<County: Norfolk>
<Code: L4566>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson Poet. 138>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>



<fol. 3v>yat neyir hath wyt ˆ [Ne] Skyl ne mende .
yo men leuen ageyns her kende .
For a man excusyth nowth hys vn-cunnyng
yat hys wyt vsyth nowth in lernyng .
Nowt yt hym fallet to knowe
yt myth meken hys herte & maken it lowe
but he yt can nowth schuld haue wylle .
to ler~ & knowe boye good & ille .
yat And he yt can su~ schuld ler~ more .
to knowe yt hym nedful wer~ .
For an vnconyng man wyth leryng
May ben browt tyl vndyr-standyng .
Of many thynges to knowe & se
yat hath ben & is & schal be .
Many hath lykyng tryfles to here .
And vanytes welen gladly lere .
& arn besy in word & thowth .
to leren yat here sowles helpys nowth .
but yt wer~ nedful hem to knowe .
to lysten & heren yei arn ful slowe .
For yei cu~ nowth knowe ne se .
ye periles yt yei xulden dreden & fle .
ne quat way yt yei schuld take .
Ne qwych way yei schuld forsake .
But no wonder is if yei gon wrange .
Jn merkenesse of knowyng yei gange .
wt-owtyn lyth of vndyr-standyng
Of yt befalles to ryth knowyng .
For ich cristen+man & womman .
yat wytt3 & wysdam Any can .
yat ye ryth way can nowt ches<exp>e</exp> .
No ye periles yat wyse men fles .
Schulden ben buxhu~ & ouerbesy
to heren & leren of hem Namely .
<fol. 4r>yat vndyrstondes & knowys hem be skylle
qwych way is good & qwyche is ille .
He yat ye ryth way of lewyng wyl loke .
Schuld yer be-gynne as seyth ye boke .
to knowe fyrst quat hym-self is
So may he sonest come to mekeness .
yat is ground of alle vertuys at ye laste .
yer on alle vertues may ben set faste .
For he yt knowes wel & can se .
Wat he is & quat he schal be .
A wyser~ man he may be toold .
Wether he be 3ong man or old
yane he yat can alle oyer ying .
& of hym-self hat no knowyng .
For he may nother knowe good ne fel .
But he ferst knowe hym-self ryt wel .
yer-fore a+man xuld fryst lere .
to knowen hym-self propyrly here .
For 3if he knowe hym-selfe kendely
yan may he knowe god al-mythty
And of hys endyng thynken schuld he .
& of ye laste day yat xal be .
he xulde knowe quat yis werd is
yat is ful of pompe and lythernes .
& lere to knowe & thynke wyt alle .
quat xal after yis lyff be-falle
Knowyng of al yis schulde hym lede
And mende wyth alle to mekenesse & drede .
So may he come to good leuyng .
And at ye laste to a+good endyng
& qwan he of yis werd schal wende
be brougth to blysse wt-owtyn ende
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<fol. 4v><lat></lat>
The begynnyng of yis proses
Ryth knowyng of a+ma~ hym-self es .
but summe men han gret lettyng
yat yei may haue non ryth knowyng .
Of hem-self yat yei schuld ferst knowe .
yat ferst to mekenesse xuld hym drawe .
yer-fore foure thynges J fynde .
yat makyt mannes wytte often blynde .
And knowyng of hym-self ofte lettes .
qwer-for~ he hym-self for-gettes .
yerof Seynt Bernard wytnesse berys
And four~ other wreten in ys vers
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yat is ye sauour of ye folke & fayrnesse
And feruour of thowt & rychesse .
reues a man skyl & mende .
to knowe quat hym-self is of kende .
yis four~ lettes a+mannes in syth .
yat he knowys hym-self nowt ryth
& makes hys herte ful Auntayne .
and ful froward to hys souerayne .
thys four~ noryches pompe & pryde .
And othyr vyces yt men schuld hyde .
Jn qwo so any of yis four~ is .
Js seldom sen ony mekeness<exp>e</exp>
yei lettes a+man yat he nowt es .
ye peryles of ys werd & ye vanytes .
Ne thynkes nowth on ye tyme is to come .
Of deth ne of ye day of dome .
he can nowth vnderstande ne se .
<fol. 5r>ye peynys after his lyf schal be
to senful+men yat her vsees Foly .
Ne ye blysse yat good men arn worthy .
But in delyttes syttes her~ fas hertys faste
Ryth as her lyff xuld euere-more leste .
And geues hem al to vanyte .
By-thenkes hem quat may here lykyng be .
Swyche men arn nowth rewlyd be skyl
but werkes al after her~ owyn wyl .
To non thyng . ellys tak yei hede .
quat wonder is 3if yei haue non drede .
For quat yei xuld drede knowe yei nowth
yer-fore of drede haue yei no thowth .
And al is for defaute of knowyng~
Of yat myth hem to dred bryng~
Sum+men wele nowth vndyr~stande
thouth yat myth hem make dredande .
For yei wold nowth here but yat hem payes
yer-fore ye prophete in ye sauter sayes .
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he says he hath non wyl to knowe
Ne vndyrstandyng~ to wyl to drawe
yese wordes be hem may be sayd here .
yat wele nowth vnderstande ne lere .
To drede god & don hys wyl .
but folwes here foly to fulfyl .
Summe vndyrstondes as yei her~ telle
But in her herte non dred may dwelle .
for defaute of thowth may it wel be .
Sekere yei trowe nowth but yat yei se
But grucches qwan yei of drede here .
yer-fore ye prophetes says on yis maner~
<fol. 5v><lat></lat>
ye prophete says yei trowe nowth
but grucchen if yei were greuyd in thowth
yus faren men yat trowyn no thyngys
yat men sayn ageyn her~ lykynges
But grucchen & waxis ful fro-warde
quan men says owth yat hem thenkys harde
Summe can swyche thynges in bokys rede
but lythnes of herte reues hem fro drede
So yat it may nowth wt hem dwelle
And of hem spekys go<exp>o</exp>d in ye gospelle .
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Tyl a tyme he says summe trowe a+thyng
And pases yer from at tyme of fondyng~
And also says yus ye prophete dauyd
Jn a psalme yat a-cordys yer-wyth .
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Jn yis wordes he says throwe Ay .
& lauede hys lor~ as yei cowde say
but 3et yei hadd+yt sone for-gat
hys werkys & thowt no mor~ of yat .
Swyche men arn so vnstede-fast .
yat non drede may wyt hem last .
For yei arn so wylde quan yei arn qwerte
yat yai can holde non drede in herte .
for to haue dred men may lere .
yat yis tretyis wele rede or here .
if yei it rede or her~ to ye ende
ye materis yat arn yer Jn contende
And vnderstondes & in hem trowe
J hope here xal sumwhat lowe
For drede yat xul haue yer-by
To vsen good werkys & flen foly
<fol. 6r>yerfore is yis boke in engelys drawe
Of swyche materis yat arn vn-knowe
to lewd men yat ben vnconnande .
& latyn can nowth vnderstande .
For to maken hem-self to knowe
& fro synnes & vanytees hem drawe
And for to leren hem in rigth for to drede
qwan yei yis tretys her~ or rede
For it xal preke her sowle wt-inne .
& of yat dred may lownesse be-gynne
throw comforth of ioyes of heuene dere .
As 3e wysly vnderstonde may her~
h yis book hym-self beryth wytnesse .
Jn seuene partes dyuysed Js
The fyrst part to hauen in mende .
Js of wretchedenesse of mannys kende
ye secunde is of mannys condycyonys sore<?>
& ye vnstablenesse of yis werd here
the thrydde party is ryth to rede
of deth & qwy it is to drede
ye fourthe party is purgatory
yer sowles arn clensyd of her~ foly
ye fyfte party is of ye day of dome
& of ye tokenes yt be-forn xal come
ye sexte party is of ye paynys of helle
yer damned sowlys schal euere-more dwelle .
ye seuene party is of ye ioyes of heuene .
yus is yis book in partyes seuene
And in yche part fynden ˆ [men] may .
Dyuerse materys for to a-say
Go we now to ye part yat fyrst is
yat speketh of mannys wykke[d]nes .
For al yat is wreten on to koke
is but as an entr~ of yis boke .
Fryst qwan god made alle yinges of nowth .
<fol. 6v>Of ye Fowlest materie man he wrouth
yat is of erde for to skyllys to holde .
ye ton is for qwy yat god wolde .
Of fowle materie maken man in dyspyte
of Lucyfer yat fel so tyte .
to helle qwan he hadde synned in pride .
& of alle ye <exp><1 word></exp> felle wt hym in yt tyde .
For yei haue ye more schenchepe .
& ye more sorwe qwan yei toke kepe
yat man of swyche materie schulde dwelle
Jn yat place fro qwens yei felle
yat oyis skyl is yus<?> to se
For man . schulde euere ye meker~ be .
Euere qwan he ses or thenkys in thouth .
Of ou foul materie he is wrouth
god thorwe hys goodnesse & hys myth
wolde fulfylle yat place in heuene bryth .
yat was made wyde wyth synne of pride
yat it wer~ fulfyllyd on yche a syde .
thorw ye vertu of mekenesse
yat euere contrarye to pride is .
yan may non man yedyr com
but he yat meke is or buxhom .
yat schewys ye gospel propyrly tyl vs
qwon god says to hese disciples yus .
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He sayd but 3e ben meke & mylde
yat is to say as it wer~ a+chylde .
3e schal nowth Entre be no way
to heuene blysse yat lestys Ay .
yan behouyth a+man her~ to seke
wat thyng may sonest make hym meke .
And no ying may meken hym more .
yan thenken in herte as J sayd yore .
<fol. 7r>How he is mad of a+fowle matere
& yat he is nowt ellys but erthe here
Wat is a+man but erthe & clay
For yus says a+clerke as J 3ow say .
And powder yat wyt ye wynd brekys
yer of iob to god yus he spekys
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He says lord thenke how yu madyst me .
foul erthe & clay her~ for to be .
Ryth so yu xalt turne me a-gayne
to erthe & powder yis is certayne .
yus sayth owr~ lord god al-mygthy .
Agayn thus tyl man sertaynly .
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Thenke man he says askes art yu now .
and tyl askes agayn turne xalt yow .
yan is man nowt ellys to say .
but askes & powder erthe & clay .
Of yis xulde ich man here han mende .
to knowe wrechedenesse of hys kende .
yat may he se as J schewe can .
Jn alle ye partyes of ye lyff of man
as lyff of man cast may be .
Princypaly in thynges thre
ye ben to owr~ vnderstondyng
be-gynnyng mydward & Endyng
thys may ben thre spaces tolde
Of yche mannys lyff 3ong & olde .
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Be-gynnyng of mannys lyf yt fyrst is
Contenyt mekel wretchedeness .
Wher-fore J wele or J pas
<fol. 7v>Schewe quat a+man fyrst was .
Sum tyme was qwan a+man was nowth
be-fore he was be-geten or forth browth
He was be-geten aftyr wel was knowe
of foul seed of man wyt synne sowe
He was conseyuyd ful synfully
Wyt-Jnne hys owyn moderys body
Wher hys byrthe wt-Jnne was dyth
As dauyd says in ye sauter ryth .
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Lo he sayd as amn kende is
J am conseyuyd in wykkedenes
My modyr hath conseyuyd me
Jn mechyl synne and kaytyfte
yer dwellyd man in a+foul dongon~
Jn a place of gret corupcyon~ .
Wher he hath non oyer fode
but foul glot & leperde blode
& stynk & fylthe as J sayd are
her-wt was he norchyd yare .
after yt he forth came .
Fro yt dongon~ hys moderes wambe .
& was born to yis werdys lyth .
he hadde neyther strengthe ne myth
Neyther for to gon ne for to stande .
ne for to crepe wt foth ne wt hande
yanne hath man lesse myth ya~ a beste
wan he is born of myth is leste .
For a+best wan it is born may go
& sone after rennen boye to & froo
But man hath non myth yer-to
wan he is born so for to do
ya~ may he neyther gon ne crepe
but lyn & crulle cryen & wepe .
<fol. 8r>For a+chyld is nowth born fully
wan it be-gynnys to rare & cry
& be yat cry men may knowe yan
Wether it is a+man or a+woman
For qwan it is born it cryit swa
if it be a+man yan cries+it A
yat is ye ferst letter of ye name .
of owr~ <exp>fade</exp> forn-fader Adame .
And 3if ye chyld a woman be .
Wan it is born yan says it E
yat is ye fyrst letter~ of eue .
yat be-gan vs alle to greue
yer-for~ a clerke made on ys manere
yis vers in mater~ yt arn wreten here .
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Al yo he says yt come of eue .
yt is alle men yat her~ xulle leue .
wan yai arn born wat so yei be
yei xal sey fyrst A or E
ys is her~ owr~ begynnyng~
of owre kynes sorwe & gretyng~
To weche owr~ wrechedenesse ste sterreis vs
yer-fore Jnnocent he says vs thus .
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He says alle arn we born gretande
& makyng sorful semblande .
For to schewe ye gret wrechedenesse .
Of owr~ kende yat in vs is .
yer qwan ye tyme is of owr~ byrthe
Alle made we sorwe & no myrthe .
Hedyr we comyn nakyd & bar~
& seker so xal we hens Fare .
<fol. 8v>For a+chyld is nowt born Fully
wan it be-gynnyth to rare & cry .
& be yt cry men may knowe yan
Wether it is a+man or A+womman .
For qwan it is born J cryit swa .
If it be a+man yan cryes+it A .
yat is ye fyrst lettere of ye name .
Of owr~ forn-fader Adame
And 3if ye chyld a woman be
wan it is born yan says it E
yat is ye fyrst letter~ of Eue .
yat be-gan vs alle to greue .
yer-for a+clerke ma
Of yese too thynges we xulde thenke yan
For yus says Job ye ryth-wys man .
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Nakyd he sayd ferst J come
hedyr owth of my moderys wombe
& nakyd xal J turne A-way
so xul we alle at owr~ last day
yus is man at hys fyrst comyng
Nakyd & bryngyth wyt hym non thyng
but a+rym yat is wol wlatsum .
yis is hys clothyng quan he forthe cum .
yt is nowth but a+blody skyn .
yt he before was laped<?> in
wan he in hys moderys wombe lay
yat is a+foule thynge for to say
And foulere to here as sayth ye book .
& alther foulest yer-on to look
thus is man born as we may se
Jn wretchedenes & kaytyfte
And yer-to leuen here but a+fewe days
& yer-to Job on yese wyse says
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<fol. 9r>He says a+man born of a+woman .
Lyuand schort tyme & fulfylled is yan .
of many maner~ of wretchedeness
yus says Job & so it is .
A+man is born to ryth nowt elles
but to trawayle as Job ryth telles .
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He say a+man is born to traualy ryth
As ye foule is mad to flyen in flyth
For lytyl rest in hys lyff is
but gret trauayle & euer besynes
Also a+man wan he is born
is ye fendes sone & fro god lorn
euere tyl he thoruth grace may come .
To baptem & to crystendome
yus<?> may men her~ begynnyng se
Alle wrechedenesse & caytyffte .
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The secunde part of lyff men calles
ye medyl age yat nexte aftyr falles .
& reknes fro ye begynnyng~
Of mannys lyff in-to hys endyng~
the begynnyng of man as J tolde
hys wyll & wreched to be-holde
but how foul a+man is afterward
telles a party sen Bernard .
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Sayn bernard in hys book yus telles
yat ma~ is no thyng Elles
but a foul slym vlatsum to men
& a+sak ful of foul stenkand Fen
And vermys fode yat yei wold haue .
wan he is ded & leyd in graue
but summe foolke ful fayre semes
<fol. 9v>to syth wt-owtyn as men demes
& yat schewys<?> nowth but a+skyn
but wo myth se hem wt-in .
Foulere carayn myth non be
yan he xuld than on hem se .
& sertys qwo myth han syth .
& hadde as clene eyne & as bryth .
As a+best yat men luk calles
yat may sen thorw ston walles
lytyl lykyng xuld man haue thanne
For to be-helde a fayre woman
yan myth he sen wt-owten dowte
As wel wyt-Jnne as wt-owte
& if he wt-Jnne sey aryth .
Sche wer~ wel vlatsum to hys syth
yus foul Jnward ich man is
As ys book her bers~ wytnys .
yan may men sen on yis manere
how foul ye kend of man is here .
wher-for~ a+man is nowth wytty
yat her~ is proud of hys body
wan he may yus hym-self se .
wat he is & wat he schal be
but prowde men to yis taken no hede
For hem wattys skyl yt schulde hem lede
wan he is 3ong & leues wyllyng .
& hath hys ese & hys lykyng
or if he haue ony gret worchepe
wat hym-self [is] takyth he non kepe
For hym-self yan knowyth he lest
he fares as an vnskylful best .
he folwes hys owyn wyl & nowth ellys
As dauid in ye sauter tellys
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