[Poems from the Vernon MS]

Afftur þis he wol vs teche,
God þat is vr goode leche,
Þis seuen medicines, trie to vs,
To helen vs of seuen Maledius,
And þus he confermeþ hem
In to seuen vertuwes þen
Bi vertue of þe holy gost,
Þat is lord of mihtes most.
Þeose þei ben to nempne þat þing:
Þe holigost of wisdam and of vndurstondyng,
And also, wiþ-outen fayle,
Þe gost of strengþe and of counsayle,
Þe gost of wit and of pite,
Þe gost of doute of god mot be.
Þorwh þis seuen ȝiftes god ȝaf mon
Al þat he haþ neode of þon
To his Bodiliche lyf
And to his soule wiþ-outen strif.
Seo hou mon may in his mode
Leue þe vuel and take þe gode:
To leue þe vuel þat is forbod
Techeþ þe gost of þe doute of god;
Þe gode to do, I telle þe,
Þat techeþ þe gost of pite.

Two þinges þer beo þan
Þat letteþ good doinge of man:
Þat on is worldly riches,
And also gret frouwar[d]nes;
Riches, hit mon deseyueþ,
ffrouwardnes from god him weyueþ.

240

Þerfore a mon schal dispise
Worldly richesse in alle wyse,
Þat he beo not deseyuet beo hit:
Þat vs techeþ þe gost of wit.
And þou schalt suffre stalworþli
Tribulacions and anguyses worldli,
Þat þou neuere ouercomen be:
Þus techeþ þe gost of strengþe to þe.
Þeose foure ben souereynly
To bodiliche lyf forþy.

Þat oþur longen wiþ-outen strif
Alle to þe gostly lyf.
ffor þreo maners bi resun
Ben of Contemplaciun:

On is [in] Creatures bi vre entent:
Þat techeþ þe gost of entendement.

A-noþur in holi writ also,
Þat þou seost what þou schalt do
And what þing þou schalt lete:
Þat techeþ þe gost of counseil swete.

Þe þridde is of him-self, god and Mon:
Þat techeþ þe gost of wisdom.
Now seo we now hou Ihesu þe lele
Is euer aboute vr help and hele.

University of Virginia Library

Seuen medicines for þe seuen dedly synnes.