Filler.
Passus Undecimus.T6572HANNE Scripture scorned meAnd a skile tolde,And lakked me in Latyn,And light by me she sette,And seide "Multi multa sciuntEt seipsos nesciunt."Tho wepte I for woAnd wrathe of hir speche;6580And in a wynkynge wratheWeex I a-slepe.A merveillous metelsMette me thanne,That I was ravysshed right there,And Fortune me fette,And into the lond of longyngeAllone she me broughte,And in a mirour that highte middel-ertheShe made me to biholde.6590"Sone," she seide to me,"Here myghtow se wondres,And knowe that thow coveitest,And come therto, peraunter."Thanne hadde Fortune folwynge hireTwo faire damyseles;Concupiscentia-carnisMen called the elder mayde,And Coveitise-of-eighesY-called was that oother.6600Pride-of-parfit-lyvyngePursued hem bothe,And bad me for my contenaunceAcounten Clergie lighte.Concupiscentia-carnisColled me aboute the nekke,And seide, "Thow art yong and yeepe,And hast yeres y-noweFor to lyve longe,And ladies to lovye;6610And in this mirour thow myght seMyghtes ful manye,That leden thee wole to likyngeAl thi lif tyme."The secounde seide the same,"I shal sewe thi wille;Til thow be a lord and have lond,Leten thee I nelle,That I ne shal folwe thi felawshipe,If Fortune it like."6620"He shal fynde me his frend,"Quod Fortune therafter;"The freke that folwede my willeFailled nevere blisse."Thanne was ther oon that highte Elde,That hevy was of chere;"Man," quod he, "if I mete with thee,By Marie of hevene!Thow shalt fynde Fortune thee failleAt thi mooste nede,6630AndConcupiscentia-carnisClene thee forsake.Bittrely shaltow banne thanneBothe dayes and nyghtesCoveitise-of-eighe,That evere thow hir knewe,And Pride-of-parfit-lyvyngeTo muche peril thee brynge.""Ye, recche thee nevere," quod Rechelesnesse,Stood forthe in raggede clothes,6640"Folwe forth that Fortune wole,Thow hast wel fer til Elde;A man may stoupe tyme y-nogh,Whan he shal tyne the crowne."Homo proponitquod a poete,And Plato he highte,AndDeus disponitquod he,Lat God doon his wille.If Truthe wol witnesse it be wel doFortune to folwe,6650Concupiscentia-carnis,Ne Coveitise-of-eighes,Ne shal noght greve thee gretly,Ne bigile, but if thow wolt thiselve.""Ye, fare wel Phippe and Faunteltee,"And forth gan me drawe,TilConcupiscentia-carnisAcorded alle my werkes."Alas! eighe," quod EldeAnd Holynesse bothe,6660"That wit shal torne to wrecchednesse,For wil to have his likyng."Coveitise-of-eighesConforted me anoon after,And folwed me fourty wynterAnd a fifte moore,That of Do-wel ne Do-betNe deyntee me thoughte.I hadde no likyng, leve me if thee list,Of hem ought to knowe.6670Coveitise-of-eighesCom ofter in myndeThan Do-wel or Do-bet,Among my dedes alle.Coveitise-of-eighesConforted me ofte,And seide, "Have no conscienceHow thow come to goode.Go confesse thee to som frere,And shewe hym thi synnes;6680For whiles Fortune is thi frendFreres wol thee lovye,And fecche thee to hir fraternitee,And for the bisekeTo hir priour provincialA pardon for to have,And preien for thee pol by pol,If thow bepecuniosus."Sed pœna pecuniaria non sufficit prospiritualibus delictis.6690By wissynge of this wenche I wroughte,Hir wordes were so swete,Til I for-yat youthe,And yarn into elde.And thanne was Fortune my foo,For al hir faire speche;And poverte pursued me,And putte me lowe.And tho fond I the frere a-fered,And flittynge bothe6700Ayeins oure firste for-warde;For I seide I noldeBe buried at hire hous,But at my parisshe chirche.For I herde onesHow Conscience it tolde,That there a man were cristnedBe kynde he sholde be buryed;Or where he were parisshen,Right there he sholde be graven.6710And for I seide thus to freres,A fool thei me helden,And loved me the lasseFor my lele speche.Ac yet I cryde on my confessour,That heeld hymself so konnyng;"By my feith! frere," quod I,"Ye faren lik thise wowerisThat wedde none widwesBut for to welden hir goodes.6720Right so, by the roode!Roughte ye nevereWhere my body were buryed,By so ye hadde my silver."Ich have muche merveille of yow,And so hath many another,Whi youre covent coveitethTo confesse and to burye,Rather than to baptize barnesThat ben catecumelynges.6730Baptizynge and buryingeBothe beth ful nedefulle;Ac muche moore meritorie,Me thynketh it is to baptize.For a baptized man may,As thise maistres telleth,Thorugh contricion comeTo the heighe hevene.Sola contritio, etc.Ac barn withouten bapteme6740May noght so be saved.Nisi quis renatus fuerit.Loke ye, lettred men,Wheither I lye or do noght."And Lewté loked on me,And I loured after."Wherfore lourestow?" quod Lewtee,And loked on me harde."If I dorste," quod I, "amonges menThis metels avowe!"6750"Yis, by Peter and by Poul!" quod he,And took hem bothe to witnesse."Non oderis fratres secrete in cordetuo, sed publice argue illos.""They wole aleggen also," quod I,"And by the Gospel preven:Nolite judicare quemquam.""And wherof serveth lawe?" quod Lewtee,"If no lif undertoke it,Falsnesse ne faiterie,6760For som what the apostle seide,Non oderis fratrem.And in the Sauter alsoSeith David the prophete,=Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis, etc."It islicitumfor lewed menTo sigge the sothe,If hem liketh and lest,Ech a lawe it graunteth;6770Excepte persons and preestes,And prelates of holy chirche,It falleth noght for that folkNo tales to telle,Though the tale be trewe,And it touche synne."Thyng that al the world woot,Wherfore sholdestow spareTo reden it in retorikTo a-rate dedly synne?6780Ac be nevere moore the firsteDefaute to blame;Though thow se yvel, seye it noght first,Be sory it nere amended.No thyng that is pryvé,Publice thow it nevere;Neither for love preise it noght,Ne lakke it for envye.Parum lauda, vitupera parcius.""He seith sooth," quod Scripture tho,6790And skipte an heigh, and preched.Ac the matere that she meved,If lewed men it knewe,The lasse, as I leve,Lovyen it thei wolde.This was hir teme and hir text,I took ful good hede;Multito a mangerieAnd to the mete were sompned;And whan the peple was plener comen,6800The porter unpynned the yate,And plukked inPaucipryveliche,And leet the remenaunt go rome.Al for tene of hir textTrembled myn herte;And in a weer gan I wexe,And with myself to disputeWheither I were chosen or noght chosen.On holi chirche I thoughte,That under-fonged me atte font6810For oon of Goddes chosene.For Crist cleped us alle,Come if we wolde,Sarzens and scismatikes,And so he dide the Jewes.O vos omnes sitientes, venite, etc.And bad hem souke for synneSafly at his breste,And drynke boote for bale,Brouke it who so myghte.="Thanne may alle cristene come, quod I,"6822"And cleyme there entreeBy the blood that he boughte us withAnd thorugh bapteme after.=Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, etc.For though a cristen man coveitedHis cristendom to reneye,Rightfully to reneye6830No reson it wolde."For may no cherl chartre make,Ne his catel selle,Withouten leve of his lord;No lawe wol it graunte.Ac he may renne in arerage,And rome so fro home,And as a reneyed caytifRecchelesly rennen aboute.And Reson shal rekene with hym,6840And casten hym in arerage,And putten hym after in a prisonIn purgatorie to brenne,For hise arerages rewarden hym thereTo the day of dome;But if Contricion wol come,And crye, by his lyve,Mercy for hise mysdedes,With mouthe and with herte,""That is sooth," seide Scripture;6850"May no synne letteMercy al to amende,And mekenesse hir folwe.For thei beth, as oure bokes telleth,Above Goddes werkes."=Misericordia ejus super omnia opera ejus."Ye, baw for bokes," quod oonWas broken out of helle,HighteTrojanus, hadde ben a trewe knyght,6860Took witnesse at a pope,How he was ded and dampnedTo dwellen in pyne,For an uncristene creature;"Clerkes wite the sothe,That al the clergie under CristNe myghte me cracche fro helle,But oonliche love and leautee,And my laweful domes."Gregoriewiste this wel,6870And wilned to my souleSavacion for soothnesseThat he seigh in my werkes;And after that he wepte,And wilned me were grauntedGrace; withouten any bene biddyngHis boone was under-fongen,And I saved, as ye see,Withouten syngynge of masses.By love and by lernyng6880Of my lyvynge, in truthe,Broughte me fro bitter peyneTher no biddyng myghte."Lo! ye lordes, what leautee dideBy an emperour of Rome,That was an uncristene creature,As clerkes fyndeth in bokes.Nought thorugh preiere of a pope,But for his pure truthe,Was that Sarsen saved.6890As seint Gregorie bereth witnesse.Wel oughte ye, lordes, that lawes kepe,This lesson to have in mynde,And on Trojanus truthe to thenke,And do truthe to the peple."Lawe, withouten love," quod Trojanus,"Ley ther a bene,Or any science under sonne,The sevene artz and alle,But thei ben lerned for oure Lordes love,6900Lost is al the tyme;"For no cause to cacche silver therby,Ne to be called a maister,But al for love of oure Lord,And the bet to love the peple,For seint Johan seide it,And sothe arn hise wordes.Qui non diligit, manet in morte.Who so loveth noght, leve me,He lyveth in deep deyinge;6910And that alle manere men,Enemyes and frendes,Love hir eyther oother,And leve hem, as hemselve,Who so leveth noght, he loveth noght,God woot the sothe!Crist comaundeth ech a creatureTo conformen hym to lovye,And sovereynly the povere peple,And hir enemyes after.6920For hem that haten usIs oure merite to lovye,And povere peple to plese,Hir preieres maye us helpe.And oure joye and oure heeleJhesu Crist of heveneIn a povere mannes apparaillePursued us evere;And loketh on us in hir liknesse,And that with lovely chere,6930To knowen us by oure kynde herteAnd castynge of oure eighen,Wheither we love the lordes hereBifore the Lord of blisse;And exciteth us by the EuvangelieThat whan we maken festes,We sholde noght clepe oure kyn therto,Ne none kynnes riche.=Cum facitis convivia, nolite invitare amicos.6940"Ac calleth the carefulle therto,The croked and the povere.For youre frendes wol feden yow,And fonde yow to quyteYoure festynge and youre faire gifte;Ech frend quyteth so oother."Ac for the povere I shal paie,And pure wel quyte hir travaille,That gyveth hem mete or moneie,Or loveth hem for my sake."6950For the beste ben som riche,And some beggeres and povere.For alle are we Cristes creatures,And of his cofres riche,And bretheren as of oo blood,As wel beggeres as erles.For on Calvarie of Cristes bloodCristendom gan sprynge,And blody bretheren we bicomen thereOf o body y-wonne,6960Asquasi modo geniti,And gentil-men echone;No beggere ne boye amonges us,But if it synne made.Qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati."In the olde lawe,As holy lettre telleth,Mennes sonesMen callen us echone,Of Adames issue and Eve,6970Ay til God man deide;And after his resurexcionRedemptorwas his name,And we hise bretheren thorugh hym y-brought,Bothe riche and povere."For-thi love we as leve bretheren,And ech man laughe of oother;And of that ech man may forbereAmende there it nedeth;And every man helpe oother,6980For hennes shul we alle.Alter alterius onera portate.="And be we noght un-kynde of oure catel,Ne of oure konnyng neither.For woot no man how neigh it isTo ben y-nome fro bothe.For-thi lakke no lif oother,Though he moore Latyn knowe;Ne under-nyme noght foule;6990For is noon withoute defaute.For what evere clerkes carpeOf cristendom or ellis,Crist to a commune womman seide,In commune at a feste,Thatfides suasholde saven hire,And salven hire of synnes."Thanne is bileve a lele help,Above logyk or lawe.Of logyk or of lawe7000InLegenda SanctorumIs litel alowaunce maad,But if bileve hem helpe.For it is over longe er logykAny lesson assoille;And lawe is looth to lovye,But if he lacche silver.Bothe logyk and lawe,That loveth noght to lye,I conseille alle cristene7010Clyve noght theron to soore;For some wordes I fynde writen,That were of feithes techyng,That saved synful men,As seint Johan bereth witnesse.Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis,remetietur vobis."For-thi lerne we the lawe of love,As oure Lord taughte,And as seint Gregorie seide7020For mannes soule helthe:Melius est scrutari scelera nostra,quam naturas rerum."Why I meve this matere,Is moost for the povere;For in hir liknesse oure LordOfte hath ben y-knowe.Witnesse in the Pask wykeWhan he yede to Emaüs;Cleophas ne knew hym noght7030That he Crist were,For his povere apparaille,And pilgrymes wedes,Til he blessede and brakThe breed that thei eten;So bi hise werkes thei wistenThat he was Jhesus,Ac by clothyng thei knewe hym noght,Ne by carpynge of tunge.And al was in ensample7040To us synfulle here,That we sholde be loweAnd loveliche of speche,And apparaille us noght over proudly,For pilgrymes are we alle."And in the apparaille of a povere man,And pilgrymes liknesse,Many tyme God hath ben metAmong nedy peple,Ther nevere segge hym seigh7050In secte of the riche."Seint Johan and othere seintesWere seyen in poore clothyng,And as povere pilgrymesPreyed mennes goodes."Jhesu Crist on a Jewes doghter lighte,Gentil womman though she were,Was a pure povere maide,And to a povere man y-wedded."Martha on Marie Maudeleyne7060An huge pleynt made,And to oure Saveour selfSeide thise wordes:Domine, non est tibi curæ quodsoror mea reliquit me solamministrare."And hastily God answerde,And eitheres wille folwed,Bothe Marthaes and Maries,As Mathew bereth witnesse;7070Ac poverte God putte bifore,And preised that the bettre.=Maria optimam partem elegit, quæ non, etc."And alle the wise that evere were,By aught I kan aspye,Preiseden poverte for best lif,If pacience it folwed,And bothe bettre and blessederBy many fold than richesse.7080For though it be sour to suffre,Therafter cometh swete;As on a walnote withouteIs a bitter barke,And after that bitter bark,Be the shelle aweye,Is a kernel of confortKynde to restore."So is after poverte or penauncePaciently y-take;7090For it maketh a man to have myndeIn God, and a gret willeTo wepe and to wel bidde,Wherof wexeth mercy,Of which Crist is a kernelleTo conforte the soule.And wel sikerer he slepeth,The man that is povere,And lasse he dredeth deeth,And in derke to ben y-robbed,7100Than he that is right riche,Reson bereth witnesse.=Pauper ego ludo, dum tu dives meditaris."Al though Salomon seide,As folk seeth in the Bible,Divitias nec paupertates, etc.Wiser than Salomon wasBereth witnesse and taughteThat parfit poverte was7110No possession to have,And lif moost likynge to God,As Luc bereth witnesse:Si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende."And is to mene to menThat on this moolde lyven,Who so wole be pure parfitMoot possession forsake,Or selle it, as seith the Book,And the silver dele7120To beggeris that goon and beggeAnd bidden good for Goddes love.For failed nevere man meteThat myghtful God serveth,As David seith in the SauterTo swiche that ben in willeTo serve God goodliche,Ne greveth hym no penaunce:Nihil inpossibile volenti.Ne lakketh nevere liflode,7130Lynnen ne wollen.Inquirentes autem Dominum nonminuentur omni bono."If preestes weren parifite,Thei wolde ne silver takeFor masses ne for matyns,Noght hir mete of usureres,Ne neither kirtel ne cote,Theigh thei for cold sholde deye,And thei hir devoir dide,7140As David seith in the Sauter:=Judica me, Deus, et decerne causam meam."Spera-in-Deospeketh of preestesThat have no spendyng silver,That if thei travaille truwelicheAnd truste in God almyghty,Hem sholde lakke no liflode,Neyther lynnen ne wollen.And the title that ye take ordres by7150Telleth ye ben avaunced;Thanne nedeth yow noght to take silverFor masses that ye syngen.For he that took yow youre title,Sholde take yow youre wages,Or the bisshop that blessed yow,If that ye ben worthi."For made nevere kyng no knyght,But he hadde catel to spendeAs bifel for a knyght,7160Or foond hym for his strengthe.It is a careful knyght,And of a caytif kynges makyng,That hath no lond ne lynage riche,Ne good loos of hise handes."The same I segge, for sothe,By alle swiche preestesThat han neither konnynge ne kyn,But a crowne one,And a title, a tale of noght,7170To his liflode at his meschief.He hath moore bileve, as I leve,To lacche through his crouneCure, than for konnyng,Or knowen for clene berynge.I have wonder for whyAnd wherefore the bisshopeMaketh swiche preestes,That lewed men bitrayen."A chartre is chalangeable7180Bifore a chief justice;If fals Latyn be in the lettre,The lawe it impugneth,Or peynted parentrelynarie,Or percelles over-skipped;The gome that gloseth so chartresFor a goky is holden."So is it a goky, by God!That in his gospel failleth,Or in masse or in matyns7190Maketh any defaut.=Qui offendit in uno, in omnibus est reus."And also in the SauterSeith David toover-skipperis,Psallite Deo nostro, psallite, quoniamrex terræ Deus Israel,psallite sapienter."The bisshop shal be blamedBifore God, as I leve,7200That crouneth swiche Goddes knyghtesThat konneth noghtsapienterSynge, ne psalmes rede,Ne seye a masse of the day.And never neither is blame-leesThe bisshope ne the chapeleyn;For hir either is endited,And that is,ignorantiaNon excusat episcoposNec idiotespreestes.7210"This lokynge on lewed preestesHath doon me lepe from poverte,The which I preise ther pacience isMoore perfit than richesse."AC muche moore in metynge thusWith me gan oon dispute;And slepynge I seigh al this.And sithen cam Kynde,And nempned me by my name,And bad me nymen hede,7220And thorugh the wondres of this worldWit for to take.And on a mountaigne that myddel-ertheHighte, as me thoughte,I was fet forthBy ensamples to knoweThorugh ech a creature and kyndeMy creatour to lovye.I seigh the sonne and the see,And the sond after;7230And where that briddes and beestesBy hir makes yeden;Wilde wormes in wodes,And wonderful fowelesWith fleckede fetheresAnd of fele colours.Man and his makeI myghte bothe biholde;Poverte and plentee;Bothe pees and werre;7240Blisse and bale botheI seigh al at ones;And how men token mede,And mercy refused.Reson I seigh soothlySewen alle beestes,In etynge, in drynkynge,And in engendrynge of kynde;And after cours of concepcion,Noon took kepe of oother7250As whan thei hadde ryde in rotey tyme,Anoon right therafterMales drowen hem to malesA-morwenynges by hemselve,And in evenynges alsoThe males ben fro femelles.Ther ne was cow ne cow-kyndeThat conceyved hadde,That wolde belwe after boles,Ne boor after sowe;7260Bothe hors and houndes,And alle othere beestes,Medled noght with hir makesThat with fole were.Briddes I biheldThat in buskes made nestes,Hadde nevere wye witTo werche the leeste.I hadde wonder at whomAnd wher the pye lerned7270To legge the stikkesIn whiche she leyeth and bredeth.Ther nys wrighte, as I wene,Sholde werche hir nestes to paye;If any mason made a molde therto,Muche wonder it were.Ac yet me merveilled moore,How many othere briddesHidden and hiledenHir egges ful derne7280In mareys and moores,For men sholde hem noght fynde;And hidden hir egges,Whan thei therfro wente,For fere of othere foweles,And for wilde beestes.And some troden hir makes,And on trees bredden,And broughten forth hir briddes soAl above the grounde;7290And some briddes at the bileThorugh brethyng conceyved;And some caukede; and took kepeHow pecokkes bredden.Muche merveilled meWhat maister hem made,And who taughte hem on treesTo tymbre so heighe,Ther neither burn ne beestMay hir briddes rechen.7300And sithen I loked upon the see,And so forth upon the sterres;Manye selkouthes I seigh,Ben noght to seye nouthe.I seigh floures in the fryth,And hir faire colours;And how among the grene grasGrowed so manye hewes,And some soure and some swete,Selkouth me thoughte;7310Of hir kynde and hir colourTo carpe it were to longe.Ac that moost meved meAnd my mood chaunged,That Reson rewardedAnd ruled alle beestes,Save man and his make;Many tyme and ofteNo reson hem folwede.And thanne I rebukede7320Reson, and rightTil hymselven I seyde:"I have wonder of thee," quod I,"That witty art holden,Why thow ne sewest man and his make,That no mysfeet hem folwe."And Reson a-rated me,And seide, "Recche thee nevere;Why I suffre or noght suffre,Thiself hast noght to doone.7330Amende thow it, if thow myght,For my tyme is to abide.Suffraunce is a soverayn vertue,And a swift vengeance.Who suffrede moore than God?" quod he;"No gome, as I leeve.He myghte amende in a minute whileAl that mys-standeth;Ac he suffreth for som mannes goode,And so it is oure bettre,7340The wise and the wittyWroot thus in the Bible:De re quæ te non molestat, noli certare.="For be a man fair or foul,It falleth noght for to lakkeThe shap ne the shaftThat God shoop hymselve;For al that he dide was wel y-do,As holy writ witnesseth:7350Et vidit Deus cuncta quæ fecerat, eterant valde bona."And bad every creatureIn his kynde encreesse;Al to murthe with man,That moste wo tholieIn fondynge of the flessh,And of the fend bothe.For man was maad of swich a matere,He may noght wel a-sterte7360That ne som tyme hym bititTo folwen his kynde.Caton a-cordeth therwith,Nemo sine crimine vivit."Tho caughte I colour anoon,And comsed to ben ashamed,And awaked therwith.Wo was me thanne,That I in metels ne myghteMoore have y-knowen.7370And thanne seide I to myself,And chidde that tyme,"Now I woot what Do-wel is," quod I,"By deere God! as me thynketh."And as I caste up myne eighen,Oon loked on me and askedOf me, what thynge it were:"Y-wis, sire," I seide,"To se muche and suffre moore,Certes," quod I, "is Do-wel."7380"Haddestow suffred," he seide,"Slepynge tho thow were,Thow sholdest have knowen that Clergie kan,And contreved moore thorugh reson.For Reson wolde have reherced theeRight as Clergie seide.Ac for thyn entre-metynge,Here artow forsake.Philosophus esses, si tacuisses."Adam, whiles he spak noght,7390Hadde paradis at wille;Ac whan he mamelede aboute mete,And entre-metede to knoweThe wisedom and the wit of God,He was put fram blisse."And right so ferde Reson bi thee;Thow with thi rude specheLakkedest and losedest thyngThat longed the noght to doone.Tho hadde he no likyng7400For to lere the moore."Pryde now and presumpcionPeraventure wol thee appele,That Clergie thi compaignyeKepeth noght to suwe.Shal nevere chalangynge ne chidyngeChaste a man so soone,As shal shame, and shenden hym,And shape hym to amende.For lat a dronken daffe7410In a dyk falle,Lat hym ligge, loke noght on hym,Til hym liste aryse.For though Reson rebuked hym thanne,It were but pure synne.Ac whan nede nymeth hym upFor doute lest he sterve,And shame shrapeth hise clothes,And hise shynes wassheth.Thanne woot the dronken daffe7420Wherfore he is to blame.""Ye siggen sooth," quod I;"Ich have y-seyen it ofte,Ther smyt no thyng so smerte,Ne smelleth so soure,As shame, there he sheweth hym;For every man hym shonyeth.Why ye wisse me thus," quod I,"Was for I rebuked Reson.""Certes," quod he, "that is sooth;"7430And shoop hym for to walken.And I aroos up right with that,And folwed hym after,And preyde hym of his curteisie7434To telle me his name.
Passus Undecimus.
Passus Undecimus.
T6572HANNE Scripture scorned meAnd a skile tolde,And lakked me in Latyn,And light by me she sette,And seide "Multi multa sciuntEt seipsos nesciunt."
T6572
T
6572
HANNE Scripture scorned me
And a skile tolde,
And lakked me in Latyn,
And light by me she sette,
And seide "Multi multa sciunt
Et seipsos nesciunt."
Tho wepte I for woAnd wrathe of hir speche;6580And in a wynkynge wratheWeex I a-slepe.A merveillous metelsMette me thanne,That I was ravysshed right there,And Fortune me fette,And into the lond of longyngeAllone she me broughte,And in a mirour that highte middel-ertheShe made me to biholde.6590"Sone," she seide to me,"Here myghtow se wondres,And knowe that thow coveitest,And come therto, peraunter."
Tho wepte I for wo
And wrathe of hir speche;
6580
6580
And in a wynkynge wrathe
Weex I a-slepe.
A merveillous metels
Mette me thanne,
That I was ravysshed right there,
And Fortune me fette,
And into the lond of longynge
Allone she me broughte,
And in a mirour that highte middel-erthe
She made me to biholde.
6590
6590
"Sone," she seide to me,
"Here myghtow se wondres,
And knowe that thow coveitest,
And come therto, peraunter."
Thanne hadde Fortune folwynge hireTwo faire damyseles;Concupiscentia-carnisMen called the elder mayde,And Coveitise-of-eighesY-called was that oother.6600Pride-of-parfit-lyvyngePursued hem bothe,And bad me for my contenaunceAcounten Clergie lighte.
Thanne hadde Fortune folwynge hire
Two faire damyseles;
Concupiscentia-carnis
Men called the elder mayde,
And Coveitise-of-eighes
Y-called was that oother.
6600
6600
Pride-of-parfit-lyvynge
Pursued hem bothe,
And bad me for my contenaunce
Acounten Clergie lighte.
Concupiscentia-carnisColled me aboute the nekke,And seide, "Thow art yong and yeepe,And hast yeres y-noweFor to lyve longe,And ladies to lovye;6610And in this mirour thow myght seMyghtes ful manye,That leden thee wole to likyngeAl thi lif tyme."
Concupiscentia-carnis
Colled me aboute the nekke,
And seide, "Thow art yong and yeepe,
And hast yeres y-nowe
For to lyve longe,
And ladies to lovye;
6610
6610
And in this mirour thow myght se
Myghtes ful manye,
That leden thee wole to likynge
Al thi lif tyme."
The secounde seide the same,"I shal sewe thi wille;Til thow be a lord and have lond,Leten thee I nelle,That I ne shal folwe thi felawshipe,If Fortune it like."6620"He shal fynde me his frend,"Quod Fortune therafter;"The freke that folwede my willeFailled nevere blisse."
The secounde seide the same,
"I shal sewe thi wille;
Til thow be a lord and have lond,
Leten thee I nelle,
That I ne shal folwe thi felawshipe,
If Fortune it like."
6620
6620
"He shal fynde me his frend,"
Quod Fortune therafter;
"The freke that folwede my wille
Failled nevere blisse."
Thanne was ther oon that highte Elde,That hevy was of chere;"Man," quod he, "if I mete with thee,By Marie of hevene!Thow shalt fynde Fortune thee failleAt thi mooste nede,6630AndConcupiscentia-carnisClene thee forsake.Bittrely shaltow banne thanneBothe dayes and nyghtesCoveitise-of-eighe,That evere thow hir knewe,And Pride-of-parfit-lyvyngeTo muche peril thee brynge."
Thanne was ther oon that highte Elde,
That hevy was of chere;
"Man," quod he, "if I mete with thee,
By Marie of hevene!
Thow shalt fynde Fortune thee faille
At thi mooste nede,
6630
6630
AndConcupiscentia-carnis
Clene thee forsake.
Bittrely shaltow banne thanne
Bothe dayes and nyghtes
Coveitise-of-eighe,
That evere thow hir knewe,
And Pride-of-parfit-lyvynge
To muche peril thee brynge."
"Ye, recche thee nevere," quod Rechelesnesse,Stood forthe in raggede clothes,6640"Folwe forth that Fortune wole,Thow hast wel fer til Elde;A man may stoupe tyme y-nogh,Whan he shal tyne the crowne.
"Ye, recche thee nevere," quod Rechelesnesse,
Stood forthe in raggede clothes,
6640
6640
"Folwe forth that Fortune wole,
Thow hast wel fer til Elde;
A man may stoupe tyme y-nogh,
Whan he shal tyne the crowne.
"Homo proponitquod a poete,And Plato he highte,AndDeus disponitquod he,Lat God doon his wille.If Truthe wol witnesse it be wel doFortune to folwe,6650Concupiscentia-carnis,Ne Coveitise-of-eighes,Ne shal noght greve thee gretly,Ne bigile, but if thow wolt thiselve."
"Homo proponitquod a poete,
And Plato he highte,
AndDeus disponitquod he,
Lat God doon his wille.
If Truthe wol witnesse it be wel do
Fortune to folwe,
6650
6650
Concupiscentia-carnis,
Ne Coveitise-of-eighes,
Ne shal noght greve thee gretly,
Ne bigile, but if thow wolt thiselve."
"Ye, fare wel Phippe and Faunteltee,"And forth gan me drawe,TilConcupiscentia-carnisAcorded alle my werkes.
"Ye, fare wel Phippe and Faunteltee,"
And forth gan me drawe,
TilConcupiscentia-carnis
Acorded alle my werkes.
"Alas! eighe," quod EldeAnd Holynesse bothe,6660"That wit shal torne to wrecchednesse,For wil to have his likyng."
"Alas! eighe," quod Elde
And Holynesse bothe,
6660
6660
"That wit shal torne to wrecchednesse,
For wil to have his likyng."
Coveitise-of-eighesConforted me anoon after,And folwed me fourty wynterAnd a fifte moore,That of Do-wel ne Do-betNe deyntee me thoughte.I hadde no likyng, leve me if thee list,Of hem ought to knowe.6670Coveitise-of-eighesCom ofter in myndeThan Do-wel or Do-bet,Among my dedes alle.
Coveitise-of-eighes
Conforted me anoon after,
And folwed me fourty wynter
And a fifte moore,
That of Do-wel ne Do-bet
Ne deyntee me thoughte.
I hadde no likyng, leve me if thee list,
Of hem ought to knowe.
6670
6670
Coveitise-of-eighes
Com ofter in mynde
Than Do-wel or Do-bet,
Among my dedes alle.
Coveitise-of-eighesConforted me ofte,And seide, "Have no conscienceHow thow come to goode.Go confesse thee to som frere,And shewe hym thi synnes;6680For whiles Fortune is thi frendFreres wol thee lovye,And fecche thee to hir fraternitee,And for the bisekeTo hir priour provincialA pardon for to have,And preien for thee pol by pol,If thow bepecuniosus."Sed pœna pecuniaria non sufficit prospiritualibus delictis.
Coveitise-of-eighes
Conforted me ofte,
And seide, "Have no conscience
How thow come to goode.
Go confesse thee to som frere,
And shewe hym thi synnes;
6680
6680
For whiles Fortune is thi frend
Freres wol thee lovye,
And fecche thee to hir fraternitee,
And for the biseke
To hir priour provincial
A pardon for to have,
And preien for thee pol by pol,
If thow bepecuniosus."
Sed pœna pecuniaria non sufficit pro
spiritualibus delictis.
6690By wissynge of this wenche I wroughte,Hir wordes were so swete,Til I for-yat youthe,And yarn into elde.
6690
6690
By wissynge of this wenche I wroughte,
Hir wordes were so swete,
Til I for-yat youthe,
And yarn into elde.
And thanne was Fortune my foo,For al hir faire speche;And poverte pursued me,And putte me lowe.
And thanne was Fortune my foo,
For al hir faire speche;
And poverte pursued me,
And putte me lowe.
And tho fond I the frere a-fered,And flittynge bothe6700Ayeins oure firste for-warde;For I seide I noldeBe buried at hire hous,But at my parisshe chirche.For I herde onesHow Conscience it tolde,That there a man were cristnedBe kynde he sholde be buryed;Or where he were parisshen,Right there he sholde be graven.6710And for I seide thus to freres,A fool thei me helden,And loved me the lasseFor my lele speche.
And tho fond I the frere a-fered,
And flittynge bothe
6700
6700
Ayeins oure firste for-warde;
For I seide I nolde
Be buried at hire hous,
But at my parisshe chirche.
For I herde ones
How Conscience it tolde,
That there a man were cristned
Be kynde he sholde be buryed;
Or where he were parisshen,
Right there he sholde be graven.
6710
6710
And for I seide thus to freres,
A fool thei me helden,
And loved me the lasse
For my lele speche.
Ac yet I cryde on my confessour,That heeld hymself so konnyng;"By my feith! frere," quod I,"Ye faren lik thise wowerisThat wedde none widwesBut for to welden hir goodes.6720Right so, by the roode!Roughte ye nevereWhere my body were buryed,By so ye hadde my silver.
Ac yet I cryde on my confessour,
That heeld hymself so konnyng;
"By my feith! frere," quod I,
"Ye faren lik thise woweris
That wedde none widwes
But for to welden hir goodes.
6720
6720
Right so, by the roode!
Roughte ye nevere
Where my body were buryed,
By so ye hadde my silver.
"Ich have muche merveille of yow,And so hath many another,Whi youre covent coveitethTo confesse and to burye,Rather than to baptize barnesThat ben catecumelynges.6730Baptizynge and buryingeBothe beth ful nedefulle;Ac muche moore meritorie,Me thynketh it is to baptize.For a baptized man may,As thise maistres telleth,Thorugh contricion comeTo the heighe hevene.Sola contritio, etc.Ac barn withouten bapteme6740May noght so be saved.Nisi quis renatus fuerit.Loke ye, lettred men,Wheither I lye or do noght."And Lewté loked on me,And I loured after.
"Ich have muche merveille of yow,
And so hath many another,
Whi youre covent coveiteth
To confesse and to burye,
Rather than to baptize barnes
That ben catecumelynges.
6730
6730
Baptizynge and buryinge
Bothe beth ful nedefulle;
Ac muche moore meritorie,
Me thynketh it is to baptize.
For a baptized man may,
As thise maistres telleth,
Thorugh contricion come
To the heighe hevene.
Sola contritio, etc.
Ac barn withouten bapteme
6740
6740
May noght so be saved.
Nisi quis renatus fuerit.
Loke ye, lettred men,
Wheither I lye or do noght."
And Lewté loked on me,
And I loured after.
"Wherfore lourestow?" quod Lewtee,And loked on me harde.
"Wherfore lourestow?" quod Lewtee,
And loked on me harde.
"If I dorste," quod I, "amonges menThis metels avowe!"
"If I dorste," quod I, "amonges men
This metels avowe!"
6750"Yis, by Peter and by Poul!" quod he,And took hem bothe to witnesse."Non oderis fratres secrete in cordetuo, sed publice argue illos."
6750
6750
"Yis, by Peter and by Poul!" quod he,
And took hem bothe to witnesse.
"Non oderis fratres secrete in corde
tuo, sed publice argue illos."
"They wole aleggen also," quod I,"And by the Gospel preven:Nolite judicare quemquam."
"They wole aleggen also," quod I,
"And by the Gospel preven:
Nolite judicare quemquam."
"And wherof serveth lawe?" quod Lewtee,"If no lif undertoke it,Falsnesse ne faiterie,6760For som what the apostle seide,Non oderis fratrem.And in the Sauter alsoSeith David the prophete,=Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis, etc.
"And wherof serveth lawe?" quod Lewtee,
"If no lif undertoke it,
Falsnesse ne faiterie,
6760
6760
For som what the apostle seide,
Non oderis fratrem.
And in the Sauter also
Seith David the prophete,
=
=
Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis, etc.
"It islicitumfor lewed menTo sigge the sothe,If hem liketh and lest,Ech a lawe it graunteth;6770Excepte persons and preestes,And prelates of holy chirche,It falleth noght for that folkNo tales to telle,Though the tale be trewe,And it touche synne.
"It islicitumfor lewed men
To sigge the sothe,
If hem liketh and lest,
Ech a lawe it graunteth;
6770
6770
Excepte persons and preestes,
And prelates of holy chirche,
It falleth noght for that folk
No tales to telle,
Though the tale be trewe,
And it touche synne.
"Thyng that al the world woot,Wherfore sholdestow spareTo reden it in retorikTo a-rate dedly synne?6780Ac be nevere moore the firsteDefaute to blame;Though thow se yvel, seye it noght first,Be sory it nere amended.No thyng that is pryvé,Publice thow it nevere;Neither for love preise it noght,Ne lakke it for envye.Parum lauda, vitupera parcius."
"Thyng that al the world woot,
Wherfore sholdestow spare
To reden it in retorik
To a-rate dedly synne?
6780
6780
Ac be nevere moore the firste
Defaute to blame;
Though thow se yvel, seye it noght first,
Be sory it nere amended.
No thyng that is pryvé,
Publice thow it nevere;
Neither for love preise it noght,
Ne lakke it for envye.
Parum lauda, vitupera parcius."
"He seith sooth," quod Scripture tho,6790And skipte an heigh, and preched.Ac the matere that she meved,If lewed men it knewe,The lasse, as I leve,Lovyen it thei wolde.
"He seith sooth," quod Scripture tho,
6790
6790
And skipte an heigh, and preched.
Ac the matere that she meved,
If lewed men it knewe,
The lasse, as I leve,
Lovyen it thei wolde.
This was hir teme and hir text,I took ful good hede;Multito a mangerieAnd to the mete were sompned;And whan the peple was plener comen,6800The porter unpynned the yate,And plukked inPaucipryveliche,And leet the remenaunt go rome.
This was hir teme and hir text,
I took ful good hede;
Multito a mangerie
And to the mete were sompned;
And whan the peple was plener comen,
6800
6800
The porter unpynned the yate,
And plukked inPaucipryveliche,
And leet the remenaunt go rome.
Al for tene of hir textTrembled myn herte;And in a weer gan I wexe,And with myself to disputeWheither I were chosen or noght chosen.On holi chirche I thoughte,That under-fonged me atte font6810For oon of Goddes chosene.For Crist cleped us alle,Come if we wolde,Sarzens and scismatikes,And so he dide the Jewes.O vos omnes sitientes, venite, etc.And bad hem souke for synneSafly at his breste,And drynke boote for bale,Brouke it who so myghte.
Al for tene of hir text
Trembled myn herte;
And in a weer gan I wexe,
And with myself to dispute
Wheither I were chosen or noght chosen.
On holi chirche I thoughte,
That under-fonged me atte font
6810
6810
For oon of Goddes chosene.
For Crist cleped us alle,
Come if we wolde,
Sarzens and scismatikes,
And so he dide the Jewes.
O vos omnes sitientes, venite, etc.
And bad hem souke for synne
Safly at his breste,
And drynke boote for bale,
Brouke it who so myghte.
="Thanne may alle cristene come, quod I,"6822"And cleyme there entreeBy the blood that he boughte us withAnd thorugh bapteme after.=Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, etc.For though a cristen man coveitedHis cristendom to reneye,Rightfully to reneye6830No reson it wolde.
=
=
"Thanne may alle cristene come, quod I,"
6822
6822
"And cleyme there entree
By the blood that he boughte us with
And thorugh bapteme after.
=
=
Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, etc.
For though a cristen man coveited
His cristendom to reneye,
Rightfully to reneye
6830
6830
No reson it wolde.
"For may no cherl chartre make,Ne his catel selle,Withouten leve of his lord;No lawe wol it graunte.Ac he may renne in arerage,And rome so fro home,And as a reneyed caytifRecchelesly rennen aboute.And Reson shal rekene with hym,6840And casten hym in arerage,And putten hym after in a prisonIn purgatorie to brenne,For hise arerages rewarden hym thereTo the day of dome;But if Contricion wol come,And crye, by his lyve,Mercy for hise mysdedes,With mouthe and with herte,"
"For may no cherl chartre make,
Ne his catel selle,
Withouten leve of his lord;
No lawe wol it graunte.
Ac he may renne in arerage,
And rome so fro home,
And as a reneyed caytif
Recchelesly rennen aboute.
And Reson shal rekene with hym,
6840
6840
And casten hym in arerage,
And putten hym after in a prison
In purgatorie to brenne,
For hise arerages rewarden hym there
To the day of dome;
But if Contricion wol come,
And crye, by his lyve,
Mercy for hise mysdedes,
With mouthe and with herte,"
"That is sooth," seide Scripture;6850"May no synne letteMercy al to amende,And mekenesse hir folwe.For thei beth, as oure bokes telleth,Above Goddes werkes."=Misericordia ejus super omnia opera ejus.
"That is sooth," seide Scripture;
6850
6850
"May no synne lette
Mercy al to amende,
And mekenesse hir folwe.
For thei beth, as oure bokes telleth,
Above Goddes werkes."
=
=
Misericordia ejus super omnia opera ejus.
"Ye, baw for bokes," quod oonWas broken out of helle,HighteTrojanus, hadde ben a trewe knyght,6860Took witnesse at a pope,How he was ded and dampnedTo dwellen in pyne,For an uncristene creature;"Clerkes wite the sothe,That al the clergie under CristNe myghte me cracche fro helle,But oonliche love and leautee,And my laweful domes.
"Ye, baw for bokes," quod oon
Was broken out of helle,
HighteTrojanus, hadde ben a trewe knyght,
6860
6860
Took witnesse at a pope,
How he was ded and dampned
To dwellen in pyne,
For an uncristene creature;
"Clerkes wite the sothe,
That al the clergie under Crist
Ne myghte me cracche fro helle,
But oonliche love and leautee,
And my laweful domes.
"Gregoriewiste this wel,6870And wilned to my souleSavacion for soothnesseThat he seigh in my werkes;And after that he wepte,And wilned me were grauntedGrace; withouten any bene biddyngHis boone was under-fongen,And I saved, as ye see,Withouten syngynge of masses.By love and by lernyng6880Of my lyvynge, in truthe,Broughte me fro bitter peyneTher no biddyng myghte."
"Gregoriewiste this wel,
6870
6870
And wilned to my soule
Savacion for soothnesse
That he seigh in my werkes;
And after that he wepte,
And wilned me were graunted
Grace; withouten any bene biddyng
His boone was under-fongen,
And I saved, as ye see,
Withouten syngynge of masses.
By love and by lernyng
6880
6880
Of my lyvynge, in truthe,
Broughte me fro bitter peyne
Ther no biddyng myghte."
Lo! ye lordes, what leautee dideBy an emperour of Rome,That was an uncristene creature,As clerkes fyndeth in bokes.Nought thorugh preiere of a pope,But for his pure truthe,Was that Sarsen saved.6890As seint Gregorie bereth witnesse.
Lo! ye lordes, what leautee dide
By an emperour of Rome,
That was an uncristene creature,
As clerkes fyndeth in bokes.
Nought thorugh preiere of a pope,
But for his pure truthe,
Was that Sarsen saved.
6890
6890
As seint Gregorie bereth witnesse.
Wel oughte ye, lordes, that lawes kepe,This lesson to have in mynde,And on Trojanus truthe to thenke,And do truthe to the peple."Lawe, withouten love," quod Trojanus,"Ley ther a bene,Or any science under sonne,The sevene artz and alle,But thei ben lerned for oure Lordes love,6900Lost is al the tyme;"For no cause to cacche silver therby,Ne to be called a maister,But al for love of oure Lord,And the bet to love the peple,For seint Johan seide it,And sothe arn hise wordes.Qui non diligit, manet in morte.
Wel oughte ye, lordes, that lawes kepe,
This lesson to have in mynde,
And on Trojanus truthe to thenke,
And do truthe to the peple.
"Lawe, withouten love," quod Trojanus,
"Ley ther a bene,
Or any science under sonne,
The sevene artz and alle,
But thei ben lerned for oure Lordes love,
6900
6900
Lost is al the tyme;"
For no cause to cacche silver therby,
Ne to be called a maister,
But al for love of oure Lord,
And the bet to love the peple,
For seint Johan seide it,
And sothe arn hise wordes.
Qui non diligit, manet in morte.
Who so loveth noght, leve me,He lyveth in deep deyinge;6910And that alle manere men,Enemyes and frendes,Love hir eyther oother,And leve hem, as hemselve,Who so leveth noght, he loveth noght,God woot the sothe!Crist comaundeth ech a creatureTo conformen hym to lovye,And sovereynly the povere peple,And hir enemyes after.6920For hem that haten usIs oure merite to lovye,And povere peple to plese,Hir preieres maye us helpe.And oure joye and oure heeleJhesu Crist of heveneIn a povere mannes apparaillePursued us evere;And loketh on us in hir liknesse,And that with lovely chere,6930To knowen us by oure kynde herteAnd castynge of oure eighen,Wheither we love the lordes hereBifore the Lord of blisse;And exciteth us by the EuvangelieThat whan we maken festes,We sholde noght clepe oure kyn therto,Ne none kynnes riche.=Cum facitis convivia, nolite invitare amicos.6940"Ac calleth the carefulle therto,The croked and the povere.For youre frendes wol feden yow,And fonde yow to quyteYoure festynge and youre faire gifte;Ech frend quyteth so oother.
Who so loveth noght, leve me,
He lyveth in deep deyinge;
6910
6910
And that alle manere men,
Enemyes and frendes,
Love hir eyther oother,
And leve hem, as hemselve,
Who so leveth noght, he loveth noght,
God woot the sothe!
Crist comaundeth ech a creature
To conformen hym to lovye,
And sovereynly the povere peple,
And hir enemyes after.
6920
6920
For hem that haten us
Is oure merite to lovye,
And povere peple to plese,
Hir preieres maye us helpe.
And oure joye and oure heele
Jhesu Crist of hevene
In a povere mannes apparaille
Pursued us evere;
And loketh on us in hir liknesse,
And that with lovely chere,
6930
6930
To knowen us by oure kynde herte
And castynge of oure eighen,
Wheither we love the lordes here
Bifore the Lord of blisse;
And exciteth us by the Euvangelie
That whan we maken festes,
We sholde noght clepe oure kyn therto,
Ne none kynnes riche.
=
=
Cum facitis convivia, nolite invitare amicos.
6940
6940
"Ac calleth the carefulle therto,
The croked and the povere.
For youre frendes wol feden yow,
And fonde yow to quyte
Youre festynge and youre faire gifte;
Ech frend quyteth so oother.
"Ac for the povere I shal paie,And pure wel quyte hir travaille,That gyveth hem mete or moneie,Or loveth hem for my sake."6950For the beste ben som riche,And some beggeres and povere.For alle are we Cristes creatures,And of his cofres riche,And bretheren as of oo blood,As wel beggeres as erles.For on Calvarie of Cristes bloodCristendom gan sprynge,And blody bretheren we bicomen thereOf o body y-wonne,6960Asquasi modo geniti,And gentil-men echone;No beggere ne boye amonges us,But if it synne made.Qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati.
"Ac for the povere I shal paie,
And pure wel quyte hir travaille,
That gyveth hem mete or moneie,
Or loveth hem for my sake."
6950
6950
For the beste ben som riche,
And some beggeres and povere.
For alle are we Cristes creatures,
And of his cofres riche,
And bretheren as of oo blood,
As wel beggeres as erles.
For on Calvarie of Cristes blood
Cristendom gan sprynge,
And blody bretheren we bicomen there
Of o body y-wonne,
6960
6960
Asquasi modo geniti,
And gentil-men echone;
No beggere ne boye amonges us,
But if it synne made.
Qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati.
"In the olde lawe,As holy lettre telleth,Mennes sonesMen callen us echone,Of Adames issue and Eve,6970Ay til God man deide;And after his resurexcionRedemptorwas his name,And we hise bretheren thorugh hym y-brought,Bothe riche and povere.
"In the olde lawe,
As holy lettre telleth,
Mennes sones
Men callen us echone,
Of Adames issue and Eve,
6970
6970
Ay til God man deide;
And after his resurexcion
Redemptorwas his name,
And we hise bretheren thorugh hym y-brought,
Bothe riche and povere.
"For-thi love we as leve bretheren,And ech man laughe of oother;And of that ech man may forbereAmende there it nedeth;And every man helpe oother,6980For hennes shul we alle.Alter alterius onera portate.
"For-thi love we as leve bretheren,
And ech man laughe of oother;
And of that ech man may forbere
Amende there it nedeth;
And every man helpe oother,
6980
6980
For hennes shul we alle.
Alter alterius onera portate.
="And be we noght un-kynde of oure catel,Ne of oure konnyng neither.For woot no man how neigh it isTo ben y-nome fro bothe.For-thi lakke no lif oother,Though he moore Latyn knowe;Ne under-nyme noght foule;6990For is noon withoute defaute.For what evere clerkes carpeOf cristendom or ellis,Crist to a commune womman seide,In commune at a feste,Thatfides suasholde saven hire,And salven hire of synnes.
=
=
"And be we noght un-kynde of oure catel,
Ne of oure konnyng neither.
For woot no man how neigh it is
To ben y-nome fro bothe.
For-thi lakke no lif oother,
Though he moore Latyn knowe;
Ne under-nyme noght foule;
6990
6990
For is noon withoute defaute.
For what evere clerkes carpe
Of cristendom or ellis,
Crist to a commune womman seide,
In commune at a feste,
Thatfides suasholde saven hire,
And salven hire of synnes.
"Thanne is bileve a lele help,Above logyk or lawe.Of logyk or of lawe7000InLegenda SanctorumIs litel alowaunce maad,But if bileve hem helpe.For it is over longe er logykAny lesson assoille;And lawe is looth to lovye,But if he lacche silver.Bothe logyk and lawe,That loveth noght to lye,I conseille alle cristene7010Clyve noght theron to soore;For some wordes I fynde writen,That were of feithes techyng,That saved synful men,As seint Johan bereth witnesse.Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis,remetietur vobis.
"Thanne is bileve a lele help,
Above logyk or lawe.
Of logyk or of lawe
7000
7000
InLegenda Sanctorum
Is litel alowaunce maad,
But if bileve hem helpe.
For it is over longe er logyk
Any lesson assoille;
And lawe is looth to lovye,
But if he lacche silver.
Bothe logyk and lawe,
That loveth noght to lye,
I conseille alle cristene
7010
7010
Clyve noght theron to soore;
For some wordes I fynde writen,
That were of feithes techyng,
That saved synful men,
As seint Johan bereth witnesse.
Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis,
remetietur vobis.
"For-thi lerne we the lawe of love,As oure Lord taughte,And as seint Gregorie seide7020For mannes soule helthe:Melius est scrutari scelera nostra,quam naturas rerum.
"For-thi lerne we the lawe of love,
As oure Lord taughte,
And as seint Gregorie seide
7020
7020
For mannes soule helthe:
Melius est scrutari scelera nostra,
quam naturas rerum.
"Why I meve this matere,Is moost for the povere;For in hir liknesse oure LordOfte hath ben y-knowe.Witnesse in the Pask wykeWhan he yede to Emaüs;Cleophas ne knew hym noght7030That he Crist were,For his povere apparaille,And pilgrymes wedes,Til he blessede and brakThe breed that thei eten;So bi hise werkes thei wistenThat he was Jhesus,Ac by clothyng thei knewe hym noght,Ne by carpynge of tunge.And al was in ensample7040To us synfulle here,That we sholde be loweAnd loveliche of speche,And apparaille us noght over proudly,For pilgrymes are we alle.
"Why I meve this matere,
Is moost for the povere;
For in hir liknesse oure Lord
Ofte hath ben y-knowe.
Witnesse in the Pask wyke
Whan he yede to Emaüs;
Cleophas ne knew hym noght
7030
7030
That he Crist were,
For his povere apparaille,
And pilgrymes wedes,
Til he blessede and brak
The breed that thei eten;
So bi hise werkes thei wisten
That he was Jhesus,
Ac by clothyng thei knewe hym noght,
Ne by carpynge of tunge.
And al was in ensample
7040
7040
To us synfulle here,
That we sholde be lowe
And loveliche of speche,
And apparaille us noght over proudly,
For pilgrymes are we alle.
"And in the apparaille of a povere man,And pilgrymes liknesse,Many tyme God hath ben metAmong nedy peple,Ther nevere segge hym seigh7050In secte of the riche.
"And in the apparaille of a povere man,
And pilgrymes liknesse,
Many tyme God hath ben met
Among nedy peple,
Ther nevere segge hym seigh
7050
7050
In secte of the riche.
"Seint Johan and othere seintesWere seyen in poore clothyng,And as povere pilgrymesPreyed mennes goodes.
"Seint Johan and othere seintes
Were seyen in poore clothyng,
And as povere pilgrymes
Preyed mennes goodes.
"Jhesu Crist on a Jewes doghter lighte,Gentil womman though she were,Was a pure povere maide,And to a povere man y-wedded.
"Jhesu Crist on a Jewes doghter lighte,
Gentil womman though she were,
Was a pure povere maide,
And to a povere man y-wedded.
"Martha on Marie Maudeleyne7060An huge pleynt made,And to oure Saveour selfSeide thise wordes:Domine, non est tibi curæ quodsoror mea reliquit me solamministrare.
"Martha on Marie Maudeleyne
7060
7060
An huge pleynt made,
And to oure Saveour self
Seide thise wordes:
Domine, non est tibi curæ quod
soror mea reliquit me solam
ministrare.
"And hastily God answerde,And eitheres wille folwed,Bothe Marthaes and Maries,As Mathew bereth witnesse;7070Ac poverte God putte bifore,And preised that the bettre.=Maria optimam partem elegit, quæ non, etc.
"And hastily God answerde,
And eitheres wille folwed,
Bothe Marthaes and Maries,
As Mathew bereth witnesse;
7070
7070
Ac poverte God putte bifore,
And preised that the bettre.
=
=
Maria optimam partem elegit, quæ non, etc.
"And alle the wise that evere were,By aught I kan aspye,Preiseden poverte for best lif,If pacience it folwed,And bothe bettre and blessederBy many fold than richesse.7080For though it be sour to suffre,Therafter cometh swete;As on a walnote withouteIs a bitter barke,And after that bitter bark,Be the shelle aweye,Is a kernel of confortKynde to restore.
"And alle the wise that evere were,
By aught I kan aspye,
Preiseden poverte for best lif,
If pacience it folwed,
And bothe bettre and blesseder
By many fold than richesse.
7080
7080
For though it be sour to suffre,
Therafter cometh swete;
As on a walnote withoute
Is a bitter barke,
And after that bitter bark,
Be the shelle aweye,
Is a kernel of confort
Kynde to restore.
"So is after poverte or penauncePaciently y-take;7090For it maketh a man to have myndeIn God, and a gret willeTo wepe and to wel bidde,Wherof wexeth mercy,Of which Crist is a kernelleTo conforte the soule.And wel sikerer he slepeth,The man that is povere,And lasse he dredeth deeth,And in derke to ben y-robbed,7100Than he that is right riche,Reson bereth witnesse.=Pauper ego ludo, dum tu dives meditaris.
"So is after poverte or penaunce
Paciently y-take;
7090
7090
For it maketh a man to have mynde
In God, and a gret wille
To wepe and to wel bidde,
Wherof wexeth mercy,
Of which Crist is a kernelle
To conforte the soule.
And wel sikerer he slepeth,
The man that is povere,
And lasse he dredeth deeth,
And in derke to ben y-robbed,
7100
7100
Than he that is right riche,
Reson bereth witnesse.
=
=
Pauper ego ludo, dum tu dives meditaris.
"Al though Salomon seide,As folk seeth in the Bible,Divitias nec paupertates, etc.Wiser than Salomon wasBereth witnesse and taughteThat parfit poverte was7110No possession to have,And lif moost likynge to God,As Luc bereth witnesse:Si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende.
"Al though Salomon seide,
As folk seeth in the Bible,
Divitias nec paupertates, etc.
Wiser than Salomon was
Bereth witnesse and taughte
That parfit poverte was
7110
7110
No possession to have,
And lif moost likynge to God,
As Luc bereth witnesse:
Si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende.
"And is to mene to menThat on this moolde lyven,Who so wole be pure parfitMoot possession forsake,Or selle it, as seith the Book,And the silver dele7120To beggeris that goon and beggeAnd bidden good for Goddes love.For failed nevere man meteThat myghtful God serveth,As David seith in the SauterTo swiche that ben in willeTo serve God goodliche,Ne greveth hym no penaunce:Nihil inpossibile volenti.Ne lakketh nevere liflode,7130Lynnen ne wollen.Inquirentes autem Dominum nonminuentur omni bono.
"And is to mene to men
That on this moolde lyven,
Who so wole be pure parfit
Moot possession forsake,
Or selle it, as seith the Book,
And the silver dele
7120
7120
To beggeris that goon and begge
And bidden good for Goddes love.
For failed nevere man mete
That myghtful God serveth,
As David seith in the Sauter
To swiche that ben in wille
To serve God goodliche,
Ne greveth hym no penaunce:
Nihil inpossibile volenti.
Ne lakketh nevere liflode,
7130
7130
Lynnen ne wollen.
Inquirentes autem Dominum non
minuentur omni bono.
"If preestes weren parifite,Thei wolde ne silver takeFor masses ne for matyns,Noght hir mete of usureres,Ne neither kirtel ne cote,Theigh thei for cold sholde deye,And thei hir devoir dide,7140As David seith in the Sauter:=Judica me, Deus, et decerne causam meam.
"If preestes weren parifite,
Thei wolde ne silver take
For masses ne for matyns,
Noght hir mete of usureres,
Ne neither kirtel ne cote,
Theigh thei for cold sholde deye,
And thei hir devoir dide,
7140
7140
As David seith in the Sauter:
=
=
Judica me, Deus, et decerne causam meam.
"Spera-in-Deospeketh of preestesThat have no spendyng silver,That if thei travaille truwelicheAnd truste in God almyghty,Hem sholde lakke no liflode,Neyther lynnen ne wollen.And the title that ye take ordres by7150Telleth ye ben avaunced;Thanne nedeth yow noght to take silverFor masses that ye syngen.For he that took yow youre title,Sholde take yow youre wages,Or the bisshop that blessed yow,If that ye ben worthi.
"Spera-in-Deospeketh of preestes
That have no spendyng silver,
That if thei travaille truweliche
And truste in God almyghty,
Hem sholde lakke no liflode,
Neyther lynnen ne wollen.
And the title that ye take ordres by
7150
7150
Telleth ye ben avaunced;
Thanne nedeth yow noght to take silver
For masses that ye syngen.
For he that took yow youre title,
Sholde take yow youre wages,
Or the bisshop that blessed yow,
If that ye ben worthi.
"For made nevere kyng no knyght,But he hadde catel to spendeAs bifel for a knyght,7160Or foond hym for his strengthe.It is a careful knyght,And of a caytif kynges makyng,That hath no lond ne lynage riche,Ne good loos of hise handes.
"For made nevere kyng no knyght,
But he hadde catel to spende
As bifel for a knyght,
7160
7160
Or foond hym for his strengthe.
It is a careful knyght,
And of a caytif kynges makyng,
That hath no lond ne lynage riche,
Ne good loos of hise handes.
"The same I segge, for sothe,By alle swiche preestesThat han neither konnynge ne kyn,But a crowne one,And a title, a tale of noght,7170To his liflode at his meschief.He hath moore bileve, as I leve,To lacche through his crouneCure, than for konnyng,Or knowen for clene berynge.I have wonder for whyAnd wherefore the bisshopeMaketh swiche preestes,That lewed men bitrayen.
"The same I segge, for sothe,
By alle swiche preestes
That han neither konnynge ne kyn,
But a crowne one,
And a title, a tale of noght,
7170
7170
To his liflode at his meschief.
He hath moore bileve, as I leve,
To lacche through his croune
Cure, than for konnyng,
Or knowen for clene berynge.
I have wonder for why
And wherefore the bisshope
Maketh swiche preestes,
That lewed men bitrayen.
"A chartre is chalangeable7180Bifore a chief justice;If fals Latyn be in the lettre,The lawe it impugneth,Or peynted parentrelynarie,Or percelles over-skipped;The gome that gloseth so chartresFor a goky is holden.
"A chartre is chalangeable
7180
7180
Bifore a chief justice;
If fals Latyn be in the lettre,
The lawe it impugneth,
Or peynted parentrelynarie,
Or percelles over-skipped;
The gome that gloseth so chartres
For a goky is holden.
"So is it a goky, by God!That in his gospel failleth,Or in masse or in matyns7190Maketh any defaut.=Qui offendit in uno, in omnibus est reus.
"So is it a goky, by God!
That in his gospel failleth,
Or in masse or in matyns
7190
7190
Maketh any defaut.
=
=
Qui offendit in uno, in omnibus est reus.
"And also in the SauterSeith David toover-skipperis,Psallite Deo nostro, psallite, quoniamrex terræ Deus Israel,psallite sapienter.
"And also in the Sauter
Seith David toover-skipperis,
Psallite Deo nostro, psallite, quoniam
rex terræ Deus Israel,
psallite sapienter.
"The bisshop shal be blamedBifore God, as I leve,7200That crouneth swiche Goddes knyghtesThat konneth noghtsapienterSynge, ne psalmes rede,Ne seye a masse of the day.And never neither is blame-leesThe bisshope ne the chapeleyn;For hir either is endited,And that is,ignorantiaNon excusat episcoposNec idiotespreestes.
"The bisshop shal be blamed
Bifore God, as I leve,
7200
7200
That crouneth swiche Goddes knyghtes
That konneth noghtsapienter
Synge, ne psalmes rede,
Ne seye a masse of the day.
And never neither is blame-lees
The bisshope ne the chapeleyn;
For hir either is endited,
And that is,ignorantia
Non excusat episcopos
Nec idiotespreestes.
7210"This lokynge on lewed preestesHath doon me lepe from poverte,The which I preise ther pacience isMoore perfit than richesse."
7210
7210
"This lokynge on lewed preestes
Hath doon me lepe from poverte,
The which I preise ther pacience is
Moore perfit than richesse."
AC muche moore in metynge thusWith me gan oon dispute;And slepynge I seigh al this.And sithen cam Kynde,And nempned me by my name,And bad me nymen hede,7220And thorugh the wondres of this worldWit for to take.And on a mountaigne that myddel-ertheHighte, as me thoughte,I was fet forthBy ensamples to knoweThorugh ech a creature and kyndeMy creatour to lovye.
A
A
C muche moore in metynge thus
With me gan oon dispute;
And slepynge I seigh al this.
And sithen cam Kynde,
And nempned me by my name,
And bad me nymen hede,
7220
7220
And thorugh the wondres of this world
Wit for to take.
And on a mountaigne that myddel-erthe
Highte, as me thoughte,
I was fet forth
By ensamples to knowe
Thorugh ech a creature and kynde
My creatour to lovye.
I seigh the sonne and the see,And the sond after;7230And where that briddes and beestesBy hir makes yeden;Wilde wormes in wodes,And wonderful fowelesWith fleckede fetheresAnd of fele colours.
I seigh the sonne and the see,
And the sond after;
7230
7230
And where that briddes and beestes
By hir makes yeden;
Wilde wormes in wodes,
And wonderful foweles
With fleckede fetheres
And of fele colours.
Man and his makeI myghte bothe biholde;Poverte and plentee;Bothe pees and werre;7240Blisse and bale botheI seigh al at ones;And how men token mede,And mercy refused.
Man and his make
I myghte bothe biholde;
Poverte and plentee;
Bothe pees and werre;
7240
7240
Blisse and bale bothe
I seigh al at ones;
And how men token mede,
And mercy refused.
Reson I seigh soothlySewen alle beestes,In etynge, in drynkynge,And in engendrynge of kynde;And after cours of concepcion,Noon took kepe of oother7250As whan thei hadde ryde in rotey tyme,Anoon right therafterMales drowen hem to malesA-morwenynges by hemselve,And in evenynges alsoThe males ben fro femelles.Ther ne was cow ne cow-kyndeThat conceyved hadde,That wolde belwe after boles,Ne boor after sowe;7260Bothe hors and houndes,And alle othere beestes,Medled noght with hir makesThat with fole were.
Reson I seigh soothly
Sewen alle beestes,
In etynge, in drynkynge,
And in engendrynge of kynde;
And after cours of concepcion,
Noon took kepe of oother
7250
7250
As whan thei hadde ryde in rotey tyme,
Anoon right therafter
Males drowen hem to males
A-morwenynges by hemselve,
And in evenynges also
The males ben fro femelles.
Ther ne was cow ne cow-kynde
That conceyved hadde,
That wolde belwe after boles,
Ne boor after sowe;
7260
7260
Bothe hors and houndes,
And alle othere beestes,
Medled noght with hir makes
That with fole were.
Briddes I biheldThat in buskes made nestes,Hadde nevere wye witTo werche the leeste.I hadde wonder at whomAnd wher the pye lerned7270To legge the stikkesIn whiche she leyeth and bredeth.Ther nys wrighte, as I wene,Sholde werche hir nestes to paye;If any mason made a molde therto,Muche wonder it were.
Briddes I biheld
That in buskes made nestes,
Hadde nevere wye wit
To werche the leeste.
I hadde wonder at whom
And wher the pye lerned
7270
7270
To legge the stikkes
In whiche she leyeth and bredeth.
Ther nys wrighte, as I wene,
Sholde werche hir nestes to paye;
If any mason made a molde therto,
Muche wonder it were.
Ac yet me merveilled moore,How many othere briddesHidden and hiledenHir egges ful derne7280In mareys and moores,For men sholde hem noght fynde;And hidden hir egges,Whan thei therfro wente,For fere of othere foweles,And for wilde beestes.
Ac yet me merveilled moore,
How many othere briddes
Hidden and hileden
Hir egges ful derne
7280
7280
In mareys and moores,
For men sholde hem noght fynde;
And hidden hir egges,
Whan thei therfro wente,
For fere of othere foweles,
And for wilde beestes.
And some troden hir makes,And on trees bredden,And broughten forth hir briddes soAl above the grounde;7290And some briddes at the bileThorugh brethyng conceyved;And some caukede; and took kepeHow pecokkes bredden.Muche merveilled meWhat maister hem made,And who taughte hem on treesTo tymbre so heighe,Ther neither burn ne beestMay hir briddes rechen.
And some troden hir makes,
And on trees bredden,
And broughten forth hir briddes so
Al above the grounde;
7290
7290
And some briddes at the bile
Thorugh brethyng conceyved;
And some caukede; and took kepe
How pecokkes bredden.
Muche merveilled me
What maister hem made,
And who taughte hem on trees
To tymbre so heighe,
Ther neither burn ne beest
May hir briddes rechen.
7300And sithen I loked upon the see,And so forth upon the sterres;Manye selkouthes I seigh,Ben noght to seye nouthe.
7300
7300
And sithen I loked upon the see,
And so forth upon the sterres;
Manye selkouthes I seigh,
Ben noght to seye nouthe.
I seigh floures in the fryth,And hir faire colours;And how among the grene grasGrowed so manye hewes,And some soure and some swete,Selkouth me thoughte;7310Of hir kynde and hir colourTo carpe it were to longe.
I seigh floures in the fryth,
And hir faire colours;
And how among the grene gras
Growed so manye hewes,
And some soure and some swete,
Selkouth me thoughte;
7310
7310
Of hir kynde and hir colour
To carpe it were to longe.
Ac that moost meved meAnd my mood chaunged,That Reson rewardedAnd ruled alle beestes,Save man and his make;Many tyme and ofteNo reson hem folwede.And thanne I rebukede7320Reson, and rightTil hymselven I seyde:"I have wonder of thee," quod I,"That witty art holden,Why thow ne sewest man and his make,That no mysfeet hem folwe."
Ac that moost meved me
And my mood chaunged,
That Reson rewarded
And ruled alle beestes,
Save man and his make;
Many tyme and ofte
No reson hem folwede.
And thanne I rebukede
7320
7320
Reson, and right
Til hymselven I seyde:
"I have wonder of thee," quod I,
"That witty art holden,
Why thow ne sewest man and his make,
That no mysfeet hem folwe."
And Reson a-rated me,And seide, "Recche thee nevere;Why I suffre or noght suffre,Thiself hast noght to doone.7330Amende thow it, if thow myght,For my tyme is to abide.Suffraunce is a soverayn vertue,And a swift vengeance.Who suffrede moore than God?" quod he;"No gome, as I leeve.He myghte amende in a minute whileAl that mys-standeth;Ac he suffreth for som mannes goode,And so it is oure bettre,7340The wise and the wittyWroot thus in the Bible:De re quæ te non molestat, noli certare.
And Reson a-rated me,
And seide, "Recche thee nevere;
Why I suffre or noght suffre,
Thiself hast noght to doone.
7330
7330
Amende thow it, if thow myght,
For my tyme is to abide.
Suffraunce is a soverayn vertue,
And a swift vengeance.
Who suffrede moore than God?" quod he;
"No gome, as I leeve.
He myghte amende in a minute while
Al that mys-standeth;
Ac he suffreth for som mannes goode,
And so it is oure bettre,
7340
7340
The wise and the witty
Wroot thus in the Bible:
De re quæ te non molestat, noli certare.
="For be a man fair or foul,It falleth noght for to lakkeThe shap ne the shaftThat God shoop hymselve;For al that he dide was wel y-do,As holy writ witnesseth:7350Et vidit Deus cuncta quæ fecerat, eterant valde bona.
=
=
"For be a man fair or foul,
It falleth noght for to lakke
The shap ne the shaft
That God shoop hymselve;
For al that he dide was wel y-do,
As holy writ witnesseth:
7350
7350
Et vidit Deus cuncta quæ fecerat, et
erant valde bona.
"And bad every creatureIn his kynde encreesse;Al to murthe with man,That moste wo tholieIn fondynge of the flessh,And of the fend bothe.For man was maad of swich a matere,He may noght wel a-sterte7360That ne som tyme hym bititTo folwen his kynde.Caton a-cordeth therwith,Nemo sine crimine vivit."
"And bad every creature
In his kynde encreesse;
Al to murthe with man,
That moste wo tholie
In fondynge of the flessh,
And of the fend bothe.
For man was maad of swich a matere,
He may noght wel a-sterte
7360
7360
That ne som tyme hym bitit
To folwen his kynde.
Caton a-cordeth therwith,
Nemo sine crimine vivit."
Tho caughte I colour anoon,And comsed to ben ashamed,And awaked therwith.Wo was me thanne,That I in metels ne myghteMoore have y-knowen.7370And thanne seide I to myself,And chidde that tyme,"Now I woot what Do-wel is," quod I,"By deere God! as me thynketh."
Tho caughte I colour anoon,
And comsed to ben ashamed,
And awaked therwith.
Wo was me thanne,
That I in metels ne myghte
Moore have y-knowen.
7370
7370
And thanne seide I to myself,
And chidde that tyme,
"Now I woot what Do-wel is," quod I,
"By deere God! as me thynketh."
And as I caste up myne eighen,Oon loked on me and askedOf me, what thynge it were:"Y-wis, sire," I seide,"To se muche and suffre moore,Certes," quod I, "is Do-wel."
And as I caste up myne eighen,
Oon loked on me and asked
Of me, what thynge it were:
"Y-wis, sire," I seide,
"To se muche and suffre moore,
Certes," quod I, "is Do-wel."
7380"Haddestow suffred," he seide,"Slepynge tho thow were,Thow sholdest have knowen that Clergie kan,And contreved moore thorugh reson.For Reson wolde have reherced theeRight as Clergie seide.Ac for thyn entre-metynge,Here artow forsake.Philosophus esses, si tacuisses.
7380
7380
"Haddestow suffred," he seide,
"Slepynge tho thow were,
Thow sholdest have knowen that Clergie kan,
And contreved moore thorugh reson.
For Reson wolde have reherced thee
Right as Clergie seide.
Ac for thyn entre-metynge,
Here artow forsake.
Philosophus esses, si tacuisses.
"Adam, whiles he spak noght,7390Hadde paradis at wille;Ac whan he mamelede aboute mete,And entre-metede to knoweThe wisedom and the wit of God,He was put fram blisse.
"Adam, whiles he spak noght,
7390
7390
Hadde paradis at wille;
Ac whan he mamelede aboute mete,
And entre-metede to knowe
The wisedom and the wit of God,
He was put fram blisse.
"And right so ferde Reson bi thee;Thow with thi rude specheLakkedest and losedest thyngThat longed the noght to doone.Tho hadde he no likyng7400For to lere the moore.
"And right so ferde Reson bi thee;
Thow with thi rude speche
Lakkedest and losedest thyng
That longed the noght to doone.
Tho hadde he no likyng
7400
7400
For to lere the moore.
"Pryde now and presumpcionPeraventure wol thee appele,That Clergie thi compaignyeKepeth noght to suwe.Shal nevere chalangynge ne chidyngeChaste a man so soone,As shal shame, and shenden hym,And shape hym to amende.For lat a dronken daffe7410In a dyk falle,Lat hym ligge, loke noght on hym,Til hym liste aryse.For though Reson rebuked hym thanne,It were but pure synne.Ac whan nede nymeth hym upFor doute lest he sterve,And shame shrapeth hise clothes,And hise shynes wassheth.Thanne woot the dronken daffe7420Wherfore he is to blame."
"Pryde now and presumpcion
Peraventure wol thee appele,
That Clergie thi compaignye
Kepeth noght to suwe.
Shal nevere chalangynge ne chidynge
Chaste a man so soone,
As shal shame, and shenden hym,
And shape hym to amende.
For lat a dronken daffe
7410
7410
In a dyk falle,
Lat hym ligge, loke noght on hym,
Til hym liste aryse.
For though Reson rebuked hym thanne,
It were but pure synne.
Ac whan nede nymeth hym up
For doute lest he sterve,
And shame shrapeth hise clothes,
And hise shynes wassheth.
Thanne woot the dronken daffe
7420
7420
Wherfore he is to blame."
"Ye siggen sooth," quod I;"Ich have y-seyen it ofte,Ther smyt no thyng so smerte,Ne smelleth so soure,As shame, there he sheweth hym;For every man hym shonyeth.Why ye wisse me thus," quod I,"Was for I rebuked Reson."
"Ye siggen sooth," quod I;
"Ich have y-seyen it ofte,
Ther smyt no thyng so smerte,
Ne smelleth so soure,
As shame, there he sheweth hym;
For every man hym shonyeth.
Why ye wisse me thus," quod I,
"Was for I rebuked Reson."
"Certes," quod he, "that is sooth;"7430And shoop hym for to walken.And I aroos up right with that,And folwed hym after,And preyde hym of his curteisie7434To telle me his name.
"Certes," quod he, "that is sooth;"
7430
7430
And shoop hym for to walken.
And I aroos up right with that,
And folwed hym after,
And preyde hym of his curteisie
7434
7434
To telle me his name.
Filler.
Passus Duodecimus, etc."I7435AM Ymaginatif," quod he,"Ydel was I nevere,Though I sitte by myself,In siknesse nor in helthe.I have folwed thee, in feith!7440Thise fyve and fourty wynter,And manye tymes have meved theeTo thynke on thyn ende,And how fele fernyeres are faren,And so fewe to come;And of thi wilde wantownesseTho thow yong were,To amende it in thi middel age,Lest myght the failledIn thyn olde elde,7450That yvele kan suffrePoverte or penaunce,Or preyeres to bidde.=Si non in prima vigilia, nec in secunda, etc."Amende thee, while thow myght;Thow hast ben warned ofteWith poustees of pestilences,With poverte and with angres;And with thise bittre baleises7460God beteth his deere children.Quem diligo, castigo."And David in the Sauter seithOf swiche that loveth Jhesus:=Virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolati sunt."Al though thow strike me with thi staf,With stikke or with yerde,It is but murthe as for me,To amende my soule.7470And thow medlest thee withmakynges,And myghtest go seye thi Sauter,And bidde for hem that gyveth thee breed,For ther are bokes y-knoweTo telle men what Do-wel is,Do-bet and Do-best bothe,And prechours to preven what it isOf many a peire freres."I seigh wel he seide me sooth;And som what me to excuse,7480Seide Caton conforted me his sone,That clerk though he were,To solacen hym som tyme,As I do whan Imake:Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis.="And of holy men I herde, quod I,""How thei outher whilePleyden the parfiter,To ben in manye places,7490Ac if ther were any wightThat wolde me telleWhat were Do-wel and Do-betAnd Do-best at the laste,Wolde I nevere do werk,But wende to holi chirche,And ther bidde my bedes,But whan ich ete or slepe.""Poul in his pistle," quod he,"Preveth what is Do-wel:=Fides, spes, caritas, et major horum, etc.7502Feith, hope, and charité;And alle ben goode,And saven men sondry tymes;Ac noon so soone as charité.For he dooth wel withouten doute,That dooth as lewté techeth;That is, if thow be man maryed,Thi make thow lovye,7510And lyve forth as lawe wole,While ye lyven bothe."Right so if thow be religious,Ren thow nevere fertherTo Rome ne to Rochemador,But as thi rule techeth;And hold thee under obedience,That heigh wey is to hevene."And if thow be maiden to marye,And myght wel continue,7520Seke thow nevere seint fertherFor no soule helthe.For what made LuciferTo lese the heighe hevene?Or Salomon his sapience,Or Sampson his strengthe?Job the Jew his joyeFul deere a-boughte;Aristotleand othere mo,Ypocras and Virgile;7530Alisaundre, that al wan,Elengliche ended.Catel and kynde witWas combraunce to hem alle."Felicehir fairnesseFel hire al to sclaundre;AndRosamounderight so,Reufulliche to bileve,The beauté of hir bodyIn baddenesse she despended.7540Of manye swiche I may rede,Of men and of wommen,That wise wordes wolde shewe,And werche the contrarie.=Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes."And riche renkes right soGaderen and sparen,And tho men that thei moost hatenMynistren it at the laste.7550And for thei suffren and seeSo manye nedy folkes,And love hem noght as oure Lord bit,Thei lesen hir soules.Date et dabitur vobis."And richesse right so,But if the roote be trewe.Ac grace is a gras therofTho grevaunces to abate.Ac grace ne groweth noght7560But amonges lowe;Pacience and poverteThe place highte ther it groweth,And in lele lyvynge men,And in lif holy,And thorugh the gifte of the Holy Goost,As the Gospel telleth.Spiritus ubi vult spirat."Clergie and kynde witCometh of sighte and techyng;7570As the book bereth witnesseTo burnes that kan rede.=Quod scimus loquimur, quod vidimus testamur."Ofquod scimuscometh clergieAnd konnynge of hevene;And ofquod vidimuscometh kynde wit,Of sighte of diverse peple.Ac grace is a gifte of God,And of greet love spryngeth;7580Knew nevere clerk how it cometh forth,Ne kynde wit the weyes.=Nescit aliquis unde venit, aut quo vadit, etc."Ac yet is clergie to comende,And kynde wit bothe;And namely clergie, for Cristes loveThat of clergie is roote.For Moyses witnesseth that God wrootFor to wisse the peple7590In the olde lawe, as the lettre telleth,That was the lawe of Jewes,That what womman were in avoutrye taken,Were she riche or poore,With stones men sholde hir strike,And stone hire to dethe."A womman, as I fynde,Was gilty of that dede.Ac Crist of his curteisieThorugh clergie hir saved;7600And thorugh caractes that Crist wroot,The Jewes knewe hemselveGiltier as a-fore God,And gretter in synne,Than the womman that there was,And wenten awey for shame."The clergie that there was,Conforted the womman.Holy kirke knoweth this,That Cristes writyng saved hire.7610So clergie is confortTo creatures that repenten,And to mansede menMeschief at hire ende."For Goddes body myghte noght benOf breed, withouten clergie;The which body is botheBoote to the rightfulle,And deeth and dampnacionTo hem that deyeth yvele,7620As Cristes caracte confortede,And bothe coupable shewed,The womman that the Jewes broughte,That Jhesus thoughte to save.Nolitejudicare, etnonjudicabimini.Right so Goddes body, bretheren,But if it be worthili taken,Dampneth us at the day of dome,As the caractes dide the Jewes."For-thi I counseille thee, for Cristes sake,7630Clergie that thow lovye.For kynde wit is of his kyn,And neighe cosynes botheTo oure Lord, leve me;For-thi love hem, I rede.For bothe ben as miroursTo amenden oure defautes,And lederes for lewed menAnd for lettred bothe."For-thi lakke thow nevere logik,7640Lawe ne hise custumes;Ne countreplede clerkes,I counseille thee for evere.For as a man may noght see,That mysseth hise eighen;Na-moore kan no clerk,But if he caughte it first thorugh bokes.Al though men made bokes,God was the maister,And seint spirit the samplarie,7650And seide what men sholde write."Right so ledeth lettrureLewed men to reson;And as a blynd man in batailleBereth wepne to fighte,And hath noon hap with his axHis enemy to hitte,Na-moore kan a kynde witted man,But clerkes hym teche,Come for al his kynde wit7660To cristendom, and be saved.Which is the cofre of Cristes tresor,And clerkes kepe the keyesTo unloken it at hir likyng,And to the lewed pepleGyve mercy for hire mysdedes,If men it wolde askeBuxomliche and benigneliche,And bidden it of Grace."Archa Deiin the olde lawe7670Levytes it kepten;Hadde nevere lewed man leveTo leggen hond on that cheste,But he were preest or preestes sone,Patriark or prophete.For clergie is kepereUnder Crist of hevene.Was ther nevere no knyght,But clergie hym made.Ac kynde wit cometh7680Of alle kynnes syghtes,Of briddes and of beestes,Of tastes of truthe and of deceites."Lyveris to-forn usUseden to markeFor selkouthes that thei seighen,Hir sones for to teche;And helden it an heigh scienceHir wittes to knowe.Ac thorugh hir science soothly7690Was nevere no soule y-saved,Ne broght by hir bokesTo blisse ne to joye;For alle hir kynde knowyngesCome but of diverse sightes."Patriarkes and prophetesRepreveden hir science,And seiden hir wordes and hir wisdomesNas but a folye;And to the clergie of Crist7700Counted it but a trufle.=Sapientia hujus mundi stultitia est apud Deum."For the heighe Holy GoostHevene shal to-cleve,And love shall lepen out afterInto the lowe erthe;And clennesse shal cacchen it,And clerkes shullen it fynde.Pastores loquebantur ad invicem.7710"He speketh there of riche men right noght,Ne of right witty,Ne of lordes that were lewed men,But of the hyeste lettred oute.Ibant magi ab oriente."If any frere were founde there,I gyve thee fyve shillynges;Ne in none burgeises coteWas that barn born;But in a burgeises place7720Of Bethlem the beste.Sed non erat ei locus in diversorio, etpauper non habet diversorium."To pastours and to poetesAppered the aungel,And bad hem go to BethlemGoddes burthe to honoure;And songe a song of solas,Gloria in excelsis Deo!"Clerkes knewen it wel,7730And comen with hir presentz,And diden homage honurablyTo hym that was almyghty."Why I have tolde al this,I took ful good hedeHow thow contrariedest ClergieWith crabbede wordes,How that lewde men lightlokerThan lettrede were saved,Than clerkes or kynde witted men7740Of cristene peple;And thow seidest sooth of somme,Ac se in what manere."Tak two stronge men,And in Themese cast hem,And bothe naked as a nedle,Her noon sikerer than oother;That oon hath konnynge and kanSwymmen and dyven;That oother is lewed of that labour,7750That lerned nevere swymme;Which trowestow of tho twoThat is in moost drede?He that nevere ne dyved,Ne noght kan of swymmyng?Or the swymmere that is saafBy so hymself like,Ther his felawe fleteth forthAs the flood liketh,And is in drede to drenche,7760That nevere dide swymme?""That swymme kan noght," I seide,"It semeth to my wittes.""Right so," quod the renk."Reson it sheweth,That he that knoweth clergieKan sonner ariseOut of synne, and be saaf,Though he synne ofte,If hym liketh and lest,7770Than any lewed leelly.For if the clerk be konnynge,He knoweth what is synne,And how contricion withoute confessionConforteth the soule;As thow seest in the Sauter,In Salmes oon or tweyne,How contricion is comended,For it cacheth awey synne.Beati quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates,7780et quorum tecta sunt, etc."And this conforteth ech a clerk,And covereth hym fro wanhope.In which flood the fendFondeth a man hardest.Ther the lewed lith stille,And loketh after lente,And hath no contricion er he come to shrifte,And thanne kan he litel telle,But as his lores-man lereth hym7790Bileveth and troweth;And that is after person or parissh preest,The whiche ben peraventureUnkonnynge to lere lewed men,As Luc bereth witnesse:Dum cæcus ducit cæcum, etc."Wo was hym markedThat wade moot with the lewed!Wel may the barn blesse that manThat hym to book sette,7800That lyvynge after lettrureSaveth hym lif and soule.Dominus pars hereditatis meæ,Is a murye verset,That hath take fro TybourneTwenty stronge theves;Ther lewed theves ben lolled up,Loke how thei be saved."The thef that hadde grace of GodOn Good-friday, as thow spekest,7810Was for he yald hym creaunt to Crist on the cros,And knewliched hym gilty,And grace asked of God,That to graunten it is redyTo hem that buxomliche biddeth it,And ben in wille to amenden.Ac though that theef hadde hevene,He hadde noon heigh blisse,As seint Johan and othere seintesThat deserved hadde bettre.7820"Right as som man yeve me mete,And a-mydde the floor sette me,And hadde mete moore than y-nough,Ac noght so muche worshipeAs tho that seten at the syde table,Or with the sovereynes of the halle;But sete as a beggere bord-leesBy myself on the grounde.So it fareth by that felonThat a Good-friday was saved.7830He sit neither with seint Johan,Symond ne Jude,Ne with maydenes ne with martires,Confessours ne wydewes;But by hymself as a soleyn,And served on erthe.For he that is ones a thefIs evere moore in daunger,And, as lawe liketh,To lyve or to deye.=De peccato propitiato, noli esse sine metu.7842And for to serven a seintAnd swich a thef togideres,It were neither reson ne rightTo rewarde hem bothe y-liche."And right asTrojanusthe trewe knyghtDwelte noght depe in helle,That oure Lord ne hadde hym lightly out,So leve I the thef be in hevene.7850For he is in the loweste of hevene,If oure bileve be trewe;And wel loselly he lolleth there,By the lawe of holy chirche.=Qui reddit unicuique juxta opera sua, etc."And why that oon theef on the crosCreaunt hym yaldRather than that oother theef,Though thow woldest appose,7860Alle the clerkes under CristNe kouthe the skile assoille.Quare placuit, quia voluit."And so I seye by theeThat sekest after the whyes,And a-resonedest ResonA rebukynge as it were;And of the floures in the fryth,And of hire faire hewes,Wherof thei cacche hir colours7870So clere and so brighte;And willest of briddes and of beestes,And of hir bredyng, to knowe,Why some be a-lough and some a-loft,Thi likyng it were;And of the stones and of the sterresThow studiest, as I leve;How evere beest outher bridHath so breme wittes."Clergie ne kynde wit7880Ne knew nevere the cause;Ac kynde knoweth the cause hymself,And no creature ellis.He is the pies patron,And putteth it in hir ereThere the thorn is thikkestTo buylden and brede.And kynde kenned the pecokTo cauken in swich a kynde;And kenned Adam7890To knowe his pryvé membres,And taughte hym and EveTo helien hem with leves."Lewed men many tymesMaistres thei apposen,Why Adam ne hiled noght firstHis mouth that eet the appul,Rather than his likame a-logh;Lewed asken thus clerkes."Kynde knoweth whi he dide so,7900Ac no clerk ellis,Ac of briddes and of beestesMen by olde tymeEnsamples token and termes,As telleth the poetes;And that the faireste fowelFoulest engendreth,And feblest fowel of flight isThat fleeth or swymmeth;And that the pecok and the pehen7910Proude riche men bitokneth;For the pecok, and men pursue hym,May noght flee heighe,For the trailynge of his tailOvertaken is he soone,And his flessh is foul flessh,And his feet bothe,And un-lovelich of ledene,And looth for to here."Right so the riche,7920If he his richesse kepe,And deleth it noght til his deeth-day,The tail of alle sorweRight so as the pennes of the pecokPeyneth hym in his flight.So is possession peyneOf pens and of nobles,To alle hem that it holdeth,Til hir tail be plukked."And though the riche repente thanne7930And bi-rewe the tymeThat evere he gadered so grete,And gaf therof so litel;Though he crye to Crist thanneWith kene wil, I leve,His ledene be in oure Lordes ereLike a pies chiteryng.And whan his caroyne shal comeIn cave to be buryed,I leve it flawme ful foule7940The fold al aboute,And alle the othere ther it lithEnvenymeth thorugh his attre."By the po feet is understande,As I have lerned inAvynet,Executours false frendesThat fulfille noght his willeThat was writen and thei witnesseTo werche right as it wolde.Thus the poete preveth that the pecok7950For hise fetheres is reverenced,Right so is the richeBy reson of hise goodes."The larke, that is a lasse fowel,Is moore lovelich of ledene,And wel a wey of wyngeSwifter than the pecok,And of flessh by fele foldFatter and swetter;To lowe libbynge men7960The larke is resembled."Aristotle the grete clerkSwiche tales he telleth.Thus he likneth in his logikThe leeste fowel oute,And wheither he be saaf or noght saafThe sothe woot no clergie,Ne ofSortesne of SalomonNo scripture kan telle.Ac God is so good, I hope,7970That siththe he gaf hem wittesTo wissen us weyes therwithThat wissen us to be saved,And the bettre for hir bokesTo bidden we ben holden,That God for his graceGyve hir soules reste.For lettred men were lewed men yet,Ne were loore of hir bokes.""Alle thise clerkes," quod I tho,7980"That in Crist leven,Seyen in hir sermonsThat neither Sarsens ne JewesNe no creature of Cristes liknesseWithouten cristendom worth saved.""Contra," quod Ymaginatif thoo,And comsed for to loure;And seide"SalvabiturVix justus in die judicii.Ergo salvabitur," quod he,7990And seide na-moore Latyn."Trojanus was a trewe knyght,And took nevere Cristendom,And he is saaf, so seith the book,And his soule in hevene.For ther is fullynge of font,And fullynge in blood shedyng,And thorugh fir is fullyng,And that is ferme bileve.Advenit ignis divinus non comburens,8000sed illuminans, etc."Ac Truthe that trespased nevere,Ne traversed ayeins his lawe,But lyveth as his lawe techeth,And leveth ther be no bettre;And if ther were, he wolde amende,And in swich wille deieth,Ne wolde nevere trewe god,But truthe were allowed,And wheither it be worth or noght worth,8010The bileve is gret of truthe,And an hope hangynge therinneTo have a mede for his truthe.ForDeus dicitur quasi dans vitamæternam suis, hoc est fidelibus.Et alibi: Si ambulavero inmedio umbræ mortis."The glose graunteth upon that versA greet mede to Truthe,And wit and wisdom," quod that wye,8020"Was som tyme tresorTo kepe with a commune,No catel was holde bettre,And muche murthe and manhod;"8024And right with that he vanysshed.
Passus Duodecimus, etc.
Passus Duodecimus, etc.
"I7435AM Ymaginatif," quod he,"Ydel was I nevere,Though I sitte by myself,In siknesse nor in helthe.I have folwed thee, in feith!7440Thise fyve and fourty wynter,And manye tymes have meved theeTo thynke on thyn ende,And how fele fernyeres are faren,And so fewe to come;And of thi wilde wantownesseTho thow yong were,To amende it in thi middel age,Lest myght the failledIn thyn olde elde,7450That yvele kan suffrePoverte or penaunce,Or preyeres to bidde.=Si non in prima vigilia, nec in secunda, etc.
"I7435
"
I
7435
AM Ymaginatif," quod he,
"Ydel was I nevere,
Though I sitte by myself,
In siknesse nor in helthe.
I have folwed thee, in feith!
7440
7440
Thise fyve and fourty wynter,
And manye tymes have meved thee
To thynke on thyn ende,
And how fele fernyeres are faren,
And so fewe to come;
And of thi wilde wantownesse
Tho thow yong were,
To amende it in thi middel age,
Lest myght the failled
In thyn olde elde,
7450
7450
That yvele kan suffre
Poverte or penaunce,
Or preyeres to bidde.
=
=
Si non in prima vigilia, nec in secunda, etc.
"Amende thee, while thow myght;Thow hast ben warned ofteWith poustees of pestilences,With poverte and with angres;And with thise bittre baleises7460God beteth his deere children.Quem diligo, castigo.
"Amende thee, while thow myght;
Thow hast ben warned ofte
With poustees of pestilences,
With poverte and with angres;
And with thise bittre baleises
7460
7460
God beteth his deere children.
Quem diligo, castigo.
"And David in the Sauter seithOf swiche that loveth Jhesus:=Virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolati sunt.
"And David in the Sauter seith
Of swiche that loveth Jhesus:
=
=
Virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolati sunt.
"Al though thow strike me with thi staf,With stikke or with yerde,It is but murthe as for me,To amende my soule.7470And thow medlest thee withmakynges,And myghtest go seye thi Sauter,And bidde for hem that gyveth thee breed,For ther are bokes y-knoweTo telle men what Do-wel is,Do-bet and Do-best bothe,And prechours to preven what it isOf many a peire freres."
"Al though thow strike me with thi staf,
With stikke or with yerde,
It is but murthe as for me,
To amende my soule.
7470
7470
And thow medlest thee withmakynges,
And myghtest go seye thi Sauter,
And bidde for hem that gyveth thee breed,
For ther are bokes y-knowe
To telle men what Do-wel is,
Do-bet and Do-best bothe,
And prechours to preven what it is
Of many a peire freres."
I seigh wel he seide me sooth;And som what me to excuse,7480Seide Caton conforted me his sone,That clerk though he were,To solacen hym som tyme,As I do whan Imake:Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis.
I seigh wel he seide me sooth;
And som what me to excuse,
7480
7480
Seide Caton conforted me his sone,
That clerk though he were,
To solacen hym som tyme,
As I do whan Imake:
Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis.
="And of holy men I herde, quod I,""How thei outher whilePleyden the parfiter,To ben in manye places,7490Ac if ther were any wightThat wolde me telleWhat were Do-wel and Do-betAnd Do-best at the laste,Wolde I nevere do werk,But wende to holi chirche,And ther bidde my bedes,But whan ich ete or slepe."
=
=
"And of holy men I herde, quod I,"
"How thei outher while
Pleyden the parfiter,
To ben in manye places,
7490
7490
Ac if ther were any wight
That wolde me telle
What were Do-wel and Do-bet
And Do-best at the laste,
Wolde I nevere do werk,
But wende to holi chirche,
And ther bidde my bedes,
But whan ich ete or slepe."
"Poul in his pistle," quod he,"Preveth what is Do-wel:=Fides, spes, caritas, et major horum, etc.7502Feith, hope, and charité;And alle ben goode,And saven men sondry tymes;Ac noon so soone as charité.For he dooth wel withouten doute,That dooth as lewté techeth;That is, if thow be man maryed,Thi make thow lovye,7510And lyve forth as lawe wole,While ye lyven bothe.
"Poul in his pistle," quod he,
"Preveth what is Do-wel:
=
=
Fides, spes, caritas, et major horum, etc.
7502
7502
Feith, hope, and charité;
And alle ben goode,
And saven men sondry tymes;
Ac noon so soone as charité.
For he dooth wel withouten doute,
That dooth as lewté techeth;
That is, if thow be man maryed,
Thi make thow lovye,
7510
7510
And lyve forth as lawe wole,
While ye lyven bothe.
"Right so if thow be religious,Ren thow nevere fertherTo Rome ne to Rochemador,But as thi rule techeth;And hold thee under obedience,That heigh wey is to hevene.
"Right so if thow be religious,
Ren thow nevere ferther
To Rome ne to Rochemador,
But as thi rule techeth;
And hold thee under obedience,
That heigh wey is to hevene.
"And if thow be maiden to marye,And myght wel continue,7520Seke thow nevere seint fertherFor no soule helthe.For what made LuciferTo lese the heighe hevene?Or Salomon his sapience,Or Sampson his strengthe?Job the Jew his joyeFul deere a-boughte;Aristotleand othere mo,Ypocras and Virgile;7530Alisaundre, that al wan,Elengliche ended.Catel and kynde witWas combraunce to hem alle.
"And if thow be maiden to marye,
And myght wel continue,
7520
7520
Seke thow nevere seint ferther
For no soule helthe.
For what made Lucifer
To lese the heighe hevene?
Or Salomon his sapience,
Or Sampson his strengthe?
Job the Jew his joye
Ful deere a-boughte;
Aristotleand othere mo,
Ypocras and Virgile;
7530
7530
Alisaundre, that al wan,
Elengliche ended.
Catel and kynde wit
Was combraunce to hem alle.
"Felicehir fairnesseFel hire al to sclaundre;AndRosamounderight so,Reufulliche to bileve,The beauté of hir bodyIn baddenesse she despended.7540Of manye swiche I may rede,Of men and of wommen,That wise wordes wolde shewe,And werche the contrarie.=Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes.
"Felicehir fairnesse
Fel hire al to sclaundre;
AndRosamounderight so,
Reufulliche to bileve,
The beauté of hir body
In baddenesse she despended.
7540
7540
Of manye swiche I may rede,
Of men and of wommen,
That wise wordes wolde shewe,
And werche the contrarie.
=
=
Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes.
"And riche renkes right soGaderen and sparen,And tho men that thei moost hatenMynistren it at the laste.7550And for thei suffren and seeSo manye nedy folkes,And love hem noght as oure Lord bit,Thei lesen hir soules.Date et dabitur vobis.
"And riche renkes right so
Gaderen and sparen,
And tho men that thei moost haten
Mynistren it at the laste.
7550
7550
And for thei suffren and see
So manye nedy folkes,
And love hem noght as oure Lord bit,
Thei lesen hir soules.
Date et dabitur vobis.
"And richesse right so,But if the roote be trewe.Ac grace is a gras therofTho grevaunces to abate.Ac grace ne groweth noght7560But amonges lowe;Pacience and poverteThe place highte ther it groweth,And in lele lyvynge men,And in lif holy,And thorugh the gifte of the Holy Goost,As the Gospel telleth.Spiritus ubi vult spirat.
"And richesse right so,
But if the roote be trewe.
Ac grace is a gras therof
Tho grevaunces to abate.
Ac grace ne groweth noght
7560
7560
But amonges lowe;
Pacience and poverte
The place highte ther it groweth,
And in lele lyvynge men,
And in lif holy,
And thorugh the gifte of the Holy Goost,
As the Gospel telleth.
Spiritus ubi vult spirat.
"Clergie and kynde witCometh of sighte and techyng;7570As the book bereth witnesseTo burnes that kan rede.=Quod scimus loquimur, quod vidimus testamur.
"Clergie and kynde wit
Cometh of sighte and techyng;
7570
7570
As the book bereth witnesse
To burnes that kan rede.
=
=
Quod scimus loquimur, quod vidimus testamur.
"Ofquod scimuscometh clergieAnd konnynge of hevene;And ofquod vidimuscometh kynde wit,Of sighte of diverse peple.Ac grace is a gifte of God,And of greet love spryngeth;7580Knew nevere clerk how it cometh forth,Ne kynde wit the weyes.=Nescit aliquis unde venit, aut quo vadit, etc.
"Ofquod scimuscometh clergie
And konnynge of hevene;
And ofquod vidimuscometh kynde wit,
Of sighte of diverse peple.
Ac grace is a gifte of God,
And of greet love spryngeth;
7580
7580
Knew nevere clerk how it cometh forth,
Ne kynde wit the weyes.
=
=
Nescit aliquis unde venit, aut quo vadit, etc.
"Ac yet is clergie to comende,And kynde wit bothe;And namely clergie, for Cristes loveThat of clergie is roote.For Moyses witnesseth that God wrootFor to wisse the peple7590In the olde lawe, as the lettre telleth,That was the lawe of Jewes,That what womman were in avoutrye taken,Were she riche or poore,With stones men sholde hir strike,And stone hire to dethe.
"Ac yet is clergie to comende,
And kynde wit bothe;
And namely clergie, for Cristes love
That of clergie is roote.
For Moyses witnesseth that God wroot
For to wisse the peple
7590
7590
In the olde lawe, as the lettre telleth,
That was the lawe of Jewes,
That what womman were in avoutrye taken,
Were she riche or poore,
With stones men sholde hir strike,
And stone hire to dethe.
"A womman, as I fynde,Was gilty of that dede.Ac Crist of his curteisieThorugh clergie hir saved;7600And thorugh caractes that Crist wroot,The Jewes knewe hemselveGiltier as a-fore God,And gretter in synne,Than the womman that there was,And wenten awey for shame.
"A womman, as I fynde,
Was gilty of that dede.
Ac Crist of his curteisie
Thorugh clergie hir saved;
7600
7600
And thorugh caractes that Crist wroot,
The Jewes knewe hemselve
Giltier as a-fore God,
And gretter in synne,
Than the womman that there was,
And wenten awey for shame.
"The clergie that there was,Conforted the womman.Holy kirke knoweth this,That Cristes writyng saved hire.7610So clergie is confortTo creatures that repenten,And to mansede menMeschief at hire ende.
"The clergie that there was,
Conforted the womman.
Holy kirke knoweth this,
That Cristes writyng saved hire.
7610
7610
So clergie is confort
To creatures that repenten,
And to mansede men
Meschief at hire ende.
"For Goddes body myghte noght benOf breed, withouten clergie;The which body is botheBoote to the rightfulle,And deeth and dampnacionTo hem that deyeth yvele,7620As Cristes caracte confortede,And bothe coupable shewed,The womman that the Jewes broughte,That Jhesus thoughte to save.Nolitejudicare, etnonjudicabimini.Right so Goddes body, bretheren,But if it be worthili taken,Dampneth us at the day of dome,As the caractes dide the Jewes.
"For Goddes body myghte noght ben
Of breed, withouten clergie;
The which body is bothe
Boote to the rightfulle,
And deeth and dampnacion
To hem that deyeth yvele,
7620
7620
As Cristes caracte confortede,
And bothe coupable shewed,
The womman that the Jewes broughte,
That Jhesus thoughte to save.
Nolitejudicare, etnonjudicabimini.
Right so Goddes body, bretheren,
But if it be worthili taken,
Dampneth us at the day of dome,
As the caractes dide the Jewes.
"For-thi I counseille thee, for Cristes sake,7630Clergie that thow lovye.For kynde wit is of his kyn,And neighe cosynes botheTo oure Lord, leve me;For-thi love hem, I rede.For bothe ben as miroursTo amenden oure defautes,And lederes for lewed menAnd for lettred bothe.
"For-thi I counseille thee, for Cristes sake,
7630
7630
Clergie that thow lovye.
For kynde wit is of his kyn,
And neighe cosynes bothe
To oure Lord, leve me;
For-thi love hem, I rede.
For bothe ben as mirours
To amenden oure defautes,
And lederes for lewed men
And for lettred bothe.
"For-thi lakke thow nevere logik,7640Lawe ne hise custumes;Ne countreplede clerkes,I counseille thee for evere.For as a man may noght see,That mysseth hise eighen;Na-moore kan no clerk,But if he caughte it first thorugh bokes.Al though men made bokes,God was the maister,And seint spirit the samplarie,7650And seide what men sholde write.
"For-thi lakke thow nevere logik,
7640
7640
Lawe ne hise custumes;
Ne countreplede clerkes,
I counseille thee for evere.
For as a man may noght see,
That mysseth hise eighen;
Na-moore kan no clerk,
But if he caughte it first thorugh bokes.
Al though men made bokes,
God was the maister,
And seint spirit the samplarie,
7650
7650
And seide what men sholde write.
"Right so ledeth lettrureLewed men to reson;And as a blynd man in batailleBereth wepne to fighte,And hath noon hap with his axHis enemy to hitte,Na-moore kan a kynde witted man,But clerkes hym teche,Come for al his kynde wit7660To cristendom, and be saved.Which is the cofre of Cristes tresor,And clerkes kepe the keyesTo unloken it at hir likyng,And to the lewed pepleGyve mercy for hire mysdedes,If men it wolde askeBuxomliche and benigneliche,And bidden it of Grace.
"Right so ledeth lettrure
Lewed men to reson;
And as a blynd man in bataille
Bereth wepne to fighte,
And hath noon hap with his ax
His enemy to hitte,
Na-moore kan a kynde witted man,
But clerkes hym teche,
Come for al his kynde wit
7660
7660
To cristendom, and be saved.
Which is the cofre of Cristes tresor,
And clerkes kepe the keyes
To unloken it at hir likyng,
And to the lewed peple
Gyve mercy for hire mysdedes,
If men it wolde aske
Buxomliche and benigneliche,
And bidden it of Grace.
"Archa Deiin the olde lawe7670Levytes it kepten;Hadde nevere lewed man leveTo leggen hond on that cheste,But he were preest or preestes sone,Patriark or prophete.For clergie is kepereUnder Crist of hevene.Was ther nevere no knyght,But clergie hym made.Ac kynde wit cometh7680Of alle kynnes syghtes,Of briddes and of beestes,Of tastes of truthe and of deceites.
"Archa Deiin the olde lawe
7670
7670
Levytes it kepten;
Hadde nevere lewed man leve
To leggen hond on that cheste,
But he were preest or preestes sone,
Patriark or prophete.
For clergie is kepere
Under Crist of hevene.
Was ther nevere no knyght,
But clergie hym made.
Ac kynde wit cometh
7680
7680
Of alle kynnes syghtes,
Of briddes and of beestes,
Of tastes of truthe and of deceites.
"Lyveris to-forn usUseden to markeFor selkouthes that thei seighen,Hir sones for to teche;And helden it an heigh scienceHir wittes to knowe.Ac thorugh hir science soothly7690Was nevere no soule y-saved,Ne broght by hir bokesTo blisse ne to joye;For alle hir kynde knowyngesCome but of diverse sightes.
"Lyveris to-forn us
Useden to marke
For selkouthes that thei seighen,
Hir sones for to teche;
And helden it an heigh science
Hir wittes to knowe.
Ac thorugh hir science soothly
7690
7690
Was nevere no soule y-saved,
Ne broght by hir bokes
To blisse ne to joye;
For alle hir kynde knowynges
Come but of diverse sightes.
"Patriarkes and prophetesRepreveden hir science,And seiden hir wordes and hir wisdomesNas but a folye;And to the clergie of Crist7700Counted it but a trufle.=Sapientia hujus mundi stultitia est apud Deum.
"Patriarkes and prophetes
Repreveden hir science,
And seiden hir wordes and hir wisdomes
Nas but a folye;
And to the clergie of Crist
7700
7700
Counted it but a trufle.
=
=
Sapientia hujus mundi stultitia est apud Deum.
"For the heighe Holy GoostHevene shal to-cleve,And love shall lepen out afterInto the lowe erthe;And clennesse shal cacchen it,And clerkes shullen it fynde.Pastores loquebantur ad invicem.
"For the heighe Holy Goost
Hevene shal to-cleve,
And love shall lepen out after
Into the lowe erthe;
And clennesse shal cacchen it,
And clerkes shullen it fynde.
Pastores loquebantur ad invicem.
7710"He speketh there of riche men right noght,Ne of right witty,Ne of lordes that were lewed men,But of the hyeste lettred oute.Ibant magi ab oriente.
7710
7710
"He speketh there of riche men right noght,
Ne of right witty,
Ne of lordes that were lewed men,
But of the hyeste lettred oute.
Ibant magi ab oriente.
"If any frere were founde there,I gyve thee fyve shillynges;Ne in none burgeises coteWas that barn born;But in a burgeises place7720Of Bethlem the beste.Sed non erat ei locus in diversorio, etpauper non habet diversorium.
"If any frere were founde there,
I gyve thee fyve shillynges;
Ne in none burgeises cote
Was that barn born;
But in a burgeises place
7720
7720
Of Bethlem the beste.
Sed non erat ei locus in diversorio, et
pauper non habet diversorium.
"To pastours and to poetesAppered the aungel,And bad hem go to BethlemGoddes burthe to honoure;And songe a song of solas,Gloria in excelsis Deo!
"To pastours and to poetes
Appered the aungel,
And bad hem go to Bethlem
Goddes burthe to honoure;
And songe a song of solas,
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
"Clerkes knewen it wel,7730And comen with hir presentz,And diden homage honurablyTo hym that was almyghty.
"Clerkes knewen it wel,
7730
7730
And comen with hir presentz,
And diden homage honurably
To hym that was almyghty.
"Why I have tolde al this,I took ful good hedeHow thow contrariedest ClergieWith crabbede wordes,How that lewde men lightlokerThan lettrede were saved,Than clerkes or kynde witted men7740Of cristene peple;And thow seidest sooth of somme,Ac se in what manere.
"Why I have tolde al this,
I took ful good hede
How thow contrariedest Clergie
With crabbede wordes,
How that lewde men lightloker
Than lettrede were saved,
Than clerkes or kynde witted men
7740
7740
Of cristene peple;
And thow seidest sooth of somme,
Ac se in what manere.
"Tak two stronge men,And in Themese cast hem,And bothe naked as a nedle,Her noon sikerer than oother;That oon hath konnynge and kanSwymmen and dyven;That oother is lewed of that labour,7750That lerned nevere swymme;Which trowestow of tho twoThat is in moost drede?He that nevere ne dyved,Ne noght kan of swymmyng?Or the swymmere that is saafBy so hymself like,Ther his felawe fleteth forthAs the flood liketh,And is in drede to drenche,7760That nevere dide swymme?"
"Tak two stronge men,
And in Themese cast hem,
And bothe naked as a nedle,
Her noon sikerer than oother;
That oon hath konnynge and kan
Swymmen and dyven;
That oother is lewed of that labour,
7750
7750
That lerned nevere swymme;
Which trowestow of tho two
That is in moost drede?
He that nevere ne dyved,
Ne noght kan of swymmyng?
Or the swymmere that is saaf
By so hymself like,
Ther his felawe fleteth forth
As the flood liketh,
And is in drede to drenche,
7760
7760
That nevere dide swymme?"
"That swymme kan noght," I seide,"It semeth to my wittes."
"That swymme kan noght," I seide,
"It semeth to my wittes."
"Right so," quod the renk."Reson it sheweth,That he that knoweth clergieKan sonner ariseOut of synne, and be saaf,Though he synne ofte,If hym liketh and lest,7770Than any lewed leelly.For if the clerk be konnynge,He knoweth what is synne,And how contricion withoute confessionConforteth the soule;As thow seest in the Sauter,In Salmes oon or tweyne,How contricion is comended,For it cacheth awey synne.Beati quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates,7780et quorum tecta sunt, etc.
"Right so," quod the renk.
"Reson it sheweth,
That he that knoweth clergie
Kan sonner arise
Out of synne, and be saaf,
Though he synne ofte,
If hym liketh and lest,
7770
7770
Than any lewed leelly.
For if the clerk be konnynge,
He knoweth what is synne,
And how contricion withoute confession
Conforteth the soule;
As thow seest in the Sauter,
In Salmes oon or tweyne,
How contricion is comended,
For it cacheth awey synne.
Beati quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates,
7780
7780
et quorum tecta sunt, etc.
"And this conforteth ech a clerk,And covereth hym fro wanhope.In which flood the fendFondeth a man hardest.Ther the lewed lith stille,And loketh after lente,And hath no contricion er he come to shrifte,And thanne kan he litel telle,But as his lores-man lereth hym7790Bileveth and troweth;And that is after person or parissh preest,The whiche ben peraventureUnkonnynge to lere lewed men,As Luc bereth witnesse:Dum cæcus ducit cæcum, etc.
"And this conforteth ech a clerk,
And covereth hym fro wanhope.
In which flood the fend
Fondeth a man hardest.
Ther the lewed lith stille,
And loketh after lente,
And hath no contricion er he come to shrifte,
And thanne kan he litel telle,
But as his lores-man lereth hym
7790
7790
Bileveth and troweth;
And that is after person or parissh preest,
The whiche ben peraventure
Unkonnynge to lere lewed men,
As Luc bereth witnesse:
Dum cæcus ducit cæcum, etc.
"Wo was hym markedThat wade moot with the lewed!Wel may the barn blesse that manThat hym to book sette,7800That lyvynge after lettrureSaveth hym lif and soule.Dominus pars hereditatis meæ,Is a murye verset,That hath take fro TybourneTwenty stronge theves;Ther lewed theves ben lolled up,Loke how thei be saved.
"Wo was hym marked
That wade moot with the lewed!
Wel may the barn blesse that man
That hym to book sette,
7800
7800
That lyvynge after lettrure
Saveth hym lif and soule.
Dominus pars hereditatis meæ,
Is a murye verset,
That hath take fro Tybourne
Twenty stronge theves;
Ther lewed theves ben lolled up,
Loke how thei be saved.
"The thef that hadde grace of GodOn Good-friday, as thow spekest,7810Was for he yald hym creaunt to Crist on the cros,And knewliched hym gilty,And grace asked of God,That to graunten it is redyTo hem that buxomliche biddeth it,And ben in wille to amenden.Ac though that theef hadde hevene,He hadde noon heigh blisse,As seint Johan and othere seintesThat deserved hadde bettre.
"The thef that hadde grace of God
On Good-friday, as thow spekest,
7810
7810
Was for he yald hym creaunt to Crist on the cros,
And knewliched hym gilty,
And grace asked of God,
That to graunten it is redy
To hem that buxomliche biddeth it,
And ben in wille to amenden.
Ac though that theef hadde hevene,
He hadde noon heigh blisse,
As seint Johan and othere seintes
That deserved hadde bettre.
7820"Right as som man yeve me mete,And a-mydde the floor sette me,And hadde mete moore than y-nough,Ac noght so muche worshipeAs tho that seten at the syde table,Or with the sovereynes of the halle;But sete as a beggere bord-leesBy myself on the grounde.So it fareth by that felonThat a Good-friday was saved.7830He sit neither with seint Johan,Symond ne Jude,Ne with maydenes ne with martires,Confessours ne wydewes;But by hymself as a soleyn,And served on erthe.For he that is ones a thefIs evere moore in daunger,And, as lawe liketh,To lyve or to deye.=De peccato propitiato, noli esse sine metu.7842And for to serven a seintAnd swich a thef togideres,It were neither reson ne rightTo rewarde hem bothe y-liche.
7820
7820
"Right as som man yeve me mete,
And a-mydde the floor sette me,
And hadde mete moore than y-nough,
Ac noght so muche worshipe
As tho that seten at the syde table,
Or with the sovereynes of the halle;
But sete as a beggere bord-lees
By myself on the grounde.
So it fareth by that felon
That a Good-friday was saved.
7830
7830
He sit neither with seint Johan,
Symond ne Jude,
Ne with maydenes ne with martires,
Confessours ne wydewes;
But by hymself as a soleyn,
And served on erthe.
For he that is ones a thef
Is evere moore in daunger,
And, as lawe liketh,
To lyve or to deye.
=
=
De peccato propitiato, noli esse sine metu.
7842
7842
And for to serven a seint
And swich a thef togideres,
It were neither reson ne right
To rewarde hem bothe y-liche.
"And right asTrojanusthe trewe knyghtDwelte noght depe in helle,That oure Lord ne hadde hym lightly out,So leve I the thef be in hevene.7850For he is in the loweste of hevene,If oure bileve be trewe;And wel loselly he lolleth there,By the lawe of holy chirche.=Qui reddit unicuique juxta opera sua, etc.
"And right asTrojanusthe trewe knyght
Dwelte noght depe in helle,
That oure Lord ne hadde hym lightly out,
So leve I the thef be in hevene.
7850
7850
For he is in the loweste of hevene,
If oure bileve be trewe;
And wel loselly he lolleth there,
By the lawe of holy chirche.
=
=
Qui reddit unicuique juxta opera sua, etc.
"And why that oon theef on the crosCreaunt hym yaldRather than that oother theef,Though thow woldest appose,7860Alle the clerkes under CristNe kouthe the skile assoille.Quare placuit, quia voluit.
"And why that oon theef on the cros
Creaunt hym yald
Rather than that oother theef,
Though thow woldest appose,
7860
7860
Alle the clerkes under Crist
Ne kouthe the skile assoille.
Quare placuit, quia voluit.
"And so I seye by theeThat sekest after the whyes,And a-resonedest ResonA rebukynge as it were;And of the floures in the fryth,And of hire faire hewes,Wherof thei cacche hir colours7870So clere and so brighte;And willest of briddes and of beestes,And of hir bredyng, to knowe,Why some be a-lough and some a-loft,Thi likyng it were;And of the stones and of the sterresThow studiest, as I leve;How evere beest outher bridHath so breme wittes.
"And so I seye by thee
That sekest after the whyes,
And a-resonedest Reson
A rebukynge as it were;
And of the floures in the fryth,
And of hire faire hewes,
Wherof thei cacche hir colours
7870
7870
So clere and so brighte;
And willest of briddes and of beestes,
And of hir bredyng, to knowe,
Why some be a-lough and some a-loft,
Thi likyng it were;
And of the stones and of the sterres
Thow studiest, as I leve;
How evere beest outher brid
Hath so breme wittes.
"Clergie ne kynde wit7880Ne knew nevere the cause;Ac kynde knoweth the cause hymself,And no creature ellis.He is the pies patron,And putteth it in hir ereThere the thorn is thikkestTo buylden and brede.And kynde kenned the pecokTo cauken in swich a kynde;And kenned Adam7890To knowe his pryvé membres,And taughte hym and EveTo helien hem with leves.
"Clergie ne kynde wit
7880
7880
Ne knew nevere the cause;
Ac kynde knoweth the cause hymself,
And no creature ellis.
He is the pies patron,
And putteth it in hir ere
There the thorn is thikkest
To buylden and brede.
And kynde kenned the pecok
To cauken in swich a kynde;
And kenned Adam
7890
7890
To knowe his pryvé membres,
And taughte hym and Eve
To helien hem with leves.
"Lewed men many tymesMaistres thei apposen,Why Adam ne hiled noght firstHis mouth that eet the appul,Rather than his likame a-logh;Lewed asken thus clerkes.
"Lewed men many tymes
Maistres thei apposen,
Why Adam ne hiled noght first
His mouth that eet the appul,
Rather than his likame a-logh;
Lewed asken thus clerkes.
"Kynde knoweth whi he dide so,7900Ac no clerk ellis,Ac of briddes and of beestesMen by olde tymeEnsamples token and termes,As telleth the poetes;And that the faireste fowelFoulest engendreth,And feblest fowel of flight isThat fleeth or swymmeth;And that the pecok and the pehen7910Proude riche men bitokneth;For the pecok, and men pursue hym,May noght flee heighe,For the trailynge of his tailOvertaken is he soone,And his flessh is foul flessh,And his feet bothe,And un-lovelich of ledene,And looth for to here.
"Kynde knoweth whi he dide so,
7900
7900
Ac no clerk ellis,
Ac of briddes and of beestes
Men by olde tyme
Ensamples token and termes,
As telleth the poetes;
And that the faireste fowel
Foulest engendreth,
And feblest fowel of flight is
That fleeth or swymmeth;
And that the pecok and the pehen
7910
7910
Proude riche men bitokneth;
For the pecok, and men pursue hym,
May noght flee heighe,
For the trailynge of his tail
Overtaken is he soone,
And his flessh is foul flessh,
And his feet bothe,
And un-lovelich of ledene,
And looth for to here.
"Right so the riche,7920If he his richesse kepe,And deleth it noght til his deeth-day,The tail of alle sorweRight so as the pennes of the pecokPeyneth hym in his flight.So is possession peyneOf pens and of nobles,To alle hem that it holdeth,Til hir tail be plukked.
"Right so the riche,
7920
7920
If he his richesse kepe,
And deleth it noght til his deeth-day,
The tail of alle sorwe
Right so as the pennes of the pecok
Peyneth hym in his flight.
So is possession peyne
Of pens and of nobles,
To alle hem that it holdeth,
Til hir tail be plukked.
"And though the riche repente thanne7930And bi-rewe the tymeThat evere he gadered so grete,And gaf therof so litel;Though he crye to Crist thanneWith kene wil, I leve,His ledene be in oure Lordes ereLike a pies chiteryng.And whan his caroyne shal comeIn cave to be buryed,I leve it flawme ful foule7940The fold al aboute,And alle the othere ther it lithEnvenymeth thorugh his attre.
"And though the riche repente thanne
7930
7930
And bi-rewe the tyme
That evere he gadered so grete,
And gaf therof so litel;
Though he crye to Crist thanne
With kene wil, I leve,
His ledene be in oure Lordes ere
Like a pies chiteryng.
And whan his caroyne shal come
In cave to be buryed,
I leve it flawme ful foule
7940
7940
The fold al aboute,
And alle the othere ther it lith
Envenymeth thorugh his attre.
"By the po feet is understande,As I have lerned inAvynet,Executours false frendesThat fulfille noght his willeThat was writen and thei witnesseTo werche right as it wolde.Thus the poete preveth that the pecok7950For hise fetheres is reverenced,Right so is the richeBy reson of hise goodes.
"By the po feet is understande,
As I have lerned inAvynet,
Executours false frendes
That fulfille noght his wille
That was writen and thei witnesse
To werche right as it wolde.
Thus the poete preveth that the pecok
7950
7950
For hise fetheres is reverenced,
Right so is the riche
By reson of hise goodes.
"The larke, that is a lasse fowel,Is moore lovelich of ledene,And wel a wey of wyngeSwifter than the pecok,And of flessh by fele foldFatter and swetter;To lowe libbynge men7960The larke is resembled.
"The larke, that is a lasse fowel,
Is moore lovelich of ledene,
And wel a wey of wynge
Swifter than the pecok,
And of flessh by fele fold
Fatter and swetter;
To lowe libbynge men
7960
7960
The larke is resembled.
"Aristotle the grete clerkSwiche tales he telleth.Thus he likneth in his logikThe leeste fowel oute,And wheither he be saaf or noght saafThe sothe woot no clergie,Ne ofSortesne of SalomonNo scripture kan telle.Ac God is so good, I hope,7970That siththe he gaf hem wittesTo wissen us weyes therwithThat wissen us to be saved,And the bettre for hir bokesTo bidden we ben holden,That God for his graceGyve hir soules reste.For lettred men were lewed men yet,Ne were loore of hir bokes."
"Aristotle the grete clerk
Swiche tales he telleth.
Thus he likneth in his logik
The leeste fowel oute,
And wheither he be saaf or noght saaf
The sothe woot no clergie,
Ne ofSortesne of Salomon
No scripture kan telle.
Ac God is so good, I hope,
7970
7970
That siththe he gaf hem wittes
To wissen us weyes therwith
That wissen us to be saved,
And the bettre for hir bokes
To bidden we ben holden,
That God for his grace
Gyve hir soules reste.
For lettred men were lewed men yet,
Ne were loore of hir bokes."
"Alle thise clerkes," quod I tho,7980"That in Crist leven,Seyen in hir sermonsThat neither Sarsens ne JewesNe no creature of Cristes liknesseWithouten cristendom worth saved."
"Alle thise clerkes," quod I tho,
7980
7980
"That in Crist leven,
Seyen in hir sermons
That neither Sarsens ne Jewes
Ne no creature of Cristes liknesse
Withouten cristendom worth saved."
"Contra," quod Ymaginatif thoo,And comsed for to loure;And seide"SalvabiturVix justus in die judicii.Ergo salvabitur," quod he,7990And seide na-moore Latyn.
"Contra," quod Ymaginatif thoo,
And comsed for to loure;
And seide"Salvabitur
Vix justus in die judicii.
Ergo salvabitur," quod he,
7990
7990
And seide na-moore Latyn.
"Trojanus was a trewe knyght,And took nevere Cristendom,And he is saaf, so seith the book,And his soule in hevene.For ther is fullynge of font,And fullynge in blood shedyng,And thorugh fir is fullyng,And that is ferme bileve.Advenit ignis divinus non comburens,8000sed illuminans, etc.
"Trojanus was a trewe knyght,
And took nevere Cristendom,
And he is saaf, so seith the book,
And his soule in hevene.
For ther is fullynge of font,
And fullynge in blood shedyng,
And thorugh fir is fullyng,
And that is ferme bileve.
Advenit ignis divinus non comburens,
8000
8000
sed illuminans, etc.
"Ac Truthe that trespased nevere,Ne traversed ayeins his lawe,But lyveth as his lawe techeth,And leveth ther be no bettre;And if ther were, he wolde amende,And in swich wille deieth,Ne wolde nevere trewe god,But truthe were allowed,And wheither it be worth or noght worth,8010The bileve is gret of truthe,And an hope hangynge therinneTo have a mede for his truthe.ForDeus dicitur quasi dans vitamæternam suis, hoc est fidelibus.Et alibi: Si ambulavero inmedio umbræ mortis.
"Ac Truthe that trespased nevere,
Ne traversed ayeins his lawe,
But lyveth as his lawe techeth,
And leveth ther be no bettre;
And if ther were, he wolde amende,
And in swich wille deieth,
Ne wolde nevere trewe god,
But truthe were allowed,
And wheither it be worth or noght worth,
8010
8010
The bileve is gret of truthe,
And an hope hangynge therinne
To have a mede for his truthe.
ForDeus dicitur quasi dans vitam
æternam suis, hoc est fidelibus.
Et alibi: Si ambulavero in
medio umbræ mortis.
"The glose graunteth upon that versA greet mede to Truthe,And wit and wisdom," quod that wye,8020"Was som tyme tresorTo kepe with a commune,No catel was holde bettre,And muche murthe and manhod;"8024And right with that he vanysshed.
"The glose graunteth upon that vers
A greet mede to Truthe,
And wit and wisdom," quod that wye,
8020
8020
"Was som tyme tresor
To kepe with a commune,
No catel was holde bettre,
And muche murthe and manhod;"
8024
8024
And right with that he vanysshed.