Passus xiiijus / quartus decimus &c
I haue but oon hool hater quod haukyn . I am þe lasse to blame
Thouȝ it be soiled and selde clene . I slepe þer-Inne o nyȝtes
And also I haue an houswif . hewen and children
Vxorem duxi & ideo non possum venire
That wollen bymolen it many tyme . maugree my chekes
It haþ be laued in lente . and out of lente boþe
Wiþ þe sope of siknesse . þat sekeþ wonder depe
And wiþ þe losse of catel . looþ for to agulte
God or any good man . by aught þat I wiste
And was shryuen of þe preest . þat gaf me for my synnes
To penaunce pacience . and pouere men to fede
Al for coueitise of my cristendom . in clennesse to kepen it
And kouþe I neuere by crist . kepen it clene an houre
That I ne soiled it wiþ siȝte . or som ydel speche
Or þoruȝ werk or þoruȝ word . or wille of myn herte
That I ne flobre it foule . fro morwe til euen
¶ And I shal kenne þee quod Conscience . of Contricion to make
That shal clawe þi cote . of alle kynnes filþe
Cordis contricio &c
¶ Dowel shal wasshen it and wryngen it . þoruȝ a wis confessour
Oris confessio &c
¶ Dobet shal beten it and bouken it . as bright as any scarlet
And engreynen it wiþ good wille . and goddes grace to amende þe
And siþen sende þee to Satisfaccion . for to sowen it after
Satisfaccio dobest
¶ Shal neuere cheeste bymolen it . ne moþe after biten it
Ne fend ne fals man . defoulen it in þi lyue
Shal noon heraud ne harpour . haue a fairer garnement
Than Haukyn þe Actif man . and þow do by my techyng
Ne no Mynstralle be moore worþ . amonges pouere and riche
Than Haukyns wif þe wafrer . with his Actiua vita
¶ And I shal purueie þee paast quod Pacience . þouȝ no plouȝ erye
And flour to fede folk wiþ . as best be for þe soule
Thouȝ neuere greyn growed . ne grape vp-on vyne
ToT alle þat lyueþ and lokeþ . liflode wolde I fynde
And þat ynogh shal noon faille . of þyng þat hem nedeþ
We sholde noȝt be to bisy . abouten oure liflode
¶ Ne soliciti sitis &c / Volucres celi deus pascit &c pacientes vincunt &c
¶ Thanne laughed haukyn alitel / a litel . and lightly gan swerye
Who-so leueþ yow by oure lord . I leue noȝt he be blessed
¶ No quod Pacience paciently . and out of his poke hente
Vitailles of grete vertues . for alle manere beestes
And seide . lo here liflode ynogh . if oure bileue be trewe
For lent neuere was lif . but liflode were shapen
Wher-of or wher-fore . or wher-by to libbe
¶ First þe wilde worm . vnder weet erþe
Fissh to lyue in þe flood . and in þe fir þe Criket
The Corlew by kynde of þe Eyr . moost clennest flessh of briddes
And bestes by gras and by greyn . and by grene rootes
In menynge þat alle men . myȝte þe same
Lyue þoruȝ leel bileue . and loue . as god witnesseþ
¶ Quodcumque pecieritis a patre in nomine meo &c Et alibi Non in
solo pane viuit homo set in omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei
¶ But I lokede what liflode it was . þat pacience so preisede
And þanne was it a pece of þe Pater noster . fiat voluntas tua
¶ Haue haukyn quod Pacience . and et þis whan þe hungreþ
Or whan þow clomsest for cold . or clyngest for drye
Shul neuere gyues þee greue . ne gret lordes wraþe
Prison ne peyne . for pacientes vincunt
By so þat þow be sobre . of siȝte and of tonge .
In etynge and in handlynge . and in alle þi fyue wittes
Darstow neuere care for corn . ne lynnen cloþ ne wollen
Ne for drynke ne deeþ drede . but deye as god likeþ
Or þoruȝ hunger or þoruȝ hete . at his wille be it
For if þow lyue after his loore . þe shorter lif þe bettre
Si quis amat christum . mundum non diligit istum
For þoruȝ his breeþ beestes woxen . and abrood yeden
Dixit & facta sunt &c
Crgo / [E]rgoT . þoruȝ his breeþ mowen . men and beestes lyuen
As holy writ witnesseþ . whan men seye hir graces
¶ Aperis tu manum tuam & imples omne animal benediccione
¶ It is founden þat fourty wynter . folk lyuede with-outen tulying
And out of þe flynt sprong þe flood . þat folk and beestes dronken
And in Elyes tyme . heuene was yclosed
That no reyn ne roon . þus rede men in bokes
That manye wyntres men lyueden . and no mete ne tulieden
¶ Seuene slepe as seiþ þe book . seuene hundred wynter
And lyueden wiþ-outen liflode . and at þe laste þei woken
And if men lyuede as mesure wolde . sholde neuere moore be defaute
Amonges cristene creatures . if cristes wordes ben trewe
¶ Ac vnkyndenesse caristiam makeþ . amonges cristen peple
And ouer-plentee makeþ pryde . amonges poore and riche
Ther-fore mesure is mucheT worþ . it may noȝt be to deere
For þe meschief and þe meschaunce . amonges men of Sodome
Weex þoruȝ plentee of payn . and of pure sleuþe
¶ Ociositas & habundancia panis peccatum turpissimum nutriuit
¶ For þei mesured noȝt hem-self . of þat þei ete and dronke
Thei diden dedly synne . þat þe deuel liked
So vengeaunce fil vp-on hem . for hir vile synnes
Thei sonken in-to helle . þe Citees echone
¶ For-þi mesure we vs wel . and make oure feiþ oure sheltrom
And þoruȝ feiþ comeþ contricion . conscience woot wel
Which dryueþ awey dedly synne . and dooþ it to be venial
And þouȝ a man myȝte noȝt speke . contricion myȝte hym saue
And brynge his soule to blisse . for so þat feiþ bere witnesse
That whiles he lyuede he bileuede . in þe loore of holy chirche
Ergo contricion . feiþ . and conscience . is kyndeliche dowel
And surgiens for dedly synnes . whan shrift of mouþe failleþ
Ac shrift of mouþ moore worþi is . if man be yliche contrit
For shrift of mouþe sleeþ synne . be it neuer so dedly
Per confessionem . to a preest . peccata occiduntur
¶ Ther contricion dooþ but dryueþ it doun . in-to a venial synne
As Dauid seiþ in þe Sauter . et quorum tecta sunt peccata
Ac satisfaccion sekeþ out þe roote . and boþe sleeþ and voideþ
And as it neuere hadde ybe . to noȝte bryngeþ dedly synne
That it neuere eft is sene ne soor . but semeþ a wounde yheeled
¶ Where wonyeþ Charite quod Haukyn . I wiste neuere in my lyue
Man þat wiþ hym spak . as wide as I haue passed
¶ Ther parfit truþe and poore herte is . and pacience of tonge
There is Charite þe chief chaumbrere . for god hym-selue
Than richesse riȝtfulliche wonne . and resonably despended
¶ Ye quis est ille quod Pacience . quik laudabimus eum
Thouȝ men rede of richesse . riȝt to þe worldes ende
I wiste neuere renk þat riche was . þat whan he rekene sholde
Whan he drogh to his deeþ-day . þat he ne dredde hym soore
And þat at þe rekenyng in Arrerage fel . raþer þan out of dette
Ther þe poore dar plede . and preue by pure reson
To haue allowaunce of his lord . by þe lawe he it cleymeþ
Ioye þat neuere ioye hadde . of riȝtful Iugge he askeþ
And seiþ lo . briddes and beestes . þat no blisse ne knoweþ
And wilde wormes in wodes . þoruȝ wyntres þow hem greuest
And makest hem wel neiȝ meke . and mylde for defaute
And after þow sendest hem somer . þat is hir souereyn ioye
And blisse to alle þat ben . boþe wilde and tame
¶ Thanne may beggeris as beestes . after boote waiten
That al hir lif han lyued . in langour and in defaute
But god sente hem som-tyme . som manere Ioye
Ouþer here or ellis-where . kynde wolde it neuere
For to wroþerhele was he wroȝt . þat neuere was Ioye shapen
¶ Aungeles þat in helle now ben . hadden ioye som-tyme
And diues in deyntees lyuede . and in douce vie
Right so reson sheweþ . þat þe men þat were riche
And hir makes also . lyuede hir lif in murþe
¶ Ac god is of wonderT wille . by þat kynde wit sheweþ
To ȝyue many man his medeT . er he it haue deserued
Riȝt so fareþ god by som riche . ruþe me it þynkeþ
For þei han hir hire heer . and heuene as it were
And greet likynge to lyue . wiþ-outen labour of bodye
And whan he dyeþ ben disalowed . as Dauid seiþ in þe Sauter
¶ Dormierunt & nichil inuenerunt
And in anoþer stede also . velud sompnum surgencium
domine in Ciuitate tua et ad nichilum rediges &c
¶ Allas þat richesse shal reue . and robbe mannes soule
Fram þe loue of oure lord . at his laste ende
¶ Hewen þat han hir hire afore . arn euere-moore nedy
And selden deyeþ he out of dette . þat dyneþ er he deserue it
And til he haue doon his deuoir . and his dayes iournee
For whan a werkman haþ wroȝt . þan may men se þe soþe
What he were worþi for his werk . and what he haþ deserued
And noȝt to fonge bifore . for drede of disalowyng
¶ So I seye by yow riche . it semeþ noȝt þat ye shulle
Riȝt soT as a seruaunt takeþ his salarie bifore . & siþþe wolde clayme moore
As he þat noon hadde . and haþ hire at þe laste
It may noȝt be ye riche men . or Mathew on god lyeþ
De delicijs ad delicias difficile est transire
¶ Ac if ye riche haue ruþe . and rewarde wel þe poore
And lyuen as lawe techeþ . and doon leaute to hem alle
Crist of his curteisie . shal conforte yow at þe laste
And rewarden alle double richesse . þat rewful hertes habbeþ
And as an hyne þat hadde . his hire er he bigonne
And whan he haþ doon his deuoir wel . men dooþ hym ooþer bountee
Ȝyueþ hym a cote aboue his couenaunt . riȝt so crist ȝyueþ heuene
Boþe to riche and to noȝt riche . þat rewfulliche libbeþ
And alle þat doon hir deuoir wel . han double hire for hir trauaille
Here forȝifnesse of hir synnes . and heuene blisse after
¶ Ac it is but selde yseien . as by holy seintes bokes
That god rewarded double reste . to any riche wye
For muche murþe is amonges riche . as in mete and cloþyng
And muche murþe in May is . amonges wilde beestes
And so forþ while somer lasteþ . hir solace dureþ
¶ Ac beggeris aboute Midsomer . bredlees þei slepeT
And yet is wynter for hem worse . for weet-shoed þei gone
Afurst soore and afyngred . and foule yrebuked
And arated of riche men . þat ruþe is to here
Now lord sende hem somer . and som maner ioye
Heuene after hir hennes goyng . þat here han swich defaute
For alle myȝtestow haue maad . noon mener þan ooþer
And yliche witty and wise . if þee wel hadde liked
But lordT haue ruþe on þise riche men . þat rewarde noȝt þi prisoners
Of þe good þat þow hem gyuest . ingrati ben manye
Ac god of þi goodnesse . gyue hem grace to amende
For may no derþe be hem deere . droghte ne weet hem greue
Ne neiþer hete ne Haylle . haue þei hir heele
Of þat þei wilne and wolde . wanteþ hem noȝt here
¶ Ac poore peple þi prisoners . lord in þe put of meschief
Conforte þo creatures . þat muche care suffren
Thoruȝ derþe þoruȝ droghte . alle hir dayes here
Wo in wynter tymes . for wantynge of cloþes
And in somer tyme selde . soupen to þe fulle
Conforte þi carefulle . crist in þi richesse
For how þow confortest alle creatures . clerkes bereþ witnesse
Conuertimini ad me & salui eritis
¶ Thus in genere of gentries . Iesu crist seide
To robberis and to Reueris . to riche and to poore
Thou tauȝtest hem in þe Trinite . to taken bapteme
And to be clene þoruȝ þat cristnyng . of alle kynnes synne
And if vs fille þoruȝ folie . to falle in synne after
Confession and knowlichynge . inT crauynge þi mercy
Shulde amenden vs as manye siþes . as man wolde desire
And if þe pope wolde plede her-ayein . and punysshe vs in conscience
He sholde take þe Acquitaunce as quyk . and to þe queed shewen it
Pateat &c Per passionem domini
And putten of so þe pouke . and preuen vs vnder borwe
Ac þe parchemyn of þis patente . of pouerte be moste
And of pure pacience . and parfit bileue
¶ Of pompe and of pride . þe parchemyn decourreþ
And principalliche of al þe peple . but þei be poore of herte
Ellis is al on ydel . al þat euere writenT
Pater nostres and penaunce . and Pilgrymages to Rome
But oure spences and spendynge . sprynge of a trewe wille
Ellis is al oure labour lost . lo how men writeþ
In fenestres at þe freres . if fals be þe foundement
For-þi cristene sholde be in commune riche . noon coueitous for hym-selue
¶ For seuene synnes þer ben . þat assaillen vs euere
The fend folweþ hem alle . and fondeþ hem to helpe
Ac wiþ richesse þat Ribaud . he raþest men bigileþ
For þer þat richesse regneþ . reuerence folweþ
And þat is plesaunt to pride . in poore and in riche
¶ And þe riche is reuerenced . by reson of his richesse
Ther þe poore is put bihynde . and parauenture kan moore
Of wit and of wisdom . þat fer awey is bettre
Than richesse or reautee . and raþer yherd in heuene
For þe riche haþ muche to rekene . and many tyme hym þatT walkeþ
The heiȝe wey to heueneward . Richesse hym letteþ
Ita inpossibile diuiti &c
Ther þe poore preesseþ bifore þe riche . wiþ a pak at his rugge
Opera enim illorum sequntur illos
Batauntliche as beggeris doon . and boldeliche he craueþ
For his pouerte and his pacience . a perpetuel blisse
Beati pauperes quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum
¶ And pride in richesse regneþ . raþer þan in pouerte
Arst in þe maister þan in þe man . som mansion he haueþ
Ac in pouerte þer pacience is . pride haþ no myȝte
Ne none of þe seuene synnes . sitten ne mowe þer longe
Ne haue power in pouerte . if pacienceT folwe
For þe poore is ay prest . to plese þe riche
And buxom at hise biddyngesT . for his broke loues
And buxomnesse and boost . arn euere-moore at werre
And eiþer hateþ ooþer . in alle maner werkes
¶ If wraþe wrastle wiþ þe poore . he haþ þe worse ende
And if þei boþe pleyne . þe poore is but feble
And if he chide or chatre . hym cheueþ þe worse
¶ And if Coueitise cacche þe poore . þei may noȝt come togideres
And by þe nekke namely . hir noon may hente ooþer
For men knowen wel þat Coueitise . is of kene wille
And haþ hondes and armes . of ful greetT lengþe
And Pouerte nys but a petit þyng . apereþ noȝt to his nauele
And louely layk was it neuere . bitwene þe longe and þe shorte
¶ And þouȝ Auarice wolde angre þe poore . he haþ but litel myȝte
For pouerte haþ but pokes . to putten in hise goodes
Ther Auarice haþ Almaries . and yren bounden cofres
And wheiþer be liȝter to breke . and lasse boost makeþ
A beggeris bagge . þan an yren bounde cofre
¶ Lecherie loueþ hym noȝt . for he ȝyueþ but litel siluer
Ne dooþ hym noȝt dyne delicatly . ne drynke wyn ofte
A Straw for þe Stuwes . þeiT stoode noȝt I trowe
Hadde þei no þyng but of poore men . hir houses stoode vntyled
¶ And þouȝ Sleuþe suwe pouerte . and serue noȝt god to paie
Meschief is his maister . and makeþ hym to þynke
That god is his grettest help . and no gome ellis
And he his seruaunt as he seiþ . and of his sute boþe
And wheiþer he be or be noȝt . he bereþ þe signe of pouerte
And in þat secte oure saueour . saued al mankynde
For-þi eueryT poore þat pacient is . may cleymen and asken
After hir endynge here . heuene-riche blisse
¶ Muche hardier may he asken . þat here myȝte haue his wille
In lond and in lordshipe . and likynge of bodie
And for goddes loue leueþ al . and lyueþ as a beggere
And as a mayde for mannes loue . hire moder forsakeþ
Hir fader and alle hire frendes . and folweþ hir make
Muche moore is to loue . of hym þat swich oon takeþ
Than is þat maidenT . þat is maried þoruȝ brocage
As by assent of sondry parties . and siluer to boote
Moore for coueitise of good . þan kynde loue of boþe
So it fareþ by ech a persone . þat possession forsakeþ
And put hym to be pacient . and pouerte weddeþ
The which is sib to god hym-self . and so to hise seintes
¶ Haue god my trouþe quod Haukyn . ye preise faste pouerte
What is Pouerte wiþ pacience quod he . proprely to mene
¶ Paupertas quod Pacience . est odibile bonum / Remocio
curarum . possessio sine calumpnia . donum dei . sanitas ma-
ter . absque sollicitudine semita . sapiencie temperatrix . ne-
gocium sine dampno / Incerta fortuna . absque sollicitudine felicitas
¶ I kan noȝt construe al þis quod haukyn . ye moste kenne me þis on englissh
¶ In englissh quod Pacience . it is wel hard wel to expounen
Ac som-deel I shal seyen it . by so þow vnderstonde
Pouerte is þe firste point . þat pride moost hateþ
Thanne is it good by good skile . al þat agasteþ pride
Riȝt as contricion is confortable þyng . conscience woot wel
And a sorwe of hym-self . and a solace to þe soule
So pouerte propreliche . penaunce and Ioye
Is to þe body . pure spiritual helþe
Ergo paupertas est odibile bonum
And Contricion confort . and cura animarum
¶ Selde sit pouerte . þe soþe to declare
For as Iustice to Iugge men . enioyned is no poore
Ne to be Mair aboue men . ne Mynystre vnder kynges
Selde is any poore yput . to punysshen any peple
Remocio curarum
Ergo pouerte and poore men . parfournen þe comaundement
Nolite iudicare quemquam . þe þridde
¶ Selde is any poore riche . but of riȝtful heritage
Wynneþ he noȝt wiþ wiȝtes false . ne wiþ vnseled mesures
Ne borweþ of hise neighebores . but þat he may wel paie
Possessio sine calumpnia
¶ The ferþe is a fortune . þat florissheþ þe soule
Wiþ sobretee fram alle synne . and also ȝit moore
It afaiteþ þe flessh . fram folies ful manye
A collateral confort . cristes owene ȝifte
Donum dei
¶ The fifte is moder of helþe . a frend in alle fondynges
And for þe land euere a leche . a lemman of alle clennesse
Sanitas mater
¶ The sixte is a path of pees . ye þoruȝ þe paas of Aultoun
Pouerte myȝte passe . wiþ-outen peril of robbyng
For þer þat Pouerte passeþ . pees folweþ after
And euer þe lasse þat he bereþ . þe hardier he is of herte
For-þi seiþ Seneca . Paupertas est absque sollicitudine semita
And an hardy man of herte . among an heep of þeues
Cantabit paupertas coram latrone viatore
¶ The seuenþe is welle of wisedom . and fewe wordes sheweþ
Ther-fore lordes alloweþ hym litel . or listneþ to his reson
For he tempreþ þe tonge to truþeward . and no tresor coueiteþ
Sapiencie temperatrix
¶ The eighteþe is a lele labour . and looþ to take moore
Than he may wel deserue . in somer or in wynter
And if he chaffareþ he chargeþ no losse . mowe he charite wynne
Negocium sine dampno
¶ The nynþe is swete to þe soule . no sugre is swetter
For pacience is payn . for pouerte hym-selue
And sobretee swete drynke . and good leche in siknesse
Thus lered me a lettred man . for oure lordes loue of heuene
Seint Austyn a blessed lif . wiþ-outen bisynesse ladde
For body and for soule . Absque sollicitudine felicitas
Now god þat alle good gyueþ . graunte his soule reste
That þis first wroot to wissen men . what Pouerte was to mene
¶ Allas quod Haukyn þe Actif man þo . þat after my cristendom
I ne hadde be deed and doluen . for dowelis sake
So hard it is quod haukyn . to lyue and to do synne
Synne seweþ vs euere quod he . and sory gan wexe
And wepte water wiþ hise eighen . and weyled þe tyme
That he euereT dide dede . þat deere god displesed
Swouned and sobbed . and siked ful ofte
Or maistrie ouer any man . mo þan of hym-selue
I were noȝt worþi woot god quod haukyn . to werien any cloþes
Ne neiþer sherte ne shoon . saue for shame one
To couere my careyne quod he . and cride mercy faste
And wepte and wailede . and þer-wiþ I awakede
For lent neuere