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The thryde verse:

‘I am ‘Wylleffull Pouerte;’
And, off myne ownë volunte,
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‘I despysë alle rychesse;
Slepe in Ioye and sekyrnesse,
Nor thevës may not robbë me.’
The Pylgryme:
To hir, that so nakyd was,
I gan to hasten a greet paas;
Bysoughtte hir that sche noldë spare,
Hir name, to me ffor to declare.

Pouerte:
‘My name, ȝeue I schal tellë the,
I am ‘wyllefful Poverte;’
ffor, to swyche pouerte I haue me take,
And the world I haue fforsake,
Rychesse and alle pocessyoun,
Save oonly this Gambysoun,
Whiche is callyd ‘Pacyence.’
And therffore, with-out offence,
fforsake I haue the Temperal
ffor goodes that ben celestyall:
There is my rychesse and gerdoun,
My tresowre and my pocessyoun.’

The Pylgryme:
“I preyë the that thow not tarye:
Why is it callyd ‘voluntarye’?”

Pouerte:
‘Trystë this (it is no ffayle,)
Ther may no thyng a man avayle;
(What maner thyng that euere it be,)
But it be doon off volunte.
Kome fforthe, and se an exanplayre
Off poverte not voluntarye.’
And, with-outë more lettynge,
Sche Schewyd me oon, ffelle off lokynge:
Groynynge sche sat, ffrownynge and sad;
And off hir cheere sche was not glad.
‘Here thow mayste seen pouerte
Whiche is no thyng off volunte.
Thow mayste off hir anon enquere,
And the trouthe sche schal the leere.

The Pylgryme:
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“Thow oolde,” quod I, “so ffoule off cheere,
What cause haste thow to abyden heere
Amonge this ffayrë companye
Off ladyes? I trowe thow art a spye.
Thow owghttyest not, with so ffoule a fface,
To abyden in so ffeyre a place.”

Pouerte Impacyent:
Qvod sche, ‘the trowthë ffor to kythe,
Thow haste seyne fful offtë sythe
With lordës, ladyes, (it is no doute,)
In her chawmbres rounde abowte
For to maken dyuerse Iapes,
Foxes rennen, and eke apes,
Dysporte and pleye on euery syde:
And semblably, here I abyde;
Where-off thow scholdest me not repreve;
ffor vn-to hem, no thyng I greve;
It dothe hem non dysávauntage,
ffor to my silffe is the damáge.
And ȝeue men me callen ‘Pouerte,’
And I take it not at gree
Thorough myne nowne Impacyence,
My grucchynge doth no wight offence,
(Who so takyth heede ther-to)
But to my silffe, and to no mo.
Off ffolkës off dyscressyoun,
I am had in derysyoun;
They holde off me but a Iape,
As a lord dothe off his ape.’

The Pylgryme:
“Hyt semyth, as by thy résemblaunce
And by thy owgely contenaunce,
By lyfftynge vp off thy mosel,
That thow pleyest the apë wel;
And that thow art the comune ape,
Afforë ffolke to pleye and Iape.”

Pouerte Impacyent:
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‘That is thorough myne Impacyence,
And ffor lak off pacyence,
That makyth me in hertë swelle,
And, with greetë wyndës belle,
That dothe my lyppës hyghë reyse,
Whiche, no man ne schuldë preyse;
ffor it makyth a démonstraunce
Off an apys contenaunce.
‘I love no maner besynesse,
But oonly slouthe and ydelnesse.
‘Ryghtffully, thorough my dyssert,
I may ben callyd wel ‘Povert.’
Off good, I haue no maner thyng,
But as the bycchë, ay groynyng,
Wel worsë sothely than I seme;
Off euery thyng, the worst I deme.’

The Pylgryme:
A noon I laffte hir companye,
And gan me ffastë ffor to hye
To hir that, with hir lokës glade,
In the dortoure beddës made;
And curteysely I gan hir preye,
To me sche wolde hir namë seye.

Dame chastyte:
‘I am callyd by my name,
The ffeyre, with-outë spotte or blame,
That may, in no place endure
Where that ffylthe is, or ordure.
And of ffolkës that me se,
I am callyd Chastyte;
Off thys castel, chasteleyne,
Whiche, day and nyght, I do my peyne
ffor to kepen this castel
ffrom schotte off Gonne and of quarel.
And therffore I am armed wel,
Bette thanne in yren and steel;
Nyght and day is my laboure,
For to dyffendë euery toure,
Bothe erly and also late,
And on myne handys, I haue off plate,
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‘A peyrë glouës, ffor dyffence,
I-callyd ‘Dowble Contynence,’
Myghty venus to rechace,
And to putte hir ffro that place,
That sche may hauë noon entre
ffor to assayilë chastyte,
Whiche schal, as a conquerour,)
Kepe and deffendë the dortour,
‘To alle my ffreendes, I wole socoure,
That with hertë me honowre,
Hem to kepe ffrom vnclennesse,
While I to hem am cheeff maystresse.’

The Pylgryme:
Afftir this, anoon I wente
In-to the mynstre (off good entente),
And, asyde castynge my syght,
I sawe a lady ffayre and bryght,
Sad off contenaunce and off cheere;
And sche bare, lyke a messangere,
A boyste; and anon ryght,
Toward the heuene sche took hir fflyght;
ffor (as I kowde byholde and se,)
Sche was whynged, ffor to sfle.
And trewely (as I koude espye,)
Sche ffleyë ffer aboue the skye.
And, as me thoughtë, longe and large,
Affor hir brest, sche bare a targe;
And (schortely as I kan reherse)
The sylvë heuene sche dydë perse.
And I thought (in sotheffastenesse)
Hir laboure and hir besynesse
Was ffor to maken (in certeyne)
Deedë men to ryse ageyne.
And I gan ffor to neyghë nere,
Preyëd hir (off herte entere)
To ȝeue me infformacyoun
Off name and of condyscyoun.

Prayere:
‘My namë, ȝeue thow lyste to here,
I am, off ffolke, callyd ‘Prayere’;
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‘And lerne off me that (off resoun,)
Eche man is worthi the guerdoun
(Yf that trouthë be obserued,)
Lyke as he hath trewely deserued.
And echë wyght, ffor his good dede,
Is worthi to resseyue his mede,
Lyke his meryte, off equyte.
‘These deedë ffolk whiche thow doste se,
Ben they whiche, euery day suynge,
Ȝeuen lyuelode and fost[e]rynge
To lyvynge ffolkes that here-in dwelle:
In what wyse, I schal the telle.
Whanne they alyue were heere present,
They gaff off herte, in good entent,
Thorough ther parffyte holynesse,
In-to this hous fful greet almesse;
And, to ther sustentacyoun,
They madë the ffoundacyoun
Off this ylkë samë hous;
And ȝaff vnto relygyous
Meete and drynke (off good entent)
And lyuelodë competent;
Off purpos (sothë ffor to seye)
Thát they scholdë ffor hem preye.
And so they don, bothe day and nyght,
Off consuétude and off ryght.
‘Wherffore, callyd I am ‘Prayere,’
Whiche that am the messagere
That fflee to heuene with whyngës lyght,
ffer aboue the sterres bryght,
To-ffore the lord, to presente
Prayere made in good entente,
Lyche as these ffolkës haue in charge.
‘And the name eke off my Targe,
Is Fervente Contynuacyoun
Off preyere by devocyoun.
For there nys halpeny nor fferthyng,
But it requerith his guerdownyng
More trewely (ȝeue it be tolde)
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‘Thanne the somme a thowsande ffolde,
In the lyffe that is eterne,
Off hym that eche thyng kan concerne,
Eternally lyvyng in glory.
‘Prayer abreggeth purgatóry,
And alleggeth (in certeyne,)
Of sowlës the greetë peyne,
And gyveth to hem remyssyoun.
Wher-ffore I am callyd ‘Orysoun,’
That do off ffolkës the message
To god, by fful swyffte passage.
The requestës I kan speede,
Off ffolke that preye in love and dreede,
And make the procuracyoun
Off Práyere and off Orysoun.
And with the kyng (take heede also,
Who hath any thyng ado
To expleyten his laboure)
I am cheveste procuratoure;
And euere my supplycacyoun,
Whanne it is grownded on resoun,
It is never, I dar devyse,
Not refusyd, in no wyse.
Wherffore, by the reed off me,
Ȝeue thow wolte gon to that Cyte,
I schal the schewe the ryghtë way,
And the passage (it is no nay)
Gladdely eke, ȝeue it may pleese.
‘And also, ffor to doon thè eese,
I schal the lene a mansyoun,
To make thyne habytacyoun:
It sytte wel, bothe to hygh and lowe,
Thy comynge ther afforne be knowe;
ffor who that schal haue there entre,
Knowe, to-ffornë, it muste be;
Nor nó man may haue there hostáge,
But I to-fforne do his message.
‘And off the theeff, in his hangynge,
Whanne he henge by the myghty kynge
Crist ihesu, vp-on the roode,
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‘That deyed ffor oure alder goode;
Off whom the theeff fful humbely
Axed off that lord mercy;
The samë tyme, ffor his socoure,
I wente afforne enbassatoure,
And trewëly dyde his message,
And madë redy his passage,
That he myght resseyued be
In Paradys, that ffayre contre.
And semblabely, as by my reed,
By this exaumple take good heed,
That thow bé not putte in blame,
Thy-silffë, ffor to do thé schame.
Thow haste as greet neede, at a preeff,
I sothe, as haddë the seyde theeff.
And, to ffurther thy vyage,
I wole my silffe don thi message.’

The Pylgryme:
And thanne anoon, with humble cheere
I thankyd tho vnto Preyere,
And seyde, “my causë to amende,
That to-fforne I wolde hir sende,
ffor my reffute and my socoure,
ffor to ben my procuratoure.”
Anoon affter, in certeyne,
Whanne I hadde the placë seyne,
And, by cleer inspeccyoun,
Made my vysitacyoun,
And in my way as I gan go,
Within the placë to and ffro,
Of aventurë me by-fforn,
I sawgh one that blewe an horn,
And made a noysë wonder lowde.
And (as I espyen koude)
In organys and in sawtrye
She made a wonder melodye.
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Whom I by-sought, off hardynesse,
To me, that sche wolde expresse,
(Off hir grace, in goodly wyse,)
Her office, and her servyse.

Latrya: [λατρεια, the state of a hired workman.]
‘Off this placë, ffolkes alle,
‘Latrya’ they me calle.
Myne offyce is moste in wakynge,
To kepe the gate aboute the kynge.
I wacchë thereon, day and nyght,
Do my fforse, and eke my myght,
ffor to lyne aye in awayt,
That there be ffounden no dysceyt.
Nowther behynde nor beforn;
ffor thanne anoon I blowe myn horn.
‘Who lythe to longe, I make hym ryse;
Slogardes allë, I chastise,
And to slouthe I do greet sorewe;
ffor, bothe at eeue and eke at morew,
I kepe the howrës off rysynge,
To do worschipe vnto the kynge.
Allë ffolkës vp I calle,
That no slomber on hem ffalle.
‘Myne horne is Invocacyoun
Off Deus in adiutorium:
I blowe myn horn toward mydnyght,
To reyse vp ffolkës anoon ryght;
I suffre hem not, off sleep to deye.
Myne orgones, I tempre ffor to pleye,
And vp-on hem I make a sown
With-outen Intermyssyown.
‘And trewely, alle my melodye
Is in songe off Persalmodye.
And, devoutely, in myne ententis,
I callë so myne Instrumentis;
ffor thylkë kyng that is most stronge,
Moste hym delytyth in swyche songe;
To hym it is moste pertynente,
Whanne it is songe off good entente,
In clennesse and in purete.’
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And while that Latrya spak to me,
I sawgh the lady, whiche in hir handys
Whiche I off spak, that bar the bondys,
Sad and demure off hir vysage.
To me sche takyth hir passage:

Obedyence:
‘Telle me,’ quod sche, ‘on euery part
Verely what that thou art,
And the truthë specifye,
Yf thou come ought as espye
Into this placë, to or ffro,
Or thou eny ffurther go.’

The Pylgryme:
“Madame,” quod I, “haue on me ruthe.
I am no spyë, in good trouthe;
My purpos is, and that anoon,
To Ierusalem ffor to goon.
And, the weyës as I sought,
Hedre grace dieu me brought
Only my wayë ffor tabrygge,
And to eschewe eche other brygge.”

Obedyence:
‘Tolde she the not (ȝeue thow haue mynde,)
Here-in that thow scholdest ffynde
Beddës harde, and no thyng soffte,
As it is I-prevëd offte
Off ffolke off euery maner age:
And heere is a fful hard passage.’

The Pylgryme:
“How harde euere that it be,
Trewely I schal it take at gre;
To gracë dieu, what that I kan,
Serue hir as hir trewë man.”

Obedyence:
‘Take heder thy ffeet and thyne hondes;’
I shall them bothë knett in bands.
thow shalt ha ges [lyke] a faucon,
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‘only of entencïoun,
without eny contrariouste,
that [thou] shalt ylured be.’

Pilgrim:
she band me foot and hand also,
that to mevë to ne fro
I hadd no maner lyberte;
nor my tongë was not fre
for to speke, but by lycence;
nor in the seller, nor in the spence,
ete nor drynkë on no syde,
but lycens were my gyde.
And, for tacounte the terme entier,
the space of xxxix yere
I was bound of volunte,
to obedience (as ye may se),
as the statuts, fayn and well,
bound the folk of that castell.
and truly, in hert nor in thought,
my bondës greuyd me ryght nought;
but (as it comythe to rémembraunce)
ther befell a wondar chaunce:
the portar happede on a day
to ben fer out of the way;
the kynge was absent eke also;
and, in absence of bothë two,
(and the gatë was vnshet,)
ther cam in, withoutë let,
a thefe, that no man coude espye,
that was callyd Falls Envye:
hir two doughtars, the ton, ‘Treson’
called the tother, ‘Detractïon’:
with them (by gret cruelte)
Scilla, a monstre of the se,
and her hounds hir folowynge
with grete noyse and gret barkynge.
and this meyne, in the castell
madë noyse and gret revell:
In a lenton (who lyst se)
they made the ladyes for to fle
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out of thilkë holy boundes.
and Scilla folowed with hir hounds,
gan at them sore enchace;
and Envy, thrughe all the place,
with hir doughters (out of doute,)
gan to seke me round about.
they were conspiryd allë thre
playnly to devoure me,
only by conspiracïon
of envie and detraccïon.
their felowship I forsoke;
and anon an horse I toke,
for to flyen, with all my myght,
to escape out of hir syght.
and truly, for no maner rape,
theyr treynës I myght not eskape.
quod Scilla then, (of gret despyt,)
‘he wenythe for to have respit,
and by his horse to bene socowryd,
that he shall nat ben devowryd
of vs by persecutïon.’
‘ye, for áll that,’ quod Treason,
‘as it is [vn]to vs dwe,
aftar hym we shall pursue.
what maner of horsse myght he have,
that from owr daunger shuld hym save?’

Scilla:
quod Scilla, ‘I shall well telle,
yf ye lyst a whilë dwelle:
this horse is cawlyd ‘Good Renowne,’
whiche hathe (in conclusyon)
fowr fette hym to susteyne;
and ellës (without eny wene)
he shuld (to his confusïon,)
at myscheffe halten even a-downe,
with thre, tweynë, or with one,
vpryght he shuld nevar gon,
but stomble aye, and gon a-myse.
‘the firstë fote of his horse is,
that he have no condicïon
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‘sownynge to dyffamacïon,
this is to seyne, touchynge shame,
that he be voyde of dyffame.
‘The second, (to his ádvantáge,)
that he be borne out of serváge:
this to meane, that he, in all,
out of thraldome be lyberall.
‘The third, (withouten all outráge,)
to be borne in trwe mariáge.
‘the fourthe is, a foot full good,
of nature that he be nat wood,
nor that he, by no frolage,
be nat fallen into rage.
‘thesë fowre feet (in sothnesse),
of truthë all-way bere witnesse;
but we (by conspiratïoun)
shall maken hym alryght a-doune;
and, shortly, (to owr avayle),
here-on we shall haue a consayle.’
and, lyke to theyr opynyon,
fyrst ther spake Detractïon:
quod she, ‘I can a noble songe
that aye resownythe vnto wronge,
That Dan of Inuidia
ffiat coluber in via.
‘this songe I wot ryght welle,’ quod she,
‘was I-songen first for me.
to vse it, I am nat rekles,
I am the horned Cerastes,
whiche evar (as ferforthe as I may,)
trace ever the wrongë way.
and covertly, in my werkynge,
I vsë for to byte and stynge;
with tethe & tonge I do most wrake,
evar behynden at the bake.
‘the horsë of hym, in diffame,
so priveily I shall disceyve,
that he shall nat apparceyve.
I shall be falshed so prevyd,
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‘to make hym halten in some syde;
whiche so sorë shall hym greve,
that he shall not mowe releve.’
‘Sothly,’ quod tho Treason,
‘that good was hir oppinion.’
and when she hadd hir talë do,
echon they accordyd well therto;
the houndës stoden at abaye
and gan barke, by gret affray.
and at[të] last, Detraccïon
made myn hors to falle a-doun,
and to halten in swyche wyse
that I myghtë nat a-ryse:
withe a tonge of a serpent
myne horse and I were bothë shent;
And doun at erthe, in gret affray,
amonge the houndës ther I lay.
and aftar (by great felonye)
I was assaylyd by Envye;
and with thre sperës sharpë ground,
she gave to me many a wound.
and of Scilla, the cruell hounds,
gaue me many mortall wounds;
I was to-torne with ther chas.
and than cam Treason with hir mas,
hevy as a clobbe of leed,
and ther-of set me on ye hede;
lege and arme she brake in twayne,
that yet I fell the gretë payne
of that ylkë mortall stryffe,
and shall felle it all my lyffe.
and whill I lay thus in a traunce
of grete anoye and grete grevaunce,
those oldë vekkës dispitious,
they me left in full gret drede,
wenynge that I had be dede.
and comfort, truly was ther none,
for all my fryndës werë gon:
in prison, lay Charite;
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Mercy was hound, & eke Pitie,
whiche lykyd me nothyng well.
and Scilla cawsyd everydell;
for my sorow and my grevaunce
was to her full gret pleasaunce;
and it grevyd hir full sore
that I haddë harme no more;
and she (of indignatïon,)
made a quarell to Treason,
that she dyd no more vengaunce,
to encrese my wofull chaunce.
wherfore I (in myn entent)
I axyd a ryghtfull iugëment,
cast my gage tofore the kynge,
to have amende of all this thynge;
and, for this great transgressïon,
I made a-pele vppon Treson;
and complaynynge thus my wo,
I lay, and turnyd to and fro,
maymyd in so mortall wyse
that I myghtë nat aryse
on my fete, for gret destrese;
and vpreard my-selfe to drese.
I madë me a leg of tre
to rysen (yf it wold ha be);
and that leg (in my discese)
dede me after full gret ese;
for, to my gret confusïon,
lost I haddë my bordon;
I mist not wherë, in serteyn,
tyll Gracë Dieu it brought ageyn,
whiche that found it on a day
at the turnynge of a waye.
and in thes wofull áuentures,
as I anoynted my bresures,
complaynynge early on a morow,
as I lay, and madë sorowe,
when phebus, with his bemës bryght,
gilt the hyllës with his lyght,
to chase the mystës that were derke,
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to me there come a full old clerke,
whom, sythë tyme that I was bore,
I had nevar sene tofore;
and his booke on me he layd,
and euen thus to me he sayd:

Ouidius:
quod he, ‘of true affectïon,
I ha gret compassyon
on thy sorowe and on thy doole,
that thow liggest here all soole
in grete myscheffe (as semethe me)
wher-of I haue full gret pyte.’

Pilgrim:
“for to put me in certeyne,
I pray the that thou woldest seyn
thy name openly to me,
that I myghtë thanken the.”

Ouidius:
‘of my name it stondethe thus;
I am callyd Ovydius,
whiche loue thee, more than thou canst wene:—
here-aftar it shall be sene.
and yf thow haddyst, her-to-forne,
in my tyme, in sothe be borne,
to thy consolatïon
I shold haue towght thee a lessonne,
whiche shuld ha be to thy plesaunce,
and shuld ha made thee in substaunce
ffull sufficiaunt, in many a thynge,
bothe in doctryne and in connynge.
but I am comë to denounce
a sertayn curse, & to pronounce,
on allë thilkë the sentence,
whiche vnto the ha don offence.
whiche sentence (in wordës fewe)
to the in latyn I shall shewe,
Terra sibi fruges & cetera /’

Pilgrim:
whan his vers weren all ysayd,
vnto hym thus I abrayd:
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“that ye (of true affectïon,)
have on me compassyon,
on my doolle and on my smert.
I thankë yow with all myn hert;
but I ha no devosyon
In cursynge nor in malison;
I shall delay[e]n all cursynge,
tyll tymë that the myghty kynge,
by iugëment, eche thyng shall deme,
as vnto hym it shall but seme,
of ryghtwisenessë, to provide.”
and in this wise, the clerke Ovide
went his way, and leftë me
lyggynge in great adversitie;
and to expresse (in complaynynge)
my gretë sorow by writynge,
I will myn ownë namë shewe,
sette out by lettars on a rowe
at the gynnynge of this ditie
in eche ballad as ye may se,
of Frenche and Lattyn, bothe I-fere,
ryght anon as ye shall here.
hauythe me excusyd of my rudenesse,
thowghe I to you my name expresse:

[_]

There now follows a poem of 24 stanzas, each stanza of 8 lines, which has been omitted. This is not contained in the MS.

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now I ha told myn ádventure
of all that evar I dyd endure,
of Scilla and her houndës fell,
and eke (as ye ha hard me tell)
of Envy and of Treason,
and of falce Detractïon.
how they ha wrought to my hyndrynge
In the absens of the kynge
and of his portar, in sertayne.
But when they were come home agayne,
and enteryd in-to the castell,
it lyked me ryght wonder well.
a-non I went to his presens,
and tolde hym of the gret offens
whiche that Scilla with hir hounds
had don to me within his bounds,
by the conspiracïon
of Envy and [of] Treason:
my wrong I dyd specifye.
the kynge a-non let make a crye,
that were-so-evar they myght be
found in towne or in citie,
625

that folkë shuld them sparë nought,
to his presens till they were brought.
for he cast hym, anone ryght,
on them to done iustice and ryght,
that they go no more at large;
and gave his porter eke in charge
forto shette the gatës sore,
that they entre there no more,
nor that they have ther no chere.
and then I saughe a messagere
wher the kynge of custome dwells,
In the castell ryngë bells,
for to maken ássemblé,
where the kynge set in his se,
of the ladyes that ther dwell,
(of whome to-forne ye have herd tell,)
that suffred gret oppressyon
of Envy and Detraccïon,
of Scillas houndës, by berkynge,
in th[e] absens of the kynge,
of their drede and mortall rage,
wher-of they suffred gret damage.
‘Madams,’ quod this messegere,
‘the kynge, most myghty of power,
whiche hathe, in great charitie,
(in effecte, as ye shall se,)
and purposethe in his entent,
he hathe be longe from yow absent,
(as ye know yowr-selffe full well,)
but of new, to this castell,
he is come for his pleasaunce;
and he hathe made an ordynaunce
and statutës full covenáble,
to yow echon ryght profytable,
commaundynge yow, echon, in dede,
that, hens-forthe, ye ha no drede
of your enemys, nor hevynesse,
but that yow do yowr besynesse
(as it is the kyngës will)
yowr office truly to fulffyll,
626

‘as ye dyd, when ye began,
and bettar, yf ye bettar can;
for the kynge (as ye shall se)
will on your foon avengid be:
to yow I ha no more to say.’
than the messengar went his way,
and thes ladys, by good advyse,
full truly dyd theyr offyse,
evereche, lyke to ther degre,
voyde of all contrariouste;
and (shortly for to devyse)
wher that truthë and iustice
be truly kept in any place,
I dare sayne ther abydythe grace;
And where the gatë is kept well,
of palays, maner, or castell,
that vycis may ha none entrie,
that place stant in suërte,
and eche thynge tournethe for the best;
for, ther is peace, and ther is rest,
and evar gladly, to theyr forthynge,
ther abyte the ryghtffull kynge;
and ther is suraunce & eke trust.
and afftar this, I had a lust,
cawght in my-selfe a great corage,
for to holden my passage,
and greatly gan my selffe delyght,
dyvers castells to vysyte,
for to consythar the maner
of euery maner offycer,
How euerych dede in his degre.
and it is good, a man to se
many thyngës, and to here,
for therby a man may lere
ful moche thynge outward by syght,
and take example to done right.
And whan I hadde ther-to lycence
I wente and dede my diligence
to visiten, and to se
ful many wonderful countre.
627

and ther I fond ful gret foysoun
Of many dyuers Religyoun;
and I saugh, of many oon,
The gretë bondës euerychon
broke, that shuld hem wel conserve,
yef they wold hem wel observe,
Kepe hem from al aduersite,
as here-to-forn ye dedë se,
Whan the smale wikres brak,
The hopës wenten al to wrak,
And many shippes for lak, allas,
Was yperysshed in the same cas,
and brought vnto confusïoun,
(toforn as is maad mensïoun)
for lak in their gouernaunces,
Nat kepyng their obseruaunces.
And her-vpon̄ I ferther wente
to senë more (in myn entente).
And withyne a litel space
I cam into a noble place;
and at the gate I saugh somers;
and on hem sittë, fressh of chers,
Aungels, of gret vertu;
and hafter hem, kam Gracë Dieu,
fresshly Ridyng in a char.
and the gate (I was wel war)
Of the castel stood vnshet.
and truëly, whan I had met
the Somers, I gan enquere
of oon, that he wold[ë] lere
goodly, and informë me,
whos the somers sholdë be,
Which hadde, vpon hir weye,
Aungels hem to conveye,
Only for to make hem strong.
The aungel:
‘To Grace Dieu,’ quod he, ‘they long.’

The pilgrym:
Quod I to oon that rood behynde,
“telle me wher I shal hir fynde.”

628

The Aungel:
Quod thaungel, ‘as it is due,
her, in hast, she shal vs sue.’
And in my way so I me bar,
that I fonde hir in hir char;
and a-mong hir folkës alle,
benignëly she gan me calle,
and bad I shold ek ha no fere
to tellë what I dedë there.

The pilgrym:
And I answeryd anon ryght,
how I wente to haue a syght
of sondry castelles (it is no doute,)
that in the countre stood aboute,
and of folkës gouernaunce,
that ther abood for her plesaunce.

Grace dieu:
Graciously, y-wys, quod she,
‘Now thou hast yfounden me
toforn or that I was ago.
but (withoutë wordës mo),
come and folwe on after me,
and many thyngës thou shalt se.’
and she ladde me, vp and doun,
by many diuerse mansïoun,
In cloystres, as wentë tho
Round about, to and fro:
ther I saugh vertues and ek vices,
and many dyuerse edifices.
I saugh ther places ruynous,
and to dwelle in perillous.
she shewed me, on our walkyng,
an oldë lady ther haltyng,
and (as by her contenaunce,)
She haddë ther gret gouernaunce:
she bar a Rewle of a masoun,
and pleyed by derysïoun,
and (as I coudë tho espie)
by a maner mokerye.
629

In hir hand (as I was war)
a gretë spoon also she bar;
and as she reysed it a-lofte,
to hir mouth she putte it ofte.
And also (as to my reward,)
hir hed was turned ek bakward,
that toforn (as I ha mynde,)
Was turned and ysette behynde.

[Grace Dieu]:
Quod Grace dieu a-noon to me,
‘at the eyë thou mayst se;
this hous (yef thou canst espye,)
whilom was by masounrye
bilt, and founded spiritually
by sent Benet, feithfully
by lyne and level of masoun,
thorugh gostly foundacïoun,
for which, whilom parmanable,
it was tabidë the mor stable.
‘conceyve also, (by my doctryne,)
thyng that is maad by rule and lyne,
In it self hath more beaute
tendure, and mor stabilite.
but whan the masoun was agoon,
the rulë wente, and that a-noon,
and the lynë stood nat faire
Whan the rulë gan apaire;
and thus the rule, and ek the lyne,
bothe attonës gan declyne.
and feithfully, in this castel,
the rulë was nat kept ryght wel;
for, sith the halt held this place,
al good rulë gan difface.
of vertu ek she is so bare,
the edifices to repare;
for the old fundacïoun,
She hath nat but derisïoun;
She reccheth nat what-euere falle;
thaugh the stoonës fallen alle,
630

‘of vertu, bilden in the place;
for, save to play and to solace,
I dar sey she, in hir werkyng,
Intendeth to noon other thyng.’

The Pylgrym:
“Ma dame,” quod I, “to my semyng,
this placë first, in his bildyng,
(Who consydereth euerydel)
the masounry was nat maad wel,
Was not duely maad, nor stable,
Sith it is not parmanable.”

Grace Dieu:
‘Touchyng the bildyng, tak good heed:
the masounry, (it is no dreed,)
I dar ful wel thy-self assure,
it was maad for to endure,
and to haue last for many yer,
Save oonly the morter
Was not iustly (as I ha sayd)
stably among the stoonës layd,
ffounded vpon̄ true entent
more stedfastly than is cyment.
‘It was first maad of orisouns,
of fastyng and affliccïouns,
to holde the cloystre round about
by stablenesse, and not gon out
into the world, vagabound,
the edifices to confound;
but in their cloystres stille abyde
in mekënesse, and not in pryde,
Haue their frequentacïouns
in prayër and in orisouns;
erly on morwen to aryse,
in vertu to haue excercyse;
and at festës more and lasse,
oftë tymës syngë masse.
‘this was whilom, (I you ensure,)
of their morter, the temprure,
founded vppon charyte,
on concord and fraternyte,
631

‘In love and in perfeccïoun,
Voyde of al devisïoun,
In parfit pes and vnyte
of high and lowe in their degre,
for love only of crist ihesu.
‘And yef the morter, in his vertu,
had abide in stabilnesse,
Withouten eny doublenesse,
Lich the first fundacïoun,
The werkë nad not falle a-doun,
but stable stonde in his degre.
‘and now, echon ha liberte,
at þeir lust, to slepe and wake;
and noon other hed ne take
forto kepe their óbseruaunce:
and thus, for lak of gouernaunce,
Pes from hem, and vnyte,
Exilëd is, and charyte.
‘thát whilom gaff drynke and foode,
and vnto pore their lyvëloode,
oonly of mercy and pyte,
and, held hospitalyte;
and, of euery manere age,
gaf to pore folk herbegage,
such as thei seyen, in distresse,
in myschif, and in Seknesse.’

Pilgrim:
“Ma dame (and ye list take hede,)
Who hath nought, (it is no drede,)
may not parten his Almesse
to folk that Leven in distresse.”

Grace Dieu:
‘Thow seyst soth, (as thynketh me,)
but wher thou leggest pouerte,
whilom thei had suffisaunce,
plente ynowh, and hábundaunce,
whan thei worsheped in special
The myghty kyng that gaf hem al
suffisaunce in euery lond;
but now he hath withdrawe his hond
632

‘for their offences; this the fyn:
ther goodës drawen to declyn;
for thei be Rekles of livyng
forto serue that noble kyng;
and, for slouth and necligence,
they doon in o thyng gret offence.
ffor wher the lord (in his degre)
Duely shuld honnourëd be,
the place is not, with diligence,
Clenly kept with reuerence;
for beforn, and ek behynde,
Yraynes and webbës men may fynde;
and also ek, (yef thou take hede,)
Swalwes and othre bryddës brede;
and also ek (through al their boundes)
dong of doggës and ek of houndes,
nettles and wedës round aboute,
in cymyterys ful gret route,
lich a disert or places wilde,
wher no man hath lust to bilde,
Replevisshëd of al ordure,
as it were withouten cure;
and many oother dishonestës,
bestial in ther degres,
mor than I can here devyse.
‘ánd crist ihesus dede iustyse
on hem that in the temple solde:
becausë oonly thei were bolde
to done dishonnour to his hous,
he was in party Regerous,
As the gospel kan you telle;
he bett hem out with a flagelle,
That noon of hem durst abyde.
‘Wherfore this halte that here is guyde,
list nat, of hir frowardnesse,
suchë thyngës to redresse,
nor do seruyse in hir werkyng
for tentende vpon the kyng:
her look, hir cher, (as ye may se,)
is vpon worldly vanyte,
633

‘and al hir hertes besynesse,
rather than on holynesse;
for which the kyng (iustly and wel,
that considereth euerydel)
hem to quytë wil not cesse,
maketh their goodës to discresse;
and, for their pompe and their pryde,
Set her Richesse out a-syde,
ámenusyng their substance,
their tresour and their hábundance,
Which made hem first their lord forsake.
‘therfore he can it fro hem take
Whan-euere he list, who lokë wel;
ffor the Prophete Ezechel
Writeth, (who so taketh hede)
Idelnesse, plente of bred,
caused (in conclusïoun)
of Sodom the distruccïoun.’

Pilgrim:
“I pray yov, telle on a-noon ryght,
She that halteth in my syght,
What is hir name, and hir offys,
of whom ye sette so litel prys?”

Grace Dieu:
‘To make a playn discripcïoun,
She is called ‘Abusïoun,’
because, the good that god hath sent,
by hir thei ben wrongly dispent,
And ageyn his wul abused;
Wherof she may nat ben excused.
‘She halt a rule of a masoun,
only by fals collusïoun;
for, to the rule that she is bounde,
(Whan the trouth is sough[t] and founde,
Therto she haveth no reward,)
Hir hed ytourned is bakward;
Vnto the world she cast hir look,
Wich, vnder colour, she forsook.
‘hir spon also doth signefye
the foulë vice of Glotonye,
634

‘for, ageyn ryght and al Resoun,
by force and vsurpacïoun,
she hath forsake the vnyte
of fraternal antiquyte,
by perfeccïoun to contune
to haue hir goodës in comune.
‘but this fals Abusïoun,
only by vsurpacioun
In Religioun (who list se),
fonde out the vice of propurte,
Which is thyng most vicïous,
rennyng among religïous,
Which causeth ofte discord and stryf,
contrary to Thapostles lyf.
‘In propurte (ye may ther rede)
thei ne dide nothyng possede;
her good was comoun, in certeyn.
Wherfore the Spon that thou hast seyn?
ys callede ‘Syngularyte,’
thyng to possede in propurte;
to gedre the fattë (thus I mene,)
vnto hir self, and leve the lene:
As the Prophete Ezechiel,
to the sheperdes of Israel
Spak and wrot, ful yore a-go:
‘Sorwe be to you, and wo,
that ne take to nothyng hede,
but your silven forto fede;
not lik sheperdes of cristus hous;
but verray wolvës Ravinous,
liggyng awayt, bothe nyght and day,
forto devoure what thei may:
they takë bothë mylk and wolle;
and the fatte, away thei pulle
with the spoon of cruelte
ycalled Syngularyte,
thei Robbë pantener and purs,
and gete hem oftë Cristes cours.
‘ffor which cause, I, Abusïoun,
ám come of entencïoun
635

‘Such abusïouns to se,
and their superfluyte
to kutte away, which that thei vse,
and their goodes to ámenuse.
‘The Aungels han hem take away,
Which thou mettest this same day,
With gretë somers in sothnesse,
ledyng away the gret Richesse,
to parte it (of entencïoun)
to folk that in deuocïoun
lede her livës in comune,
and in deuocioun do contune;
such as in god gretly delyte,
fro good to bet alway profyte.
‘figure herof, ye may se,
how that by olde Antiquyte,
the bible ful wel can you tel,
how the childre of Israel
took of Egypt the Tresour
In recompense of her labour.
As for guerdoun, by dwëte
Whan they passed the redë Se,
they tooke in thyng by Robberye,
as clerkës list to specifye;
they barë with hem gret substaunce,
only by Goddës ordynaunce,
Egipciens (it is no drede)
Were not worthy it to possede.
‘and som folk deme off Resoun,
that folk that haue possessïoun,
and ben cursed of livyng,
It is leful (by their demyng)
forto spoylle hem duëly,
and yeve it hem that ben worthy.’

Pilgrim:
Touchyng that oppynyoun,
thus I answerd of Resoun:
“god ne doth nat thus alway,
who that conceyveth, day by day;
for ther ys many an vsurer
636

“in dyuers londës fer and ner,
that wynnë gold ful cursedly,
and it possede ful vnworthily,
how falsly that they come therto;
and god suffreth that it be so;
and yet, to pore they yeve no thyng,
though they be ryghtful of livyng.”

Grace Dieu:
‘As to thy conclusïoun,
ther is noon solucïoun:
god gaf neuere (fer nor ner,)
licence to noon vsurer,
that he shuld (I the ensure)
ben admytted to fals vsure.
god suffreth hem to han tresour,
gold, Richesse, and gret honour:
of al the tresour that they weld,
To hym they shal acountës yeld.
first, they it wan by violence,
of god hauyng no licence;
wherfor, to their Dampnacïoun,
he suffreth their pocessïoun,
as he haddë no reward;
but he wil punysshe hem afterward,
(though they for a while habound,)
the vice of Vsure to confound.
‘but goodës of religïous,
that was yeve in-to her hous
In ther first foundacïoun,
their tresour and possessïoun,
it was yove hem of almesse
for their gretë perfitnesse,
of entent that, day and nyght,
that they shold, with al their myght,
Worshepe god with grete honours,
and truely pray for their foundours.
‘and iustly, this condicïoun
is worth an obligacïoun.
that whan it falleth their fooly,
that thei not vsë duëly
637

‘their offices as thei sholde do,
to kepe ther obseruaunces also
(lich to their professïoun)
in prayer and deuocïoun,
god wil, of his ryghtful lawe,
to chastice hem, his hond with-drawe,
suffre her goodës to vnthryve,
but if thei amende hem blive;
yive it to hem that wil hym serue,
and his comandëmentes obserue.
‘herof ye may sen a figure
fful wel rehersed in scripture:
In Egipt whilom, how it fel,
Whan the childre of Israel
Wher ther in subieccïoun
al that ilkë regioun;
thorugh their travaill and labour,
was maad ryche of gret tresour;
but afterward (as ye may se)
Vij yeres of Sterylite
folwed on, (as ye may red,)
wherof Ioseph took good hed
long a-forn, of high prudence;
and þaugh his noble providence,
Ageyn the hunger, Echë syde,
ful prudently gan to provide,
and shop ther-fore a remedye,
(as Genesis doth specifye;)
for, thorugh the myght of goddës hond,
he sustened al the lond
from hunger and aduersite,
The vij yer of Sterilite.
‘but of al this gretë dede,
thei of Egipt took non hede,
to thanken (in especial)
the myghti lord that gaf hem al;
nor wolde suffre, in no wyse,
Israel do sacrifyse;
but held in subieccïoun,
out of the lond of promyssioun.
638

‘wherfore, merveille neuere a del,
thaugh god suffred Israel,
oonly of his ryghtwesnesse,
to robben hem of their Richesse,
and spoylen hem of their Tresour.
god gaf it hem for their labour,
And as for a mede in guerdoun,
Departyng from that Regioun.
‘They hadde disserued it of yore,
by gret labour that sat hem sore,
thorugh cónstreynt of Kyng Pharao,
which wolde not suffren hem to go,
Nor to departe in rest and pes,
for no massage of Moyses;
but put hem euere in delay,
‘and thus the lord can take a-way
Richesse of folkës vicïous,
and yive it hem that be vertuous;
As he hath done here in this place:
thou mayst beholde it with thy face.’

Pilgrim:
“Certes,” quod I with hevy cher,
“In other places mo than her
(to tellë shortly, and not tarye)
I ha beholde the contrary,
wher folk, by gret deuocïoun,
han kept their religïoun
ful streytly, in gret honeste,
that han falle in pouerte,
bothe of liflood and vesture,
that thei myghtë nat endure,
Mischef hath hem brought so lowe.
and fayn I wold the causë knowe,
why god wil suffre their grevaunce,
forto lakke their suffisaunce.”

Grace Dieu:
Quod Grace Dieu a-noon to me,
‘I wil herof answere the,
and make therof no gret delay;
but her cometh oon nov in our way,
639

‘and I wil first, of good resoun,
knowen his entencïoun;
or go thy self, by my biddyng,
And axe the cause of his comyng.’
And sodeynly, good hede I took;
and cast on syde on hym my look,
which, lich a dwerf, (this the caas,)
of his fetures shapen was.
a pyk of Iren, sharp and longe,
he held, that was of makyng strong.

Pilgrim:
And to me-ward his look he layde.
but first, to hym ryght thus I sayde.
“Telle on, thou dwerf, (ha no shame,)
To vs, thyn office and thy name.”

Sterelite:
‘I called am (yef thou list se)
Of folkës alle, ‘Sterility,’
which ha this hous maad ful bareyn,
bothe of frut and ek of greyn.
Ther good, their lond, (yef it be sought,)
I ha distruyed and brought to nought:
This my craft and myn offys;
and therfor (by gret avys)
to castë folk in pouerte,
I am called ‘Sterilite;’
foul and ougly of look and cher:
In Egypt I dwellëd vij yer.
wher I abyde, (be wel certeyn,)
I make the land to be bareyn.’

Grace Dieu:
Quod Gracë Dieu, ‘a litel space,
Go thy way out of this place;
and what-so-euere herafter falle,
whan me list, I shal the calle.’
And whan that tourned was his bak,
Gracë dieu thus to me spak:
‘touchyng the goodës, day be day,
which that I ha take away
fro this placë here present,
640

‘I dide [it] oonly of entent
that other folk shold it possede,
which (bothe in wark and ek in dede,)
lede her lyf in perfitnesse,
In vertu, and more holynesse
than thei which that her now be.
‘and touchyng that thou askest me,
Thou shalt haue answere therof noon.
but first, I chargë the to goon
to hir that is the Selerere
of this place that stondeth here;
aske hir (that thou mayst conceyve)
touchyng the good she doth receyve,
to telle the playnly al the guyse,
how it is spent, and in what wyse.
and, hir to knowe among hem alle,
‘Purveyauncë’ folk hir calle.
and whan she hath declared al,
thou shalt haue (in specïal)
of the demaunde (by good resoun)
a truë Declaracïoun,
as it accordeth and is dwe.
‘and forth my Somers I wil swe;
for, in this place, on no syde,
I caste me no lenger to abyde;
nor neuere (to speke in wordës playn)
hider to retourne agayn,
til the tyme that I may se
that vertu and honeste
Resortë by deuocïoun
Into thys Religïoun.’
And with that word, (as I was war,)
I saugh hir gon in-to hir char.
and in this while (of good entent,
lich to hir comandëment)
I wentë with a sobre chere,
forth vnto the celere[re].
and, my iourne to avaunce,
I knewe hir by hir contenaunce;
for (the trouthë to expresse)
641

She was of gret sobrenesse,
of gret reuerence and honeste,
and of gret maturyte;
saad of look, and ek of cher,
Egle-eyëd, bryght and cler.

[The Pilgrim]:
“Ma dame,” quod I, “of good entent,
Gracë Dieu hath to you sent,
that ye sholde (in wordës fewe)
the playnë trouthë to me shewe,
wher ye puttë the rychesse
that ye receyve, in sothfastnesse.”

Celerar:
And she that spak no word in vyyn,
to me answerd thus agayn;
‘al that I haue in my depos,
from hir ther shal nothyng be clos.
Kome forth in hast, and folwe me,
and thou shalt the trouthë se.’
and I cam after (for the best),
and she gan vnlokke a chest,
the whichë, whan I dedë se,
I gan gretly abasshë me,
for the huchche (it is no doute)
was ful of holës round aboute;
and at ech hole (as thoughtë me)
an hand put out, I didë se,
(who-so euere slepe or wake)
Redy to receyve and take.

Pilgrim:
I prayëd her, to specifye
what thyng it dedë signefye.

Celerar:
‘To telle, and voiden al deceyt,
this the place of the receyt
of goodës, which that, day and nyght,
kome to this place of verray ryght,
(forto speke in general,)
but this handes consumen al,
Spende and waste on euery syde,
642

‘that ther may no thyng abyde,
for to departë by almesse
to folk that liven in distresse.’

Pilgrim:
“Ma dame,” quod I, “as semeth me,
ye sholde, of ryght and equyte,
The handës kerve, and kutte away,
and stoppe the holës nyght and day.”

Provide[n]s Celerar:
Quod Providence anoon to me,
‘Thes, ben the handës thre,
which that thevës (by assent)
ar wont to vsen (of entent),
I menë, pyratys of the Se,
which bryngë folk in pouerte.
‘The first hand of allë thre,
ys called (lernë this of me,)
‘the hand of Dymës,’ by gadryng,
To gadre vp dymës for the kyng.
‘the tother hand, ful sorë pulles
gold for trentals and for bulles,
and dyuers subuencïouns
and grevous contribucïouns,
graunted (in especïal)
at Chipytres general.
the handës do no thyng, nor werche,
but waste the good of holy cherche.’

Pilgrim:
“What hand is that (telle on, let Se,)
Which hath an Eye (as thynketh me,)
Sett in the myddës of the hand?
for I saugh neuere (on Se nor land)
Such another her-toforn,
Sith the tyme that I was born.”

Providens:
‘Be nat astonyed, neuere a del!
this hand is (who so lokë wel,)
of our noble Visitour,
Which doth his peyne and his labour
to looke for lucre and fals guerdoun,
643

‘alway, for retribucïoun,
they caste her eyë for wynnyng,
and, ryght nought for ámendyng;
take (in their entencïouns,)
pans for procuracïouns.
ther entent, in no wyse,
ys sett on ryght nor on iustice.
‘ek other handës, mo than thre,
han cast vs in gret pouerte.’

[The Pilgrim:]
With that word, makyng no delay,
I took my leve and wente away.
I hadde no leve, (shortly to telle,)
but shop me hom to my castel.
And on my wayë, me be-fel,
I mette an olde oon in that tyde,
that to me kam on the left syde,
Of whos look I was affrayed:
hir handës partid, and displayed
vpward to a castel wal,
resemblyng (as me thought in al)
That hir entent was to ascende
vpon̄ the wal, or to descende.
a blak Ravoun (it is no doute,)
took his flyght ful round aboute,
Wher-so-euere that she went.
and I knewh nothyng what it ment;
But I caste, withynne a throwe,
playnly that I woldë knowe,
of al thys thyng som evidence;
and wente a-noon to hir presence.
and first of al, I gan enquere,
to telle me what she didë there;
of name and of condicïoun
Make a declaracïoun.

Apostacye:
Quod she, ‘yef thou konne espye,
I am called ‘Apostacye,’
644

‘which whilom, of entencïoun,
madë my professïoun,
In al my bestë feythful wyse,
for to ha do truely seruyse
duryng my lif, vnto the kyng
that is most myghty of werkyng.
‘I sette myn hand vnto the plough;
But I haue hym falsed ynough,
tourned the bak (as thou mayst se)
vnto wordly vanyte,
left myn homage, trouth and al,
and am kome doun ouere the wal
for vayn glorie (out of doute);
In many countre roune aboute,
of entent, for to purchaas
prosperite and vayn solas.
‘and yet ful ofte (in many caas,)
myn entent and purpos was,
fro worldly glorie, fals and vayn,
to haue tourned hom agayn,
and amended my livyng
In the seruyse of the kyng;
but truely (it is no nay)
the Ravoun was euere in my way.’

Pilgrim:
“Truely, and thou dedest wel,
thou sholdest lette neuere a del
for to delayë so thy paas.
thaugh that he crye on thé, ‘cras, cras,’
thou sholdest remembre thé among,
and take noon hede vnto his song.”

Apostasie:
‘The trouthë forto specifye,
I folwe, in myn Apostasye,
In my passage vp and doun,
the Ravenës condicïoun,
that whilom was of Noe sent
out of the arkë, of entent
to beholden how it stood,
of the deluge and the flood
645

‘boyllyng with many sturdy wawe;
Wher the water gan withdrawe.
‘but the Raven fond a kareyn;
therfore he cam not agayn.
and I stonde in the samë caas,
abyde, and synge alway ‘cras, cras,’
makyng many fals delayes,
and prolongë forth my dayes,
forto Resorten hom ageyn,
and spendë thus my tyme in veyn.’

Pilgrim:
“Thy werkës (yef I shal not tarye)
ben vnhappy and contrárye;
and thyn handës, bothë two,
ben yperced þorugh also.
greyn nor frut, vpon no syde,
In no wysë wyl abyde;
for shortly (who so list to sek)
al goth thorugh, and wasteth ek.
Who-so-euere the trouthe atame,
thy tonge is dampned, and ek lame,
that it may seyn noon orisoun,
nor make no supplicacïoun,
Which sholdë ben acceptable
vnto that kyng most honourable.
he is not plesed, (on noo syde,)
Whil in this staat thou dost abyde,
and hast no purpos to Retourne,
but in the world dost ay soiourne.”

Apostacie:
‘Truëly, to thy sentence
I may yevë ful credence;
for Seynt Poule hym-silfë saith,
(to whom, men must yevë fayth,
and ful belevë to his word,)
‘who is not withynne shippes bord,
stant in perail of Perysshyng,
and on the poynt of his drownyng,’
fel fer from his savacïoun,
ffor lakkyng of discrecïoun.
646

‘and I wot wel, for my partye,
I issed out thorugh my folye;
Wherfore I stonde in nonecerteyn,
yef I retourned hom ageyn,
wher I sholdë gracë haue,
therby my soulë for to save.’

Pilgrim:
“ne doute the nat to tourne ageyn,
but be therof ryght wel certeyn,
That of grace thou shalt not faille,
So that thou makë a stoupaille
of the hoolës that open be
in thyn handes (as thou maist se),
this to mene, in sentement,
that playn and hool be thyn entent,
grounded on perfeccïoun;
and that, by gret deuocïoun,
that thou make thyn hertë stable,
and of entent not variable.
look her-to on euery syde,
for I may no lenger abyde,
for, I castë me a-noon,
hom to my castel forto goon,
and by the nextë wayë wende,
and ther, vnto my livës ende,
abiden in the samë place,
lik as god wil yeve me grace.”
and whan I was kome hom ageyn,
of al that euere I had seyn,
I madë playn Relacïoun
to folk of that Religïoun;
and afterward (I you ensure,)
ther fel a wonder áventure,
the whichë, whan I dede aduerte,
yt liked nothyng to myn herte:
I saw tweyne oldë (by assent,)
Kome to me of oon entent,
Wonder dyuers of her cheres;
and bothë two wer massageres:
the toon of hem (I was wel war)
647

Vpon hir bak, a bed she bar;
The tother (if I shal not feyne)
bar also, patentës tweyne;
the toon also, in hir commyng,
gird with a baudrek, for wrastelyng:
In their comyng I fonde gret lak,
and evene thus to me they spak:

Age & Sicknes:
‘deth,’ quod they, ‘hath to thé sent
bothe vs tweynë, of entent,
pleynly to the to declare,
that hym self ne wil not spare
forto come to the anoon;
and bad, aforn we sholdë goon,
and done our fullë besynesse,
with al our myghte, the to opprese,
and not departe fro the at al,
til thou be cast, and haue a fal,
that he may, at his commyng,
fyndë the, by our workyng,
So awhapëd and amat,
that he may seyn to thé, ‘chek mat.’’

Pilgrim:
Quod I, “declareth vnto me,
ffirst of allë, what ye be.
I knowë not your gouernaunce;
With deth I ha non áqueyntaunce;
and yef that he be your maystresse,
I pray you, first, that ye expresse
your office, and your seruyse,
and your namës doth devyse.”

Age & Sicknes:
Quod they, ‘it wer not but in veyn,
With vs to stryve, or wynse ageyn;
for, ther is noon so hardy,
so wys, so Richë, so myghty,
that may, by forcë nor allye,
holden with vs Champartye.
‘for deth hath had, ful yore agoon,
lordshipe of folkës euerychoon;
648

‘for, who considereth allë thynges,
Drad more of lordës and of kynges
than of folkës (who list se)
which that duellen in pouerte.
for porë folk that lakkë bred,
desire ful oftë to ben ded.
‘and, yef thou aryght behold,
vnto deth thou art yhold,
that he, toforn hath to the sent;
for ofte, without avisëment
he cometh to folkës vnwarly,
and hem assailleth sodeynly,
though the contrary had sworn.
but, he hath vs sent to-forn,
as massagers to warnë the;
from his power thou mayst not fle;
and ech of vs (withoutë blame)
Shal declarë the his name.’

[Sekenesse:]
The firstë to me dede expresse:
quod she, ‘my name is Sekënesse.
helthe and I, but litel space
May abiden in O place.
we wrastlen ofte (as men may se);
som whilë she venquyssheth me,
and, som tymë, in certeyn,
I over-throwë hir ageyn,
make hir forto bowe hir chyne.
and, ne werë that medicyne
ys causë that she doth releve,
my sayllyng shold hir often greve.
but, maugre hir potacïouns
ánd dyuerse confeecïouns,
and other sondry lettuaryes
Makëd at the potycaryes,—
bothe emplastres drye and moystes,
and oynementës put in boystes,—
yet deth and I (who lyst espye)
Haue, at the lastë, the maystrye.
‘first I souke vp (for the nones)
649

‘the mary closëd in the bones,
and (wher that it be bad or good,)
waste the flessh, and drynke the blood;
And thus my silf, I cónsume al
the vertu that called is ‘vital’;
and at the last (who list knowe,)
ley hym in a bed ful lowe,
That deth may (withouten stryf)
a-noon bereve hym of his lyf.’

Pilgrim:
“Sothly, thou art no massagere,
to whom men sholdë makë chere.”

Secnes:
‘ffor sothë, yis, (who taketh hede,)
folk ar holde to me in dede;
for, sikë folkës to avaunce,
I make hem to ha répentaunce
Whan she was put out of mynde,
and therby, a menë fynde,
that folkës, by contricïoun,
may come to their savacïoun;
for proudest folkes, (as I gesse,)
I chastysë with Seknesse.
‘and first, I hauë gret delit,
from hem to take their appetit;
their .v. wittës and Resoun,
I be-reve hem, vp and doun,
make (as thou shalt vnderstonde,)
folk so feble, thei may not stonde.
‘and we be comë to thè blyve,
with thè to wrastlen and to stryve.’

Pilgrim:
“Or ye to me don eny shame,
let me first knowen the name
of the tother massager,
That loketh with so fel a cher.”

Sicknes:
‘I grauntë wel she shal the telle,
yef thou wilt a whilë duelle.’

Age:
650

Quod she, ‘of folkës that ben sage,
I am of custom callëd ‘Age,’
Contrarïous (as it is kouth)
to hir that is ycalled Youth,
which whilom had (thou myghtest se)
fresshë fetheres forto fle.
but Age hath plukked hem away,
that vnnethë gon I may;
my fet be now (who taketh hede)
hevy as they were of lede;
I may not gon, but with labour,
and yet of Deth I am corour,
knowe in Countres fer and ner.
‘And who that is a massager,
Wher he holdeth his passáge,
mut do truely his masságe,
and the trouthë telle of ryght.
‘I am vnweldy, ánd not lyght;
and (to speke in wordës fewe,)
myn empty skyn doth wel shewe
what that I am; and ouer more,
thou mayst se, by my lokkës hore,
and by ryvéls of my viságe,
How that I am called ‘Age,’
of whom, folkës that discerne,
may ful many thyngës lerne.
‘though that wasted be my blood,
I ha seyn bothe evel and good;
Preved (if I shal not feyne)
ende and gynnyng of bothe tweyne.
age, in konnyng doth excelle;
who muchë seth, can muchë telle:
no man in konnyng (this, the chef,)
withoutë syght may ha no pref.’

Pilgrim:
“To herë now, myn entent is,
what betokne thi patentës;
and after that, make no delay,
but take thy leve, and go thy way.”

Age:
651

‘wher-so it like the, or displese,
I wil abiden at myn eese,
And fro this placë not retourne,
but euere in on with thè soiourne.
I may not parte lyghtly a-way,
as Youthë dede this other day.
She thè forsook (in verray dede)
whan thou haddest to hir most nede;
she went hir way, and took hir flyght,
and fled a-noon out of thy syght;
caste hir neuere to come ageyn:
to looken after, wer but veyn.
but I, be leyser mut abyde,
tóward dethe to be thy guyde;
for, til deth come, I vndertake
that I shal the not forsake.
‘I haue doon my besy peyne.
to bryngë thé patentës tweyne,
oonly of fauour, for thy best;
ther-vp-on that thou mayst reste,
and of noon entencïoun
to takë fro the thy bordoun:
to the, bothë may availle.
‘and, for mor suer sowpewaille,
to the bordoun spiritual,
a staf is nedful, temporal:
Euerych of hem with-outë wene,
the tother must of ryght sustene;
for whan the tó part doun doth falle,
help of the tother he must calle,
yef hym list hym-self assure.
but thou ne shalt not wel endure
the felle assautës of vs tweyne;
for, we ne shal no lenger feyne,
but (for short conclusïoun)
ber thè to the Erthe a-doun.’

Pilgrim:
And bothë tweynë, with a brayd,
vpon̄ a bed they ha me layd,
for they wolde not of me faille,
652

ther tabyde, til deth assaille.
And in distresse and gret affray,
vpon̄ the bed whil I thus lay,
I myghtë tho no ferther gon,
to me a lady cam a-noon,
with ful many noble signe,
of cher and lok, ful benigne,
(I dar ryght wel record,)
Whos namë was ‘Myserycord;
oon of hir brestës opon̄ was,
to yeve me mylk in such a caas.
And also (as I was war,)
me semptë that a corde she bar,
to bynden hay (so thoughtë me).
and, of mercy and pyte,
to me that lay, like a wrecche,
She gan hir corde abrood to strecche;
And ful goodly, with that sygne,
to me she sayd with cher benygne:

Mysericord:
‘Rys a-noon, and suë me,
for by thy cher, I do wel se
that thou art feblyd of thy myght,
and thou list not her a-ryght;
Wherfore I wil the fostre and guye,
and lede the to the fermerye.’

Pilgrim:
Quod I, “that were ful glad to me.
But, for I wot not what ye be,
I pray you with ful humble cher,
your namë, that ye wil me lere.”

Misericord:
‘My namë, yef it be conceyved,
I ought wel to ben receyued,
for, whan Iuges, for offence
han yovëd hir sentence,
I do my peyne and my labour,
of Iustice and of Rigour
forto do remissïoun,
653

‘and make a mittigacïoun
(as folkës may ful wel discerne).
‘for whan the kyng that is eterne,
had yoven in sentëment
a ful dredful Iugëment
of Adam and the lynage,
forto deye for their outrage,
I cam to hym ful humblely,
and prayed hym ful benygnëly,
the myghty kyng celestial,
not forto distruyen al;
but that he wold, in his grevaunce,
modefyen his vengeaunce,
and to with-drawe his Iugëment.
‘and his bowë that was bent,
I made hym drawë of the corde,
and, for sygnës of concorde,
Sette it in the heven alofte;
and (as men may se ful ofte)
In tookne of pes, and not of wrak,
from vs he tourned hath his bak,
that, of his mercyáble lawe,
he may not the bowë drawe,
whan of mercy (as it is knowe)
toward hym-self he drough the bowe.
‘whan he, for our Inyquyte,
dyed vpon̄ the rodë tre,
he bought our gilt so sore.
and vnderstond, ouer more,
vp nor doun (who lokë wel)
he may not drawe it neuer a del.
for, of the bowë the discord,
vnderstondë by the cord:
I made hem so forto acorde,
that called am ‘Misericorde.’
for (yef thou dost wel vnderstond)
the stryng therof is in myn hond:
thou mayst behold it wel, and se;
for, of mercy and of pyte,
I drawe out wrecches from her charge,
654

‘and makë hem go loos at large.
‘therfore folkës alle acorde
to callë me ‘Miséricorde’;
of which (by declaracïoun)
to make an exposicïoun,
Misericordë, truëly
ys, on wrecches to han mercy.
‘thus my namë thou shalt knowe;
I drawe hem vp, whan they ben lowe.
the cordeler that waf the corde
of pes, vnyte, and concorde,
only on wrecches to han pyte,
hyr name was called ‘Charyte.’
‘and yef the corde wer broke a-sondre,
ther is nó man, (her nor yondre,)
though he euere dide his peyne,
that myghtë to the heven atteyne;
for, by this corde (as I the told)
allë Synners must hem hold,
and playnly clymben vp therby,
oonly of pyte and mercy.’

Pilgrim:
“lady, put me out of doute,
why ha ye now drawen oute
Oon of your brestës fayr and whyte
(which to behold, I me delyte,)
like as ye woldë be my bote,
wasshe me with your mylk most sote?”

Misericord:
‘Truely,’ quod she ‘(yef ye take hede,)
of my mylk thou hast mor nede
(yef the trouthe be iustly told)
than outher of siluer, outher of gold,
or of any precious ston,
forto rekne hem euerychon.
for this mylk which thou dost se,
ys called Mercy and Pyte,
allë Synners to sustene;
and to releve hem in their tene,
it bryngeth hem in rest and pees.
655

‘And, like as Aristotiles
writte, that mylk is nothyng elles
(as allë Philesophres telles)
but blood, by transmutacïoun
thorugh hete and lent decoccïoun,
tourned away from his rednesse
to perfectioun of whytenesse;
and (to speke in wordës playn)
this nomorë forto sayn,
that a man that ys irous,
froward and malencolious,
hath but red blood: and that rednesse
may neuere tournë to whitenesse
(as clerkës sayn,) but yef so be
it be decoct by charyte,
that his malicious appetit
be itourned into whit,
thorugh perfectïoun of hete
of charyte, that ys most swete,
Than the smoke of fals envye,
the fume eke of maléncolye,
fleth away, in rednesse,
chaunged clene into whitenesse.
‘and who that drynketh of this mylk—
mor sote and softe than any silk—
foryeveth (in a litel space)
ech offencë and trespace
that men ha gilt hym in his live;
hym list no more ageyn to stryve.
‘of such mylk, most of vertu,
gret plente haddë crist ihesu;
Shewed his brestis of pyte
whan he was hanged on a tre.
he suffred tho (it is no doute,)
the likour for to Renne aboute,
and for to shede it out yffere
than he was stonken with a spere,
the syde of his humanyte,
on alle synful to ha pyte,
for to wasshe away our vyce.
656

‘was neuere moder nor noryce
that gaf such mylkë her-to-fore
to hir child, whan it was bore.
his brestes, that be most fair and whyte,
most holy, and fresshest of delyte,
arn euere open to folkës alle.
his voycë, synners doth ek calle,
and bit hem in their hertë thenke,
of his sootë mylk to drynke:
‘for blod of ire is noon in me,
but mylk of mercy and pyte,’
which wassheth away al vengeaunce:
who hath this mylk, hath suffisaunce.
‘The Redë blood (as folk may se)
y-chaunged is, by charyte,
Into whyte mylk, hoolsom and good,
shaad for mankynd vpon the rood;
with the which, I fostred and fede
allë folkës that ha nede,
such as list, by on acorde,
for to be drawë with my corde,
to alle I am so mercyable,
to my fader, Résemblable,
and to my moder Charyte.
‘for whan that I may any se
In myschief, hunger, outher thurst,
hem to fede, it is my lust.
naked and nedy, that ben lothe,
I haue in custom hem to clothe;
And, gretly I me delyte,
folk in prisoun to visyte;
and ledë, with a glad visage,
pore folk to their herbegage;
And thei that deye in pouerte,
to burye hem, I délite me:
to suchë labour I entende;
al thyng amys, I do amende;
folkës sike and vnweldy,
of pyte only and mercy,
I serve hem in humylite.
657

‘And now I am ycome to the,
In al my bestë feythful wyse,
forto profre my seruyse.’

Pilgrim:
“Ma dame,” quod I, “as it is due,
my lust is gretly you to sue;
but, for my gretë febilnesse,
which me restreyneth by distresse,
And, þees massagers also
Causen that I may not go.
And if ye wold, of your goodnesse,
Doon your gretë besynesse
Thes massagers to putte away,
I wolde (withoutë mor delay)
folwe, in al my best entent,
to gon at your comandëment.”

Misericord:
‘Truely (nouther nygh nor ferre)
I may not voydë nor differre
the massagers from thy presence;
but I shal do my diligence,
with my cordë, thè tenbrace,
and to lede thè to the place
which called is the Fermerye.
the massagers her fastë by,
I ha no myght hem to coharte,
to maken hem fro thè departe.
til that deth hym-silf assaille,
tabiden on the, they wil not faylle.’

Pilgrim:
Than anoon Myserycorde
gan tenbrace me in hir corde.
and the oldë, bothë tweyne,
Were present, and dide her peyne
to brynge me to my bed anoon,
and list not from me fer to goon.
and therwith-al, ánoon ryght
I gan to feblen of my myght
mor and mor, erly and late,
til the porter at the gate
658

broughtë me two massagers,
benygne and goodly of her chers.

[The Porter:]
Quod the porter anoon to me:
‘I ha thè brought (yef thou lyst se)
two massagers (it is no nay)
which shal the teche the ryghtë way
to Ierusalem the cite;
for (bi tooknes that I se,)
I conceyve (on euery syde)
thou mayst her, no while abyde.
wherfore, to makë thy passage,
Send hem toforne, on thy massage,
that thou mayst, by thy sendyng,
be bet receyved at thi comyng,
withouten eny spot of blame.
and makë to hem, in thi name,
a maner of commyssïoun,
and ek a procuracïoun,
that they may, thorugh their werkyng,
be receyuëd of the kyng
thorugh fauour of their langage,
to taken vp their herbergage
In that cyte clestial,
wher the kyng is éternal.
‘thes ladyes namës to expresse,
they ben Prayer and Almesse;
And they ben redy, bothë tweyne,
In this caas to done her peyne.’

[The Pilgrim:]
“Truely,” quod I to the porter,
“I wolde, with al myn hert entier,
don almës of entencïoun;
but I ha noo pocessïoun,
nor nothyng in propurte,
but al thyng in communyte.
al propurte, I ha forsake,
And to pouerte me take,
Of myn ordre, in sothfastnesse.
“Wherfore, touchyng such almesse,
659

“I ha sothly no powere
to make of hir a massagere,
to takë herbergage for me
In that hevenly, chef cyte.
almës, and al such oother thynges,
mot ben of lordës and of kynges
Sent to-forn to that cyte,
Yef they wil wel receyved be,
ther to make her purveaunce,
terberwe hem to their plesaunce.
“for (who-so list the trouthë lere)
alle estates in this world here—
kyngës, prynces, bothë two,
Dukës, lordës ek also,—
Reekne hem allë, by and by,
and thei be pilgrymës as I:
let hem toforn pourveyë wel
forto take vp their hostel,
Sende her massagers to se
their herbergage in that cyte,
that, for lak of providence,
through slouth, or through necligence,
they be dispurveyed, at her comyng,
as Barlam telleth of a kyng,
which, of custom synguler,
Reyned neuere but a yer
In a lond; and this the ende,
than of forcë he must wende
Into an Ilond (in certeyn)
that was of vitaille ful bareyn;
and thus this kyng cam to meschaunce,
for laak oonly of pourveyaunce,
that he toforn, for his availle,
lyst to sendë no vitaille.
Ther was noon other menë wey;
for hunger, he must nedë deye.
“after whom, thus stood the cas,
that a-nother kyng ther was,
which shuldë for a yer succede;
but he was wys, and took good hede,
660

“whil he stood in háboundaunce,
forto make his purveyaunce,
to sendë, in the samë while,
vitaille into that bareyn Ile.
he was prudent, aforn to se,
to provide that Scarsete
sholde sodeynly hym not assaille:
wherfore, hé sent his vitaille
Into that yle that bareyn was.
“wherfore, let ech man in such caas,
sen aforn, in his resoun,
while he stant in pocessïoun
of his Rewme, by good avys
to sende aforn to paradys,
to taken vp, in that cyte,
herbergage lik his degre;
as whilom dedë seynt Lowys,
the holy kyng that was so wys:
Whil he hadde domynacïoun
thorugh-out al his Regïoun,
he ne was not necligent,
but sent aforn, of good entent,
his massagers and his corrours,
his vitaillers, his pourvéyours,
only for his ávauntage,
to taken vp his herbergage
In that ilkë noble Rewm,
called hevenly Ieurusalem;
wher he was, for a memórye,
Receyved forto regne in glorye,
that holy kyng contemplatif,
for the vertues of his lif,
his prayours and his orysouns,
his fastynges and deuocïouns,
his mercy meynt with ryghtwesnesse,
his compassiouns, his almesse,
of cherches his foundacïouns,
and other dyuers mansïouns
y-mad for folkës pore and blynde,
Which, neuére, shal out of mynde:
661

“alle thes vertues (in substaunce)
made aforn hym pourveyaunce;
took vp a paleys most Royal
In that cyte celestial,
for kyng Lowys, that holy man,
as his lif rehercë can,
wel bet than I can expresse.
“and for my part, touchyng almesse,
I may not make hir (fer nor ner)
forto be my massager:
She nys not pertynent to me,
which ha no thyng in propurte,
but by licence (in certeyn)
oonly of my souuereyn.
“wherfore (of entencïoun)
I shal make a commyssïoun
to oon that is prudent and sage,
to taken vp myn herbergage:
the name of whom is Prayer,
to go toforn as massager.”

Prayer:
Quod Prayer, ‘for thy best,
I wil fulfillë thy requeste
as forforth as I ha myght,
and as toforn I ha behyght.’

[The Pilgrim]:
And with that word, anoon Siknesese
bad hir hastë fast, and dresse,
withouten eny mor delay,
forto spede hir on hir way;
and without eny longer space,
for tavoyden anoon the place.

[Siknesse]:
Quod she, ‘it is now no sesoun
to maken a comyssïoun,
at this tymë, to prayere;
for, playnly (who list to lere,)
bothe at complyn and at pryme,
it hath be mad afore this tyme;
or ellës, herbergage to wynne,
662

‘It were to late now to begynne.’

Pilgrim:
“God me grauntë grace and mynde,
good herbergagë forto fynde;
for now I haue ynowh to do,
of veray cónstreynt and of wo,
to remembre on my siknesse.”
and with that word, ther gan in dresse
oon vpon my bed anoon,
the cruelist of al my foon;
of whom in soth, whan I took hede,
I lostë speche, of veray drede:
I myghtë make no questïoun
to axen hir condicïoun,
she was so dredful of hir chere:
a sithe she bar, and ek a bere;
sette hir foot vpon my brest,
for to maken on me arest.
but than a lady of gret vertu,
that was called Gracë dieu,
bad hir a wylë letë be,
whil that she spak a word to me.

Deathe:
‘Sey on, and tarye neuer a del;
for I may not abiden wel.
I haate soothly al taryyng;
and I ne love non ábidyng.
the cause is this, (who taketh hede)
I ha mo thyngës forto spede,
In other places mo than oon;
wherfore telle on, for I mot goon.’

[Grace Dieu]:
Gracë dieu, hir look she layde
Vp-on me, and thus she sayde:
‘thou stanst vpon a streyt passáge,
now as in thy pilgremáge.
Deth is present, as thou maist se,
fro the which, no man may fle.
she is of contynaunce odyble,
663

‘and of thyngës most terryble;
she is the ende of euery thyng;
and now she cast, at hir commyng,
thy lif playnly, as thou shalt knowe,
with hir sithë vp to mowe:
And afterward, this the fyn,
to puttë thè in hir coffyn;
and after, of entencïoun,
to yeve thè in pocessïoun
to wormës (as thou shalt ek knowe,)
that liggen in the erthë lowe;
the which (as I wel tellë can)
Is commón to euery man.
‘ther may no man, of no degre,
hygh nor lowh, his power fle.
ffor, lych as herbës and as floures,
that spryngen with sootë shoures
bothe in Aprill and in May,
and afterward (it is no nay,)
with a sythe (who list to knowe,)
they ben on erthë leyd ful lowe,
and far-wel then al their fresshnesse!
farwel her colour and grenesse!
It not appereth, her nor there,
the hootë Sonne maketh hem Sere;
Ther colours and their fressh aray,
al ys tourned into hay.
‘and, thou, that so longë be
Grene and lusty forto se,
Deth (his power for to kythe,)
wil abatyn with his sythe
thy grenesse, and ek also
parten thè on peces two,
The soule, the body, her and yonder,
and maken hem to parte assondre.
for, playnly, as thou shalt lere,
they may, as now, not gon yfere;
the soulë mustë go tofore,
and the body shal be bore,
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‘In erthe to haue his mansïoun,
and tournë to corrupcïoun;
and afterward, be wel certeyn,
Ioyned with the soule ageyn,
and ben to-gidre eternally.
‘Now loke that thou be ful redy;
for yf ther be no lak in the,
thou shalt go streyht to the cyte
Of the kyngdom and the Rewm
that called ys Ierusalem,
to which thy pilgremage was sette.
‘thou art come to the wyket
(Which is gynnyng of thy labour,)
thow beheld in a myrrour,
whan thow were ful tendre of age,
at gynnyng of thy pilgrymage;
and therfor now thou art sette
at the boundes of the wyket,
I consaille the, first to crye
Vnto my Fadre for mercye,
behotyng the lady dame Penaunce,
yef thou ha not in suffisaunce
Don to her, whil thou wer here,
Iustly and truely thy devere;
thou art in wil, at thy partyng,
thorugh grace and mercy of the kyng,
that Regneth eternally in glorye,
It to fulfille in purgatorye;
ther tabiden in that place,
tyll the lord wil do thè grace,
of his mercy, at the laste.’
And, for the tymë cam on faste,
and my spechë gan to faille,
I thoughte it fooly for tasaille
Gracë dieu with questïouns,
with demandës or resouns.
And (as I coude ek wel discerne)
Deth abood at the posterne,
and gan to letë goon his sythe,
his cruel myght on me to kythe,
665

And gan so streytly me coharte,
That the soulë mot departe.
And, such a feer anoon me took,
Out of my slep that I a-wook.

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