University of Virginia Library

Þe goode Mon wel vnderstod
Þat his counseil was not good.
“He is a fol and noþing wys : Þat foleweþ þi Red:
Þe Mon þat foleweþ his flesches lust : His soule schal be ded;
But ȝif he do kuyndely : And wiþ spoused fere,
In helle he schal a-buggen : His flessches lyking here.
Þer beoþ þorw godes lawen : Ten Comaundemens,
Þat vche mon ouȝte kepe : Elles he brekeþ his defens;
Spous-bruche, forsoþe : Is þe grettest of alle—
Þo þat aren I-weddet, kep hem wel : Þat þei þer-Inne ne falle;
He þat wol folewen his flessches lust : And þe lawe breke,
Ne þinke him no wonder þenne : þauȝ god on hym a-wreke.
Mon in Godes lawe : Mai wel haue a Make,
To do wiþ hire his wille : ffor childberynge sake,
And louen eiþer oþer : Whon tyme is and leue,
And holden hem wel to-gedere : As Adam dude and Eue.
But hit beo in wedlac : In alle wyse lef þat game
And liue in chastite : And be wiþ-outen blame!
Gret schome hit is and synne : I swere þe be heuene,
To spende þi fyue wittes : In eny of þe synnes seuene,
Þat God þe haþ I-ȝiuen : And þine lymes alle,
ffor to kepe þe wiþ : In synne þat þou ne falle.
A foul chaunge hit is, forsoþe : And a gret vuel,
To chaunge heuene for helle : And God for þe deuel;
Þat dostou, as ofte as þou syngest dedli
And brekest godus comaundemens & dost a gret foli;
Þe deueles þral þou be-comest : Whon þou dost þi miht
To foule þi clene soule : Bi daye or be niht . . .
Niht and day he studieþ : And casteþ his gynne
How he may bi alle weyes : A wommons loue wynne;
Nil he neuer stunten : He swereþ his oþ,
Ar he haue his wille i-don : Be god neuer so wroþ.
And heo wol haue him, heo seiþ : Euermore to dwelle,
Raþer þen heo hym for-go : Ben in þe put of helle.
But wusten heo what hit were : Þe leste pyne þer-Inne,
ffor al þe good in eorþe : þei nolde don dedly synne!
ffor þei nolde not be war : Er þei coome þare,
In pyne schul þei euer be : In serwe and in care.

Þo þat aren gode : Liuen in muche wynne;
Þe gode gon a Godeshalf : Þe deueles limes to synne.
Whon þei comen to-gedere : Eiþer on oþer wynkeþ;
Þat þei ne hedde heor synne i-do : Longe þer-to hem þinkeþ;
Whon þei seo heore tyme : Wol þei not longe dwelle,
Bote þei do þe dede : Þat echeþ þe fuir of helle.

Þe fuir þat is in helle : Is euer Brennynge,
Þe synful wrecche soules : Þer-Inne pynynge;
Þe Mo þat are þer-Inne : Þe hattore is þe lye,
And þe pyne hardore : Þat þe soules drye.
Heo beoþ grete foles : ffor soþe I sigge, I-wis,
Þat makeþ þe pyne more : And hattore þen hit is.
Þulke þat brekeþ godes word : Þorw heor dedly synne,
Þei lihten þe fuir : Þat þei schulen brennen Inne.
Godes Comaundement þei breke : Al þat doþ lecherie:
In helle-fuir schul þei euer be : Heore peynes to drie.”