Þat I was rauyschid riȝt þere  & fortune me fette

And in-to þe loond of longyng  alone sche me brouȝte

In a myrour þat hyȝte mydleerd  sche made me beholde

Siþen sche seyde vntoT me  heer myȝte þou see wondres

And knowe þat þou coueytist  & come þerto paraunter

Þanne hadde fortune folwynge hir  two fayre damysellis

Concupiscencia carnis  men calledenT þe elder mayde

And coueytise of yen  called was þat oþer

Pride of parfiȝt lyuyng  pursuede hem boþe

And bade me for anyT contenaunce  acounte clergye liȝt

Concupiscencia carnis  collede me aboute þe nekke

And seyde þou art ȝonge & ȝeep  & hast ȝeris ynowe

For to lyue longe  & ladyes to louye

And in þis myrour þou myȝte see  myrþes ful many

Þat lede þee wolen to likyng  al þi lijf-tyme

Þe secounde seyde þe same  I schal sue þi wille

Til þou be a lord & haue loond  lete þee I nylle

Þat I ne schal folewe þi felawschip  if fortune it like

He schal fynde me his freend  quod fortune þer-after

ÞeC freek þat folewede my wille  faylede neuere blisse

Þanne was þer oon þat hiȝte elde  þat heuy was of chere

Man quod he . if I me{t}teC wiþ þee  bi marie of heuene

Þou schalt fynde fortune þee fayle  at þi moost nede

And concupiscencia carnis  clene þee forsake

Bittirlich schalt þou banne þanne  boþe dayes & nyȝtis 

Coueytise of ye  þat euere þou it knewe

And pride of parfiȝt lyuyng  to myche perele þee brynge

Ȝhe . recche þee neuere quod recchelesnesse  stode forþ in raggide cloþis

Folewe forþ þat fortune wole  þou hast wel far{..}C to elde

A man may stoupe tyme ynow  whanne he schal tyne þe crowne

Homo proponit quod a poete  & plato he hyȝte

And . deus disponit quod he  latte god do his wille

If truþe wole witnesse . it be {we} wel do  fortune to folwe

Concupiscencia carnis  ne coueytise of yen

Ne schal not greue þee gretli  ne bigyle þee but þou wilt

Ȝhe fare-wel phippe quod fauntelte  & forþ gan me drawe

Til concupiscencia carnis  acordede alle my werkis

Allas ye quod Elde  and holynesse boþe

Þat witt schal turne to wrecchednesse  for wille to haue his likyng

Coueytise of yen  counfortede me soone after

And folewede me fourti wynter  or fifty orT more

Þat of do-wel . ne do-bette  no deynte me þouȝte

I hadde no likyng ne lustT  of hem ouȝt to knowe

Coueytise of yen  cam ofter in my mynde

Þan do-wel or do-bette  amongys my dedis alle

Coueytise of yen  counfortede me ofte

And seyde . haue no concience  how þou come to good

Go confesse þee to sum frere  & schewe hym þi synnes

For whyles fortune is þi freend  freris wolen þe louye

And fecche þee to her fraternyte  & for þee biseche

To her priour prouyncial  a pardoun forto haue

And preye for þee pol bi pol  if þou be pecuniosus

Bi wyss{ch}yng of þis wenche I wrouȝte  her wordis weren so swete

Til I forȝate ȝowþe  & ȝerne in-to elde

And þanne was fortune my foo  for al hir fayre biheste

And pouerte pursuede me  & putte me lowe

And þoo fonde I þe frere a-ferd  & flittynge boþe

Aȝens oure first forward  for I seyde I nolde 

Be biryed at her hous  but at my parisch chirche

For I herde ones  how concience it tolde

Þat þere a man were cristened  bi kynde he schulde be biryed

Or where he were parischen  riȝt þere he schulde be grauenT

And for I seyde þus to freris  a fool þei me helden

And louede me þe lesse  for my lele speche

And ȝit I criede on my confessour  þat helde hymself so kunnynge

Bi my feiþ frere quod I  ȝe faren lijk þeise wowers

Þat wedden no wydewis  but forto welde her goodes

Riȝt so bi þe rode  rouȝtenT ȝe neuere

Where my body were biryed  bi so ȝe hadde þe siluer

Ich haue myche merueyle of ȝow  & so haþ many oþer

Why ȝoure couent coueytiþ  to confesse & to birie

Raþer þan to baptise barnes  þat been cathecumynys

Baptisyng & biryeng  boþe been ful nedeful

Ac myche more merytorie me þinkeþ  is to baptise

For a baptised man may  as maystres tellen

Þoruȝ contricioun come  to þe hye heuene

Ac a barn wiþ-outen bapteem  may not be saued

Loke ȝe lettred men  wheþer I lye or not

And lewte lokede on me  & I lourede after

Wher-fore lourest þou quod lewte  & lokede on me harde

If I durste quod I amongys men  þeise metelis auowe

Ȝhe . bi petir & bi poule quod he  & toke boþe to witnesse

Þei wolen alegge also quod I  & biC þe gospel preue

And wher-of serueþ lawe quod lewte  if no lijf vndir-tokeT

Falnesse / Fal[s]nesse ne faytrie . for sumwhat  þe apostle seyde

Non oderis fratrem . & in þe sauter also  seiþ dauid þe prophete

It is leuefulT for lewide men  to segge þe soþe

If hem likeþ orT liste  iche a lawe it grauntiþ

Except persouns & preestis  & prelatis of holy chirche

It falleþ not for þat folk  no tales to telle

Þouȝ þe tale were trewe  & it touchede synne

Þing þat al þe werld woot  wherfore schuldist þou spare

And reden it in rethorik  to arate dedli synne

Ac be neuere-more þe first  þe defaute to blame

Þouȝ þou see yuel . seye it not first  be sory it nere amendid

AndT þing þat is pryue  puplice þow it neuere

Neiþer for loue laude it not  ne lakke it for envie

He seiþ soþ quod scripture þoo  & skipte on hyȝ & prechede

Ac þe matere þat he meuede  if lewide men it knewe

Þe lasse as I leue  louen it þei woldenT

Þis was her teme & her text  I toke ful good heed

Multi to a mangerie  & to þe mete weren sumpned

And whanne þe peple was plener comen  þe porter vnpynnede þe gate

And plukkide in pauci priueliche  & lete þe remenaunt go roome

Al for tene of her text  tremblede myn herte

And in a weer gan I waxe  & wiþ my-self dispute

Wheþer I were chosen or not  on holy chirche I þouȝte

Þat vndirfonge me at þe founte  for oon of goddis chosen

For crist clepede vs alle  come if we woldenT

Sarasens & scismatikes  & so he dide þe Iues

And bade hem souke for synne  saueli at his brest

And drynke bote for bale  broke it who-so myȝte

Þanne mowen alle cristen come quod I  & cleyme þere entree

Bi þe blood þat he bouȝte vs wiþ  & þoruȝ baptisme after

For þouȝ a cristen man coueytede  his cristendoom to reneye

Riȝtfullich to reneye  no resoun it wolde

For may no cherl chartre make  ne his catel selle

Wiþ-outen leue of his lord  no lawe wole it graunte

Ac he may renne in arerage  & roome so fro home

And as a reneyed caytijf  recchelesly aboute

Ac resoun schal rekene wiþ hym  & caste hym in arerage

And putte hym after in prisoun  in purgatorie to brenne

For his arerage rewarde hym þere  to þe day of doom

But if contricioun wole come  & crie bi his lyue 

Mercy for hise mysdedis  wiþ mouþ or wiþ herte

Þat is soþ quod scripture  may no synne lette 

Mercy alle to amende  & mekenesse hir folewe

For þei been . as oure bokis tellen  aboue goddis werkis

Ȝhe . bawe for bokis quod oon  was broken out of helle

Hiȝte troianus hadde been a trewe knyȝt  toke witnesse at þe pope

How he was deed & dampned  to dwellen in peyne

For an vncristen creature  clerkis witen þe soþe

Þat al{le} þe clergye vndir crist  myȝte me cracche fro helle

But onelich loue & lewte  & my laweful domusT

Gregory wiste þis wel  & wylneþ to my soule 

Saluacioun . for soþnesse  þat he seyȝ in my werkis

And after þat he wepte  & wilnede me were grauntid

Grace . wiþ-outen any bede biddyng  his boone loueT was vndirfongen

And I saued as ȝe mowenT see  wiþ-out syngyng of masses

Bi loue & bi lernyng  of my lyuyng in truþe

Brouȝte me fro bitter peyne  þere no biddyng myȝte

Lo ȝe lordis . what lewte dide  bi an emperour of rome

Þat was an vncristen creature  as clerkis fynden in bokis

Not þoruȝ preyer of a pope  but for his pure truþe 

Was þat sarasen saued  as seynt gregory bereþ witnesse

Wel ouȝten ȝe lordis þat lawes kepen  þis lessoun haue in mynde

And on troianus truþe to þenke  & do truþe to þe peple

Lawe wiþ-outen loue quod troianus  ley þere a bene

Or any science vndir sunne  þe seuene artis & alle

But þei be lerned for oure lordis loue  lost is al þe tyme

For no cause to cacche syluer þerbi  ne to be called a mayster

But al for loue of oure lord  & þe bette to loue þe peple

For seynt ion seyde it  & soþe arn hise wordis

Who-so loueþ not leue me  he lyueþ in deþ-deyinge

And þat alle manere men  enemyes & frendes 

Loue her eyþer oþer  & lene hem as hem-seluen

Who-so leneþ not he loueþ not  god woot þe soþe

And comaundedeT iche creature  to conforme hym to louye

And souereynli pore peple  & her enemyes after

For hem þat haten vs  is oure meryte to louye

And pore peple to plese  her preyeris mowen vs helpe

For oure ioye & oure hele  iesu crist of heuene

In a pore mannys apparayle  pursueþ vs euere

And lokiþ on vs in her liknesse  & þat wiþ loueli chere

To knowe vs bi oure kynde herte  & castyng of oure ye

Wheþer we louenT þe lordis heer  bifore oure lord of blisse

And exciteþ vs bi þe euangelie  þat whanne we maken feestis

We schulden not clepe oure kyn þerto  ne no kyn riche

Ac calleþ þe careful þerto  þe croked & þe pore

For ȝoure frendis wolen fede ȝow  & fonde ȝow to quyte 

Ȝoure feestynge & ȝoure fayre ȝiftes  iche freend quyteþ so oþer

Ac for þe pore I schal paye  & pure wel quyte her trauayle

Þat ȝyueþ hem mete or money  & loueþ hem for my sake

For þe beste been summe riche  & summe beggers & pore

For alle arn we cristis creaturis  & of hise coferis riche

And breþeren as of blood  asT beggers &T erlesC

For on caluarie of cristis blood  cristendom gan sprynge

And blody breþeren we become  þere . of oo body wonne

As quasi modo geniti  & gentil men ichone

NeT begger ne boye amonge vs  but if it synne made

In þe olde lawe  as holi lettre telliþ

Mennys sones  men callede vs ichone

Of adamþis / adamis issu & eue  ay til god-man deyede

And after his resureccioun  redemptor was his name

And we hise breþeren þoruȝ hym bouȝt  boþe riche & pore

For-þi . lyueT we as leue breþeren schul  & iche man lawȝhe onT oþer

ForT if þat iche man may forbere  amende þere it nediþ

And euery man helpe oþer  for hennes schul we alle

And be we not vnkynde of oure catel  ne of oure kunnyng neiþer

For noot no man how it is  to be ynome fro boþe

For-þi . lakke no lijf oþer  þouȝ he more latyn knowe

Ne vndirnyme not foule  for is noon wiþ-outen faute

For what-euere clerkis carpenT  of cristendom or ellis

Crist to a comune womman seyde  in comune at a feeste

Þat fides sua schulde sauen hir  & saluen hir of synnes

Þanne is beleue a lele helpe  aboue logyk or lawe

Of logyk ne of lawe  in legenda sanctorum

Is litil allowaunce maad  but if beleue hem helpe

For it is ouerlonge . er logyk  any lessoun assoyle

And lawe is loþ to louye  but if he lacche syluer

ButT logyk & lawe  þat louenT not to lye

I counceyle alle cristen men  cleue not þer-on to sore

For summe wordis I fynde writen  werenT of feiþes techyng

That sauede synful men  as seynt Ion bereþ witnesse

For-þi lerne we þe lawe of loue  as oure lord tauȝte

And as seynt gregori seyde  for mennysT soule helþe

Why I meue þis mater  is moost for þe pore

For in his liknesse . oure lord  ofte haþ been yknowe

Witnesse in þe paske weke  whanne he ȝede to Emaus

Cleophas knewe hym not  þat he crist were

For his pore apparayle  & pilgrimes wedis

Til he blessede & brake  þe breed . þat þei eten

So bi hise werkis þei wisten  þat he was Iesus

Ac bi cloþing þei knewen hym not  ne bi carpyng of tunge

And al was in ensaumple  to vs synful heer

Þat we schuldenT be lowe  & louelich of spechesT

And apparayle vs not proudeli  for pilgrimes arn we alle

And in þe apparayle of a pore man  & pilgrimes liknesse

Many tyme god haþ been met  amonge nedy peple

ÞatT neuere segge hym seyȝ  in secte of þe riche

Seynt ion & oþer seyntis  weren seyn in pore cloþing

And as pore pilgrimes  preyeden mennys goodis

Iesu crist on a Iues douȝter aliȝte  gentil womman þouȝ sche were

CWas a pure pore mayde  & to a pore man weddid

Martha on marie magdalene  an huge pleynt sche made

And to oure saueour self  seyde þeise wordis

And hastili god answerede  & eyþeris wille folewede

Boþ in marthas & in maries  as matheu bereþ witnesse

Ac pouerte god putte bifore  & preysede it þe better

And alle þe wise þat euere werenT  bi ouȝt I can aspie

Preysen pouerte for best lijf  if pacience it folewe

And boþe better & blessider  bi many foold þan richesse

And þouȝ it be soure to suffre  þer comeþ swete after

As on a walnote wiþ-outen  is a bitter bark

And after þat bitter bark  be þe schelle aweye

Is a kirnel of kounfort  kynde to restore

So is after pouerte or pacienceT  pacientlich ytake

For it makiþ man to haue mynde in god  & a greet wille 

To wepe & to wel bidde  wher-of wexeþ mercyT

And wel sikerer he slepiþ  þe man þat is pore

And lasse he drediþ deþ  & in derk to be robbed 

Þan he þat is riȝt riche  resoun bereþ witnesse

And þouȝ salomon seyde  as folk seen in þe bible

Wiser þan salomon was  bereþ witnesse & tauȝte

Þat parfiȝt pouerte was  no possessioun to haue

And lijf moost likyng to god  as luke bereþ witnesse

And is to mene to men  þat on þis moold lyuen

Who-so wole be pure parfiȝt  mote possessioun forsake

Or selle it as seiþ þe book  & þe syluer dele

To beggers þat goon & beggenT  & bidden good for goddisloue / goddis loue

For faylede neuere man mete  þat myȝtful god seruede

As dauid seiþ in þe sauter  to swiche þat ben in wille 

To serue god goodlich  ne greueþ hym no penaunce

Ne lakkeþ neuere lijflode  lynnen ne wollen

IfC preestis weren parfiȝt  þei wolden no syluer take

For masses ne for mateyns  not her mete of vsureris

Ne neiþer kirtel ne kote  þouȝ þei for coold schulden deye

And þei her deuer dide as dauid  seiþ . in þe sauter

Spekiþ of preestis  þat han no spendynge syluer

Þat if þei trauayle trulich  & triste in god almyȝti

Hem schulde lakke no lijflode  neiþer wollen ne lynnen

And þe title þei taken ordre bi  telleþ . ȝe been auaunced

Þanne nediþ not ȝow take syluer  for masses þat ȝe syngen

For he þat toke ȝow ȝoure title  schulde take ȝow ȝoure wages

Of þe bisschop þat blessiþ ȝow  if þat ȝe been worþi

For made neuere kyng no knyȝt  but he hadde catel to spende

As bifel for a knyȝt  or fonde hym for his strenkþe

It is a careful knyȝt  & of caytijf kyngys makyng

Þat haþ no loond ne lynage riche  ne good loos of hise handis

Þe same I seye for-soþe  bi alle swiche preestis

Þat han neiþer kunnyng ne kyn  but a crowne oone

And a title a tale of nouȝt  to his lijflode at mescheef

He haþ more bileue as IC leue  to lacche þoruȝ his crowne 

Cure . þan for kunnyng or knowyng  for clene of beryng

I haue wonder & why  & wherfore þe bisschop

Makeþ swiche preestes  þat lewide men bitrayenT

A chartre is chalengeble  bifore a cheef Iustise

If fals latyn be in þat lettre  þe lawe it impugneþ

Or peyntid par interlynarie  parcellis ouer-skippid

Þe goom þat gloseþ so chartres  for a goky is holden

So it is a goky bi god  þat in his gospel fayliþ

Or in messe or matyns  makiþ any defaute

And also in þe sauter seiþ  dauid . to ouerskippers

Þe bisschop schal be blamed  bifore god as I leue

ÞatT swiche goddis knyȝtis  þat kunne not sapienter 

Synge ne salmes rede  ne segge a messe of þe day

Ac neuere neiþer is blameles  þe bisschop ne þe chapleyn

For euere eiþer is enditid  & þat of ignorancia 

Non excusat episcopos  nec ydiotes preestis

Þis lokyng ofT lewid preestis  haþ doon me lepe fro pouerte

Which I preyse þere pacience is  more parfiȝt þan richesse

Ac myche more in metyng þus  wiþ me gan oon dispute

And slepyng I seyȝ al þis  & siþen cam kynde

And nempnede me bi name  & bade me nymeT heed

And þoruȝ þe wondris of þis world  witt for to take

And on a mounteyn þat mydleerd hyȝte  as me þoo þouȝte

I was fet forþ  bi ensaumples to knowe 

Þoruȝ iche a creature & kynde  my creatoure to louyeC

I seyȝ þe sunne & þe sehe  & þe sond after

And where þat briddis & beestis  bi her make ȝeden

Wylde wormes in wodis  & wondirfulC foulis

Wiþ flekked feþeris  & of fele colouris

Man haddeT his make  I myȝte boþe beholde

Pouerte & plente  boþe pees & werre

Blisse & Bale  boþe I seyȝ at ones

AndT men token mede  & mercy refusedenT

Resoun I seyȝ soþeli  suen alle beestis

In etyng & drynkyng  & in engendryng of kynde

And after cours of concepcioun  noon toke keep of oþer

And whanne þei hadden riden in rotey tyme  anoon-riȝt þerafter

Males drowen hem to males  on morwenyngesT bi hem-seluenT

InT euenynges also  þe males fro þe femeles

Þere was cow ne cowkynde  þat conceyued hadde

Þat wolde belue after boles  ne boor after sowe

Boþe hors & houndis  & alle oþer beestis

MedeledenT not wiþ her makes  þat wiþ foole werenT

Briddes I behelde  þat in buskes maden nestis

Hadde neuere wye witt  to worche þe leeste

I hadde wondir at whom  & where þe pye lernede 

To legge þe stykkes  in whiche he leiþ & brediþ

Þer nys wyȝtT asC I wene  schulde wirche hir nest to paye

If any masoun made a moold þerto  myche wondre it were

And ȝit me merueylede more  how many oþere briddes 

Hidden & hileden  her eyrenT ful derne

In mareys & mooris  for men schulde hem not fynde

And hydden her eggys  whanne þei þerfro wenten

For feer of oþere foulis  & for wylde beestis

And summe troden her makis  & on trees bredden

And brouȝten forþ her bryddis so  al aboue þe grounde

And summe briddes at þe bible / bile  þoruȝ bredyngT conceyuedenT

And summe kakeledenT I toke keep  how pecokkis bredden

Miche merueylede me  what mayster þei haddenT

And who tauȝte hem on trees  to tymbre so hye

ÞereC neiþer barn ne beest may her briddis reche

And siþen I lokede on þe sehe  & so on þe sterres

Many selkouþis I seyȝ  been not to seye nouþe

I seyȝ flouris in þe friþ  & her fayre colouris

And how among þe grene gresse  grewe so many hewes

And summe soure & summe swete  selcouþe me þouȝte

Of her kynde & her colour  to carpe . it were to longe

Ac þat moost meuede me  & my mood chaungede

Þat resoun rewar{t}dede  & rulede alle beestis

Saue man & his make  many tyme & ofte

No resoun hem folewede  & þanne I rebukede 

Resoun . & riȝt toC hym-seluen seyde

I haue wondre of þee quod I  þat witty art holden

Why þou ne sueste man & his make  þat no mysfayt hym folewe

And resoun aratede me  & seyde recche þee neuere

Why I suffre or not suffre  þi-self hast not to done

Amende þou if þou myȝte  for my tyme is to abide

Sufferaunce is suereyn vertu  & ofT swift veniaunce

Who suffredeT more þan god quod he  no goom as I leue

He myȝte amende in a mynute whyle  al þat mysstondeþ

Ac he suffredeT for summe mans good  & so is oure bettre

Þe wise & þe witti  wroote þus in þe bible

For . be a man fayre or foule  it falleþ not toT lakke 

Þe schappe ne þe schaft  þat god schope hym-seluenT

For al þat he dide was wel do  as holi writ witnessiþ

And bade euery creature  in his kynde encrece

Al to myrþe wiþ . man  þat moost woo þolieþT

In fondyng of þe flesch  & of þe feend boþe

For man was maad of swych a mateer  he may not wel asterteC

Þat ne sum-tyme hym bitid  to folewe his kynde

Catoun acordeþ herwiþT  nemo sine crimine viuit

Þoo cauȝte I colour anoon  & comsede to be a-schamed

And IT awakede þer-wiþ  woo was me þanne .

Þat I in metels ne myȝte  more haue I-knowen

Þanne seyde I to myself  & chidde þat tyme

Now I woot what do-wel is quod I  bi dere god as me þinkeþ

And as I caste vp myne yen  oon lokede on me & axede 

Of me . what þing it were  I-wisse sire I seyde

To see myche & suffre more  certis quod I is do-wel

Haddist þou suffred . he seyde  slepynge þoo þou were

Þou schuldist haue yknowe þat clergie can  & conceyued more þoruȝ resoun

For resoun wolde haue reherced þee  riȝt as clergie seyde

And for þin entremetyng heer  art þou forsaken

Adam whylis he spake nouȝt  hadde paradijs at wille

Ac whanne he mamelede aboute mete  & entremette hym to knowe 

Þe wisdam of þe witt of god  he was put fro blisse

And riȝt so ferde resoun bi þee  þou wiþ rude speche

Lakkedist & losedest þing  þat longede not to done

Þoo hadde he no lykyng  for to lerne þee more

Pride now & presumpsioun  paraunter wolen þee appele

Þat clergie þi companye  ne kepeþ not to sue

Schal neuere chalengyng ne chydyng  chastiseT a man so soone

AsT schame & schenden hym & schape hym to amende

For latte a drunken daffe  in a diche falle

Latte hym ligge loke not on hym  til hym liste to rise

For þouȝ resoun rebukede hym þanne  it were but pure synne

And whanne nede nymeþ hym vp  for doute lest he sterue

And schame schrapiþ hise cloþis  & hise schyns wasschiþ

Þanne woot þe drunkun daffe  wherfore he is to blame

Ȝe seggen soþ quod I  ich haue yseyn it ofte

Þer smyt no þing so smerte  ne smelleþ so soure

As schame þere he schewiþ hym  for euery man hym schonyeþ

Why ȝe wissenT me þus quod I . was  for I rebukede resoun

Certis quod he þat is soþ  & schope hym for to walke

And I a-roos vp riȝt wiþ þat  & folewede hym after

And preyede hym of his curtesie  to telle me his name