Passus .xijus. / duodecimusC
I am ymaginatif quod he . ydel was I neuere
Thouȝ I sitte by my-self . in siknesse norT in helþe
I haue folwed þee in feiþ . þise fyue and fourty wynter
And manye tymes haue meued þee . to þynke on þyn ende
And how fele fernyeres are faren . and so fewe to come
And of þi wilde wantownesse . þo þow yong were
To amende it in þi myddel age . lest myȝt þe failled
In þyn olde elde . þat yuele kan suffre
Pouerte or penaunce . or preyeres to bidde
Si non in prima vigilia nec in secunda &c
¶ Amende þee while þow myȝt . þow hast ben warned ofte N
Wiþ poustees of pestilences . wiþ pouerte and with angres
And wiþ þise bittre baleises . god beteþ his deere children
Quem diligo castigo
¶ And Dauid in þe Sauter seiþ . of swiche þat loueþ Iesus
Virga tua & baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt
It is but murþe as for me . to amende my soule N
And þow medlest þee wiþ makynges . and myȝtest go seye þi sauter
And bidde for hem þat ȝyueþ þee breed . for þer are bokes yknoweT
To telle men what dowel is . dobet and dobest boþe
And prechours to preuen what it is . of many a peire freres
¶ I seiȝ wel he seide me sooþ . and som-what me to excuse
Seide Caton conforted me his sone . þat clerk þouȝ he were
To solacen hym som-tyme . as I do whan I make
Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis
¶ And of holy men I herde quod I . how þei ouþer-while
Pleyden þe parfiter . to ben in manye places
Ac if þer were any wight . þat wolde me telle
What were do-wel . and dobet . and do-best at þe laste
Wolde I neuere do werk . but wende to holichirche
And þere bidde my bedes . but whan ich ete or slepe
¶ Poul in his pistle quod he . preueþ what is dowel
Fides / spes / caritas . et maior horum &c
Feiþ / hope / and Charite . and alle ben goode
And sauen men sondry tymes . ac noon so soone as Charite
For he dooþ wel wiþ-outen doute . þat dooþ as lewte techeþ
That is if þow be man maryed . þi make þow louye
And lyue forþ as lawe wole . while ye lyuen boþe
¶ Riȝt so if þow be Religious . ren þow neuere ferþer
To Rome ne to Rochemador . but as þi rule techeþ
And hold þee vnder obedience . þat heigh wey is to heuene
¶ And if þow be maiden to marye . and myȝt wel continue
Seke þow neuere Seint ferþer . for no soule helþe
For what made lucifer . to lese þe heiȝe heuene
Or Salomon his sapience . or Sampson his strengþe
Iob þe Iew his ioye . ful deereT abouȝte
Aristotle and oþere mo . ypocras and virgile
Alisaundre þat al wan . elengliche ended
Catel and kynde wit . was combraunce to hem alle
¶ Felice hir fairnesse . fel hire al to sclaundre
And Rosamounde riȝt so . reufulliche to bileue
The beaute of hir body . in baddenesse she despended
Of manye swiche I may rede . of men and of wommen N
That wise wordes wolde shewe . and werche þe contrarie N
Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes
¶ And riche renkes riȝt so . gaderen and sparen
And þo men þat þei moost haten . mynistren it at þe laste
And for þei suffren and see . so manye nedy folkes
And loue hem noȝt as oure lord bit . þei lesen hir soules
Date & dabitur vobis
¶ And Richesse riȝt so . but if þe roote be trewe
Ac grace is a gras þer-of . þo greuaunces to abate
Ac grace ne groweþ noȝt . but amonges lowe
Pacience and pouerte . þe place hiȝteT þer it groweþ
And in lele lyuynge men . and in lif-holy
And þoruȝ þe gifte of þe holy goost . as þe gospel telleþ
Spiritus vbi vult spirat
¶ Clergie and kynde wit . comeþ of siȝte and techyng
As þe book bereþ witnesse . to burnes þat kan rede
Quod scimus loquimur . quod vidimus testamur
¶ Of quod scimus comeþ Clergie . and konnynge of heuene
And of quod vidimus comeþ kynde wit . of siȝte of diuerse peple
Ac grace is a gifte of god . and of greet loue spryngeþ
Knew neuere clerk how it comeþ forþ . ne kynde wit þe weyes
Nescit aliquis vnde venit . aut quo vaditC &c
¶ Ac yet is Clergie to comende . and kynde wit boþe
And namely Clergie for cristes loue . þat of Clergie is roote
For Moyses witnesseþ þat god wroot . for to wisse þe peple
In þe olde lawe as þe lettre telleþ . þat was þe lawe of Iewes
That what womman were in auoutrye taken . where sheT riche or poore
Wiþ stones men sholde hir strike . and stone hire to deþe
Ac crist of his curteisie . þoruȝ clergie hir saued
And þoruȝ caractes þat crist wroot . þe Iewes knewe hem-selue
Giltier as afore god . and gretter in synne
Than þe womman þat þere was . and wenten awey for shame
¶ The Clergie þat þere was . conforted þe womman
Holy kirke knoweþ þis . þat cristes writyng saued hire
So clergie is confort . to creatures þat repenten
And to mansede men . meschief at hire ende
The which body is boþe . boote to þe riȝtfulle N
And deeþ and dampnacion . to hem þat deyeþ yuele N
As cristes caracte confortede . and boþe coupable shewed
The womman þat þe Iewes brouȝte . þat Iesus þouȝte to saue
Nolite iudicare & non iudicabimini
Riȝt so goddes body breþeren . but if it be worþili taken
Dampneþ vs at þe day of dome . as þe caractes dide þe Iewes
¶ For-þi I counseille þee for cristes sake . clergie þat þow louye
For kynde wit is of his kyn . and neiȝe Cosynes boþe
To oure lord leue me . for-þi loue hem I rede
For boþe ben as Mirours . to amenden oure defautes
And lederes for lewed men . and for lettred boþe
¶ For-þi lakke þow neuere logik . lawe ne hise custumes
Ne countreplede clerkes . I counseille þee for euere
For as a man may noȝt see . þat mysseþ hise eiȝen N
Namoore kan no Clerk . but if he cauȝte it first þoruȝ bokes N
Al-þouȝ men made bokes . god was þe maister N
And seint Spirit þe Samplarie . & seide what men sholde writeT
¶ Riȝt so ledeþ lettrure . lewed men to Reson N
And as a blynd man in bataille . bereþ wepne to fiȝte N
And haþ noon hap wiþ his ax . his enemy to hitte N
Namoore kan a kynde witted man . but clerkes hym teche N
Come for al his kynde wit . to cristendom and be saued N
Which is þe cofre of cristes tresor . and clerkes kepe þe keyes
To vnloken it at hir likyng . and to þe lewed peple
Ȝyue mercy for hire mysdedes . if men it wole aske
Buxomliche and benigneliche . and bidden it of grace
¶ Archa dei in þe olde lawe . leuytes it kepten
Hadde neuere lewed man leue . to leggen hond on þat cheste
But he were preest or preestes sone . Patriark or prophete
For Clergie is kepere . vnder crist of heuene
Was þer neuere no knyȝt . but clergie hym made
Ac kynde wit comeþ . of alle kynnes siȝtes
Of briddes and of beestes . of tastes of truþe and of deceites
¶ Lyueris toforn vs . vseden to marke
For selkouþes þat þei seiȝen . hir sones for to teche
And helden it an heiȝ science . hir wittes to knowe
Ac þoruȝ hir scienceT sooþly . was neuere no soule ysaued
Ne broȝt by hir bokes . to blisse ne to ioye
For alle hir kynde knowynges come . but of diuerse siȝtes
¶ Patriarkes and prophetes . repreueden hir science
And seiden hir wordes and hir wisdomes . nas but a folye
AndT to þe clergie of crist . counted it but a trufle
Sapiencia huius mundi stulticia est apud deum N
¶ For þe heiȝe holy goost . heuene shal to-cleue
And loue shal lepen out after . in-to þeT lowe erþe
And clennesse shal cacchen it . and clerkes shullen it fynde
Pastores loquebantur adinuicem / ad inuicem
¶ He spekeþ þere of riche men riȝt noȝt . ne of riȝt witty
Ne of lordes þat were lewed men . but of þe hyeste lettred oute
Ibant magi ab oriente
¶ If any frere were founde þere . I ȝyue þee fyue shillynges
Ne in none burgeisesT cote . was þat barn born
¶ But in a Burgeises place . of Bethlem þe beste
Set non erat ei locus in diuersorio . et pauper non habet diuersoriumT
¶ To pastours and to poetes . appered þe Aungel
And bad hem go to Bethlem . goddes burþe to honoure
And songe a song of solas . Gloria in excelsis deo
¶ Clerkes knewen it wel . and comen wiþ hir presentz
And diden homage honurably . to hym þat was almyȝty
¶ Why I haue told al þis . I took ful good hede
How þow contrariedest clergie . wiþ crabbede wordes
How þat lewed men liȝtloker . þan lettrede were saued
Than clerkes or kynde witted men . of cristene peple
And þow seidest sooþ of somme . ac se in what manere
¶ Tak two stronge men . and in Themese cast hem N
And boþe naked as a nedle . hir noon sikerer þan ooþer N
That oon haþ konnynge and kan . swymmen and dyuen N
He þat neuere ne dyued . ne noȝt kan of swymmyng N
Ther his felawe fleteþ forþ . as þe flood likeþ N
And is in drede to drenche . þat neuere dide swymme N
That swymme kan noȝt I seide . it semeþ to my wittes
¶ Right so quod þe renk . Reson it sheweþ
That he þat knoweþ clergie . kan sonner arise N
Out of synne and be saaf . þouȝ he synne ofte N
If hym likeþ and lest . þan any lewed leelly N
For if þe clerk be konnynge . he knoweþ what is synne N
As þow seest in þe Sauter . in Salmes oon or tweyne N
How contricion is comended . for it cacheþ awey synne N
Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates . & quorum tecta sunt &c
¶ And þis conforteþ ech a clerk . and couereþ hym fro wanhope
In which flood þe fend . fondeþ a man hardest
Ther þe lewed liþ stille . and lokeþ after lente
And haþ no contricion er he come to shrifte . & þanne kan he litel telle
But as his lores-man lereþ hym . bileueþ and troweþ
Vnkonnynge to lere lewed men . as luc bereþ witnesse
Dum cecus ducit cecum &c
¶ Wo was hym marked . þat wade moot wiþ þe lewed
That lyuynge after lettrure . saueþ hym lif and soule N
Dominus pars hereditatis mee . is a murye verset
That haþ take fro Tybourne . twenty stronge þeues
Ther lewed þeues ben lolled vp . loke how þei be saued
¶ The þef þat hadde grace of god . on goodfryday / good fryday as þow spekest
Was for he yald hym creaunt . to crist on þe cros . & knewliched hym gilty
And grace asked of god . þat to graunten it is redyT
Ac þouȝ þat þeef hadde heuene . he hadde noon heiȝ blisse
As Seint Iohan and oþere Seintes . þat deserued hadde bettre
But sete as a beggere bordlees . by my-self on þe grounde N
So it fareþ by þat felon . þat a good friday was saued N
But by hym-self as a soleyn . and serued on erþe N
And as lawe likeþ . to lyue or to deye N
De peccato propiciato . noli esse sine metu
And for to seruen a seint . and swich a þef togideres
It were neiþer reson ne riȝt . to rewarde hem boþe yliche
¶ And riȝt as Troianus þe trewe knyȝt . dwelte noȝt depe in helle
That oure lord ne hadde hym liȝtly out . so leue I þe þef be in heuene
For he is in þe loweste of heuene . if oure bileue be trewe
And wel loselly he lolleþ þere . by þe lawe of holy chirche
Qui reddit vnicuique iuxta opera sua &c
¶ And why þat oon þeef on þe cros . creaunt hym yald
Raþer þan þat ooþer þeef . þouȝ þow woldest appose
Alle þe clerkes vnder crist . ne kouþe þe skile assoille
Quare placuit quia voluit
¶ And so I seye by þee . þat sekest after þe whyes
And a-resonedest Reson . a rebukynge as it were
And of þe floures in þe Fryth . and of hire faire hewes
Wher-of þei cacche hir colours . so clere and so briȝte
And willest of briddes & of beestes . and of hir bredyng to knowe
Why some be alouȝ & some aloft . þi likyng it were
And of þe stones and of þe sterres . þow studiest as I leue
How euere beest ouþer brid . haþ so breme wittes
¶ Clergie ne kynde wit . ne knew neuere þe cause
Ac kynde knoweþ þe cause hym-self . and no creature ellis
He is þe pies patron . and putteþ it in hir ere
ThereT þe þorn is þikkest . to buylden and brede
And kynde kenned þe pecok . to cauken in swich a kynde
And tauȝte hym and Eue . to helien hem wiþ leues
¶ Lewed men many tymes . maistres þei apposen
Why Adam ne hiled noȝt first . his mouþ þat eet þe Appul
Raþer þan his likame alogh . lewed asken þus clerkes
Kynde knoweþ whi he dide so . ac no clerk ellis
Ac of briddes and of beestes . men by olde tyme
Ensamples token and termes . as telleþ þe poetes
And þat þe faireste fowel . foulest engendreþ
And feblest fowel of fliȝt is . þat fleeþ or swymmeþ
And þat þe pecok & þe Pehen . proude riche men bitokneþ N
For þe Pecok and men pursue hym . may noȝt flee heiȝe N
For þe trailynge of his tail . ouer-taken is he soone N
And his flessh is foul flessh . and his feet boþe N
And vnlouelich of ledene . and looþ for to here
¶ Right so þe riche . if he his richesse kepe N
And deleþ it noȝt til his deeþ-day . þe tail of alle sorwe N
Riȝt so as þe pennes of þe pecok . peyneþ hym in his fliȝt N
So is possession peyne . of pens and of nobles N
To alle hem þat it holdeþ . til hir tail be plukked N
¶ And þouȝ þe riche repente þanne . and birewe þe tyme
That euere he gadered so grete . and gaf þer-of so litel
Thouȝ he crye to crist þanne . wiþ kene wil I leue
His ledene be in oure lordes ere . lik a pies chiteryng
And whan his caroyne shal come . in caue to be buryed
I leue it flawme ful foule . þe fold al aboute
And alle þe oþere þer it lith . enuenymeþ þoruȝ his attre
¶ By þe po feet is vnderstande . as I haue lerned in Auynet
Executours false frendes . þat fulfille noȝt his wille
That was writen and þei witnesse . to werche riȝt as it wolde
Riȝt so is þe riche . by reson of hise goodes N
¶ The larke þat is a lasse fowel . is moore louelich of ledene N
And wel a-wey of wynge . swifter þan þe Pecok N
And of flessh by fele fold . fatter and swetter N
To lowe libbynge men . þe larke is resembled N
¶ Aristotle þe grete clerk . swiche tales he telleþ
Thus he likneþ in his logik . þe leeste fowel oute
And wheiþer he be saaf or noȝt saaf . þe soþe woot no clergie
Ne of Sortes ne of Salomon . no scripture kan telle
Ac god is so good I hope . þat siþþe he gaf hem wittes
To wissen vs weyes þer-wiþ . þat wissen vs to be saued
And þe bettre for hir bokes . to bidden we ben holden
That god for his grace . gyue hir soules reste
For lettred men were lewed men yet . ne were loore of hir bokes
¶ Alle þise clerkes quod I þo . þat inT crist leuen
Seyen in hir Sermons . þat neiþer Sarsens ne Iewes
Ne no creature of cristes liknesse . with-outen cristendom worþ saued
¶ Contra quod ymaginatif þoo . and comsed for to loure
And seide Saluabitur vix Iustus in die Iudicij
Ergo saluabitur quod he . and seide namoore latyn
¶ Troianus was a trewe knyght . and took neuere cristendom
And he is saaf so seiþ þe book . and his soule in heuene
For þer is fullynge of Font . and fullynge in blood shedyng
And þoruȝ fir is fullyng . and þat is ferme bileue
Aduenit ignis diuinus non comburens set illuminans &c
¶ Ac truþe þat trespased neuere . ne trauersed ayeins his lawe
But lyueþ as his lawe techeþ . and leueþ þer be no bettre
And if þer were he wolde amende . and in swich wille deieþ
Ne wolde neuere trewe god . but truþe were allowed
And wheiþerT it be worþ or noȝt worþ . þe bileue is gret of truþe
And an hope hangynge þer-Inne . to haue a mede for his truþe
¶ For Deus dicitur quasi dans vitam eternam . suis . hoc est fidelibus
Et alibi . si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis
¶ The glose graunteþ vp-on þat vers . a greet mede to truþe
And wit and wisdom quod þat wye . was som-tyme tresor
To kepe wiþ a commune . no catel was holde bettre
And muche murþe and manhod . and riȝt wiþ þat he vanysshed