fol. 88r (cont.)fol. 88r
fol. 88rfol. 88r
C
BPassus 20
Incipit Passus .xvius.
ANdC wan y was wakned / y wente forþ aloone.T
Syȝghenge & evy cheryd / & elenge in herte.
For y ne wiste where to ete / ne at what place.
& it neyhed neer noon / & þan with neede y mette.
& he afruntid me fowle / & faytour me callidde.
& seyde coudist þou nout excuse þe / as þe kyng & oþire.
Þat þou tooke to lyve by / but cloþis & sustynaunce.
& þat was by techyng & tellyng / of T
& þat þou nome no moore / þan y neede þe tawhte.
fol. 88vfol. 88v
For neede haþ no lawe / ne neuere shal falle in dette.
For þre þyngys / þat he takþ / his lyf for to save.
Þat is meet whan men hym wernethȝ / & he no moone weldiþ.
Ne whyȝht þat wille ben his borghȝ / ne no wed haþ to legge.
& if he casteT in þat caas / & come þerto be sleyghte.
He synneþ nowht soþly / þat so wynneþ his foode.
& þey he come so / to a clooþ / & can no bettre chewsaunce.
Neede a-non nymeþ hym / vndir meene-pryse.
& if he lyste for to lapen / þe lawe of kende wolde.
Þat he drunke at euery dyȝch / er he for þrust dyȝede.
So neede at gret neede / may nyme as for his owne.
With-owtyn of / [conseil] of Conscience / er of Cardynale vertues.
So þat he saweT & save / Spiritus temperancie.
For þer is no vertewe by-fore / Spiritus temperancie.
Neyþir IusticieT / ne Spiritus fortitudinis.
But Spiritus Fortitudinis / forfeetythȝ ful often.
For he dooþ more þan mesure / manye tymes & ofte.
& beetyþ men ouer bitterly / & summe bodijs to lytel.
& he greveþ men ofte grettere / þan good feyþ it wolde.
And Spiritus Iusticie / schal Iugge hym / wille he  nylle he 
After þe kyngis conseyl / þe comoun & he a-sente.
And Spiritus prudencie . / in manye poyntis shal fayle.
Of þat he weneþ wolde falle / if his wit ne were.
For wenyng is no wisdom / ne non wise ymagynacioun.
Homo proponit  & deus disponit . and gouerneþ alle.T
To goode vertues neede is next hym / for a-non he mekeþ.
& as lowh as a loomb / for lakkynge þat hym needyþ.
/ / [¶] For neede makþ fele / [nede] fele / for needys lowhȝ of herte.T
PhilosophresT for-soke welthe / for þey wolde ben nedy.
& wonedyn wol elengely / & wolde neuere ben ryche.
& god / alle his greete Ioye / of gostly he lefte.
& cam & took mankynde / & by-cam heere al needy.
He was so needy as seyþ þe book / in many sundry places.
Þat he seyde in his sorwe / on þe selue roode.
Boþe foox & fowl / may flee to hoole & creepe.
& þe fychȝ haþ fyn / to fleete with orT to reeste.
Þere neede haþ y-nome meP / þat y mote neede a-byȝde.
& suffre sorwis ful sowre / þat shulle to Ioyȝe turne.
For-þy be þou nowht abascht / to bowe & to be needy.
fol. 89rfol. 89r
SyttheC he þat wroghte al þe world / was wilfully needy.
Ne neuere noon so needy / ne noon porereP dyȝede.
Whan neede hadde nome me þus / a-noon y fel on slepe.
& mette ful mervilously / þat in a mannys forme.
Antecrist cam þanne / & alle þe croppis of trewthe.
Anon he turnede vp-so-doun / & vp-tild þe roote.
& made fals springe & sprede / & schendeT mennys nedysP
In euery cuntre þere he cam / he kytte awey trewþe.
& gart gyle growe þere / as he a god were.
Freeris folwide þat fend / for he fond hem coopis.
& fele relygious reuerensed hym / & runge ageyn hym belles.
& al þe Couent cam holly / to wolkome þat tyraunt.
& alle hise . as wel as hym / save oonly foolys.
Whiche were gladdere to dyȝe / þan to gon on lyve.T
& langoured so with lewte / & weren sore rebewkyd.
Of a fals feend antecrist / þat ouer alle folk reyghnede.
& þat weeT myȝlde holy men / þat no myschef dredde.
Defyden alle falsnesse / & þe folk þat it vsede.
& what kyng þat hym confortyde / knowynge hymT gyle.
Þey cursede hem & here conseyl / where he clerk or oþir.
Antecrist hadde sone / hundredes at his baner.
& Pride bar yt bareT / booldely a-bowte.
With a loord þat lyveþ / with lykynge of body.
Þan cam conscience / þat kepere was & gyour.
Ouer kende cristene / & Cardynale vertues
I conseyle quod Conscience þo / comeþ with me ȝe folis.
In-to vnyte of holy chirche / & holde we vs þere.
& criȝe we to keene kyngT / he come & defende vs.
Foolys / fram þe feendis lemes / for Peersis love
& criȝe we on alle þe comoune / þat þey comen to vnyte.
& þere a-byden & abykere a-geyn / belyalles children.
Kende consciense herde þo / & cam owt of þe planetis.
& sente a-fore hise foreoures / boþe feveris & fluxes.
& kowhes & Cardiaclis / crampis & toth-achis.
Rewhmes / & radegundes / & reynowse skalles.
& beelis & bocchis / & brennynge hagews.LG
fol. 89vfol. 89v
& frenesis & fowle evelis / alle weren ForaynerisT of kende.
Þey hadde pyked & prayed / pollis of þe peple.
Largely / a legioun / losten here lyȝf soone.
Þere was harow / & help / how þere cam keende.
With deeþ þat is dredful / to vndoon hem alle.
Þe lord þat lyvede after lust / þo lowde he cryȝede.
AfterT a komelyT knyght / to comen & bere his baner.
A-larme . a-larme / quod þat loord / ech man keep his owne.
Þanne menttyn / mettyn þese men / er menstralis myghte pipe.
& er herawdes of armes / hadde discriued lordys.
Þan Elde þe horelT / he hild þe vawnwarde.
& bar þe bar þe / bar þe baner by-fore deeþ / by ryght he it cleymede.
& keende cam after hym / with manye kenne soores.
As Pokkis & pestilencis / & myche peple he schente.
So keende with corupcionis kyllyde ful manye.
Þan cam deeþ dryvende / & alle to dust he daschede hem.T
Boþe kyngis . & knyghtis / & cayseris & popis.
Neyþir lewede ne lerede / he lefte non stande.
Þo þat he hitte evene / þat euere he sterede after.
Þan many a lovely Lady / for hire levis sake.T
Swounede & sweltride / for sorwe of dentis / de[th]is dyntis.
Þanne Conscience of his curtesie / to kende he be-sowhte.
To sese & suffre / & seen wheyþir þey wolde.
Leven pryȝde priuyly / & parfyȝtly lyve as cristene.
& keende sesede soneT / to seen þe peple a-mende.
& þanne gan Fortune flatre / þo fewe þat weren on lyve.
& by-hyghte hem long lyf / & leccheryȝe hem sente.
A-mong alle manere of men / weddid & vn-weddid.
& gadred a gret hoost / a-non a-geyn consciense.
Þis Leccheryȝe leyde oon / with lawhynge cheere.
& with prive speche / & propre peyntyd woordis.
& armed hym in ydelnesse / & in heyȝ berynge.
He bar a bowe in his hond / & manye broode arwes.
Þat were fedred with fair speche / & fele fals be-hestis.
& with vntyȝdyC talis / he teenede / ful ofte.
Consciense & his cumpany / of holy kyrkeT techeris.
Þanne cam Coueytyȝse / & caste how he myghte.
fol. 90rfol. 90r
Ouer-come Consciense / & Cardinale vertues.
& he armed hym in Auerise / & vngryly he lyvede.
& his wepnes were whyȝlisLG / to wynne & to holde.
With glosyngis & with gabbyngis / he gylede þe peple.
& Symonye he sente / to a-soyleT conscience.
& prechede to þe peple / & prelatis þey hem made.
To holde with antecrist / here temporaltes to save.
& come to þe kyngis conseyl / as a keene baroun.
& knelide to conscience / in court by-fore hem alle.
& maden good feythȝ to flee / & fals to a-byȝde.
& boldely bar doun / with manye a reedT noble.
Myche of þe wit & wyȝsdom / of west-menstre halle.
He Iusted a-geyn Iustises / & Iangled in his eere.T
& ouer-tylte al trewþe / with tak þis vp a-mendement
& þanne in-toT þe Archis / in haste he wente after.
& turnede Cyvile to Symonye / & sytthe he took þe officiale.
& for a menyver mantyl / he made leele matrimonye.
To departyn er deeþ cam / & a devoos he schapede.
Allas quod Conscience & criȝede / wolde crist of his grace.
Þat Coueytyse were cristene / þat is so keene to fyghte.
& bold / & a-byȝdynge / þe whyle his baggis lasten.
& þanne lowhȝ lyf lyghtly / & leet daggen hise cloþis.
& armed hym in haste / in harlotrie woordis.
& he heeld holynesse a Iape / & hendenesse a wastour.
He leet lewte a cherl / & lyȝere a freeman.
& boþe conscience & conseyl / he cowntid it but folye.
Þus relevede lyf / with a lytyl fortune.
& prikede forþ / with pride / & preysyng of no vertues
Ne he careþ nowht þat kende fleyȝ / [slowhȝ] / & shal come at þe laste.
& calleT alle erlyLG creatures / save conscience oone.
Lyf seyde occideT / & lawhte hym a lemman.
Heele & y quod he / & hyȝnesse of herte.
Shal do þe nowht dreede / neyþir deeþ ne elde.
But to for-ȝeete sorwe / & ȝeve nowht of synne.
Þis lessoun lykede lyf / &P his lemman Fortune.
& geetyn in here glorie / a gadelyng at þe laste.
On þat mys-wroghteT / slewhte was his name.
Slewþe wex wondir ȝeerne / & was soone of age.
fol. 90vfol. 90v
& weddide oon wanhope / a wenche of þe styves.
Hire syre was a sysour / þat neuere swoor trewþe.
On Thomme þe / [two] tonge / a-teynt in euery qwestis.
Slewþe was waarT of þis werre / and a slynge he made.
& þrew drede in dispayr / a doseynT myle a-bowte.
For care Conscience þo / cryȝede vpon Elde.
& bad fonde to fyghte / & a-feere whanhope.
& Elde hente good hope / & hastely he hyȝedT hym.
& weyvid a-wey whanhope / & with lyf he fyghteþ.
& lyȝf fleyȝ for feere / to fysyȝk after helpe.
& by-sowhte hym of sokour / & of his salve he hadde.
& gaf hym gold goodP whone / þat gladid his herte.
& he gaf hym a-geyn / a glaseneP howe.
Lyf be-leevede þat lechecraft / lettyn sholde elde.
& to dryveT a-wey deþ / with dayesT þo / [&] dragges.LX
& Elde awntrid hym on lyf / & at þe laste hym hytte.
On a Fisisian with a furrid hood / þat he fel in a pallasy.
& þere dyȝede þat doctour / er thre dayes after.
Now{}T see seyde lyf / þat surgeryȝe ne fysyȝk
May not a-vayle a myte / to medle a-geyn Elde.
& in hope of his heele / good herte he hente.
& rood so to revele ryght / a ryche myryȝe place.
Þe cumpanye of confort / men clepid it sum-tyȝme.
& Elde a-noon after hym / ouer myn heed wente.
& made me ballyd by-fore / & bare . on þe crowne.
So harde he ȝeede ouer myn heed / it wille be sene euere.
Sire evele y-tawht Elde quod y  vn-heende goo with þe.
Sytthe whanne was þe wyde way / ouer mennys heedis.
Haddist þou been hende quod y  þou woldist have askid leve.
Ȝee  leeue lurdeyn quod he  & leyde on me with age.
& hytte me vndir þe eere / þat vnneþe may y heere.
& beet me a-bowte þe mowþ / & buscht out myn wang-teeþ.
& he be-gylede me with þe gowte / y may not goo at large.
& of þe woo þat y was Inne / myC wif hadde rewthe
& wischede often witterly / y hadde ben in hevene.
For þe lyme she lovid me fore / þat leef she wasT feele.
On nyghtis namely / wan we nakyd weren.
I ne myghte in no manere / make it at hire wille
So eelde & þe gowte & sheT / hadde yt for-beete.
Þus was y set with sorwe / y seeyȝ myn stat passede.
& deeþ drowh neer me / for drede y gan qwaken.
fol. 91rfol. 91r
& y criede to kende / owt of care me brynge.
& seyde loo  Elde þe hoore / haþ myn lyfT be-seyȝe.
A-wreke me if ȝoure wille be / for wendyn hens y wolde.
If þou wilt ben y-wroke quod he / wende vn-to vnyte.
& holde þe þere euere / tyl y seende for the.
& looke þou kunne sum craft / er þou come þennis.
Conseyle me quod y þo / what craft y myȝhte leerne.
Leerne to love quod keende / & leve alle oþire craftys.
How shal y come to catel so / to cloþe me & feede.
& þou love leelly / lakke shalt þou neuere.
WedeP ne worldly meete / whilis þy lyf lasteþ.
& þere be conseile of kende / heT comsede to roome.
Þorghȝ contricioun & confessioun / tyl y cam to vnyte.
& þere he was mad a cunstable / cristene to saven.T
He was by-seged soþly / with sevene grete Geauntis.
Þat with antecrist heelden / harde a-geyn conscience.
Þan slewthe with his slynge / an hard sawht he made.
Prowde preestis keme with hym / passynge an hundred.
In paltokes & pikede schoos / & pisserys ful longe.T
Þey kemen a-geyn Conscience / & with coueytise þey helden.
Be Marye quod a manschid prest / was of þe march of Irelond.
I a-cownte no more Conscience / be so y cacche syluer.
Þan y doo / to drynke a drawht / of good staleT ale.
& with hym swooren syxty moo / of þe same cuntre.
& gunne for / for [to] scheete faste / þykke scheef oþis.T
& broode hokede arwes / with goddis herte . & nayles.
& hadden al-moost vnyte / & holynesse a-downe.
Conscience criede help to Clergie / or ellis y now falle.
Þorghȝ inparfyȝt prestys / & prelatis of holy chirche.
Freris herden criȝen / & kemen hym to helpe.
But for þey cowde not wel here craft / conscience for-sook hem.
Þanne neede neyȝhede hem neer / & conscience he tolde.
Þat þey keme for no coueytyseT / to have cure of sowlys.
& for þey / þey [are] poore / & patrymonye hem fayleþ.
Þey wille flatere to fare weel / of folk þat been ryche.
& sytthe þey chosen chele / & chastite & pouertT
Let hem cheveLX as þey chose / & charge hem with no cure.T
ForT sytthen Freris for-soke / felyciteT of erthe.
Let hem been as beggerys / or lyve by angelis foode.
Þan Conscience for þis conseil / comsedT for to lawhe.
& curteysly he comfortyd hem / & callid in alle freris.
fol. 91vfol. 91v
& seyde syres soþly / wolkome be ȝee alle.
To vnyte & to holy chirche / but .o. þyng y ȝow praye.
Holdiþ ȝow with vnyte / haþ non envyȝe.
To lewede ne to lerede / but lyveþ after ȝoure rewle.
& y wille be ȝoure borghȝ / ȝee shulle have breed & cloþis.
& oþire necessaries y-nowe / for ȝee shal no þyng lakke.
So þat ȝee leve logyȝk / & leerneþ for to lovye.
& þan leefte for love / lond . lordchepe & skole.T
Boþe fraunceys & domnyk / for love to ben holy.
& if ȝee coueyte kures / kende wille ȝow tellyn.
Þat in mesure god made / alle maner of þyngys.
& sette hem in a serteyn / & in a sykir numbre.
& nempned hem names / & newe numbredT þe sterris.
Qvi numerat multitudinem stellarum  & omniaT eis.T
Kyngis & knyghtis . þat kepen men to defende hem /
Have officeris vndir hem / of ech of hem a serteyn.
& if þey wage men to werre / þey wryten hem in numbre
Ellys wille no tresorer take hem wages / trauayle þey ner so sore
Alle oþire in batayle ben y-holde / but brybouris by-syȝde.
As Piloures & pyȝkharneys / in euery parsch a-cursyd.
Boþe munkes & Monyalis / & alle men of relygioun
Þer is in here rewle welT / to have a serteynn numbre.
Of lerede & of lewede / þe lawe wil it aske.
A serteyn for serteyn / save oonly þe frerys.
For-þy  quod Consciense be crist / kende wit me tellyþ.
It is wikke to wage ȝow / ȝee wexen ouer onyT numbre.
Hevene haþ evene numbre / & helle is owt of serteyn.T
For-þy y wolde wyttyrly / ȝee weren in þat registre.
& ȝowre numbre vndir notarie signe / neyþir mo ne lesse.
Þanne Envie herde þis / & heet freris goon to scole.
& leerne logyk & lawe / & leeve Contemplacioun.
& preche men of plato / & preven it be Seneca.
Þat alle þyngis vndir heuene / awhte been in comoun.
He lyeþ as y leve / þat to þe lewede so prechen.
For god made to men a lawe / & Moyses hem tawhte.
Non concupisces rem proximi tui.
& evele is þis y-holde / in InnesT of Ingelond.
For parsones & parsche prestis / þat sholde þe peple shryve
Ben curatoures callide / to knowe & heele.
fol. 92rfol. 92r
& alle þat been here parschenes / penances to en-Ioynen.
& been a-schamed / to telle here schryfte / & þerfore þey wende.
& fleen to þe frerys / as fals folk doon to westmenstre.
& borweth & beryþ it þidir / & þanne he byddis frendys.
FulP ȝeerne forȝevenesse / or lengere þey bleve þere.T
Bu / Bu[t] whille he is in westmenstre / he wille ben by-fore.
& makeþ hym meryȝe / with oþere mennys goodis.
& so it falliþ with myche folk / þat to Freres hemT schryuethȝ
As sysoures & executoures / þey shulle ȝeve þe freris.
A parcele to praye for hem / & with þe remnaunt make meryȝe.T
Of þe residue of þe goodT / þat oþere men by-swonken.
& suffre þe dede in helle lyȝnT / tyl þe day of dome.
Þanne Envie herfore / hatede consciense.
& Frerys to philosophie / he fond hem to skole.
Whilis Coueytyse & vnkendenesse / Conscience a-saylede.
In vnyte holy chirche / & holy chirche withheld hym.T
& made Pees porter / to pynne wel þe ȝatys.
Of alle tale tellerys / & totelerys of ydelte.T
Þan ypocrisie at þe ȝate / harde gan fyghte.
& woundid wol wikkidly / many a wyȝs techere.
Þat with conscience a-cordid / & cardinale vertues.
Þan Conscience callid a leche / þat cowde wel skryve.
To salue þo / þat syke weren / & þorghȝ synne y-woundid.
Schryfte shoop scharp salue / & made men don penaunce.
For here mysdedis / þat þey wroght hadden.
& þat peers were payed / Redde quod debes.
Summe lykede nowht þis leche / & lettris þey sente.
If ony surgien were in þe sege / þat softere cowde plastre.
Sire lyfT to lyve in leccheryȝe / lay þere & gronede.
For fastynge of a fryday / he feerde as / as [he] wolde dyȝe.
Þere is a surgyen in þis seege / þat softe can handle.
& moore of fysyȝk he can be feer / & fayrere he plastreþ.
On frere flatere ys boþe fysisen & surgyen.
Quod Contricioun to conscience / do hym come to vnyte.
For heere / heere [is] many a man hert / þorghȝ ypocrisyȝe.
We have no neede quod conscience / I not noP bettre leche.
Þan Parsoun or parsche prest / pentawncer or bischop.
Save Pers þe plowman / þat power haþT ouer al.
& Indulgence may doo / but if dette it lette.
fol. 92vfol. 92v
/ / [¶] I may wel suffre quod conscience / sytthe ȝee disyre.
Þat Frere flaterere be feet / & fysyȝk ȝow seeke.
Þe Frere here-of heerde / & hyȝede ful faste.
To a loord for a lettre / leeve to have to curen.
And as a curatour he were / he cam with his lettre.T
Boldely to þe byschop / & hys breef he hadde.
In cuntrees þere he cam / confessionys to heere.
& he cam þere Consciense was / & knokkyde at þe ȝate.
/ / [¶] & pees vn-pynned it / þat was porter of vnyte.
& in haste he askede / what þat his wille were.
In feyþ quod þis Frere / for profyȝt & for helthe.
Carpen y wolde with Contricioun / & þis is my cawse.T
/ / [¶] He is seek / seyde pees / & so are manye oþere.
Ypocrisye haþ hurt hym / hard is if he kyuere.
I am a surgyen seyde þe Frere / salues can y make.
Conscience knoweth me wel / & what y can do boþe.
/ / [¶] I praye þe quod pees þoo / er þou passe furthere.
What hattist þou hyghtlyT / & hele nowht þy name
Þe Frere seyde properlyT / syre penetrans domos.T
/ / [¶] Ȝee goo þy gate quod pees / by god for al þy fysyȝk.
But þou kunne more craft / þou komest nowht heere-Inne.
I knew swich oon ones / nowht ooT ȝeer y-passid.
Cam þus In y-cooped / at a court þere y wiste.
& was my lordis leche / & my ladies boþe.
& at þe laste þat lymytour / þo myn lord was owte.
He saluede so oure wommen / tyl sixe or seuene were grete.T
Hende speche badT Pees þoo / to openeP þe ȝatis.
& lete in þe frere & his felawe / & mak hem fair chere.
He may seen his syknesse / er so may be-falle.T
Þat lyf þorghȝ his loore / shal leven Coveytyse.
& ben a-dred of deeþ / & with-drawe hym fram pride.
& a-corde with conscience / & kissen eyþir oþir.
/ / [¶] Þus þorghȝ heende speche / in entrid þo frerys.
& kemen in to Conscience / & curteysly hym grette.
Þou art wolkome quod Conscience / canstow heele syke.
Here is Contricioun quod Conscience / myn cosyn y-woundyd.
Conforte hym with conseylT / take keep to hise soores.
Þe plastris of þe parsoun / & þe powdres byte so soore.
He leet hem lyggyn ouer-longe / & looþ is to change hem.
fol. 93rfol. 93r
Fram lentene tyl lentene / he leet hise plastrisP byȝte.
Þat is ouer-longe quod þis lymytour / y leeve y shal a-mende it.
& he gooþ & gropeþ contricioun / & gaf hym a plastre.
Of a prive pynement / y shal preyȝe for ȝow.
& for alle þat been holde too / al my lyf-tyme.
& make of ȝow memoryT / in messe & in matynys.
Alle þe Freris of oure fraternete / for a lytyl syluer.
/ / [¶] Þus he gooþ & gadreþ gold / & glosenT þere he schryveþ.
Tyl contricioun haue cleene for-ȝeete / for criȝeng & for wepynge.T
& for wakyng for hise wikkide werkis / þat he was whont to doone.
For confort of his confessoure / contricioun he leefte.
Þat is þe souereynest salue / for alle kenne synnes.
Þat seeyȝ slewthe wel / & ryght so dyde priȝde.
& keme with a keene willeC conscience to asayle.
& Conscience criede eft / & bad Clergie helpe hym.
& also contricioun / for to keepe þe ȝaate.
/ / [¶] He lyȝþ & dreemeþ seyȝde pees / & so dooþ many a-noþir.
Þe frere with his fysyȝk / þis folk haþ soT enchawntyd.
& plastred hem so esely / þey dreedyn no syȝknesse.T
By crist quod Conscience þo / y wille be-come a pilgrym.
& walken as wyde / as þe world askeþ.T
To seke peers Plowhman / þat pryȝde he myȝhte stroyȝe.T
For he countrepletyþ me conscience / now kende me avenge.
& sende me hap & heele / tyl y have pers plowhman.
So sore he gradde after grace / þat be-gan / [y] be-ganT a-wake.
Explicit