fol. 60v (cont.)fol. 60v
fol. 60vfol. 60v
C
BPassus 15
Incipit Passus .XIus.
AFterC my wakynge / it was longe after.
Er y cowhde keendely / knowe what was dowel.
& so my wit wex & wanyede / tyl y a fool were.
& summeT lakkede my lyf / þere a-lowed it fewe.
& leetyn me for a lorel / & looþ to don me worchepe.
Eyþir lordis or ladijs / or ony lyf ellys.
As persones with pelure / with pendawntys of syluer.
To sergawntis &T to swiche men{}C seyde nout oones.
God looke ȝow lordis / ne y lowtyd to hem fayre.
Þat folk held me a fool / & in my foly ravede.
Tyl resoun hadde rewthe on me / & rokkid me on slepe.
Þan seyȝ y a syght of sorseryȝe / a sotyl þyng with-alle.
Oon with-owtyn tunge or teeþ / told me whidir y sholde.
& wher-of y cam kendely / þan coniowred y hym in haste.
If he were cristis creature / for cristis love me to telle.
I am cristis creature quod he / & cristne in many a place.
In cristis cowrt y-knowe wel / & of cristis kyn a party.
Is neyþir Peter þe porter / ne powl with his fawchoun.
Þat wille defende me þe doore / dynge y neuere so late.
At mydnyght . at mydday  my voys is so wel y-knowe.
Þat euery creature of his cowrt / wolkomeþ me fayre.
/ / [¶] But what are cald / [ye] cald . quod y in þat cowrt / a-mong cristis peple.
Þe whilys y qwyke in þe corps / calid y am Anima.C
& whanne y wilne & wolde / Animus y hatte.
fol. 61rfol. 61r
& whan y make moone to god / my name is Memorye.C
& whan y deme on dees / & do as trewthe techeþ.
Þan racio myn name is ryght / reson on englysch tunge.
& for þat y can y knowe / [and] knowe / callyd mens y am ofte.T
& whan y fele þat folk tellyþ / my fyrste name ys sensus.
& þat is wit & wyȝsdom / þe welle of alle craftes.
& whan y chalange / or chalange nowht / chepe or refuse.
Þan am y Conscience y-cald / cristis clerkis notarie.
& whan y love leelly / oure loord & alle oþere.
Þan is leel love myn name / & in latyn Amor.
& whan y flee fleschly lust / & for-sake kareyne.
Þan am y a spiryȝt specheles / & Spiritus þanne y hatte.
Awstyn & ambrose / have brevid on here bookis.T
Þey nempned me þus be name / now þou myght cheese.
How þou wilt callyn me / þou knowist alle myn 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 
Consiencia est . Dum spirat  spiritus est.
What ȝee ben as a bischop quod y / & gan burde þat tyme.
For byschopis þat ben y-blessid / þey beryn many names.
Presul & Pontifex & MetropolanusT
& oþere names an hep / episcopus et pastor
Þat ys sooþ / þan seyde he / for now y see þyn wille.
Þou woldist knowe & kunne / þe cause of alle mynT names.
& of myn yf þou myȝtyst / me þynkeþ be mynT speche.
Ȝe sire þan seyde y / so no man were a-grevid.
Alle þe sciencis vndir sunne / & alle þe sotille craftys.
I wolde y knew & knew / k[owþe] / kendely in myn herte.
Þan art þou Inparfyght / quod he  & oon of priȝdes knyghtis.
For swich a lust & lykynge / lucifer fel fram hevene.
& held hym-selue as gret as god / swich grace he hade.T
Ponam pedem meum in aquilonem . & similis ero altissimo.
It were a-geyn kyȝnde quod he  & al-skens resoun.
Þat ony creature sholde kenne al / except crist hym oone.
A-geyn swiche Salomon spekiþ / & disputiþT here wittis
He seyþ . si quis mel comedit multum  non est bonum ei.T
Sic qui scrutator est magestatis . opprimetur a gloria.
fol. 61vfol. 61v
To englysch men þis is to meene / þat mowe speke & heeren.
Þe manC þat mychel hony eet / his mawe mote be engleymed.
Ryght so þe moore þat a man / of good matere heeryþ.
But he do þere-after / it doþ hym mychil skathe.
Beatus est seyþ seynt Bernard / qui scripturas legit.
& vertit verbaT in opera / holly to his powher.
He þat Coueytiþ to kunne / & to knowe sciencis.
Was pyt owt of paradyȝs / as adam & Eve.
Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriam spoliauit.
& ryght as hony is evil to defie / & engleyme / engleyme[þ]T þe mawe.
Ryght so þorghȝ resoun / he wolde þe roote knowe.
Of god / & of hise grete myghtis / his grace gan it lette.
For in lykynge lyþ gret priȝde / & lykames coueytise.
A-geyn cristis conseyl / & alle clerkys techyng.
Þat is non plus sapere  quam oportet sapere.
Freris & oþereT Maystris / þat to lewed men prechen
Ȝee meve mateer vn-mesurableT / to tellyn of þe trinnyte.T
Bettre it were to be-leve on / as doctouris vs techeþ.
& tellyn of þe .x. comaundementis / & towche þe .vij synnes
& þe brawnces þat burgoneþ of hem / & bryngeþC men to helle
& how þat folk with folijs / mys-spendyn here fyve wyttis
As weel freris as oþire men / folyly spendyn.
In howsynge in haterenge / in-to hy clergye schewynge.
Moore for pompe þan for charite / þe peple whot þe soþe.
Þat y lyȝe no woord loo  for lordis ȝee plesen.
& reuerence þe ryche men / þe rathere for here syluer.
Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia . Et alibi dicitur.
Vt quid diligitis vanitatem  & queritis mendacium.
Goo to þe glose of þe vers / ȝee þat been clerkis.
If y lyȝe on ȝow / to myn lewid wit / led me to brennyng.
For as it semeþ / ȝee for-sake / no mennys almesse.
Of vsereris / of horis / &T of averous chapmen.
& ȝee lowten / to þe lordis / þat mowe leene ȝow noblys.
A-geyn ȝoure religions rewle / y take record at Iesus.
þat seyde to hise dissipelis / nescitis / [ne sitis] acceptores personarum.T
Of þis matere y myghte  maken a mychil byble.
But of curatoures of þe peple / as clerkis beriþ witnesse.
I shal telle it for trewþe sake / take heede wh / wh[oso] it lykeþ.
As holynesse & honeste / in holy chirche spredyþ.
Þorghȝ leelle lyvynge men / þat goddis lawesT techen.
fol. 62rfol. 62r
Ryght so owt of holy chirche / alle evelis sprediþ.
Þere inparfyȝt presthod ys / &T prechouris & techeris
See it be ensample / on trees / in somer tyme.
Summe bowes been levid / & summe beryn noone.
For a myschef is in þe maister roote / þat is cam of þe bowis.T
So yt fareþ be preestis / & precherys in holy chirche.
Þey sholde been roote of þe fayþ / to rewle þe peple.
But þe mayster roote is roteLX / resoun whot þe soþe.
Shal it neuere beryn frut / ne branche of greneP levis.
For-þy  wolde þe lettrede / leven leccherye & cloþyngge.T
& be kende as clerkis sholde / & curteys of cristis goodis.
& trewe of here tunge / & of here tayle-ende.T
& haten to heeren harlotriȝe / & looþ wrong vndirfonge.
Of tythis of trewe þyngisT / y-tylijd or y-chaffared.
Looþ weryn lewede men / but þey ȝoure loore folwede.
& a-mendid hem þat mysdoon / þe moore / for ȝoure ensample.
Þan for to preche & preve it nowht / ypocrisye it semeþ.
For ypocrisie in latyn / ys lykned to a dongoun.T
Þat were be-snowid with-oute / & snakys been þere-Inne.
Or to a wal whyȝtlymed / & were dunk with-Inne.
Ryght so manye prelatis / prechoures & preestis.
Are blawnchid with bele parolis / & blewe burnet cloþis.
& ȝoure werkis & ȝoure wordis / þere-vndir ben al foxly.T
Iohannes crisostimus / of clerkis / he spekiþ & prechiþ.
Sicut de templo omne bonum procedit.T
Sic de templo  omne malum procedit.
Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit . tota floret ecclesia. Si autem coruptaT fuerit . omni fides marcida est . Si sacerdosT fuerit in peccatis . totus populus conuertitur ad peccatumT . Sicut videris arborem pallidam & marcidam . Intelligis quod vicium habet in radice.T
If lewed men wisten / what þis latyȝn meeneþ.
& who were myn awtour / gret wondir wolde þey haven.
But euery prest sholde bere / for here broode baselardis.T
A peyre of bedis in here hond / orT a book to bydde on.
Sire Iohan & sire Geffrey / haven gyrdlys of syluer.
& a baselard or a ballokknyf / & botenys ouer gilt bryghte.
fol. 62vfol. 62v
But his portuos þat is his plowh / placebo on to seggen.
Þat is be-take to tauerne hows / for ten schelyng plegge.T
If he hadde no seruyse ne syluer / with evil wille he wille synge.T
Allas . ȝee lewid men / mychil leese ȝee onP preestes.
For wikkidly þey wynnen / gold / & with slyȝe sleyghtis.
Wolde neuere wit / of witty god / but vn-witty men hem made.T
Þat swiche prestis inparfyȝt lyve / & prechen for syluer.
& ben seketoures of sowlis good / & sumnowris with here feeris.T
Al þat / with gyle þey getyn / vngracyously is spendyd.
So harlotis & hooris / have holpe owt swiche goodis.
ButT goddis folk for defawte / for-faren & spyllyn.
Of curatoures of holy cherche / &T clerkis þat ben auerous.
Þat þey sparen lyghtlyT / loselys it habbeþ.
Er þey deye in-testat / & þanne þe Bischop entriþ.
& makeþ merthe þer-with / & hise meyȝne boþe.
& seyn he was a negard / þat no good myghte spare.
To freend ne to fremde / þe feend have nou his sowle.
For a wrecchid housP he hild / al his lyf-tyme.
& þat he sparede he / [&] sperede / spende we now in merthe.
Boþe after lewed & lered / þat looþ ben to spende.
Þus goon here goodis / be þe goost y-faren.
But for goode men god wot / gret dool men maken.
& þey be-meene goode mete-ȝiveris / & in mynde hem have.
In prayeris & in penaunces / & in parfyȝt charite.
A . what is charite quod y þo  a childisch þyng he seyde.
Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli  non intrabitis in regnum celorum.
With-outyn fawntelte er folie / er a free lyberal wille.
Where sholde men fyȝnde swich a frend / with so fre an herte.
I have lyved in londe quod y  & longe wille is my name.
& ful charyte fond y neuere / by-fore me / ne by-hyȝnde.
For men be not mercyable / to mendynauntis ne to poore.T
But þey leene . þere þey be-leven / to been lelly y-peyed.
But not for charite þat poul preyseþ / It pleseþ god in heuene.
As non inflatur / non est ambiciosa . non querit que sua sunt.
I seyȝ neuere swich a man / so me god helpe.
Þat he wolde / [ne] wolde asken after his / & oþirwhile more coueyten.
Of þyng þat hym needidT nowht / & nyme it if he myghte.
Crerkis / C[l]erkis kenne me soþly / þat cryst is in alle places.
But y sey hym neuere soþly / but as my-selue in merrour.
fol. 63rfol. 63r
Hic in enigmate . tunc facie ad faciem.
& so y trowe trewly be he / þat men tellyn charite.
He is no champioun with to fyȝt / ne chaffare as y trowe.
Charite chaffareþ not quod he  ne chalyngeþ ne craveþ.
He is as prowd of a peny / as of a pond of goolde.
& is as glad / of a gowne / of a gray russet.
As of a tonycle of tarse / & of tryȝe veluet.
He is glad . with alle gladde / & good to alle wikkyde
He beleviþT & loveþ alle þo / þat oure lord god made.
He curseþ no creature / ne he can bere no wratthe.
Ne he haþ lykynge to lyȝe / ne to lawe non to skorne.
Al þat men seyn he let it soþ / & it in solace takeþ.
& alle manere of myscheuys / in myȝldenesse he suffreþ.
He coueytiþ non erlyLG goodisT / but heuynly hyȝe blysse.
Haþ he ony rycchesse quod he / er ony ryche frendys.
Of rentys ne of rychesse quod he / ne reccheþ he neuere.
For þe freend þat fyndis hym / fayled hym neuere at neede.
For fiat voluntas tua / feedyþ hym euere-more.
& þerto / he sowpeþ a sope / of spera in deo.
He can portreyȝe wel þe Pater noster / & peynte it with ave.T
& oþirwhile he is wont / to wenden on pilgrimages.
Þere poore men & prisoneris lygge / þeere pardoun to have.
Þowhȝ he bere hem no breed / he beriþ sotere lyflode.
For he loveþ hem as god byt / & lookeþ how þey faren.
/ / [¶] & whan he is wery of þat werk / þan wole he sum-tyme.
Sore laboure in lavandryȝe / þe lengþe of a myle.
& ȝeernen in-to ȝowhþe / & ȝeeply þere seken
Pryde with alle hise pertynaunces / & pakke hem to-gydres.
& bowken hem at hys breest / & beetyn hem clene.
& leggen on longe / with laboraui in gemitu meo.
& with warm water of hise eyȝes / wasschen hem after.
Þan he syngiþ whan he doþ so / & sum-tyme seiþ wepynge.
Cor contritum & humiliatum / non despicies domine.
By crist y wolde y knew hym quod y  no creature leuere.
With-oute helpe of pers quod he / his persoone seest þou neuere.
Where Clerkis knowe hym quod y  þat kepen holy chirche.
Clerkys have no knowynge quod he  but by werkis & wordis.
But pers plowhman / parseyveþ more deppere.T
fol. 63vfol. 63v
Þat is why  & wherfore / for many whyȝt y-knoweþ.T
Et vidit deus cogitaciones eorum.
For þere are ful prowde herted men / & ben pacient of tunge.
& buxum of berynge / to borgeyses & to loordis.
But to þe poore peeple / peper is in here nose-þerlys.
& as a leoun he lookeþ / þere men lakke hise werdis.
Þere are beggerys & bydderis / beedemen as þey weren.
& þey looken as lambren / & seme of lyf holy.
But it is moore to have here mete / on swich esy manere.
Þan for penaunce & parfyȝtnesse / swich pouerte is vn-holy.
Þerfore be colour of clergye / knowe shalt þou hym neuere.
Neyþir þorghȝ word / ne þorghȝ werk / but þorghȝ wille oone.
& þat knoweth no clerk / ne creature on erthe.
But pers þe plowhman / properly Pers idest / id est Cristus.
For he loveþ noone lollerys / ne lond leperis neyþir.
Ne ancris þere any box hangeþ / for alle swiche fayte.
Fy on þo faytoures / & on factoresT suos.
For Charite is goddis Champioun / & as a good child hende.
& þe meriest of mowþ / at mete where he syttyþ.T
& he is compynable / & confort / confort[atif] / as crist bit hym-selue.
Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite tristes.
For y have seyn hym in sylk / & sum-tyme in russet.
& furrid with gray & with gryȝs / & goon in gylt harneyȝs.
& as gladly he it gaf / to goomes / þat it needyd.
Seynt Emund & seynt Edward / eyþir weren kyngys.
& now be þey seyntis sette / soT charite he / he[m]T folwede.
I have seyn charite / also / syngen & reeden.
Ryden & rennen / in raggede wedis.
But byddyngge as a beggere / by-held y hym neuere.
But in ryche robes / rathest he walkeþ.
I-callid / & y-cremylid / & his crowne y-schave.
& in a frerys frokke / he was y-fownden oones.
But it is fern a-goo / in seynt Fraunceys tyme.
& in þat seutP sytthen / selden haþ he be knowe.
Ryche men he recomendiþ / & of here robis takiþ.
Of þoo with-owtyn wyȝlis / heere lowly ledyn here lyvis.
fol. 64rfol. 64r
Beatus est diues qui
In þe kyngis cowrt ofte / þere his conseyl is trewe.
& coueytise be in his conseyl / he wil not come þer-inne.
In cowrt a-mong Iaperis / charite comeþ selde.
For brawlyng & bakbytynge / & berynge of falshede.
In constorie a-fore þe comyssarie / he comeþ not ofte.
For here lawe dureþ longe / but if þey lacche syluer.T
& þo þat conscience & cryȝst / have knet to-gydre.P
Þey vn-don it vn-worthily / doctoures of þe lawe.
With BisshopisP & abbotys / & prelatis of holy chirche.T
For to wone with hem / hys wone was sum-tyme.
& cristis parsymonyeT to þe pore / parcel-mel þey deltyn.
But Auerise haþ þe keyȝes / & kepiþ for hise kenysmen.
& for hise seketouris & seruauntis / & summe for hise chirdryn / chi[l]dryn.
But y lakke no lyf / but oure lord . a-mende vs alle.
& god graunte vs grace / þat charite may vs folwe.C
For who-so myghte mete with hym / swiche maneres hym eyleþ.
He blameþ neyþir ne blameþ / [banneþ] / ne boosteþ ne preyseþ.
Ne lakkeþ ne lesseþ / ne lookeþ no þyng sternyþ / stern[e].
Ne craueþ ne coueytiþ / ne criȝeþ after moore.T
Þe mooste lyfloode / he lyveþ by / ys goddys passioun.
Neyþir he byddiþ / ne beggiþ / ne borweth but he it ȝelde.
He mys-doþ no man / ne with his mowþ hym greveþ.
A-mongis cristene men / þys myȝldenesse sholde laste.
In alle manere angris / have þis euere at herte.
Þat þeyȝ þow suffre alle þese / god suffred for vs moore.
In ensample we sholde don soo / & taken no vengaunce.
On oure foos þat doon vs falsnesse / þis is þe fadres wille.
For euery man may wel weteT / if god woldeT hym-selue.
Sholde neuere Iudas þatT Iew / have Iesu doon on roode.
Ne have martred Peter ne Poul / ne in prison hem holden.
But he suffrede in ensample / þat we sholde suffre also.
& seyde to swiche þat suffre wolde / þat Pacientes vincunt.T
Verbi gracia quod he  & verrede ensamples manye.
fol. 64vfol. 64v
In þe lengenda / legenda sanctorum / ys þe lyf of holy seyntys.
What penaunce & pouerte / & passioun þey suffred.
& hunger & heete / & manye oþere angris.
Seynt Antonye & Egidie / & oþere holy fadres.
Þey woneden in wildernesse / a-mong wyȝlde bestis.
& also mukys / mu[n]kys & mendynans / men by hem-selue
In Caues & in spelunsesT / & seelde spoke to-gydres.
But neyþir Antonye ne Egidie / ne non hermite þat tyme
Of Liones ne lepardes / no lyfloode þey tooken.
But of þeT fowlis þat fleyȝ / þus is fownde in bookis.
Except þat Egidie / after an hyȝnde callede.
& be þe melk of þeT beeste/ þe man was susteyned.
He hadde hire nowht euery day / his hungir for to slake.
But seelden & sundry tymeT / as seyþ þe book & techiþ.
Seynt Antonye on a dayT / A-bowte noon tyme.
He hadde a brid þat browte hym to / breed to his lyfloode.T
& þey þat goome hadde a gest / god feddeT hem boþe.
Powl primus heremyta / hadde parokkid inT hym-selue.
Þat no man myghte hym seen / for moos & for levys.
& fowlis hym fedde / fele wyntris with-alle.
Tyl þat he was fowndoure of frerys / of frauncesT ordre.
Powl after cristis pynynge / panyeris he made.
& wan with hise hondis / þat his woombe nedede.
Peeter fischede for his foode / & hys felawe Andrew.
& summe þei solden & summe þei eetynT / & so lyveden boþe.
& also Marie Magdeleyn / be mores & byT dewis.
But moost by devocioun / & mynde on god almyghty
I shulde not þis seuene dayes / seyn ȝow . hem alle.
Þat lyvedyn þus for oure lordis love / a-mongis wyȝlde beestis.T
For þere was / [ne] was Lioun ne Lyparde / þat on londe wente.
Ne beere neyþir ne boor / ne oþere beestis wyȝlde.
Þat þey fellyn / [ne] fellyn to heere feet / & fawned hem with here taylis.
& if þey hadde cowd / [cowd hadde] y-carpid / by crist as y trowe.
Þey wolden have y-feed þat folk / by-fore whyȝlde fowlis.
For al þe kyȝndenesse þat þey cowde / þey kydde to folk ofte.T
In lykkynge & lovynge / þere þey on londis wentyn.
But god sent hem foode by folis / & by no wyȝldeT beestys.
In menynge þat meke þyng / myȝlde þyng sholde feede.
fol. 65rfol. 65r
As who-so seyþ religious / ryght-ful men sholde feede.T
& lawful men / lif holy men / lyflode sholde bryngen.
& þanne wolde lordis & ladyes / be looþ to agilte.
& taken of here tenauntis / moore þan trewþe wolde.C
& fonde if þat ony freris / wolde for-sake here almesse.
& byddyn hem beryn it / þere þat it was borwid.
& seyn we ben goddis foulis / & a-byȝden alwey.
Tyl þat bryddis bryngen vs / þat we sholden lyven by.
For hadde ȝee payn & potage / & penyale to drynke.
& oo mees to ȝore meete / of oo manere of kyȝnde.
Ȝee hadde ryght y-now ȝee religious / & so ȝoure ordreT techiþ.
Numquid dicit Iob . Rugiet onager cum habuerit herbam aut mugiet bos cum ante plenum presepe steteritT ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua.
If men knewe þis latyn / þey wolde looke whom þey ȝeve.
& a-visen hem by-fore / fyve dayes or sixe.
Ere þey a-mortysyd sikirly / vnto munkys here rentis.
Allas Lordis & ladies lewid conseyl have ȝee.
To ȝevyn fram ȝoure eyres / þat ȝowre eyhelis ȝow leftyn.
& ȝeviþ it / to bydde for ȝow / to swiche as been ryche.
& been y-fownded & feffid eek / to byddyn for oþere.
Who parformormeþ / parformeþ þis prophesye / of þe peple þat now lybbeþ.
Dispersit dedit pauperibus  Iusticia eius manet in seculum seculi.T
If ony peple parforme þis tixt / it are þese poore frerys.
For þat þey beggyn a-bowten / in biggynge þey it spende.
& sum on hem-selue / & on swiche þat been here laboreris.
& of hem þat have þey take / & ȝeviþ hem þat nede habbyn.
But Clerkys & knyghtis / & comonys þat been ryche.
Fele of ȝow faren / as if y a forest hadde.
& it were ful of fayre trees / & y as a fonne caste.
How y myghte moo þere-Inne / a-mongys hem sette.
Ryght so ȝee ryche / ȝee robbe þem / þat be not ryche.T
& helpiþ hem þat helpiþ not ȝow / & ȝeveþ þere non neede ys.
As who-so fellyþ a tunne / ful of a ryver.T
& wente forþ / with þat water / to woke with þe temse.
Rich / R[yght]T so  ȝee ryche men / ȝee robbenLX & feedyn.
Hem þat have as ȝee have / hem ȝee make a tese / at ese.
fol. 65vfol. 65v
But religious þat ryche been / shulde rathere feedeT beggeris.
Þan burgeys þat ryche been / as þe book techeþ.
Quia sacrilegium est res pauperum  non pauperibus dare . Item .
IdemT peccatoribus dare est demonibus immolare.T
Porro non indiget monachus si habeat quod nature sufficit.
/ / [¶] Þerfore y conseile alle cristene / to conforme ȝow to Charyte.
For Charite with-outyn chalangynge / vn-chargeþ þe sowle.
& many a prisoner fram purgatorie / þorghȝ prayere ben dylyuered.T
But þer is a defawte in þe folk / þat þe feyþ kepithȝ.
Wherfore folk is þe feblere / & nowht ferme in beleve.
Ryght as þe luscheburue is lyþir of lay / [alay] / & ȝit it lookeþ fayre.
For þe markeP of þe moneP is good / but þe matal is feble.
& so it fareþ be summe folk now / þey have a fayr speche.
& crowne & cristendom / þe kyngis merke of hevene.
But þe metal / þat is mannys soule / with synne is so a-layed.T
Þat no lyf beleviþ oþir / ne oure lord / as it semeþ.
For what þoru werre & wikydnessesT / & wederys vnstable.T
Þat wedir-wyse shipmen / & wytty Clerkys also.
Þey have no be-leeve to cristT / ne to þe loore of philosofres.
/ / [¶] Astrinomyes alday / in here art þey fayle.
Þat whilum warnede to-fore / what sholde fallyn after.
Schipmen with schippis / & schepperdis with scheep wentyn.T
Þey wisten by þe walkene / what sholde after by-tyȝde.
Of wederis & of wyȝndis / þey warnede men ofte.
Tylyeris of þe erthe / þey tolden here maystris.
By þe seed þey sewen / what þey sellyn myghte
& what leeve / [to] leeve & to lyve by / þe lond was so trewe.
& now fayleþ þe folk of þe flood / & of þe lond boþe.
Boþe schepperdis & schipmen / & so doon þese tylyerys.
Neyþir þey kunne / ne knowe / no cowrs to-fore a-noþir
& astronomyes / astronomye[n]s also / aren at here wittys ende.
Of þat was calkuled of clementT / þe contrarie nou þey fynde.
For gramere þat is þe grownde of alle / it by-gyleþ nou children.
For þere is now of / no[n] of [þese] newe clerkis / who þat takeþ heede.
Þat can versyfye fayre / ne foormely endyten.
fol. 66rfol. 66r
Ne a-mong anhundrid / an hundrid / an AntemeP can construe.
Ne redeP a lettre in ony langage / but in latyn or englyschȝ.
Go now to ony degre / & but gyle be Mayster.
& flaterrere his felawe / to formen his speche.T
& myche wondir me þynkyþ / a-mongys vs alle.
Of doctouris of degrees / & of diuinite þe Maystris.
Þat scholden kenne & knowen / alle-skens clergye.
& answere to argumentis / & also to a quodlybet
I dar not sey it for shame / if swiche weren a-posed.
Þey scholde fayle in philosofye / & in fysyk boþe.
Wherfore y am a-ferd / of folk of holy chirche.
Leest þey ouer-hyppen as oþire doon / in Offyȝs & in houres.
But þey oon hippe as y hope do nowht / oure be-leve sufficitT
As Clerkys in corpus cristi feste / reedyn & syngyn.C
Þat sola fides sufficit / to save þe lewed peple.
/ / [¶] & so may sarsynes be saved / boþe scribis & Iewis.
Allas but oure loores men / lyven / as þey lerne vs.
& for here lyvynge þat lewede ben / þe lothere god þey gilte.
For sarsynes have sumwhat / semynge to oure be-leve.
For þey loove & beleve / on oon persone almyghty.
& we lerede & lewede / in oon god be-leven.
& so cristene / & vncristne / in oon god ben / be-leven.T
/ / [¶] But oon Machabeus / Macha[meþ] / a man of mysbeleve.
Broghte sarsynes of surye / þere-in / see in what manere.
Þis Machameþ was cristene man / but for he ne myght be pope.
In-to Surye he sowhte / & þorghȝ hise sotyl wittis.
He dawntyd a dowue / & day be day hire fedde.
& þe corn þat sche croppede / he cast it in his eere.T
Menynge as after mete / þus machameþ hire chawnteþ.T
& dyde folk fallyn on knees / for he swoor in his prechyng.
Þat þe culuer þat cam so / cam fram god of hevene.
&T Messager to makameþ / men for to techen.
& þus þorghȝ wylis of his wit / & of a wyt dowe.
Machameþ in mysbeleve / men & wommen browhte hem.
fol. 66vfol. 66v
Þat leernede men & lewede / ȝit be-leven þere on hise lawes.
& sytthyn oure savioure suffrede / […] so / þe sarsynes to by gylid.T
Þorghȝ a cristene Clerk / & a-cursed in his sowle.
But for drede of þe deþ / y dar not tellyn þe soþe.
How Crystenn clerkis a culuer feede / þat Coueytyse hatte.
& ben Manerid after machamet / for no man vseþ trewthe.
Bothe Ankres & hermytis / & Munkis & frerys.
Been peeris to þe apostlys / þorghȝ here parfyȝt lyuynge.
Wolde neuere þe feyth-ful fadir / þat hise Mynystris sholden.
Of Tyrawntis þat tene trewe men / taken ony almesse.
But doon as seynt Antonye dyde / or dominik orT Frances.
Or benyȝt orT bernard / þe wheche hem fyrst tawhte.
To lyve be lytyl in lowe howses / be leele mennys fyndyng.T
Grace sholde growe & be grene / þorghȝ here leelT lyvynge.
& folk sholde fynde / þat been in dyuerse syknesse.
Þe bettere for here byddyngis ./ in body & in sowle.
& here prayeres & here penaunces / to pees sholde hemT brynge.
Alle þat been at debate / if bede-men weren trewe.
Petite & accipietis . querite & inuenietis . pulsate.T
/ / [¶] Salt saveþ þe Catelle / as seyn sadde wyves.T
So manye prelatis ben to preche / as þe bibleT makþ meende.
Of Nazareth / of Nynyve / of Neptalym of Damask.
Þat þey ne wentyn as crist hem wisseþ / sytthe þey wilne þe name.
To been pastores & preche / þe passioun of Iesu
& as hym-selue seyde / to lyve / & dyȝe for oþire.T
He seyde so for saluacioun / of sarsynes & oþere.
& to cristene & to vncristeneT / crist seyde on þis wyse.
Ite & vos . in vineam meam
& sytthen þat þese sarsynes / & scribis & eek Iewis
Haven a lyppe of oure be-leve / þe lyghtlokere it semeþ.T
Þey sholde turnen who trauayle wolde / to teche hem of þe trinnyte.
Querite  & invenietis.
For alle paynymes prayen / to oon persone of helpe.T
& on .o. god þey gredyn / & his grace asken.T
& maken here meene to Machameþ / here message to shewe.
Þus in a feyþ lyveþT þat folk / & in fals meene.
& þat is rewthe for ryght-ful men / þat in þe rewme dwelle.T
Þat beryn bisschopis names / of bedleem & of babyloyne.
fol. 67rfol. 67r
Whan þe hyȝe kyng of heuene / sente his sone to erþe.T
Manye myraclis he wroghte / man for to turne.
In ensaumple þat / þat [men] sholde seen / þat by sad resoun.
Men myghte not ben savid / but þorghȝ mercy & grace.
& þorghȝ penaunce & passioun / & parfyȝt beleve.
& by-cam / by-cam [man] of a mayde / & metropolitanus after.
& was baptyzed & y-sygned / with þe blood of his herte.
Alle þat wilned & wolde / with wit be-leve it.
Manye a seynt sytthen / haven suffred to dyȝen.
Al for to ferme þe fayȝþ / in fele contrees dyȝen.
In yȝnde in Alysaundre / in Armonye in spayne.
& in doolful deþ þey dyeden / for þeyre feyþis sake.
In savaciounC of þe fayþ / seynt Thomas was y-martred.C
And a-mong vnkyȝnde cristene / for cristis / cristis [loue] he dyȝede.
& for þe ryght of al þis rewme / & alle rewmes cristene.
Holy chirche ys honoured / hyȝlyche þorghȝ his dyȝenge.
He is be-leve to alle bisschopis / & a bryght merrour.
& souereynly to swiche / þat of surrye beren þe name.
& nowht to hoppe here & þeere / for halwen awteris.TT
& crepen In a-mong kuraturis / & confesse a-geyn þe lawe.
Nolite mittere falsem in messem alienam.
/ / [¶] Many a man / for cristis love / was Martrid in grete roome.
Er cristendom were knowe þere / or ony cros honowred.TC
Euery bischop þat beriþ a croos / by þat  he is holde
To tellyn & schevenT / on þe trinnyte to be-leeve.T
& þorgh his prouynse to pase / & to his peple shewe hym.  /
& feedenP hem with goostly foode / & nedy folk to feeden / f[yn]den.T
/ / [¶] But ysayas how þou spekist / [of ȝow] speki[þ] / & Osyas boþe.
Þat no man shold be bisschop / but if he hadde boþe.C
Bodyly foode & goostly / to gyven þere it nedyþ.
In domo mea non est panis . neque vestimentum.
& ideo nolite constituere me regem. ysa. 3o.T
Osyas seyþ / for swiche / þat syke been & feeble.
Inferte omnes decimas in orreum meum . vt cibus in domo mea
/ / [¶] But we cristene creaturis / þat on þe croos be-leevyn.
Are formedT as in þe feyþ / goddis forbode ellys.
& have clerkis to kepe vs þer-Inne / & hem þat shulle comen after.
Þe Iewes be-levenT in leel lawe / oure lord wrot it hym-selue.
fol. 67vfol. 67v
In stoon for it stedefast was / & stoonde scholde euere.
Dilige deum tuumT & proximum tuumT / is parfyȝt þeT Iewis lawe.
& took it Moyse to teche it hemT / tyl messias come.
& on þat lawe þey be-leeve / & leten it for þe beeste.
& ȝit knewe þey after . crist / þat cristendom tawhte.
& for a parfyȝt prophete / þat mychil peple savede.
Of selkowthe soorys / þey seyȝe hym heele manye.
Boþe of merveylis & myraklis / whan þat he men festede.
With two fischis / & fyve lovis / fyfe þowsande peple.
& by þat mangery þeyT myghte seen / þat messias he were.
Whan he lift vp lazar / þat leyd was in þe graue.
& vndir stoon he stank ded / with styf voyȝs he hym callyde.
Lazare  veni foras.
He dyde hym ryse & roome / ryght by-fore þe Iewys.
But þey seyden & sworen / with sorceryȝe þat he wroghte.
& stodieden to stroyen hym / & stroyedyn hem-selue.
& þorghȝ his pacience / here powher / to pure nowht he broghte.
Pacientes vincunt Maliciam.
But Danyel of here doengeT / dyvynede & seyde.
Cum veniat sanctus sanctorum. T
& ȝit wenen þo wrecchis / þat he were speudo propheta.
& þat his loore / be lesyngis / & þey lakken it alle.
& hopen þat be / [he] be to come / þat shal hem releve.
Or Moyses eft / or Messias / ȝit here Maystris dyuyne.
But FarisenysLX & sarsynes / & scribis & greekys.
Arn folk of oo fayȝþ / þe fadir god . þey honowren.
& sythe þat þe sarsynes / & also þe Iewis.
Kunne þe firste clawse / of oure beleeve.T
Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem.
Prelatis / of cristene provynces / sholde proven if þey myghte.
& lerne hem lytelum & lytelum / & in Iesum cristum filium.
Tyl þey cowden speken & spellyn / CredoT in spiritum sanctum.
& reden it & recorde it / with remissionem peccatorum .
& þerwith Carnis resurreccionem / & vitam eternam amen.
fol. 68rfol. 68r
Explicit Passus .xius.C