<County: Yorkshire West Riding>
<Code: L0405>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodley 99>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 3v>For a man excuses not his knawyng
yat his witt vses not in leryng
Namely in yat him falles to knaw
yat myght meke his hert . & make it law
Bot he yat can not schuld hafe wille
To lere & knaw bothe gode & ille
Ane he yat can oght schulde ler~ more
To knaw alle yat him nedeful wore
For an vnconande man thoro leryng~
May be broght til vndurstandyng~
Of many thynges to knaw & se
yat has bene & is & schal be
yat to mekenes myght stirr~ his wille
And to lofe & drede & lefe alle ille
Many has likyng~ tryfuls to here
And vanytees wil gladly to lere
And ar~ besy in worde & thoght
To lere at ye saule helpes noght
Bot yat yat nedeful wer~ to knaw
To listen & lere yai ar~ ful slaw
For yi yai can not kenne ne se
ye perills yat yai schulde drede & fle
And whilk way yai schuld take
And whilk way yai schuld forsake
Bot no wunder is if yai go wrange
Jn merknes of vnknowyng yai gange
Withouten light of vndurstandyng
Of yat yat falles to right knawyng
Forthi ilk cristen man & woman
yat witt & mynde & resoun can
yat ye right way can not chese
Ne ye perils yat wyse+men flese
Schuld be buxome ay & besy
To her~ & lere of yaim namely
<fol. 4r>yat vndurstandes & knawes be skill
Whilk way is gode & whilk is ill
He yat ye right+way of lyfyng~ wil loke
Schuld yus be+gynne as says ye boke
To knaw furst qwat him selfe es
So may he tittest come to mekenes
yat is ground of alle vertues to laste
On whilk alle vertews may be set faste
For he yat knawes wele & can se
What he is was & schal be
A wyser man he may be tolde
Wheyer he be 3onge or olde
yen he yat cane alle other thynge
And of him selfe has no knawyng~
For he may noyur se god ne fele
Bot he knaw him selfe furst right wele
yer-fore a man schulde furst lere
To knaw him selfe propurly here
For if he knaw him selfe kyndely
yen may he knaw god almyghty
And of his endyng thynk schuld he
And of ye laste day yat schal be
He schuld knaw qwat yis world is
yat is ful of pompe & of lychernes
And lere to knaw & thynke wt all
What schal after yis lyfe fall
For knawyng of alle yis schuld him lede
And mynde with all to mekenes & drede
So may he come to gode lyfyng
And at ye laste to a gode endyng
And qwen he of yis world schal wende
Be broght to lyfe with-outen ende
ye begynnyng~ of yis process
Right knawyng~ of a man selfe es
<fol. 4v>Bot some men has grete lettyng
yat yai may haue no right knawyng
Of yaim selfe yat yai schuld furst knaw
yat furste to mekenes schuld yaim draw
Yer-of four~ thynges J fynde
yat makes a mannes witt oft blynde
And knawyng~ of him selfe oft lettes
Wher yorow he him selfe forgetes
Of yis seynt bernard witnes beres
And ye four~ ar~ writen in yis vers
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yat is fauour of ye folk & fayr~nes
And feruour of 3outh & richenes
Reues a+man sight skille & mynde
To knaw qwat him selfe is of kynde
yise four~ lettes his Jn+sight
yat knawes not him selfe right .
And makes his hert ful hawtayne
And ful fro-ward til his souerayne
yise four~ norissh pompe & pride
And oyer vices yat men schuld hide
Jn whom so any of yise four~ es
Js seldome sene any mekenes
yai let a man yat he not ses
ye perils of ye world ne vanytes
Ne thynkes not on ye tyme to come
Of ded ne of ye day of dome
Ne he can not vndurstand ne se
ye paynes yat after yis lyfe schal be
To synful men yat her~ dose foly
Ne ye blis yat gode+men ar~ worthy
Bot in delytes settes his hert fast
Right als yis lyfe schuld euer-more laste
<fol. 5r>And gyfes him alle to vanite
And nothing yat may his likyng be
Swilk men ar~ not led wt skille
Bor wirkes after yair~ awen wille
And to nothyng elles yai take hede
What wundur is if yai hafe no drede
For qwat yai schuld drede ne knaw yai noght
For thy of drede haue yai no thoght
And alle for defawt of knawyng
Of yat yat myght yaim to drede brynge
And some men will not vndurstande
ye thynge yat myght make yaim dredand
For yai wolde not her~ bot at yaim payes
yer-fore ye prophete in ye sawter says
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He says he has no will to fele
Ne vndurstande to do wele
yise wordes be yaim may be sayd here
yat will not vndurstande ne lere
To drede god & do his wille
Bot folowus yair~ folies to fulfille
Some vndurstandes as yai her~ telle
Bot no drede in yair~ hert may dwelle
For defawt of trowth may yat well be
For yai traw not bot at yai se
Bot groches when yai of drede here
For yi ye prophere sayes on yis maner~
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Ye prophete says yai trawed noght
Bot groched & wer~ greued in thoght
yus ar~ men yat trow nothyng~
yat men says agayne yair~ likyng
Bot groches & waxes fast froward
when men says oght yat yaim thynk harde
<fol. 5v>Some can slike thynges in bokes rede
Bot lightnes of hert reues yaim drede
So yat it may not with yaim dwelle .
And of hem spekes god in ye gospelle
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Til a tyme he says some trowes a+thynge
And passes yer-fro in tyme of fondynge
And also yus says ye prophete dauid
Jn a psalme yat cordes yer-wid
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Jn his wordes he says trowed yai
And louede his los als yai couthe say
Bot tyte yai had donn & forgatt
His werkes & thoght no more on yatt
Swilk men ar~ so vnstedfaste
yat no drede may with yaim laste
For yai ar~ so wylde qwen yai hafe conuert
yat yai hade no drede in hert
For to haue drede a+man may ler~
yat yis tretyce will rede or her~
Jf yai rede or her~ til ye ende
ye maters yat her~ ar~ contende
And vndurstand & in yaim trowe
J hope yair~ hert schal sumwhat bowe
For drede yat yai schal haue yer-by
to wirk gode werkes & fle f<ill><1 char?></ill>ly
yer-fore yis boke is on Jnglissh drawen
Of ser~ maters yat ar~ vnknawen
To lewed men yat ar~ vnknawand
And no latyn can vndurstande
For to gar~ yaim yair~ selfe knawe
And fro syne & vanytees yaim drawe
<fol. 6r>And for to stirre yaim til right crede
When yai yis tretyce her~ or rede
yat schal prik~ yair~ hertes with-Jn
and of yat drede a+lofe begyn
Thoro coumfort of ioyes of heuen ser~
Als 3e afterward may here
Þis boke als yi selfe beres wittnes
Jn seuen partyse deuysed es
ye furst part to hafe in mynde
Js of wrechednes of mannes kynde
ye secund is of condiciouns sere
And of ye vnstabulnes of yis world here
ye thrid pert is right to rede
Of ded & why it is to drede
ye furth pert is of purgatory
yer saules ar~ clensed of alle yair~ foly
ye fyft is of ye day of dome
And of tokenes yat be-fore schal come
ye sext is of ye paynes of helle
yer dampned saules schal euer duelle
ye seuent is of ye ioyes of heuen
yus is yis boke in pertyse seuen
And in ilk perty fynde men may
Ser~ maters for to say
Go we now to ye perte yat furst is
yat spekes of mannes wrechednes
For alle yat is writen be-fore to loke
Js bot als an entre of yis boke
Her begynnes ye furst perty yat is of
ye wrechednes of mannes kynde
Furst when god made alle thyng of noght
Of ye foulest mater~ man he wroght
yat is of erthe tuo skilles to holde
ye one is for yi yat god wolde
<fol. 6v>Of foule mater~ make man in dispite
Os lucifer yat fell als tyte
Til helle for he had synned in pryde
And of alle yat fell with him yat tide
For yai schulde hafe ye more schenschip
And ye more sorow qwen yai toke lepe
yat man of slike foule mater~ schulde dwelle
Jn yat place fro qwilk yai felle
ye toyur skill is yis to se
For man schulde her~ ye meker be
Ay qwen he sese or thynkes in thoght
Of how foule mater~ he is wroght
God thoro his godenes & his myght
wolde seen yat place in heuen bright
Was made voyde there ye syn of pryde
yat it wer~ filled on ilk a side
Thoro ye vertew of mekenes
yat euen contrary to pryde es
yen may no man yider come
Bot he yat is meke & buxome
yat schewes ye gospell til vs
How god says vntil his discipuls yus
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He says bot 3e be als a chi[l]de
yat is to say bothe meke & mylde
3e schal not entur be no way
heuen riche yat lastes ay
yen be-hofes a man her~ seke
What thyng may tittest make him meke
And nothing yen may meke him more
yen to yenke in hert als J sayde ore
How he was made of a fowle mater~
And is not elles bot erthe her~
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 16v>For god of heuen yer alle gode es
yai schulde hafe alle yat gode is yore
yat neuer schal fayle bot laste euermore
ye worlde yat her~ is is noght elles
Bot maner of men yat yer-in dwelles
For yis worlde men may not kenne
Bot be condiciouns of worldys+men
What myght men be yis worlde vndurstande
Jf no worldys+men wer~ yer-in dwelland
Alle yose men yat+ye worlde moste dauntes
Moste besily yis worlde her~ hauntes
And yai yat ye worlde moste lofes
Serues ye deuel als ye boke profes
For yis worlde is ye deuels seruaund
yat bringes his seruauntes til his hand
For thy god him prynce of ye world calles
yat is of worldly men yat til him falles
For thy yis worlde is ille to lofe
Be many skilles als clerkes profe
Ye worlde is fyail & disseyuabull
And fals vnsiker & vnstabull
Many+men ye worlde her~ fraystes
Bot he is not wyse yat yer-in traystes
For it lawghes on him & smyles
And at ye laste hit him begyles
For thy yat man is not witty
yat aboute ye worlde is euer besy
For a man may not goddus seruaunt be
Bot he ye maners of ye worlde fle
Ne lofe god bot he ye worlde dispyse
Forthy ye gospell says on yis wyse
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<fol. 17r>He says no+man may serue rightly
Tuo lordes to-gedur yat ar~ contrary
For awther he schal ye tone hate
And lofe ye toyur after~ his state
Or elles he schall ye one mayntene
And dispice ye toyur yus is it sene
ye worlde is goddes enmy be skille
And contrary vnto goddes wille
And so is alle yat yis worlde loues
Als ye appostul says & proues
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Who so frende to yis worlde will be
Enmy vnto god is he
yen schulde we noght assent yer-to
Ne noght at ye world likes schulde we do
For worldys+men her~ god mispayes
And yerfore ye appostel says
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Lofes noght ye worlde her~ yus says he
Ne thynges yat yai yer-in se
For all yt men in ye world telle can
Js awther 3ernynge of flessh of man
Or 3ernyng of eien yat may loke
Or pryde of lyfe so says ye boke
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3ernyng of flessh is on thyng~
Yat falles vnto flessh likyng~
3ernyng~ of eie als J can gess
Falles vnto worldes richess
Pryde of lyfe yat sum men kepes
Falles to honours & wirschypes
Lust & likyng yat is flesshly
Engendurs ye synne of lechery
<fol. 17v>Worldes riches of grete pryse
Gendurs ye synne of couetyse
Honurs norisshes als men may se
Vayne glorie vayne thynges & vanyte
Syn god made ye worlde als says holy writt
To serue to man & man noght it
Whi serues man ye world yan
And makes him til ye worlde bonde+man
When he may serue god & be fre
And oute of seruage of ye worlde be
Bot and a man wolde knaw & fele
What ye worlde is & behalde it wele
Him schuld not liste vnderstande
To make ye worlde ne gladde semblande
For lo qwat says bartilmew
yat spekes of ye worlde als J wil schewe
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He says ye worlde is nothing~ elles
Bot a harde exill in whom man dwelles
And als a dym doleful dale
Yat is ful of sorow & bale
And a stede of Wrechednes
Of trauayls & angurs yat her~ ay es
Of payne of synne & of foly
Of schenschip & of vylanye
Of lettyng & of tarying~
Of frowardnes & of stryuyng~
Of fylthe & of corrupcioun
Of violence & of oppressioun
Of gylery & of falshede
Of tresou@ discorde & of drede
Of pompe & pride & couetyse
Of vayn+sleght & of queyntise
Jn worlde he says noght elles we se
<fol. 18r>Bot wrechednes and vanite
ye worlde he says vnto him drawes
And tils & lofes yaim yat him knawes
And many he noyes & sone avayles
His lofers he dissayues & fayles
His dispisers he waytes ay
Als ye seydowse to take yaim to his pray
Bot alle yat will folow him he ledes
And scornes and tarys yaim in his nedes
ye whilk a+while he her~ socours
And heghes yaim wt riches & honours
& waytes & begyles yaim at ye last
And in-to pouert agayne yaim cast
For ye worldes wirschips may be calde
Noght elles bot vanyte to halde
And worldes riches how so yai come
Js not elles bot filthe & fantome
ye worlde has many wt fantome filled
And at ye laste yai ar~ begyled
Forthy a+holy+man als 3e may here
Spekes to ye worlde on yis maner~
yis is on Englissh yus to be mene
A yow worlde he says vnclene
Why ne myght you so clene be
yat yow ne schulde neuer negh me
Or elles so clene & noght vyle
yat yu schuldes neuer negh me ne fyle
yis worlde her~ qwo so will
Four~ thynges may be likkend be skill
Furst ye worlde may likkend be
Moste propurly vn-to ye se
For ye see after te tyde certayn
Ebbes & flowes & falles agayn
And waxes ful kene wt stourmes yat blawes
<fol. 18v>And castes vp & Doun many grete wawes
So castes ye worlde thoro fauour
A+man to riches & honour
And fro yat sithen he castes him doune
To pouert & to tribulacioun
And yo ar~ ye grete stourmes kene
& ye wawes yat in ye worlde ar~ sene
Also ye worlde her~ yat wylde es
May be likkend to a wyldurnes
yat full of wylde bestes is sene
Als leberds & lyouns & wulfes kene
yat wolde wery men blyue
And russh yaim in smidur sonn & ryue
So is ye worlde ful of misdoers
And of tyraunts yat man oft deres
ye whilk ar~ besy nyght & day
To noy men alle yat yai may
ye worlde also may likkend be
Til a forest in a wylde cuntre
Full of theues & of outlawes
yat comynly to ye forest drawes
yat haldes pathes & robbes & reues
And takes men gode & noght leues
So is ye worlde her~ qwer~ we duelle
Ful of theues yat ar~ ye deuels of helle
yat ay vs waytes & ar~ besy
To robb vs of our~ gode gostely
ye worlde may 3itt als 3e may her~
Be likkend on ye furthe maner~
Til a+felde ful of batayles
With enmyes yat ilk day man assayles
For we ar~ her~ on many wyse
Alle vmbysett wt ser~ enmyse
And specially wt enmys thre
<fol. 19r>Agayne Whome vs Bode armed Be
yoo ar~ ye worlde ye fende & our~ flessh
yat to assayle vs ar~ euer mor~ fressh
yer-fore be-hofes vs bothe day & nyght
whils we ar~ her~ agayns yaim fight
ye worlde als clerkes vndurstandes
Fightes agaynes+vs wt tuo handes
With ye righthande & wt ye lift also
yat may be-token bothe wele & wo
ye right+hande worldes welthe J halde
And ye lift is angurs calde
For ye world assayles sum+man a qwyle
With ye right+hande yai to be-gyle
For yat is welthe als J sayde be-fore
Of worldes riches & tresore
And he assayles men nyght & day
With ye lift+hande yaim to flay
yat is with angurs & tribulacioun
With pouert & persecucioun
And yat yise clerkes ye lift-hande calles
Of ye worlde yat oft sithe falles
Bot with ye worlde comes dame fortune
yat ayther hande chaunges sone
For scho turnes aboute ay hir whele
vp & doun als men may fele
When scho her whele aboute gares go
Scho turnes some doun fro wele to wo
And oft agayne fro woo to wele
yus turnes scho oft aboute her qwele
ye qwilk yise clerkes noght elles calles
Bot happ or chaunce yat sodaynli falles
And yat men haldes her~ noght elles
Bot wethe & angur~ yat man in duelles
For ye worldly hap is ay in doute
Whils dame fortune turnes her qwele aboute
<fol. 19v>Angurs & deres men Wolde fayne fle
And in welthe men wolde ay be
Bot men yat yair~ lyfe right ledes
Welthe of yis worlde ay fles & dredes
For welthe drawes men fro ye right way
yat ledes to blis yat lastes ay
vs aght to drede ye worldes welth yan
Als says seynt Jerome yt holy man
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Ye more he says we wax vp-right
Jn welthes & in worldly myght
ye more we schulde hafe drede in thoght
yat we fro ye hegher fall noght
Til yise acordes ye wordes of seneke
yat says als 3e schal her~ me speke
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Senek on yis maner says
When welth of yis worlde wt ye plays
Seke yow yen gode counsayle wt all
For welthes makes a man to falle
yen is worldes welthe to dr~de yer-fore
Als says ye grete clerk~ seynt gregore
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Saynt gregor~ says on yis maner~
Jf alle auntours be to drede her~
Happ of welthe is to drede more
Yen cas of angur yat smertes sore
For angurs mannes lyfe clenses & proues
And welthes mannes saule droblys & droues
ye saule of man may lightly spille
For welthes yt man has her~ at wille