fol. 53v (cont.)I

Passus duodecimus

I
I am ymagynatif quod he  idel was I neuere
Thoȝwgh I sitte by my-self  in sekenesse ne in helthe
I haue y-folwede þe in faith  þis fyue and fourty wyntur .
M.12.4KD.12.4
And many tymes haue IM.12.4: M's reading of haue I is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which read haue. Hm reads y haue. meued þe  to þenke on þyne ende .
And how fele ferneȝeres arn faren  and so fewe to come
And of thyn wylde wantonesse  tho þow .yong were .
To amende it in þy mydel age  leste myght þe faile
M.12.8KD.12.8
In þin olde Elde  that yuele can suffre
Pouerte or penaunce  or preiersM.12.9: Bleedthrough has affected the <p>, the <i>, and the <s> of this word. bidde .
Si non in prima vigilia . nec in secunda . & cetera .
fol. 54rI
passus xijus
Emendemus dum temporem habemus
Amende the whil thow might  thow hast ben warned ofte
M.12.12KD.12.11
With poustes of pestilences  with pouerte . and with angres
And with þise bittere baleises  god beteþ his dere children .
Quem diligo castigo
And dauid in the Sauter seith  of suche þat louen Ihesus
M.12.16KD.12.13α
Virga tua & baculus tuus  ipsa me consolata sunt & cetera .
Al-though þow strike me with þi staff  with stikke or with ȝyerde .
It is but murthe as for me  to amende my soule
And þow medlest þe with makynge  and myȝtest go seie thi sauter
M.12.20KD.12.17
And bidde for hem þat ȝyeueth the bred  for there ben bokes ynowe
To telle men what dowel is  do-bet . and dobest bothe .
And prechours to preue what it is  of many a peire of —M.12.22: M's original reading of of was unique among B manuscripts. Freres .
I seigh wel he saide me soth  and suomwhat me to excuse .
M.12.24KD.12.21
Saide Caton conforted his sone  that clerk though he were
To solacen hym suom-tyme  as I do whan I make .
Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis & cetera
And of holy men quod I  i herdeM.12.27: M's order of quod I i herd is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which have I herd quod I. howM.12.27: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word þei here, which is inserted in a different ink at the beginning of the next line. otherwhyle
M.12.28KD.12.24
þeiM.12.28: No other B manuscript attests þei at this place. Pleyden . þe parfiter  to ben in many places
Ac if þere were any wight  that wolde me telle
What were dowel . and dobet  and dobest at þe laste .
Wold I neuere do werke  but wende to holy churche
M.12.32KD.12.28
And þere bidde my bedes  but whan I ete or slepe .
Octava descripcio de dowell
Poule in his pistel quod he  preueth what is dowel
Fides spes caritas & maior horum & cetera .
Feithe / hope / and charite  & alle ben goode
M.12.36KD.12.31
And sauen men suondry tymes  ac non so sone as charite .
For he doth wel with-outen doute  that doth as leaute techeþ .
That is if þou be man maried  thy make þow louye
And lyue forth as lawe wole  while ȝye lyuen bothe .
M.12.40KD.12.35
Right so if þow be Religious  ren þow neuere ferther
To Rome ne to Rochemadore  but as thy reule techeþ .
And holde þe vndur obedience  þat heigh w..ey is to heuene
And if þow be mayden to marie  and myght wel continue
M.12.44KD.12.39
Seke þow neuere seint ferther  for no soule helthe .
For what made Lucifer  to lese þe heigh heuene .
Or Sal.omon his sapience  or Sampson his strengthe .
Iob þe iew his ioie . dere he it abouȝte
M.12.48KD.12.43
Aristotle and other mo  ypocras and virgile .
fol. 54vI
Alisaundre þat al wan  elengeliche ended
Catel and kynde wit  was combraunce to hem alle
Felice hire fairnesse  fel hire al to sklaundre
# Rosamondis Beaute
M.12.52KD.12.47
And Roseamonde right so  rewfully bisette .
The beaute of hire body  in badnesse she despended
Of many suche I may rede  of men and of wymmen .
That wise wordes wolde shewe  and werchen þe contrarie
M.12.56KD.12.50α
Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes .
And riche renkes right so  gadere.. — and sparen .
And þo men þat þei moost haten  mynystren it at þe laste
And for þei suffren and see  so many nedy folkes
M.12.60KD.12.54
And louen hem nouȝnouȝ[t] as oure lord bit  lesen hire soules .
Date & dabitur vobis. & cetera .
And richesse right so  but ȝif þe Rote be trwe
Ac grace is a gresse there-of  the greuaunces to abate
M.12.64KD.12.60
Ac grace groweth nouȝt  but amonges lowe
Pacience and pouerte  þe place is þere it groweth
And in lele lyuyng men  and in lif holy
And þo...rugh þe gifte of þe holygoost  as þe gospell ..telleth
M.12.68KD.12.63α
Spiritus vbi vult spirat. & cetera
Nota
Clergye and kynde wit  cometh of sight . and techynge
As þe book bereth witytnesse  to buirnes þat kan rede
Quod scimisscim[u]s loquimur quod vidimus testamur .
M.12.72KD.12.66
Of quod scimus cometh clergye  and konnynge of heuene
And of quod vidimisvidim[u]s cometh kynde wit  of sight of diuerse poeple
# de aduentu Gracie
Ac grace is a gifte of god  and of grete loue springeth
Knew neuere clerk how it cometh forth  ne kynde wit þe weyes .
M.12.76KD.12.69α
Nescit aliquis vnde venit . aut quo vadit & cetera .
Ac ȝyet is clergye to comende  and kynde wit bothe .
And namelich clergye for cristus loue  þat of clergie is Rote
For Moyses witytnesseth þat god wrot  for to wisse þe p.eple
M.12.80KD.12.73
In þe olde lawe as þe lettre telleþ .  þat was þe lawe of Iewes .
That what womman were in auoutrie taken  were she riche or pore
With stones men shulde hire strike  and stone hire to dethe
# adulterium MulerisMul[i]eris
A womman as we fynden  was gulty of þat dede
M.12.84KD.12.77
Ac ....Crist of his curtesie  þorugh clergye hire sauede .
For þoruȝ carettes þat crist wroot  þe Iewes knew hem-seluen .
fol. 55rI
passus xijus
Giltier as afore god  and gretter in synne
Than þe womman þat þere was  and wenten away for shame
M.12.88KD.12.81
The clergye þat þere was  conforted þe womman
Holy kyrke knoweth þis  that cristes wrytynge saued hireM.12.89: This alteration puts M in agreement with WHmCr. F has hire savede.
# quia sciencia scripturarum conffortat bonos // malos autem condempnat
So clergye is confort  to creatures þat repenten
And to mansed men  myschief at hire ende .
M.12.92KD.12.85
For godus body miȝte not be of brede withouten clergye
The w....hich body is bothe  bote to þe rightful
And deth and dampnacioun  to hem þat deien .yuele
As cristes carette conforted  and bothe coupable shewethM.12.95: M's present tense form of the verb is unattested in other B manuscripts, most of which read shewed.
M.12.96KD.12.89
The womman þat þe Iewes brouȝte  þat Ihesus þouȝte to saue .
Nolite iudicare & non iudicabimini. & cetera .
Right so godes body bretheren  but it be worthily taken .
Dampneth vs at þe day of dome  asM.12.99: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word þe here. carettes dide þe Iewes
# quia scienciam delige
M.12.100KD.12.92
For-þi I conseille the for cristes sake  clergye þat þow louye
For kynde wit is of his kyn  and neihe cosyns bothe .
To oure lord leue me  for-thi loue hem I rede .
For bothe ben as Mirrours  to amenden oure defautes .
M.12.104KD.12.96
And leddres for lewede men  and for lettred bothe .
For-þi lakke þou neuere logyke  lawe ne his custumes
Ne contreplede clerkes  I conseille the for euere .
For as a man may not see  þat mysseth hise eighen
M.12.108KD.12.100
NomoreNo more kan no clerk . but if he cauȝte it furst ofM.12.108: For of, Cr has by, F has in, and other B manuscripts have þoruȝ. bokes
Al-þough men made bookes  god was þe Maistre
And seint spirit þe samplarie . and saide  what men shulde write .
And right as sighte serueth a man  to se þe heighe st....erreM.12.111: M's altered reading of sterre is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read strete, though among C manuscripts P2 and D2 (and X by alteration) read hye þe sterre. The line is omitted by WHmCr.
M.12.112KD.12.104
Right so ledeþ lettrure  lewed men to Resoun
And as a blynde man in bataille  bereth wepne to fiȝte
And hath non happe with his axe  hys enemy to huytte
NomoreNo more can a kynde-wittedmanwitted man  but ȝif clerkes hym teche
M.12.116KD.12.108
Come for al his kynde wit..  to cristendome and be sauede
W....hich is þe coffre of cristes tresour  and clerkes kepe þe keyes
To vnlouken it at hire lykynge  and to þe lewede p.eple
ȜYeuen mercy for hire mysdedes  if men it wole aske .
M.12.120KD.12.112
Buxumliche and benygneliche  and bidden it of grace .
Archa dei in þolde lawe  leuytes it kepten .
Hadde neuere lewede man leue  to leggen hond on þe cheste .
fol. 55vI
# quia in veteri testamento licitum erat presbiter procreare Filios
But he were preste or preste.s sone  patria..rk or prophete
M.12.124KD.12.126
For clergye is kepere  vndurcristvndur crist of heuene .
Was þere neuere no knyght  but clergye hym made .
Ac kynde wit cometh  of alle kynnes sightes
Of briddes and of bestes . of tastes . of truthe & of deceites
...?...M.12.128: Something, now illegible even under ultraviolet light, has been erased from the margin.
M.12.128KD.12.130
Lyueres to-forn vs  vsuden to marke
The selkouthes þat þei seighen  hire sones for to teche
And helden it an heighe science  hire wittes to knowe
Ac þo..rugh hire science sothely  was neuere no soule ysauede
M.12.132KD.12.134
Ne brouȝte by hire bookes  to blisse ne to ioye
For alle hire kynde knowynges  come but of diuerse sightes
Patriarkes and prophetes  reprouede hire science
And saiden hire wordus ne hire wisdomes  nas but a folye
M.12.136KD.12.138
As to þe clergye of Crist  counted it but a t......rufle
Sapiencia huius mundi . Stulticia est apud deum .
For the heighe holy goost  heuene shal to-cleue
And loue shal lepe oute aftur  into þis lowe erthe
M.12.140KD.12.141
And clennesse shal cacchen it  and clerkes shullen it fynde .
Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem
He speketh there of riche men right nouȝt  ne of right wytty .
Ne of lordes þat were lewedmenlewed men  but of þe hexte lettr..ed oute
M.12.144KD.12.144α
Ibant magi ab oriente & cetera
contra fratres molestus est
Ȝ..If any Frere were founden there  ich ȝyeue þe fyue shylynges .
# quia non natus erat Cristus in diuersorio
Ne in none beggers cote  was þat barne borne .
But in a Burgeis..es place  of Bedlem þe beste
M.12.148KD.12.147α
Set non erat locus in diuersorio . & pauper non habet diuersorium
To pastoures and to poetes  appiered þatM.12.149: M shares the reading þat with L; other beta manuscripts have þe. angel
And bad hem go to bethlem  goddes burthe to honoure .
And songe a songe of solace  Gloria in excelsis deo .
M.12.152KD.12.153
Clerkes knewen it well  and comen with hire presentezz
And deden hire homage honurably  to hym þat was almyghty
fol. 56rI
passus xijus
Why I haue tolde al this  I took ful gode hiede
How þow contrariedest clergye  with crabbude wordes .
M.12.156KD.12.157
How þat lewed men liȝtliker  þanne — lettred menM.12.156: M shares the reading lettred men with F; other B manuscripts have lettrede. were saued
Thanne — clerkes or kynde witted men  of cristen p.eple
And þow saidest soth of summe  ac se in what manere
# de duobus natatoribus
Take two stronge men  and in temse caste hem .
M.12.160KD.12.161
And bothe nakede asM.12.160: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word a here. nedle  hire noon sikererM.12.160: M's original reading of siker agreed with LR. þan oþur
That oon hath konnynge and kan  swymmen and dyuen .
That other is lewede of þat labour  lerned neuere to swymme
W....hich trowest þow of þo two  in temse is moost in drede .
M.12.164KD.12.165
He þat neuere dyuede  ne nouȝt can of swymmynge
Or the swymmere þat is sauf  by so hym-self like
There is felawe fleet forth  as þe flood liketh
And is in drede to drenche  þat neuere dide swymme
M.12.168KD.12.169
That swymme can nouȝt I seide  it semeth to my wittus
X
Right so quod the renk  Resoun it shewethM.12.169: The scribe began writing M.12.169 immediately following M.12.168, but realized his error before completing the line and erased his false start in order to leave a blank line between strophes.
That he þat knoweth clergye  kan suonner arise
Out of synne and be sauedM.12.171: M's reading of saued is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read saaf.  though he synne ofte
# quod contricio delit peccatum
M.12.172KD.12.173
ȜiIf hym liketh and leste  than any lewede lelly .
For ȝif þe clerk be konnynge  he knoweth what is synne .
And how contricioun with-outen confessioun  conforteth þe soule .
As þow seeste in þe sauter  in spalmesM.12.175: M's original reading spalme agreed with LRF. oon or tweyne
M.12.176KD.12.177
How contricoun is comended  for it caccheþ away synne .
Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates . & quorum tecta sunt & cetera
And this conforteth .eche a clerke  and keuereþ hym from wanhope
In w....hich flood þe feende  fondeth a man hardeste .
M.12.180KD.12.180
There þe lewede lith stille  and loketh after lente
And hath no contricioun er he come to shrifte  & þanne can he litel telle
And as his loresman leres hym  bileueth and troweth
And þat is after person . or parisshe preest . and parauenture
M.12.184KD.12.184
Vnkonnynge to lere lewede men  as Luc bereth wittnesse .
Dum cecus ducit cecum & cetera
Wo was hym marked þat wade  moot with þe Lewede
# quia ad scolam optime valet
Wel may the barn blisse  that hym to booke sette
M.12.188KD.12.188
That lyuynge after lettrure  saued hym lif and soule
Dominus pars heriditatis mee is a mury verset .
fol. 56vI
That haþ taken from Tibourne  twenty stronge theues
There lewed theues ben lolled vp  loke how þei ben sauede
x
M.12.192KD.12.192
The thef þat hadde grace of god  on gode friday as þow speke
Was for he ȝyalde hym recreauntM.12.193: M shares the reading recreaunt with R; most other B manuscripts have creaunt. to crist on the cros  & knowleched hym gylty .
And grace axed of god  and he is euerye redy .
That buxomliche biddeth it  and ben in wille . to amende hem .
M.12.196KD.12.196
Ac though þat thef hadde heuene  he hadde noon heighe blisse
As seint Iohan and other seintus  þat desserued hadde bettre
Right as suome men ȝyeue me mete  and sette me amyddes þe flore
Ich haue mete more þanne — y-nowgh  ac nouȝt so muche worshipe
de latronibus pendentibus ad passionem domini
M.12.200KD.12.200
As þo þat sitten at þe side tablesM.12.200: Only M and Cr have plural tables. Kane and Donaldson erroneously record <-s> as possibly added.  or with þe soueraines of þe halle
But sitte as a begger bordlees  by my-self on þe grounde
So it fareth by þat feloun  þat on gode friday was sauede
He sittet neither by seint Iohan  Symonde ne Iude
M.12.204KD.12.204
Ne wiþ maydenes ne with martires  confessours / ne widewes
..
..But byM.12.205: What is still visible of the erased reading suggests the line began with By as in GCB. The word But was then supplied to the left of the line, but then erased and rewritten in place of By, with by then inserted as the second word. hym-selue as a solayn  and serued on the erthe
For he þat is ones a thef  is eueremore in daunger
And as lawe liketh  to lyue or to deie
M.12.208KD.12.207α
De peccato propiciato noli esse sine metu
And for to seruen a seint  and suche a thef to-gederes
It were neither resoun ne right  to rewarde hemM.12.210: M shares the reading hem with F; most other B manuscripts read hem boþe. yliche
And right as Troianus þe trewe knyght  tilde nouȝt depe in helle
M.12.212KD.12.211
That oure lord ne hadde hym liȝtliche oute  so leue I þe thef be in heuene
For he is in þe loweste heuene  ȝif oure bileue be trwe
And wel loseliche he lolleth there  by þe lawe of holy churche
Qui.M.12.215: M's original reading was probably Quia, agreeing with YOC2CL. reddit vnicuique iuxta opera sua. & cetera
..M.12.216: Something to the left of the first word, now illegible, has been erased.
M.12.216KD.12.214
And whi that on thef on the crosse  creaunt hym ȝyel..ded
Rather þanne — þat other thef  þowȝ þow wold.estM.12.217: M's altered reading woldest agrees with WHmCrFR; other B manuscripts have wolde. appose
Alle þe clerkes vndur crist  ne kouthe þe skyll assoille
Quare placuit . quia voluit
M.12.220KD.12.217
And so seie IM.12.220: M's reading of seie I is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read I seye. by þe  þat sekest after the whyes
And aresonedest Resoun  a rebukynge as it were
And of þe floures in þe f..ryth  and of hire faire h.ewes
Where-of þei cacchen hire colours  so clere and so brighte
M.12.224KD.12.219
And wilnest of briddes and of bestes  and of hire bredynge to knowe
Why somme be a-lowe and somme a-lofte  thi lykynge it were .
And of þe stones and of þe sterres  þow studyest as I leue
How euere beste or brridde —bridde —  hath so breme wyttes .
M.12.228KD.12.225
Clergye ne ky...nde wit  ne knewen neuere the cause 
Ac kynde knoweth þe
vijus M.12.228: The cropped characters written near the bottom right corner of the leaf are visible but illegible.
fol. 57rI
passus xijus
# quia naturale scimus
Ac kynde knoweth þe cause hymself  no creature elles
He is þe pyes patroun  and putteth it in heire here
That þere þe thorn is thikkest  tuo buylden and brede
M.12.232KD.12.229
And kynde.. kenned þe pecok  to cauken in suche a kynde
And kenned Adam  to knowe his priue membres
And tauȝte hym and Eue  to hilien hem with leues
Lewed men many tymes  maistres thei apposen .
# why Adam couered his licam rather than his mowth
M.12.236KD.12.233
Why Adam ne hiled nouȝt first  his mouth þat ete the Appul
Rather þan his likam a-lowe  lewed axen thus clerkes
Kynde knoweth why he ded so  ac no clerk elles
Ac of briddes andM.12.239: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word of here. beestes  men by olde tyme
M.12.240KD.12.237
Ensamples token and termes  as telleth þise poetes .
And þat þe fairest foule  foulest engendreth
And feblest foule of flight is  þat fleeth or swymmeth
And þat is þe pecok and þe po...hen proude  riche men þei tokenenM.12.243: M's reading tokenen is not shared by other B manuscripts, which have forms of bitokeneþ.
M.12.244KD.12.242-243
For þe pecok and men pursue hym  may nouȝt flee heighe
For þe trayllynge of his tailyle  ouere-taken is he sone .
And his flessh is foule flessh  and his feet bothe
And vnlouelich of leden  and laithe for to here .
M.12.248KD.12.247
Riȝt so the riche  ȝif he his richesse kepe .
And deleth it nouȝt til his deth-day  þe taille —M.12.249: Most B manuscripts have M's altered reading of tail, with only LR having M's original reading taille, i.e. "tally." of alle — isM.12.249: M's reading of is is not shared by other B manuscripts. sorwe .
Right as the pennes of þe pecok  payn..eþ hym in hys fliȝt.
So is possessioun payne  of pens and of nobles
M.12.252KD.12.251
To alle hem þat it holdet.h  til hire t....ayl — be plukk...ed
And þouȝgh þe riche r.epente thanne  and by-rewe þe tyme .
contra auaros & cupidos
That euere he gadred so grete  and gaf there-of so litel
Though he crie to Crist þanne  with kene wille I leue
M.12.256KD.12.255
His ledene be in oure lordes ere  lyke a pyes chiteryngM.12.256: The addition of chiteryng is paralleled in WF, while HmCr have chatrynge. All other B manuscripts omit the word.
And whanne his caroigne shal come  in caue to be buryede
I leue it flaumbe ful foule  the fold alabouteal aboute .
And alle the othere th.ere it lith  enuen...?...?...ymethM.12.259: In place of M's altered reading enuenymeth, CrLR have enuenimed. thurgh his attre
M.12.260KD.12.259
By the pofeet is vndurstonde  as I haue lern.dd in auynete .
Executours false frendes  that fulfille nouȝt his wille
That was wryten and thei witytnesse  to worche riȝt as it wolde
Thus the poete preues . that the pecok  for his fetheres is reuerencede
M.12.264KD.12.263
Right so is the riche  by reson of his godes .
The larke that is a lasse foule  is more loueliche of ledene
fol. 57vI
And welaway of wynge  swifter þanne þe pecok
And of flessh by fele folde  fatter and swetter
M.12.268KD.12.267
To lowe libbynge men  the larke is resemblede
# quia de aristotile dubitatum vtrum saluatur
Aristotel the grete clerk  suche tales he telleth
Thus he likkeneth in his logyke  the leest foule oute
And wher he be sauf . or nouȝt sauf  the sothe wot no clergie
M.12.272KD.12.271
Ne of Sortes ne of Sal.omon  no scripture kan telle
Ac god is so good I hope  þat sith he gaf hem wittes
To wyssen vs waies therwith  that wissen vs to be sauede
And þe bettre for hire bokes  to bidden we ben holden
M.12.276KD.12.275
That god for his grace  gif hire soules reste
For lettred men were lewedmenlewed men ȝyet  ne were lore of hire bokes .
Al thise clerkes quod I tho  that on crist leuen 
Siggen in hire sermones  that nother saresenes ne Iewes
M.12.280KD.12.279
Ne no creature of cristes likknesse  with-outen cristendome bethM.12.280: M's reading of beth is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read worþ. saued .
Contra quod ymaginatif tho  and comsed for to loure
And saide . Saluabitur vix iustus in die Iudicij .
Ergo saluabitur quod he  and saide no more latyn .
Troianus
# quia Troianus saluatur propter iusticiamM.12.284: This marginal comment is written over an erased Troianus.
M.12.284KD.12.283
Troianus was a trewe knyght  and took neuere cristendome
And he is sauf so seithe the book  and his soule in heuenne
For þere is fullynge of fonte  and fullynge ofM.12.286: M shares the reading of with Hm; other B manuscripts have in. blood shedynge .
And .. þurgh fy..r is fullyng  and þat is ferme bileue .
M.12.288KD.12.286α
Aduenit ignis diuinus non comburens set illuminans & cetera
Ac treuthe that trespassed neuere  ne trauersed aȝeins his lawe .
Nota bene
But liueth as hise lawe techeth  and leueth ther be no bettre .
And ȝif þere were he wolde amende  and in suche wille dei...eth
M.12.292KD.12.290
Ne wolde neuere trwe god  but trewth were alowed .
And were it worth or worth nouȝt  the bileue is grete of treuthe
And an hope hangynge there-inne  to haue mede for his treuthe
For deus dicitur quasi dans vitam eternam suis. hoc est fidelibus
M.12.296KD.12.293α
Et alibi  Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis .
The gloseth graunteth vpon that vers  a grete mede to truthe
And wit and wysdome quod that wye was sumtyme tresore .
To kepe with a comune  no catel was holden bettre .
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And muche murthe and manhod  and right with þat he vanisshed .
cor
MED