University of Virginia Library

Homo potest duobus [illeg.] seruire aut vnum odio [illeg.] & [illeg.] diliget & vnum sustinebit & alterum contempnet.

He sayeth, no man can serue God at wyll
Neyther two lordes, that he ne doth full euyll
For els he shall hate one in his dede
And that other loue in his manhede
Other he shall mayntayne that one outryght
And that other despyse, and set full lyght
The worlde is Goddes ennemye, and so men shulde it call
For it is contraryous to his workes all
And so be euerychone, that the worlde loueth well
As the holy euangelyst, sayeth in the Gospell.

Qui vult esse amicus huius mūdi inimicus dei cōstituitur.

He sayeth, he that wyll the worldes frende be
Goddes ennemye, forsoth than is he
And sore worldly men greueth God ywys
Therfore the Apostell, in his epystell sayth this.

[illeg.] diligere mundum nec ea que in mundo sunt.

Loue nought the worlde sayeth he
Ne nothynge that in the worlde may be
For all that is in this worlde, that any man tell can
Other it is couytous, or lust of flesshe of man
Other couytous of eyen, that men may with loke
Other pryde of lyfe, as wytnesseth the boke.

Omne quod est in mundo aut est concupiscentia carnis aut concupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vite.

Couytous of flesshe, that is seynge
That parteyneth to a mannes lust or lykynge
Couytous of eyen, as euery man may gesse
Is ryches that cōmeth to a man with blysse
And pryde of lyfe, that men kepeth in thought
And euer desyreth, to great honour to be brought
And lyckynge and lust, of flesshely maiestye
Engendreth the foule synne of lecherye
But God made the worlde, as he is wytnes
For to serue man, in all maner of goodnes
Wherfore is man seruaunt to the worlde than
And make hym the worldes bonde man
Syth he may serue God, and euer be fre
And out of the worldes thraldom be
But wolde a man knowe ryght as he shulde
What the worlde is, and her falsenes beholde
He shulde haue no wyll, as I vnderstande
After the worlde any thynge to fonde
Lo what sayth Bartholomewe, the great clarke
That speaketh of the worlde, and of her warke.

Mundus nichil aliud est quoth quoddam exilium [illeg.] labore, dolore, dolo, & tristicia plenus.

He sayth that the worlde, is nothynge elles
But an harde exyle, that a man in dwelles
Both darcke and dym, and a dolefull dale
That is full of sorowe, and eke of bale
And a place full of all wretchydnes
Of anger and trauayle, and all besynes
Of sorowe and synne, and of all folye
Of shendshyp also, and eke vylonye
Of flyttynge also, and of moche taryinge
Of moche greuaunce also, and moche mournynge
Of all maner of fylth, and corrupcyon
Of moche wrath, and extorcyon
And full of gyle, and of falshed
Of great debate, and contynuall dred
So that in this worlde, is nought man to auaunce
But moche sorowe, and harde myschaunce
And pompe and pryde, with foule couytyse
With vayne glorye and slouth, that men ofte vse
The worlde to hym draweth all men
And so dysceyueth his louers then
And to many is greuous, and to fewe auayleth
For his louers, he dysceyueth and fayleth
And all that despyseth hym, he awayteth fast
And thynketh them soone, in to myschyfe cast
For them that he loueth, he wyll socour
And make them ryche, and great of honour
And to begyle them, he thynketh at the last
And in to great myschyfe, he wyll them cast
Therfore worldly worshyp, may be tolde
A vanyte, that dysceyueth both yonge and olde
And worldly rychesse, howe so it come
I holde nought elles, but as fantome
The worlde hath many a man, with vanyte defyled
And with pompe and pryde, ofte them begyled
Therfore an holy man, as ye may here
Speaketh vnto the worlde, in this manere.

O munde in munde vtinam ita in mundus esses vt me non tangeres, aut ita mundus esses vt me non conquaris.

And that is in englysshe, thus moche for to mene
O thou worlde he sayth, that euer arte vnclene
Why myght thou nat euer so vnclene be
That thou shuldest nener nyghe me
Other be so clene, in thy werkes all
That thou make me in to no synne fall.