<County: Oxfordshire>
<Code: L6890>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Douce 141>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 99r>þat euermore schal crye and say .
Allas allas and welaway .
þat euer we were of woman y-born .
For we ben fro god euer forlorn .
þanne schul þey grede and goule and wt teþ gnast
For of help ne of mercy dar þay neuer trepas
þe deueles aboute hem in helle
On hem schul . euer-more rore and 3elle .
So hydows noyse þanne þay schul make .
þt alle þe world it my3te do quake .
And alle þe men leuyng . þat herde hit
To go wode for fer~ . and lesen here wyt .
þe deueles euer among on hem schul strike
And þe synful euer duryng crye and scrike
þar~ schal be þanne morre noyse and dyn .
þan alle þe men of erþe couþe ymagyn
þar~ schal be sech royng and srusyng
And rampyng of deueles and hyryng duschyng .
And scrykyng of synful as J sayde are
þat þe noyse schal be so hydous þare .
among deueles and þese þt schal come þedur
Ry3t as heuene and erþe smete to-gedur
And hydus þyng is þat to telle
of þe noyse þat schal be in helle
þe deueles þt euer schal be ful of ire
Schul stompe þe synful euer in þe fire
So þat þayre schal glowe as firy brondes
And euer whan þay may welde here hondes
For sorwe þey schulle hem harde wrynge
And welaway þan schulle euer synge .
Jn helle schal be þanne so gret þrang .
þat none may remowe fro oþer ne gang .
On none syde bakward ne forþward
For þay schulleþ be pressed so hard .
As þey wer~ stopped to-gedur in an ouen
Ful of fur beneþe and abouen .
Bot nar~-þe-lese helle 3it is so depe .
<fol. 99v>and so wide and so large þt it my3te kepe .
Alle þe creaturs lesse and more .
Of alle þe world yf nede wore
Eche synful schal þare on oþer prese .
And non of hem schal oþer ese .
Bot fy3te to-gedur . and stryue
As þai wer~ wode of þis liue
And eche scratte oþer in þe face .
And here owne flesche of riue and race
So þat eche wolde him-self fayn slo .
yf he my3te . so shal he be wo .
Bot þarto þay schul haue no my3t
For þe deþ schal neuer mor~ on hem ly3t
Ful fayne wolde þay þanne ded be .
Bot þe deþ schal euer fro hem fle .
Aftur þe deþ þey schul 3erne echone
As in þe apokalips scheweþ seynt Jone
<lat></lat>
þay schul desyre to deþe ay .
And þe deþ schal fle fro hem away .
Among hem schal be euer debate
Echon of hem schal euerer hate .
þay schal be ful of hatred þanne
Eche schal oþer warye and banne
And say cursed caytyf wo worþ þe .
And waried mot þu euer be .
And weried mot þay be euer more .
þat þe gat and þe bare .
and þe tyme þat þu wer~ bore also .
For þi payne to me is sorwe and wo .
Jt payneþ me and greueþ me sore .
as meche as myn owne payn . or more
For me payneþ hit and makeþ more greuous
Eche to oþer schal say þus .
þus ech mannes payne schal oþer dere .
And non of hem schal oþer forber~ .
Hare sone ne dow3ter ne sister ne broþer .
<fol. 100r>Fadur ne modur . ne 3it non oþer .
For echon schal hate oþer dedly .
Eche schal gnawe his owne tonge in sondure
Eche schal þere . on oþer wondre .
þus in helle schulleþ þey fare ay .
And þer-wiþ sclandre god þan say .
wharto made god vs to his liknesse
And lete vs dwelle euer þer sorwe isse .
Bot hit semeþ þt god made vs in+uayne
whan we beþ put þus . to endeles payne .
Or he vs made for nau3t elles to dwelle
Jn erþe but to be fir~ brondes in helle .
þay schal warie þe tyme þat þai wer~ wrou3t
And say allas whi were we nou3t .
þus þay schul sclaundre god among .
So hard here payne schal be and strong .
þay schal echon on oþer egryn .
As wode men doþ here and make gret dyn .
An hidows þyng to here it were
who so couþe telle þt paynes þere
As properly as þay þanne be
But 3it coude alle þe menn of cristyante
Ne alle þe clerkes þt euer had wit .
Sen þe world bygan & þo þat leueþ 3it
Couþe neuer telle . by clergi . ne by art .
Of þe paynes of helle . by a+þowsand part
For þe nombre of paynes þat þare greueþ
Passeþ alle þe mennes wit þt here lefeþ .
Or þt euer leued in any degre .
And þat may men by scyle þus se .
For ech syn þt þe synful haþ wrou3t
wer it neuer so lite uenial þou3t
þay schul haue certayne payne þare
Aftur þat þe synne is . lesse . or mare
who coude telle þanne wer he neuer so wyse .
Alle þe synne and alle þe folyse
Boþe dedly and also uenial .
<fol. 100v>And leue non vntold : gret ne smal .
þe which a man haþ here falle yn .
Fro þe tyme þt he bygan first to syn .
Boþe in þou3t . and word and dede .
As who sayþ . non is þat can rede .
And for ech þyng~ . here is don in vayne
Jn helle is ordeyned a certayn payne .
To þe sinful þt schal dwelle þare
þanne byhoueþ hem . as J sayd are
For ech synne þat þay did here
Schal haue certayne payne synguler~
And for ech manere of synne and foli .
Be pyned in helle speciali .
And as ofte syþe schal her~ payne newe bygynne
As þay dede in þis world her~ synne
þarfor~ so many paynes to hem schal falle .
þat no wyt may conprehende hem alle
For no syn þt þay euer here dede .
Dedli ne venial schal þanne be hydde .
But openly be sene . and non be alaynd
For which schal be þare many paynes ordaynd
Who my3te þanne alle þe paynes telle
þat þe synful schal haue in helle .
For why if a+man passe fro heuene away .
For ech uenial syn þt syn þat euer dede he .
He schal þanne dyuersly pyned be .
And as ofte schal be renewed ech payne
As he turned newe to hys synne agayne
And þe lest payne is þar~ more to se .
þan alle þe paynes of þis world here .
þat euer was sayn ferre or nere .
As to þe lest payne þare . my3t nou3t be told
But as a+bath of water noþer hot ne cold .
For alle þe sorwe of þis world ech dele
wer~ nou3t but a solace and Joye to fele
as to regard of lest payne .
þat is in helle þis is certayne .
<fol. 101r>Ech synful schal haue sy3t þare .
Of alle þe paynes boþe lasse and mare .
þat alle þe synful men schul drye .
þanne schal ech be sey3e þar~ wiþ ey3e .
Men and women many þowsand .
On eche syde aboute in many paynes dwelland
And þat sy3t þat eche þare schal se .
Of ech payne to him payne schal be .
For alle þe paynes þt falleþ þer to ech +man .
Schal be sorwe to alle þt seþ hem þan .
þus schal eche dry3e more payn in helle .
þan herte my3t euer þenke oþer tonge telle
what of paynes þt þay schul haue of sy3t .
þat to þe synful in helle beþ dy3t .
For þe paynes þt þare schul be knowen .
Schal greuen ech man . as meche as his owen .
Suche paynes to hur~ as man may her~ rede .
Ow3te to make eche man of helle to haue drede
For . J trowe þt her~ is no+man lefand
So hard herted þt wolde vnderstand
And lyue what peynes in helle beþ wrou3t
þat he ne schulde haue gret drede in þou3t .
þe which schold make hym hate alle foly .
whar~ fore hey such paynes worþy .
þarfore þenkeþ boþe 3eng and old .
On þese paynes þt in helle . J . haue ytold .
Now hydows þay ben forto descryue
And clense 3ow here . in 3our~ lyue .
Of alle felþe of synne <hole in parchment> and foli
And make 3ow here <hole in parchment> to god so redy .
þt 3e be nau3t wor<hole in parchment> þi to wende
To þe hidous <hole in parchment> peyne . wyþ-oute ende
For he þat coude ow3t vnderstand
what peynes in helle beþ euer lastand
Hym wer~ leuer þole her~ alkyn payne
þat any man here coude ordayne
Ar he wold assente to any foly .
<fol. 101v>whar-fore he wer~ such paynes worþi
Bot alle þat will her~ synnes forsake .
while þay lyfe her~ . ar deþ ham take
And of þyng haue a forþenkyng
þat þay haue don agaynes godes+byddyng
And turne hem to gude fro her~ syn .
And aske his mercy and treste þer-in
And be louyng to hym and buxsum
Jn þe peynes of helle schul þai neuer cum .
Here y haue spoke of þe paynes of helle
As 3e haue herd opynly telle .
And of þe sexte parte of þis boke mad ende
Now wil . J . to þe seuenthe part wende .
þat ys þe laste parte of alle .
þe speches as .J . schewe 3ow schalle
Specialy of þe ioyes of heuene
þey beþe more þan any tonge may nemne .
Bot first y wil schewe 3ow wher heuene es
As clerkes sayþ and bereþ wytnes
Aftur y schal schewe more .
And telle 3ow of many Joyes þt beþ þore .


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 125v>Bot þay schul loue god ; euer in her~ song .
And þanke hym ; of mercy among .
And echon of þat ; blysful company .
Schal speke wyþ oþer ; þer ful swetly .
wiþ laughand and wiþ louely semeland .
And say wele es vs ; þat were wonand .
And þonke among ; þat hem gan wisse .
To meknesse þat hem ladde to þt blysse .
wiþ anger þat þay hadde ; in here lyfdayes .
þanne may þay þus ; as dauid says
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
LOrd ful glade ; for þe dayes be we .
Jn whiche þu madest vs ; lowe to be
Jn þe 3eres in þe whyche ; we say3 eueles
þus may þay synge & say ; for fele skyles
þanne schal here song ; and here spekyng
Be to hem gret ioy . and gret lykyng .
Of þe ioye of felyng .
Also þay schul fele þer . gret wirschepps grete .
For echon schal be sette ; in a+ryche sete .
And kynges and quenes crowned be .
wiþ corons dy3t ; of ryche perce<?>
And wyþ stones ; precious to prays .
As dauid þus to god ; spekes and says .
<lat></lat>
Lord on hys heued ; þu settest ry3t .
A coron of precious ; stones dy3t
Bot so fayre coroune ; was neuer sene .
Jn þes world on kynges ; heued ne quene .
þis coroune es þe sy3t of blysse .
And þe stone es ioy ; þat þay schul neuer mysse
þis wirschip þat þay ; schul fele schal pase .
Alle þe wirschippe ; þat euer here was .
Of whyche þay schul þer ; more ioy haue .
þan any man can ; 3erne or craue
þus schul þay haue ; in here wittes fyue .
<fol. 126r>Parfyt ioyes ; wyþ endeles Lyfe .
Jn þe hey3e blysful ; cyte of heuene .
wher fele ioy beþ mo ; þan tonge can neuene .
For þay schul many hundred ; þousand se
Of men & wymmen ; in þat cyte .
þat many ioyes þer schul haue
And be worthy ; and god voche-saue
And alle ioyes ; þat þay all schul se
Schal be ioy to eche ; þat þer schal be
wyþ-oute hys owne ioy ; lesse & mare
þat to hym-self schal be ; appropred þare .
For þe ly3t of eche ioy ; þat þay schul se þan .
Schal be ioy þere ; to eche man .
For oþer mennes ioyes ; þay schul lyke as wele
As þay schull here owne ; þat þay schul fele
þan schal a+man haue ; mo ioyes in heuene
þan any tonge couþe ; telle or neuene
For eche+man schal haue ; special ioyes & mede
For eche god þou3t ; and eche gude dede
þat euer þou3te or wrou3te : on erþe pryue
þan may neuer here ; ioyes numbred be
For eche man whan þay ; comeþ þeder .
Schal in and soule haue ; alle to-geder .
And neuer of no ioye ; fele akyng .
For þay schul euer be new ; as atte bygynyng .
Of whiche þe leste ioy ; þare to fele & se .
Schal be more þan alle ioyes ; of þe world may be
þay schul be fedde þare and cloþed wele .
wyþ ioy and sy3t ; þat þay schul fele .
þay schul worche þer ; non oþer þyng .
Bot loue godde ; wyþ-oute any þyng .
As versfyour says . a verse þer-by .
þe whyche es made in metre ; þus schortly . <lat></lat>
Wyþ þe sy3t of godde ; þay schul be fed . <lat></lat>
And wyþ þe bry3nesse of ly3t : þay schul be cled .
And here werkes schul be þer lowyng
Jn þe whiche þay schul haue ; gret lykyng .
<fol. 126v>Bot here moste ioy ; in heuene schal be .
þe blysful ly3t of þe ; hey3e trinite .
þe whiche þay schull ; se euer more .
And þter ioy ; schal passe al oþer þore .
For euer whyles þay schul ; þat sy3t se .
Of all þay schul ; fulfylled be .
And 3if þay schulde ; þat sy3t mysse
þay my3te nou3t þanne haue ; parfyte blysse
For 3if a+man were ; pyned in helle .
wyþ mo paynes ; þan tonge my3te telle .
And he of godes face ; my3te haue ou3t .
Alle hys peynes þenne ; schulde greue hym nou3t .
Now haue J redede here ; how men schul haue
Parfyte ioy in heuene ; þat ben saue .
Of þe schendschip . and payne in helle þt to
fyue wittes schal falle þt es contrarye to parfyt
ioy ; in alle fyue wyttes

BOt þe dampned men ; þer-agayne
schul haue ful sorwe ; and ful payne
wiþ-owten ende ; for her~ wykked lyfe
For þay schull+in here wyttes fyue .
Be turmentyd ; one many manere .
Wyþ grysly paynes ; many and fele .
þat es to say ; in sy3t and heryng
Jn smellynge ; tastyng an felyng .
Of þe paynes ; of sy3t .
First þay schul in helle ; abowte hem se
More sorwe þan euer ; in þis world my3te be .
And þe sorwe þat þay ; schul se þare
Schal be strong payne ; to hem euer mare .
Here wonyng in helle ; as sayþ þe boke
þay schul se ful of fyre ; and ful of smoke .
And ful grysly . and derke ; and dymme .
Abowte hem ; deueles : ful grymme .
þat wyþ many paynes ; schul pyne hem ay
As men my3t here ; me byfore say
And all þay þat in helle ; wanteþ ly3t
<fol. 127r>3it schul þay of alle ; paynes haue sy3t .
þoru3 þe spakles of þe fire ; sayþ seynt austyn .
Nou3t to þaire comfort ; bot to here payn .
Of þe payne of heryng .
3et more sorwe ; hem schal bytyde .
þay schul hure in helle ; on eche syde
Ful hydows noyse ; and dulful dyne
of deueles and of synful ; men þer-inne .
þay heren deueles þer-in ; rore ful dolefullye
And þe synful men ; gowle and crye
Of þe peynes ; of smellyng .
ÞAy schul þare in smellyng fele more stynke
þen herte may here ; ymagyn or þenke .
Of brennyng brymston . & of pyke
And of alle oþer þyng ; þat es wyke
þe stynke as 3e schul ; vnderstonde wele
Schal be ful strong payne ; heme to fele .
Also þay schul ; echon þer wery .
And myssay þer and sclaundre ; god al-my3ty .
þay schul euer stryue ; and be at debate .
And echon oþer ; þer despyse and hate
Among hemme . schal neuer be pese
Her~ þrotes schul euer be ; fulfylled among .
Of all þyng þat es ; bytter and strong .
Of flamme and reke ; togedre mellyd
Of pych and brymston ; to-gedre welled .
Of molton brasse ; and lede wyþ all .
And of oþer . wellyng metall .
þis schal be strong payne ; to hem to taste .
Among al oþer paynes ; leste and maste .
wyþ stryf schal be . among hem þan .
whan echon schal oþer ; wery and ban
Of þe payne . of felyng .
Also þay schul fele ; as . J byfore tolde
Outrageous hete ; and outrageous colde .
For now þay frese in yse ; & now þay schul bryn
And be gnawen ; wyþ-out & wiþ-in .
<fol. 128r>wiþ-ynne as 3e ; shcul vnderstande .
wiþ wormes of conciense ; euer bytande
wt-oute dragons ; felle and kene
So hydows was neuer ; here non sene .
And wiþ many hydow best ; and rawyn .
wiþ neddres and todes ; and oþer vermyn .
As wode wolues ; lyons and beres felle
þat schal nau3t be elles ; bot deueles of helle .
Jn lyknes of hydows best ; & fel and vermyn .
And þoru3 þe worme ; of concise wyþ-yn .
þe deueles also . schul stryke hem felly .
wiþ glowynge hamours ; huge and heuy .
þat schal seme ; of yren and stele
þes paynes schul þay ; wt all oþer fele .
þus schul þay euermore ; be peyned þare .
Jn alle her~ fyue wyttes ; as . J . sayde are
wyþ many paynes ; as es gude skyle
For þay here vsyd ; here wittes ylle .
Alle þes þat 3e haue ; herd me telle
And many mo ; þat schul be in helle .
þay schul þole euer þer ; þat schul wende þeder .
Jn body and saule ; and alle to-geder .
þus schul euer þay . contynuely ;
Haue parfyte þer ; wyþ-oute mercy .
Fro whyche peyn and sorwe ; god vs schylde
þoru3 prayere ; of hys moder mylde .
And þe ry3t way ; vs wysse
what þoru3 we may ; come to heuene blysse . Amen .