And bi techyng & tellyng  of spiritus temporancie

And þou nome no more  þan nede þe tauȝte

And nede haþ no lawe  ne neuere schal falle in dette

For þre þingys he takiþ  his lijf for to saue

Þat is mete whanne men hym warnen  & he no money weldiþ

Ne wiȝt noon . wole be his borwe  ne wedde haþ noon to legge

And he cauȝte in þat caas  & come þerto bi sleyȝt

He synneþ not soþeli  þat so wynneþ his fode

And þouȝ he come so to a cloþ  & can no better cheuysaunce

Nede anoon-riȝt  nymeþ hym vndir meinprise

And if hym liste to lape  þe lawe of kynde wolde

Þat he drunke at iche diche  er he for þirst deyede

So nede at greet nede  may nyme as for his owne

Wiþ-outen counceyl of concience  or cardynal vertues

So þat he sue & saue  spiritus temperancie

For is no vertue bi fer  to spiritus temporancie

Neiþer spiritus iusticie  ne spiritus fortitudinis

For spiritus fortitudinis  forfeteþ ful ofte

He schal do more þan mesure  many tyme & ofte

And bete men fulT bitterlie  & summe of hem to litel

And greue men gretter  þan good feiþ wolde

And spiritus iusticie schal iuggen  wole he orT nyle he

After þe kyngys counceyl  & þe comune like

And spiritus prudencie  in many a poynt schal fayle

Of þat he weneþ wolde falle  if his witt ne were

Wenyng is no wisdam  ne wise ymagynacioun

Homo proponit & deus disponit  & gouerneþ alle goode vertues

Ac nede is next hym  for anoon he mekeþ

And as lowe as a loomb  for lakkyng of þat hym nedeþ

Wise men forsoken wel  for þei wolden be nedy

And woneden in wildernesse  & wolden not be riche

And god al his greet ioye  goostliche he lefte

And cam & toke mankynde  & becam nedy

So nedy he was as seiþ þe book  in many sundri places

Þat he seyde in his sorwe  on þe self rode

Boþe fox & foul  mowen flee to hole & crepe

And þe fisch haþ fynne  to flete wiþ to reste

Þer nede haþ ynomenT me  þat I mote nede abide

And suffre sorwes ful soure  þat schul to ioye turne

For-þi beþ not abassched  to bidde & to be nedy

Siþ he þat wrouȝte al þe world  was wilfullich nedy

Ne neuere noon so nedy  ne alsoT porer deyede

Whanne nede hadde vndirnomenTTþus  anoon I fel a-slepe

And mette ful merueylousliche  þat in mannes foorme

Antecrist cam þanne  & al þe croppe of truþe 

Turnede it vp-so-doun  & ouer-tilte þe rote

And fals spronge & spredde  & spedde mennys nedis

In iche a cuntre þere ho / h[e] coome  he cutte awey truþe

And gerte gyle growe þere  as he a god were

Freres foleweden þat feend  for he gaf hem copes

And religious reuerencede hym  & rongen her bellis

And al þe couent forþ cam  to welcome þat tyraunt

And alle hise as wel as hym  saue oneli fooles

Whiche fooles weren wel leuere  to deye þan to lyue 

Lenger þan lenten  to be so rebuked

And a fals freendT antecrist  ouere alle folk regnede

And þat werenT mylde men & holy  þat no mescheef dredden

Diffieden al falsnesse  & folk þat it vsede

And what kyng þat hem counfortede  knowynge hem any while

Þei cursedenT & her counceyl  were it clerk or lewed

Antecrist hadde þus soone  hundredis at his banere

And pride it bare  booldeliche aboutenT

Wiþ a lord þat lyueþ after  lust &T{þe} likyng of body

Þat cam aȝeyn concience  þat keper was & guyour

Ouer kynde cristene  & cardynal vertues

I counceyle quod concience þoo  comeþ wiþ me ȝe foles

In-to vnite holi chirche  & holde we vs þere

And crie we to kynde þat he  come & defende vs 

Foles . fro þe feendis lymes  for peers loue þe plowman

And crye we to al þe comune  þat þei come to vnite

And þere abide & bikere  aȝeyns belialis children

Kynde . concience þoo herde  & come out of þe planetis

And sente forþ hise forreouris  feueres & fluxes

Cowȝhes & cardiacles  crampes & toþ-aches

Rewmes & radegoundes  & ruynouse scalles

Biles & bocches  & brennynge agues

Frenesies & foule yuelis  forragers of kynde

Hadde priked & preyd  polles of þe peple

Þat largeli a legioun  loren her lijf soone

Þer was harrow & help  heer comeþ kynde

Wiþ deþ þat is dredeful  to vndo vs alle

Þe lord þat lyuede after lust  þoo a-lowde cryede 

After counfort . a knyȝt  to come & bere his baneer

A-larme alarme quod þat lord  iche lijf kepe his owne

And þanne metten þeise men  er mynystrales myȝten pipe

And er heraudes of armes  hadden discryued lordis

Kynde kam after  wiþ many kene sores

As pokkes & pestelences  þatT myche peple schente

So kynde þoruȝ corrupciouns  killede ful many

Deþ cam dryuynge after  & al to dust passchede

Kyngys & knyȝtis  kaysers & popis

Lered ne lewed  he leete no man stonde

Þat he neT hitte euene  þat neuereT sterede after

Many a louely lady  & lemmans of knyȝtis

Swowneden & sweltedenT  for sorwe of deþes dyntis

Concience of his curteysie  to kynde he besouȝte

To cece & suffre  & see wher þei woldenT 

Leue pride pryueyli  & be parfiȝt cristene

And kynde cecede þoo  to see þe peple amende

Fortune gan flatere þanne  þoo fewe þat were on lyue

And bihiȝte hem longe lijf  & leccherie he sente

Amongys al manere men  wedded & vnweddid

And gaderede a greet hoost  al a-gyn concience

Þis leccherie leyde on  wiþ a lawynge chere

And wiþ pryue speche  & peynted wordis

And armede hym in ydelnesse  & in hye beryng

He bare a bowe in his hand  & many blody arewes

Weren feþered wiþ fayre bihest  & many a false truþe

Wiþ hise vntidy talis  he tenede ful ofte 

Concience & his company  of holi chirche þe techers

Þanne cam coueytise  & caste how he myȝte 

Ouercome concience  & cardynal vertues

And armede hym in auarice  & hungriliche lyuede

His wepene was alle whyles  to wynne & to hydeT

Wiþ glosyngys & gabbynges  to bigyleT þe peple

Symonye hym sente  to assayle concience

And prechedenT to þe peple  & prelates þei hem maden

To holden wiþ antecrist  her temperaltees to saue

And coomen to þe kyngys counceyl  as a kene baroun

And kneledenT to concience  in court afore hem alle

And gerte good feiþ flee  & fals to abide

And boldliche bare adoun  wiþ many a bryȝt noble 

Miche of þe witt & wisdam  of westmynystre halle

He iuggede til a iustise  & iustede in his ere

And ouer-tilte al his truþe  wiþ take þis vp amendement

And to þe arches in haast  he ȝede anoon after

And turnede cyuyle in-to symonye  & siþ he toke þe official

For a mantel of menyuere  he made lele matrimonye 

DeparteT . er deþ cam  & dyuorce schapte

Allas quod concience & cryede þoo  wolde crist of his grace

Þat coueytise were cristen  þat is so kene a fiȝter

And boold & abidynge  whyle his bagge lasteþ

And þanne lowȝ lijf  & leete dagge hise cloþes

And armede hym in haast  in harlottes wordis

And helde holynesse . a iape  & heendenesse a wastour

And leete lewte a cherl  & lyer . a fre man

Concience & counceyl  he countede it folye

Þus relyede lijf  for a litil fortune

And prikede forþ wiþ pride  preyseþ he no vertu

He careþ not how kynde slowȝ  & schal come at þe laste

And kille alle erþeli creaturis  saue concience one

Lijf leepe a-syde  & lauȝte hym a lemman

Hele & I quod he  & hynesse of herte

Schal do þee not drede  neiþer deþ ne eelde

ButT to forȝete sorwe  and gyue nouȝt of synne

Þis likede lijf  & his lemman fortune

And geten in her glorie  a gedelyng at þe laste

Oon þat myche woo wrouȝte  sleuþe was his name

Sleuþe wexe wondir ȝerne  & soone was of age

And weddede oon wanhope  a wenche of þe stues

Hir sire was a sisour  þat neuere swore truþe

Oon tomme two-tunge  ateynt at iche a quest

Þis sleuþe wexe werre &T werre  & a slynge made

And þrewe drede &T dispeyr  a doseyne myle aboute

For care concience þoo  criede vp-on eelde

And bade hym fonde to fiȝte  & afere wanhope

And eelde hente good hope  & hastilicheT schifte hym

And wayuede awey wanhope  & wiþ lijf he fiȝteþ

And lijf fleyȝ for feer  to phisik after help

And bisouȝte hym of socour  & of his salue hadde

And gaue hym gold good woon  þat gladede his herte

And þei ȝyuenT hym aȝeyn  a glasen howue

Lijf leuede þat leche-craft  lette schulde eelde

And dryue awey deþ  wiþ dias & draggas

And eelde auntrede hym on lijf  & at þe laste he hitte

A phisicien wiþ a furred hood  þat he fel inT palsye

And þere deyede þat doctour  er þre dayes after

Now I see seyde lijf  þat surgerie ne phisik 

May not a myte avayle  to medele aȝeyns eelde

And in hope of his hele  good hopeT he hente

And rode so to reuel  a riche place & a myrie

Þe companye of court  men {} clepeden it sum-tyme

And eelde anoon after me  & ouer myn hed heT ȝede

And made me balled bifore  & bare on þe crowne

So harde {ȝ}he ȝede ouer myn hed  it wole be seene euere

Sire yuele ytauȝt . eelde quod I  vnheende go wiþ þee

Siþ whanne was þiT weye  ouer mennes hedis

Haddest þou been heende quod I  þou woldest haue asked leue

Ȝhe . leue lordyng quod he  & leyde on me wiþ age

And hitte me vndir þe ere  vnneþe may ich here

He buffetede me aboute þe mouþe  & bette me on þe teeþ

And gyedeT me in goutis  I may not goo at large

And of þe woo þat I was Inne  my wijf hadd reuþe

And wisschede ful witterli  þat I were in heuene

For þe lyme þat she louede me fore  & leef was to fele

On nyȝtes nameli  whanne scheT naked were

I ne myȝte in no manere  make it at hir wille

So eelde & sche soþeli  hadden it forbeten

And as I satte in þis sorwe  I seyȝ how kynde passede

And deþ drowȝ nyȝ me  for drede gan I quake

And criede to kynde  out of care me brynge

Loo eelde þe hoore  haþ me beseyeC

A-wreke me if ȝoure wille be  for I wolde be hennys

If þou wolt be ywroken  wende in-to vnite

And holde þee þere euere  til I sende for þee

And loke þou cunne sum craft  or þou come þennes

Counceyle me kynde quod I  what craft is best to lerne

Lerne to loue quod kynde  & leue of . alle oþere

How schal I come to catel so  to cloþe me & to fede

And þou loue lelli quod he  lakke schal þee neuere 

Mete ne worldli wede  whyle þi lijf lasteþ

And þere bi counceyl of kynde  I comsede to roome

Þoruȝ contricioun & confessioun  til I coome to vnite

And þere was concience cunstable  cristene forT to saue

And bisegede soþeli  wiþ seuene grete geauntes

Þat wiþ antecrist helden  harde aȝens concience

Sleuþe wiþ his slynge  an harde assaute made

Proude preestis coomen wiþ hym  moo þan a þousande

In paltokis & piked schoos  & pissers longe knyues

Coomen aȝens concience  wiþ coueytise þei helden

Bi marie quod a mansed preest  of þe marche of irloond

I counte no more biT concience  bi so I cacche syluer

Þan I do to drynke  a drauȝt of good ale

And so seyden sixti  of þe same cuntre

And schoten aȝeyn hym wiþ schotte  with many scheef of oþes

And brode hoked arwes  goddis herte & hise nayles

And hadden almost vnite  & holynesse adoun

Concience criede . helpe clergye  or ellis I falle

Þoruȝ imparfiȝt preestis  & prelatis of holi chirche

Freris herden hym crye  & coomen . hym to helpe

And for þei couþenTnot wel her craft  concience forsoke hem

Nede neyȝhede þoo neer  & concience he tolde

Þat þei coomenT for coueytise  to haue cure of soules

And for þei arn pore paraunter  for patrimoyne hem fayleþ

Þei wolen flatere to fare wel  folk þat been riche

And seyenT þei chosen chele  & chaytijf pouert

Latte hem chewe as þei chosen  & charge hem wiþ no cure

For lomer he lijþ  þat lijflode mote biggeT

Þan he þat laboureþ for lijflode  & leneþ it toT beggers

And siþen freris forsokenT  þe felicite of erþe

Latte hem be as beggers  or lyue bi aungelis fode

Concience of þis counceyl þoo  comsede forto lawȝhe

And curteysliche counfortede hem  & callede in alle freris

And seyde sires soþeli  welcome be ȝe alle

To vniteT holi chirche  ac oo þing I ȝow preye

Holdeþ ȝow in vnite  & haueþ noon envie

To lered ne to lewed  but lyueþ after ȝoure rule

And I wole be ȝoure borwe  ȝe schul haue breed & cloþes

And oþere necessaries ynowe  ȝe schul no þing fayle

Wiþ þat ȝe leue logyke  & lerne for to louye

CFor loue laftenT þei lordschipe  boþe lond & scole

Freres fraunceys & domynyk  for loue to be holy

And if ȝe coueyte cure  kynde wole ȝow teche

Þat in mesure god made  alle manere þingys

And sette it at a certeyn  & at a siker noumbre

And nempnede names newe  & noumbrede þe preestis

Kyngys & knyȝtis  þat kepen & defenden

Han officeris vndir hem  & ofT iche of hem a certeyn

And if þei wage men to werre  þei writen hem in noumbre

Wole no tresourerer hem paye  traueyle þei neuere so sore

Alle oþere in batayle  been yholden brokourisT

Pilouris & pikeharneys  in iche a place a-cursid

Monkes & monyalis  & alle men of religioun

Her ordre & her rule wole  to haue a certeyn nowmbre

Of lewed & of lered  þe lawe itT wole & askeþ

A certeyn for a certeyn  saue onliche of freris

For-þi quod concience bi crist  kynde witt me telleþ

It is wikked to wage ȝow  ȝe waxen out of nowmbre

EueneT haþ euene nowmbre  & helle is wiþ-oute nowmbre

For-þi I wolde witterli  þat ȝe weren inT registre

And ȝoure nowmbre vndir notaries sygne  & neiþer mo ne lasse

Enuye herde þis . & leeteT  freris . go to scole

And lerne logyk & lawe  & eke constellaciounT

And preche men of plato  & preue it bi seneca

Þat alle þingys vndir heuene  ouȝtenT be in comune

And ȝit he lieþ as I leue  þat to þe lewed so precheþ

For god made to men a lawe  & moyses it tauȝte

And yuele is þis yholdenT  in parissches of englond

For persounys & parisch preestis  þat schulden þe peple schryue

Been curatouris called  to knowe & to hele 

Alle þat been her parischenes  penaunce to enioyne

And schulden be a-schamed in her schrifte  ac schame makeþ hem wende 

And flee to þe freris  as false folk to westmynyster

Þat borwen & beren þidir  & þanne bidden frendis 

Ȝerne of forȝyuenesse  or lenger ȝeris lone

Ac whyle he is in westmynyster  he wole be bifore

And make hym myrie  wiþ oþere mennys goodis

And so it fareþ biT myche folk  þat to þe freris hemT schryuen

As sisouris & exsecutouris  þei wolenT ȝyue þe freris

A parcel to preye for hem  & make hem-seluenT myrie

Wiþ þe residue & þe remenaunt  þat oþere men biswonken

And suffre þe dede in dette  to þe day of doom

Enuye her-fore  hatede concience

And freris to philosophie  he fondeT to scole

Þe while coueytise & vnkyndenesse  concience assayledenT

In vnite holi chirche  concience helde hym

And made pees porter  to pynne þe ȝates

ForT alle tale- telleris  & titerers in ydel

Ypocrisie & he  an harde saute þei maden

Ypocrisie at þe ȝate  harde gan to fiȝte

And woundede wel wikkidli  many wise techeris

Þat wiþ concience acordede  & cardynal vertues

Concience callede a leche  þat wel couþe schryue

Go salue þoo þat seke been  þoruȝ synne &T woundid

Schrifte schope scharpe salue  & made men do penaunce

For her mysdedis  þat þei wrouȝtenT hadde

And þat peers were payed  redde quod debes

Summe likeden not þis leche  & letteres þei senten

If any surgien were þe segge  þat softer couþe playstre

Sire leef to lyue in lecherie  lay þere & gronede

F..[or] fastyng of a friday  he ferde as he wolde deye

Þer is a surgien in þis þis / þis sege  þat softe can handele

And more of phisik bi fer  & fayrer he playstreþ

Oon frere flaterer  is phisicien & surgien

Quod contricioun to concience  do hym come to vnite

For heer is many a man hirt  þoruȝ ypocrisie

We han no nede quod concience  I woot no better leche

Þan persoun or parisch preest  penytauncer or bisschop

Saue peers þe plowman  þat haþ power ouer hem alle

And indulgence may do  but if dette lette it

I may wel suffre seyde concience  siþ ȝe desiren

Þat frere flaterer be fet  & phisike ȝow seke

Þe frere her-of . herde  & hyede hym faste

To a lord for a letter  leue to haue cure

And as a curatour he were  & cam wiþ hise lettres

Booldli to þe bisschop  & his breef hadde

In cuntrees þer he coome inne  confessiounT to here

And cam þer concience was  & knokkede at þe ȝate

Pees vnpynnede it  was porter of vnite

And in hast askede  what his wille were

In feiþ quod þis frere  for profiȝt & for heleT

Carpe I wolde wiþ contricioun  & þerfore cam I hider

He is seek seyde pees  & so arn many oþere

Ypocrisie haþ hirt hem  ful hard is if þei keuere

I am a surgien seyde þe segge  & salues can make

Concience knoweþ me wel  & what I kan do boþe

I preye þee quod pees þoo  er þou passe forþer

What hattest þou I preye þee  hele not þi name

Certis felaw seydeT he  sire penetrans domos

Ȝhe go þi gate quod pees  bi god . for al þi phisik

But þou kunne sum craft  þou comest not heer-inne

I knewe swich oon ones  not eyȝte wynter passed

Coome in . þus y-coped  at a court þere I dwelte

And was my ladyT leche  & my lordis boþe

And at þe last þis lymytour  þo my lord was oute

He saluede so oure wommen  til summe were wiþ childe

Heende speche heete pees  to opene þe ȝates

Latte in þe frere & his felaw  & make hem fayre chere

He may see & here  so it may be-falle

Þat lijf þoruȝ his lore  schal leue coueytise

And be adrad of deþ  & wiþdrawe hym fro pride

And a-corde wiþ concience  & kisse her eiþer oþer

Þus þoruȝ heende speche  entrede þe frere

And cam in . to concience  & curteysli hym grette

Þou art welcome quod concience  canst þou hele þe seke

Heer is contricioun quod concience  my cosyn ywounded

Counforte hym quod concience  & take keep to hise sores

Þe playstres of þe persoun  & poudres biten to sore

He leete hem ligge ouer-longe  & loþ is to chaunge hem

Fro lenten to lenten  he latte hise playstres byte

Þat is ouer-longe quod þis lymytour  I leue I schal amende it

And gooþ & gropeþ contricioun  & gaue hym a playstre

Of a pryue payement  & I schal preye for ȝow

And for alle þat ȝe been holden to  al my lijf-tyme

And make ȝow . my lady  in messe & in matynes

As frereT of oure fraternyte  for a litil syluer

Þus he gooþ & gadereþ  & gloseþ þere he schryueþ

Til contricioun hadde clene forȝeten  to crie & to wepe

And wake for hise wikkede werkis  as he was wont to done

For counfort of his confessour  contricioun he lafte

Þat is þe souereynest salue  ofT alle kyn synnes

Sleuþe þanne sawT þat  & alsoT dide pride

And cam wiþ a kene wille  concience to assayle

Concience {crience} criede efte  & bade clergye helpe

And also contricioun  for to kepe þe ȝate

He lijþ & dremeþ seyde pees  & so doon many oþere

Þe frere wiþ his phisik  þeiseT folk haþ enchauntid

And playstred hem so esily  þei dreden no synne

Bi crist quod concience þoo  I wole bicome a pilgryme

And walken as wyde  as þe werld lasteþ

To seke peers þe plowman  þat pride may distruye

And þat freres hadden a fyndyng  þat for nede flateren

And counterpleden me concience  now kynde me auenge

And sende me happe & hele  til I haue peers þe plowman

And siþ he gradde after grace  til I gan awakeC