Passus xjus / undecimus
And lakked me in latyne · and liȝte by me she sette
And seyde multi multa sciunt & seipsos nesciunt
Þo wepte I for wo · and wratth of her speche
And in a wynkyng wratth · wex I aslepe
A merueillouse meteles · mette me þanne
Þat I was rauisshed riȝt þere · and fortune me fetteC
And in-to þe londe of longynge · allone she me brouȝte
And in a myroure þat hiȝt mydlerd · she mad me to biholde
Sitthen she sayde to me · here myȝtowC se wondres
And knowe þat þow coueytest · and come þer-to par-aunter
¶ Þanne hadde fortune folwyng hir two faire damoyseles
Concupiscencia carnis · men called þe elder mayde
And coueytise of eyes · ycalled was þat oþer
Pryde of parfyte lyuynge · pursued hem bothe
And badde me for my contenaunce · acounte clergye liȝte
¶ Concupiscencia carnis · colled me aboute þe nekke
And seyde þow art ȝonge and ȝepe · and hast ȝeres ynowe
For to lyue longe · and ladyes to louye
And in þis myroure þow myȝte se · myrthes ful manye
Þat leden þe wil to lykynge · al þi lyf-tyme
¶ Þe secounde seide þe same · I shal suwe þi wille
Til þow be a lorde and haue londe · leten þe I nelle
Þat I ne shal folwe þi felawship · if fortune it lyke
He shal fynde me his frende · quod fortune þer-after
Þe freke þat folwed my wille · failled neuere blisse
¶ Thanne was þere one þat hiȝte elde þat heuy was of chere
Man quod he if I mete with þe · bi Marie of heuene
Þow shalt fynde fortune þe faille · at þi moste nede
And concupiscencia carnis · clene þe forsake
Bitterliche shaltow banne þanne · bothe dayes and niȝtes
Coueytise of eyghe · þat euere þow hir knewe
And pryde of parfyt lyuynge · to moche peril þe brynge
¶ Ȝee recche þe neuere quod recchelesnes · stode forth in ragged clothes
Folwe forth þat fortune wole · þow hast wel · fer til elde
A man may stoupe tymesT ynow · whan he shal tyne þe croune
¶ Homo proponit quod a poete · and plato he hyght
And deus disponit quod he · lat god done his wille
If trewthe wil witnesse it be wel do · fortune to folwe
Concupiscencia carnis · ne coueityse of eyes
Ne shal nouȝt greue þe gretly · ne bigyle þe but þow wolt
C ¶ Ȝee farewel phippe quod fauntelte and forth gan me drawe
Til concupiscencia carnis · acorded alle my werkes
¶ Allas eye quod elde · and holynesse bothe
Þat witte shal torne to wrecchednesse · for wille to haue his lykyng
¶ Coueityse of eyghes · conforted me anon after
And folwed me fourty wynter · and a fyfte more
Þat of dowel ne dobet · no deyntee me neT þouȝte
I had no lykynge leue me if þeT leste · of hem auȝte to knowe
¶ Coueytyse of eyes · cam ofter in mynde
Þan dowel or dobet amonge my dedes alle
Coueytise of eyes conforted me ofte
And seyde haue no conscience how þow come to gode
Go confesseT to sum frere · and shewe hym þi synnes
For whiles fortune is þi frende · Freres wil þe louye
And fecche þe to her fraternite · and for þe biseke
To her priour prouyncial · a pardoun forto haue
And preyen for þe pol bi pol · ȝif þow be peccuniosus
Set pena pecuniarea / pecuniar[i]a non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis
¶ By wissynge of þis wenche I wrouȝte · here wordes were so swete
CTyl I forȝat ȝouthe · and ȝarn in-to elde
And þanne was fortune my foo · for al hir faire biheste
And pouerte pursued me · and put me lowe
And þo fonde I þe Frere aferde · and flyttynge bothe
Aȝeines owre firste forward · for I seyde I nolde
Be buryed at her hous · but at my parissh cherche
For I herde onys · how conscience it tolde
Þat þere a man were crystened · by kynde he shulde be buryed
Or where he were parisshene · riȝt þere he shulde be grauen
And for I seyde þus to freres · a fool þei me helden
And loued me þe lasse for my lele speche
Ac ȝet I cryed on my confessoure þat helde hym-self so kunnyng
By my feith frere quod I · ȝe faren lyke þise woweres
Þat wedde none wydwes · but forto welde here godis
Riȝte so by þe Rode · rouȝte ȝe neuere
Where my body were buryed · bi so ȝe hadde my siluer
Ich haue moche merueille of ȝow · and so hath many an other
Why ȝowre couent coueyteth · to confesse and to burye
Rather þan to baptise barnes · þat ben catekumelynges
Baptizyng and burying · bothe ben ful nedeful
Ac moche more merytorie · me þynkeT it is to baptize
For a baptized man · may as maistres telleth
Þorugh contricioun come · to þe heigh heuene
Sola contricio &c ·T
¶ Ac a barne with-oute bapteme · may nouȝt so be saued
Nisi quis renatus fuerit loke ȝe lettred men · whether I lye or do nouȝte
And lewte loked on me · and I loured after
Wherfore lourestow quod lewte · and loked on me harde
Ȝif I durste quod I amonges men · þis meteles auowe
Ȝe bi peter and bi poule quod he · and takeT hem bothe to witnesse
Non oderis fratres secrete in corde tuo · set publice argue illos
¶ Þei wol alleggen also quod I · and by þe gospel preuen
Nolite iudicare quemquam ·
¶ And wher-of serueth lawe quod lewte · if no lyf vndertoke it
Falsenesse ne faytrye · for sumwhat þe apostle seyde
Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis &c
It is licitum for lewed men · to segge þe sothe
If hem lyketh and leste · eche a lawe it graunteth
Excepte parsones and prestes · and prelates of holycherche
It falleth nouȝte for þat folke · no tales to telle
Þough þe tale were trewe · and it touched synne
¶ Þinge þat al þe worlde wote · wherfore shuldestow spare
And reden it in Retoryke · to arate dedly synne
Ac be neuere-more þe fyrste · þe defaute to blame
Þouȝe þow se yuel sey it nouȝte fyrste · be sorye it nere amended
No þinge þat is pryue · publice þow it neuere
Neyther for loue laude it nouȝt · ne lakke it for enuye
Parum lauda vitupera par{a}ciusT
¶ He seith sothe quod scripture þo · and skipte an heigh & preched
Ac þe matere þat she meued · if lewed men it knewe
Þe lasse as I leue · louyen it þei wolde
¶ This was her teme and her tyxte · I toke ful gode hede
Multi to a maungerye · and to þe mete were sompned
And whan þe peple was plenere comen · þe porter vnpynned þe ȝate
And plukked in pauci priueliche · and lete þe remenaunt go rowme
¶ Al for tene of her tyxte · trembled myn herte
And in a were gan I waxe · and with my-self to dispute
Whether I were chosen or nouȝt chosen · on holicherche I þouȝte
Þat vnderfonge me atte fonte · for one of goddis chosne
For cryste cleped vs alle · come if we wolde
Sarasenes and scismatikes · and so he dyd þe iewes
O vos omnes scicientes / [si]cientes venite &c
And badde hem souke for synne · saufly at his breste
And drynke bote for bale · brouke it who-so myȝte
¶ Þanne may alle crystene come quod I · and cleyme þere entre
By þe blode þat he bouȝte vs with · and þorugh baptesme after
Qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit &c
For þough a crystene man coueyted · his crystenedome to reneye
Riȝtfulliche to renye · no resoun it wolde
¶ For may no cherle chartre make · ne his catel selle
With-outen leue of his lorde · no lawe wil it graunte
Ac he may renne in arrerage · and {.....}rowme so fro home
Ac Resoun shal rekne with hym · and casten hym in arrerage
And puttenT after in a prisone · in purgatorie to brenne
For his arrerages rewarden hym þere to þe daye of dome
But if contricioun welT come · and crye bi his lyue
Mercy for his mysdedes · with mouth or with herte
¶ Þat is soth seyde scripture may no synne lette
Mercy alle to amende · and mekenesse hir folwe
For þey beth as owre bokes telleth · aboue goddes werkes
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius
¶ Ȝee baw for bokes quod one · was broken oute of helle
Hiȝte troianus had ben a trewe knyȝte · toke witnesse at a pope
How he was ded and dampned · to dwellen in pyne
For an vncristene creature clerkis wyten þe sothe
Þat al þe clergye vnder cryste · miȝte me cracche fro helle
But onliche loue and leaute · and my lawful domes
¶ Gregorie wist þis wel · and wilned to my soule
Sauacioun for sothenesse · þat he seigh in my werkes
And after þat he wepte · and wilned me were graunted
And I saued as ȝe may se · with-oute syngyng of masses
By loue and by lernyng of my lyuyng in treuthe
Brouȝte me fro bitter peyne · þere no biddyng myȝte
¶ Lo ȝe lordes what leute did · by an Emperoure of Rome
Þat was an {...?...}vncrystene creature · as clerkes fyndeth in bokes
Nouȝt þorw preyere of a pope · but for his pure treuthe
Was þat sarasene saued · as seynt Gregorie bereth witnesse
Wel ouȝte ȝe lordes þat lawes kepe · þis lessoun to haue in mynde
And on troianus treuth to thenke · and do treuthe to þe peple
Lawe with-outen loue quod troianus leye þere a bene
Or any science vnder sonne · þe seuene artz and alle
But ifT þei ben lerned for owre lordes loue · loste is alle þe tyme
For no cause to cacche siluer þere-by · ne to be called a mayster
But al for loue of owre lorde · and þe bet to loue þe peple
For seynte Iohan seyde it · and soth aren his wordes
Qui non diligit manet in morte
¶ Who-so loueth nouȝte leue me · he lyueth in deth-deyinge
And þat alle manere men · enemys and frendes
Louen her eyther other · and lene hem as her-selue
Who-so leneth nouȝte · he loueth nouȝte · god wote þe sothe
And comaundeth eche creature · to confourme hym to louye
And souereynelyche pore poeple · and here ennemys after
For hem þat hateth vs · is owre meryte to louye
And pore peple to plese · here prayeres may vs helpe
For owre ioye and owre hele · Ihesu cryst of heuene
In a pore mannes apparaille · pursueth vs euere
To knowen vs by owre kynde herte · and castyng of owre eyen
Wherþer / Wheþer we loue þe lordes here · byfor owre lorde of blisse
¶ And exciteth vs bi þe euangelye · þat when we maken festes
We shulde nouȝte clepe owre kynne þer-to · ne none kynnes riche
Cum facitis conuiuia nolite inuitare amicos
Ac calleth þe careful þer-to þe croked and þe pore
For ȝowre frendes wil feden ȝow · and fonde ȝow to quite
Ȝowre festynge and ȝowre faire ȝifte · vche frende quyteth so other
¶ Ac for þe pore I shal paye · and pure wel quyte her trauaille
Þat ȝiueth hem mete or moneye · and loueth hem for my sake
For þe best ben somme riche · and somme beggers and pore
For alle are we crystes creatures · and of his coffres riche
And bretheren as of o blode · as wel beggares as erles ·
And blody bretheren we bycome þere · of o body ywonne
As quasi modo geniti · and gentil men vche one
No beggere ne boye amonges vs · but if it synne made
Qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati &c
¶ In þe olde lawe · as holy lettre telleth
Mennes sones · men called vs vchone
Of adames issue and Eue · ay til god-man deyde
And after his resurreccioun · Redemptor was his name
And we his bretheren þourgh hym ybouȝt · bothe riche and pore
For-þi loue we as leue bretheren shal · and vche man laughe vpT other
And of þat eche man may forbere · amende þere it nedeth
And euery man helpe other · for hennes shal we alle
Alter alterius onera portate
And be we nouȝte vnkynde of owre catel · ne of owre kunnynge neyther
For noet no man how neighe it is · to be ynome fro bothe
For-þi lakke no lyf other · þough he more latyne knowe
Ne vnder-nym nouȝte foule · for is none with-oute faute
For what-euere clerkis carpe of crystenedome or elles
Cryst to a comune woman seyde · in comune at a feste
Þat fides sua shulde sauen hir and saluen hir of alleT synnes
¶ Þanne is byleue a lele helpe aboue logyke or lawe
Of logyke ne of lawe in legenda sanctorum
Is litel allowaunce made · but if bileue hem helpe
For it is ouerlonge ar logyke · any lessoun assoille
And lawe is loth to louye · but if he lacche syluer
Bothe logyke and lawe · þat loueth nouȝte to lye
I conseille alle crystene · cleue nouȝte þer-on to sore
For sum wordes I fynde ywryten · were of faithes techyng
Þat saued synful men · as seynt Iohan bereth wytnesse
Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis remecietur vobis
¶ For-þi lerne we þe lawe of loue · as owre lorde tauȝte
And as seynte Gregory seide · for mannes soule helthe
Melius est scrutari scelera nostra · quam naturas rerum
¶ Why I moue þis matere is moste for þe pore
For in her lyknesse owre lorde · ofte hath ben yknowe
Witnesse in þe Paske-wyke · whan he ȝede to Emaus
Cleophas ne knewe hym nauȝte · þat he cryste were
For his pore parailleT · and pylgrymes wedes
Tyl he blessed and brak · þe bred þat þei eten
So bi his werkes þei wisten · þat he was Ihesus
Ac by clothyng þei knewe hym nouȝte · ne bi carpynge of tonge
¶ And al was in ensample · to vs synful here
Þat we shulde be low · and loueliche of speche
And apparaille vs nouȝte ouer-proudly · for pylgrymes ar we alle
And in þe apparaille of a pore man · and pilgrymes lyknesse
Many tyme god hath ben mette · amonge nedy peple
Þere neuere segge hym seigh · in secte of þe riche
¶ Seynt Iohan and other seyntes · were seyne in pore clothynge
And as pore pilgrymes · preyed mennes godis
Ihesu cryste on a iewes douȝter alyȝte · gentil woman þough she were
Was a pure pore mayde · and to a pore man wedded
¶ Martha on Marye magdeleyne · an huge pleynte she madeC
And to owre saueour self · seyde þise wordes
¶ And hastiliche god answered · and eytheres wille folwed
Bothe Marthaes and Maries · as Mathew bereth witnesse
Ac pouerte god put bifore · and preysed it þe bettre
Maria optimam partem elegit · que non &cT
C ¶ And alle þe wyse þat euere were · by auȝte I can aspye
Preysen pouerte for best lyf · if pacience it folwe
And bothe bettere and blisseder · by many folde þan ricchesse
As on a walnot with-oute is a bitter barke
And after þat bitter barke · be þe shelle aweye
Is a kirnelle of conforte · kynde to restore
So is after pouerte or penaunce · pacientlyche ytake
For it maketh a man to haue mynde in gode · and a grete wille
To wepe and to wel bydde · wher-of wexeth mercy
Of which cryst is a kirnelle · to conforte þe soule
And wel sykerer he slepyth · þe man þat is pore
And lasse he dredeth deth · and in derke to be robbed
Þan he þat is riȝte ryche · resoun bereth wytnesse
Pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris
¶ Alþough salamon seide · as folke seeth in þe bibleC
Diuicias nec paupertates &c
Wyser þan salamon was · bereth witnesse and tauȝte
Þat parfyte pouert was · no possessioun to haue
And lyf moste lykynge to god · as luke bereth witnesse
Si vis perfectus esse · vade & vende &c
And is to mene to men · þat on þis molde lyuen
Who-so wil be pure parfyt · mote possessioun forsake
Or selle it as seith þe boke · and þe syluer dele
To beggeres þat gone and begge · and bidden good for goddes loue
¶ For failled neuere man mete · þat myȝtful god serued
As dauid seith in þe sauter · to suche þat ben in wille
To serue god godeliche · ne greueth hym no penaunce
Nichil inpossibile volenti
Ne lakketh neuere lyflode · lynnen ne wollen
Inquirentes autem dominum · non minuentur omni bono
C If prestes weren parfyt · þei wolde no syluer take
For masses ne for matynes · nouȝte her mete of vsureres
Ne neither kirtel ne cote · þeigh þey for colde shulde deye
And þei her deuor dede · as dauid seith in þe sauter
Iudica me deus & discerne causam meam
Spera in deo speketh of prestes · þat haue no spendyng syluer
Þat ȝif þei trauaille trewlich · and trusten in god almiȝti
Hem shulde lakke no lyflode · noyther wollen ne lynnen
And þe title þat þei take ordres by · telleth ȝe ben auaunced
Þanne nedeth nouȝte ȝow to take syluer · for masses þat ȝe syngen
For he þat toke ȝow ȝowre tytle · shulde take ȝow ȝowre wages
Or þe bisshop þat blesseth ȝow · if þat ȝe ben worthy
¶ For made neuere no kyngeT no knyȝte · but he hadde catel to spende
As bifel for a kniȝte · or fonde hym for his strengthe
It is a careful knyȝte · and of a caytyue kynges makynge
Þat hath no londe ne lynage riche · ne good loos of his handes
Þe same I segge for sothe · by alle suche prestes
Þat han noyther kunnynge ne kynne · but a croune one
And a tytle a tale of nouȝte · to his lyflode at myschief
He hath more bileue as I leue · to lacche þorw his croune
Cure · þan for konnyng · or knowen for clene of berynge
I haue wonder & why · and wher-fore þe bisshop
Maketh suche prestes · þat lewed men bytrayen
¶ A chartre is chalengeable · byfor a chief iustice
If false latyne be in þaT lettre · þe lawe it inpugneth
Or peynted parenterlinarie · parceles ouer-skipped
Þe gome þat gloseth so chartres · for a goky is holden
¶ So is it a goky by god · þat in his gospel failleth
Or in masse or in matynes · maketh any defaute
Qui offendit in vno in omnibus est reus &c
And also in þe sauter · seyth dauyd to ouerskippers
Psallite deo nostro psallite quoniam rex terre deus israel psallite sapienter
Þe bisshop shal be blamed · bifor god as I leue
Þat crouneth suche goddes kniȝtes · þat conneth nouȝt sapienter
Synge ne psalmes rede · ne segge a messe of þe day
Ac neuer neyther is blamelees · þe bisshop ne þe chapleyne
For her eyther is endited · and þat of ignorancia
Non excusat episcopos · nec idiotes prestes
¶ Þis lokynge on lewed prestes · haþ don me lepe fram pouerte
Þe whiche I preyse þere pacyence is · more parfyt þan ricchesse
¶ Ac moche more in metynge þus · with me gan one dispute
And slepynge I seigh al þis · and sithen cam kynde
And nempned me by my name · and bad me nymen hede
And þorw þe wondres of þis worlde · wytte for to take
And on a mountaigne þat mydelerd hyȝte · as me þo þouȝte
I was fette forth · by ensaumples to knowe
Þorugh eche a creature and kynde · my creatoure to louye
I seigh þe sonne and þe see · and þe sonde after
And where þat bryddes and bestes · by here make þei ȝeden
Wylde wormes in wodes · and wonderful foules
With flekked fetheres · and of fele coloures
Man and his make · I myȝte bothe byholde
Pouerte and plente · bothe pees and werre
Blisse and bale · bothe I seigh at ones
And how men token Mede · and mercy refused
¶ Resoune I seighe sothly suen alle bestes
In etyng in drynk{....}ynge · and in engendrynge of kynde
And after course of concepcioun · none toke kepe of other
As whan þei hadde ryde in rotey-tyme · anon riȝte þer-after
Males drowen hem to males · a-mornynges bi hem-self
Þere ne was cow ne cowkynde · þat conceyued hadde
Þat wolde belwe after boles · ne bore after sowe
Bothe horse and houndes · and alle other bestes
Medled nouȝte wyth here makes · þat with fole were
¶ Briddes I bihelde · þat in buskes made nestes
Hadde neuere wye witte · to worche þe leest
I hadde wonder at whom · and where þe pye lerned
To legge þe stykkes · in whiche she leythe and bredeth
Þere nys wriȝte as I wene · shulde worche hir neste to paye
If any masoun made a molde þer-to · moche wonder it were
¶ And ȝet me merueilled more · how many other briddes
Hudden and hileden · her egges ful derne
In mareys and mores · for men sholde hem nouȝt fynde
And hudden here egges · whan þei þere-fro wente
For fere of other foules · and for wylde bestis
¶ And some troden her makes · and on trees bredden
And brouȝten forth her bryddes so · al aboue þe grounde
And some bryddes at þe bille · þorwgh brethynge conceyued
And some kauked I toke kepe · how pekokes bredden
Moche merueilled me · what maister þei hadde
And who tauȝte hem on trees · to tymbre so heigh
Þere noither buirn ne beste · may her briddes rechen
Many selcouthes I seygh · ben nought to seye nouthe
¶ I seigh floures in þe fritthe · and her faire coloures
And how amonge þe grene grasse · grewe so many hewes
CAnd somme soure and some swete · selcouthe me þouȝte
Of her kynde and her coloure · to carpe it were to longe
¶ Ac þat moste moeued me · and my mode chaunged
Þat resoun rewarded · and reuled alle bestes
Saue man and his make · many tyme and ofte
No resoun hem folwed · and þanne I rebuked
Resoun · and riȝte til hym-seluen I seyde
I haue wonder of þe quod I · þat witty art holden
Why þow ne suwest man and his make · þat no mysfait hem folwe
¶ And resoun arated me · and seyde recche þe neuere
Whi I suffre or nouȝt suffre · þi-self hast nouȝt to done
Amende þow itT if þow myȝte · for my tyme is to abyde
Suffraunce is a souereygne vertue · and a swyfte veniaunce
Who suffreth more þan god quod he · no gome as I leue
Ac he suffreth for somme mannes good · and so is owre bettre
¶ Þe wyse and þe witty · wrote þus in þe bible
de re que te non molestat noly certare
For be a man faire or foule · it falleth nouȝte forto lakke
Þe shappe ne þe shafte · þat god shope hym-selue
Et vidit deus cunta que fecerat et erant valde bona
¶ And badde euery creature · in his kynde encrees
Al to murthe with man · þat most woo tholye
In fondynge of þe flesshe · and of þe fende bothe
For man was made of suche a matere · he may nouȝt wel astert
Catoun acordeth þere-with · nemo sine crimine viuit
¶ Tho cauȝte I coloure anon · and comsed to ben aschamed
And awaked þer-with · wo was me þanne
Þat I in meteles ne myȝte · more haue yknowen
And þanne seyde I to my-self · and chidde þat tyme
Now I wote what dowel is quod I · by dere god as me þinketh
And as I caste vp myn eyghen · one loked on me and axed
Of me what þinge it were · ywisse sire I seide
To se moche and suffre more · certes quod I is dowel
¶ Haddestow suffred he seyde · slepyng þo þow were
Þow sholdest haue knowen þat clergye can · and conceiued more þorugh resoun
For resoun wolde haue reherced þe · riȝte as clergye saide
Ac for þine entermetyng · here artow forsake
Philosophus esses si tacuisses
¶ Adam whhiles / w[h]iles he spak nouȝt · had paradys at wille
Ac whan he mameled aboute mete · and entermeted to knowe
Þe wisdom and þe witte of god · he was put fram blisse
And riȝt so ferde resoun bi the · þow with rude speche
Lakkedest and losedest þinge · þat longed nouȝt to be done
Þo hadde he no lykynge · forto lere þe more
¶ Pruide now and presumpcioun · par-auenture wole þe appele
That clergye þi compaignye · ne kepeth nouȝt to sue
Shal neuere chalangynge ne chydynge · chaste a man so sone
As shal shame and shenden hym · and shape hym to amende
For lat a dronken daffe · in a dyke falle
Late hym ligge loke nouȝte on hym · til hym lest to ryse
For þough resoun rebuked hym þanne · it were but pure synne
Ac whan nede nymeth hym vp · for doute lest he sterue
And shame shrapeth his clothes · & his shynes wassheth
Þanne wote þe dronken daffe · wherfore he is to blame
¶ Ȝe seggen soth quod I · ich haue yseyne it ofte
Þere smitte no þinge so smerte · ne smelleth so soure
Why ȝe wisse me þus quod I · was for I rebuked resoun
¶ Certes quod he þat is soth · and shope hym forto walken
And I aros vp riȝt with þat · and folwed hym after
And preyed hym of his curteisye · to telle me his name
passus xjus
fortune
+
Martha &
Maudelen
Maudelen
parfite povertie
And as I cast vp myn eyen