University of Virginia Library

Þus schaltou þenke on his Monhed.
Now schal I teche of his godhed,
Þat from vr knowyng sumdel is hud,
And in foure wise to vs is kud:
In Creature, and in holy writ—
Þerof Ichaue my tale quit;
Þe þridde be Reuelacion,
Þe ffeorþe be monnes reson.
Bi Reuelacion God scheweþ him-selue
As he dude to þe prophetes twelue
And to oþere Mony on,
Or be Miracle open I-don.
Bi reson þus God maiȝt þou kenne,
Ȝif þou wolt þe be-þenke whenne
Þou were nouȝt or þou boren were;
Of oþer Creatures þe same manere,
Þat comen & gon eueriche day;
Þe soþe þer-bi wel wite þou may
And bi reson vndertake
Þat þei miȝt not hem-seluen make;
Heore biginnynge seþþen þou maiȝt se,
And of hem-self þei mowe not be,
Þenne mostou nede grante sum þing
Þat neuer hedde no bi-gynnyng,
Oþur þynges of whom comen alle,
God Almihti þat men calle.
But twei goddes ȝif þat þer were,
Þer moste nede be sum manere
Of diuersete hem bi-twene—
Al on elles moste þei bene;
Þen moste þat on, as wel I wot,
Sumwhat haue þat þe toþer hedde not;
Þen hedde þat on, sikerliche,
Ouþer to luyte or to muche;
Ȝif þat he hedde to luitel,
He were not god almihtful;
And to muche ȝif þat he hadde,
A sori god were and a badde
Þat to muche miȝte not do him fro—
To alle þing for þat is so.
Siþen two goddes þenne mowe not be,
On-lepi god þen graunte we.
But Ioye is non here in no two afye (!)
Wiþ-outen riht good cumpaynye.
Siþen God is ful of Ioye and blis,
In Godhed Cumpaynye þer is.
Be-twene lasse þen two mai hit not be:
Two persones in God þen mai we se.
But cumpaignie were nouȝt, I wene,
But þer were loue hem bi-twene:
Þe þridde persone, I wol warante,
In Trinite þen moste we graunte,
To make loue and Charite
In þe holy Trinite.
And þus mowe we knowe anon
Þreo persones and God but on.
In þi-self þou maiȝt a-tame
Open ensaumple of þis same:
In þi soule þou seost ful wel
Miht and Connynge þou hast sumdel;
Þi miȝt Connynge þe wiþ-Inne
To loue hem boþe þou const not blynne;
Þi miht is furst, and þenne cunnynge,
And of hem boþe comeþ louynge.
Þe same manere in god aboue:
Miht and Connynge and eke loue.

Þe ffader we callen þe furst Miht,
Connynge þe Sone, of him comeþ riht;
Þe holigost loue we calle,
Þat comeþ of boþe, knowleche we alle.

Al Monkynde [knoweþ] in toun and felde
Þe ffader waxeþ feble in his elde,
Þe Sone in his ȝouþe is not wys,
Of Monnes gost comeþ Malys.
In god lest men wolde wene þe same,
Þe ffader haþ miȝt, þe Sone wisdame;
His miht is euer gret inlike,
Þe sones wisdam may nouȝt be swike.
Þe Holigost he haþ goodnesse,
Wiþ-outen Malys More and lesse.
To knowe god þus furst men come
Bi resun—so maiȝt þou, ȝif þou take gome
Þin herte to god vp so to lifte,
In þeose þreo wyse as I skifte:
By his werk, and holy writ,
And bi resun of monnes wit
And of him-self in double kynde.
Wel ouȝte we þenne haue him in mynde,
Þat al þis world wiþ þat þer-Inne
Ȝaf, and him-self, vr loue to wynne.
Nou þou him knowest & his bounte,
Loue him wel for Charite
Euer-more to þi lyues ende!
To Ioye & blisse þen schaltou wende,
Þat he haþ ordeyned for vre solace.
Lord, bring vs þider for þi grace. Amen.
Þus endeþ þe spore of loue—
God grant vs þe blisse of heuene aboue.