<County: Lancashire>
<Code: L0583>
<MS reference: Woolhampton, Berkshire, Douai Abbey 7>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 7r>and in iche part fynde men may
diuerse maters forto say
Go we now to þt part þt first is
þt spekis of monnus wrecchidnes
for al þt is writen bifore to loke
Js bot an entr~ of þis boke
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FIrst quen god made al þing of no3t
Of þe foulest mater he mon wro3t
Yt is of erth for two skillus to holde
On is for qwy god wolde
Of foule maters make hym in despite
Of lucifer þt fel so tyte
to helle for he hade synnet in pride
and of al þt fel wt hym þt tide
for þai shal haue þe more shenshepe
& þe more sorowe quen þai tok kepe
þat mon of sich mater shuld dwelle
Jn þat place for quylk þai felle
þt oþer skil is þus to se
þat he shuld euer þe meker be
ay quen he ses or þinkes in þo3t
Of hou foul mater þt he is wro3t
God þur3e his godenes & his mi3t
wold siþen þt place in heuen bri3t
was made voyde þur3e þe synn of pride
þat it wer~ fild on iche side
þur3e þe vertu of mekenys
þt euen to pride contarrius ys
þen may no mon þider come
<fol. 7v>Bot he þt meke is and buxome
þt shewis e gospelle virtu vs
hon god saide to his disciples þus
<lat></lat>
he sais bot 3e bene meke & mylde
þt is to say as is a childe
3e shal not enter bi no way
heuen blis þt lastus ay
Þen bihoues a+mon her~ seke
quat mi3t sauest make hym meke
þer is no þing may meke hym more
þen is to þenke as J saide ore
hon he is made of foul mater
and he is no3t bot erthe her~
forþi sais a clerk as J nou say
quat is a+mon bot erth & clay
and pouder þt wt þe wynde brekis
forþi Job þus to god spekis
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he sais lord þenk hou þu made me
foul erth & clay here forto be
Ri3t so þu shal turne me a3ayn
to erth & pouder þis is certayn
þis sais our~ lord god almi3ty
A3en to mon þus opunly
<lat></lat>
þenk mon he sais þu art askes nowe
and to askes a3en turne shalt owe
then is a+mon no3t ellis to say
<fol. 8r>bot askes & pouder erth & clay
þis shuld iche mon haue in mynde
& knowe þe wrecchidnes of is kynde
þat may he se as J shew con
Jn alle þe partis of þe lif of mon
as lif of a+mon cast may be
principaly in þingus þre
þt ar to our~ vnderstondyng
bigynnyng mydel & endyng
þes þre may be spices tolde
Of ilk monnus lif 3ong & olde
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Bigynnyng of iche monnus lif þt is
Contenus myche wrecchidnes
forþi J wil er J firr~ passe
shewe 3ou quat a+mon first was
Sum tyme was quen man was no3t
Er he was geten and forthe bro3t
He was geten as wel is knowe
Of vile sede of mon wt synn sowe
he was conceyuet synfully
wt-inne his moders body
þer his herb~ wt-inn was di3t
As dauid sais in þe sauter ry3t
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so he sais as mon-kynd es
J am conseyuet in wiccutnes
My moder has conceyuet me
Jn mych synn & caytifte
<fol. 8v>ther dwellid mon in a foul dongoun
Jn a+stede of gret corrumpcoun
Quer~ he hade no noþer fode
bot foul glot & leprede blode
And stynk & filth as J saide ar~
þer-wt was he norishid þar~
after þt quen he forth came
fro þt dongoun his moder wame
and was born to þis worldes li3t
hade he noþer strengh ne mi3t
forto go ne for stonde
ne forto crepe wt fote ne honde
then was mon les mi3ty þen a+best
quenn he is born & is siþen lest
for a+best quen it is born may go
as tite after renn to & fro
bot a+mon has no mi3t yto
quen he is born so forto do
Mon may nouþer go ne crepe
bot lie & 3outere crie & wepe
for vnneth a+child born shal lye
quen hit bigynnus rore & crie
And by þt crie mon may se yan
queþer hit be wommon or man
for quen it is born it cries swa
Jf it be mon þen sais hit a
þt is þe first letter by name
Of our~ form fader adam
and if þe child a wommon be
quenn it is born þen sais it e
<fol. 9r>þat is þe first letter of eue
þen bigann vs alle to greue
for-þi a+clerk sais on þis manere
this vers in meter as writen is herr~
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Alle yo he sais þt comus of eue
þt ar alle men þt her~ shal leue
quen þai ar born quat so þai be
þai shuld say ouþer a ore?
and þus is þe bigynnyng
Of our~ lif sorowe & gretyng
to quich our~ wrecchidnes stirres vs
And forþi Jnnocent sais þus
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he sais al ar we born gretande
and makand sorghful semlande
forto shewe þe wiccutnes
Of our~ kynde þt in vs es
þus quen ye tyme comus of our~ birth
alle make sorow & no myrth
hider we comen nakid & bar~
And pore ; so shal we heþen far~
Jn þes two þinges we shuld þenk þan
for þus sais Job þe ri3twis mann
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Naket he saist first J come
hider out of my moder wome
and naket J shal turne away
so shal we al at our~ last day
<fol. 9v>þus is mon at his first comyng
naket & bryngus wt hym no þing
bot a ryme þat is wlatsom
Js his cloþing quen he forth shal com
þt is no3t bot a+blody skyn
þat he bifore was lappet inn
quen he inn his moder womb lay
þat is a+foul þing forto say
And fouler~ to her~ as sais þe boke
And alder foulest on to loke
thus is mon born as we may se
In wrecchidnes & caytefte
And to lif her~ also short dayes
& herto Job on þis wise sais
<lat></lat>
he sais a+mon born of a wommon
synande short tyme fulfild is þann
Of mony maner of wrecchidnes
þus sais Job & soþe it is
A+mon is born to ri3t no3t ellis
bot to traueil as it Job tellis
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he sais a mon is born to trauail ri3t
As þe fole is made to fli3t
for littel rest in þis lif is
Bot gret trauel & bisynis
Also a+mon quen he is born
Js þe fendus sone & fro god lorn
Ay til he to grace may come
To baptyme & to cristendome
þus may men þar~ bigynnyng se
al wrecchednes & caytefte
<fol. 10r><lat><1 line></lat>
ThE secund part of lif men callis
þe midelwart þat next after fallis
And sekes fro þe bigynnyng
Of monnus lif to þe endyng
The bigynnyng of mon as J told
Js wile & wrecchid to behold
bot hou foul mon is after-warde
tellis aperty sayn bernarde
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Sayn bernard in his boke tellis
þat a+mon is noþing ellis
bot a+wlatsom skyn to menne
& a sak ful of stynkand fenne
And wormus fode þt þai wold haue
quen he is dede & laide in graue
bot sum folk ful fair~ semys
to si3t wt-out as summe demys
and þat showis not bot as+kynn?
hot qwo so mi3t se hym wt-inne
fouler carayn mi3t neuer non be
Þen men mi3t þen opon hom se
A certes qwo so mi3t þen haue a li3t
Or hade as cler~ e3en & as bri3t
as a+best þt men lyncor callis
þat may se þur3e thik stone wallis
littel likyng shuld men haue þenn
to biholde any fair~ wymmenn
þen mi3t þai se wt-out dout
As wel wt-inne as wt-out
and if þai wt-inne sa3e oright
<fol. 10v>Sho wer~ wlatsome to þairre si3t
thus foule made iche mon is
as þe boke beris witnes
þen may men se on þis manere
hou foul þe kynde of mon is her~
þerfore a+mon is not witty
þat her~ is brond of his body
quen he may þus hym-self se
quat he is was & shal be
bot proude men of þis take no hede
for hom wontes skil þt shuld hom lede
quenn he is 3ong & is laykyng
and has his ese & al at is likyng
Or if he be at grete worshepe
quat hym-self is takes he no kepe
forþi hym-self knowes he lest
and farres as an vnskilful best
he folowes his owen wille & no3t ellis
as dauid in þe sauter tellis
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Mon quen he is to honour bro3t
Ry3t vnderstondyng has he no3t
wel may he be likenet þann
to a+best þat skil non kan
for qwy al þt has skil & mynde
shuld þenken wrecchidnes of his kynde
þat is foul & ful wlatsomm
for mony thyng þt of his body comm
fro abuf & fro by-neth
alkynnes styngkand filth & breth
<fol. 11r>for more filth is non hard ne nesch
þen filth þt comus fro monnus flesch
þat may a+mon boþe se & fele
and he be bold hym-self ri3t wele
hou foul hit is to monnus si3t
And þerfore sais sayn bernard ri3t
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he sais if þu bisile bise
And [þu] bihold quat comus fro þe
quat þur3e mouth & nase vncumly
& þur3e oþer wrecchidnes of þi body
A fouler myddyng sau3e þu neuer none
þen is monnus body of flesche & bone
Al tyme þt a+mon her~ lyues
non oþer fruyt his body gyues
queþer he lif long or short qwile
bot þing þt is wlatsoum & vile
Al stynk and filth & noþing ellis
As innocent her~ after tellis
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A gret clerk sais in a boke
bihold he sais & graithly loke
to herbis & trees þt þu sees spring
And quat kynnes fruyt þt þai forth bryng
herbis bryngis forth flourers & sede
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 53v>for as men her~ hes clercus say
Jche mon her~ li3tly may
Sich remedy þur3e grace her~ wynn
Þt he may for-do al synn
Þt is to say if he so clene be
Of dedly synn and wold it fle
for j fynde writen ten yinges ser~
<?> venial synnus for-done her~
Tho ten ben yes as J her~ rede
holy water & almus dede
fastyng & takyng howsel of goddus body
Praier of ye pater noster namly
General shrift þt iche day may vs
blessyng of þe bischop yur3e dignite
þe blessyng of þe prist yt gyuen es
namely in ye end of ye mes
knokkyng on ye brest of mon yt is meke
and ye last enoyntyng yt is gyuen to ye seke
thes ten poyntus venial synnus done away
as men may her~ yes clercus say
So mony smale synnus ser~
May be gedrede to-geder in fer~
yt yai waxen on ye soule so heuy
Als oþer synnus þt ben dedly
þt sles þe soule & god myspais
and yerfore ye poet on yis wise sais
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Als of mony smale cornus is made
to a+horse a+gret lade
Ri3t so mony venial synnus smale
<fol. 54r>May make a+dedly synn hale
for yen geder on ye soule so yik
And clifen to-geder as dong in pik
bot if yai be doun swith away
Euer as yai come wt-out delay
forso perfitly may no+mon lif her~
wt-out venial synnus serre
for ye mon ilk day yt lyues her~
as ye boke tellis on yis manere
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Seuen sithes he sais in þe day
Ye ri3twis mon fallis þt is to say
Jn diuerse synnus yt ar veniele
bot sum ar les & sum more to fele
Jnto so mony venial synnus we falle
yt no+mon con rekken hom alle
bot sum of hom reken J con
As saynt austyn sais ye holi mon
And to reherce hom yus bigynnus
And sais yt yes ben venial synnus
first quen mon or wommon etis more
Any tyme yen nedful wore
quen yu mi3t help yur3e wt & skille
And wil not help bot haldus þe stille
quen þu spekis shortly to þe pore
yt askes sum gode atty dore<?>
quen yu art holy & may wel wit?
And etis quen tyme wer~ forto fast
quen yu liggus to slepe & wil not rise
<fol. 54v>And comus ouer late to goddis sluse
Or quen þu art in gode feite
And sais yi praieres ouer late
Or quynn yu has litel deuocoun
Jn praierers or in orisoun
Quen a+mon wil dele in bedde
wt his wif yt he has wende
his lust only to fullfille
And to gete a+child is not his wille
Quen yu visites men ouer late
þt are seke & in feble state
Or men yt layn in prisoun
Jn anger or in tribulacoun
Or saulus yt ar in purgatory
yt yer abides goddis mercy
to viset wer~ gret mede
yur3e praierers & yur3e almus dede
quen yu folowes not after yi state
to acorde hom yt bene at debate
quenn yu spekis ouer bitterly
to any mon yur3e noyse or cry
quenn yu praises any mon more
thur3e flateryng yen me<ker?> <smudge> wore
quenn yu makis in chirche ianglyng<?>
Or any wayn yo3t of any ying
Be it wt-out be it wt-inn
3et it is <lacuna/smudge, c. 1-2 words> synn
quenn þu art ouer li3tly wro3th
And sweris & haldis not yin othe
quenn þu cursis any mann
Jn qwom yu fyndus no cause to bann
quenn yu trowes any wic<gap, ?cu>tnes
thur3e suspectioun yer no<? gap, c. 1 char> es
<fol. 55r>thes smale synnus saynt austyn tellis
thur3e quich mony soules in purgatory dwellus
yerin to suffr~ payne & wo
bot 3et yer ben ful mony mo
Of venial synnus mony a+skore
Ouer ys yt J haue told bifore
bot so witty is non erthly mon
yt al venial synnus rekken con
for oft tyme on ye day men fallis
Jn synnus yt clercus venial callis
yur3e yo3t or dede or speche in vayn
And iche a synn is worthy payn
þe quich most be fordone clenly
Oþer her~ or in purgatory
yerfore J rede quil 3e lyuen her~
yt 3e vse to+do ten yinges ser~
yt fordone as J saide ore
Alle venial synnus les & more
And 3if 3e falle in dedly synn
Rise vp & lye not þer-inn
And go to ye prest ye to shryne
And haue for yinkyng ay in yo3t
Of þe synnus yt yu has wro3t
And do penauns wt al yi mi3t
for þi synnus boye day & ni3t
fast wolward go and wake
fle synn & suffr~ hardnes for goddis sake
for no+mon may to heuen come
bot if he suffr~ her~ angers some
And quen god sendis ye any angris
Suffr~ hit mekly wt-out fayntis
<fol. 55v>3if yu haue sekenes or o3t yt grreues
los of catel or of frynde yt leues
Or ony ny or tribulacoun
vnkyndnes falsed or tr~soun
suffr~ hit mekely in yi þo3t
for wt-out cause comys it no3t
bot god wote wel ye cause qwy
Perchaunse it is yin owen foly
to chastise ye in siche manere
for yi synnus þt þu dos her~
Or hit may be forþi prowe
yerfore yank god yer-of nowe
Or to make ye drede god & hym loue
he wot quat is to yi bihoue
yerfore siþen god vouchis saue
yt 3e may her~ oft sich angers haue
Oyer foryi synn or ye to fonde
how yu hym worshipis yen of al his sonde
And mekely take yt god ye sendis
& fle ys yingus yt god þe diffendis
for yur3e nyes & angers her~
he makes ye his prisonere<?>
payn to suffr~ foryi foly
Jn yis lif as yu <ill. 2 chars>t worthy
And 3if 3e suffr~ no3t angers ioyande
Jn stide<?> of penauns it shal not stande
And 3itt wil god more do
he wol<?> 3ou gif gret mede þerto
<fol. 56r>And 3ore blise in heuen shal eke
3if 3e suffr~ angers wt hert meke
As a gode sone to suffr~ wt glad cher~
ye fader quenn he wil hym chastise or ler~
So shal 3e suffr~ & yonk god ay
And do al ye gode yt men may
And specialy almus dede
þe naket to cleth þe hongrey to fede
And oyer wercus forto wirk
As men prechyng in holy kirk
i-kepe 3ou clene to 3ore lyues ende
fro synn yen shal 3ore soules wende
to blis li3tly & pas fro payn
Of purgatory yt is certayn
her~ haue J shewide 3ou on engles
Sum synnus yt saynt austyn specifies
now wil J shewe 3ou quat is certayn
for hom yt in purgatory haues payn
And quat may hor paynus cees
And her~ to haue of payn relees
ye soulis yt to purgatory wendis
May be holpen yur3e help of frendis
yt for hom don almus dede & praier~
As saynt austyn sais on yis manere
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Men he sais shul denye on no manere
yt soulis of hom yt ben dede her~
Of payn yer may relesch be
yur3e frendis lyuand þ[<ill. 1 char>] haue pite
<fol. 56v>for yo soulis as J saide ore
yt in purgatory ben & pynet sore
for venial synnus more & les
Apertly yur3e goddis ri3twisnes
Ri3t so yai may thur3e help apertly
yt be releuit yur3e goddis mercy
Al yt men donn las & more
for þe soulis þt dwelle yore
Auailes not hom to heuen mede
bot for yair~ delyuerauns fro payn to spede
four~ neuer of help is gneralle
yt in purgatorie auailes alle
yt is to say praier & fastyng
Almus dede & messe syngyng
On two maners as clercus con se
ye soule fro payn delyueret may be
yt one by way of grace
yt oyer by way of ri3twisnes
By way of grace on two manere
As writen in yis boke is her~
first yur3e praier to crist yt is hede
quenn he is offrede in forme of brede
yur3e ye prist honde atte mes
quenn ye sacrament so made es
yen may ye soulis in purgatorie
by way of grace specialye
be delyuerede of payn yt deres
yur3e messe & ri3twis+mennus praieres
by ri3twisse men help may be
On two maners as men may se
first yur3e bigynnyng of payn yt grreues
wt alms yt men to pore geues
<fol. 57r>Anoyer is a seth makyng
yur3e penauns & frendis fastyng
thus may ye soule as ye boke berus wittnes
be holpen yur3e way of ri3twisnes
yt is to say yai mow in yt nede
be bro3t fro payn thur3e almus dede
And yur3e penauns of hom her~ done
ye dette of payn be quytt sone
Ri3t as mon yt duellis in prisoun
til he haue quyt a+certayn raunsoun
Yai be delyuerd & bro3t away
yur3e a+frende yt wil for hym pay
On yis wise may soulis yt wendis
to purgatory be holpen yur3e frendis
bot sum frendis may help & sum no3t
ye soulis yt ar to purgatorie bro3t
yur3e yes frendes may yai holpen be
yt her~ lyuus in charite
bot ye helpe of hym yt charite failes
to ye saules in purgatory no3t auailes
for alle be we lyms of on body
yt ben her~ and in purgatory
And we may se propurly her~
yt ye body has mony lyms ser~
And ichoun of hom les & more
may help oyer yt felen sore
And 3if a lym di3e & ye mi3t faile
yt lym may no3t yt oyer auaile
ri3t so on ye same wise
Js bi hym yt in purgatorie lise
Jlkone may to oyer calle
ri3t as on lym of oyer bodies alle
bo3t who so in dedly synn is bro3t