Passus xiijus / terciodecimus · de visione · & vjus / sextus · de do-weel ·
And y awakyd þerwyth · wytles nere hande ·
and as a freke that free were · foorþ gan y walke ·
and of þese metynges many tymes · muche þouȝt y hadde
furst how fortune me fayled · at my moste nede ·
¶C And how þat elde manasyd me · mygth we euere mete ·
and how þat frerys folwyd · folk{e} that were ryche
and folk{e} þat were pouere · atte lytyll prys þey sette ·
and none cors yn her kyrke-ȝerde · ne yn her kyrk was buryed
but quyk he byquaþ hem ougth · or schulde helpe quyte her dettys
and how þys couetyse ouercom · clerkes and preestys
and how lewyd men ben ladde · but our lorde hem helpe
thurgh vnkunynge creatures · to yncurableC peynes ·
¶ And how that ymagynatyf · yn dremes me tolde
of kynde and of his kunyngeC · and how curteys he ys to bestys
and how louynge he is to bestys · on londe and on watre ·
leeneth he no lyf{e} · lasse nor more ·
¶ The creatures that crepyn of kynde · they ben engendryd
and sytthen how ymagynatyf seyde · vix saluabitur iustus ·
and whan he hadde seyde so · how sodeynly he passyd ·
¶ I lay doun longe yn þys thougth · and atte the laste slepte ·
and as cryst wolde þercome / þer come conscyence · and conforted me þat tyme ·
and bad me come to his court · wyþ clergye y schulde dyne
and for conscyence of clergye spak · y com well þe rather
and þere y seiȝe amayster / a mayster · what man he was y nyste ·
þat lowe loutyd and louelyche · vnto scrypture
¶ Conscyence knewe hym well · and welcomyd hym fayre ·
they wesschen and wypedyn · and wenten to þe dyner
ac pacyence yn þe paleys stood · yn pylgrimes clothes
and prayde mete for charyte · for a poore heremyte ·
conscyence callyd hym yn · and curteysly seyde ·
welcome wy{e} go and wasch{e} · thu schalt sytte sone
¶ This mayster was maad sytte · and for þe moste wurthy
and thanne clergye and conscyence · and pacyence com after
pacyence and y · weren putte to be macchis
and setyn by our-sylue · atte the syde-boord
conscyence callyd after mete · and þanne cam scripture
and seruyd hym thus sone · of sundry metys manye ·
of austyn and ambrose · and of þe foure euaungelystes
Edentes & bibentes · que apud eos sunt · & cetera
¶ Ac this mayster ne his man · nomaner / no maner flesch etyn ·
ac þey etyn mete of more cost · mortrelles and potages
of that men myswonnyn · they madyn hem well at ese ·
ac her sauce was ouersour · and vnsauourly groundyn ·
yn a morter post mortem · of many bytter peyne
but ȝif they synge for þe soules · and wepe salte teres ·
Vos qui peccata hominum co{m}meditis · nisi pro eis lacrimas & orationes
effu{n}deritisT ea que in delicijs · comeditis in tormentis euometis · cetera
¶ Conscyence full curteysly þoo · comaundyd scrypture
byfore pacyence breed to brynge · & me þat was his macche ·
¶ He sette a soure loof before vs · & seyde agite penitenciam
and sytthe he brougth vs drynke · dya perseuerans ·
as longe quod y as y leue · and lykam may endure
¶ There is propre seruyce quod pacyence · þerfaryth / þer faryth no prin{.}ce bettre ·
and he brought us of beati quorum · of beatus virrys makynge
Et quorum tecta sunt peccata · & cetera yn a dysch ·
Of derne schryfte dixi · and confitebor tibi
¶ bryng{e} pacyence sum pytaunce priuylyche quod conscyence ·
and þanne hadde pacyence a pytaunce · pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus ·
and conscyence confortyd vs · and carpyd þus mery talys ·
Cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies · & cetera ·
¶ Pacyence tho was proud · of þat propre seruyce ·
and made hym merthe wyth his mete · ac y moornyd euere ·
for þys doctor on this hyȝe benche · drank{e} wyn so faste
ve vobis qui potentes estis · ad bibendum vinum · & cetera ·
¶ He eet many sundry metys · morterels and puddynggys
wombecloutys / wombe cloutys and wylde braun · and egges fryed wyth grece ·
than seyde y to my-sylf{e} so · pacyence yt herde ·
it is nougth four dayes that this frek{e} · byfore þe deen of poules ·
prechid of penaunces · that poule the apostle suffryde ·
in fame & frigore · and flappys of scourgys
Ter cesus sum & a iudeis quinquies quadragenas · & cetera ·
¶ Ac oo woord they ouerhyppyn · at eche tyme þat þey preche ·
that poule yn his pystyll · to alle the peple tolde ·
Periculum est in falsis fratribus · & cetera ·
¶ Holy wrytt{e} byddeþ men be war · y wol naugth wryte it here
on englysch yn auenture · yt schulde be rehercyd to ofte ·
and greue þerwyþ good men · ac gramaryens schulde rede ·
vnusquisque a fratre suo se custodiat · quia vt dicitur
Periculum est in falsi{t}s fratribus · & cetera ·
¶ For y wyste neuere freke · þat a frere ȝede · byfore men on englysch ·
takyn it for his teme · and tellyn · wyþ-oute glosynge ·
they prechyn þat penaunce is · prophitable to the soule ·
and what myscheef and malese · cryst for man þoled
¶ Ac þis goddys glotoun quod y · wyth his grete chekes ·
haþ no pyte on vs pouere · he performeth euele
þat he precheþ he preueþ nougth · to pacyence y tolde
and wusschid full wytterly · wyth wylle full egre
þat dysches and dobelers · byfore þys ylke doctor ·
were moltyn leed yn his mawe · and mahound amyddys
y schall iangle to this yurdan wyth his iuste wombe
to telle me what pacyence is · of whiche he prechid raþer ·
¶ Pacyence parceyuyd þat y þougth · & wynkyd on me to be stylle ·
and seyde thu schalt se thus sone · whan he may nomore ·
he schall haue a penaunce yn his paunce · and puffe at eche woord ·
and þanne schull his guttys gothelyn · and he schal galpyn after
for now he haþ dronkyn so depe · he woll dyuyne sone ·
and preuyn it by her pocalyps · and passyon of seynt auereynes
that noþer bacoun ne braun · blamanc / blaman[ger] no morterels
ys nother fysch nor flesch · but food for a penaunt ·
and þanne schall he testifye · it of þe trynyte · & take his felaw to wytnes
what he fonde yn a frayel · after a frerys lyuynge
and but he furste lyue by lesynge · leue me neuere after
and þanne is tyme to take · and to oppose þys doctor
of do-wel and dobet · and ȝif do-best be any penaunce
and y sat stylle as pacyence seyde · and þus sone this doctor ·
also {..}rudy as a rose · ruddud his chekys
{.....}coughed and carpide · and conscyence hym herde
and tolde hym of a trynyte · and toward vs he lokede
¶ What is dowel sere doctor quod y · is dowel any penaunce
¶ Dowel quod this doctor · and took the cuppe and drank
doo noon euyl to thy euencrystyne · nougth by þy powere
¶ by this day sere doctor quod y · þan be ȝe nougth yn dowel ·
for ȝe han harmyd vs two · yn þat ȝe ete þe puddyng
morterellys and oþer mete · and we no morsel hadde ·
and ȝif ȝe fare so yn ȝowr fermorye · ferly me þynketh ·
but cheste be þere as charyte schulde be · & ȝong chyldryn durst playne
y wolde permute my penaunce · wyþ ȝoure · for y am yn puynt to dowel ·
¶ Thanne conscyence curteysly · a contynaunce he made ·
and preynte vpon pacyence · to praye me to be stylle
and seyde hym-sylf {...?...}sire doctour · and it be ȝour wylle ·
what is dowel and do-bet · {...}ȝhe dyuy{....}nes knoweth ·
dowel quod þis doctor · do as clerkys techeth
and dobet ys he that techeth · and trauayleþ to teche oþre
and doiþbest dooþ hym-self{e} so · as he seyth and preueth ·
Qui facit & docuerit · magnus vocabitur in regno celorum · & cetera
¶ Now{e} thu clergye quod conscyence · carpyst what is dowel ·
{..}y haue seuene sonys he seyth · seruyn yn a castel ·
þere þe lord of lyf wonyeþ · to lerne hem what ys dowel
tyl y see þoo seuene · and my-sylf{e} accordyn ·
y am vnhardy quod he · to any wygth to preue yt
for {.}on peris the ploughman · haþ ynpugnyd vs alle
and sette alle scyences atte a sop · saue loue one
and no texte ne takeþ · to ma{......}yntene his cause
but diligo deum and domine quis habitabit ·
and seith that dowel and dobet ar two ynfynytes
whyche ynfynytes wyth a feith · fyndyn oute dobest
whiche schall saue mannys soule · þys seyþ peris ploughman ·
¶ I can nougth her-onne quod conscyence · ac y knowe wel peris
he wyll nougth aȝen holy wrytt spekyn · y dar wel vndurtake
thanne passe we ouer tyl perys come · and preue þys yn dede
that no clerke ne can · as cryst bereþ wytnesse
Pacientes vincunt · & cetera ·
¶ Ac ȝour prayer quod pacyence tho · so noman dysplese hym ·
disce {...?...?...}quod he & doce · & dilige inimicos ·
disce and dowel doce and dobet dilige and dobest · þus taugth me onys
a lemman that y louyde · loue was her name · T
wyþ woordys and wyþ werkys quod sche and wyll of þyn herte ·
thu loue lely thy soule · all þy lyf{e}-tyme ·
and so þu lere the to louye · for þe lordes loue of heuene
thyn enemy yn alle wyse · euene foorþ wyth þy-sylue
caste colys on his hed · of alle kyn speche
boþe wyþ werkys and wyþ woordys · fonde his loue to wynne
and leye on hym þus wyþ loue · tyl he laugh on thee
and but he bowe for his betyng · blynde moot he worthe
¶ Ac forto fare þus wyþ þy frende · fol{y}ye it were
for he þat loueþ þe lely · lytyl of thyn coueyteþ
kynde loue coueyteþ nougth · no catel but speche
yn a sygne of þe saturday · þat sette ferst þe calender
and all · þe wytt of þe wednysday · of þe next wyke after
þe myddel of þe mone · as þe nygth of boþe
and herwyth am y welcome · þere y haue it wyþ me
¶ Vndo it late þys doctor deme · ȝif dowel be þerynne
for by hym þat me made · mygth neuere pouerte
mysayse ne myscheef · ne man wyþ his tonge
colde ne care ne companye of the{...}uys ·
ne neyþer hete ne hayl{e} · ne none helle powke
ne neyþer fuyre ne flood · ne fere of þyn enemy
tene þe any tyme · and thu take it wyth þe
Caritas nichil timet · & cetera
¶ It is but a dydo quod þis doctor adysours / a dysours tale
al þe wytt of þys world{e} and wygth mennys strenkþe ·
can nougth conformen a pees · bytwene þe pope & his enemys
ne bytwene two crystyn kynges · can no wygth pees make
prophitable to eyþer peple · and putte þe table from hym ·
and took clergye and conscyence to counseyl as it were
þat pacyence {...?...}tho moste passe · for pylgrimes connyn wel lye
¶ And conscyence carpid wyde · and curteysly seyde ·
frendes fareþ wel · and fayre spak to clergye
for y woll go wyth þys gome · ȝif god woll gyue me grace ·
and be pylgrym · wyþ pacyence · tyl y haue preuyd more ·
¶ What quod clergye to conscyence · are ȝe coueytous nowthe ·
after ȝeresȝyues or ȝiftes · or ȝernyn to rede redels ·
y schall brynge ȝow{e} abyble / a byble · a book of þe olde lawe
and lere ȝow ȝif ȝow{e} lyke the leste poynt to knowe ·
þat pacyence {...}the pylgrym · parfytly knewe euere ·
¶ Nay by cryst quod conscyence to clergye · god þe furȝelde
for all that pacyence me profreþ · proud am y lytyl
ac the wylle of þe wye · and þe wylle of folke here ·
haþ meuyd my mood · to moorne for my synnys
þe good wylle of a wygth · was neuere bouȝt to þe fulle
for þere is no tresor þerto · vnto a trewe wylle
¶ Hadde nougth magdaleyn more · for a box of salue ·
than zacheus for he seyde · dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus
and the pore wydewe · for a peyre of mytes ·
than all tho that offredyn · ynto gazophilacium
¶ Thus curteysly conscyence · congeyed furst the frere ·
and suþþyn softly he seyde · yn clergyes ere ·
me were leuer by our lord · and y lyue schulde
Haue pacyence parfytly · þan half þy packe of bookes ·
¶ Clergye to conscyence · no congeye woold take ·
but seide full sobrely · thu schalt see þe tyme ·
whan thu art wery for-walkyd · wyl me to counseyle ·
¶ That is sooþ seyde conscyence · so me god helpe
ȝif pacyence be our partynge felawe · & priuee wyþ vs boþe ·
ther is no woo yn this world{e} · þat we ne schulde amende
and conformyn kynges to pees · and alkyn londys
sarrasenys and surres · and so foorþ alle the iewys
turne into þe trewe feyth · and ynto oon byleue
¶ That is sooþ quod clergye · see what thu meneste
y schall dwelle as y do · my deuer to schewyn
and conferme fauntekyns · & oþer folke y-leryd
tyl pacyence haþ preuyd þe · and parfit þe makyd ·
¶ Conscyence þo wyþ pacyence passyd · pylgrimages as it were ·
þan had pacyence as pylgrymes han · yn his poke vytayles
soberte and symple speche · and soþfaste byleue
to confortyn hym and conscyence · ȝif þey come yn place ·
there vnkyndenesse and couetyse · arn hungry contrees bothe ·
¶ And as they wentyn by the weye · of dowel they carpid
þey mettyn wyþ amenstrel / a menstrel · as me thoo thougth ·
pacyence opposyd hym ferst · and prayde he schulde hym telle
to conscyence what craft{e} he cou{.}de · & to what contre he wolde
¶ y am a mynstral quod þat man · myn name is actiua
alle ydelnesse y hate · for of actif is myn name
a wafrer woll ȝe wyte · and serue many lordes ·
and fewe robys y fonge · or furryd gownys
coude y lyȝe to don men laughe · þan lacchyn y schulde
oþer mantell oþer moneye amonges lordys mynstrals
ac for y can nougth noþer tabour ne trumppe · ne telle none Iestys
fartyn nor fythelyn · and atte festys iapyn ·
harpyn nor iogoloun · ne gentelly pypyn ·
neyþer saylyn ne sauten · ne synge wyþ þe gyterne ·
for breed that y brynge foorth · saue a benysoun on þe sonynday ·
whan þe preest preyȝeþ þe peple · her pater noster to bydde ·
for {.}pers the ploughman · and þat hym profyte w{o}aytyn ·
and þat am y actyf · that ydelnesse hateth
for alle trewe traueylours · and tylyers of erthe
fro myȝhelmasse to myȝhelmasse · y fynde hem wyth wafres
¶ Beggers and bydders · of my breed crauyn ·
faytours and frerys · and folk{e} wyþ brode crownys
y fynde payn for þe pope · and prouendre for his palfray
and y hadde neuere of hym · haue god my trowthe
neyþer prouendre ne personage · ȝit of þe popes ȝifte ·
saue a pardoun wyth a peys of lede · and two pollys amyddys
hadde y a clerke þat cowde wryte · y wolde castyn hym a bylle
that he sente me vndur his seal · a salue for þe pestylence ·
and þat his blessynge and his bulles · bocches myghten destruye ·
In nomine meo demonia eicient super egros manus imponent & bene habebunt ·
¶ And þanne wolde y be preest to peple · pa{...}ast forto make
and buxum and besy · a-boute breed and drynke ·
for hym and alle hyse · fonde y þat his pardoun
myght lechyn a man · as y byleue it schulde
for seþþe he haþ þe power · þat peter hym-self hadde
he haþ the potte wyþ þe salue · soþly as me þynkeþ
Argentum & aurum non est michi quod autem habeo
tibi do in nomine domini surge & ambula & cetera
¶ Ac ȝif mygth of myracle hym fayle · it is for men be nougth wurþy
to haue the grace of god · and no gulte of the pope
for may no blyssynge don vs bote · but ȝif we woln amende
ne mannys masse make pes · amonge crysten peple
tyl pryde be purly fordo · and þat {.....} þurgh p{...}ayn deffaute ·
or y haue breed of mele · efte moot y swete ·
and or þe comoun haue corn ynow · many a colde mornynge
so er my wafrys ben y-wrougth · moche wo y þolye ·
¶ Ac londone y leeue · lyketh well my wafrys
and louryn whan þey lackyn it · it is nougth longe passyd
ther was a carfull comoun · whan no cart cam to toune
wyþ breed fro stratford · tho g{..}un beggers wepe
and werkmen were agast alytyl / a lytyl · þis wyl ben þouht longe
yn the date of our dryȝtneT · yn a dryȝe apryle ·
a thowsand and thre hundryd {...?...?...}syxty and nyneT.
my wafres were þere gesene · whan chichestre was mayre
¶ I took keep good by cryst · and conscyence bothe
of haukyn þe actyf man · and how he was y-clothid
he hadde a cote of crystendom · as holycherche byleueth
ac it was molyd yn many placys · wyþ many sundry {...}spottys
of scornynge and of ofof scoffynge · and of vnskylfull berynge
as yn apparayle and yn porte · proud amonges þe peple
oþerwyse þan he haþ · wyth herte or sygth schewynge ·
hym wyllynge that all men wende he were þat he is nougth
forwhi he bosteþ and braggeþ · wyþ many bolde othes
and ynobedyent to ben vndurnome · of eny lyf lyuynge
and so synguler by hym-self noon so pomp holy ·
y-abytyd as an heremyte · an ordre by hem-selue
religyoun sanz reule · and resonable obedyence
lackynge lettryd men · and lewyd men bothe
yn lykynge of lele lyfe · and a lyȝere yn soule
wyþ ynwytt and wyþ out-wytt · ymagynen and studye
as best for his body be · to haue a badde name
and entermentyn ouer al · þere he haþ nougth to done
wylnynge þat men wolde · his wytt were þe beste
and ȝif he ȝyueþ ouȝt to poore gomes · telle what he deleþ
poore of poscessioun yn purs · and yn coffre boþe
and as a lyoun on to looke · and lordlyche of speche
¶ Baldest of beggers · a bostere þat nougth haþ
yn towne and yn tauernys · tales to telle ·
and segge thynge þat he neuere saw{e} · & for a sooþ sweryn yt
of dedys þat he neuere dude · demyn and bosten ·
and of werkes that he well dude · wytnesse and syngyn
Loo ȝif ȝe leeue me nougth · or þat y lyȝe ȝe wenen ·
askeþ at hym or at hym · and he ȝow can telle ·
what y suffryd and seyȝe · and sumtyme hadde
and what y cou{..}de and knew{e} · and what kyn y com of
all he wolde þat men wyste · of werkes and of woordes
whiche mygthen plese þe peple and preysen hym-selue
Si hominibus placerem christi seruus non essem · & alibi · nemo potest duobus dominis seruire ·
¶ By cryst quod concyence tho · thi beste cote haukyn ·
hath many molys and spottys · it muste ben y-wasche
¶ Ȝee who-so took hede quod haukyn · byhynde and byfore
what on bakke and what on body half · and by the two sydes ·
men schuldyn fynde many frounsys · and many foule plottes
and he turnyd hym all so tyt{e} · and thanne took y hede
yt was fouler felefolde · þan it furst semyde
yt was by-droppid wyth wratthe · and wykkyd wylle
wyþ enuye and euyll {......}speche entysynge to fygthe ·
lyȝinge and lauhinge · and leefe tongge to chideC
all þat he {...?...?...}wiste wikked be eny wyght it telle
and blamen men byhynd her bak · and byddyn hem meschaunce
and þat he wyste by wylle · tellyn it to watte
and þat watte wyste · wylle wyste it after
and made of frendys fos · þurgh a fals tongge
or wyþ mygth of mouþ · or þurgh mennys strengþe
auenge me fele tymes · other frete my-sylue
wyþ-ynne as a schepsters schere · y scherewyd men and cursyd hem ·
Cuius maladiccione os plenum est · & amaritudine sub lingua eius labor
& dolor · & alibi · Filij hominum dentes eorum arma et sagitte & lingua
eorum gladius acutus · & cetera ·
¶ There is no lyf þat y loue · lastynge any while
for tales þat y telle · noman trosteþ to me ·
that y cacche þe crompe · the cardyacle sumtyme
or an augue / ague yn such a manere · & sumtyme a feuere
þat heldeþ me all a twelue monthe tyl þat y despyse
lechecrafte of our lord · and leeue on a wycche
and sygge þat no clerke ne can · ne cryst as y leeue ·
to þe souter of southwerke · or of schordych dame Emme ·
and sugge that goddes woord · gaf{e} me neuere bote
but þurgh a cha{....}rm hadde {y}y hele · & of þe feuere {....}bote ·
¶ y waytede wyseloker · and thanne was yt soylyd
wyþ lykynge of leccherye and by lokyng of his yȝe ·
for echa / ech a mayde þat he mette · he made here a sygne
semynge to synnewarde · and sumtyme he gan taste ·
aboute þe mouþ or by-neþe · bygynneþ to grope
tyl eyþres wylle wexeþ kene · & to þe werke ȝede
as well on fastynge-dayes and frydayes · & forbod nyȝtes ·
and as wel yn lent as out of lente · al tymys ylyche
such werkys wyþ hem · were neuere out of seysoun ·
tyl þey myghtyn nomore · and þan mery talys ·
& how þat lecchours louyen · laughtyn / laughyn and iapen ·
& of her harlotrye & hordom · yn her elde tellyn ·
¶ Than pacyence parceyuyd · of poyntes of this cote
was comely þurgh couetyse · and vnkynde desyrynge
more to good þan to god · the goom his loue caste ·
& ymagyned how · he yt mygth haue ·
wyþ fals mesurys and met{te} and wyþ fals wytnes
lenyd for loue of þe wed{de} and looþ to do trewþe ·
& mengyd his marchaundyse & made a good moustre
þe werst wyþ-ynne was y-stuffyd · a gret wytt y let it
& if my neyhbour hadde any hyne · or elles eny beest
more prophitable þan myne · many sleyhtes y made ·
how y mygth haue it · and all my wytt y keste
& but y hadde it by other weye · at þe last y stal it
or priuylyche his purs schook · vnpykyd his lockes
or by nygth or by daye · aboutyn was y euere
þurgh gyle to gadryn · the good that y haue ·
¶ Ȝif y ȝede to the plough · y pynchid so narwe
þat a foot lond or a forowe · fecchyn y wolde
of my nexte neyhbour · nymyn of his erþe ·
& if y repe y ouerreche · or ȝ{...}eue h{..}em red {...?...}þat ropen
{...?...}to sese me wyþ her sykell · þat y ne sew neuere ·
¶ And who-so borweþ of me · {.......}abouthte the tyme
wyþ presentys priuylyche · or payde sum certayn ·
so wolde he or nouht wolde he · {......}wynnyn {y}y · wolde
and boþe to kyth and to kyn · vnkynd of þat y hadde
¶ And who-so cheped my chaffare · chidyn y wolde ·
{...?...?...}but he profered me to paye a peny or tweyne
more þan yt was wurth · and ȝit wolde {y}y swere
that it coste me moche more · y swoor many oþes
¶ In holydayes at holycherche · whan y herd masse
had y neuere wyl god wote · wyttyrly to beseche ·
mercy for my mysdedys · that y ne mornyd more
for los of good leeue thu me · þan for my lykamys gultes ·
as if y hadde dedly synne doon · y drede nougth þat so sore ·
as whan y lent and leuyd it lost · or longe or it wer payed
so ȝif y kydde any kyndenesse · myn euencrystyn to helpe
vppon a cruel couetyse · myne herte bygan to hange ·
¶ & if y sent ouer þe see · my seruauntys to Brugge{.}s
or ynto pruce-londe my prentys · my profite to wayte
to marchaunt{u}yn wyþ moneye · & make her eschaunges
mygth neuer {...?...?...}thyng conforte me in the mene while ·
neyther masse ne matynes · ne no maner syȝtes ·
ne neuere penaunce parformyd · ne pater noster seyde ·
þat my mynde ne was more · on my good in a doute
Vbi thesaurus tuus · ibi et cor tuum · {...}& cetera
þe whiche whiche ben þe braunches · þat bryngyn aman / a man to slewthe
¶ he þat moorneþ nouht for his mysdedes · ne makeþ no sorwe ·
and penaunce that the preest {........}enioyneþ parformeþ it euele
dooþ noon almas-dede · dredeth hym of noone synne ·
lyueþ aȝenst{e} the beleeue · and noon lawe holdeth ·
eche day is holyday wyth hym · or an hiȝe ferye ·
and ȝif he auȝt wol here · yt is an harlottys tonge
whan men carpyn of cryst or of clennesse of soule
he wexeþ wroth and woll nougth here · but woordys of merþe ·
penaunce and poore men · and the passyoun of seyntys
he hateth to here therof · and alle that yt telleth
these ben þe braunches beth war · þat bryngyn aman / a man to wanhope
¶ ȝee lordys and ladyes · and legates of holycherche
that fedeþ folys sages · flaterers and lyers
and han lykynge to lyþen hem · to doon ȝow to laugh ·
Ve vobis qui ridetis · & cetera
¶ And ȝiueth hem mete and mede · and pore men refuse
yn ȝour deeþ deyȝynge · y drede me ful sore ·
lasteLX tho thre maner men · to moche sorow ȝow brynge ·
Con{c}sencientes · & agentes · pari pena punientur & cetera ·
¶ Patryarkes and prophetes · and prechours of goddys woord ·
sauen þurgh her sarmouns · mannys soule from helle ·
rygth so flaterers and foles · arn þe fendys dysciples
to entyce men þurgh her tales · to synne and harlotrye ·
ac clerkes þat knowyn holy wrytt · schuldyn kenne lordes ·
what dauid seith of suche men · as þe sauter telleþ ·
Non habitabit in medio domus · mee · qui facit superbiam {&}T qui loquitur {...?...}iniqua & cetera
¶ Schulde noon haue audyence · yn halle ne yn chaumbres ·
ther wyse men were · wytnesseth goddys woord ·
ne no mysproud man · amonge lordys ben alowyd ·
¶ Ac flaterers and folys · þurgh her foule woordys
ledyn tho þat louyn hem · to lucyferes feste
wyþ turpiloquio a lay of sorwe · and lucyferys fythele
thus haukyn þe actif man · hadde soylyd his cote
tyl conscyence acoupyd hym þerof · yn a curteys manere ·
whi he ne hadde waschyn it · or wypyd it wyþ a brusche
· 1{.}369 ·