<County: Yorkshire North Riding>
<Code: L0486>
<MS reference: Cambridge University Library, Gg.1.14>
<Text: Speculum Vitae>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 4v><line 28><lat>Pater noster qui es in celis</lat>
yis er on jnglisshe yus to neuen
Fadir our~ yat es in heuen
yis four~ mykel matyr byndes
<fol. 5r>Als clerkes in yair~ bokes fyndes
YE firste worde es Pater right
yat es a worde of greete might
For it may make vs sone to spede
Of our~ askynges when . we haue nede
Als we may bathe se and fele
Jf we vndirstand yat worde wele
For saynt Bernarde says yat ye prayere
yat bygynnes right on yis manere
with yis swete name to neuen
yat es cald fadir of heuen
Synnes a hope to purchace
Alle yat we aske here of grace
¶ yis worde fader to vndirstande
yat mas swete alle ye remenande
Schewes vs what we sal trowe
And what we sal do here and howe
¶ Jt schewes ye lenghe of goddes beyng
yat es ay with-outen endyng
For god with-outen bygynnyng es
And his lastyng es endeles
He es bygynnyng with-outen bygynnyng
And he es ende with-outen endyng
yat ordaynd yam yat his ware
To lyue with hym . euer mare
yhe sal wele vndirstand yan .
yat first when god suld make man .
Jlk man to gode ordayned he
Bot he wiste what Jlk man walde be
wha walde be gode wha walde be ille
Forthyi he gaf ilk man a fre wille
Forto chese or forto halde
Gode or ille whethir yai walde
For~ he destaynd na man to blys
<fol. 5v>Bot anely ya yat wald be his
¶ yis Pater stires vs to knawe euen .
Thre thynges in god fadir of heuen
And thre thynges in his sonns to see
yat lufes ye fadir with herte fre
¶ First in god ye faˆ[d]ir es might
And yare-with wysdom and godenes right
Jn god ye fadir er alle yis thre
For he es a god in Trinite
¶ Might es ay in hym anely
For he es god fadir almighty
Maystir and lorde als clerkes can telle
Of heuen and erthe and of helle
And of alle thyng maker he es
And bygynnyng of alle godenes
Swa men may als . j . vndirstand
Knawe his might yat es ay lastand
Jn god ye fadir es wysdom
yat of hym-self anely byhoues+come
Thurgh whylk he hys meynyhe ledis
An gouernes yam wysely and spedes
And namely his childer yat he wroght
yat lufes hym wele in hert and thoght
So may men knawe wha so wille
his wysdom by kyndely skille
¶ Jn god ye fadir es bounte
yat es ye thridde thyng to se
For god ye fadir his childre lufs
And som tyme here he yam . prufs
And when he sese yat yai do wrang
He betis and chastis yam omang
And if yai forsake hym for certayne
And sethen wil turne til hym agayne
He yam . receyues debonerly
And fayne es of yair~ company
<fol. 6r>So may men knawe ye godenes
yat in god ye fadir es
yar~-for~ suld his childre alle
Als ofte als yai fadir calle
Knawe in hym . yise thynges thre
Might wysdome and bounte
¶ yhit in his childre men may knˆ[a]we
Thre thynges to telle here on rawe
yat yai hafe of ye fadir maste
Als . j . wille schewe yhou in haste
ye twa bene noblece . and richesce .
ye thredde es beute als . j . gesce
¶ Noblece first es als . j . wene
Jn yam yat goddis childer bene
For mare noblesce may na+man se
yan it es goddis childir to be
yat es so heghe ane Emperour~
And kyng of alle kynges of honour~
¶ Richesce also to yam falles
yat men goddis childir calles
For mare Richesce may na man hafe
yan god on his childir vouches safe
For god mas yam his aeyrs right
Of ye kyngdom of heuen bright
yar~ alkyn richesce yat may falle
Er sene and alkyn delyces with+alle
¶ Beute in goddis childir es
For god yam made to his liknes
And aftir his schappe yat es so fayre
He made yair~ saules of ye ayere
Mare beute might neuer be sene
yan in his liknes es als . j . wene
For so grete beute als es yare-jn
Ne hert may thynk ne ymagyn
yar~-for~ his childir suld thynk ay .
<fol. 6v>Als ofte sithe als . yay fadir say .
On yise thre thynges yat yai . hafe
Of ye fadir yat wele vouches . safe
Swylk thynges on yaim for yair~ byhofe
yar~-for~ yam awe wele yair~ fadir lofe
¶ Also yis worde yat fadir es calde
Askes of vs sex thynges to halde
yat . j . wille reken heere on rawe
yis sex suld his childir knawe
Luf . and drede . and obedience .
Seruise . honour~ . and r~uerence .
¶ ye firste thyng yat god askes of vs
Es luf yat we luf hym yus
with alle our~ hert in body wroght
with alle our~ saule with alle our~ thoght
¶ with alle our~ hert yat es to say
yat we on na thyng night ne day
Sette our~ herte to luf mare
yan on god how so we fare
Ne in na thing yat man may neuen .
Hafe mar~ delite yan . in god of heuen
with alle our~ saule we suld hym lufe
yat es to say if we wille profe
we suld titter thole if we war wyse
Our~ lyf be parted fra our~ bodys
yan fra god departed be
yat es our~ fadir fulle of pite
yat es we suld ye deede are take
Ar~ we suld our~ fadir forsake
¶ we suld hym luf with alle our~ thoght
yat es to say yat we suld noght
Our~ witte ne our~ vndirstandyng
Ne our~ thoght thurgh ymaginyng
About nathyng mare occupy
yan in god fadir almighty
<fol. 7r>¶ ye secund thyng es drede alswa
To hafe in hert whar~-so we ga
yat we god drede with alle our~ might
Thurgh sonnes drede yan do+we right
And noght thurgh drede yat men calles
¶ Carles drede yat oft falles
For carles dredes yair~ lordes thurgh awe
And noght for luf als men . may knawe
ye gode sonnes thurgh luf has drede
To wrethe yair~ fadir in worde or dede
yis may wele be sonnes drede cald .
Swylk drede in herte suld we hald
And drede ay mare goddes greuaunce
yan payne of helle or his vengeaunce
For drede of payne anely to se
Es drede with-outen . charite
Alle yat men duse in swylk a drede
Sal turne yam til litel . mede
Bot firste thurgh ferdnes may drede bygyn
Anely for vengeaunce of synne
Thurgh whylk men may bygyn . do wele
And aftirward a swete luf fele
yat ye haly gaste with drede sal knytte
Jn yair~ hertis to stabel yair~ witte
Drede mas a man syn forsake
And luf mas a+man gode vertus take
ya yat yise twa in hert wille halde
God sonnes may right be cald .
ya sonnes may calle here baldly
God yair~ fadir almighty
¶ ye thridde thyng obedience es
yat es to say bousomnes
yat we be bousome to goddes wille
And alle his comandmentes to fulfille
For ye sonnes suld be obedient
To do ye fadirs comandment
<fol. 7v>His comandmentes wha so wil loke
He may fynde yam aftir in yis buke
¶ ye fierthe thyng es seruice
For we er halden of office
To serue god our~ fadir to pay
with alle ye bisynes yat we may
And alle our~ hert and our~ wille gyfe
To do yat hym es maste lyef
Swylk seruice may maste ly
Jn alle ye werkes of mercy
Als men may fynde in yis buke
Aftirward wha so wil luke
¶ ye fifte thyng es honour~ talde
yat we suld alle yhunge and alde
Lofe god with grete talent
Of alle godes yat he has vs sent
On whylk godes we suld take kepe
And spende yaime in his worschepe
And in na ryotes ne folys
And if we do we er noght wys
For vs byhoues a-count gyfe
Of yat we do whils we here lyfe
And of alle yat god here wil vs sende
And schewe howe we hafe yam spende
¶ And of alle ye folys yat we do
And of ilkan oure and tyme yare-to
yar~-for~ we suld god honour~
Jlk a tyme and ilkan oure
Outhir in worde or in dede
Or in thoght hym honour~ bede
And thank hym oft and lofe hym ay
Of yat he duse vs night and day
So sulde ye gode sonnes by skille
Honour~ ye fadir yat es his wille
¶ Reuerence es ye sexte . and ye laste
For we suld with herte stedfaste
<fol. 8r>Do god alle maner of reuerence
And namely here in his presence
Jn kirk and in steedes with-oute
yar~ his body es borne a-boute
we suld thurgh reuerence knele doune
Be it in felde or in toune
¶ His presence here es ouer alle
yar~ we may speke to hym or calle
Bot haly kirk his house . j . halde
yat maste stede of prayer ˆ <mrg>es</mrg> calde
yar~ suld we hym . maste reuerence do
with deuocioun yat falles yare-to
For when we speke to god . or pray
we suld do hym reuerence ay
yat es to say lout or knele
with vn-couerd hede yan do we wele
And when we noght knele we suld stand
Jf we may wele yat war~ semand
And noght stande yar~ with couerd hede
To speke with god in haly stede
Na in kirk yat falles his house to be
we suld noght speke of vanyte
For lesse reuerence we do hym yan .
yan we wald do ane erthly man
For if we war als . j . vndirstand
Jn ye kynges chaumbre of jngland
To pray ye kyng of his grace
Howe walde we bere vs in yat place
wald we noght yar~ in his sight
Do hym reuerence with alle our~ might
And kepe vs so yat we na thyng
Suld say yat might displees ye kynge
Mykel mare reuerence yan suld falle
To god yat es maste kynge of alle
For he es kynge of alle kynges
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 170r><line 26><lat>De statu Coniugatorum</lat>
YE thredde state es of yam to knawe
yat wedded er thurgh goddes lawe
Jn yat state men suld thurgh right
<fol. 170v>Kepe chastyte bathe day and nyght
To saue men suld for certayne skille
ye werk of sposayle fulfille
For a+man and his wedd wyf
Suld luf to-gyder with-outen stryf
And aythir of yam suld yam kepe
Leele to othir for goddes worshepe
& nouthir of yam do othir wrang
Bot yat . yat right es do ay omang
yis es haly kirkes counsayle
And yus wille ye lawe of sposyle
Thurgh whylk aythir has othir tane
And als a body er bathe ane
For yai er bathe to-gyder knytte
Jn goddes yhok als says haly writte
And yar~-for~ ayther suld othir luf
Leely for yair~ saules byhoue
For als yai er bathe a body by skille
So suld yai be a hert thurgh wille
Jn certayne faythe and luf stedfast
yat to yair~ lyfes ende suld last
And na twynnyng make god to greue
Of body ne hert whils yai lyfe
For yus es written in haly writte
Men suld noght lese yat god has knytte
whar~-for~ yai suld kepe yaime fra synne
Aftir ye state yat yai lyfe jnne
Saue yat yai may ye werk wirk
Of sposayle thurgh lawe of haly kirk
yar~-for~ saynt Paule says yus to pruf
<fol. 171r>yat wymmen suld yair~ lordes luf
And vnder god yam worschepe mast
And ay o-mang be sobr~ and chast
Chaste to kepe yam clene of body
Fra alle othir bot yair~ lordes anely
Sobr~ in meete and in drynk
And on yair~ state yai suld ay thynk
For greete outrage als ye boke schewys
Of meete and drynk appayres gode thewys
And kyndles ye fyre of lecchery
And stirs men oft to greete foly
Also a+man suld kepe hym right
Chaste and clene with alle his myght
Fra alle wymmen bot fra his wyf
yat hym by-houes hald to terme of lyf
¶ Sposayle es a state of worschepe
yat men suld ay clenly kepe
And halily aftir goddes lawe
For many skils yat men suld knawe
For sposayl es als men may se
A state of greete auctorite
Of dignyte and of halynes
Thurgh yise thre sposayle stabled es
¶ Of greete auctorite es itte
Als beres wittenes haly writte
For-why our~ lorde god rightwys
Jt stabled first in paradys
Jn ye state of obedience
Ar euer man synned thurght necligence
yar~-for~ men suld with alle yair~ myght
<fol. 171v>yat state clene kepe bathe day and nyght
Als teches and biddes haly writte
By resoun of god yat first stabled itte
And by resoun of ye stede so clene
yar~ it was first stabled and sene
¶ Also sposayle es a heghe staste
Of greete dignyte als clerkes wate
For-why . our~ lorde walde borne be
Of a wedded womman yat was fre
yat was blysfulle mary mayden clene
yat joseph wedded hir to mayntene
Goddis sone by-for~ ye heghe message
Made hir ye Mantel of maryage
And walde be vndir yat mantel hemme
Conceyued and borne with-outen wemme
vnder yat mantel als clerkes can+telle
was hidde fra ye deuel of helle
ye counsayle of our~ saluacioun
And ye priuete of our~ raunsoun
yar~-for~ men suld yaˆ[t] state worshepe
And honestly and clene it kepe
Jt es also yar~ it es wemles
A state of greete halynes
For it es ane of ye sacramentes
yat haly kirk mykel tentes
And it bytokens ye sposayle
yat es knytte and neuer sal fayle
By-twene jhesu crist and haly kirk
Thurgh whas counsayle vs byhoues wirk
And by-twene god on ye same manere
And mans saule yat he boght dere
whar~-for~ ye state of maryage
<fol. 172r>yat clene es keped fra outrage
Es so haly and so myghty
yat a flesshly dede wroght rightly
Jn sposayle als it falles to be
with-outen deedly syn es fre
Bot it may of god greete mede wynne
And noght anely with-outen synne
yat es to say if it be wroght
Als goddes lawe walde and elles noght
¶ whar~-for~ yhe sal vndirstand yareby
yat in thre cases specialy
Men may ye dede of sposayle saue
Fra syn and mede for yat dede haue
ye first case here to schewe yhou sone
Es yare yare ye dede es anely done
Jn yis entent for childer getyng
To serue god and for na othir thyng
For swylk entent maste to a-vayle
was ordayned ye dede of sposayle
ye secund case es yis to witte
yat when twa er to-gider knytte
Jn wedlayk jf na thyng it lette
ye tane sal yhelde ye tothir his dette
when ye tane askes leuefully
ye tothir to yhelde sulde be redy
For yar~-to stirs yam rightwysnes
yat yheldes to ilk man yat his right es
whar~-for~ if ye tane als ye lawe wille
Askes ye dette outhir loude or stille
By mouthe appertly . or perchaunce
Thurgh som takenyng of contynaunce
<fol. 172v>Als schamefulle wymmen yat walde fayne haue
yair~ dette and dar noght for schame it craue
By mouthe als it asked suld be
Bot thurgh som contynaunce priue
whethir of yam so wille forsake
ye dette to yhelde vnto his make
He gyues ye tothir enchesoun
To be of ille condicioun
And synnes agayne rightwysnes
For he duse noght yat . yat right es
He synnes agayne his wedded fere
For he dus hir wrange on yis manere
For-why ye tane has lawe-fully
Power~ of ye tothirs body
Bot he duse wele aftir goddis lawe
yat yheldes ye tothir yat he awe
And if he so do trewely in dede
Jn yat entent he es worthy mede
For rightwysnes hym stirs yar~-to
And noght his lecchery so to do
ye threde case after of ya thre
Es when a+man in priuete
Biddis . his wyf to hir lykyng
yat derne dede with-outen askyng
Swa yat his entent be swylk with-jn
Anely to kepe hir fra syn .
And namely if scho be in thoght
So schamefulle yat scho dar noght
Aske hir lorde swylk a thyng
Be mouthe na by na takenyng
And he hoped yat scho wald lightly
<fol. 173r>Falle in synne and in foly
Jf he bedde hir noght yat dede
yan synnes he noght bot serues mede
Jn yis cas men suld yus do .
For pite men suld stir~ yam yar-to
Jn yise thre cases men may wirk
Leffully thurgh ye lawe of haly kirk
ye werk of wedlyak with-outen syn .
After ye entent yat men er jn
Bot in some case men may syn sone .
yar~ ye dede of sposayle suld be done
Outhir deedly after ye deede es
Or venyally yat es yhitte lesse
And specialy in thre case
Men may in yat dede trespas
¶ ye first case es als ye boke telles
when a+man sekes noght elles
Jn yat dede bot to fulfille
His luste and his leccherous wille
He synnes yus thurgh lecchery
Outhir deedly or venyaly
¶ Venyaly als when ye delite
yat may ouer-come a+mans skille tite
Passes noght thurgh greete outrage
ye right boundes of maryage
yat es when ye delite with wille
Es bouxsom and suggette to skille
So yat he yat es in yat+state
Jf he deedly syn right hate
For na thyng wald swylk a dede do
Bot with his wyf ne assent yar~-to
<fol. 173v>Bot when his delite and luste amange
<ill><smudge></ill> his wyf so greete and strange
<ill><smudge></ill> blynded es yan his skille
yat he walde yan his luste fulfille
with hir and neuer ye mare hir~ spare
Alle if scho noght his wyf war~
Jn yis case . j . halde yat dede
Deedly syn yat men suld drede
For his delite has ouer grete rayke
And passes ye boundes of wedlayke
whar~-for~ our~ lorde god es oft wrathe
To swylk men and wymmen bathe
And to ye fende gyfes greete power~
To trauayle yam and noy yam here
Als men may fynde written and knawe
Jn a boke of ye alde lawe
Off Ragnele doghter yt hight sare
yat Thoby wyf was yus fynde . j . yare
yat had some tyme seuen husbandes
Alle war~ yai slayne thurgh ye fendes handes
ye first night when he wald ly
By hir~ thurgh luste of lecchery
whar~-for~ ye aungel to Toby spak
yat he suld hir~ to wyf tak
¶ Yan sayde Thoby yus to ye aungel
J . ne dar noght for ye case yat felle
Of hir seuen husbandes yat war~ slayne
yan ye aungel answerd agayne
J . sal quod ye aungel . telle ye
Jn whylk men ye fende has pouste
<fol. 174r>Jn swylk men he has maste powere
To trauayle yam and greue yam here
yat puttes god oute of yair~ thoght
when ye werk of wedlayk suld be wroght
And tentis vnto nane othir thyng
Bot to yair~ leccherous lykyng
And yair~ foule luste to fulfille
Als duse a+beste yat has na skille
Yar~-for~ som tyme god vouches noght safe
Yat swylk frute of engenderyng haue
Also a+man with his wedded fere
May syn deedly on othir manere
yat es to say when he oght duse
with his wyf agayne kyndely vse
His wille othir-wyse to fulfille
yan ye lawe of wedlayk and kynde wille
Swylk men yhitte may syn mare
yan othir yat . j . spak of are
Bot ya yat in ye state of sposayle
Wirkes thurgh haly kirkes counsayle
And dredis ay god almyghty
And kepes yat state here clenely
Als ordayned es and als ye boke says
Swylk men our~ lorde mykel prays
¶ ye secund case yar~ men syn may
Deedly in wedlayk es yis to say
Als when a+man has na drede
with his wyf to do ye dede
Thurgh delite and luste yt may falle sone
Jn tyme when it suld noght be done