passus xvijus / decimo septimus
That took me a maundement . vpon the mounte of Synay
To rule alle reaumes with . I bere þe writte here .
¶Is it aseled I saide . may men see the lettres
Nay he saide {Ȝ}I seke hym . þat hath þe seel to kepe
And þat is cros and cristendome . and crist þereon to honge
And whan it is asseled so . I woot wel þe sothe
That Luciferes lordship . last shal no lenger
Lat se þi lettres quod I . we miȝte þe lawe knowe
Thanne plukkud he forth . a patente . a pece of an harde roche
Wher-on were wryten two wordes . on þis wise y-glosed .
Dilige deum & proximum tuum & cetera
This was the tixte truly . I took ful gode {ȝ}yeme
The glose was gloriousliche . writen . with a gilte penne
In hijs duobus mandatis . tota lex pendet & prophete .
And whoso w{.}ercheþ after þis writ . I wol vndertaken
Shal neuere deuel hym dere . ne deth in soule greue
For {...}þogh I sey it my-seluen . I haue saued with þis charme
Of men and wymmen . many score thousandes
Loo here in my lappe . þat leued on þat charme
Iosue and Iudith . and Iudas Macabeus
{Ȝ}Ye and sixti þousand biside forth . þat ben not seien here
{Ȝ}Youre wordes arn wond{.}erful . quod I tho . {.....}which of ȝow is truwest .
And lelest to leue on . for lif and for soule
Abraham seiþ þat he seiȝ . {...?...ly}hoolly the Trinite
Thre persones in parcelles . departable from other
And alle þre but o god . þus Abraham me tauȝte
And haþ saued þat bileued so . and sory for hire synnes
He kan nouȝt segge þe somme . and somme arn in his lappe .
What neded it þanne . a newe lawe to bigynne
Sith þe furste suffiseþ . to sauacion and to blisse
And now comeþ . Spes . & spekeþ . þat haþ aspied þe lawe
And telleþ nouȝt of þe Trinite . þat took hym hise lettres
To bileue and louye . in o lord almyȝti
And sith riȝt as my-selue . so louye all{e} þe p{.}eple
The gome þat goþ with {a}o staf . he semeþ in gretter hele
Than{ne} — he þat goþ with two staues . to siȝte of vs alle
And riȝt so by þe Rode . resoun me sheweþ.C
It is liȝter to lewed men . {a}o lessoun to knowe
Þan for to techen hem two . and to hard to lerne þe leste
It is ful hard for {Abraham}any man . on Abraham bileue
And w{.}el{.}aw{..y}ey worse {ȝ}yet . for to loue a shrewe
It is liȝter to l{.}eue in thre louely persones
Than for to loue and leue . as wel lorelles as lele
Go þi gate quod I to Spes . forT so me god helpe .
Tho þat lerneþ þi lawe . wel litel while vsen it .
And as we wenten þusT þe wey . wordynge to-gidres
Thanne seiȝe we a Samaritan sittynge on a {m}Mule
Comynge from a countre . þat men called Ierico
To a Iustes in Iherusalem . he chaced a-way faste
Boþe þe heraud and hope . and he mette at onoes
Where a man was wounded . and with theues taken
He miȝte neiþer steppe ne stonde . ne stere foot ne handes .
Ne helpe him-self sothly . for semyuyf he semed .
And as naked as a ne{..}dle . and noon help{e} aboute hym .
Faith{e} hadde furste siȝte of hym . ac he fleiȝ{e} a-side
And nolde nouȝt neighen hym . by nine londes lengþe
Ho{..}pe cam hippinge aftur . þat hadde so y-boosted
How he with Moyses maundement hadde many men y-holpen
Ac whanne he hadde sighte of þat segge . a-side he gan hym drawe
Dredfully by þis day . as doke doth fromT faucoun
Ac so soone so þisT Samaritan{e} . hadde siȝte of þis lede
He liȝte adoun of liȝard . and heeldT hym in his honde .
And to þe wye he wente . hise woundes to biholde
And parceiued by his pous . he was in perill{e} to de{ȝ}ye
And but {ȝ}if he hadde recouerier þe rather þat rise shulde he neuere
With wyn and with oyle . hise woundes he wasshed
Enbaumed hym and bonde his hed . and in his lappe hym layde
And ladde hym so forth on liȝard . to lex Cristi a graunge
Wel sex myle or seuene . biside þe newe Market
Herb{er}erwed hym at an hostrye . {.} & to þe host{.}yler called .
And seide haue kepe þis man . til I come from þe Iustes
And loo hireT siluer he saide . for salue to hise woundes
And he took hym two pans . to liflode as it were
For I may not lette quod þat leode . and lyȝard he bystrydeþ
And raped hym to Iherusalem-ward . þe riȝte {..}wey to ryde
Faith{e} folwed aftur faste . and fonded to mete hym .
And Spes spakliche hym spedde . spede {ȝ}if he miȝte
To ouertake hym and talke to hym . er þei to toune come .
And whanne I seiȝe þis I soiourned not . but shoop me to renne
And suwed þat samaritan . þat was so ful of pitee
And graunted hym to ben his grome . gramercy he seide .
Ac þi freend and þi felawe . þou fyndeste me at nede .
And I thanked him tho . and sith I hym tolde
For siȝte of þe sorewful man . þat robbed was with þeues
Haue hem excused quod he . hire help{e} may litel auaille
May no medcyne on moolde . þe man to hele bringe
Neither feith ne fyne hope / so feestred ben hise woundes
With-oute þe blood of a barn . born{e} of a mayden
And he be baþed in þat blood . baptised as it were
And þanne plastred with penaunce . and passion of þat baby
He shulde stonde and steppe . ac stalworth worth he neuere
Til he haue eten al þe barn . and his blood ydronken .
For wente neuere wie in þis world . þoruȝ þat wildernesse
That he ne was robbed or rifled . rode he þere or {ȝ}yede
Saue feith{e} and his felawe . Spes and my-seluen .
And þi-selue now . and suche as suwen {h..}oure werkes
And mowe ech{e} man see and go{de}od mark{e} take
Who is bihynde . and who bifore . and who ben on horse .
For he halt{e} hym hardier on horse þan he þat is on foote
For he seiȝ{e} me þat am Samaritan . suwen faith{e} and his felawe
On my capul þat hiȝte Caro . of mankynde I took it .
He was vnhardy þat herlot . and hudde hym in inferno .
Ac er þis day thre daies . I dar vndurtaken
That he worth fettred þat feloun . faste with cheynes
And neuere eft{e} greue gome . þat goþ þis ilke gate
And þanne shal feiþ be Forestier here and in þis {.....}Fryth walke
And kennen out comune men . þat knoweth nouȝt þe Cuntre .
W{..}hich is þe wey þat I wente . and wherforth to Ierusalem .
And all þat feble and feinte be . þat feith may nouȝt teche
Til I haue salue for alle sike . and þanne shal I reteurne
A{...?...?...}nd come ayeyn by thys contree . and conforte alle seke
Þat craueth it or coue{......}iteþ it . an{.}d crieth þere-after
For þe barn was born in Bedleem . þat with his blood shal saue .
Alle þat lyueþ in feith{e} and folweth hise felawes techinge
A swete sire I saide þo . wh{..}ere shal I bileue
As feith{e} and his felawe . enfourmed me bothe
In thre persones departable þat perpetuel were euere
And alle þre but o god . þus Abraham me tauȝte
And hope afterward{e} he bad me to louye
O god with all{e} my good / and alle gomes after
Loue hem li{.}k my-selue . ac oure lord a-bouen alle
After abraham quod he . þat heraud of armes .
Sette faste þi feith{e} . and ferme bileue
And as hope hiȝte þe . I hote þe þat þou louye
Thyne euene-cristen eue{n-forth...}rmore euen forth with þi-seluen
And {ȝ}if conscience carpe þer{e} aȝein / or kynde wit eyther
Or heretikes with argumentes . þin hond þou hym shewe
For god is after an hand . y-here now and knowe it
The fadir was furst as a fust / with on fynger foldynge
Til hym loued and luste . to vnlosen his fynger
And profre it forth as with a paume . to what place it sholde
The paume is purely þe hand . and profreth forth þe fyngres
To mynistre and to make . þat miȝt{e} of hand knoweth
And bitokeneþ truly . telle who-so likeþ
The holy goost of heuene he is as þe paume
The fyngres þat fre ben . to foolde and to serue
Bitokeneþ sotly / sot[h]ly þe sone / þat sent was til erþe
Seinte Marie a Maide / and mankynde lauȝte
Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto & cetera
The fader is þanne as a fust . with fynger to touche
Quia omnia traham ad me ipsum . & cetera
Al þat þe paume parceyueth . profitable to feele
Thus arn þei alle but on . as it an hond were
And thre sundry siȝtes . in oon shewynge
Þe paume for he putteþ forth . fyngres and fust bothe
Riȝt so redly / reson it sheweþ .
þatT He þat is holygoost . sire and sone preueth
And as þe hand halt harde . and alle þing{e} f{.}aste
Right so þe fadur . and þe sone . and seint spirit{.} þe þridde .
Bothe welkyne and þe wynd . water and erthe
Heuene and helle / and al þat þere-inne is .
Thus it is nedeþ no man / trowe noon other
That thre þinges bilongeth . in oure lord of heuene
And arn serelepes by hem-selue . a-sundry were þai neuere
Nomore / No more þan{ne} — myn hand . may moeue with-oute my fyngres
And as my fust is ful hand . yfoolde to-gedres
So is þe fadur a ful god . fourmeour and shepper
Tu fabricator omnium & cetera .
The fyngres fourmen a ful hand . to purtrey or to peinte .
Keruynge and compassynge . as crafte of þe fyngres
Right so is þe so{...}ne . þe science of þe fadur
And ful god as is þe fader . no febler ne non bettre
Other-wyse þan{ne} — þe wrythen fust or werkemanshippe of fyngres .
For þe paume haþ power . to putte out alle þe {...}iointes
And to vnfolde þe foolden fust . at þe fyngres wille
So is þe holigoost god / neyther gretter ne lesse
Þan{ne} — is þe sire and þe sone / and in þe same miȝte
And alle ar þei but o god / as is myn hand and my fyngres
Vnfolden andT foolden . my fust and my paume
Ac whoso is hurt in þe hond . euene amyddes
He may resceyue riȝt nouȝt . resoun it sheweth
For þe fyngres þat foolde sh{u}olde / and þe fust make .
For peyne of þe paume . power hem failleth
To cluche or to clawe . to clippe or to hoolde
{.h..}Were þe myddel of myn hand . ymaymed or perisshed
I shulde resceiue riȝt nouȝt . of þat I reche miȝte
And þe myddel of myn hand . with-outen malese
In many kynnes maners . I miȝte my-selue helpe
Boþe moeue and amende . {...?...?...}thogh all my fyngres oke .
By þis skille me þinkeþ . I see an euidence
Þat whoso s{.}inneþ in þe seint spirit / assoilled worth he neuere
Neiþer heere ne elles-where / as I here telle
Qui peccatT in spiritu sancto & cetera
¶ For god þe fadur is as a fust . þe sone . is as a fynger .
The holygoost of heuene is as it were þe paume
So whoso sinneþ in þe seint spirit / it semeþ þat he greueþ
{And}God þat he gripeþ with . and wolde his grace quenche
And to a torche or a tapur . þe trinite is likkened
As wex and a weke . were twyned to-g{e}idre
And þanne a fyr flam{......}mynge . forþ out of bothe .
And as wex and weke . and hoot fyr to-gidre{.}s .
Fostren forth a flaumbe . and a feir leye
So doþ þe sire and þe sone . and also Spiritus sanctus
Fostren forth amonges folk . loue and bileue
That alle kynne cristene . clenseþ of synnes .
And as þou seest som{me}—-tyme . {...?...?...}sodeynly a torche
The blase þere-of yblowen out . {ȝ}yit brenneþ þe weke .
With-oute leye or liȝt . þat þe macche brennneþ / brenneþ
So is þe holygoost god . and grace with-oute mercy
To alle vnkynde creatures . þat coueite to destruye .
Lele loue oþer lif . þat oure lord shapte
And as gloynge gledes . gladieþ nouȝt þise werkemen
That worchen and waken in wyntres niȝtes
As do{.}þ a kex or a candele þat cauȝt haþ fyr and blaseþ
Nomore / No more doþ sire ne sone . ne seint spirit to-g{.}ydres
Graunte no grace . ne for{ȝ}yifnesse of synnes
Til þe holy goost gynne . to glowe and to blase
So þat þe holy goost . glooeth but as a glede
Til þat lele loue ligge on hym and blowe .
And þanne flaumbeþ he as fyr / on fader and on filius .
And melteþ hire miȝt{e} in-to mercy . as men may s{..}ee in wyntre
{......}Yshekeles in eueses . þoruȝ hete of þe s{.}onne
Melteþ in a mynut-while . to myst and to watre
So grace of þe holy goost . þe grete miȝt{e} of þe Trinite
Melteþ to mercy . to mercyable . and to noon othere
And as wax with-outen moore . on a warme glede
And solacen hem þat {..}mowe se . þat sitten in derkenesse
So wol þe fadur for{ȝ}yeue{.} . folk of mylde hertes
That rufulliche repenten . and restitucion maken
In as {.....}muche as þei mowen . amenden and paien .
And {ȝ}if it suff{...}ise not for assetz þat in such{e} a wille de{iȝ}yeth
Mercy for his mekenesse . wol make good þe rem{.}enaunt
For to murthe men with . þat in merke sitten .
So wol crist of his curtesye . and men crien hym mercy
Boþe for{ȝ}yeue and for{ȝ}yete . and {ȝ}yet bidde for vs
To þe fadur of heuene for{ȝ}yeue{sse to haue}nesse to haue
Ac hewe fyr at þeT flynt . foure hundred wyntur
But þow haue tow to take it with . tundur or broches
Al þi labour is lost . andT þi longe trauaille
For may no fyr flaumbe make . faille it his kynde
So is þe holy goost god . and grace with-outen mercy
To alle vnkynde creatures . crist hym-self w{it}ytnesseþ .
Amen dico vobis . nescio vos & cetera .
Be vnkynde to þine euenecristen . and al þat þou kanst bidde
Delen and do penaunce . day and nyȝt euere
And purchace al þe pardoun . of Pampiloun and Rome
The holy goost hereþ þe nouȝt . ne helpe may þe by resoun .
For vnkyndenesse quencheþ hym . þat he kan not shyne
Ne brenne ne blase clere . for brennyngeT of vnkyndnesse
Poule þe appostel . proueþ wher I lye
Si linguis hominum Loquar & cetera
Þat riche ben and resoun knoweþ . ruleth wel {ȝ}youre soule
Beth nouȝt vnkynde I conseille {ȝ}yow . to {ȝ}youre euene-cristen .
For many of {ȝ}yow riche men . by my soule men telleth
{Ȝ}Ye brenne but {ȝ}ye blasen nouȝt . þat is a blynd bekene .
Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit & cetera .
Diues deyed dampned . for his vnkyndnesse
Of his mete and his money . to men þat it neded .
Eche a riche I rede . reward at hym take
For þat ben vnkynde to hise . hope I noon other
But þei dwelle þere Diues is . dayes with-outen ende
Thus is vnkyn{.}—denesse þe contrarie þat quencheþ as it were
The grace of þe holy goost . goddes owne kynde
Vnkynde cristen men . for couetise and enuye
Sleth a man for hise moebles . with mouþe or with handes .
For þat þe holygoost haþ to kepe . tho harlotes destru{ȝ}yeth
The w{....}hich is l{...}yf and loue . þe leye of mann{.}es body .
For euery manere gode man . may be likkened to a torche
Or ellus to a tapre . to reuerence þe Trinite
He fordoþ þe leuest liȝt . þat oure lord loueth
Ac {ȝ}yit in many moo maners . men offenden þe holy goost
Ac þis is þe worste wyse . þat any wiȝt miȝte
Synnen aȝein þe seint spirit . assenten to destruyen
For coueitise of any kynnes þing . þat crist deere bouȝte
How miȝte he axen mercy . or any mercy hym helpe
That wikkedlich and willefulliche . wolde mercy anynte
I{......}nnocence is next god . and nyȝt . and day it cryeth{e}
Vengeaunce vengeaunce for{ȝ}yeue be it neuere
That shent vs and shadde oure blood . forshappte vs as it were .
Vindica sanguinem iustorum
Thus vengeaunce vengeance . verrey charite askeþ
And sith holy churche and charite chargeþ þis so soore
Leue I neuere þat oure lord . wol loue þat charite lakkeþ
Ne haue pitee for any praiere . þer þat he pleyneþ
I pose I hadde synned so and sh{u}olde now de{iȝe}ye
TNow am I sory þat I so . þe seint spirit agulte
Confesse me and crye his grace . god þat al made
And myldliche his mercy axe . miȝte I nouȝt be saued
{Ȝ}Yus saide þe samaritan so wel þou miȝt{e} repente
Þat riȝtwisnesse þoruȝ repentaunce . to ruþe miȝte tourne
Ac it is but selden y-seiȝe . þere soþnesse bereþ wittnesse
Any creature þat is coupable . bifore a kynges Iustice
Be raunsomed for his repentaunce . þere alle reson hym dampneþ
Þat þ{er}e kyng{e} may do no mercy . til boþe men accorde
And eyþer haue equite . as holy writ{te} telleþ
Numquam dimittitur peccatum & cetera
Thus it fareþ by suche folk . þat falsly al hire lyues
Yuele l{.}yuen and leten nouȝt . til lif hem forsake
Gode hope þat helpe shulde . to wanhope tourneþ
Nouȝt of þe nounpower of god . þat he ne is miȝtful .
To amende al þat amys is . and his mercy gretter
Than{ne} alle oure wikkede werkes . as holy writ{te} telleþ
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius & cetera .
Ac er his riȝtwysnesse to ruthe tourne . som{me} restitucion byhoueþ
{S}His sorwe is satisfaccioun . for hym þat may not paie
Thre þinges þer ben þat don a man by strengþe
For to fleen his owne hous / as holy wr{.}yt sheweþ .
That oon is a wikked wif . þat wil nouȝt be chastised
Here feere fleeth f{.}rom hire . for fere of hire tonge
And {ȝ}if his hous be vnheled . and reyne on his bedde
He sekeþ and sekeþ . til he slepe drye
And whanne smoke and smoldre . sm{.}yt in his siȝte
It doþ hym worse þan his wif or wete to slepe
Til he be blereed or blind / and hoors in þe þrote
Cougheþ and curseþ . þat Crist {ȝ}yeue hym sorwe
Þat shulde bringe in bettre wode . or blowe it til it brende
Thise þre þat I telle of . ben þus to vndurstonde
Þe wif is oure wikked Flessh . þat wol not be chasted
For kynde clyueþ on hym euere . to contrarie þe soule
And þouȝ it falle it fynt skylles . þat freelte it made
And þat is liȝtly for{ȝ}yeuen . and for{ȝ}yeten boþe
To man þat mercy askeþ . and amende þenkeþ
The rayn þat reyneþ . þere we reste shulde
Ben sekenesses and sorwes þat we suffren ofte .
As poule þappostel . to þe poeple tauȝte
Virtus in infirmitate perficitur & cetera
And þouȝ þat men make muche doel in hire angre
And inpacient in hire penaunce . pure resoun knoweþ
Þat þei han cause to contrarien . by kynde of hire sekenesse
And liȝtlich oure lord . at here lyues ende
Haþ mercy on suche men . þat so {e}yuele may suffre .
Ac þe smoke and þe smoldre . þat smyt in oure eiȝen
Þat is coueitise and vnkyndnesse . þat quencheþ godes mercy .
For vnkyndenesse is þe contrarie of alle kynnes resoun
For þer nys seek ne sory . ne noon so muche wrecche
Þat he ne may louye and hym like . and leue of his herte
Good wille and good word / boþe wysshen and willen .
Alle manere ofT mercy and forȝefnesse
And louye hymT lich hym-self . and his lif amende
I may no {.}lenger lette quod he . and lyȝard he prikede
And wente a-way as wynd . and þerwith I waked .
In quem
Tres vidit vnum adorauit
X
+
# discripcionem trinitatis ad similitudinem manus
# de peccato contra spiritum sanctum
# de gratitudine Cristi bene loquitur
# de Ingrati{d}tudine bene loquitur
notate divites
hic
# a wikkyd wyff
# pro hijs qui male possunt pati
{Passus xvijus}
passuus / passus xvijus
passus x{x}viijus / x{x}vvijus
Ostende manum quia deus assimulatur ad manum
cor
ii[j]
cor
passus xvijus
nota
# Aliam discripcionem trinitatis ad similitudinem Candeli
cor
l iiij
passus xvijus
Nota hic bene
# questionem de peccato contra spiritum sanctum
# terribile
liber xviijus