<County: Northern>
<Code: L0599>
<MS reference: Wellesley, Mass., Wellesley College Library 8>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>


<Tranche 1>

<p. 14>So sall he at ye last mak endyng
Of alle thynges . bot of heuen and helle
And of man . and feende . and awngelle
Yat efter yis lyfe salle lyf ay
And no whycke creature bot yai
Als men may se in yis boke conteende
Yat wyll it se or here . tyll eende
And godd yat made man sall ay be yan~
Als he es nowe godd and man~
Alle thyng thorgh hys myght made he
For wyth-owten~ hym moght no-thyng be
Alle thyng yat he made and wroght
Was be-fore ye begynnyng noght
Alle thyng he ordaynde eftyr hys wylle
For sere kyndes for certayne skylle
Wharfore ye creaturs yat are domme
And no wytte ne skylle has ere boghsomme
To loue hym als ye boke beres wytnes
On yaire maner~ als yer~ kynde es
For ylke a thyng yat godd has wroght
Yat folowse hys kynde and passes it noght
Loues hys maker and hym worschepes
Jn yat at he hys kynde <exp>y</exp> ryght kepes
Sythen ye creatures yat skylle has none
Hym loues in ye kynde yat yai hafe tone
Yan aught man~ yat has skylle and mynde
Hys creature worschype in hys kynde
And noght to be of wers condicyon~
Yan ye creature wt-owten resowne
Mans kynde es to folow <exp>þe</exp> goddes wylle
And alle hys commandementes to fulfylle
For of alle yat godd made more and les
Man ye moste pryncipalle creature es
<p. 15>And how stalworth godd es and howe myghty
And how man godd greues yat dos noght wele
And what man es worthy yarfore to feele
How mercyfull and gracyouse godd es
And how full he es of alle godnes
How ryghtwyse godd es . and how sothefast
And what he has done . and sall do at ye last
And ylke day dos vnto mans kynde
Yis solde ylk man~ knawe and hafe in mynde
For ye ryght way yat lygges to blysse
And yat leedes a man yider es yisse
Ye way of meeknes pryncipally
And of dreede and luf of godd all-myghty
Yat may be calde ye way of wysdome
Jn-to wˆ[h]ylke way no man may comme
Wt-owten~ knawyng of godd here
And of hys myght and hys werkes seere
Bot ar he may to yat knawyng wynne
Hym be-hofes knawe hym-selfe wt-Jnne
Elles may he hafe no knawynges to comme
In-to ye forsayde way of wysdomme
Bot som men has wytte to vndyrstand
And yhit yai are full vnconand
And of som thyng has no knawynges
Yat moght styrre yaim to gode lyfynges
Swylke men had neede to lere ylk day
Of othyr men yat kan~ more yan yai
To knawe yat moght yaim styrre and leede
Tyll meeknes and to luf and dreede
Ye whylke es way als be-fore-sayde es
To ye blys of heuen yat es endles
<p. 16>Jn grete perill of sawle es yat man~
Yat has wytte and mynde . And no gode kan~
And wyll noght leere for to knawe
Ye werkes of godd . and goddes lawe
Ne what hym-self es . yat es leste
Bor lyfes als ane vnskylwys beste
Yat nowthyr has skylle . wytte ne mynde
Yat man lyfes agayns hys kynde
For A+man excuses noght hys vnconnyng
Yat hys wytte oyses noght in leerenyng
Namely of yat at hym felle to knawe
Yat moght meeke hys hert and mak it lawe
Bot he yat can noght solde hafe wylle
To leere to knawe bothe gode and Jlle
And he yat oght kan~ solde leere mare
To knawe alle yat to hym needfull were
For ane vnkonand man thorgh leernyng
May be broght tyll vndyrstandyng
Of many thynges to knawe and se
Yat has beene . and es . and yhit sall be .
Yat to meeknes moght styrre hys wylle
And to lufe . and dreede . and flee alle Jlle
Many has lykyng trwfles to here
And vanytes wylle blythely leere
And are besy in wylle and thoght
To leere yat at ye sawle helppes noght
Bot yat at needfull war to kon~ and knawe
To lysten~ and leere yai ar~ full slawe
For-yi yai kan noght knawe ne se
Ye perylles yat yai solde dreede and flee
And whylke way yai solde dreede [cheese] and take
<p. 17>And wylk way yai solde leue and forsake
Bot no wonderes yf yai go wrange
For in myrknes of vnknawyng yai gang
Wyth-owten lyght of vnderstandyng
Of yat . yat falles tylle ryght knawyng
Yarfore ylke crysten man and woman~
Yat has wytte and mynde and skylle kan~
Yat knawes noght ye ryght way to cheese
Ne ye perylles yat ylke wyse man fleese
Solde be boxome ay and besy
To here . and leere of yaime namely
Yat . vnderstandes and knawes be skylle
Whylke es gode way ; and whylk es Jlle
He yat ryght ordyr of lyfyng wyll loke
Solde be-gyn~ yus als says ye boke
To knawe fyrst what hym-self es
So may he tyttest com to meeknes
Yat es grownde of alle vertowse to last
On whylke alle vertows may be sette fast
For he yat knawes wele and kan~ se
What hym-self was and es and sall be
A wyser man he may be taulde
Whethyr he be 3owng man or awlde
Yan he yat kan alle othyr thyng
And of hym-self has no knawyng
For he may noght ryght knawe godd ne feele
Bot he kan fyrst knawe hym-selfe wele
Yarefore a+man solde fyrst leere
To knawe hym-self propyrly here
For yf he hym-self knowe kyndely
<p. 18>He solde hafe knawyng of godd almyghty
And of hys endyng thynke solde he
And of ye day yat last sall be
He solde knawe what yis worlde es
Yat es full of pomppe and lythernes
And leere to knawe and thynk wt alle
What salle efter yis lyfe be-falle
For knawyng of alle yese solde hym leede
And mynde wt alle . to meeknes and dreede
And so may he com~ to gode lyfyng
And at ye last to gode endyng
And when he sall owte of yis worlde weende
Be broght to yat lyfe yat has none eende
Ye begynnyng of alle yis processe
Ye ryght knawyng of man selfe es
Bot som men hase mykell lettyng
Yat lettes yaim to hafe ryght knawyng
Of yaime-self yat yai fyrst solde knawe
Yat yaime to meeknes fyrst solde drawe
And of yat fowre thynges J . fynde
Yat mase A mans wytte oft blynde
And knawyng of hym-selfe oft lettes
Thorgh whylke fowre he hym-self forgettes
Of yese saynt Bernard . wytnes . beres
And are ya fowre wryten in yis verse
<lat></lat>
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Yat es fauor of ye folke and fayrnes
And feruowre of yhowthe and ryches
Reues a+man syght skylle and mynde
To knawe hym-selfe what he es of kynde
<p. 19>Yus yeese fowre lettes hys insyght
Yat he knawes noght+hym-self ryght
And mase hys hert full hawntayne
And full fraward to hys souerayne
Yeese fowre norysches pomppe and pride
And othyr vyces yat men can noght hyde
For in hym yat Ane of yere fun~ es
Es seldom~ seene any meeknes
Also yai leete A+man@ yat he noght seese
Ye perylles of yis worlde and vanyteese
Ne of tyme of deede yat es to comme
Thynckes noght ne of ye day of dome
Ne he kan noght vndyrstand ne se
Ye paynes yat eftyr yis lyfe sall be
To synfull men yat here lufes foly
Ne ye blys yat gode men are worthy
Bot in hys delytes settes hys hert fast
And farse als yis lyfe solde ay last
And gyfe hym noght bot to vanyte
And to alle yat lykyng moght to hym be
Swylk men~ are noght ledde wyth skylle
Bot yai folow ay yaire awen wylle
And oft noght elles thynkes ne tas heede
What wonndyr es yf yai hafe no dreede
For what yai solde dreed yai knaw noght
yarfore yai kan~ hafe no dreede in thoght
And yat es thorgh ye defawte of knawyng
Of yat at moght yaim to dreede bryng
Yhyt som men wyll noght vndyrstand
Yat . yat moght mak yaime dreedand
For yai walde noght here bot yat . yaime payse
Yarfore ye prophet in ye sawter sayse
<p. 20>He says he has no wylle to feele
Ne to vndyrstande for to do weele
Yeese wordes he yaim may be sayde here
Yat wyl+noght vnderstand ne leere
To dreede godd . and to do hys wylle
Bot folowse yaire lykyng and lyfes Jlle
Som vndyrstandes als yei here telle
Bot no dreede in yaire hertes may dwelle
And thorgh de-fawte of trowthe yat may be
For yai trowe nothyng bot at yai may se
Bot groches when yai dreedfull thyng here
Yarfore ye prophet says on yis maneere
Ye prophet says yai trowed noght
Yai groched and was angred in thoght
Yous ar~ many yt trowes no-thyng
Yat men yaim says agayne yaire lykyng
Bot groches gretly and waxes fraward
When men says oght yt yaime thynke hard
Som kan se in boke swylke thyng and reede
Bot lyghtnes of hert reefes yaim dreede
So yat it may noght wt yaim dwelle
And yarfor says godd yus in ye gospell
To a tyme he says som trowes a thyng
And passes yarfra in tyme of fandyng
Also yus says ye prophet Dauid
Jn a salme yat Acordes yarwyth
He says in hys worde trowed yai
And loued hys louyng als yai cowthe say
Bot tyte yai had done and sone forgat
Hys werkes and thoght no more of yat
Swylk men~ here ay are vnstedfast


<Tranche 2>

<p. 139>Yus sall yai enden sodaynely
Bot yhit when yai all are yus fordone
Ye grete doome sal noght be eftyr als sone
For ye ye glose of Danyel yus says
Godd sall grawnte fyue and fowrty dayse
To all yose yat deceyued sal be
Thorgh Antecryste and hys meneyhe
Yat yai may amende yaime of yaire synne
And do penawnce are ye doome begynne
Ye Jewes sal yan all turned be
To yat ryght trowthe ye whylk hafe we
Yan sall godd fulfylle in ye last dayes
Ye wordes yat he in ye godspell says
He says al flockes to o fawlde sal falle
And o hyrd sal be to keepe yaime alle
Yat flocke Jewes and crysten men sal be tawlde
Vndyr o trowthe in holy kyrckes fawlde
For yat tyme Forth sal holy kyrck be
Jn pees and rystte wt-owten adversyte
For yan sal fayle alle ye powere of ye feende
Fro yat tyme to ye worldes eende
So yat he sal nowthyr temppe ne greefe
Holy kyrk ne man yat yan sal lyefe
Bot how mykel space sal be fro yan
To ye day of doome wayte no man
For of alle ye prophetes yat men may neuen
And alle ye Awngels and haloghes of hefen
Moght neuer none wytte yat pryuyte
What tyme ye day of doome sal be
For godd wyll yat none it be-fore wytte
Bot yf hym-self yat hase ordaynde itt
Yarfore cryste sayde to hys dyscyples yus
Als ye bucke of ye Aposteles werckes schewes vs
<p. 140>Jt falles noght yhowe knawe ye tyme pryue
Yat ye fadyr has sette in hys awen powste
Yarfore no man solde ask ne say
Howe mykel we hafe to doomesday
Ne we sold noght yhit yherne it to leere
To wyte whethyr it be ferre or neere
Bot we solde makes vs redy alle
Als ye day of doome war or to-morne sold falle
And thynk ay on yat dreedefull doome
Als ye holy man says sayntes Jerome
Yat ay yaron thoght bothe nyghtes and dayse
And yarefore yus in a buke he says
He sayse whethyr J ete . or dryncke
Or oghtes elles do . ay me-thynke
Þat ye beeme yat blawe sal on doomesday
Sownddes in myne eres yat yus sayse ay
Ryse yhe yat are deede and comme
Vnto ye greete dreedful doome
Nowe hafe yhe hard of ye begynnynges
Of Antecryste and of hys lyfe and hys endynges
Yat men may a verray taken calle
Yat agayne ye day of doome sall falle
MAny ma takenes yhit men sall se
Be-fore yat dreedefull daye sall be
Bothe yhit in erthe and in hefen~
Als yhe here cryste in ye godspell neuen~
Whore he speekes of takenes seere
Yat sall falle and sayes on yis manere
Yere er ye wordes of ye godspell
Yat cryste to hys dyscyples gon tell
He sayse yus als he ordaynde be done
Takenes sall be in ye sonne and monne
And Jn ye sternes yat Jn hefen~ men~ may ken~
<p. 141>And Jn erthe grete thrangge of men~
For ye menggynges of ye noyese of ye see
And of ye flodes yat yan sall be
And men sall wax drye in þat dynne
For drede of lang bydynges yare-Jnne
Yat tyll alle ye worlde sall come sayse he
For ye myghttes of hefen~ yt yan styrde sall be
And yai sall se ye sonne . of man~
Commande downe in clowdes yan~
Wt hys grete myght and maieste
And yat tyme sall ye grete dome be
Yere takenes ar tawlde eftyr ye lettyr-es here
Bot ye exposicyown~ may be on othyr manere
Also godd yat alle thynges knowes wele
Sayse yus thorgh ye prophettes Johele
He sayse J sall gyff wondres sere
Vppe Jn hefen~ als men sall here
And takenes downe in erthe on to luke
Yat es blode and fyre and brethe of smuke
Ye sonne sall be turned in-to Myrknes
And ye mone in-to blode and be lyghtles
By-fore or ye day of owre lorde sall falle
Yat sall be grete and openly schewed to alle
Yat grete day es ye grete day of doome
Agayne whylk all yere grete dayes sall comme
Yan may men be swylk takenes wytt
Yat it es ye moste day yt euer was yhit
And ye strayttest and ye moste harde
Als men may here and se eftyrwarde
Yhit spekes ye holy man saynt Jeromme
Of fyftene takenes yat sall comme
Be-fore crystes commyng als he sayse
<p. 142>Ye whylk sall falle in Fyftene dayes
Bot whethyr any othyr dayes sall falle
Be-tweene ye dayes or yai sall alle
Contynuly fall day eftyr day
Saynt Jerome sayse he can noght say
And yhyt for certayne Approues noght he
Þat ya Fyftene dayes of takenes sall be
Bot he reherces ya takenes fyftene
Als he yaime fannde and wryten had seene
Jn somme buke of ye hebrewes
Yat ya Fyftene dayes contynus
Bot saynt Jerome schewes noght ne telles
Yat he fand yaime wryten owre whare elles
Bot Jn ye hebrewes bukes he yaime fande
And reherces yaime als yhe sawe yaime stande
Ylk a day eftyr othyr euen~
Als yhe may here me now neuen~
YE fyrst day of ya fyftene dayes
Ye Se sall ryse als ya bukes sayes
Abowne ye heght of ylk+a Mowntayne
Fully fowrty cubyttes certayne
And in hys stede euen vppe stande
Als a heghe hylle dos on ye lande
YE secund day ye se sall be so lawe
Yat vnnethes men may it knawe
YE thryd day ye se sall seeme playne
And stand euen in hys cowrs Agayne
Als it stode fyrst at ye begynnynges
Wt-owten~ more rysynges or fallynges
YE Fyerthe day sall swylk a woundyr be
Ye moste wowndyrfull fysches of ye se
Sall com to-gyder and mak swylk romyinges
<p. 143>Þat it sall be hydowse to mannes herynges
Bot what yat romyinges sall syginyfy
No man wayte bot godd Alle-myghty
YE Ffyft day ye see sall brynne
And alle ye wattyres yan sall rynne
And yat sall laste fro ye sounne rysynges
To ye tyme of ye soun~ downe-gangynges
YE sext day sall spryng A blody dewe
On grysse and treese als it sall schewe
YE seuent day byuggynges downe sall falle
And grete castelles and towres wt alle
YE aghtend day hard roches and stanes
Sall stryke to-gyder alle at anes
And ylk+ane of yaime sall othyr downe caste
So yat ylk a stane on dyuers wyse
Sall sondyr othyr in seere pertyse
YE neghen day grete erthe dynne sall be
Generaly in ylke cowntre
And so grete erthe dynne als sall be yan~
Was neuer herd sen ye worlde be-gan~
YE tyende day yar-eftyr to neuen~
Ye erthe sall be made playne and euen~
For hylles and vallayse sall turned be
Jn-tyll playne and made euen to se
YE elleuend day men sall com~ owte
Of caues and hooles and weende abowte
Als wode men~ yat no wytte kan~
And none sall speke to othyr yan~
YE twelft day aftyr ye sternnes sall alle
And ye sygnes fro hefen sall falle
YE thryttend day sall dede men banes
<p. 144>Be sett to-gyder and ryse alle at anes
And abowne on yaire grafes stande
Yis sall be-fall in ylk a lande
YE Fowrtend day alle yat lyffes yan~
Sall dye . chylde . man . and womman~
For yai solde ryse wt yaime agayne
Yat be-fore war dede owthyr to Joye or payne
YE Fyftende day yus sal be-tyde
Alle ye worlde sall brynne on ylk syde
And ye erthe whar~ we nowe dwelle
Vntyl ye vttyrrest ende of alle helle
Yus telles Jerome yere tokenes fyftene
Als he in ye bukes of hebrewse had sene
Bot for alle ye takenes yat men sall se
Yhit sall no man~ certayne be
What tyme cryste sall com~ to ye domme
So sodaynly he sall downe comme
For als a be-fell in Noe . and loth dayse
So sall he comme for luke in ye gospell sayse
Yere ar ye wordes of ye godspell
Yat ar on Jnglysche yus to tell
Als was done in ye dayes of Noe
Ryght so ye man~ son~ sall come sayse he
Men ete and drancke and war glade
And wedded wyfes and brydales made
Vnto yat day namely yat . Noe
Wentte to ye schyppe yat made he
And sodaynely come ye flode yat tyde
And fordydde alle ye worlde so wyde
Also in ye dayes of loth by-felle
Men ete and drancke schortly to telle
Ylk+one wt othyr and sawlde and boght
And planted and bygged and howses wroght
And yat day yat loth yhode owte of sodome
Sodaynly goddes vengeawnce come
<p. 145>Yt rayned Fyre fro hefen and brimstane
And tyntte all yat yare was and spared nane
Ryght yus sall falle yat men may see
Ye day yat mannes son schewed sall be
JN ye ende of ye worlde by-for ye Dome
Ane hydowse Fyre sall sodaynly come
Yat alle ye worlde sall <exp>s</exp> holy brynne
And no-thyng spare yat es yar-Jnne
For alle ye erthe sall brynne wt-owte
And ye Elementtes and ye Ayer~ abowte
And alle yat godd in ye worlde has wroght
Sall yan be brynned and wasted to noght
Yis Fyre yt throgh ye worlde sall ryse
Sall com yan fro seere partyse
For alle ye fyre yat es in ye speere
And vndyr ye erthe and A-bowne erthe here
Sall mete to-gyder at anes yan~
And brynne alle yat lyffes beste and man~
And all yt grwes and erthe and ayer~
To alle be clenssed and made fayre
And alle ye corrupcyowns yat men may see
Ye whylk in ye ayer~ or in ye erthe may be
Yis Fyre als ye buke vs says and leeres
Sall brynne and wyrk on fowre maneeres
Jt sall wyrk als ye Fyre of helle
To ponysche ye synfull yat yere sall dwelle
Jt sall wyrk als ye Fyre of purgatory
To clensse men of veniall synne Fully
Jt sall wyrk als fyre of herthe here
Yat owre alle sall brynne Ferre and nere
To waste alle yat in erthe spryngges
Als grysse and treese and alle erthly thynges
And als so ye bodyse of ylk man
To brynne holely in-to askes yan~