The poems of William of Shoreham :: :: University of Virginia Library

The poems of William of Shoreham

... Re-edited from the unique manuscript in the British Museum by M. Konrath

[section]

I. De septem sacramentis. De psalmo, Exercitatus sum et defecit spiritus.

II.

II. Pater noster. Domine labia mea aperies, Etc'.

III.

(III.) De decem preceptis.

IV.

IV. [De septem mortalibus peccatis.]

V. [The Five Joys of the Virgin Mary.]

VI.

VI. [On the Virgin Mary.]

VII.

VII. On the Trinity, Creation, the Existence of Evil, Devils, Adam and Eve, &c.

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I. De septem sacramentis. De psalmo, Exercitatus sum et defecit spiritus.

[_]

Square and round brackets denote editorial insertions or emendations.

1

Sonderliche his man astoned
In his owene mende,
Wanne he note neuer wannes he comþe,
Ne wider he schel wende;
And more,
Þet al his lyf his here imengde
Wiþe sorwe and eke wiþe sore.

2

And wanne he deiþe, ne mey me wite
Woder he comeþ to wisse;
Bote as a stock þer liþe þet body,
Wiþe-þoute alle manere blisse.
Wat þenkeste?
And hondred winter ȝef a leueþe,
Þat his lyf mid þe lengeste.

3

Onneþe creft eny þat stat,
Ac some crefteþ þat halue;
And for siknesse lechecreft,
And for þe goute sealue
Me makeþe;
For wanne man drawiþ in-to oldeward,
Wel ofte his bones akeþ.

4

And be a man neuer so sprind,
Ȝef he schel libbe to elde,
Be him wel siker, þer-to he schel,
And his deþes dette ȝelde;
To gile
Ȝet meni ȝong man weneþ longe leue,
And leueþ wel litle wyle.

5

Þos we beþ al awey-ward,
Þat scholde her byleue;
And ȝet me seiþ ydemyd we beþe
In Adam and ine Eue
Te helle:
Waȝt hope his here of sauuement
Now time his for to telle.

6

Me seiþe þe riȝte woneȝyng
Ine heuene hyt his to manne;
Ac heuene his heiȝe, and we beþ heuy,
Howe scholde we þider þanne?
Bi leddre.
Howe mey þat be? wo dar þer-oppe steiȝe,
For douȝte of fotes bleddre?

7

Man, þy laddre nys nauȝt of wode
Þat may to heuene leste;
Ac on þer his, þat iakob iseiȝe
Þer he sleppe inne hys reste.
Now schewe þis:
Þis ilke laddre is charite,
Þe stales gode þeawis.

8

Her-on ihesus stawe vppe bi-fore,
Al for to teche ous styȝe;

Nowe hyȝe, man, and folwe wel,
A-doun þat þou ne syȝe
By-weyled;
For yf þou nelt nauȝt climme þos,
Of heuene þou hest yfayled.

9

And þat man louye god and man,
Ase charite hyt hoteþ;
Þat he so wel yþeawed be,
Þat alle men hit noteþe:
Wat þanne?
Ȝet senne-les ne may he nauȝt be,
Ac a deyþe, and he not wanne.

10

Of brokele kende his þat he deiþe,
For hy ne moȝe nauȝt dury;
And aldey he to senne falleþ,
Her ne moȝe nauȝt pury
Of serewnessche.
Ȝet hope þou wel, man, for al þis,
Þat goȝde lyf wole þe wessche.

11

For deþe ne falt nauȝt into wanhope,
For god him self for þe deide;
Þe þridde day he aros aȝeyn
Of þe þrouȝ þer men hine leyde,
Ine tokene
Þat, man, þi body arise schel
Of deiþe, nan more to blokne.

12

Þe bible seyþe þat mannys blod
Hys ryȝt þer saule giste;

And water wasscheþ þe felthe a-wey,
Þer me wesscheþ by liste
Þe on-sounde:
To wesschen ous cryst schedde his blod
And water out of hys wonde.

13

Here-of spronge þe sacremens
Of holy chyrche digne;
And his to segge sacrement
Of holy þynge signe.
For gode,
Hou myȝte fayrer signe be
Þane of þe water and blode?

14

Man, þorwe þat blod þi soule his bouȝt
Fram þe fendes powere;
And þorwe þat water iwessche þart
Of þyne sennes here.
Nou loke,
Ȝoure Cristendom his tokene þrof
Of criste þat we toke.

15

For, ȝef þou uangest þane cristendom,
And for þan bi-lef[s]t clene,
Þou schelt be marked to þet stede
To wichen heuen his ymene;
To soþe,
Wanne þe bisschop bisschopeþ þe,
Tokene of marke he set to þe.

16

Ac cristendom hys sacrement
Of so grete powere,
Þat hit þorwe wasscheþ þane man
Of senne alle manere;
And glorie

Hit scheppeþ, ȝef man deyþe,
And schilt fram purgatorie.

17

And—for we beþ of nonn power
To weryen ous fram schame—
Þer der no fend acombry ous,
Crist is mid ous to-same(s);
And neade:
Tokene þer-of his goddes bodi
At cherche ine forme of brede.

18

And ȝet,—for man his so brotel
Ine his owene kende—
Þaȝ he torni to senne aȝen
Þorwe fondyng of þe feende,
By chaunce
Þat he may come to stat a-ȝeyn
Þorwe bare repentaunce.

19

Her-of we habbeþ tokene gode,
Wanne we fangeþ penaunce
For sennes þat we habbeþ idon̄,
To pynes allegaunce
Ine fere;
For þer we scholde hit vnder-go,
Bote we pinede hit here.

20

Þat man ne falle ine wanhope
A-last wiþ-oute bote,
Al þat he heþ iseneged her
Wiþ honden and wiþ foȝte,
Wyþ þoute,
Mouþe, nase, and earen, and wiþ siȝt,
Eliinge brengeþ hit to nouȝte.

21

Ȝet some heþe suche deuocioun,
Þat hym þingþe he his al ydel
For to libbe commun lif,
Bote ȝef he hedde a brydel;
Wet þinge
Of harder stat god graunteþ,
Wel tokne þrowȝ his ordini[n]ge.

22

Ȝet, þaȝ man mowe nauȝt lecherie
Forbere to donne ine dede,
Ȝet ne schal he nauȝt be for-lore,
For god ȝefþe hym to rede
Spousynge;
Tokene þrof his þe wedding
At cherche, and biterewþing.

23

Cristendom, and bisschoppying,
Penauns, and eke spousinge,
Godes body ine forme of bred,
Ordre, and Aneliinge,
Þes seuene
Heþ holicherche sacremens,
Þat beþ tokenen of heuene.

24

God wescht, and markeþ, and forȝefþ,
And ioyneþ men an wyues,
And freuereþ þorwe his body man,
And grace sent, and lyues.
Ȝe, wanne?
Wanne we takeþ þe sacremens,
Þar we seþ hit þanne.

25

Þaȝ we ne mowe hyt nauȝt ise,
Ne forþe ine bodie iurede,
We seþe hit wel ine oure fey,
And fredeþ hit at nede
Wel eȝaþe:
God þorwe miracles keþeþ hit
A lyue and eke a deþe.

26

And bote he þorwe hys sacremens
Ous þos bi-redde,
Ne scholde we of his grace wite
Wanne we hit toke and hedde
To wisse;
Þer-fore, he þat bi-lefeþ hit nauȝt
Riȝt wyt neþ of blisse.

27

Al hit beþ cherche sacremens
Þet tokeneþ holi þynges,
As hali water, and haly bred,
Liȝt, and belryngynges
To leste;
And of alle oþer sacremens
Þes seuene beþ þe greste.

(1) [D]E baptismo.

28

Cristendom his þat sacrement
Þat men her ferst fongeþ;
Hit openeþ to ous þe heuene blisse,
Þat many man after longeþ
Wel sore;

For who þat entreþ þer
He his sauff euere more.

29

Nou ferst ich wille telle ȝou
Wet may be þe materie
Wer-inne cristning may be mad,
Þat bringeþ ous so merie
To honoure:
Hiȝt moȝt be do ine kende water,
And non oþer licour[e].

30

Þer-fore ine wine me ne may,
Inne siþere, ne inne pereye,
Ne ine þing þat neuere water nes
Þorȝ cristning man reneye;
Ne inne ale,
For, þie hiȝt were water ferst,
Of water neþ hit tale.

31

Ne mede, ne forþe no oþer licour
Þat chaungeþ wateres kende,
Ne longeþ nauȝt to cristendom,
Þaȝt some foles hit wende
For wete;
For suich is kendeliche hot,
Þaȝt þer no feer hit ne hete.

32

Ac water is kendeliche cheld,
Þaȝ hit be warmd of fere;
Þer-fore me mey cristni þer-inne,
In whaut time falþe a ȝere
Of yse;
So mey me nauȝt in ewe ardaunt,
Þat neþ no wateris wyse.

33

Al-so me may inne sealte se
Cristny wel mitte beste,
And eke inne oþere sealte watere,
Bote me in to moche kes(ch)te
Of sealte;
For ȝef þat water his kende lest,
Þat cristning stant te tealte.

34

Ac ȝyf þer were ymengd licour
Oþer wid kende wetere,
Ich woȝt wel, þrinne to cristnye
Hit nere nefur þe betere,
Ac wonde;
For bote þat water his kende haue,
Þat cristnynge may nauȝt stonde.

35

In water ich wel þe cristny her,
As gode him self hyt diȝte;
For mide to wessche nis noþynge
Þat man comeþ to so liȝte;
In londe
Nis non þat habben hit ne may:
Þat habbe hit wile, founde.

36

Þis beþe þe wordes of cristnyng
Bi þyse englissche costes:—
“Ich cristni þe ine þe uader name,
And sone, and holy gostes;”
And more,
“Amen!” Wane hit his ised þer-toe,
Confermeþ þet to-fore.

37

Þe wordes scholle be ised
Wiþe-oute wane and eche;

And onderstand, hi moȝe bi sed
In alle manere speche
Ine lede,
Þat euerich man hi sigge moȝe,
And cristny for nede.

38

Ac ȝif man scholde icristnid be
Þat neþ none deaþes signe,
Þe pope for te cristny hyne
So nere nauȝt te digne
Þe leste;
Þer-fore hi beþ in cherche brouȝt
To cristny of þe preste.

39

Ac he þat ȝif so large water
Þe fend fram ous te reaue,
In nede for to cristny men
Ȝef alle men ileaue
At felle;
Olepi mot hym ine þe water,
And eke þe wordes telle.

40

And wanne hi cristneþ ine þe founȝt,
Þe prestes so þries depeþ,
In þe honur of þe trinite,
Ac gode ȝeme kepeþ
Þe ned
On time a cloþe þat water ikest,
Ac ope þe heuede te bede.

41

Ac water ikest an oþer leme
Cristneþ þe man alyue,

Ac hit his sikerest in þe heeued,
Þer beþ þe wittes fyue.
Wel, broþer,
Ne non ne may icristned be
Ar he his boren of moder.

42

Ȝet gret peryl hy vndergoþe
Þat cristneþ twyes enne,
Oþer to ȝeue asent þer-to,
Oþer for loue of kenne
For-hedeþ
Wanne child ariȝt cristnyng heþ,
And þat oþer nauȝt for-bedeþ.

43

Bote hi þis conne, hit his peril
To þise medewyues;
For ofte children scheawiþ quike,
Ibore to schorte lyues,
And deyeþ:
Bote hi ariȝt icristned be,
Fram heuene euere hi weyeþ.

44

Ac ȝif þat child icristned his,
Ac me fot at me hit weneþ,
Þise habbeþ forme þer-of
A latin þat ham genieþ
To depe;
And ich schel seggen hit an englisch,
Nou þer-of neme ȝe kepe.

45

Þe prest takeþ þat ilke child
In his honden by-thuixte,

And seiþ: “ich ne cristni þei nauȝt,
Ȝef þou ert icristned;”
Eft sone:—
“Ac ȝyf þou nart, ich cristni þe;”
And deþ þat his to donne.

46

Ac ȝet þer beþ cristnynges mo,
Ac no man ne may diȝtti;
For hi beþ godes grace self,
Men of gode wil to riȝti
And wynne,
Wanne hi wolde icristned be,
And moȝe mid none ginne.

47

Þat on his cleped cristning of blode,
Wanne suche bledeþ for criste;
Þat oþer of þe holy gost,
Þat moȝe mid none liste
Be icristned,
And deyeþ so: wanne hi beþ deede,
Ine heuene hi beþ igistned.

48

Þe children atte cherche dore
So beþ yprimisined;
And þat hi beeþe eke atte fount
Mid oylle and creyme alyned
Al faylleþ;
Hiȝt worþeþ cristnyng, and þat child
Þer-to hit auailleþ.

(2) [D]E confirmatione.

49

Confermyng his a sacrement,
And oþer þat we foungeþ;
And wanne a man hit onderuangeþ,
Ine saule hit hine strangeþ,
Wel liȝtte;
For wanne a man yma[r]ked his,
Þe stronger he his to fyȝte.

50

And be þou siker þat mannes lyf
Is riȝt a kniȝt-hod ine londe;
And so seyþe iob, þe holy man.
Now mote we þanne stonde
To fiȝte:
Þe feend, þat flesch, and eke þe wordle,
Ageins ous beþ idiȝte.

51

Þe feend wiþ prede acombreþ ous,
Wiþ wreþe, and wiþ enuie;
Þat fleisch wiþ sleuþe and glotonie,
And eke wiþ lecherie,
Þoun-wyse;
Þe wordle, wiþ here falȝse scheawinge,
Schent ous wiþ coueytise.

52

Ac he þat ine saule is strang,
Þat he wiþ-stent hi alle,
And hardeliche hert oþre men,
A-doun þat hi ne falle,
Ac stonde,

So his ihert þorȝ conferming,
Þat for deþe nele nauȝt wonde.

53

Nou ich mot of þis sacrement
Ȝou telle þe materie,
Þat makeþ man so hardiliche
To stonde, and so merie
Ine goste,
Þat he ne may nauȝt yweid be
Wiþ blanding ne wiþ boste.

54

Hit his þe oyle and baume ymeng
Iblessed, and wi(le), lestne:
For oyle smereþ þane champion,
Þat me [ne] schel him festne,
Ne presse;
And baume his riche and tokened looz
Of þare holy prowesse.

55

A prince longeþ for te do
Þe gode kniȝtes dobbynge;
And so a prince of godes ost
Schel do þe confermynge,
Nonn loȝer;
Þer-fore hit mot a bisschopp be,
Nis non þer-to y oȝer.

56

Þat me wasche men ouer þe fant
After confirmement,

Nis nauȝt do bote for þat honour
Of þilke sacrement
Soe here;
Þer-fore me wescht and kerfþ þane clout,
And berneþ him in þe fere.

57

Þe bisschop þese wordes seþ—
And beþ wordes of selþe:—
“Ich signi þe wiþ signe of croys,
And wiþ þe creme of hel[þ]e
Confermi.”
Ine þe foreheued þe crouche a set,
Felþe of fendes to bermi.

58

Ine þe foreheued he croucheþ hine,
Þat him ne schamie boute
(Bote) for to bi-knowe cristes name
Wiþ-oute alle manere doute;
And binne
Þorwe creymie anoynt strange he bi-comþe
His sauuement to winne.

59

Ac hou his hit, þer beþe so fele
Confermed of mankenne,
And þer so feawe stondeþ styf
To fytte aȝenis senne
Maligne?
For hi ne fongeþ nouȝt þat þing,
Bote þe bare signe.

60

Þe signe his of þis sacrement
Mid creyme þe markynge;

Ac þing þat þer bi-tokned his,
Strengþe his þat god schel bringg
Amonge;
Wiþ-oute god fey and god wil
Mey non þis þing foenge.

61

Ac nou þat wil þat is to gode
His al iset bi-hinde;
And þi bileaue of ihesu crist
His nou al weuerinde:
Vndigne
Þer-fore ne habbeþ nauȝt þat þing,
Bote þe bare signe.

62

Ac þare children take þat þing
In hare childhod so p(o)ure,
Hit leseþ wanne hi comeþ to wit
Þourȝ hare misauenture
Of senne:
Anon þe foend fondeþ hy so,
And he ne spareþ nenne.

63

Þat deþ þat hi nastondeþ nouȝt,
Ac ech oþren aschrencheþ;
Ac ȝet, hy mowe ȝet stonde bet,
Wanne hi ham bet bi-þencheþ
To leue,
And do ham to deuocioun,
Ȝef god ham strengþe ȝiue.

64

And þanne gode, þat his so god,
Anon hi stronge makeþ,

As hi habbeþ deuocioun,
And hie god fey takeþ,
Reuersed;
And al his þorȝ þat sacrement,
Þeiȝe hit ne be nauȝt rehersed.

65

For wanne me takeþ þis sacrement,
His soule prente takeþ;
And þat hi nefermo for-lest,
Nauȝt hi þat god for-sakeþ,
Ac healdeþ
Ine stat þat sacrement ine man,
Wanne he ine gode byaldeþ.

66

And as þys ylke sacrement
Heþ þyng and toke hijs signe,
So habbeþ þe oþere sacremens
Syxȝe þat beþe so digne:
Crystnynge
Her signe, droppinge in þe water,
And þyng hijs for-ȝeuynge.

67

Þys ylke sygne, and eke þys þyng,
In oure child-hode we hyt toke;
Ac after-ward we lore þat þyng,
Þo we to senne toke
By wylle.
Amend[e] we, þe prente lefþ
Ine oure saule wel stille.

68

Hym selue no man hebbe schel
To þe bischoppynge;

Ine tokne of feblesce of hijs goste
An oþer schel him brynge
And lefte,
Ase he ne miȝte nauȝt hym self
To confermynge crefte.

69

Ac her ich segge aperteliche,
Þys men and eke þis wyues,
Þat hi ne hebbe hare oȝe child
By hare quicke lyues,
And rede;
For ȝef hy doþe, man and hys wyf
Þer draweþ god-sibrede.

70

Of seue sacremens þre
Prente ine herte makeþ;
Þat beþ cristnyng, and confermyng,
And ordre þat men takeþ
Wel bliþe;
Þat hijs, for no man hy ne takeþ
Bote onelepy syþe.

(3) [D]E sacramento Altaris.

71

Nou hyȝt by-ualþ to telle ȝou—
And so ich moȝt wel nede—
Of godes flesch and eke hys blode
At cherche ine forme of brede
And wyne;
Þat freuereþ ous in oure exil,
And lyþeþ oure pyne.

72

Hȝe bliþe myȝten hy be
Þat folwede cryst in londe,

Þat myȝte hyne eche day yse,
Hijs swete loue to fonde
Ine keþþe!
So mowe we be, for ous neþ he
Hy-faylled neuer seþþe.

73

For þo hijs tyme was ycome
No leng to dwelle here,
Þat wete brede and honde he toke,
Þer he set atte sopere,
And seyde:
“Takeþ and eteþ, þys hijs my body”;
Of soþe he ham aueyde.

74

For-wy hyȝt moste nedes be
Al soþe þat he sede;
Þat alle þyng his ase he seiþ
Þy resoun wole þe rede.
Lo dede:
He seyde to al þe worlde, “be,”
And al was ase he sede.

75

Nammore maystrye nys hiȝt to hym
To be ine bredes lyche,
Þane hym was ine þe liche of man,
To keþen ous hijs ryche;
Þet makeþ
Þat hy beþ alle mis-by-leued
Þat oþer þrof for-sakeþ.

76

Þe fend hym-self him maky mey
Wel dyuerse liknynges,

Of best, of men, and of wymmen,
And mani oþer þynges,
To nusy:
Wel bet may god to oure prou
Dyuerse formes vsy.

77

Þo þat þe bred ytourned was
In to hys body selue,
He toke þe coppe wiþ þe wyne and water,
And seide eft to þe twelue
Yuere:
“Takeþ and drynkeþ euerech on
Of þis chalice here.

78

Þys hys þe chalis of my blode,
Of testament newe,
Þat schal be schad for manye men”;
And—ase we seyȝeþ gode and trewe
And kende—
“And doþ ȝe þos, wanne ȝe hyt doþe,
Doþ hyt in mine mende.”

79

Þo þat he sede: “doþ ȝe þos,”
Þe heyȝe kyng of heuene,
He ȝaf ham power to don hyt,
And forþ power to ȝeuene
Wel werþe,
Þaȝ he ne toke iudas out,
Þe worste man on erþe.

80

And nou þat power hys yȝiue
Fram bysschoppe to preste,
And so schel al so longe be,
Ase cristyndom schel leste;
Ymete,
Seþþe crist four ous an orþe come,
He nolde ous nauȝt for-lete.

81

Þaȝ he were inne hys manhode
Amanges ous to flotie,
Ȝet nere he nauȝt þanne ous so neȝ,
Ase nou we mowe hym notye
In vode:
We honorieþ hyne al iholliche
Ine flesch and eke ine blode.

82

Wat may amounti þat he wyle
So by-come oure fode?
Chaungeþ he auȝt, ase oþere mete,
In-to oure flesch and blode
By kende?
Nay, ac he chaungeþ ous in hym,
To maky ous gode and hende.

83

And ase gode þer his hole mete,
And sike hyt by-swikeþ,
So his þe mete dampnacion
To hem þat senne likeþ
To holde;
So he hyt tok and his lore,
Iudas, þat ihesus solde.

84

Þer-fore ich segge a godes half
To alle cristyne folke
Þat, wanne hy scholle yhouseled be,
Þat hy ne be a-bolke
In prede;
Let ounde and wreþe and coueytyng,
Sleuþe and lestes on-lede.

85

Nys none of wymman beter ibore
To seint Iohan þe baptyste;
And ȝet he quakede wel arȝ
Þo he touchede crist
Ine þe flomme:
Þanne auȝte we wel aryȝt to be
To fange hym on-tromme.

86

Þer-fore, ȝef þat ȝe fredeþ ȝou
Þat ȝe ne be nauȝt digne
For te be housled wyþ þys body
Ine þissre holy signe,
Wyþ-draweþ;
For, wo þat hyȝt takeþ ondygneliche,
Hys iugement he gnaȝeþ.

87

May somman segge:—hou schal me so
Fram þer houslyng dwelle?
Wanne god self aperteliche
Seiþ ous in þe gospelle—
Wel mende:—
“Who þat eteþ my flesch and drynkeþ my blod
Heþ lyf wiþ-oute ende.”

88

Þaȝ þou [ne] take hyȝt wyþ þe mouþe,
Ne myd teþ þer-on ne werche,

Þou takest hyt, man, ȝef þat þou art
A lyme of holy cherche,
To blysse,
Wanne eny prest his messe syngeþ:
Ilief hyt myd ywysse.

89

For on hys godes flesch to nemme
Ase mouþe þe mete takeþ,
An-oþer ase þe mete yȝete
In-to þe membres takeþ;
Ac here,
Crist hys þat heued, þe prest þe mouþe,
Þe lymes þat folke i-vere.

90

And ase þe bred to-gadere comþe
Of menye greynys to bake,
And ase þe wyne to-gadere flouþe
Of manye grapes ytake,
Ilyke,
Cryst and hijs membrys, men,
O body beþe ine mystyke.

91

Wet hys mystyke ne mey non wete
Be no þynge a-founde,
Bote wanne þer hys o þyng yked,
An oþer to onder-stonde
Þer-inne;
Hy þat aredeþ þyse redeles
Wercheþ by þilke gynne.

92

So wane þat body hym hys ked
Of swete ihesu cryst[e],
Me may wel onder-stonde þer
By þulke selue lyste
An oþer:

Cryst and eke alle holy men
O body, my leue broþer.

93

Þer-fore god heþ þis sacrement
Ymad of suiche þynges
Þat myȝte of manye mak on,
As cryst and hys derlynges
Imonge;
Þenne scholde hy at one be
In loue þat scholde hyt fonge.

94

Nou onderstand: þe signe her,
Fourme hys of wyne and brede;
Doble hys þat þyng, ryȝt cristes body,
And body of quike and dede.
Ac broþer,
Ȝet ryȝte body þaȝ hyt be þyng,
Hyȝt hys signe of þat oþer.

95

Vor ase þe ryȝte bodyes lemes
Habbeþ dyuerse wyke,
So habbeþ ryȝt membrys eke
Of þe body ine mystyke:
Þat weldeþ
Hys honden, men beþ þat wel doþ,
Þe fet, þat wel op-heldeþ.

96

Alle takeþ þat ryȝt body
Þyse men at hare houslyng,
Ac some to prou, and some to lere,
Ine wyl of seneȝynge
To derye;
Ac one gode aryȝt hyt nomeþ,
Þat body ine hys mysterye.

97

Ac þaȝ we be tokned þer
Ine oure sauueoure,
Ne lef þou nauȝt þe[t] we be þer,
Ne forþe nauȝt of oure
Þat were;
Þaȝ þer be tokned þynges two,
Þer nys bote o þyng þere;

98

And þat hys swete ihesu cryst
Ine flesche and eke ine bloude,
Þat þolede pyne and passyoun,
And diaþ opone þe roude,
Wel soure;
Ne lef non oþer, crysteman,
For safour ne coloure.

99

For þat colour, ne þat sauour,
Ne beþ nauȝt þer inne cryste,
Þaȝ he þer-inne schewe hym
By hys myȝte-folle lyste,
So couþe;
Ne myȝte elles bet be seȝe,
Ne beter yured inne mouþe.

100

For ȝef he schewed hym in flesch,
Oþer ine blody þynge,
Hydous hyȝt were to þe syȝte,
And to þe tast wlatynge
And pyne
Þanne hys hyt betere in fourme of brede,
And eke in forme of wyne.

101

For bred strengeþ þe herte of man,
And wyn hys herte gledeþ;

And strengþe longeþ þe body,
And blice þe saule vedeþ:
And nede
Þer-fore hys double sacrement,
Of wyne, and eke of brede.

102

For he ybout heþ oure body,
In-to os he let hys sinke;
And uor þe saule ine þe blod,
Hys blod he let os drynke.
Nou woste
Wy þer hys double sacrement:
For note of body and goste.

103

Ac wen nauȝt þat cryst be to-schift,
Þaȝ he scheweþ ine boþe;
To wene hys body wyþ-oute blod,
By þa weye ne goþe
To þryfte;
For þer he hys, he hys al yhol,
Ne mey me hym to-schifte.

104

Þeȝ þer te-breke aȝt ine þe mouþ,
Oþer ine þyne honden,
Hyt nas nauȝt he þat hys to-broke;
Ensample þou myȝt fonden:
To-slyfte
A[l þy] myrour þou myȝt fol wel,
Bote nauȝt þe ymage schifte.

105

By þyse ensample þou myȝt yse
He hys ine ech autere
Y-hol; þe prest hys messe syngeþ,
Þeȝ he ne be nauȝt yhere,
Ac wykke,
Ase þer beþ foles suiche fele,
Ysawe al to þykke.

106

Ac þaȝ þe prest hys messe do
Inne dedleche senne corse,
Þet sacrement, man, be þou syker,
For hym nys na þe worse;
For loke,
Þe sacrement nys na þe wors,
Þaȝ þat Iudas hyt toke.

107

Ac þaȝ hyt be neuer þe wors,
Þat sacrement an honde,
Þe bone þat swych prest þer byȝt
No stel ne schel hym stonde,
Ac derye;
For he despyseþ ihesu cryst,
Wanne he hym scholde herye.

108

Ac ȝyf þou wylt tak hyt to prou
For þe and þyne freende,
Ryȝt repentaunt and ryȝt deuout
Take hys deaþ in þy meende;
Naut lyȝt[e]:
Þe more þou þenkest so on hys deaþ,
Þe more hys þy meryte.

109

Manne, wanne þyt takest, ase oþer mete
In-to þy wombe hyȝt sedlyþ;

Ac ne defiþ nauȝt, ase þy mete
Wyþ þyne flesch medlyþ,
Ac keuereþ
Al oþer wyse, and so þy body
And þy saule hyȝt freuereþ.

110

Nabyd hyȝt nauȝt, ase oþer mete,
Hys tyme of defyynge,
And ryȝt anon hyȝt freuereþ
In þare oundervanginge;
Destresse
Of syke men, þaȝ hy hyt keste op,
Ne helpþ hyt nauȝt þe lesse.

111

For yf þe syke man hys gode
In þe leue of holy cherche,
Þeȝ he hyȝt cast op, hyt bylefþ
Sauuacion to werche
Ryȝt þere;
For al at ones he mey be
Þer and elles-were.

112

He soffreþ wel to be kest op,
And ȝet to be honoured;
Ac he soffreþ (noȝt) to be to-trede,
And of bestes deuoured:
And neade,
Ase he by-leue assayþ in flesch,
He assayþ ine forme of brede.

113

Þat body hyȝt nys (naȝt) þat þer comþe op,
Ȝef þat a man hyȝt keste;

For al so longe hyt hys þat body,
Ase forme of brede schel leste;
Ine manne,
Ȝet þaȝ þe fourme of brede to-go,
Þat body by-lefþ ȝet þanne.

114

And ȝyf he passeþ nauȝt fram ous,
Wanne wey aryȝtt hym healdeþ,
Wat ned hys for to take hym efte,
Þer wyle he ous so wealdeþ?
For mende
Of hys deþe and hys passyon,
Ase he het atte hys ende.

115

Of pure wete hyt mot be,
And eke of pure wyne,
Þet schel be to þys sacrement
Ryȝt of þe grape of wyne
I-lete;
For iesus seyþ þe vygne he hys,
And eke þe greyn of wete.

116

And ȝef mannes deuocioun slakeþ,
Wanne he by-healdeþ—
For hyt þinkþ bote oþer bred
An heaȝ þat þe prest healdeþ—
By-þenche hym
Of þe uertue þat þer hys,
Þat non errour adrenche hym;

117

And tak en-saumple of þat he kneuþ,
Þe preciouse stone:
Þaȝ he lygge amang oþere ylyche,
Me honoureþ hym alone;
So swete

Mid al þy wyl þer uertue hys,
God self ine sacrement (ymete).

118

Na more ne greueþ hyt ihesus
Þane sonne itrede in felþe;
Þaȝ eny best deuoured hyt,
Oþer eny oþer onselþe,
Ech screade
Ȝet al so longe hys godes body,
Ase lest þe fourme of breade.

119

And al so longe hyt hys blod,
Ase lest þe forme of wyne;
Nauȝt of fynegre kende chald,
Ne offe water droppyng of wyne,
Ac trye:
So lyte water schel be me[n]gd,
Þat wyne habbe þe maystrye.

120

For water self nys nauȝt þat blod,
Ac hyt hys an-ylyke
To þe folke þat torneþ al to cryst
Ine þe body of mystyke.
Nou, broþer,
I-lef al þys ine gode fey,
For may no þyng be soþer.

(4) [D]E penitencia.

121

Wane man after hys crystendom
Heþ auȝt ido wyþ wronge,
Penaunce hyt hys, a sacrement
Þat men scholde fonge,
And mote.

Penaunce heþ maneres þre,
Þorȝ sorȝe, schryfte, and edbote.

122

Þy sorwe for þyne senne, man,
Mot be ine gode wylle,
Þat hy ne be nauȝt ine wanhope,
Þat made Iudas to spylle;
Ac crye
Mercy to swete ihesu cryst,
Mid wyl to lete folye.

123

And ȝet þy wylle mot be so gret,
And ine so gode faye,
Þat þou wenst þou noldest seneȝi eft,
Þer-fore þeȝ þou scholdest deye
Ine wytte;
For ȝef þou woldest for deaþ hyt do,
Þy sorȝe hys al to lyte.

124

Þeȝ sorȝe hele man a-non
Of velþ of sennes slyme,
Ȝet þanne were hyt nauȝt inouȝ
Þe for [t]e sorwy on tyme,
Ac euere,
Ase longe ase, man, þy lyf ylest,
Elles senne may keuere.

125

For so, man, senne greueþ in þe,
And eke in alle þyne,
Ase wed schel growen ouer þe corn,
Wyþ-oute medicyne
Of sorȝe.
Nou her-on þenche, man, day and nyȝt,
An euen and a morwe.

126

Þench, þourȝ þy senne þou hest ilore
Þy blys of heuene ryche,
And hest iwreþed þane kyng
Þat non hys yliche;
And here
Þou hest of-serued dygnelyche
Þe pyne of helle vere.

127

Draȝ into mende þet hydous siȝt
Of deade men a bere,
Þat nadde neuer deade ibe,
Ȝef senne of adam nere;
Bye drytte,
Ȝet þou aȝtest habbe more hydour
Of þyne oȝene vn-ryȝte.

128

Myd sucher sorȝe schryfte, man,
Wel stylle, and no þyng loude;
For repentaunce ondeþ þe hel,
And schreft hyt mot out-croude
Al clene:
For ȝef aȝt lefþ þat croude myȝt,
God so þou schelt ywenne.

129

Ne non ne may hym schryue aryȝt,
Bote ȝef he hym by-þoȝte
Of sennes þat he heþ ydo,
And hys lyf al þorȝ-soȝte
To kenne;

Ac manie desper to þe prest
Al one by seȝe of senne.

130

And vnderstand þat al ihol
Mot be þy schryfte, broþer;
Naȝt þar-of a kantel to a prest,
And a kantel to an-oþer;
And þanne
Tele, ȝef þou myȝt by-þenche þe,
Wet, hou, and wer, And wanne.

131

And ȝef þou wylt, man, þorȝ þy schryft
Lat þy senne al a-drouȝe,
Ne wynd þou naut þy senne ine selke,
Ac telle out al þat rouȝe
Tys laȝe;
Ȝef þou wenst deie, and nast no prest,
Schryf þe to anoþer felawe.

132

Ac þat ne schalt þou neuere do,
Bote þe wantrokye of lyue;
And ȝef þou comste to lyue aȝen,
Eft þrof þou most þe scryue
To preste,
Þat heþ power to assoyly þe,
Þorȝ power of þe greste.

133

Þaȝ man on tyme ihealde be
To schryue hym a ȝere,
To schryue hym wanne he seneȝed heþ,
Wel syker þyng hyt were,
And mete,
Wald ȝef he sodeynlyche deiþ,
And wald he hyt for-ȝete.

134

For wanne man sodeynleche deiþ,
Hys þoȝt þe sorȝe troubleþ;
And senne ony-schryue wanne he uor-ȝet,
Hys senne þer-be doubleþ
To nusy;
For mytter senne þat he dede
Þe sleuþe hine wyle acusy.

135

Man, schryf þe, and wonde none schame,
For-wy hyt hys to donne;
A lytel schame hys betere her,
Þane ouer-moche eft-sone
To crefte
By-uore god a domesday,
Amang al godes schefte.

136

For þaȝ man moȝe isauued be
Þorȝ bare repentaunce,
Wanne he ne may to schryfte come,
Ȝef hym valleþ þat chaunce
So holde,
Ȝet ne may he nauȝt y-sauued be,
Be he hym schriue wolde.

137

Þer-fore þy schryfte, man, schel be
Wyþ-oute stoneynge,
Myd herte loȝ, and, ȝef þou myȝt,
Myd þyn eȝene wepynge;
In treuþe,
Þet þer be non ypocrysye,
Bote repentaunce and reuþe.

138

And ȝyf þat þou to schryfte comst
Ine þyse manere to fa[y]re,

Þe schryft-uader þat uarþ aryȝt
Schal be wel de-bonayre
And loȝe;
He schel wystlyche þy senne hele,
Bet þane he wolde hys owe.

139

Ȝef he þe schel anoye aȝt,
Hyt wyle of-þenche hym sore;
And oþer-wyl anoye he mot,
Wanne he scheweþ þe lore
Of helþe,
Ase mot þe leche ine uoule sores,
Wanne he royneþ þe felþe.

140

Þer-fore ȝe mote þolyen hyt
Wyþ-oute alle manere tole,
And do þer-by ententyflyche,
Ȝyf ȝe wolleþ be hole
To liue;
And to a betere be leaue goþ,
Ȝef ȝoure prest can nauȝt schryue.

141

Te [þe] mo prestes þat þart ischryue
Myd alle y-hole schryfte,
Þe clenner þert a-ȝens god,
And of þe more þryfte;
Nauȝt nyce,
Ȝef hyt ne be nauȝt to þy prest
Malice ne preiudice.

142

Wanne man hys repentaunt ischriue,
He scholde don ed-bote;
And þe ferste hys, þat he by-fle
Chypeans, of sennes rote;
Ase quances,

He þat by-flek wel lecherye
Bi-ulekþ foule continaunce.

143

Edbote hys dede after god conseyl
Of gosslich medicine,
Wanne senne sor y-clensed hys,
To þolye a lytel pyne
Þet frete,
Þat he ne be þer-uore iwrete
In purgatoryes hete.

144

Þre maner peyne man a-fangeþ
For hys senne nede;
Bene hys þat on, þat oþer fastyng,
Þe þrydde hys almesdede;
Ac woste,
Bene hys and edbote yset
For senne do ine goste.

145

For senne in flesch
vestyng heþ þe flesch loþe;
Ac elmesdede senne bet
Of gost and flesche boþe;
For þencheþ
Þet almesdede senne quenkeþ,
Ase water þat fer a-quencheþ.

146

To byddyng contemplacion
Longeþ rede and wryte,
To here predicacioun won,
Lore, and herte smyte,
And werche

Dedes to ȝyue deuocioun
To men ine holy cherche.

147

Knewelyng, trauayl, baruot go,
Wolle-ward and wakynge,
Discipline and lyte mete,
Þes longeþ to vestynge;
And here,
Pelgrymage and beddyng hard,
Flesch fram lykynge te arere.

148

Ȝeue, and lene, and conseil,
Cloþyng, herberȝ, and fede,
Vysyty syke and prysones,
And helpe pouere at nede,
Muknesse
For to uor-ȝeuene trespas,
Tak dedes of elmesse.

149

And seue ȝer þou scholdest, man,
O dea[d]lyche senne pyny;
Þer-uore al þat þe prest þe hat
To done schalt þou nauȝt fyny,
Ac more,
For onneaþe hys þer eny prest
Þat peyne set so sore.

150

For hy habbeþ uisyk of men,
Hy more sette þe lesse;

And betere hys forte apeched be
Of more forȝefnesse
Þane wreche;
For ȝyf þou to lyte peyne hest,
Purgatorye hyt schal eche.

151

And ȝet þer hys anoþer cas
Þat prestes ȝyuet so lyte
Penaunce: þaȝ me telle ham
Ryȝt moche of sennes wyte,
Ine mone,
Me mot ham legge lytel on,
Oþer hy nolde do none.

152

Beter hys þat hy a lyte do
Her ine obedience,
And foluelle þat remenaunt
Ine purgatoryes tense
Eft-sone;
Nys nauȝt god to uor-lete a man
Þat eny-þing hys wyl bone.

153

Þe bydde ich, broþer, be nauȝt loþ
To do penaunce here;
For ȝet þer hys here som reles,
So nys nauȝt ine þe uere
Areyned,
Ne þorȝ þe ryȝt-uolnesse of god
Nys no sen onipeynid.

154

Man, wane þou seneȝyst, þre þou dest,
Þou wreþest god almyȝty,
To holy cherche on-bouxam þart,
Makest þy selue on-ryȝty:
Þos mote

Make þy pes wyþ alle þre
Sorwe, schryfte, and edbote.

155

Man[y] takeþ þys sacrement,
And geþ a-wey on-digne,
For he ne schryfþ nauȝt of þet þyng,
Bote of þe bare signe
To wynne.
Þe signe hys þat hys boute ydo,
Þat þynge hys grace bynne.

156

Two þynges her-wyþ-ynne beþ,
For-ȝefþe, and repentynge;
Ac repentaunce hys signe also
Of sennys for-ȝeuyng:
Certayne,
For so may man repenti hym,
Þat þer uolȝeþ no peyne.

157

Þat was iked wel inne þe þef
Ope caluaryes felde,
Þo he escusede ihesu cryst,
And hym gelty gan ȝelde
Mid sourwe;
He deide and come to paradys,
Na-bod he nauȝt fort a morwe.

(I. 5) [D]E uncione extrema.

158

Sacrement of an-Eliing
Nou her ich wolle telle,
Þat man uangeþ wane he ne wenþ
No lenge he myȝte dwelle
A lyue;
Þe bodyes euel þat libbe mey,
And sone, hit mey to-dryue.

159

Many for de-faute deiþe
Of þer anelyynge;
And ȝyf hys saule after hys deþe
Soffrey harde pynynge
In fere,
So scholde hy nauȝt, hedde he ihed
Ryȝt elyynge here.

160

For seint iames, in hys bok,
Wysseþ wyd gode mende
Þat, ȝyf eny by-falþe ryȝt syke,
Þe prest he scholde of-sende
To hys ende;
And he schel elye hym wyþ ele,
Hys sauement to wynne.

161

Seynt iame seyþe þat orysoun
Of þer holy by-leue
Of hijs siknesse helþe wynþe,
Þat no fend schal reue
Þe helþe;
And ȝef þat he ine sennys be,
For-ȝeue hys him þat felþe.

162

Þys his, broþer, and gret confort
For for-ȝetene sennes,
Þat oure foman aredy haueþ
Aȝeynys þat we goþ hennes,
Ta-tuite;
Ac ȝef we aryȝt anelede beþ,
Hyȝt gayneþ ham wel lyte.

163

Ac þanne hys man aryȝt aneled,
Wanne he myd wyl hyt takeþ,

Myd by-leue of deuocioun,
And repentaunce makeþ
So digne;
And ȝyf he hyt oþere wyse fangeþ,
Ne takeþ ha bote þe syngne.

164

For þe sygne of þys sacrement
Þe elyyng ys boute;
Þat þyngge hys alleggaunce of euel,
To lyf ȝef he schel loute;
And hennes
Þaȝ he wende, þat þyng is eke
Alleggaunce of hys sennes.

165

And ȝet me schal anelye a man,
Þaȝ þat he lese hys speche;
For wet he þencheþ in hys mod
Ne may ous no man teche;
Ac stronge
He mot habbe deuocioun,
Þet schel a-ryȝt hyt fonge.

166

Þer-fore þis children eleþ me nauȝt,
Ne forþe none wode,
For hy ne conne mende haue
Of þilke holy gode;
Ac fonge
Þe wode mey þat sacrement,
Wane reles comeþ amonge.

167

A prest mot do þys sacrement,
For-why hyȝt hys wel werþe;
And þat seyde seynt Iames wel,
Þer-wyle he ȝede an erþe;
Ȝe hit hedde

Þo ich a lite her a-boue
Þes holye wordes redde.

168

Þe matyre of þis sacrement
Hys ryȝt þe oylle allone;
And wanne þe bisschop blesseþ hyt,
Baume ne me[n]gþ he none
Þer-inne;
For baume tokneþ lyues loos,
Oyle, mercy to wynne.

169

For wanne man deiþ, he let his lyf
Þer þe god los by-houeþ;
Ac senne, ȝef he farþe aryȝt,
To bi-reusy he proueþ;
To oure lorde
Mercy he cryþ, and biddeþ hym
Mercy and misericorde.

170

Þe wordes þat þer beþ ised,
Hyt beþ wordes of sealþe,
For hy biddeþ þe sike man
Of alle his sennes helþe;
In mende
Þer-to me an-eleþ þe wyttes fyȝf,
And feȝet, and breste, and lenden.

171

And for þe lecherye syȝt
In lenden of þe manne,
And, ase þe bok ous seyþ, hy sit
Inne nauele of þe wymman[e]:
To hele,
Me schel þe mannes lenden anelye,
Þe nauele of þe femele.

172

Þys beþ þe wordes wane me aneleþ:—
“By þisse an-eliinge,
And be hijs milse, for-ȝyue þe god
Al þine senneȝynge
Mid eyen”;
And so he seyþ be al hys lymes
Þat scholle þe oyle dreȝen.

173

Caracter, þet is prente ycliped,
Nys non of eliinge,
Ne furþ of penaunce ne þe mo,
Nof housel, nof spousynge,
In þede;
For man ofter þane ones takeþ
Þe sacremens for nede.

(I. 6) [D]E ordinibus ecclesiasticis.

174

Nou her we mote, ine þis sarmon,
Of ordre maky saȝe,
Þet was by-tokned suiþe wel
Wylom by þe ealde lawe
To agynne,
Þo me made godes hous,
And ministres þer-inne.

175

God ches folk specialliche
Hys holy folk amonge;
Þat was þe kenred of leuy,
Offyce for to fonge
Ase broþeren,
For to seruy ine godes house
By-fore alle þe noþeren.

176

To segge hys ‘leuy’ an englysch,
‘Fram þe noþeren ytake’;
So beþ of ordre itake men,
Ase wyte fram þe blake
Of lyue:
Gode ȝeue al yordrede men
Wolde aryȝt her-of schryue.

177

Ase þer beþ of þe holy gost
Ȝeftes ryȝt folle seuene,
So þer beþ ordres folle seuene,
Þat made cryst of heuene
An erþe,
And hedde hys ek ine hys monheþ,
To keþen hy wel werþe.

178

Þe ferste hys ‘doreward’ ycleped,
Þe secunde ‘redynge,’
Þe þrydde hys icleped ‘coniurement’
Aȝenys þe foule þynge
to werie þe;
Þe ferþe ‘acolyt’ hys to segge y-wys,
Tapres to bere wel worþe.

179

Þe ordre fifte ycleped hys
Þe ordre of ‘sudeakne,’

And hys þe syxte al-so ycleped
Þe holy ordre of ‘dekene’;
(And) þe greste
Þe seuen[d]e hys, and hys yclyped
Þe holy ordre of ‘prest[e].’

180

Ine þe elde lawe synagoge ferst
God let the ordres werche,
And þat was sched of þat hys lyȝt
Nou wroȝt ine holy cherche;
Iuere
Ich schel telle hou hyt was þer,
And hou hyt hys now here.

(I. 6. i) [D]E hostiariis.

181

Ine þe ealde lawe dore-ward
Lokede dore and gate,
Þat þer ne scholde on-clene þyng
Ryȝt non entry þer-ate,
Wel couþe:
So doþ þes dore-wardes ek
Ine holy cherche nouþe.

182

And ȝef eny oþer hyt doþ,
Nys hyt ordre, ac ileaue
To helpe, wane þer nede iualþ;
Ac me ne schal nauȝt reaue
Þe office,
Wyþ-oute leue to don hyt:
Ne be no man so nice.

183

Þe bisschop, wanne he ordreþ þes,
Takþ hym þe cherche keyȝe,

And seyþ:—“takeþ and doþ fol wel,
Ase, wane ȝe scholle deye,
Scholde ȝelde
Acounte of þet hys þer-onder clos:”
Hardyst þet, wo-so hyt felde.

184

Ine þe temple swete ihesus
Þyse ordre tok at ones,
Þo þat he makede a baleys,
And bet out for þe nones,
Ymene,
Þo þat bouȝte and sealde ine godes hous,
Þat hys a hous of bene.

(I. 6. ii) [D]E lectoribus

185

Nou ich habbe of þe ferste yteld,
Þat oþer wyl ich trye.
Ine þe alde laȝe þe redere
Rede þe prophessye,
By wokke;
So schulle þe rederes now
Hyrede, and conne on-lowke.

186

Þer-fore, ere hy þys ordre haue,
Me schel hy wel assaye,
Of þat hy redeþ þat hy wel
Ham conne aueye;
For-bede
Oþe-ren to reden schal me noȝt,
Ac soffry hyt for nede.

187

Þyse ordre swete ihesu cryst
Kedde wel þat he hadde,

Þo he toke ysaies bok
Ine þe synagoge, and radde
Wet welle.
Wet he þer redde, þou myȝt se
Ine seynt lukes god-spelle.

188

Þe bysschop, wenne he ordreþ þes,
Þe redyng bok hym takeþ,
And seyþ:—“tak and by-come redere
Of word þat of god smakeþ;
And blice
Schelt habbe ase god prechour,
Ȝef þou wolt do þyne offyce.”

(I. 6. iii) [D]E exorcistis.

189

Þe þrydde ordre [hys] coniurement,
And was ine þe ealde laȝe
To dryue out deuelyn out of men
Fram god þat were draȝe
Alyue;
Þanne he mot habbe a clene gost,
Þat schal þe on-clene out-dryue.

190

Þe bisschop, wane he ordreþ þes,
Takþ ham bok of Cristnynge,
Oþer of oþer coniuremens
Aȝeyns þe foule þynge,
And seggeþ:—
“Takeþ power to legge hand
Ouer ham þat fendes op biggeþ.”

191

Þyse ordre, swete ihesu cryst
kedde Wel þat he hedde,

Þo he drof deuelen out of men
Þat hym wel sore dredde.
Þe apryse
Ine þe elde laȝe hyt ferst by-gan
Kyng salomon, þe wyse.

(I. 6. iv) [D]E accolitis.

192

Þe Ordre ferþe, accolyt hys,
To bere tapres alyȝte,
Wanne me schel rede þe gospel,
Oþer offry oure dryte,
To þenche
Þat þet lyȝt by-tokneþ þat lyȝt
Þet noþyng may quenche.

193

And wanne þat he yordred hys,
Þe bisschop schel hym teche
Hou he schel lokke cherche lyȝt,
And wyne and water areche
To synge;
In tokne, taper and crowet
To hand me schal hym brynge.

194

Þet þys ordre hedde ihesus
We habbeþ wel a-founde,
By þet he seyde:—“ich [a]m þat lyȝt
Of alle þer wordle rounde
A-boute;
Wo-so lokeþ, ne geþ he nauȝt derk,
Ac lyȝt ine lyues route.”

195

Ine þe elde temple tokne was
Of þe ordre of acolytes,
Þo certeyne men lyȝte þat lyȝt,
Ase þe laȝe ȝef þe rytes
So brode;
Of weche lyȝt hys ywryte
Ine þe boke of exode.

(I. 6. v.) [D]E subdiaconis.

196

Þe ordre fifte, sudeakne hys,
Þat chastete en-ioy[n]eþ;
For sudeakne bereþ þe chalys
To þe auter and aloyneþ,
Ande weldeþ
Al bare, and eke þe corperaus
Onder þe deakne uealdeþ.

197

Ine þe alde lawe y-hote hyt hys,
Þat hy ham scholde clensy
Þat bere þat uessel of god,
And myd water bensy:
By ryȝtte,
Clenne schel he in herte be
Þat schal þe chalys diȝte.

198

And wanne þat he yordred hys,
He takeþ þe chalys bare,
And he auangeþ a crowet eke,
And a towaylle nare
Iuere;
For he schel honden helde weter
Þat serueþ to þe autere.

199

Þo hym wyþ a schete ihesus
After soper bygerte,
And water in ta bacyn
Myd a wel mylde herte,
And wesschte
Al hys apostlene ueet,
Þos ordre forþe he lesschte.

(I. 6. vi.) [D]E diaconis.

200

Nou of þe sixte telle ich schel,
Þat hys þe ordre of deakne,
Þet hys of more perfeccioun
Þane hys ordre of sudeakne;
He bryngeþ
To honde þet þe prest schel haue,
Wanne he þe masse singeþ.

201

Ine þe ealde lawe beren hy
Þe hoche of holy crefte,
And nou þe stole a-fongeþ hy
Ope here scholder lefte,
To agynne,
And so for þane trauaylle her
Þe ryȝt half for to wynne.

202

And at ordres auangeþ hy
Þe bok of þe godspelle,
For þan, to rede þe gospel,
And sarmoun for to telle,
Ta-wak
Hy þet slepeþ ine senne slep,
Amendement to maky.

203

Þyse ordre swete ihesu cryst
Ine hys trauayle kedde,
Þo he prechinde þet folk
To ryȝtte weye ledde;
Þe þridde
Was, þo he wakede hym self
Þe apostles for to bydde.

(I. 6. vii.) [D]E presbiteris.

204

Þe seuende ordre hys of þe prest,
An hys icleped þe ealde,
Bote nauȝt of ȝeres, ac of wyt,
Ase holy wryt ous tealde;
For ȝeres
Ne makeþ so nauȝt þane prest ald,
Ac sadnesse of maneres.

205

And wanne he y-ordred hys,
Hym falþ an holy gyse:
Hys honden beþ anoynte boþe
Þorȝ-out a crowche wyse,
Ta-fonge
Þer-inne godes oȝen flesch,
Þat fode is to þe stronge.

206

He takþ þe helye inne of eyþer half
Yioyned atte breste,
Þet no god hap ne heȝi hyne,
Ne non harm hyne don deste
In mode,
Ac þenche on hym þat þolede deaþ
For ous op-one þe roude.

207

He takþ þe chalys wyþ þe wyne,
And brede of þe pateyne;
He heþ power to sacry hyt,
And þet þrof hys þer seyne
Wel trewe.
Inne þe elde lawe þe ordre agan,
Ine tokne of þyssere newe.

208

Cryst kedde þat he hys a prest
Ryȝt in double manere:
Þat on, þo he sacrede hys body,
Þer he set atte sopere;
Þet oþer,
Þo he an rode offrede hys body
For ous, my leue broþer.

[D]E prima tonsura.

209

To þys ordre crounebet
Ys an apparyllyng,
Þat hys in holy cherche y-cleped wel
Þe furste scherynge
Of clerke;
Clerke hys to segge an englysch,
‘Eyr of godes werke.’

210

Ac godes werk an erþe was
Þe puple for to teche;
And also þourȝ hys holy deþe
Of sennes he was leche:
Þes werkes
Men takeþ after ihesu cryst,
Wanne hy by-comeþ clerkes.

211

And ȝyf hy douþ wel hare deuer
Ine þysse heritage,
Ne may hem falle after þys lyf
Non oun-worþ desparage;
To wysse,
Ryȝt ymarissched schelle hy be
In heuene-ryche blysse.

212

Þe croune of clerke y-opened hys,
Tokneþ þe wyl to heuene,
Þet habbe mot þat entri schel
Into eny of þe seuene;
And sedder
Tokneþ, ase he ine ordre aryst,
Þet hys þe croune breddour.

213

Þer drof bischop hys dignete
To maky þulke seuene;
And hyt by-tokneþ þane bisschop
In þe bisschopriche of heuene
So werthe,
Was vicary þe pope hys
I-maked here an erþe.

214

Þyse ordres to þys sacrement
By ryȝte longi scholle,
And þat mo be þat gode beþ,
Þes makeþ al þat folle
Be astente;
Þer-fore ich abbe ondo ȝou þos
For þyse sacrement[e].

215

And nou ich wolle ondo þys eft
By þe wey of mystyke;
For crystene man hys godes hous:
Hye mote habbe wyke
Þer-inne,
Nou lestlich schel ich on-louke þys,
Ase god wyle grace ȝyue.

216

Þet ine-wyt hys þe dore-ward,
Þe doren wyttes fyue;
He schel loky wel bysylyche,
Þat no lykynge in dryue
Þat stencheþ;
Þet inwyt hys þe reddere eke
Þat holy lore þencheþ.

217

Þet inne-wyt dryfþ þe fend a-wey
Myd meende of crystes pyne;
Þet inwyt lyȝt þer saule lyȝt
Myd þeawes gode and fyne;
To hele,
Þet inwyt wescht þe felþe awey,
And greydeþ þe fessele.

218

Þet inwyt redeþ þat gospel,
Wane hyt hereþ crystes lore;
And ȝet þer-to hys charge hyt berþ
Of left half swyþe sore,
To abyde
After þys lyf þe heuene blys,
And krefte þe ryȝt[e] syde.

219

Þat inwyt hys þe masse prest,
Þat ine þe herte slakeþ

Þane auter of deuocioun,
Wane man hys bene makeþ;
No lesse
Nys hyt, wane man stedeuast by-lefþ,
Sacrement of þe messe.

220

On inwyt mey al þys wel do,
And ine þe manne werche,
Ase on may al þys ordres haue
Ryt wel in holy cherche;
Ase here,
Ȝef her nys suiche mynystre non,
Þys temple stent iuere.

221

Þer-fore ech man þat crystene hys,
Hys wyttes loky fyue,
And þenche op-an þe lore of god,
And fendes fram hym dryue,
And lyȝte
Myd gode þewes al hys lyf,
And þer-to do hys myȝte;

222

And wessche and greydy hys fessel,
And do trewlyche hys charge,
And make offrynge of hys beden,
Myd wil do elmesse large:
Þys wyke
By þys ȝe iseoþ how ech mey do
Ine manere of mystyke.

223

Þe signe hys of þys sacrement
Þe bisschopes blessynge,

Forþ myd þe admynystracioun
Þat he deþ atte ord[r]ynge;
And grace
Of wyt and of auctoryte
Þet þyng hys ine þe place.

(I. 7) [D]E matrimonio.

224

Her longeþ nou to þys sarmon
Of spousyng for to werche,
Þet hys þe tokne of þe ioynyng
of Gode and holy cherche;
And woste,
Ryȝt holy cherche ycleped hys
Þat holy folk ine goste.

225

And ase þer mot atter spousyng
Be ryȝt a-sent of boþe,
Of man and of þer wymman ek,
Yn loue and nauȝt y loþe,
I-lyche
By-tuixe god and holy folk
Loue hys wel trye and ryche.

226

Þanne aȝte men here wyues loue,
Ase god doþ holy cherche;
And wyues nauȝt aȝens men
Non on-wrestnesse werche,
Ac þo-lye,
And nauȝt onwrest op-sechen hy,
Ne tounge of hefede holye.

227

Ine wlessche ioyneþ man and wyf,
Children to multeplye;

And god haþ taken oure flesch
Of þe mayde marye;
Wel ferren
Þerof springeþ þet holye stren
I-lykned to þe sterren.

228

Wel fayr þanne hys þys sacrement,
And marye was by-gonne
Þo hyt by-gan ine paradys,
Are adam were y-wonne
To senne;
Ac þo changede to uylenye
Þat stat of man-kenne.

229

For ȝef he hedde ihealde hym,
Ase god hym hedde y-maked,
He hedde y-brout forþe hys bearm-team
Wyþ-oute senne ismaked.
Wet þanne?
Ȝet holy stren by-tokned hys
By strenyng of þe mane.

230

Hyt was god self þat spousyng ferst
In paradys[e] sette;
Þe fend hyt was þat schente hyt al
Myd gyle and hys abette,
Wrancheuel:
Spousoþ scheawyþ wet god þer dede;
Hordom, wat dede þe deuel.

231

For wanne man draȝþ to hordom,
He let hys ryȝt[e] spouse;

So dede adam ine paradys
Hys ryȝt[e] lord of house,
Of heuene:
Þe gode forhorede þe fend
Wyþ hys blaundynge steuene.

232

Þat deþ þat god menteyneþ wel
Ryȝt spousyng her an erþe,
And euer mo schel go to schame
Hordom, and þet hys werþe;
I-lome
Ȝhet some weneþ ligge in spoushoþ,
And liþe ine hordome.

233

Þer-fore ich wylle telle ȝou
Þe lore of ryȝt spousynge,
Þat ȝe ne take horedom,
Wanne takeþ weddynge.
Nou lestneþ
Þe lore al of þe laȝe y-wryte
Þat holy cherche festneþ.

234

Ase to god, hyt were y-now
Þat bare assent oof boþe,
Wyþ-oute speche and by-treuþynge,
And alle manere oþe.—
And speche?
Þer mote be speche, of hare assent
Holy cherche to teche.

235

And ȝef þe man oþer þat wyf
By cheaunce doumbe were,
Ȝef [me] may wyten hare assent
By soum oþer abere,
And deaue,

Hy mowe be wedded wel ȝeng
By holy cherche leue.

236

Two manere speches beþ iwoned
Þer two men for to nomene,
Þat one of þyng þat hys nou,
Þat oþer of te comene,
Wel couþe:
“Her ich þe take” wordes beþ
Of þyng þat hijs nouþe.

237

And ȝef me seyþe:—“ich wille þe haue,
And þer-to treuþe plyȝte,”
He spekeþ of þyng þat his to come,
Þat scholde be myd ryȝte
Of treuþe;
Ac þat ferste ne faylleþ nauȝt,
Þat oþer may for sleuþe.

238

And ȝyf an oþer treuþeþ seþe
Wyþ word of þat hys nouþe,
Þe ferste dede halte beþ,
Ne be hy nase couþe,
As none,
Bote ȝef þer folȝede þat treuþyng
A ferst flesch ymone.

239

For þet compleþ þet spoushod
After þe by-treuþyng,
Þat hyt ne may [nauȝt] be ondon
Wyþ none wyþ-seggynge,
By ryȝte;
And þaȝ hyt were her ondo,
Hyȝt halt wyþ oure dryȝte.

240

And her may treuþyng be ondo
Þorwe fal[s]nesse of partye,
And for de-faute of witnessyng,
Wyþ wrang and trycherye;
I-lome
Me weddeþ suyche, and liggeþ so
For þan ine hordome.

241

Ne hyȝt ne may no man ondo
By lawe none kennes,
And so by-leueþ euer-mo
Fort oþer wendeþ hennes:
Þon-wyse
So bryngeþ hem in suche peryl,
Þat hy ne mowe aryse.

242

Ac ȝef eny hys ine þe cas,
Redich þat he be chaste;
And ȝyf hys make mone craueþ,
Ine leyser oþer in haste,
Lykynde,
He moȝt hyȝt do wyþ sorye mod
And—skyle wert—wepynge.

243

Ȝyt he mot gret penaunce do
Þe dayes of hys lyue,
And ȝet þe more, ȝef [he] haþ maked
An hore of hys wyf[e],
Þat ere
Ȝef þat he hedde y-wedded hy,
A goud wymman hyt were.

244

For suche laȝe is þat manye beþ,
Men oþer wymmen of elde,

Þar suche contraȝt y-maked hys,
Þat moȝe ryȝt proue ȝelde,
And scholle;
And ȝet of no lees þane of tuo
Nys proue to þe folle.

245

And ȝyf ryȝt contract ys ymaked
Wyȝþ-oute wytnessynge,
Ȝef hy by-knoweþ openlyche
By-fore men of trewynge,
Te take
To-gidere y-hoten scholle hy be,
Þaȝ oþer eft for-sake.

246

Þat hys, bote hy wedded be
To oþren er hy hyȝt by-knewe;
For þaȝ hy by-knowe hyt,
Ne hys nauȝt y-helde trewe
By lawe;
For ȝef hy were, hyt scholde be
Þese spousebrechene sawe.

247

Of ham þat scholde ywedded be
Her þe age þou myȝt lerne:
Þet knaue child for-tene ȝer
Schel habbe, ane tuel þe þerne.
Spousynge
At seue ȝer me maky may,
Ac none ryȝt weddynge.

248

For þeȝ hy were by assent
Ryȝt opelyche ywedded,
And, ase þyse childre ofte beþ,
To-gadere ryȝt y-bedded,
By ryȝte,

Bote ȝef hy ȝyue ine tyme assent,
Departed be y myȝte.

249

And þe tyme is, wane aþer can
Oþer fleschlyche yknowe;
For wanne hy habbeþ þet ydo,
Ne mowe hi be to-þrowe.
In saȝe
Hy beþ icliped puberes,
Þat hys a word of lawe.

250

Ne no treuþyng stonde ne schel
Wyþ strenþe ymaked ine mone,
Bote þer folȝy by assent
Ryȝt flesch y-mone
Ine dede;
For þet foluelleþ þat spoushoþ,
As ich before sede.

251

And ȝyf hy boþe by assent
Þe þrydde treuþe leyde,
Her eyþer oþer for to haue,
Oþer word to asenti seyde,
Oþe[r] swore,
Ȝef hy soffreþ hym mone of flesch,
Hys wyf and nauȝt hys hore.

252

And ȝef þer hys condicioun
Yset atter treuþynge,
Ȝef hyt hys goud wyþ-oute qued,
Hyt letteþ þe weddynge
On-healde,
Bote ȝef þer ulesches ymone be
Folȝynde, ase ich ear tealde.

253

And hit is wykked condicioun,
Couenaunt of schreawed-hede;
Ase ȝef he seyþ:—“ich wille þe haue
Ȝef þou deist suche a dede
Of queade;”
Þaȝ þet couenant be nauȝt y-do,
Hy scholle hem weddy nede.

254

Bote þat quead be aȝeins spoushoþ,
Ase ich schel here teche:
And ȝef man seyþ:—“ich wolle þe haue
Ȝyf þou wilt be spousbreche,
Oþer wealde
For te destruwen oure stren,”
Þat treuþyng darf nauȝt healde.

255

Sudeakne mey be ywedded nauȝt,
Monek, muneche, ne no frere,
Ne no man of religion,
Profes ȝef þat he were
To leste:
Of chaste[te] professioun
Hys solempne by-heste.

256

Ac ȝef man of religion
Be hys ryt fre wille
Ouer tyme of professioun
Heldeþ hym þrynne stylle,
Relessed
Schel hym nauȝt be religioun,
Þaȝ he be nauȝt professed.

257

Ac ȝef þer were ryȝt treuþyng
Þat may nauȝt be relessed,
Ere hye in-to suche ordre came,
And here hi be professed,
To soþe,
Hy scholde aȝen to þe spousyng,
And lete al þat to noþe.

258

Hye þat þe man for-leyen heþe
Vnder hys ryȝt[e] wyf[e],
Oþer ȝyf hy hosebonde heþ
Ine þet spousbreche alyue,
Bi dome,
Ȝet hi myȝte be wedded eft,
Ȝef hy sengle by-come.

259

Bote ȝef hy by-treuþede hem
Wyþ worde of nouþe itake,
Oþer bote hy by-speke his deþe
In hare senuolle sake,
To slaȝe;
For þanne scholde hy weddi nouȝt,
By none ryȝt[e] lawe.

260

Meseles mowe y-wedded be,
Ȝef hi asenti wylle,
An, þaȝ oþer bicome mesel,
To-gadere healde hem stylle;
To nomene,
Bote þe treuþinge bare be
Wyþ wordes of to comene.

261

For ȝef þet hy by-treuþed be
Wiþ worde of nou ytake,

Oþer wyd wordes of to come,
Wiþ dede of flesches sake,
Þer, broþer,
Scel be renoueled þet a-gonne hijs,
And ayþer folȝy oþer.

262

Bote þe syke in-to a spytel hous
Entry, þer beþ museles,
Þanne der þe hole nauȝt
Þer-ine folwy hijs meles,
Ne hijs gyfte;
Falþe ham nauȝt in such compaigni
To-gadere be anyȝt.

263

And ine þe weddynge ne gaynet nouȝt
Þaȝ þon þe oþer by-swyke,
Wanne þon weneþ þe oþer be hol,
And wedded þane syke,
Ne-tinde:
Ne beþ no þynges bote two
Þat oundoþ þe weddyng:

264

Þat on hys, wanne he weddeþ þe þral,
And weneþ þe frye take;
Þat oþer, wanne he weddeþ one oþer
Þane hys ryȝte make,
By-gyled:
Þe lawe of god ne senteþ nouȝt
Þat man be so by-wyled.

265

And ȝyf þet one weddeþ þe þral,
And weneþ þe frye weddy;
And ȝyf a spyet þat soþe þrof,
And wondeþ nauȝt to beddy
Ine mone,

Ȝef he by wyl serueþ þat flesch,
Ryȝt partyng worthe hym none.

266

And ȝyf þy wyf hebbeþ a child,
Wane þou he hest for-leye,
Ne myȝt [þou] nauȝt weddy þat childe
Eft, þaȝ þat þy wyf deye,
By lawe;
Ne forþe þe moder þet hyt beer,
Ne woldest þou nase y-faȝe.

267

And ȝyf þou hebbest so a child,
Þe lawe y-wryte hyt sede,
Þy wyf, þat his þyn oȝe flesch,
Draȝeþ eke þe godesybred[e],
Y-mete,
Þat hy ne may weddy þat child,
Ne fade[r] þet hyt biȝete.

268

Þet ilke þat y-crystned hys
Ne may weddy by laȝe
Him þat hym crystneþ, ne hys child,
Ne wolde nase uaȝe,
Ac lete,
And eke hem þat hym hebbeþ so,
And alle hare biȝete.

269

And forþe, fader and moder
Þat hyne fleschlyche forþ wyseþ
Gostlyche for hym by-sebbe beþ
To ham þat hine baptiȝeþ;
And heuen
Þer-fore, þaȝ hy ham wedded eft,
Ne myt[e hy] so by-leuen.

270

And ase þe gossybrede draȝþ
Ryȝt to ous after crystnynge,

So gossibrede draȝeþ ek
Ryȝt after confermynge
By lawe,
Þat so ne moȝe hy weddy nauȝt,
Ne wolde hy nase y-uaȝe.

271

More godsibrede nys þer nauȝt
Þane hys y-meneȝed here,
Godfader wedded godsones child
Fol wel, my leue fere;
No senne
Neþ man and wyf þat weddeþ ham,
Godfader þeȝ he habbe enne.

272

And ȝyf a man hebbeþ þy child,
And nauȝt bye þyne wyfe,
Þy wyf may weddy þane man
Wel after þyne lyue,
And libbe;
And in þat cas þou myȝt weddy
To þyne wyfes gossibbe.

273

And [þaȝ] þat lawe for-bede nauȝt
Þat man and wyf ymene
Toe-hebbe a child, ȝet scholdy nauȝt
Honestete so ȝwene,
Ne wette
Schrewede tonge for te speke,
For sclaunder me schal lette.

274

Þe sibbe mowe to-gadere nauȝt
Þe foerþe grees wyþ-inne;
Ne me ne scholde telle þe stok,
Ac after hym by-ginne
To telle;

And ȝef oþer þe fifte of-takeþ,
To-gare moȝe hy dwelle.

275

Ȝef þou myd word of þet hys novþe
Aryȝt bi-treuþest one—
Oþer þaȝ þet [þou] bi-treuþy hy nauȝt—
And hast flesches mone,
By lawe
Alle here sybbe affinite
To þe for þan schel drawe.

276

And þet ine þe selue degre
Þat hy beþ here by-sybbe;
And ȝef þou weddest eny of ham,
In inceste scholle ȝe lybbe
An erþe,
Ȝef hy ysibbe ine degres
Ryȝt wyþ-inne þe ferþe.

277

And so drawyþ hy affinite
Wyþ alle þyne sibbe,
Ase þou of hire sibben draȝst
For þan, þaȝ hy ne libbe;
Wat deþ hyȝt?
Hyt deþ þe Inonynge ine flesch,
Þeȝ non ne wyte ne se hyȝt.

278

And holy cherche y-hote heþ,
Me schal maky þe cryes
At cherche oppe holy dayȝes þre
By-fore þe poeple þryes,
To assaye,
To sech contrait ȝef me mey
Of destorber a-uaye.

279

For, erþe þe banes [be] y-gred,
He þat þe treuþe makeþ
Farþ ase he þat great work by-gunþ,
And þanne conseil takeþ,
And teyleþ;
Ac mani man þat so by-gunþ
Wyþ grete harme fayleþ.

280

And þaȝ þe weddyng were maked
Ase hyt mytte by lawe,
Ȝet hyt myȝte eft be ondo,
And eft al-so to-drawe.
Wet wyse?
Ȝef þer ne mey noþere kendelyche
Do þe flesches seruyse.

281

Þet hys, ȝef þat ere þe weddynge
Folle þat ylke lette,
Þat oþer were so ilet,
To do þe flesches dette
By kende;
For ȝef þat lettyng velle seþe,
Ne scholde hy nouȝt to-wende.

282

And þaȝ þet on bi-wichched be
Þanne hy to-gadere come,
Þat hy ne myȝte don ryȝt nauȝt,
Ne a-sayde [hy] nase lome,
And wolde:
Ȝet þre ȝier hy abyde scholde,
To-do ere hi be scholde.

283

And þaȝ þat seruyse be foul,
Ȝet hyt hys tokne of gode;

For hyȝt by-tokneþ þe takyng
Of oure flesch and blode
Ine cryst[e]:
No stren may non encressy
Wyþ-oute flesches loste.

284

And dette hyȝt hys in spousod,
Wanne þe oþer hyȝt wolde;
For ȝyf hyt þoþer nolde do,
Destrayned be he scholde
By rytte
To do hyt, ȝyf þat he may:
Þe lawe heþ seche myȝte.

285

And þaȝ man habbe bysemer
Of seche manere destresse,
Be hem wel syker, hyt hys ydo
For wel grete godnesse
Of lyue;
For elles nolde þe laȝe nauȝt
Of suche þynge schryue.

286

In spoushod beþ godnesse þre,
Treuþe, streny[n]g, and signe.
Treuþe hys, þat þer no gile be
Þourwe spousebreche maligne;
Ac, broþer,
Þat on may spousbreche by-come
For de-faute of þet oþer.

287

Þat oþer godnesse hys strenyng,
Þer me may children wene;
Ac ȝyf þat on þoþren warneþ hys flesch,
Ne myȝt[e] hy naut strene:
On-nette

Þo scholde þat godnesse be
By-twene ham in lette.

288

Þe þrydde godnesse hys sacrament,
Þat hijs þe holy signe
Of the ioynyng of god self
And holye cherche digne,
Þat avayleþ;
And ȝyf [þon] þoþren warnþ hys flesch,
Þat sacrement hem fayleþ.

289

By þyse þre hy moȝe ise
Wanne hy ine flesche seneȝeþ,
Wanne hy wyþ-oute þyse þre
Wyþ fleschlich mone me[n]geþ:
hare oþer,
Þe more hy hyt doþ, þe wors hi beþ,
And god al-so þe loþer.

290

Ase ȝef hy hyȝt myȝte wel a-come
To letten oþer wyle,
And lesse do hyt þane hy doþ,
Wyþ-oute oþeres peryl[e],
Ac blondeþ,
And—nys nō ned—wyþ foule handlyng
Oþer oþer afondeþ.

291

Ne hy ne wondeþ messeday,
Ne none holy tyde,
Ne holy stede, wyþ-oute peryl
Þaȝ hy myȝte abyde;
Spy, felþe!
Þer hy myȝte hyt do kendelyche,
On-kende hys hare onselthe.

292

Hyt nys nauȝt aȝens sacrement
Of god and holy cherche,
Þay hy nolde by goud purpos
Ine hare flesche werche,
By-feld;
So ferde marye and ioseph,
By assent þat clene hem held.

293

For þey hye wolde [by assent]
In flesch by-leue clene,
Ȝet aȝeyns treuþe nere hyt nouȝt,
Ne forþe aȝeyns strene.
Hou scholde hyȝt
Aȝe gode purpos of strene [be],
Bote oþer of ham wolde hyȝt?

294

Ne hyȝt nys aȝeyns sacrement
By assent þaȝ hy be clene
In spoushoþ, ȝef hy louieþ hem,
And wel libbeþ imene;
Wytnesse
Cryst and þys holy saulen eke,
Al louieþ hem ine clannesse.

295

And ȝyf boþe beþ of god wylle,
And of assent at emne,
To take to religion
And makye a vou solempne,
Hy mytte
In chastyte for euere mo
Seruy oure drytte.

296

And ȝef þat eyþer oþer may
Kendelyche serue,
Ne moȝen hy aȝeins wyl to-go,
Er þane oþer schal sterue;
No sauue,
Bote ȝef þat on for-houred be,
He may de-partyng haue.

297

And ȝef hy so departed be,
Chastite he mote take,
So longe ase þoþres lyf ylest
Þat whas hys ryȝt[e] make;
Nyst gabbe,
Ȝef he oþer þane hy for-lyþ,
Aȝen a schel hys habbe.

298

Þaȝ hy mysdede, ȝet, and he wyle,
Eft aȝeyn he may craue,
Þaȝ þer such a departyng be,
And hijs wyf aȝeyn haue,
And scholde;
Þaȝ hy wyþ-seyde hyt openlyche,
And aȝeyn come nolde.

299

Ac vnder-stond for þet hordom
Þat makeþ þes to stryue,
Þat eche hordom ne parteþ nauȝt
Þe man al fram hys wyf[e].
Nou lestne:
Ȝef þe oþer oþren so by-swykeþ,
No moȝe hy nouȝt onuestne.

300

Ne þaȝ a wyf by-gyled be
Of an oþer by wrake,
And weneþ wel to for-leye be
Of hyre ryȝtte make;
Ȝet more,

Þaȝ hy be strengþe be for-leye,
Takþ he nauȝt houre lore.

301

Ne ȝef þon þoþer profreþ
Wyþ any oþer to beddy;
Ne ȝef þon wenþ þis oþres deþ,
And he anoþer weddy:
Þaȝ come
Þe make aȝen, ne schelde hy be
To-do for hordome.

302

Ac ȝet, nou ounderstand for ham
Þat gooþ a pylgrymage:
On wēddeþ, þoþer abyde schel
Wet oþer passeþ age
By kende,
Oþer wat þat þer be of hys deaþ
Ryȝt god and certayn mende.

303

And ȝyf [þe] man halt ase hys wyf
After þe gelt hys spouse,
Þaȝ he by hyre ne ligge nouȝt,
Oþer halt hys ine hys house,
In tome,
Ne schal hy nauȝt de-parted be
Fram hym for hordome.

304

Þe signe hys of þe sacrement
Þe treuþynge wel couþe,
Oþer couþe signe of þet asent,
Wyþ worde [of] þat hijs nouþe;
And dygne

Þynges þer beþ her mo þan on,
Onder þys ylke signe.

305

Þet o þyng hys þet hol assent
By-tuixte man an wyf[e],
Wat byndi[n]g hys of þe spousehoþ,
To helde to ende of lyf[e];
And, broþer,
Þys ilke þyng a signe hys eke
Of þyng to-forin an-oþer.

306

And þat þyng hys, as ich seyde her,
Þo ich her-an gan werche,
Þe holy ioynyng of godself
And of al holy cherche;
In tome
Of spou[s]hoþ þys aueyement
Loukeþ ȝou for hordome.

307

Þo seynt Iohan in þe apokalips
Seȝ priuetes of heuene,
He seȝ a bok was fast ischet
Wyþ strong[e] lokes seuene;
A wonder!
Ne myȝte hy no man ondo
Aboue in heuene and onder.

308

And þo þat seint iohan y-seȝ þat,
Wel sore he gan to wepe;
Þo seyde an angel:—“wep þou nouȝt,
Ac take wel gode kepe:
Þys sygne

Þat holy lambe þat slaȝen hys
To ondo hyt hys wel dygne.”

309

Þys ylke bok þe mistyk ys
Of þese sacrementis,
Þat were ischet fram alle men,
Wat god hymself out sent hys
To tounne;
For, be þou syker, hy were in god,
Er þan þe wordle by-gounne.

310

For ase he wyste wel [ynoȝ]
We scholde be by-gyled,
So euer wyste he þat þe feend
Scholde aȝen be by-wyled
Þorȝ cryste;
Ac he hyt hadde wel priue
For saternases lyste;

311

Al what os com þet ilke lambe,
Ihesus, þat was y-slawe,
Þat onne-schette þe queynte loken
Þat spek of þe alde lawe,
And seuene
So kedde out þyse sacremens,
By-neþe and boue in heuene.

312

Þe ferste loke onleke ihesus,
Ase he wel coude and myȝte,
Þo nychodemus to hym come
At one tyme by nyȝte,
To lerny,
And he ondede hym cristendom:
No leng he nolde hyt derny.

313

Þat lok [he] on-leak of confermyng
Þer hijs apostles leye

Slepynde, þo þat he ham bed
Aryse for to preye
Amonge,
Þat hy ne uolle into fondyng,
Ac þat hye weren stronge.

314

Þe þrydde loke on-leke ihesus
Þer he set atte sopere,
Þo he sacrede hys flesch and blod,
Ase ich ȝou seyde hyt here,
So holde,
In fourme of bred and eke of wyn,
Þat we hyt notye scholde.

315

And þo peter in ore nyȝt
Þryes hedde hyne for-sake,
And he by-held hyne þer a set,
Ryȝt atte hys pynyng stake,
Nem kepe,
Þer he on-leke penaunce loke,
Þo peter gan to wepe.

316

Þe fyfte, þat hys Elyynge,
Cryst on-leke to oure wayne,
Þo hand and fet and al hys lymes
I-persed were ine payne
One-helede,
For al þe sennes of oure lemes:
Anon so be we anelede.

317

Þe syxte on-leke swete ihesus,
Of ordre noþyng orne,
Þo he a-ueng for oure loue
Þe croune of scharpe þornes;
Wel wyde

Ondede þe lok of ryȝt spousyng
Þe wounde onder hys syde.

318

For ase wymman com of þe ryb
Of þe mannes ryȝt syde,
So holyche[rche], spouse of god,
Sprang of þane wonden wyde;
Nou leste
Hou þat was hed conseyl ine god
Sprounge hijs out at hys brest[e].

319

Nou, lord, þat coudest maky open
Þet no man coude ounschette,
And canste wel schetten þet hy[s] open,
Þat none oþer can dette,
To hopye
So graunte ous þyne sacremens,
Þat non errour ne (ous) a-scapye;

320

And þat we hys mote aredy haue,
Lord, her at oure nede,
Þat no deueȝl ne a-combry ous,
Lord, þou hyȝt ham for-bede
Amonge;
And for þe tokene þat we neme,
Lat ouse þy dole fonge.

AMEN.

Oretis pro anima domini Willelmi de Schorham, quondam vicarii de chart, iuxta Ledes. Qui composuit istam compilationem de septem sacramentis.

II. Pater noster. Domine labia mea aperies, Etc'.

Þou opene myne lyppen, Lord,
Let felþe of senne out-wende,
And my mouþe, wyþ wel god accord
Schel þyne worschypyng sende.

Deus, in adiutorium meum intende!

[G]ode atende to my socour,
Lord, hyȝe, and help me fyȝte.
Glorye to þe fader and sone,
And to þe gost of myȝtte;
Ase hyt was ferst, and hijs, and schal
Euere more be wyþ ryȝtte.

[Hora matutina].

Uaderis wyt of heue[ne] an heȝ,
Soþnesse of oure dryȝte,
God and man y-take was
At matyn-tyde by nyȝte.
Þe disciples þat were his,
Anone hy hyne for-soke;
I-seld to gywes, and by-traid,
To pyne hyne toke.

Adoramus to, christe, et benediscimus tibi, &c'.

We þe honreþ, ihesu cryst,
And blesseþ, ase þou os touȝtest;
For þourȝ þy crouche and passion
Þys wordle þou for-bouȝtest.

Oremus, Domine ihesu christe.

We þe byddeþ, ihesu cryst,
Godes sone alyue,
Sete crouche, pyne and passyoun,
And þy deþe þat hys ryue,

By-tuext ous and iugement,
Þat no fend ous ne schende,
Nou, ne wanne þe tyme comþe
Þet we scholle hennes wende;

And ȝyf þe lyues mylse and grace,
Þe dede red and reste,
Holy cherche acord and pays,
Ous glorye and lyf þat beste;

Þat leuest and regnest wyþ þe fader
Þer neuer nys no pyne,
And also wyþ þe holy gost,
Euere wyþ-oute fyne.

AmeN.

Ave maria gracia plena. dominus tecum. Benedicta tu, &c'.

O swete leuedy, wat þey was wo,
Þo ihesus by-come morne,
For drede þo þe blodes dropen
Of swote of hym doun orne!

And, leuedy, þe was wel wors,
Þo þat þou seȝe in dede
Þy leue childe reulyche y-nome,
And ase a þef forþe lede.

And ase he þolede þet for ous,
Leuedy, wyþ-oute sake,
Defende ous, wanne we dede beþe,
Þat noe fende ous ne take.

Pater noster. God, atente to my socour! Lord, hyȝe, etc. [D]Eus in adiutorium meum. Domine ad. Hora prima.

At prime, ihesus was iled
To-fore syre pylate,
Þar wytnesses false and fele
By-lowen hyne for hate.

In þane nekke hy hene smyte,
Bonden hys honden of myȝtte,
By-spet hym þat swe[t]e semblant
Þat heuene and erþe a-lyȝtte.

Adoramus te christe. We þe honoureþ, &c'. domine ihesu christe. We þe biddeþ, ihesu cryst. Aue maria, &c'.

O swete leuedy, wat þe was wo
A gode fry-dayes morwe,
Þo al þe nyȝt y-spende[d] was
In swete ihesues sorwe!

Þou seȝe hyne hyder and þyder ycached,
Fram pylate to herode;
So me bete hys bare flesch,
Þat hyȝt arne alle a blode.

And ase he þolede þat for ous,
Leuedy, wiþ-oute crye,
Scheld ous, wanne we deade beþ,
Fram alle feenden mestrye.

Pater noster. Deus in adiutorium. God, atende to my socour! [p. 79] Crucifige, &c'. [Hora tertia.]

Crucyfige! crucifige!
Gredden hy at ondre;
A pourpre cloþ hi dede hym on,
A scorne an hym to wondre;

Hy to-stek hys swete hefed
Wyþ one þornene coroune;

Toe caluarye his crouche ha beer
Wel reuliche ouȝt of þe toune.

V 7. Adoramus te. Ue þe honoureþ, ihesu cryst, ut supra [p. 79]. Domine ihesu christe. We þe byddeþ, ihesu cryst [p. 80]. [A]ue maria, &c'.

O swete leuedy, wat þe was wo,
Þo þat me ihesus demde,
Þo þat me oppone hys swete body
Þe heuye crouche semde!

To bere hyt to caluary,
I-wys, hyt was wel wery;
For so to-bete and so to-boned,
Hyȝt was reweleche and drery.

And alse he þolede þat for ous,
Leuedy, a þysse wyse,
I-scheld ous, wanne we dede beþ,
From alle fendene Iewyse.

Deus in adiutorium. Gode, atende to my socour. [p. 79] Pater noster. Hora sexta.

On crouche y-nayled was ihesus
Atte sixȝte tyde;
Stronge þeues hengen hy
On eyþer half hys syde;

Ine hys pyne hys stronge þerst
Stanchede hy wyþ ȝalle,
So þat godes holy lombe
Of senne wesch ous alle.

Adoramus te christe. We þe honoureþ, ihesu cryst [p. 79]. Oremus. Domine ihesu christe. We þe biddeþ ihesu cryst [p. 80]. Aue maria gratia plena.

O swete leuedy, wat þe was wo,
Þo þy chyld was an-honge,
Itached to þe harde tre
Wyþ nayles gret and longe!

Þe gywes gradden: “com a-doun!”
Hy neste wat y mende,
For þran ha þole[de] to be do
To deþ for man-kende.

And ase he henge, leuedy, four ous
A heye oppon þe helle,
Ischeld ous, wane we deade ben,
Þat we ne hongy in helle.

Amen.

Pater noster. Deus in adiutorium. God, atende to my socour [p. 79]. Lord, hyȝe, &c'. Hora nona.

Atte none ihesu cryst
Þane harde deaþ felde;
Ha grade “hely” to hys fader,
Þe soule he gan op-ȝelde.

A kniȝt wyþ one scharpe spere
Stang hyne iþe ryȝt syde;
Þerþe schok, þe sonne dym
By-come in þare tyde.

Adoramus te. We þe honoureþ, ihesu cryst [p. 79]. Domine ihesu christe. We þe byddeþ, ihesu cryst [p. 80]. Aue maria gracia plena, &c'.

O swete leuedy, wat þe was wo,
Þo ihesus deyde on rode!
Þe crouche, and þe ground onder hym,
By-bled was myd his blode.

Þat swerde persed þyne saule þo,
And so hyt dede wel ofter;
Þat was þy sorwe for þy child:
Deþe adde be wel softer.

And ase he þoled þane deþ,
Leuedy, for oure mende,
Schulde ous, wanne we dede beþ,
Fram deþ wyþ-outen ende.

Amen.

Pater noster. Deus in adiutorium. God, attende to my socour. Lorde hiȝe, &c'. [p. 79] De cruce deponitur. hora, etc. [Hora vespertina.]

Of þe crouche he was do
At auesanges oure;
Þe strengþe lotede ine god
Of oure sauueoure.

Suche a deaþ a vnder-ȝede,
Of lyf þe medicine;
Alas, hi was y-leyd adoun,
Þe croune of blisse, in pyne.

Adoramus te. We þe honoureþ, ihesu crist [p. 79]. domine ihesu christe. We þe biddeþ, ihesu cryst [p. 80]. Aue maria gratia plena.

O swete leuedy, wat þe was wo,
Þo cryst was do of rode!
For as a mesel þer he lay,
A-stouned, in spote and blode.

For-bere wepyng ne myȝt hy
Þat seȝe al hou þou weptyst;
Al hy þe seȝe of hym blody,
So ofte þou hine by-cleptyst.

And ase he þolede þe fylþe
For felþe of oure sennes,
Helpe ous, leuedy, we clene be,
Wanne we scholle wende hennes.

AmeN.

Pater noster, &c'. Deus [in] adiutorium. God, attende to my socour, &c'. Lord hiȝe, &c'. [p. 79] Hora complettorij.

At complyn hyt was y-bore
To þe beryynge,
Þat noble corps of ihesu cryst,
Hope of liues comynge.

Wel richeleche hit was anoynt,
Folfeld hys holy boke;
Ich bydde, lord, þy passioun
In myne mende loke.

Adoramus te. We þe honoureþ, ihesu crist [p. 79]. Domine ihesu christe. We byddeþ, ihesu cryst [p. 80]. Aue maria, gracia plena, &c'.

O swete leuedy, wat þe was wo,
And drery was þy mone,
Þo þou seiȝe þy lefe sone
Ibered vnder þe stone!

Þat þou wystest þourȝ þy fey
Aryse þat he scholde,
A drery fay hyt was to þe
Þat he lay vnder molde.

And ase he was four ous y-bered,
And aros þourwe hys myȝtte,
Help ous, leuedy, a domes day,
Þat we aryse mytte brytte. Amen.

Þyse oures of þe canoune,
Lord, meneȝe ich þe wel fayre,
Wyþ wel greȝt deuocioun,
A reyson de-bonayre.

And ase þou þoledest, lor[d], for me
Ope caluaryes doune,
So, acordaunt to þy trauayl,
Lord, graunte me þy coroune.

AmeN.

(III.) De decem preceptis.

1

Þe man þat godes hestes halt,
And þat myd gode wylle,
And nauȝt one by-fore men,
Ac boþe loud and stylle,
Meche hys þe mede þat hym worþe,
By so þat he na-drylle;
Ȝef he hys brekeþ, and so by-leefþ,
Hys sauyle schal he spylle.

2

Ȝef þou hys halst, man, god þe seiþe
Ha wole be þe so kende,
He wole be fo to þyne fon,
And frend to þyne frende;
Hye þe mysdoþ, ham wyle mysdo,
And haue þys in þyne mende:
Hys angel schal to-for þe go
To wyte þe fram þe fende.

3

Þyne sustenaunce þou schel[t] haue,
Þyȝ nauȝt a lyue delyce,
Ac mete and cloþes renableliche,
And lyf ine herte blysce.
Þaȝ folk þe heelde a nice man,
Þer-fore nert þou nauȝt nyce;
I-likned worþ þy gode loos
So swete so þe spyce.

4

Ȝef þe þat art a crystene man
Wel hy healde by-falleþ,
Syker þou myȝt be of þat lond
Þar melke and hony walleþ;
Þat hys þe blysse of heuene a-boue,
Þar holy soulen stalleþ
Ine glorye þer none ende nys,
Ne none swetnesse a-ppalleþ.

5

To wyte þanne wat god haȝt
Is eche man wel y-halde;
Þrof ich may telle ase ich wot,
Ase oþer men me tealde,
And ase hyt hys in holye boke
I-wryten ine many a felde:
Lestneþ to mey, par charyte,
Boþe ȝonge and ealde.

6

O þyng hyt hys, al þat god hat,
Bote a two he hyȝt dyȝte,
And þat hys loue, man, syker þou be,
To louye wyþ þy myȝte.
Þou ert y-helde, man, þer-to
By skele and eke by ryȝtte;
Þou þenke her-on, par charyte,
By dayes and eke by nyȝtte.

7

Þys loue god heþ y-diȝt a tuo
Amang hijs hestes alle.
Þe ferste hys, for to louye god,
By-falle what so falle;
Seþþe to louye alle men,
So broþren scholde ine halle,
Wyþ-outen byternesse of mode,
Þat hijs þare saule galle.

8

Þe man þat healdeþ þys[e] two,
Of charyte þe heastes,
Al he folue[l]þ þe lawe of gode,
And prophetene gestes.
Ac lasse loue þer hys wyþ men
Þane be wyþ wylde bestes:
Þat doþ þat manye y-schodred ben
Fram heuene-ryche festes.

9

Ten hestes haueþ y-hote god,
Ase holy wryt ous tealde;
Ope two tablettes of ston
Wyþ hys finger bealde
He hys wrot, Moyses by-tok,
Wylom by daȝes ealde,
To wyse man hou [he] schal wel
Þese ten hestes healde.

10

In ston ich wot þat he hys wrot,
In tokne of sykernesse,
Þat wo þat wole ysaued be,
Þe more and eke þe lesse,
By-houeþ þat he healde hy
Wyþ al hys bysynysse.
Allas! feawe þencheþ þer-on
I[n hare] wykkednesse.

11

Þet o table hedde þry
Of þyse hestes tene;
Þe þri longeþ to loue of gode,
Ase hyȝt schel wel be sene.
Þe seuen longet to loue of man,
Þat none scholde wene

Ine þoþer table sete þo,
To-gadere and al y-mene.

12

Honury þou schelt enne god,
Hym one to by-knowe;
Take nauȝt hys name in ydelschepe,
Wyþ ydel wynde to blowe;
Halȝe þou þe masseday,
Ase he comþe in þe rewe:
In þese þre schewyþ þe loue of god,
Were hyt hys to sewe.

13

Worschipe þy fader and moder eke;
Ne bryng no man of lyue;
Do þe to none lecherye,
Þaȝ þe fondyngge dryue;
Wytnesse uals ne bere þou non;
Of þefþe þou ne schryue;
Coueyte none mannes wyf,
Ne nauȝt of hys forstryue.

14

Þys beþe þe seuene þat loue of man
Schewe[þ] what hyȝt be scholde;
Ȝef eny man fayleþ eny of þys,
Nys hyȝt bote an on-holde.
Ac al to fewe louyeþ ham,
And wylleþ þat oþer wolde;
Alas! wat schal be hare red
Wanne hy beþ vnder molde?

15

Ac many man desceyued hys,
And weneþ þat he hys helde;
And weyneþ þat he be out of peryl,
Oþer ine senne so schealde,
Þat hym ne douteþ of no breche
Of godes hestes healde;

Ac he not nefer wat hy beeþ,
Ne neuer hy ne tealde.

16

I-wryte hyt hys, ich telle hyȝt þe,
Ine þe boke of wysdome,
Þat eche man scholde conne hy,
And rekeny wel y-lome;
And þat hy nere nauȝt for-ȝete,
Wane oþere þouȝtes come,
Tys fyngres scolde man bynde hy
For doute of harde dome.

17

For mannes honden and hys fet
Beret tokene wel gode
Of alle þe tenne comaundemens:
Þat, man, þyt onder-stoude!
Ten fyngres and ten þine tone,
Of flesche and bon and blode,
Tokneþ þat þyne workes ne be,
Aȝeyns þe hestes, for-broude.

18

Ȝet somman hijs þat passioun-lyche
Can telle hy myd þe beste,
Ac ine hys dedes uares he
Ase he nauȝt of hem neste;
And ȝet hym þingþ þat he deþ wel,
And for to come to reste;
Ac al desceyued schel he be,
Wanne comeþ þe grete enqueste.

19

Here-fore nys hyȝt nauȝt y-nouȝ
To telle hy uor to conne:
And telle and werche wel þer-by,
Þanne hys hyȝt alle y-wonne.

For wel to conne, and nauȝ[t] to don,
Nys naþer rawe ne y-sponne;
Lytel hijs worþ, bote hyt endy wel,
Þyng þat hijs wel by-gonne.

20

Þey hyt be wel lyttelyche ysed,
Þe ferste heste a rowe,
For to honoury anne god,
Hym one to by-knowe,
Þenche þou most wel bysyly,
And þy wyȝt þran by-stowe,
And bydde hym, þat þou hyt mote do,
Wel myldeleche a knowe.

21

For þou ne myȝt hytte nefere do,
Man, wel wyþ-oute grace:
So heþ þys wordle bounde þe
Wyþ here lykynges lace.
Þer-fore þe by-houeþ godes helpe,
Þat he hyt wolde arace,
So þat þou ne teldest no worþ
Of [here] blandynge face.

22

For ȝyf þy wyl reio[ye]þ more
In enyes kennes þynges,
Be hyȝt þy childe, oþer þy best,
Land, brouches, oþer rynges,
Oþer aȝt elles, wat so hyt be,
Bote god þat hys kynge of kynges,
Þou ne a-nourest god aryȝt,
Ac dest is onderlynges.

23

By-lef þou in no wychecraft,
Ne ine none teliinge,
Ne forþe inne none ymage self,
Þaȝ þat be great botninge;
Bote as al holy cherche þe tek[þ]
Þou make þyne worþynge,
For gode nele nauȝt þat þou hyt do,
Bote by þere wyssynge.

24

Þanne asay þyn oȝe þoȝt
By þysser ylke speche,
And ȝyf þou annourest god aryȝt,
Þyne inwit wyle þe teche;
And ȝyf þou fynst þat þou ne dest,
Amende, ich þe by-seche:
Þou ert a sot, and myȝt do bet,
And so siȝst yn þe smeche.

25

Þat oþer heste apertelyche
Schewed mannes de-faute,
Wanne he alday swereþ ydelleche
In kebbyng and in caute.
Mechel hys þat he makeþ hym
Her-efterward to touty,
Wenne he schal hys a-countes ȝyue
Of ech idel sente.

26

Þenne ne couþe ich nanne red
Of þylke a-countes oure,
Nere þe milse of god self,
Oure alder auditour[e],
Þat wolle þe arerages for-ȝeue,
Ȝef hyt hys to hys honoure;
Ac cesse, man, of þy ydelschep,
Oþer ich wole out wel soure.

27

Þe þrydde heste apertelyche
Scheweþ þy wykked rote,
Wanne þou [ne] halst þy masseday,
As god hyt haþ y-hote,
Ac werkest, oþer werky dest,
Werkes þat beþ to note:
Þe wykkede ensaumple þat þou ȝefst
Þou a-beyst, ich þe by-hote.

28

And þaȝ þou ne werche nauȝt,
Ac gest to þyne gloutynge,
Oþer in eny oþer folke
In pleye of þretynge,
Þou halst wel wors þane masseday
Þane man myd hys workynge;
Þare-fore do þe al y-holliche
Þat day to holy þynge.

29

Þe ferþe heste scheweþ þe
Þat þye senne schal sle þe,
Ȝyf þou rewardest þyne eldrynges nauȝt
A lyue and eke a deþe,
Þat were wel besy to brynge þe forþe,
As hy myȝten onneþe;
Ȝyf þou hy gnaȝst and flagȝst ek,
Ryȝt hys þat fendes flea þe.

30

Nauȝt nys þys heste y-hote of god
For suche eldren al-lone,
Ac hys of mannes eldren eke
As he teȝt atte font-stone,

Þer holy cherche þy moder hys
In fader cristes mone;
Ȝef þou ert on-boxom to hyre,
Grace of God ne worþe þe none.

31

Þe fyfte heste scheweþ þe
Þat þou ne schalt nauȝt smyte,
Ne nauȝt ne mys-segge ne mys-do,
Ne nauȝt foulleche at-wyte.
For ofte þe mannes sleȝte aryst,
Were man hyȝt weneþ wel lyte;
And he þat spilleþ mannes lyf,
Veniounse hyt schel a[c]wyte.

32

And ȝef þer hys mansleȝþe pur,
As ous telleþ holy boke,
Ȝyf eny man for de-faute deyþ,
And eny hym for-soke
To helpe hym of þat he may,
Hys lyf to saue and loke:
Her dere ȝer acuseþ fele
Þat god and orþe touke.

33

And ȝet seint iohan þe-wangelyst
Al into mende draȝeþ,
He þat hatyeþ eny man,
He seche þat he hym slaȝe.
Manye suche mansleȝþen beþ,
Þat al day men for-gnaȝeþ,
& Sweche beþ in helle depe,
Þat deuelen al to-draweþ.

34

Þe sixte heste scheweþ wel
Þe soþe to al mankenne,
Þe dede ydo in lechery
Hys ryȝt a dedleche senne;
And elles nere hyȝt nauȝt for-bode
amange þe hestes tenne:
Þe þat seggeþ hyt nys nauȝt so,
hare wyȝt hys al to þenne.

35

Her hys for-bode glotenye,
So ich þe by-hote;
For hyt norysseþ lecherye,
Ase fer, þe brondes hote.
And þaȝ þer be alone lomprynge
In lecheryes rote,
Al hyt destrueþ charyte,
Wyþ wrake and wyþ þrete.

36

Þe seuende heste schewed wel
Man schal be true in dede,
Þat no man abbe of þe oþeres naut
Þorȝ þefte wycke rede;
For al hys þefte þat man teȝt
Myd wyl of wynnynghede
Aȝens þe ryȝt oȝeres wyl,
So lawe y-wryte hyt sede.

37

Þanne hys hyt a þef, wo-so hyt be,
Þat manne god so takeþ,
Be hyȝt by gyle oþer mestry,
Oþer wordes þat he crakeþ.
In londe suche his many a þef
Þat y-now hym makeþ;

He wenþ by chere of iugement,
Ac helle after hym wakeþ.

38

Þe eȝtende heste þe for-bed
Þe false wytnessynge;
And þat hys, man, syker þou be,
Alle manere lesynge
To hermy in [hys] body man,
Oþer in hys oþer þynge,
Oþer in hys saule, and þat hys worst,
In peryl for to brynge.

39

Al hyt hys senne þat me leȝþ,
Bote þat men leȝþ for gode
Ryȝt deadlyche senne nys þat nauȝt,
For myldenesse of mode.
Ac elles, man, al þat þou legst
Is deaþlich and for-brode;
Þo þet hyȝt useþ, ich wot hy beþ
Vn-wyser þane þe wode.

40

Alas! onneþe eny man
Þat þyse heste(s) healde;
Alle hy beþ y-torned to lesynge,
Þes ȝonge and eke þes ealde.
Þer-to hys mentenaunce great,
Þat makeþ hy wel bealde:
Do ȝe nauȝt so, par charyte,
Ac ȝoure tongen ȝe wealde.

41

Þe neȝende heste þe for-bed
Þat wyl to lecherye,
And to spousbreche nameleche,
Þat so meche hys to glye.
Þanne nys hyt nauȝt one dea[d]lyche
Swych dede to complye,

Ac ys þat uoule wyl al so
To swyche fylenye.

42

Þe teþe heste þe fo[r]-bet
Wyl tou oþer manne þynge,
For þat desturbet charyte,
In onde man to brynge.
Defendeþ ȝou for godes loue
Fram alle wykked wyllynge;
For suche wyl hys for dede iset
In godes knelechynge.

43

Nou ich ȝou bydde for þe blode
Þat ihesus blede on þe rode,
Þat in te herte takeþ þys two
To ȝoure soule fode;
And fo[l]ȝeþ nauȝt in þys wordle
Þe uyle commune floude
Þat fleuþ in-to þe fendes mouþe;
And so seiþe iop þe gode

AmeN.

IV. [De septem mortalibus peccatis.]

1

Senne makeþ many þral,
Þat scholde be wel fry;
And senne makeþ many fal,
Þat he ne mote iþy.

2

Senne bryngeþ man a-doun,
Þat scholde sitte a deys;
Senne makeþ storbylo[u]n,
Þar scholde be godes peys.

3

Senne makeþ by-wepe
Þat somman er by-loȝ;
Senne bryngeþ wel depe
Þat hym wel hyȝe droȝ.

4

Senne hys swete and lykeþ,
Wanne a man hi deþ;
And al so soure hy brykeþ,
Wanne he ueniaunce y-seþ.

5

Senne makeþ nywe schame,
Þaȝ hy for-ȝete be;
And senne bryngeþ men in grame,
Þar er was game and gle.

6

And senne makeþ al þe who
Þat man an erþe heþ,

And bryngeþ mannes saule also
In helles uoule breþ.

7

And þey man be fram helle y-wared
Þourȝ repentaunce here,
Ȝet ne may nauȝt some man be spared
Fram purgatories fere,

8

Þat he ne schel soffry þer hys who,
Ase he hijs here ateynt;
And her nys fer namore þer-to
Þanne hys fer dereynt.

9

Ac purgatorie and helle,
Hy beþ so lyte by-leued,
Þat, what so meuere telle,
[Men] beþ þrof al adeued.

10

Hem wolde douty more
A lytel pyne her,
Þane ham wolde al þat sore
And on-ysely fer.

11

Ac hwo seȝ euer eny
Þat hedde of senne glye,
For pond oþer for peny
Þat he ne changede hys blye,

12

Wyþ schame and eke wyþ schounde,
Wyþ sorȝe and eke wyþ who?

100

And þat was ked in londe
By some nauȝt fern ago.

13

Þanne ich may wyssy ase ich can,
Mi self þaȝ ich be spreþ,
Þat, bote þou wylle wondy, man,
Þy pyne after þy deþ,

14

Wonde þe sorȝe þat hys her
Folȝende after þy queed;
And ȝet þe tyt þe lasse fer,
Whanne þe falþ to be dead.

15

Whanne þou scholdest seneȝy,
By-þenche, leue frend,
And þaȝ þy flesch þe meneȝy,
Þe wordle oþer þe fend,

16

By-þenche hou schort hys þe lykynge,
And hou þe schame hys stronge,
And hou þou wreþest þane kyng
Of heuene wyþ þy wrong.

17

Þiȝ man moȝe þorȝ hys resoun
Ywyte wanne he mys-deþ,
Ȝet þer by-houeþ greȝt sarmoun
To hame þat lewed beþe.

18

For feawe of ham conne þe skele
Hou senne a-boute comeþ;
And þat a-combreþ swyþe fele
Þat none kepe nomeþ.

101

19

Þer-fore þys tale rymeþ
Hou men in senne beþ,
And hou senne by-lymeþ
Man þat to senne hym deþ.

20

Þer-fore neme ȝe kepe
Al hou þe senne syt,
Þat ȝe ne falle to depe
For wane of ȝoure wyt.

21

Nou lyst hou man hys bounde
Wyþ senne swyþe stronge,
And hou he bereþ deaþ-wounde,
And fenym þare a-monge.

22

Þe wonde swelþ an akeþ,
So doþ þe naddre steng,
And gret and gretter makeþ,
And felþe make þreng.

23

Iwounded was mankende
After þat hy was wroȝt,
Þorȝ þe neddre, þe feend[e],
Þat hy heþ al þorȝ-souȝt

24

Þorwe þe fenym of senne
Þat al mankende slakþ:
Nys nou non [of] þat kenne
Þat þat fenym ne takeþ.

25

And þat fenym was ferst y-kest
On eue and on adam,
And so forþe þenne hyt her ylest,
Ase kenne of-ȝerneþ yne man.

102

26

So hyȝt nys nauȝt senne-lyas,
Þat child þat haueþ lyf,
Ybore oþer on-bore was,
bote Crystnynge brekeþ þat stryf.

27

Oryginale þys senne hys cleped,
For man of kende hyt takeþ
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

28

Ryȝt so hys al mankende a-merred
Þorȝ þe route of fenym,
Þat doþ þat mannes body ybered
Nys bote a lyte slym.

29

Her-vppe yþoȝt haþ meny a man,
And ised many a foul
Þat on-wyslyche god ous by-gan,
And hys red was to coul,

30

Þat let man to suich meschyef,
Þat myȝte hyt habbe vndo;
Ac ȝef þou wolt by gode lief,
Þenche þou namore so.

31

Ne velþe hyt nauȝt to clypye aȝen,
We soeþ wel hyt hys þous,
God te atwyte oure won
No longeþ noþyng to ous.

32

For wo dysputeþ a-ȝeyn hym,
Concluded schel he be;

103

Dispute nauȝt, ac kepe nym,
Wo þart, and who hys he.

33

Wat helpþ hyt þe crokke
Þat hys to felþe ydo
Aȝe þe crokkere to brokke:—
“Wy madest þou me so?”

34

Þe crokkere myȝte segge:
“Þou proud erþe of lompet,
Ine felþe þou schelt lygge,
Þou ert nauȝt elles neȝt.”

35

Ryȝt so may god an-swerye þe,
Wanne þou hym at-wyst;
Wat helpþe hyt so wrau to be,
Wanne þou wyþ gode chyst?

36

Do nauȝt so, ac mercy crye,
Þat þe [ne] tyde wors;
For suiche al day, me may ysy,
Encresseþ here cors.

37

Ac be þou wel, man, be þe wo,
Of gode ne tel þou nauȝt lyȝte;
For syker be, þat he let do,
He let hyt do wyþ ryȝte.

38

Swech ryȝt scheaweþ wyþ God aboue,
Þe[ȝ] hyȝt be hyd fram þe;
Þenche namore, for godes loue,
So heȝe pryuete.

39

Ac þench þou nart bote esche,
And so þou loȝe þe,

104

And byde god þat he wesche
Þe felþe þat hys in þe.

40

And þyȝ þou lange abyde,
Ne at-wyt hym nauȝt þy who,
Ac tyde þe what by-tyde,
Þou þonke hym euere mo.

41

And so soum grace þe by-tyt,
Ac elles þe hy for-gest;
For god wyþ-stondeþ hym þat chyt
And aȝe god wrest,

42

Ase he wyþ-stent þe prouden,
And myld[en] grace sent
To libbe a-mang þe louden,
Wenne oþere beþ ischent.

43

Nou we seeþ wel hou hyt hys
Of þane oryginal;
Nou lest ou man [may] do amys
Þorȝ hys oȝene gale.

44

Þys senne comeþ nauȝt of þy ken,
Ac þy self ech del;
Þo seggeþ þys lerede men,
And clypyeþ hyt ‘actuel.’

45

Þys manere senne nys nauȝt ones,
Ac hys ischyt in þry,
In þouȝt, in speche, in dede amys,
Þys may ech man ysy.

105

46

He þat ne þynkeþ nauȝt bote wel,
And spekeþ and doþ al ryȝt,
Þe man hys sckere of actuel,
Ac ho hys here so bryȝt?

47

Ho hys he þat al beþ wel
Þe þoȝtes þat he kakþe?
And who hys þat speke scheal
Aryȝt al þat he spekeþ?

48

And wo hys he þat alnewe[y]
deþ wel al þat he deþ?
No man, no man, ac nyȝt and day
Þys men by-soyled beþ,

49

So as hy beþ men, ase we seeþ,
Wyþ sennes al þorȝ-þerled:
Many hys þe senne þat me deþ
In tal þe wyde wordle.

50

Of senne ich wot by þyse sckele
Þat þer hijs wel great host;
And, for þe fend iuint so fele,
Þer-of hys alle hys host.

51

And he arayeþ hare trome
As me a-reyt men in fyȝt,
For he sykþ gode þeawes some
A-ȝenes ham ydyȝt.

106

52

And ase god dyȝt þeawes
In alle gode men,
Þe feend a-rayeþ þe schreawes
In wykken þer a-ȝen.

53

Þys hys þat fyȝt an erþe
Þat al wynþ oþer lest,
And ase þe fyȝttere hys werthe,
Þe cheueteyn hym chest.

54

Ac cheueteyn of senne
Ich wot þat þe fend hys,
For wyse, and alle kenne
Arayeþ hys amys.

55

And ase þere in bataylle
O kyng bereþ þe beeȝ,
Soe hyt were a gret faylle
Ȝef þe host were em-heȝ.

56

Þer-fore me makeþ prynses
Þe host to gouerni,
And ase whe-welen þe linses
To-gadere heldeþ hy.

57

And ase al þat hys here
By souedaȝes geþ,
Of senne alle manere
Seue deuelen prynces beþ:

58

Þat seuene certeygne
Þat Cryst kest out, hyt seyþ

107

Of marie maudaleyne
Þat goospel þat ne weyþ.

59.i

Þe ferste pryns hys prede,
Þat ledeþ þane flok,
Þat of alle oþere onlede
Hys rote and eke stok.

60

For nys non of þe syxe
Þat hy ne comeþ of þane,
For myx of alle myxe
In heuene hy by-gan.

61

Prede suweþ in floures
Of wysdom and of wyt,
Amang leuedys in boures
Þe foule prude syȝt.

62

Vnder couele and cope
Þe foule prede lyþe;
Þeȝ man go gert wyþ rope,
Ȝet prede to hym swyþ.

63

Prede syȝt vnder ragge
Wel cobel and wel balgþ;
Þat keþeþ wordes bragge
And countenaunces ȝaldeþ.

64

Nys non, þaȝ som myt wene,
Þat some prede ne takeþ,
Ne none so proud, ich wene,
As he þat al for-sakeþ.

65

For who hys þat neuere set hys þouȝt
And erþe to be heȝ?
Who hys hit þat neuer yþouȝt
Of pompe þat he seȝ?

108

66

Who yst þat neuer nas rebel
Aȝeins hys souerayn?
Wo ist þat be nome schel,
And nabbe non agayn?

67

Who yst þat neuere gollich nas,
Wanne chaunce at wylle come?
Who yst þat, wanne he preysed was,
Neuer at heȝ hyt nome?

68

Who hyst þat neuer þoȝte
He scholde honoured be
For dedes þat he wroute,
Wanne men (ne) hyȝt mytte se?

69

Who hys þat neuer heȝþe droȝ
Toward hys þat wes?
Ho hys [þat] neuer ne kedde woȝ
In boste to hys sugges?

70

Ho neþ wyþ pompe y-schewed hym
Ȝet oþer þane he was?
Nou ypocresy, kepe nym,
Regneþ, hyt nys no leas.

71

Ho yst þat neuer nas yblent
Wyþ non surquydery?
Þat hys, wanne a proud man heþ y-ment
Oþer þane hyt schel by.

72

Wo þat neuer ne dede þous
He wole prede by-fleȝ;
Ȝef þat kebbede eny of ous,
Ich woȝt wel þat he leȝ.

109

73

Þe man þe hym wole a-fayty
Of prede þat hys so heȝ,
Fol wel he moȝt hys weyti
Boþe fer and neȝ.

74

For ȝef he let to noþe
Þat he ne awayteþ hy,
Ich segge hym wel to soþe
Þat ryȝt proud schel he by.

75

For prede hys a senne of herte,
And bouute scheweþ hy
Wyþ kebbynges aperte
And weddyng many a bly:

76

Þorȝ dedes of bostynge,
And atyr stent and say,
And oþer suche þynge(s)
Þat men vsyeþ al day.

77.ii

Þat oþer feend of onde
Hys pryns and cheuetayn;
Þat senne hys ryf in londe,
And nauȝt hys hyre wayn.

78

For sorwe he heþ of gode,
And harm hys hyre blysse;
In hyre pryncy mode
Þe hert[e] walt al þys.

79

Þys senne hys ouer-nyce,
Ac holde schal hy be
Þe senne of meste malice
Aȝeyns charyte;

110

80

Wanne loue hys here preye,
Al for to confundy,
And wyl het to by-traye
Þat wolde gode by.

81

Onde hys a senne of herte,
And bouute scheweþ hy,
To harmy and to herte,
Wanne hy deþ bacbyty;

82

Wanne hy holdeþ hy wreches
Þat god and hende beþ,
And oþere souche plecches
Scheweþ wat onde deþ.

83.iii

Þe þrydde senne hys wrethe,
Þat so meche hys itelde;
Hyt makeþ blod and brethe
Aboute þe herte aneld.

84

Wanne manne neþ nauȝt hys chaunce
to wylle, and alse þenkþ,
He compasyþ veniaunce
To hym þat a-ȝen clenkeþ.

85

And so hyt fret and hys y-frete
Euere in egrete,
And wanne hy het to meche hete,
Hyt letteþ charite.

111

86

Inne herte hys þys senneȝing,
And bouute scheweþ mod
Þorȝ cheste and mysdoynge
And wyþ-drawynge of god.

87.iv

Coueytyse hys þe ferþe,
Ilych dropesy,
Wanne al þat hys an erþe
To hyre hys al besy.

88

And hou hy habbeþ hy uerkþ,
And mannes herte byset,
Fram gode and so þanne name y-keȝt
Seruise of mamenet.

89

Þaȝ hy by herte senne,
Ȝet boute scheweþ hy
To mochel amang mankenne
Þorȝ wrang an trychery;

90

Þorȝ ȝeskynge efter gode,
Þorȝ borȝ and ȝemer ȝelde,
Þorw wrechydnesse of mode,
And neuer more ful-felde.

91.v

Þe fyfte senne hys sleuþe
Of þat man scholde do,
Hye brekeþ god[e] treuþe
Wyþ god and man also,

92

Wanne man leteþ adrylle
Þat he god ȝelde schel,
And for-sluggyþ by wylle
Þat scholde men to stel.

112

93

Of herte comeþ þes senne,
And schewe[þ] boute al-so
Hou hy letteþ mankenne
Of þat scholde by do.

94

Hyt hys þorwe besynesse
Þat men for-slewyþ hyt,
And oþer wyle þorȝ ȝdelnesse
God dede onido for-slyt.

95.vi.vii

Glotonye hys þe syxte,
And hys mo ine fleasch y-do;
And lecherye, þe nyxte,
In flesche hys senne al-so.

96

Ac glotonye entycyþ
To lecherye her,
Ase þat hy norysseþ
Hote brondes þet fere.

97

Of glotonyes foure
Þe boke spekeþ openlyche:
To meche fode deuoury,
And to lykerouslyche,

98

And to freche to fretene
Wanne man hijs tyme heþ,
And out of tyme to hetene
Þat none siknesse neþ.

113

99.vii

Of lecherye comeþ wreche,
Foul speche, and foul delyt,
Commune hordom, spousbreche,
Incest, and sodomyt.

100

And hys incest wyþ kenne
Þe lecherye so;
And sodomyt hys senne
Aȝens kende y-do.

101

By-feld beþ men in slepe,
Ase glotonye hyt bryngeþ;
And ofte hyt doþ moni kepe
Þat man wakynge þenckeþ.

102

Ac ȝef euyl hyt come nauȝt.
Dea[d]lyche senne next.
Ac hou hyt falleþ y-lome neȝ.
Ech man nauȝt y-wyst.

103

Þyse manere sennes seuene,
Ase ȝe hys here iseȝeþ,
I-letteþ men fram heuene,
And al dedlyche hy beþ,

104

Wanne hy y-þouȝt beþ oþer y-speke,
Oþer y-don in stat
Aȝe þe lawe of god, to breke
Þe hestes þat he hat.

105

Of alle þe sennes þa[t] þer beþ
Þos bereþ þat los;

114

For euerech senne þat me deþ
Longeþ to some of þos.

106

And her-by þou myȝt, man, y-seo
hou here ende hys sour;
Nou loke her-in, pur charite,
And make hyt þy myrour.

Oretis pro anima domini Willelmi de Schorham, quondam vicarii de chart iuxta ledes, qui composuit istam compilacionem de septem mortalibus peccatis. Et omnibus dicentibus oracionem dominicam cum salutacione angelica, Xla dies uenie, a domino Symone, Archiepiscopo cantuarie, conceduntur.

115

V. [The Five Joys of the Virgin Mary.]

1

Meche hys þat me syngeþ and redeþ,
Of hyre þat al mankende gledeþ
Ibore was here on erthe;
And þey alle speke, þat spekeþ wyd tonge,
Of hyre worschype, and murye sounge,
Ȝet more he were werthe.

2

Þyse aungeles heryeþ here wyþ steuene,
Ase he hys hare quene of heue[ne],
And eke hare blysse;
Ouer al erþe leuedy hys here,
And þorȝ-out helle geþ here power,
Ase he hys emperysse.

3

Cause of alle þyse dignyte,
Þorȝ clennesse and humylyte,
Was godes owene grace;
Wer-þorȝ he ber þan heuene kyng:
Worschype hys worþy ine alle þyng,
In euereche place.

4

Al þat hys boue and vnder molde,
Hou myȝt hyt bote hyt bowe scholde
To hyre owene mede?
Wanne he þat al þys wordle schel welde
To hyre worschipe hys yhelde
For here moder-hede.

116

5

Al þyse maydenes, wyþ-out bost,
Hy bereþ god in here goste,
In hare holy þouȝt[e];
Ac hy wyþ-oute mannes ymone
In body, and nauȝt in gost a-lone,
To manne hyne broute.

6

Of hyre þat hys þos dygne of take,
Hou myȝte ich of hyre songes make,
Þat am so foul of lyue?
And þou me bede, soster, synge,
And alle in-to one songe brynge
Here swete ioyen fyue.

7

To segge þat ich hyt maky can,
Þat am so one-connende a man,
Dar ich me nauȝt auanty;
Ac tryste ich wolle to oure leuedy,
And maky hyt ase hyt wyle by,
And ase hy hy[t] wole me granty.

8

As man ine hys by-leaue yseþ,
Ioyen of hyre so fele þer beþ,
Ne may hys no man telle,
Ase hy haþ of hyre leue sone:
Hyt passeþ al mankendes wone,
And out of mannes spelle.

9

Four manere ioyen hy hedde here
Of hyre sone so lef an dere,
Wytnes opan þe godspelle;

117

And al[le] comeþ of þe blysse
Þat hye heþ nou, wyþ-oute mysse,
So stremes of þe welle.

10

Þe wylle þat hys in paradys
Fol wel by-tokneþ þys auys,
Wyþ here stremes foure,
Þet orneþ out ouer al þat londe,
Nys neuer erþlyche man þat fond
Hou fele come of þe stoure.

11

Þys wulle hys god self man by-come,
Of hym þys ioyen beþ alle y-nome,
And alle ine uour manere:
Þe furste was wyþ concepcioun,
Þo þe angel gabryel come a-doun
Ine stede of messager[e],

12

To brynge þe tyþynge by-fore
Þat cryst of hyre wolde by bore,
Mannes trespas to ȝelde,
For to brynge ous out of helle:
Wo mytte þenche oþer telle
Wat ioye þer y uelde!

13

In naȝareth, þe ryche toun,
Aue maria was þat soun
Of gabrieles steuene;
Þo was þat mayde wel ygret,
And wyþ a present wel ageet
Fram vader oure of heuene.

14

So he was ine hyre ycome,
For fleasch and blod of hyre to nome,
Ase þe angel hyre seyde;

118

Ne hy of mannes mone neste,
Ne hy ne brek nauȝt hyre by-heste,
Ac euere clene a mayde.

15

Seynt johan þe baptyst on-bore,
Þo hy spek hys moder by-fore,
Ine ioye he gan to asprynge.
Elyȝabet wel þat aspyde,
Hou a spylede onder hyre syde,
And made hys reioyynge.

16

More encheyson hadde oure leuedy
Ioyous and blyþe for to by,
Wyþ-oute prede and boste;
For in hyre selue hy hyne fredde,
Fol wel hy wyste hou [hy] hyne hedde
Þorȝ self þe holy goste.

17

Ioseph kedde þat he was mylde,
Þo þat he wyste hy was wyþ chylde,
A-wey he wolde alone;
Ha nolde nauȝt he were a-slawe,
Ne forþe y-iuged by þe lawe
To by stend wyþ stone.

18

Ac ioseph was wel blyþe, aplyȝt,
Þo to hym cam þe angel bryȝt,
To segge hym wat he scholde;
Wel blyþþere myȝte be þat may,
Þat was y-conforted al day
Wyþ aungeles wanne hy wolde.

19

In þyssere ioye we scholde by-louken
Al hyre ioyen of uourti woken
Þe wylest he ȝede wyþ chylde.

119

Of hyre [barme] hyt was god game,
Þer-inne þet vnicorn weks tame
Þat er þan was so wylde.

20.ii

Þet oþer ioye of hyre ycore
Was of ihesus, of hyre ybore
A crystemasse nyȝte,
Wyþ-oute sorȝe, wyþ-oute sore;
And so ne schal þer neuer more
Wymman wyþ childe dyȝte.

21

For so hy hyne scholde ferst auonge,
Þer nes no senne þer amonge,
Ne noe flesches lykynge;
Þer-fore of hyre y-bore he was,
Ase þe sonne passeȝt þorȝ þe glas
Wyþ-outen on openynge.

22

In suaþebendes hy hyne dyȝte,
Ase hyt hys þe chyldes ryȝte,
And ȝef hym melk to souke;
Þaȝ hyt were þustre of nyȝt,
Þer nas wane of no lyȝt,
Þe heuene gan onlouke.

23

Out com an aungel wyþ great leem
In-to þe feld of bedleem,
Amonges þe schepherden,
Te telle þat cryst was ybore;
Þer come singinde þer-fore
Of angeles manye verden.

24

Þanne sede he swyþe wel
Gracia plena, gabryel,
And þat hys “fol of grace”;

120

Wanne glorye of hyre hys fol a-boue,
And pays igrad for hyre loue
Of angeles in place.

25

Þe oxe and asse in hare manyour,
Þo þat hy seȝen hare creatour
Lyggynde in hare forage,
Al one-knowynge þaȝ hy were,
Hy makede ioye in hare manere,
And eke in hare langage.

26

Ope þe heȝe eȝtynde day
He onder-ȝede þe gywen lay,
And was ycircumcysed.
Iesus me clepede hyne þer-uore,
Ase aungeles, er he were ybore,
Hys eldren hadde y-wysed.

27

Mochele ioye hy aspyde,
Þe kynges þre þat come ryde
Fram be easte wel iverre;
Gold, myrre, stor, were here offrynges,
Þat he was lord and kyng of kynges
Wel by-toknede þe sterre.

28

Þo þat he scholde y-offred by
In þe templo domini,
Ase laȝe ȝef þe termes,
Symeon, þe olde man, gan crye,
And spek of hym fur prophecye,
And tok hym ine hys earmes.

29

Þo he was bote twelf wynter ald,
And heȝ ine þe temple he seat wel bald,
And þaȝ he speke smale,

121

Many man wondrede on hym þere,
For to alle clerkes þat þer were
He ȝaf answere and tale.

30

Alyue uertu was hys childe-hode,
And so he com to hys manhode;
Ine flom iordanes syche
He was ycrystned, þe heuene onleake,
Þe fader of heuene doun to hym spake,
Þe gost com coluere ylyche.

31

To þyssere ioye longye scholle
Alle þe ioyen þat hyre folle
Of hyre chylde god,
Fram þan tyme he was ybore
For al mankende þat was for-lore,
For[t] he deyde one þe roude.

32.iii

Þe þrydde ioye þat com of cryste
Hadde oure leuedy of hys opryste
Fram deaþes harde bende,
Out of þe sepulcre þer he laye,
Ase hyt fel þane þrydde daye
After hys lyues ende.

33

Wet ioye of hym myȝte be more
After suiche sorȝynge and swyche sore,
Ase hye yseye hine feye,
Þanne isiȝe hyne come to lyue aȝen,
And euereft more alyue to ben,
And neuere eft to deyȝe?

34

Þat he was lyf and strengþe and myȝte,
And þat he kedde on Estre nyȝtte,
Al ine þe dawyynge:

122

Al þa[t] was an erthe schok,
And heuene aboue vnder-toke
Hys holy vppe-rysynge.

35

Þar doun come aungeles whyte ine wede,
And þat he was aryse hy sede,
And hare sawe was trewe;
Þat he ne laye nauȝt vnder molde
For to a-saye, ho so wolde,
Þane stone hye ouer-þrewe.

36

Þaȝ þat he ine hys manhoþ deyde,
Dominus tecum þat a seyde,
Þo þe aungel here by-redde,
(Þat hys to seggene “god es myȝtte”),
Ine ryȝte soþe hyt moste sitte
Þet god-hoþ wel hyt kedde.

37

Nedde oure leuedy þyse blysse a-lone,
Ac al hyre frendes in hyre mone,
So meche was here þe more;
For more hijs blysse god and clene
Among frendes to habbe ymene,
After sorȝynge and sore.

38

O þat hy were blyþe, þo hye (here) seȝen
So glorious alyue, wyþ here eȝen,
Þet hy yseye er ine paygne!
Furste a schewed hym wyþ a fayre chaunce
To here þet hys ensample of repentaunce,
Marye magdaleyne.

39

And so hyseye hyne peter, and seþenes hy alle,
And þer thomas of ynde, a k[n]owes yfalle,
Groped hys holy wounde;

123

Þare he fond flesch and blod myd þe bones,
An nou he gan to crye loude for þe nones:
“My lord ich abbe y-founde.”

40

Houre lord hym answerde in þet cas:
“Þou leuedest, for þou seȝe me, thomas,
Þat þou me haddest y-founde;
Ac, thomas, ich þe telle, yblessed hy beþ,
Þo þat on me by-leueþ and nauȝt me seþ,
Ne gropyeþ none wounde.”

41

To þyssere ioyen scholle by yleyd
Alle þe ioyen þat moȝe be yseyd,
Ine wyttes oþer in mende,
Fram crystes resurreccioun,
Wat comeþ hys ascensioun
At fourty daȝen ende.

42.iv

Þe ferþe ioye telle ich may,
Þat fel opon þe holy þoresday,
Opone a mounteyne heȝe;
Hi seȝ ihesus, and oþre some,
Of flesch and blod of hyre ynome,
Op in-to heuene steȝe.

43

Al ine ioye was hyre mende,
Þo hy seȝe here and oure kende,
Ihesus, hyre leue sone,
In-to þe blysse of heuene sty,
To agredy worþy scholde hy be
At hyre assumpcioun[e].

44

And ȝet ne were hyt noȝt y-noȝ
One to agredy hyre looȝ
And heȝ ine heuene blysse,

124

Ac oure also, hyt nis non oþer,
For he hys oure kende broþer,
Þat leue we to wysse.

45

Ine hym ne schal hyt nauȝt lang be
Þat we to hym ne scholle te,
Wanne we scholle wende hennes;
Ac schel on ous, þat beþ onkende,
Ne draȝeþ nauȝt hys loue to mende,
And wreþeþ hyne wyþ sennes.

46

And ȝet he hys milde and sparyeþ some,
And ase he wente op, he wole come
A domesday wel bryȝte,
For te trye manne dede,
And after dede ȝiue mede
And iugement to ryȝtte.

47

Betere red nys þer non here
For to be crystes yuere,
And hyȝ ine heuene blysse,
Bote felþe of senne to by-vly,
And bydde god and oure leuedy
Þat hy ous helpe and wysse.

48

For hyre poer nys nouȝt y-lessed,
Ac toup alle oþren hys y-blessed,
Soþe wyf and mayde;
Ase þat godspel telleþ ous,
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
Eliȝabeth hyt sayde.

49

Al here ioyen a lok-sounday,
And alle þe þät me aspye may,
Þat hyre and erþe felle,
Al fram crystes ascencioun,
Al wat comþe hyre assumpcioun,
To þyssere loungy schelle.

125

50.v

Þe fyfte ioye of oure leuedy
Not er[þ]lych man hou hyt may by,
Ne þer-of [may] more aspye,
Bote þat þe gloriouse beerde
Out of þyse world (þe) gloriouse ferde,
Wyþ greate melodye.

51

One-couþ to þe, man, hys þes figure,
For þe offyce of hyre sepulture
Was al an heuene gyse;
And toller hys man to heuene speche
Þanne be a best, þaȝ man hym teche
Reyson and mannes wyse.

52

Þer-fore nys þer-of naut y-wryte,
For man ne mot nouȝt her y-wyte
Wat hys so heȝ a steuene;
Ac holy cherche der wel by-knowe
Þat hy ne þolede none deaþes þrowe,
Þat loweþ þat lyf of heuene.

53

Hyt hys y-wryte þat angeles brytte
To holy manne deaþe alyȝte
[Þet] her an erþe leye;
In holy bok hys hyt inome
Þat god hym self a wolde come,
Wanne hy scholde deye.

54

Þer-bye we mowe wel y-wyte,
Þaȝ þer be nauȝt of y-wryte,
Þat cryst hym self was þere;
Myd hym of heuene þe ferede,
Þe eadi leuedy for to lede,
Most here no fend offere.

126

55

Hy wente vppe, my leue broþer,
In body and soule, hyt nys non oþer,
For cryst hys god and kende:
Þat body þat he tok of hys oȝen,
Hou mytte hyt ligge a-mang þe loȝen,
Wyþ-oute honour and mende?

56

Þanne ich dar segge mid gode ryȝte
Þat alle þe court of heuene alyȝtte
Attare departynge;
And cryst hym self aȝeins hyre com,
And body and saule op wyþ hym nom
In-to hys wonyynge.

57

Þat hy hys quen, ase ich er mende,
Here grace hy may doun to ous sende,
Hire ioye to fol-uelle.
Ich hopye hy nele nauȝt let ous spylle,
For he hys al to hyre wylle
Of ioye þat hijs þe welle.

58

For of hyre wombe he hys þat frut,
Were-of þes angeles habbeþ hare dut,
And men hare holy fode;
Eliȝabeth, hy sede þys:
“Et benedictus fructus ventris
Tui, iesus þe gode.”

59

Of songe hys to þen ende y-brout,
Ase þou hest, soster, me by-soȝt,
Ase ich hene myȝtte frede.
Nou syng and byde þe heuene quene
Þet hy ous brynge al out of tene
At oure mest[e] nede.

AmeN.

Oretis pro anima Willelmi de Schorham, quondam vicarii de chart iuxta Ledes.

127

VI. [On the Virgin Mary.]

1

Marye, mayde mylde and fre,
Chambre of þe trynyte,
One wyle lest to me,
Ase ich þe grete wyþ songe;
Þaȝ my fet on-clene be,
My mes þou onder-fonge.

2

Þou art quene of paradys,
Of heuene, of erthe, of al þat hys;
Þou bere þane kyng of blys,
Wyþ-oute senne and sore;
Þou hast y-ryȝt þat was amys,
Ywonne þat was y-lore.

3

Þou ert þe coluere of noe,
Þat broute þe braunche of olyue tre,
In tokne þat pays scholde be
By-tuexte god and manne;
Suete leuedy, help þou me,
Wanne ich schal wende hanne.

4

Þou art þe bosche of synay,
Þou art þe rytte sarray,
Þou hast ybrouȝt ous out of cry
Of caleng of þe fende;
Þou art crystes oȝene drury,
And of dauyes kende.

128

5

Þou ert þe slinge, þy sone þe ston
Þat dauy slange golye op-on;
Þou ert þe ȝerd al of aaron
Me dreye iseȝ spryngynde:
Wytnesse at ham euerechon
Þat wyste of þyne chyldynge.

6

Þou ert þe temple salomon,
In þe wondrede gedeon,
Þou hest ygladed symeon
Wyþ þyne swete offrynge
In þe temple atte auter ston,
Wyþ ihesus, heuene kynge.

7

Þou ert judith, þat fayre wyf,
Þou hast abated al þat stryf,
Olofernes wyþ hys knyf
Hys heuede þou hym by-nome;
Þou hest ysaued here lyf
Þat to þe wylle come.

8

Þou ert hester, þat swete þyng,
And asseuer, þe ryche kyng,
Þey heþ ychose to hys weddyng,
And quene he heþ a-uonge;
For mardocheus, þy derlyng,
Syre aman was y-honge.

9

Þe prophete ezechyel
In hys boke hyt wytnesseþ wel,
Þou ert þe gate so stronge so stel,
Ac euere y-schet fram manne;
Þou erte þe ryȝte uayre rachel,
Fayrest of alle wymman[ne].

129

10

By ryȝte toknynge þou ert þe hel
Of wan spellede danyel;
Þou ert emaus, þe ryche castel,
Þar resteþ alle werye:
Ine þe restede emanuel,
Of wan y-spekeþ ysaye.

11

Ine þe hys god by-come a chyld;
Ine þe hys wreche by-come myld,
Þat vnicorn þat was so wyld
Aleyd hys of a cheaste:
Þou hast y-tamed [hyt], and i-styld,
Wyþ melke of þy breste.

12

Ine þe apocalyps sent Iohn
Iseȝ ane wymman, wyþ sonne by-gon,
Þane mow[n]e al onder hyre ton,
I-crouned wyþ tuel sterre;
Swych a leuedy nas neuere non,
Wyþ þane fend to werre.

13

Ase þe sonne takeþ hyre pas
Wyþ-oute breche þorȝ-out þat glas,
Þy maydenhod, on-wemmed hyt was
For bere of þyne chylde;
Nou, swete leuedy of solas,
To ous senfolle be þou mylde.

14

Haue, leuedy, þys lytel songe,
Þat out of senfol herte sprong;
Aȝens þe feend þou make me strong,
And ȝyf me þy wyssynge;
And þaȝ ich habbe y-do þe wrang,
Þou graunte me amendynge.

Oretis pro anima domini Roberti Grosseteyte, quondam Episcopi Lincolniae.

130

VII. On the Trinity, Creation, the Existence of Evil, Devils, Adam and Eve, &c.

1

In holy sauter me may rede
Hou god þourwe þe prophete sede,
Dauyd, y-wysse,
Þat fol in hys herte sede:
‘Þer nys no gode,’ dar man nauȝt drede
To don amys.

2

Seþþe hyt hys so, hyt hys grete doute
Þat þare be woxe of þare route
Mani a fol,
Þat weneþ ryt, wyþ-oute mysse,
Þat þer nys god ine heuene blysse,
Ne helle pool.

3

Þat eny soche be crystene man,
God for-bede! and nauȝt for þan,
We y-soeþ al day
Þat menye y-crystnedde were,
Fareþ ryt ase hy nere
Nauȝt of þe fay.

4

And manye of ham þat beþ so fel[l]e,
Þat þaȝ me godne sckele hem telle,
Nauȝt hyȝt ne ganþ:

131

Aȝen hy clappeþ þys and þat,
And manye of ham not neuere wat,
Ne wat he menþ.

5

To sechen hyt hys wel lytel prys
Reyson to telle, þet hys y-wys,
Ac lete ham be;
For, bote hy take a betere fay,
Atte last hy goþ to schame a-way,
Me may hyt see.

6

Ac ȝef þou wenst, man, þat errour,
Þat þare ne be no sauueour
Ne oþer lyf,
And hyt be for de-faute of lore,
Lest now wat ich segge more,
Wyþ-oute stryf.

7

And ȝef þou [be] ylered man,
And onderstan[s]t ȝet al for þan
No god ne be,
Ich acsy þe a questioun,
And, ase hyt longeþ to reysoun,
And-swere þou me.

8

Þe erthe hys heuy, wyþ-oute wylle,
Þat wey y-seoþ, and by al stylle
To gonne þrop.
Wat, hou fareþ hy þat hy nasynkeþ,
Ase here kende were, hyt þynkeþ;
Ho halt ys op?

132

9

Herto me seyþ, and heþ ysed,
To healde hy op hyt nys no ned,
Ne neuere nes,
For chisel, grauel, stones harde,
Ande here depnysse ryȝt dounwarde
Hys endeles.

10

Þat þat be fals me may aspye
By wytnesse of philosophye
And clerkes fele;
And fals ich may hit prouie wel,
Þer hyt hys ned, and were ich schel,
By þysse skele.

11

Þe sonne and monne and many sterren
By easte aryseþ swyþe ferren,
Ase ham y-worþe;
By weste hy grendeþ, alle þyse,
And comeþ aȝen þer hy aryse
Al vnder forþe.

12

Þos myȝt wete wel, wo-so wolde,
Þe wolkne by-clepþ al þe molde,
And so hyt doþ;
Ne may hy nauȝt þanne be endeles
Þat þos be-go so hys and wes,
An þat hys souþe.

13

Ac saye ryȝt þos—and ich afowe
Þat euerech man hyt moȝt alowe
Þat reson hent:—
Hyȝt hys a myȝt of alle myȝtte
Þat halt op þerþe and sterren bryȝte
Aboute itrent.

133

14

Þys ilke mytte, for hyt wel may,
Bryngeþ forþe a wyt of swete aray,
Þet no swech nys;
For al þat hys an heȝ and loȝe
Hit schift and ditteþ ase hys oȝe,
And so hyt hys.

15

Wat makeþ sonne, mone, and sterren
To certeyn go, aboute and ferren,
And faylleþ naȝt?
Hyt mot wyt and wysdom, neade,
Þet of þe mytte þet ich er sede
Hys forþe araȝt.

16

Nou þou sixte wel hou hyt syt,
Þys ylke myȝte and eke þys wyt,
In oure boke:
Þe mytte hys fader of oure crede,
Wysdom þe sone, for wytti-hede
Þat he forþ toke.

17

Euer was þys ylke myȝtte,
And euer worþ, bye gode ryte,
Ne say nauȝt nay!
Hou mytte hyt [cesse], and eft by-gynne,
Þet nede neþ of none gynne,
Ac al do mey?

18

And ase hyt hys by-fore y-nome,
Þaȝ þat wyt of þe mytte [come]
By kende wey,
Þat wyt was euere naþeles,
Þe myȝtte nys neuer wytles,
Ne by ne may.

134

19

Her-to acordeþ oure fay,
Þat holy cherche neȝ eche day
Wel merye syngeþ,
Ine a song ofte by note
‘Quicunque uult’ þet hys y-hote,
Ryȝt ase me singeþ.

20

For þer hyt of þe uader seyþ,
And of þe sone to-gadere leyþ,
In boke yset:
‘Þe sone hys of þe fader alone
Engendred, nauȝt ymad of mone,
Nef oþe[r] wet.’

21

Folye hyt hys to meche to þenche
Of þe engendrure, and þynne adrenche,
Of fader and sone:
So ase hy beþe, [hy] euer were,
And soche by-ȝete neuere nere
Elles ine wone.

22

Ac nauȝt forþ þan, þat hyt be soþ
Holy cherche to wytene doþ,
We wyten hyt wel;
Ilef hyt, oþer þou ert by-caut,
For ho þat nele by-leue hyt nauȝt,
To helle he schel.

23

And þelke sone ȝet naþeles
Ryȝt ase þe fader hys endeles,
Ase myȝt and wyt:
Ȝef euer was [fader], euer was sone,
For beþe reysoun and eke wone
Aloweþ hyt.

135

24

Nou we habbeþ uader and sone,
Ase hye beþ ryȝt ine persone,
And þan-cheysoun.
Wat may þe holy gost nou be?
Persone þrydde in trynyte,
Nou herkne reysoun.

25

Þou sixt þet al þat farþ aryȝt,
Be hyt þyster, be hyt lyȝt,
To acord hys wyue;
For ȝef þer were werre a-boue
Amang þe sterren, and no loue,
Al hy to-dryue.

26

And bote a truwe loue come
Of þare myȝtte and þa wysdome,
Ne myȝt hyt by;
And ryȝt of ham he moste come,
For werof elles te be y-nome
Can non ysy.

27

Euer-to lef þat loue were,
For myȝtte and wysdom neuer nere
Wyþ-oute acord;
For ȝef acord hem hedde yfaylled,
Ar ayder oþer hedde a-saylled
Wyþ wykked word.

28

Hou scholde myȝtte maky wrake,
Oþer eny descord onder-take
Wyþ oȝe wyt?
So nest, ac euer weren hy:
Þanne moste loue euer by,
Nou þou sixt hyt.

136

29

Þys loue hys self þat holy spyryt;
Þer-to acordeþ holy wryȝt
Ine þylke songe
Þat ich was embe, [of] oure faye,
Þat holy cherche singeþ a daye
At pryme longe:

30

‘Þe holy [gost] of [þe] fader ryche
And of þe sone, of oþer ylyche,
So he for[þ] comeþ;
Noþer by-ȝete, ne forþe i-wroȝt
Of aȝt þat hys, ne forþe of noȝt’:
By lawe hyt nomeþ.

31

And euer was þat holy spyryȝt,
Þat ylke songe wytnesseþ hyt,
And more þer-to:
Þat he schal by, and hys, and was
Ase fader of heuene ryȝt endeleas;
And sone al-so.

32

Ȝet oure by-leaue wole onder-gon
Þat þyse þre beþ ryȝt al on,
And nys no wrong;
Þaȝ hy be ine reyson dyuers,
O god hyt hys, and stent in uers
Ine þulke song.

33

Þaȝ myȝte, wysdom, and eke loue,
Hy þre by, ase ich sede a-boue,
Diuers ine werk,
Ine hem self o god hy beþ;
Nys non þat aȝt elles y-seþ
So god [a] clerke.

137

34

And naþeles ofte hy beþ y-blent,
Þyse clerkes, wyþ here argument,
Ande gynneþ leȝe;
Hare oȝe wyt, hyt hym by-kecheþ,
Þat god so sotylleche secheþ,
Þat syt so heȝe.

35

Þe fader hys god, for he may al;
Þe sone hys god, for he wot al,
Wyþ-out[e] crye;
Þe gost hys god, þat oneþ al,
Ȝet ne beþ hy bote o god al,
Nauȝt godes þry.

36

Þaȝ myȝtte be to þe fader yleyd,
And wysdome of þe sone yseyd,
And loue þe gost,
Ȝet beþ hy þre of one myȝtte,
Of one wytte and loue lyȝtte,
Þorȝ fay þe hyt wost.

37

Nou þou syxt wel þat encheysoun
Of oure by-leue, and eke reysoun,
Þet o god hys;
Ȝef þou þenkest forþer hou hyt may be,
Go nauȝt to niȝ hys maieste,
To þenche amys.

38

[N]ou hys al þys by skele ondo,
And by-leaue alegged þer-to,
Þat god hys he.
Nou we moste y-wyte more,
Of þyse worldle some lore,
Hou hyȝt may be:

138

39

Wader þy[s] worldle euer were,
Oþer a some tyme nere,
And þo by-gan?
Euerte mytte hy nauȝt by,
Ich schal þe telle reyson wy,
Soþe ase ich can.

40

For godes myȝtte, ande eke hys wyt,
And eke hys wylle, to soffry hyȝt
So were woȝ;
For he hys almytty, ase ich er sede,
Al-wys, and wyl ine god-hede,
Þet hys ynoȝ.

41

Ac ȝef he nedde þys world y-wrouȝt,
And myȝte and couþe, and dede hyȝt nouȝt,
Hyt were amys;
Ac hys al-myȝtte hys of suche entaylle,
And hys al-wyt, hou mytte hyt faylle
Of þet god hys?

42

He made hyt al, nys hyt non oþer,
And þat of nauȝte, my leue broþer,
He made hys werke;
For er he a-gounne hys work so merye,
Nas noþer fourme ne materye,
Ne lyȝt ne derk.

43

Ne acombre nauȝt þy wyt any mo,
To meche to þenche hou hyt was þo,
Hyt [nys] nauȝt worþ;
Hou man hyt myȝte wete ich not,
For so to wytene, ase god hyt wot,
Comest þou nauȝt forþe.

139

44

Ac some mey acsy, war god was
Þo noþyng of þe worlde nas,
Ne great ne smal?
Þer þe worlde hys nou, was he,
And ȝet he hys, and euer schal be,
Ihole ouer al.

45

He hedde nede of none gynne,
Ne ȝet now neþ, to wonye ynne,
Þou kepe nym;
Ȝef þe falþ þrof to be aposed,
Sey, god nys nauȝt in þer worldle aclosed,
Ac hy hys ine hym.

46

Þaȝ hy nabbe ende ne forþe gol,
Ȝet ouer al he hys y-hol,
Wyþ-oute drede;
Nauȝt o del here, anoþer þere,
Ase great body, as hyt were,
Þat al by-ȝede.

47

Þou wost he may by yþoȝt of me
Alle yhollyche, and eke of þe
Wel betere, ich plyȝte;
He may by wel ine dyuers loȝ
Ryȝt al at ones, wel ynoȝ:
Þat deiþ hys myȝtte.

48

Þyse wordle he made, as ich er sede,
Al ase hy hys ryȝt nou ine dede,
And loȝ and heȝ;
Ine þe gynynge of holy wryt,
Hou he hyt made ryȝt þer hyt syȝt,
Ich hyt yseȝe.

140

49

Ine daȝes sixe he made hyt Ryȝt:
Heuene and erthe and wolkne bryȝt,
Þet water te-dyȝt,
Tren and gras and erþe dreȝe,
Sonne and mone and sterren greyȝe,
Þat beþ so bryȝt;

50

Foȝeles, fisches ine þe depe,
Bestes, wormes for to crepe,
And a last, man;
So þat hyt was god and sad,
Al þys world, þat was ymad
Of hym þat can.

51

Al hyt was god, wyþ-oute lak,
Hard and nesche, wyte and blacke,
And al þat wes:
Nedes godes creature
Moste be ryȝt by nature,
Al senneles.

52

Ȝef quead so were of gode y-nome,
By ryȝtte he myȝtte be wyþ-nome
Ryȝt ase a qued;
Þer-fore ne myȝte he nauȝt do wroþe:
Ac schrewadnesse beþ hym loþe,
And hys for-beade.

53

And seþþe god self hyt for-beade,
Wannes comeþ forþe al þat quead,
So meche þer hys?

141

And wel to donne apayneþ ueawe,
Ac hym apayneþ many a screwe
To do amys.

54

Þat god hyt soffreþ, hou mey hyt be,
Seþþe of so great myȝtte hys he
Þet, ȝef ha wolde,
He myȝtte uordo þat hys quead,
And lete ous libbe, and nauȝt be dead?
Hyt þingþ ha scholde.

55

Leue broþer, ȝef he so scholde,
By þe syker þat he so wolde,
Ac he hyt nele.
Ich kan þe telle reyson wy
He let y-worþe quead to by;
Nou harkne skele.

56

Þat alþer-ferste þat god schop,
Þat was heuene, þer nys no wop,
Soþ for to telle;
For he hyt made of swyche aray,
For alle manere blysse and play
Þer to folfelle.

57

Ac o blysse hys, nys nauȝt folfeld,
War-fore þat heuene hys al ydueld,
And ȝet nou worþ;
Ac ich schel telle wat hys þat blysse,
And so we scholle wyte to wysse
Hou quead comeþ forþe.

58

Ȝef þe by-falþ auancement
Of ȝefþe þat þe was yment,
Wel blyþe art þou;

142

And ȝef þe falleþ to be eyr
Of a regne mechel and fayr,
More hys þy prou.

59

Ac nys no blysse ne no feste
Aȝeyns þe ioye of conqueste
Þet hys þorȝ god;
Ne mey me more ioye aspye,
Þane wanne a man þorȝ pur mestrye
Keþ hys manhod.

60

And to great defaute hyt were,
Ȝef no ioye of conqueste nere,
So merye hys hy:
Nou sixt þou þanne mytte beste
Hou ioye þat comeþ of conqueste
Mot neades by.

61

Nys gryt stryf wyþ-oute queade,
And þer conqueste hys, stryf hys neade,
And som yschent:
Þanne nys hyt to god no wrang
To soffre queade þe gode amang
To auancement.

62

For ȝef quead nere in none þynge,
Þer nere stryf ne contekynge,
Ne no wyþ-sey;
And ȝyf stryf nere, ne victorye,
So scholde ine heuene [faylly] (þat) glorye,
Ac hyt ne mey.

63

Þer-fore þer hys a maystre schreawe,
Wyþ hym mo beþ, and þet nauȝt ueawe,
And neades mote;

143

For he hys heaued of schrewednesse,
As god hys cheaf of alle godnesse
And alle bote.

64

Hou mytte schreaudnesse by,
Bote scherewen were hy
Þat hy ferst þouȝte?
For god ne dede no quead in dede,
For al was god, ase ich er sede,
Al þat he wroute.

65

Þes ilke screawe so hys lyȝt-barn,
Þat in-to helle god at-arn
Ferst for hys prede;
Ac god hyne makede fayr ynoȝ,
Bryȝt ande schene, and heȝest in loȝ,
Ferst ine hys dede.

66

Ac are he were y-mad parfyt,
Ase gode soffrede hyȝt,
He waux wel proud:
He wolde sette hys sete ryche
Of north half, and be god ylyche,
To be a-lowed.

67

And so he werry ferst by-gan
Wyþ gode ine heuene, and ȝet te þan
Oþer wel fele,
Wyþ hym þat helde wyþ alle myȝtte,
Angeles þat god hedde ymad bryȝtte
In alle wele.

68

Þys by-ganne schrewednesse
Op an heȝ, ine heuene blysse,
Þe ferste day;

144

Hyȝt moste neades for þe glorye,
Elles hedde y-faylled fyctorye,
Ac hyt ne may.

69

Ac alle hy weren ydryuen out,
Wyþ lucyfer þat was so stout,
Þorȝ godes myȝtte;
Hy þat ne hylde wyþ þe left
Sta[b]le woxe, þat neuere eft
Seneȝy ne myȝtte.

70

Tuo skeles beþ, þat me may wyte,
Þat none nere ymad parfyte
Ine heuene ferst,
Er þe bataylle yended was
By-twexte god and sathanas
Þat now hys werst.

71

O reyson was for angeles gode
Þat chose aryȝt, and faste stode
At þylke dede:
For þat hy scholde, þorȝ pur co[n]queste,
Habbe ioye euere to leste
For hare mede.

72

Þat oþer reyson was for þe deuel,
Þat he schal to mys wende hys cheuel
Þorȝ hys malyce,
So þat folueld were þe glorye,
And hym seelf þorȝ noble uictorye
Lys al hy[s] blysse.

73

Ȝef hy hade be mad parfyȝt,
We nedde y-haued ryȝt no profyȝt
Ine heuene a-boue;

145

Nou schal man be in hare loȝ,
And habbe ioye and blysse ynoȝ,
And pes and loue.

74

And seþþe hyt moste nides by
Þet soche schrewen were hy,
Ase gode hyt mente,
Hou yst þet hy ine helle slabbeþ,
And þare-tou none grace nabbeþ
To repente?

75

Suppose here hijs o iustyse,
God and truwe in alle wyse,
And wys of rede;
And dampneþ þeues for to ordeyne
Peys in londe, nauȝt fo[r] weyne,
Ne for queadhede.

76

Suppose he þat schel hem spylle,
And hongeþ hy wyþ grete wylle,
And hys wel glad;
Ne he neþ reuthe of hys em-cryste,
Þaȝ hy neuere of þefþe neste:
Þes hys a quead,

77

For þat he hys mansleȝþe pur,
Of wylle of mysauenture,
To spylle blod;
And he þat mente hyt, þat iustyse
Hys to preysy in þysse wyse
For hys wyl god.

78

So þou sixte þat me may dyȝte
Quead for gode, and þat wyþ ryȝtte,
And so me deþ;

146

And hy þat doþ hyt ine deade,
Wyþ hare wyl of schrewed-hede,
Dampnable beþ.

79

Þos moȝe we wel by reysoun scheawe
Þat, þaȝ god soffrede such a schreawe
Al for to spylle,
Hyt was for gode, ase ich er sede,
And lucyfer in hys mysdede
Was wykke of wylle.

80

And þare-uore dampnable he hys,
For he was [glad] to don amys,
Þo þat he myȝtte;
And god soffred þat ylke dede,
For god come þrof, ase ich er sede,
Ase god hyȝt dyȝtte.

81

Ne hyt nys of god no malyce
Þeȝ he hym soffrede lese hys blysse
And alle hys wele,
Al þaȝ he þorȝ hys grace myȝtte
Habbe y-don hym wilni þat ryȝtte;
Nou harkne skele.

82

Hyt onbycome ine eche place
Ȝef ech [þ]yng hadde ylyche grace
To ioye and blysse;
And ich mey ȝyuen, and eke wyþ-draȝe,
Al þat myn hys, by gode laȝe,
Wyþ-oute malyce.

83

Ne may nauȝt þanne god al-so,
War he wyle, hys grace do,
And eke wyþ-draȝe,

147

Ȝef he wole, wyþ-out malyce,
And wyþe-oute alle manere uyce?
Nys þys god laȝe?

84

Ȝes, y-wys, god laȝe hys:
Þet hyt be al ase hys wyl hys
Hyt wyle wel by-come;
Nys non þat conne dyȝte hyt bet,
Al-þaȝ hyt þenche wel on-net,
Hys wyl, to some.

85

Þer þat god wyle grace ȝeue
Euer to libbe, hyt mot leue
Ine sauement;
And þar he wyle hys grace wyþ-draȝe,
Nys nauȝt malyce, ac hyt hys laȝe
And iugement.

86

Ac wy he graunteþ grace to one,
And soche and oþeren grauntyeþ none,
Segge ich ne kanne;
Bote þet hys hys priuete
Of hys domes in equyte,
Wyþ wyl to þanne.

87

For þer nys nouȝt of þysse wylle
Her to iugy, ac be we stylle,
We beþ y-let;
For dauyd ous to wyten deþ,
In boke, þat godes domes beþ
A groundlyas pet.

88

For hys ne may no wyt areche,
Bote þo þet hym self wyle teche
He scheawyþ hy,

148

And þe he nele, hy beþ pryue:
Al þat y-ordeyned heþ he
Mot neades by.

89

Þus þe deuel ydampned hys,
And wyþ hym al-so þat beþ hys,
Deuelen wel mo;
For þat þe grace of god him faylleþ,
Moche hys þe pyne þat hem eyleþ,
And eke þe who.

90

Wy hy ne moȝe, ase ich er sede,
Wel repenty of hare mysdede
Lest enne skele,
Þat ich schal segge, ase ich can;
Mo beþ, ac þet longy te man
Ne beþ nauȝt fele.

91

Swyþe fayr þyng hys þat wyte,
And þer by-syde blak a lyte,
Wel ydyȝt;
Þe wyte hyt þe uayrer makeþ,
And [hym] selue more hyt blakeþ,
And al hyt hyȝt.

92

Þe wyse man þe wyser semeþ
Þer þet menye foules dremeþ,
And no reysoun;
Þe merrer hyt hys ine bataylle
Þet me sykþ al þe vomen faylle,
And falle a-doun.

93

Þys lykynge hys for heuene blysse,
Þat leste schal wyþ-oute mysse
Ase euere mo;

149

Þar hys so meche þe more merye
Þe deuel ys þat me[y] nauȝt ne derye,
And helle also.

94

Hy þet þer beþ so moȝe ysy
Wat peryl ascaped beþ hy,
And be þe blyþere;
So þat folueld þe ioye nere,
Bote euere helle pyne were,
And þrynne wiþere.

95

Ac wo beþ werþer for to by
Euer ine helle þanne hy
Þer sech gelt hys?
Þenne mey be wel þys skele:
Þaȝ grace faylly ham to wele
No wonder nys.

96

And ase angeles þe faste stode
For heuer eft by-come gode,
And glad an blyþe,
Ryȝt deuelen [so] for screawed-hede
Euer mo forse scholle brede,
And wreþe and nyþe.

97

Ac þo hy hedde ine heuene ytopped,
Wy nedde hy be ine helle y-stopped
For euere mo,
Ac Nauȝt her in þys myddelnerde,
For to maky men offerde,
And to mysdo?

98

For þo hye weren out ycached,
And ouȝt of hare loȝ arached
For hare senne,

150

We moȝe weten hyt wel y-nou
Þat al ydel was hare loȝ
Þat hy weren ynne.

99

And one-by-comeleche þyng hyt were
Ȝef eny loȝ þer leþy were,
Seruynde of nouȝt[e];
Þar-fore god made mannes schefte,
Þat ylke loȝ al for to crefte,
Ase god hyȝt þoute.

100

Ac manne ne mytte nauȝt þe glorye
Crefte, wyþ-oute victorye,
My leue broþer;
For ȝef he nadde hyȝt þorȝ conqueste,
Folueld ne mytte be hys feste
Al ase anoþer.

101

Þare-fore god made hym god and wys,
And mayster ouer al paradys,
Ac nauȝt parfyt;
For o trou þ[r]ynne god for-bead,
Ase he nolde nouȝt be dead,
Nauȝt take hyt.

102

And god reyson was þat he nere
Nauȝt parfyt, ase oþer were
To-uore ysed;
Ac, ase he was y-mad of erþe,
Ryȝt here an erþe hyt was wel werþe
He were asayd.

103

Þer-fore nas helle nauȝt y-schet,
Ne deuelyn þer-inne nauȝt y-det
Ine þare crybbe,

151

For þat hy scholde man asaye
Waþer he was worþe for to deye
Oþer to libbe.

104

Ac þo þe deuel hyt aspyde
Þat man hym scholde þer abyde
To be assayde,
He þouȝte gyle al onder-go,
For of þet he hadde her ydo
He was affrayde.

105

Nas wonder þaȝ he were affrayd,
For swyþe wel he was auayd
Of mannes stad;
For after god semblant he bere,
And he þouȝte a þet hym uel er,
Þo he was ymad.

106

Ac hys enuie aȝeins man
So great by-comeþ, þet al for þan
He nolde lette
Þat he nold[e] man afounde,
And an hym, bote he mytte stonde,
Hys uenym sette.

107

And dede hym in an addre wede,
Þat best was of mest schreuhede,
Of alle beste;
Hyt moste neades screwed by-come,
Þo þat hy[t] hedde ine hym y-nome
Soch a tempest[e].

108

And he gan to þe trowe glyde
Þat was for-boden, al forte abyde
After hys praye;

152

Ac sore hym drade for to faylly,
And dorste nauȝt adam asaylly,
Al for to waye.

109

Ac wel hym þouȝte þat eue nas
Naȝt so stedefast ase adam was,
Þat was hyre lorde;
And ase hy come, he gan here knowe,
And to hyre speke out of þe trowe
Þys ylke word:

110

“Leue dame, say me now,
Wy heþ god for-bode hyt ȝow
Þet ȝe ne mote
Eten of al þat frut þat hys
Here growynde in paradys
To ȝoure bote?”

111

“We eteþ y-nou,” quaþ eue, “y-wys,
Of alle þe trowes of paradys,
And beþ wel gled;
Bote þys trow mote we nauȝt take,
For boþe me and mynne make
God hyt for-bede,

112

And seyde, ȝef we þer-of ete,
We scholde deye, and lyf for-lete
And alle blysse.”
“Nay,” quaþ þe fend, “ac ȝe ne scholde,
Ac he wot fol wel wet he wolde,
Þat for-bead þys.

113

He wot wel, ȝef ȝe þer-of toke,
Wyþ eȝen scholde ȝe forþ loke
Ryȝt ase godes,

153

And conne boþe god and quead,
And neuer þe raþer be dead
For hys for-bodys.”

114

Þos he gan hyre herte ablowe,
And hy seȝ þat frut ine þe trowe
Was fayr and god,
And et þrof, dame lykerouse,
And made ek eten hyt hyre spouse:
Hy weren wode.

115

Anon opened þer boþe hare eȝen,
And naked þat hy weren y seȝen,
And woxe of-schamed;
Wyþ leaues hy helede hem þer-fore;
Ne mytte hy no leng be for-bore
To be y-blamed.

116

Ac þo hy herde god speke,
Wel sone an hal by-gonne þreke,
Wer þet hy mytte.
“Adam,” quaþ god, “wer myȝtou be?”
Queþ he: “lord, þo we herde þe,
We were of flyȝte;

117

And nedes moste, lord, to soþe,
Al for þat we beþ naked boþe,
Ase uole þynges.”
Queþ god: “ho haþ y-scheawed ȝou
Þat ȝe beþ boþe naked nou,
Bote ȝoure Etinges?”

154

118

Sede adam wyþerlyche to gode:
“Nedde ich y-broke nauȝt þy for-bode,
Ne nauȝt do so,
Nedde þe wymman, lord, y-be
Þat to felaȝe þou madest me,
Hy dede me hyt do.”

119

Þo seyde god almyȝty to eue:
“Wy madest þou man mys-byleue,
And þous mys-went?”
Ac þo seyde eue: “so wey þat wyle!
Þe eddre, lord, wyþ hyre gyle
Heþ ous y-schent.”

120

Þo by-gan god speke to þat worm:
“For þou areredst þerne storm
And alle þys hete,
Acorsed be þou bestes by-syde,
Opone þy wombe þou schalt glyde,
And erþe frete.

121

And ich schal makye contekhede
By-tuyce þyne and wyues sede,
And moche to pleity;
So schal þy power be by-reued,
Þat ȝet schal wymman trede þine heued,
And þou hyre wayti.”

122

So sede he wymman here lere,
Hou hy scholde al hyre children bere
Ine sorȝe and stryf,

155

And þet hy scholde lybbe her
Euere ine mannes daunger
Al hyre lyf.

123

To adam seyde god of heuene:
“For þou dedest by þine wyues steuene
Þet was for-hote,
Þer[þe] hys acorsed ine þyne deade,
In swinched þou schalt þy lyf leade,
And ete ine swote,

124

Al wat þou art aȝen ycome
In-to erþe þat þart of ynome,
Þorȝ deaþes bende;
For þou nart bote of poudre y-welt,
And aȝen into poudre schelt,
Manne, at þyne ende.”

125

Þorȝ þe fend, þat hys oure uo,
Þos by-ganne ferst al oure wo
Þet we beþ inne;
An þos by-ganne ferst trecherye
Þorȝ þe feend, and ek enuye,
Manne for to wynne.

126

And wonderuol was þys assay,
And wonder-lyche ȝede man a-way,
Lyȝtlyche y-lore;
Ac wonder-lyche ȝet forþ myt þan
Her ine þys world hys euer man
To sorwe y-bore.

127

Ac, crystene man, for al þys wounder,
Loke þat þou ne go nauȝt onder
Þorȝ wantrokynge;
For soþe apreued hys þys saȝe,
Boþe by þe elde and nywe laȝe,
Wyþ-oute lesynge.

156

128

And ske[l]fol was þys ordinaunce,
Þaȝ man by-uolle so hard a chaunce
Þorȝ trycherye;
For þorȝ mestrye þat he uorþ droȝ
Þe feend in heuene lias hys loȝ,
Þorȝ pur mastrye.

129

Ryȝt al-so, þo he gyle þouȝte,
For to brynge man to noȝte
Pryuelyche,
God almyȝty, þat hys wyl wyste,
Aȝeyns hym þoȝte go by lyste
Al so styllyche.

130

For ine þe trowe deaþ was kene,
And þat god made wel y-sene,
Þet hyt for-bead;
And he weste þat god hyt sede,
Ȝef man þrof ete he scholde awede,
And eke be dead.

131

Ac lyf was al-so ine þe trowe,
Ac þat ne myȝte be nauȝt y-knowe,
For god hyt hedde;
For hyt was pryue for a wyle
Aȝe þe fendes priue gyle
Þe man for-ledde.

132

For nauȝt nas hyt ycleped ne hys
Trou of lyue in paradys,
Ac wyste;
For, ase man was þorȝ trowe by-couȝt,
In trowe he scholde be for-bouȝt,
Þat þe fende neste.

157

133

And þat was ine þe holy rode,
Þorȝ þe schedynge of þe blode
Of godes sone,
Ase ich her-after telle may,
Þat he tok of a clene may
Aȝeyns wone.

134

Hedde he wyst þer hedde ybe
Lyf for-boute ine þe appeltre,
He nedde assaylled
Noþer adam ne non of hys;
Ac are þe worlde was al þys
Was y-conseyled.

135

God wyste wel þat man schold erry,
And þorȝ on-boxamnesse uerry
Fram alle healþe;
Þer-fore þat consayl was wel trye
Aȝeyns þe feendes foule enuie
To abatye welþe.

136

Þys consayl, hou hyt scholde be,
Al was y-consayled of þre
Ere eny tyme,
Of fader and sone and holy gost,
Þat ich was embe, ase þou wel wost,
Ferst in þyse ryme.

137

And was þat conseyl so ytayled,
Þat hyt ne myȝte habbe faylled
To bote of manne,
And certeyn tyme yset þer-to,
And hou hyt scholde be y-do,
And wer and wanne.

158

138

And her mankende swank and dalf
Fyȝf þousend wynter and an half,
And ȝet wel mo,
Er þane þe tyme of lyue come,
And deaþ man hedde for hys dome
And helle also.

139

Þet go[d] so longe abod, þe skele
Wel mey be þys, þat on of uele:
To mannes mende;
For deaþ scholde hys meystryes keþe,
And [man] forsopie and for-seþe
In deaþes bende,

140

Þat [he] myȝte ryȝt wel y-knowe
Þat he was ryȝt al oue[r]-þrowe
And harde y-nome;
And þe fend hyȝt myȝte wene
Þet men out of so longe tene
Ne myȝte come.

141

Ac her aryst a questio[u]n:
Þo þat adam was broȝt a-doun
And eue al-so,
Wet gelt hedden hy þat þo nere,
Þet hy to deþe ischape were,
And eke to wo?

142

Þou syxt, broþer, by þan by-fore,
Þat oure aldren were al for-lore,
Adam and eue;
For þar nas of ham no partye
Þat nas torned to vylanye,
So to by-leue.

159

143

Ac now be wey of ham y-come,
Wyþ flesch and blod of ham i-nome,
Þet was ablowe
Þorȝ þe fenym of þe fende;
Þanne falþ ous rewelyche by kende
To soffry wowe.

144

And þos þat chyld to nyȝt y-bore,
Þaȝ hyt deyde, hyt were for-lore
Ȝef crystnynge nere,
Þorȝ þe flesch þat hyt nome
Of hys eldren þat hyt of come,
Þat wykkede were.

145

And neades moste [hyt], leaue broþer,
Ryȝt of ham come, and man of oþer,
And be nature;
For elles nadde man y-be
Nauȝt y-lych gode in trynyte
Þorȝ engendrure.

146

Þaȝ hy be þorȝ senne demeyned,
So nas hyt nauȝt ferst y-ordeyned,
Þy[s] engendrure;
For þo man senneȝed in paradys,
Al chaungede þat flesch a-mys
To mysauenture.

147

Elles nedde hyt be no senne,
Þy[s] engendrure of al mankenne
In al þys wone,
Ac senne-leas hyt hadde ybe,
Ase þe engendrure in trynyte
Of fader and sone.

160

148

Ase mannes ylyche ymad of tre
May nauȝt be al ase man may be
Inne alle þynge,
Ne godes ylyche, man, y-wys,
Ne may nauȝt be al ase god ys,
Of heuene kyng.

149

For god, þe fader, hys leue sone
Engendrede out of alle wone,
Wyþ-oute tyde;
Ac man haþ certayn tyme of elde
Wanne he may engendrure ȝelde,
And tyme abyde.