messis ne matynys / ne no manere syghtis.
Ne penaunce parforme / ne pater noster byddyn
Þat myn myȝnde was / [ne] was moore / on my good in dowhte.
Þan in þe grace of god / or in hise goode halwis
Vbi thesaurus tuus . ibi & cor tuum est.
& foule be-flobered it / al with fals speche.
& þere no neede was / nempnede god ydellyche.
& ofte moore eet & drank / þan kynde myȝhte defye.
& sumtyme kawte seknesse / þoruh surfetys ofte.
Þat for dowhte y dredde / to dyȝen in dedly synne.
& into wanhope y wente / y wende neuere to be savid.
Þe wyche slewþe is so slowhȝ / þere may no sleyghte it helpe.
Ne no mercy a-mende it / þe man þat dyȝeþ þere-Inne.
Þese been þe braunchis / þat bryngþ a man in slewþe.
Þat moorneþ not for his myssis / ne makþ for hem sorwe.
Ne penaunce þat þe preest hym took / he parformede neuere.
Ne neyþir doþ almesse-dede / ne drediþ neuere synne.
& he þat lyȝeþ a-geyn be-leve / & no lawe holdeþ.
For ech day is halyday with hym / os / o[r] is an heyȝ feste.
& if he wil owt heere / it ys an harlotys tunge.
For whan men carpen of crist / or clennesse of soule.
Þanne wexeþ he wroþ / & wolde here wordis of merthe.
& þe penaunce of poore men / & þe passioun of seyntys.
He hateþ to heeryn of hem / & alle þo hit telleþ.
Þese ben þe braunchis / þat brynge men in wanhope.
/ / [¶] I conseyle lordis & ladijs / & legatys of holy chirche.
Þat fynde folis sage / & flateres ben & lyerys.
& have lyst to lystne hem / to do ȝow to lawhe.
Ve vobis qui ridetis.
& ȝeve swiche mete & meede / & pore men refuse.
Syker in ȝoure dyenge / ȝee may drede sore.
Leest swiche manere of men / to myche sorwe ȝou brynge.
Consencientes & agentes pari pena puniendi sunt.T
Patriarkys & prophetis / & prechoures of god in hevene.
Saven þoruh here sermoun / mannys soule fram helle.
Ryght so flaterys & folys / are þe feendis dyssyplys.
To tempte men þoruh here talis / to synne & harlotriȝe.
But Clerkys þat knowe holy writ / sholde kennyn so lordis.
What Dauyd seyþ of swiche men / as þe sawhter telliþ.
Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit superbiam.T
Sholde non harlot haue non audiense / in halle ne in Chambre.
Þere þat wise men weryn / witnesse on goddis woordis.
Ne non mys-prowhd man / a-mong lordis a-lowed.
& for þe love of here loord / þey lyghten hem at festis.
Mychil more me þynkþ þan / / [/ þan] ryche men sholde.
Have beggeris be-fore hem / wiche ben goddis menstralis.
As he seyþ hym-selue / seynt Iohan beryþ witnesse.
Qvi vos spernit me spernit.
/ / [¶] Þerfore y rede ȝou ryche men / at Revelis whan ȝe make.
For to solace ȝoure soulis / swiche menstralis ȝee have.
Þe poore for a fool sage / ȝee sette at þe table.
& a leerned man to leerne the / what oure lord suffrede.
For to save þy soule / fram Sathan þyn enemy.
& withowtyn flaterynge fythele / of good frydaes / fryda[y]es storye.
& tak a blynd man þy burdour / or a bedrede womman
To criȝe a largesse to oure lord / þyn goode loos to shewe.
Þese þre manere of menstralis / make men to lawhe.
& in his deþ dyeng / þei doon hym gret confort.
Þat be his lyve he lystned hem / & lovede hem to heere.
Þey solace þy soule / tyl þy-selue be fallyn.
In a wol good hope / a-mongis goode seyntys.
Þere flateris & foolis / with here foule woordis.
With turpiloquio a lay of sorwe / in lucyferis fythele.
¶ Þus Haukyn Actyf man / hadde y-soyled his coote.
Tyl Conscience a-cowpid hym / in a curteyȝs manere.
Þeyhȝ it be soyled & selde clene / for y slepe þer-in on nyghtis.
& also y have an houswif / & hewen boþe & chyldren.
Vxorem duxi . & ideo non possum venire.
It haþ ben laven in Lentoun / & out of Lentene boþe.
& with loos of Catel / þat looþ me was to leese.
& was shryve of þe preest / þat ȝaaf me for my synnys.
Pacyense to penaunce / & poore men to feeden.
For coveytyse of my cristendom / in clennesse to kepe it.
Þat y / y [ne] soyled it with syght / or with sum ydel speche.
Þat y flobered ful foule / fram morwe tyl þe eve.
/ / [¶] I shal kenne the quod Conscience / of contricioun a brushȝ to make.
Dobet bowke it & beete it / as bryght as ys skarlet.
& engreyne it with good wille / with helpe of goddis grace.
& þan shal neuere myst moole it / ne motthe do it skaþe.
Ne neyþir feend ne fals man / defoule it in þyn lyve.
Þan Haukyn þe Actif man / & þou do my techyng.
Of flour to feede folk with / as beest be for þy soule.
Þey neuere greyn growe on grownde / ne grape vp-on vyne.
For alle þat lyven & looken / lyfloode wil y fyȝnde.
& þat y-nowhȝ shal non fayle / of swich as hem neediþ.
Noman shal be besy / a-bowtyn his lyf-loode.
Ne soliciti scitisT
/ / [¶] Noo quod Pacience paciently / & out of his poke he hente.
/ / [¶] Fyrst þe wilde worm / vndir þe weet erthe.
& in þe flodis fysshis / & in þe fyȝr þe kreket.
Þe Corlewh be kyȝnde / most klennest is of foulis.
In meenynge þat alle men / sholde doon þe same.
& lyve þoru leel by-leeve / as goode god witnessiþ.
¶ Hav Haukyn quod Pacience / & ete þis whan þe hungreþ.
Ne Prisoun þe peyghne / whil Pacientes uincunt.
Be so / þou be sobre / boþe of syght & tunge.
In etynge & handlynge / & in alle þi fyve wittis.
Neuere tharst þou care for corn / ne lynen ne wollene.
Ne for drynk deþ drede / but dyȝe wan god wille.
Si quis amat cristum mundum non diligit istum.
/ / [¶] Ergo þoruh his breeþ mowe we / beestis & men lybben.
/ / [¶] It is founde þat fourty wynter / folk lyvede withoutyn tilthe.
& out of þe flynt sprong þe flood / þat folk & beestis drunke.
¶ & also in helyes tyme / hevene was y-closed.
Þat no reyn reyȝnede / þus men rede in bookys.
& seuen men slepen as seyþ þe book / seuyn hundred wynter.
& lyveden withoutyn lyflode / & at þe laste þei a-woken.
& if men lyvede be mesure / þere sholde be no defawte.
Þat ouer-plente makeþ priȝde / a-mongis poore & ryche.
& mesure is so mychil worþ / it may not be to deere.
¶ For þe myschef & myschaunce / a-mongis men of Sodoom.
For þei mesurede not hem-selue / neyþir meete ne drynke.
& dyden swiche dedly synnes / þat þe devil hem lykede.
& swich vengaunce fel on hem / for here foule synnes.
Þat þei sunken in-to helle / þo Cytees bothe.
For þoruh feyþ comeþ Contricioun / Conciense heer whoot wel.
Wiche dryveþ a-wey dedly synnes / & doþ hem be as venyal.
& if a man may not speke / ȝit Contricioun may hym save.
& brynge his / his [sowle] to blysse / be soo þat feyþ beriþ witnesse.
Concyense Ergo feyþ / & contricioun / keendely is to Dowel.
Sorwe for dedly senne ys / whan shryfte of mowþe fayleþ.
For shryfte of mowþ / sleeþ synne / be it neuere so dedly.
Per confessionem to a preest / peccata occiduntur.
Þere Contricioun ne doþ / but dryveþ it doun / in / in[to] a venyal synne.
As dauid seyþ in þe sawhter / quorum tecta sunt peccata.
But Satisfaccioun sekþ out þe roote / & sleeþ boþe & voydeþ.
& as it neuere hadde be / ys þan þat dedly synne.
Ne neuere after þat soor is seene / but semeþ a wownde helid.
Ony man þat with hym spak / as wyȝde as y have wandred.
/ / [¶] Quod hee / þere parfyȝt lyf / & pore herte is / & pacyet / pacye[n]t of tunge.
Þan Rycchesse ryȝghtfully wonne / & resonabely spendyd.
Ȝee quis est ille quod Pacience / quik laudabimus eum.
Þey men reden of rycchesse / ryght to þe worldis ende.
Fond neuere renke þat ryche was / þan wan he rekene sholde.
& drowh to his deþ-day / þat he ne dredde hym soore.
Þat his rekenyng in rerage fel / rathere þan out of dette.
Þere þe poore dar plete / & preve it be pure resoun.
To have a-lowance of his lord / be lawe he it cleymeþ.
& seyþ loo bryddis & beestis / þat no blysse ne knowe.
& wyȝlde wormes in wodys / with wyntris þou hem grevist.
& makst hem wol meeke / & myȝlde for defawhte.
& after þou sendist hem somer / þat ys here souereyn Ioyȝe.
Þanne may beggeres & beestis / after boote wayten.
Þat al here lyf have lyved / in langour & in defawte.
But god wolde sende hem sumtyme / sum maner of Ioyȝe.
For to wrothele was / wroth[erh]ele was [he] wrouht / þat neuere Ioye was shape.
Angelis þat in helle nou been / hadden Ioye sum-tyme.
& dives in deyntees lyvede / & in dowce vyȝe.
& here makys also / þat ledden here lyve in merthe.
¶ But god is of a wondir wille / by þat kende wit sheweth.
To ȝeve man his mercyment / er he have it disservid.
Ryght so doþ god be sum ryche man / rewþe me þynkiþ.
For þei have here / here heere / & hevene as it were.
& in here dyȝenge ben dislowed / as dauid in þe sawter telleth
/ / [¶] Allas þat rycchesse shal reve / & robbe mannys sowle.
Fram þe love of oure lord / at his laste ende.
For selde þei suppe out of dette / & dyȝhgne er þei aserue it.T
Tyl he have doon his devir / & his dayes Iurne
For whan a werk-man haþ wrouht / þan men may se þe soþe.
What he were worthy / & what he haþ disservid.
& nowht to fongen be-fore / for drede of dislowyng.
Cleyme two hevenys / oon here / & a-noþir heereafter.
& after wolde cleyme / his heere eft-soones.
De delicijs / ad delicias . difficile est ascendere.T
¶ If þe Ryche man have rewþe / & rewarde þe poore.
& lyve as lawe tellyþ / & dooþ lewte to his brothir.
Þan crist of his curtesye / shal conforte ȝou at þe laste.
& rewarde duble rycchesse / þat rewful hertys haddyn.
& as an hyȝne haþ his hyȝre / er he his werk by-gynne.
& he dooþ wel his devir / he is ouer þat / rewardyd.
A coote ouer his counaunt / ryght so / crist ȝeveþ hevene.
& þo þat doon here devir wel / have dubble for here trauayle.
/ / [¶] But beggerys a-bowtyn myssomer / breedles þey sowpe
& ȝit is wynter for hem werse / for weet-shood þey wandre.
& a-fyrst & a-fryngrid / a-fyngrid / & foule ofte rebewked.
& a-rated of ryche men / þat rewþe it is to heere.
Now lord sende to hem somer / & sum maner of Ioyȝe.
Hevene after here hens goeng / þat here have swich defawte.
For alle myghtyst þou have maad / & noon menere þan oþir.
& y-lyche wytty & wyȝs / If þy wille hadde lykyd.
¶ Have rewthe ȝee ryche men / þat rewarde no porayle.
& ȝeve hem of þyn good / for ingraty ben manye.
But god of þy goodnesse / gyve hem grace of mendement.
For may no derthe ben to deere / neyþir drowhte ne weete.
Neyþir heete ne hayl / if þey haven here hele.
For al þat þey wilne & wolde have / wanteþ hem non heere.
Þou conforte þo creaturis / þat mychil care suffren.
Þoruh derthe / þoruh drowhte / alle here dayes heere.
& seelden in þe somer tyme / suppe þey to þe fulle.
Now crist conforte þo careful / kyng in þyn ryche.
How þou confortist alle creatures / clerkys knowen alle.
Conuertimini ad me / & salui eritis.
To robberis & to reverys / to ryche & to poore.
Þou tawhtist hem of þe trinyte / to taken bapteme.
To been clene þoru cristnynge / of alle kenne sennys.
¶ & ȝif vs be-felle / be folye / to fallyn in synne after.
We sholde a-mend vs as ofte / as we wolde dysyre.
¶ & If þe powke plede þere a-geyn / to punshe vs in consciense.
Pateant vniuersi per passionem domini nostri Iesu cristiC
& so pytte of þe powke / & preve vs vndir borwe
But þe parchemyn of þis patente / muste ben of pouerte.
& of pure Pacyense / & of parfyȝt be-leve.
& principaly of þe peple / but þey been poore of herte.
Ellis is al ydelnesse / al þat euere þey wryten.
Looke how men wryten / in fenestris at þe freris.
If fals be þe fowndement / it fawseþ al atoonys / at oonys.
¶ Sevene synnes þere been / þat asayle vs euere.
& þe fend folweth hem alle / & fondiþ hem to helpen.
& þat / þat [is] plesaunt to pride / to poore & eek to ryche.
Þere þe poore is pit by-hyȝnde / & paraunter can moore.
Þan þe ryche man so ryal / & rathere herd in hevene.
For þe ryche haþ mychel to rykne / & ryght softe walkeþ.
Beati pauperes spiritu quoniam ipsorum est enimT regnum celorum.
Or in þe Mayster . or in his man / sum mansyoun he haveþ.
But in pouerte þere pacience is / priȝde haþ no strengthe.
Ne non of þe seuyn synnes / sytte ne mowe þere longe.
Ne have powher in pouerte / if pacience hem folwe.
For þe poore ys ay prest / for to pleesen þe ryche.
& buxumnesse . & boost / þey been euere at werre.
& eyþir hateþ oþir / in alle manere of werkis.
¶ & if wratthe wrastle with þe poore / he haþ þe worse ende.
For if þey boþe pleyne / þe poore ys to feeble.
& if he chyde or chatre / hym cheeviþ þe worrse.
For lowly he lookeþ / & lovely is his speche.T
Þat ony meete or monee / of oþere men mote asken.
¶ & if Glotenye greve pouerte / he gadreþ þe lasse.
For hise rentys wil not reche / no ryche meetys to bygge.
& hys hevid euele y-helyd / & vnesely y-wryȝe.
For whan he streyneþ hym to strecche / þe straw is his schete.
Þat is wellawo whan he wakeþ / & wepiþ sore . for colde.
& sum-tyme for hise synnes / so he is neuere merye.
With-outyn moornynge a-moong . & myche myschef to boote.
Be þe nekke namely / þer non may henden oþir.
For men knowe wel þat coueytyse / ys of a kene wille.
& haveþ / has hondis & armes / of an huge lengthe.
& pouerte is but a pety þyng . & a-periþ not to his novele.
A lovely leyk ys it neuere / be-twene þe longe & schorte.
¶ & þey Aueryse wolde angre þe poore / he haþ but lytyl strengþe.
For pouerte haþ but pokes / to pyttyn in hise goodis.
Þere Aueryȝse haþ Almerijs . & yrene bownde coffres.
& wheyþir be lyghtere to breke / lasse boost he makeþ.
A beggerys bagge / or a bownden coffre.
¶ Leccherye loveþ hym nowht . for lytyl syluer he delyþ.
¶ & þey slewhthe sewe pouerte / & serue not god to payȝe.
Mischef is his mayster ./ & makeþ hym to þynken.
& he his seruaunt as he seyȝþ / & of his sewt boþe.
& wheyþir he be / or be not he beriþ þe sygne of pouerte.
& in þat sewte is oure saviour / þat saueþ al man-kynde.
For-þy alle poore þat pacient ys / may cleymen & asken.
Affter here endynge day / hevene-ryche blysse.
¶ Michil hardiere may he aske / þat haþ heere myght & wille.
As a lord . of lordschepe / & haþ lykynge of bodily helþe.
& for goddis love / leveþ al / & lyviþ as a beggere.
¶ & as a Mayde for mannys love / hire moodir for-sakeþ.
& hire fadir & alle hire frendis / & folweth forþ hire make.
Moore þan þat mayden ys / þat ys maried þorghȝ brokage.
As be a-sent of sundry partyes / & peyȝe syluer to boote.
Moore for coueytyse of good / þan kende love of boþe.
¶ So it fareþ be euery persone / þat possessioun for-sakeþ.
& pit hym to ben pacyent / & pouerte weddiþ.
What is pouerte quod he properly to meene.
Paupertas quod pacience / est odibile bonum . remocio curarum / possessio sine calumpnia . donum dei . sanitatis mater . absque Solitudine / Sol[lic]itudine semita . Sapiencie temperatrix . negocium sine dampno . Incerta fortuna . Absque solicitudine felicitas.
¶ I can not construe al þis / quod haukyn / þou kenne it on englyȝs.
¶ Quod Pacience in englyȝs it is hard / to expowne it to soþe.
But sumdel y schal seyȝn yt / by so þou vndirstonde it.
Pouerte is þe firste poynt / þat priȝde moost hateþ.
Þan is it good by good skyl / þat it a-gaste pryȝde.
Ryght as Contricioun is confortable þyng / conscience woot wel
Þey it be sorwe to hym-selue / It is solace to his sowle.
Ryght so / pouerte properly / ys penaunce & Ioyȝe.
& to þe body ys / pure spyrytual helpe.
Ergo paupertas est odibile bonum.
For selden syt pouerte / þe soþe to declare.
Ergo pouerte & poore men / parformen goddis comaundement.
Nolite iudicare quemquam . the thrydde.
¶ Seelden ys pore . ryght ryche / but it be of ryght-ful erytage.
Ne borweþ of his neyheboure / but þat he may wel payen
Possessio sine calumpnia.
¶ Þe feerthe is a Fortune / þat florcheþ þe sowle.
With sobrete fram alle synne / & also ȝit moore.
It a-faytethȝ þe fleschȝ / fram folijs ful manye.
A collaterel confort / comeþ of cristis ȝifte.
Donum dei.
& for þe lawe euere y-lyche / a lemman of clennesse.
Sanitatis mater.
Pouerte myghte passe / withowtyn pereyl of robbynge.
He is an hardy man of herte / a-mong an hep of þevis.
Cantabat paupertas coram latrone viator.
¶ Þe seuenthe is welle of wisdom / & fewe wordis he sheweth.
For loordis a-loweth hym lytel / or lystneþ to his resoun.
Þan he may wel disserue / in somer or in wynter.
& if he chaffareþ / he chargeþ no los / if he charyte wynne.
Negocium sine dampno.
¶ Þe .ixe. is sweete to þe sowle / no sugre is swettere.
& sobrete is sweete dryng / & a good leche in seknesse.
¶ Seynt Austyn seyþ it ys a blessid lyf / with-outyn ony besynesse.
For body & for sowle / absque solicitudine felicitas.
Now god þat alle goode gyviþ / grawnte his sowle reste.
Þat þus first wroot to wisse men / what pouerte was to meene.
I hadde / [ne] hadde ben deed / & doluen / for doweelis sake.
So hard it is to lyven heere / & to lyȝn longe in synne.
& wepte water with hise eyes / & weylede þe tyme.
Þat euere he dide ony dede / þat deere god dysplesede.
He swownede & sobbede / & sykede ful ofte.
Þat euere he hadde lond or lordchepe / lasse eyþir moore.
Er maystrie ouer ony man / moore þan ouer hym-selue.
I were not worthy quod haukyn / to weryn ony cloþis.
Neyþir scherte ne schoon / save for schame oone.
To kouere myn kareyne quod hee & criȝede mercy faste.
& wepte & weyȝlede / & þerwith y awakede.
Explicit Passus
.Xus.