<County: Lancashire>
<Code: L0595>
<MS reference: Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, McClean 131, Hand B>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 5r>FJrst Wan god mad al thyng of no3t
Of ye foulest mater~ man he wro3t
Yat was of ye erthe two skilles to hald
Yat on is for yi . yat he walde
Of foul mater man mad in despytt
Of lucifer . yat fel als tytt
Til hell as he had synnyd thorow pride
And of all yat fell . wit him yat tyde
For yai suld haue yan ye more schamschype
And ye more sorow . Wan yai toke kepe
Yat man of so foul . mater sulde duell
In yat place . fro wilk yai fell
Yat toyer skil is yis to se
For man suld here . ye mekir~ be
Ay Wan he seys . and yukkes in tho3t
Of how foul mater . he is wro3t
For god thorow his gudnes . & his my3t
Wald <gap> sen yat place . in heuen bry3t
Was mad w<?>yde . thorow syn of pride
It war fylled agayn . on ilk a syde
Thorow ye vertu of meknes
Yat euen contrary . to pride is
Yan may no man . yeder comme
But he yat meke is . And buxum
Yat proues Ye gospell . yat says yus
How god sayd til his disciplus
<lat></lat>
But 3e he sayd . be made meke . as a chyld
Yat is to say . both sufferand & milde
3e sal no3t entere be no way
To heuen ryke . yat lastes ay
Yan be-houes a+man euer to seke
Yat may tyttes . make hym meke
But no thyng here . may mek him more
Yan to thynke in hert . als J sayd ore
How he was made . of foul matere
And is no3t elles . but erthe here
<fol. 5v>For yi a clerk says . als J 3ow say~
What is man here but erthe & clay
And pouder yat brekes . wit ye wyndes
And yer-for iob to god yus spekes
<lat></lat>
He says ynek<for yenk?> lorde . as you made me .
Foul erth and clay . here to be
Ry3t so you sal . turne me a-gayn
Til erth and poudir . yis is certayn
Yan sal our~ lorde . god almy3ty
A-gayn to man say . yus schorly
<lat></lat>
Thynk man he says askes art yu now
An till askes a-gayn sal you
Yan is man . no3t elles to say
But askes . poudir . erthe And clay
Of yis sulde ilk man . here haue . mynde
And knaw ye wrychednes . of his kynde
Yat may be schewed . as J se can
In al ye partye of ye life of man
All a mannes life kast may be
Pryncipally in partes thre .
Yat are yes . to oure vndirstanding
Be-gynnyng . mydward and ye endyng
yese thre partys . are iij partes cald
Of mannes life . 3ong and alde
BE-gennyng of mannes life . yat fyrst es
Contenes mykyl wrechednes
Yar-fore J will ar J feryer pas
Schewe what a man fyrst was
Summe tyme was wan a+man was no3t
Be-fore yat he was getyn & forth bro3t
He was geten . als . es knawen .
Of wilk of man wit syn is sowen
He was consayued . synfully
Wit-jn his . modres body
<fol. 6r>Whar his herber wit-Jnne was dy3t
Als dauid says in sauter ry3t
<lat></lat>
Lo he says als man-kynd es
J am consaued in wrechednes .
And my modir has consaued mee
Jn syn and in caytyfte
Yar dueled man in merke dounioun
And in a foul sted of corrupcioun
Whare he had no noyer fode
But wlatsum glett & lopuryd blode
And stynk and fylch . als J said are
So was he first . norysched yare .
After-ward when he oute comme
Fro yat doniun his modir wome
And was born til yis worlde ly3t
He had noyer strengthe ne no my3t
Noyer to go ne to stand
Nor til crepe . wit for ne hand
Yan has a+man lest my3t yan a best
Wan he is born & is so . vnlest
For wan a best is born may go
And als tyte renne to and fro
But a+man has no my3t yar-to
Wan he is born so for to do
For yan may he no3t stand ne crepe
But lig crouland crye and wepe
For vnnes is a barn born fully
Yat it be-gynnys to gaule & cry
And be yat cry men may knaw yan
Wheyer it be man or elles womman
For when it is born it cryes swa
If it be man it says A . A .
Yai ye first litter is of ye Name
Of oure forme fader Adam
And if ye chylde a womman be
Wan [it] is born it says E . E
<fol. 6v>It is ye first Letter . if 3e take hede
Of eue yat first be-gayn oure dede
Yer-fore A Clerk made on yis manere
Yis wers of meterre yat is vreten here
<lat></lat>
As yese yat comm of Adam and eue
Men or wommen yat bus lyfe
Wan yai are born what so yai be .
Yai say oyer A or E
Yus is here ye be-gynnyng
Of oure life . sorow and gretyng
To wilk oure wrychednes stirrys vs
And yerfore Jnnocent says yus
<lat></lat>
He says all are we brorn <sic> gretang
And makand a soryful semnand
For we schew ye gret . wrechednes
Of oure kynd yat in us is
Yus wen ye tyme comme of oure byrth
All ma we <gap> sorow and no myr3t
Naked we comme hiddir and bare
And pore so sal we hen fare
Of yese to tymes we suld yinke yan
For yus says Job ye ry3twys+man
<lat></lat>
Naked he sayd first J comme
Hidir owt of my mydir womme
And naked J sall turne a-way
So sall we all at our~ last day
Yus a man is at his first commyng
Naked and brynges witt him no thyng
But a rym yat is ful wlatsum
Es his garment wan he sal forth comme
Yat is no3t [but] a blody skyn
Yat he be-fore was lapped Jn
qwill he in his modir wombe lay
<fol. 7r>Ye qwilk is a wlatsum thyng to say
And foulere to here so says ye book
And alyer foulest thyng on to lok
Yus is man als we may se
Jn wrechednes and caytefte
And for to lyfe here A few . days
Yer-for yob yus opunly says
<lat></lat>
He says man yat is born of woman
Lyue he schort tyme . fylled is he yan
Of many maneres of wrychednes
Yus says Job and so it is
Also man is born to no3t elles
But to trauayl als Job 3et telles
<lat></lat>
He says [man is] borne to trauayl ry3t
Als a foul is here to fly3t
For lytil rest in yis worlde is
But trauayl gret and besynes
3et a+man wan he is born
Ye fynd sone is & fro god lorn
Ay til he thorow grace may comme
To baptym and til cristyn dome
Yus may a man his begynnyng se
ful of wrychednes and caytefte
Ye secunde part of ye life of man
YE toyer part of life of man he calles
Ye midward sowne after it fallys
Ye whilk reches fro ye be-gynnyng
Of mannes life . to ye endyng
Ye be-gynnyng of mannes life As J tald
Js vyle wrychednes to be-hald
But how foul man is afterward
Tyl vs spekes opynly <exp>sayd</exp> Bernard
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<fol. 7v>Seyn bernard says als ye book telles
Yat [man] is here no thyng elles
But a foul slym wlatsum to mene
And a sek ful of stynkand fene
And wormes fode . yat yai wald haue
Wan he is ded and layd jn graue
But summe men and women fayre semes
To sy3t wit-oute . as men demes .
And yat schewes no3t elles but a skyn
But who so my3t se yaim wit Jn
Foulere cayryon my3t neuer non be
Yan he suld yan of yaim se
Yer-fore he yat had als scharpe sy3t
And als clere eyn and als ly3t
As has a best . yat men lynx calles .
Yat may se thorow hard ston walles .
Lytel lykyng sulde A man yan haue
For to be-hald a fayr woman
For yan my3t [he] her se wit-outen doute
Als wil wit-Jn als wit-oute
And if he wit-Jn saw3 hire ry3t
Scho ware ful wlatsum til his sy3t
Yus foull wit-Jnne ilk man es
Als ye bok . beres witnes .
Yan may we se on yis manere
How foul of kynd ye man is here .
Whar-fore J hald A man no3t witty
Yat is ouer prowed . or ouer Joly
Wan he may ilk day here and se
What he is . was . & sal be .
But proud man of yis tase no hede
For wantyng of skil yat suld him lede
Wan he is 3eng . And loues laykyng
Or has ese and welth & his lykyng
Or if he be at grett worchype
What him-self is . he takys no kepe
<fol. 8r>Whar-fore hym-self . yat knowes he lest
And fares als an vnresonable best
And his auwen wil folwes and no3t elles
And yerfore ye prophete in ye sauter telles

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 31r>But men knawes no3t what it es
Yer-fore men dredes it ye les
But if a synful man my3t se with-oute
How foul syn es . he beres a-bout
He suld neuer make Joye ; ne hafe lykyng
Til he ware delyuerd . of yat foul thyng
Syn has tane ; yus vglynes
Of fylthe of syn yat so foul es
Yan a3t ye saule . of ye synful wit-Jn
Be ful foul . and floterd In syn
Yer-fore a+man ; whar so he wendes
Suld mare dred syn . yan sy3t of fendes
Yat sal apere til him . at his ded day
<ill><1-2 words></ill> his synne sal be fouler yan yai
Of whilk he wald . him no3t schryue
Nor repente him <ill><1-2 words></ill> life
YE thrid skil til oure vndirstandynd
Whi vs a3t to dred . ye ded commyng
Js for a count ful strat . and hard
Of al oure lyf . yat has ben froward .
Yat vs bus 3elde . in godes sy3t
Bothe of wrang and of ry3t
Of al thyng yat euer we wro3t
In werk . dede . word . and tho3t
All of all yat passus a-way
Fro the be-gynnyng til oure last day
Al sal yan ; be schewed and sene
Bothe gude and ill . foule & clene
And be reherced . als ye buk telles
Be-twix ye fyndes and ye aungles
Yai sal despute of al oure life
With discord ; and ful gret stryfe
Ye aungel sal reherce al ye gude
Ye deuel ye ille . with ful gret mode
Al ye werkes yat we her hafe wro3t
Be-twin yaim to . sal be out so3t
<fol. 31v>And ilk tho3t . and ilk will
Als wele ye gude . as ye ille
And ilk word yat spoken hafe we
Gude or ill . wheuder yai be
All sal be reherced as J said are
Be-twin yaim to ; sal yai no3t spare
Bot only syn . yat is wele . clensed here
And dedes donn . on gude manere
Yan sal we . bothe here . and see
All ye priuates . yat euer dyd we
Yer-fore sais god . in his gospell
On yis manere . as J will tell
<lat></lat>
No thyng is here . so couerd no hyd
Yat yan it sal ben . schewed and kyd
Nor so priue is no thyng . yat touches man
Yat it sal ben knowen . and kyd yan
Yan bus vs a-byde . we may no3t fle
Vn-to all oure life . examyned be
And all oure dedes . bothe gude and ille
Be disscused . after godes wille
Yan sal we see all . oure synnes holy
And what we are . for synnes worthi
And all oure dedes . yat gude are semed
Sal ben excused . and haly demed
So yat we may . knowe by sy3t
Wheder we dyed . wrang or ry3t
And whilk we dyde perfyly here
And whilk was donn . on wrang manere
Yar-fore sayn Anselm schewes vs
Spekes to ye saule ; & sais yus
Wreched saule what may you say
When you partes fro ye body a-way
Yen ye bus a gret count 3elde
Of all yi lif . in 3outhe and elde
<fol. 32r>How you has here led yi life
And spend yi wyttes fyfe
Yan sal walaway . be yi sang
For you spend yi tyme wrang
Bothe in werk . word . tho3t & will
And when you my3t helpe . you held ye still
You has donne many a senful dede
To greue god . you has no drede
Bot when you ses al yi trespas
Yan sal you say Allas Allas
When al yi dedes . sal thorow ben so3t
To ye lest thyng . yat euer you wro3t
Wheyer you be ; lered or lawed
Yi syn sal yan fully be schewed
Yat you has donn<?> here in yis life
Of whilk you cout ye neuer schryue
And yo sal be schewed before ye
Foul & vgly synnes to se
Of whilk you sal haue more drede and awe
Yan of yo yat you cowd euer schewe
3et summe dedes yat you [tho3t] her to do well
You sal fynd yaim foul synnes and fell
Yan be-houes ye . rasayue sone
After ye werkes yat you has donne
Yat is to say oyer Joye or payn
You may on no wyse be yar a-gayn
Yus sal ilk man at his endyng
Ben put to ful hard reknyng
And be a-resoned ; als ry3t es
Of all his mysdedes bo3 mare & les
No syn vnrekned yan sal be
Jf it wore neuer so priue
All gude dedes yat J haue donn
A-gayn my syn . are bot fonn
And 3et we are . vn-syker in tho3t
Wheyer yai sal be a-lowed or no3t
<fol. 32v>For J fynd wreten thre skilles whi
Yat no man may trayst sykerly
Jn his gude dedes yat he dos here
Yes thre skilles are gude to lere
An is for yi . yat al thynges
Yat gude are only . of god springes
Yan are gude dedes . yat are wro3t
Godes awne dedes . and oures no3t
Bot al oure synnes . yat may be knowen
Commes of oure self . yo are oure auwen
For whi ; with-outen god . we synne sonne
Bot no gude dede . with-outen god is donne
Anoyer is . als for yi
Yat are we cumly . more redy
A hundred sythes . here to syn
Yan a gude dede . for to be-gyn
So we may ay rekken an rede
A hundred synnes a-gayn . a gude dede
Ye thrid is yis . to schewe a-mang
Oure gude dedes . are oft donn wrang
No3t on gude manere . als yai suld be
Or perchauns donn out . of charite
All oure synnes are here certayn
And be ry3t and skil are worthi payn
But fore gude dedes certanly
We wot no3t what . we are worthi
Whar-fore ; oure gude dedes we suld no3t prays
And yer-fore sayn austyn yus says
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
He sais oure ille dedes . are pure ill wro3t
Bot oure gude dedes . ful gude are no3t
Her-to a-cordes . als ye buk telles vs
Jsodrous ye gret clerk . yat says yus
<lat></lat>
He sais all oure ry3twysnes are sene
<fol. 33r>Als a clar filed of clath vnclene .
For here certaynly wot none
How we sal fare . when we are gonne
Bot comforth of god & help . may be fele
Yat lofes here . to serue god wele
For we awe to trow . with-outen were
Yat god sal hym weld . yat dos wele here
Bot 3et is he no3t sekyr . in his days
For whi ye haly man yus sais
<lat></lat>
For certayn he sais . a man wat no3t
Jf he hafe neuer . so mykil wro3t
Wheyer he ware worthi after his ded
to haue lofe . <gap> god or hatred
And Jsoder als in a bok scheues vs
Yat a-cordes yer-to . and sais yus
<lat></lat>
He sais he yat is . godes seruand
Wan he dons gude . with tonng or hand
He is no3t certayn . 3et in tho3t
Whether it be gude . til him or no3t
Yer-fore oure lyuyng . here is hard
Als ye haly man sais . saynt bernard
<lat></lat>
Who he sais may yus lif lede
With-outen tremblyng here & drede
Al-so he sais here may lif na man
With-outen dred . yat wit can
For al if a man here a-fors hym ay
To do al ye gud here yat he may
3et may his gude dedes ben so wro3t
Yat perchans god . a-lowes yaim no3t
Of ye lif yat is on yis manere
Schewes vs ye bok & telles vs here .
<lat></lat>
<fol. 33v><lat></lat>
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Yese are bernard wordes yat sais
Al my wreched life . here me aflays
For if it entently be discussed til me
Jt semes no3t elles here for to be
Bot oyer syn . yat ye saule more deres
Or barayn fruthyng yat no frut beres
Jf any frut yer~ Jn seme
J be skil . yus may it deme
Ouyer feyned ; to schewe in sy3t
Or thyng yat has no3t al ben donn ry3t
Or on oyer~ wyse . ben corrumpt with-Jnne
Yat is to say fyled with synne
So yat oyer yan . may it no3t
Pay god almy3ty . yat is so wro3t
Or perauenture . it him myspays
Yus ye haly man . saynt bernard sais
What may a synful man say yan
When he yat was so holy a+man
Count no frout here in yis life se
Yan a3t ye synful . dredand to be
Of yis life here . yat is vnclene
Jn whilk na frout may be sene
YE forthe skil . and ye last to telle
Whi men dredes ye ded of helle
Js for he ne what . whedir he sal wynde
To Joye or payn . after~ his ende
For so witty a+man . is here nan
whot when ye ded sal him tan
For certayn wheudir~ he sal go
Whedir~ he sal to wel or wo
Yan a3t ilk 3ong man and old
Haf dred for ye skil . yat J haue told