Passus decimus de Visione & ijus / secundus de Dowel .
Thanne hadde wit{te} a wyf was hoten dame studie
Þat lene was of lere and of liche bothe
She was wondurly wroþ þat wit{te} me þus tauȝte
And al staringe dame sstudie / studie sturneliche seide
Wel art þow wys quod she to wit{te} any wysdomes to tellen
To flaterers or to folis þat frantik ben of wittes
And blamede him and bannede him & bad him be stille
With suche wyse wordus to wyssen any sottus
And saide Noli mittere man margerie perles
Amonges hogges þat han hawes at wille
Þei doon but drauelen þere-on draff were hem leuere
Þat hem were leuere lond{e} & lordshipe on erthe
Or richessesT or rentus and reste at hire wille
Þan{ne} — alle þe sothe sawes {...}þat sal{.}omon saide euere
But it be carded{e} with couetise as clothers kemben here wolle
Whoso can contreue desceitus and conspiren wronges
And lede forth a loueday to l{..}ette with truthe
He þat suche craftus can to conseill is clepud
Þei leden lordus with lesinges and bilien truþe
Iob þe gentil in his gestus wittnesseþ
Þat wikkud men þai welden þe welthe of þis world .
And þat þei ben lordus of iche a lond{e} þat out{e} of lawe libbeth
Quare impij viuunt . &T bene est omnibus qui preuaricantur & inique agunt .
Þe sauter sai{..}th þe same by suche þat don ille
Ecce ipsi peccatores habundantes in seculo obtinuerunt diuicias .
Lo saiþ holy lettrure . whiche lordus beþ þes shrewes
Que perf{.}ecisti destruxerunt . iustus autem & cetera .
Harlotus for here herlotrie may hauen of hire godus
And Iapers and iogelours & Ianglers of gestus .
Ac he þat haþ holi writ{..} ay in his mouthe
And can telle of Tobye & of þeT twelue apposteles
Or prechen of þe penaunce þat Pilat{e} wrouȝte
To Ihesu þe gentil þat Iewes to-drowe
Lytul is he loued{e} þat such{e} a lesson sheweþ
Or daunted{e} or drawen forth I do it on god him-seluen
But þo þat fainen hem folus and with faiting{e} libbeþ
A{.}yein þe lawe of oure lord and lien on hem-seluen
Spitten and spuwen and speken foule wordus
Drinken and driu{y}elin and doon men for to gapen
Likkene men and lie{n} on hem þat leneth hem none {ȝ}yiftus
Þei conn{..}e no more mynstraulcie ne musyk{e} men to glade
Þan{ne} — Munde þe Meller of multa fecit deus .
Ne were here vile harlotrie haue god my truthe
{Ȝ}Yif hem to here {ȝ}yeres{ȝ}yeue þe {ȝ}yifte of a grote
Ac murthe and mynstraulcie amonges men is nouthe
Ac {ȝ}if þei carpen of Crist þise clerkus and þis lewede
Atte mete in here murthus whanne Minstralles ben stille
Þanne telleþ þei of þe trinitee a tale oþur tweyne
And bringen forth a balled resoun & taken Bernard{e} to w{.}ytnesse
And putten forth a presumpcioun to preuen þe soþe
Þus þei dryuelen at hire de{..}ys þe deite to knowe .
Ac þe careful may crie and carpen atte {ȝ}yate
Bothe afyngred{e} and a-thurst and for chele quake
Litul loueþ he þat lord þat lente him al þat blisse
Þat þus parteth with þe pore a parcel whanne him nedeþ
Ne were mercy . in mene men more þan{ne} — in Riche
Mendinauntz meteles miȝte go to bedde
God is muche in þe gorge of þis grete maistres
Ac amonges mene men his mercy and his werkes
And so saiþ þe sauter I haue seen it ofte
Ecce audiuimus eam in effrata inuenimus eam in campis silue
Clerkus and oþer kyn{nes}s — men carpen of god faste
And haue him muche in moutheT but mene men in herte .
Frerus and fa{u}ytours han founden suche questionus
To plese with proude men siþ þe pestelence tyme .
And prechen at seint Poules for pure enuye of Clerkus
Ne sori ofT hire synnus so is pride waxen
In religioun and in all{e} þe Reume amonges riche and pore
Þat praiers haue no{ne} — power þe pestilence to lette
And {.}yit þe wrecches of þis world is non{e} y-war by oþur .
Ne for drede of deth withdrawe nouȝt here pride
Ne beth plentiuous to þe pore as pure charite wolde
But in gaynesse & glotonye for-gluttun here go{de}od hem-seluen
And breken nouȝt to þe begg{..}er as þe bok techeþ
Frange esurienti panem tuum . & ceteraT
And lordeþ in londes / þe lasse good{e} — he deleth
Thobie telleth {ȝ}yow not so take heede {ȝ}ye Riche
How þe boke bible of him bereth w{it}ytnesse
Si tibi sit copia habundanter tribue si autem exiguum illud impertireT libenter
Whoso haþ muche spene manliche so meneth Thobie
And whoso litul weldeþ rule hym þer{e}-aftur .
For we haue no lettre of oure lif / how longe it shal dure .
Suche lessouns lordus shulde loue to here /
And how he miȝte moost{e} meyne manlyche fynde .
Nouȝt to fare as a Frere or a fythelerT for to seke feestus
Homeliche at oþer mennus houses and haten her owen
CTher þe lord{e} ne þe lady lykeþ nouȝt to sitte
Now haþ iche Riche a rule to eten by him-seluen
In a priue parlour for pore mennus sake
Or in a chambre with a Chimyne and leue þe chief halle
Þat was made for meles men to eten inne /
And alle to spare to spille þat spende shulde on oþurT
I haue herd{e} heigh men etyng / at þe table
Carpen as þei Clerkes were of Crist & hisT miȝtes .
And le{..}yd fautes vpon þe fadur þat fourmede vs alle
And carpen a{ȝ}yein Clerkus / crabbede wordus
That bigiled þe womman and þe man aftur
Thor{..}gh whiche wiles and wordus þei wenten to helle
And al hire seed for hire synne þe same deth suffred
Here lieþ {ȝ}youre lore þise lordus gynneth dispute
Of þat {ȝ}ye clerkes vs kenneth of crist by þe gospell
Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris & cetera
Whi shulde we þat now ben for þe werkes of Adam .
Roten and rende reson wold it neuere
Vnusquisque portabit onus suum & cetera
Swiche mo{.......}tyues þei moeue þise maistres in hire glorie
And make men in mys bileue . þat muse muche on hire wordus
Ymagynatyf here afturward shal onswere to {ȝ}youre purpos
Augustyn to swiche arguers he telleth hem þis teme
Non plus sapere quam oportet .
Wilneþ neuere to wite whi þat god wolde
Suffre Sathan his seed to bigile
Ac bileueþ lelly . in þe lore of alT holy churche
And praie hym of pardoun and penaunce in þi liue
And for his muche mercy to amende {ȝ}yow here .
For alle þat wilneth to wite þe whyes of god almyghty
I wolde his eiȝe were in his ers and his fynger after
That euere wilneth to wite whi þat god wolde
Suffre sathan . his seed to bigile
Or Iudas to þe Iuwes Ihesu bitraye
Al was as þow woldest lord y-worshiped be þow .
And al worth as þow wolt what so we dispute .
And þo þat vsen þise hauelons to blende mennus wittes
What is dowel fro do-bet now deef mote he worthe
Sithe he wilneth to wite w{.}hiche þei ben bothe
But {ȝ}if he lyue in þe lif þat longeth to dowell
For I dar ben his bolde borgh þat do-bet wol he neuere
Theiȝ do-best drawe on hym . day aftur oþur .
And whan þat wit was ywar what dame studie tolde
He bicom{e} so confus he couthe nouȝt loke
And as doumb{e} as deth and drowe hym arere .
And for no carpynge I couthe after ne knelynge to þe grounde
I miȝte gete no greyn of his grete wittes
But al laughynge he louted and loked vp-on studye
In signe þat I shulde biseche hire of grace .
And whan I was war of his wille to his wif gan I loute
And saide mercy ma-dame ȝowre man shal I worthe
As longe as I liue bothe late and rathe
For to wurche {ȝ}yowre wille þe while my lif dureth
With þat {ȝ}ye kenne me kyndely to knowe what is do-wel
For thi mekenesse man quod she and for þi mylde speche
I shal kenne þe to my cosyn þat clergie is hoten
He hath wedded a wif with-Inne þis sex monthes
Is sib{be} — to þe seuene artz scripture is hire name
Thei two as I hope aftur my techynge
Shullen wissen þe to dowel I dar it vndurtake .
Than was I als fayn as fow{..}l — of faire morwe
And gladdere þan þe gleman þat gold haþ to {ȝ}yifte
And axede hire þe heie wa{..}y where þat clergie dwelte
And telle me summe tok{u}n{n}e quod I for tyme is þat I wende .
Axe þe heiȝe w{...}ey quod she hennus to suffre
Bothe wele and wo {ȝ}if þat þou wolt l{.}erne .
And ride forth by richesse ac reste þow not þer{e}-Inne .
For {ȝ}if þow couplest þe þer{e}-wiþ to clergie comest þow neuere .
And also þe likerouse launde þat leccherie hatte
Leue hym on þeT lifte half a large myle or more .
Til þow come to a courte kepe wel þi tonge
Fro lesynges and lither{e} speche and likerouse drynkes .
Thanne shalt þow se sobrete and synnplete / sy[m]plete of speche
Þat ech wight be in wille his wit þe to shewe .
And þus shalt þow come to clergie þat can many þinges .
Seie hym þis signe I sette hym to scole
And sette hire to Sapience and to þe sauter glose .
Loghyke I lerned hire and many oþ{.}er lawes
And alle þe musons in musike I made hire to knowe
Plato þe poete I putte hym furst{e} to boke
Aristotle . and oþur moo I tauȝte to argueT .
Gramere for gerls I gerte first{e} to write
And bette hem with a baleys but {ȝ}if þei wolde l{.}erne
Of alle kynn{..}es craftus I contreuede toles
Of carpentrie of keruers and compassed masons
And lerned {hem} — hem leuel and lyne þowgh I loke dymme .
Ac theologie haþ tened me ten score tymesC
Þe more I muse þere-inne þe mistier it semeþ
And þe depper I dyuyne þe derker me it þinkeþ
It is no science for-soþe for to sotile inne .
A ful lethy þing it were if þat loue nere .
For þere as loue is ledere ne lakked neuere grace .
Loke þow loue lelly if þe liketh dowel .
For do-bet and do-best ben of loues kynne
In other science it seith I seiȝ it in Catoun
Qui simulat verbis {vel}necT corde est fidus amicus
Tu quoque fac simile sic ars deluditur arte .
Whoso gloseþ as gylours don go me to þe same
And so shalt þow fals folk and faitheles bigile
This is Catons kennyng to clerkus þat he lereth
Ac Theologie techeþ nouȝt so whoso taketh {ȝ}yeme .
He kenneth vs þe contrarie aȝein catons wordus
For he bit vs be as bretheren and bidde for oure enemys
And loue hem þat lien on vs and lene hem whan hem nedeth
Dum tempus habemus . operemur bonum ad omnes / maxime autem ad domesticos fidei .
Poule preched þe poeple þat parfitnesse louede
To do good for godes loue and {ȝ}yeuen men þat asked{e} .
And nameliche to suche þat suweth oure bileue
And nouȝt to greuen hem þat greueþ vs god hym-self forbad it .
Michi vindictam & ego retribuam
For is no science vndur s{u}onne so souerain for þi soule .
Ac astronomye is an hard{e} þing and {.}yuel for to knowe
Geometrie and geomesye is gynful of speche
Whoso þenkeþ worche with þo two thryueþ ful late
For sorcerye is þe souerein book þat to þe science longeth
Experimentz of Alkenamye þe p{.}eple to desceiue .
{Ȝif}If — þow þen{..}ke to do wel dele þere-with neuere
Alle þise sciences I my-self sotiled and ordeinede
And founded hem formest folk to desceiue
Telle clergye þise tokn{..}es and scripture aftur
To counseille þe kyndly to knowe what is dowel
I saide graunt mercy ma-dame and mekelyche hire grette
And wente wiȝt{h}—liche a-way{e} with-outen more lettyng{e}
And til I com{e} to clergye I couthe neuere stente .
And grette þe godeman as studie me tauȝte
And aft{..}erwardus þe wif and worshepede hem boþe .
And tolde hem þe tokenes þat me tauȝt were .
Fairer vndurfoungen ne frendeloker at ese
Than my-self soþely soone so he wiste
That I was of wittus hous and with his wif dame Studye .
I saide to hym soþely þat sent{e} was I thider .
Do-wel and dobet and dobest to lurne .
And þat is to bileue lelly boþe lered{e} and lewed{e}
On þe grete god þat gynnynge hadde neuere .
And on þe soþefast{e} sone þat sauede mankynde
From þe dedly de{.}þ and þe deueles power{e}
Thoru{ȝ}—gh þe help{e} of þe holy goost þe w{....}hich goost is of boþe
Thre persones ac nouȝt in plurel nombre
For al is but oon god and ech{e} is god hym-seluen .
Deus pater . deus filius . deus spiritus . sanctus .
God þe fadur . god þe sone god holy goost of boþe .
Makere of mankynde and of bestus boþe .
Austyn the olde here-of made bookes .
And hym-self ordeynede to sadde vs in bileue
Who was his auctour alle þe foure euaungelistes
And Crist cleped hym-self so þe Euaungelistes bereth wittnesse .
Ego in Patre & pater in me est . et qui videt me videt & patrem meum
Alle þe Clerkes vndur Crist ne couthe þis assoille
But þus it bilongeth to bileue to lewed þat wolen dowel
For hadde neuere fr{.}eke fyn wit þe feith{e} to dispute .
Ne man hadde no merite myȝte it be {y}T proued
Fides non habet meritum . vbi humana racio prebet experimentum .
Thanne is dobet to suffre for þi soules helthe
Al þat þe book bit bi holychurche techynge .
And þat is man by þi miȝt for mercies sake
Loke þow worche it in werk þat þi word{e} sheweþ .
Swich{e} as þow semest in sighte be in assay yfounde
Appare quod es . vel esto quod appares
And lat no-body be by þi beryng bigiled
But be such{e} in þi soule as þow semest withoute
Thanne is do-best to be bold to blame þe gulty
Sithenes þow seest þi-self as in soule clene
Ac blame þow neuere body and þow be blame-worthy .
Si culpare velis . culpabilis esse cauebis
Dogma tuum sordet . cum te tua culpa remordet .
God in þe gospel grymly reproueth
Al þat lakken any lif and lakkes han hem-seluen .
Quid consideras festucam in oculo fratris tui . trabem in oculo tuo & ceteraT
Whi meuestow þi mode for a mote in þi broþeres eiȝe
Sith a beem in þin owne ablyndeth þi-selue
Eice primo trabem de oculo tuo & cetera
W{....}hich letteþ þe to loke lasse oþur more
I rede ich a blynde bosard do betT to hym-selue
For abbotes . and for priours and for alle manere prelatus
As persons and parisshe preestus þat preche shulde & teche
Þat {ȝ}ye were suche as {ȝ}ye saide to saluen with oþere
{Ȝi}If it auailled nouȝt þe comune it miȝte auaille {ȝ}yow-seluen .
Ac it semeþ nowT sothely to þe worldus sighte
That godes word w{.}ercheþ nouȝt on lered ne on lewed{e}
But in suche a manere as . Mar{c}k meneth in þe gospell
Dum cecus ducit cecum ambo in foueam cadunt
And þe festu is fallen for {ȝ}yowre defaute
In alle manere men þorugh mansede prestus
Þe bible bereth wittnesse þat alle þe folk{e} of Israel
Bittre abouȝte þe gultes of two badde preestus
Archa dei mishapped . and Ely brak{e} his nekke
For-þi {ȝ}ye corectours claweth here-on & corecteþ furst {ȝ}yow-seluen
And þanne mowe {ȝ}ye saufly seie as dauid made þe sauter
Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis . arguam te & statuam contra faciem tuam .
And þanne shul borel clerkes ben abasshed to blame {ȝ}yow or to greue
And carpen nouȝt as þei carpen now and calle {ȝ}yow doumbe houndes .
Canes non valentes latrare .
And drede to wratthe {ȝ}yow in any word {ȝ}yowre werkemanship to lette
And be prest{..}er at {ȝ}yowre praiere þan{..} — for a pound of nobles .
And al for {ȝ}yowre holinesse haue {ȝ}ye þis in herte
In scole þere is scorn{e} but {ȝ}if a clerk wol lerne
And gret{e} loue and likyng for ech of hem loueþ oþur
Ac now is Religion a ridere a Romere by stretes
A leder of louedays and a lond-bugger
A priker on a palfray fro manoir to manoir
An{.}T hep of houndes at his ers as he a lord were .
And but {ȝ}if his knaue knele þat shal his cuppe bringe
He loureth on hym and axeth hym who tauȝte hym curtesie .
Litel hadde lordes to done to {ȝ}yeue lond from hire heires
To Religious þat haue no reuthe thouȝ it reyne on hire auteres
In many places þere hij persones ben be hem-self atese / at ese .
Of þe pore haue þei no pitee and þat is hire charitee
Ac þei leten hem as lordus here lond lith{.} so brode
Ac þere shal come a kyng{e} and confesse {ȝ}yow religiouses
And amende monyales Monkes and Chanouns .
And puten hem to hire penaunce Ad pristinum statum ire .
And Barons with Erles beten hem þoruȝ Beatus Virres techyng
That hire barnes claymen and blame {ȝ}yow foule .
Hij in curribus hijT in equis . ipsi obligati sunt & cetera .
And þanne Freres in hire Fraitour shul fynden a keye
Off Costantynes cofres in w{....}hich is þe catel
That Gregories godchildren han {.}yuele despended{e} .
And þan shal þe Abbot of Abyndon and al his issue for euere
Haue a knok of a kyng and incurable þe wounde
That þis worth soth seke {ȝ}ye þat ofte ouersee þe bible
Quomodo cessauit exactor . quieuit tributum contriuit dominus baculum
impiorum & virgam dominancium . credencium plaga insanabili & cetera
Ac er þat kyng come Caym{e} shal awake
Ac dowel shal dynge hym doun and destruyen his miȝte
Thanne is dowel and dobet{te} quod I dominus and knyȝthode .
I nel not scorne quod scripture but {ȝ}if scryueyns lye
Kynghode ne knyȝthode by auȝt I can awayte
Helpeþ nouȝt to heuenward one heres ende
Ne richesse riȝt nouȝt ne rea{u}llte of lordes .
Poule preueth it impossible riche men haue heuen
Sal{.}omon saith also þat siluer is worst{e} to louye .
Nichil iniquius quam amare pecuniam
And Caton kenneth vs to coueite it nauȝt but as nede techeth
Dilige denarium . set parce dilige formam .
And patriarches and prophetes {..} and poetes boþe
Wryten to wissen vs to wilne no richesse
And praiseden pouerte wiþ pacience þapost{o}eles bereþ w{it}ytnesse
That þai han heritage in heuene and by trwe riȝte
There riche men no riȝt may clayme but of ruthe and grace .
Contra quod I by Crist þat can I reproue
And proue it by Petre and by Poule bothe .
That ben baptised . ben saued{e} be þei riche or pouere .
That is in extremis quod Scripture amonges Sar{.}syns & Iewes
Þei mowe be saued so and þat is oure bileue .
That an vncristen . in þat cas may cristen an heþen .
And for his lele bileue whan he þe lif tyneþ
Haue þe heritage of heuene as any man cristen .
Ac Cristen men with-outen more may not come to heuene
For þat Crist . for Cristen men deide and confermed þe lawe
That whoso wolde and wilneth with Crist to arise
Si cum Cristo surexistis . & cetera
He shulde louye and lene and þe lawe fulfulle
That is loue þi lord god leuest abouen alle
And aftur alle cristene creatures in comune eche man other
And þus bilongeth to louye þat leueth to be saued{e}
And bote we do þus in dede er þe day of dome .
It shal bi-sitten vs ful soure þe siluer þat we kepen .
And oure bakkes þat motheten ben {.} & seen beggers go naked{e}
Or delite in wyn and wildfoule and wot any in defaute
For euer{ery}y cristen creature shulde be kynde til other
And sithen . hethen to helpe in hope of amendement
God hoteth boþe heighe and lowe þat no man hurte oþer
And saith sle nouȝt þat semblable is to myn owne likkenesse
But if I sende þe som token and saith . non {...?...}occidesT
I {.}T sle nouȝt but suffre and al for þe beste
For I shal punisshe hem in purgatorie or in þe put of helle .
Eche man for his mysdedes but mercy it lette .
This is a long{e} lesson quod I and litel am I þe wyser
Where dowel is or dobet derkeliche {ȝ}ye shewen
Many tales {ȝ}ye tellen þat theologye lerneth
And þat I man made was and my name y-entred{e}
In þe legende of lif longe er I were .
Or elles writen for som wikkednesse as holy writ w{.}ytnesseth
Nemo ascendit in celum nisi qui de celo descendit .
I leue it welT quod I and on no lettrure bettre
For sal{.}omon þe sage þat sapience tauȝte
God gaf hym grace of wit{te} and alle his godes aftur
He demed wel and wisely as holy writ telleth
Aristotle and he who wissud men bettre .
Maistres þat of godes mercy techen men and prechen
Of hire wordus þei wissen vs for wisest in hire tyme
And al holy churche holdeþ hem bothe ydampned .
And {ȝ}if I shulde werke bi here werkes to wynnen me heuene
That for hire werkes and wit now woneth in pyne
Thanne wrouȝt I vnwisely what so euere {ȝ}ye preche
Ac of fel{.}e witty in feith litel ferly I haue
Thouȝ hire goost be vngracious god for to plese .
For many menT on þis molde more sette hire hertes
In good þan in god for-þi hem grace failleth
At hire moost meschief whan þei shul lif lete
As sal{.}omon d{.}ide and suche oþ{..}ere þat s{.}hewede grete wittus .
Ac hire werkes as holy writ seith was euere þe contrarie .
For-þi wise witted men and wel y-lettred clerkes
As þei saien hem-self selden don þere-aftur
Super cathedra moysy . & cetera .
Ac I wene it worth{e} of many as was in Noe{.}s tyme .
Tho he shop þat sh{.}ipp of shides and bordus
Was neuere wriȝte saued þat wrouȝte þere-on ne oþur werkeman elles .
But briddes and bestes and þe blessud Noe
And his wif with his sones and also hire wifes
God lene it fare not so bi folk þat þe feith techen
Of holy churche þat herberwe is and godes hous to saue .
And shilde vs fram shame þere-Inne as Noes shipp dede bestes
That ben carpentiers holy kyrke to make for cristus owne bestus
Homines & iumenta saluabis domine & cetera
On gode friday I fynde a feloun was y-saued{e}
Þat hadde y-l{.}iued al his lif with lesynges and with thefte
And for he by-knew on þe cros and to Crist shrof hym
He was s{u}onner saued þan{ne} — seint Iohan þe baptist{e}
And er Adam or ysaie or any of þe prophetes
That hadde y-layn with lucifer . many longe {ȝ}yeres
A robbere was y-raunceoned {.}rather þan{ne} — þei alle
With-owten any penaunce of purgatorie to perpetuel blisse
Than Marie Magdaleyne what womman dede worse
Or who worse þan dauid þat vries deth conspired{e}
Or Poul{.}e . þe appostele þat no pite hadde
CMuche Cristene kynde to kille to dethe
And now ben þes as souereins with saintes in heuene
Tho þat wrouȝten wikkedliest{e} in world þo þei were
And þo þat wysely wordeden and wryten many bookes
Of wit and of wisdom{e} with dampnede soules wonye .
That Salamon seith I trowe be soth and certeyn of vs alle
Sine iusti atque sapientes . & opera eorum in manu dei sunt & cetera
Ther aren witti and wel libbynge ac hire werkes ben yhudde
In þe hondes of almiȝty god and he wot þe sothe .
Wher for loue a man worth allowed{e} þere and his lele werkes
Orelles / Or elles for his yuel wil and enuie of herte
And be allowed as he liuede so for by lither men knoweth the goode
And who were a gode man but {ȝ}if þere were sum shrewe
For-þi lyue we forth wiþ liþereT I leue fewe ben goode .
For quant oportet vient en place il ny ad que pati .
And he þat al mayT amende haue mercy on vs alle .
For soþest word þat euere god seide was þo he saide nemo bonus
Clergye tho of Cristes mouth{e} comended was it litel .
For he saide to saint petre and to suche as he louede
Dum steteritis ante Reges & ceteraT
Though {ȝ}ye come bifo{.}re kynges and clerkes of þe lawe .
Beth nouȝt abasshed . for I shal be in {ȝ}yowre mouthes
And {ȝ}yeue {ȝ}yow wit and wille and konnynge to conclude
Hem alle þat aȝeins {ȝ}yow of cristendome disputen
Dauyd maketh mencion he spak{e} among{e} kynges
And miȝte no kyng ouercome hym as bi konynge of speche
But wit ne wisdome ne wan neuere þe maistrie
Whan man was at meschief with-oute þe more grace
The doughtieste doctour and diuinour of þe Trinitee .
Was Augustyn þe olde and heiȝest of þe foure
Saide þus in a sermon I seigh it writen ones
Ecce ipsi ydioti rapiunt celum . vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur
And is to mene to englessh men more ne lasse
Aren none rather rauysshed fro þe riȝte bileue
Than aren þise konynge clerkes þat k{u}onnen many bokes .
Ne none sonner saued ne sadder of bileue
Than plowmen and pastours and pore comune laborers
Sout{..}ers and shepherdes and suche lewede iottes
Percen with a pater-noster þe paleys of heuene
And passen purgatorie penaunceles at hire hennus partynge
Into þe blisse of paradys for hire pure bileue
That euere þei couthe or knewe moore þan Credo in deum patrem
And principaly hire pater noster . many a persone haþ wysshed{e}
That seruauntz þat seruen lordus selden falle in arrerage
But tho þat kepen þe lordes catel clerkes and reues .
Right so lewede men and of litel knowynge
Selden fallen þei so foule and so fer in synne
As clerkes of holykyrke þat kepen cristes tresore
The w{....}hich is mann{.}es soule to saue as god saith in þe gospell .
Ite vos in vineam meam. & cetera .
#
# contra Ribaldis
¶
# quod non laudatur disputare doctor in {convijc} convivijs #
#
terribile
#
nota
# why men perissh For Adams syn
x
nota
non sunt omnes cause querende
# quia talibus vellet oculum in ano
bene loquitur
Nota
# de Fide autem noli disputare
# Sexta discripcio de dowell
# to abbottis and priours
Thabbot of
AbyndounC
# quod kynghod helpith not to heuenward
nota
# archam Noe
#
# Felon on Good Fryday
passus xus
# quod perlis non debent mitteri Coram porcis
#
d
# quare impij bene viuunt
#
passus xus
fratres
d
{& weldeþ}
#
fratres
# quomodo laudat hospitalitatem
noticia ad scripturam
{...?...}C
nota de paciencia
# qui claricare velit neque deuicijs neque luxurijs Frequentet
{...?...}C
# quia vbi amor ibi gratia
# quia non solum amicis sed eciam inimicis bona operemur
# quia amor maxime profficit ad salutem anime
passus xus
# contra Astronomiam
# Fybicchis
# de trinitate
passus xus
# contra mansid prestis
# Offny and Fynes
# Contra Religiosos extra vagantes
# contra kneling off the knave
#
passus xus
# quod inffidelis in casu potest Baptizare inffedelis
+
# opinionem quomodo Salamoun et Aristotill dampnantur
passus xus
Nemo bonus
......C