University of Virginia Library

Þe goode Mon wel vnderstod
Þat his techynge was not good.
“Al þat þou spekest hit is nouȝt : Þow miȝtest wel be stille,
Al þat þe bodi lykeþ wel : Is aȝeyn þe soule wille.
Ese and reste and muri lyf : Men lykeþ wel and wymmenne,
But þei brynge þe soule in strif : Aȝeyn þei wenden henne.

Þe bodi and þe soule beþ : Wel neih euere wroþ:
ffor þat þe bodi lykeþ wel : Is to þe soule loþ.
Muche tale þou makest : Þe foule bodi to queme,
But of þe seli soule : Takest þow no ȝeme.
Aftur þat þe bodi doþ : Schal þe soule fynde
And in peyne or in Ioye : Euere þerof haue mynde.
Ȝif Men loue to slepe : Whon þei scholden wake,
Þenne schal þe soule : In stude of Ioye haue wrake.
Monnes lyf nis bote schort : Sone wol hit go,
Bote þe sely soule : Duyreþ euer-mo;
Þe soule schal faren his wey : Þe bodi schal a-byde
And not nouȝt of þe soule : What hit schal be-tyde.
But wel I wot, and soþ hit is : After monnes dede,
Whon he is forþ faren : He schal hauen his mede:
Ȝif he haue loued god : And kept his biddynge,
Þe blisse of heuene schal he haue : Wiþ-outen endynge;
Ouþur in to peyne schal he be brouȝt,
Ȝif he haue þer-aftur wrouȝt.—
Þerfore is ned on alle wyse
Men to go to Godes seruyse
And wake þe more and slepe þe lasse,
To here Matyns, Euensong, and Masse.
Whon men han aȝeyn god : In dedly synne falle,
Heo ouȝten for to wepe : And Merci to God calle,
And wenden to þe prest : Hastiliche and sone
And tellen him in schrif : What synne he haþ i-done.
A fool he is þat a-bydeþ : Eny gret stounde,
Til þer come more sor : And cleue to þe wounde.
Also hit fareþ bi synne : I wot wiþ-outen wene,
As doþ be þe wounde : While hit is newe and grene.
Þe leche clanseþ þe wounde : Clene in þe ground
And leiþ salue a-boue : And makeþ hit hol and sound;
Mon may for a wounde : Or for a luitel sor,
Bote hit be sone I-heled : Be worse and wel mor:
Ȝif o sor come to anoþer : Þenne are þer two,
And ȝif he longe a-byde : Þen wol þer be mo;
His owne bone mai hit be : Longe for to abyde—
Þerfore I rede, sech leche-craft : Soone, what be-tyde.
Also hit fareþ bi synne : Ȝif hit I-hud is;
Bote hit be to þe prest : Soone I-told, I-wis,
Hit draweþ hem to helle-grounde : And byndeþ hem to peynes stronge;
Þe hardore peyne schal he haue : Ȝif he þer-Inne ligge longe.
Þe lengor þat men a-byde : Þe latere comeþ bote;
Þei stonde wel þe fastore : Whon þei haue take rote.
Þauȝ Men fallen in synne : Gret wonder hit nis;
But ligge stille þer-Inne : Þat is wonder gret, I-wis!
Ȝif þow liggest in þe fuir : And brennest on eny wyse,
Who is for to wyte : Þi-self wolt nouȝt arise?
Mynde haþ he non : Of God þat hym wrouhte
And on þe Roode-tre : Wiþ his passion him bouhte.
Wel hit is I-seene : Þat þei are ful slowe
Þat to þe prest nil not : Heore synnes ben a-knowe,
And luytel þonk þei cunne god : ffor his goode seruyse,
Whon þei wole not for his loue : Out of synne aryse.
Þinke no mon wonder : Þauh god wiþ hem be wroþ
And take vengeaunce on hem : Beo hem neuer so loþ!
Schriueþ ow be-tyme : ffor loue or for feer,
ffor God takeþ wreche : Heer or elleswher;
Bi-weopeþ ȝoure synnes : And criȝeþ God Merci,
And to alle his werkes : Beoþ euere redi!
Whon hit is halyday : Vche Mon ouhte wiþ rihte
To heere his seruyse in chirche : Ȝif he on eny wyse mihte,
And not in sleuþe ligge, : In bed a-tome abyde
Til þe prest haue I-seid : Þe laste non-tyde.
Ȝif þou go at morwe : And Matyns here erliche,
Hit is þe soule profyt : I sigge þe sikerliche;
Þeih þi flesch grucche : Lette nouht þerfore—
Þe ofter þow ouercomest hit : Þi Meede schal beo þe more;
Ȝif þow herest Matyns and Masse : And takest haly brede,
To Bodi and to soule : Þow wynnest muchel Mede.

After Mete loke þou go to þe prechynge,
Ȝif eny beo in toune—lette for no þynge—
And þat þe prechur precheþ : Vnderstonde hit wel,
And do as he þe techeþ : I rede þe, vche a del.

Ȝif þer no prechyng be : Go visyte þe seke,
Cumforte hem wiþ þin Almes : And wiþ þi wordes Meke.

Aftur, whon þei rynge : Go to Euen-song,
And lette for no cumpaignye : Þat þow art aMong;
Ȝif þow do not, for soþe : Þou dost þe deueles wille,
Whon þou in ganglyng and drynkyng : Dwellest wiþ hem stille.

Whon Euensong & cumplyn boþe ben ido,
Hom to þi soper þen wel maiȝt þou go.
I rede þenne, ar þow go : ffulliche in to þi bed,
Þonke crist of þat day : Þat þow hast wel I-sped;
And ȝif þou ouȝt hast mis-done,
Aske him merci, I rede, sone;
Be-teche þi lyf and þi soule : To God Almihti:
And þenne maiȝt þou slepe : wel and sikerly.

Whon þow risest vp, þonke god : Inwardliche wiþ al þi miht,
Þat þe haþ saued from encumbrement : Of þe ffend þat niht;
Be-teche al in godes hond : Þi preyers and þi dedes,
Þi wittes and þi willes : And al þyn oþer nedes.
Avise þe in al þi werkes : Þow saue þe from dedli synne,
And do as I counseyle þe : And heuene schalt þou winne.

In what werk, Mon, þat þou be : worche euer trewli,
Or þou schalt haue peine þerfore : Ȝif þou worche falsli;

Ȝif þow take here þi fulle huyre : And dost not fulliche þi werk þerfore,
In helle or in purgatorie : Þi peyne schal be wel þe more.
Of what condicion so þou art : Trewe in alle þing þou be,
And do so to vche mon : As þou woldest he dude to þe;
And loke in al þat þou seist & dost : Þat God be euere apayd,
And lef sleuþe & al oþer synnes : As Ich haue I-seid!”