Passus vndecimus
Thanne Scripture scorned me . and a skile tolde
And lakked me in latyn . and liȝt by me she sette
And seide Multi multa sciunt & seipsos nesciunt
¶ Tho wepte I for wo . and wraþe of hir speche
And in a wynkynge wraþe . weex I aslepe
A merueillous metels mette me þanne
That I was rauysshed riȝt þere . and Fortune me fette
And in-to þe lond of longynge . allone she me brouȝte
And in a Mirour þat hiȝte middelerþe . she made me to biholde
SoneT she seide to me . here myȝtow se wondres
And knowe þat þow coueitest . and come þer-to paraunter
¶ Thanne hadde Fortune folwynge hire . two faire damyseles
Concupiscencia carnis . men called þe elder mayde
And Coueitise of eiȝes . ycalled was þat ooþer
Pride of parfit lyuynge . pursued hem boþe
And bad me for my contenaunce . acounten Clergie liȝte
¶ Concupiscencia carnis . colled me aboute þe nekke
And seide þow art yong and yeep . and hast yeres ynowe N
For to lyue longe . and ladies to louye N
And in þis Mirour þow myȝt se . myȝtes ful manye
That leden þee wole to likynge . al þi lif-tyme
¶ The secounde seide þe same . I shal sewe þi wille
Til þow be a lord and haue lond . leten þee I nelle
That I ne shal folwe þi felawship . if Fortune it like
He shal fynde me his frend . quod Fortune þer-after
The freke þat folwede my wille . failled neuere blisse N
¶ Thanne was þer oon þat hiȝte Elde . þat heuy was of chere
Man quod he if I mete wiþ þe . by Marie of heuene
Thow shalt fynde Fortune þee faille . at þi mooste nede
And Concupiscencia carnis . clene þee forsake
Bittrely shaltow banne þanne . boþe dayes and nyȝtes
Coueitise of eiȝe . þat euere þow hir knewe
And pride of parfit lyuynge . to muche peril þee brynge
¶ Ye recche þee neuere quod Rechelesnesse . stood forþ in raggede cloþes
Folwe forþ þat Fortune wole . þow hast wel fer til Elde
A man may stoupe tyme ynoȝ . whan he shal tyne þe crowne N
¶ Homo proponit quod a poete . and Plato he hiȝte
And Deus disponit quod he . lat god doon his wille
If truþe wol witnesse it be wel do . Fortune to folwe
Concupiscencia carnis . ne Coueitise of eiȝes
¶ Ye fare-wel Phippe quod Faunteltee . and forþ gan me drawe
Til Concupiscencia carnis . acorded alle my werkes
¶ Allas eiȝe quod Elde . and holynesse boþe
That wit shal torne to wrecchednesse . for wil to haue his likyng N
¶ Coueitise of eiȝes . conforted me anoon after
And folwed me fourty wynter . and a fifte moore
That of dowel ne dobet . no deyntee me þouȝte
I hadde no likyng leue me if þee list . of hem ouȝt to knowe
Coueitise of eiȝes . com ofter in mynde
Than dowel or dobet . among my dedes alle
¶ Coueitise of eiȝes . conforted me ofte N
And seide haue no conscience . how þow come to goode N
Go confesse þee to som frere . and shewe hym þi synnes N
For whiles Fortune is þi frend . freres wol þee louye N
And fecche þee to hir Fraternitee . and for þe biseke N
To hir Priour prouincial . a pardon for to haue N
And preien for þee pol by pol . if þow be pecuniosus N
Set pena pecuniaria non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis
¶ By wissynge of þis wenche I wrouȝte . hir wordes were so swete
Til I foryat youþe . and yarn in-to Elde
¶ And þo fond I þe frere afered . and flittynge boþe
Ayeins oure firste forward . for I seide I nolde
Be buried at hire hous . but at my parisshe chirche
For I herde ones . how Conscience it tolde
That þere a man were cristned . by kynde he sholde be buryed
Or where he were parisshen . riȝt þere he sholde be grauen
And for I seide þus to freres . a fool þei me helden
And loued me þe lasse . for my lele speche
By my feiþ frere quod I . ye faren lik þise woweris N
That wedde none widwes . but for to welden hir goodes N
Riȝt so by þe roode . rouȝte ye neuere N
Where my body were buryed . by so ye hadde my siluer N
¶ Ich haue muche merueille of yow . and so haþ many anoþer
Whi youre Couent coueiteþ . to confesse and to burye
Raþer þan to baptize barnes . þat ben Catecumelynges
Baptizynge and buryinge . boþe beþ ful nedefulle
Ac muche moore meritorie . me þynkeþ it is to baptize
For a baptized man may . as þise maistres telleþ
Thoruȝ contricion come . to þe heiȝe heuene
C Sola contricio &c
Ac barn wiþ-outen bapteme . may noȝt so be saued
Nisi quis renatus fuerit . loke ye lettred men . wheiþer I lye or do noȝt .
And lewte loked on me . and I loured after
¶ Wher-fore lourestow quod lewtee . and loked on me harde
¶ If I dorste quod I amonges men . þis metels auowe
¶ Ȝis by Peter and by Poul quod he . and took hem boþe to witnesse
Non oderis fratres secrete in corde tuo . set publice argue illos
¶ They wole aleggen also quod I . and by þe gospel preuen
Nolite iudicare quemquam .
¶ And wher-of serueþ lawe quod lewtee . if no lif vndertoke it
Falsnesse ne faiterie . for som-what þe Apostle seide
Non oderis fratrem . And in þe Sauter also . seiþ dauid þe prophete
Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis &c
If hem likeþ and lest . ech a lawe it graunteþ N
It falleþ noȝt for þat folk . no tales to telle N
Thouȝ þe tale be trewe . and it touche synne N
¶ Þyng þat al þe world woot . wher-fore sholdestow spare
To reden it in Retorik . to arate dedly synne
Thouȝ þow se yuel seye it noȝt first . be sory it nere amended
No þyng þat is pryue . publice þow it neuere N
Parum lauda vitupera parcius
¶ He seiþ sooþ quod Scripture þo . and skipte anheiȝ / an heiȝ and preched
Ac þe matere þat she meued . if lewed men it knewe
Þe lasse as I leue . louyen it þei wolde
¶ This was hir teme and hir text . I took ful good hede
Multi to a mangerie . and to þe mete were sompned
And whan þe peple was plener comen . þe porter vnpynned þe yate
And plukked In Pauci pryueliche . and leet þe remenaunt go rome
¶ Al for tene of hir text . trembled myn herte
And in aweer / a weer gan I wexe . and wiþ my-self to dispute
Wheiþer I were chosen or noȝt chosen . on holichirche I þouȝte
That vnderfonged me atte font . for oon of goddes chosene
For crist cleped vs alle . come if we wolde
Sarzens and scismatikes . and so he dide þe Iewes
O vos omnes sicientes venite &c
And bad hem souke for synne . safly at his breste
And drynke boote for bale . brouke it who-so myȝte
¶ Thanne may alle cristene come quod I . and cleyme þere entree
By þe blood þat he bouȝte vs wiþ . and þoruȝ bapteme after
Qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit &c
For þouȝ a cristen man coueited . his cristendom to reneye
Riȝtfully to reneye . no reson it wolde
¶ For may no cherl chartre make . ne his catel selle
Wiþ-outen leue of his lord . no lawe wol it graunte
Ac he may renne in arerage . and rome so fro home
And as a reneyed caytif . recchelesly rennen aboute
And reson shal rekene wiþ hym . and casten hym in arerage
And putten hym after in a prison . in purgatorie to brenne
For hise arerages rewarden hym þere . to þe day of dome
But if Contricion wol come . and crye by his lyue
Mercy for hise mysdedes . wiþ mouþe and wiþ herte
¶ That is sooþ seide Scripture . may no synne lette
Mercy al to amende . and Mekenesse hir folwe
For þei beþ as oure bokes telleþ . aboue goddes werkes
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius
¶ Ye baw for bokes quod oon . was broken out of helle
Hiȝte Troianus hadde ben a trewe knyȝt . took witnesse at a pope
How he was ded and dampned . to dwellen in pyne
For an vncristene creature . clerkes wite þe soþe
That al þe clergie vnder crist . ne myȝte me cracche fro helle
But oonliche loue and leautee . and my laweful domes
¶ Gregorie wiste þis wel . and wilned to my soule
Sauacion for sooþnesse . þat he seiȝ in my werkes
And after þat he wepte . and wilned me were graunted
Grace . wiþ-outen any bede biddyng . his boone was vnderfongen
And I saued as ye see . wiþ-outen syngynge of masses
By loue and by lernyng . of my lyuynge in truþe N
Brouȝte me fro bitter peyne . þer no biddyng myȝte N
¶ Lo ye lordes what leautee dide . by an Emperour of Rome
That was an vncristene creature . as clerkes fyndeþ in bokes
Nouȝt þoruȝ preiere of a pope . but for his pure truþe
Was þat Sarsen saued . as Seint Gregorie bereþ witnesse
¶ Wel ouȝte ye lordes þat lawes kepe . þis lesson to haue in mynde
And on Troianus truþe to þenke . and do truþe to þe peple
Lawe wiþ-outen loue quod Troianus . ley þer a bene N
Or any Science vnder sonne . þe seuene artz and alle
But þei ben lerned for oure lordes loue . lost is al þe tyme
For no cause to cacche siluer þer-by . ne to be called a maister
But al for loue of oure lord . and þe bet to loue þe peple
For Seint Iohan seide it . and soþe arn hise wordes
Qui non diligit manet in morte
¶ Who-so loueþ noȝt leue me . he lyueþ in deeþ-deyinge
And þat alle manere men . enemyes and frendes N
Loue hir eyþer ooþer . and lene hem as hem-selue N
Who-so leneþ noȝt he loueþ noȝt . god woot þe soþe N
And souereynly þe pouere peple . and hir enemyes after N
For hem þat haten vs . is oure merite to louye N
And oure Ioye and oure heele . Iesu crist of heuene N
In a pouere mannes apparaille . pursued vs euere N
And lokeþ on vs in hir liknesse . and þat wiþ louely chere N
To knowen vs by oure kynde herte . and castynge of oure eiȝen N
Wheiþer we loue þe lordes here . bifore þe lord of blisse N
And exciteþ vs by þe Euaungelie . þat whan we maken festes
We sholde noȝt clepe oure kyn þer-to . ne none kynnes riche
¶ Cum facitis conuiuia nolite inuitare amicos
For youre frendes wol feden yow . and fonde yow to quyte
Youre festynge and youre faire ȝifte . ech frend quyteþ so ooþer
That ȝyueþ hem mete or moneie . or loueþ hem for my sake N
For þe beste ben som riche . and some beggeres and pouere N
For alle are we cristes creatures . and of his cofres riche N
And breþeren as of oo blood . as wel beggeres as Erles N
For on Caluarie of cristes blood . cristendom gan sprynge N
As quasi modo geniti . and gentil men echone N
No beggere ne boye amonges vs . but if it synne made
Qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati &c
¶ In þe olde lawe . as holy lettre telleþ
Mennes sones . men callenT vs echone
Of Adames issue and Eue . ay til god-man deide
And after his resurexcion . Redemptor was his name
And we hise breþeren þoruȝ hym ybouȝt . boþe riche and pouere
And of þat ech man may forbere . amende þere it nedeþ N
And euery man helpe ooþer . for hennes shul we alle N
Alter alterius onera portate
For woot no man how neiȝ it is . to ben ynome fro boþe N
For-þi lakke no lif ooþer . þouȝ he moore latyn knowe
Ne vndernyme noȝt foule . for is noon wiþ-oute defaute
For what-euere clerkes carpe . of cristendom or ellis
Crist to a commune womman seide . in commune at a feste
That Fides sua sholde sauen hire . and saluen hire of synnes
¶ Thanne is bileue a lele help . aboue logyk or lawe
Of logyk or of lawe . in legenda sanctorum
Is litel alowaunce maad . but if bileue hem helpe
For it is ouer-longe er logyk . any lesson assoille
And lawe is looþ to louye . but if he lacche siluer
Boþe logyk and lawe . þat loueþ noȝt to lye
I conseille alle cristene . clyue noȝt þer-on to soore
For some wordes I fynde writen . þat were of Feiþes techyng
That saued synful men . as Seint Iohan bereþ witnesse
¶ Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis remecietur vobis
And as Seint Gregorie seide . for mannes soule helþe N
¶ Melius est scrutari scelera nostra quam naturas rerum
¶ Why I meue þis matere . is moost for þe pouere
For in hir liknesse oure lord . ofte haþ ben yknowe
Witnesse in þe Pask wyke . whan he yede to Emaus
Cleophas ne knew hym noȝt . þat he crist were
For his pouere apparaille . and pilgrymes wedes
Til he blessede and brak . þe breed þat þei eten
So bi hise werkes þei wisten . þat he was Iesus
Ac by cloþyng þei knewe hym noȝt . ne by carpynge of tunge
¶ And al was in ensample . to vs synfulle here N
That we sholde be lowe . and loueliche of speche N
And apparaille vs noȝt ouer-proudly . for pilgrymes are we alle N
¶ Seint Iohan and oþere seintes . were seyen in poore cloþyng
And as pouere pilgrymes . preyed mennes goodes
¶ Iesu crist on a Iewes doȝter liȝte . gentil womman þouȝ she were
Was a pure pouere maide . and to a pouere man ywedded
¶ Martha on Marie Maudeleyne . anhuge / an huge pleynt made
And to oure Saueour self . seide þise wordes
¶ Domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me solam ministrare
¶ And hastily god answerde . and eiþeres wille folwed
Boþe Marthaes and Maries . as Mathew bereþ witnesse
Ac pouerte god putte bifore . and preised þat þe bettre N
Maria optimam partem elegit que non &c
¶ And alle þe wise þat euere were . by auȝt I kan aspye
And boþe bettre and blesseder . by many fold þan Richesse
As on a walnote wiþ-oute . is a bitter barke N
And after þat bitter bark . be þe shelle aweye N
Is a kernel of confort . kynde to restore N
¶ So is after pouerte or penaunce . paciently ytake N
For it makeþ a man to haue mynde . in god and a gret wille N
Of which crist is a kernelle . to conforte þe soule N
And wel sikerer he slepeþ . þe man þat is pouere
And lasse he dredeþ deeþ . and in derke to ben yrobbed N
Than he þat is riȝt riche . Reson bereþ witnesse N
Pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris
¶ Al-þouȝ Salomon seide . as folk seeþ in þe bible
Diuicias nec paupertates &c
Wiser þan Salomon was . bereþ witnesse and tauȝte
That parfit pouerte was . no possession to haue N
And lif moost likynge to god . as luc bereþ witnesse N
Si vis perfectus esse . vade & vendeT
¶ And is to mene to men . þat on þis moolde lyuen
Who-so wole be pure parfit . moot possession forsake
Or selle it as seiþ þe book . and þe siluer dele
To beggeris þat goon and begge . and bidden good for goddes loue
For failed neuere man mete . þat myȝtful god serueþ N
As Dauid seiþ in þe Sauter . to swiche þat ben in wille
To serue god goodliche . ne greueþ hym no penaunce
Nichil inpossibile volenti
Ne lakkeþ neuere liflode . lynnen ne wollen
Inquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono
¶ If preestes weren parfite . þei wolde no siluer take N
For masses ne for matyns . noȝt hir mete of vsureres N
Ne neiþer kirtel ne cote . þeiȝ þei for cold sholde deye
And þei hir deuoir dide . as Dauid seiþ in þe Sauter
Iudica me deus & discerne causam meam
¶ Spera in deo . spekeþ of preestes . þat haue no spendyng siluer
That if þei trauaille truweliche . and truste in god almyȝty N
Hem sholde lakke no liflode . neyþer lynnen ne wollen N
Thanne nedeþ yow noȝt to take siluer . for masses þat ye syngen
For he þat took yow youre title . sholde take yow youre wages
Or þe bisshop þat blessed yow . if þat ye ben worþi
As bifel for a knyȝt . or foond hym for his strengþe
It is a careful knyȝt . and of a caytif kynges makyng N
That haþ no lond ne lynage riche . ne good loos of hise handes N
That han neiþer konnynge ne kyn . but a crowne one N
And a title a tale of noȝt . to his liflode at his meschief N
He haþ moore bileue as I leue . to lacche þoruȝ his croune N
Cure . þan for konnyng . or knowen for clene berynge N
Makeþ swiche preestes . þat lewed men bitrayen N
¶ A chartre is chalangeable . bifore a chief Iustice N
If fals latyn be in þat lettre . þe lawe it impugneþ N
Or peynted parentrelynarie . or parcelles ouer-skipped
The gome þat gloseþ so chartres . for a goky is holden
¶ So is it a goky by god . þat in his gospel failleþ N
Or in masse or in matyns . makeþ any defaute N
Qui offendit in vno in omnibus est reus
¶ And also in þe sauter . seiþ dauid to ouerskipperis
Psallite deo nostro psallite quoniam rex terre deus Israel psallite sapien[ter]C
¶ The bisshop shal be blamed . bifore god as I leue N
That crouneþ swiche goddes knyȝtes . þat konneþ noȝt sapienter N
Synge ne psalmes rede . ne seye a masse of þe day N
And neuer neiþer is blamelees . þe bisshop ne þe Chapeleyn N
Non excusat episcopos nec ydiotT preestes
¶ This lokynge on lewed preestes . haþ doon me lepe from pouerte
The which I preise þer pacience is . moore parfit þan richesse
Ac muche moore in metynge þus . wiþ me gan oon dispute
And slepynge I seiȝ al þis . and siþen cam kynde
And nempned me by my name . and bad me nymen hede
And þoruȝ þe wondres of þis world . wit for to take
And on a mountaigne þat myddel-erþe . hiȝte as me þouȝte
I was fet forþ . by ensamples to knowe
Thorugh ech a creature and kynde . my creatour to louye
¶ I seiȝ þe sonne and þe see . and þe sond after
And where þat briddes and beestes . by hir makes yeden
Wilde wormes in wodes . and wonderful foweles
Wiþ fleckede feþeres . and of fele colours
¶ Man and his make . I myȝte boþe biholde
Pouerte and plentee . boþe pees and werre
Blisse and bale boþe . I seiȝ al atones / at ones
And how men token Mede . and Mercy refused
¶ Reson I seiȝ sooþly . sewen alle beestes
In etynge in drynkynge . and in engendrynge of kynde
And after cours of concepcion . noon took kepe of ooþer
As whan þei hadde ryde in Rotey-tyme . anoon riȝt þer-after
Males drowen hem to males . amorwenynges by hem-selue
And in euenynges also . þe males ben fro femelles
Ther ne was cow ne cowkynde . þat conceyued hadde
That wolde belwe after boles . ne boor after sowe
Boþe hors and houndes . and alle oþere beestes
Medled noȝt wiþ hir makes . þat wiþ fole were
¶ Briddes I biheld . þat in buskes made nestes
Hadde neuere wye wit . to werche þe leeste
I hadde wonder at whom . and wher þe pye lerned
To legge þe stikkes . in whiche she leyeþ and bredeþ
Ther nys wriȝte as I wene . sholde werche hir nestes to paye
If any Mason made a molde þer-to . muche wonder it were
Hidden and hileden . hir egges ful derne
In Mareys and moores . for men sholde hem noȝt fynde
And hidden hir egges . whan þei þer-fro wente
For fere of oþere foweles . and for wilde beestes
¶ And some troden hir makes . and on trees bredden
And brouȝten forþ hir briddes so . al aboue þe grounde
And some briddes at þe bile . þoruȝ breþyng conceyued
And some caukede I took kepe . how pecokkes bredden
Muche merueilled me . what maister hem madeT
And who tauȝte hem on trees . to tymbre so heiȝe
Ther neiþer burn ne beest . may hir briddes rechen
¶ And siþen I loked vp-on þe see . and so forþ vp-on þe sterres
Manye selkouþes I seiȝ . ben noȝt to seye nouþe
¶ I seiȝ floures in þe fryth . and hir faire colours
And how among þe grene gras . growed so manye hewes
And some soure and some swete . selkouþ me þouȝte
Of hir kynde and hir colour . to carpe it were to longe
¶ Ac þat moost meued me . and my mood chaunged
That Reson rewarded . and ruled alle beestes N
Saue man and his make . many tyme and ofte N
No Reson hem folwede . and þanne I rebukede N
Reson / . and riȝt til hym-seluen I seyde N
¶ I haue wonder of þee quod I . þat witty art holden
Why þow ne sewest man and his make . þat no mysfeet hem folwe
¶ And Reson arated me . and seide recche þee neuere
Why I suffre or noȝt suffre . þi-self hast noȝt to doone N
Amende þow it if þow myȝt . for my tyme is to abide N
Suffraunce is a souerayn vertue . and a swift vengeaunce
Who suffrede moore þan god quod he . no gome as I leeue
He myȝte amende in a Minute-while . al þat mysstandeþ
Ac he suffreþ for som mannes goode . and so itT is oure bettre
The wise and þe witty . wroot þus in þe bible
De re que te non molestat noli certare
¶ For be a man fair or foul . it falleþ noȝt for to lakke
The shap ne þe shaft . þat god shoop hym-selue
For al þat he dide was wel ydo . as holy writ witnesseþ
Et vidit deus cuncta que fecerat & erant valde bona
¶ And bad euery creature . in his kynde encreesse
Al to murþe wiþ man . þat moste wo þolie
In fondynge of þe flessh . and of þe fend boþe
For man was maad of swich a matere . he may noȝt wel asterte
That ne som-tyme hym bitit . to folwen his kynde
Caton acordeþ þer-wiþ . Nemo sine crimine viuit
¶ Tho cauȝte I colour anoon . and comsed to ben ashamed
And awaked þer-wiþ . wo was me þanne
That I in metels ne myȝte . moore haue yknowen
And þanne seide I to my-self . and chidde þat tyme
Now I woot what dowel is quod I . by deere god as me þynkeþ
¶ And as I caste vp myne eiȝen . oon loked on me and asked
Of me what þyng it were . ywis sire I seide
To se muche and suffre moore . certes quod I is dowel N
¶ Haddestow suffred he seide . slepynge þo þow were
For Reson wolde haue reherced þee . riȝt as Clergie seide
Ac for þyn entremetynge . here artow forsake
Philosophus esses si tacuisses
¶ Adam whiles he spak noȝt . hadde paradis at wille N
Ac whan he mamelede aboute mete . and entremetede to knowe N
The wisedom and þe wit of god . he was put fram blisse N
¶ And riȝt so ferde Reson bi þee . þow wiþ þi rude speche
Lakkedest and losedest þyng . þat longed þe noȝt to doone
Tho hadde he no likyng . for to lere þe moore
¶ Pryde now and presumpcion . parauenture wol þee appele
That Clergie þi compaignye . kepeþ noȝt to suwe
Shal neuere chalangynge ne chidynge . chaste a man so soone N
As shal shame and shenden hym . and shape hym to amende N
For lat a dronken daffe . in a dyk falle N
For þouȝ Reson rebuked hym þanne . it were but pure synne N
Ac whan nede nymeþ hym vp . for doute lest he sterue N
And shame shrapeþ hise cloþes . and hise shynes wassheþ N
Thanne woot þe dronken daffe . wher-fore he is to blame N
¶ Ye siggen sooþ quod I . ich haue yseyen it ofte
Ther smyt no þyng so smerte . ne smelleþ so soure
As shame þere he sheweþ hym . for euery man hym shonyeþ
Why ye wisse me þus quod I . was for I rebuked Reson
¶ Certes quod he þat is sooþ . and shoop hym for to walken
And I aroos vp riȝt wiþ þat . and folwed hym after
And preyde hym of his curteisie . to telle me his name
And þe title þat þei