L.15 – PPEA

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fol. 62r (cont.)

Passus xvus / Quindecimus finit dowel & incipit dobet

cC after my wakyng · it was wonder longe

Ar I couth kyndely · knowe what was dowel

And so my witte wex and wanyed · til I a fole were

And somme lakked my lyf · allowed it fewe

And leten for a lorel · and loth to reuerencen

Lordes or ladyes · or any lyf elles

As persones in pellure · with pendauntes of syluer

To seriauntz ne to suche · seyde nouȝte ones

God loke ȝow lordes · ne louted faire

Þat folke helden me a fole · and in þat folye I raued

Tyl resoun hadde reuthe on me · and rokked me aslepe

Tyl I seigh as it sorcerye were · a sotyl þinge with-al

One with-outen tonge and teeth · tolde me whyder I shulde

And wher-of I cam and of what kynde · I conIured hym atte laste

If he were crystes creature · for crystes loue me to tellen

¶ I am crystes creature quod he · and crystene in many a place

In crystes courte · I-knowe wel · and of his kynne a partye

Is noyther peter þe porter · ne poule with his fauchoune

ÞaT wil defende me þe dore · dynge ich neure so late

At mydnyȝt at mydday · my voice so is yknowe

Þat eche a creature of his courte · welcometh me fayre

¶ What ar ȝe called quod I in þat courte · amonges crystes peple

fol. 62v

C Þe whiles I quykke þe corps quod he · called am I anima

And whan I wilne and wolde · animus ich hatte

And for þat I can and knowe · called am I mens

And whan I make mone to god · memoria is my name

And whan I deme domes · and do as treuthe techeth

Þanne is racio my riȝt name · resoun an englissh

And whan I fele þat folke telleth · my firste name is sensus

And þat is wytte and wisdome · þe welle of alle craftes

And whan I chalange or chalange nouȝte · chepe or refuse

Þanne am I conscience ycalde · goddis clerke and his notarie

And whan I loue lelly · owre lorde and alle other

Þanne is lele loue my name · and in latyn amor

And whan I flye fro þe flesshe · and forsake þe caroigne

Þanne am I spirit specheles · andT spiritus þanne ich hatte

Austyn and ysodorus ayther of hem bothe

Nempned me þus to name · now þow myȝte chese

How þow coueitest to calle me · now þow knowest alle my 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 consciencia est · dum spirat spiritus est

¶ Ȝe ben as a bisshop quod I · al bourdynge þat tyme

For bisshopes yblessed · þei bereth many names

Presul and pontifex · and metropolitanus

And other names an hepe episcopus & pastor

¶ Þat is soth seyde he · now I se þi wille

Þow woldest knowe and kunne · þe cause of alle her names

And of myne if þow myȝtest · me þinketh by þi speche

¶ Ȝe syre I seyde by so no man were greued

Alle þe sciences vnder sonne · and alle þe sotyle craftes

I wolde I knewe and couth · kyndely in myne herte

¶ Þanne artow inparfit quod he · and one of prydes knyȝtes

For such a luste and lykynge · lucifer fel fram heuene

Ponam pedem meum in aquilone & similis ero altissimo

¶ It were aȝeynes kynde quod he · and alkynnes resoun

Þat any creature shulde kunne al · excepte cryste one

Aȝein such salomon speketh · and dispiseth her wittes

And seith sicut qui mel comedit multum non est ei bonum

Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimitur a gloria

To englisch men þis is to mene · þat mowen speke & here

Þe man þat moche hony eteth · his mawe it engleymeth

And þe more þat a man · of good mater hereth

But he do þerafter · it doth hym double scathe

fol. 63r

Beatus est seith seynt Bernard / · qui scripturas legit

Et verba vertit in opera · fullich to his powere

Coueytise to kunne and to knowe science

PulteT out of paradys · Adam and Eue

Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriam spoliauit

And riȝte as hony is yuel to defye · and engleymeth þe mawe

Riȝt so þat þorw resoun wolde þe rote knoweC

Of god and of his grete myȝtes · his graces it letteth

For in þe lykyng lith a pryde · and a lycames coueitise

Aȝein crystes conseille · and alle clerkes techyng

That is non plus sapere quam oportet sapereC

Freres and fele other maistres · þat to þe lewed men prechen

Ȝe moeuen materes inmesurables · to tellen of þe Trinite

Þat ofte tymes þe lewed peple · of her bileue douten

Bettere byleue were mony · doctoures such techyng

And tellen men of þe ten comaundementz · and touchen þe seuene synnes

And of þe braunches þat burgeouneth of hem · and bryngeth men to helle

And how þat folke in folyes · myspenden her fyue wittes

As wel freres as other folke · folilich spenen

In housyng in haterynge · and in-to hiegh clergye shewynge

More for pompe þan for pure charite · þe poeple wote þe sothe

Þat I lye nouȝt loo · for lordes ȝe plesen

And reuerencen þe riche · þe rather for her syluer

Confundantur omnes qui adorant scultilia / scul[p]tilia · & alibi

Vt quid diligitis vanitatem & queritis mendacium

Go to þe glose of þe verse · ȝe grete clerkes

If I lye on ȝow to my lewed witte · ledeth me to brennynge

For as it semeth ȝe forsaketh · no mannes almesse

Of vsureres of hores · of auarous chapmen

And louten to þis lordes · þat mowen lene ȝow nobles

Aȝeine ȝowre reule and Religioun · I take recorde at Ihesus

Þat seide to his disciples · ne sitis personarum acceptores

¶ Of þis matere I myȝte  make a longe bible

Ac of curatoures of crystene peple · as clerkes bereth witnesse

I shal tellen it for treuth sake · take hede who-so lyketh

¶ As holynesse and honesteteT oute of holicherche spredeth

Þorw lele libbyng men · þat goddes lawe techen

Riȝt so out of holicherche · alle yueles spredeth

There inpar{t}fyt presthod is · prechoures and techeres

And se it by ensample in somer tyme on trowes

Þere somme bowes ben leued · and somme bereth none

Þere is a myschief in þe more · of suche manere bowes

Riȝt so parsones and prestes · and prechoures of holy cherche

Þat aren rote of þe riȝte faith · to reule þe peple

Ac þere þe rote is roten · reson wote þe sothe

Shal neure floure ne frute · ne faire leef be grene

fol. 63v

For-þi wolde ȝe lettred leue · þe leccherye of clothynge

And be kynde as bifel for clerkes · and curteise of crystes goodes

Trewe of ȝowre tonge · and of ȝowre taille bothe

And hatien to here harlotrye · and nouȝt to vnderfonge

Tythes of vntrewe þinge · ytilied or chaffared ·

¶ Lothe were lewed men · but þei ȝowre lore folwed

And amenden hem þat mysdon · more for ȝowre ensamples

Þan forto prechen & preue it nouȝt · ypocrysie it semeth

For ypocrysie in latyn · is lykned to a dongehulC

Þat were bysnewed with snowe · and snakes wyth-inne

¶ Or to a wal þat were whitlymed · and were foule wyth-inne

Riȝt so many prestes · prechoures and prelates

Ȝe aren enblaunched with bele paroles · and with clothes also

Ac ȝowre werkes and ȝowre wordes þere-vnder · aren ful vnlouelich

¶C Iohannes crysostomus · of clerkes speketh and prestes

Sicut de templo omne bonum progreditur · sic de templo · omne malum procedit

Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit · tota floret ecclesia · si autem coruptum fuerit · omnium fides

marcida est /C Si sacerdocium fuerit in peccatis · totus populus couertitur / co[n]uertitur ad peccandum

Sicut cum videris arborem pallidam & marcidam · inteligis quod vicium habet in radice

Ita cum videris populum indisciplinatum · & irreligiosum sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum

¶ If lewed men wist · what þis latyn meneth

And who was myn auctor · moche wonder me þinketh

But if many a prest bere · for here baselardes and here broches

A peyre bedes in her hande · and a boke vnder her arme

Sire Iohan & sire Geffray · hath a gerdel of syluer

A basellarde or a ballokknyf · with botones ouergylte

T Ac a portous þat shulde be his plow · placebo to segge

Hadde he neure seruyse to saue syluer þer-to · seith it with yvelT wille

Allas ȝe lewed men · moche lese ȝe on prestes

Ac þinge þat wykkedlich is wonne · and with false sleigthes

Wolde neuere witte of witty god · but wikked men it hadde

Þe which aren prestes inparfit · and prechoures after syluer

Sectoures and sudenes · somnoures and her lemmannes

Þis þat with gyle was geten · vngraciouslich is spended

So harlotes and hores · ar hulpen with such goodis

And goddes folke for defaute þer-of · forfaren and spillen

¶ Curatoures of holykirke · as clerkes þat ben auerouse

Liȝtlich þat þey leuen · loselles it habbeth

Or dyeth intestate · and þanne þe bisshop entreth

And maketh murthe þere-with · and his men bothe

And seggen he was a nygarde · þat no good myȝte asspare

To frende ne to fremmed · þe fende haue his soule

For a wrecched hous he helde · al his lyf-tyme

fol. 64r

And þat he spared and bispered · speneT we in murthe

¶ By lered by lewed · þat loth is to spende

Þus gone her godes · be þe goste faren

Ac for good men god wote · gret dole men maken

And bymeneth good mete-ȝyueres · and in mynde haueth

In prayers and in penaunces · and in parfyt charite

¶ What is charite quod I þo · a childissh þinge he seide

Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli · non intrabitis in regnum celorum

With-outen fauntelte or foly · a fre liberal wille

¶ Where shulde men fynde such a frende · with so fre an herte

I haue lyued in londe quod I · my name is longe willeC

And fonde I neuere ful charite · bifore ne bihynde

Men beth mercyable · to mendynantz & to pore

And wolen lene þere þei leue · lelly to ben payed

¶ Ac charite þat poule preyseth best · and most plesaunte to owre saueoure

As non inflatus / inflatu[r] non ambiciosaT non querit que sua sunt

I seigh neuere such a man · so me god helpe

That he ne wolde aske after his · and otherwhile coueyte

Þinge þat neded hym nouȝt · and nyme it if he myȝte

¶ Clerkis kenne me þat cryst · is in alle places

Ac I seygh hym neuere sothly · but as my-self in a miroure

It / It[a]T in enigmate tunc facie ad faciem

And so I trowe trewly · by þat men telleth of charite

It is nouȝt championes fyȝte · ne chaffare as I trowe

¶ Charite quod he ne chaffareth nouȝte · ne chalengeth ne craueth

As proude of a peny · as of a pounde of golde

And is as gladde of a goune  of a graye russet

As of a tunicle of tarse · or of trye scarlet

He is gladde with alle gladde · and good ty / ty[l]T alle wykked

And leneth and loueth alle · þat owre lorde made

Curseth he no creature · ne he can bere no wratthe

Ne no lykynge hath to lye · ne laughe men to scorne

Al þat men seith he let it soth · and in solace taketh

And alle manere meschiefs · in myldenesse he suffreth

Coueiteth he none erthly good · but heuene-riche blisse

¶ Hath he any rentes or ricchesse · or any riche frendes

¶ Of rentes ne of ricchesse · ne reccheth he neuere

For a frende þat fyndeth hym · failled hym neuere at nede

Fiat voluntas tua fynt hym euer-more

And if he soupeth etteT but a soppe of spera in deo

fol. 64v

He can purtreye wel þe pater noster · and peynte it with aues

And other-while is hisT wone · to wende inT pilgrymage

Þere pore men and prisones liggeth · her pardoun to haue

Þough he bere hem no bred · he bereth hem swetter lyflode

Loueth hem as owre lorde biddeth · and loketh how þei fare

¶ And whan he is wery of þat werke · þanne wil he some-tyme

Labory in aT lauendrye · wel þe lengthe of a myle

And ȝerne in-to ȝouthe · and ȝepliche speke

Pryde with al þe appurtenaunce · and pakken hem togyderes

And bouken hem at his brest · and beten hem clene

And leggen on longe · with laboraui in gemitu meo

And with warme water at his eyghen · wasshen hem after

And þanne he syngeth whan he doth so · & some-tyme seith wepyng

Cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies

¶ By cryst I wolde þat I knewe hym quod I · no creature leuere

¶ With-outen helpe of Piers plowman quod he · his persone seestow neuere

¶ Where clerkes knowen hym quod I · þat kepen holykirke

¶ Clerkes haue no knowyng quod he · but by werkes and bi wordes

Ac piers þe plowman · parceyueth more depper

ÞatT is þe wille and wherfore · þat many wyȝte suffreth

Et vidit deus cogitaciones eorum

For þere ar ful proude-herted men · paciente of tonge

And boxome as of berynge · to burgeys and to lordes

And to pore peple · han peper in þe nose

And as a lyoun he loketh · þere men lakketh his werkes

¶ For þere ar beggeres and bidderes · bedmen as it were

Loketh as lambren · and semen lyf-holy

Ac it is more to haue her mete · with such an esy manere

Þan for penaunce and parfitnesse · þe pouerte þat such taketh

¶ Þere-fore by coloure ne by clergye · knowe shaltow hym neuere

Noyther þorw wordes ne werkes · but þorw wille one

And þat knoweth no clerke · ne creature in erthe

But piers þe plowman · petrus id est cristus

For he ne is nouȝte in lolleres · ne in lande-leperes hermytes

Ne at ancres þere a box hangeth · alle suche þei faiten

Fy on faitoures · and in fautores suos

For charyte is goddis champioun · and as a good chylde hende

And þe meryest of mouth · at mete where he sitteth

Þe loue þat lith in his herte · maketh hym lyȝte of speche

And is compenable · and confortatyf · as cryst bit hym-selue

Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite tristes &c

fol. 65r

For I haue seyn hym in sylkeC · and somme-tyme in russet

Bothe in grey and in grys · and in gulte herneys

And as gladlich he it gaf · to gomes þat it neded

¶ Edmonde and Edwarde · eyther were kynges

And seyntes ysette · tyl charite hem folwed

¶ I haue seyne charite also · syngen and reden

Ryden and rennen · in ragged wedes

Ac biddyng as beggeres · bihelde I hym neuere

AcP in riche robes  rathest he walketh

Ycalled and ycrimiled · and his crowne shaue

And in a freres frokke · he was yfounde ones

Ac it is ferre agoo · in seynt Fraunceys tyme

In þat secte sitthe · to selde hath he be knowen

¶ Riche men he recomendeth · and of her robes taketh

Þat with-outen wyles · leden her lyues

Beatus est diues · qui &c

¶ In kynges courte he cometh ofte · þere þe conseille is trewe

Ac if coueityse be of þe conseille · he wil nouȝt come þer-Inne

In courte amonge iaperes · he cometh but selde

For braulyng and bakbytyng · and beryng of fals witnesse

¶ In þe constorie bifor þe comissarie · he cometh nouȝt ful ofte

For her lawe dureth ouer-longe · but if þei lacchen syluer

And matrimoigne for monye · maken & vnmaken

And þat conscience and cryst · hath yknitte faste

Þei vndon it vnworthily · þo doctours of lawe

¶ Ac I ne lakke no lyf · but lorde amende vs alle

And gyue vs grace good god · charite to folwe

For who-so myȝte mete with hym · such maneres hym eyleth

Noyther he blameth ne banneth · bosteth ne prayseth

Lakketh ne loseth · ne loketh vp sterne

Craueth ne coueiteth · ne crieth after more

In pace in idipsum dormiam &c ·

Þe moste lyflode þat he lyueth by · is loue in goddis passioun

Noyther he biddeth ne beggeth · ne borweth to ȝelde

Misdoth he no man · ne with his mouth greueth

¶ Amonges cristene men · þis myldnesse shulde lasteC

In alle manere angres · haue þis at herte

Þat þough þei suffred al þis · god suffred for vs more

In ensample we shulde do so · and take no veniaunce

Of owre foes þat doth vs falsenesse · þat is owre fadres wille

For wel may euery man wite if god hadde wolde hym-selue

Sholde neuere Iudas ne iuwe · haue Ihesu don on Rode

fol. 65v

Ne han martired peter ne Poule · ne in prisoun holden

Ac he suffred in ensample · þat we shulde suffre also

And seide to suche þat suffre wolde · þat pacientes vincunt

¶ Verbi gratia quod he  and verrey ensamples manye

In legenda sanctorum · þe lyf of holy seyntes

What penaunce and pouerte · and passioun þei suffredC

In hunger in hete · in al manere angres

Antony and Egidie · and other holi fadres

Woneden in wildernesse · amonge wilde bestes

Monkes and mendynauntz · men bi hem-selue

In spekes an in spelonkes · selden speken togideres

Ac noyther antony ne Egidy · ne hermite þat tyme

Of liouns ne of leoperdes · no lyflode ne toke

But of foules þat fleeth · þus fynt men in bokes

Excepte þat Egydie · after an hynde cryede

And þorw þe mylke · of þat mylde best · þe man was susteyned

And day by day had he hir nouȝt · his hunger forto slake

But selden and sondrie tymes · as seith þe boke and techeth

¶ Antony adayes · aboute none-tyme

Had a bridde þat brouȝte hym bred · þat he by lyued

And þough þe gome hadde a geste · god fonde hem bothe

¶ Poule primus heremita · had parroked hym-selue

Þat no man miȝte hym se · for mosse and for leues

Foules hym fedde · fele wynteres with-alle

Til he founded freres · of austines ordre

Poule after his prechyng · panyers he made

And wan with his hondes · þat his wombe neded

Peter fisched for his fode · and his felawe andrewe

Some þei solde and some þei sothe · and so þei lyued bothe

And also Marie Magdeleyne · by mores lyued and dewes

Ac moste þorw deuocioun · and mynde of god almiȝty

I shulde nouȝt þis seuene dayes · seggen hem alle

Þat lyueden þus for owre lordes loue · manye longe ȝeres

Ac þere ne was lyoun · ne leopart · þat on laundes wenten

Noyther bere ne bor · ne other best wilde

Þat ne fel to her feet · and fauned with þe tailles

And if þei couth han ycarped · by cryst as I trowe

Þei wolde haue fedde þat folke · bifor wilde foules

Ac god sent hem fode bi foules · and by no fierse bestes

In menynge þat meke þinge · mylde þinge shulde fede

C As who seith religious · ryȝtful men shulde fynde

And lawful men to lyfholy men · lyflode brynge

And þanne wolde lordes and ladyes be · loth to agulte

And to take of her tenauntz · more þan treuth wolde

Fonde þei þat Freres · wolde forsake her almesses

And bidden hem bere it · þere it was yborwed

fol. 66r

For we ben goddes foules · and abiden alwey

Tyl briddes brynge vs · þat we shulde lyue by

For had ȝe potage and payn ynough · and peny-ale to drynke

And a messe þere-mydde · of o manere kynde

Ȝe had riȝt ynough · ȝe Religious · and so ȝowre reule me tolde

Nunquam dicit Iob rugit onerger / on[a]ger cum herbam habuerit · aut mugiet bos

cum ante plenum presepe steterit · brutorum animalium natura te condempnat ·

quia cum eis pabulum comune sufficiat · ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua

¶ If lewed men knewe þis latyn · þei wolde loke whom þei ȝeueC

And auyse hem bifore · a fyue dayes or sexe

Or þei amortesed to monkes · or chanouns her rentes

Allas lordes and ladyes · lewed conseille haue ȝeC

To ȝyue fram ȝowre eyres · þat ȝowre ayeles ȝow lefte

And ȝiueth to bidde for ȝow · to such þat ben riche

And ben founded and feffed eke · to bidde for other

¶ Who perfourneth þis prophecye · of þe peple þat now lybbeth

Dispersit dedit pauperibus &c

If any peple perfourme þat texte · it ar þis pore freres

For þat þei beggen abouten · in buildynge þei speneT

And on hem-self sum · and such as ben her laboreres

And of hem þat habbeth þei taken · and ȝyue hem þat ne habbeth

¶ Ac clerkes & knyȝtes · and comuneres þat ben riche

Fele of ȝow fareth · as if I a forest hadde

Þat were ful of faire trees · and I fonded and caste

How I myȝte mo þer-inne · amonges hem sette

Riȝt so ȝe riche · ȝe robeth þat ben riche

And helpeth hem þat helpeth ȝow · and ȝiueth þere no nede is

As who-so filled a tonne · of a fressh ryuer

And went forth with þat water · to woke with themese

Riȝt so ȝe riche · ȝe robeth and fedeth

Hem þat han as ȝe han · hem ȝe make at ese

¶ Ac Religious þat riche ben · shulde rather feste beggeres

Þan burgeys þat riche ben · as þe boke techeth

Quia sacrilegium est res pauperum non pauperibus dareC

Item peccatoribus dare · est demonibus immolare

Item monache si indiges et accipis pocius das quam accipis

Si autem non eges & accipis  rapis

Porro non indiget Monachus · si habeat quod nature sufficit

For-þi I conseille alle cristene · to confourmen hem to charite

For charite with-oute chalengynge · vnchargeth þe soule

And many a prisone fram purgatorie · þorw his preyeres he delyureth

Ac þere is a defaute in þe folke · þat þe faith kepeth

Wherfore folke is þe feblere · and nouȝt ferme of bilieue

As in lussheborwes is a lyther alay · and ȝet loketh he lyke a sterlynge

Þe merke of þat mone is good · ac þe metal is fieble

fol. 66v

And so it fareth by some folke now · þei han a faire speche

Croune and crystendome · þe kynges merke of heuene

Ac þe metal þat is mannes soule · with synne is foule alayed

Bothe lettred and lewede · beth allayed now with synne

That no lyf loueth other · ne owre lorde as it semeth

For þorw werre and wykked werkes · and wederes vnresonable

Wederwise shipmen · and witti clerkes also

Han no bilieue to þe lifte · ne to þe lore of philosofres

¶ Astrymyanes alday · in her arte faillen

Þat whilum warned bifore · what shulde falle after

Shipmen and sheperdes · þat with shipp & shepe wenten

Wisten by þe walkene · what shulde bityde

As of wederes and wyndes · þei warned men ofte

Tilieres þat tiled þe erthe · tolden her maistres

By þe sede þat þei sewe · what þei selle miȝte

And what to leue and to lyue by · þe londe was so trewe

Now failleth þe folke of þe flode · and of þe londe bothe

Sheperdes and shipmen · and so do þis tilieres

Noither þei kunneth ne knoweth · one cours bi-for an other

Astrymyanes also  aren at her wittes ende

Of þat was calculed of þe element · þe contrarie þei fynde

Gramer þe grounde of al · bigyleth now children

For is none of þis newe clerkes · who-so nymeth hede

Þat can versifye faire · ne formalich enditen

Ne nouȝt on amonge an hundreth · þat an auctour can construe

Ne rede a lettre in any langage · but in latyn or in englissh

Go now to any degre · and but if gyle be mayster

And flaterere his felawe · vnder hym to fourmen

Moche wonder me thynketh · amonges vs alle

Doctoures of decres · and of diuinite Maistres

Þat shulde konne and knowe · alkynnes clergye

And answere to argumentz · and also to a quodlibet

I dar nouȝt seggen it for shame · if suche weren apposed

Þei shulde faillen in her philosofye · and in phisyk bothe

Wher-fore I am afered · of folke of holikirke

Lest þei ouerhuppen as other don · in offices & in houres

Ac if þei ouerhuppe as I hope nouȝte · owre byleue suffiseth

As clerkes in corpus cristi feste · singen & reden

Þat sola fides sufficit · to saue with lewed peple

¶ And so may sarasenes be saued · scribes and iewes

Allas þanne but owre loresmen · lyuen as þei leren vs

And for her lyuynge þat lewed men be · þe lother god agulten

For sarasenes han somwhat · semynge to owre bileue

For þei loue and bileue · in o parsone almiȝty

C And we lered and lewede · in on god bileueth

AcT one Makometh · a man in mysbileue

Brouȝte sarasenes of surre · and se in what manere

fol. 67r

Þis Makometh was a crystene manT · and for he moste nouȝte be a pope

In-to surre he souȝte · and þorw his sotil wittes

Daunted a dowue · and day and nyȝte hir fedde

Þe corne þat she cropped · he caste it in his ere

And if he amonge þe poeple preched · or in places come

Þanne wolde þe coluer come · to þe clerkes ere

Menynge as after meet · þus Makometh hir enchaunted

ALG dide folke þanne falle on knees · for he swore in his prechynge

Þat þe coluer þat come so · come fram god of heuene

As messager to Makometh · men forto teche

And þus þorw wyles of his witte and a whyte dowue

Makometh in mysbileue · men and wommen brouȝte

Þat lered þere and lewed ȝit · lyuenT on his lawes

¶ And sitth owre saueoure suffred · þe sarasenes so bigiled

Þorw a crystene clerke · acursed in his soule

AcT for drede of þe deth · I dar nouȝt telle treuthe

How englissh clerkes a coluer feden · þat coueityse hatte

And ben manered after Makometh · þat no man vseth treuth

¶ Ancres and hermytes · and monkes and freres

Peren to apostles · þorw her parfit lyuyngeC

Wolde neuere þe faithful fader · þat his ministres sholde

Of tyrauntz þat teneth trewe men · taken any almesse

But done as Antony did · dominik and Fraunceys

Benet & Bernarde · þe which hem firste tauȝte

To lyue bi litel & in lowe houses · by lele mennes almesse

Grace sholde growe & be grene · þorw her good lyuynge

And folkes sholde fynde · þat ben in dyuerse sykenesse

Þe better for her byddynges · in body and in soule

Her preyeres and her penaunces · to pees shulde brynge

Alle þat ben at debate · and bedemen were trewe

Petite & accipietis &c

Salt saueth catel  seggen þis wyues

Vos estis sal terre &c ·

Þe heuedes of holicherche · and þei holy were

Cryst calleth hem salt · for crystene soules

Et si sal euanuerit · in quo salietur

Ac fressh flessh other fissh · whan it salt failleth

It is vnsauory for soth · ysothe or ybake

So is mannes soule sothly · þat seeth no good ensaumple

Of hem of holycherche · þat þe heigh weye shulde teche

And be gyde and go bifore · as a good baneoure

And hardy hem þat bihynde ben · and ȝiue hem good euydence

¶ Elleuene holy men · al þe worlde torned

In-to lele byleue · þe liȝtloker me thynketh

Shulde al maner men · we han so manye Maistres

Prestes and prechoures · and a pope aboue

fol. 67v

Þat goddes salt shulde be · to saue mannes soule

¶ Al was hethenesse some-tyme  Ingelond and wales

Til Gregory gerte clerkes · to go here and preche

Austyn at Caunterbury · crystened þe kynge

And þorw myracles as men may rede · al þat marche he torned

To cryst and to crystendome · and crosse to honoure

And fulled folke faste · and þe faith tauȝte

More þorw miracles · þan þorw moche prechynge

As wel þorw his werkes · as with his holy wordes

And seyde hem what fullynge · and faith was to mene

¶ Cloth þat cometh fro þe weuyng · is nouȝt comly to were

Tyl it isT fulled vnder fote · or in fullyng stokkes

Wasshen wel with water · and with taseles cracched

Ytouked and ytented  & vnder tailloures hande

And so it fareth by a barne · þat borne is of wombe

Til it be crystened in crystes name · and confermed of þe bisshop

It is hethene as to heueneward · and helpelees to þe soule

¶ Hethene is to mene after heth · and vntiled erthe

As in wilde wildernesse · wexeth wilde bestes

Rude and vnresonable · rennenge with-out creperes

¶ Ȝe nymmenT wel how matheu seith · how a man made a feste

He fedde hem with no venysoun · ne fesauntes ybake

But with foules þat fram hym nolde · but folwed his whistellynge

Ecce altilia mea & omnia parata sunt &c

And wyth calues flesshe he fedde · þe folke þat he loued

Þe calfe bytokeneth clennesse · in hem þat kepeth lawes

¶ For as þe cow þorw kynde mylke · þe calf norissheth til an oxe

So loue & and / [&] lewte · lele men susteyneth

And maydenes and mylde men mercy desiren

Riȝt as þe cow calf · coueyteth swete mylke

So don riȝtful men · mercy & treuthe

¶ Ac who beth þat excuseth hem · þat aren persounes and prestes

Þat heuedes of holycherche ben · þat han her wille here

With-oute trauaille þe tithe del · þat trewemen / trewe men biswynkyn

Þei wil be wroth for I write þus · ac to witnesse I take

Bothe Mathew and Marke · and Memento domine dauid

What Pope or prelate now · perfourneth þat cryst hiȝte

Ite in vniuersum mundum & predicate & c ·

¶ Allas þat men so longe · on Makometh shulde byleue

So many prelates to preche · as þe Pope maketh

Of Nazareth of Nynyue · of Neptalim and damaske

Þat þei ne went as cryst wisseth · sithen þei wil aT name

fol. 68r

¶ To be pastours and preche · þe passioun of Ihesus

And as hym-self seyde · so to lyue and deye

Bonus pastor animam suam ponit & c

And seyde it in sauacioun · of sarasenes & other

For crystene & vncristene · cryst seide to prechoures

Ite vos in vineam meam ·

And sith þat þis sarasenes · scribes & Iuwes

Han a lippe of owre byleue · þe liȝtloker me thynketh

Þei shulde torne who-so trauaille wolde · to teche hem of þe Trinite

Querite & inuenietis &c

¶ It is reuth to rede · how riȝtwis men lyued

How þei defouled her flessh · forsoke her owne wille

Fer fro kitth and fro kynne · yuel yclothed ȝeden

Badly ybedded · no boke · but conscience

Ne no richchesse but þe Rode · to reioyse hem Inne

Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri &c ·

¶ And þo was plente & pees · amonges pore & riche

And now is routhe to rede · how þe red noble

Is reuerenced or þe Rode · receyued for þe worthier

Þan crystes crosse þat ouer-cam · deþ and dedly synne

C ¶ And now is werre and wo · and who-so why axeth

For coueityse after crosse · þe croune stant in golde

Bothe riche and religious · þat Rode þei honoure

Þat in grotes is ygraue · and in golde nobles

For coueityse of þat crosse · men of holykirke

Shul tourne as templeres did · þe tyme approcheth faste

¶ Wyte ȝe nouȝt wyse men · how þo men honoured

More tresore þan treuthe · I dar nouȝt telle þe sotheC

Resoun & riȝtful dome · þo Religious demed

Riȝt so ȝe clerkes · for ȝowre coueityse ar longe

Shal þei demen dos ecclesie · and ȝowre pryde depose

Deposuit potentes de sede &c ·

¶ Ȝif knyȝthod & kynde wytte · and comune conscience

Togideres loue lelly · leueth it wel ȝe bisshopesC

Þe lordeship of londes · for euere shal ȝe lese

And lyuen as leuitici as owre lorde ȝow techeth

Per primicias & decimas

¶ Whan costantyn of curteysye · holykirke dowed

With londes and ledes · lordeshipes and rentes

An Angel men herde · an heigh at Rome crye

Dos ecclesie þis day · hath ydronke venym

And þo þat han petres powere · arn apoysoned alle

C ¶ A medecyne mote þer-to · þat may amende prelates

fol. 68v

C Þat sholden preye for þe pees · possessioun hem letteth

Take her landes ȝe lordes · and let hem lyue by dymes

If possessioun be poysoun · & inparfit hem make

Good were to dischargen hem · for holicherche sake

And purgen hem of poysoun · or more perile falle

¶ Ȝif presthod were parfit · þe peple solde / s[h]olde amende

Þat contrarien crystes lawe · and crystendome dispise

For al paynymT prayeth · and parfitly bileueth

In þe holy grete god · and his grace þei asken

And make her mone to makometh · her message to shewe

Þus in a faith lyuethT þat folke · and in a false mene

And þat is routhe · for riȝtful men · þat in þe Rewme wonyen

And a peril to þe pope · and prelatis þat he maketh

Þat bere bisshopes names · of Bedleem & babiloigne

Þat hippe aboute in Engelonde · to halwe mennes auteres

And crepe amonges curatoures · confessen ageyne þe lawe

Nolite mittere falcem in messem alienam &c

Many man for crystes loue · was martired in RomanyeT

Er ar any crystendome was knowe þere · or any crosse honoured

¶ Euery bisshop þat bereth crosse · by þat he is holden

Thorw his prouynce to passe · and to his peple to shewe hym

Tellen hem and techen hem · on þe Trinite to bileue

And feden hem with gostly fode · and gyue þere it nedeth

In domo mea non est panis neque vestimentum

et ideo nolite constituere me regem · ysaie 3T

Ozias seith for such · þat syke ben and fieble

Inferte omnes decimas in oreum meum vt cibus in domo mea

¶ Ac we crystene creatures · þat on þe crosse byleuen

Aren ferme as in þe faith · goddes forbode elles

And han clerkes to kepen vs þer-Inne · and hem þat shal come after vs

¶ And iewes lyuen in lele lawe · owre lorde wrote it hym-selue

In stone for it stydfast was · and stonde sholde eure

Dilige deum & proximum · is parfit iewen lawe

And toke it moyses to teche men · til Messye come

And on þat lawe þei lyuen ȝit · and leten it þe beste

¶ And ȝit knewe þei cryst · þat crystendome tauȝte

For a parfit prophete · þat moche peple saued

Of selcouth sores · þei seyne it ofte

Bothe of myracles & meruailles · and how he men fested

With two fisshes anT fyve loues · fyue thousande peple

And bi þat maungerye men miȝte wel se · þat Messye he semed

And whan he luft vp lazar · þat layde was in graue

And vnder stone ded & stanke · with styf voys hym called

Lazare veni foras ·

fol. 69r

Dede hym rise and rowme riȝt bifor þe iuwes

Ac þei seiden and sworen · with sorcerye he wrouȝte

And studyeden to stroyen hym · and stroyden hem-self

And þorw his pacyence her powere · to pure nouȝt he brouȝte

Pacientes vincunt

¶ Danyel of her vndoynge · deuyned and seyde

Cum sanctus sanctorum veniat · cessabit vnxio vestra

And ȝet wenen þo wrecches · þat he were pseudo-propheta

And þat his lore be lesynges · and lakken it alle

And hopen þat he be to come · þat shal hem releue

Moyses eft or Messye · here maisteres ȝet deuyneth

¶ Ac pharesewes and sarasenes · Scribes & Grekis

Aren folke of on faith · þe fader god þei honouren

And sitthen þat þe sarasenes · and also þe iewes

Konne þe firste clause of owre bileue · credo in deum patrem omnipotentem

Prelates of crystene prouynces · shulde preue if þei myȝte

Lere hem litlum & lytlum & in ihesum cristum filium

Tyl þei couthe speke and spelle · et in spiritum sanctum

And rendrenT it & recorden it · with remissionem peccatorum

Carnis resurreccionem · et vitam eternam amen ·

◂

the definition of the SowleC

Bishops

Nota crisostomus

Egidius

antonye

Paulus primus heremita

Peter

andrew

mari maudlin

the begyning
of Mahomet
& the cause

id est resoun &c ·

nota

a medycyne
to emend
prelates &c /

▸

Passus xvus finit dowel incipit dobet

non plus sapere qua[m]
oportet

freris

nota de fratribus

quid est caritas

nota the name of thaucto[r]

For I haue seyne hym in silke

nota bene

nota mortmayne

nota

Ancres
hermites &c ·

the fall of the church throwgh
covitusnes

Bishops possessioun

L.15.1: The ornamental capital of eight lines is in blue ink with red flourishes. A small guide letter <A> is partly obscured.↩

L.15.19: This form of the relative that appears here only in L. The corrector's <+> in the right margin calls attention to the scribe's use of þa for þat, also marked by the corrector at L.3.308 and L.11.308.↩

L.15.23: A bracket is drawn in the left margin from this line to the end of the line group, with the gloss the definition of the Sowle.↩

L.15.23-49: The gloss is to the entire line group.↩

L.15.36: LRF alone read and; other B manuscripts omit it.↩

L.15.67: LMR alone read Pulte, "thrust"; most other B manuscripts have Putte.↩

L.15.70: The words non plus sapere qua[m]
oportet appear in the right margin.↩

L.15.74: The word freris appears in the right margin. The glossator has drawn a bracket from this line to the bottom of the page.↩

L.15.99: L alone reads honestete; all other B manuscripts have honeste.↩

L.15.118: Under and over lining in red ink has been erased, but the ink is still visible over lykned and at the end of the line.↩

L.15.124-128: This line group has been bracketed in the left margin with the words Nota crisostomus written in a secretary hand.↩

L.15.126: The virgule is very faint and may have been scraped?↩

L.15.135: A <+> appears in the left margin which may indicate the corrector's dissatisfaction with portous for "porthors" or perhaps his opinion that the placebo should be boxed.↩

L.15.136: LRF read yvel; other B manuscripts have ydel.↩

L.15.152: LMR have spene; the majority of other B witnesses have synonymous spende.↩

L.15.162: The words nota the name of thaucto[r] appear in the right margin.↩

L.15.167: L alone omits est before ambiciosa. It is added above the line in M.↩

L.15.173: Although it is possible that L wrote Ic with an ill-formed <c> in error for the probably correct reading Hic (attested by alpha and M), it is more likely to be It in error for Ita (attested by BCC2GOY).↩

L.15.180: The scribe's ty for tyl is noted by the corrector's <+> in the right margin.↩

L.15.191: LR alone have the preterite here against eteþ in most other B witnesses.↩

L.15.193: LHmM read is his; most B manuscripts have he is.↩

L.15.193: LBM and C manuscripts XYcP2KUcDcPEcRcMcVcAcZFcGcNcN2 have in against on in most other B witnesses.↩

L.15.198: LR alone read a; most other B manuscripts omit it.↩

L.15.211: LRF alone read Þat; most other B witnesses have What, which may be the reason for the corrector's <+> in the left margin.↩

L.15.233: The letter <s> and the first stroke of <y> appear to have been re-inked by the original scribe in a blacker ink.↩

L.15.241: This form of the line initial <A> is uncharacteristic for this scribe.↩

L.15.268: A later scribe has written nota bene in the right margin.↩

L.15.280: A partially erased <+> may appear in the right margin.↩

L.15.315-317: These lines are bracketed in the left margin.↩

L.15.327: The words nota mortmayne appear in the right margin in a sixteenth-century hand.↩

L.15.331-333: A large dry point <X> appears in the right margin.↩

L.15.337: LMY read spene; Other B manuscripts favor some variation of spende it or it spende.↩

L.15.352-356: To the right of this long Latin quotation is a bracket and nota in a sixteenth-century hand.↩

L.15.403-410: This line group has been bracketed in the left margin with the words the begyning
of Mahomet
& the cause.↩

L.15.409: LBR alone read Ac; most other B manuscripts have And.↩

L.15.411: LRF have man, but it is omitted by all other beta manuscripts. A small horizontal mark appears in the left margin and may represent a second corrector's mark; however, such ticks appear with some frequency in this manuscript and otherwise appear to lack significance. For a complete list, see Horizontal Marginal Bars.↩

L.15.418: L alone reads A, "and"; most B witnesses have And.↩

L.15.423: L alone reads lyuen; most other B manuscripts have leeuen.↩

L.15.426: LR have Ac; most other B manuscripts read And.↩

L.15.430: The words Ancres
hermites &c ·, are written in a sixteenth-century hand in the right margin.↩

L.15.468: LMR read is; the other B manuscripts have be.↩

L.15.477: L alone reads nymmen; most other B manuscripts have menen or mynnen.↩

L.15.498: LR alone read a; most other B manuscripts have haue.↩

L.15.519: A bracket extends from this line to the bottom of the page in the right margin. There are two marginal glosses beside the bracket, one beside the second line group bracketed, written by the later, more spindly secretary hand we have called hand16a. The second gloss, which may have been written first, is in the thicker secretary script.↩

L.15.526: The words the fall of the church throwgh
covitusnes appear in the right margin in a sixteenth-century hand.↩

L.15.532: Bishops possessioun appears in the right margin in a sixteenth-century hand.↩

L.15.541: An unrubricated paraph marker appears in the left margin. Since the scribe failed to skip a line, the rubricating scribe may have failed to notice it.↩

L.15.542: A bracket in the left margin extends from this line to the bottom of this line group with the gloss a medycyne
to emend
prelates &c /. The bracket may be intended as an extension of the one on the previous page.↩

L.15.549: L alone reads paynym; all other B manuscripts have the plural paynymes.↩

L.15.552: LCrRF alone have some form of lyue; all other B manuscripts have some form of leue.↩

L.15.559: L alone has the spelling Romanye; most B witnesses read Romayne.↩

L.15.565: LRF alone cite the source.↩

L.15.580: A corrector's <+> in the left margin notes the scribe's an for and.↩

L.15.603: L alone has rendren; other B manuscripts have rede(n).↩