fol. 5r (cont.)I
Passus primus de visione

What þis Mountaigne bymeneþ . and þe merke dale
And þe feld ful of folk . I shal yow faire shewe

A louely lady of leere . in lynnen ycloþed
W.1.4KD.1.4
Cam doun from a Castel . and called me faire
And seide sone slepestow . sestow þis peple
How bisie þei ben . alle aboute þe maze
The mooste partie of þis peple . þat passeþ on þis erþe
W.1.8KD.1.8
Haue þei worship in þis world . þei wilne no bettre
Of ooþer heuene þan here . holde þei no tale

I was afered of hire face . þeiȝ she fair weere
And seide mercy madame . what is þis to meene

W.1.12KD.1.12
The tour on þe toft quod she . truþe is þer-Inne
And wolde þat ye wrouȝte . as his word techeþ
For he is fader of feiþ . and formed yow alle
Boþe with fel and with face . and yaf yow fyue wittes
W.1.16KD.1.16
For to worshipe hym þer-wiþ . while þat ye ben here
And þerfore he hiȝte þe erþe . to helpe yow echone
Of wollene of lynnen . of liflode at nede
In mesurable manere . to make yow ateseat ese
W.1.20KD.1.20
And comaunded of his curteisie . in commune þree þynges
Are none nedfulle but þo . and nempne hem I þynke
And rekene hem by reson . reherce þow hem after

That oonW.1.23: W alone omits is after oon. vesture . from coldW.1.23: Most other B witnesses read chele. þee to saue
W.1.24KD.1.24
And mete at meel . for mysese of þi-selue
fol. 5vI
And drynke whan þow driest . ac do noȝt out of reson
That þow worþe þe wers . whan þow werche sholdest

For LothW.1.27: One character, probably <h>, was erased after Lot. in hise lifdayes . for likynge of drynke
W.1.28KD.1.28
Dide by hise douȝtres . þat þe deuel liked
Delited hym in drynke . as þe deuel wolde
And Leccherie hym lauȝte . and lay by hem boþe
And al he witte it þe wyn . þat wikked dede
W.1.32KD.1.31α
Inebriamus eum vino . dormiamusque cum eo
Vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen

Thoruȝ wyn and þoruȝ wommen . þer was loth acombred
And þere gat in glotonie . gerles þat were cherles

W.1.36KD.1.34
For-þi dred delitable drynke . and þow shalt do þe bettre
Mesure is medicine . þouȝ þow muchel yerne
It is nouȝt al good to þe goost . þat þe gut askeþW.1.38: A later hand has inserted a feyrse in the right margin. Cf. W.P.195 and W.1.86.
Ne liflode to þi likame . for a liere hym techeþW.1.39: After likame WHmCL omit the b-verse and following a-verse: . . . þat lief is to þe soule / Leue not þi likam . . . (in the spelling of M).
W.1.40KD.1.39
That is þe wrecched world . wolde þee bitraye
For þe fend and þi flessh . folwen togidere
This and that seeþ þi soule . and seith it in þin herte
And for þow sholdest ben ywar . I wisse þee þe beste

W.1.44KD.1.43
Madame mercy quod I . me likeþ wel youre wordes
Ac þe moneie of þis molde . þat men so faste holdeþ
Tel me to whom madame . þat tresour appendeþ

Go to þe gospel quod she . þat god seide hym-seluen
W.1.48KD.1.47
Tho þe poeple hym apposede . wiþ a peny in þe temple
Wheiþer þei sholde þer-wiþ . worshipe þe kyng Cesar

And god asked of hymW.1.50: W alone reads singular hym. Other B witnesses have hem. . of whom spak þe lettre
And þe ymage was lik . þat þer-Inne stondeþ
fol. 6rI
W.1.52KD.1.51
Cesares þei seiden . we seen it wel echone

Reddite Cesari . quod god . þat Cesari bifalleþ
Et que sunt dei deo . or ellis ye don ille
For riȝtfullyW.1.55: W alone reads riȝtfully. Other B witnesses have riȝtfull. reson . sholde rule yow alle
W.1.56KD.1.55
And kynde wit be wardeyn . youre welþe to kepe
And tutour of youre tresor . and take it yow at nede
For housbondrie and hij . holden togidres

Thanne I frayned hire faire . for hym þat me made
W.1.60KD.1.59
That dongeon in þe dale . þat dredful is of siȝte
What may it be to meene . madame I yow biseche

That is þe castel of care . who-so comþ þer-Inne
May banne þat he born was . to bodi or to soule
W.1.64KD.1.63
Ther-Inne wonyeþ a wight . þat wrong is yhote
Fader of falshede . and founded it hym-selue
Adam and Eue . he egged to ille
Counseilled Kaym . to killen his broþer
W.1.68KD.1.67
Iudas he iaped . wiþ Iewen siluer
And siþen on an Eller . hanged hym-selue
He is lettere of loue . and lieþ hem alle
That trusten on his tresour . bitrayeþ he hem sonnest

W.1.72KD.1.71
Thanne hadde I wonder in my wit . what womman it weere
That swiche wise wordes . of holy writ shewed
And asked hire on þe heiȝe name . er she þennes yede
What she were witterly . þat wissed me so faire

W.1.76KD.1.75
Holi chirche I am quod she . þow ouȝtest me to knowe
I vnderfeng þee first . and þe feiþ tauȝte
And brouȝtest me borwes . my biddyng to fulfille
And to louen me leelly . þe while þi lif dureþ

fol. 6vI
W.1.80KD.1.79
Thanne I courbed on my knees . and cried hire of grace
And preide hire pitously . preye for my synnes
And also kenne me kyndely . on crist to bileue
That I myȝte werchen his wille . þat wroȝte me to man
W.1.84KD.1.83
Teche me to no tresor . but tel me þis ilke
How I may saue my soule . þat Seint art yholden

Whan alle tresors arn tried quod she . treuþe is þe besteW.1.86: The words a feyrse are written in the right margin in a more cursive hand. Cf. W.P.195 and W.1.38.
I do it on Deus caritas . to deme þe soþe
W.1.88KD.1.87
It is as dereworþe a drury . as deere god hym-seluen

Who is trewe of his tonge . and telleþ noon ooþer           W.1.89:nota
And dooþ þe werkes þer-wiþ . and wilneþ no man ille           W.1.90:nota
He is a god by þe gospel . a-grounde and olofte
W.1.92KD.1.91
And ylik to oure lord . by Seint Lukes wordes
The clerkes þat knowen þis . sholde kennen it aboute
For cristen and vncristen . cleymeþ it echone

Kynges and knyȝtes . sholde kepen it by reson
W.1.96KD.1.95
Riden and rappen doun . in Reaumes aboute
And taken transgressores . and tyen hem faste
Til treuþe hadde y-termyned . hire trespas to þe ende           W.1.98:nota
And þat isW.1.99: WG agree in reading is. Most other B witnesses have is þe. profession apertli . þat apendeþ to knyȝtes
W.1.100KD.1.101
And nauȝt to fasten o friday . in fyue score wynter
But holden wiþ hym and with here . þat wolden alle truþe
And neuere leue hem for loue . ne for lacchynge of siluer
For Dauid in hise dayes . dubbed knyȝtes
W.1.104KD.1.99
And dide hem sweren on hir swerd . to seruen truþe euere
And who-so passed þat point . was Apostata in þe ordre

But crist kyngene kyng . knyȝted ten
Cherubyn and Seraphyn . swiche seuene & oþere
W.1.108KD.1.107
And yaf hem myȝt in his maiestee . þe murier hem þouȝte
And ouer his meene meynee . made hem Archangeles
fol. 7rI
Tauȝte hem by þe Trinitee . treuþe to knowe
To be buxom at his biddyng . he bad hem nouȝt ellis

W.1.112KD.1.111
Lucifer wiþ legions . lerned it in heuene
But for he brak buxomnesse . his blisse gan he tyne
And fel fro þat felawshipe . in a fendes liknesse
In-to a deep derk helle . to dwelle þere for euere
W.1.116KD.1.116
And mo þousandes mydW.1.116: W alone reads myd; all other B witnesses have wyth. hym . þan man kouþe nombre
Lopen out wiþ Lucifer . in loþliche forme
For þei leueden vp-on hym . þat lyed in þis manere
Ponam pedem in aquilone . & similis ero altissimo .

W.1.120KD.1.120
And alle þat hoped it myȝte be so . noon heuene myȝte hem holde
But fellen out in fendes liknesse . nyne dayes togideres
Til god of his goodnesse . gan stablisseW.1.122: W is alone in reading stablisse. Most other B witnesses have stable. and stynte
And garte þe heuene to stekie . and stonden in quiete

W.1.124KD.1.124
Whan þise wikkede wenten out . in wonder-wise þei fellen
Somme in þe Eyr somme in erþe . and somme in helle depe
Ac Lucifer lowest liþ . yet of hem alle
For pride þat he putte out . his peyne haþ noon ende
W.1.128KD.1.128
And alle þat werchen with wrong . wende þei shulle
After hir deþ-day . and dwelle with þat sherewe

And þo þat werche wel . as holy writ telleþ
And enden as I er seide . in truþe þat is þe beste
W.1.132KD.1.132
Mowe be siker þat hire soules . shul wende to heuene
Ther Treuþe is in Trinitee . and troneþ hem alle
For-þi I seye as I seyde er . by siȝte of þise textes
Whan alle tresors arn tried . truþe is þe beste           W.1.135:nota
W.1.136KD.1.136
Lereþ it þise lewed men . for lettred men it knoweþ
That Treuþe is tresor . þe trieste on erþe

YetW.1.138: The mark over line-initial <Y> resembling a nota abbreviation is to distinguish the letter from capital <Þ>. haue I no kynde knowyng quod I . ye mote kenne me bettre
fol. 7vI
By what craft in my cors . it comseþ and where

W.1.140KD.1.140
Thow doted daffe quod she . dulle are þi wittes
To litel latyn þow lernedest . leode in þi youþe
Heu michi quia sterilem duxi vitam Iuuenilem

It is a kynde knowyng quod she . þat kenneþ in þyn herte
W.1.144KD.1.143
For to louen þi lord . leuere þan þi-selue
No dedly synne to do . deye þeiȝ þow sholdest
This I trowe be truþe . who kan teche þee bettre

Loke þow suffre hym to seye . and siþen lere it after
W.1.148KD.1.148
For truþe telleþ þat loue . is triacle of heuene           W.1.148:nota
May no synne be on hym seene . þat vseþ þat spice           W.1.149:nota
And alle hise werkes he wrouȝte . with loue as hym liste
And lered it Moyses for þe leueste þyng . and moost lik to heuene
W.1.152KD.1.152
And also þe plentee of pees . moost precious of vertues
For heuene myȝte nat holden it . it was so heuy of hym-self
Til it hadde of þe erþe . eten his fille

And whan it hadde of þis fold . flessh and blood taken
W.1.156KD.1.156
Was neuere leef vp-on lynde . lighter þer-after
And portatif and persaunt . as þe point of a nedle
That myȝte noon Armure it lette . ne none heiȝe walles

For-þi is loue ledere . of þe lordes folk of heuene
W.1.160KD.1.160
And a meene as þe Mair is . bitwene þe kyng & þe commune           W.1.160:nota
Right so is loue a ledere . and þe lawe shapeþ
Vp-on man for hise mysdedes . þe mercyment he taxeþ
And for to knowen it kyndely . it comseþ by myght
W.1.164KD.1.164
And in þe herte þere is þe heed . and þe heiȝe welle
For in kynde knowynge in herte . þer a myȝt bigynneþ           W.1.165:nota
And þat falleþ to þe fader . þat formed vs alle
Loked on vs wiþ loue . and leet his sone dye

fol. 8rI
W.1.168KD.1.168
Mekely for oure mysdedes . to amenden vs alle
And yet wolde he hem no wo . þat wrouȝte hym þat peyne
But mekely wiþ mouþe . mercy bisouȝteW.1.170: W alone reads bisouȝte. Other B witnesses have he bisouȝte.
To haue pite of þat peple þat peyned hym to deþe

W.1.172KD.1.172
Here myȝtow sen ensample . in hym-self oone
That he was myȝtful and meke . and mercy gan graunte
To hem þat hengen hym onheiȝon heiȝ . and his herte þirled

For-þi I rede yow riche . haueþ ruþe of þe pouere           W.1.175:nota
W.1.176KD.1.176
Thouȝ ye be myȝtful to mote . beeþ meke in youre werkes
For þe same mesures þat ye mete . amys ouþer ellis
Ye shulle ben weyen þer-wiþ . whan ye wenden hennes
Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis . remecietur vobis

W.1.180KD.1.179
For þouȝ ye be trewe of youre tonge . and treweliche wynne
And as chaste as a child . þat in chirche wepeþ
But if ye louen leelly . and lene þe pouere
Swich good as god yow sent . goodliche parteþ
W.1.184KD.1.183
Ye ne haue namoore merite . in masse nor in houres
Than Malkyn of hire maydenhede . þat no man desireþ

For Iames þe gentile . Iugged in hise bokes
That Feiþ with-outen þe feet . is riȝt no-þyng worþi           W.1.187:nota
W.1.188KD.1.187
And as deed as a dore-tree . but if þe dedes folwe
Fides sine operibus mortua est &c

For-þi chastite wiþ-outen charite . worþ cheyned in helle           W.1.190:nota
It is as lewed as a lampe . þat no liȝt is Inne           W.1.191:nota
W.1.192KD.1.190
Manye Chapeleyns arn chaste . ac charite is aweye
Are no men Auarouser þan hij . whan þei ben auaunced
Vnkynde to hire kyn . and to alle cristene
Chewen hire charite . and chiden after moore
W.1.196KD.1.194
Swich chastite wiþ-outen charite . worþ cheyned in helle
fol. 8vI
Manye curatours kepen hem . clene of hire bodies
Thei ben acombred wiþ coueitise . þei konne noȝt doon it from hem
So harde haþ Auarice . yhasped hem togideres
W.1.200KD.1.198
And þat is no truþe of þe Trinite . but tricherie of helle
And lernynge to lewed men . þe latter for to deele
For-þi þise wordes . ben writen in þe gospel
Date & dabitur vobis . for I deele yow alle
W.1.204KD.1.202
And þat is þe lok of loue . and leteþ out my grace
To conforten þe carefulle . acombred wiþ synne

Loue is leche of lifW.1.206: A curl rather like the "nota" abbreviation appears over the <f> of lif. . and nextW.1.206: Three minims with a bar through them, probably written by the original scribe, appear above next. oure lord selue
And also þe graiþe gate . þat goþ in-to heuene
W.1.208KD.1.206
For-þi I seye as I seide . er by þe textes
Whan alle tresors ben tried . treuþe is þe beste           W.1.209:nota

Now haue I told þee what truþe is . þat no tresor is bettre
I may no lenger lenge þee wiþ . now loke þee oure lord
MED