[Explicit liber primus de curia sapiencie] — Curia sapientiæ. English.

1480

tHe laberoꝰ & yt  [...]  [...]e [...]ieyloꝰ workes
Of sapienor syn f [...]e  [...]gned nature
My purpo [...] is to  [...] as writen clerkes
And specyally her moost  [...]able oure
In my fyrst book I wyl preche & deputr
It is so plesaunt vnto eche persone
That it a book sh̄al occupye alone

Sone after this I sh̄al wysedom deseryue
Her blessyd howsh̄old / and her wonnyng place
And than retourne vnto her actes blyue
As sh̄e them wrought by tyme, precesse & space
Al this mater sh̄e taught me of her grace
I spak with her / as ye may here and rede
For in my dreme I mette her in a mede

O clyo lady moost facundyous
O Rauysshyng delyte of Eloquence
O gylted goddes gay and gloryous
Enspyred with the percyng Influence
Of delycate heuenly complacence
Within my mouth late dystylle of thy showres
And forge my tonge to glad myn audytours

Myn ignoraunce whome clowded hath eclippes
With thy pure bemes illumynyne al aboute
Thy blessyd breth lete refleyr in my lyppes
And with the dewe of heuen thou them degoute
So that my mouthe maye blowe & encense oute
The redolent dulcour Aromatyke
Of thy depured lusty Rethoryck

I knowe my self moost naked in al artes
My comune vulgare the moost interupte
And I conuersaunte & borne in the partes
Where my natyf langage is moost corrupt
And with most sondry tonges myxt & rupte
O lady myn wherefor I the byseche
My muse amende / dresse / forge / mynysse & eche

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For to al makers here I me excuse
That I ne can a lycatily endyte
Rude is the speche of force / whiche I must vse
Suche infortune my natyf byrth may wyte
But O ye lordes whiche haue your delyte
In termes gay / and ben moost eloquent
This book to yow no plesaunce may present

But netheles as tasted bytternesse
Al swete thyng maketh be more precious
So shal my hook extende the godelynesse
Of other auctours whiche ben gloryous
And make theyr wrytyng delycyous
I symple shal ext [...]lle theyr soueraynte
And my rudenes sh̄al sh̄ewe theyr subtylyts

Go wer chaucers erthely goddes two
Of thyrst of eloquent delycacye
With al youre successours fewe or moo
Fragraunt in speche / experte in poetrye
You ne yet theym in no poynt I enuye
Exyled as fer I am from youre glorye
As nyght from day / or deth from vycherye

I you honoure / blysse / loue. and gloryfye
And to whos presence my book sh̄al atteyne
His hastyf dome I pray hym modefye
And not detcaye / ne haue it in dysdayne
For I purpoos no makyng for to dystayne
Meke herte / good tonge / and spyryte pacyent
Who hath these thre / my book I hym present

And as hym lyst lete hym detray or adde
For syth I am constreyned for to wryte
By my souerayne / and haue a mater glad
And can not please paynte en [...]urne. ne endyte
Late ignoraunce & chyldhode haue the wyte
I aske no more / but god of his mercy
Thy look conferme from sklaunder and enuy

Explicit Prohemium

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All besy swymmyng in the stormy flode
Of fruteles worldly medytacyon
To purpoos late. nothyng semed so good
As to telle youthe hath  [...]mynacyon
And for to put in sequestracyon
Eche other thyng that hym shold cause vnrest
And thus to bed I went with thought my gest

The Chesplayer / or he a man haue drawen
Hath only thought to make good purueaunce
For kyng or quene aulfyn / knyght or pawne
Echone of these he hath in his remembraunce
So eche estate and worldly gouernaunce
In one eschekker in my mynd I sawe
But I ne wyst what drauȝt was best to drawe

Fyrst my desyre was to haue drawen my kyng
At hertes lust in sure prosperyte
But in the chesse I had espyed a thyng
The kyng to purpoos may not passe his see
To make hym way / or some pawne drawen bee
Than bothe to guyde the kyng & pawnes eke
And al other my wyttes were to seke

I thought how by moral phylosophye
The Chesse was founde / and set in dyuersite
Of drangh̄t for a myrrour of polocye
The whiche vertu departed is in thre
Fyrst must man conne hym self reule in degre
Efte his housh̄old / and than in vnyuerse
Cyte and Reygne. these ben the thre dyuerse

Arestotyl in h̄is poletyke book
The fyrst of these seyth hygh̄t Monestyca
The second parte / who hath lust to loke
Of Polycy hyght Yconomica
The thyrd partye is cleped poletyca
But of al these syn I had neuer scole
To playe at Chesse I me thought but a foole

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For in this bord eschekker of my mynd
As I fyrst put a man or to drawe a draugh̄t
Fyrst come ye world with dame fortune vnkynd
And sayd eschek / and so strongly they faught
Ayenst me that al my men were caugh̄t
With theyr eschekkes so muche they eche ascate
That or I wyst / sodenly I was mate

Than come reason / and thou to me she sayde
With moble fortune· and fase worldlynesse
O foole of fooles / h [...]st thou thy wyl assayde
With  [...]y man to countre them eschesse
Thou mayse not fynd a poynt of syke [...]sse
For in theyr draught al  [...]
God forth quod she / a foole I the conclude

Than  [...] I woo / and prayd a syne
 [...] me were vnto d [...]me sup [...]
That the myght lerne me som dis [...]ne
For  [...] land we my  [...]
 [...] ignoraunce myn insufficen [...]
For from of help / for which I gon [...] Wepe
Whyses at the l [...]s [...] I  [...]

Thus bronyt on slep / my spiryt forth qan passe
And  [...] I was me thought in a place desert
In wyldernes / but I nyse when  [...]
In moche  [...]st [...]nce / in  [...] / in moche  [...]
With wylde  [...] in  [...]
Now woode / now  [...] / now by [...]e now  [...]
Now wynde / now rayne / I knewe no were

The wylde wolues after me sewen  [...]
I wold flee theym / but wile s [...] I ne mygh̄t
And of a way I was waue of the lose
Thorny / and seueyor encome  [...] to the syght
Thyder I went / I was ware of a syght
But forth I thorugh with thornes of to rent
And thanked god of lyght whiche  [...] had sent

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Oute from a mede moost heuenly vnto loke
Aboute wh̄iche can a lusty ryuer swete
A lady cam / & two with her sh̄e toke
I can to her / and so wely gan her grete
The watres name asked I / sh̄e sayde quyete
And sone sh̄e sayd / my name is sapyence
Intellygence this h̄yght / and this scyence

Vnto al vertues we ben ladyes thre
Bothe in offyce / and degree dyfferent
It is my parte to knowe dyuynyte
My suster here hath knowlege dylygent
Of creatures in heuen and erthe content
And dame scyence of thynges temporal
Hath knoulege pure / thus maist yu know vo al

Of vs al thre I am the moost souerayne
And yf the lyst me deseryue and dyffyne
I am the trewe propre knowlege certayne
Of erthely thyng / and eke of thyng dyuyne
Ay fresshe & grene / & lusty is herte myne
Though I seme yong / ful old my yeres bene
For sapyence in old folk / is ay sene

The desert place of fere / thurgh which thou come
Is dredeful worldly occupacyon
Sone leue that place & duelle with me at home
Thou shalt haue wytt / lust / delectacyon
Grace / helpe / lyf / hebe. & eterne saluacyon
Now wyl I rest that trauayled haue al daye
For my labour is brought al vnto playe

Glad was I tho / and on kne felle a doune
Held vp myn handes / & sayd I wold ful fayn
Her seruaunt be with alle subiectyon
But lady myn maysires / & hole souerayne
Quod I. telle me your labour & your payne
That ye so long haue had I wyl sayd sh̄e
Yeue audyeuce the gladder shalt thou be

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A doughtful prynce most myghty & most digne
Moost excellent and moost vyctoryous
Hauyng a sonne & four doughters benyngne
And a seruaunt whiche with affectuous
Loue & desyre he cherysshed in his hows
A commaundement yafe his seruaunt in certayn
The whiche he brake· & deth sh̄ old he his payn

Foure tormentours the kyng cleped to hym
Bad one h̄ym to put in pryson soure
And other sh̄old quyck flee hym lyth & lym
The third kil h̄ym the fourth sh̄old him deuoure
The four doughters herd telle of this rumoure
Whos names ben Mercy / trouthe / rygh̄t / & pease
But mercy though̄t hyr faders yre to cease

She loked doune in to the pryson depe
Her loued seruaunt sawe sh̄e syttyng there
For whome hyr hert gan bothe blede & wepe
Dystyllyng teres dysteyned al here chere
She gan vnlace her tressyd sonnysshe here
Nakyd her brest / and for compassyon
Byfore here fader on knees fel a doun

O mercyful / and o most mercyable
Kyng of kynges / and fader of pyte
Whos myghty mercy is inmensurable
O prynce eterne / O benyngne lord quod sh̄e
To whome mercy is yeuen of properte
Of thy seruaunt that lyeth in pryson bound
Haue thow mercy or deth myn herte wyl woūd

I am souerayne aboue thy werkes al
I am the pure auaūt of thy godhede
I am thy child thy gēme celestyal
The mynyster of al thy godlyhede
The substaunce that al mankynde doth fede
I am the tresour of thy deyte
O prynce of pees my bone now graūt thou me

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See how I sytte dysseueld on  [...]
My crystal eyen. see how theyr teres rayne
My rosy lyppes / see how they perced be
The hemed chere eke of my clekes tweyne
See how the tery Ryuer doth dysteyne
My swānysshe throte with syghes in distraynte
My breste forbete / see fader al is faynte

And yf thowe wolt graunt me you prysonere
And gyfe me leue to lose hym oute of payne
Al this dystresse / & al this myn heuy chere
To gladnes thou myght restore agayne
Thy h̄igh̄ vengeaūce / why shold yu not restrayne
And sh̄e we mercy syn he is penytent
With that cam trouth. & asked what it ment

To trouthe than spack hyr fader reuerent
And sayd a seruaunt / wh̄iche I loued best
On payne of deth I yaue a commandement
Whiche for to kepe in hym was al my trest
But he it bracke. & as a proude traytour kest
Me to supplaunt / and I made my behest
For his trespaas he sh̄old dye at the lest

My doughter mercy prayth with voys pyteous
I wold foryeue / and on hym haue pyte
For syth my mercy is moost copyous
I must it sh̄ewe / thus argueth sh̄e to me
Nay nay quod trouth / fader it may not be
Thow must of force obserue thyne owne statute
And thy promesse fulfylle for euery fute

Thynk that I am thy doughter veryte
That of al trouthe doothe execucyon
Withouten whome thyne eterne deyte
Were vnyat with imperfectyon
Thy wyl is lawe / thy promesse is reason
And syth thy wyl / and thy promesse also
Was he sh̄old dye thow mayst not goo ther fro

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For thy godlyhede put oute al varyaunce
Stable thy sentence. and thy Iust iugement
Lete execute in dede the same penaunce
That was forbrokyn of thy commaundement
Than sayd mercy / vnworthy is that assent
For sauns doute euery resonable creature
Withoute mercy may not lyue no endure

Knowe ye not wele that I am sempyterne
Quod mercy tho / how may ye me refrayne
I am lady aboue the heuen superne
Though ye in erthe be pryncesse & souerayne
My myghty grace is neuer voyde ne vayne
Ergo I must releue seruaunt penytent
Saue fro the deth assoylle this argument

Ryght sensyble & preygnaunt for youre path
He that strong argument quod veryte
But do dyspute / mercy is not myn arte
Nother in herne ne in hole / trouth logeth to me
And permanent I am as wele as ye
And syn of force my fader must be trewe
From his byhest / how may ye hym  [...]newe

And yf ye thynk / he broke not his byhest
For to permute with mercy sh [...] vengeaunce
For one is god / than wold ye at the lest
In his godhede include bothe ignoraunce
And hastynesse and exyle  [...]
And prescyence and aske eke myght I sone
Why hyght he that / that better  [...] vndone

Than sayd mercy / wherto was mercy wrought
But yf mercy had execucyon
Wherto on me was al my f [...]der [...] thought
And al his ioye in my creacyon
Was I not made for res [...]yon
Of heuenly blysse / & for necessyre
That bothe angel and man must haue of me

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And yf so were that I were adnychyla [...]
The heuenly court may not restorely be
My faders Royalme were vayne and vacuate
A power howsh̄old it were withouten me
Why sh̄old I not than haue a soueraynte
And complement of my petycyon
Than answerd trouth / for ye aske no reason

Though ye al day argue for youre purpoos
Trouthe sh̄al delyuer at her owne volunte
My lyberte in no poynt wyl I loos
I am my faders ch̄yld / as wele as ye
And ryghtwysenes I wote wil holde with me
And with yt word trouthe for h̄ir suster went
Dame ryghtwysenes. whiche was anon present

On godely wyse / but ferful to behold
Come ryghtwysenes al bemed ful of lyȝt
For sh̄e ne spared for hote / ne for cold
For hyghe for lowe / for to fulfylle al ryght
My sustres stryue qd sh̄e with voyce on hyght
I wyl dyscusse / and theyr contencyon
As ryght asketh / brynge to conclusycn

To his seruaunt I thynk / what trust & grace
My fader had / and eke  [...]haryte
And in erthe for hym he made a place
Of lust / delyte / and of al lyberte
Eche erthely thyng eke vnto h̄is soueraynte
He had enclyne / and be obedyent
Wh̄yles he truly fulfylleth his commandement

What thyng in erthe he couthe or myght deuyse
For hertes rest and lyues sustenaunce
On hym gan laugh in al godely wyse
And at h̄is lust made h̄ym obeysaunce
Exyled from h̄ym was vnhappy chaunce
Aduersyte myght neuer his steppes sewe
To his mayster whyles he was seruaunt trewe

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And yf so were / he brake his commandement
My fader made a constytucyon
That prysoned & al quyck flene and rent
Dede & deuoured sh̄old be punycyon
For h̄is trespaas and his transgressyon
That both pure loue and fere this iust precept
Shold h̄ym excyte that it were trewely kept

Not withstandyng the promesse & statute
The trust / the loue / the bounte and kyndenesse
Yone freel seruaunt subiecte to seruytute
Saue to conspyre with al vngentylnesse
And of ye iust mādement made ful iust in̄sgresse
Wherfor of ryght me thynketh he must be dede
Late be quod pees / that is a cruel dede

And with that word pees ceme in to the place
Whoos persone was patron of portature
Her rosy lyppes with chere ful of grace
Offred kyssyng vnto eche creature
Phebus hym self with al his bemed cure
May not belyke the lyght of her vysage
So pure perfyte was that heuenly ymage

And on this wyse sh̄e gan her tonge affyse
And sayd to trouth / O ryȝt how may this mene
As youre purpoos pees for to exyle
And to make mercy neuer more be sene
And to ordeyne deth for to regne as quene
This wold nomore / but for to depryue expresse
My faders Royalme / & his souerayne rychesse

Syth euery Royalme that hath dyuysyon
Within hym self must nedes be desolate
And we ben four for one conclusyon
For to sustene the Reame and his estate
Among vs foure / why sh̄old thenne be debate
And syth that lawe wyl rather lossyn peyne
That it extende / lete pees & mercy reygne

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My faders Royalme & had suffreth no why [...]
It is of rest and of tranquylyte
By cause of whiche he wryteth in his style
The prynce of pees / the auctor of pyte
Kyng of mercy / and h [...]d of al bounte
Thus nede of force must pees regne & preuayle
Ch̄yef stryf and debate perysshe in al batayle

The ch̄yef auaunt and commendacyon
Of this h̄yghe Royalme is for it is of pees
Than wherto make ye disputacyon
Contrarious ben youre debate / & rees
With stryf I wyl not duelle withouten  [...]es
And yf debate me from this Royame dysseuer
The lond of pees destroyed is for euer

But syth soo is / ther is a trespaas done
Vnto mercy lete yeld the trespasour
Hit is her offyce to redresse it soone
For trespaas is to mercy a meryour
And ryȝt as swete hath his apryet by soure
Soo by trespaas mercy hath al her myght
Withoute trespas mercy hath last of lygh̄t

What sh̄old be sy [...]te / but yf that sykenes were
What nedyth salue / but yf there were a sore
What nedeth drynk there thyrst hath no powers
What sh̄old mercy / but trespaas goo byfore
But trespaas by mercy were lytel store
Withoute trespaas none execucyon
May mercy haue / ne yet perfectyon

But suster trouth / ye may regne as a pryncesse
Withoute falsh̄ede / and haue youre soueraynte
Withoute Iniure / and so may rygh̄t wysenes
Eke withoute werre I pees may alwey [...] be
But mercy kyndely hath no properte
Withouten trespas / of whiche sh̄e hath her myȝt
Ryȝt as the sōne the mone yeueth al theyr lyȝt

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Therfor I rede as for conclusyon
That we obeye mercy with one acord
And that we leue al oure dyscencyon
For lytel thynges as clerkes here record
With pees groweth & goede thyng; with discord
Wydeth awey / therfor lede pacyfye
Our lust to one / and falle we to mercy

Late be qirod trouthe to yow I nyl assent
Nomore wyl I ywys / quod ryghtwysenes
And with that word / trouthe to her fader went
And thus she sayd O ground of stedfastnes
O permanent / O veray trouthe endeles
Hold thy hyhest. and support veryte
For ryghtwysenes acordeth vnto me

These wordes sayth ryȝtwysenes. & kneleth doun
And sayd fader syth it is myn offyce
To yeue condygne remuneracyoun
To euyl / and good / to eche vertu & vyce
And not to spare for prayer ne for pryce
And I sh̄al thy godhede gloryfye
That trouthe asketh / I must nede Iustyfye

The forsayd caas reseruyng in my mynd
How soone thy seruaunt lust to the offend
And how he was cruel-fale / and vnkynd
To thy byhest I must of ryght attend
And nede of force to iugement condescend
Wherfor I yeue sentence dyffynytyue
In forme forsayd yt peyue to deth hym dryue

Of this processe to haue the trewe entent
I wol thou wyte quod sapyence to me
This myghty kyng is god omnypotent
In one godhede regnaunt. and persones thre
His sone is Cryst / his dough̄ters in degre
Ben vertues four annext to his godhede
His seruaunt is old Adam as I rede

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Retourne we now  [...]
Al thorugh darted with  [...]
Mercy felle doune she myght no longre feyne
As a swonyd / or in a ly [...]ergye
Peas seyng that stood on  [...]
And at the last with pyteous voyce and wylde
She sayd alas / peas is for ay exyld

O mercy god / for my suster mercy
Leyng in a swouned deyng for lak of brethe
For trouthe vntrewe / and vnrygh̄twysenes
Ayenst vs hath yeuen sentence of dethe
I wyl not rest / but goo thorugh̄ holt & heth
Exyled awey retourned wol I neuer
Fare wele fader / Fare wele thy reame for euer

Fare wele mercy / fare wele thy pyteous grace
So wele awey that vengeaunce sh̄al preuayle
Fare wele the bemed lyght of heuens place
Vnto mankynd thou mayst nomore auayle
The pure derkenes of helle the doth assaylle
O lygh̄t in vayn the clyppes hath the inc [...]se
Man was thy lord / now man is thy refuse

O Seraphyn yeue thyn Armonye
O cherubyn thy glory do away
O ye trones lete be al your melodye
Your Ierarchye dysteyned is for ay
Your maystres set in what array
She lyeth in swoune / & y borne with debate
Fare wele / fare wele / pouer housh̄old desolate

O souerayne myghty domynacyons
O vertues / and ye potestates
O pryncypates with al your heuenly sownes
Archangel / Angel / with thryes thre estates
Your spouse daine pees ouerset is with debates
Now may ye wepe / and Ierarchyes thre
Your ordres nyne may not restored be

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Fare wel ye alle. dame mercy lyeth in swoune
For sothfastnes accused hath mankynd
And ryghtwysenes that sh̄old do al reson
Hath dampned h̄ym as cruel & vnkynd
Mercy and pees for them no grace may fynd
Notwithstondyng Iugement may haue no sute
By cause of pees / but it be execute

Woo worth debate / that neuer may haue pees
Woo worth penaunce that asketh no pyte
Woo worth vengeaūce / that mercy may not cees
Wo worth that Iugemēt that hath none equyte
Wo worth that trouth / that hath no charyte
Woo worth that Inge· that may no gylt saue
And wo worth ryȝt / that may no fauour haue

Fare wel saturne / Ioue / Mars & Phebus briȝt
Fare wel Venus / and fare wel Mercurye
Fare wel thou sh̄ynyng lady of the nyvht
I was your guyde / but now awey goo I
O cruel mars· thy temrestes fury
Now mayst thou sh̄ewe. and Iupyter thyn Ire
Now mayst thou rayne with dartes ful of fyre

I was the reyne / that held yow al to gyder
I brydled yow / and set yow in acord
But now I goo ywys I wote neuer whyder
Wherfor of force ye must falle to dyscord
O thou souerayne of al bataylle the lord
Now mayst thou send comete thy messager
To sygnefye that batayle / negheth nere

Whan Flora rydeth / and cold awey is gone
With Iupyter / than mayst thou mete att luste
And Iune in somme sygne of the aquybone
Engendre fyre / and make herbes combuste
Enfecte the eyer / and so to gyder Iuste
One with other hote / cold moyst and drye
Contraryous stryf for the vyctorye

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Now may ye fyght / & make both wynd & reyn
And erratyk ay in your cours be
For pees is gone / that youre Ire dyd refreyn
And stabled you in al tranquylyte
Fare wel ye al with al your brode contre
Fare wel fader / thy Reame may neuer encrees
And with that word euanysshed dame pees

The faders blysse / the souerayne ioy & chyef
Of al the heuen the broder to mercy
Th̄is woful caas seeyng / and this meschyef
For me ywys dyd send ful hastely
O sapyence he sayd ful pytously
With somme counceyl help now in this nede
Thorugh perced / myn herbe begynneth to blede

For pees is gone / & mercy lyeth in swoune
Withouten comfort so wele a wey the whyle
Eke desolate is thys heuenly Regyon
But mercy reygne· and pees com from exyle
O sapyence help now to reconcyle
My suster pees / and mercy to comfort
And to this fyne with counceyl me support

O mayster myn / O souerayne myghty lord
Hard is this caas quod I withouten lees
Hygh̄ is that help / that may bryng to acord
Mercy & trouthe / dame ryghtwysenes & pees
Mercy wold saue her man / & vengeaunce sees
Trouth wyl not so ne yett dame ryghtwysenes
And for this stryf pees is to wyldernes

Echone of them wil no wey be remoued
From her entent hit is incomerous
Them to acord / how sh̄old it be contreued
Syn twoo for two stond ay contraryous
Th̄is sole caas is wonder studyous
For this acord who so that sh̄al fulfylle
Must nede of force performe their aller wylle

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But sapyence who may best plese them al
And gyue echone theyr ful desyre expresse
I mene the wretche / that lyeth in pryson thral
Mercy to haue / and his gylt to redresse
And not to offend dame trouthe & ryȝtwisenes
And reuoke pees / who shal this doo quod he
In one godhede syn we be persones thre

My fader is dy ful of lastynge myght
And al wysedom appropred is to me
Of al godenes the blessyd heuenly lyght
The holy ghoost hath to his propyrte
Thus myȝt wysedom & goodenes that both thre
Ay of one wyl / may this accord make
But of ve thre who shal the treuse take

My wyttes hole I godred vnto me
And fynally de for conclusyon
O mayster myn / I sayd it lyeth in the
Of this acord the execucyon
And on thre wyse I proue it by reason
Wherfor of force to make this accord
Dyspose thy self. be both subiecte and lord

Thy fader is so ferful wel thou wost
That pees and mercy dat not compromyt
In hym as juge and eke the hooly goost
In whome al grace godenes & trouthe is knyt
Dame trouthe & ryght for juge wyl not admyt
For wel they wote that he is mercyes frend
Wherfor thy self of this must make an end

Yone wretche desyred not thy fadere myght
Ne yet the goodenesse of the hooly ghoost
For thy wysedom he cast with the to fyght
And smote thy sheld omyd the heuenly hoost
For whiche thy self must answer wel thou wost
Not thy fader / ne yet the thyrd persone
The help of this thus lyeth in the alone

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These sustres soul who that shal pacyfye
Must be the sone of man / & take mankynd
And for mannes gylt / gylthes suffre to dyi
And raunson man that thynk I in my mynd
Syth but to one sone the Trynyte may fynd
Whiche sone thou art / that by necessyte
This solemyne acte lyeth fynally in the

Than sayd my self O lady sapyence
O good beldame or ye forther procede
Vouchesauf to telle your noble tru [...]tence
Wh̄y myght wysedom & godenes as I dede
To thre persones whiche are in one godhede
Appropred ben / are they not peregal
And coeterne / and consubstancyal

Yis sonne ywys quod sapyence to me
They ben al thre in godenesse myght & wyt
Egal & lyke / of one substaunce they be
But yet ywys thou clepyse them dryght
Whan that thou sayest the fader ful of myght
The sone of wyt / the spyryte of goodenesse
This wyl a cause that is in kynd expresse

A fader is thou wost a name of age
Of impotence and of debylyte
A Sone a name is of youthe / & courage
Of inscyence and instabylyte
A spyryte is a name of cruelte
Of hyght & pryde / this may thou propre fynd
And eke comune yf thou wolt see in kynd

Wherfor the fader in the Trynyte
We clepe myghty the sonne ful of wyt
The good spyryte / this is of propyrte
To auoyde the vyce / that in kynd is knyt
But of them al sone myn A wyl thou wyt
In myght with grace more excellent is none
Echone hath al. and al thre is but one

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Retourne we sonne myn to oure matere
My souerayne lord the broder of mercy
Sayd sapyence / I see it now so clere
That this accord in me is fynally
But hard it is to take mankynd and dye
Neuertheles mercy to recomforte
And saue mankynd, suche deth nere but disporte

With ful effecte he concluded in his herte
Of al mankynd to make redempcyon
Yeue deth for lyf / yeue ioye for peynes smerte
Loue soueraynte / and make subiectyon
The Angels eke had suche compassyon
Of mans deth / that ryght in specyal
To help mankynd / they cast them al

Vnto counceyl the holy spyrytes went
The Ierarch̄yes with theyr heuenly collage
To pray for man / it was theyr hole entent
That he myght come to his old herytage
Oute from the Carybde / and the smoky cage
Of seruytude· the whiche hym had incluse
Four thousand yere / he myght it not refuse

The Ierarchye next to the Trynyte
With heuenly voys pytous / and delycate
Kneled a doune / and sayd O god we be
As thou wel wost to the inmedyate
As assessours we ben to thyn estate
Cubyculers also of thy godhede
To our prayer / O myghty god take hede

The to byhold is our souerayne solace
Our lyf. our lust / and ay lastyng blysse
The hyghe glory that shyneth in thy face
The wyt of kynd may not conceyue ywys
And syth that man soo lyke vnto the is
And fourmed was vnto thyne owne sykenesse
Oute of thy blysse. wh̄y lyeth he in derkenesse

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What honour is / what worthynesse
To thy godhede to suffre thyn ymage
Deuoured be / and drenched in derkenesse
For whome thou made lygh̄t to be herytage
And syth our blysse is hole in thy vysage
O wel awey· why sh̄old of it the shapnesse
The to dysteyne alwey in derkenesse

Wherfor we pray / O prynce ful of grace
Thou haue pyte of man thy creature
His hondes strong / vouchesauf to vnlase
Lete not thy sh̄ap so long derkenes endure
Yeue somme reward vnto thyn owne honoure
For now is tyme of mercy and of pees
And tyme is comyn yt al vengeaūce sh̄old cees

Explicit supplicacio prime Ierarchie

Incipit Inuocacio secunde Ierarchie

Than kneled doune the seconde Ierarchye
And h̄umbly sayd O souerayne lord of al
We be y made thy myghte to magnyfye
And to obserue thy lawe imperyal
As worthy lordes that in general
With besy cure supporten thyn empyre
And with knyghthode obeyen thy desyre

Hens from vs al the proude prince of derkenes
As captyue took lordes of eche estate
Than mā was made thurgh ye heuenly godenes
For to restore this kyngdom desolate
But weleawey / wherto was man create
Syth that the lyon of al cruelte
In h̄is derk lake of h̄ym hath soueraynte

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Our worthy lordsh̄yppes / & oure maners old.
O myghty god / how long voyd sh̄al they be
Thyn heyres eke / how long sh̄al deth withhold
Syth thou art lyf / why hath deth soueraynte
If thou be kyng / to thyn honour thou see
Soo bynd the fend / and take man by conquest
Vnto thy blysse / and set thy regne in rest

Four thousand yere is suffysaunt
For to punysshe old Adam for a tast
And wel awey / helle is exuberaunt
With his ofsprynges / & our reame stōdeth wast
Now rewe on man thou that al mercy hast
For now is tyme of mercy and of pees
And tyme come that al vengeaunce sh̄old sees

Explicit supplicacio secunde Ierarchie

Incipit suppli [...]acio tercie Ierarchie

Tharchangel than with theyr Ierarchye
Kneled doune / and sayd with voyce benyngne
O god thou wost / we be alwey redy
To thy godhede. to yeue louyng condygne
To what prouynce / and as thou lyst assygne
Vs in thy Reame / as trewe and dylygent
Offycyals we doo thy commaundement

Thy messagyers / we be redy alway
And in thy Reame to what place / we be sent
We can not fynd / but pees is gone away
And mercy lyeth with wepyng al be sh̄ent
For trouthe & ryght to her wyl not assent
To saue mākynd our reame. wh̄ich sh̄old restore
Where so we goo / debate is vs byfore

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Our enemyes eke of vs haue vyctorye
Whyle thy ch̄ylder contynue in dyscord
And but mankynd be brought to thy glorye
Thou mayst neuer them four bryng to accord
On thyn old mercy / O good god record
And syth eche thynge to the possyble is
Pease thy chylder / & bryng mankynd to blisse

The faders herte by kynd sh̄old be pytrous
Of his ch̄ilder / and wayle for theyr absence
Wherfor I pray / O prynce vyctoryous
Send for dame pees. bryng her to thy presence
And to mankynd graunt a playne indulgence
For now is tyme of mercy / and of pees
And tyme is come that al vengeaūce sh̄old cees

Explicit supplicatio tercie Ierarchie

That excellent prynce of al worthynesse
That myghty lord / that fader gracious
That Rote of ryght / that welle of godelynesse
That noble kyng / that mayster gloryous
That souerayne syre / and moost vyctoryous
Byheld his Royalme al wasted with ruyne
And in hym self to pyte gan enclyne

He herd also how pytously compleyned
His heuenly court of his regne desolate
And how mercy with teres was dysteyned
And pees h̄is ch̄yld exyled for debate
And how mankynd was so incarcerate
That by no wey he myght h̄is realme restore
Than gan his herte for pyte wax al sore

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Vnto mercy / he gan his bede to held
wh̄ich̄ was in poynt thurgh weping for to spille
Than thorugh dart [...]d his herte gan to yeld
And droppes smale of pyte to dystylle
His blyssed sonne than knewe his faders wille
Fele Ir [...]n hote / and thought tyme for to smyte
And vp be rose with of lust and delyte

He kneled doune and sayd fader of mygh̄t
I am thy sonne / in whome al wysedome is
And wel I wote / thou faryst not aryght
For chyld [...]r thyn ben o [...] debate ywys
Yo [...] me th [...]e canst / O souerayne lord of blys
I shal reward echone with theyr entent
And man ageyne to thy blysse  [...]

Swete swettest sonne  [...]oued that good f [...]der tho
Of  [...] I am entyerly glad
Doo what the  [...] b [...]ynge man oute of woo
But it forthynketh me that I man made
I mene the godhede that such gladnesse he [...]de
 [...] to make man in the must toke mankynd
And renounce  [...] his b [...]nd [...]e to vnbynd

With humble hert to doo thy wylle
With  [...] &  [...] d [...]syer
I am  [...] and what thou w [...]c [...] I wylle
Thy  [...] I may not but desyre
I  [...] pursewe the ryght of  [...] empyre
Quod that good sonne with spyryte dylygent
And vp  [...] rose and to  [...] luster w [...]

He took her vp / and godely gan her kysse
E [...]ated her vnto his herte / and sayd
O swete mercy / O pryncesse of al blysse
O suster myn / O godly yongly mayde
With salt terre / why be ye thou or [...]a [...]de
I am that wyght / that shal youre sorowe  [...]
And saue mankynd / & beyng ageyn  [...]

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Cast vp youre eyen behold / I am your brother
Your lyf / your lust· your loue / your champyon
And for your sake my self shal / & none other
Become a man / and suffre passyon
To help mankynd / and with double renoun
Bryng hym to yow / & saue / whiche was thral
That mortal is / I shal make Inmortal

Thus shal I doo your herte to recomforte
Your soueraynte eke for to magnyfye
Ful manfully I sh̄al my payne comporte
And thynk on yow· as on myn owne lady
To fyghte in armes / and obteyne vyctory
Ye [...]e trouth / & ryght theyr owne desire o [...] fulle
And euery gylt / you at lust to ad [...]ulle

Reuyue gan that goodely lady tho
The brothers speche was salut to al her sore
 [...] thanked hym / as cure of al her woo
 [...] kissed him  [...] / she loued him more & more
O prynce she seyde / whiche shal my ryght restore
What may I do your thank for to deserue
That redy ben for me to lyue and s [...]er [...]e

O swete moost swete brother / & of my knyght
O  [...] cause of ol myn hertes rest
To your reward / where shal I gader myght
To your kyndenesse / I not how I moy best
Thank yow for this / but O prynce worthyest
Me as your owne / commaund ay as ye  [...]yst
Thus al was wel / and eyther other kyst

The Trynyte to counceyl went anon
Concluded in host / a messager shold goo
Vnto the mayde the doughter of  [...]yon
To sal [...]we  [...]ee / and for to say her to
The sonne of god to bryng man oute of wo
Moder and mayde she shold bere & conceyue
Whiche message done she goodely gan receyue

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Yet to mercy more straunge the to excyte
O blessyd sonne / see how I syt on kne
Byhold these brestes smal with al delyte
That yafe the sukke the mylke of chastyte
Byhold the wōbe / of whiche thou born wold be
Byhold the hondes / that on my lap the layd
Byhold thy spouse / thy moder / and thy mayd

And for al this haue mercy sonne of man
For nexe thy self / I derest haue them bought
For wel thou wost / the swerd of sorowe ran
Out thurgh myn hert. when yu on rode was broȝt
And I the sawe with woundes al besought
Syth thus in payne / I had my part with the
Part of my wyl for man / sonne graūt thou me

Thus sh̄al my moder say / yf man offende
O suster myn / youre lust for to sustene
Eke my self his trespaas for to amende
My woūdes wyde sh̄al hold both newe & grene
Dystyllyng bloode ful fresshe they sh̄al be sene
If with mankynd my fader wyl debate
When he them seeth / he mowe no lenger hate

Therfor be glad / O suster myn mercy
Haue here your man. do with h̄ym what ye lyst
She kneled doune / took hym ful thankfully
Enbraced hym / and after syth h̄ym kyst
That tonge can telle vnneth her spyrit wyst
For pure gladnes / in what place for to abyde
Her perfyte blysse perced the heuen wyde

Forth than he went vnto dame veryte
And sayd suster / be ye not yet content
Yis broder myn quod sh̄e in al degre
For trouthe it is that man was neclygent
More than I aske eke is his punysshement
Than went he forthe vnto dame ryghtwysenesse
Asked the same / whiche answerd thus I gesse

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O swete broder / man is for his trespaas
More punysshed than I my self desyre
I am content debate awey sh̄al passe
And with that word pees feruent as the fyre
Was present tho. for staunched was al Ire
Mercy & trouthe mette at theyr owne lyst
And ryght and pees to gyder hertely kyst

To whiche kyssyng / O myghty prynce of pees
Bryng vs alle / as thou starf on a rode
And graunt me grate / or of makyng cees
To thy plesaunce somme mater that is good
For to compyle to help me from the flode
Of fruteles worldly medytacyon
And fynd a wey to my saluacyon

Explicit liber primus de curia sapiencie qualiter misericordia & veritas obuiauerunt sibi / Iusticia et pax obstulate sunt

Incipit Prohemium secundi libri

Forth to procede in mater of my booke
And I dyscryue the solempne mancyon
Of sapyence moost heuenly vnto loke
Whos Cyte is sette in al perfectyon
And to auoyde the obloqucyon
Of fals tonges / and thank to deserue
Thou graūt me grace / o good goddesse Myneuie

My style thou dresse / my langage thou depure
My wytte inforce thou mynystre matere·
For syth I am moost symple creature
I wol vsurpe in thy palays tapere
But thou me guyde to sh̄ewe in what matere
I sh̄al pronoūce thynges / whiche yu dost me see
Thy referendary only wyl I be

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[...]

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[...]

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The pure knowlege and veray sentement
Of thy wysedom was neuer my dower
But as the sonne in lygh̄t moost excellent
With his bemes the mone illumyneth clere
Soo done alday these wysemen fooles bere
Wherfor thy wysedom / as thou lust me teche
O lady myn / In my book wyl I preche

Explicit

Whan sapyence her besy cure had told
Whiche is rehercyd in the forsayd booke
Vnto her home sh̄e sayd / retorne sh̄e wold
Intellygence and scyence with her sh̄e tooke
And on my self ful goodely gan sh̄e loke
And said beel sone yf thou wilt wend with me
Come on in hast / ryght welcome mote thou be

Forth went we thens vnto a Ryuers syde
Whoos name is quyete ful of al swetenesse
Oute ouer / wh̄iche with arches hyghe & wyde
A brydge was sett ful of al lustynesse
The marble stone the solempne worthynesse
Of geometry sh̄ewyd on suche auys
Soo good a werk that no wyght couthe deuyse

The pyllers strong enarched with effect
With pynacles and towres ful of blysse
And alured clene yaue suche a digne prospet
That suche a brydge was neuer seen ywys
And on a towre this scrypture wryten is
Who dredeth god / come in / and ryght welcome
For drede of god is way of al wysedome

I entred on the brydge with sapyence
She led me ouer vnto the Ryuers syde
Come in sh̄e sayd / put the forth in presence
For suche a syght thurgh al the world wyde
Thou neuer sawe so ful of lust & pryde
So gloryous as here is for the nones
As grauel is / so were the precyous stones

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The Alabastyr the electorye
The Aurypygnient and the Argeryte
The Asteron ful of heuenly glorye
The Admante eke. and the Asteryte
The Admatyst and eke the Admatyte
Whiche bryȝt stone withstōdeth the myȝt of fire
Soo good a syght no spyryte myght desyre

The Alabastre whyte yeueth vyctorye
And Ire swageth the sh̄ynyng argeryte
And loue refourmeth the sayd electorye
The Admant eke but the asteryte
Hath in hym self a sterre ful of delyte
The Aurypygment hote is in effect
The Amatyst yeueth ryght good intellect

The pale byrel that heleth eyen sore
And helpeth loue and stauncheth enmyte
The Selydon that with lust who can restore
And medycyn is to old Infyrmyte
The Carbuncle that hath his soueraynte
When derkenes is / the precyous crisolyte
Whiche fendes fleen / & holden in despyte

The Calcydone wh̄iche hard is in to graue
The Crysopasse most sh̄ynyng on the nyght
The Crystal clere that men oft doth saue
The Gyral rede whiche flux stauncheth aryght
The Ceranne stone in thonder which̄ hath myȝt
The Caleophan that voyces sore doth clence
Al these doon bote without offence

The Dyadek / that doth spyrytes to preche
The Dyonys / whiche that hateth drunkenes
The good eschyte / that is the wombes leche
In byrthe of chyld / & cause of theyr gladnesse
The Emachyte that stauncheth bloode expresse
The Elytrope· whiche is the sonnes foo
And venym sleeth with many vertues moo

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The stone Enydros moost wondre in kynd
That ay dystysseth droppes to the syght
And neuer moyst ne les men sh̄al it fynd
The wepyng stone a clerk seyth it hyght
The epystyte / whiche is a stone ful bryght
Frendful to Corn and excelyte rose
In colours felt / as clerkes don depose

Ther was also the gentyl gagates
Good for woman that long in child bed pyne
Whiche yf a mayd drynk / it sh̄al hyt plees
And in her body hold it wele and fyne
Where sh̄e corrupt / sh̄e sh̄old anone ruyne
The Salachyte for mylk moost proufytable
Ther was also in vertu commendable

Ge [...]aty [...]en whiche is a noble stone
Blak in colour· but vertuous in mygh̄t
And maketh beloued where they gone
If they hym bere / and telle them aryght
What other thynk ye / the Iaspre grene of syght
Holsome ayenst the feuours accesse
Ther for I lye ful of al lustynesse

The good Iacynet / that is ryght comfortable
And in the pestylence a noble medycyne
The Adachyd that hath withouten fable
Within hym self ouer other stone fyne
That sweteth water wonder to dyuyne
The Ierachyte whiche yf a man bere
There may no flees with bytynge hym dere

There was the good Irys of Arebye
Holsome for women in theyr chyldled
The stone Iona that techeth prophecye
The sad Camen with dyuers coloure lede
The dropcy / whiche he leth as I  [...]de
In bookes old and the bygurius
That colour lost restoreth vnto vs

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A noble stone / that is for h̄unters good
Lipparia whiche is cleped a ryght
For beestes wyld be they neuer so woode
To his presence / he bryngeth thorugh his syght
The Alabandyne / that to bloode yeueth myght
The Alabystus whiche thurgh̄ hete wyl remayn
Seuen dayes in hete / as noble clerkes sayn

The Margaryte whiche is both bryght & whyte
Eke medycynable and comfortatyf
The magnes sad that yeueth grace & delyte
And souerayne hath vertu attractatyf
The mellanyte whoos Iuce is exceptyf
Swete as hony / in colour whyte & grene
The good myryte / whiche hath an odoure clene

The stone Menysyte / and eke the Melochyte
That chyldern yong whan they in cradels bene
Kepyth of kynd from noy and al dyspyte
The stone nitrum that helpeth to wasshe clene
The medrys eke good for blyndenes of eyen
The stone Neset / whiche in the tood men fynd
And nyghe venym he waxeth hote of kynd

The Onychyne that is a stone of Inde
The Onyx eke whiche as a myrrour
His owne ymage a man may see & fynd
Optallyus of many strong colour
That is to theues good patron and socour
The Oryte eke that saueth from beestes wyld
And suffreth not women to be with child

The Paryus / and eke the prassyus
Grene of colour / and good for feble sygh̄t
The pyrryte stone anone whiche brenneth vs
Within our hond yf we hym presse dryght
The stone ponyte / whiche hath a wondre myght
Good for women / and of hym self alone
He bryngeth forth ryght swyth another stone

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The stone Quyrryne / that doth the sleper say
What so he dremeth / & eke the quanydras good
That can encrese brestes with mylk al way
The good Ruby that stauncheth alwey bloode
The Rebe eke / whiche of beestes woode
The strong bytyng heleth for euermore
And noble medycyne is for woundes sore

The good Saphyre most noble and moost digne
Of al stones and moost preseruatyf
Comforte of pees / and to sore eyen benyngne
Of hete vnkyndely / and moost repressyf
It maketh glad / It is comfortatyf
It stauncheth blode and swete / and chastyte
He loueth best / and doth the venym flee

The grene Smaragde / that is ryȝt medicynable
Ayenst tempest sykenes and fantasye
The Sardonyx / that is ryght commendable
Frend to mekenes / and hadeth lecherye
The Sardyns that maketh men hardy
The sonnes gemmes ful of bemes bryght
The serenyte that in loue hath his myght

Topacius goode for men lunatyke
And stauncheth Ire / and swageth heuynesse
It holsome is eke to men frenetyke
The good turkoys / that engendreth gladnesse
Good for the syght / the ȝemeth that sykenesse
He leth dyuers / the zyngynt / whiche of kynd
Refreyneth blode and holdeth man in his mynd

Al other stones whiche ben precyous
There myght men see ful of al pure delyte
But I of force must be compendyous
Therfor of them I wyl no ferther wryte
Of theyr vertues I touche here but a lyte
Theyr propertees who lust to haue told
I counceyl them / go loke in bookes old

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As in a book cleped the lapydarye
In Isodre or dyascorydese
By phylosophres as by platearye
Or Barthylme we / loke who may the please
Natures and kynd there mayst thou see at ease
Suche thynges / as longeth not to comyn mater [...]
Another feld I haue in hast to ere

And yf thou seme· that here be stones straunge
And thou in Englysshe can them better name
Doo as thou lyfe. theyr names for to chaunge
So my langage and my book thou not blame
For I suppose ther be fewe wordes lame
For by the latyn for the more suerte
I name theym al / and for the more comunte

Explicit descripcio lapidum in littore Riui consistencium /

Incipit descripcio Riui

Than al my lust was goodely to byhold
That good water / that noble clement
That Ryuer swede in his kynd moyst & cold
That is the holsome perfecte nutryment
To euery thyng / that is in erthe content
To corne. herbe· tree / plant / & eche thyng lyuyng
It geueth his drynk / & clenseth al foule thyng

The erthe he maketh to be plentyuous
He tempreth welle also the heuen a sonne
And with his subtyle vapour curyous
He greueth the ayer incorperacyon
And densyth hym / & is of hyghe renoun
In to the hyghe to s [...]y [...] is his solace
For to chalenge heuen for wonnyng place

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From whens be fallith distillyng sh̄oures swete
Replenysshyng percyng and commyttyf
Vnto the erthe / but to the heuens hete
His moyst vapor is moost temporatyf
His droppes swete eke hen moost nutrytyf
And cause of lyf to eche thyng anymate
Withouten hym / al thyng were vycyate

For thorugh the erth he goth with his moisture
And perceth hym thurgh his effusyon
The partes of the erthe eke thorugh his cure
Ben stabled sad / and take vnyon
Elles for grete hete and hyghe entencyon
Of souerayne drought ryght by necessyte
Vnto powder they sh̄old dyssolued be

He is to fysshe holsome and profytable
As ayr to beest / and cause of al theyr blysse
His propertees / that ben moost commendable
Dame scyence there declareth wel ywys
And as a glas so speculer. he is
Of thyng obiect the sh̄ap to represent
Of hym hath nede al thyng in hym content

He wyl ay meue withouten rest or constaunce
Whyles that h̄is party superfycyal
Be adequate by ryght and lyke dystaunce
Oute from the erthe lyke from the myd of al
And of the sonnes lyght celestyal
In to the heuen he maketh reflectyon
The natures four he passeth in renoun

Of water thus to speke in gene ra
Ther may none fynd a goodely properte
But in hym self this Ryuer hath them al
In paradys he had h̄is soueraynte
Bothe oute and in / to renne with lyberte
From sulphur veynes / and from metal vre
He can absteyne / and be ay swete and pure

[Page]
Basilius in his exameron
Deseryueth water / and his properte
Who so hath lust / he may loke them vpon
But I my self wol flee prolyxyte
And of my Ryuer speke as lyketh me
What sh̄old I say hym to here and behold
Al erthly Ioye passeth a thousand fold

His heuenly sownes / his grones delycate
His swete murmour / his subtyl cours & stylle
His fresshe colour / whiche no storme may abate
His sapour swete hauyng refleyr at wylle
Myght say ascaunce / on this wyse be I wyl
For to excyte oute from the heuens place
Nature to come to see of my solace

O ph̄yson Tygrys Gyon. Eufrates
O doryx eke the flood of paradys
O Iordan Cobar / and thou Edapces
Danybyus and pharphar at deuyse.
Abana eke as wryten clerkes wyse
Whiche of damask with his moyst passage
The gardyns grene fulfylleth with herbage

O Tybre. Rodan / Yber / leyre and sayne
Geron and Ryne with many watry drope
And O ye solempne floodys and souerayne
Of Asia / Affryke / and Europe
Among yow al I snote a goodely sope
Lyke to this Ryuer in comparyson
The Occyon doth hym subiectyon

O ye floodes / and ye other al
That haue your cours out thorūȝ ye erthes space
Were not lyke in no poyntes specyal
To this Ryuer in bounce nor in grace
And who so lust floodes to knowe and trace
In Barthylmewe in his fyften book
Among his prouynce / may ye goo and loke

[Page]
Holy scripture the maketh mencyon
In Genesis and other places moo
Of flodys fele / and theyr condycyon
And Phylosophers tellen them also
As I rede / but al this lete I goo
Of this Ryuer and his encenement gay
I mene of fysshe now somwhat wol I say

Explicit descripcio Riuium

Incipit descripcio Piscium

This lusty fysshe within this Ryuer swete
There swymmyng / whiche we fynnes clepe
They put in vse to bere swymme and flete
Now at the ground / and now aboue they lepe
Now dysceuerd / and now vpon an hepe
Nou here nou there now endelōg. nou outhwert
The syghte of them myȝt hele eche wounded hert

Somme had lust to sewe the sonnes lyght
Somme to the pryuate vmbre gan to attend
And gadred in theyr to dyes to the syght
Shote oute of lengthe theyr courage to extend
Theyr parfyte blysse nature myght not amend
Of net ne hooke / of deceyte were they aferd
What sh̄old I say / they had a ioye in erde

The whale / the Dolphyn and Estaryus
The Carabo and eke effuneron
The Cakodryl and vratynstopus
The see swyn. and eke fastolyon
The myllago / that fleteth the water on
The hamo that dredeth ay the hooke
With many moo / who so hath lust to loke

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The Myllanne / Gastor / ꝑpecanius
Auronnea / Phager / Ferra also
The Conger eke fysshe. whiche hyght Corūs
The pyke / the luce / the Samon see I tho
The swerdfyssh with many other moo
The Roche the tenche / the lamperey / and the Ele
The Flouk / the playse / the flounder good to selle

The Crabbe / the lobster / and the Craueys eke
The welk / the Oystur / and the muscul good
The rouche / the Perche / ther was no fyssh to seke
That in the see in Ryuer or in flode
In ponde / stewe / dyke· that euer swam or yode
Who so hym sought· anone ther may hym see
In lust. in blysse / and al prosperyte

And yf so were he had of kynd a vyce
In ony poynt / or were malycyous
For her were brouȝt from that Ryuer of pryce
And of that water gloryous
He sh̄old anone be good and vertuous
Shortely to say / to eche fysshe grete and smal
It is preseruatyf and medycynal

Theyr names al I nede not to reherce
For euery fysshe that goodely is in kynd
In this Ryuer hadde lust to conuerce
Who lust hym seke / anone ther may hym fynd
It is the pure holsome Ryuer and kynde
And of eche nature and complexyoun
To euery fysshe it is refectyoun

And who soo lust to knowe dyuersyte of fissh
And how they varrye in theyr mansyon
How they them fed. & whiche is good in disshe
Of theyr wysedom and generacyon
Of theyr vertue and operacyon
Of what sh̄ap eke what substāce & what kind
That they are of / thou may in bookes fynd

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By Arystotyl in his book of beestes
By Iorath eke ysydre plenius
By Auycen / by Bathylmewys gestys
By Constantyn / and by Basylyus
By Ambrose eke / that suche mater to vs
Declareth wele in his exameron
Who so hath lust / god loke these clerkes on

For I wyl not make declaracyon
Of suche maters that ben collatural
It were ywys to long disgressyon
Nature of fysshe / to telle / and name them al
It must suffyse my scripture general
For now I wol my penne with wrytyng fede
And somwhat telle of that moost heuenly mede

Explicit Descripcio Piscium

The souerayne honour of the erthes space
The swete moder / the fresshe moneth of maye
To Flow sent / and prayd her of her grace
That sh̄e wold come with her enormentes gaye
For to reueste depaynt and to arraye
This blessyd mede with parfyte dyuersyte
Of colours fressh ful of solempnyte

She come rygh̄t glad enourned in hast
With herbe floure / tree & al fruyte precyous
Her thursty cure in no poynt wold sh̄e wast
For eche good thyng was there most plentyuoꝰ
O paradys with thy syght gloryous
Thow art not now but an ymage feyned
This parfyte mede al thy blysse hath dysteyned

[Page]
The Rose the lyle / the vyolet
Reflexyng / sh̄ynyng / and payntyng the groūd
Rody and bryght with heuenly colour set
Blode and mylk and Asure gan habunde
The rede / yt whyte / ye blewe wich there was fōd
Gan represent in colours delyte
The Ruby. the Saphyr· the Margaryte

The purpyl two or godely staunchyng blode
The two langyng ben precious medycynable
The heuenly two ayenst payne be goode
And to the nose the fyrst is delectable
And to the syght the second amyable
The thyrd in tast ryght goodely is bysene
The Rose / the lylle / the vyolet I mene

The fayr Iacynct the longyng premerose
The Dayse / the good gylofur floure
With al other herbes withouten glose
That gendreth flour or fresshe colour
Agnus castus the worthy peramour
Of chastite the good saffron also
Of tyme the mynte / the rewe with many moo

The Rose mary the sawge. the sauery eke
Arystologye also long and round
The annys good / the bete goode for the seke
The dyten that is good for a wound
The Selydon ryght goodely on the ground
The Century and eke the fumytere
The malue the dok / thre dragaunce / & eke ye brede

The marygold cleped the Ilytrope
The bure / the fenel / and the percele
The letuse swete with many melky drope
The Coryandre that hound doth to flee
The plantane eke / the mandrage eke I see
With al other that groweth on the ground
Eche goodely herbe hast lust there to habound

[Page]
Theyr names al / it nedeth not for to wryte
Ne theyr vertues / my labour only is
For to deseryue what lust and what delyte
What plesance / comforte / honour / & what blysse
Vnto this mede they mynystred ywys
The syght of them / and of their yongly floures
Was verray salue. and hele to al langours

Explicit descripcio florūm et herbarum

Incipit descripcio Arborum

A Heuenly wood was on that other syde
And closed in with that Ryuer aboute
Planted at lust with trees ful of pryde
The blossmy bowes vnto the erthe gan loute
The cedre tree presumptuus and stoute
Hauyng dysdayne in erthe only to abyde
Among the sterres his hede began to h̄yde

He and the palme / and eke the good Cypresse
Gan ryse & burgyn / and refleyre with delyte
The bowes brought forthe of al gentylnesse
And gaf vmbre vnto that solempne syght
With double blysse / eche tree was insygnyte
With frute to man / with vmbre to the ground
Thus honger there nede not to habound

The peretre / the Olyue / the Appyltree
Wexe grete & grene / and eke moost plentyuous
The peres in bowes / and appels of bounte
The Almond tree with Iardyns fructuous
Dystyllyng come from his hole precyous
The fyrre in hyght vnto the Cyder lyke
To Amoune the rede Aromatyke

[Page]
The Aloes / the gentyl canne and good
Whoos marugh and Iuse is made in sucre swete
The balsom dystyllyng in a flode
His gentyl baume made thurgh ye groūd to flete
The Cynamom with fresshe oder replete
The good spyknarde / mastyk / the gum / Rosyn
Olybanum the precious thure and fyn

The vyne tree beryng clustres grete & huge
In this wood whiche largely dyd sprede
With grapes hony swete / & herbes duge
Whiche ben in myght strong as I rede
The fyrst in tast / the tother done excede
The second be help vnto the strong accesse
They staunchyn thyrst / they helpen in sykenesse

Thyk fayr and grene in bowe bark and leues
The Cedre was souerayn of trees al
The top / the hole / the Rote among the greues
Herberd / norysshed / and swete in strondes smal
The byrd / the bee / the water specyal
In brede and bowes they ben bred in the hole
And out of the Rote the welle dystylled hole

The bowes brought forth bothe byrdes & fruyte
The hole. the bark / offred hony and waxe
The Rote fyndeth the moyst and cold refuyte
Of al the erth made to habounde & waxe
The hony swete felle doune in droppes laxe
And with the bawme & Iufe of floures glade
In the water Electuarye they made

The sturdy oke the Asshe / the plum tree
With acornes chattes / and with the Damecyne
Al other trees with theyr frutes in degre
The Rampe / the more / the laurer / and the pyne
The Cherubynte swetyng the swete Rasyne
The byrche the box / the Alme / the Sycomore
The fyge / the wyn of trees I speke no more

[Page]
For euery tree and fruyte in especyal
And euery spyce and mace gynger and clowe
Peper & greynes with other spyces al
That euer on tree or busshe or herbe can growe
There was at lust / and Zepherus gan blowe
Oute thorugh the mede / and tafia gan refleyr
Theyr perfyte blysse illumyned al the eyer

Explicit descripcio Arborūm

Incipit descripcio Auium

The besy byrdes in theyr melodye
Theyr heuenly voys gan to entone
Theyr Anglyk rauysshyng Armonye
Out thorugh the heuen vnto the hyest trone
Gaue pryce / and passe the nyne ordres echone
O cherubyn they sayd / come here to vs
Le [...]e with what tune thou sh̄old synge sanctus

The throstel cok vpon the Cedre grene
The nyghtyngale vpon the blosme thorn
The noble swan with whyte fethers & clene
The gentyl larke fleyng among the corne
Ne cesed not to syng from euen to morne
With al other foules of plesaunce
Theyr voys gan daunte vnto the concordaunce

Eche other foules in kynd there had his blysse
His lust / his comforte and his sustenaunce
They had no nede Raueyn to vse ywys
Eche thyng obeyed to theyr plesaunce
Debate no staf / dyscord / ne yet dystaunce
Among them myght not engendred be
Echone other supporte in degre

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The proud Pecok his tayl began to whele
On which the sparkyng sonne so puerly brent
That to the syght he semed euery dele
An Archaungel doune from the heuen sent
Al heuenly colours in heuen were content
His tayl / the floures / the byrdes eke ywys
The eye / the nose. the ere fode with al blys

The Egle fresshe souerayne of fowles al
The good Goosh̄auk / the fresshe faucon of pryse
With al other that to dysport Royal
Dysposed ben ther regned at deuyse
The gentyl dowue Innocent of al vyce
The Turtyl trewe / the Fenyx syngulere
In lust in blysse to geders al they were

The holsom Pertryche and the Pellycane
The sparowes eke / the plouer / and the pye
The Popyngay / the Roke / the henne. the Crane
Theyr names al here to specyfye
It nedeth not for euery foule sh̄ortely
That is in kynd / & hath in vertu myght
In al comfort / reioysed there his flygh̄t

They flee at lust / there is not them to lette
They bylde in blysse / they haue al lyberte
They nede not drede for gyler / ne for nette
Flee where they wol / they ben in al suerte
The wynd the rayne / ne none aduersyte
May them dystourbe / al ioye is them among
The heuen among aboue delyted in theyr songe

Explicit descripcio Auium

Incipit descripcio Animalium

[Page]
The noble lyon / and the leonesse
The vnycorn / the Olyfaunt also
The leopard / the wolf / the bere expresse
Withouten Ire in rest and pees gan goo
The herte / the hynd. the buk / & eke the doo
The bole / the oxe / the Cowe / and eke her caulf
No Raueyn dredde / pees was on euery half

The herte / the hynde and the gentyl doo
Proude and myghty / and lepyng lustely
In hede and brest / on foote eke to and fro
Iaped paced / and started meryly
Iak napys nyce made them al mynstralcye
Now here now there in eche place was his fete
Eche thyng obiect / he gan to counterfete

The brocke / the pantere / and the dromydare
The asse the Camyl and the lynx ful of syght
The bore / the Swyne / the whesel / and the hare
The Foxe / the Tyger of most spedy myght
The hound. the Ermyn bryght / and whyght
The Squerel eke / the myse / the Cat / the Rāme
The ghoot / the kyd / the hors / the sh̄epe / the lāme

Al other beestes sh̄ortely for to wyte
That ben in kynd / that gan sustene
In pees / and rest / in comforte and delyte
Eche best & byrd / fysshe floure / & herbes grene
To stere to swymme / synge laugh or flene
In wood / in nest / in water / and the mede
Theyr parfyte blysse vnto the heuen gan sprede

The waters sowne / the lusty fysshe and feyre
The good ceason / the yongly sonne & bryght
The mede / the herbes the floure / & theyr refleyre
The blosmy bowes. the fowles fresshe of flyght
The tendre wynd with his brethe & his myght
Enspyred thorugh the blossomes at deuys
Hit to seen was an heuenly paradys

[Page]Explicit descripcio Animalium

Incipit descripcio Castri mansionis sapientie

Whan I had sene the solempne souerayne syght
Dame sapyence led me a lytel besyde
Vnto a Cumly Castel sh̄ynyng bryght
Ful of al solace delyte lust / and pryde
In whoos circuite with wantes large & wyde
Of parfyte blysse y set were towres seuen
The lyght of whiche / astyed vp to heuen

The dyke of hyt y fourmed with delyte
Fulfylled was with water of comete
The marbyl stone / the Alabaster whyte
By geometry so frendely gan mete
That suche one as in hede body and fete
With precyous stones illumyned at deuyse
Was neuer seen / hit passed paradyse

Vpon a Roche it was grounded and set
And euery buttras ful of ymagery
Eche pynacle Corner. to wre and Towret
With gold and perle and stones curyously
Depaynted was and poudred lustely
And on the yate illumyned with al blysse
With gold lettres thus y wryte ywys

This is the weye to vertu / & to grace
To connyng / knowlege wyt / and al wysedome
This is the wey vnto the heuenly place
Ther scorne ne thirst syn vyce. ne euil may come
This is the wey to that solempne kyngedome
Where rest pees blysse / & comforte seceth neuer
Come in who wyl / and ryght welcome for euer

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Seuen ladyes bryght doune from the heuen
Came to the yate with many ladyes moo
Seruaūtes to them· whoos name wol I neuene
Feyth hope to fore with charyte goo
Prudence / the wyse dame. fortytude also
With temporaunce and ryghtwysenes ywys
Met sapyence / and hertely gan to kys

With feyth was Clemens and vyrgynyte
Dame contynence and dame deuocyon
Dame lowlmesse· the dame eke chastyte
On whoos hede was ther garlandes of renoun
One for vyrgyns and theyr Relygyon
One for spoused peple that lyuen clene
The thyrd for wedowes / yf they pure contene

With hope was gladnes and contrycyon
Dame discyplyne / and eke dame sapyence
Confessyon / and contemplacyon
The blessyd lady / eke dame penytence
With charyte was grace and indulgence
Pees and acord / pyte / compassyon
And dame mercy Emperesse of al renoun

With dame prudence was counceyl and reson
The drede of god and tractabylyte
Dame dylygence / and dame dyscrescyon
Dame prouydence causer of al bounte
With temporaunce was dame benyḡnyte
Moralyte maner and tolleraunce
Dame sobrenes / and propre suffysaunce

With fortytude was dame perseueraunce
Rest / and quyete / scyence and stabylyte
Ay of one strengthe withoute varyaunce
And neuer proude for no prosperyte
Nother yet grutchyng for aduersyte
With ryght wysenes was lawe & correctyon
Trouthe. ryght / and dome and execucyon

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Than come a lady dyuyne Theologye
With ladyes seuen her sewyng in a route
Dame sapyence they folowed ful h̄umbly
Pryst her with blysse / and lowely gan to lowte
Echone other enbraced al aboute
Glad of that metyng ful of grace
What sh̄old I say / it was an heuenly place

There was gramer ground of scyence al
And Dyaletyk ful of pure knowyng
Dame Rethoryk scyence Imperyal
Dame Arsmetryk scyence in proporcyonyng
Geometry that mesureth euery thyng
The lady musyke and Astronomye
These ladyes seuen sewed theologye

Than from the dongeon grete within the place
A solempne towre whiche styed vp to heuen
Philosophie the lady ful of grace
With ladyes come as after I shal neuen
To sapyence the way sh̄e took ful euen
And sayd welcome suster and souerayne
They kyssed swete / of other bothe were fayne

Philosophye is who lust to dyffyne
Knowlege of erthely and eke heuenly thyng
Y ioyned with sad study and fyne
Of gouernaunce honest and good lyuyng
It is also the probable connyng
Of worldly thyng / and goodely thyng ywys
As moche as to man possyble is

She is cleped also the arte of artes
And eke of deth the medytacyon
Hyr beyng eke y set in two partes
In pure scyence and oppynacyon
Scyence thynge techeth by certayne reason
Oppynacyon is in certaynte
When thyng by reson may not proued be

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And yf the sonne be more in quantyte
Than is the erthe / how moche eke is the heuen
Of what mater / and yf he stable be
Or yet moble / thys can not scyence neuen
If that the mone be moysty / holowe or euen
This knowe we not by propre pure reason
But this we haue by oppynacyon

This souerayne lady dame phylosophye
Within her self al artes doth contene
Nature and kynd / vertu and polycye
How they y taught eke execute sh̄old bene
In her wysedom sh̄e hath groundely and clene
Wherfor to her annexed ben sustres thre
Whiche ladyes ben of al souerayne bounte

The fyrst suster is cleped Natural
Whome folk of grace clepyn dame phisyca
The second hyght the good pryncesse moral
Whome they of grece eke clepyn dame Ethyca
They clepe also the thyrd / Dame Loyca
Whome oure clerkes clepyn Racyonal
Phylosophye hath these in especyal

The fyrst doth teche the cause of euery thyng
Her propre kynd / hir kyndely properte
And in the second is trust of lyuyng
Knowlege of vertues and honeste
When kynd and vertues may than knowen be
The thyrd suster cometh with her resoun
Of euyl and good makyng discrypcyoun

Millesius one of the sages seuene
In grece fyrst drewe / as in the craft of kynde
By his reason the causes of the heuene
And of eche the nature gan he fynde
Than come plato a worthy clerke of kynde
For natural art sought oute geomatrye
Arsmetryk. Musyk and astronomye

[Page]
Dame Ethyca pryncesse of polycye
Good Socrates fyrst founder of gouernaunce
To knewe vertu and conne lyue honestly
And four ladyes he sought ful of plesaunce
To serue dame Ethyke with obeysaunce
Whoos names ben prudence and ryghtwysenes
Dame fortitude and temporaunce I gesse

Than fond plato the lady racyonal
Whiche whan that kynd & vertu knowen bene
Techeth eche man by reson specyal
To vnderstonde the subtyl strengthe and clene
Of kynd and vertu what they wold & mene
Than sought he oute Dame Dyaletyca
To serue her with Dame Rethorica

In these thre sustres grounded may we fynd
Dyuynyte / yf we loke wele ywys
For eche dyuyne other speketh of kynd
As in the noble book of Genesis
Or of maners as in prouerbes
Or of logyk / for whome dyuynes al
The Cantycle taken in specyal

Some sayne that philosoph̄ye called resoun
Hath ladyes twoo subiect in specyal
The fyrst hyght Inspectyue whoos eye a boun
Dyscerneth thyng wh̄iche is celestyal
The second lady hygh̄t Actual
That of eche thyng maketh discrypcyoun
As it sh̄eweth in operacyon

Dame Inspectyue hath seruyng ladyes thre
Dame natural / and eke dame doctrynal
The thyrd in heuen hath syght and soueraynte
Wherfor sh̄e hyght the pryncesse dyuynal
The fyrst techeth kynd of thynges al
By craft the second geteth Intellect
The thyrd Inuysyble thynges hath respect

[Page]
Dame doctrynal hath seruaūtes four ywys
The good Arysmetryk and dame Geometrye
Dame Musyk eke the lady ful of blysse
The fourth pryncesse hyght dame Astronomye
Of these four ladyes must I specyally
Herafterward in my treatys endyte
Of them nomore wherfor now wyl I wryte

Dame Actual hath other ladyes thre
As dame moral / and dame dispensatyue
Dame Cyuyle hyght the thyrd ful of bounte
The fyrst dysposeth to eche man of lyue
Maner of lyuyng / the second is actyue
Which can her housh̄old rewle withoute dystaūce
The thyrd of Cytees hath in gouernaunce

We entred in this yate ful of blysse
Vnto the fyrst court ful of heuenly lyght
Whiche dame scyence had in kepyng ywys
Whiche hows and ward loyal lusty & bryght
Ellumyned fresshe / and peynted to the syght
With propre kynd of eche thyng temporal
Mā / beest / herbe / tree / ther maist yu know them al

Scripture there taȝt hou mā sh̄old gouerne him
And what he is in body / and in bloode
And what mater he in lyeth / or yet in hym
Why this is euyl / and why that thyng is good
Why this is tame / and why that beest is wood
Al polycy in erthe / and al knowlege
Dame scyence ther had in that herbergage

There was al natural philosoph̄ye
And in a goodly parlour see I syt
The philosopher with his companye
Tretyng of kynd / and what longeth to it
There was clerk / note / konnyng / and wyt
The poynt they wryte / they dyspute they depure
They determyne eche thyng that hath nature

[Page]
Arystotyl auerous and Auycenne
Good Algazel / Galyene / and Appollynus
Pyctagoras and Plato with his penne
Macrobius / Crato / Boecius
Rasus Isake / Calyxte Orbasius
Salustius / cleophyl / Ypocras
With many mo whoos names I lete pas

These had delyte to serue dame scyence
And to haue knowlege in phylosoph̄ye
They worsh̄ypped her / they dyd reuerence
Theyr hole desyre was to her soueraynly
They wake / they work / they study besyly
Whyles that they ben with dame scyence expert
Theym to byholde myght rauysshe euery hert

Explicit processus de prima Curia

Incipit processus de secunda curia

Vnto the second court than in we yode
The cure of the whiche had dame Intellygence
With halle chambres / with toures hye & good
Ful of al lust / and heuenly complacence
There was depeynted with al reuerence
The heuen / his blysse / and who duelleth in it
The Ierarchyes in nyne ordres y knyt

Of what degre was euery Ierarchye
Of what Offyce / and of what obseruaunce
And why the fyrst eke hyght ypyphanye
There was depaynted with al pure plesaunce
Of Lucyfer and his vnhappy chaunce
Of the spyrytes whiche that with hym felle
There myght men see and of the payne of helle

[Page]
Oure wyttes fyue when they begyn to fayle
As in eche inuysyble creature
Intellygence must yeue vs than counsayle
By her we haue parfyte knowlege and pure
When eye / nose / ere / mouthe / eke is vnsure
And we by them may gete no pure scyence
Than must vs renne vnto intellygence

There was Dapys Bernard / bede / barthilmew
The good Cardynal / the swete bonauenture
Within enspyred / whiche had sene and knew
The pryuy counceyl of the fyrst nature
And many moo within a parlour pure
Of clerkes whiche that were contemplatyue
There see I sytte heuenly thyng to descryue

Theyr names al / I may not now reherce
The multitude of them so passyng bene
They may not al be conteyned in a verce
But to byhold how fresshe lusty and grene
Was theyr desyre to loke on bookes clene
And heuenly with eye mental to see
Al erthly ioye it passeth in degre

Incipit processus de tercia curia

Wyth ioy and blysse and delectacyon
Dame sapyence that good goddesse
Vnto her ward souerayne of al renoun
Than led vs forth vnto a halle expresse
Whoos blysse. beaute / luste / and parfyte neblesse
Al erthly place passeth a thousand fold
The ioy of it with tonge may not be told

Hit was an heuen only to loke it on
Soo rauyssyng it was and elegaunt
O pryamus and thyn halle Ilyon
With al his propre beaute pure plesaunte
For to be lyke it is not suffysaunt
Vnto this halle / whiche made by nature
As for mayster ch̄yef in portrature

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It hanged was with auys werk in gold
Ful of sterres of wysedom and of wyt
The parables moost godely to byhold
Ecclesiastes eke than folowed hit
The boke of sapyence ful wely wryte
The good book eke Ecclesiasticus
Al wysedom there clare gan and dyscusse

And on the dayse / Mynerue that hyght pallas
The goddesse of wysedom ful of lyght
On heuenly wyse portreyed and peynted was
A lady fayr enourned fresshe and brygh̄te
Whoos hede was with the reynbowe dyghte
A Crest aboue her ryght honde had a spere
The other syde a sh̄eld of Crystal clere

Her hede was ferful and eke monstruous
For dyuers serpentes henge her hede aboute
Bryght eyen sh̄e had / and clothyng precyous
Of colours there delycyous and stoute
An olyue tree with braunches on a route
On whiche a nyght crowe lustely was set
Stode her besyde. it myght not be made bet

And what it ment there told dame sapyence
This is the goddesse of al wyt souerayne
Depeynted thus with lust and reuerence
Y gete sh̄e was of Iupyters brayne
To moral sence / it is as moche to sayne
That al wysedom come from god aboue
Whoome Poetes clepen Iubyter and Ioue

Eke wysedom hath armour of al vertu
The bryght Reynbowe of loue and frendlyheede
The Crest of honour / the ferful hede to sh̄ewe
With serpentes dyuers is the parfyte drede
Of god of deth / and of the hyghe falsh̄ede
Of his enuye ful of despyte
Euery wyseman that serpent mote hym hyte

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She hath the ryght spere of correctyon
The sh̄eld of fortytude and of pacyence
Tholyue of pees / the nyght crowe a bonne
Whiche is the byrd of mekenes and lycence
She hath the eyen of reson and prudence
Her clothyng eke / that is of colours thre
Betokenyth feyth. hope / and charyte

Wysedom or prudence / who so lust descryue
Or her array parfyte and lustely
I counceyl hym / that he goo loke belyue
Fulgencius in his Methologye
Fyrst in Satourn / and hym than counceyl I
Goo loke in Iuno / Neptune / and pluto
There sh̄al he see / whiche thyng I lete ouergoo

Was neuer place in erthe so gloryous
As is the worthy halle of sapyence
With hows of offyce moost delycyous
Inhabyte ful with folk of reuerence
And in a chapel ful of complacence
Within a sh̄ryne lusty to al deuyse
Set with al blysse was Salamon the wyse

Theologye a byble took anone
And torned to many a story fyn
The Gospellers / Mark / Mathew / Luke & Ioh̄n
The Doctours four / as Gregory and Anstyn
Ierome / Ambrose / expert in thynges dyuyne
Vnto her cam al aboute her al they syt
There myght men bere of wysedom and of wyt

There studyed holcote vpon sapyence
And Notyngham vpon the gospellers
The good clerk / the mayster of sentence
Seynt Thomas eke worsh̄yp vnto al Freres
To mayster of the storyes with his feres
And many one moo good clerk and dyuyne
Than for to telle my wyttes can dyffyne

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With gramer were ladyes wel besene
Of whiche the fyrst hyght dame Ortographye
Within a parlour· lusty fresshe and grene
There was eke gentyl Ethymologye
Dyasynstastica / and prosodye
These sustres four dyfferent in offyce
Serued gramer / as lady ful of pryce

The first tauȝt lrēs / & how men sh̄old them write
The second taught the partes of reson
To telle eche word truly is her delyte
And which is nomē which verbū. & ꝓnom [...]
The thyrd dyd teche party constructyon
The last eche word yaue h̄is tyme & accident
And in these foure al gramer is content

These four serued that scyence litteral
In wrytyng pronouncyng / and construyng
Of lettre / syllable / word / Reson / with al
She hath her pryncypal consyderyng
She is the ground / the yate / the entryng
To al the noble artes lyberal
By her frendsh̄yp they be made specyal

There was Moyses / Cadmus / and Carmenta
Ebrard Ferryn / and Iohan Gerlond. & donate
Prescyane / Petyr / Thomas de hennaya
Lambart Papy / they wryte erly and late
The Ianuens was there in grete estate
And Arystotyl for theyr bookes wyse
Catholycon and paryarmonyse

Hugucyon with many auctor moo
Wrytyng ther was / and lokyng on gramer
Whoos names al sh̄ortely I lete ouer goo
They may not doo / but prolong my matere
Many a babe of souerayne heuenly chere
Desyrous al in connyng to habounde
Aboute dame gramer satte to haue theyr groūde

[Page]Explicit breuis descripcio Gramatice et eius parcium

Incipit breuis Tractatio de Dialetica

Within another par [...]out ful of blysse
With many clerk of Scoler of yong age
Dame Dyaletica was set ywys
She red them / al latyn was theyr langage
They al of her asked none other wage
But that they myght dyscerne and eke depure
Trouth from falsh̄ede / that was theyr aller cure

Her parlour fresshe / her clothyng proude & stout
Of dyffert scire and of Incipit
With sophysmes depeynted ful al aboute
And other matres / as of dyffynytyf
The comune treatys taught sh̄e them ryf
Whiche whatkyns / what is a proposicion
What thyng he is / and his dyuysyon

Whiche is subiect / couple and predicate
And how he is reson indycatyf
And when he hath vnyuersal estate
Partyculer or is affyrmatyf
Infynytyf syngulere or negatyf
Whiche Subalterne / whiche contradictyon
Whiche is contrarye taught she be resoun

Equypollens and conuersyon
Sylogysmus maner of arguyng
And for to make an oblygacyon
She taught hem there with bus [...] and al lykyng
Fast they dyspute in theyr connyng
With sophyms straūge maters they discusse
And fast they crye oft / tu es Asinus

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The vnyuersels and the natures good
The predycamentes Topykes also
The pryncipals the Elynk [...] / as they stood
She red them al with many tretes moo
She taught them way to procede & to goo
And to atteyne to al ph̄ylosophye
Her to byhold. it was a blysse heuenly

The phylosoph̄res whiche reherced bene
With Dame scyence in her fyrst towre of al
With this lady eke goodely were bysene
And had contours to her in especyal
Alfred haly Iorath and Iuuenal
Eraclius Affricane / Demoscene
Mercurius and noble Damascene

Gyles and Eucūdo / Rusus / and Cythero
Democritus and Physyologus
Syr Theoprasse Tytrus and Cypro
William Concles peno Iohanneus
Syr Tholome and New and plumus
Salustyane / Pernienides also
And many / on whoos name I lete goo

Explicit breuis tractacio de Dyaleci [...]a

Incipit breuis tractatus de Rethorica

Dame Rethoryke modre of Eloquence
Moost elegaunt / moost pure and gloryous
With lust delyte / blysse honour and reuerence
Within her parlour fresshe and precyous
Was set as quene / whoos speche delycyous
Her audytours gan to al ioye conuerce
Eche word of hyr myght muysshe euery herte

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And many clerk had lust her for to here
Her speche to theym was parfyte sustenaunce
Eche word of her deputed was so clere
And illumyned with so parfyte plesaunce
That heuen it was to here her beauperlaunce
Her termes gay as facund souerayne
Catepbaton in no poynt myght dystayn

She taught them the craft of endytyng
Whiche vyces ben that sh̄old avoyded be
Whiche ben the colours gay of that connyng
Theyr dyfference and eke theyr properte
Eche thyng endyte how it sh̄old poynted be
Dystynctyon sh̄e gan clare and dyscusse
Whiche is Coma Colym perydus

Who so thynketh my wrytyng dul & blont
And wold conceyue the colours purperate
Of Rethoryke· goo he to tria sunt
And to Galfryde the poete laureate
To Ianuens a clerk of grete astate
Within the fyrst parte of his gramer book
Of this mater there groundely may he loke

In Tullius also moost eloquent
The chosen spouse vnto this lady free
His gylted craft and glorye in content
Gay thinges y made eke / yf thow lust to see
Goo loke the Code also the dygestes thre
The bookes of lawe and of physyk goode
Of ornate speche there spryngeth vp the floode

In prose and metre of al kynd ywys
This lady blyssed had lust for to playe
With her was blesens Richard pophys
Farrose pystyls clere lusty fresshe and gay
With maters were poetes in good array
Ouyde / Omer / Vyrgyl / Lucan / Orace
Alane· Bernard / prudencius and State

[Page]Explicit processus [...]e Rethorica

Incipit de Arsmetrica

Arsmetryke than amyd the ladyes al
As a pryncesse goodely had her mansyon
Eche of her had nede in specyal
By cause of whiche sh̄e was of grete renoun
And al her craft by numeracyon
Was for to sette eche thyng in his ordre
Withouten her ben the sex artes vnsure

She told vs there how both the erthe & the heuen
Had theyr makyng / and theyr parfectyon
In dayes syxe and eke in nygh̄tes seuene
How thre persones / and one god aboune
The Trynyte contenteth with renoun
How Moyses Ely / and how cryst hym selue
Fast fourty dayes / and of the Apostles twelue

In hooly wryte moche thyng y nombred is
Of whiche by her we haue cognycyon
And in this world eche creature ywys
Is made by numeral proporcyon
Four elementes / the seuen planettes aboue
These be dystynct in trewe nombre certayne
Withouten her al craftes be but veyne

It is wryte that god al thyng hath made
In weyght / in nombre / and eke in mesure
Of Arsmetryk wherfor he sh̄old be glad
Of ony thyng / whiche hath knowlege pure
When oure weke / moneth / yere / there is sure
Theyr currycles theyr tymes / and theyr space
By this lady to haue knowlege we trace

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She taught nombre whiche is old / & which̄ euen
Deuyded hym with subdyuysyon
Ten fygures eke of Augrym gan sh̄e neuene
And Calendres for numeracyon
She told the craft of computacyon
To adde / to mynue / and to multyplye
Eche thyng to count sh̄e taught truly

She tauȝt vs eke what thyng that nōbre was
A multytude of vnytees sh̄e sayd
And with her set the old Pyctagoras
Nychomacus / of whome moche good is sayd
Apulenis and Boece ryght wele arrayd
These were the fyrst in latyn and grewe
That in the crafte of nombre euer drewe

Explicit breuis processus de Arsmetrica

Incipit breuis Tractatus de Geometria

And Geometrye her subtyl crafte oute ronge
And her place as lady reuerent
She sat at lust with lynes large and long
Compase rule / plumbe / and many instrument
With fygures queynte and al to hir entent
Of euery thyng to yeue the trewe mesure
Th̄is her craft / her labour and her cure

She made cerculis / fygures / and spyres straūge
Tryangles quadrantes wonderly wrought
Layd lynes a long / & ofte sh̄e dyd hem chaūge
The pure mesure of euery thyng sh̄e sought
And by her craft the pure knowlege sh̄e broȝt
How hye / how lowe / hou long. & how brode eke
Was euery thyng sh̄e had it not to seke

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Whiche is the wynt / the centre or the pole
Ful craftely sh̄e taught of euery spere
Whiche Cercle is cut / and whiche is hole
Whiche lyne is ryght / whiche perpenty culere
Wh̄iche Circuler· and whiche Dyametere
And by this craft of al the erthes space
The veray mesure truly gan sh̄e trace

The erthes space how long it is aboute
Arystotyl sayth that old clerkes sayne
That four and twenty thousand al oute
In his cercle he conteyneth certayne
But Albert thynketh / it is an errour pleyne
For in his tyme there couthe it not forclere
The quantite of his Dyametere

But another clerk sh̄ewyng Theolome
Sayd that erthe in his cyrcuyte round
Shold twenty thousand myle and fourty be
And thus one clerk another doth confounde
Soo that the trouthe by none of them is foūd
Gode thyng sayth basyle sh̄old haue remēbrāce
And that sh̄old passe which stondeth in doutaūce

With her dyuers clerkes of Egypte were
Whiche fyrst dyd fynde the crafte of Geometry
Eke Theodosius in his maner
With philosophres sate ful lustely
Of that scyence tretyng ful craftely
As good Englyd / and many clerkes moo
Of theym no more / for ferther must I go

Explicit de Geometria

Incipit de Musica

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A lytel besyde within a place of blys
Dame Musyk sat / and with her ladyes thre
The fyrst hyght dame Armonyca ywys
The second Rethenica a lady free
The thyrd hyght metrica ful of beaute
The song sh̄e prycked / sh̄e numered notes newe
Theyr melodye formed on heuen newe

The fyrst delyted her in tunes mete
The second mesured dyte with the note
The thyrd numered her songe with certeyne fete
And whiche be her boundes ryght wel sh̄e wote
And with them were good clerkis yt thus wrote
And sayd that Musyk was the pure connynge
And veray wey of trewe parfyte syngynge

They wrote also / who that fyrst Musyk found
Some sayd Tubal / somme sayd Linus Tibeus
Some Zetus / Amphyonas they dyd vnderstōd
Some sayd also it was one Orpheus
Some playnly saidfor ought they coude discusse
That by the soune of hamers in a forge
Pyetagoras fyrst ganne Musyk forge

Dame Musyk ganne her craft to record
And made a wey / how folk sh̄old fyrst begyn
Her example was in a monycord
On instrument quadraunt long holowe within
Of whiche the myd one strenge had in a gyn
Oute of the whiche dyuers tunes sh̄e wrought
And thus the groūd of Musyke first sh̄e sought

She taught sex syllables / whiche we notes clepe
And in her craft they necessary bene
Whiche on an ympne thou mayst brynge to hepe
If thou his metre can proporcyon clene
Vt queant laxis is hit / whiche I mene
Ther mayst thou fynd vt / Re / My / Fa / Sol / la
These syllables sex vsed Dame Musica

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She taught the notes by her monycord
As sh̄e the streng dyd touche or pulle
And as sh̄e lengthed or shorted the cord
Which hye / lowe / or sh̄arp / & which is dulle
Of al these notes taught sh̄e at the ful
Theyr varyaunce / and theyr dyscencyon
Theyr ordres eke / and theyr ascencyon

A Gāmoth than wonderly sh̄e found
Whiche is a rewle to teche them for to synge
And it to knowe sh̄e taught them on their hond
By whiche they wote the groūd of al syngyng
The notes they knowe therby & theyr chaūgyng
And proueth eke / whiche songe is fals or trewe
To Musyk thus sh̄e gan the wayes sh̄ewe

She taught them whiche were tunes parfyte
And yaue he in lust to here theyr concordaunce
Whiche tunes eke ben cleped inparfyte
And whiche in song sh̄old be theyr gouernaūce
Proporcyon she had in remembraunce
Dyapason and dyapente eke
And Dyatesseron nas not to seke

Which large / long. which breue or semybreue
Mynym Crochet / in rule and eke in space
Al this she taught / but for I must be breue
In this mater I nyl no ferther trace
For though I wold therto I haue no space
But who so lust of Musyk for to wyt
For veray ground to Boece I hym remyt

And to a Clerk / whiche cleped is berno
Iohan de Muris / and Ioh̄n de Musica
To guyde eke in his Metrologo
There mayst thou see of Dame Armonyca
Of Dame Metryk / and of dame Rethinica
Of al Musyke the veray ground parfyte
There shalt thou fynd. with blysse and al delyde

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And these with musyke were in ioye & blysse
And helped her prouynce / with her armonye
And with them was eche instrument ywys
That is of Musyk / and of mynstralcye
Harp / lute / pype / trump / Fydel / ryuyls / sautry
The Rote / cagons / and the monycord
The Gyterne / Symbal [...] / and the clauycord

Explicit Tractatus de Musica

Incipit breuis processus de Astronomia

Than see I syt in place ful of al plesaunce
The heuenly lady dame Astronomye
Wh̄iche of the sterres the cours & gouernaunce
Theyr fygures eke descryueth craftely
And with her was the mayd Astrologye
Whiche somtyme is kyndely / and precyous
And otherwh̄yse ouer moche superstyous

She is kyndely whan that sh̄e sh̄eweth clere
The sonnes cours / the mone. the sterres eke
And doth nothyng / but as kynd doth her lere
But whan sh̄e lust in sterres for to seke
The byrthe of man / whiche hole sh̄al be seke
And wyl Dyuyne / and preche thyng for to be
Vnkyndely than / and vnleful is sh̄e

Astronomye that lady ful of grace
Gan first dyuyne what thyng ye world sh̄old be
What thyng heuen is his cours & his place
His paleys eke / his partyes in degre
His fourme / his spere / and eke his properte
His syhte / his cours / his mouyng at the best
With al other partyes most and lest

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His hemyspery / and his cer [...]tis fyue
Theyr properte / and how they cleped bene
The Zodyak also sh̄e gan descryue
The sonne his cours & his effect clene
His magnytude. his nature wel besene
The mone her cours / her dyuers fourmes eke
And their Eclypses / there was nothyng to seke

She taught also how sondry sterres hygh̄t
And in what tyme they goo theyr cercules al
Eke how the sōne the mone yeueth al their lyȝt
Whiche Lucina we clepe in specyal
And how that fyre oute from heuen doth fall
Lyke as the sterres fyl it is sene
The cause of this / and what it may mene

And to eche sterre that cleped is a sygne
By syȝt of whiche thyng to come men may gesse
A propre name sh̄e gan to assygne
As Arctur / Vrsa / the more eke & the lesse
Thus dyuers names gan sh̄e for to dresse
As Tryones / Boetes / Yades
Aricturus. Oryon / and plyades

As Lucyfer / Cometes / Vesperus
Theyr names old sh̄e told ful craftely
The planetes seuen sh̄e neuened vnto vs
Saturne· Ioue / Mars / Phebus / and Mercurye
The Mone Venus / and what they sygnyfye
Their influence / and theyr qualyte
With cyrcumstannce of pure solempnyte

Twelue fygures than sh̄e told ryȝt wel arrayed
The Ramme / the Bul / and the gemelles to
The Crabbe. the lyon· and the streyt mayd
The balaunce tharcher / and the Scorpio
The Gote / the water syre / and the fysshe also
The planetes seuen as they to this atteyne
Suche eche tyme dysposed· soth to sayne

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And how eche fygure had of his properte
A propre name / thus gan sh̄e constrewe
The gentyles eke how that they blynded be
That lust / honour with worsh̄yp fresshe & newe
The planetes seuen / as parfyte goddes trewe
Theyr rytes old / and theyr ydolatrye
She gan reherce / as techeth poeterye

And how they clepe the rāme the fyrst sygne
For that in mars begynnyng of the yere
The sonne in hym maketh his cours digne
And they worsh̄yp hym on theyr manere
By cause of Ioue whome in theyr temples clere
If they depaynte a Rammes hede they make
With hornes two for Iubyters sake

He come an oxe / and took Europa they sayd
Wherfor the bole they worsh̄yp of theyr grace
Castor pollux eke when they dede were layd
Among the sterres they demed haue a place
Whome they clepen the gemelles with solace
For Hercules eke slough the grete lyon
Hym for that sygne they worsh̄yp with renoun

O mysbyleue merueylous for to neuene
O cursyd blyndenes of these gentyles al
Whiche demyn fysshe / and bestyal be in heuen
For gloryfyed regnaūt perpetual
As Rame / bore / Crabbe / and bere in specyal
Hound / lyon / swanne / the egle eke in fere
Whome they worsh̄yp for Ioues chyef squyer

She told also of batayl destyne
And how in sterres som men haue such bileue
That in theyr byrth ryght by necessyte
Ordeyned is al that hym sh̄al please or greue
This old errour oure doctours done repreue
Socrates the same with Arystotyl sayth
Notwithstondyng they were not of oure fayth

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Or yf a man were in his natyuyte
Constreyued to / his sondry artes al
Theym for to doo ryght by necessyte
Why sh̄old good men haue lawre in specyal
Or myslyuers to punysshement be thral
Good Isodre maketh this reson
In dampnynge of this fals oppynyon

Astronomye the Egyptes fyrst dyd fynd
Astrologye / and her queynt obseruaunce
Folk of Calde fyrst sought & brought to mynde
Whom Abraham tauȝt the egyptes with plesāce
As wryteth Iosephus withouten doutaunce
But grekes sayn this craft first was found
By one Athlant / & of hym had his ground

And with this lady was syre Tholome
Ioh̄n de hispayn / and Mysaleth also
With al other auctours in degre
That drewe of her / whoos names lete I go
Thus in sterres I wol cease and ho
And by the ordre of the artes seuen
Styre folk to leue the world / & drawe to heuen

Explicit de Astronomia

Incipit Tractatus de Fide

Dame feith than led vs vnto her wonyng place
Vnto a towre solempne and gloryous
Ful of al lust / comfort / vertu and grace
Depeynted fresshe with colour precyous
And in a parlour ful solacyous
Thappostles al were set with pure delyte
And of oure trouthe the artycles they wryte

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They had byleue in god fadel of myght
Maker of heuen and erthe / and al that is
Of vysyble and inuysyble wyght
And in his sonne crist ful of blysse
Before the world / whiche was alwey ywys
I gete not made and consubstauncyal
To his fader / of whome fourmed is al

He cam from heuen / and in the mayd Marye
By inspyracyon of the holy goost
Mankynd he took / & borne he was for to dye
To wyn mans soule out from the fendes hoost
And vnder Pylate set with Iewes boost
Bounden & bete / crowned and crucyfyed
With watry woundes Innocent he dyed

For he was grauen man out from helle he broȝt
And rose the thyrd day vnto lyue ageyne
Styed to heuen / his faders Trone he sought
From whens as kyng / he sh̄al come yet certeyn
Bothe quyk and dede to deme / to lyf / or peyn
The goode to blysse / the euyl to punysshement
Heuene erthe & helle sh̄al quake in that iugemēt

And in the holy ghoost byleue they had
In holy chirche baptysme communyon
Of sayntes eke to hold ferme and sad
Of al trespaas to haue remyssyon
And for to trowe the resurectyon
Of peple dede / and in lyf lastyng
Vnto the whiche almyghty god vs bryng

These artycles with other poyntes al
That longeth to the holy Trynyte
Dame feyth her self gan telle in specyal
With al the secretes of the deyte
Whiche in Englysshe not reherced be
Suche thyng as sh̄old be pryuate & occult
I rede we leue / and take quicum (que) vult

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There was to feyth doyng al reuerence
The holy synner Mary Magdalene
Whiche by dame fayth hath geten indulgence
Of al her synne / and was assoylled clene
Good martha eke by her grace gan optene
And brought to lyue her broder la{sed}arus
Soo was the sone also of Regulus

There was the doughter eke of Canane
Whiche by her was brought fro the fendes bond
Al other eke / that of ony infyrmyte
Thorugh feyth was cured / with her see I stond
Blynde dome and deef leprous fote & hond
Whome feith hath heled / and brought vnto grace
With al honour obeyed her in that place

There was also the hooly confessours
That preched feyth whyle they were on lyue
Doctours martyrs and gloryous auctours
Wrytyng of feyth / and her meryte blyue
And on this wyse / they gan hyr descryue
And sayd that feyth is ground of al godenes
Withouten whome lyf hath no sykernes

Vnto al good sh̄e geueth strengthe & comfort
And who troweth not he falleth impotent
The sh̄eld of feyth who lust to comport
Al thyng ouercometh as vnto reuerence
His thre enemyes with theyr yrous pretence
Ayenst hym sh̄al neuermore preuayle
Aske & byleue thyn askyng sh̄al not fayle

She is  [...]y / for as the clerke sayth
There is but one god lord perpetual
Pryncypally / of whome preched is fayth
Eke hole sh̄e is of her artycles al
Trewe withoute errour outher grete or smal
Lyuely and quyck to do euery quyk dede
For elles sh̄e were but as a body dede

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There was the lady clennesse wel arrayed
Deuocyon and dame vyrgynyte
Dame contynence and chastyte the mayd
Dame Loulynesse and dame stabylyte
Enlumyned fresshe echone in theyr degre
These seruen fayth / and as they couthe deuyse
With blysse they song / & sayd vpon this wyse

If better is to trowe in god aboue
Than in mankynd or in many other thyng
Who troweth in hym / for he can kepe and loue
Theyr lust fulfylle / & graūt them theyr askyng
And in his gospel eke a worthy kyng
He sayd hym self in me / who lust byleue
Though he be dede ywys yet sh̄al he leue

O cursed folk with youre Idolatrye
Wh̄iche in fals goddes setten youre delyte
Blynd dome / and deth is al youre mametrye
Of stok & stone / men may suche karue & thwyte
Leue theym for fals with sour and despyte
In our one god cast anker and byleue
Though ye were dede / he can make yow leue

He is al lyf whan youre goddes be dede
They haue a tyme / and he is sempyterne
They are but erthe / and brought lowe as lede
He regneth god aboue the heuen superne
Blyssed be he. for he no grace wyl werne
To them / that wyl in hym beset theyr byleue
And though they dye ywys yet sh̄al they lyue

Explicit Tractatus de Fide et Cantus famule sue

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These thynges folowyng is euery Crysten man and woman holde / and bounde to lerne / and to conne to theyr power in waye of theyr saluacyon

The Pater noster
The Aue maria
And the Crede
The ten commandentis
Haue one god in worsh̄yp
In this is forboden al maner mawmetrye
Wytchecraft
Enchauntement
Redynge of dremes
And al mysbyleue
Take not his name invayn
In this is forboden al heresyes
Al mysmenyng
Vnworsh̄yp of god
Forsweryng
Takyng his name in vayne
And suche other
Halowe thyne holy day
To this belongeth
Heryng of thy seruyse
Kepynge the oute of dedely synne
Vysytyng of thy powre neyghbours
Accordyng them that ben at debate
And suche other
Worspyp thy fader and moder
God thy fader
Holy ch̄irche thy moder
The ghoostly faders
Thy flesshely fader & moder
Al men of age & worsh̄yp
And prelates of holy chirche
Slee no man
With hond smytyng
With mouthe bacbytyng
Herte cursynge
Ne wyllyng euyl
Ne vengeaunce
Do no lecherye
Here is forboden
Alle spousebreche
Alle flesshely dedes
And al mysshedynge of mannes seed
Doo no thefte
Here is forboden stelyng
Wronge purchacyng
Dysh̄erytyng of heyres
Trecherye
Vsurye
Wronge amersementis
False mesure & weyghtes
And suche other
Bere no false wytnes
Here is forboden
False lyeng
Bacbytyng
Accusyng
Appayryng of good lots
And suche other
Desyre not thy neyghbours wyf
In this is not onely
Forboden the dede
But also the desyre
And wyl of herte
Desyre not thy neyghbours thyngꝭ
[Page]Hows
Londe
Beest
Seruaunt
Ne nothyng / that is his
The seuen dedely synnes Pryde
Herof comyth boostyng of proude beryng
Dysplesyng
Scornyng
Hyghe herte
Gay array
Pryde of Rychesse
Faytenes
Cunnyng
Strengthe
Vertue
Goodnes
Pryde of kynne
Vnbuxomnes
Vayne glorye
Dispyte of thyne neyghbour
Ypocrysye & suche other Enuye
Glad of thy neyghbours euyl fare
Heuy of h̄is welfare
Backbytyng
Sownyng of dyscord
Scornyng
And suche other wrath
Fyghtyng
Chydynge
Hurtyng
Betynge
Waryeng
Cursyng
Grutchyng
Desiring of vengeaunce
Cruelnes
Manslaughter
And suche other Couetise
Falsehode in wynnyng
In beyeng
In sellyng
In metyng
In weyeng
Gyle
Trecherye
Sacrrilege
Simonye
Vsurye
Thefte
Receyuyng of stolen goodes
Extorcion
Wrong withholding
Withdrawing of seruauntes hire
Withholding of tithes and dutees of hooly Chirehe Glotonye
Etyng or drynkyng ouer moche
To erly
To late
Oute of mesure
Brekyng of fast
Vsyng of delycate metes and drynkes
Or in vsyng them to strengthe thy body / to synne
And suche other Slouthe
Therof cometh ydlenes
Delite in sleepe
Neclygence of thy bileue
Vnlusty to goddes seruyse
Foryetefulnes of sh̄ryfte
[Page]Myspendyng of tyme
Dyspayer
Wanhope / and suche other Lecherye
In thoughte
Wylle
Werke
Syght
Felyng
Dede doyng
With sengle
With comune
Wydowes
Maydens
Wyues
Gossybbes
Goddoughters
Relygyous
Or ony other oute of wedlok
Synne ayenst kynde or suche other
The fyue wyttes
Syght
Heryng
Smellyng
Tastyng
Feelyng
The seuen dedes of mercy bodyly
Fede the hungry
Yene drynke to the thursty
Clothe the naked
Herbero we the howseles
Vysyte the syke
Delyuer the prysoners
And burye the poure that ben dede at her deth
Tho seuen dedes of mercy ghoostely
Teche them that can not
Yeue good counseyl to hym that asketh it
Chastyse thy subgette that offendith
Comforte the sory
Foryeue hym that tresp [...]ceth to the
Haue routhe on the synnar
And praye for thyne enemye
The seuen pryncypal vertues Fayth
This is ground and begynnyng of oure saluacyon
And it stondeth in thre thynges
In the vnyte of the godhede in thre persones
In the manhode of Cryst
And in the sacramentes of the chirche Hope
This is a trust by the mercy of god to be saued
And it standeth in the grace of god / and good werkes Charyte
This is the ende & perfectyon of al the commandementes of god
And it standeth in the loue of god aboue al thyng
And thy neyghbour / as the self
Ryghtwysenes
This is a payeng of dente of eche thyng that it duly longeth to
As to god praysyng / and thankyng
[Page]To thy neyghbour loue and charyte
And to thy self besynes to fulfylle goddes wylle Wysedom
That is a vertu to departe good fro euyl
And it stondeth in chesyng of good / and in refusyng of euyl Strengthe
Thys maketh a man myghty & hardy / to doo grete thynges for the loue of god
And it stondeth in suffryng pacyently aduersyte
And mekely takyng prosperyte Mesure
Th̄is is a mene bytwene to moche and to lytel
And it stondeth in takyng suffycyently that nedeth
And in refusyng vtterly that is to moche or to lytel
By these thynges shal eche man and woman knowe god
These that folowen brynge a man to heuen
Good perseueraunce
Pacyence in aduersyte
Obedyence of the commaūdementes of god
Rygh̄twysenes in dedes
Penaunce in the lyf
Contrycyon of synne
Knowlege of thy self
And charyte
These bryngen one in to helle
Desperacyon
Wodenes in aduersyte
Vnryghtwysenes of dedes
Loue of synne
Malyce
Obstynacyon in synnes
Despyte of the commaūdementes of god
Hate of good thynges
And ignoraunce
The fyue wyttes ghoostely
Mynde of the kindenes of god and of thy last ende
Vnderstondyng of his benefettys / and of his bore
Wylle to worsh̄yppe hym in thought / worde / and dede
Withoute ony werynes
Reson to rewle with thy wittes / both inward & outward
Withoute ony blyndenesse
Ymagynacyon of vertuous lyuyng / nedeful werkes / and dredeful dedes of ioye and of peyne

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