The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. ?: Dublin, Trinity College, MS 212 D.4.1 (Vc)

The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. ?: Dublin, Trinity College, MS 212 D.4.1 (Vc)William LanglandEdited by M. Gail Duggan and Hoyt N. Duggan Images Editor: Patricia R. Bart Graduate Research AssistantsJohn Ivor Carlson, Paul Gaffney, Timothy Stinson, and Keicy Tolbert. Computer Consultants and Programmers Daniel Pitti and John Unsworth.The Medieval Academy & SEENET Cambridge, MA ISBN: 0-4??-002???

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200?

SEENET A.?

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 212 D.4.1

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Dublin, Trinity College, MS 212 D.4.1

Attribute Values br brown ink ab anglicana bastarda it italic lc Lombard Cap o[number] ornamented capital, N lines high rb rubricated tr touched in red tx textura ul underlined ur underlined in red gr green ink bl blue ink

LatinFrenchGerman 7 August 2002 Editor Hoyt N. Duggan Parsed and files set up. comune custum to the writer hereof, to vse .u. in places where we vse .i. or .eThe first line(s) of this annotation has been trimmed, as well as the ends of each of the subsequent lines. The editors would like to thank Mr. Bernard Mackey, who examined the manuscript early in the editing process to help resolve ambiguities. as somur for somer. shephurd for shepherd. and to vse .w. for .wh. as wan wuch, wat, for whan, which what. Hic incipit uisio Willelmi de Petro Plouhman INThe letter was flourished the length of the left margin in red and blue assomur seson / wan softe was þe sonne I gan me or I crept in amoong busshes. Y shop me in-to schrobbus / as y a schephurde were apparell In abit as an Eremite / vn-holy of werkes Y went forth in þe wordle / wondres to here sawe selcouth or vn... quasi. seldom known or vnknowen strange befell, chancedThere is a horizontal line separating this gloss from the one above it. And saih meny selles / and selcouthe þinges but Ac on a may morwenyng / on maluerne hulles for Me by-fulle fortfor to slepe / for werynesse of wandring And in a launde as y lay / lened y and slepte I drempt And merueylously me mette / as y may ȝow telle Al þe welþe of þis worlde / and þe wo boþe . aduisedly i sawe witterly, quasi w... intent of wit. WalkyngeWynkyng as hit were / wyterly y sauh hit gyle or deceit Of truthe and of trecherie / treson and gyle Al y sauh slepinge ~~/ as y shal ȝow telle~~ ¶Estwarde y byheold / aftur þe sonne And sauh a tour as y trowede / truthe was þere-ynne while mich...?...This much-faded note in a secretary hand is written on three lines. ¶ Westward y waytede in a wyle aftur beleue And sauh a dep dale / deth as y leoue dwelt Wonede in tho wones / and wyckede spirites ¶ A Fayr felde ful of folk / fond y þer by-twene common sort Al manere of men / þe mene and þe ryche woorking Worchynge and wandryng / as þe worlde askeþ went to lawe seldom tymes ¶ Somme putten hem to þe plouh / and pleyden ful selde labored In settyng and in sowyng / swonkon ful harde wan. got. And wonnon that þeos wastourrs / wyth gloteny destruen Pryde did apparell. ¶ Somme putten hem to pruyde and paraileden hem þer-aftur maner faire In contenaunce of cloþyng / in meny kynne gyse . ¶ In preyeres and penaunces / putten hem menye did lyue Al for þe loue of oure lorde / lyueden ful harde heuenly In hope to haue good ende / and heueneryche blisse P...?... RussiaThis is written in cursive, not by the glossator. AsA later hand has attempted to copy the first word on this folio. kepe them their As ancres and heremites / þat holduþ hem in here selles Coueyton nat in contreies / to carien a-boute their lycam - pleasure, delight or appetyte For no licorouse liflode / here licame to plese merchaundise thryued . ill i cheue ill thrift . ¶ And som chosen cheffare / þei cheuesedecheffedecheuenedchevescheueden þe betere .h. many tymes for gh. as siht miht for sight might & cetera As hit semeþ to oure sitht / þat suche men þryueþ myrthes can ¶ And somme murthes to make / as ministrales conneþ As Þat wollen neyþer swynke ne swete / but swere gret oþes fantasyes And fynden vp foule feyntises / and foles hem maken . wurke And hauen wit at wille / to worche if thei wolde Þat paul . precheþ of hem / preouen hit y myhte ad ephesios V. capitulo Qui turpiloquium loquitur / is lucifers knaue crauers . went ¶ Bydderes and beggeres / fast a-boute ȝeoden . Tyl here bagge and here bely / was bretful y-crammed fayting. counterfayting. lying meat Faytynge for here fode / and fouhton atten ale those fellows. ¶ In gloteny tho gomes / goþ þei to bedde And ryseþ with ribaudrie / tho Roberdes knaues followeth. Slep and synful sleuthe / suweþ suche euere gat ¶ Piligryms and palmeres / plyhten hemFalse start on <h>. to-gederes To seche seint Iame / and seyntes of Rome theyr Wenten forth in heore way / with meny vnwyse tale And hauen leue to lie / al here lyf-tyme ¶ Eremytes on an hepe / with hokede staues theyr Wenton to walsyngham / and heore wenches aftur lurdeyns Gret lobies and longe / and loþ were to swynke Cloþede hem in copes / to be knowe fram othere And made hem-selue EremytesA fold conceals script at the end of the word; it is impossible to smooth the fold without damaging the parchment. here ese to haue ¶ Y fond ther of Freres / ofof FrerisFrerisþe freres al þe foure ordresA bracket in the left margin runs from Vc1.56-59, probably in connection with the nota marks. Prechyng þe people / for profit of þe wombe And glossyng þe gospel / as hem good likede For coueytise of copes / contrariede some doctours . begging ¶ Menye of thes maistres / of mendinauns Freres go foorth Here money and Marchaundyse / marchen to-gederes Ac sythe charite haþ beo chapmon / and chief to schryue lordesA curly brace links this line with the one below, probably in connection with the nota mark. ferlyes als farlyes straunge things Meny ferlys han fallen / in a fewe ȝeres cast doun ¶ But holycherche and charite / choppe a-doun suche schryueres groweth vp Þe most meschief on molde / monteþ vp fast . Ther prechede a pardoner / as he a prest were And brouht forthe a bulle / with bischopes seles He seyde þat him-self myht / assoillen hem alle Of falsnesse of fastinges of vowes to-broke beleued lyked lewd men, vnlerned men. ¶ Lewede men leuede him wel / and likedon his wordes kysse Comen and kneleden / to cusson his bulles He blessede hem with his bulles / and blered here eye gat rolles And rauhte with hys rageman / ringes and broches ¶ Thus ȝe ȝeuen ȝoure gold / glotones to helpe lend And leneþ hit to lorelles / þat lecherie haunten eares. ¶ Were þe bischop blessed / or worþ boþe his eren nota His seal scholde nat be sent / in deseit of þe people .This line and the one before it are bracketed left. fellow. ¶ AllVc.1.78:Russell-Kane take the reading to be corrected to Ac. hit is nat al by þe bischop / þat þe boye precheþ . parish prest. Þe parschepreostparsche preost and þe pardoner / parton þe seluer Þat poure people in parsches / scholde haue if thei ne were ¶ Persones and parscheprestesparsche prestes / pleyned to þe byschop . Þat here parcsches beon poure / sith þe pestilens tyme . lyue To haue licence and leue / in london to dwelleA faded pen trial appears in the right margin next to this line. And synge þer for symonie / whil seluer is swete of art. ¶ Byschopes and bachilers / bothe maisters and doctours shaven croun. Þat han cure vnder crist / and crownynge in tokene Beon charget with holy cherche / charite to tulye lawfull That is lel loue and lif / among lered and lewed lye. logde. oother tymes They leyen in london / in lenton and elles ¶ Some seruen þe kyng / and his seluer tellenA bracket in the left margin links this line and the next four, probably in connection with the nota mark at Vc1.92. chaunncerye In the chekere and chauncellerie / chalangynge his dettes nota Of wardes and wardemotes / wayues and strayues ¶ Some aren as senechalles / and seruen other lordes be iudges And beon in stede of stiwardes / and sitton and demon communaltie hard it ¶ Concience cam and acusede hem / and þe comune herde hit And seyde ydolatrie ȝe soffren / in sondry places menye be iren And boxes beon set forth / bounden with yre To vndurtake þe þe tol / of vn-trewe sacrifice nota In menynge of miracles / muche wex hongeþ there can not Al the world wot wel / hit myȝth nauȝt be trewe .The two glossed words in this line, myȝth and nauȝt, are not underlined. but because toward your purce ¶ Ac for hit profiteþ ȝow to porceward / ȝe prelates soffren lyue & dye Þat lewde men in mysbyleue / lyuen an dyen I can well beleue Y leue wel by oure lord / for loue of ȝoure couetyse Þat al þe world beo þe wors / as holy writ telleþ . what chastisement & mischef ¶ Wat cheste and meschaunce / to children of Israel fell free. Ful on hem þat freo were / thorgh two false preostes primo Regum iiij capitulo For þe synne of Ophin and fynees his brothur They were desconfit in bataille / and loston archa dei . theyr syre synne. offend. ¶ And for here sire sauh hem synegen / and soffred hem don ylle woold not And not chastede hem þer-of / and nolde nouȝt rebuke hem anon As nonAnon as hit was tolde hym / þat þe children of Israel lore, loste Weren y-disconfitdisconfitdiscomfited in bataille and archa dei . y-loren And his sonnes sleyen / a-non he felle for sorowe Fro his chayere ther he sat / and brac his nekke a-tweyne . chastised, bet. And alle was for veniaunce / þat he beot nat his children . And for they weren prestes / and men of holycherche . God was welle þe wrother / and tok þe raþer veniaunce For-þi y seye ȝe preostes / and men of holi chercheA bracket in the left margin links this line to the following lines, up to Vc1.124. Þat soffren men do sacrifice / and worschupon Mawmetes And ȝe scholde beo here faderes / and teche hem betre God schal take veniaunce / on alle suche prestes Welle hardere and grettere / on suche schrewede faderes Þan euere he dude on Ophin and Fynees or on here fader For ȝoure schrewede soffraunce / and ȝoure owene synne ¶ Ȝoure masse and ȝoure matyns / and mony of ȝoure houres Aren don vndeuouteliche / drede is at þe laste . consistorie Lest crist in his constorie / of ȝowe acorse monye . Y parceyuede of þe power / þat Petur hadde to kepe To bynde and to vnbynde / as þe bok telleþ How he hit left with loue / as oure lord wolde AMonges foure vertues / most vertuous of vertues Þat cardinales beon y-cald / and closynge ȝates Ther crist is in kynedam / to close with heuene . but got ¶ Ac of the cardinales at cort / þat cauht han suche a name nota And power presumen in hem-self / a pope to make . I will not iudge To haue þe power þat Petur . hadde IugunenrepugnenInpugnenrepuyne hem y nelle . For in loue and letturelecturein letterurelettrure / liþ þe gret eleccioun . I will notIt appears that another hand copied the gloss above and then attempted to erase it. Conturplede hit nauȝt quaþ Conciense for holychurches sake . ¶ Þen cam ther a kynge / knyhthod him ladde . Þe muche myhte of þo men / made him to regne kynde wit, naturall wit. ¶The rubricator has not painted in this paraph mark; it appears as two diagonal slashes in black ink. Þan þennethenneÞer cam kynde wit / and knyhthod to-gederes Casten þat þe commune / scholde here communes fynde contriued, made. ¶ Kyndewit and þe comune / contreouede alle craftus And for most profitable to þe people / a plouh thei gon make / lawfull while With lel labour to liue / wil lyf and lond lasteþ ¶ Þenne kyndewit to þe kyng / and to þe comune seyde . it sholde be kingrich. that is kingdoom or kyngly estate Crist kepe þe kynge / and þi kynde richekyneriche lende. graunt, right may loove the. And lene the lede so thy lond / þat leaute the louye And for thi riȝthfol ruelyng / be rewarded in heuene ¶ Conciense to clerigieClergieþe clergye / and to the kyng seyde ~~CumSum~~sum rex sum princeps / ~~neutrum~~neuter fortasse deinceps O qui iura regis / christi specialia regis Hoc vt agas melius / iustus et esto pius . Nudum ius a te / vestiri wlt pietate Qualia vis mitteremetereVc.1.155: The glossator has cancelled the and the first <t> and written a superscript <e> above the . / talia grana sere Si seritur pietas / de pietate metas . ¶The rubricator has written a double diagonal slash to mark where a paraph mark should appear, but he did not paint one. Concience and the kyng / in-to cort wenten clothed, in garmentes clothes. CredoVc.1.182: The glossator's Credo appears to be the equivalent of I think, indicating uncertainty in the gloss. Wer houed an hondred / in houes of selk thei semed Sergauns hit semeden / þat seruen atte barre To plede for penyes / and pondes þe lawe . And nouȝt for oure lordeslouelordes loue / vnlose here lyp ones better hilles. Thow myhtest bet mete þe myst / on Maluerne hulles a mum a woorde Þan gete a Mom of here mouth / til money be schewed . rattes ¶ Þenne ranne ther a rowte of ratones as hit were mese And smale Muys with hem / mo then a þousand Comen to a consel / for here comune profit . when he lyke For a cat of a corte / cam wen hym lyket ouerlept lightly caught to Catch, to reach. And ouurheppedouerhoppedouerlep hem liȝthlyche / and lauht hem at wille And pleyde with som perylosly / and put hem þer him lyked . sorer. wurse. And if we grucche of his game / he wol greue vs sarrur / clawes & To his cleos clawon vs / an in his cloches holde we ar wery of Þat vs loþeþ þe lyf /er he lete vs passe . withsit, withstand. Mihte we wiþ eny wit / his wil to wiþsitte a-loft. We myhte be lordes of loft / and lyue as vs lusten ¶ Tho sayde a ratoun of renoun / most resonable of tonge Y haue seye gret syres / in citees and in tones / coller. bande bright Bere byes of briȝt golde / al aboute here nekkes And coleres of crafty werkeswerk / bothe knyhtes and squiers Were ther a belle on here byȝe / by ihesus me þenkeþ runne credo Men myȝth wite were thei went / and here way rowme . ¶ Ryht so quod þe raton / reson me þenkeþ biggen. bye. A belle to buggen of braas / or of bryth seluer And knutte hit on a coler / for oure comune profit And hange a-bowte þe cattes nekke / þan here we mowe .Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit two lines (RK.P.188 and 189). And a-pere in his presence / wil him pleye likuþ he be angry may to rome. is to wander. and here to get out of his wey. And ȝif he wrathe we mowe be war / and his wey rowme . ¶ Al the rowte of ratones / to this reson assented a string a line a bandeThe glossator underlined this word on the previous folio without glossing it. Ac tho þe belle was bouȝt / and on the byȝe hanged ne was Ther nas no ratoun in al the rowte / for al þe Reome of fraunce Þat durst haue bounde þe belle / a-bowte þe cattes nekke Ne haue hit hanged a-bowte his nekkehals / al Engulond to wynne And leton here labour lost / and alle here longe trauail good wolde ¶ A Mows þat muche god cowþe / as me þo þouhte . stept stoutly. Strok forth sturnely / and stod by-for hem alle And to the rowte of ratones / rehersede theos wordes though kylled yet Thatcuh we hadde culled þe cat / ȝut scholde þer come a-noþer vs though To cracchen ous and al oure kynde / þaw we crope vndur benches / ¶ For-þi y consaille for comune profit / let þe cat worche And neuere beo we so bold / þe belle him to schewe For y herde my sire sayn / seuene ȝeer passed but feble, weke. Ther the cat is bout a kyton / þe cort is ful elynge . ecclesiastes x. Witnesse atteofathit holywrit / ho-so can rede Ve terre ubi puer est Rex ¶ Y sey hit for me quath þe mous / y see so muchel aftur Schal neuere þe cat ne noþeom. kytton / by my consail beo greued . I will not talke coste Ne carpen of here colours / þat costed me neuere And þauh hit costned me catel / by-knowen y ne wolde say Bot suffre and sugge nauȝt / and so is þe best . Til meschief amenden hem / þat mony mon chasteþ . ¶ For mony mannes malt / we muys wold destruye . And ȝe rowte of ratones / of rest men a-wake Ne were þe cat of þe cort / and ȝonge kytones toward . your will. desyre. coolde. your For hadde ȝe ratones ȝoure red / ȝe cowþe nat rewle ȝow-selue dremes meanith myrry ¶ Wat this Meteles by-menuþ / ȝe men þat beoþ murie dere will not (credo) Dyuine ȝe for y nedarne dar / by deore god almyȝthy . yet dremt I ¶ Ȝut mette me more / of mene and of riche / As barouns and borgeys / and bonde-men of thorpes Al y sauh sclepyng / as ȝe schul here aftur Bothe bakers and brewers / bocheres and othere fullers Webbesters and walkeres / and wynners with handez tyllers As taillours & tanners / and tyliarers the erthe . As dikeres and deluers / þat don her dedes ylle And dryueþ forthe here dayes / wiþ dieux saue dame Emme . Cookes ¶ Kokus and here knaues criden / hote pyes hote . fat Good gos and grys / gow dyne goweThe usual reading is go we, but at Vc18.115, the scribe writes, gowe we, indicating that gowe is an intentional spelling for go. ¶ Tauerners a tast for nouȝt / tolden þe same . Whit wyn of Oseye / and of Gascoyne digest. Of the Ruelle and rochel wyn / þe rost to defye . sawe tymes Al this y souh sclepyng / and seuene sithes more . Explicit primus passus ¶ Incipit passus secundus .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. w darke ~~...~~ ThatWhathat with space for capital letter þe montaigne bymenuþ / & þe merke dale And þe feld fol of folk / y schal ȝou faire schewe countenance, chere. A louely lady of lere / in lynnen y-clothed Cam doun fro þat castelle / and calde me by name . And sayde w..hyThe other members of the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group read wille, and the scribe likely corrected extemporaneously. slepest thow / seost thou þis people how Hou bysy thei beon / a-boute þe mase . Þe most partie of þe people / þat passeþ on this eorthe wolde it Haue thei worschip in þis worlde / they wilneþ no betre . Of other heuene þan here / thei holden no tale Y was a-ferd of hure face / thaw / she faire were And seide mercy madame / wat may þis beo to mene hill Þe tour vpon þe toft quod sheo / trewþe is ther-Inne And wolde þat ȝeo wrouȝt / as his word techeþ For he is fadur of faith / and formour of alle To beo faithful to him / he ȝaf ȝow fyue wyttes For to worchipon him þer-with / wile ȝeo lyuen here . gat, appointed Wer-fore he het þe Elementz / to help ȝow al tymes debet esse .for. credo. And bringe forth ȝoure byleue / bothe linnen and wollen And in mesure þauh hit muche were / to mak ȝowe atteseatt ese ¶ He comaunded of his cortasie / in comune thre þynges ar. be take Aron now nedfol but þo thre / nempne hem y þinke . And rekene hem by-rewe / reherse hem wher þe likuþ ¶ Þe feorst of tho is fode / and vesture þe secunde . but And drynk þat do þe gode / ac drynk nauȝt ouȝt of tyme . Lo lot . in his lyue / þrow likerouce drynk Wykkedliche wrouȝte / and wrathed god almyȝhty he dight, he dressed, here he deflowred In his dronkenesse a day / his dowtres he dihte And lay by hem boþe / as the bok telluþ wenches chereles without chere. In his gloteny by-gate / gurles þat weren cheorles And alle he wyted hit þe wyn / his wikkede dede . Inebriamus eum vino & dormiamus cum eo vt seruare xix Possumus de patre nostro semen / Genesis Thorgh wyn and thorgh wommon / ther was Lot encombred . theerfore feare. For-þi dred delitable drynke / bothe day and nyhtes . Mesure is medicine / þauh thow muche wilne ¶ Al is nauht good to the gost / that the gout askeþ Ne lyuelode to the licame / þat lef is to the saule Leof nouȝt thi licame / for a lyer him techeþ That is this wikked worlde / wolde the by-gyle For the feond and thy fleisch / folwen to-gederes And seoth thy saule / and seythe hit the in herte And wisseþ þe to be war / and wold þe deceyue . nota A madame mercy quod y / me likeþ wel ȝoure wordes Ac the moneye of this molde / þat men so fast kepon Telluþ me ȝe nowme now to wam / that tresour by-longeþ ¶ Go to the gospel quath heo / and seo wat god seyde Wen the poeple aposede him / of a peny in the temple And god askeþaskede at hem / wat was þe coyne Cesares the seyde / sotlysothliche we knowen Mathei .xxij. Reddite Cesari seyde god / þat to Cesar by-falleth ~~Matheo~~ Et que sunt dei deo / or elles ȝe don ille . for rithfulliche resoun / schold rewle ȝow alle And kynd wit beo wardeyn / ȝoure welþe to kepe And tutour of ȝoure tresour / and take ȝowe at nede For howsebondrye an he / holdeþ to-gederesVc.2.55:Here an is equivalent to and. ¶ Y Fraynede hure faire tho / for him þat hure made Þe dep dale and the merkderk / vnsemely to seo Wat may hit by-mene / madame y by-seche / ¶ Þat is the castel of care / wo-so comeþ þer-Inne May banne þat he bore was / in body and sowle . Ther-Inne wonyeþ a wyht / wrong is his name Fadur of falshede / fond hit furst of alle Adam and Eue / he eggede to ille Consailled caym / to kullon his brother Iudas he by-Iapede / þrowe Iewene seluer And afturward he heong him / hey on an Ellerne He is lettere of loue / and lyeth alle tymes Þat trust in eorthly tresour / he by-trayeth saunest To encombre men with couetyse / þat is his kynde Þen hadde y wondur in my wit / wat wommon sheo were Þat suche wyse wordes / of holy wryt sowedeshewede And hanslede heore on the hy name / er scho þenne went Wat scho were witturly / þat wissede me so and tauht ¶ Holycherche y am quod scho / þow ouhtest me to knowe Y vndurfong þe formest / and freo man þe made Thow browtest me borwes / my bidding to folfulle The capital "T" here is unusually formed, possibly corrected by the main scribe from another letter.To leoue on me and louy me / al thy lif-tyme ¶ Þenne kneoled y on my kneos / and cride heore of grace And preyed heore pytesly to preye / for me to amende Al-so to kenne me kyndely / on crist to by-leue And teche me to no tresour / but tel me this ilke How y may saue my sowle / þat seynt ert y-holde Wen al tresours beon tryed quod scheo / trewþe is þe best primus Iohannis . iiij . capitulo Y do hit on deus caritas / to deme þe sothe Hit is as dereworth a druwry / as dere god him-selue For he is trewe of his tonge / and of his two handes And dothe þe werkes þer-with / and wilneþ no man ille He is a god by þe gospel / and graunt may hele And lyke oure lord al-so / by seynt luc hes wordes . ¶ Clerkes þat knowen this / schold kennen hit a-bowt For crysten and for vncristonvncristene / cleymen hit echone ¶ Kynges and knyhtes / scholde kepon hit by resoun ryden and rappe a-doun / in reomes a-bowte And to take trespassours / and tyen hem fast . Til trewþe had termined / here trespas to theThe <e> of the has an unusual flourish, probably a false start. ende And halde with him and with heore / þat han trewe accioun And for no lordeyne loue / leue þe trewe partye Trewly to take / and trewly to fitht Is þe profession and pure ordre / þat appendeþ to knyhtes Ho-so passeþ þat poynt / is apostata of knyht-hod For thei schold nat fast / ne for-bere serke But feythfully defende / and fith for trewþe And neuere leue for loue for louefor loue / in hope to lac seluer ¶ Dauid by his dayes / dobbede knythtes And dud hem swere on here swerd / to serue trewþe euere ¶ Wan god by-gan heuene / in þat gret blis He made knyhtes in his cort / creatures tene Cherubyn and seraphyn suche seuene and a-nother Lucifer Louelokest tho / ac litel whyle hit dured He was an archangel of heuene / on of godes knyhtes He and oþer with him / þat helde nat with trewþe Lopon out in lotly forme / for his false wille He hadde leoflust to be lik / his lord god almyhty ysay xiiij Ponam pedem meum in aquilone & ero similis altissimo Lord wy wolde he tho / thulke wikkede Lucifer lhepen a-loft in the northe syde To sitten on þe sonne syde / þer þe day roweþ Ne were hit for northermennortherne men / a-non y wolde telle ¶ Ac y wolle lakke no lif / quod that lady sothely Hit is sikeror by sowþe / ther þe sonne reigneþ Þanne in þe north by mony notus / no man leoue other For þuder as þe feond fleih / his fot fort sette Ther he failede and feol / and his felows alle And helle is there he is / and he ther y-bounde . Euene contrarie sit crist / clerkus knowen þe sothe dixit dominus domino meo / sede a dextris meis Ac of this matere no more / moeuen y nelle Hewes in the haliday / aftur heton wayton . Þey care nouȝt þei hit beo cold / knaues wen thei worchen ¶ In wondurwyse holywrit / telluþ how thei fullon Some in erthe some in ayer / some in helle deope Ac lucifer lowest / lithe of hem alle . For pruyde þat him pokede / his peyne hath non ende Alle þat worchen þat wykket is / wenden þei schulle . Aftur here deth-day / and dwelle þer wrong is And alle þat han wel y-wrouht / wenden thei scholle . Estward til heuene / euere to a-byde Ther trewþe is þe throne / þat trinite Inne sytteþ Lere hit thus lewede men / for lettred hit knoweþ Þat trewþe and trew loue / is no tresour betere . ¶ Y haue no kynde knowyng quod y / ȝe mot kenne me betere By wat wey hit waxeþ / and vndurwonderwheder out of my menyng ¶ Thow dotete daf quod scho / dolle ar þi wittes Y leoue thow lernedest to lyte / latyn yn þi ȝougþe Heu michi quod sterilem duxi vitam iuuenilem Hit is a kynde knowyng / þat kenneþ in þyn herte For to louy thi lord / leouest of alle And deye rather þen to do / eny dedly synne Jonas prophete & ecclesiastes tertio The verse is in Jonah, but not in Ecclesiastes. Melius est mori quam male viuere . And this y trowe beo trewþe / ho-so can teche þe betre Loke thow soffre hym to seye / and so myht þow lerne For trewþe telleþ þat loue / is tryacle offor synne And most souereyn salue / for sowle & for body ¶ Loue is plonte of pees / most preciouce of vertus For heuene holt hit ne myhte / so heuy hit semede Tyl hit hadde on eorth / ȝoton him-selue Was neuereneuer lef vpon lynde / lyhter ther-aftur As wen hehit hadde of þe fold / fleisch and blod taken Tho was hit portatif and persaunt / as point of an elde May non armure hit lette / nothur hye walles . For-thy is loue ledere / and þe lawe schappeþof oure lordes folk of heueneThe B-verse has been transferred mistakenly from Vc.2.163. And a mene as þe meyre is / by-twene þe kynge and þe comune Riht so is loue a ledere / and þe lawe schappuþ Vp man for his misdedes / þe mercement he taxeþ ¶ And fortfort[o] knowe hit kyndely / hit comseþ by myhte In the hert þer is þe hesdhe[a]d / and þe hye welle ¶ Of kynde knowyng in herte / þetherþerof comseþ a myhte That falleþ to þe fader / þat formede vs alle HowOn vs he lokede with loue / and let his sone dye Meokly for oure misdedes / to amende vs alle And ȝut wolde he hem noweno wo / þat wrouht yehim alle þat tene But mildeliche with mowþe / mercy he by-souhte To haue pite on that people / þat peynede him to deþe Here myȝht thow se ensaumple / in him-selue one Þat he was myhtfol and meok / and mercy gan graunte To hem þat henge him hye / and his herte thorled . For-thi y rede ȝow riche / haue rewþe on þe poere Þauh ȝe be myhty to mote / beoþ meke in ȝoure werkes Þe same mesure þat ȝe meteþ / a mys other elles Ȝe schulle be weyon þer-with / wen ȝe wendon hennes Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis remetietur vobis . Thaw ȝe be trew of ȝoure tonges / and trewliche wynne And beo as chast as a child / þat noþur chit ne fyhteþ But ȝif ȝe loue lellyche / and lene þe pore Of suche god as god sent / goodliche parte Ȝe haue no more merit / in masse ne in howres Þan malkyn of heore Maydenhod / wam no man desiruþ . For Iames þe gentul / Iuggeþ in his bokes Þat faith with-owte feat / is febelere þen nouht And dede as aAn otiose stroke was written between a and deore. deoredoreder nayl / but ȝif heþe dede folwe Fides sine operibus mortua est . ¶ Chastite with-oute charite / worth cheyned in helle Hit is as lewede as a laumpe / þat no liȝht is Inne Menye chapeleyns aren chast / ac charite hem failleth Are non hardur þan hongrior / þan men of holy churche Auerous and euel willed / wan thei ben auaunsed And vnkynde to here kyn / and to alle cristene ¶ They chewen here charite / and chiden aftur more Encombred mydwith coueytise / thei connauht owt crepe So hard hath auerice / hasped hem to-gederes ¶ And þat is no trewþe of þe trinite / but trecherie and sinne And luthur ensample leoue me / to þe lewed poeple For theos aren wrodes / writen in þe Euuangelie . Date et dabitur vobis / for y dele ȝow alle And þat is lok of loue / þat vnloseþ grace Þat conforteþ alle cristene / encombred with synne . ¶ So loue is leche of lyf / and lisse of al peyne And þe graffe of grace / and graythest to heuene ¶ For-thy y may seye as y sayde / by siht of þis tixt Wen alle tresours ben tried / trewþe is the best ¶ Loue hit quod þat lady / lette may y no lengere To lere the wat loue is / and leue at me scho lauhte Explicit passus secundus / Hic incipit passus tercius .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. And thenne y kneled on my knes / & criede to heore of grace And seyde mercy madame / for mary loue of heuene Þat bar the blessed barn / þat bouht vs on rode Kenne me by some craft / to knowe þe falce . Loke vpon thi left half quod scheo / lo wer he standeþ boþe falce and fauel / and fikel tonge lyere And meny of here maneres / boþ men and wymmen Y lokede on my lift half / as þe lady me tauhte And sauh a wommon as hit were wondurliche clothed Heo was purfyled with pelure / non purer In erthe And coroned in a corone / þe kynge hath no betere On alle heore fyue fyngres / richelich rynget And þer-on rede rubyes / and other riche stones Heore robe was richere / þan y red couthe For to telle of heore a-tyre / no tyme haue y nowþe Heore aray with heore rychesse / rauyschede myn herte WasWhosWhas wyf scho were / and wat was heore name . Leoue lady quod y tho / layn nat if ȝe knowen Þat is Mede þe mayde quod scheo / hath noyed me ful ofte And lowen vpon my lemmon / þat leaute is hoten And lakkede hym to lordes / þat lawes han to kepe In kynges cort in Comune cort / contraried my techyng In the popes paleys scho is / pryuey as my-self Ac sothenesse wold nat so / for scho is a bastard On fauel was hure fader / þat hath a fykel tonge And selde soth sayth / but if he souche gyle . And mede is manerd aftur him / as memen of kinde cap.rpen . Talis pater talis filius / For schal neuere brere bere / beryus as a vyne Ne on a croket kene thorne / kynde fyges wexe Bonus arbor bonum fructum facit . Y ouhte ben herror þan scho / i cam of a betere Þe fader þat me forthe brouhte filius dei he hoteþ Þat neuere ne lyed ne lawhed / in al his lif-tyme ¶ Y am his dere douhtur / duchesse of heuene Wat man þat me louieþ / & my wille folowyth Schal haue grace to god y-novhe / and a good ende ¶ And wat man louede medeloueþ medemede louiȝe / my lyf dare y wedde He schal lese for hure loue / a lap of true charite ¶ Þat most helpuþ man to heuene / mede most letteþ Y do hit vppon Dauid / the doumbe wol not lye Dominus quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo & cetera . Dauid vndoþ hit hym-self / as þe doumbe sheweþ Et super innocentem munera non accepit . To-morowe worth mede y-maried / to a mansed wreche To on fals faithles / of the feondes kynne Fauel throw his flateryng speche / hath mede foul enchaunted And alle is lieres ledyng / þat lady is thus wedded Soffre and þow schalt seo / suche as beon appayed Þat mede is thus y-maried / to-morow þow shalt aspie Know him wel ȝif þow canst / and kepe þe from hem alle Þat louyeth here lordschip / lasse owþur more Lakke hem nat but let hem worthe / til leaute beo iustice . And haue power to punyshe hem / þen put forth þy resoun For y by-kenne þe crist quod scho / and his clene modur Encombre neuere thy conciense / for couetyse of mede . ¶ Thus left me that lady / lygynge a-sclepe And sawe bhou mede was maried / metynge as hit were ¶ And alle þe riche retenaunce / þat rotuþ hem on fals louyngelyuyngeleuyng Were bode to the brydale / on bothe half þe contreye Of mony maner men / þat were of medes kynne . Of knytes of clerkes / of othere comune people As sisours and somnours / schereues and here clerkes ¶ Budeles and baillyfs and brocours of chaffare Vorogoers and vitallers / aduocates of þe arches Y can nat rekene the rowte / þat ran a-boute mede . ¶ Ac symonie and Cyuile / and sisours of contreyes y y Weren most pryueie with mede / of eny men me thowte ¶ Ac fauel was þe ferste / þat fet heore ouȝt of chaumbre And as a brokour brouhte heore forth / to beo ioyned with fals . ¶ Wen symonie and syuile / sauh here botheres wille frendsThis may be an attempt to gloss botheres in Vc3.71. Þay assented þer-to / at selueres preyere . ¶ Þenne helplup lyere forth / and seyde lo her a chartre Þat gyle hath gyfe to Falsnesse / and graunted to mede And preyoþ Cyuile hit to seo / and symonie to rede hit ¶ Þan Cymonie and Cyuile / stodon forth boþe L And vn-feold þe feffement / þat fals hadde maket ¶ Þenne seyde symonie / þat Cyuile hit herde Alle þat louen and by-leuen / vp lykynge of mede Þat folwen falsenesse / fauel and liere And me and suche men / þat aftur mede waiton leoueþ hit lelly / this worth here last medeVc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group place this line here; the other manuscripts place it after Vc.3.79. Carta / Sciant presentes & futuri & cetera . Wyten alle and witnessen / þat wonyen here on eorthe Þat mede is maried more / for hure muchel richesse Þan for holynesse or hendenesse / or for heye kunde ¶ Falsnesse is fayn of heore / for he wot here riche ¶ And fauel hath with fals speche / feffed hem by this lettre ¶ To beo princes of pruyde / and pouerte to despyse ¶ To baggebiton and to boston / and bere fals witnesse ¶ To scorne and to scolde / sclaundres to make ¶ Bothe vnboxom and bold / to brek þe ten hestes Þe Eorldam of enuye / and Ire he hem graunteþ With þe Castel of cheste / and chateryng ouȝt of resoun Þe Countee of couetyse / he consenteþ to bothe With vsure and auarice / and othere fals sleythes In bargayns in brogages / with þe borgh of þufte And al þe lordschipe of lecherie / in lengþe and in brede As in werkes in wordes / in waytinge of yes . In wedes in wuschingesThe <sc> ligature is poorly executed, but the scribe's intentions are tolerably clear. / and with ydul þowtes Ther þat wil wolde / and werkmanschip failleþ Gloteny he geueþ hem / and gret othes to-gedere Al day to drynke / at diuerse tauernes Þer to iangle and to iape / and gugeiuge here Emcristine And fastingdayes to frete / by-fore non and drynke With spicerye speke ydulnesse / in veyn speche and spene And sewe forth such felawschip / til þei be fallon in slewþe And awake with wanhop / and no wil to amende . For he loueþ beo lost / wen he his lyf leteþ ¶ This lif to folwe falsenesse / and folk þat on him leoueþ Aftur heore dethe a-dwellyng / day with-outen ende In lucifers lordschip / as this lettre sclhweþ Wiþ al þa portenaunceþe portenaunceþe appurtinaunce of purgatorie / and þe peyne of helle ¶ In witnesse of this þing / wronwrongwrangh was þe furste ¶ And peres þe pardoner / of paulynes queste ¶ Bette the budul / of banburies sokene ¶ Regnald þe Reue / and redynkynges monye ¶ Munde þe mulnereThe <l> is written over a minim. / and mony mo other . In the date of þe deuel / þis dede is asseled By schitsyhte of sir symonie and Ciuiles leue ¶ Thenne teonede him theologie / wen he þis tale herde And seyde to symonie / now sorow mote þow haue Suche a weddyng to worche / þat wrath myht trewþe And er this weddyng be wrouht / wo to al ȝore consail . ¶ For mede is moillere / amendes was here dame Þauh fals were heore fadur / and fikeltonge heor syre Amendes was hure dame / by trewe men lokynge With-oute hure modur amendes / mede may nouȝt be wedded . ¶ For trewþe plyht hure trewþe / to wedde on of hure dowtres And god grauntede hit were so / so þat no gyle were ¶ And thow hauest gyue hure as gyle tauȝhte / god gyf þe sorow For cyuile and þi-selue / selde fulfulleth Þat god wold were do / with som deseyte ¶ Y theologye þe tyxt knowe / and trewe dom witnesseþ Þat Laurens þe leuite / liggyng on the gredyre Loked vp to oure lord / and a-lhoud seyde God of þi grace / heuene gates opene For y man of þi mercy / mede haue deseruet . ¶ And sythe man may an hy / mede of god deserue Hit semeþ fol sothely / riht so on eorthe Þat mede may beo wedded / to no man but to trewthe And thow astHere ast = hast. fefede hure with fals / fy on suche lawe For thorgh lesynges ȝe lacchen / largelich mede / Þat ȝe nymeþ and Notaries / to nauht bygunneþ brynge Holychurche and charite / ȝe cheweþ and deuiorreþdeuoureth Ȝe schul a-bugge bothe / bot ȝeo amende þe sanner ¶ For wel ȝeo witeþ wernardes / as holy wryt telluþ Þat fals is faithles / the feond is his syre And as a bastard y-bore / byȝute was he neuere . And mede is moillere / a mayden of gode Scheo myhte cusse the kynge / as for his kynneswomman ¶ For-thy worcheþ by wisdom / and by wit al-so And ledeþ heore to londoun / wer lawe may declare If matrymonye may beo / of mede and of falshede And þauh Iustises enioynen hem / thorh iurores othes Ȝut beo war of þe weddyng / for witty is trewþe And conciense is of his counseil / and knoweþ ȝow alle And ȝif he fynde ȝow in defaute / with þe false holde Hit schal sitte ȝoure sowles / ful soure atte last ¶ Herto assented Cyuile / ac symonie ne wolde Til he hadde siluur for the seal / and signes of notaries ¶ Tho Fette fauel forth / floryns y-nowe And bad gyle go gyue / gold al a-boute Namelich to notaries / þat non of hem faille And feffe falsnesse / wyth floreyns y-nowe For he may mede amaistren / with his murie speche ¶ Tho this gold was gyuen / gret was þe þonkynge Þat false and fauel hadde / for heore fayre ȝiftes And comen fol corteysly / to conforte þe false Þei seyde to him softely / cesse schul we neuere Tyl mede beo thy wedded wyf / we wol nouht stente ¶ For we han mede amaistred / throw oure mury tonge Þat scho graunteþ to go / with a god wille To londoun and loke / ȝif lawe wol Iugge To beo Maried for moneye / mede hath assented . Þenne was fauel fayn / and falsnesse blithe And leten somne al segges / in eche syde a-boute And bed hem alle to beon boun / beggeres and other To wende with hem to westminstre / his weddyng to honoure Ac hakeneys nadhaddehadden thei none / but hakeneys to huyre ¶ Þenne can gyle borow hors / at mony gret maystres And schop þat a schereue / schold bere Mede And softelySoftliche in saumbresaumburychaumbresaunbure / fram sise to sise Fals and fauel schold / fecche forth sysours And ryde on hem and on reues / riht fast by Mede Symonie and Ciuiyle / seydoun and sworoun Þat preostes and prouisours / scholde prelates seruen And y my-self Ciuyle / and symonie my felowe Wol riden vpon Rectours / and richemen deuotors And notariesThe box is decorated with flourishes on all four sides. And Notaries on persones / that parmuten ofte And on poere prouisours / and on apeles in the arches Somenours and suthdenes / þat Supersedeas taketh On hem that louyeth lecherie / lepuþ vp and rideþ On executours and suchemensuche men / cometh softelich aftur AtAnd let cope comiss.arieþe commissarie / oure cart schal he drawe And feche forth oure vitales / of fornicatours Makeþ of lyere a langecartlange cart / to lede al thusthis other . As fobbes and faitours / þat on here fet rennen ¶ Þenne fals and fauel / rydon forth to-gederes And mede in þe middes / and alle thusthis men aftur Y naue no tome to telle / þatthe tayl þatte hem folowed Of mony maner men / for medes sake sent aftur Ac gyle was for-goere / to gyen alle þe poeple For to wisse hem the way / and with mede a-byde . ¶ Sothnesse seih hem alle / and sayde but lytul . And prykede forth on pacience / and passede hem alle And cam to þe kyngescortkynges cort / to concience he tolde And conciense to the kyng / carpede hit aftur ¶ Now by crist quod þe kyng / and y cache An otiose tilde appears above the <a> in cache. mythte Fals othur fauel / or here felow liere Y wold be wreke on þat wreches / and on here werkes alle And do hem honge by the hals / and alle þat hem meynteynoþ Schal neuere mon on this mold / maynprise þe lest And rith as þe lawe loketh / let falle on hem alle ¶ He comaunded a conestable / þat cam atte furst Go attache þatthoþe tyrauns / for eny tresour y hote ¶ Let fetere fast falsnesse / for eny kynnes ȝiftes ¶ And gurde of gyles hed / let him go no wyddere ¶ An bryng mede to me / maugree hem alle . And ȝif ȝe cachelachkachen lyere / There is an otiose stroke between the virgule and the next word.let him nouht aschape Er he beo put on pillori / for eny preyer y hote ¶ Drede stod atteat þe dore / and al þat deoneRK corrects deone to dome, but deone is an accepted spelling of din (noise). herde Wat þe kynges wil was / and withliche he wente And bad falsnesse to fleo / and his freres alle ¶ Falsnesse for fere / fleithfleyh to the freres / ¶ And gyle dud him to gon / agast for to deye Ac Marchauns mette with him / and made him a-byde And schutten him in here schoppes / to schewen here ware And parayled him like here prentys / þe poeple to seruen ¶ Lithliche liere / lepe a-wey þennes Lorkynge throw lanes / to-logged of menye He naswasom.ne was nauhware wel-come / for his mony tales Ouer al hy-hontedHy-honted = y-honted. ouȝthy honted outhonted outihonted out / and y-hot trosse Tyl pardoners hadden pyte / and polled him to house They wosche him and wiped him / and wond him in cloþes And sent him an sonedays / with seales to churches And gaf pardon for pans / pounde-mel a-bowte ¶ Þenne lorellslouredelernydlowreden leches / lettres þey sendon Þat liare schold wone with hem / waterus to loke ¶ Spicers to him speke / to aspie here ware For he can on here craft / and knoweth mony gomes ¶ Ac Ministralles and messagers / Mette wiþ liare one WitheoldAnd wiþhuld hym half ȝer / and elleue dayes . ¶ Ac Freres throw fair speche / fetten him þennes For knowyng of comeres / thei coped him as a frere Ac he hath leue to lepon ouȝt / as oft as him likuþ And is welcome wen he cometh / and woneþ with hem ofte ¶ Symonie and Cyuile / senton to Rome / And put hem throw apeles / in the popes grace ¶ Ac Concience to the kyng / accusede hem bothe And seyde sir kyng by crist / bute clerkes amende Thei kynedamThy kynedom þrow here couetyse / wol ouȝt of kynde wende And holychurche throw hem / worth harmed for euere ¶ Al fleddon for fere / and flowen in-to heornes Saue Mede þe mayde / no mo durst a-byde Ac trewly to telle / scho tremblede for fere And bothe wrang and wept / wan scho was attached . Explicit passus tercius Incipit passus quartus .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. NOw wasom.is mede þe mayde / no mo of hem alle Þrogh bedeles and baillefs / browt by-for þe kynge Þe kyng called forthcalledecallethclepede a clerk / y can nat his name To tak Mede þe mayde / and make heore at ese Y schal assaye heore my-self / and sothly appose Wat man of this worldeworld þat here is leuest haue // And yf she worche wysely / by wyse menne consail Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group, due to the omitted B and A verse, make this one line. Y wole for-gyue heore al gultes / so me god helpe Corteselyche þe clerk þenne / as þe kyng hyhte Tok Mede by þe Middul / and myldelich heore brouhte In-to boure with blisse / and by heore can sitte : ¶ Ther was murthe and mynistralcy / mede to plesoun Þat wenden to westminstre / worschuped heore menye ¶ Genteliche with ioye / Iustises some . Bosket hem to þe boure / þere þis beorde dwelled / ConfortedConfortedeAn expansion mark has been erased over the first <o> of Conforted. heore as they cowþe / by þe clerkes leue And seydon morne þow nouȝt mede / make þow no sorow For we wol wisse þe kyng / and þy weye schape Fort wende atte þi wille / aswhere þe leof lykeþ . For alle concience cast / and craft as y trowe . ¶ Mildelich mede þo / mercyed hem alle Of here gret godenesse / and ȝaf hem gret ȝeftusvchone Cowpes of gretredclene gold / coppus of seluer / Rynges with rubies / and oþer riche ȝeftus Þe lest of heore Meynie / a moton of gold . ¶ Wen þei had takenlauhteilauȝt heore leue / at þethis lady Mede / Þenne come clerkes / to confort hoere allesamenthe samesame And beed heore beo bliþe / for we be þi nowne . Fort worche þi wille / whyle we mowen deyoredureendurenendure . ¶ And Mede Fol hendelichehendeliche / by-hyȝht hem þe seluesame To loue hem trewliche / and lordes hem maken And porchace ȝow prouendres / whil ȝoure pans lasteþ . And buchebygge ȝow benefys / pluralite to haue . And in constory atte cort / do calle ȝoure names Schal no lewdnesse let / þe clerk þat y louye . Þat he ne worth furst a-vaunced / for y am y-knowenknowenbyknowe . Þer connyng clerkes / schul clokkenclokke be-hynde ¶ Þen þer comecome þer a confessour / coped as a Frere . To Mede þe mayde / myldeliche he sayde . Þaw lewed men and lered / had layn by þe bothe . And falshedThe <s> here is malformed. y-fond þe / al this forty wyntur . Y schal a-soyl þe my-self / for a sem wete And ȝet beo þy bedmon / and bryng downadoun concience A-mong kynges and knyhtes / and clerkes ȝif þe lyke . ¶ Þenne Mede for heore mysdedes / to þethisþat frere knelede . Schrof heore of heore synnes / schamelesse y trowe Told hym a tale / and tok hym a noble . Fort beo heore beodman / and bere wel heore ernede A-mong kynhtezk[ny]htez and clerkes / concience to turne And he assoilled heore sone / and seth he sayde we haue A wyndow worchyngawurchyngein worchynge / wol stonden vs fol heȝe . Wold ȝe glaze þat gabul / and graue þer ȝoure name In masse and in Matyns / for mede we schul synge . Sollempne-liche and soth-liche / as For a sustur of oure ordre . ¶ Loueliche þat lady / lauhynglychelaghyngeleiȝing seyde Y schalle beo ȝoure frend Frere / and faille ȝow neuere Þe while ȝeo louyeþ þes lordes / þat lecherye hawnten And lakkeþ nauȝt þes laydies / þat louyeth þe same . ¶ Hit is but frelete of fleych / ȝeo fyndeþ wel in bokes . And a cours of kynde / were-of we comen alle ¶ Ho may a-scape þe sclaundre / þe schapþemay sone be amended Hit is synne as of seuene / non sannore relessed . ¶ Haue mercy quod mede / of men that hit haunten And y schal keuere ȝoure kyrke / and ȝoure cloystur maken Boþe wyndows and wowes / y wol amende and glasse . And do peynte and portrayon / ho payed for þe makyng Þat euery man schal seo an day / y am sustre of ȝoure ordre ¶ Ac god to alle goode folk / suche grauyng defendeþ To wryten in wyndows / of eny gode dedes . Leost pruyde beo peynted þere / and pompe of þe worlde . For god knoweþ þy Concience / and þi kynde wil Thy cost and heore couetyse / and ho þe catel ouhte For thy leue lordes loue / leueþ suche wrytinges God in þe gospel / suche grauyng nat a-loweth Mathei . vj capitulo . Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera . Let nat þi lift half oure lord techeþ Y-wite what þow delest / with þi riȝtht syde ¶ Andȝut Mede myldely / þe Meyre scho by-sowte Bothe schereues and sergans / and suche as kepeþ lawes To punyschen on pylorys / and on pynnyngstoles As bakeres and brewers / bocheres and kokes For þes men doþ most harm / to þe mene people Rechen throw regraterye / and rentes hem buggen With þat þe poere people / schold putten in here wombe For tok þei on trewly / þey tymbred nat so hye . Nowþer bowten borgages / be ȝe ful certayn They haue no pite on þe people / þat parcelmel mot buggen Þauh þey take hem on-tydyngon tyþyngevntidy þing / no treson þei holden hit . And þauh þei Ful not ful / þat for lawe is seled The <d> is malformed in seled. He grypoþ þer-fore as grete / as for þe grete trewþe . Monye sondry sorowes / in Cytees fallon ofte Boþe þrow fuyre and flod / and alle for fals people . Þat by-gyleþ godemen / and greueþ hem wrongly . Þe whuche cryen on heore knes / þat crist hem a-venge Heore inon this eorthe / or elles in helle . Þat so by-gyleþ hem of here good / and god on hem sendeþ / Feueres or foulor eueles / or fuyr on here houses . Moryne othur other meschaunce / and mony tyme hit falloþ Þat innocens is y-herd / in heuene a-mong seyntes . Þat lowten forhemfor hem to oure lord / and to oure lady bothe . To grawnton gylours on heorþe / grace to amende . And haue here penaunce on pure orthe / & nat þe pyne of helle . And þenne þer fallethfalleth ther fuyre / on fals men howses And good mennes for heore gultes / gloweþ on fuyr aftur ¶ Al this haue we seyon / þat somme tyme throw a brewere . Menye burgages y-brent / and bodyes þer-inne And þrow a candul clemyng / in a corsed place Fel a-don and for-brende / forth alle þe rewe . ¶ For-þi Mayres þat maken freo men / me þenkeþ þat þey ouhten Fort spure and to aspye / for eny speche of seluer Wat maner muster / or marchaundyse he vsede . Er he were vndurfong freo / and felow in ȝoure rolles . ¶ Hit is nat semely for sothe / in cytee ne in borghtoun Þat vsereres and regratours / for eny kynne ȝiftus . Beo Fraunchised asfor a freo man / and haue fals name ¶ Ac Mede þe mayde / þe Meyre scho by-souhte Of alle suche sulleres / suluer to take Or presenteþ with-oute pans / and oþer pryue ȝiftes And haue reuthe on regratours / þat han riche hondes In psalmoIt is possible the glossator intended xv rather than In, but the quotation is in fact from Psalm 25, so In is more likely. In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextera eorumsunt dextera eorum repleta est muneribussun dextera eorum &c . Loue hem for my loue / quod þis lady Mede And soffre hem som tyme / to sulle a-ȝeynst þe lawe ~~Salamon~~Eliphaz~~...?...~~Iobys vrendSalamon þe sage a sarmon he made In amendement of Meyrus / and other stewardes And witnesse wat worþworþ of hem / þat wol tak mede Iob .Xv Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera . A-mong þes ledredlettredlewed Lordes / þis latyn is to mene Þat Fuyr schal falle and for-brenne / onal to blak askes Þe houses & þe homes / of hem þat taken ȝiftes / Þe kyng from Conseil coam / and called aftur mede And sent fort see heore / yac ich sawe nat hym þat heore ladde . Corteyslyche þe kyng þo / as his knydek[yn]de wolde blamedLackedLokede on heore a luytulwhit / for þat scho loued gyle . And wilned to beo wedded with-outen his leue . Til tewþe had told heore / a tokene from him-selue And sayde womon vnwitlich / wrouht as þowhastow ofte I haue for-gyue þe mony gultes / & my grace graunted . [a face]Drawn with the same ink as the pointing hand at Vc4.37. This is a face attached to a flourished collar or pillar. bothe to þe and to þynne / in hope þow schost amende And euere þe lengur y lete þe go / þe lasse trewþe is with þe For worse wrouhtest þow neuere / þan wanThis non-scribal wan is shared with Nc, but as the manuscripts are otherwise not genetically close, this is likely a coincidence. þow fals toke ¶ Ȝit y for-ȝeue þe this gult / godes forbot eny more Thou teone on trewþe / and þow mow by-takebe ytakebe taken In þe castel of corf / y schal do þe close Þer as an ancre / or in a wors wone And spillemarremary þe with meschief / by seynt mary my lady . Þat alle wymnenewym[m]en of þis londwommen wantowenwantowen women / schul be awarwariwar by þe one . And bitturliche corsebanne þe / and alle þat bereþ þi name And teche þe louye trewþe / and take consaille of resoun . Y haue a knyht hatte conciense / com late from by-ȝende Ȝif he wilneþ þe to wyue / wolt þow him haue Ȝe lord quod þat lady / lord hit me for-beode But y beo holy at þin hest / let honge me elles ¶ Þenne was concienseThe red letters have been traced over the original ink. cald / to come and a-pere By-fore þe kyng and his consail / as clerkes & othere Conciense kneolyng / to þe kyng louted To wyte wat his wil were / and wat he do scholde Wold þowWoltow wed þis mayde / quath þe kyngmaide ȝif y wol assente For scho is fayn of þi felauschip / and fort beo þy make ¶ Quath conciense to þe kyng / crist hit me for-beode Er y wedde suche a wif / wo me by-tyde . for heo is falsfrele of here faith / and fikul of heore tonge And makeþ men misdo / mony score tymes In trist of heore tresour / heo teoneþ ful monye Wyfes and wyduwes / wantownesse heo techeþ . And lereþ hem to lecherie / þat louyeth here ȝiftus . ¶ Ȝoure fadur heo felde / / fals and heo to-gedres ¶ Heo hath apoysened popes / heo a-peyroth holychurche Is nat a betere baude / by him þat me ~~made~~bouhtemade By-twene heuene and helle / al eorth þauh men souht ¶ For heo is tykul of heore tail / talewys of tonge . As comyn as þe cart wey / to knaues old and to ȝonge toand to alle To monkes to al men / þe meselles in hegges . Liggeþ by heore wen hem lust / lered and lewed . Sysours and somnours / suche men heore preyseþ Schereues of schires / were schent ȝif heo ne were For heo doth men lese heore lond / and here lyf bothe ¶ Scho leteþ passe prysones / and payeþ for hem ofte And gyueþ þe gayler gold / and grotes to-gederes To vnfetere þe falce / and fleo wer hem likeþ And takeþ trewþe by þe top / and tyeþ him fast And hongeþ for haterad / þat harmede neuere To beo corsed in constorie / heo counteþ not a rusche Heo copuþ þe Commissarie / and coteþ his clerkes . Heo is assoilled þis sone / as heore-self likeþ . ¶ Heo may nyeVc.4.184:: This word may simply be the result of a later hand retracing the letters of the original text; the <e>, at least, appears to be written over a scribal <e>. It is the same hand that adds the <s> at the end of the line. as muche do / in a monuþ ones As ȝoure secre seal / in sixscore dayes . ¶ Heo is pryue with þe poepe / prouisours hit knoweþ . For symonie and heore-self / seleth here bulles . ¶ Heo blesseþ theos byschopes / þauh þei beo ney lewed / Heo prouendreþ persones / and preostes heo meynteyneþ To holde lemmanesThere is an otiose expansion mark over the <m> and lotebyez / al here lyf dayes . And bryngeþ forth baronesbarnes / a-ȝeyns for-bode lawes .Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.3.190α) following Vc.4.191. ¶ Ther heo is wel wiþ eny kyng / wo is þe reome For heo is fauerable to fals / þat defowleþ trewþe ¶ by ihesus with heore Iuweles / þe Iustises heo schendoþ Heo lith a-ȝeyn þe lawe / and letteþ him þe gate +This appears to be a corrector's mark. Note that the paraph mark appears to the left, indicating the cross was there first. ¶ Þat faith may not habbe his forth / hure floreyns gon so þikke And ledoþ lawe as hure lust / and louedayes makeþ Þrow wuche loueday is lost / þat leawte myht wynne . ¶ Þe mase for a mene man / þauh heo pledehe pledehe mote euere Þe lawe is so lordliche / and lothe to maken ende With-oute presentes or pans / heo pleseth ful fewe ¶ Trewe burgeys and bonde / to nauȝt heo bryngeþ oft And alle þe Commune in care / and in couetyse . ¶ Religion heo al to-reueþ / and ouȝtoute of rewle to libbe Ther nis Citee vndur sonne / ne so riche reawme Þer heo is loued and ledleteletten by / þat last schal eny while . Withoute wer oþur wo / or wikked lawes . And costymeos of couetyse / þe commune to destrye ¶ Vnsittyng suffraunz / heore sustur and heore-self Haue maked al-most / / but mary þe helpe Þat no lond loueþ the / and ȝut lesestleeste þin owne ¶ For mede hath knut clerkes / and couetyse to-gederus Þat alle þe wit of þis world / is woxen in-to gyle ¶ Þus þeþis lady ledeþ þi lond / now lord ȝif heore sorow For pore men durnatdur nat pleyne / ne heore pleynt schowe Suche a maystur is mede / a-mong men of goode ¶ Þenne mornede mede / menyng heore to þe kyng To haue space to speke / spede ȝif he myht . Þe kyng graunted her grace / with a god wil Excuse þe ȝif þow canst / y can namore sugge For concience accuseþ the / to congeye þe for euere . ¶ Nay lord quod þat lady / leoueþ him þe worse . Wen ȝe wit witwit witturly / in wom þe wrong ligeþ . ¶ Ther þat meschief is gret / mede may helpon . And þat knoweþ concience / y cam nat to chide Ne to depraue þi persone / with a prowde herte . Wel þow wost witturly / but ȝif þow wol gabbe Þow hast y-honged on my half / elleue tymes And al-so gripon of my gold / & y ȝeuegafȝafgyuongyue hit wer þe likeþ Wy thow wrathest the now / wondur me þenkeþ ¶ Ȝut y may as y mihte / mensk þe with ȝiftes And meynteyne þi manhed / more þan þow knowest ¶ Ac thow hast famed me foule / by-fore þe kyng here For culde y neuere no kyng / ne consailed so to done Ac y saued my-self / syxti þousand lyues Boþe here and ellus-were / in alle kynes londes . ¶ Ac thow þi-self sothly / ho-so hit sugge durst Hast y-harwedarwediarewed mony hardy men / þat hadden wil to fiȝhte To brennen and to britton / to bete a-doun strengthes In contreis þer þe kyng cam / concience him lette Þat he ne felde nat his foes / tho fortune hit wolde And as his riȝhteswerdeswardyswyrdus were ordeyned / by wil of oure lord / ¶ Caytifliche þou concience / consailledest þe kyng letoun In his enymis hond / his erytage of fraunce ¶ Vn-connyng is þat concience / a kynedom to sulle Þat is conquered throw comune help / a kynedam or a duche May not beo soold sothely / so mony here part asken Of folk þat fauht þer-foreþerfore / and folowed þe kinges wil . ¶ Þe lest lad þat langeþ to him / beo þe lond wonnon . Lokeþ aftur lordschip / or other large mede Wer-by he may as a man / for euere-more lif aftur ¶ And þat is þe kunde of a kyng / þat conquereþ on his enymis . To help heylich al his folcoste / or elles to graunte Al þat his men mow wynne / to do þer-mid here best ¶ For-þi y consaille no kyng / eny counsail aske ActteAcAt concience ȝif he coueite / to conquere a reame For schold neuere concience / be my constable Wer y a kyng crowned / by marie quod Mede be m... Ne be marischalle of my men / þer y most fiȝhte . Ac had y mede beo his Marischalle / ouer his men in Fraunce Y durst haue leyd my lif / and no lasse wed He had beo lord of þat lond / in lengþe and in brede And al-so kyng of þat kepe / his kun to haue holpon Þe lest brol of his blod / a barones peere . ¶ Vnkyndely thow concience / consailledest him þennes To lete so his lordschip / for a litul moneye Hit by-comeþ for a kyng / þat schal kepe a reome To ȝiue men mede / þat meokliche him serueþ To alienes to alle men / to honoure hem wiþ ȝiftes ¶ Mede makeþ him beo by-loued / and for a man y-holde EmperousEmperours and Eorles / and alle maner lordes Þrouh ȝiftes han ȝymmen / to rennen and ryde ¶ Þe poepe and alle prelates / presentes vndurfongeþ And ȝiue mede to men / to meynteyne here lawes ¶ Seriauns for here seruice / mede þei asken And taken mede of here maystres / as þei mow a-corde Beggeres and beodmen / crauen mede for here preyers Munestralles for her ministralsie / a mede þei asken Maystres þat techen clerkes / crauen huyre mede for huyrehure for medehuyre for heore + Preostes þat preochen / and þe poeple techen . Asken mede and masse pans / and here mete bothe . ¶ Alle kynne crafty men / crauen mede for here aprentys ¶ Marchaundyse and mede / mote nedes go to-gederes ¶ Is no lede þat lyueþ / þat he ne loueþ mede And glad fort grype heore / gret lord or pore ¶ Tho quath þe kyng to concience / by crist at my knowyng Mede is worthi me þenkeþ / þe maystry to haue ¶ Nay quath concience to the kyng / clerkes witen þe sothe Þat mede is euere-more / a meynteynour of gile As þe sauter seith / by suche as ȝiuen mede // ¶ Þat vnlawfulliche lyuen / hauen large hondes . To ȝiue men mede / more othur lasse . Ac ther is mede a-mercede / and boþe men demen A desert fromfor som doynge / deorne oþer elles ¶ Mede mony tymes / men ȝiuen by-fore þe doyng And þat is nouȝt reson ne riȝht / ne in no reome lawe Þat enyThe apparent expansion mark in this word seems upon inspection to be dirt rather than ink. man mede tok / but he hit miȝht deserue And fortforforte to vndurtake / to trauaille for a-noþer And wot neuere witturly / wer he lyue so longe Ne haue hap to his hele / mede to deseruen / Y holde him ouur hardy / or elles nat trewe Þat per manibus . is payed / or his paye askeþ Harlotes and hores / and al-so falce leches They asken here huyre / er thei haue hit deserued ¶ And gilors gyuen by-fore / and god men atte nende Wen þe dede is do / and þe day ended . ¶ And that is no mede / but a mercede A maner dewe dette / for þe doyng . ¶ And but hit beo payed prestoly / þe paiere is to blame AsAs by þe bok þat bit / no-body to withholde Þe huyre of his hyne / ouer eue til a-morow levitici .xjx. Non morabitur opus mercennarij apud te vsque mane . And þer is resounAn otiose tilde appears over the <n>. as a reue / rewardyng trewþe And boþe þe lord and þe laborer / beo lelly y-serued Þe mede þat mony preost takeþ / For masses þat þei syngen luce x capitulo .vj. capituloThis separate annotation gives the chapter in Matthew's gospel where the text's quotation originates. Amen Amen Matheu Lucas seithseith / dignus est operarius mercede sua mercedem suam recipiunt /Mercedem suam recipiuntMercedem suam receperunt In marchaundise is no mede / y may hit wel a-vowe Hit is a permutacioun a-pertely / a peneworth for a-noþer vnsemisamDespite the efforts of several examiners, the transcription and meaning of this word remain uncertain. And þauh þe kyng of his cortasie / kayser oþur pope Ȝiue lond oþur lordschip / or oþur large ȝiftes sunt et contraThis note is written in an italic hand different from the other annotations on the page. To here lelle lige / loue is þe cause ¶ And ȝif tho lelle and lige / beo luther men aftur Bothe kyng and cayser / and þe croned pope May desavowe watthat þe dude / and dowe þer-wiþ a-noþur And a-non by-nymen him hit / and neuere aftur ¶ Nothur thei noþurthei ne here heyres / hardy to cleyme . Þat kyng or cayser him gaf / catel oþur rente ecclesiastes .ij. capitulo ¶ For god gaf to Salomon / grace vpon eorthe Richesse and reson / whil he riȝht lyuede And as sone as god seye / he sewed nat his wille He reued him of his richesse / and of his riȝth munde And soffrede him leue in mysbyleue / y leue he beo in helle nota ¶ So god gyueþ no thing / þat sinne ne is þe glose And riht so sothly / may kyng and pope Bothe gyfe and graunte / þer his grace likeþ . And eft haue hit a-ȝein / of hem þat don ille Thus is mede a-mercede / as to manere relacions nota Recte and indiretindire[c]t / rennynge bothe On a sad and a siker / semblabesemblable to him-selue Ac agetif and susteintif / vnite askeþ And a-cordaunce in kynde / in case and in nombre ¶ And aythur is otheres help / of hem comeþ retribucioun Þat is þe ȝifte þat god ȝiueþ / to alle trewe lyuyng Grace of good ende / and gret ioye aftur ¶ Quath þe kyng to concience / knowen y wolde What is relacion recte / and indirecte after And þenne agetif and sustantif / for engliz was hit neuere ¶ Relacion recte quaþ concience / is a record of trewþe Quia ante late rei est recordatiuum . Folwyng and fyndyng out / þe fondement of a strengþe And stifliche stand forth / to strengþe þe fondement In kynde and in case / and in cours of nombre ¶ As a trewe laborer / by-leueþ with his maystre In his paye and his pite / and in his pure trewþe ¶ To paye him ȝif he parformeþ / and haue pite ȝif he faileþ And take him for his trauail / alle þat trewþe wolde ¶ So of hole herte comeþ hope / and hardy relacioun Secheþ and seweþ / his sustantif sauacioun ¶ Þat is þe grond of al / a gracious antecedent And man is relatif recte / ȝif he beo riht trewe . Iohanis . primo He a-cordeþ with crist / in kunde Verbum caro factum est . In case credere in ecclesia . in holy churche to by-leue saluandorumIt is possible the annotator meant this word to be an addition before rotye. If so, this would constitute a unique reading. In nombre rotye and a-rise / and remission to haue Of oure sory synnes / asoiled and clansed And lyf as oure crede vs techeþ / whit crist wiþ-outon ende ¶ Thus is relacion recte / rith as agetif and sustantif There is a larger than average diagonal mark in the left margin, similar to the paraph marks but singular and placed farther to the left.A-cordeþ in alle kyndes / wiþ his antecedent ¶ Indirecte þing is / as ho-so coueyted Alle kynne kunde / to knowe and to folowe With-ouȝt cause to cache two / and come to boþe noumbres In whuche beþ good and not goodThere is an extraneous descender on the second <o>. / and grant here noþeres wille ¶ Þat is nat resonable ne Rect / to refuse my sires surname Suth y his sone and seruaunt / suwe for his riht There is a larger than average diagonal mark in the left margin, similar to the paraph marks but singular and placed farther to the left.For wo-so wol haue to wyue / my worldelich dowter I wol feffe him with hure fair / & wiþ hure foul taylende So indirecte þing is / inliche to coueyte To a-corde in alle kunde / and in alle kynne nombre Wiþ-ouȝt cost and trauailcare / in alle kynne caretrauayle Ac relacion rect is / a rithful custome As a kyng to cleyme / þe comune at his wil To folwe him to fynde him and feche at hem his consail Þat here loue thus to him / throw al þe lond acorde . So comyn cleymoþ of a kyng / thre kynne þynkesThis word could be an error for þynges, but it is also a possible example of a devoiced final stop in the West Midlands dialect. Lawe *loue / and leaute / and him lord antecedent Bothe here heued and here kyng / haldyng with no partie But stande as a stake / þat stykeþ in a mure By-twene to londes / for a trew mark ¶ Ac þe most partie of the poeple / pure indirect semeþ For they wilnen and wolde / as best were for hem-selue Þauh þe kyng and þe comune / al þe cost hadde ¶ Al reson repreoueþ / suche in-parfit people And halt hem vnstedefast / for hem lakeþ case As relatif indirecte / recheþ þei neuere // Off þe cours of þe case / so þei cacche seluur beo þe peccunye y-paied / thaw parties chide HeoHe þat mede may cachelacche / maket litul tale .Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit two lines (RK.3.392-393). ¶ Ac agetif and sustantif / is as y here tolde Þat is vnite a-cordeaunce / in case gendre and nombre ¶ And is to mene in oure mowþe / more ne mynne ButBut þat alle manere men / wemnenwem[m]en and children Scholdon conforme to o kunde / on holy churche to by-leue And coueite þe case / wen þei couthe vndurstonde To syke for her synnes / and suffre harde penaunce For þat ilke lordes loue / þat for oure loue deyde And coueyted oure kynde / and beo called in oure name deus homo And nymen him into oure noumbre / now and euere-more par johannis . iiij . capitulo Qui in caritate manet in deo manet et deus in eo . Thus is man and man-kynde / in manere of a sustantif As hic et hec homo . / askynge an agetif Of thre trewe termisons / trinitas vnus deus . Nominatiuo pater et filius et spiritus sanctus . Ac ho-so ratte of regum / rede me may of mede secundo Regum xxviij . How heo Absoloun . / to hongynge brouhte And syþthe for Saul . sauede a kyng for mede A-ȝayn godes comaundement god tok suche veniaunce Þat Saul for þat synne / and his sone deide And gaf þe kenedamkyndom to his knaue / þat kepte schep & lombren ¶ And men rat in Regum / after reuthe of kynges . primo . Regum . xv . capitulo Hou godHanHow god sente to Saul . / by Samuel . / þe prophete Þat Agag of Amelek . and alle his liege poeple Scholden deye dulfolydelefullydolfullyful delfulli / for dedes of her eldren Saul quaþ Samuel . / god him-self hoteþ To beo buxom at my biddyng / his bone to folfulle Hast þe wiþ alle þin host / to þe lond of Amelek And alle þat liueþ in þat lond / oure lord wole þat þow scle hit Man wommon and wif / wydow child and bestes . ¶ Meobles and vn-meobles / man and alle þinges / Bren hit bere hit nouȝt a-way / beo hit neuere so riche ¶ For eny mede of moneye / alle þat þow myht spille Spare hit nat / and þow schalt / spede wel þethe betre . ¶ And for he coueyted heore catel / and þe kyng sparede For-bare him and his best bestes / as þe bibul witnesseþ Oþur-wyse þan god wolde / by warnyng of þe profete God seyde to samuel þat Saul scholde dye And alle his for that sinne / schenfulliche ende ¶ Thus was kynge saul ouurcome / throw couetyse of mede Þat god hated him for euere / and alle his eyres after ¶ Þe culorum of this cas / kep y nat to schewe An auntur hit nuyede me / non ende wol y make ¶ For so is þe worlde went / wiþ þat han þe power Þat he þat seihtsaythoftest seiþ most sothest / sannest is y-blamed . prophecie I concience know þis / for kynde wit me tauhte Þat reson schal regne / and reomes gouerne . ¶ And riȝht as agag hadde / happon schullon some Samuel shal sle him / and Saul schal beo blamed And dauid schal beo dyademed / and daunton al oure enymis And o Christiane kyng / kepon vs vchone Schal no mede be maistur / neuere-more aftur ¶ Ac loue and louhnesse / and leaute do[t]o-gederes Schullen beo maystres on mold / trewe men to helpe And ho-so takeþ a-ȝeyn trewþe / or transuersedtransuersethtrauerseth a-ȝeins reson Leaute schal do him lawe / and no lif elles Schal no seriaunt for þat seruice / wery a selk houe Ne pelure in his pauilon / for pledyng atte þe barre ¶ Muchel euele is throw Mede / mony time suffred And letteþ þe lawe / þrow here large ȝiftes ¶ Ac kyndeloue schal come ȝit / and concience to-gederes And make of lawe a laborer / suche loue schal a-ryse ¶ And suche pees among þe poeple / and a parfit trewþe Þat Iewes schal wene in here wit / and wexe so glade Þat here kyng be come / fro þe cort of heuene Moyses or Messie / þat men beo so trewe For alle þat beron baselardes / bryȝht swerd or launce Axe oþur hachet / oroþur enyor eny kyne wepne / Schal beo demed to þe deth / but he do hit smythie In-to sikel or to sythe / to schare or to colter ysaye . ij . capitulo Conflabunt gladios suos in fomeres / & lanceas suas in falces ¶ Ech man to pleye with a plowe / a pykoyse or a spade SpennenSpynnen and speke of god / and spil no tyme ¶ Preostes and persones Placebo and dirige / Here sauter and her seuene psalmes / for alle sunful preyen Haukyng or hontinge / ȝif eny of hem hit vse Schal leose þer-fore his lyflode / and his lyf parantur Schal neuere kyng ne knyht / constable ne meyre Ouurcarke þe comune / ne to þe cort sompne Ne putdo men in panele / ne put men plihte here trewþe ¶ But after þe dede þat is do / þe dom schal recorde Mercy or no mercy / as most trewþe acorden . ¶ Kynges cort and comune cort / constory & chapetre Al schal beo but o court / and o bern beo iustice ¶ That worth trewe tonge a tydy man / þat teonede me neuere batailles schullen neuere eft beo / ne mon bere egge tol And ȝif eny man smyþen hit / beo smyte þer-wiþ to deþe ysaye . secundo capitulo . Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium nec exercebuntexercebuntur vltra ad prelium .6. auxgustumThe reading of this note is conjectural; if the erasure occurred in the opposite order, it is possible that the reading could be something as drastically different as ".6. ante Christum." anno domini Mo ccccoxijo Ac er this fortune by-falle / fynde me schal þe worste By six sonnes and a schup / and half a schef of aruwes And þe myddul of a mone / schal make þe Iuwes torne The Latin text, which is what the line should actually read, is not fully boxed: it is bordered by connected lines on the left and bottom.credo in Spiritum Sanctum And sarasyns for þat siht / schul suggensyngsyngenseyn heu quid faciemusCredo in spiritum sanctumom. For makamed and mede / schulle myshappe þat tyme proverbiorum . xxij . For melius est bonum nomen / quam diuicie multe As wrothe as þe wynd / wax mede þer-aftur Lo what Salomon . seith quod scheo / in sapience þe bible Þat ȝiuefȝeuethgyveth ȝiftes tak ȝeme / þe victorie he wynneþ And muche worschup þer-wiþ / as holy writ telleþ proverbiorum v capitulo Vc.4.495:The scribe's intentions here are not entirely clear. We have followed the example of other C witnesses and treat the marginal Latin text written in the text hand as a regular line and not a marginal gloss. This placement also occurs in Rc.Honorem adquiret qui dat munera . ¶ Y leoue þe lady quaþ concience / for that latyn is trewe Thow ert like a lady / þat a lesson radde prima ad ~~thessal~~thessalonicenses vltimo Was omnia probate / that plesede heore heorte That was no lengore / and atte þe leues ende Ac hadde heo loked on þe lift half / and þe leef turned Heo scholde haue fond folwyng / fele wordes aftur Quod bonum est tenete / a tyxt of trewþes makynge ¶ So heo þat secheþ sapience / fynde he schal þat folowiþ Trusteliche a teonful tixt / to hem þat taken mede Þe wuche hatte as y haue rad / and oþur þat conne rede . proverbiorum ibid Animam aufert accipiencium / Worschip he wynnuþ / þat wol ȝiue mede Ac he þat receyueþ or recetterecetteþmed for here / is recettur of gile . Explicit passus quartus Incipit passus quintus .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. CEsseth sayde þe kyng / y suffer ȝow no lengur Ȝe schul sauhtene for sothe / and serue me bothe Kus hur quod þe kyng / concience y hote . Nay by crist quod concience / congeie me rather But reson rede me þer-to / raþer wol y dye . And y comaunde quod þe kyng / to concience þenne Rape þe to ryde / and reson þat þow fecche Comaunde him þat he come / my consaille to here For he schal rewle my reome / and rede me bestethe beste Of mede and of other mo / and what man schal hure wedde . And a-counte with þe concience / someso me crist helpe How thow ledest my people / lered and lewed . ¶ Y am fayn of þat forward / in faith þo quaþ concience And rod forþe to reson / and rowned in his ere And seyde him as þe kyng seyde / and sithe tok his leue ¶ Y schal a-raye me to ryde / quaþ reson rest a wile And calde Caton his knaue / corteys of speche And al-so T..homme trewe tonge / tel me no tales Ne lesynges to lauhon of / for y loued hit neuere ¶ And sette my sadul vppon soffre / til y seo my tyme ¶ lette warrok him wel / with a vise by-fore // ¶ For hit is þe wone of wil / to wynse and to kike . ¶ Lette peytrel him and pole hym / with poytedepoy[n]ted wittes ¶ Þen concience on his capul / comsed to prykie . And reson wiþ him ryt / rownynge to-gederes Whuche a maystur mede was / a-mong poure and riche ¶ Þanne waryn wisman / and whyly-menwylemanwilymanwylliamThe usual reading is whylyman, but the scribe consistently spells it with an <e>. See Vc.5.31 below. his felaw Fayn were to folow hem / and fast to ridenfaste rydenryden fast aftur To tak rede of resoun / þat recorde scholde By-fore þe kyng and concience / ȝif þei cowþen pleyne On whylymenwhyly menwilymanwilliam and wyttymenwytty menwittyman / and waryn wryng-lawe ¶ Ac Concience knewe hem wel / and carpede to reson Here comeþ quod concience / þat coueytise seruen Ryde forth sir reson / and recche nat of here tales . for ther wrathe and wranglyng is / ther thei wol a-byde Ac ther loue and leaute is / hit likeþ nat here heortes Contricio et infelicitas in vijs eorum et viam pacis no cognouerunt / non est timor dei ante oculos eorum .The Latin appears as two lines in the MS. Thei gyueþ nat of good faith / god wot the sothe / They wolde don for a dyner / or for a doseyne capenoscapones More þenne for oure lordes loue / or oure lady his moder ¶ Þenne reson rod forth / and tok reward of no mon And dude as concience kende / til heohe þe kyng mette ¶ Corteysliche þe kyng þenne / cam and grette reson And by-twene him and his sone / sette þo sire reson . And spekon wyse wordes / a long while to-gederes Þo cam pees in-to parlement / and put op a bille How þat wrong wilfully / hadde his wif for-leyen ¶ And howhow [he] rauysede Rose / þe riche widue by nyhte And Margarete of here maydenhod / as he mette heore late ¶ Bothe my goos and my grys / and my gras he takeþ Y dar nat for his felauschip / in faith pees seyde Bere sykurly eny suluer / to seynt gyles downe ¶ Heo a-wayteþHe waiteþHe awaytteth ful wel / whan y suluer take What wey y wende / wel ȝorne he aspieþ To robbe me and to ryfle / ȝif y ride softe ¶ Ȝut he is bold to borowe / and baddelich he payeþ He borowoþom.borwed of me bayard / and brouȝt him neuere Ne no ferþing þer-fore / for nouȝt y cowþe plede He meynteynuþ his men / to morthre myn hynes And forstalleþ myn fayres / and fihteþ in my chepinges And brekuþ vp my bernes dores / and beroþ a-wey my wete And takeþ me but a tayle / for ten quarteres oþur twolue ¶ Ȝut he manasseþ me and myne / and liþe be my mayde I ham nat hardy for hym / vnneþe to loke ¶ Þe kyng knew he sayde soth / for concience him tolde How wrong was a wikked man / and muche wo wrouȝte ¶ Þo was wrong a-ferd / wisdam he by-souhte On men of lawe wrong loked / and largelich hem profred And fort to haue of here help / handydandy paied Had y loue of þe lord / litul wolde y recche Of pes and his power / thaw he pleynede euere ¶ Throw wrong and his werkes / þer was mede knowe For wisdom and wit þo / wetonwerenwenton to-gederes And tok mede myd hem / mercy to wynne ¶ Ȝut pees putte forth his hed / and his panne blody With-oute gulte god wot / gate y þis schaþe Concience knoweþ hit wel / and alle þe trew comune Ac whyles and wit / weren a-bouwte fast . To ouercome To ouurcome þe kyng / throgh catel ȝif þei myhte ¶ Þe kynge Compare with "kyng" swor þo by crist / and by his crone bothe Þat wrong for his werkes / schold wo tholye And comaunded a conestable / to cast wrong in Irenes Ther he ne scholde in seuene ȝer / se fet ne hondes ¶ God wot quaþ a wyse on / þat were nat þe beste Ȝif he may amendes do / let meynpryse hemhym haue And beo borw for his galebale / and buggen him bote And amende þat is mys-do / and euere-more þe betere .Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit three lines (RK.4.87-89). ¶ Þenne can[g]an Mede meoken heore / and mercy by-souhte And profered pees a present / al of pure golde / ¶ Haue þis man of me quath heo / to Amende thy scathe For y wol wage for wrong / he wol do so namore ¶ Pytosely pees tho / preyed þe kyng / To haue mercy on þat man / þat mony tyme greued hym . For he hath waged me wel / as wisdam hym tauȝte Mede hath made myn amendes / y may namore asken . So alle my claymes beon . quyt / by so þe kynge assente ¶ Nay by crist quod þe kyng / For concience sake Wrong goþ nat so a-weye / ar y wyte more . Lope he so lithliche / lawen heohe wolde . And eft beo þe baldere / to bete myn hewes . ¶ But reoson haue rewþe of him / heohe schal reste on stokkes . As longe as y lyue / For his luther werkes / ¶ Some radde reson þo / to haue rewþe on þat schrewe And fort tofor to consaille þe kyng / on concience þei loked Þat Mede myhte beo meynpernour / reson þei by-souhte ¶ Rede me nat quath reson / no reuthe to haue / Tyl lordes and ladies / louon al trewþe And haten alle harlatrye / to heron or to mowþen hit prop ¶ And purnels porfil / beo put in þe wuche ¶ And childeren chirysing / beo chasted wiþ ȝerdes And harlotes holynesse / beo an hy ferie . Til clerkyne ~~beo~~ couetyce / beo cloþe for þe pore Here pelure and here palfreyes / poure men lyf-lode ¶ And relygyous out-ryderes / reclused in here cloystres And beo as Benet hem bade Domenyk and Fraunceys ¶ Til þat lered men lyue / as they lere and techen ¶ And til þe kynges consail / beo alle comune profit . ¶ Til byschopes beo bakeres / breweres and taillours . For alle manere men / þat þei fynde neodful The top margin of the folio shows many scratch marks, perhaps made by a dry-point pen.¶ Tyl seint Iame beo souht / þer pore seke liggen In prysones and in pore cotes / for pilgremages to Rome . ¶ So þat non go to galeys / bot hit beo for euere And alle Rome renneres / for robberes in Fraunce Bere no seluur ouur see / þat kynges signe scheweþ Nowþer graue ne vngraue / of gold ne of seluur / Vp forfeture of þe fee / ho-so fynt him ouur-ward / ¶ But hit beo marchaunt oþer is man / or messagers wiþ letteres ProuipsourProuisour oþur preost / or penaunt for his synnes nota And ȝut quod Reson by þe Rode / y schal no rewþe haue Whil Mede hath þe maystrie / þer moting is atte þe barre . ¶ Ac y may seye ensaumples / as y seo othure Y sey hit for my-self quod Reson / And hit so were Þat y were kyng wiþ crone / to kepe ony reome Schold neuere wrong in þis worlde / þat y wite myhte Beo vnpunysched in my power / for peril of my soule ¶ Ne gete my grace throw eny ȝifȝif[te] / ne glosyng speche Ne throw mede do mercy / by mary of heuene . ¶ For man nullum malum . mette with impunitum . in impunitum And bad þat nullum bonum beo irremuneratum . ¶ let þi confessour sire kyng / construe þis in Englische And ȝif ȝe worchen hit in werk / y wed boþe my handes Þat lawe schal beo a laborer / and lede a-feld donge . And loue schal lede þi lande / as þe lef likuþ . ¶ Clerkes þat weren confessours / complede hiemhimhem to-gederes To construe þis clause / kyndeliche wat hit menuþ ¶ Mede in þe mothalle þo / on men laweof lawe con wynke In signe þat þei scholde / with som sotil speche Reherse þo a-non ritht / þat myth reson stoppe ¶ And alle rithtful recordedoun / þat reson trewþe seyde . And kynde wit and concience / cortesiliche þonkede Reson / for his rithtful speche / riche and pore him louede And seydon we seo wel / sire reson by þi wordes Þat meoknesse worþ maystur / ouer mede atte last ¶ Loue let liht of mede / and leaute ȝit lasse And cried vpon concience / þe kyng hit myht here ¶ Wo-so wilnoþ heore to wyue / for welþe of heore goodes But heohe beo knowe for kokewold / kut of my nose ¶ Mede morned þo / and made heuy chere For þe comune cald heore / queynt comune hore ¶ A sysour and a somonour þo / sofliche forþe ȝeodoun With Mede þe mayde / ouȝt of þe mothalle ¶ A schereues clerk cried / a / capiatis / mede Et saluo custodias / sed non cum carceratis / ¶ Þe kyng to his consaille þo / tok concience and reson . And modeliche vpon mede / mony tyme lokede And lowred vpon men of lawe / and lithliche sayde ¶ Throw ȝore lawe as y leue / y lese meny eschetes Mede and men of ȝoure craft / muche trewþe letteþe ¶ Ac reson schal regne mydwith ȝow / ȝif y regne eny while And deme ȝow by this day / as ȝe han deserued Mede schal nouȝt meynpryse ȝowe / by mary of heuene ¶ Y wol haue leaute for my lawe / let beo alle ȝoure Iangle By lelle men and lif holy / my lawe schal beo demed . ¶ Quaþ concience to þe kyng / with-ouȝte þe comune help Hit is ful hard be myn hede / þer-to hit to brynge And alle ȝoure licheledesliche ledeslege ledes / to lede thus euene ¶ By him þat rayhte on rode / quod reson to þe kyng Bot ȝif ȝe rewle þus alle reaumes / reueþ me my schits[ih]teThe Middle English Dictionary lists similar spellings as possible errors, but it is also possible that they were accepted variants. And bringe alle men to bowe / with-oute bittur wounde With þout mercement or manslauht / amende alle reomes ¶ Y wold hit were quaþ þe kyng / wel al a-bowte For-þi / reson redely / þou schalt nat riden hennes But beo my chief chaunceller / in cheker and in parlment And concience in alle my Cortes / beo As kynges Iustice . ¶ Y assente quaþ reson / by so þatby soso þat þi-self y hure Audi alteram partem / a-mong aldermen and Comuners And þat vnsittyng soffraunce / ne sele ȝoure pryue lettres Ne sende supersedias but y assente quaþ reson And y dar legge my lyfe / þat loue wol lene þe seluer To wage thyne and help to wynne / þat þow wilnest aftur More þan alle þi marchaunȝtes / or þi mytred buschopes Or lombardes of lukes / asþat lyfe by lone as Iuwes . ¶ Þe kyng comaunded þo concienceConscience tho / to congeye alle his officers And receyuon tho þat reson louede / and rith wiþ þat y a-wakede Explicit passus quintus / Incipit passus sextus .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. THus y a-wakede wot god / wan y wonede on Cornhulle Kytte and y in a cote / cloþed as a lollere And litul y lete by / leof me for sothe Among lollars of London / and lewede ermytes For y made of þo men / as reson me tauhte ¶ For as as y cam by concience / wiþ reson y mette . In an hot heruest / wen y hadde my hele . And lymes to laboure with / and louendelouede wel fare And no dede to do / bot drynke and to slepe In hele and in vnite / on me apposede . Romynge in remembraunce / thus reson me a-ratede ¶ Canst þow seruen he seyde / or synge in a churche ¶ Or koke for my kokeres / or to aþe cart piche . ¶ Mowe oþur Mowen / or make bonde to sheues ¶ Repe or to beobeen a repreue / and a-ryse erly . ¶ Or haue an horne and beo hayward / and ligge oute a nyhtes And kepe my corn in my croft / fro pykeres and þeoues . ¶ Or schape schon oþer cloþes / or schep or kuyn kepe Eggen or harewen / or swyn or ges dryue . Or eny oþur kynnes craft / þatþat to þe comune neodeþ . Hem þat bedrede ben / by-lyue to fynde . ¶ Certes y saide / and so me god helpe I am to wayke to worche / with sykele oþur sythe And to longe leof me / to lowe for to stowpe . To worche as a werkemon / eny while to dure ¶ Þenne has thow londes to lyue by / quod reson / or lynage riche Þat Fyndon þe þi fode / for an ydul man þow semest A spender þat spende mot / or a spille-tyme / Or beggest þi by-lyue / a-boute at men haches Or faitest vpon frydais / or fest dayes in churches Þe wuche is lollarene lif / þat lytul is preysed . Ther rithfulnesse rewarduþ / riȝt as men deserueþ Reddit vnicuique iuxta opera sua . Or thow art broke so may beo / in body or in membre Or y-maymed þrow som myshap / wer-by þow myht be acexcusedaccusedexcused Wen y ȝong was quaþ y / mony ȝer hennes My fader and my frendes / founde me to scole Til y wist witturly / what holy wryt mened And wat is best for þe body / as þe book telloþ And sekerest for þe soule / by so y welwol continue ¶ And ȝut founde y neuere in faith / sith my frendes deyden Lyf þat me likede / but in theos longe clothes . ¶ Ȝif y by labour schold lyue / and liflode deseruen That labour þat y lerned best / þer-with lyue scholdey sholdey wolde In eadem vocacione qua ~~vocacione qua~~vocacione qua vocacione quavocacione qua vocati estis /The deleted words are lined through in text ink. And y lyue in londone / and on londone bothe Þe lomes þat y labore with / and lyflode deserue Ys pater noster and my prymer placebo and dirige . And my sauter som tyme / and my sene psalmes ¶ Thus y synge for heore sowles / of suche as me helpuþ And tho þat fyndon me my fode / vowchen-saf y trowe To beon wel-come wen y come / oþur-while in a monþe Now with him and now with heore / and thus-gate y begge With-ouȝte bagge or botel / but my wombe one . ¶ And al-so more-ouer / me þenkeþ sire reson Men schalsholde constrayne no clrekcl[er]k / to knauene werkes ¶ For by lawe of Leuitici / þat oure lord ordeyned Clerkes þat aron croned / of kynde vndurstondyng Schold noþur swynk ne swete / ne swere atte enquestes Ne fiht in no vauntwarde / ne his foo greue non reddas malum pro malo .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ For hit be heyres of heuene / alle þat beo croned And in queer in kerkes / cristes owne minestres . Dominus pars hereditatis mee / et alibi / Clemencia non constringit . ¶ Hit by-comeþ for clerkes / crist fortfor to seruen And knaues vn-croned / to carte and to worche For scholde no clerk beo croned / but ȝif he come were Of Frankeleyns and freo men / and of folk y-wedded . ¶ Bondemen and bastardes / and beggeres children These by-longeþ to labour / and lordes kyn schold seruen Bothe god and godemen / as here degree askeþ Some to synge masses / or sitten and wryte Rede and receyue / þat reson ouȝte spende / ¶ Ac sithe bondemen barnes / han be mad byschopes ¶ And barnes bastardes / han beon archidekenes . ¶ And soperes and heore sones / for suluer han beo knytes ¶ And lord sones heore laborers / and led here rentes to wedde nota bene for þe riht of þes reome / riden a-ȝeyns oure enymys In confort of þe comune / and þe kynges worschip ¶ And monkes and moniales / andþat mendinans schold fynde Han mad here kynne knytes / and knyt fees purchase . ¶ Popes and patrones / poure gentul blod refused And taken symondes sone / seintwarie to kepe a Lif-holynesse and loue / hanne beo longe hennes And wole til hit beo weret ouȝt / or oþer-wyse chaunged / ¶ For-þi rebuke me rith nauȝt / reson / y ȝow preye For in my concience y knowe / wat crist wolde þat y wrouhte . ¶ Preyers of a parfit man / and penaunce discret Is þe leuost labour / þat oure lord plesoþ / [2 casually sketched pointing hands, one directed toward the text on the facing page, the other pointing upward at the last line on this page.] Non de solo pane y sayde / for sothe viuit homo Nec in pane et in pabulo / þe pater noster witnesseþ Fiat voluntas tua / fynt vs alle þynges Quath concience by crist / i can not se þis lieþ Ac hit semeþ nat parfitnesse / sadparfitnessesad parfitnesse in cytees fortfor to begge But hit beo obedienter / to priour or to ministre . ¶ Þat is sothe y sayde / and so y by-knowe Þat y haue tynt tyme / and tyme myspended ¶ Ac ȝut y hope as he / þat ofte hath chaffared Þat ay hathe lost an lost / and atte last him happed He boute suche a bargayn / he was þe bet euere . And set his lost at a lef / atte þe last ende Suche a wynnyng him warthe / throw wirdes of grace . Simile est regnum celorum thesauro abscondito in agro . Mulier qui inuenit dragmam . ¶ So hope y to haue / of him þat al is myhtyis almyghty A gopedgobet of his grace / an by-gonne a tyme / Þat alle tymes of my tyme / to profit schal turne . ¶ Y rede þe quod reson þo / rape þe to by-gynne Þe life þat is lowable / and lefeleele to þy soule ¶ Ȝe and continue quaþ concience / and to þe kirke y wente ¶ And to þe kirke can y go / god to honoure By-fore þe crois on my knees / knoked y my brest Sykynge for my synnes / suggyng my pater noster . Wepynge and waylinge / til y was a-slepe . ¶ Þenne mette me muche more / þan y by-fore tolde Of þe matere þat y met furst / on Maluerne hulles ¶ Y sauh þe feld ful of folk / fram ende til othur And reson rauested / riht as a pope And concyence his croser / by-fore þe kynge stande ¶ Reson reuerentliche / by-fore al þe reome predicacioThe boxed word is in the line, but we interpret it as a marginal gloss. Prechede and prouede / þat þeos pestilens Was for pure synne / to punysche þe people ¶ And þe sowþewestwyndsowþewest wynd / on setturday at Eueeeueeuene Was perteliche for pruyde and for no poynt elles . ¶ Pyries and plomtrees / were poffed to þe erthe In ensaumple to seggen vs / we schold do þe betere Beches and brod okes / weron blowe to þe ground And turned vpward heore tail / in tokenyggtokeny[n]g of drede Þat dedly synne or domesday / schal for-do vs alle ¶ Of þis matere y myhte / mouelemomelymumelynmamele fol longe . Ac y schal sey as y seyh / slepyng as hit were Hou reson radde al þe reome / ritht fort to lyuen ¶ He bad wastours go worche / and wynne here sustinaunce Þrow som trewe trauail / and no tyme spille . ¶ He preyed purnele / heore purfil to leue And kepe hit in hure cofre / for catel atte þe neodehere nedeher nedeth ¶ He tauȝhte Thomme stowe / to take to staues And feche felice hom / fram wyfene pyne ¶ He warnede wat / his wife was to blame for here hed was worþ half marc / and his hod not a grote ¶ He bad bette go kutte / a bowh oþer tweye And bete beton þer-mid / but scheo wolde worche ¶ He chargete chapmen / to chaste here childeren . And let no wynnyng for-wene hem / þe while þei ben ȝonge . For ho-so spareþ þe spryg / spilloþ his childeren . And so wrot þe wyse / to wysen vs alle qui parcit virge odit filium ¶ And sythe he preyde prelates / and preostes to-gederes Þat hy precheþ to þe poeple / preouen hem-selue Lyue ȝe as ȝe lereþ vs / we schulle leoue ȝow þe bettre And sithe he radde religion / here rewle to holde lest þe kyng and his consail / ȝoure comunes a-peyre And beo stiwardes of ȝoure stedes / til ȝe beo stiwed betere Gregorie þe gret clerk / gart write in bokes Þe rewle of alle religious / rithfol and obedient ¶ Riht as fiches in floud / wen hem failleþ water Dyon for drowþe / wen þey dry ligen Riht so Religion / rotuþ and sterueþ Þat ouȝt of couent and cloistre / coueyteþ to dwelle For ȝif heuene beo on þis oerthe / or eny ese for soule Hit is in cloistre or in scole / by mony skyles y fynde ¶ For in cloystre comuþ no mon / to chide ne to fihte ¶ In scole is loue and lownesse / and lykyng to lerne ¶ Ac mony day men telleþ / boþe monkes and chanons Han ride ouȝt of a-ray / here rewle vuele holde ¶ Lederes of lawdayes / and londes porchasede And prykede a-bouȝt on palfreys / fro places and in-tointoand toto maneres An hep of houndes at his ers / asas he a lord were ¶ And but his knaue knele / þat schal his cop holde He lokeþ alle lowrynge / and lordeyn him calleþ Litul had lordes a-do / to ȝiue lond fro here heires To religiouse þanþat han no rewþe / þauh hit reyne on here auters In places þerþer thei persones beoth / be hem-self atte ese Of þe pore han þei no pyte / þat is here pure charite ¶ Ȝe leten ȝow alle as lordes / ȝoure lond lithe to brode prophecie . ¶ Ac ȝut schal come a kyng / and confesse ȝow alle And bete ȝow as þe bible telloþ / for brekyng of ȝoure rewle And amende ȝow monkes / monials and chanons propA later hand seems to have been copying the style of the rubricated gloss above. And putte ȝou to ȝoure penaunce ad pristinum statum ire . And barones and here barnes / blame ȝow and repreoue Hij in curribus & hij in equis ipsi obligati sunt et ceciderunt . ¶ Freres in here freytour / schul fynde þat tyme Bred with-oute beggyng / to leuebyleue by euere aftur An Costantyn schal beon here coke / and coueroure of here kyrke ¶ For þe abbot of Engelonde // and þe abbesse his nece Schullon haue a knok on here crones / and in-currable þe wounde . Contriuit dominus baculum impiorum / virgam dominancium plaga insanabili prophecie . Ac er þat kynge come / as cronicles me tolde Clerkes and holichurche / schal beo cloþed newe And sithe he consailled þe kyng / his comune to louye . For þe Comune is þe kynges tresour / concience wot wel ¶ And also quod reson / y rede ȝow riche And Comuners to a-corden in alle kynne trewþe ¶ Let non kynne consail / ne couetyse ȝowe departe Þat o wit and o wil / alle ȝoure wardes kepe ¶ Lo in heuene an hy / was an holy comune Til lucifer þe liere / leouede þat him-selue Were wittyor and worþior / þan he þatþat was his maystur ¶ Hold ȝow in vnite / and he þat wolde oþer Is cause of alle combraunce / to confounde a reome ¶ And sithen he preyde þe pope / haue pite on holichurche And no grace to graunte / til god loue were A-mong alle kynne kynges / ouur cristone people ¶ Comande þat al confessours / þat eny kyng schryueþ Enioyne himhem pees for here penaunce / and perpetual for-ȝeuenese Of alle manere accions / and eche mon loue oþur ¶ And ȝe þat seche seint Iame / And seyntes of rome Secheþ seint Treuthe in sauacion of ȝoure sowles Qui cum patre & filio / þat faire hem by-falle Þat seweþ my sermon / an thus endeþ resoun . Explicit passus sextus / Incipit passus septimus .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. WIth þat ran repetauncerepe[n]taunce / and rehersed his teme And made wille to wepe / watur with his eyen . Purnelle proud hert / platte heore to þe erthe Longe was or he loked optop / and lord mercy cryde And by-hytte to him / þat vs alle made Heo scholde vnsewen hure serk / and set þeþe[r]þeron hure an heyre To affaiten heore fleisch / þat fers was to synne Schal neuere hy heorte me hente / bot hold me lowe And soffre to beo myssaied / and so dud y neuere Bot now wol y meke me / and mercy by-seche . Of alle þat y haue / hated in my herte ¶ Repent þe quaþ repentaunce / as reson þe tauhte and schrif þe scharpeliche / and schak of alle pruyde Confessio Superbie Y pruyde pacienslichepacien[t]liche / penaunce y aske For y formest and furst / to fader and modur Haue beo vn-boxom / y by-seche god of mercy . And vn-boxom y beo / not a-bayschede to a-gult God and alle godemen / so gret was myn herte Inobedient to holychurche / and to hem þat þer seruen Demed for here vuele vices / and excited oþur TrowT[h]row my word and my wit / here euele werkes to schewe ¶ And scorned hem and oþur / ȝif y a skyle founde Lauhyng al a-lohoud / for lewede men scholde Wene þat y were witty / and wyser þan a-noþur ¶ Scornere and vnskylfol / to hem þat skyle schowede In alle manere maners / my name to by-knoweb[e] knowe ¶ Semyng a soueryen on / wer-so me by-fulle To telle eny tale / y trowede me wiser To carpon or to consaille / þan eny lered or lewed Proud of a-parail / in port among þe poeple Oþer-wyse þan y haue / with-ynne oþur wiþ-oute ¶ Me wilned þat men wende / y were in a neyreauereyre Riche and resonable / and rithful of lyuynge ¶ Bostynge and braggyng / with mony bolde oþes Auauntyng vpon myn veyne glorie / for eny vndur-nymyng And ȝut so syngulere by my-self / as to fyht opsyhte of people Was non suche as my-self / ne non so pop-holy Somme tyme in one secte / som tyme in a-nother In alle kynne Couetyse / contreouede how y myhte Beo holde for holy / andan hondred syþe by that encheson Wilnede þat men wende / my werkes were þe best And Connyngest of my craft / clerkes or other . ¶ And strengest vpon stede / and styuost vndur gurdel And louelokenlouelokestLoueliest to locon on / a lyngyngestly[k]yngestlykyngest a-bed And likyng of suche a lyfe / þat no lawe preyseþ ¶ Proud of my feire fetures / and for y song schulle And wat y gaf for godes loue / to gossipes y tolde Thei to wene þat y were / wel holy and almesfol . And non so bold beggere / to bydden and craue ¶ Tales to telle / in tauernerstauernes and in stretes Thyng þat neuere was þouht / and ȝut y swor y sauh hit And lied on my licame / and on my lif bothe . ¶ Of werkes þat y wel dude / witnesse take And seggen to suche / þat seten me by-syde . Lo ȝif ȝe leue me noat / or þat ȝe wene y lye Ask at him or at heore / and þei conne ȝow telle What y soffrede and seih / and somme tyme hadde And what y knew and couthe / of what kyn y com of . ¶ Al y wolde þat men wuste / wen hit to pruyde soned As to preysed a-mong þe people / þauh y pore semed Si hominibus placerem christi seruus non essem . Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire ¶ Now god of his godenesse / gyue þe grace to amende Quath repetauncerepe[n]taunce rith wiþ þat / and þen ros Enuye Confessio Inuidie ¶ Enuye with heuy herte / asket aftur schrifte And cried mea culpa corsyng al his Enymis His clothes were of corsement / and of kene wordes He wroþ his fust vpon wrathe / had he wussches at wille Schold no lyf lyuye / þat on his lond passed ¶ Chidyng and Iangelyng / that was his chief lieflode ¶ And blame men by-hynde here bac / and bidde hem meschaunce Al that y[a] wyst by wille / to wattekyn he told hit And that he wist by watkyn / tolde hit wille aftur ¶ And mad foos of frendes / throw falce and ficul tonge Or throw myht of mouthe / or throw mony scleythes Venged me fele tyme / oo[r] vred my-self with-ynne Lyke a schuppesters scheres / and screwede myn emcristone ¶ A-ȝeyns þe conseil of crist / as clerkes fyndefyndeth in bokes / Cuius malediccione os plenum est & amaratudine sub lingua eius labor & dolor . Filij hominum dentes eorum arma & sagitte & lingua eorum gladius acutus . ¶ Wen y ne may haue þe maystrie / suche malencolye y take Þat y chachecache þe craumpe / þe cardiacle som tyme Or an ague in suche an angre / and som tyme a feuere Þat takeþ me al a twel-month / til þat y dispice Lechecraft of oure lord / and leoue on a wicche . And segge þat no clerk can / ne crist as y leoue To þe soutere of sothewerk / suche is his grace ¶ For god ne godes werkeswordes / ne grace halp neuere But throw a charme had y chaunce / and my chief hele ¶ Y myht not ete mony ȝer / as a man auhte ¶ For enuy and euul wil / is vuel to defye . ¶ May no sugre ne swete þyng / a-swage my swellynges . Ne dereworth drynkesdrynke / dryue hit fro myn herte Neyþor schame ne schrift / but ho-so schraped my mawe ¶ Ȝus redely quaþ repentaunce / and thou beo riht sory ¶ For þi synnes soueraynly / by-seching god of merci ¶ Y am euere sory seide enuy / y am but seld oþur Þat makeþ me so megre / for y ne may me a-venge ¶ Ȝut am y brokour of bakbityng / and blame menne ware A-mong marchaunz mony tymes / nameliche in Londoun . Whan he solde & y not / þan was y a-redy To lye and to lowre / and to lakke my neyhbours . Here werkes here wordes / wer-so y sette ¶ Now hit a-þinkeþ me in thouht / þat euere so yy so wrouhtThis line is joined to the next two with a square bracket in the left margin. Lord er y lyf lete / for loue of þi-selue Graunte me gode lord / grace of amendement Þenne a-waket wrath / with to whyte yen Confessio Ire . And with a nyuylyngeSee final "e" following "g". nose / nyppyng his lippes . ¶ Y am wrath quaþ þat wye / wol gladliche smyte bothe with ston and with staf / and stele vpon myn enymy For to sle him slyliche / scleyhesscley[t]hes y by-þeynke ¶ Thaw y sete þis seue ȝer / y schold not wel telle Þe harm þat y haue don / with hand and with tonge ¶ Inpacient in alle penaunces / and pleyned as hit were On god wen me greued ouȝt / and gruched of his sonde ¶ As som tyme in somere / and al-so in heruest . But y had wedur atte my wille / y wited god þe cause In alle manere angres / þat y had or feled . ¶ Amonges alle manere men / my dwellyng is som tyme Whiþ lered and wiþ lewed / þat leof beon to hure Harm of eny man / by-hynde or by-fore . ¶ Freres folwon my fore / fele tyme and oft And preouen inparfite / prelates of holy churche And prelates pleynen on hem / for thei here parschynes schryuen With-out licence and leue / and herby lyueþ wrathe ¶ Thus thei speke and dispute / and eche spiseþ other [drawing of a face] Thus beggeres and barones / atte de-bat aren ofte Til y wrath wax an hyh / and walke with hem bothe Or til bothe beo beggares / an by spiritualte libben ¶ Or alle riche thus ride / reste schal y nat wrathe Þat y ne mot folow þis folk / my fortune is no noþur ¶ Y haue an Aunte to nonne / and to an abbesse Hemhe[re] were leuere swowene or swelte / þanne suffren eny peyne ¶ Y haue be cok in here kechene / and þe couent serued Mony monthes with hem / and with monkes bothe Y was þe prioresse potager / and oþer pore ladies And mad here ioutes of ianngles / dame Ione was a bastardVc.7.136:Here, Vc and Ac alone among the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a line (RK.6.134). ¶ Dame purnelle a preostes file / pryoresse worth he neuere For heo had child in þe Capon cote / heo worth chalenget at eleccion ¶ Thus þei sitte two susteres / som tyme and disputen Til thow lixt and þow lixt / beo lady ouer hem alle . ¶ And þenne a-wake y wrathe / and wold beo A-Venget And ythenne y crie and cracche / with my kene nayles Bote bite and bete / and brynge forthe suche þewes Þat alle ladies me loþen / þat louen eny worschip ¶ A-mong wyues and wydewes / am y wonet sitte . I-parroked in puwes / þe person hit knoweþ Hou litul y louie / letice atte stile raþyr þanThis phrase glosses or in the line. For heo had haly bred orar y / myn hert can chaunge ¶ Aftur-wart aftur mete / heo an y chyde And y wrath was war / an worth on hem bothe Til ayther cleped oþer ?howrhore / and of wythe þe clothes Til bothe heore hedes beo bar / and blody here chekes ¶ A-mong monkes myht y beo / ac meny tyme y spare For ther aren mony feolefollefelle frekes / myne afferes to aspie ¶ Þat is þe Priour and suppriour and oure pater abbas . And ȝif y telle eny tales / thei taken hem to-gederes And don me fast fridais / to bred and to watur ¶ Ȝut am y chalenget in chapitul hous / as y a child were And baleysed in þe bare ers / and no breche by-twene ¶ Y haue no loust leoue me / to lenge a-mong monkes For y hetey etehij eteþ more fichse þan fleisch / and feble ale drynke ¶ Ac oþer-while wan wyn comeþ / and wen y drynke late Y haue a flux of a foule mouht / wel fyue dayes aftur Þat alAl þat y wist wiket / by eny of oure couent I cowhede hit vp in oure cloistre / þat al þe couent wot hit ¶ Now repente þe quaþ repentaunce / and reherse neuere What consail that thow knowest / by countenaunce ne by speche And drynk nat ouur delicatly / ne to deope neyþer Þat þi wille ne þi wit / to wrath myht turne Esto sobrius he seyde / and assoilled him aftur And bad him to byddeline om.bidbydden to god / beo his help to amende Confessio luxurie ¶ Þenne seyde lechery a-las / and to oure lady criede Lady to þi leue sone / loute for me nowþe Þat he haue pite on me putour / of his pure mercy With þat y schal quaþ þat screweshrewe / saturdaies for þi loue Drynge but wiþ þe douke / and dyne but ones . ¶ I gulty in gost / to god y me schryue As in likynge of lecherie / my licames gultus In wordes in wedes / in waytynge of eyen . To eche mayde þat y mette / y made here a signe Semynde to synne-ward / and somme can y taste A-boute þe mouth and by nekkeby þe neckebynethebyneythen / by-gan y to grope Til oure boþenoure broþuroure boþersoure beyresbothe oure wil was on / to werke we ȝeodoun . ¶ As wel fastyngdaiefastyng daiefastyng dayes and fridaies / and hi fest an eueneseueneseues As leof in lente as out of lente / alle tymes liche . ¶ Suche werkes with vs / were neuere ouȝt of sesoun Til we myhte no more / þan had we mury tales Of putery and of paramours / and preouedon þrow speches Handelyng and halsynge / and al-so þrow cussyng Exityng our aȝyther other / til oure olde synne Sotilede songes / and send ouȝt olde baudes For to wynne to my wil / wommon wiþ gile . ¶ by sorcery som tyme / and som tyme midwithby maistrie Y lay by the louelokest / and louede hem neuere aftur ¶ Wen y was old and hor / and had lore þat kynde Y hadde likyng to lithe of lechery tales . Now lord for thi leaute / of lechours haue mercy . ¶ Þenne cam couetise / y can nouȝt him discreue So hongerly and holwe / heruy him-self lokede ¶ He was bitulbrowed / and baburlippot / wiþ to blere eyen And as a leþerene pors / lollede his checus Wel syddur þan his chyn / y-chyueled for elde . ¶ As bondemen bacon / his berd was y-schaue Wiþ his hod on his hed / and his hat boþe In a toron tabard / of twel wyntur age But ȝif a lous couthe lepe / y leue hit as y trowe He schold nat wandre on þat welch / so was hit þred-bare . Confessio auariceThe partially trimmed remains of a bracket in rubricating ink appear to the left of the gloss. Y haue beo couetous quaþ þis caytif / y by-know hit here For som tyme y serued Symme atte þe stile A bracket in the left margin runs from this line to Vc7.213. And was his prentys y-pliht / his profit to wayte ¶ Furst y lerned to lye / a lesyng or twey . Wykkedliche to weye / was my furst lessoun To wy and to wynchestre / y wente to þe faire . With mony maner marchaundyse / as my maystre hiht Ne hadde þe grace of gyle / gon a-mong my ware Hit hadde beo vnsold þis sene ȝeer / so me god helpe ¶ Y drow me a-mong drapers / my donet to lerne To drawe þe lysure a-long / þe lengur hit semed ¶ A-mong þe riche rayes / y rendred a lesson To brochen hem wiþ a pac-nelde / an bond hem to-gederes Putte hem in pressours / and pynned hem ther-Inne Til ten ȝerd or twelue / tilled out þrettene ¶ My wyf was a webbe / and wollon cloþ made Heo spac to þe spynnesters / to spynne hit oute Þe pond þat heo payed hem by / peysed a quarter More þenne myn auncer / wen y weide trewþe ¶ Y bowte heore barly / heo brew hit to selle / peny ale and podyngale / heo powrede to-gederes For laborers and lowhfolc / that lay by him-selue ¶ Þe best lay in my boure / and in my bed chaumbre And ho-so bommode þer-of / he bowht hit þer-aftur A Galon for a grote / and þat no good messure Wen hit comme copmelin coppemele / þis craft my wif vsede ¶ Rose þe regratour / was hure riht name Heo hath y-holde hokkerye / thes elleue wyntur Repentest þow neuere quath repentaunce / ne restitucioun madest ¶ Ȝus ones quod he was y-herberwod / with an hep of chapmen . I ros and riffled here males / when thei a-rest were ¶ Þat was a rihtful restitucion / quod repentaunce for sothe Thow wolt honge hye þer-fore / here oþer in helle . ¶ Vsedest thow euere vsurie / in al thi lif tyme ¶ Nay sothly he seyde / saue in my ȝouhþe . I lernede a-mong lombardes / a lesson and of Iuwes To weie pans with a peys / and pared þe heuegest And lent for loue of þe wed / þe wuche y let betere And more worth þan þe money / or men þat y lened Y lenede folc þat lese wolde / a lip in eche noble And with lombardes lettres / lened gold atte Rome . So what bern of me borwed / he bouht þe tinneti[m]e LenesdestLenedest twowt[h]ow euere to eny lord / For loue of meyntenaunce ¶ Y haue lent to lordes and ladies / þat louede me neuere aftur And y hiIchAnd y haue mad meny knyht / bothe mercer and draper Payde neuere for her prenteshod / nat a paire gloues Þat chaffarede with my chyuysaunce / cheuede selde aftur Now redely quatþ repentaunce / and by þeþe rode y leoue Schal neuere executour by-sette welwel bysette / þe seluur þat þow him lenest Ne þyn heires as y hope / haue ioye þat þow wan / For þe pope and alle his penitauncers / power hem failleth To assoille the of þi synnes / sine restitucione / augustinus Numquam dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum . ¶ AndWith fals wordes and wittes / y haue wonne my godes . And with gyle and glosyng / gadered þat y haue . Medled my marchaundyse / and madmade a godod mounstre Þe worst lay with-ynne / a gret wit y let hit . ¶ And ȝif my neyhbore had an hyne / or eny best elles More profitable þanne myne / y made mony wentes How y myht haue hit / al my witte y caste And but y hit hadde by other wey / atte last y stal hit Or pryualiche his pors schok / vn-pykede his lokes ¶ And if y ȝeode to þe plow / y pynchede on his half acre Þat a fot lond or a forow / fecchen y wolde Of my neyhebores next / nymen of his eorthe ¶ And ȝif y repe ouer-reche / or ȝaf hem red þat repen To sese to me with here sykel / þat y sewe neuere ¶ In halidaies atteat holy churche / when y herd messe Y had neuere wil witurliche / to by-seche mercy For my misdedes / þat y ne mornet ofter For lost of good leof me / þenne for licames gultes ¶ Þauh y dedly sinne dude / y drad hit nat so sore As wen y lenede & leoued hit lost / or longe er hit were paied ¶ And ȝif y sente ouur see / my seruaunt to bruges Or in-to sprus my prentys / my profit to a-wayte To marchaunde wiþ money / and maken heore eschaunge Mihte neuere mon conforte me / in þe mene tyme Nothur matyns ne masse / ne oþer maner schytessyhtus And neuere penaunce parformede / ne pater noster . seyde Þat my mynde ne was / more on my goodes Þanne in godes grace / and in his grete myhte vbi thesaurus tuus ibi cor tuumThis line appears on the same level and to the right of the previous one. ¶ Now redely quod repentaunce / y haue reuthe of þi lyuynge Were y Frere in good faith / for al þe gold on eorthe Y nolde cope me wiþ þi catel / ne oure kirke amende Ne take a meles mete of thyne / and my herte hit wiste . Þat þow were suche as thow seist / y scholde rathere sterue . ecclesiastici . xxjThe numerals are slightly ambiguous; a version of the proverb is found in Chapter 40 of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach). Melius est mori quam male viuere Y rede no faithful frere / atte þi fest sitte . Ȝut were me leuere by oure lord / lyue by welle carses Þanne haue my fode and my fyndyng / of falce mennes wynnynges . FSeruusSeruus es alterius cum fercula qpinguia queris Pane tuo pocius / vescere liber eris . Thow art vncunde creature / y can nat teNote the shift from <th> to <t> following a preceding <t>. This phenomenon occurs only here in this manuscript. assoille Til thow haue made by þi myht / to alle men restitucioun For alle þat hauen of þi good / haue god my trewþe Beoþ holden atte þe hye dom / to helpe þe restitue ¶ Þe prest þat þi tyþe takeþ / trowe y non noþerother Schal parte with þe in purgatorie / and help paye þi dette Ȝif he wyste þow were suche / wen he receyderecey[ue]de þi offrynge ¶ What lede leoueþ þat y lie / loke inin þe sauter glosed in psalmo On Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti ¶ Ther he schal wite witturly / what vsure is to mene And what penaunce þe preost schal haue / þat proud is of his tyþes . For an hore of here ers wynnyng / may hardiloker tyþe Þan an erraunt vsurer / haue god my trewþe / And erst schal come to heuene / by crist þat me made Þan was þer a walisman / was wondurliche sory // Hihte ȝeuan ȝeelde a-ȝayn / ȝif y so muche haue Al þat y wikkedly wan / sythen y wit hadde ¶ And þauh my liflode lakke / leten y nelle Þat eche man schal haue his / ar y hennes wende ¶ For me is leuur in this lyf / as a lorel beggen . Þanne in lisse to lyue / and lese lyf and soule . Robert þe riflere / on Reddite lokede And for þeþer heThis addition may be intended as a gloss or replacement for þe, along with the inline addition in the next word to make sense of this phrase. nadwasne wasThis non-scribal alteration was made in an attempt to render Vc’s unique reading sensible; it supports the suggestion that this hand worked without an exemplar. not wherwiþ / he wepte ful sore ¶ Ac ȝut þat synful schrewe / seyde to heuene Crist þat on Caluary / on þe crois dyedest Þo Bysonmas my brother / by-souhte þe of grace And haddest mercy on þat man / for Memento sake So rewe on me Robart / þat reddere ne haue Ne neuere wene to wynne / with craft þat y knowe For-þi muchel mercy / mytigacioun y by-seche / dampne me nat at domesday / for þat y dud so ille . ~~þat~~ ...?... ¶ What bi-felle of þis felon / y can nat faire schewe Wel y wot he wepte sorefaste / watur with his eyen And to crist knewleched / his coupe ȝut eft-sones Þat penaunce his pikestaftpykstaff / he wolde polische newe For he had leye by latro / / lucifers aunte . ¶ By þe rode quaþ repetauncerepentaunce / thow romest toward heuene By so hit beo in þin herte / as y here þi tonge Trist in his muchel mercy / and ȝut myht þow byb[e] saued ¶ For alle þe wrechednesse of þis worlde / and wikked dedes Fareþ as a fonke of fuyr / þat ful amyd temese And dyede for ona drope of watur / so doþ alle synnes . Of alle manere men / þat with good wille . Confesson hem and crien mercy / schullen neuere come in helle . A water stain obscures parts of the text on the next six lines. Omnis iniquitas que ad misericordiam dei est quasi sintilla in medio mari ¶ Repente þe a-non quaþ repentaunce riht so to þe vsurer And haue his mercy in þy mynde / and marchaundyse lef hit For þow hast no good by good faith to bygge þe wiþ a wastel Þe good þat þow hauest y-goten / by-gan al wiþ falshede As longe as þow lyuest þer-with / thow ȝeldest nat but borowest ¶ And ȝif þow wite neuere to wham / ne werewhere doþow sholdeþou schaltto restitue / Ber hit to þi byschop / and bid him of his grace To by-setten hit him-self / as best beo for þi soule ¶ For he schal vnswere for þe / atte þe hye dome For þe and for mony mo / þat man schal ȝeue rekenynge What he lered ȝow to lyue with / and to let ȝow fro þefte gula Now by-gynneþ Gloton / for to goo to schrifte And kayres him toward kyrkewardtoward þe chircheto churchewardto kyrkeward / his gyltgyldcoupecupesynnes to scweweshewe Fastyng on a fryday / forþe can he wende By betons hous þe brewestersbrewestere / þat bad him good morwe / And hoderwardwhoderwardwhider he wolde / þatthe brew-wyf hym asked ¶ To holykirke quod he / for to here masse And sythen sitte and beo schryuen / and synnwe no more / ¶ I haue good ale godsib / glotoun wol þow assaie What hauest þow quath he eny hote spices ¶ Y haue pepor and pyonys / and a pound of garlik A ferþyngworth of fynkelsed / for fastyng dayes ¶ Þenne goþ gloton In / and gret oþus aftur ¶ Cesse þe sowestere / sat on þe benche ¶ Watte þe warener / and his wyf dronke ¶ Thomme þe tynekere / and twey of his knaues Hikke þe hakeneyman / and howe þe nedlere ¶ Clarice of Cokkes lane / þe clerk of þe churche Sir peris of prydie / and purnele of flaundres An hayward and an Ermite / þe hangeman of Tyborne ¶ Dawe þe dykare / with a doseyne harlotes Of portours and of pykeporses / and pilede toþ-draweres ¶ A Ribibour a Ratoner / a rakare and his knaue ¶ A Ropere a Redyngking / and Rose þe dischare ¶ Godfray þe garlykmonger / and Griffith þe Walische And vpholderes an hep / erly by þe moruwe / Geuen glotomgloto[n] mydwith glad chere / good ale to honsele . ¶ Clement þe cobelere / cast of his cloke And to þe newe faire / nempnede hit to selle Hykke þe haykeyney man / hitte his hod aftur And badde bette boucher / to beo on his syde / Þer were chapmen y-chose / þe chaffare to preyse Þat he þat hadde þe hod / scholde nat haue þe cloke / Þe betere þyng by arbitrours / scholde bote þe worse Two risen Rapliche / and romed to-gederes And preysede þe peny-worþes / a-part by him-selue ¶ And ther were oþes an hep / for oronoþerþe oþerwhether scholde haue þe worse Thei cowþe nat by here conciencse / a-corde for trewþe Til Robyn þe Ropere / a-ryse þei by-souhte An nempned him an nounpere / þat no debat were ¶ Hikke þe hakeyneye-man / hadde þe cloke In couenaunt þat Clement / scholde þe cop fulle And haue þe hakeneysman hes hod / an holde him y-serued ¶ And who repended rathest / scholde a-ryse aftur And grete sire glotoun / with a galon ale ¶ Ther was lauhinge and lhikering / and lette go þe coppe Bargaynes and beuerages / by-gonne to a-Ryse And seten so til euesong rang / an songon him by-whilesongesongen Til glotoun had y-globbed / a galon and a gille ¶ His gottes gonne godele / as to gredy sowes He pissed a potelle / in a pater-noster while And blew his round rewet / at þe Ruggebones ende Þat alle þat herde þe horne / held here nose aftur . And whusched hit had be vexedwexedywaxed / with a wysp breresof breres . He myht noþur step ne stande / til he stafa staf hadde . Þen gan he go like / a gleemannes byche / Som tyme a-syde / som tyme a-rere As ho-so leith lynes / for to kacche foules / ¶ And when he drouwe to þe dore / þan dymmed his yen He þrompeled atte þe thresfolde / and þrew to þe erthe . ¶ Þo clement þe cobelere / cauht him by þe myddul . Fort to lift him on loft / he ledde him on his knewes ¶ Ac gloton was a gret cherl / and groned on þe liftynge And cowed vp a cawdel / in clementes lappe ¶ Is non so hongry hound / in hertforde schire durst lape of þat leuyng / so vn-louely hit smauhte ¶ With al þe wo of þe worlde / his wyf and his wenche Beren him to his bedde / and brouht him þer-ynne ¶ And aftur al þis exces / he hadde an accidie / He slep saterday and soneday / til sonne ȝeode to reste ¶ Þan a-waked he wel wan / and wolde haue y-dronke Þe furst word þat he spac // was / ho halt þe bolle ¶ His wif and his Inwit / edwited him of his synne He waxedwax a-schamed that screweshrewe / and schrof him al-so swithe confessio gule . ¶ To Repentaunce rith þus / haue rewþe on me he seyde Thow lord þat on loft art / and alle lyues schop ¶ To þe god y gloton / gulty y me ȝeelde Of my trespas with tonge / y can nat telle how oft Sworon thi soule and sydes / and so help me god al-myhty When þat non need was / mony tyme falsly ¶ And ouer souped at my sopper / and som tyme atteat nones More þenne my kunde / myht wel defye . And as a hound þat ete graas / so gan y to brake And spilled þat y a-speled myht / y can nat speke for schame Þe vylanie of my foule mouth / and of my foule mawe / ¶ On fastingdaiesfasting daies by-fore noen / y fedde me with ale Ouȝt of reson among Ribaudes / here Ribaudrie to hure ¶ Heere-of good god / graunt me for-ȝeuenesse Of alle my luther lyuynge / in alle my lif-tyme ¶ For y a-vowe to verray god / for honger ofo[r] for furst Schal neuere ficsch on fryday / defye in my wombe Til abstinence my aunte / haue ȝiue me leue . And ȝut haue y hated heore / al my lif-tyme Explicit passus septimus Incipit passus octauus .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. Confessio accidieThe box is also a pointing hand. THo cam sleuthe al by-slobered / wiþ to slymed eyen . Y most sitte to by schriue quod he / or elles schal y nappe Y may not stande ne stoupe / ne wiþ-ouȝte stole knele . Were y browt in my bedde / but my tailende hit made Scholde no ryngyng do me ryse / til y were ripe to dyne ¶ Benedicite he by-gan with a boolk / and his brest knocked Rasklette and remed / and rowte atte þe laste ¶ What a-wake Renk quod repentaunce / rape þe to schrifte ¶ Shold y die quod he by þis day / y drede me so sore Y can nat parfitly my paternoster / as þe preost hit syngeþ ¶ Y can rymes of Robyn hod / of Randolf Erl of chestre Ac of oure lord ne of oure lady / þe lest þat euere was maked ¶ Y haue a-vowed wowes forty / and for-ȝut hem a-morowe ¶ Y parformed neuere penaunce / þat þe preost me hihte . Ne rith sory for my synnes / y sey neuere þe tyme And biddey bidde eny beodes / but hit beo in wrathe That y telle wiþ my tonge / is ten myle fro my herte . ¶ Y am ocupied eche day / haliday and oþer Wiþ ydul tales atte nale / and oþur-while in churches Godes spinepynepayne and his passioun / is pure seld in my thowt ¶ Y visited neuere feble man / ne fetered man in prysone ¶ Y had leuere here of harlotrye / or a resonlesyng to lauhen of Or lakke men or k likkenlickemlikenelykenen hem / in vnlikyng manere Þan al þat Euere Marc made Mathow Iohan or Lucas ¶ Vygilies and fastingesfastyngdayes / y can for-ȝut hem alle and ligge a-bedde in lente / my lemmon in my narmes Til matyns and messe beo doun / þenne haue y memorie at freres . Y am nat y-schriue som-tyme / but seknesse hit make Nat twies in ten ȝer / ȝut tel y not haluondol . Y haue beo preost and person / passing þritty wintur Ȝut can y nowþer soolfesolfesolfyeselven ne syng / ne a seintes lif rede Ac y can fynde in a felde / and in a forlong an hare And holden a knytes Cort / and a-Counte with þe Reue Ac can ycany can nat construe Canoun / ne clerchialy redoun . Ȝif y bugge and borow ouht / but hit beo y-tailled / Y for-ȝete hit as ȝorne / and ȝef eny mon hit askeþ / Six sythe or seuene / y for-sake hit with othes . Þus haue y teoned trew men / ten hondred tymes . And som tyme my seruauns her salarie is by-hynde Ruthe is to here þe rekenynge / wen we schul rede a-countes Þat with so wikked wil / my werkmen y paye . ¶ Ȝif eny man doþe me a bien-feat / or helpuþ me at nede I am vnkynde a-ȝeins cortasie / y can nat vndurstand hit For y haue and haue had / somdel haukes maneres I am nat lured mydwith loue / but ouȝt ligge vndur thombe / Þe kyndenesse ofþat my emcristen / kud me ferne-ȝer Syxti sythe y sleuthe / haue for-ȝete hit sythe / ¶ In speche an in sparing of speche / y piltyspildespilt mony tymes Boþe fleisch and eke fiche / and vytaille kept so longe Tyl eche a lyf hit loþed / to loke þer-on or smelle hit ¶ Boþe bred and ale / botere mylk and chese For-sleuþe hitForslewþeForsleuthed in my seruice / and set oushoushouses a-fuyre . And ȝeode a-boute in my ȝouthe / and ȝaf me to no þeedam . And sithe a beggare haue y beo / for my soulefoule sleuthe . Heu michi quod sterilem duxi vitam iuuenilem . Repente þe quod repentaunce / riht wiþ þat he swoned Til vigilate þe veille / vette watur atte his eyen . And flat on his face / and fast on him criede And seyde war From wanhope / þat wol þe by-traie / Y am sory for my synnes / sey to þi-selue And bete þi-self on þe brest / and bidde god of grace For þer is non gultnonnon synn so gret / þat his goodnesse is more . ¶ Þan sat sleuthe vp / and seyned him ofte And made a vowe by-fore god / for his foule sleuthe ¶ Schal no soneday þis seuene ȝer beo / but syknesse hit make Þat y ne schal do me er day / to þe dere churche And here matyns and masse / as y a monk were ¶ Schal non ale aftur mete / holde me þennes Til y haue herd Euesong / y by-hote to þe rode ¶ Ac whuche beon þe branches / þat bryngeþ meme[n] to sleuthe ¶ Ys wan a man morneþ nat / for his misdedes ¶ Þe penaunce þat þe preost enioyneþ / parformeþ vuele / ¶ doþ non almesdedes / and drat nat of synne ¶ Lyueþ a-ȝeynst þe by-leoue / and no lawe kepoþ ¶ And hathe no likyng to lerne / ne of oure lord here But harlotrie and hordomm / or elles of som wynnyng . ¶ Whan men carpen of crist / or clennesse of soule He wexet wroth and wol not here / but wordes of murthe ¶ Penaunce and pore men / þe passioun of seyntes He hateþ to here þer-of / and alle þat þer-of karpoun . This pointing hand may simply be copied as practice from the one below. ¶ thes beoth þe branches be war / þat bryngeþ men to wanhope / ¶ Ȝe lordes and ladies / and legates of holy churche Þat feden folsagesfol sages / flaterers and lyares And han likyng to herelythenleuen hem / in hope to do ȝow lauhe Ve vobis qui ridetis / And ȝiueþ suche mede & mete / & pore men refusenThe scribe has combined the usually separate Latin and English lines into one. In ȝoure deþ-deyinge / y drede me sore / Lest þo manere men / to muche sorow ȝow bryng Consencientes et agentes pari pena punientur Patriarkes and prophetis / prechours of godes wordes Sauen þrow here sarmons / mannes soule fro helle . Riht so flaterers and foles / aren þe fendes procuratours . Entysen men þrow here tales / to synne and to harlotrie . ¶ Clerkes þat knoweþ þis / scholde kenne lordes What dauid seyde of suche men / as þe sauter telleþ Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit superbiam . qui loquitur iniqua ¶ Scholde non harlot haue audience / in halle ne in chaumbre / Ther þat wise men were / witnesse on godes wordes Nothur a mysproud man / a-mong lordes a-lowed . ¶ Clerkes and knytes / wel-comeþ lordesknyhtes ministralles And fore loue of here lordes / lithen hem at festes / ¶ Muche more me þenkeþ / riche men auhte Haue beggares by-fore hem / þe wuche beoþ godes ministralles As he seith him-self seint Iohan . bereþ witnesse qui vos spernit me spernitThe Latin appears in the right margin next to the previous line. ¶ Þer-fore i rede ȝow riche / reueles wen ȝe maken For to solace ȝoure soules // suche ministralles to haue . Þe pore for a fol sage / sittyng at þi table With a lered man to lere þe / what oure lord suffrede for to saue þi soule / from satan þin Enymi . And fithele þe with-ouȝt flatering / of god friday þe feste ¶ And a blind man for a bordiour / or a bedereden wommon To crie a largeis to-fore oure lord / ȝoure gode los to schewe ¶ Þes þre manere ministrales / maken a man to lauhe And inThere is a false start ahead of the his deþe-dyinge / þei don him gret confort Þat bi his lif loueþ hem / and loueþ hem to hure ¶ Þeos solasen þe soule / til him-self be-falle In a wel hope for he wrouȝt so / a-mong worþi seyntes ¶ Þer flateres and foles / with here foule wordes leden þo þat hereþlereþliþeþlenen hem / to Lucifers / feste With turpiloquio a lay of sorowe / and Lucifers fythele To perpetual peyne / or purgatorie as wikke For he loueþlitheþliþeleyeth and liþethloueþ / þat godes lawe despiseþ . dare histrionibus & ceteraThe Latin line appears in right margin of the previous line. ¶ Þo was repentaunce a-redi / and radde hem alle to knele I schal by-seche for alle synfol / oure saueour of grace To amende ous of oure misdedes / do mercy to vs alle ¶ God of þi goodnesse / gonne þe worlde make And of nouȝt madest ouȝt / and man liche þi-selue Sythe soffredest him do synne / a seknesse to vs alle And for oure best as y bi-leoue / what-euere þe bok telle O felix culpa / o necessarium ade peccatum ¶ For throw þat synne thi sone / sent was til eorthe And by-cam man of a mayde / man-kynde to amende And madest þi-seelf wiþ þi sone / oure soule and body liche Ego in patre et pater in me est / Et qui vidit me patrem meum vidit And syþe in oure secte / as hit semed deidest On a fryday in forme of man / feledest oure sorow / Captiuam duxit captiuitatem / ¶ Þe sonne for sorow þer-of / lees lith for a tyme A-boute midday when most liȝt is / and mel tyme of seyntes Feddest þo with þi freische blod / oure foure-faderes in helle Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam . ¶ Þe liht þat lemed ouȝt of þe / Lucifer hit blente And brouhte þin blessed fro þennes / to þe blisse of heuene ¶ Þe þridde day þer-aftur / þow ȝeodest in oure secte A synful Marie þe seih / er seint marie þi moder And alle to solasen sinful / thow soffredest hit so were / Non veni vocare iustos sed peccatores / ¶ And al þat Marc hath y-mad Mathow Iohan or Lucas . Of þin douhtiost dedes / was don in oure secte verbum caro factum est .The Latin appears in the right margin of the previous line. ¶ And by so muche hit semeþ / þe sikerloker we mowe Bidde and by-seche þe / ȝif hit beo þi wille / ¶ Þat ert furst oure fader / and of fleisch oure broþer And sythen oure saueour / and seidest wiþ þi tonge Þat what tyme we synful men / wolden beon sory For dedes þat we han don ylle / dampned ne schold we be neuere Ȝif we knewleched and cride / crist þe ofþeroftherof thie mercy Quandocumque gemueritgenueritingemueritingemmerite peccator omnes iniquitates eius non recordabor amplius . ¶ And for þat muchel mercy / and marie loue þi moder Haue reuthe of alle þes ribaudes / þat repenten hem sore Þat euere þei agult a-ȝenis þe god / in gost or in dede ¶ Þenne hente hope an horne / of deus tu conuersus viuificabis nos And blew hit with beati quorum / remisse sunt iniquitates / & quorum tecta & cetera . Þat alle seintes with synfol men / songen wiþ dauid / Homines et iumenta saluabis domine / quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus . ¶ A þousend of men þo / þrongen to-gederes Cryinge vp-wart to crist / and to his clene moder To haue grace to go to treuthe god leoue þat þei mote / Ac þer was wye non so wys / þat þe waie þidur couthe / But blustred forþ as bestes / ouer baches and hulles Til late was and longe / þat þei a lede mette / A-parailed as a paynym / in piligryms wyse He bar a bordoun y-bounde / wiþ a brod list In a weþe-wynde wyse / y-wriþe al a-bout A bolle and a bag / he bar by his syde And an hundred hanypeles / on his hat setenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. Sygnes of syse / and schelles of gales And mony crouche on his cloke / and keyes of Rome . ¶ And þe vernicle by-fore / for men scholde knowe And see by his signes / wham he souht hadde . Þis folc frayned him furst / fro whennes he come Fro synay he sayde / and fro þe sepulcre In bethleem in babiloyne / y haue i-beo in bothe . In Ermanie in Alisaundre and in damascle ¶ Ȝe may see by signes / þat sitten in my cappe . I haue souht goode seintes / for my soules helþe And walket ful wide / in wete and in drye ¶ Knowest thou ouȝt a corseint quod y / þat meme[n] clepeþ treuthe Couthest þow wissen vs þe way / wodur-out treuthe wonyeþ Nai so me god helpe / seyde þat gome þenne I seih neuere palmare / with pik ne wiþ scrippe Asken aftur him er now / in þis ilke place / Hic primio comparet petrus plouhmanThe gloss is artfully flourished on either side making a box-like effect. Petur quod a plouhman / and putte forth his hed I know him as kyndely / as clerkes don here bokes ~~hic pri~~A later hand has copied the beginning of the above rubrication and then erased it. Concience and kynde wit / kende me to his place And made me sykeren him sethen / to seruen him for euere . ¶ Bothe to sowe ant to sette / þe while y swynke myhte And to sowen his seed / suwen his bestes With-ynne and with-ouȝt / to waitonwait on his profit . ¶ Y haue beo his folwere / al this forty wyntur And serued treuthe sothly / somdel to paie In alle kyne craftes / þat he couthe dyuise Profitable to þe plouh / he put me to lerne ¶ And þauh y seie hit my-self / y seruede him to paie / ¶ Y haue my huyre of him wel / and oþer-while more / ¶ He is most prest paiare / þat eny pore man knowiþ ¶ He ne haltwithhalt non hiwe / his hure ouer Euen ¶He is aa[s] louh as a lomb / and lel of his tonge ¶ And who-so wilneþ to wyte / wer þat treuthe wonyeþ / I wol wyssen ȝow wel / ritht to his place Ȝe leue Peres quod tho pilegryms / and profred peres mede . ¶ Nay by þe peril of my saule / Peres gan swere Y nolde fong a ferþing / for seint Thomas schryne Were hit told to treuthe / þat y tok mede / He wolde loue me þe lasse / a long tyme aftur ¶ Ac ho-so wol wende / þer as treuthe dwelleþ / This is þe hye way þuderward / witeþ wel þe soþe . ¶ Ȝeo most gon throw meoknesse / al men and wymmen . Til ȝe come in-to concience / knowen of god selue decem preceptaThe gloss is bracketed with a diamond-shaped box. ¶ Þat ȝe loue him as lord / lelly a-bouen alle Þat is to sey sothly / ȝe scholde raþer dye Þan eny dedly synne do / for dededrede or for preyere ¶ And þenne ȝoure neyhbors next / in none wyse a-peire Other-wyse þan ȝe wolde / þei wrouht ȝow alle tymes . ¶ And so goþ forþ by þe bok / a brygge as hit were Tyl ȝe fyndoun a ford / ȝoure fadres honoureþ / Wadeþ wel in þat watur / and waysche ȝow wel þere And ȝe schul lepe þe lithloker / al ourȝoure lif-tyme Honora patrem & matrem . ¶ Þan schalt þow swere nat / but hit beo for neode Nameliche on Idel / þe name of god almyhty ¶ Þan schalt þow come by a croft / ac com þow nouȝt þer-Inne Þe croft hatte Coueite nat / mennes catel ne heore wyues Ne none of here seruauns / þat nuyen hem myhte Loke thow bere nat þer a-weye / but hit be þy nowe . ¶ To stokkes ther standen / ac stunt þow nouȝt þere Þei hatte stele nat and ..sle nat / strik forforth by hem bothe And lef hem on þi lift half / and loke nat þer-aftur . ¶ And holde wel þin halyday / hye til euen ¶ Þen schalt þow blenche at a bircheberghborwȝ / ber non fals witnesse Is frythed In with floreyns / and oþer fees monye Loke thou plokke þer no brauncheplaunte / for peril of þi saule ¶ Þen schalt þow sey soth / so hit beo to done In non manere elles nat / for no mannes preyere ¶ So schalt þou come to a Cort / as cler as þe sonne Þe mot is of mercy / in myddes þe manere / ¶ Al þe wallyng is of whitwyt / for wil ne schold hit wynne ¶ Þe kernelles beon of cristondomm / þat kynde to saue And boterassed wiþ by-leue so / or þow beost nat saued .Following this line, over 40 lines are omitted in Vc and Ac (RK.7.237-84). ¶ WytegodWyte god quaþ a wafrestre / wust y þe soþe Y wolde no forþer a fot / for no frere prechyng ¶ Ȝus quath peres plouhman . and poukede hem alle to gode Mercy is a mayde þer / hath myhte ouer hem alle And he is sibbe to al synfol / and hure sone boþe And þrow þe help of hem two / hope þow non oþer / Þow miht gete grace þer / so thow go by-tyme . ¶ Ȝe villam emy quath on / and now most y þidere To loke how me like hit / and tok his leue at Peres . ¶ A-noþer a-non ritht / neode seyde he hadde To folwen fyue ȝokes / for-þi me bi-houeþ To gon with a good wil / and greitheliche hem dryue . For-þi y preie ȝow Peres / / parauntur ȝif ȝe metten Truthe telluþ to him / þat y beo excused . ¶ Þenne was on hiht Actif ./ an housebond he semed I haue wedded a wif quaþ he / wel wantowne of maners Were y sene nyht fro hure siht / synegon he wolde And loure on me and lithly chide / and seyde y louede a-noþer For-þi Peres plouhman / y pray þe tel hit treuthe I may not com for a kitte / so scho cleueþ on me / vxorem duxi et ideo non possum venire / Quaþ Contemplacioun by crist / thau y care suffre Famine and defaute / folwon y wol Peres . Ac þe weie is so wikkede / but ho-so hadde a gyde Þat myht folwen ous eche fot / for drede of mis-tornynge / Explicit passus octauus / Incipit passus nonus /The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. + THo seide perkyn plouhman / by seint petur of Rome Y haue an half acre to erien / by þe heie weie Had y ered þat half acre / and sowed hit aftur I wolde wende wiþ ȝou / and þe weie teche / ¶ that were a longe lettyng / quod a lady in a scheyre What scholde we wemmen / worche þe whiles Y prey ȝow for ȝoure profit / quaþ Peres to þe ladies Þat somme sewensowe þe sak / For schedyng of þe whete And ȝe worþely wommen / with ȝoure longe fyngres Þat ȝe on selk and sendel / to sewen wen tyme is Chesibles for chapeleyns / churches to honoure ¶ Wyues and wydues / wolle and flex spynneþ Concience consailleþ ȝou / cloth fortfor to make For profit of þe pore / and plesaunce of ȝow-selue For y schal lene hem liflode / but ȝif þe lond faile As longe as y lyue / for oure lordes loue of heuene And al manere men / þat bi þis molde is susteyned Helpeþ him to worche wihtly / þat wynneþ ȝoure fode . ¶ By crist quaþ a knyt þo / he kenneþ vs þe beste Ac on þe tem trewly / tauht was y neuere Y wolde y couthe quod þe knyt / by crist and his modur Y wolde assaie som tyme / For solas as hit were ¶ Sykerly sir knyt / seyde peres thenne I schal swynke and swete / and sowe for vs bothe And labour for þe whil þow lyuest / al þi lif tyme . ¶ In couenaunt þat þow kepe / holichurche and me-selue Fro wastours and wikkedmen / þat þis worlde stryuen ¶ And go hunte hardiliche / to hares and foxes To bores and to bokkes / þat brekeþ doun myn hegges ¶ Affaite þi faukones / to kulle whilde foules For þei comen in-to my croft / my corn to defoule / ¶ Cortesely þe knyt þenne / comsede þeos wordes By my power peres / y plyhte þe my treuthe To defende þe in faith / fiht þauh y scholde / ¶ And ȝut a point quath Peres / y pray ȝow ouer more Loke ȝe teone no tenaunt / but truthe wol assente / ¶ When ȝe a-mercen eny man / let mercy beo tauxour And meoknesse þi maistur / maugrei medes chekes ÞanWhanthogh poure men profere ȝow / presentes and ȝiftes Nim hit nat a-uaunter / þow mowe hit nat deserue For thow schalt ȝelde so hitso may be / and som-del a-bigge / ¶ Misbeod nat thi bondeman / þe bet may þe spede Þauh he beo heor þin vndurling / in heuene parauntur He worth raþer receyued / and reuerent-loker sitte . Amice ascende superiusThe Latin is written to the right of the previous line. Atte þeAt þeAt churche in þe charnel / cheorles aren euul to knowe Or a knyt fro a knaue / a quene fro a queene . ¶ Hit by-comeþ to a knyt / to beo corteys and hende Trewe of his tonge / tales loþ to here / But thei beo of bounte / of batailles and of trewþe ¶ Halt nat of harlotes / here nat here tales Nameliche atte þe mete / suche men eschue Hit beon the deoueles dysours / to draw men to synne . Countur-plede nat concience / ne holy churche rihtes . ¶ Y assente by seint Gyle / seide þe knyt þenne For to worche by þi whit ./ and my wif bothe ¶ Y schal apparaille me quaþ perkyn / in piligrims wyse And wendoun wiþ al þo / þat wol lyue in treuthe . ¶ He cast on him his cloþes / of al kyne craftes / His kokeres and his coffes / as kyndewit him tauhte And heng his hoper on his half . / in stede of a sckrippe / ¶ A bousschel of brede-corne / brouht was þer-inne . For y wol sowe hit my-self / and sith wol y wende To pilgrimages as palmeres doun / pardoun to wynne My plouh bot schal beo my pykstaf / aand piche a-two þe rotes And helpe my coltor to kerue / and clause þe forowes . ¶ And al þat helpe me to erye / or elles to wedoun Schal haue leue by oure lord / to go and clene aftur And make him murie þer-myd / maugre ho by-grucche ¶ And alle kyn crafty men / þat conne lyue in treuthe I schal fynde hem fode / andþat feithfolliche libben . ¶ Saue Iacke iogelour / and Ionete of þe stiwes And daniel dees pleyere / and deno.sedenotedenyce þe baude / And al-so frere faitour / and folk of þat ordre Þat lollares and loseles / for lel men halden . ¶ And Robyn þe ribaudour / for his rousty wordes . ¶ For treuthe told me ones / and bad me telle forþor / deleantur de libro viuenciumThe Latin is written to the right of the previous line. Y scholde nat dele with hem / for holy churche hoteþ Of hem to aske no tyþe quia cum iustis non scribantur Þei beon aschapeascaped good aunter / now god hem amende . ¶ Dame worche when tyme is / Peres . wyf hihte His doutur hiht do rith so / or þi dame schal þe bete ¶ His sone hihte suffre / thi souereyns haue here wil dem hem nat for ȝif þow do / thow schalt dere a-bigge / Consaille nat þe Comune / þe kyng to displese Ne hem þat han lawes to loke / lac nat hemhem nat y hote Let god worche with al / as holy writ techeþ super cathedra moysi sedent & cetera .The Latin is written to the right of the previous line. Maystres as þe meyres beon / and gret men senatours What þei comaunde as by þe kyng / countreplede hit neuere / ¶ Al þat þei hote / y hote heyliche / thow soffre hem . By here warnyng and worching / worche þow þer-aftur . omnia qui dicunt facite & seruate .The Latin appears to the right of the previous line, with two virgules in black to separate the & from the word peres in the next line. ¶ Ac aftur here doynge do þow nauȝt / my dere sone quaþ peres . For now y am old and hor / and haue of myn owen . To penaunce and to pilgremages / y wol passe with o~~..e~~þre For-thi y wol or y wende / do writen my by-quuste . testamentum petri plouhmanThe two lines of this gloss are bracketed on the right in red. In dei nomine amen . / y make hit my-self He schal haue my soule / þat al soules made / And defende hit fro þe feond / and so is my by-leoue . InThe kirke schal haue my kareyne / and kepe my bones . For of my corne and catel / he craued my tyþe Y paied hit prestly / for peril of my soule . ¶ He is holdynge y hope / to haue me in his masse And menge me in his memorie / among al cristene ¶ My wif schal haue of þat i wan / with treuthe and no more And dele hit among my dowtres / and my dere childeren ¶ For thauh y dye þis dai / my dedtes beon quited Y bar hom þat y borowed / er y to bed ȝeode / ¶ With þe residue and remenaunt / by þe rode of lukes Y wol worschip þer-with / treuthe al my lyue And beo a pilegrym atte þe plouh / for profit of poure and riche ¶ Now perkyn . with þe pilgryms / to þe plouh is faren To eryen his half acre / holpen him menye Dikers and deluers / dygedoun op þe balkes Þer-with was perkyn a-paied / and paied wel here huyre ¶ Othere werkmen þer-foreþer were / þat wrouhten ful ȝeorne Eche man in his manere / made him-self to done And some to plese perkyn . / pykede a-wei þe wedus ¶ At hy prime Peres / let þe plouh stonde And ouur-seye hem him-selue / ho-so best wrouhte He scholde beo huyred þer-aftur / when heruest tyme come ¶ Þenne seten some / and songon at nale And holpon erye this half acre / with hoy trolilolly . ¶ Quaþ Peres þe plouhman / in alal inin a pure teone But ȝe ryse þe rather / and rape ȝou to worche Schal no greyn þat here groweþ / gladon ȝou at nede And þauh ȝe die for ~~deul /~~lack þe deouel haue þat recche ¶ Þo were faitors a-ferd / and feyned hem blynde . And leggenleydenledden leggeshere legges a-lery / a.s suche lorelles conneþ And maden here mone to Peres / and for ȝore plouh botheVc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the B-verse of this line and the A-verse of the next, making one line out of two (RK.8.130-131). Þat god of his grace / ȝoure grayn multiplie And ȝelde ȝow of ȝoure almesse / þat ȝe ȝeuen ous here / We may nouther swynke ne swete / suche syknese ous aileth . We haue no lymes to laboure with / lord god we þonkeþ ¶ Ȝoure preyeres quod peres / and ȝee parfit were Mihte helpe as y hope / ac hye trewþe wolde Þat no Faiterie were Founde / in folc þat gon a-begged ¶ Ȝeo beon wastours y wot wel / þat waston and deuoren Þat lel land tylinge men / lelly by-swynken ¶ Ac truthe schal teche ȝow / his tem fort to dryue Or ȝeo schul ete barly bred / and of þe brok drynge But ȝeo beo blynde or brokelegged / or boltot with yren . ¶ Suche poure quatþ Peres / / schullen parten wiþ my goodes Boþe of my corn and of my clothe / to kepe hem fro defaute . ¶ Ancres and Eremites / þat eten but at nones And freres þat flateren nat / and pore folk seke What y and myne / wol fynde hem þat hem neodeþ . ¶ Þenne gan wastour to wrathe / and wolde haue fouhten And to Peres plouhman / profrede to fihte And bad him go pisse with his plouh / peuyssche screwescheweshrewe . A brutoner cam braggynge / a-bostete peres al-so Wol thou ne wol thou / we wol haue our wil Boþe þi flour and þi fleisch / fecchen wen vs likeþ And make vs murie þer-myd / maugrey ho by-gruccheþ Peres þe plouhman þo / pleynede to þe knyt To kepe him and his catel / as couenaunt was bi-twene hem . A-wreke me of þes wastours / þat maken þis worlde dere Thei counte nat of corsyng / ne holy churche dreden ¶ Þer worthe no plente quod peres / / and þe plouh ligge . ¶ Cortesily þe knyht þen / as his kynde askeþwolde Warnede wastour / and wissede him betere Or y schal bete þe by þe lawe / and brynge þe in stokkes . ¶ I was natwaswas natThe additions on this page appear to be scribal, but they are done in a darker ink than the main text. woned to worche quod wastour / y wol not now by-gynne . And let liht of þe lawe / and lasse of þe knyht And of peres setteAnd of PeresAnd sette Peres at a pese / pleyne him wher he wolde . ¶ Now by crist quod Peres / y schal a-peire ȝow alle And houped after honger þat herde him at þe furste ¶ Y pray þe quod Peres þo / par charite sir honger A-wreke me of þes wastours / for þe knyht wol nat ¶ Honger hent in haste / wastour by þe mawe And wrang him by þe wombe / þat al watered his eyen ¶ He buffated þe brutoner / a-boute þe chekes Þat he lokede like a lanterne / al his lyf after ¶ He bet hem so boþe / he barst neyh here gottes Ne had peres with a pese lof / preyed him by-leue ¶ Honger haue mercy on him quod Peres / and let me ȝiue him benes And þat was bake for bayard / may beo here bote ¶ Þo were faitours a-ferd / and folowen to Peres bernes And flabbedflaptonflatten on with flailles / fro morow til Euene Þat honger was nat hardy / on hem for to loke For a pot-fol of patage / þat Peres wif made ¶ An hep of Eremites / henten hem spades Spitten and spradde donge / in despit of hunger . Thei coruen here copes / and cortepies hem made And wetenwenten as werkmen / to wedyng and mowyng Al for drede of here deth / suche duntes ȝaf honger Blinde and brokelegged / he bodnedbetenedbotened a þousand And lame men he lechede / with longes of bestes ¶ Preostes and other people / to Peres þei drowen . And freres of alle fyue ordres / al for fere of hunger . ¶ For that þat was bake for bayart / was bote for mony hongry Drosones and dregges / drinke for mony beggares ¶ Þer was no lad þat lyuede / þat ne lowed him to Peres . To beo his holde hyne / þauh he had no more But liflode for his labour / and his loue at nones . ¶ Þo was Peres ful proud / and putte hem alle at werke In daubyng in deluyng / in dong a-feld berynge In þreshing in þekkynge / in thwytyng of pynnes . In alle kynne trew craft / þat man couthe dyuyse ¶ Was no beggare so bold / but ȝif he blind were Þat dorste withsitte þat Peres seyde / for fere of sir honger . And Peres was proud þer-of / and put hem al to swynke . And ȝaf hem mete and money / as þei myhte deseruen . ¶ Þo hadde Peres pite / on al poure people And bad honger in hast / hye him out of Countre Hom in-to his owne erd / and hald him þer euere For y am wel a-wreke / of wastours þrow þi myht . ¶ Ac y preye þe quod Peres / honger er þow wende . Of beggares and byddares / what best beo to done For y wot wel beo þow went / worche þei wol fol ille ¶ Meschief hit makeþ / þei beon so meoke nowþe And for defaute þis folk / folwen my hestes . ¶ Hit is noþing for loue / thei laboure thus fast But for fere of famyn / in faith sayde Peres . ¶ Is no fynalfyalfynallel loue with þis folk / for alle here faire speche And hit aren my blody breþeren / for god bouȝte vs alle . ¶ Truthe tauhte me ones / to louy hem echone . And helpen hem of al thing / ay as hem neodeþ Now wolde y wyte er thow wentest / what were þe beste Hou y myhte a-maystren hem / to louy and laboure For here lyflode / lere me sir honger ¶ Now herkne quaþ honger / and hold hit for a wisdomm Bolde beggares and bigge / þat mowe here bred by-swynke With hundesbredhundes bred and horsebredhorse bred / hel hem when þei hongren And a-baue hem with benes / for bollyng of here wombe . And ȝif þo gromes gruche / byd hem togogo and swynke . And he schal soupe þe swetere / when he hath hit deserued . Ac if thou fynde eny folk / wham false men han a-peired Conforte hem mydwith þi catel / for so comaundeþ treuthe Loue hem and lene hem / so lawe of kunde wolde alter alterius honera portate . ¶ And al manere men / þat þow myht aspie In meschief or in mal-ese / and þow myhte hem helpe Loke by þi lyue / let hem nat for-fare If thow hast won ouȝt wikkedly / wisly dispene hit Mathei .vj. Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis . Fa I wold not greue god quaþ peres / for al þe god on eorthe Miht y synneles do as thow seist / seyd Peres plouhman . / ¶ Ȝee y bi-hote þe quod honger / or elles þe bible lieþ Go to oure by-gynnyng / þo god þe worlde made As wyse men han writeywrytewryten / and as withnesseþ Genesis . Þat seith wiþ swynk and with swot / and sweting face . Bi-tulye and bi-trauaile / trewly oure lyflode . Genesis . iij In labore et sudore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo . And Salamon þe sage / with þe same acordeþ Þe slowe caytif for colde / wolde no corne tulie In somour for his sleuthe / he schal haue defaute And gon a-brybeþ and beggen / and no man bete his hongur Piger propter frigus noluit arare / mendicabit in yeme & non dabitur ei . ¶ Matheu makeþ mencion / of a man þat lente His seluer to thre manere men / and menynge þat þei scholde Chaffare and cheue þer-with / in chele and in hete And he þat best laborede / best was a-lowed . And lederes for here laboryng / ouer alle þe lordes godes . Ac he þat was a wrecche / and wolde nat trauaille Þe lord for his lachesse / and his luthere slewþe By-nom him alle þat he hadde / and ȝaf hit to his felawe Þat lely had y-labored / and þenne þe lord seyde . ¶ He þat hath schal haue / and help þer him likeþ And he þat nauht naueþline om.haueþhath / he schal nouȝt haue And no man ȝut helpe him / and þat he weneþ haue Y wol hit him by-reue / for his rechelesnesse . ¶ Lo what þe sauter seith / to swynkeres wiþ handes I-blessed beo al þo / þat he by-lyue by-swynken Þrow eny lel labour / as throw lymes and handes labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis ¶ Theos aren euidences quod honger / for hem þat wol nat swynkyn . Þat here lyflode beo lhene / and lutul worþ here clothes ¶ By crist quath peres plouhman . þo / theos prouerbes wol y schewe to beggers .The box around the catchphrase rests on the back of a beast drawn in the same ink. To beggares and to boies / þat loth beon to worche notaThe nota's form is a musical pun. Ac ȝut y pray þe quod Peres / par charite sir honger If ȝe can or knowe / eny kynne thing of fysik . for some of my seruans / and my-self boþe Of al a woke worche nat / so oure wombe groneþ . ¶ Y wot wel quaþ honger / what sekenesse ȝow ayleþ Ȝe haue manget ouur muche / þat makeþ ȝow bybeto be seke ¶ Ac et nat y hote / er honger þe take / And send þe of his sauce / to sauere with þi lippes And kepe som til soper tyme / and sitte nat to longe At non ne at non tyme / nameliche at sopere . ¶ let nat sir sorfaitht / sitten at þi borde . And loke þow drynke no day / er thow dyne som-what ¶ Þeynk þat diues for his delicat lyf / to þe deuel wente And lazar þe lheuenelene beggare / þat longede aftur cromes And ȝut had he hem nat / for y hongur culde him And sith y sauh him sitte / as he a syre were At al manere ese / in abrahammes lappe ¶ And if þow beo of pouer / Peres y the rede Al þat gredoun at þi gate / for godes loue aftur fode / Parte with hem of þin payn / of potage or of souel Lene him somdelhem som of þi lof / þauh thow þe lasse chewe ¶ And þauh lieres and lachedrawers / and lollares knocke . Let hem a-byde til þe bord be drawe / ac bere hem non cromes . Til al þi neody neihbores / haue none y-maked . ¶ And ȝif thow dyete þe thus / y dar legge myn eres Þat fysik schal his forrede hodes / for his fode sulle / And his cloke of calebre / for his comunes legge . And beo fayn by my faith / his fisik to lete And lerne laboure mydwith lond / lest liflode him faile . Þer aren mony luther leches / ac lele leches fewe Thei don men dye throw here drynkes / er destine hit wolde . ¶ By seint Paul quaþ PeresThe name is written in display script. / thow peyntest neih þe trewþe And lelly seyst as y leoue / lord þe for-ȝeelde Wend now wher thow wolt / and wel beo thow euere For thow hast wel a-wroke me / and al-so wel y-tauht me . ¶ Y by-hote þe quaþ honger / þat hennes nelle y wende Er y haue dyned by þis dai / and y-dronke bothe . ¶ I haue no peny quod Peres / polettes fort to bugge Nother gos nother grys / but two grene cheses A fewe croddes and creym / and a kake of otes And bred for my barnes / of benes and of peses And ȝut y seie bi my saule / y haue no salt bacon . Nouht a cokeney by crist / colhoppes to make ¶ Ac y haue porettes . plontes / persely and scalones Chibolles and chireuelles / and chiries sam-rede And a Cow wiþ a calf / and a cart mare . To drawe a-feld my donge / þe while drowþe lasteþ ¶ By this liflode we moste lyue / til lammasse tyme And by that y hope to haue / heruest in my crofte Þenne may y dihte þi diner / as me dere likeþ ¶ Alle þe pore people tho / peosecoddes fetten benes and bacon apples / thei brouht in here lappe And proferede peres þis present / to plese with honger ¶ Honger ette al in haste / and asket aftur more . Poure folc for fere tho / fedde honger ȝeorne With creym and with croddes / with carces and othere herbes . ¶ By that hit neihed heruest / and newe corne cam to chepynge Þenne was þis folc fayn / and fedde hongerThe hand that added this <r> may be the same that made the textual changes on 31r. deyntouseliche And gloton tho with good ale / gerte honger slepe / ¶ Tho wolde wastour not worche / but wandred a-boute Nother beggare ete bred / þat benes were Inne But clermatyn and coket / and of clene whete ¶ Þei wolde non halpeny ale / in none wise druynke But of þe beste and brounest / þat þe brewesters sellen . ¶ Laborers þat han non lond / to lyuen on but here handes Deyned nonoghtom. to dyne a day / nyht old wortes . May no peny ale hem paye / ne a pece of bakon But hit beo freisch fleisch or fichse / fryed or y-bake . And þat chaud and pluschaudplus chaud / for chillyng of her mawe / ¶ But he beo hieliche y-huyred / elles wol he chide Þat he was wermana werkmanwerkman y-wrouht / warien þe tyme . Corteis catones consail / comseþ he by-gruche Paupertatis honus pacienter ferre memento . ¶ And þenne he corseþ þe kyng / and alle þe kynges Iustices Suche lawes to lere / labores to greue Ac while honger was here maistur / wolde non chide Ne stryue a-ȝenis þe statut / he lokede so sterne prophecie Ac y warne ȝow werkmen / wynneþ while ȝe mowe For honger hiderwardes / hieþ him faste He schal a-wake throw wature / wastours to chaste Ar fewe ȝeres beon fulfulfulfeld / famyne schal a-ryse prophecieA sweeping line in brown ink connected to this gloss brackets the first four lines on this folio. And so seith saturnus / and sentesente ȝow to warne ¶ Þrow flodes and foule wederes / fruytes schullen faile Pruyde and Pestilences / schal muche people fecche . Þre schupes and a schaft / with an .viii.eight folOyngThe capital <O> indicates that the scribe might have misparsed the word as fol Oyng. Schul brynge bane and bataille / on boþe half þe mone . And þenne schal dethe with-drawe / and deorþe be iustice And dawe þe deluare / deye for defaute But ȝif god of his godenesse / graunte vs a trewe / Hic explicit passus nonus / Incipit passus decimus /The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. tTReuthe herde telle her-of / and to Peres sente To taken his teome / and tulye þe eorthe And porchased him a pardoun / a pena et a culpa . For him and for his heires / for euere to be assoiled And bad hald him at tom / and erien his leyes . And al þat hulpe him to erie / to setten or soweto sowe Or manereny manere muster / þat miht peres a-vaile . Pardon wiþ Peres plouhmamn / perpetual he graunteþ ¶ Kynges and knyhtes / þat holy churgechurche defendenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. And rithfulliche in reomes / ruelen þe Comune Han pardon throw purgatorie / to passe ful lithly With Patriarches and prophites / in paradis to sitte ¶ Bischopes y-blessed / if thei beon as þei scholde ¶ lele and fol of loue / and no lord dreden . ¶ Merciable to meoke / and mylde to þe goode ¶ And bytynge on bad men but if þei wol amende . ¶ And drededredeþ drede nat for no deth / to destruye by her power Lecherie a-mong lordes / and here luthure custumes And sithen lyuen as thei lereþ men / oure lord treuthe hem graunteþ To beo Peres to apostles / al people to rule And deme with hem at domesday / boþe quike and dede ¶ Marchans in þe margine / hadden mony ȝeres Ac a pena et a culpa / treuthe nolde hem graunte . For þei holden nat here halidaies / as holy churche techeþ And for þei swere by here saule / and so god mote hem helpe A-ȝeins clene Concience / for couetyse of wynnyng . ¶ Ac vndur his secre seal / treuthe sent him a lettre Þat bad him bugge baldely / what him best liked And sithen sellen hit a-ȝeyn / and saue þe wynnynges ¶ Amendon meson dieux þer-wiþ / and meseise men fynde And wikkede weies / with here good amende . And brugges to-broke / by þe hye weyes . Amenden in som manere wyse / and maydenes helpen Poure people bederedene / and prysones in stokkes Fynde hem for godes loue / and fauntekyns to scole ¶ Releue religioun / and retenre[n]ten hem betere ¶ AndAnd y schal sende ȝow my-seelf / seynt Mihel my angel Þat no deuel schal ȝoureȝow dere / ne despeire ȝow in ȝour in ȝourein ȝoure doynge . And sende ȝoure soules / þer y my-self dwelle And ther a-byde body and soule / in blisse for euere / ¶ Þo weren Marchans murye / som wepten for ioye . And preyde for Peres plouhman / þat purchased hem þis bulle ¶ Al þe people hadde pardon y-nouh / þat parfitliche lyuedenn ¶ Men of lawe hadden lest / þat lothe were to plede But thei per manibus were payed / for pledyng atte þe barre . ¶ Ac he þat speneþ his speche / and spekeþ for þe pore Þat Innocent and neody is / and no man harm wolde Þat confort suche in eny caas / and coueyt nat here ȝiftes And for þe loue of oure lord / lawe for hem declareþ / Schal haue grace of good y-nouh / and a gret ioye aftur . ¶ Beoþ y-war ȝe wyse men / and wytty of þe lawe For wan ȝe drawen to þe deþ / and indulceindul[gen]ce wold haue His pardoun is ful petit / at his partyng hennes / Þat mede of mene men / for here motyng takeþ . ¶ For hit is symonie to sulle / þat send is of grace That is wit and watur / wynd and fuyr þe feorthe Theos foure scholden be free / to al folk þat hit neodeþ . ¶ Al libbyng laborers / þat lyuen with here handes Lellyche and lauhfolliche / oure lord treuthe hem graunteþ Pardon perpetuel / rith as peres plouhman . Beggares and biddares / beoþ nat in þat bulle But þe sugestion beo goodsoth / þat schapeþ hem to begge . ¶ For heohe þat beggeþ or biddeþ / but if þei haue neode He is fals and faitour / and defraudeþ þe neody / And al-so gileth him þat gyueþ / and takeþ a-gayns his wil . ¶ For he þat gyueþ for godes loue / wolde nat gyue his þankes But ther he wiste hit were / wel gret neod to gyuen And most meritorie to men / þat he ȝeeueþ fore ¶ Catoun . acordeþ þerwith / cui des videto / ¶ Wot no man as y wene / wo is worþi to haue Þe most neody aren oure neihborus / and we nym good hede As prysones in puttes / and pore folk in cotes Charget with childeren / and chief lordes rente / Þat þei with spynnyng may spare / spenen hit in houshuyrehous huyre Bothe in mylk and in meole / to make with papelotes To a-gloty with here gerles / þat gredon aftur fode . ¶ And al-so hem-selue / suffren muche hongur And wo in wyntur tyme / with wakyng a nyhtes To rise to þe ruel / to rokke þe cradel Boþe to carde and to kembe / to clouton and to waische To roube to reole / rusches to pilie / Þat reuthe is to rede / or in ryme schewe . Þe woo of þes wemmen / þat wonieþ in cotes . ¶ And of mony other men / þat muche wo soffren Boþe a-fyngret and a-furst / to turne þe faire outward And beoþ a-baisched for to begge / and wol nat beo a-knowe What hem neodeþ at here neihbors / at noen and at euen ¶ This y wot witturly / as þe world techeþ What oþer by-houeþ / þat hath mony children And hath no catel but his craft / to cloþe him and to feede And fele to fong þer-to / and fewe pans takeþ . ther is payn and peny ale / as for a pitaunce take Colde fleisch and cold fiche / for venison y-bake . Frydais and fastyng-dais / a ferþing-worþ of muscles Were a fest for suche folc / or so fele cokkes / ¶ These were almesse to helpe / þat han suche charges And to conforte suche cotyers / and croked menne and blinde . ¶ Ac beggares wiþ bagges / þe wuche brewhouses beon her churches But þei beo blind or to-broke / or elles beo syke Þeauh he fal for defaute / þat faiteþ for his liflode / Reccheþ neuere ȝe riche / þauh suche lorelles steruen . For alle þat han here hele / and here eyen sihte And lymes to laboure wiþ / and lollares lif vsen . / Lyuen a-ȝeyns godes lawe / and lore of holy churche . ¶ And ȝut ar þer oþer beggares / in hele as hit semeþ Ac hem wanteþ here wit / men and wommen boþe Þe wuche aren lunatik lollares / and lheperes a-boute And madden as þe mone sit / more oþer lasse . Þei caren for no cold / ne counton of non hete And aren meouyng aftur þe mone / moneyles þei walke With a good wil witlees / mony wyde contreys . ¶ Riht as petur . dud and Paul . / saue þat þei preched nat Ne myracles maken / ac mony tyme hem happeþ / To prophecien of þe people / pleying as hit were / ¶ And to oure siht as hit semeþ / suþe god hath þe myhte To ȝeuen eche a whit wit / welthe and his hele . And soffreth suche so gon / hit semeþ to myn Inwit Hit aren as his aposteles suche people / or ar his priue disciples ¶ For he sent hem forthe seluurles / in a somur garnement With-ouȝte bred and bagge / as þe bok telleþ . Quando misi vos sine pane et Pera . ¶ Barfot and bredeles / beggeþ thei of no man And þauh he mete with þe meyre / in myddes þe strete He reuerenceþ him riht nauht / no rather þan a-nother = Neminem salutaueritis per uiam . ¶ Suche manere of men / Matheu vs techeþ We scholde haue hem to house / and helpe wen þei come Et egenos vagos induc in domum tuam . For hit aren murie mouthed men / ministralles of heuene And godes boyes bordiours / as þe boke telleþ prima ad corynthios Si quis videtur sapiens / fiet stultus vt sit sapiens . ¶ And alle manere ministralles / men wot wel þe soþe To vndurfonge hem faire / by-falleþ for þe riche For þe lordes loue or ladies / þat þei with lengen Men soffren al þat suche seyn / and in solas taken . And ȝut more to suche / men doth er þei passe Gyuen hem giftes and goold / for grete lordes sake . Riht so ȝe riche / rather ȝe scholde for sothe Welcomen and worschipon / and with ȝoure gold helpen Godes ministralles and his messagers / and his murie bordiours WucheThe whiche aren Lunatik lollares / and lhepers a-boute For vndur godes secre seal / here synnes beon y-keuered . ¶ For þei bere no bagges / ne botelles vndur clokes Þe wuche is lollaren lyf / and lewede Ermites Þat loken ful louhliche / to lacchen mennes almes In hope to sitte at euen / by the hote coles ¶ Vn-louke his legges a-brod / or ligge at his ese Reste him and rost him / and his rugge turne drinke drue and deope / and drawe him þenne to bedde And when him likeþ and lust / his leue is to a-ryse ¶ When he is rysen romeþ out / and riht wel aspieþ War he may rathest haue a repast / or a rond aof bakon . Suluer oso[r] sode mete / and som-tyme bothe A lof oþer half lof / or a lompe of chese And carieþ hit hom to his cote / and cast him to lyue In ydulnesse and ese / and by otheres trauail ¶ And what freke of this folde / fiskeþ þus a-boute With a bag at his bac / a begeneldes wyse And can som manere craft / in cas he wolde hit vse Throw wuche craft he couthe come / to bred and to ale And ouer-more to an hater / to hely with his bonus And liueþ like a lollere / godes laweslawe him dampneþ . ¶ Lollares lyuynge in sleuthe / and ouur lond strikares Beoþ nat in this bulle quaþ Peres / til þey ben amended Nother beggares þat beggon / but ȝif þei haue neode . ¶ Þe boke blameþ al beggarie / and banneþ in þis manere Iunior fui etenim senui et alibi / Infirmata est virtus mea paupertate ¶ Hit neodeþ nat nowþe / a-non for to preche And lere thusthis lewede men / what þis latyn meneþ For hit blameþ alle ~~blameþ al~~ beggerie / beo ȝeo ful certayn ¶ For þey lyue in none loue / no lawe þei holden . Þei wedde non wommen / þat þei with delon Bryngeþ forthe bastardes / beggares of kynde Or þe bak or som bomn / þei breke of here children And gon faitynge with here fauntes / for euere-more after ¶ Þer aren mo mischapene / among suche beggares Þan of eny oþer men / þat on þis molde walken ¶ Tho þat lyuen þus here lyf / leoue ȝe non noþer Þei han no part of pardoun / of preyeres ne of penaunces ¶ Ac olde men and hore / þat helpeles beoþ and neody ¶ And wommen with childe / þat worche ne mowen . ¶ Blind men and bedredene / and broken in here membres / And al pour pacient / a-payd of godes sonde ¶ As meseles and mendinauns / men y-falle in meschief ¶ As prysones and pilgrims / parauntur men y-robbed ¶ Or by-low þrow luþer men / and lost here catel aftur ¶ Or throw fuyr or þrow flod / falle to pouerte / ¶ Þat takeþ þes meschiefs meokliche / and mildeliche at herte / For loue of here lowe hertes / oure lord hath hem graunted Here penaunce and here purgatorie / vpon þis poure eerthe And pardoun mydwith Peres plouhman / a pena et a culpa . // Ac Ermites þat enhabiten / by þe hye weyes And in borghs a-mong brewstars / & beggyng in churches Al þat holy Erymites / hateden and dispisede As richesse and reuerences / and aland riche mennes almes / // Theos lolleres lachedrawers / lewede Eremites Coueiton þe contrarie / as cotyers þei libben ¶ For hit beoþ bot boies / bolleres at þe nale Of linage ne of lettrure / ne lyf-holy as eremites Þat wonedon whilom in wodes / with berosberes and Lyons . ¶ Som hadden lyflode of here linage / and of no lif elles . ¶ And somme lyuede by here lettrure / and labour of her hondes ¶ Somme hadde foreyns to frendes / þat hem fode sente . ¶ And bryddes brouht to som bred / wer-by thei lyueden . ¶ Al theos holy Eremites / were of hye kynne / For-sok lond and lordschip / and likynges of body . ¶ Ac thusthise Ermytes þat edifien thus / by þe hye weyes Whilom were werkmen / webbus and taillors And carteres knaues / and clerkes with-out grace Heoldon ful hongry hous / and hadde muche defaute Long labour and litul wynnyng / and at þe last aspidoun Þat faitours in Freres cloþinge / hadde fatte chekes / For-þi lefte þei her labour / theos lewede knaues And clothede hem in copes / clerkes as hit were Or on of som ordre / or elles a prophete ¶ A-ȝeyns þe lawe he lyuyeþ / ȝif latyn beo trewe Non licet uobis legem voluntati / sed voluntatem coniungere legi . Now kyndeliche by crist / beoþ suche calde lollares As by englis of ouresoure eldres / of old menne techyng . He þat lolleþ is lame / or his legge ouȝt of ioynte Or maymed in som membre / for to meschief hit soneþ And riht so sothly / suche manere Ermytes Lollen a-ȝeyn þe by-leoue / and lawe of holychurche For holy churche hoteþ / al manere people Vndur obedience fortfor toto beo / and boxom to þe lawe ¶ Furst religious of religion / here rewle to holde And vndur obedience to beo / by dayes and by nyhtes Lewede men to labory / lordes to honte In frythes and in forestes / for fox and oþer bestes Þat in wilde wode beon / and in wast places As wolues þat worieþ men / wommen and children And vpon sonedayes to cesse / godes seruice to here Boþe matyns and masse / and aftur mete in churches To here here euesonge / euery man ouhte Þus hit longeþ for lord / for lered and lewed Eche holyday to hure / holly þe seruice . Vigilies and fastyngdais / forþer-more to knowe And folfulle þo fastinges / but infirmite hit made Pouerte oþer oþur penaunce / as pilgremages & trauailes ¶ Vndur theos obedience / are we echone . Ho-so brekeþ þis beo wel war / but ȝif he repente Amenden him and mercy aske / and meokliche him schryue Y dred me and he dye / hit worþ for dedly synne A-countet by-fore crist / but concience excuse him . Loke now wher theos lollares / and lewede Ermites If þei breke þis obedience / þat beon so fro churche Wher seo we hem on sonedays / þe seruice to hure As Matyns by þe morwe / tyl masse by-gonnebeo bygonnebygynne OsO[r] sonedays at Euesonge / seo we wel fewe Or labory for hisourehere liflode / as þe lawe wolde Ac at mydday mel tyme / y mete with hem ofte Comyng in a cope / as he a clerk were A bachelere or a beupere / best him by-semeþ ¶ And for þe cloþ þat keuereþ him / cald is he a Frere Waisscheþ and wypeþ / and with þe furst sitteþ . ¶ Ac þeom. while he wrouht in þis world / and wan his mete wiþ treuthe He sat atte þe syde benche / at þe secunde table Cam no wyn in his wombe / throw þe wuke longe Nother blanket in his bedde / ne whit bred to-forebyforeto coumfourtbiforen him . Þe cause al ofof al þis caytif / comeþ of mony bischopes Þat soffren suche sottes / and other synnes regne ¶ Certes ho-so durste seggehit segge / Symon quasi dormit Vigilare wer fairor / for thow hast gret charge For mony waker wolues / beon y-brokebrokebroken in-to þi foldes thyne beorkares beoþ al blynde / þat bryngen forthe þi lambren dispergentur oues / thy dogge dar nat beorke . ¶ Þe tarre is vntydy / þat to þyn schepe by-longeþ Here salue is of supersedeas / in sompnours boxes Thyne schep beoþ ~~neuere~~neuereneralmosteneiȝVc and Ac's neuere likely results from a mistaken interpretation of ner as an abbreviation. al schabbed / þe wolf schietshytshiteþschentThe intended meaning of the non-scribal alteration is not entirely clear; schet may be a form of sheten, "to hasten" or "to shoot." The operative force in the alteration may not have been sense so much as delicacy (see Vc.15.46, where the same hand alters strompet to woman. wolle Sub molle pastoreThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. Pastore is written on a separate line with a bracket connecting it to molle. How hurde wher is þin hound / and þin hardy heorte Fort to wyrie þe wolf / þat þi wolle fowleþ . Y leoue for þi lachesse / thou leost mony weþeres And fol mony feir flus / falslichefallichefalslichewalslich waische When þi lord lokeþ to haue / alowaunce of his bestes And of þe money thou haddest þer-myd / his meoble to saue / And þe wolle worthe weyedweyeyweywayeniweied / wo is þe þenne Redde. racionem villicacionis . or in a-rerage falle Thin hure hurde as y hope / haþ nat to quite þi dete Ther as mede ne mercy / maynotmay not a myte vaileavaille . But haue this for þat / þo þat þow toke Mercy for mede / and my lawe breke Loke now for þi lachesse / weþer lawe wol þe graunte / Purgatorie for þi paye / or perpetuel helle For schal no pardon pray for ȝow þar / noþer prynces lettres ¶ Pers quath a preost þo / thi pardoun most y rede Y con notom. construe eche a word / and kenhitken hit þe in englische And peres at his preyere / þe pardon fThe <f> seems to be a mistake, though it is not cancelled. vnfolded And y bi-hynde hem boþe / bi-heold al þe bulle In to lynes hit lay / and no lettre more And was whrite riht þus / in withnesse of treuthe Qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam qui vero mala in ignem eternam . Petur quath thisthe preost þo / y can no pardoun fynde . But do wel and haue wel / and god schal haue þi saule . do euul and haue euul / and hope thow non oþur But he þat euul lyueþ / vuele schal ende . Þe Preost thus and perkyn / of þe pardon iangled Throw here wordes y a-wok / and waiteted a-boute And seyh þe sonne in þe souhtsouthe / sitte þat tyme Meteles and moneyles / on maluernes hulles ¶ Musyng in þis meteles / a myle wey y ȝeode And meny tyme þis meteles / made me to studie ¶ Of þat y seih sclepyng / ȝif hit so beo myhte ¶ And of Pers plouhman . pensif in herte And wuche a pardoun Pers hadde / þe poeple to gladoun And hou þe preost Inpugned hit / throw two propre . wordes ¶ Ac Men sette nat by songewarie / men seo hit oft faille Caton countcountethacounteþ hit at nauht / and cononistresCanonistres at lasse Ac for þe bok þeom. bible / bereþ good witnesse How Daniel . Dyuynede / and vndude þe dremeles Of kyng Nabugodonosor / þat no peer hadde / And sith aftur to his sones / seyde hem what þei þouhte ¶ And ioseph mette merueillousliche / how þe mone and þe sonne And elleue sterres / hailsede him alle ¶ Þenne Iacob iugede / Iosephs sweuene Bieau fitz quaþ þe fadur / we schul for defaute I my-self and my sones / seche þe for neode Hit by-ful as þe fadur seyde / in pharao his tyme Þat Ioseph was iustice / Egypte to saue His elleue breþeren / him for neode souhte And his fader Iacob / anand al-so his dame Al this makeþ me / on meteles to studie . And how þe preost preoued / no pardon to dowel And demede þat dowel / Indulgenses passet Byanals and triannals / and bysschopes lettres ¶ For ho-so doþ wel here / at þe day of dome Worþ faire vndurfonge / by-fore god þat tyme ¶ So dowel passeþ pardoun / and pilgrimages to Rome ¶ Ȝut hath þe pope power / pardon to graunte To people with-oute penaunce / to passen in-to ioye As lettred men vs lereþ / and lawe of holychurche Quodcumque ligaueris super terram / erit ligatum & in celis And so y by-leoue lelly / lord for-bode elles ÞanThat pardon and penaunce / and preyeres don saue Saules þat han y-syneged / seue sythes dedly . ¶ Ac to tristen vpon trianals / trewly me þenkeþ Is nat so syker for þe saule / certes as is Dowel ¶ For-þi y rede ȝow renkes / þat riche beon on þis eorthe Vp trist vpof ȝour tresour / triennals to haue Beo ȝe neuere þe boldere / to breke þe ten hestes . ¶ And nameliche ȝe maystres / meires and iuges Þat han þe welþe of þis worlde / and wyse men beon holden . To purchace ȝow pardoun and þe popes bulles . ¶ At þe dredful day of dome / when dede men schul ryse And comen al by-fore crist / a-countes to ȝeelde How we ladde oure lyf here / and his lawe kepte And how we dud day by day / þe dom wol reherse ¶ A poke ful of pardon þere / ne prouincials lettres Þauh he beo founde in fraternite / of alle þe fyue ordres And haue Indulgences dowbulfold / but dowel vs helpe I sette by pardoun nat a pese / noþur a pye hele For-þi y counseil al cristene / to cry god mercy And marie his moder / beo oure mene to hym . Þat god ȝif vs grace her er we go hennes Suche werkes to worche / whil we beon here Þat aftur our deþ day / dowel reherse / At þe day of dome / we dude as he tauhte . Amen / Hic Explicit visio williami de Petro plouhman .Vc.10.357: The Hic is written in the left margin and intended to serve for the opening of both explicit and incipit. A red bracket connects the explicit and implicit on the right as well. Incipit visio eiusdem Williami de dowelVc.11.000: The Hic is shared by both explicit and incipit. sin notaThe nota is placed within the capital <T>. THus Robed in russet / y romed a-boute al a somur seson / for to seke dowel And Fraynede fol ofte / of folc þat y mette If eny white wiste / wer dowel was at Inne And what matma[n] he myht beo / of mony man y asket ¶ Was neuere white in þis worlde / þat wisse me cowþe Wher þat he lengede / lasse ne more . ¶ Til hit by-fel on a fry-day / two freres y mette Maystres of þe menours men of grete witte . I hailsede hem hendely / as y had lered And preyed par charite / ar thei passed forther If þei knew eny contrey / or costes a-boute Wher þat dowel dwelleþ / dere frendes telleþ me . ¶ For ȝe ar men of þis molde / þat most wilde walken / And knowen contreis and cortes / and mony kyne places Boþe Princes paleis / and pore menne cotes And dowel and do-euele / where þei dwellen boþe . ¶ Sothly seide þe frere / he soiorneþ with vs Freres And ay hath as y hope / and wol her-after ¶ Contra quaþ y as a clerk / and comsed to dispute And seyde sothly Sepcies / indiein die cadet iustus Fallyng forfro ioye ihesus / wot þe sothe / Seuene sythe saysayth þe boke / synegeþ day by daye Þe alther rihtfullokest renk / þat regneþ vpon erthe . And ho-so synegeþ y seyde / certes doþ nat wel . For ho-so synegeþ / sykurly doþ euele / And dowel and do-euul / may not dwelle to-gederes Ergo he is nat al-way / at hom a-mong ȝow Freres He is vm-while elles-wher / to wysse þe people . I schal sey þe my sone / seide þe Frere þenne How seuene sythes þe sad man / synegeþ on þe daye By-for byseneBy a forbisene quath þe frere / y schal þe faire schewe ¶ let brynge a mon in a bot / in myddes a brod watur Þe wynd and þe watur / and waggyng of þe bote He bendeþ and boweþ / þe body is vnstable Ac ȝut he is saf and sound / so fareth hit by þe rithfol Þan he falle he falleþ not / but as ho fulle in a bot Þat ay is saf and sound / þat sitte wiþ-in þe borde ¶ So hit fareþ quaþ þe frere / by rithful mannes fallynge Þauh he þrow fondynge falle / he falleþ nat out of charite So dedly synne doþ he nat / for dowel him helpeþ . ¶ Þe watur is likned to þe worlde / þat wanyeþ and wexeþ Þee goodes of þis grounde / ar like to gret wawes As wyndes and wederes / walwen a-boute Þe bot is likned to oure body / þat brutul is of kunde Þat throw þe feond and oure fleisch / and þis frele worlde Synegeþ seneBoth seue and sene are possible here. sythes / þe saddest mon an eorthe And lyef-holyest of lyf / þat lyuiethlyueth vndur sonne ¶ Ac fre wil and freo wit / folweþ a mon euere To repenten and a-ryse / and rowen out of synne To contricion to confession / til he come to his ende / ¶ Rather haue we no reste / til we restitue Oure lyf to oure lord god / for oure licames gultes . ¶ Y haue no kynde knowyng quath y / to conceyue al þis speche Ac if y may lyue and loke / y schal go lerne betere ¶ Y by-kenne þe crist quod he / þat on þe crois dyede And y seyde þe same / saue ȝow fro myschaunce And gyf me grace on this grount / wiþ good ende dyeto deye . ¶ I went forþ wyde-where / walkyng myn one In a wilde wildernesse / by a wode syde Blisse of þe briddes / a-byde me made And vndur lynde in a laund / lenede y a stounde To lythen here layes / and here louely notes . Murthe of here murye notesmouthes / made me to slepe And merueylously me mette / amyddes al that blisse . ¶ A muche man me þouhte / lyke to me-selue Cam and callede me / by my riht name ¶ What art þow quaþ y / þat my name knowest That wost þow Wille quod he / and no whit betere ¶ Wot y quaþ y ho ert þow / ~~thou~~thouht seyde he þenne I haue sewede þe þis seuene ȝer / sey þow me no rather Ert þow þouht quath y þo / thow couthest me wisse Wher þat dowel dwelleþ / and do me to knowe Do-wel . and dobet quaþ he / and dobest / þe þrydde Beoþ þre fayre vertues / and beoþ nat fer to fynde . Wo-so is trewe of his tonge / and of his two handes ¶ And þrow lel labour lyueþ / and loueþ his emcristene And þer-to trewe of his tail / and halt wel his handes Nat dronkelew ne deynous / dowel him foloweþ Dobet al this doþdoth al this / ac ȝut he doþ more He is lowe as a lomb / and loueliche of speche ¶ And helpoþ hertly al men / of that he may as-spare Þe bagges and þe bygurdeles / he hath to-broke hem alle Þat þe eorl auerous / held and his heyres And of Mammonaes monye / mad hem mony frendes / And his ronne in-to religion / and rendreþ his bible And precheþ to þe people / seint powles wordes Libenter suffertis incypientes / Ȝe worldliche wyse / vnwyse þat ȝe soffre Lene hem and loue hem / this latyn is to mene / ¶ Dobest bere scholde / þe byschope croce And halye with þe hoked ende / ille men to goode And with þe pyke putte a-don . / preuaricatores legis . ¶This paraph marker is of an unusual form. Lordes þat lyuienlyuen as hem lust / and no lawe a-conten . ¶ For here mok and for here meoble / suche men þhynkynthenketh Þat no bysschop scholde / here byddyng with-sitte . ¶ Ac Dobest sholde nat drede hem / but do as god hihte Nolite timere eos qui possunt occidere corpus & cetera . Þus . dowel . and . dobest dyuynede a . dobest . And cronede on to beo a kyng / to kulle wiþ-oute synne Þat wolde nat don as . Dobest . dyuynede and tauhte ¶ Thus dowel and dobet / and dobest þe þridde Cronet on to beo a kyng / and kepon vs alle And rewle al reomes / by here þre wyttes / But oþer-wyse ne elles nat / but as þei þre assented . ¶ Y þonkede þouht þo / þat he me so tauhte Ȝut sauereþ me nat þi sawe quod y / so me crist spede A more kynde knowyng / coueyte y to here Of dowel . and of dobet / and ho doþ best of alle ¶ But wit wol þe wisse quod thowt / wer þo þre dwellen Elles know y non þat can / in non kynne-riche ¶ Þouht and y þus þre dayes / to-gederes we ȝeodenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. disputyng vpon dowel / day aftur oþur And er we wer war / wiþ wit gan we mete ¶ He was long and lene / like to non oþer Was no pruyde in his a-parail / ne pouerte noþur Sad of his semblaund / with a softe speche / I durst meue no matere / to maken him to Iangle But as y bad thout . þo / beo mene by-twene And putte forth som porpos / to preouen his wittes / What dowel was fro dobet and dobest fro hem boþe / Þenne þouht in þat tyme / seyde thusthis wordes Whar dowel and dobet / and dobest beon in londe / Here is on wolde wite / ȝif wit couthe teche And wat lyues þei lyuen / andand what lawe þei vsen What þei drede and douton / dere sire telleþ . Syre dowel dwelleþ quath wit not a day hennes In a castel þat kynde made / of foure kyne þynges Of eorþe / of air / hit is mad / medlet to-gederes / Wiþ wynd / and with watur / wytteliche enioyned . ¶ Kynde hath closed þer-ynne / crafteliche with-alle A Lemmean þatþat he loueþ wel / lyke to him-selue Anima scheo het / to heore hath enuye A proud prikare of Fraunce princeps huius mundi And wolde wyn heore a-way / with whyles ȝif he myhte ¶ And kynde knoweþ þis wel / and kepuþ here betereþe betere And don here with sir / Dowel duk of þis marches dobet is heore damesele / sire doweles douhter To serue þat lady lelly / bothe late and rathe ¶ dobest is a-boue bothe / a buschopes pere And by his leryng is ladde / þikþat ilkeþatþulke lady anima . ¶ Þe conestable of þat castel / þat kepeþ hem alle Is a wys knyht wiþ-al / sire Inwit he hatte And hath fyue faire sones / by his furst wyue ¶ Sire seo wel sir syey wel / sir hure wel þe hende Sir worch wel . wiþ þin hand / a whit man of strenþe And sir good faith go wel / gret lordes alle ¶ These fyue beon set / fort to saue Anima Til kynde come or sende / and kepe heore him-selue ¶ What lynes[k]ynes þing is kunde quaþ y / canst þow me telle Kynde is creatour quaþ wit / of kyne þinges Fadur and formour / of al þat forþ groweþ Þe wuche is god grettest / þat gynnynge had neuere Lord of lyf and of liht / of lisse and of payne Angelus and al þing / aren at his wille ¶ Man is him most lyke / of membres and face And semblabesemblab[l]e in soule to god / but ȝif synne hit make ¶ And as þou sykst þe sonne / som-tyme for cloudes May not schyne ne schewe / on schalkes in eorthe / Riht so letteþ lecherie / and oþur luther synnes Þat god seweþ nat synfolmensynfol men / and suffreþ hem mysfare ¶ As som hongeþ hem-selue / and oþer-while a-drencheþ . God wol nat of hem wyte / but leteþ hem y-worþe As þe sauter seyeþ / by suche synful schrewes . ~~Beter~~ Et dimisi eos secundum desiderium eorum / ¶ Loke suche luthur men / lome beon riche ~~This erased hand points toward the text on the facing page.~~ Of gold and of other good / ac godes grace hem failleþ ¶ For þei loueþ and bileeueþ / al here lif-tyme More on catel þan on kynde / þat al kynneskyne þinges wrouhte Þe wuche is boþe loue and lyf / and lasteþ with-outen ende ¶ Inwit and alle wittes / closed beoþ þer-inne Bi loue and by leaute / þe byþeby correctedþerby lyueþ Anima And lyf lyueþ by Inwit / and leringe of kunde ¶ Inwit is in þe hed / and Anima in þe herte And muche wo worchenwrothen "rot" over erasure in another handworthworcheþ hym / þat Inwit myspeneþ For þat is godes owne goode / his grace and his tresour Þat mony lede leoseþ / throw likerouse drynke . As Lot dude and Noe / and Herodes þe daffe Ȝaf his dowter for a daunsyng / in a disch þe heued Of þe blessed / Baptist / by-fore al his gyftes ¶ Euery man þat hath Inwit / and his hele Bothe Haþ tresour y-now in trewþe / to fynde wiþ him-selue . ¶ Ac Fauntekyns and foles / þe wuche fawten Inwit Freondes schul fynde hem / and fro folye kepe And holychurche help to / so scholde no mon begge Ne spille speche ne tyme / ne myspende nother Meoble ne vnmeoble / mete nowþer drynke . ¶ And þenne dude we al wel / and ȝut wel bet to louye Oure enymys entierly / and helpe hem at here neode . ¶ And ȝut were best to beo a-boute / and brynge hit to hepe Þat al londes loueden / and in o lawe by-leouede ¶ Bysschopes scholde be bhere a-boute / and brynge þis to hepe Fort to lese þer-fore here lond / and here lyf after ¶ Þe catel þat cryst hadde / þre clothes hit were Þer-of was he ryfled / and robbed er he dyede Aftur þat he lese his lyfe / for lawe scholde loue wexe ¶ Prelates and preostes / and prynces of holychurche Scholden doute non dethe / noþur deore ȝeeres To wendon as wyde / as þe worlde were / To tulyen þe orthe wiþ tonge / and teche men to louye ¶ For ho-so loueþ leue hit wel / god wol not let him sterue In meschief for lak of mete / ne for myssyng of clothes . Inquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono . ¶ Ho-so lyueþ in lawe / and in loue doþ wel As þees wedded men / þat þis worlde susteynen . for of here For of here kynde þei come / confessours and martires Patriarches and prophites / popes and maydones . ¶ For god saith hit hym-seelf / schal neuere good appel Trhorgh no sotyl science / on sowre stok growe . ¶ And is no more to mene / but men þat beoþ by-geten Out of matrimoyne nat moillire / mowe nat haue þe grace / Þat lelle legitime / by lawe may cleyme . AndAnd þat my sawe beo soeþ / þe sauter bereþ witnesse + Concepit in dolore et peperit iniquitatem . ¶ Caym þe corsed creature / conseyued was in synne Aftur þat Adam and Eue / hadden y-syneged With-out repentaunce / of here rechylesnesse + A Ribaud þei engendred / and a gome vn-rithfol As an hyne þat ereþ nat / auntreþ him to sowe / On a ley-lond / a-ȝeins þehis lordes wil ¶ So was caym conceyued / and so beon corsed wreches Þat lycame han a-ȝeinst þe lawe / þat oure lord ordeyned ¶ Alle þat comen of caym / caytifs were euere And for þe synne of kaymes seed / said god to Noe + ~~....~~This erased note may be an erroneous citation, in Roman numerals, of the verse from Genesis. Penitet me fecisse hominem . And bad schap him a schup / of schides and bordes Thy-self and þi sones þre / and sythen ȝoure wyfes Buske ȝow to þat bot / a-bydeþ þer-Inne Til forty daies beo folfulled / and flod haue waische Clene a-wei þe corsed blod / þat of kaym is spronge / ¶ Bestes þat now beoþ / banne schul þat tyme Þat euere þaþat corsed caym / cam on þis eorthe ¶ Alle schullen dye for his dedes / by dales and hulles And þe foules þat fleon / forþ wiþ oþer bestes / Excepte onlyche / of eche kynde a peire Þat in þi schingled schup / with þe schal bybe saued Here a-boute þe barn / his belsires gultes And al for here for-faderes ferdon þe worse Þe gospel is here-agayn / as gomes may reden filius non portabit iniquitatem patris / & cetera Holywrit witnesseþ / þat for no wykyde dede Þat þe sire him-self doth / by his owne wil Þe sonne for þe syres synne / schold nat beo þe worse . ¶ Westmunstre lawe y wot wel / worcheþ þe contrarie . For þauh þe fadur beo a fraunkeleyn / and for a felon beo honged Þe erytage þat heirþe eyer schulde haue / is at þe kynges wil . Ac þe gospel is a glose ther / hudynge þe grayþe trewþe For god seyde ensaumple / of suche maner vsue Þat kynde foloweþ kynde / and contrarieþ neuere . Numquam colligit de spinis vuas / & alibi / bonus arbor bonum fructum facit ¶ Ac wy þe worlde was a-dreynt / holy writ telleþ Was for mariages of man-kynde / þat men maden þat tyme Aftur þat caym þe corsed / hadde culledkilled abelykuld abel Seth Adames sone / sythen was engendred ¶ And god sente to / seth so sone he was of age Þat for kyneno kyne catel / ne non by kynne hestekyne byheste Suffren hishis seedþi seed seeden / with caymes seed his brother . And for þat seth suffred hit / god seyde me for-þenkeþ Þat y man made / or matrimonie suffred . For goode schulden wedden goode / þauh þei no good ne hadde // For y am via et veritas / and may a-vaunce hem alle ¶ Ac fewe folk now foloweþ þis / for þei ȝeue here childeren For coueytyse of catel / and connynge chapmen / ¶ Of kyn ne of kynredene / a-conteþ men but litul Þauh he beo loueliche to loken on / and lofsom a-bedde A mayde wel y-manered / of goode men y-spronge But heo haue eny oþer good / haue wol heore no riche . ¶ Ac let heore beo vnlouely / vnlofsom a-bedde A bastard a bonde onThere is a false start before the <o>. / a begeneldes douhter Þat no cortesie can / but let here beo knowe For riche or foroþerandor wel y-rented / þauh he ryuele for elde Þer nis squier ne knyt / in contreye a-boute Þat he nel bowe to þat bonde / to beode here an hosebonde And wedden here for here welþe / and wuschen on þe morwe Þat his wyf were wex / or a watul ful of noebles In ielosie ioyeles / and iangelyng a-bedde ¶ Mony peire seth pestilence tyme / han pliht trewþe to louye Ac þei lyen lelly / here noþur loueþ oþer Þe fruyt þat þei bryngeþ forth / are mony foule wordes Þei han no children but chiste / and choppes hem by-twene Þauh þei don hem to done-mowe / but þe deuul hem helpe To folow for þe flicche / feccheþ þei hit neuere But þei boþe beo for-swore / that bakon they tyne For-þi y conseil al cristine / coueite neuere beo wedded For couetyse of catel / in no kynne wyse But maydones and maydones / marie ȝow to-gederes And wydowers and wydowes / weddeþ ayther other And loke þat loue beo more þe cause / þan lond oþer nobles And euery maner seculer man / þat may not continue Wisly go wedde / and war þe fro þat synne Þat lecherie is a likyng þing / and lym-ȝerd of helle ¶ And whil þow art ȝong and ȝelpeȝep / and þi wepne kene A-wreke þe þer-with on wyuyng / for godes werk y hold hit . Dum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortis Scribitur in portis / meretrix est ianua mortis ¶ Ȝee þat han wyues beoþ war / worcheþ nat out of tyme As Adam dude and Eue / as y whiler tolde ¶ For scholde no bed-bord beo / but ȝif þei boþe were Clene of lyf and loue in soule / and in lelle wedlok For þat derne dede / do no man schulde But wedded men with here wyues / as holy writ telles Bonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat propter fornicacionem . Þat oþer-gates beon gete / for gadelinges aren holde ¶ And fals folc and foundelynges / faitours and lyeres ¶ Vngracious to gete good / or godod loue of people . ¶ A-waytinge and wastinge / al þat þei cacche mowe ¶ OA-ȝeins dowel þei don vuele / and þe deuul seruen ¶ And aftur here deþ-day / dwellen schol in helle / But god gyue grace her / goynge to Amende . ¶ And þus is Dowel my frend / to do as lawe techeþ To louye and to lowe þe / and no lyf to greue ¶ Ac to louye and to lene / leof me þat is dobet ¶ Ac to ȝeue and to ȝeme / boþe ȝong and olde Helon and helpon / is dobest / of alle ¶ For þe more a man may do / by so þat he do hit Þe more is he worthe and worþi / of wyse and goode y-preysed Hic explicit passus primus / Incipit passus secundus / de dowel .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. THen hadde wit a wyf / was hote dame studie Þat fol lene lokede / and lyf-holy semede Heo was wordelyworldlywonderlywonder wroþ / þat wit so me tauhte Al staryng dame / studie / sturneliche seyde Wel ar thow wys quaþ heo to wit / suche wisdom to schewe To eny fol or flaterer / or to frentyk people And seyde nolite mittere / ȝe men margery perles A-mong hogges þat hauen / hawes at wille Thei don bot dreuely þer-on / draf were hem leuere Þan al þe preciouce perey / þat eny prynce weldeþ I sege hit by suche quod studie / þat schewen by here werkes Þat loueþ lond and lordschip / and likyng of body more Þan holynesse or hendenesse / or al þat seyntes techeþ ¶ Wisdom and wit now / is nat worþe a carce but hit beo carded mydwith couetyse / as cloþeres kymben wolle ¶ Ho þat can contreue orand caste / to deceyue þe people AAnd lette with a loueday / trewþe an Vc.12.17an, "and." by-gyle hym + Þat can coueyte and cast thus / aren cleped in-to consail Qui sapiunt vugas[n]ugas / et crimina lege vocantur Qui recte sapiunt / lex iubet ire foras . ¶ He is reuerenced and robed / þat can robbe þe people Þrow fallas and fals questes / and throw fekul speche ¶ Iob þe gentul and wyse / in his gest witnesseþ What schal worþe of suche / when þei lyf leten ducunt in bonis dies suos / et in fine descendunt ad infernum . Þe sauter seith þe same / of al suche riche Ibunt in progeniesThe dot on the is also in text ink. patrum suorum & usque in eternum non videbunt lumen . & alibi . ecce ipsi peccatores ¶ Lo holy lettrure seith / wuche lordes beon theos schrewes ToTho þat god gyueþ most goodmost goed gyueþmost goed ȝeuethmost goed doþ / most greuen riht and trewþe Que perfecisti destruxerunt iusticiam/ ¶ And harlotes for harlotrie / aren holpe er neody poure And þat is no riht ne reson / for rather men scholde Helpe hym þat hath nouht / þan þo þat han no neode ¶ Ac he þat hath holywrit / ay in his mouthe And can telle of trewþe / and of þe twelue aposteles Or haueof þe passionpassioun of Crist / or of purgatorie peynes Lytul is he alowed þer-fore / a-mong lordes at festes ¶ Now is þe manere at mete / when ministralles beoþ stille Þe lewed a-ȝeinst þe lered / þe holy lore to dispute And tellon of þe trinite / how two slowen þe þrydde And bryngeþ forþe ballede resones / and taken bernard to witnesse And putten forþ presumpciouns / to preouen þe sothe ¶ Thus þei dryuelen at þe deys / þe deyte to knowe And gnawen god with gorge / when here gottus fullon ¶ Ac þe carefol may crye / anVc.12.45an, "and." quaken at þe ȝate boþe a-fyngret and a-furst / and for defaute spille Is non so hende to hauehaue hym In / but hote hym go ther god is . Þenne semeþ hit to my siht / to suche as so byddeþ God is nat in þat hom / ne his helpe neyþur ¶ Lytul loueþ he þat lord / þat lente him al þat blisse Þat so parteþ wiþ þe poure / a parcel when hym neodeþ ¶ Ne were mercy in mene men / more þenne in riht riche Mony tyme mendinans / myhte gon a-fyngred And so seith þe sauter / y sauh hit in Memento Ecce audiuimus eam . id est . caritatem in eufrata inuenimus in campis silue ¶ Clerkes and knyhtes / carpon of god ofte And haueþ him muche in here mouthe / ac mene men in herte ¶ Freres and faitors / han founde vp suche questions To plese with proude men / sythe þe pestilences Þat folk is nat ferm in þe faith / ne free of here goodes . Ne sory of here synnes / so is pruyde enhaunsed In religion and in al þe Reome / a-mong riche and pore Þat preyers han no power / þeos pestilences to lette ¶ For god is def now-a-dayes / and deyneþ vs to here And gode menne for oure gultes / he al to-grynt to deþe And ȝutȝut this wreches of þis worlde / is non war by other Ne for drede of eny deth / with-draweþ hem fro pruyde Ne partoþ with þe poure / as pure charite wolde ¶ But in Gaynesse and glotenye / for-glotton heore goodes And brekeþ not here bred to þe poure / as þe bok hoteþ / X Frange esurienti panem tuum & cetera . Ac þe more he hath and wynneþ / þe worlde at his wil And lordeþ in leodes / þe lasse gode he deleþ X Thobie tauht nat so / takeþ hede ȝe riche Howe he told in a tyme / and tauhte his sone dele X Si tibi sint copia habundanter tribue / si autem exiguum illud impertire libenter stude . ¶ And is no more to mene / but who-so muche weldeþ Beo large þer-of whil hit last / to leedes þat beon nedy If þou haue litul leue sone / loke by þi lyue Get þe loue þer-with / þauh thow þe worse fareA bracket in the right margin, in the light brown ink used by glossator3, joins this line with the next. ¶ Ac lust no lord ne lewed man / of suche lore non to here But lithen hou thei myhte lerne / lest good to spene And so lyuen lordes nowe / and leten hit a Dowel For is no wit worþ now / but hit of wynnynge soune ¶ For-þi quod heo / to wit be war / holywrit to schewe Amonges hem þat hauen / hawes at wille Þe wuche is a lykynge and loust / and loue of þe worlde ¶ AnVc.12.88an, "and." whan wit was war / what studie menede I myhte gete no greyn / of wittes grete wittes But al lauhhynge he lotede / and loket vpon studie . Semynge þat y scholde / by-seche heore of grace ¶ When y was war of his wil / to þat womman y loutede And seyde mercy madame / ȝoure man schal y worþe As longe as y leue / boþe late and rathe And fort to worche ȝoure wil / þe while my lyf dureþ + With that ȝe kenne me kundely / to knowe wat is dowel . ¶ For þi meoknesse quaþ heo / and for þi mylde speche I schal þe kenne to clergye / my cosyn þat knowiþ Alle kyne connynges / and comsynges of dowel Of dobet and of / dobest / for doctour he is knowe And of scripture þe skilful / and scryuaynes were trewe . ¶ For heo is sibbe to seuene ars / and al-so my sostere And clergies wedded wyf / as wys as him-selue Of lore / and of lettrure / of lawe and of Resoun So with þat þat clerigie can / and consail of scripture Thow schalt come and knowe / kyndeliche dowel ¶ Þenne was y al-so fayn / as foul of feir morownynge Gladdere þan gleman / þat golde hath to gyfte And asket at heore þe hye waye / wer þat clergie dwelede And tel me som tokene quaþ y / for tyme is þat y wende / ¶ Aske þe hye way quaþ heo / hennes to soffre Bothe wele and muche wo / ȝif thow wolt lerne And ryde forthe by richesse / ac rest þeom. nat þer-Inne If thow coueite to beo riche / to clergie comst þow neuere Boþe wommen and wyn / wrath . Ire . envyIt is not entirely clear whether the glossator intends envy as a gloss or a textual correction; Envy accords with the reading found in all other manuscripts in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group. & sleuthe If thow hit vse or haunte / haue god my treuthe To clergie shalt þow neuere com / ne know wat is dowel ¶ Ac ȝif þou happe quod heo / þat þow hit on clergie And hast vndurstondyng / what he wolde mene Sey to him thy-self / ouer-seo my bokes ¶ And sey i grette wel his wyf / y wrot heore a bible ¶ And sette heore to sapience / and to þe sauter glosed Logyke y lered here / and al þe lawe aftur / Al þe musovns in musik / y made here to knowe ¶ Plato þe poete / y putte him furst to boke ¶ Aristotile and other / to arguen y tauhte ¶ Gramere for gurles / y gart furst write And bet hem wiþ a ȝeerdebaleyse / but ȝif þei wolde lerne ¶ Of alle kynne craftus / y contreoued here toles Of carpentrie of keruars / and contreeued þe compas And cast out by squyre / boþe lyne and lyuel Thus throw my lore men beoþ lered / þauh y loke dymme . ¶ Ac theologie haþ teoned me / ten score tymes Þe more y muse þer-on / þe mystiloker hit semeþ And þe deopere y dyuyne / þe deorkere me þenkeþ hit Hit is no science sothly / but a soth-fast by-leoue ¶ Ac for hit lereþ men to louye / y by-leue þer-on þe betre For loue is a lykyng þing / and loth for to greue ¶ Lerne for to louye / if þe like dowel . For of dobet and of dobest here doctor is dere loue ¶ Þo went y my way / wiþ-oute more lettynge And to clergie y cam / as clerkes me seyde ¶ And y gret him goodly / and graithly him tolde Hou þat wit and his wyf / wissed me to hym To ~~kowe~~ kunne and to knowe / kyndeliche dowel ¶ By crist þo quath clergie / ȝif þow coueite dowel Kep þe ten comaundemens / and kepe þe fro synne And by-leof lelly / hou godesonesgoddes loue a-lyhte . On þe mayde marie / for mannes-kynndesmonnes kynnesmankynnesmanes kynde sake And by-cam man of þat mayde / wiþ-þoute mannes kynde . ¶ And al þat holy churche / here-of can þe lere By-leof lelly þer-on / and loke þow do þer-aftur ¶ Her-of Austyn þe olde / made bokes and bokes Who was his Auctour / and him of god tauhte ¶ Patriarches and prophites / a-posteles and angles And þe trewe trynite / to Austyn Aperede ¶ And he vs seyde as he seyh / and so y by-leoue Þat he seyh þe sire and þe sone / and seint espirit to-gederes And al þre but o god / and here-of made he bokes lovk Ȝe bysyliche bokes / who beoþ his wytnesses Iohan 14 Ego in patre & pater in me & qui me vidit patrem meum vidit qui in celis est ¶ Alle þe clerkes vndur crist / ne couthe þis assoile but thus by-longeþ to by-leeue / alle þat likeþ Dowel For hadde neuere frek fyn wit / þe faith to dispute Ne man myhte haue neno meryt þer-of / myht hit beo preoued gregorius & augugustinus Fides non habet meritum vbi humana racio prebet experimentumom.racio possidet dominiumracio prebet experimentumprebet experimentum Thus byleoue / and lewte / and loue is þe þrydde Þat makeþ men to dowel / dobet / and dobest ¶ Þenne scripture scornede me / and mony sckiles schewed And countenaunce made me tome toto clergye / to congeye me hit semed And lakkede me in latyn / and liht by me sette bernardus sciuntThis word is written above sapiunt in the line and may be intended to replace rather than gloss it. All the other manusscripts in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group have sapiunt. And seyde / multi multa sapiunt / et seipsos nesciunt . Tho wept y for wo / and wrathþe of his wordes And in a wynkynge y warþ / and wondurly mette For y was raueyschet riht þere / fortune me fette In-to a lond of longynge / and loue / he me brouhte ¶ And in a myrrour hat myddul ert / heo made me to loke And sythen seyde to me / her myht thow see wondres And knowe þat þow coueitest / and come þer-to paraunter ¶ Þenne hadde Fortune folwynge heore / two faire maydones Concupiscencia carnis / men calde þe eldere mayde And coueytise of yen / y-cald was þat othere And pruyde of parfit leuynge / porsuede me fast And bad me for my continence / conte clergies lore lihte . ¶ Concupiscencia carnis / confort me in þis wyse And seyde þow art ȝonge and ȝeep / and hast ȝeres y-nowe For to lyue longe / and ladies to louye And in þis mirrour þow myht seo / murthes fol monye Þat lede wol þeþe wol to lykynge / al þi lyf-tyme / ¶ Þe secunde mayde seyde y schal sewe þi wil Til thou beo a lord of londe / leten þe y nulle Þat y ne schal folow þi felauschip / ȝif fortune like ¶ Heo schal fynde me his freond / quod fortune her-aftur . Þat man þat me likeþ helpe / myht nat mysfaremyshappe ¶ Þenne was þer on hihte Elde / þat heuy was of chere ¶ Man quaþ Elde mete y wiþ þe / by marie of heuene Þow schalt fynde fortune faile / at þi most neode / And Concupiscencia carnis / clene þe for-sake . Byturly schalt þow banne þenne / boþe a day and nyhtes Couetyse of eyen / þat euere þow here knewe And pruyde of parfit lyuynge / to muche peryl þe brynge . Ȝe recche þe neuere quod rechelesnesse / stod forþe in raggede cloþes Folwe forþe þat fortune wol / þow hast ful fer to elde A man may stoupe tyme y-nowh / when he schal tyne þe crone . Sir Wanhop waswas sib to hym / as some men me tolde ¶ For rechelesnesse in his rybaudrie / ryht þus he seyde Go y to helle go y to heuene / y schal nat go myn one . ¶ Were hit soþ alal soth þat ȝe seyn / thow scripture and clergie Y leoue neuur þat lord ne lady / þat lyueþ here on eorþe Scholde sitte on godes sete / ne seo god in his blisse Ita possibile est diuiti intrare in regnum celorum sicut camelus & cetera . ¶ For clergie seihtsaith þat he seyh / in þe seynt Euuangelie Þat y man maket was / and my name entred In þe legende of lyf / longe er y were ¶ Predestinat þei prechon / prechours þat þis schowen Or prechen in-parfit / i-pult out of grace de Salamone Vnwriten for som wikednesse / as holy writ scheweþThe first two lines on this page are bracketed by a later hand in the left margin. Nemo ascendit in celum nisi qui descendit de celo Y leoue wel by oure lord / and non lettrure betere ¶ For salamon þe sage / þat sapience hitom. made God ȝaf him grace of wit / and of good after Neuere to man so muche / þat man con of telle To ruele al reomes / and riche to makeA bracket by a later hand in the right margin connects this line is connected to the next six. And deme wel and wysly / wommen bereþ witnesse Nec michi nec tibi sed diuidatur . ¶ Aristotele and he / hy tauhten men boþe ¶ Maystres þat techeþ men / of godes muchel mercy Witnesseþ þat here wordes / and here werkes boþe Weren wondrywonder goode / and wyse in here tyme And holychurche as y here / haldeþ boþe in helle nota ¶ Ȝif we scholde worche worchenworchenwurche after here werkes / to wynnen ous heuene Þat for here werkes and wit / wonyeþ now in peyne Þan wrouhte we vnwysely / for al ȝoure wyse techyng ¶ Ac y countresegge þe nat clergie / ne þe connynge scripture Þat wo-so doþe by ȝoure doctrine / doth wel y leoue ¶ Ac me were leuere by oure lord / a lyppe of godes grace Þan al þe kyndewit þat ȝe can boþe / and connynge of ȝoure bokes ¶ For of fele witty in faith / litel ferly y haue Þauh here gost beo vngracious / god for to plese ¶ For mony men of þis molde / setten more here herte In worldeliche good þan in god / for-þi grace hem failleþ Atte here most meschief / mercy were þe beste And mercy / of mercy / neodes most a-rise As holy writ witnesseþ / godes word in þe gospel eadem mensura & ceteraThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Riht wel y-witted men / and wel letred clerkes Selde are þei seyen / so lyue as þei lere Witnesse on godes wordes / þat was neuere vntrewe Super cathedra moysi & ceteraThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Ac y wene hit worth of mony / as was in Noes tyme . Þo þat he schop þe schip / of schides and bordes Was neuure wriht þerþat þer-on wrouhte / ne werkman y-saued But bryddes and bestes / and þe blessed Noe . And his wyf with his sones / and his sones wyues Of wryhtes þat hit wrouhten / was non y-saued ¶ God leue hit fare nat so by folk / þat þe faihfaith techen Of holykirke þat scholde kepe / al cristine soules . ¶ For Archa noe nymeþ hede / is no more to mene / but holychurche / herborgh to alle þat beon blessed . Þe culorum of this clause / curatores is to mene Þat beon carpenters vndurcristvndur crist / holy churche to make For lewed folc godes foules / and his freo bestes Homines et Iumenta saluabis domine . ¶ A domesday a dyluuye worþ / of deþ and fuyr at ones Worcheþ ȝe wryhtes of holychurche / as holiwrit telleþtecheth lest ȝee beon lost as þe laborers were / þat labored vndurvnder Noe ¶ A Gode Fryday y fynde / a felon was y-saued Þat vn-lawefuly hadde y-lyued / al his lyf-tyme ¶ And for he by-knewe on þe cros / and to crist schrof him He was sonere y-saued / þatþa[n] seint Iohan þe baptist And ar adam or Isaye / or eny of þe prophetis Þat haddon ley with / Lucifer mony longe ȝeres / ¶ A robbour was y-raumsoned / rather þen þei alle With-out penaunce or passioun / or eny oþur peyne He passede forth paciently / to perpetuel blysse ¶ Al-so marie magdaleyne / ho myhte do worse As in lykynge of lecherie / no lyf denyede ¶ And dauid þe douhty / þat dyuynede hou vrie Myhte slilokest beo sclayn / and sente hym to werre Lellyche as by his lok / wiþ a lettre of gyle Paul þe apostele þat no pyte hadde / cristone people to kulle ¶ Now beoþ þusthis seyntes as men seyn / and souereyns in heuene Tho þat worst wrouhten / while þei weren here ¶ By that þat salamon seyth / hit semeþ þat no whyte Wot ho is worþi / for werewele or for wykke / Wethur he is worthi to wele / or to wykked peyne . Sunt iusti atque sapientes / et opera eorum in manu dei sunt . ¶ Thus y rechelesnesse haue rad / registres and bokes And found y neuere in faith / for to telle truthe Þat cleregie of cristes mouth / comendet was euere . For crist seyude to seyntes / and to suche as he louede dum steteris ante reges et presides & cetera Þauh ȝe by-comecomecomen by-fore kynges / and clerkes of þe lawe Beoþ nat a-ferd of þat folk / for y schal ȝiue ȝow tonge Connynge and clergie / to conclude hem alle Dauid makeþ mencion / he spak amonge kynges And myht kyng nonno kyng hym ouurcome / as in conninge speche ¶ Sothly seyde rechelesnesse / y seo by mony euidences Þat noþur . Wit . ne . Withnesse / wan neuure þe maystrie Wiþ-oute þe grete gyft of god / with his grace & fortune ¶ For he þat most seih and seyde / of þe sothfast trinite Was austyn þe olde / þat euere man wuste He seyde þus in his sarmon / For ensaumple of grete clerkes Ecce ipsi idioti rapiunt celum / vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur . This is to mene no more / to men þat beon lewede Ar non rather raueschid / fro þe riht by-leoue / Comunliche þatthen clerkes / most knowyng and connynge ¶ And non sannere y-saued / ne saddere in þe by-leoue Þan plouhmen and pastours / and pore comune people ¶ lel lewedLewed lele laborers / and land tylyng people Persen with a pater noster paradys oþer heuene Passynge purgatorie penaunceles / for here parfit byleoue Breuis oracio penitrat celum ¶ Selde falleþ þe seruaunt / so deope in arrerages As doþ þe Reue or counteroller / þat rekene mot and a-conte Of al þat þei hauen had / of him þat is here maystur ¶ Ac theos lewede laborers / of lytul vndurstondyng Selde fallon so foule / and so deope in synne As clerkes of holychurche / þat kepon scholde and saue lewede men in good by-leue / and lene hem at her neode X Homo proponit quath a poete þo / and plato he hihte Et deus disponit quaþ he / let god do his wil . ¶ Al þat treuthe attacheþ / and testifieþ for goode Than þei folow þat fortune wole / no foly y hit holde ¶ And Concupiscencia carnis / acordede til al my werkesHere, Vc and Ac along in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the B-verse of RK.11.307, the entirety of RK.11.308 and 309, and the A-verse of RK.11.310 to form one line. ¶ Of dowel ne of dobet / no deynte me þouhte Clerigie and his counsail / y counted ful litul . ¶ Hic explicit passus secundus / Hic incipit passus tercius /The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. ALas eye quaþ Eolde / and holynes boþe Þat wit schal turne to wrechednesse / for welþ haþ al his wyl . + Couetyse of eyen / conforted me aftur And seyde rechelesnesse / recche þe neuere By so þow riche were / haue þow no concience Hou þat þow come to goode / confesse þe to som frere He schal assoile þe þus sone / how þow euere wyn hit ¶ For while fortune is þi frend / freres wollon þe louye And fastne þe in here fraternite / and for þe by-seche To here priour prouincial / his pardon to haue And prey for þe pol by pol / ȝif þou beo pecunious . Pena pecuniaria non sufficit & cetera . ¶ By thiswissyng of þis wenche y dude / hure wordes were so swete de Freres Tyl y for-ȝat ȝouthe / and ȝorne in-to elde ¶ Þenne was fortune my fo / for al here feire by-heste And pouerte porsuede me / and put me to beo lowe ¶ And flittynge found y þe frere / þat me confessede And seyde he myhte me nat assoille / but y suluer hadde To restitue resonably / for al vnryht-ful wynnynge ¶ Owh houȝ quaþ y tho / and my hefd waggede By my faith frere quath y / ȝe fare lyke þe woware Þat wilneþ þe wydue / but for to wedde hure goodes Riht so by þe rode quath y / rouht þe neuure Where my body buryed were / by so ȝee hadde my goodes ¶ Þanne louh leaute / for y lourede on þe frere . ¶ Why lourest þou quath leaute / leue sir y sayde For þis Frere flatered me / while he found me riche Now y am poure and penyles / at litul prys he set me I wolde hit were no synne y seyde / to seye þat were truthe ¶ Þe sauter saith hit is no synne / for suche men as beon trewe For to seggen as thei seon / and saue only preostes Existimasti inique quod / ero tui similis . Arguam te & statuam contra faciem tuam . Þei wollon allegen al-so / & by þe gospel preuen hit nolite iudicare quemquam .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Wher-of serueþ lawe quod leaute / and no lyf vndurtoke Falcenesse ne faiterye / for som-wat þe apostel sayde Non oderis fratrem tuum secrete in corde . ¶ Þynge þat al þe worlde wot / where-fore scholdest þou spare To rehersen hit by retoryk / to a-rate dedly synne ¶ Ac beo þow neuere þe furst / þe defaute to blame Þauh þow se sey nat / som tyme þat is trewe ¶ Þynk þat wolde beo pryuey / publisse þow hit neuure Noþur for loue labbe hit nauhtout / ne lak hit for enuye . Parum lauda / vitupera parcius . ¶ He seith sothe quath scripture / and skypte an hy and prechede Ac þe matere þat he mouede / if lewede men hit knewe Þe lasse as y leue / louye þei wolde Þe byleue of oure lord / þat lettrede men techen . Of here teme and of here tales / y tok fol good hede He seyde in heore sermon / selcouþe wordes multi to a mangerie / and to mete were sompned And wan þe people was plener come / þe porter vn-pynned þe gate And pluhte In pauci pryueyliche / and let þe remenant go roome . ¶ Al for teone of here tixt / tremblete myn herte And in a were can y wexe / and with my-self to dispute de [Traiano] Wheþer y were chose or nat y-chose / on holy churche y þouhte Þat vndurfynge me at þe font / for on of godes chosene ¶ For cryst clepede vs alle / com ȝif ȝewe wolede / Sarysynes and Scismatice / and so he dede þe Iuwes And bad hem souken at his breost / sauete for synne And drynke bote for bale / brouke hit ho-so myhte + O vos omnes sicientes venite ad aquas / ¶ Þenne may al cristone come / and cleyme þer-to entre By that blod þat he boute vs with / and baptisme as he tauhte Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit & cetera ¶ For þauh a cristone man coueytede / his cristondam to reney Rihtfolliche to reney / no reson hit wolde / ¶ For may no cherl a chartre make / ne his catel sulle With-oute leue of þe lord / no lawe wolde hit graunte ¶ Ac he may renne in arerage / and rome from home As a recheles caytyf / or reneyhed as hit semeþ ¶ Ac reson schal rekene with him / and rebuke him at þe last And concience a-counte wiþ him / and caste him in arerages And putte him þenne in pryson / in purgatorie to brenne Rewardyng hym þere for his rechelesnesse / riht to þe day of dome / ¶ But contricion and confession / crye by his lyue Mercy for his mysdedes / with mouth and with heorte / ¶ That is soth seyde scripture / may no synne lette Mercy þat heo ne may amende alal amende / ȝif meoknesse heore folwe Þei boþe as oure bokes telleþ / aren a-bouenaren aboueare aboue godes werkes Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius . ¶ Ȝe baw for bokes quaþ on / was broken out of helle I Troianus a trewe knyt / y take witnesse of a pope How y was ded and dampned / to dwellen in helle For an vncristone creature / seynt Gregore wot þe soþe Þat al þe cristondom vndur cryst / ne myhte me cracche þennes But onliche loue and leaute / as in my lawes demynge Gregore wust þis wel / and wilnede to my soule Sauacion for þe sothnesse / þat he sey in my werkes ¶ And for he wilnede wepynge / þat y were saued God of his godenesse / seih his grete wil With-out mo bedes-byddynge / his bone was vndurfonge notaThis nota symbol is combined with a pointer indicating the intended line. And y-saued as ȝe may see / wiþ-oute syngynge of messes / ¶ Loue with-oute lel by-leue / and my lawe rithful / Sauede me sarasyn / soule and body boþe ¶ Lo lordes what leaute dude / and lel dom y-vsed Wel auȝte ȝee lordes þat lawes kepon / this lesson to haue in munde And on Troianes truthe to þenke / alle tymes in ȝoure lyue And louye for ȝoure lordes loue / and do leaute euur-more For lawe with-oute leauhte / leye þer a bene / Or eny science vndur sonne / þe seuene ars and alle But loue and leaute hem lede / y-lost is al þe tyme Of hym þat trauailleþ þer-on / but treuthe beo his lyuynge ¶ Lo loue and leaute / beon oure lordes bokes And cristes owne Clergie / he com from heuene to teche hit And sythen seynt Iohan / seyde hit of his techyng Qui non diligit manet in morte / / ¶ And nameliche poure people / here preyeres may ous helpon For god as þe gospel seith / goþ ay as þe poure And as þe Euuangelist witnesseþ / wen we maken festes We scholde nat clepie knyhtes þer-to / ne none kyne ryche Cum facitis conuiuia / nolite vocare amicos & cetera . ¶ Ac calleþ þe careful þer-to / þe crokede and þe poure . ¶ For eche Frend fedeþ oþer / and fondeþ hou he may quite Meles and manschupes / eche a riche mon oþer ¶ Ac forfor þe poure may not paie / y wol paye my-self AndThat louyeþ hemlouiethloueþloueth hem and loneþleneth hem / largeliche schal y quite ¶ At caluary of cristes blod / cristondam gan sprynge And blod breþeren by-cam we there / of o body wonne As quasi modo geniti / gentul men vchone No beggare ne boy amonges vs / but if synne hit make Qui facit peccatum / seruus est peccati / ¶ In þe olde lawe as lettrure telleþ mennessones men cald ous And Adames vsue and Eue / ay tyl god man deyde And aftur his resurrexioun / Redemptor was his name And we his blody breþeren / as wel beggares as lordes ¶ For-þy loue we as leue childeren / and lene him þat neodeþ And Euery man helpe oþur / for hennes schul we alle To haue as we han deserued / as holychurche witnesset Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam / ¶ For-þi lerne we lawe of loue / as oure lord tauhte Þe poure people faille we nat / whil eny peny vs lasteþ For in here lyknesse oure lord / lome hath beo knowe Witnesse inin þe Pasche-woke / when he ȝeode to Emaus Cleophas ne knew hym nat / þat he cryst were For his poure apparail / and pilgrymes clothes Til þat he blessed here bred / and brak hit by-twene hem . nota . to.The nota is a musical pun. So by his werkes þei wuste / þat he was ihesus Ac by his cloþinge thei knew hym nat / so caytifly heohe ȝeode ¶ Al was ensaumple sothly / to ous synful here We scholde beo louh and louelyche / and lel eche man to other // And pacient as pilgryms / for pilgryms aren we alle / ¶ In þe parail of a pilgrym / and in poure lyknesse Holy seyntes him seih / ac neuere in secte of riche And seynt Marye his modur / as Matheu bereþ witnesse Was a pure poure mayde / and to a poure man wedded Martha on marie magdalene / a hugy pleynt heo made And to oure sauyour self / seyde þeos wordes domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquid me sola ministrare . ¶ And here aytheres wil / hastelyche god assoilede / And aytheres werkes and wil / riht wel he alowede Ac god putte pouerte by-fore / and preoued hit for þe betere Maria optimam partem elegit / & cetera X And al þatþe wyse þat euere were / by out y can aspye Preysede pouerte for best / ȝif patience hit woldefolowefolewide And boþe betere and blesseder / by mony fold þatthen rychesse ÞatThauh hit beo sour to soffre / þer comeþ a swete aftur ¶ As In a walnote with-oute / is a bittur barke And aftur þat byttur barke / beo þe scale a-weye Is a cornel of confort / kynde to restore X ¶ So aftur pouerte and penaunce / pacientliche take Makeþ man haue mynde in god / and his mercy craue Þe wuche is cornel of confort / for alle cristone soules ¶ And wel sykeror he sclepeþ / þe seg þat is poure And lasse drat by daye / or in deorke to ben robed Þan he þat is ryht riche / reson bereþ witnesse Pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris & cetera . ¶ Holychurche witnesset ho-so forsakeþ His fadur or his frendes / fremde oþer sybbe Or eny welþe in þis worlde / his wyf or his childeren For þe loue of oure lord / loweþ hym to beo poure He schal a hondred-fold / of heuene-ryche blysse And lyf lastyng for euere / by-fore oure lord in heuene Quicumque relinquit patrem et matrem & cetera . ¶ Cryst acordeþ eft herwyþ / clerkes wyten þe soþe What god hym-self seyde / to a sekseggman þat he louede ¶ Yf þe lykeþ quaþ god to lyue / þe lyf þat is parfite Al that þou hauesthast here / hastely go sulle hit Ȝiue poure people þe pans / þer-of porce þow none Ac ȝyue hem forthe to poure folk / þat for my loue askeþ For-sake al and suwe me / and so is þe beste Si vis perfectus esse vade et vende omnia & cetera ¶ Thus consailleþ crist / in comyn vs alle Ho-so coueyteþ to come / to my kyn-riche He mot for-sake hym-selue / herehis suster and herhis brother And al þat þe worlde wolde / and my wil folwenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. . Nisi renunciaueritis omnia que possidetis & cetera . ¶ Mony prouerbes y myht haue / of mony holy seyntes To testifie for trewþe / þe tale þat y schewe And Poetes to preouen hit / porforie and Plato . Aristotele / Ouidius . and elleuene hondred Tulius / tholomeus / y can nat telle here names Preouen paciente pouerte / pryns of alle vertues . ¶ And by greyn þat groweþ / god ous al techeþ Meschiefs of þis molde / meokliche to soffren Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terra mortuum fuerit & cetera . But if þe seed þat sowen . is / in þe slow sterue Schal neuere spir spryngen vp / ne spik on strawe curne ¶ Scholde neuere whete wexe / but wete furst deyde And oþer seedes al-so / in þe same wyse Þat beon leyd on louh eortheThere is a false start over the first <e> of eorthe. / y-lore as hit were And þrow þe grete grace of god / of greyn ded in eorþe At last lauynceþ vp / wher-by we lyuen alle ¶ Ac seedes þat beon sowen / and mowen suffre wyntres Aren tydyour and towour / to mannes by-hofþe Þan seedes þat beon sowensowen ben / and mowen nat mydwith forstes Wiþ wyndes ne with wederes / as in wyntur tyme ¶ As Lynseed and leeksed / and lente-seedes alle Aren not so worþi as whete / ne so wel mowen In þe feeld with þe forst / and hit frese longe ¶ Riht so for sothe / þat suffre may penaunces Worth a-lowed of oure lord / at here last ende And for heore pacience beo preysed / as for a pure martyr Or for a confessour y-kud / þat counteþ nat a rusche Fere ne famyne / ne falce menne tonges ¶ But as a housebonde hopeþ / aftur an hard wyntur If god gyueþ hym þe lyf / to haue a goode heruest ¶ So proueþ theos prophetes / þat paciensliche suffreþ Meschiefs and myshappes / and mony tribulacions By-tokeneþ By-tokeneþ ful trewly / in tyme comyng aftur / Murthe for his mornyng / and þat muche plente ¶ For cryst seyde to his seyntes / þat for his sake þoledenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. Pouerte penaunces / persecucion of body Angelus in here angre / on þis wyse hem grette Tristicia vestra vertetur in gaudium / ¶ Ȝoure sorow in-to solas / schal turne at þe laste And ouȝtout of wo in-to wele / ȝoure wyrdes schulle change . ¶ Ac ho-so redes of þe riche / þe reuers he may fynde Hou god as þe gospel telleþ / gyueþ hym foul tow name . And þat his gost schal go / and his good by-leue ¶ And askeþ him aftur / ho schal hit haue Þe catel þat he kepoþ so / in cofers and in bernes And art so loþ to leue / þat leue schalt neodes O stulte ista nocte anima tua egrediatur . thesaurizat & ignorat Nota ¶ An vnredy Reue / thy residue schal spene Þat mony mouthe was maystur Inne / in a mynte-while Vpholders on þe hul / schullen haue hit to selle ¶ Lo lo lordes lo / and ladyes takeþ hede // Hit lasteþ nat longe / þat is licour swete AsThe <A> is oddly formed. pesecoddes and pere Iuntiesperuspere ionettes / plomes and chiries Þat lithliche launceþ vp / litul while dureþ And þat þat raþest rypeþ / roteþ most sannest notaThis nota is a musical pun. notaAnother musical pun, in a different hand than the one in the left margin. ¶ On fat lond and ful donge / fowlest wedes groweþ ¶ Riht so for sothe / suche þat beon byschopes Eorles and erchedekenes / and oþere riche clerkes Þat chaffaron as chapmen / and chyden but þei wynne And hauen þe worlde at here wil / oþer wyse to lyuene / Riht as wedes wexen / in wose and in donge ~~...?...?...~~So of richesse vpon rychesse / aryst alle vices . ¶ Low lond ouurlayd / with marl and with donge Whete þat waxeþ þer-on / worþ ligge ar hit rype Nota ¶ Riht so for soþe / fort to segge treuthe Ouer plente pruyde noryscheþ / þer pouerte destrueþd hitdestrueþ hithit distrueth ¶ For how hit euure beo wonne / but hit beo wel despendit Worldeliche wele is wikkede þing / to hym þat hit kepeþ ¶ For if heThere is a false start after the <e>. beo feer þer-fro / ful ofte hath he drede Þat fals folc facche a-waye / felonliche his goodes And ~~...?...~~ȝut more hit makeþ men / mony tyme and ofte To synegen and to souchen / sotylytes of gyle For couetyse of þat catel / to kulle him þat hit kepeþ ¶ And soso is mony man y-mordred / for his owne goodes And þo þat duden þat dede / y-dampned þe-foreþerfore after ¶ And he for his hard holdynge / in helle paraunter So couetyse of catel / was combraunce to hem alle ¶ Lo how pans purchased / faire places and drede Þat rote is robberes / þe richesse wiþ-Inne / ¶ Hic explicit passus tercius Incipit passus quartus / de dowel .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. Nota land ȜE wel worþe pouerte / for he may walke vnrobbed A-mong pylours in pees / if pacience him folwe Oure prince Ihesu . pouerte ches / and his aposteles alle And ay þe lengur þei lyuedoun / þe lasse good þei hadde Tanquam nichil habentes & cetera . Ȝut men rat þat abraham and Iob were wonder riche / And out of nombre þo men / meny meobles hadden . Abraham for al his good / hadde muche teone In gret pouerte was he put / a prynce as hit were By-nom him his hosewyf / and heold here him-selue And Abraham nat hardy / ones to letten hym Ne for bryhtnesse of here beaute / heore spouce to be by-knowe ¶ And for he suffrede and seyde nouht / oure lord sent tokne Þat þe kynge cryde / to Abraham mercy And delyuered hym his wyf / with muche welþe after ¶ And as soalso Iob þe gentul / what ioye hadde he on eorthe How bittere he hit bouhte / as þe bok telleþ ¶ Ac For he song in his sorow / si bona accipimus a domino / n. dereworþe deore god / do we so mala / Al his sorow to solas / þrouh þat songe turned And Iob by-cam a iolyf man / and al his ioye newe ¶ Lo hou pacience in here pouerte / theos patriarches releued And brouȝt hem al a-boue / þat in bale rotede As greyn þat liþe in þe greot / and throw grace at þe laste Spryngeþ vp and spredeþ / so spedde þe fadur Abraham And al-so þe gentul Iob . / here ioye nathhath non ende ¶ Ac leoueþ nat ȝe leawede men / þat y lakke richesse Þauh y preyse pouerte þus / and preuedpreue hit by ensaumples Worþiour as by holy wryt / and wyse philosofres / Boþe two beon goode / beo ȝeo fol certayn And lyues þat oure lord loueþ / and large weyes to heuene ¶ Ac þe poure pacient / purgatorie passeþ Rather þenne þe riche / þauh þei renne at ones ¶ For if a marchaunt & a messager / metten to-gederes ¶ And scholden wende o way / wher boþe mosten reste And rekene by-fore resoun / a resonable a-counte What on haþ wat oþer haþ / and what þei hadde boþe Þe marchaunt most neode by let / lengur þan þe messagere ¶ For þe parcelles of his pauper / and oþer pryue dettes Wol let hym as y leoue / þe lengþe of a myle ¶ Þe messagere doþ na more / but with his mouþe telleþ His lettre and his erende scheweþ / and is a-non delyuered . ¶ And þauh þei wende by þe weye / þo two to-gederes Þauh þe messager make his weye / a-mydde þe whete Wol no wysmon wroþ beo / ne his wed take / necessitas non habet legem /This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line Is non hayward y hote / his wed for to take ¶ Ac ȝif þe marchaunt make his weye / ouur menne corne And þe haywarde happe / with hym for to mete / Or his hat or his hod / or elles his gloues Þe marchaunt mot for-go / or money of his porce ¶ And ȝut be let as y leoue / for þe lawe askeþ Marchauns for here marchaundyse / in mony places to tullon . ¶ Ȝut þauh þei wendoun on way / as to wynchestre fayre Þe marchaunt with his marchaundise / may not go so swyþe As þe messager may / ne with so muchel ese ¶ For þat on bereþ bot a box / a breuet þer-Inne Þer þe marchaunt ledeþ a male / wiþ mony kynne þynges And dredeþ to beo ded þer-fore / and he in deorke mete Wiþ robbers and reueres / þat riche men dispoilon ¶ Þer þe messager is asay murye / his mouhþe fol of songes And leoueþ for his lettres / þat no whitwitwyht wol hym greue . ¶ Ac ȝut myht þe marchaunt / þrow money and oþer ȝiftes Haue hors and hardy men / thauh he mette þeoues / Wolde non suche assaillon hym / for hem þat hym folowyþ As safly passe as þe messager / and as sone at his hostel . // ¶ Ȝe witon wel ȝee wyse men / what þis is to mene / Þe marchaunt is no more to mene / bot men þat beon riche Aren a-countable to cryst / and to þe kyng of heuene Þat holdon mot þe hye weye / euene ten hestes boþe louye and lene / þe lele and vnlele . ¶ And haue reuthe and releue / with his grete richesse By his power al maner men / in meschief y-falle . Fynde beggares bred / bakkes for þe colde Tyþen heore godes trewliche / a tol as hit semeþ / Þat oure lord lokeþ aftur / of eche a lyf þa.t wynneþ Wit-oute whiles or wronge / or wymmen at þe stuwes . ¶ And ȝut more to make pes / and quite menne dettes Boþe spele and spare / to spene vpon þe neodful As crist self comaundeþ / to al cristone people Alter alterius onera portate . ¶ Þe messager aren þe mendinauns / þat lyuen by menne almes Beoþ not y-bounde as beoþ þe riche / to boþe two þe lawes To lene and to lere / ne lentenes to faste And other pryue penaunces / þe wuche þe preost wot wel Þat þe lawe ȝeueþ leue / suche lohwe folc beo excused . ¶ As none tyþes to tyþen ne cloþe nethenone nakede Ne in enquestes to come / ne contumax þauh he worche Halyday or holy eue / his mete to deserue For yf he loueþ and by-leoueþ / as þe lawe techeþ Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit & cetera . Telleþ þe lord a tale / as a trewe messagere And schewet by seal and sith by lettre / wiþ wat lord he dwelleþ Knewlecheþ hym cristone / and asofon holy churche by-leoueþ Þer nis no lawe as y leue / wol lette hym þe gate Þer god is gateward hym-selue / and eche a gome knoweþ . Þe porter of pure reuthe / may par~~.....~~forme þe lawe In þat he wilneþ and wolde / eche whit as hym-selue . ¶ For þe wil as muche worþe / of a wrecche beggare AsAs al þat þe riche may reyme / and rihtfolliche dele . ¶ And as muche mede / for a myte þat he offreþ / As þe riche man for al his moneye / and more as by þe gospel . Amen dico vobis quia hec vidua paupercula & cetera So þat poure pacient is / parfitest lyf of alle ¶ And alle parfite preostes / to pouerte scholden drawe For spera in deo spekeþ of preostes / þat han no spendynge seluur Þat if þei trauaile trewliche / and tristen in god al-myhti Hem scholde neuere lac lyuelode / noþer lynnen ne wollen ¶ Þe tytle þat ȝe takeþ ȝoure ordres by / telleþ ȝe beoþ auaunced And neodeþ nat to nyme noom. suluer / for masses þat ȝe syngen . ¶ For he þat tok ȝow tytele / scholde take ȝow wages Or þe bysschop þat blessed ȝow / and enbaumed ȝoure fyngres ¶ For made neuere kyng knyht / but he had catel to spene As by-fel for a knyht / and of a caitif kynges makyngeHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the A-verse of RK.13.109 and the B-verse of RK.13.110 to make a single line. Þat hath no lond ne lynage riche / ne good los of his hondes ¶ Þe same y seye for sothe / by suche þat beon preostes Þat han noþur kynnyngeconnyng ne kyn / but a crone one And a tytle a tale of nouht / to his lyflode as hit were ¶ Vuele beon þei suffred / suche þat schendon masses Þrouh here luthure lyuynge / and lewede vndurstondynge ¶ A chartre is chalengable / by-fore a chief iustice If fals latyn beon in þat lettre / þe lawe hit inpugneþ Or peyntede paraunter lynarie / parceles ouur-schkipped Þe gome þat so gloseþ chartres / a goky he is holden ¶ So is he a goky by god / þat in þe gospel faylleþ In masse or in matyns / makeþ eny defaute Qui offendit in vno in omnibus est reus / ¶ And ouurskypperes al-so / in þe sauter saith dauid Psallite deo nostro psallite quoniam rex terre deus . sallite sapienter . Þe bysschop schal beo blamed / by-fore god as y leue Þat croneþ suche clerkes / as for godes knyhtes Þat conneþ nat sapienter / noþur synge ne rede ¶ Ac nother nysis al blameles / ne bysschopthe bischop ne þe chapeleyn . For ignorancia non excusat / as y haue herd in bokes ¶ Thus rechelesnesse in a rage / a-resonede clergye And scornede scripture / þat monye skyles schewede Tyl þat kynde cam / clerigie to helpon And in þe myrrour of myddul-ert / made hym eft loke To knowe by eche creatour / kynde to louye X ¶ And bowed my body / by-holdyng al a-boute And seyh þe sonne and þe see / and þe sande aftur Wher þat bryddes and bestes / by here make ȝeodon / ¶ Wylde wormes in wodes / and wonderfol foules . With flekkede feþeres / and of fele colours ¶ Man and his make / y myhte se bothe // ¶ Pouerte and plente / boþe pees and werre ¶ Blisse and bitter bale / boþe y seyh at ones ¶ And how þat men mede token / and mercy refusedenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. [long horizontal line] ¶ Reson y seyh sothly / suwen al bestes In etynge in drynkynge / in engendryng of kynde After cours of concepcion / non tok kep of other As wan þei hadde ruteyed / a-non þei resten aftur ¶ Maules drowen hem to maules / on morownynges by hem-selue And femeles to femeles / herdyed and drowe ¶ Þer ne was cow ne kowekynde / þat conceyued hadde Þat beer aftur bole / ne bor aftur sowe ¶ Ther was neno kyne kynde / þat conceyued hadde Þat ne les þe lykinge of loust / of fleisch as hit were Saue man and his make / and þer-of me wondrede ¶ For ouȝt of reson þei ryde / and rechelesliche token on As in durne dedes / boþe drynkyng and elles ¶ Bryddes y by-heolde / in bosches maden nestes Hadde neuere wye wit / to worche þe leste ¶ I hadde wondur at wham / and wher þat þe pye Leornede legge stykkes / þat leyen in here neste Þer is no whrit as y wene / scholde worche here nest to paye Ȝif eny mason þer-twoþerto / makede a molde With al here wyse castes / wondur me þenkeþ ¶ And ȝut y merueilede more / mony of þo bryddes Huddon and heledoun / durneliche here egges For no foul scholde hem fynde / but his fere and hym-selue ¶ And some treden y toke kepe / and on trees breddon And brouht forþ here bryddes / al a-boue þe grounde ¶ In mareys and in Mures / in mores & in wateres dompynges dyuedoun / deore god y sayde Wher hadden suchethise wilde such wit / and at what scole And whan þe pecok caukede / þer-of toke y kepe How vncorteisly þe cok / his kynde forþ strewede And ferly hadde of his fairnesse / and of his foul leodene ¶ And seþe y lokede on þe see / and so forþe on þe sterres Mony selcouþe y seyh / aren not to segge nouþe Ne what on floures in feeldes / and of here faire colours How out of greot and of grace / grew so mony hewes Some soure and some swete / selcouþe me thoute Of here kynde and of here colours / to carpen hit were to longe ¶ Ac þat þat meouede me / and my mod chaunget Was þat y seih resoun / suwen al bestes Saue man and mankynde / mony tymes me þouhte Reoson rewled hem nat / nouther riche ne poure ¶ Þenne y a-resonede resoun / and riht tyl hym seyde Y haue wondur in my wit / so wis as thow ert holde Wher-fore and why / so wyde as thou regnest Þat þow ne reulest rather / renkes þenne oþur bestes ¶ For y seo noen so ofte surfeton / sothly so man-kynde In mete out of mesure / and mony tymes in drynke In wommen in wedes / and in wordes boþe Thei ouur-don hit day and nyht / and so doþ non other ¶ Bestes rewlen hem al by resoun / and renkes fol fewe And þer-fore merueyleþ me / for man as in makynge Is most liche toyliche þe / of wit and of werkes Whi he ne louyeþ þi lore / and lyueþ as thou techest ¶ And reson a-resonede me / and seyde reche þe neuure Why y suffre or nat suffre / certes y seyde Ech a sege for him-selue / salamon vs techeþ de Re que te non molestat nolite certare / Ho soffreþ more þenne god quaþ he / no gome as y leoue He myhte amende in amyntwhilea myntwhile / al þat amys stondes Ac he soffreþ in ensaumple / þat we scholde al suffren ¶ Is no vertue so fayr / of value ne of profit As is suffraunce souereynliche / so hit beo for godes loue And so witnesseþ þe wyse / and wysseþ þe freynsche Bele vertu est suffraunce / mal dire est petit veniaunceThese lines are bracketed in red on the right. Bien dire & bien suffrire / fait ly suffrable a bien venir ¶ For-þi quaþ reson y rede þe / ruwele þi tonge euere And er thow lakke eny lyf / loke ho is to preyse ¶ For is no creature vndur crist / þat can hym-self make And if cristone creatours / couthen make hem-selue Eche led wolde beo laclese / leof þou non oþur ¶ Man was made of suche matere / he may not wel asterte / Þat som tymes hym tyt / to folwon his kynde Catoun a-cordeþ herwyth / Nemo sine crimine viuit ¶ Þo cauhte y colour a-non / and comsed to beo a-schamed And a-wakede þer-wiþ / wo was me þenne Þat y ne had met more / so murye as y slepte And seyde a-non to my-selue / slepyng y had grace To wyte wat dowel is / ac wakynge neuere ¶ And þenne was þer a whit / what he was y nuste // What is dowel quaþ þat whit / y wis sire y seyde / // To see muche and suffren al / certes is siresyre ys dowel . ¶ Haddest þow suffred he seyde / sclepyng þo þow were Þow scholdest haue knowe þat clergie can / & more coueytedconceyued þrouh resoun For Reson wolde haue rehersed to þe /The virgule was originally a false start for the <r> of riht. riht as clergie seyde . Ac for þin enturmetyng / here art þow for-sake Philosophus fuisses si tacuisses . & alibi . Locutum me aliquando penituit tacuisse nunquam . ¶ Adam whiles he spac nat / hadde paradys at wille Ac whan he mameled a-boute mete / and musede for to knowe Þe wysdom and þe wit of god / he was putte out of blisse ¶ Riht so ferd reson by þe / for þi rude speche And for þou woldest wite why / of resones pryueite ¶ For pruyde and presumpcioun / of þi parfit lyuynge / Reson refusede þe / and wold not reste with þe Ne clergie of his connynge / kepeþ þe nat sweweshewe // For schal neuere er schame come / a schrewe wel beo chasted ¶ For let a dronken daffe / in a dyche falle Leet him ligge loke nat on hym / tyl him a-lusteluste a-ryse ¶ For þauh reson rebuke hym þenne / reccheþ he neuere Of clergye ne of kyndewit / counteþ he nat a russche To blame hym or to bete hym þenne / y halde hit but synne ¶ Ac when neode nymeþ hym vp / a-non he is asschamed And þenne wot he wer-fore / and why he is to blame ¶ Ȝe seggeþ soth by my saule quod y / y haue seyn hit ofte Þer smyt no þing so smerte / ne smelleþ so foule As schame þer he sheweþ hym / ech man shoneþ his compaignie Why ȝeo wordon to me thus / was for y aresonede reson . ¶ Ȝee certes þat is soth quaþ yhequod he þat is soth / and schop hym to walke And y ros vpriht wiþ þat / and reuerencede hym faire And if his wil were / he wolde his name telle Hic explicit passus quartus / Incipit passus quintus de Dowel .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.The single de Dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. IThe initial is outlined in black by a later hand. Am ymaginatyf quod he / Idul was y neuere Þauh y sete by my-self / suche is my grace / Y haue folowed þe in faith / mo þan forty wyntur And wisschedwissed þe fol ofte / wat Dowel was to mene And consailled þe for cristesake / no creature to by-gyle Noþur to lye ne to lakke / ne lere þat is defended Ne to spille speche / as to speke on ydul And no tyme to tyme / ne trewe þing to teonen Lowe þe and to lyue forþe / in þe lawe of holychurche Þan dost þow wel with-oute drede / ho can dobet no force Clerkes þan connen al / y hope þei can do betere Ac hit sufficit to beo sauetd / and beo suche as y tauhte And for to louye and lene / and lyue wel and by-leoue Is y-cald Caritas kynde loue in englissche ¶ And þat is dobet ȝif eny such beo / y-blesseta blessed man þat helpeþ Þat pees beo and pacience / and poure wiþ-oute defaute quia beacius est predicare quam audire Beacius est dare quam petere / Ac catel and kyndewit / encombreþ fol monye Wo is hym þat hem weldeþ / but he hem wel dispene Scientes et non facientes varijs flagellis vapulabunt ¶ ¶ Ac Comunilyche connynge / and vnkynde rychesse As lorelles to beo lordes / and lewede men techeres And holychurche horen help / auerous and couetous Droweþ vp dowel / and destrueþ dobest ¶ Ac grace is a gras þer-fore / to don hem eft growe Ac grace groweþ nat / tyl good wyl gynne reyne And woky þorgh goode werkes / wyckede hertes . ¶ Ac er suche a wil wexe / god hym-self worcheþ And sent forth seynt espurit / to don loue sprynge Spiritus ubi wlt spiratFlourish here does not mark expand "e." So grace wiþ-oute grace of god and goode werkes May not beo / beo þow syker / thauh we bydde euere . ¶ Cleregie comeþ but of syht / and kynde wit of sterres As to beo bore oþur by-gete / in suche constellacioun Þat wit waxit þer-of / and oþer wirdes boþe . Wltus huius seculi sunt subiecti vultibus celestibus . SaSaueSo grace is a gyft of god / and kynde wit a chaunce And clergie a connynge / of kyndeswitkynde wittes techynge ¶ And ȝut is clergie to comende / for cristes loue more Þan eny connynge of kyndewit / but clergie hit rewle ¶ For moyses witnesseþ þat god wrouhtwroet / in ston wiþ his fyngur Lawe of loue oure lord wrouhtwroet / longe er cryst were And cryst cam and confermede / and holykirke made ¶ And in sond a signe wrot / and seyde to þe iewes Þat seoþ hym-self synneles / cesse nat y hote To stryke wiþ ston or wiþ staf / þis ~~strompet~~ to deþe womanThe non-scribal alteration seems to be made in an effort to render the text less vulgar (compare Vc.10.269, where the same hand alters schit to schet. Quis vestrum sine peccato est et cetera . ¶ For-þi y counsail al cristene / clergie to honoure For as a man may not seo / þat misseþ his eyen No more can no clerkes / but if hit beo of bokes ¶ Al-thauh men maden bokes / god was here magister . And seint espurit þe saumplarie / and seyde wat men scholde write And riȝht as siht serueþ a man / to seo þe hye strete Ryht so lereþ lettrure / lewede men to reson . ¶ And as a blynd mon in bataille / bereþ wepne to fihte And hathe non happe wiþ his axe / his enymy to hitte / No more can a kyndewittede man / but clerkes him teche Come for alle his kynde wittes / þorgh cristondam to beo saued Þe wuche is cofre of cristes tresour / and clerkes kepuþ þe keyes To vn-louke hit at here lykyng / þe lewede and lered to helpe ¶ To ȝeue mercy for mysdedes / if men wolde hit aske Buxomliche and benyngliche / and bydden hit of grace // Archa dei in þe olde lawe / leuites hit kepten . Hadde neuere lewede man leue / to legge hond on þat cheste But hit were preost or preostes sone / patriark or prophete Saul for he sacryfisede / sorowe him by-tyded And his sones for his synnes / sorwe þei hadden ¶ For-þi y consaille al creatours / no clerk to dispyse Ne sette schort by here science / what so þei don hem-selue ¶ Take we here wordes a worth / for here witnesses beoþ trewe And medle we nat muche wiþ hem / to meouen eny wrathe Lest chest chauf vs so / and chop eche mon oþer And do we as dauid techeþ / for doute of godes veniaunce Nolite tangere cristos meos / & cetera ¶ For clergye is cristes vicory / to conforte and to curen Boþe lered and lewed were lost / if clergie ne were ¶ Kyndewitted men han / a clergie by hem-selue / Of cloudes and of custumes / þei contreuede mony þinges And markede hit in heore maneresmanere / and musede þer-on to knowe And of þe selcouþes þat þei seyhen / here sones þer-of þei tauhte ¶ Thei heolden hit For a hy science / heore sotylites to knowe Ac þrow here science sothly / was neuere soule y-saued Ne brouht þrow here bokes / to blisse ne to ioye . ¶ For al here kyndeknowyng cam / but of diuerse syhtes Of bryddes and of bestes / of blisse and of sorowe ¶ Patriarches and prophetes / repreuede here science / And seyde here wordes and wysdomes / ne was but a folye As to þe cleregie of crist / thei countede hit but a tryfle ad corinthios Sapiencia huius mundi / stulticia est apud deum . ¶ For þe hye holygost / schal heuene to-cleue And loue schal leope out aftur / in-to þis lowe eorthe And clannesse schal cachen hit / and clerkes schul hit fynde lucam secundo Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem & cetera . ¶ Hit spekeþ of richemenriche men rith nouht / ne of riche lordes But of clennesse and of clerkes / and keperes of bestes Ibunt magi ab oriente /This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. neque crux neue apostoli ibi erantThis gloss is keyed to the end of the a-verse of Vc15.97 with a signe de renvoi. ¶ If eny Frere found werewere founde þere / ich ȝeue fyue schillinges Nothur in cote ne in anoþer inne inne caytif hous / was crestcrist y-bore opinio ..borum est But in a Borgeyses hous / þe best of al þe toune ¶ To pastours and to poetes / aperede þe aungel And bad hem go to bethleem / godes burthe to honoure Lucam 2osecundo . And sungen a songe of solas Gloria in excelsis deo ¶ RichemenRiche men routten þo / and in here reste weren Þo hit schon to þe schepherdes / a scweweresheware of blisse . ¶ Clerkes knewen þe Comete and comen mydwith here presentes And dude here homage honorably / to hym þat was al-myhty ¶ Why y haue tolde þe al this / y took fol good hede Hou þow contrariedest clergye / with crabbede wordes That is how lewede men and luthere / lithlocour were saued Þan connynge clerkes / of kunde vndurstondyng And þow seydest soþe of somme / ac y seye in wat manere . ¶ Tak two stronge men / and in temese cast hem And boþe naked as a nedle / here non heuegour þan oþur ¶ Þat on hath connynge and can / swymmen and dyuon Þat oþer is lewede of þat labour / & lernede neuere swymme Wuche is trowest þou of þo two / in temse most in drede / ¶ He þat can not swymme y seyde / hit semeþ to al wittes / ¶ Riht so quaþ þat renk / reson hit scheweþ Þat he þat knoweþ clergie / can sannere a-ryse Out of synne and beo saf / þauh he synege ofte If hym likeþ and lust / þan eny lewede sothly ¶ For if þe clerk beo connynge / and knoweþ wat is synne . id est . anteThis phrase glosses wiþ-oute in the line below, attempting to clarify the text's doctrinal position. And hou contricioun wiþ-oute confessioun / conforteþ þe soule As we seon in þe sauter in psalmes / on or tweye . Hou contricion is comended / for hit cacheþ a-weye synne Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates ¶ And þat conforteþ eche clerk / and keuereþ fro wanhope In whut flod þe fend / fondeþ men hardest ¶ Þer þe lewede lithe stille / and lokeþ aftur lente And hath non contricioun / ar he come to schrifte And þenne can he litul telle / of on or of oþer but as his lores-man leres hym / he by-leoueþ & troweþ And þat is aftur person or parsch preost / & parauntur boþe beoþ lewed For to lere lewede men / as luk bereþ witnesse dum cecus ducit cecum .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ For muche wo was him market / þat wade schal wiþ þe lewede Wel may þe barn blesse / þat hym to boke sette Þat lyuynge aftur lettrure / sauede him lyf and soule . ¶ dominus pars hereditatis mee / is a murye verset Hit haþ y-take fro tyborne / twenty stronge þeoues ¶ Þer lewede þeoues beon lollede vp / loke hou þei beon saued ¶ Þe þeof þat hadde þeom. grace of god / a godefrydaygode fryday as þou toldest // Was for he ȝeldedȝeldheld him creaunt to crist / and his grcace askede And god is ay gracious / to alle þat gredeþ to hym He wol no wykkede mon beo lost / but if he wol him-self Nolo mortem peccatoris sea ut magismagis conuertatur & uiuat & cetera . ¶ Ac þauh þe þeof hadde heuene / he had non hye blisse As seint Iohan and oþereroþer seyntes / þat han a-serued beterre ¶ Riht as some men ȝyueþ me mete / & sette me a-mydde þe flor I haue mete more þenne y-nouh / ac nat wiþ so muche worschip As þo þat sitten at þe heye or sydsyde table / or wiþ þe souereyns in halle But as a beggare bord-les / by my-seelf on þe grounde ¶ So hit ferde by þe felon / þat a good fryday was seuedsauedisaued He sit noþur mydwith seint Iohan wiþ Symon ne wiþ Iude Ne with maydones ne wiþ martyres / ne wiþ mylde wydues But as a solayn by him-self / and serued vpon þe grounde ¶ For he þat is ones a þeef / is euere-more in daunger And as þe lawe likeþ / to lyue or to dye de peccato propiciato noli esse sine metu . ¶ And for to seruen a seynt / and suche a þeof to-gederes Hit were no reson ne ryht / to rewarde boþe liche ¶ Ryht as Troianus þe trewe knyht / tulde nat deop in helle Þat oure lord ne hadde him litliche out / so leoue y of þat þeof in heuene . For he is in lowest heuene / if oure by-leue beo trewe And wel lofliche lolleþ þere / as by þe lawe of holy churche Et reddit vnicuique secundum opera sua Ac why þe þeof vpon þe crois / creaunt him ȝeelde Raþer þenne þat oþur / þauh þow woldest appose Al þe clerkes vndurcristvndur crist / .ne couthe þis assoille Quare placuit quia uoluit & cetera .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ And so y seye by þe / þat sekest aftur weyes Hou creatours and kyndewit / and clerkes comen to bokes And hou þe floures in þe frith / comeþ to faire hewes . ¶ Was neuere creature vndur crist / þat knew wel þe by-gynnyng But kunde þat contreued hit furst / of corteyse wil . ¶ He tauhte þe tortle to trede / þe pecok tato cauke And adam and eue / and oþere bestes alle ¶ A cantel of kynde wit / here kynde to saue Of goode and of wik / kynde was þe furste He seyh hit and suffred hit / and seyde hit beo scholde dixit & facta sunt .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Ac whi he wolde þat wikkede were / y wene and y leoue Was neuere man vpon molde / þat myhte hit aspie Ac longe libbynge men / lyknede mennes lyuynge To bryddes and to bestes / as here bokes telleþ . Þat þe fayrest foul / foulest engendreþ And feblest foul of flyht is / þat flucþflueþfluchtfleeth oþer swymmeþ ¶ That is þe pecok and þe popyiay / wiþ here proude feþeres By-tokeneþ riht richemenriche men / þat regnen here on eorþe ¶ For pursue a pecok / or a po hen to cacche And haue hem in haste / at þin owene wil ¶ For þei may not fleo fer / ne ful hye noþur A bracket in the form of a line runs down the left margin for the entire length of the page, from Vc15.193 to Vc15.233. It is crossed at Vc15.212.For heore federes þat faire beon / to fleo fer hem letteþ . His leodene is vnlouelyche / and lothliche his caroyne Ac For his peynted feþeres / þe pecok is honoured More þenne for his faire fleisch / or for his mury note ¶ Riht so menne reuerenseþ more þe riche / for his muche meoble Þan for þe kyn þat he cam of / or for his kynde wittes ¶ Thus þe poete preyseþ / þe pecok for his feþeres And þe riche for his rentes / or richesse in his schoppe ¶ Þe larke þat is a lasse foul / is louelokour of leodene And swetterourswettore of sauour / and swuftor of wynge ¶ To lowe lyuynge men / þe larke is resembled And to lelle and to lyf-holy / þat louon al treuthe ¶ Thus Pofirieporfiriepurfurie and Plato / and poetes monye Lykneþ in here Logik / þe lest foul oute ¶ And weþur hy beo saf or not saf / þe soþe wot nat clergie Ne of Sortes ne of Salamon / / no scripture can telle Wheþer þei beoþ in heuene oþur in helle / or Aristotle þe wyse ¶ Ac god is so good y hope / sith he gaf hem wyttes To wisson vs weyes þer-with / þat wenon to be saued And þe betere for here bokes / to bidden we beoþ holde Þat god for his grace / gyue here soules reste . for letred men were but lewedmenlewed men ȝut / ne were þe lore of þo clerkes . ¶ Al theos clerkes quod y þo / þat on crist by-leouen Seggen in here sarmons / þat noþer sarasyns ne Iewes Wiþ-oute baptisme as by here bokes / beoþ nat y-saued ¶ Contra quaþ ymaginatif þo / and comsode to loure And seyde vix saluabitur iustus / in die Iudicij Ergo saluabitur quath he / and seyde no more latyn Troianus was a trewe knyht / and tok neuere cristondom // ¶ And he is saf seith þe boke / and his soule in heuene ¶ Þer is follyng of font / and follynge in blod-schedyng And throw fuyr is follyng / and al is ferm by-leoue Aduenit ignis diuinus non comburens sed illuminans / ¶ Ac treuthe þat trespasseþ neuure / ne transuersede a-ȝeinst þe lawe But leouede as his lawe tauhte / and leoueþ þer beo no bettere And ȝif þer were he wolde / and in such a wil deyeþ / Wolde neuere trewe god / but trewe treuþe were a-lowed ¶ And were hit worþe or not worþe / þe by-leoue is gret of treuþe And hope hongeþ ay þer-on / to haue þat treuþe deserueþ Quia super pauca fidelis fuisti / supra multa te constituam And þat is loue and large huyre / ȝif þe lord beo trewe And a cortesye more þenne couenaunt was / what so clerkes carpon For al worþ as god wolowol / and þer-wiþ he vanyschede / Hic explicit passus quintus / Incipit passus sextus / de dowel /The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. And y a-waket þer-wiþ / witles nerhande As a frek þat feye were / forþ can y walke In manere of a mendinaunt mony ȝeres aftur And mony tymes of þis meteles / muche þouht y hadde Furst ohou fortune me faylede / at my most neode And hou Elde manasede me / so myhte happe Þat if y leuede longe / leue me by-hynde . And vanysche al myn vertues / and myne faire lokkes And how þat Freres folowden / folk þat was riche And people þat was poure / at litul pryse setten . Ne corps of poure Commune / in here kirke-ȝerd most ligge . But he quyke by-queþe hem auht / or wolde helpe quite here dettes And how couetyse þusom. ouur-cam / alle kynne sectes As wel lered as lewed / and lord as þe bonde ¶ And how þat lewede men beon lad / but oure lord hem helpe Þorgh vnconnynge curatours / to incurable peynes ¶ And hou Imaginatif / in dremeles me tolde Of kynde and of his connynge / & what connynge he ȝaf to bestes ¶ Hou louynge he is to eche a lyf / a londe and a watere For al he wisseþ and ȝiueþ wit / þat walkeþ or crepeþ And y merueilede in herte / hou ymaginatif seyde Þat Iustus by-fore ihesu / in die iudicij . Non saluabitur / but vix helpe / And wen he had seid so / how sodeynliche he vanyschede And so y musede vpon þis matere / þat me luste slepe . ¶ Þenne came concience / and clergie aftur . And beden me ryse and rome / for wiþ resoun scholde y dyne ¶ And y aros and romede forth / wiþ reson we mette We reuerencede reson / and romede forth softely And metten wiþ a maystur / a man like a frere ¶ Concience knew hym wel / and welcomed him faire . Þei weschen and wypedoun / and wenton to þe dyner ¶ Pacience as a poure þing cam / and preyde mete for charite Y-like to Peres plouhman / as a palmere were Crauede and cryde / for cristes loue of heuene / A meles mete for a poure man / or money if þei hadden . ¶ Concience knew him wel / and welcomed hem alle Weschen and wypeden / and wenten and seten . ¶ Þe maystur was made sitte furst / as for þe most worþi Reson stode and styhlede / as for a styward of halle ¶ Pacience and y weren / y-put to beo mettes And seton by oure-selue / at a syde table / ¶ Clergye cald aftur mete / and þenne cam scripture And seruede hem thus sone / of sondry metes monye Of Austyn of Ambrosie / of alle þe foure Euuangelies Edentes et bibentes que apud illos sunt . ¶ Ac of þes metes thes maystur / myhte nat wel chewe For-þi he ete mete of more cost / mortrews and potages Of that þat menne myswonne / thei made hem wel at ese ¶ Ac here sauce was ouur soure / and vnsauerly grounde In a morter Post mortem / of mony byttur peynes . But if þey synge for þo soules / and wepe salte teres Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis nisi pro eis lacrimas & eorum effuderitis ea que in delicijs comeditis in tormentis euenitisen emergitisemergitiseuometisThe correct Latin reading is euometis. It is possible the Vc and Ac scribes misread an exemplar's <om> for <en>, and hence we have expanded as the scribes presumably intended. : & cetera . Þenne reson radde / rith a-non aftur Þat concience comaunde scholde / to do come scripture And brynge bred for pacience / bytynge a partie And to me þat was his mette þo / and oþer mete boþe ¶ He sette a sour lof and seyde / agite penitenciam And seth he drow vs drynke / diu perseuerans . As longe quaþ he as þe lyf / and lycame may dure ¶ This is a semely seruice / seyde pacience ¶ Þenne cam contricioun / þat hadde coked for hem alle And brouht forþ a pytaunce / was pro hac orabit omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno . ¶ Concience confortede vs / boþe cleregie and scripture And seyden cor contritum et humiliatum / deus non despicies . ¶ Pacience was wel a-payed / of this propre seruice And made murye wiþ þis mete / ac y mornede euere For a doctor at þe hy deys / drank wyn faste Ve uobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum / And ete mony sondry metes / mortrews and poddynges Brawon and blod of þe goos / bakon and colhoppes . ¶ Þenne seyde y to my-self / þat pacience hit herde Ȝut is nat þre daysdaies donThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. / þat thes doctor prechede At seynt poules by-fore þe people / what penaunce þei suffreden Alle þat coueyted to come / to heuene kynne ioye And how þat Paul þe apostle / what penaunce he þolede For oure lordes loue / andas holy lettrure telleþ / in fame & frigore /This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Ac me wondreþ in my wit / why þat þei ne preche As paul þe apostele prechede / to þe people ofte periculum in falsis fratribusThis Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. Holywrit bit men beo war / and wysly hem kepe Þat non falce frere / throw flateryng hem by-gyle ¶ Ac me is loth þau y latyn knowe / to lakken eny secte For al we beoþ breþeren / thau we beo diuerse cloþed . ¶ Ac wust y neuere frek / þat frere is y-called Of þe fyue mendinauns / and made eny sarmon Þat toke þis for his teome / and tolde hit with-oute glose . Thei prechen þat penaunce / is profitable for þe soule And wat meschief and mal-ese / crist for man þolede . ¶ Ac this doctor and dyuynour / and decresistre of canoun And al-so a gredy glotoun / with two grete chekes Hath no pyte on vs poure / he parforneþ vuele That he precheþ he preoueþ nat / to pacience y tolde ¶ And wuschede wytturly / with a wylfulwyl ful egre Þat in þe mawe of þat mayster / alle þo metes were Disches and dobelers / with al þe deyntes aftur ¶ Y schal iangle to this iordan / with his iuste wombe And appose hym what penaunce is / and purgatorie on erthe And why he leueþ nat as he lereþ / let beo quaþ pacience ¶ And seyde þow schalt seo þus sone / whan he may no more He schal haue a penaunce in his panche / and poffe at eche worde ¶ Þenne schul his gottes godolon / and he gonne to galpe Now he hathe dronke so deope / he wol dyuyne sone And preouen hit by here apocalips / & by þe passion of seynt aueray Þat noþur bakon ne brawon / blammanger ne mortrews Is nothur fichsche ne fleisch / but fode for penauncespenantuspenaunce And take witnesse at þe trinite / and take his felow to witnesse What he found in a forel / of a Freres lyuynge And but þe furst lef be lesynge / leof me neuere aftur ¶ And þenne is tyme to talke / and to appose this doctour Of dowel and of dobet / and if dobest do eny penaunce . ¶ Y sat stille as Paciens wolde / and þus sone þis doctour As rody as a Rose / roddede his chekes Kowede and carpede / and concience hym herde And tolde of a Trinite / and toward me he lokede ¶ What is dowel sir doctour quaþ y is dobest eny penaunce dowel quath þis doctour / and he drank aftur do þi neyhbore non harm / ne þi-selue noþer Þan dost þow wel and wysely / y dar hit wel a-vowe ¶ Certes sire þan sayde y / hit semeþ nat here . In þat ȝe In þat ȝe parteþ nat with vs poure / þat ȝe passeþ dowel / Nothur louyeþ as ȝe lereþ / as oure lord wolde Et visitauit et fecit redemptionem & cetera . And ȝee fare þus wiþ ȝoure seke freres / ferly me þenkeþ But dowel endite ȝow / in die Iudicij . ¶ Þenne concience ful corteysly / a contenaunce he made And preynte vpon pacience / to prey me beo stille ¶ And seyde him-self sire doctour / by so hit beo ȝoure wil What is dowel and dobet / ȝe dyuynours knoweþ ¶ I haue seyde seyde þe seg / y can say no betere Bute do as doctours telleþ / For dowel y hit holde ¶ Þat trauailleþ to teche oþere / For dobet y hit holde And he þat doþ as he techeþ / y hald hit for þe beste Qui facit et docuerit magnus vocabitur / ¶ Now þow clergie quaþ concience / carpe what is dowel ¶ Haue me excused quath clergie / by crist bot in scole Schal no suche motyf beo meoued / for me bute there For Peres loue þe plouhman / þat inpugnede ones Al kynne connynges / and alle kynne craftes Saue loue and leaute / and louhnesse of herte ¶ And no tyxt takeþ / to preoue þis for trewe Bute dilige deum et proximum / and domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo . And preoueþ by pure sckil / inparfit alle þinges Nemo bonus /This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. But lel loue and treuþe / þat loþ is to beo founde ¶ Quaþ Peres þe plouhman / pacientes vincunt By-fore alleom.the perpetual pees y schal / preoue þat y seyde And a-vowe by-fore god / and for-sake hit neuure Þat disce . doce . diligere / deum and þin enymy Hertely þow him helpe / emforþ þy myhte ¶ Cast hote coles an his hed / of alle kynde speche Fond þowom. þrow wit and word / his loue for to wynne And ȝif hym eft and eft / euere at his neode Conforte hym with þi catel / and with þi kunde speche And leye on him þus wiþ loue / til he lauh on þe And but he bowe for þis betynge / blynd mot y worþe . ¶ And when he hadde worded þus / wuste no man aftur Were Peres plouhman by-cam / so pryueliche he wente And reson ran aftur / and riht with hym ȝeode Saue concience and clergie / y couthe no mo aspie . ¶ And pacience propreliche spake / þo peres was þus passed Þat loueþ lelly quath he / bute lutul þing coueyteþ . experimentumThe gloss is elaborately displayed on three lines with a curved bracket, also red, connecting the syllables. The first two syllables occur before Vc16.164. The middle two syllables are placed before Vc16.168, and the final syllable before Vc16.175. ¶ I wolde and y wil hadde / wynnen al Fraunce With-outen bruttyng of burnes / or eny blod-schedynge I take witnesse quod he / at holy writ a partye pacientes vincunt .This Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ For by him þat me made / myhte neuure pouerte Meseise ne meschief / ne man with his tonge Teone þe eny tyme / and þow take Pacience And bere hit in þin bosom / a-boute wher þow wendest In þe cornel of a cart wheol / wyþ a crow crone Schal neuure burne beo a-baysched / þat haþ þis a-boute hym . Nothur hete ne hayl / ne helle pouke hym greue Noþur Fuyr noþur flod / ne beo a-ferd of enymy Caritas expellit omnem timorem . ¶ Þer nys whit in þis worlde / þat wolde þe lette To haue al londes at þi likynge / and þe here lord make And maystre of al heore meoble / and of here money aftur Þe kynge and al þe comune / and clergye to þe loute ~~....~~ As for heore lord and ledere / and lyuen as þou teches ¶ Þis is a dido quaþ þis doctor / a dysours tale Al þe wit of þis world / ne whitwyghteswiȝtywyhte mennes strenthe Can not parformen a pees / of þe pope & of his enymys Profitable for boþe parties / and put þe bord fro hym . And toke concience and Clergie / to consail as hit were . Ac y toke kepe hou concience / conieyed sone þis doctour And sithe he seyde to clergie / so þat y hit herde . ¶ By crist quaþ concience / clergie y wol nat lye Me were leuur by oure lord / and y lyf scholde Haue pacience parfitliche / þan half þi pak of bokes ¶ Lettrure and longe studye / letteþ fol monye Þat þei knoweþ nat quod pacienceConcience / what is kynde pacience . ¶ For-þi quaþ concience / cryst y the by-teche With pacience wol y passe / parfitnesse to fynde Thus þei wente forþe here way / wiþ aom. gret wil y folwed . ¶ Þenne hadde pacience alas pilgryms hauen / in here poke vitailes Sobrete and sympul speche / and sothfast by-leoue To conforte hym and concience / if þei come in place Þer vnkyndenesse and couetyse is / hongry contreis boþe ¶ And as þei wente by þe way / of dowel can þei carpe Þei mette wiþ a Mynustral / as me þo þouhte ¶ Pacience apposede hym / and preyde he sholde telle What craft þat he couþe / and cortesly he seyde ¶ Y am a Ministral quaþ þis man / my name is actiua vita Peres prentys þe plouhman / alle people to conforte What manere ministralsie / my dere frend quaþ concience Hast þow vsed or haunted / al thy lyf-tyme ¶ Ministracye can y nat muche / bute makenmake men murye As a waffrer with waffres / and wel-come godes gyftes ¶ Of my labour þei lauhe / þe lasse and þe more Þe poure and þe riche / y plese and payn fynde . And fewe robes y foundefonge / or forrede gownes Wolde y lye and do men lauhe / þen lacchen y scholde . Manteles oþer moneye / a-monge lordes Ministralles ¶ I can nat taboure ne trompe / ne telle faire gestes . Farten ne fythelon / at festes ne harpon Iapen ne iogelon / ne genteliche pipe Noþenoþer sailen ne sautrien / ne synge wiþ þe geterne ¶ I haue none goode gyftes / atof these grete lordes For no bred þat y by trauaile / to brynge by-fore lordes Ne were hit þat þe parische / prayeþ for me an sonedays I am sory þat y sewe or sette / but for my-self one ¶ Ac þe preost and oþer people / prayeþ for peres plouhman And for me Actif his man / þat ydelnesse hatte For lordes and lorelles / luthere and goode Fro myhelmasse to myhelmasse / y fynde mete and drynke . ¶ Y fynde payn for þe pope / and pray hym y wolde Þat pestilences to pees / and to parfit loue turne For funde y þat his blessynge / and his bulle myhte Letten this luther eyr / and lechen þe syke As þe bokes bereþ witnesse / þat he bere myhte In his mouth mercy / and amende vs alle Super egros manus imponent et bene & cetera . Þenne wolde y beo bysy / and boxom to helpe Eche kynne creature / þat on cryst by-leeuedbyleyueþ ¶ For sythe he hath þe pouer / þat seynt petur hadde He hathe pureliche þe pot / with þe same salue . Argentum et aurum non est michi quod autem habeo hoc tibi do / ¶ Ac if myhte of myracle hym faile ~~/ hit is for men beoþ nat worþi /~~ Fort to haue þe grace of god / and no gult in þe pope For may no blessynge do vs bote / but if we wol amende Ne mannes preyere make pees / a-mong cristone people / Tyl pruyde beo pureliche for-do / and þat þrow payn defaute Ex habundancia panis et vini turpissimum peccatum aduenit / Pure plente of payn / þe people of sodomye . And rest ofand riche metes / rybaudes hem made / ¶ Pees quath pacience / y preye þe syresire actyf For þauh neuere payn ne plouh / ne potage were Pruyde wolde putte hym-self forthe / thauh no plouh erye . ¶ Hit am y þat fynde al folk / and from honger saue Throw þe hye help of hym / þat me hydur sente And seyde lo here lyflode y-nouh / if oureThere is a false start on the <o>. by-leoue beo trewe ¶ For lente was þer neuure lyf / bute lyflode were y-schape Wher-of or were-fore / and where-with to lyuen . Þe worm þat woneþ vndur erthe / and in watur fyssches . notaThe ink of this character may be the same as that which underlined and corelu in the text. Þe cryket by kynde of fuyr / and corelu by þe wynde ¶ Bestes by gras and by grayn / and by grene rotes In menynge þat al men / myhte þe same Lyuen throw lel by-leoue / as oure lord witnesseþ . Quodcumque pecieritis patrem in nomine meo dabitur enim vobis . & alibi . Non in solo pane viuit homo sed de omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei ¶ Hauest þow ay quath Actyf suche mete wiþ þe ¶ Ȝee quaþ pacience and hente / out of his poke A pece of þe Pater noster / and profrede to vs alle ¶ And y lustned and lokede / what lyflode hit were Þen was hit fiat voluntas tua . þat scholde fynde vs alle Haue Actyf quaþ pacience / and ette þis when þe hongreþ Or when þow clomsest for cordecolde / or clyngest for drouþe NeAnd schal neuure gyues þe greue / ne gret lordes wrathe Prysone ne oþer payne / for pacientes vincunt ¶ By so þow beo sobre of syht / and of tonge boþe In ondyng in hondelyng / in alle þy fyue wittes Þat þow care for no corne / for cloþ ne for drynke Ne deþ drede ne deuul / dey as god likeþ Wheþur throw hongur or throw hete / at his wil beo hit For if þow lyuest aftur his lore / þe schorter lyf þe betere Si quis amat christum / mundum non diligit istum . Throw his breþ bestes woxon / and a-brod ȝedon dixit & facta fuerunt Ergo þrow his bestes lyuen / boþe men an fysches As witnesseþ holy writ / when we seye oure graces Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne & cetera . ¶ Hit is founde þat fourty wyntur / folc lyueden and not tylede And ouȝt of flynt sprang þe flod / þat folke and bestes dronken ¶ And in Elyes tyme / heuene was y-closed Þat no regne reynede / thus redeþ men in bokes Þat mony wyntur men lyueden / and of no mete telden . ¶ Seuene slepen as seyþ þe bok / more þan syxti wyntur Lyuedoun wiþ-oute lyflode / and at þe last a-wakedoun ¶ And if men lyueden as mesure wolde / scholde neuure beo defaute A-mong cristone creatours / if crystes word beo trewe . dabo tibi secundum peticionem tuam & cetera . ¶ What is parfit pacience / quath actiua vita Meoknesse and mylde speche / and men of o wil Þe wuche wil loue ledeþ / to oure lordes place And þat is charite chaumpioun / chief of alle vertues ¶ And þat is poure pacient / al peryles to suffre ¶ Where pouerte and pacience / plese more god al-myhty Þan doþ rithfol richesse / and resonabli to spende . ¶ Ȝe quis est ille quaþ pacience quyk laudabimus eum . ¶ Þaugh men rede of riche / ryht to þe worldes ende And whan he drouh hem to þe deþ / þat he ne dradde him sarrer Þan eny poure pacient / and þat preoue y by resoun . ¶ Hit are but fewe folk of þes riche / þat ne falleþ in arerage Þer þe poure dar plede / and preoue by pure Resoun To haue a-lowaunce of his lord / by lawe he claymeþ ioye Þat neuure ioye hadde / of rythful Iuge he askeþ ¶ And seith lo bryddes and bestes / þat no blisse knoweþ And wylde wormes in wodes / þrow wyntur þow hem greuest And makest hem wel nere meok / and mylde for defaute Aftur þenne þow sendest hem somor / þat is hem seuereyn ioye And blisse to al þat beon / boþe wylde and tame ¶ Þenne may beggares as bestes / aftur blisse asken Þat al here lyf han lyued / in langor and defaute . But god sende hem tyme / of som manere ioye Other here or elles-wer / elles were hit reuþe For to wroþerhele was he wrouht / þat neuere was ioye y-schape ¶ Angeles þat in helle now beon / hadden some-tyme ioye . And diues in his deynteys lyuynge / and in douce vie . And now he buyeþ hit fol bittere / he is a beggare of helle ¶ Mony man haþe his ioye here / for al here wel dedes And lordes and ladies beon cald / for leodes þat þei haue And slepeþ as hit semeþ / and somor euure hem folowiþ ¶ When deþ awakeþ hem of here wele / þat were here so riche Þenne aren hit pure pore þinges / in purgatorie or in helle ¶ Dauid in þe sauter / of suche makeþ muydemuy[n]de And seith dormierunt / et nichil inuenerunt & cetera . & alibi . velud sopniumso[m]pnium surgencium . ¶ Hic Explicit passus sextus / Incipit passus septimus / de dowel .The incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.The single de dowel seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. Alas þat richesse schal reue / & robbesrobbe mannes soule Fro þe loue oureof oure lord / at his last ende Thei þat han here huyre byfore / aren euere-more poure And schul nat dye oute of dette / to dyne or thei deseruen hit When his deuer is y-don / and his dayes iorneThis line is connected to the following line with a bracket on the left. Þen men may wite wat he is worþ / & what he haþ deserued And not tfonge by-fore / for drede of desalowynge So y say by ȝou riche / hit semeþ nat þat ȝe schulleThis line is connected to the following line with a bracket on the left. Haue two heuenes / for ȝouere herbeoyngeherberwynge Muche murthe is in may / a-monge wilde bestes And so forthe whil somer lasteþ / here solas dureþ And muche murthe a-mong riche men is / þat han meoble y-now and hele . Ac beggares a-boute myssomer / bredles þei soupe And ȝut is wyntur for hem worse / for wetschohed þei gangen . A-furst and a-fyngret / and foule rebuket Of þis worlde richemenriche men / þat reuthe is to hereThis line is connected to the following three lines with a bracket on the left. ¶ Now lord send hem somor som-tyme / to solas and to ioye Þat al here lyf ledoun / in lownesse and in pouerte ¶ For alle mystest thou haue maked / men of grete welthe And liche wytty and wyse / and lyue wiþ-oute neode Ac for þe best as y hope / aren some poure and riche ¶ Riht so haue reuthe on vs alle / þat on þe rode deidest And amende vs of þi mercy / and make vs alle meoke Lowh and lel . and louynge / and of herte poure And sende vs contricioun / to clanse wiþ oure soules And confession to kulle / alle kynne synnes And satisfaccion þe wuche folfulleþ / þe faderes wil of heuene And þese beon / dowel and dobet / and dobest of alle Cordis contricio / comeþ of sorowe of herte And Oris confessio . that comeþ of schrift of mouthe And Satisfaccio that for synnes payeþ And for alle synnes / souereynliche quiteþ Cordis contricio / oris confessio / operis satisfaccio / ¶ Theos thre wiþ-outen doute / tholen al pouerte And lereþ lewade and Lered / hyh and lowe to knoweA faint bracket extends on the left from this line to the end of the page. Ho þat doþ wel oþur bet / or best a-bouen alle And holychurche and charite / her-of a chartre maden But theos þre þat y spac of / on domesday vs defendoun Elles is in ydul / alle oure lyuynge here Our preyeres and oure penaunce / and pilgrimages to Rome But oure spenses and spendyng / sprynge of a trewe welle Elles is al oure labour lost / lo hou men wryten In fenestres atte þe Freres / yf falce beo þe fundementThis and the following two lines are bracketed in brown in the left margin, apparently by glossator3. ¶ For-þi cristine men scholde beon in comyn riche / no couetyse to hem-selue . For seuene synnes þat þer beon / þat assaillon vs euere ¶ Þe feond foloweþ hem alle / and fondeþ hem to helpe And wiþ richesse to rybaudes / rathest men by-gylen For there þat richesse regneþ / reuerences followyþ And þat is plesaunt to pruyde / in poure and in riche ¶ Þe riche is reuerenced / by reson of his richesse Þer þe poure is pultyputpotte by-hynde / and canne parauntur more Of whit and of wysdom / þat feorwey is betere Þan richesse or reaute / and rather y-herde in heuene ¶ For þe riche hath muche to rekene / and riht soft walkeþ Þe hye weye to heueneward / he halt hit not ful euene Ther þe poure preseþ by-fore / wiþ a pak at his ruggeHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.16.54α). Bataunt-liche as begares doun and boldliche he craueþ For his pouerte and pacience / perpetuel ioye ¶ Al-so pruyde in richesse regneþ / rather þan in pouerte Or in þe maystre or in þe mon / som mancion he schoweþ ¶ Ac in pouerte þer pacience is / pruyde hatþ þeno myhte Ne none of þe seuene synnes / sitte ne may þer longe Ne haue pouer in pouerte / if pacience hit folowe . For þe poure is ay prest / to plese þe riche . And boxom at his byddyng / for his bred and drynke ¶ And boxomesseboxom[n]esse and bost / aren euere-more at wrathe . And aythur hateþ oþur / and mowen nat dwelle to-gederes ¶ If wrathe wrasclewraxlewrastle with þe poure / he hath þe wors ende For ȝif þei boþe pleyon / þe poure is but feble And ȝif he chide or chatere / hym cheueþ þe worse ¶ For loueliche he lokeþ / and louh is his speche Þat mete oþur moneye / of strange men mot begge . ¶ And ȝif gloteny greue pouerte / he gadereþ þe lasse For his rentes wol nat reche / riche metes to bugge ¶ Þauh his gloteny beo of gode ale / he gothe to a cold beddyng And his hed vnheled / vuelycheThe usual reading is vnesylyche, but the scribal reading is sensible and probably intentional. y-wrye ¶ For when he streyneþ hym sto streche / þe straw is his witel So for his glotonye and gret synne / he hath a greuouse penaunce That is weylaweye when he wakeþ / and wepuþ for colde So is he neuure-more ful murie / so meschief him folowiþ . Þauh couetyse wolde with þe poure wrasclewraxlewrastle / thei may not come to-gederes By þe nekke nameliche / heor non may henton oþer For men knowe þat couetyse / is of a kene wil . HeAnd hath hondes and armes / of a longe lengþe And pouerte is but a pety þing / a-pereþ nat to his nauele A louely layk was hit neuere / by-twene a long and a schort ¶ Thanthogh auerice wolde angre pouerte / he hath but litul mythe For pouerte hath but pokes / to put yn his goodes Þer auarys hath almarys / and yrebounde cofres And weþur beo betre to breke / lasse bost hit makeþ to breke a beggares bagge / þan a yrebounde cofre ¶ lecherye loueþ non pore / for he haþ but litul seluur Ne doþe men dyne delicat-liche / neyþur drynke wyn ofte A strawe for þe stewes / hy stode not fol longe And þei hadde non oþur haunt / but of poure people ¶ Þauh sleuthe sew pouerte / and serue not god to paye - Meschief is ay a mene / and makeþ hym to þenke Þat god is his grettest help / and no gome elles And he is seruaunt al-way he saith / and of his secte boþe And weþur he beo or beo nat / he beruþ þe signe of pouerte And in þat secte oure saueour / saued al men-kunde ¶ For-þi al poure þat pacient is / of pure ritht may cleyme - Aftur here endyng here / heuene-riche blisse - ¶ Muche hardiloker may he aske / þan he þat haþþat here myhte haue his wil In lond and in lond or& in ley orand in lordschipes / lykyng of body ¶ And for godes loue leueþ al / and lyueþ as a beggare ¶ As a mayde for a monnes loue / hure modur for-sakeþ Hure fadure and heore frendes / and goþ forþ with hure paramours ¶ Muche is suche a mayde to loue / of a mon þat suchonsuch on takeþ More þan þat mayde is / þat is y-maried by brocage As by assent of sondry bodies / and suluer to bote More for couetise of catel / þan kynde loue of þe mariage ¶ So hit fareþ by eche a persone / þat pocessioun for-sakeþ And put him to beo pacient / and to pouerte him weddeþ Þe wuche is sibbe to crist him-self / and semblabesemblable boþe . ¶ Quath Actyf þo al angreliche / and arguete as hit were What is pouerte Pacient quod he / y prey þat þow telle hit Paupertas quaþ pacience / est odibile bonum Remocio curarum / possessio sine calumpnia . donum dei . sanitatis mater Absque solicitudine semita . sapiencie . temperatrix . negocium sine dampno Incerta fortuna / absque solicitudine felicitas ¶ Y can nat construe al this / quath Actiua vita ¶ Parfey quaþ copacience / proprelicleproprelic[h]e to telle In englische is fol hard / ac som-del y schal tel þe ¶ Pouerte is þe furst point / þat pruyde most hateþ Þan is pouerte good quod good sckil / þauh hit grevegregreue a litulLines Vc17.123-129 are bracketed in brown on the left, apparently by glossator3. Al þat may putten of pruyde / in place þer he regneþ Remocio curarumThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ For selde sit þeom. pouerte / þe sothe to declare As a iustice to iuge men / men ienioyneþ þerto no poure . Ne to beo a mayre ouur men / ne ministur vndur kynges Selde is þe poure put / to punysche eny people Ergo Pouerte and poure men / parformen þe comaundement nolite iudicare quemquam .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. Possessio sine calumpniaThis line is written in the margin to the right of the following line. ¶ Selde is þe poure ryht riche / but of his rithful heritage ~~Possessio~~This word has either been deliberately erased or just badly smudged. He wynneþ nauht with whites false / ne wiþ vn-seled mesures .Lines Vc17.134-138 are bracketed in brown in the left margin. Ne borowiþ of his neihborwe / but whatþat he may wel paie And lithly men leneþ to fewe men / and men wene hem poure ¶ Þe feorthe . hit is a fortune / þat florisschet þe soule With sobrete fro alle synnes / and al-so ȝut more Hit defendeþ þe fleysche / fro folies ful monye And a collateral confort / cristes ownesoune sonde . donum deiThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Ȝut hit is modur of myht / and of mannes heltheLines Vc17.142-147 are bracketed in brown in the left margin. And frende in alle fondynges / and of foule vueles leche sanitatis materThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Þe syxthe . hit is a paþ of pees / ȝe throw þe pas of Aultone Pouerte myhte passe / wiþ-oute peril of robbynge . For þer as Pouerte passeþ / pees folowyþ comuniliche And euure þe lasse þat eny lyf ledeþ / þe lyhtur his herte is there [pen trials] As he þat wot neuure wiþ whom / in nyhtes tyme to meteThis line is bracketed in brown in the left margin. SencaSen[e]ca pauper est absque solicitudine semita ¶ Þe seuethe . hit is a wel of wysdomThere is an otiose tilde over the <m>. / & fewe wordes sweweþshewethsewethLines Vc17.151-155 are bracketed in brown in the left margin. For lordes a-loweþ hym lytul / or leith ere to his resoun He tempreþ his tonge to trewþward / þat no tresour coueyteþ ¶ Þe eyhteþe . hit is a lel labour / and loth to take more Þan he may sothly deserue / in somer or in wyntur And þauh he chaffare he chargeþ no los / mowe he charite wynne Negocium sine dampno / ¶ Þe nythe . hit is swete to sowles / no suggor swettourLines Vc17.158-162 are bracketed in brown in the left margin. For Pacience is his paniter / and payn to pouerte fyndeþ And sobrete ȝeuuþ heore swete drynke / & solaceþ hure in al angres Þus lered me a lewed man / for oure lordes loue seyntseynt Austyn Þat pure pouerte and pacience was / a longe lyuyng on eorthe A blessed lyf wiþ-oute bysynesse / but oneliche for þe soule ¶ Absque solicitudine felicitas / ¶ Now god þat al thyng gyueþ / graunt his soule reste Þat wrot þus to wysse men / what pouerte was to mene ¶ Þan hadde Actyf a ledere / þat hihte liberum arbitrium . YThatA knew Concience ful wel / and clergie boþe He þat hathe lond and lordscip quaþ he / at þe last ende Schal beo pourest of pouer / at his partynge hennes / ¶ Þen y wondrede what hithe was / thes liberum arbitrium And preyde pacience / þat y appose hym myhte And suffrede me and seyde / assay his other name ¶ Leue liberum arbitrium quaþ y / of what lond ar ȝe If thou beo cristes creature / For cristes loue tel me ¶ I am cristes creature quaþ he / and cristone in mony place And in cristcristencristes cort y-knowe / and of his knydek[yn]dekuyndekynne a partie Is nothur Petur þe porter / ne Paul wiþ his fauchon Þat wol defende me heuene dore / dynge y neuure so late At Midnytht at Midday / my Vois is so y-knowe Þat eche creature þat loueþ crist / welcomeþ me faire ¶ Wher-of serue ȝe y seide / sire liberum arbitrium Of somtyme to fyhte quod he / fals-nesse to destrue And somtyme to soffre / boþe sorow and teone layke other leue / at my lykynge chese To do wel oþur wykke / a wil wyþ a resoun And may not beo wiþ-oute a body / to bere me were yhym likeþ ¶ Þenne is þat body betre þan thow quod y / nay quod he no betere But asas aas wod were a-Fuyre / þanne worchen boþe And aythur is oþures hete / and al-so of o wil And so is man þat hath his munde / myd liberum arbitrium ¶ And whyle y quyke þe cors cald am y Anima ¶ And whenne y wilne or wolde / Animus y hyhte ¶ And for that y can and knowe / cald am y mannesmannes þouȝtmensAll but two of the manuscripts in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group record the misinterpretation of Latin mens as an English word. ¶ And when y make mone to god / memoria y hatte ¶ And when y deme domes / and do as treuthe techeþ / Þen is Racio my rith name / reson in Englissch ¶ And when y fele asþat folk telleþ / my furtst name is sensus And that is wit and wisdom / þe welle of alle craftes ¶ And wen y kalangechalenge or kalengechalange nat / chepe or refuse Þan am y conciencia cald / godes clerk and his notarie ¶ And when y wol do or nat do / goodes dedes or ille Þenne am y liberum arbitrium / as lettrede men tellen ¶ And whenne y loue lelly / oure lord and alle oþere Þenne is lel loue my name / in latyn þat is Amor ¶ And whenne y fleo fro þe body and feye leue þe coroignecaroyne Þen am y spirit specheles / and spiritus þenne y hote ¶ Austyn and ysodorus / ayþur of hem bothe Nempnede me thus to name / now þou myhte chese Hou þou coueytest to cal me / now knowest al my names . ¶ Anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur . dum viuificat corpus anima est Dum wlt . animus est / dum recolit memoria est / dum iudicat racio est dum sentit sensus est dum amat amor est . dum declinat a malo ad bonum liberum arbitrium est dum negat vel consentit consciencia est / dum spirat spiritus est . ¶ Ȝeo beon as a bysschop quaþ y / al bordynge þat tyme For Bysschopes blessed / thei bereþ mony names . nota Presul and Pontifex and Metropolanus An othere names an hepe Episcopus and Pastor ¶ Þat is sothe he sayde / now y seo þi wil Hou thow woldest knowe and conne / þe cause of al here names And of myne if þou myhtest / me þenkeþ by þi sechespeche ¶ Ȝee sire y seid by so / þat no man bybeowere agreued Al þe sciences vndur sonne / and alle sotile craftes I wolde y knewe and couthe / kyndeliche in my herte ¶ Þen art þou inparfit quod he / and on of pruydes knyhtes For suche lousta lust and lykynge / lucifer feol fro heuene ponam pedem meum in aquiloneThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous one and bracketed on the right in rubricating ink. ¶ Hit were a-gayne kunde quod he / and alle kynne resoun Þat eny creature scholde conne al / excepte crist one .A-ȝeyns al suche salomon spekeþ / and despiseþ here wittes And seyth sicut qui mel comeditcomedit multumcommedit multumcomodit multum non est ei bonum Sic qui scrutator est / magestatis opprimatur a gloria ¶ To englische men þis is to mene / þat mowen speke and here Þe mon þat muche hony ette / his mawe hit engleymeþ Þe wittyour þat eny whit is / but if he worche þer-aftur Þe bitterour he schal a-bugge / but if he wel worche ¶ Beatus seith seynt Bernard / qui scripturas legit Et verba vertit in opera / emforth his power ¶ Couetise to conne / and to knowe sciences Put out of paradys adam and Eue Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriam spoliauit ¶ And rith so as hony / is vuel to defye Ryht so sothly sciences / swelleþ a mannes soule And dothe hym to beo deynous / and deme þat beoþ nat lered Non plus sapere / seyde þe wyse quam oportet sapere / lest synne of pruyde wexe . ¶ Freres fele sithes / to þe folc þat þei prechon Meouen motyfs mony tymes / insolibles and fallaces Þat boþe lered and lewed / of here by-leoue douten ¶ To teche þe ten comaundemens / ten sythe were betre contra fratresThis is the same hand annotating in light brown as found elsewhere in the manuscript, but faded due to water damage. The expansion marks for <ra> in contra and fratres have been trimmed off. And how þat folk folliche / here fyue wittes myspenden ¶ As wel freres as othur folk / folliche spendenA light brown line runs down the left margin from Vc17.248-Vc17.272. It appears to be the same hand that wrote contra freres at the top of the page. In housynge and in helynge / in hih clergie swewyngeschewynge More for pompe and pruyde / as þe people wot wel Þat y ly not loo / for lordes thei plesoun And reuerensceþ þe Riche / þe rather fofor here syluur A-ȝeins þe counseil of crist / as holychurche witnesseþ Ne sitis acceptores personarum ¶ loo what holychurcheholy writ witnesseþ / of wykkede techeres As holynesse and honestete / out of holy churche Spryngeþ and spredeþ / and enspireþ þe poeple / Throw parfit preosthod / and prelates of holychurche / ¶ Riht so out of holychurche / al vuel spredeþ Þer inparfit preost-hod is / precheres and techeres ¶ And see hit by ensaumple / on treos in somurtyme Þere some bowes bereþ leues / and som bereþ none ¶ Þe bowes þat bereþ not / and beoþ nat grene leued Þer is a meschief in þe more / of suche manere stokkes ¶ Riht so persones and preostes / and prechours of holy churche Is þe rote of þe ryht feythe / to ruele þe poeple ¶ Ac þer þe rote is roton / reson wot þe soþe Schal neuere flour ne fruyt wexe / ne fair leof beo grene ¶ For wolde þe lettrede leue / þe lecherie of cloþinge And beo corteys and kunde / of holy churchez goodes Parte wiþ þe poure / and ȝoure pruyde leue And þer-to trewe of ȝoure tonge / and of ȝoure tail al-so And haton harlotrye / to vndurfonge þe tyþes Of vsurers and of hores / and al vuel wynnynges / ¶ loþ were lewed men / but þei ȝoure lore foloweden And amende hem of here mysdedes / more for ȝoure ensaumples Þan for to preche and preoue hit nat / ypocrysie hit semeþ ¶ Ypocrysie / is a braunche of pruyde / & most a-mong clerkes And y-likned in latyn / to a lothly dongehep Þat were by-snewe al wiþ snowe / and snakes wiþ-Inne ¶ Rith so mony preostes / prechours and prelates Þat beoþ enblaunched wiþ bele paroles and wiþ bele clothes And as lambes þei loken / and lyuen as wolues Iohannes Crysostomus carpuþ þus of clerkes ¶ Sicut de templo omne bonum progreditur / sic de templo omne malum procedit Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit tota floret ecclesia / si autem corrupta fueritThis word has an unusual appearance, as the expanded <er> is placed over the <t>, but the intent is clear. omnium fides marcida est Si sacerdocium fuerit in peccatis totus populus conuertitur . ad peccandum / sicut cum videris arborem palliduam et marcidam intelligis quod vicium habet in radice / Ita cum videris populum indiciplinatum et irreligiosum / sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanumThis line is a continuation of the Latin from the previous page. ¶ A-las lewede men / muche leose ȝe þat fyndoun Vnkynde creatours / to beo / keperes of ȝoure soules Ac thinge þat wikkedliche y-wonneis wonne / and wiþ falce slythes Wolde neuure oþer-wyse god / but wykkede men hit hadde As inparfite preostes / and preochours aftur suluer Secutours and sodones / somenours and here lemmans And þat wiþ gyle was gete / vngraciousliclevngraciouslic[h]e despended ¶ Curatours of holy churche / and clerkes þanþat beo auerous Rihtliche þat þei lyue / loseles hit deuouroun / ¶ leoueþ hit wel lordes / boþe lered and lewede Þat þus goþ here goodes / atte þe last ende Þat lyuen a-ȝeyns þe holy lore / and þe loue of charite ¶ ¶ Charite quaþ y þo / þat is a þing for-sothe Þat maystres comende muche / wher may hit beo founde ¶ Ich haue lyued in londoun / mony longe ȝeres And found y neuure in faith / as freres hit precheþ Charite þat chargeþ nat / ne chit þauh men greue hithym As Paul in a Pystle / of him bereþ witnesse Non inflatur non est ambyciosa / ¶ Y knew neuure by crist / clerk noþur lewede Þat he ne asket aftur his / and oþer-while coueytede Think þat neoded him nauht / and nym hit if he myhteA bracket in light ink extends on the left from this line to the end of the page. ¶ For þauh men souhte alle sectes / of sustren and breþeren And fynd hym but figuratifly / a ferly me þenkeþ . Hic in Enygmate / tunc facie ad faciem ¶ And so y trow trewly / by that men tellen of charite distinctio caritatis ¶ Charite is a childisch thyng / as holy churche witnesseþ Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli Als proud of a peny / as of a pound of goolde And als glad of a gowne / of a grey russet As of a cote of camoka / or of clene charletscarlet ¶ He is glad wiþ al glade / as gurles þat lawhen alle And sory when he seeþ men sory / as þow seost children lawhen þer men lawhen / and loure þer men loureþ ¶ And when a man swereþ for soþe / forsoþe he hit troweþ He weneþ þat no whit / wolde lye and swere Ne þat eny gome wolde / gylen oþer ne greue For drede of god þat is so good / and þus vs techetecheth Quodcumque vultis vt vobis faciant homines / facite eis ¶ He naþhath no lykynge to lauhe / ne likne menemen to scorne ¶ Alle sekenesse and sorows / for solas he hit takeþ ¶ And alle manere meschiefs / as Ministralcie of heuene ¶ Of deþ ne of deorþe / drad was he neuere Ne myslikeþd þauh he leorelore / or leuede to þat ylke Þat neuure payed peny aȝe / in place þer he borowed - ¶ Who fyndeþ hem herehym hishis fode quod y / or what frendes haþ he Rentes oþur richeses / to releue hym at his neode se ¶ Of rentes ne of richesses quath he / reccheþ he neuure On Aperis tu manum / alle þyng him fyndeþ Fiat voluntas tua / festeþ hym eche daye ¶ And al-so he can clergie / credo in deum patrem And portreyeþ wel þe Pater noster . and peynteþ hit with auees ¶ And othur-while his wone is / to wende in pilgrymages Þer poure menne and prysones beoþ / and payeþ for here lyflode Cloþeþ hem and conforteþ hem / and of crist precheþ hem . What sorowes he suffrede / in ensaumple of vs alle Þat pouerte and pacience / parfitteliche y-take Is muche merit to þat man / þat wel may soffren ¶ When he hath þus vysited fetered folk / and oþer folc poure Þan he ȝerneþ in-to þouht / and ȝeply he secheþ Pruyde with alle þa portenauncez / and packeþ hem to-gederes And laueþ hem in þe lauendry laboraui in gemitu meoThis line is written to the right of the previous line. And boukeþ hem at his breost / and beteþ hit ofte And wiþ warm watur of his eyen / wokeþ hit til he white Lauabis me et super niuem dealbabor . Þanne syngeþ he wan he so doþ / and some-tyme wepynge Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies ¶ Wher y wiþ hym by crist quodAn unusual flourish follows this word. y / y wolde neuure fro hym Þauh y my by-lyfe schold begge / a-boute at men hacches ¶ Wher clerkus knowe him not quod y / þat kepon holy churche Peres þe plouhman . quaþ he / most parfitliche him knoweþ Et vidit deaus cogitaciones eorum By cloþinge ne by carpynge / know schalt þou hym neuere Ac throw werkes þow myhte wyte / wher forþ he walkeþ / operibus crediteThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ He is muriest of mouthe / at metes þer he sitteþ And compenable in companye / as crist hym-self techeþ Nolite tristes fieri / sicut ypochrite ¶ Y haue seyn hym my-self / som-tyme in russet Bothe in grey and in Grys / and in gylt harneys . - And al-so gladliche he gyueþ / to gomes þat hit neodeþ Edmund and Edwarde / ayther were seyntes And chief Charite wiþ hem / and chast al here lyue ¶ I haue seyn Charite / also / syngen and rede Riden and rennen / in raggede cloþes Ac byddynge as a beggare / by-heold y hym neuere ¶ Ac in riche robus / rathest he walkeþ Y-called and y-Cromyled / and his croune y-schaue [heavy curved line] ¶ And in a Freres frok / he was y-founde ones Ac hit is fer and fele ȝeeres / in Fraunceys tyme In þat secte sythe / to selde he haþ be founde Riche men he comendeþ / andand of here robes takeþ Of þo þat lelliche lyuen / and louen and byleouen .Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.16.359α). ¶ In kynges cort he comeþ / if his consail beo trewe Ac if couetyse beo of his consail / he wol not come þer-Inne ¶ A-monges þe Comunes in cort / he comeþ but selde For brawlyng or forand bacbytynge / and beryng of fals witnesse ¶ In constorie by-fore þe Commissarie / he comeþ nat ful ofte For here lawe is ouur longe / but if thei lacche suluer ¶ With buysschopes he wold beo / for beggares sake Ac auarice oþur-whiles / halt hym with-oute þe gate Kynges and cardinals / knewen hym som-tyme Ac throw couetyse and his consail / congeyed is he ofte [large curved mark] ¶ And wo-so coueyteþ to knowe hym / suche a kynde him folowiþ As y tolde þe with tonge / a lytul tyme passed For noþur he beggeþ ne byddeþ / ne borowyþ to ȝeelde He halt hit a nycete / and a fourfoule schame / To beggen or to borowe / but of god one . panem nostrum cotidianum .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. Hic explicit passus septimus & vltimus de dowelThe word <dowel> is bracketed on the left and top with a red line. / Hic incipit passus Primus de dobet .The word <dobet> is bracketed on the left and top with a red line. tTHer is non suche y sayde / þat som-tyme ne borweþ Or beggeþ or byddeþ / beo he riche or poure And ȝut oþer-wyle wroþ / wiþ-oute eny synne Ho-so is wroþ & wolde beo a-wreke / holywrit quod he preueþ He passeþ chief charite if holychurge beo trewe + Caritas omnia suffert Holywrit witnesseþ / þer were suche Eremites Solitarie by hem-selue / and in here selles lyuedoun Wiþ-oute borwyng or beggynge / but of god one Excepte þat Egydie / an hynde oþur-while To his selle selde cam / and soffrede to beo mylked . Elles foules fedden hem / in frithes þer þei woneden Boþe antony and Erseny / and othere mo fele Paul primus Eremyta / hadde parroket him-selue Þat no man myhte seo hym / for muche mos and leues Foules hym fedde / yf frere austyn . beo trewe ForFor he ordeynede that ordre / or elles þei gabben ¶ Paul aftur his prechynge / panyeres he made And wan wiþ his hondes / al that hym neoded Petur Fischede for his fode / and his ferefrere Androwe Som þei solde and som þei sende / and so þei lyueden boþe Marie magdeleyne / by mores lyuede and dewes loue and lel by-leoue / heold lyf and soule to-gederes Maria Egipciaca / eet in þritty wyntur But þre litul loues / and loue was here souel I can nat rekene hem riht nowe / ne reherse her names - Þat lyueden thus for oure lordes loue / mony longe ȝeres Wiþ-oute borowynge or beggynge / or þe bok lieþ And wonedoun in wildurnesses / amonge wilde bestes ¶ Ac durst no best byten hem / by daye ne by nyhte But myldeliche when þei metten / maden louh chere And faire by-fore þo men / faunede wiþ þe tailles ¶ Ac bestes brouhte hem no mete / but oneliche þe foules In tokenynge þat trewe men / alle tymes scholde Fynde honeste men and holy men / and other rithful people ¶ For wolde neuure faithful god / þat freres and monkes token Lyflode of luthur wynnynges / in al heore lyf-tyme ¶ As witnesseþ holy wryt / what Thobie seyde To his wyf whan he was blynde / he herde a lamb blete ¶ A wyf beo war quaþ he / what ȝe haue her-Inne Lord leue quaþ þat lede / no stole þynge beo her-Inne Videte ne furtum sit / et alibi* Melius est mory quam male viuere / This is no more to mene / but men of holychurche Scholde receyue riht nauht / but þat ryhte wolde And refuse reuerences / and raueners offrynges ¶ Þenne wolde lordes and ladies / beo loþe for to a-gulte And to take of here tenauns / more þen trewþe wolde And marchans merciable wolde beo / and men of lawe bothe ¶ Wolde religious refuse / raueners almesse Þenne grace scholde growe ȝut / and grene leued wexe ¶ And charite þat cheld is nowe / scholde chaufen of hem-selue And conforte al cristone / wolde holy churche amende Iob þe Iob þe parfit patriarke / this prouerbe wrot and tauhte To make men louye mesure / þat monkes beoþ and freres Numquam dicit iob rugiet onager cum habuerit herbam / aut mugiet bos cum ante plenum presepe steterit . BrittorumBrutorum animalium natura te condempnat quia cum pabulum comune sufficiat ex adipe prodiit iniquitasThe final word is written below prodiit and connected by a curved red line. If lewede men knewe þis latyn / a lytul thei wolde a-uyse hem Er thei amortisede eny more / for monkes or for chanouns ¶ A-las lordes and ladyes / lewede counsail haue ȝe To feffe suche and fede / þat founded beoþ to þe folle With þat ȝoure barnes and ȝoure blod / by goode lawe may cleyme ¶ For god bad his blessed / as þe bok techeþ Honora patrem et matremThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. To helpe þi fadur formest / by-fore freres and monkes And er preostes or pardoners / or eny people elles . ¶ Help þi kynne cryst bydeþ / for þer by-gynneþ charite And aftur-ward a-wayte / ho hath most neode An þer help if thou hast / and þat halde y charite ¶ Loo Laurens for his largenesse / as holy lore telleþ Þat his mede and his manhed / for euure-more schal lasteA bracket in the left margin by glosstaor3 connects this line to the next two. Iusticia eius manet in seculum seculi / ¶ He gaf godes men godes goodes / and not to grete lordes And fedde þanþat a-fyngredafyngred wereafyngred wasofhongret were / and in defaute lyuedoun [curving horizontal line] ¶ I dar not carpe of clerkes now / þat cristes tresour kepen Þat poure people by pure riht / here part þei myhten aske Of that þat holychurche / of þe olde lawe cleymeþ / Prestes on aparail / and on purnele spenen ¶ Men may likne letrerdmenlettred men / to a luscheborg or worse And to a bad peny / with a good prente ¶ For of muche moneye / þe metal is ryht nauht Ȝut is þe prent ryht trewe / and parfitliche y-graue ¶ And so hit faruþ by falce cristine / here follouht is trewe XThe cross extends from this line down to the line below. Cristondom of holykirke / þe kynges mark of heuene ¶ Ac þe metal þat is mannes soule / of mony of þes techeres Is a-layed with lecherie / and oþur lustes of synne AndThat god coueyteþ nat þe coyne / þat crist hym-self pryntede And for synne of þe soule / for-sakeþ his owne coygne ¶ Thus are þe luthur lyknede / to luscheborue sterlynges Þat faire by-fore folc / prechen and techen And worchen nat as þei fynde y-writen / and wissen þe people ¶ For what throw werre and wrake / and wykkede hedes May no preyere pees make / in no place hit semeþ Lewede men han non by-leoue / so lettred men erren ¶ Nothur þe see ne þe sand / ne þe seed ȝeeldeþ . [four dots] ¶ As þei y-woned were / in wham is þe defaute Nat in god þat he nis good / and þe ground bothe And þe see and þe seed / þe sonne and þe mone done here deuere day and nyht / and if we duden also Þer scholde beo plente and pees / perpetuel for euure / Wondur-wyse schupmen now / and oþur witty people Han non by-leue to þe lyft / ne to þe lode-sterres ¶ Astronomyers al-day / in here art fayllen Þat whilom warnede men by-fore / what sholde by-falle aftur . Schupmen and schepherdes / by þe seuene sterres Wyston wele and tolden / whenne hit scholde regnereynenrynereyne ¶ Tyliers þat tyledoun þe eorthe / tolden here maystres By þe seed þat þei sewe / what þei scholde notye And what lyueby and lyueleue / þe lond was so trewe ¶ Now failleþ þis folc / boþe soweres and schupmen Nowthur þei knoweþ ne conneþ / ocourso cours by a-noþur ¶ Astronomyens al-so / aren at here wyttes ende Of þat þatþat was calkuled of þe clymat / þe contrarie þei fyndeþ . Gramere þat ground is of al / by-gyleþ now children For þer is nouthe non / who-so nymeþ hede Þat can vercifie faire / or formeliche endite Ne that can construe formilichekyndelyche / þat poetes maden ¶ GoweGo we nouh to eny degree / and but gile beo halde a maystur And a flaterere for his huscher / and ferly me þynkeþ ¶ Doctours of decree / and of deuyne maystres Þat scholde þe seuene ars conne / and assoillea quodlibetadiþlibet But þei faile in philosophie / and philosofres lyuedoun . ¶ Lord leue þat preostes / lelly seyen here masses Þat þei ne ouurhuppe nat for haste / as y hope þei do nat ¶ Thauh hit suffice for oure sauacioun / sothfast bileoue As clerkesClerkes in Corpus Christi feste / syngen and redenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n> in reden. Þat sola fides sufficit / / to saue with lewede people ¶ Ac if preostes don here deuer wele / we schul do þe betere For sarasyns may beo saued so / if þei so by-leouede In þe lenthynge of here lyf / to leoue on holychurche ¶ What is holychurche frend quod y / charite he seyde / Lyf / and loue / and leaute / in o byleue a lawe A loue-knot of leaute / and of lel byleue Al kynne cristone / cleuynge on o wil Wiþ-oute gyle / and gabbyng / gyue and selle / & lene ¶ Loue . lawe . with-oute leaute / a-lowable was hit neuere God lereþ no lyf to loue / wiþ-oute lel cause / ¶ Iuwes / Gentiles / and sarasyns / iugen hem-selue Þat lelliche þei by-leeuen / and ȝut here lawe diuerseþ And o god þat al by-gan / wiþ goode herte þei honoureþ And aythur loueþ and by-leeueþ / on o lord almyhty ¶ Ac oure lord loueþ no loue / but lawe beo þe cauce ¶ For lechours louen a-ȝeyn þe lawe / and at last beoþ dampned . And þeoues leaute haten / and at last beoþ hanged And lelle men louen as lawe techeþ / and loue þer-of a-ryseþ Þe wuche is heued of charite / and hele of mannes sowle dilige deum propter deum / idestid est ppter veritatem Et inimicum tuum propter mandatum / idestid est propter legem & amicum propter amorem / id est propter caritatem ¶ loue god for he is good / and ground of al trewþe ¶ loue þin enymy entierly / godes hest to folfulle ¶ loue þi Frend þat foloweþ þi wille / þat is þi faire soule ¶ For when al frendes faillen / and fleon a-way in dyinge Þen seweþ þe þi soule / to sorow or to ioye And ay hopeþ eft to beo / wiþ hure body at þe laste / In murthe or in mornyng / and neuure efte to departe ¶ And þat is charite my leue child / to beo chere ouur þi soule Contrarie hure nat as in concience / if þow wolt com to heuene / ¶ Wher sarasyns y sayde / seo nat what isis charite ¶ Hit may beo þat sarasyns / hauen suche amanerea manerea manere charite Louye as by lawe of kynde / oure lord god al-myhty ¶ Hit is a kunde þinge / creature / his creatour to honoure For þer is no man þat munde haþ / þat ne meokeþ hym & bysecheþ To þat lord þat hym lyf lente / and lyflode hym sendeþ ¶ Ac moniy maner men þer beoþ / as sarasyns and Iuwes loueþ nat þat lord a-riht / as by legende Sanctorum And leuen out of lel by-leoue / for þei leoue in a mene / AnAndA man þat hihte Makamede for Messie þei him heolde And aftur his lerynge þei lyuen / and by lawe of kynde ¶ And when kynde haþ his cours / and no contrarie fyndeþ Þenne is lawe y-lost / and leaute vn-knowe Beaute sanz bountee / / blesset was hit neuure / Ne kynde saunz cortesye in no contreye preysed ¶ Men fyndeþ þatPaleographically useful for word-final e's? Mackanmede / was a man y-crystened And a cardinal of court / a gret clerk wiþ-alle And porsuede to haue beon pope / prynce of holy churche And for he was like a loysceborue / y leue oure lord hym lette / For-þi souht he in-to Surrye / and sotilede hou he myhte Beo maystur ouur al þo men / and on þis maner he wrouhte ¶ He endauntede a Dowe / day and nyht here fedde In aythur of his eres / pruueliche he hadde Corne þat þe coluer eete / when he cam in places And in what place þat he prechede / and þe people tauhte ÞeThenne scholde þe coluere com / to þe clerkes eere / Menyng as aftur his mete / thus Makamede heore nenchaunted ¶ And when þeheþe coluer cam thus / þen knelede þe people For Makamed to men swor / hit was a messagere of heuene And sothly god self / in suche a coluere likenesse Tolde hym and tauht hym / hou to teche þe people ¶ Thus Makamed in mysbyleoue / man and wommon brouhte /This mark stretches down three lines. And in his lore þei lyuen ȝut / as wel rThis <r> would seem to be a false start that was not canceled. lered as lewade ¶ And sythe our saueour suffrede / suche a fals cristene deseyue so sarasynes / sothly me þenkuþ Holy men as y hope / throw help of þe holy gost Scholde conuerte hem to criste / and cristondam take ¶ A-las þat men so longe / on makamede by-leouen So monye preostes to preche / as þe pope makeþ Of Nasareth of Nynyue of Neptalym of damascle Þat þei ne wendeþ þe weye / as holy writ byddeþ Ite in vniuersum mundum / / siþe ȝe wilneþ þe name To beo prelates and preche / þe passioun ofihesus And as hym-self seyde / so lyue and dye Bonus pastor animam suam ponit pro ouibus suis ¶ Hit is reuthe to rede / hohow rith holy men lyueden Hou þei defouledenThere is an otiose tilde on the <n>. here fleisch / for-sokene her owne wil ¶ Feor fro kyþe and fro kyn / vuel cloþed ȝeodon Baddeliche beddyd / no bok but here concience Nothur richesse bot þe rode / to reioyce hem Inne Absit nos gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri ihesu christi . And þo was pees and plentee / amonge poure and riche +The cross extends down to Vc18.211. ¶ And now is reuthe to rede / hou þe rede Noble / Is receyuede by-fore þe Rode / and receyuede for þe worthiour To amende and to make / as wyþ men of holychurche / Þan crist or croys þat ouurcam / deþe / and dedly synne . ¶ And now is werre and wo / and wo-so why askeþ / For couetyce aftur crois / þe crone s.tant in golde / ¶ Bothe riche and religious / that rode þei honouren / Þat In þeom. grotes is y-graue / and in þeom. gold Noobles / ¶ For couetyse of þat croys / clerkes of holychurche Schulle ouur-turne as templers duden / þe tyme a-procheþ faste ¶ Mynne ȝe nat leredlettredȝe letterd men / hou þo men honourede More tresour þan trewþe / y dar not telle þe soþe Hou þo cursed cristine / catel and richesse worschepdoun Reson and rithful dom / tho religious dampnede prophecieA red line connects <prophecie> to the beginning of the line. ¶ Rith so ȝee clerkes / oureȝoure couetice or come out longe Schal dampne dos ecclesie and depose ȝow fro ȝoure pruyde Deposuit potentes de sede / ¶ If knyhthod and kyndewit / and þe commune and concience To-gederes louyen leuliche / leueþ hit wel bisschopes Þe lordschip of londes / lese ȝe schal for euure And lyuen as leuitici dude / and as oure lord ȝow techeþ per primicias & decimasThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ When constantyn of his cortasie / holykirke dowede With londes and leedes / lordschupes and rentes An angel men herde an hyh / at rome crye dos ecclesie this day / hathe y-dronke venym And þo þat han Petres power / aren apoysened alle ¶ A medicine most þer-to / þat myhte amende þe prelates Þat scholden preye for þe pes / and possession hem letteþ ¶ Takeþ here londes ȝee lordes / and let hem lyue by dymes If ȝe kynges coueyten / in cristone pees to lyuen For if possession beo poyson / and inparfit hem make Þe hefdes of holichurche / and þo þat beon vndur hym Hit were charite to deschargen hem / for holychurches sake / And purge hem of þe olde poysoun / er more peril falle ¶ For were preosthod more parfit / þat is þe pope formest Þat wiþ moneye meynteyneþ men / to werren vpon cristene A-ȝeins þe lore of oure lorde / as seint Luk witnesseþwitnesseth Mihi vindictam &c His preyeres wiþ his pacience / to pes schulde brynge Al londes in-to loue / and þat in lytul tyme / ¶ Þe pope wiþ alle preostes / pax vobis scholde make And take hede hou Makamed / þrow a mylde dowe Hadde al surrye as him-self wolde / and sarsyns in oquiete ¶ Nouht þrow mannes-slauht and strengþe / makamed had þe maistrie // But throw pacience and pryue gile / he was prince ouur hem alle ¶ In suche manere me þinkeþ / most þe pope Prelates and preostes / preyen and by-seche deuouteliche day and nyht / and wiþ-drawe hem fro synne ¶ And crie to crist þat he wolde / his coluore sende Þe whuc is þe holy gost / þat out of heuene descendede Ta make perpetual pees / by-twene þe prince of heuene And al manere men / þat on þis molde libben ¶ If preost-hod were parfit / and preyede þus / þe peple scholde amende Þat now contrarien cristes lawes / and cristondom despyseþ ¶ For sythe þat theos sarasyns / scribes and þes Iuwes Hauen a lyppe of oure by-leoue / þe lithlocour me þenkeþ Thei scholde turne þat trauaile wolde / and of þe trinite teche hem . ¶ For alle Paynymes preyen / and parfiteliche byleouen In þe grete hye god / and his grace asken / And maken here mone to / makamed her message to schewe ¶ Thus in a faith lyueþ þat folc / and in a falce mene And þat is ruthe for þe rythfol men / þat in þat reme wonyeþ And a peryl for þoforfor þe prelates / þat þe pope makeþ Þat bereþ name of Neptalym / of Nynyue and of damaske // ¶ For when þe holy kynge of heuene / sende his son to eorthe Mony myracles he wrouht / man for to turne In ensaumple þat men scholde / seo by sad resoun +The cross extends three lines down. Þat men myhte nat be saued / but throw mercy and grace And þrow penaunce and passion / and parfit by-leoue ¶ And by-cam man of a mayde / and Metropolanus . And baptizede and bysschopede / wiþ þe blod of his heorte Al þat wilnede or wolde / wiþ Inwit byleoue hit ¶ Mony seint sithe / suffrede deþe also For to enferme þe faith / fulwyd were dyeden In Inde and in Alisaundre / in Ermanye in spayne And fro mysbileoue / mony men turnede ¶ In sauacion of mannes soule / Seint Thomas . of kaunterbury A-monge vn-kynde cristene / in holy kirke was sleye And al holy churche / honoured for þat dyinge ¶ He is a forbusne to alle bysschopes / and a bryht myrrour And souereynliche to al suche / þat of Surrye bereþ name ¶ And nat in Engulond to huppe a-boute / and halwen men auteres And crepe In a-monge curatours / and confesson a-ȝeyn þe laweHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.17.280α). ¶ Mony man for cristes loue / was martred a-mong romayns Er cristondam were knowe þere / or eny crois honoured ¶ Euerich bysschop by þe lawe / scholde boxomliche wende And paciens-lichepacientliche þrow his prouince / & to his people hym scewe Feden hem and fullen hem / and fere hem fro synne In baculi forma / sit presul hec tibi norma Fer trahe punge gregem / seruando per omnia legem And enchaunten hem to charite / on holy churche to by-leoue ¶ For as þe kynde is of a knyht / or for a kyng to be take And amonge here enemys / in mortelez batailles To beo culled and ouurcome / þe comune to defenden / So is þe kynde of a curatour / for cristes loue to preche And deye for his dure children / to destrue dedly synne / Bonus pastorThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. And nameliche þer as lewede lyuen / and no lawe knowen ¶ Ac we cristone conneþ þe lawe / and hauen of oure tonge bysschopes and bokes / þe by-leue to teche ¶ Iuwes lyuen in þe lawe / þat oure lord tauhte Moyses to be maistur þer-of / til þat Messye come And in þat lawe þei lyue / and leten hit for þe beste And ȝut knewe þei crist / þat cristondom tauhte And for a parfit prophete / þat muche people sauede And of selcouþe sores / sauede men fol ofte ¶ By þe miracles þat he made / Messye he semede Þo he lyfte vp Lazar / þat leyd was in graue Quatriduanus cold / quike dude hym walke Iuwes seyden þat hit seyen / wiþ sorcerie he wrouhte And fondeden to strye hym / and stryeden hem-selue And her power throgh his pacience / to pure nouht brouhten And ȝut þei seyen sothly / and so doþe þe sarasynes Þat ihesus was but a Iogulor / a Iapere a-monge þe comune ||These marks extend from this line to Vc18.330. And a sophistre of sorcerie / and pseudo propheta And þat his lore was lesynge / and lacken hit alle And hopon þat he beo to comynge / þat schal hem releue Moyses or Makamed / / here maystres dyuyneþ And hauen a suspecion to beo saf / boþe sarasyns and Iuwes Throw Moyses and Makamed / / and myhte of god þat made al . ¶ Now sithe þat þeos sarasyns / and al-so þusþeþise Iuwes Conne þe furst clauce of oure by-leue Credo in deum patrem Prelates and preostes / scholden preoue if þei myhte lere hem litulum and litulum / / and in ihesum christum filium eius Til þei couþe speke and spele / and in spiritum sanctum Recorden hit and reden hit / wiþ remissionem peccatorum Carnis resurreccionem et vitam eternam amen / Hic explicit passus primus Incipit passus secundus de dobetThe incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.The single de dobet seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. lLEue liberum arbitrium quaþ y / y leoue as y hope Þou couþest tel & teche me / to charite y leoue Þenne louh liberum arbitrium & ladde me forþ with tales Til we comen in to a contrey cor hominis hit hihte Herber of al priueytees / and of holynesse / Euene in þe myddes / an ympe as hit were Þat hyhte ymago dei . / graciousliche hit growyþ ¶ Þan can[g]an y aske what hit hihte / and he me sone tolde ¶ Þe treo hihte trewe loue quod he / þe Trinite hit sette Þrogh louely lokynge hit leueþ / and launceþ vp blosmes Þe wuche blosmes burnes / benyngne speche hit callen . And þer-of comeþ a good fruyt / þe wuche men calleþ werkes Of holynesse of hendenesse / andofto helpe hym þat neodeþ Þe wuche is called / Caritas cristes owne fode ¶ And solaceþ al soules / sorweful in purgatorie ¶ Now certes y sayde / and sykede for ioye I þongthonke þe a þousandsithesþousand sithes / þat ȝe me hydur kende An sythen ȝe vouchen saf / to sey me what hit hihte ¶ And þonket me þo / but þenne toke y hede Hit hadde schorieres to schoue hit vp / þre schydes of o lengþe And of kynne colour / and o kynde as me þouhte Alle þre y-liche longe / and y-liche large / ¶ Muche merueyled me / on what more þei growed And eft askede hym / of what wode þei were ¶ Theos þre schoriers quod he / þat bereþ vp þis plonte Thei by-tokeneþ trewly / þe Trinite of heuene / Þre persones indepartable / perpetuel were euere Of o wil . of o wit ~~/ and her-wiþ y kepe /~~ Þe fruyt of þis faire treo / fro þre wykkede wyndes And fro fallynge of stok / hit faile nat of his myhte X ¶ Þe worlde is a wykkede wynd / to hem þat wolde treuþe Couetyse comeþ of þat wynd / and hit abiteþ caritas . And forfreteþ þat fruyt / wiþ monye faire sihtes And wiþ þe furst plaunke y palle hym a-doun / potencia dei patris ¶ Þenne is fleisch a feol wynd / in florynge tyme Þrow lecherie and lustus / so lloude he gynneþ blowe Þat hit noryscheþ nyce syhtes / and som-tyme wordes And mony wykkede wormes / workes of synne And al-so forbit Caritas / to þe bare stalke . ¶ Þenne set y þe secunde plaunk / sapiencia dei patris Þe wuche is þe passion and penaunce / & þe parfitnesse of ihesus And þer-with y warde hit oþer-whyle / tyl hit wexe rype / ¶ Þen fondeþ þe feond / my fruyt to destrue And leyþ a laddre þer-to / of lesynges beo þe ronges With al þe wyles þat he can / waggeþ þe rote . Throgh bakbyters and brawlers / and þrow bolde chideres And shakeþ hit ne were hit vndurschored / certes hit scholde nat stande / So þees lordeynes lyþeren þer-to / þat al þe leues fallen . And fecheþ a-wey þis fruyt som-tyme / by-fore boþe myn eyen . ¶ Þenne palle y a-doun þe pouke / wiþ þe þridde schoryere . Þe wuche is spiritus sanctus and sothfast by-leoue And þat is grace of þe holy gost / and þus gate y þe maystrie . ¶ I totede vpon þe treo þo / and þenne toke y hede Wheþur þe fruyt were faire / or foul for to lokon on . ¶ And þe fruyt was wondur fair / no fairer beo myhte Ac in þre degres hit grewe / gret felrly me thouhte And askede þo if hit were / al of o kynde ¶ Ȝe certes he seyde / and sothliche þow leue hit Hit is al of o kynde / and þat schal y preouen . Ac some aren swettere þan some / and sannere woloþwollenwoll rotye notaAnother musical pun. // ¶ Men may seo on an appul treo / mony tyme and ofte Of o kynne apples / aren not y-liche grete Ne of suwynge smale / ne of o swetnesse swete ¶ Þo þat sytten in þe sonne syde / some aren rype Swetour and saueryour / and al-so more grettour Þan þo þat selde hauen þe sonne / and sytten in þe norþ half ¶ And so hit fareþ sothly / soone by oure kynde Adam was as a treo / and we aren as his apples Some of vs sothfast / and some variable Some litul and some large / like appeles of kynde ¶ As wedded men / and wydowes / and rith worþi maydones Þe wuche þe seint espurit suweþ / þe sonne al ofof al heuene Conforteþ hem in here continence / þat lyuen in contemplacioun As monkes and moniales / men of holychurche // ÞusThese hauen hete of þe holy gost / as crop of treo þe sonne . Wydowes and wydowers / þat here owne wil for-saken And chast ledoun here lyf / is lyf of contemplacioun And more lykynge to oure lord / þan lyue as kunde askeþ And folwe þat þe fleisch wole / and fruyt forþe brynge / Þat letred men in here langage / Actiua lyf callen . ¶ Ȝe sire y seyde and sithen / þer aren but two lyues Þat oure lord a-loweþ / as lered men vs techeþ That is actiua vita / / and vita contemplatiua / Why groweþ þes treosthis fruyt in þre degres / for a good skile he seyde ¶ Her by-neoþe y may nyme / if y neode hadde Matrimonie a moyst fruyt / þat multiplieþ þe people ¶ Þenne a-boue is betere fruyt / ac boþe two beon goode Wydowot more worþiour / þen wedlok as in heuene / þan is virginite more vertuesvertuous / & fairest as in heuene /The scribe possibly missed this line initially, due to eyeskip. For þat is euene with angelus / and angelus peer Hit was þe furst fruyt / þat þe fadur of heuene blessed And bad hit beo of a bat of eorthe / a man and a mayde In menynge þat þe fairest þinge / þe furst þing scholde honoure And þe clennest creature / creatour furst y-knowe ¶ In kynges cort and knyhtes / þe clennest men and fairest Schullen serue for þe lord self / so fareþ god almyhty ¶ Maydones and martires / mynistreþ him here on eorthe And in heuene is most pryueistpriueostemost pryuemost pryves / and nexte hym by resoun . For þe fairest fruyt / by-fore hym as of eorthe And swete wiþ-oute swellynge / sour worth hit neuure . // ¶ This is a propre plonte quaþ y / and pryueliche hit bloweþ And bryngeþ forth fair fruyt / folc of al nacioun Boþe parfit and inparfit / pure fayn y wolde / Assaye wat sauour hit hadde / y seyde þat tyme . ¶ Leue liberum arbitrium / let som lyf hit schake = A-non he het Elde / andan hyh for to clymbe An shaken hit scharply / þe rype scholden falle ¶ Elde clam toward þe crop / þan comsede hit to crye ¶ He waggede wydowod / and hit wepte aftur ¶ He meouede matrymonie / hit made a foul noyse // = ¶ For euere as Elde hadde eny dounThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. / þe deuul was wel redy And gadered hem al to-gederes / boþe grete and smale ¶ Adam and Abraham and Isaye þe prophite Sampson and Samuel / and seint Iohan þe baptist And bar hem forthe baldely / no body þo hym lette And made of holy men his hord / in limbo dounThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. inferni Ther is deorkenesse and drede / and þe deuul maystur ¶ Þenne meouede hym mod / in maiestate dei Þat libera voluntas dede[i] / lauhte þe myddul schoryere And hitte aftur þe feond / happe hou hit myhte ¶ filius by þe faderes wil / fleih with spiritus sanctus To ran-sake þat Ragman / and reue hym his appeles Þat furst man deceyuede / throw fruyt adand falce by-heste ¶ And þenne spak / spiritus sanctus / in gabrieles mouþe To a mayde toþat hihte Marie / a meok þing wiþ-alle Þat on ihesus a Iustice sone / moste iouken in here chaumbre Tyl plenitudo temporis /The <s> is written over a text-ink virgule. tyme y-come were Þat Elde felde eft þe frut / or fulle to beo rype Þat ihesus scholde iouste þer-fore / and Iugement of armes Who scholde fecche þis frut / þe feond or ihesus self ¶ Þe mayde myldeliche þo / þe messagere heo onswerede - And seyde hendeliche to hym / lo me his hand-mayde For to worchen his wil / wiþ-oute eny synne Ecce ancilla domini .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ And in þe wombe of þat wenche / he was fourty wykes And man by-come of þat mayde / to saue man-kynde Byg and a-bydynge / and bold in his barnhed To haue fouhten with þe feond / ar fol tyme come . ¶ Ac liberum arbitrium / leche-craft hym tauhte Tyl plenitudo temporis / hih tyme a-prochet Þat suche a surgyen sythen / y-sey was þer neuure Ne non so faithful fisissian / for alle þat hym by-souhte X He lechede hem of here langour / lazares and blynd boþe Claudi ambulant leprosi mundantur And comune wymmen conuertede / and clansede hem of synne And he lyft vp Lazar / þat lay in his toumbe Quatriduanus cold / quyke dud him rome ¶ Ac er he made þat miracle / mestus cepit esse And wepte watur wyþ his eyen / þe why wyten fewe Ac þo þat seyen þat selcouþe / seyden þat tyme Þat he was god or godesone / for þat grete wondur . ¶ And some Iewes seydoun / wyþ sorcerie hithe wrouhte And throw þe myhte of mahon / and throw mysbileoue demonium habesThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Þen satan is ȝour sauyour quod ihesus / and hath sauede ȝow ofte Ac y sauede ȝow sondry tymes / al-so y fed ȝow With fyue fisches and loues / fyue þousand at ones And þer-of lefte basketes / ful of broke mete Broke bred to beren hit / a-wey wo-so wolde + ¶ Vnkynde and vnknowynge quod crist / and wiþ a rop smot hem And ouurturnede in þe temple / here tables and here stalles And drof hem oute alle / þat þere bouhten and solde And seyde þis is an hous of orisons / and of holynesse And when þat my wil is / y wol hit ouur-throwe And er þre dayes aftur / edyfie hit newe Þe Iuwes tolden þe Iustice / hou þat ihesus seyde ¶ Ac þe ouurturnynge of þe temple / by-tokned þe resurreccioun ¶ Enuy and euul wyl / ȝorne in þe Iuwes And pursuede hym pryueiliche / and for pans him bouhte Ne forte tumultus fieret in populo / Of Iudas þe iewe / Ihesus owne dycyple ¶ This by-feol on a fryday / a litul by-fore pasche Þat Iudas and Iuwes / Ihesus þei mette Aue raby quaþ þat ribaud / and riht til hym he ȝeode And kuste ihesus to beo knowe þer-by / and kauht of þe Iuwes ¶ Þan Ihesus to Iudas / and to þe Iuwes seyde Falsnesse y fynde / in þy faire speche And kene kare in þi cussyns / and combraunce to þi-selue ¶ Thow schalt beo mirrour to monye / men to deceyue Wo to hem þat þi wiles vsen / to þe worldes ende ve homini illi per quem scandalum venitThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Sythe y by treson am take / and to ȝoure Iuwes Soffreþ monymy aposteles in pees / and in pees gangen ¶ Thus Iewes to þe Iustices / ihesus þei ladden With muche noyse þat nyht / ner frentyk y a-wakede In Inwit and in alle wittes / after liberum arbitrium I a-waytede witturly / ac yom.ich ne wyste houderwederwhodere he wente ¶ And þenne mette y with a man / on mydlentene soneday As hore as an haweþorne / and abraham he hyhte ¶ Of wennes ert þou quath y / and hendeliche hym grette . ¶ Y am with faith quaþ þat frek / hit falleþ not me to lye An heraud of armes / er eny lawe were / ¶ What is conisaunce quod y / in his cote armure ¶ Þre persones in o pensel quaþ he / departable from oþur O speche and spirit / spryngeþ out of alle OOfom. o wit / of o wil / were neuure a-twynne And sondry to seo vpon / solus deus he hoteþ ¶ Sythen þei beon surlepes quaþ y / þei han sondry names ¶ That isis soth seyde he / þe syre hatte pater And þe secunde is a sone / of þe sire filius Þe rÞeThe scribe wrote this <r> by mistake but went on without cancelling the letter. þridde is þat halt al / a þyng by hym-selue Holy gost is his name / and he is in alle / This is merk þyng for me quaþ y / and for mony othur How o lord myhte lyue aa[s] threRK emend to in thre. / y leoue hit nouht y sayde . ¶ Muse nat to muche þer-on quaþ Faith / tyl þow more knowe Ac loke þou leue hit lelly / al þy lyf-tyme Þat þre by-longeþ to o lord / þat ligaunce cleymeþ ¶ Myhte . and amenea mene / to seo his owne myhte Of hym-self and his seruaunt / and what soffreþ hem boþe ¶ God þat gynnynge had neuure / but þo him good thoute Sent forþe his sone / as for seruaunt þat tyme To ocupien hym here / til Issue were spronge Þe wuche aren children of charite / & holychurche þe modur Patriarches and prophites / and aposteles were þe children And crist and cristondom / and cristone holychurche By-tokenuþ þe trinite / and trewe by-leoue O god almyhty / þat man made and wrouhte SemblabeSemblable to hym-self / er eny synne were ¶ A thre he is / ther he is / and here-of bereþ witnesse Þe werkes þat hym-self wrouhte / and þis worlde boþe Celi enarrant gloriam dei / & cetera ¶ Þat he is þre persones departable / y preue hit by mankynde And o god al-myhty / if alle men beo ofof eorþeof Adam ¶ Eue was of Adam / and ouȝt of hym y-drawe And abel of hem boþe / and al þre o kynde As theose þre þat y carpe of Adam and Eue And abel here vssue / aren but on in manhede ¶ Matrymoyne wiþ-oute moillire / is nat muche to preyse Þe bible bereþ witnesse / a bok of þe olde lawe Þat acorsede al couples / þat no kynde forthe brouhte Maledictus homo sit qui non relinquitreliquitreliquid semen in Israel And a Man with-oute a make / myhte nat wel of kunde Multiplie ne more-ouer / with-oute a make louye Ne wyþ-oute a sowere beo suche seed / this we seon alle ¶ Now goweThe usual reading is go we, but at Vc18.115, the scribe writes, gowe we, indicating that gowe is an intentional spelling for go. See Vc1.224. to godhed / in god fadur of heuene Was þe sone in hym-selue / in a simile as Eue Was whan god wolde / ouȝt of þe wye drawe And as abel of adam / / and of his wifwyf Eue Sprange forþe and spak / a spyr of hem tweyne / So out of þe sire and þe sone / þe seint espurit of boþe Is and ay weren / and worþe wiþ-oute ende / And as þre persones palpable / is pureliche but o mankynde Þe wuche is man and his make / and moyllire here issue / So is god godenessegodes sone / in þre persones þe trynite ¶ In matrymonie aren þre / and of o man cam al thre ¶ And to godhede goþ þre / and o god is al thre Loo treys encountre treys / quaþ he / in godhed and in manhed ¶ Hauest þou y-seyen þis y seyde / alle þre and o god / ¶ In assomura ssomur y sey hemseyh hym quaþ he / as y sat in my porche Wher god cam goynge a þre / riht by my gate tres uidit & unum adorauitThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ I ros vp and reuerenced god / and riht faire hym grette Wesche here fete and wypede hem / and aftur þei eten ¶ And what y þouhte and my wyf / he ous wel tolde He by-hyhte ous issue and heir / in oure olde age Ful trewe tokne by-twene ous is / what tyme þat y met hym . // How he founded me furst / my faire sone Isaak To make sacrifice of hym / he het me hym to honoure / ¶ I with-sat nat his heste / y hope and by-leoue Wher y walke onin þis worlde / he wol hit me a-lowe ¶ I circumcised my sone / al-so for his sake My-self and myne meyne / and al þat maule were / Bledden blod for þat lordes loue / y hope to blesse þat tyme ¶ Myn affiaunce and my faith / is ferm in his by-leoue For hym-self seyde y sscolde haue / and myn issue boþe The hand points away from the text, directed instead at the beginning of the next Passus on the facing page. Lond and lordschip y-nouh / and lyf wiþ-outen ende ¶ To me and to myn vssue / more he by-hihte / Mercy for oure mysdedes / as mony tymes / As we wilnede and wolde / wiþ mouþe and herte asken ¶ And sythe he sende me to sayn / and seyde þat y scholde Worshipen him wiþ wyn / and wiþ bred boþe At ones on an auter / in worschip of þe trinite And make sacrifice so / som-what hit by-tokeneþ I leoue þat ilke lord þenke / a newe lawe to make fiet vnum ouile et vnus pastor / ¶ Thus haue y beo his heraud / her and in helle And conforted monye carful þere / þat aftur his comynge loken ¶ For-þy y seke hym y seide / for seint Iohan þe baptist Seyde þat he seyh hym here / þat scholdesholde ioyesholde saue ous alle ecce agnus dei .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Then had y wondur of þusþishis wordes / and of his wyde cloþes For in his bosom he bar a þyng / and þat he blesset ofte ¶ And y loked in his lappe / a lazar lay þer-Inne With patriarches and prophetes / pleyinge to-gederes ¶ What a-waytest þow quath Faith / and woldest þow haue ¶ I wold y wite quaþ y tho / what is in þin lappe ¶ loo quaþ he and let me seo / lord mercy y seyde This is a present of muche prys / what prince schal hit haue ¶ Hit is a preciouse present quaþ he / ac þe pouke hit haþ a-tached And me þer-wiþ quaþ þe wye / may no wed vs quite Ne no barn beo oure borow / ne brynge ous of daunger For þe poukes punfold / no maypryse may ous fecche Til he come þat y carp lcarpThe scribe wrote an <l> by mistake but went on without cancelling the letter. of / crist is his name Þat schal dylyuere ous som-day / out of þe deueles pouer And betur wed for ous wagen / þan alle we beoþ worþi . ¶ And þat is lyf for lyf / or lygge thus euere Longynge in my lappe þus / til suche a lord ous fecche . ¶ Alas y seyde þat synne / so longe schal lette Þe myhte of godes mercy / þat myhte ous al amende ¶ And wepte for his wordes / wyþ þat y seyh an noþur Rapeliche ronnerenne / þe ryht wey we wente . And y fraynede hym furst / fro whennes he come What he hihte / and whodir he wolde / and whitelich he vs tolde / Hic explicit passus secundus / Incipit passus tercius / de dobetThe incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus.The single de dobet seems semantically to be a part of both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. II Am spes aspyea spye quaþ he / and spure aftur a knyht Þat toke me amaundementa maundement / vpon þe mont of synay To rule alle reomes þer-wiþ / in ryht and in reson + Loo here þe lettre quod he / in latyn and in ebreu That þat y seye is soþe / seo ho-so likeþ ¶ Is hit asseled y seyde / may men seo þi lettres / Nota Nay he seyde y seke hym / þat haþ þe sele to kepe Þe wuche is crist and cristindom / & croys þer-on-to honge Wer hit þer-wiþ asseled / y wot wel þe sothe Þat Luciferes lordschup / ligge scholde ful lowe ¶ Leet seo þi lettres quaþ y / we myhte þe lawe knowe ¶ He plyhte forþe a patent / a pece of an hard roche Wher-on was write two wordes / in þis wyse glosed . dilige deum & proximumThis Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ This was þe tixt trewly / y tok ful goode gome ¶ Þe glose gloriously was write / with a gyld penne In his duobus pependit tota lex / ¶ Is here al þi lordes lettre quod y / ȝe leof me he seyde + And wo-so worcheþ aftur þis writ / y wole vndurtake + Schal neuure deuul hym dere / ne deþe in soule greue ¶ For þauh y sey hit my-self / y haue saued mydwith þis charme Of menne and of wynmenwy[m]men / mony score þousand + He seyth soþe sayde Faith / y haue founde hit trewe Lo here in my lappe quaþ faith / þat leued vpon þat lettre Boþe Iosue and Iudith / and Iudas machabeus And sixe þousand mo quaþ . Faith / y can nat telle here names ¶ Ȝoure wordes aren wondurfol quaþ y / wher eny of ȝow be trewe / And lel to by-leue on / for body or for soule X ¶ Abraham seyth þat he seyh / holly þe trinite Þre persones parcel-mele / departable from other And al thre but o god / thus abraham bereþ witnesse And y-saued þat by-leoued so / and sory for here synnes He can non certayn sunnesu[mm]e telle / and some aren in his lappe ¶ What neodeþ þenne / a new law to brynge Suthe þe furst suffysede / so by-leoue and beo saued + ¶ And nowe comeþ here thes spes / and haþe aspied þe lawe Þat of þe trinite The 's are dotted in red ink. ne telleþ / ne takeþ mo persones To godhede but o god / and o god almyltyalmy[h]ty Þe wuche alle men aren y-holde / ouur al þinge to honoure / And sythe to loue and to lene / for þat lordes sake Al manere of men / as muche as oure-selue . ¶ And for to louye and byleoue / in o lord al-myhty Hit is lyht for lewade / and for lered boþe ¶ Ac for to by-leoue in o lorde / þat lyueþ in þre persones And lereþ þat we louye scholde / as wel liares as lelle / ¶ Go þi gate quaþ y to spes / so me god helpe Tho þat lerneþ þi lawe / wol litul while hit vsen . ¶ And as wente in þe waye / thus wordynge of þis matere X - Þenne seih we a samaritan / cam sittynge on a mule Rydynge ful rapely / þe riht wey þat we wente Comynge fram a contreye / þat men calde Iericocaldecallid IericoThe rubricated word is written at an odd angle, larger than normal, and in an ink that is slightly more orange. To iousten in Ierusalem / he iacede a-weye ful faste Boþe abraham and spes / and he metten to-gederes In a wylde wyldurnesse / wher theoues hadden bounde A man as me þo þouhte / to muche care þei brouhte . ¶ For he ne myhte step ne stande / ne stere fot ne handes Ne helpe hym-self sothly / for semyuyf he semede And naked as a nelde / and non help a-boute hym . ¶ Faith on hym hadde furst syhta sight / ac he fleyh a-sydeA light brown bracket extends in the left margin from this line to Vc20.61. And wolde nat neyhle hym / by nyne londes lengthe Hope Cam huppynge aftur / þat hauede so y-bosted Hou he wyth moyses maundemaunt / hadde mony men holpen And whan he hadde syht of þis syke / a-syde he can drawe And dredfolly wiþ-drowe hym / and durste gon non nerre ¶ Ac as sone so þe samaritan / had syht of þat syke He a-lyhte a-non of lyard / and ladde hym in his hondes And to þis wye he wente / his woundes to by-holde ¶ He parceyuede by his pous / he was in peril to dye And but he had recouer þe rather / þat ryse scholde he neuure ¶ He vnbokeled his botelles / and boþe he a-tamede Wiþ wyn and wiþ oyle / his wondes he can lyþe Enbaumede hym a-boute his hed / and on bayard hym sette And ladde him forthe to Lauacrum / Lex dei a graunge Is six myle or seuene / by-syde þe newe market And laft hym þer a-lechynge / to lyuen if he myhte And tok two pans toto þe hosteler / to take kepe to hym And þat goþ more for his medicine / y make þe goode a-ȝeynward For y may For y may not lette quod þat lede / and lyard he by-strydeþ And rapede hym to ryde / þe ryhte wey to Ierusalem ¶ Boþe Faith and his felowe spes / folweden faste aftur . Ac y suwede þe samaritan / / and seyde hou þei boþeA light brown bracket extends in the left margin from this line to Vc20.93. Weren a-ferd and flowen / fro þe man y-wonded / ¶ Haue hem excused quaþ þe / samaritan / here help may nat vaile Ne medicine vndur molde / þe man to hele brynge Nothur faith ne fyn hope / so festred aren his wondes Wiþ-oute þe blod of a barne / he beoþ nat y-saued ¶ Þe wuche barn mot neodes / beo bore of a mayde And wiþ þe bloud of þat barn / enbaumed & y-baptized ¶ And þauh he step and stande / ryht strong worþe he neuure Til he haue eten al þat barne / and his blod dronken . And ȝut beo plastred with pacience / when fondynge hym prykkeþ . ¶ For wente neuure man þis waye / þat he ne was here y-ryfled Saue my-self sothly / and suche as y louede And ȝut to by-leouy lelly / vpon þat litul baby Þat his licame schal lechen / atte last ous alle ¶ A sire y sayde / schul nat we by-leoue As faith and his felawe spes / enformede me boþe In þre persones a-parcelles / departable from other And al þre but o god / thus habraham me tauhte / ¶ And hope afturward / of god more me tolde And lerede me for his loue / to louye al man-kynde And hym a-bouen alle / and hem as my-selue ¶ Nother lakke ne alose / ne leoue þat þer wereThere are faded marks in the right margin, possibly a pen trial. Eny wykkeder in þis worlde / þen y were my-self And most in-parfit of alle persones / and pacienceliche suffre Al manere of men / and þauh y myhte me venge I scholde þolye and þonken hem / þat me vuel wolde ¶ He sayde soth quaþ þe samaritan / and so y rede þe al-so And as abraham þe olde / of o god þe tauhte Loke þou louye and by-leoue / alle þy Lyf-tyme ¶ And if kyndewit carpe hereaȝeyn / or kynne þouhtes Ore Eretykes with argumens / thyn hond þow hem scewe + ¶ For god þat al by-gan / in gynnynge of þe worlde Ferde furst as a fust / and ȝut is as y leoue mundum pugillo continens ¶ As wyth a fust wiþ o fyngur / y-folde to-gederes Til hym likede and lust / to vnlowse þat fyngur . And profrede hit forthe as wiþ þe paume / to what place hit scholde ¶ Þe paume is þe pith of þe hond / and profreþ forthe þe fyngres / [a hand pointing at the bottom edge of the page] To mynistre and to make / þat myhte of hond knoweþ And by-tokeneþ trewly / telle ho-so Likeþ ¶ Þe holygost of heuene / he is as þe paumeHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit three lines (RK.19.122-124). Seint marie a mayde / and mankynde Lauhte / natus ex maria uirgineThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Þe fadur is þenne as þe fust / wiþ fynger and wiþ paume To huden and to holde / as holywrit telleþ omnia traham ad me ipsumThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Al þat þe fyngur gropuþ / graythly he grypeþ But if that he gropeþ / greue þe paumeAfter this line, which RK represents as the B-verse of the previous line, Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit two lines (RK.19.129-130). And as þe fust is a folhandfol hand / y-folde to-gederes / So is þe fadur a ful god / þe furst of hem alle ¶ And as my fust if furst / er y my Fyngres schewe So is he fadur and formour / þe furst of alle þinges tu fabricator omniumThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. And al þe myht wiþ hym is / was . and worþe euere . ¶ Þe Fyngres is a fol hond / for failled thei her þombeA blurred curly bracket extends in the right margin from this line to Vc20.138. Portreye ne peynte / parfitliche y leue Scholde no wryht worche / were he a-weye . Ryht so faillede þe sone / þe syre beo ne myhte Ne holde ne helpe / ne hent þat he louede /. dextere dei tu digitusThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Þe paume is purliche þe hand / and hath power by hym-selue Oþur-wyse þan þe wryþen fust / or werkmanschupe of fyngres . ¶ For þe paume hath pouer / to putten out þe ioyntes / And to vnfolde þe fust / for him hit by-longeþ And receyuen þat þe fyngres rechen / and refuse if hym likeþ Al þeþat þe fyngres and þe fust / felon and touchen Beo he greued wiþ heorehere grype / þe holy gost let falle . Thus is þe holygost god /. noþur grettour ne lasse Þen is þe sire oþur sonethe sone / and of þe same myhte And al thre nys but o god / as my hand and my fyngres Vnfolde or y-folde / a fust wyse or elles . Al is hit but an hond / hou-so y turne hit / ¶ Ac ho-so is y-hurt in þe hand / euene in þe myddes He may receyue ryht nauȝt / reson hit scheweþ . ¶ For þe fyngres þat folde scholden / and þe fust make For peyne of þe paume / power hym failleþ to cluche or to clawe / to cluppe or to holde ¶ Were þe myddul of myn hand / wiþ-oute mal-ese In mony kynne manere / y myhte my-self helpe Boþe meoue and amende / þauh alle my fyngres oken . ¶ By this simile he seyde / y seo an euydence Þat ho-so synygeþ in þe seint espurit assoilled worþe he neuure / noþur her ne elles-wer / as y herde telle / qui peccat in spiritum sanctumThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ He prekeþ god as in þe paume / þat peccat in spiritum sanctum For þe fadur is as þe fust / þe sone is as þe fyngur Þe holy gost of heuene / he is as þe paume ¶ So ho-so synnegeþ a-ȝeins þe seint espirit hehit semeþ þat he greueþ / God þer he grypeþ / and wolde his grace quenche For to a torche or to a tapre / þe Trinite is likned As wex and a wyke / were twyned to-gederes . And flammede fuyr / forthe of hem boþe . And as wex and wyke / and warm fuyr to-gederes Fostren forþe a flamme / and a fair lyeghtlye Þat serueþ þeos swynkeres to seo by a nyhtes / ¶ So doþe þe syre and þe sone / and seint espurit to-gederes Fostren forth amonge folc / fyn loue and by-leoue Þat al kynne crystine /clanseþ of synne ¶ And as þou suxt som-tyme / sodeynliche of a torche Þe blase beo blowen ouȝt / ȝut brenneþ þe wyke Wiþ-outen lye and lyht / lyþ fuyr in þe macche / [pen trials, possibly a partial doodle or an elaborate nota mark] ¶ So is þe holygost god / and grace wiþ-oute mercy To alle vnkynde creatours / þat coueyten to destruye Lel licame and lyf / þat oure lord schupte ¶ And as glowyng gledes / gladeþ nat theos werkmen Þat worchen and waken / in wynteres nyhtes As dothe a kyx or a candel / þat cauht haþ fuyr and blaseþ ¶ No more doþ þe syre ne þe sone / ne seint espurit to-gederes Graunten enyVc.20.190: An abbreviation, probably for <er> (thus rendering the reading euery) has been erased between <n> and <y>. grace / ne for-gyuenesse of synnes Tyl þe holy gost by-gonnebegynnebegynneþ / to glowen and balse / // ¶ So þat þe holygost / gloweþ but a glede / Tyl þat loue and by-leoue / lelliche to hym blowe ¶ Þenne flammeþ he as fuyr / on fadur and on filius And melteþ myht in-to mercy / as we may seo a wyntur / Isykles in Euesynges / throw hete of þe sonne MeltyMeltyþ in a mynt-wyle / to myst and to watur ¶ So grace of þe holygost / melteþ al to mercy Þe grete myht of þe trinite / to merciable & to non othere // ¶ And as wex wiþ-oute more / vpon a warm glede Wol brennen and blasen / beo þei to-gederes And solacen hem þat mowe nat seon / syttynge in derkenesse So wol þe fadur for-ȝeuen / folk of mylde hertes Þat reufeliche repenten / and restitucioun makenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n> In as muche as þei mowen / amendoun and payen ¶ And if hit sufficeþ nat for aseþ / þat in suche wil dyen / Mercy for his meoknesse / wol make goode þe reminaunt And as þe wyke and warm fuyr / wol make a faire flamme For to murþen men with / þat in merk sytten / So wol crist of his cortasie / and men crie hym mercy Boþe for-ȝeuen and for-ȝeten / and ȝut bydde for vs To þe fadur of heuene / forȝeuenesse to haue . ¶ Ac hewe fuyr of a flynt / foure hondred wyntur But þow haue tach to take hit wiþ / tundur and broches Al þi labour is lost / and al þy longe trauail For may no fuyr flamme make / faille hit his kynde ¶ So is þe holygost god / and grace with-oute mercy To alle vnkynde creatours / as crist hym-self witnesseþ Amen dico vobis nescio vos X Beo vnkynde to þy emcristone / & al þat þow canst bydde Dele and do penaunce day and nyht euure And purchace al þe pardoun / of paumpelon and of Rome X And Indulgences y-nowe / and beo ingrat to þi kynde / X Þe holy gost hureþ þe hat / ne helpeþ þe beo þou certayn For vnkyndenesse quencheþ hym / þat he can nat schyne Ne brenne ne blase clere / for blowyng of vnkyndenesse Seint paul þe apostle / preoueþ wher y lye si linquis hoominum loquar & ceteraThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. For-þi be war ȝe wysemenwyse men / þat wiþ þe worlde deleþ Þat riche beon and reson knowen / rewleþ wel ȝoure soule Beoþ not vnkynde y consail ȝow / to ȝoure emcristene ¶ For mony of ȝow riche men / by my soule y lie nat Ȝe brenneþ ac ȝe blaseþ nat / and þat is a blynd bekne Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit in regnum celorum ¶ Mynne ȝe nat ȝe riche men / to wuche a myschaunce Þat diues deyde and dampned / for his vnkyndenesse Of his mete and of his moneye / to men þat hit neoded Ȝut wan he hit nat wiþ wronge / ne wiþ queynte scleyþes But rithfulliche as men rat / al his richesse cam hym And on hym-selue seiþ þe bok / soutelichesotiled hou he myhte Most lordliche lyuen / and ȝut his licame werye Cloþes of most cost / as clerkes bereþ witnesse X Epulabatur splendide et induebatur bysso / ¶ And for he was a nygard / to þe neodful poure For godes tretour he is told / for al his trew catel And dampned is . and dwelleþ / wiþ þe deuul in helle . ¶ Syþe he wiþ-oute wiles wan / and wel myhte a-temye Lordliche for to lyuen / and likyngliche beo cloþed / And is in helle for al that / hou wol riche nouthe Excuse hem þat beoþ vnkynde / and ȝut here catel wonne With wiles and with luþur wittes / and ȝut wol nat atymye To gon semeliche ne sitte / sith holy writ techeþ Þat þat wykkedliche is wonne / to wasten hit and maken frendes Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis / Eche a ryche man y rede / reward here-of take And gyueþ ȝoure good to that god / þat grace of a-ryseþ For þat ȝeȝe þat beon vnhende to hise / hope ȝe non other But to dwelle ther diues is dayes with-outen ende ¶ Thus is vnkyndenesse / and quencheþ as hit were Þe grace of þe holy gost / godes owne kynde // ¶ For þat þat kynde doþe / vnkynde for-doþe A-cordsedeAcorsedecorsede theues vnkynde crystonmen / for couetyse and enuye Slethe a man for his meobles / with mouthe or wiþ handes ¶ For that þe holy gost hathe to kepe / suche harlotes destruen Þe wuche is lyf and loue / þe lye of mannes body ¶ For euery maner good man / may beo lykned to a torche Or elles to a taper / to reuerence with þe trinite ¶ And ho-so morþereþ a good man / me þynkiþ by my Inwit He for-doþe þe liht þat oure lord / lokeþ to haue worschipe of ¶ And ȝut in mo maners / men offendeþ þe holygost Ac þis is þe worst wyse / þat eny whit myhte / Synegen a-ȝeinst þe seint espurit / assenten to destruye For couetyse of eny kynne þynge / þat crist dere bouhte Hou myhte he aske mercy / or eny mercy hym defende Þat wikkelichewikkedliche and wilfolliche / wolde mercy anyente Innocence is next god / and nyht and day hit crieþ ¶ Veniaunce veniaunce / for-ȝeue beo hit neuure Þat schende ous and schedde oure blod / for schupte vs as hit semeþ Vindica sanguinem iustorum Thus veniaunce veniaunce / verrei charite askeþ +This cross extends from Vc20.280 to 283. And sithe charite þat holichurche is / chargeþ þis so sore / Leue y neuure þat oure lord at þe laste ende Wol louye þat lyf / þat loue and lel charite destruyen ¶ I pose y had syneget so quaþ y / and scholde nouthe dye And now am sory þat y so þe seint espurit a-gulte - Confesse me and crie his grace / god þat al made And myldeliche his mercy aske / myht y not beo saued / ¶ Ȝus seyde þe Samaritan / so þou myhtest repente Þat ryhtwissnesse þrow repentaunce / to reuthe myht turne ¶ Ac hit is but selde y-seyn / þer sothnesse bereþ witnesse Eny creature beo compable / by-fore a gynges[k]ynges iustice Beo y raumsoned for repetauncerepe[n]taunce / ther al reson hym dampneþ Ther þat partie pursueþ / þe apel is so huge / May non kynge mercy graunte / tyl boþe men a-corden Þat ayþur partie haue equite / as holy writ witnesseþ Numquam dimititur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatumnisi restituatur ablatum&c Thus hit fareþ by suche folc / þat folwen here owne wil . Þat vuel lyuen and leten nat / tyl hem for-sake synne ¶ Drede of desparacioun / þen dryueþ a-way grace Þat mercy in here munde / may nat þenne falle . ¶ For goode hope þat hem helpe scholde / to wanhope turneþ And not for þe non-power of god / þat he nis fol of myhte To amenden al þat mis is / and his merci grettour Þan alle oure wykkede werkes / as holy writ telleþ - Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius / ¶ Ac er his rithwisnesse to reuthe turne / restitucioun hit makeþ As sorow of herte is satisfaccion / for suche as may not paie ¶ Ac þre þinges þer beoþ / þat doþe a man to sterte Out of his owne house / as holywrit scheweþ ¶ Þat on is a wykked wyf / þat wol not beo chasted Heore fere fleoþ fro here / for fere of here tonge ¶ And ȝif his house beo vnheled / and reyne on his bedde He sekeþ and sekeþ til he slepe drye . ¶ Ac when smoke and smorþre / smyt in his eyen Hit doþe hym worse þan his wyf / or wete to sclepe ¶ For throw smoke and smorþre / smerteþ his syhte Tyl he bler yed or blynd / and þe borre in his throte Koweþ and corseþ / þat crist ȝiue him sorowe Þat scholde brynge in betur wode / or blow tyl hit brente ¶ These þre þat y tel of / thus beoþ to vndurstande ¶ Þe wyf is oure wykkede fleisch / wol not beo chasted For kynde cleueþ on hym euure / to contrarie þe soule And þauh he falle he fynt skiles / þat frelete hit made And þat is lithliche for-ȝuie / and for-ȝute boþe To man þat mercy askeþ / and amende þenkeþ ¶ Ac þe reyn þat reyneþ / ther we reste scholde Beoþ sekenesses and other sorowes / þat we suffren ofte As seint paul þe apostle / in his pistles techesHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.19.321α). ¶ And þauh men maken / muche deol in her angre And beo inpacient in here penauncez / pure reson hit knoweþ Þat þei han cause to contrarien / by kynde of here seknesse And lithliche oure lord / at here lyues ende Hath mercy on suche men / þat vuele may suffre ¶ Ac þe smoke and þe smorþre / þat smyt in oure eyen Þat is couetyse and vnkyndenesse / wuche quencheþ godes mercy . For vnkyndenesse is contrarie of alle kynne resoun // ¶ For þer ne is sik ne sory / ne non so muche wreche ÞanThat he ne may louye and hym like / and lene of his herte Good wil / good worde / boþe wuschen and wilnen Alle manere of men/ mercy and forȝeuenesse And louye hem y-liche hym-selue / þat his lyf amende I may no longur lette quaþ he / and lyard y-prykedea prikede And wendwente a-way as þe wynd / and þer-wiþ ay wa-wakede Hic explicit passus tercius de dobet Hic incipit passus quartus de dobetThe words de dobet are written only once, with brackets connecting them to both the explicit of the previous passus and the implicit of this one. fFol wery and wetschod / wente y forþe aftur As recheles renk / þat recheþ nat of sorowe AAnd ȝeede forthe like a lorel / al my lyf tyme Tyl y wexe wery of þis worlde and wilned eft sclepeHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a line (RK.20.5). Of gurles and of Gloria laus gretliche me dremed And hou Osanna by orgne / olde men songen On was semblable to þe samaritan and somdel to peres plouhman Barfot on an asse bak / botles cam prykie With-oute spores oþur spere / ac braggelicheand sprakliche& sparklichac spraklyke he lokede As is þe kyngde of a knyht / þat comeþ to beo dobbed To getoun his guld spores / and galoches y-coped ¶ Þenne was faith in a fenestre / and cryde fili dauid As doþe an herraud of armes / when auntres comeþ to ioustes Olde Iuwes of ierusalem for ioye þei songon benedictus qui uenit in nomine dominiThis Latin line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Þan y frayned at faithe / what al þat fare by-mente And ho scholde iousten in Ierusalem / Ihesus he seyde And fecche þat þe feond cleymeþ / Peres fruyt þe plouhman . ¶ Is peres in þis place quaþ y / and he preynkede vpon me . ¶ liberum dei arbitrium / quaþ he / for loue hath vndurtake Þat þes ihesus of his gentery / schal iouste in peres armes In his helme and in his haburion / humana natura Þat crist be not y-knowe / for consummatusThere is an otiose minim in the sequence <umm>. deus ¶ In peres plates þe plouhman / theos prykiere schal ryde For no dunt schal him dere / as in deitate patris ¶ Ho schal iouste wyþ ihesus quaþ y / Iuwes or scribes . ¶ Nay quaþ faith but þe feond / and fals dom to deye dethe seith he wol for-do / and a-doun brynge Al that lyueþ or lokeþ / a-londe and on watere ¶ Lyf seith he lyeþ / and hathe leyd his lyf to wedde Þat for al þat deþe can do / wyþ-in þre dayes To walke and fecche fro þe feeond / Peres fruyt þe plouhmanThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. . And legge hit þer hym likeþ / and lucyfer bynde And for-bite a-doun and brynge / bale deth for euere O mors mors tustu[a] ero morsus /This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Þenne cam pilatus wiþ muche peoplepeple sedens pro tribunali To seo hou douhteliche deth scholde do / and deme her beyer ryhte ¶ Þe Iuwes and þe iustices / a-ȝeins ihesus þei were And alle þe court cryed / Crucifige hondeloudelonge ¶ Þenne putte hym a pelour / by-fore Pilat and seyde Thes ihesus of oure Iuwene temple / Iapede and despisede To fordon hit on o day / and in þre dayes after Edifien hit eft newe / her he stant þat seyde hitThe is dotted twice. And ȝut maken hit as muche / in alle manere poyntes . Boþe as longe and as large / a-loft and a-grounde And as wyde as hit euure was / þis we witnesse alle Crucifige quaþ a kachepol / he can of wuche-crafte Tolle tolle quaþ a-noþur / and tok of kene þornes ¶ And by-gan of grene þorne / a garlaund to make And sette hit sore an his heued / and sith seyde in enuye . Aue Rabi quaþ þat ribaud / and reodes schotte at his eyen . And naylede hym wiþ þre nayles / naked on þe rode And wiþ a pole poyson / putten to his lippes And bede hym drynke / his deþe to lette / and his dayes lengþen And seyde if he sothfast beo / he wol hym-selue helpen ¶ And now if þow beo crist / criste godes sone Com a-doun of þis rode / and þen wol we leue Þat lyf þe louyeþ / and wol not let þe deye Consummatum est quaþ crist / and comsede for to swouenesounyeswownyswoene Pitouslyche and pale / as pryson þat dyeþ ¶ Þe lord of lyf and of liht / þo leyde his eyen to-gederes ¶ Þe day for drede þer-of wiþ-drow / and derk by-cam þe sonne ¶ Þe wal of þe temple to-clef / euene a two peces ¶ Þe hard roche al to-rof / and riht deokdeo[r]k nyht hit semede ¶ Þe eorþe quok and quasked / as hit quyke were ¶ And dede men for þat deone / comen out of deop graues And tolde why þat tempest / so longe tyme durede For a byttur bataille / þe dede body sayde Lyf and deþ There is the false start of a letter <a> here. in þis deorkenesse / her on fordoþ þat oþur . Ac schal no white wite witturly / ho schal haue þe maystrie Or soneday a-boute þe sonne rysyng / and sank wiþ þat tyl eorthe / ¶ Some sayde he was godes sone / þat so faire deyede vere filius dei erat iste /This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. Some sayde he can of sorcerie / good is þat we assaie Wher he beo ded or nat ded / doun or he be take ¶ Tho þeues þer were / tholeden deþ þat tyme Vpon crois by-sydes crist / so was þe comune lawe . ¶ Quicklyche cam a chachepolcacchepol / and craked a-two here leggus And here armes aftur / of eueriche of þo þeues ¶ Ac þer was neno boy so bolde / godes body to touche For he was knyht and kyngessonekynges sone / kynde for-ȝaf þat tyme Þat no boy hadde hardinesse / hym toucheto touche in dyinge ¶ Ac þer cam forthe a blynd knyht / wiþ kene spere y-grounde Hihte longius as þe lettre telleþ / and longe hadde lore his syht By-fore Pilat and oþer people / in þe place he houede ¶ Maugrey his mony teþ / he was mad þat tyme To iouste with ihesus / this blynd iew longius ¶ For alle hy weren vnhardy / þat houede þer or stode To touche hym or to tryne hym / or to take hym doun aror& graue him . But þis blynde bacheler / þat bare hym þrow þe herte ¶ Þe bloud sprang doun by þe spere / and vnsperrede þe knyhtes eyen // Þo feol þe knyht vpon knes / and cride ihesu mercy A-ȝeins my wil hit was quaþ he / þat y ȝow wounde made ¶ He syhed and seyde / sore hit me for-þynkeþ Of þe dede þat y haue don / y do me in ȝoure grace ¶ My lond and my licame / at ȝoure lyukynglikyngewille takeþ hit And haue mercy on me rithful ihesu / . rith wiþ þat he wepte . ¶ Þenne gan Faith foully / þe falce Iuwes to despysen And calde hem caytifs a-corsed / for þis was a vile vilanie Veniaunce is to ȝow falle / þat makede þe blynde Beten hym þat was ded / hit was a boies dede ¶ Corsede caytifs / knyhthod was hishit neuere To bete a body bunde / with eny bryht wepne Þe gree ȝut hathe he getoun / for alle his grete woundes ¶ For ȝoure chaumpion chyualer / chief knyht of ȝow alle Ȝelt hym recreaunt remynge / riht at ihesus wil ¶ For beo þis deorkenesse y-do / deþ worth y-venkysed And ȝe lordynges han lost / for lyf schal haue þe maystrie And ȝoure Fraunchise þat freo was / fallen is to þraldame And alle ȝoure children cherles / cheuen schul þei neuure Ne haue lordschup in londe / noþur lond tulye And as barayne beo / and by vsure libbe Þe wuche is lyf þat oure lord / in lalle lawes defendeþ [erasure of rubricated line]Presumably the scribe accidentally wrote the rubricated Latin verse two lines too early and then erased it. ¶ Now beoþ ȝoure god dayes don / as daniel / of ȝow telleþ When crist wiþ croys ouur-cam / ȝoure kynedom schal to-cleue Cum uenerit sanctus sanctorum cessabit vnctio vestraThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ What for fere of þis ferly / and of þis falce iewes I drow in þat deorkenesse / to descendit ad inferna And þer y sayh sothly / secunidum scripturas / Out of þe west as hit were / a wenche as me þouhte Cam walkynge in þe way / to helle-ward he lokede Mercy / hihte þat mayde / a mylde þink wiþ-alle And fol benigne burde / and boxom of speche ¶ Heore sustur as hit semede / cam softely walkynge Euene out of þe est / and westard he thoughte A comely creature and clene / treuþe scho hyghte For þe vertu þat hure folowede / a-ferd was scho neuure ¶ When þusthis maydones metten / Mercy and treuthe Ayþur axede of oþur / of þis grete wondur Of þe dene and derknesse / and hou þe day roued And wuche a lyht and leem / lay by-fore helle ¶ I haue ferly of this fare / in faith seyde treuthe And yom. am wendynge to wyte / what þis wondur meneþ ¶ Haue no meruaille þer-of guaþ ~~.....~~Mercy / murthe hit by-tokneþ A mayde þat hatte ~~m....~~arie and modur wiþ-oute velynge Of eny kynde of creature / conceyuede þrow speche And grace of þe holygost / wax gret wiþ childe Wiþ-oute wommone wem / in-to þis worlde brouht hym And þat my tale is trewe / dy take god to witnesse ¶ Sythen þis barn was y-bore / beoþ þritty wyntur passet deyde and deþ þolede / þis day a-boute mydday Þat is þe cause of þis eclypse / þat ouur-chloseþ now þe sonne In menyng þat man schal / fro meorknesse beo drawe Þe while þis lyht and þis leom / schal lucyfer a-blynde ¶ For patriarches and prophetes / han preched her-of ofte Þat þynge þat tynt was wiþ treo / treo schal hit wynne And that þat deþ doun brouhte / deþe schal releue ¶ That þat þou tellest quaþ / treuthe is but a tale of walterot For Adam and Eue / and abraham with oþere Patriarches and Prophetes þat in þeom. peyne liggen Leof hit neuere þat ȝeon lyht / hem a-loft brynge Ne haue hem out of helle / hold þi tonge mercy ¶ Hit is trufle þat þow tellest / y treuthe wot þe soþe That þing þat ones is in helle / out comeþ hit neuure For Iob þe parfit patriarke / repreoueþ þi sawes Quia in inferno nulla est redempcio / ¶ Þen Mercy ful myldely / mouthede þeos wordes Þrogh experience quaþ heo / y hope þei schulle beo saued For venym for-doþe venym / þer fecche y euydence Þat adam and Eue / hauen schol bote ¶ Of alle fretynge venymes / þe vylest is þe scorpion May no medicine amende / þe place þere he styngeþ Til he beo ded y-do þer-to / and þenne hit destruyeþ / Þe furst venymus metevenemoustevenymost þing / þrow vertue of hym-selue ¶ And so schal þis deþ for-do / y dar my lyf legge Al þat deþ and þe deouel / dude formost to Eue X ¶ Ryht as þe gylour þrow gyle / by-gyled man formast So schal grace þat al by-gan / make a good ende And by-gyle þe gylour / and þat is a good sleihþesleythe Ars vt Artem falleret ¶ Now suffre we seyde treuthe / y seo as me þinkes Out of þe nype of þe norþe / not fol feor hennes Rithwysnesse com rennynge / reste we þe while For he wot more þenne we / he was er we boþe ¶ Þat is sothe seyde Mercy / and y seo her by southe Wher comeþ pees pleynge / in pacience cloþed Loue heore hathe coueyted longe / leoue y non noþuroþere But Loue haue sent hure som lettre / what þis liht by-meneþ Þat ouur-houeþ helle þus / he schal vs telle ¶ When pees in pacience cloþed / aproched ayþur othur Ryhtwysness reuerencede Pees / in heore riche cloþinge And preyde pees to tellen heore / to what place he wolde In hure gay garnemens / wham heo glady þouhte ¶ My wil is to wende guaþ pees and toom. wel-come hem alle Þat mony day myht not yy nat seo / for merkenesse of synne Adam and Eue / and othere more in helle Moyses and mony mo / mercy schullen synge And y schal daunce þer-to / do al-so þou sustur Nota For ihesus ioustede wel / ioye by-gynneþ dawyen ad vesperum demorabitur fletus & ad matutinum leticia .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Loue þat is my lemman / suche lettres heo me sente Þat Mercy my sustur and y / mankynde schullen saue // ¶ And þat god hath for-gyue / and graunted to man-kynde Mercy my sustur and me / to meympryse hem alle And crist haþ couertedconuertedconforted þe kynde of rihtwysnesse In-to pees and pyte / of his pure grace / ¶ Lo here þe patente quaþ pees / in pace in idipsum And þat þis dede schal dure / dormiam et requiescam ¶ Rauest þou quaþ rithwisnesse or þou art riht dronke Leouest þow þat ȝonde liht / vnlouke myhte helle And saue mannes soule / sustur wene hit neuure At þe by-gynnynge of þe worlde / god gaf þe dom hym-self Þat Adam and Eue / and al his vssue / Scholden deye doun-riht / and dwellen in peyne euure If þei touched þe treo / and of þe fruyt eten Adam afturward / a-ȝeins his defense Fast fret of þat fruyt / and for-soke as hit were Þe lel loue of oure lord / and his lore boþe And folowede þat þe feond tauhte / and his fleisessheshesflesches wil A-ȝeins reson and rithwisnesse / recorde þis wiþ trewþe Þat here peyne is perpetuel / no preyere may hem helpe ¶ For-þi let hem chewe as þei chose / and chide we nat sustresA bracket in the brown hand of glossator3 extends in the left margin from this line to Vc21.222. for hit is a boteles bale / þe bite þat þei eten ¶ And y shal preye quaþ / pees heore peyne mot haue ende Þat heore wo in-to wele / wende mote at þe laste ¶ For had þei wuste of no wo / wele hadde þei not knowe For wot no whit wat wele is / þat neuure wo suffrede Ne what is hot hongur / þat had neuure defaute ¶ OfHo couthe kyndeliche / whit colour discreue If alle þe worlde were whit / or swan wiht al þinges If no nyht were / no man as y leoue Scholde wite witturly / what day were to mene ¶ Ne hadde god suffrede of som / oþer þan him-selue He hadde not wuste witturly / weþur deþ were sour or swete ¶ For scholde neuure rihtricheriht riche man / þat lyueþ in reste and hele I-wite what wo is / .. ne were þe deþ of kynde ¶ So god þat al by-gan of his goode wil By-cam man of a mayde / mankynde to saue And suffrede to beo sold / to seo þe sorow of deynge Þe wuche vnknutteThere are four minims between the <k> and the first <t>. See Kane 20.224, however, which groups Vc unambiguously with P Ec Rc Mc Q Fc Gc Nc . Ac reads "vnkutte"; Z reads "vnquytte"; Wa reads "vnquyteþ". al care / and comsynge is of reste ¶ For tyl moryne mete with ous / y may hit wel a-vowe Ne wot no whit as y wene / what is y-now to mene ¶ For-þi / god of his godenesse / þe furst man Adam . He sette hym in soloce furst / and in souerayne murthe And sithe soffrede hym to synige / sorow to fele To wite þer-þrow what wele was / and kyndely to knowe ¶ And aftur a-untrede god him-self / and toke adames kynde To wite what he hadde y-suffrede / in þre sondry places Boþe in heuene and in eorthe / and now to helle he þenkeþ To wite what al wo isal wo is / þat wot of alle ioye / Omnia probate / quod bonum est tenete So schal hit fare by þis folc / here folye and here synne Schal lere hem wat loue is / and lisse wiþ-oute ende ¶ For wot no whit wat werre is / þer-as pees regneþ Ne what is witturliche wele / tyl welawey him teche ¶ Þenne was þer a whit / wiþ to brode yen Bok hiht þat beupere / a bold man of speche By godes body quaþ þis bok / y wol bere witnesse notaThe form of all the nota marks on this page is that of a musical pun. nota Þo þis barne was y-bore / þer blased a sterre Þat alle þe wyse of þis worlde / in o wit acordede Þat suche a barne was y-bore / in bethleem þe cyte Þat mannes soule scholde saue / and sinne distruye And al þe Elemens quath hethe Bok / here-of bereþ witnesse ¶ Þat he was god þat al wrouhte / þe welkene furst sewedeshewedescheweden Þo þat weren in heuene / token Stella comata And tenden hit as a torche / to reuerence his burthe Þat liht folowede þe lord / in-to þe low eorthe ¶ Þe watur witnessed þat hithe was god / for god wente on hym drye Petur þe apostle / parceyuede his grace And as he wende vpon þe watur / wel hym knewe and seyde domine iube me venire ad te ¶ Lo hou þe sonne gan louke / hure lyht in hure-selue When heo sey hym suffre deþ / þat sonne and see made ¶ lo þe eorthe for heuynesse / þat he wolde deþ suffre Quakede as quyk þing / and al to-quasche þe roches ¶ lo helle myht not holde / but openede / þo god deþ þolede And let out symondes sones / to seo him honge on rode non visurum se mortemThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Now schal lucifer leoue hit / thauh him loþe þinke For Ihesus as a geaunt / with a gyn comeþ ȝende To breken and to betoun a-dounThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. / al þat beon a-gayns hym And to haue out alle / of hem þat him likeþ nota ¶ And ȝut y bok wol beo brent / but he a-ryse to lyue And conforten al his kyn / and out of care brynge ¶ And al þe Iuwene ioye / vnioynen and vnlouken And but if þei reuerence his resurreccion / and þe rode honoure And by-leue on a newe lawe / beo y-lost lyue and soule ¶ Suffre we seyde truthe y hure and seo boþe nota A spirit speke to helle / and bit vnsperre þe ȝatesHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a Latin line (RK.20.270α). notaThis nota, too, is a musical pun. A vois loude in þat liht / to lucyfer seyde Prynces of þis paleys / preostprest vn-do þe ȝates For here comeþ with crowne / þe kyng of alle glorie ¶ Þenne syhede satan / and seyde to helle Suche a liht a-ȝeins ous alleoure leueoure bileue / lazar hit fette Colde care and combraunce / is come to ous alle If þes kyng comen In / Mankynde he wol feccheA bracket in light brown ink runs faintly down the left margin from this line to the end of the page. And leden hit þer lazar is / and lithliche me bynde patriarches and prophetes / han parlet her-of longe Þat suche a lord and a lyht / schal leden hem al hennes ¶ Ac ryse vp Ragemoffyn / and reche me al þe barres Þat belial þy belsyre / beot wyþ þi damme And y schal lette þis lord / and his liht stoppe Þat no liht leopon In / atte þeom. louer ne at loupe ¶ And þou astrot hote out / and haue out knaues Coltynge and al his kyn / oure catel to saue ¶ Broimstoun boylaunt / brennynge out cast hit Al hot on here hefdes / þat entren ny þe walles ¶ Setteþ bowes of brake / and brasone gonnes And scheoteþ out schot y-nouh / his scheltrom to blende ¶ Sette mahon at þe mangenel / and mulle-stones þroweþ With crokes and calketrappes / a-cloye we hem echone ¶ lustneþ quath lucyfer / for y this lord knowe // Boþe þis lord and þis lyht / is longe gon y knewe hym May no deþe þis lord dere / ne no deueles queyntyse ¶ And wher he wole is his waye / ac war hym of þe periles If he reue me of my ryht / he robbeþ me by maystrie ¶ For by ryht and reson / þe renkes þat beon here Body and soule beoþ myne / boþe goode and ille ¶ For he hym-self hit seyde / þat sire is of helle Þat Adam and Eue / and alle his issue ¶ Scholden deye with deol / and here dwelle euure If þat þei touched a treo / or toke þer-of an appul Þus þis lord of liht / suche a lawe made ¶ And syþe he is so lel a lord / y leoue þat he wol nat Reuen vs of oure ryht / syþen resoun hem dampned ¶ And sythe we han beo sesed / seuene þousand wyntur And neuure was þer-a-ȝein / and now wolde by-gynne / He were vnwrayst of herehis worde / þat witnesse is of treuthe ¶ Þat is soþe sayde Satan / but y me sore doute // For þow gete hym with gyle / and his gardeyn broke A-gayns his loue and his leue / on his lond ȝeodest Not in forme of a feond / but in forme of an eddre And Entysedest Eue / / to ete by heore one And by-heitest heore and hym / aftur to knowe As two godes wiþ god / boþe good and ille Thus with treson and tricherie / thou troiledest hem boþe And dudest hem breke here buxumnesse / throw falce by-heste ¶ Thus haddest þou hem out / and hidur at þe laste Hit is not greythely getoun / þer gyle is þe roteA bracket in the brown hand of glossator3 extends in the left margin from this line to Vc21.330. ¶ And god wol not beo by-gyled / quaþ gobylyn ne by-IapedThe last word is preceded by a false start of an uncompleted character. We haue no trewe tytle to hem / for þi treson hit makeþ ¶ For-þi y drede me quaþ þe deuul / lest treuthe wol hem fecche And as þou by-gylest godes ymage / in goynge of an eddre So hathe god by-gyled vs alle / in goynge of an wye ¶ For god haþ gon quaþ gobylyn / in a gome liknesse / This þritty wyntur as y wene / and went a-boute and preched ¶ I haue assailed him wiþ synne / and some-tyme y askede Wher he were god or godesonegodes sone / he gaf me schort vnswereanswerevnswered Thus haþe he troylod and trauayled / in his tyme Forþe like a tydy man / this two and þritty wyntur ¶ And whan y sey þat hit was so / y sotylede hou y myhte Lette hem þat louede hym nat / lest þei wolde martre ¶ I wolde ahaue lengþed his wyf[l]yf / for y leued if he deyde And soulehis soule hydur come / he scholde schende vs alle ¶ Þe body whyles hit on bones ȝeode / a-boute was hit euure To lere men to beo lelle / eche man to loue oþur ¶ Þe wuche lyf and lawe / beo hit longe y-vsed Hit schal vndon vs deuules / and doun brynge vs alle ¶ Now y seo where his soule comeþ / seylynge hydurwardes With glorie and wiþ grete liht / god hit is y wote wel ¶ I rede we Fleo quaþ þe feond / faste al hennes For ous were betre not beo / þan a-byde in his sihte . ¶ For þi lesynges lucyfer we losten furst oure ioye And oute of heuene hydur / thy pruyde made vs falle For we leued on þin lesynges / ther losten we blisse ¶ And now for a latere lesynge / þat þow lowe tyl Eue We han lost oure lordschip / a londe / and in helle nunc princeps huius mundiThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ SySetheSithen þat satan mysseyde thus foule Lucyfer for his lesynges / leoue y non other But oure lord at þe laste / lyheres here rebuke And wyten hem al þe wrechednesse / þat wrouhte is on eorthe Nota Beoþ y-war ȝee wyse clerkes / and witty men of lawe Þat ȝeo by-gyle nat þis lewede men / for atte þe lastelaste dauid Witnesseþ in his wrytinge / what is lyeres mede Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem / perdes omnes qui locuntur mendacium A litul ich ouur-lipe / for lesynges sake Þat y ne segge as y seyh / suynge my teme ¶ For eft lihtþat lihte bade vnlouke / and lucifer aswerede What lord art þow quath lucyfer a vois a-louhd seyde Þe lorde of myht and of mayn / þat made alle þinges Duke of þis dymme place / a-non vndo þe ȝates Þat criste mowe comen In / þe kynges son of heuene ¶ And with þat breþe helle brake / wyþ al belialbelialles barres For eny wy or woarde / wyde openede þe ȝates patriarches and prophetes / populus in tenebris Songen with seynt Iohan /Ecce agnus dei . / ¶ Lucyfer loke ne myhte / so lith hym a-blente And þo þat oure lord louede / with þat liht forþe flowen ¶ lo me here quaþ oure lorde / lyf and soule boþe For alle synful soules / to saue oure bey ryht Myne þei were and of me / y may þe bet hem clayme ¶ Al-þauh reson recorde / and riht of my-selue Þat if þei eten þe appul / al scholden deye I by-hihte hem nat here / helle for euure ¶ For þe dedly synne þat þei duden / þi deceyte hit made With gyle þou hem gete / a-gayne al resoun ¶ For in my paleys paradys / in person of an eddre Falsliche fecchedestfettest þere / þat me by-fel to loke By-glosedest hem and bygyledest hem / and my gardyn breke A-ȝeins my loue and my leue / þe olde lawe techeþ Nota Þat gylours beo by-gyled / and in here gyle by-fallebeo yfallefalle ¶ And wo-so hitteþ out a mannes eye / or elles his fore-teþe Or eny maner membre / maymeþ or hutteþherteth - Þe same for schal he haue / þat eny so smyteþ dentem pro dente et oculum pro oculo / = ¶ So lyf schal lyf lete / þer lyf haþ lyf aneynted So þat lyf qui..te lyf / þe olde lawe hit askeþ Ergo / soul schal soul quite / and synne to synne wende And al þat man mysdude / y man to amendon hit ¶ And þat þat deþ fordude / y deþ to releuen Boþe aquite and quykie / þat was a-queynte þrow synne And gyle beo by-gyled / þrow grace at þe laste / Ars ut artem falleret .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. So leofNote that these words do not match those at the top of the next page, which read, So leue.The box around this catch phrase sits on the back of a sketched creature. ~~So le~~ ~~So l~~ ¶ So leue hit nat lucyfer þat y a-ȝeins þe laweParts of the b-verses from here to Vc21.413 are damaged by smudging, but they are still legible. Fecche here eny sunfol soule / souereynly by maistrie But throw rith and resoun / raumson here my lige Non veni soluere legem / sed ad-implere / So that þorhg gyle was getoun / þrow grace is nowe y-wonne . ¶ And as Adam and alle / þrow a treo deydoun Adam and alle þrow a treo / schal turne to lyue ¶ And now by-gynneþ þi gyle / a-gayn on þe turne And my grace to growe / ay wyddur and wyddur ¶ The bitturnesse þat þow hast browe / now brouke hit þi-self x Þow ert doctour of deþe / dryng þat þou madest . ¶ For y þat am lord of lyf / loue is my drynke And for þat drynke to-day / deide as hit semed . ¶ Ac y wol drynke of non dysche / ne of non deop Clergye But of comune coppes / al cristone soules ¶ Ac thy drynk worþe deth / and deop helle þi bolle / I fauht so . me furstuþ ȝut / for mannes soules sake sciciosicioThis word is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ May no piement ne pomade / ne precious drynkes Moyste me to þe folle / ne my furst slocke Til þe vendage valle / in þe vale of iosophat And drynke ryht ripe most / resurreccio mortuorum / ¶ Þenne schal y come as a kynge / with crone and with angeles And haue out of helle / al mennes soules ¶ Feondes and feondkynes / by-fore me schulle stande And beo at my byddynge / at blisse or at peyne // ¶ Ac to beo merciable to man / þenne my kynde askeþ For wowe beoþ breþeren of blod / ac nat in baptisme alle Ac alle þat beon myn half breþeren / in blod and in baptisme Schal neuure eft in helle come / beo he onus oute / tibi soli peccaui & ma=lum coram te feciThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous and following lines. ¶ Hit is not vsed on eorthe / to hongon eny felones Oftur þanne ones / thau þei weron treytours ¶ And if þe kynge of þe kynedom / come in þe tyme Ther a þeof þolie scholde / dethe or Iuwyse Lawe wole he ȝeue hym lyf / and he lokede on hym And y þat am kyng ouur kynges / schal come suche a tyme Ther þat dom to þe deth / dampneþ al wykede And if lawe wole y loke on hem / hit lith in my grace Weþer þei deye or dey not / dude þei neuure so ill .Here Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit three lines (RK.20.430-432). As nullum malum impunitum & nullum bonum irremuneratum . And so of alle wykkede / y wole here take veniaunce And my kunde in my kene Ire / schal constrayne my wil domine ne in furore tuo arguas me To beo merciable to meny / of myn half-breþeren ¶ For blod may seo blod / boþe a-furst and a-kale Ac blod may not seo blod / blede but hym rewe Audiui archana verba que non licet homini loqui Ac my rithwesnesse and riht / schal regnen in helle And mercy and man-kynde / by-fore me in heuene ¶ For y were an vnkynde kynge / but y my kyn holpe And nameliche at suche a neode / þat neodes help askeþ Non intres in iudicio cum seruo tuo / ¶ Thus by lawe quaþ oure lorde / lede y wol fro hennes Al tho þat y louye / and leouede in my comynge Ac for þe lesynge þat þow lowe / lucyfer tyl eue Þou schalt a-buy bittere quod god / and bound hym wiþ cheynes ¶ Astrot and al othere / hudden hem in hurnes Þei durst not loke on oure lord / þe leste of hem alle But lette hym lede forþ wuch hym lust / and leue wuche hym likede Mony hondred of angelus / harpedoun þo and songoun Culpat caro purgat caro regnat deus Þenne pipede pees of poetes / a note Clarior est solito / post inimciciasinim[i]cicias clarior est et amor Aftur scharpest schoures quaþ pees / / most schene is þe sonne Is no wedur warmor / þan aftur watery cloudes Noþur loue leuere / ne leuere frendes Þan aftur werre and wrake / whan loue and pees beoþ maystres ¶ Was neuure werre in þis worlde / ne wykkedor enuye Þat loue and hym luste / to lauhinge brouhte ¶ Truwes quaþ treuth / thow tellest soþe by ihesus Cluppe we in couenaunt / and eche of vs cusse othur And leet no people quaþ pees parceyue þat we chydde // For inpossible is no þinge / to hym þat is al-myhty ¶ Thow seist sothe quaþ rithwesnesse / and reuerently heo custe Pees and pees heore / per secula seculorum Misericordia & veritas obuiauerunt sibi / iusticia & pax osculate sunt . treuthe trompode þo / and songe te deum laudamus ¶ And þenne lutede loue / in a loud note / Ecce quam bonum & quam iocundum ¶ Tyl þe day dawede / þese damyseles daunsede Þat men rang to þe resurreccion / and wiþ þat y a-wakede And calde kitte my wyf / and kalote my dowtur A-rys and go reuerence / godes resurreccion And creop on kneos to þe cros / and cusse hit for a Iuwel And rithfollokest a relyk / non richerre on eorþe ¶ For godes blesset body / hit bar for oure bote And hit a-fereþ þe feond / for suche is þe myhte May no gryseliche gost / glide þer hit schadewiþ . Explicit passus quartus et vltimus de dobet Incipit primus passus de . dobestThe implicit of this passus is linked to the explicit of the previous passus with a red bracket on the right. THus y a-wakede & wrot / what y hadde dremed And dyhte me derly / and dude me to kerke To huyre holy þe masse / and beo housled aftur In myddes of þe masse þo / menne ȝeoden to offrynge I feol eft sones a-sclepe / and sodenly me mette Þat peres þe plouhman was peynted al blody And cam in wiþ a crois / by-fore þe comune people And riht like in al lymes / to oure lord ihesu ¶ And þenne cald y concience / to kenne me þe soþe Is þis ihesus þe ioustour quod y / þat Iuwes duden to deþe Or is hit peres plouhman / ho peynted hym so rede ¶ Quaþ Concience and knelede þo / this aren cristes armes His colours and his cote armure / and he þat comeþ so blody Hit is crist wiþ his croise / conquerour of cristine ¶ Why cal hym crist / syþen Iuwes cald hym ihesus patriarches and prophetes profecied by-fore Þat al kynne creators / scholden knelen and bowen An non as men nempned / þe name of god ihesu ergo is no name / to þe name ihesus name notaAnother musical pun. It extends down to the line below. And non so neodfol touWhat has been transcribed here as a seems at some point to have been interpreted as an <n>, possibly anticipating the <n> in nempne. It was separated from the <to> by a hairline. nempne / by nyht ne by day . ¶ For al deorke deueles / dreden hit to here And synful beon solaced / and saued by þat name ¶ And ȝeo callen hym criste / for what cause telleþ me Is crist more of myhte / and more worþiour name Þan ihesu or Ihesus / þat al oure ioye cam of . ¶ Þou knowest wel quod Concience / and þow conne resoun Þat knyht kyng conquerour / may beo o persone To beo called a knyht is fair / for men schal to him knele To beo called a kyng is fairor / for he may knyhtes make And to beo called conquerour / þat comeþ of special grace Of hardynesse of herte / and of hendenesse ¶ To make lordes of laddes / of lond þat he wynneþ And freo memen foule þralles / þat folowon not his lawes Þe Iuwes þat were gentul men / ihesu þei despisedenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. . Boþe his lore and his lawe / now aren þei lowe cheorles . ¶ As wyde as þe worlde is / wonieþ þer none But vndur tribut and tallage / as tykes and cheorles ¶ And þo þat by-comeþ cristine / by counseil of þe baptist Aren frankelayns and freo / throw folling þet þei toke And gentyl men mydwith ihesu for Ihesus was y-fulled And vpon Caluarie on crois / croned kyng of Iuwes // ¶ Hit by-comeþ for a kyng / to kepen and defende And conquerour of his conqueste / his laies and his large ¶ So dude ihesu þe Iuwes / he iustified and tauhte hem . Þe lawe of þe lykynge lusyft / þat laste schal euure . And fendede hem fro foule vueles / feueres and fluxes And fro feondes þat weren in hem / and fals by-leoue ¶ Þo was he ihesus of Iuwes cald / gentyl prophete And kyng of here kynedom / and crone bar of þornes ¶ And þo conquered he on crois / as conquerour noble Myht no deþe hym for-do / ne a-dounThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. brynge Þat he ne aros and regnede / and rauysched helle ¶ And þo was he conquerour calde / of quyke & of dede For he ȝaf adam and Eue / and othere mo blisse Þat longe hadden ley by-fore / as lucyfers cheorles ¶ And tok lucyfer þe lothliche / þat lord was of helle And bond hym as he is y-bounde / with bondes of yren . ¶ Ho was hardiour þan he / his heorte blod he schadde notaThe form of this nota is unusual, consisting of an <x> within a curve or a stylized <n>. To maken al folk freo / þat folwen his lawe . And suche he ȝaf largeliche / al his lelle lige Places in Paradys / at here partyng hennes He may wel by calledbe wel calledben cald wellwel be callid conquerour / and þat is crist to mene ¶ Ac þe cause whi he comeþ þus / wiþ crois and his passion Is to wyssen vs þer-wiþ / þat when we beo ytempted Þer-with to fyhten and fendon vs / fro fallyng in-to synne . // ¶ And seo by his sorowe / þat wo-so louyeþloueth ioye // To penaunce and to pouerte / he mot putte hym-selue And muche wo in þis worlde / wilnen and suffren ¶ Ac to carpe more of crist / and hou þat he cam to þat name Faithfolly for to speke / his furst name was ihesus ¶ Þo he was bore in bethleem / / as þe bok telleþ And came to take man-kynde / kynges and angeles Reuerensed hym riht faire / with richese of eorthe Angeles of heuene / comen knelede and songon . gloria in excelsis . deo .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ Kynges comen aftur / knelede and offrede Muche gold and myrre / with-oute mercy askynge Or eny kynne catel / but knewleched hym souereyn Boþe of sand sonne and see / and sythen þei went In-to heore kyngene kythe / by counseil of angeles And þer was þat word folfulled / þe wuche þow of speke Omnia celestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine ihesu . // For all þe angeles of heuene / at his burthe knelede notaAnother musical pun. And al þe wit of þe worlde / was in þo þre kynges // Reson and rihtfulnesse / and reuthe / thethei offrede Wher-fore and wy / wysmen þat tyme Maystres and lettred men / Magi hem calde ¶ Þat on kynge came mydwith resoun / keuerede vnder sense ¶ Þe secunde kyng sythen / sothly he offrede Ryhtwysnesse vndur red gold / to ryht and to treutheHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit the B-verse of RK.21.88, all of RK.21.89, and the A-verse of RK.21.90 to form one line. ¶ Þe þryd kyng cam þenþo / and knelede to ihesu / And presented him mydwith pite / aperyng by myrre // For myrre is mercy to mene / and mylde speche of tonge ¶ EorlicheErthelicheThre hardelich honeste þinges / was offred thus at ones Þrohg þre kynde kynges / knelyng to ihesu / ¶ Ac for alle þeos preciouse presentes / our lord ~~ihesu~~ihesus Was noþur kyng ne conquerour / tyl he comsed wexe In þe manere of a man / and þat by muche slythe // ¶ As hit by-comeþ for a conquerour / to conne mony slythes And mony wyles and wit / þat wol beo a ledere . ¶ And so dude ihesus in his daies / ho-so durste tel hit Som-tyme he suffrede / and som-tyme he hydde hym And som-tyme he fauhte fast / and felih oþer-wyle ¶ And som-tyme he gaf good / and grauntede hele Both lyf and lym / as hym lust he wrouhte As kynde is of a conquerour / so comsede ihesus Tyl he hadde al hem / þat he fore bledde / ¶ In his Iuuente thes Ihesus / / at Iuwene feste Turned watur in-to wyn / as holy write telleþ And þer by-gan god of his grace / gretly to dowel ¶ For wyn is likned to lawe / and lyf holynesse And law lakkede þo / for men louede nat her enymy ¶ And crist consailleþ thus / and comaundeþ boþe To lerede and to lewade / for to loue oure enymys . ¶ So at þat feste furst / as y by-fore tolde By-gan god of his grace / and goodnesse dowel ¶ And þo was he cleped and cald / nat only crist but Ihesu A Faunteleynfauntekyn fol of wit / filius marie For by-fore his modur Marie / / made he þat wondur // Þat scheo furst and formest / scholde ferm by-leoue Þat he þrow grace was gete / and of no gome elles ¶ HeoHe wrouhte that by no wit / but þrow word one Aftur þe kynde þat he cam of / ther comsed he dowel ¶ And whan he was wexen more / in his modur absence He made lame to lepe / and ȝaf liht to þe blynde And fedde with two fissches / and wiþ fyue loues hungred . many Sore a-fyngred fele folc / mo þan fyue þousand ¶ Thus he confortede carefol / and cauht a grettor name Þe wuche was dobet / wher þat he wente ¶ For deeue þrow his doynges / and dombe speke and herde And al he heled and halp / þat hym of grace asked ¶ Þo was he called in contreye / of þe comune people // For þe dedes þat he dude / fili dauid ihesus For dauid was þe douhtyest / of dedes in his tyme Þe buyrdes þo songen saul interfecit mille / & dauid decem milia ¶ For-þi þe contreye þer ihesu cam / cald hym fili dauid Nempnede hym of Nazareth / and no man so worþi To beo kayser or kynge / of þe kynedam of Iuda Ne ouur Iuwes iustice / as Ihesus was hem thoute ¶ Her-of hadde Cayphas / enuye and oþere Iuwes And for to do hym to deþe / day and nyht þei casten And culled hym on crois-wyse / at caluarie on a fryday And sythen buried his body / and bedoun þat men scholde Kepon hit fro nyhtcomers / wyþ knyhtes y-armed / For no frend scholde hit fecche / for pphetesp[ro]phetes hem tolde Þat þat blessed body / of buryles scholde a-ryse / And go in-to Galile / and gladon his aposteles And his modur marie / thus men to-forebifore dyuynede ¶ Þe knyhtes þat kepton hit / by-knewen hem-selue Þat Angeles and archangeles / ar þe day spronge mareThis faded note is accompanied by two heavy, vertical lines in brown ink that extend down to Vc22.104. Comen knelynge / to þat corps and songoun Cristus rex resurgens / / and hit aros aftur Verrei mon by-fore hem alle / and forþe wiþ hem ȝeode ¶ Þe Iuwes preyede hem of pes / and preyde þo knyhtes Telle þe comune þat þer cam / a compaignie of his aposteles And by-wacched hem as þei wok / and a-way stelen hit ¶ Ac Marie magdeleyne / mette wiþ hym by þe waye Goynge toward Galilee / in godhede and manhede And liues and lokynge / and heo aloud cryde / In eche compaignie þer heo cam . cristus resurgens . ¶ Thus cam hit out þat crist ouurcam / rekeouerde and lyuede Sic oportet christusxpistumchristum pati & intrare & cetera / . notaAnother musical pun. For that þat wommen wyten / may not wel beo consail . ¶ Petur parceyuede al this / and pursued aftur Boþe Iames and Iohan / / Ihesu / to seke ~~nota~~ tadee and ten mo / with thomas of Inde ¶ As alle theos wyse wyes / weren to-gederes . In an hous al byschet / and here dore barredA vertical line in the left margin extends from Vc22.116-117. Crist cam in and al was closed / boþe dorre and ȝates To petur and his aposteles / and seydesaide pax vobis And tok Thomas by þe hand / and tauhte hym to grope And fele with his fyngres / his fleyscheliche herte thomas touched hit / and wiþ his tonge seyde dominus meus & deus meusThis line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. Thou art my lord y by-leoue / god lord ihesu / Þow deidest and deþ þoledest / and deme schalt ous alle And now art lyuynge and lokynge / and laste schal euure The eyes of all thinges Doo loke ¶ Crist carpede þenne / and corteysliche seyde Thomas for thou trowest this / and trewly by-leouest hit I-blessed mot þou beo / and beo schalt for euure - ¶ And blessed mot þei beo / in body and soule Þat neuure schullen seo in syht / as þou seost nouthe And lelly by-leouen al this / y loue hem and blesse hem . Beati qui non viderunt et crediderunt ¶ And when þis dede was don / dobest he þouhte // And ȝaf peres power / and pardoun he graunted / To alle manere of men / mercy and forȝeuenesse And ȝaf hem myhte to assoile hemmen / of al manere synnes In couenaunt þat þei come / and knewleched to paye To peres pardoun plouhmanThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. / redde quod debes . ¶ Thus haueþ peres power / beo his pardoun payed To bynde and vnbynde / boþe here and elles And assoille of al synnes / saue of dette one ¶ A-non aftur an hyh / vp in-to heuene He wente and wonyeþ þere / and wol come at þe last And rewarde hym riht wel / þat reddit quod debet ¶ Payeþ nouthe parfitly / as pure treuthe wolde And what persone payeþ hit nat / punyschen he þenkeþ And demen hem a domesday / boþe quyke and dede ¶ Þe goode to godhede / and to grete ioye ¶ And wykkede to wonye / in wo wiþ-oute ende . ¶ Thus concience of Crist / and of þe croys carpede And consailed me to knele þer-to / and þenne cam me thoute On spiritus paraclitus to peres and twoto his felawes In liknesse of a lihtynge / alihte on hem alle And made hem conne and knowe / al kynne ~~costages~~ langage ¶ Y wondrede what þat was / and waggede concience And was a-ferd for þe lyht / for in fures liknesse Spiritus paraclitus / ouur-spradde hem alle / ¶ Quaþ concience þo and knelede / this is cristes messager And comeþ from þe grete god / grace is his name Knele now quaþ Concience / and if þow con synge Wel-come hym and worschipe hym / with ~~spiritus paraclitus~~ veni creator And y sang that song þo / and so dude mony hondred // And cryden with Concience / help vs god of grace / ¶ Þo by-gan grace to go / with peres þe plouhman And consailed hym and concience / þe comune to someny / For y wol dele to-day / and dyuyde grace / To al kynne creatours / þat can his fyue wittes Tresour to lyue by / to here lyues ende And wepne to fyhte with / þat wol neuure faille ¶ For antecrist and hyse / schal al þe worlde greue And encombre þe concience but if crist the helpe And fele fals prophetes flaterers and glosers Schullen come and beo curatours / ouer kynges & eorles ¶ Þan schal pruyde beo pope / and prynce of holichurche Couetyse and vnkyndenesse / cardinals hym to lede ¶ For-thi quaþ grace ar y go / y wol gyue ȝow tresour And wepne to fyht with / whan antecrist ȝow assoailleþ And gaf eche man a grace / to gye with hym-selue Þat ydulnesse ne encombre hem nat / ne enuye ne pruyepryde diuisiones graciarum sunt / ¶ To some men he ȝaf wit / with wordes to scewe To wynne with treuthe / þat þe worlde askeþ As preostes and prechours / and prentyses of lawe Thei to lyue lelly / by labour of tonge And by wit wyssento wissen othere / as grace hem wolde teche ¶ And somme he kende hem craftes / and connynge of syhte With sellynge and buggynge / her-by lyue to wynne ¶ And som he lerede to laboure / a-lond and a-water And lyue by that labour / a lel lyf and a trewe ¶ And somme he tauhte tulye / to teche and to koke - As here wit wolde / when þe tyme come ¶ And som he dyuynedeto deuyne / and dyuyde nombres to kene And to compasson / and colour.s to make ¶ And somme to seo and to seye / what scholde by-falle Boþe of wele and of wo / and beo war by-fore As astromyens þrow astronomye / and pholosofres wyse ¶ And some to ryde and rekeuere / þat vnrythfolliche was wonne AndHe wyssede men wynnen hit a-ȝeyn / / þrow witnesse of hondes And feche hit fro falcemen / with foleuyles lawes / ¶ And som he lerede to lyue / in longynge to beo hennes In pouerte and in pacience / to prey for al cristine / / ¶ And alle he lerede to beo lelle / and eche a craft to loue other Noþur bost ne debat / be among hem alle ¶ Þauh some beo clennere þan some / ȝe seon wel quaþ grace Þat al craft and connynge / cam of my ȝifte ¶ Loke þat non lacken othur / but louyeþ as bretheren And he þat most maystres can / beo myldest of berynge ¶ And croneþ concience kyng / and makeþ craft ȝoure styward / And aftur craftus consail / cloþeþ ȝow and fedeþ ¶ For y make peres plouhman / / my prokeratour and my reue And registre to reseyuen / redde quod debes ¶ My power and my plouhman / peres schal beo on eorthe And for to tulye truthe / a teme schal he haue notaAnother musical pun.The tail of this nota extends from Vc22.199 to 204. ¶ Grace gaf to peres a teom / of foure grete oxen Þat on was luk a large best / and a louh chered Marc and Matheu þe þridde / myhty bestes bothe And ioyned tyl hem on Iohan / most gentil of alle Þe prys neet of peres plouh / passynge al othere ¶ And sythen grace of his goodnesse gaf peres four stottes Al þat his oxen eredenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. / thei to harowen aftur On hihte / austyn and ambrosie a-nother Gregore þe grete clerk / and Ierom þe gode ¶ These foure þe faith to teche / folowede peres teme And harwede in an hand-while / al holy scripture With two eythes þat þei hadden / and eold / and an newe id est vetus testamentum & nouum .This line is written in the margin to the right of the previous line. ¶ And grace gaf to peres greynes cardinal vertues And sewe hit in mannes soule / and sythen he tolde here names X - spiritus prudencie / þe furst seed heyhte Þat ho-so ete þat seed / ymagyni he scholde Or he dude eny dede . / dyuyse wel þe ende ¶ And lered men a ladele bugge / wiþ a long stele / [a face and penstrokes] And caste fort kele a crokke / and saue þe fat a-boue ¶ Þe secounde sed hihte spiritus temporancie He þat eete of þat seed / hadde suche a kynde // Scholde neuure mete ne meschief / make hym to swelle Ne scholde non scornere / out of skile hym brynge / Nothur wynnynge ne welthe / of worldeliche rychesse Wast word of ydulnesse / ne wykkede speche meoue Schold non curyous clothe / come on his rugge - Nother mete in his mouth / þat maystur Iohan spicede . ¶ Þe þridde seed þat peres sew / was spiritus fortitudinis And ho-so ete of þat seed / hardy was euure / To soffren al þat god sente / syknesse and angres Mihte non lyare wiþ lesynges / ne loos of worldly catel / Make hym for eny mornyng / þat he ne was murye in soule / And bold and a-bydynge / bysemares to soffre / And plede with pacience / and wiþ parce michi domine And keuerde hym vndur consail / of Catoun þe wyse - versusThere are two additional strokes on the <us> expansion symbol, possibly ornamental. Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique Þe feorthe seed þat peres sewe / was spiritus Iusticie - And he þat ete of þat seed / scholde beo euene trewe Wiþ god and not a-gast / but of gyle one For gyle goþ so preuely / þat good faith oþer-while May not beo aspied . / . þrow spiritus iusticie ¶ Spiritus iusticie spareþ not to spille Hem þat beoþ gylty / and for to corecte - Þe kyng and þe kyng falle / in eny þing gulty ¶ For counteþ he not nono kynges wrathe / wen he in cort sytteþA bracket in glossator3's light brown ink extends in the right margin connecting this and the following two lines. To deme as a domesman / a-drad was he nieuure Noþur of duke ne of deþ / þat ne ne doþ þe lawe For present or for preyere / or eny prynces lettres . He dude equite to alle / euene forþe his knowynge // ¶ Þees foure seedes peres sew / and syþen he dude hem arewen ¶ With olde lawe and neu lawe / þat loue myhte wexe A-mong þes foure vertues / and vices destruyen . ¶ For communeliche in contreies / cammokes and wedes Fouleþ þe fruyt in þe feld / ther þei grow to-gederes And so doþe vices vertues / and for-þi quaþ peres . Harweþ al þat conne kynde wit / by consail of þeos doctours And tulieþ aftur here techyng / þe cardinals vertues ¶ A-ȝeinst þat þi greynes quaþ / grace / by-gynneþ to growe Ordeyne þe an hous peres to herberghen In þi cornes By god Grace quaþ Peres / ȝe mot gyue me tymbur And ordeyne þat hous / er ȝe hennes wende = ¶ And grace gaf hym þe crois / with þe crone of þornes Þat Crist / vpon Caluary for mon-kynde on peynede And of his baptisme and blod / þat he bledde on rode ¶ He made a manere morter / and mercy hit hihte And þer-wyþ grace / by-gan / to make a good fondement And wateled hit and walled hit / wiþ his peynes of passioun ¶ And of al holy writ / he made a rof aftur And calde þat hous vnite / holichurche in englische ¶ And whan this dede was doun / grace dyuysede A carte hihte cristondomThere is an otiose tilde over the <m>. / to karien hom peres schefes And gaf hym capeles to his cart / contricioun with Confessioun And made preosthod hay-warde / þe while hym-self wente As wyde as þe worlde is / with peres to tulye treuthe And þe lond of by-leoue / þe lawe of holychurche ¶ Now is peres to þe plouh / pruyde hit aspyde And gadered hym a gret host / greuen he þenkeþ Concience and alle cristone / and cardinal vertes To blowe hem doun and breke hem / and bite a-to þe rotes ¶ And sente forthe surquidours / his seriauns of armesIn the left margin, a light brown stroke, presumably by glossator3, extends vertically from this line to the next two. to þe roPresumably this phrase is copied from Vc22.252, above. And his aspie spille lofloue / on speke vuel by-hynde ¶ These two comen to concience and to cristone people - And tolden hem tydynges / þat tyne þei scholde Þe seedes þat sire peres sew / þe cardinale vertues ¶ And peres berne worþe to-broke / and þei þat beoþ inin vnite Schullen come out and concience and ȝoure two capeles Contricioun and confessioun / and ȝoure cart bileoue // Schal beo colered so queyntely / & keouered vndur oure sophistrie Þat concience schal nat / knowe by contricioun Nothur by confessioun ho is cristene or heþene ¶ Ne no maner marchaunt / þat with money deleþ Weþur he wynne wiþ riht / with wrong oþur with vsure ¶ With suche colours and queyntyse / comeþ pruyde armed With þe lord þat lyueþ / aftur þe loust of his body ¶ To waston in wel-fare / and in wykkede Kepynge Al þe worlde in a while / þrow oure wit quaþ pruyde ¶ Quath concience to al cristone þo / my consail is wendewe wendeye wendeto wende - Hastiliche in-to Vnite / / and holde weo ous þere Prey we þat a pees were / in peres berne plouhman ¶ For witturly y wot wel / weo beoþ not of strenthe To gon a-gayn / pruyde / but grace wiþ ous were ¶ And þenne cam kyndewit / concience / to teche He cryde and comaundede / al cristone people To delue and dyke an deop diche / al a-boute vnite Þat holychurche stod in holynesse / as hit were a Pyle ¶ Concience comaunded þo / al cristone to delue And make muchea mochea michell mot / þat myht beo a strengþe To helpe holychurche / and hem þat hit kepeþ .A light brown bracket, presumably by glossator3, extends in the left margin from this line to Vc22.285. ¶ Þenne al kynne cristene / saue commune wommen Repentede and refusede synne / saue thei one And an assysour and a somenour / þat weren for-swore oft Wytynge wel and wilfoly / wyþ þe falce þei heldenThere is an otiose tilde over the <n>. And for seluur weren for-swore / sothly þei wisten hit ¶ Ther ne was cristone creature / þat kynde wit hadde Þat he ne halp a quantite / holynesse to wexe ¶ Some by bedes byddynge / and som by pilgremages Or othere pryue penaunces / and som þrow pans delynge // ¶ And þenne water wellede / for wykkede werkes // Egreliche ȝernynge / out of mennes eyen ¶ Clannesse of þe Comune / and clerkes clene lyuynge - Made vnite holychurche / in holynesse stonde ¶ Y care nat now quaþ / concience / thaw pruyde come nouthe - Þe lord of loust schal beo let / al þis lente y hope // Comeþ noutheom.now quaþ concience ȝe cristine and dyneþ Þat han labored lelly / al this lenten tyme [a triangle of 3 dots, flourised with single curved line] Her is bred y-blesset / and godes body þer-vndur ¶ Grace gaf þrow godes word / to peres plouhman power And myht to maken hit / and men for to eten hit In help of here hele / ones in a monthe Or as oft as þei han neode / thei þat hadden payed To peres pardon plouhman / redde quod debes Hou quaþ al þe comune / consailest þou vs to ȝeelde Al þat we owen eny whit / er we go to housle ¶ That is my consail quath concience and cardinals vertues Or eche man for-ȝeue other / and þat wol þe pater noster Et dimitte nobis debita nostra / And so to beo assoilled / and sythen beo housled ¶ Ȝe baw quaþ a Bruware / y wol not beo rueled By ihesu for al ȝoure ianglyng / aftur spiritus iusticie Ne aftur Concience by cryst / for y couthe selle Boþe dregges and draf / and draw at on hole Þykke ale and þynne ale / and þat is my kynde And not to hakke aftur holynesse / hold þy tongetonge consiencepees consience Of Spiritus iusticie / / þou spekest muche an ydul . ¶ Caytyf quath Concience // corsede wreche Vn-blessed art þou brewere / but if god þe helpe But þou lyueThe previous word and the word chief below are smeared but readable. by þe lore / of spiritus iusticie Þe chief seed þat peres sew / saued worst þou neuure But concience þe comune fede / and cardynal vertues +The cross is written over the two diagonal marks. // Leof hit wel we beon lost Boþe lyf and soule ¶ Þenne is mony mon y-lost / quaþ a lewede Vycary I am a curatour of holykirke / and cam neuure in my tyme Man to me þat couþe telle / of cardinal vertues Or that a-countede concience / a cokkes feþur oþur hennes . ¶ Y knew neuure cardinal / þat he ne cam fro þe pope And we clerkes wan þei comeþ / for here comunes payeþ For here pelure and palfreis mete / and pilours þat hem foloweþ Þe Comune clclamat cotidie / ech a man to other Þe contrey is þe corsedourr / þer cardinals comeþ Inne And þer þei liggen and lenge most / lecherie þer regneþ ¶ For-þi quaþ thes vykary / by verrey god y wolde Þat no cardinal come / a-mong þe comune people But in here holynesse / holden hem stille At Auynoun a-mong þe Iuwes cum sancto sanctus eris / Or in Rome as heore rewle wolde / þe relykes to kepe ¶ And þou concience in kynges cort / and scholdest neuure go þennes ¶ And grace þat thow so gredest of / were gyour of alle clerkes And peres with his newe plouh / and his olde Bothe Emperour of al þe worlde / þat al men were cristone Inparfit is that pope þat al þe people scholde helpe And sowdeþ hem þat slepe suche / as he scholde saue ¶ Ac wel worþe peres plouhman þat pursueþ god in doynge Qui pluit super iustos / & iniustos at ones And sente þe sonne to saue / a corsed mannes tylthe As briht as to þe best mon / or to þe best womman / ¶ Riht so peres plouhman peyneþ hym to tulye As wel for a wastour / or for a wenche at stuwes As for hym-self and for his seruans / saue he is furst y-serued ¶ So blessed beo peres plouhman / þat peyneþ to tulye And trauailleþ and tuleþ / for a tretour al-so sore As afor a trewe tydy man / al tymes liche ¶ And worschuped beo heo þat wrouhte al / boþe gode and wykke And soffreþ hem þat synful beonThere is an otiose expansion mark over the <n>. ¶ tyl tyme þat þei repentenThere is an otiose expansion mark over the final <n>. And god amende þe pope / þat pileþ holy churche And cleymeþ by-fore þe kynge / to beo kepere ouur cristene And counteþ nat þauh criston men / beo culled and robbed And fyndeþ folc to fyhte / and cristone blod to spille A-ȝeins þe lawe boþe old and newe / as luk bereþ witnesse Non occides / michi vindictam Sykerly hit semeþ / by so hym-self hadde his wil Þat hym recheþ riht nauht / of al þe oþur remenaunt ¶ And crist of his cortesye / þe cardinals saue And turne here wit in-to wysdom / and welþe for þe soule ¶ For þe comune quaþ þes curatour / counten fol litul Þe consail of concience or cardinal vertues But if hit sonne as by witsihte / som-wat to wynnynge ¶ Of gile ne of gabbynge / gyueþ þei neuure tale For spiritus prudencie / a-mong þe people is gyle And þo faire vertues / as vices þei hem semeþ ¶ Eche man sotileþ a sleythe / synne to huyde And colereþ hit for a connynge / and a clene lyuynge ¶ Þenne louh þer a lord / and by þis liht seyde I halde hit riht and resoun / to take of my Reue Al þat my auditour / or elles myn styward Consailleþ me by here a-compte / and my clerkes wrytyng With spiritus intellectus / þei toke þe reeue rolles And wiþ spiritus fortitudinis / fecche hit wol he nulle he ¶ Þan cam þer a kynge / and by his corone seyde I am kyng with crone / þe comune to reule And holykirke and clergie / fro corsed men to defendenThere is an otiose expansion mark over the final <n>. ¶ And if me lakkeþ to lyue by / þe lawe wol þat y take Þer y may haue hit hastilokest / for y am hed of lawe And ȝee beon but membres / and y a-boue alle ¶ Sythen y am ȝoure alre hed / y am ȝoure alre hele And holychurches chief help / and chefteyn of þe comune And ~~take~~The line of deletion is in red ink. what y take of ȝou two / y take hit at techyng Of spiritus Iusticie / for y iuge ȝow alle / So y may baldely beo houseled / for y borow neuere Ne craue of my comune / but as my kynde askeþ ¶ In condicioun quaþ concience / þat þou conne defende And reule þi reome in resoun / riht wel and in treuthe / Þan þat þow haue þin askyng / as þe lawe askeþ depredandumThe marginalia is in very black ink in a script that differs from the other glossators. The same person has underlined the last word of the Latin line, though deprehendendum is the correct reading. Omnia sunt tua ad defendendum / sed non ad deprehendendum / ~~depredandum~~ Þe vikery hadde feer hom / and faire toke his leoue And y a-wakede þer-with / and wrot as me mette Explicit passus primus de dobest / Incipit passus secundusThe incipit of this passus appears on the same line as the explicit of the previous passus. ANd as y wente by þe way / when y was þus a-waked heavy . carefull Heuy chered y ȝeode / and elyng in herte For y ne wuste wher to ete / ne in what place [w]as allmost noon. And neyhed ny þe non / and whatwith Neode y mette counterfeator. Þat a-fronted me foule / and faitour me calde coust þou not he sayd excuse þe / as dude þe kyng and oþere Þat þow toke to lyue by / to sustinaunce and cloþes As by techyng and tellyng of spiritus tempoerancie took And þat þou nome no more / þan neode þe tauhte Neode hath non lawe / and neuure schal falle in dette For þre þinges þat he takeþ / his lyf for to saue vseth or usyethThe transcription of this phrase is slightly conjectural, but it is a gloss on weldeþ blame fortHalf of the final letter is cropped, as are any potential following letters. Þat is mete . wan men hym werneþ / for he no money weldeþ to layWritten above to legge. suretie. pledge. And wot þat non wol be his borgh / noþur haþ wed to legge gyle, iniust meanes. And he cacche in þat cas / and come þer-to by scleyþe . Sothliche he synneþ not / þat so wynneþ his fode shift. ¶ And þauh he come so to a-cloþe / and can no betere cheuyssaunce taketh. suretiship. Neode nymeþ hym a-non / vndur his maynpryse And ȝeueþ hym lost for to lape / þe lawe of kynde wolde Þat he dronke of eche a dysch / er he deyde for þurste ¶ So neode hathat gret neode / may nyme as for his owne With-oute consail of concience or cardinal vertues So þat he sewe and saue spiritus tempoerancie ¶ For is non vertue by feorbeforetofore / to spiritus tempoerancie / Nothur spiritus iustie ne spiritus fortitudinis / ¶ For spiritus fortitudinis / forfeteþ fol ofteHere Vc and Ac alone in the "P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac" group omit a line (RK.22.26). beates me to bytterly. too lyttle soom too mooch, and soom too little And bete men ouur bittere / and som body to luyte And greue men grettour / þan good faith wolde will he, or will he not. ¶ And spiritus Iusticie / schal iugen wol he nul he pleasing of the peple . Aftur þe kynges consail / and þe comune like ¶ And spiritus prudencie in mony poynt schal faile Of þat he weneþ wolde falle / if his wit ne were ¶ Wenynge is non wysdom / ne wys ymaginacioun Homo proponit / deus disponit god gouerneþ alle maketh meke. Goode vertues . next hym is Neode / for an-non he meokeþ And is aas louh as a lombe / for lackynge of þat hym neodeþ ¶ For Neode makeþ neody / for nede louh herted / Filosophres forsoken welthe / for þei wolde beo neody dwelt carefull. pensif. And wonedoun wel elyngliche / and wolden nat beo riche ¶ And god ofalat his grete ioye / gosteliche he lefte And cam and toke man-kynde / and by-cam fol neody He was so neody saith þe bok / in mony sondry places Þat he seyde in his sorow / on þe selue rode Bothe fox and foul may / fleo to hole and creope And þe fiche hath fynnes / to flete wiþ to reste [...]e Non habet vbi caput suum reclinet Þeer Neode hath y-nome me so / þat y mot neode a-byde And soffre sorowes soure / þat schal to ioye turne ¶ For-thy beo not a-baysched / to biddeThe underlining of this word suggests that the later hand had glossed it as "beg" in the margin, but the cropping of the page has obliterated the gloss. and beo neody Syth he þat wrouht al þe worlde / was wylfulyche neody Neuere non so neody / ne non so poure deyde ¶ When neode hadde vndurnome me thus / a-non y fel a-slepe dreamed. And mette folle merueylousliche / þat in mannes forme Antecrist cam þenne / and al þe crop of treuthe turned. Torned hit tyd vp-sedoun / and ouur-tulte þe rote And made fals to sprynge and sprede / & spede menne neodes In eche contrey þer he cam / he cutte a-wey treuthe caused And gert Gyle growe þer / as he a god were ¶ Freres folowede þat feond / for he ȝaf hem copes And religioun receyuedereuerensedreuerenceden hym / and rongon here belles Al þe couent þo cam / to welcome þat tyraunt And al his as wel as him / saue onliche foles ¶ Þe wuche foles weren / gladdere to deye [...] dealing Þan lyue lengur sithe leaute / was so rebuked And a fals feond Antecrist ouur al folc regnede That were mylde men and holy / þat no meschief dreddoun defyeden al falsenesse / and folk þat hit vsede / And what kynge conforted hem / knowyng here gyle vnlearned. Þei corsede and here consail / were hit clerk or lewed . Antecryst thus sone hadde / hondredes at his baner And pruyde bar þat baner / boldeliche a-boute With a lord þat lyueþ / aftur lykynge of his body gyder. defender. And cam a-ȝeins concience þat kepere was and gyour Ouer kynde cristene / and cardinals vertues ¶ Y consaile conciencequod Consience þo / comeþ wiþ me ȝe foles In-to vnite holychurche / and hald we vs there And cry we to kynde / þat he come and defende vs. Ous foles fro þe feondes lymes / for peres loue þe plouhman And crye we on al þe comune / þat þei come to vnite fight Ther to a-byde and bykere / a-ȝeyns belials childrenThere is an otiose tilde on the <n>. Kynde herd þo concience / and come out of þe planetes foregoers And sent forthe his foreyours / feueres and fluxes kouhes Kouhes and cardiacles / craumpes and toþe eches Reeomes and radegoundes / and roynose skabbes Bules and boches / and brennynge a-guwes Frenesies and foule vueles / these foragers of kynde Hadden pryked and preyed / polles of people Largeliche a legyon / lees þe lyf sone /It is possible that another line was written below this and then erased, but it is difficult to confirm the situation. kou-hes and kouBoth of these boxed repetitions of the first words on the page are in a later, unpracticed hand.