<County: Staffordshire>
<Code: L0319>
<MS reference: Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Peniarth 395 D>
<Text: Speculum Vitae>
<Tranche 1>
<p. 6><line 9>But yis prayer~ be-gynnes ryght
with four~ wordes of gret myght
on whiche at ye begynnynge hynges
al ye spede of ye seuen askynges
Thurgh foure wordes yat may we fele
yf we won vnderstonde hom wele
how schen we reules be skylle
to do yat is most goddes wille
þer-fore first be-houes vs nede
yf we schen of oure askynges spede
yese foure wordes vnderstande
& lede oure lif as yai comande
elles arn we noght wrthy
to be herd of god almyghty
yese arn ye foure wordes to her~
yat arn ye entre of yis prayer~
<lat>Pater noster qui es in celis~</lat>
yese ben on englys yus to neuen
fader our~ yt art in heuen
yese foure mekel matir~ bynden
als clerkes in her bokes fynden
ÞE first word is pater ryght
yat is a word of grete myght
For hit may make vs sone to spede
of oure askynges when we han nede
As we may bothe se & fele
3hif we vnderstond yt word wele
for saynt berned says yt ye prayer~
yat begynnes right on yis maner~
wt yis swete name to neuen
yat is called fader of heuen~
Gyues an hope to purchase
al yt we aske here of grase
yis word fadir to vnderstande
yat mas swete all ye remenande
Schewes vs what we schen trowe
& what we schen do here & howe
hit schewes ye lenghte of goddes beynge
yat is ay with-out endynge
For god wt-out begynnynge is
<p. 7>And his lastynge is endlys
He is begynnynge wt-out begynnynge
& he is ende with-outen endynge
yat ordende hom yt hys wor~
to leue wt hym euer-mor~
for 3he schul wel vnderstonde yan
yt furst when god schuld make man
ylke mon to be gode ordende he
but he wist what ilke mon wold be
who wold be gode who wold be ille
for he 3hefe vche a mon a . fre wille
For to chese or for to hald .
Gode oyer ille wheyer yai walde
But he destynde no mon to blisse
But þo only yat wold ben hisse
zhit pater stires vs to know euen
thre thynges in god fader of heuen
And thre thynges in his sons to se
yat loues ye fader with hert fre
First in god ye fader is myght
& yer-wt wysdome & godenes ryght
Jn god ye fader arn all yes thre
For he is a god in trenite
Myght is ay in hym only
For he is god fader almyghty
Maister & lord as clerkes con telle
of heuen & erthe and of helle
& of al thynges maker he is
And begynnynge of all godnes
So men mon@ as J vnderstande
know his myght yt is ay lastande
Jn god ye fader is wysdome
yt of hym-self only most come
Thurght whiche he is meny ledes
& gouernes hom wysely & spedes
And nomly his childer yt he wroght
yat louen hym wele in hert & thoght
So may mon know . who so wille
hys wisdome be kyndly skille
Jn god ye fader is bounte
yat is ye thrid thynge to se
For god ye fader his childer loues
And some-tyme her~ he hom proues
& when he sees yat yai do wronge
he betes & chastes hom a-monge
And if yai forsake hym for sertayn
& sethen wil torne to hym agayn
he hom receyues debonerly
<p. 8>And fayn is of her company
So may men know ye godenes
yat in god ye fader is
yer-fore schelden his childer alle
als of as yai fader calle
know in hym yese thynges thr~
Myght wysdome and bounte
3hit in his childer men may knowe
thre thynges to tel her~ on rowe
yat yai han of ye fader mast
As j . wil schew 3ow in hast
ye two ben noblete & riches
ye thrid is beute als a geste
Noblete first is as . j . wene
Jn hom yt goddes childer bene
for more noblete may no mon se
yen it is goddes childer to be
yat is so heghe & emperoure
& kynge of al kynges of honour~
Riches to hom also falles
yat men goddes childer calles
for more riches may no mon haue
yen god on his childer vouches saue
for god mas hom his heyres right
of ye kyndome of heuen bright
yere alle riches yat may falle
arn sene & alkyn delites wt alle
Beute in goddes childer is
for god hom made to his likenes
And aftur his schap yt is so fair~
he made her soules of ye hair~
More beute myght neuer be sene
yen in his likenes as . j . wene
for so grete beute as is yer-in
No hert may thenk ne ymagyn
yer-fore his childer schelden thenk ay
Als of sythes as yai fader say
on yis thre thynges yt yai haue
of ye fader yt wele vouches saue
Siche thynges on hom for yair~ byhoue
yer-for~ yai howe wele hor fader loue
Also yis word yt fader is calde
Askes of vs syx thynges to halde
yat j . wil reken here on rowe
yees six schelden his childer knowe
Loue & drede and obedience
Seruice honeur~ & reuerence
þe first thynge yat god askes of vs .
<p. 9>ys loue yt we loue hym yus
with alle oure hert in body wroght
with alle oure soule wt al our~ thoght
wt al oure hert yat is to say
As we on no thynge nyght ne day
Set oure hert to loue mar~
yen on god how so we far~
Ne in no thynge yt mon may neuen
haue more delyt yen in god of heuen
wt al oure soule we schuld hym loue
yat is to say if we wille proue
we schuld titter thole if we wer wyse
oure lif be parted from our~ bodyse
þen from god departed be
yat is oure fader full of pyte
yat is we schuld ye deth er take
Er we schuld our~ fader forsake
we schuld hym loue wt al our~ thoght
yat is to say yat we schuld noght .
Oure wit ne oure vnderstondynge
ne oure thoght thurgh ymagynynge
A-boute no thynge more occupie
yen in god fader almyghtye
Þe Seconde thynge at drede als so
To haue in hert where so we . go .
yat we god drede with alle our~ myght
Thurgh sonnes drede yen do we ryght
And noght thurgh ye drede yt men calles
Carles drede yat ofte falles
For carles dreden her lord thurgh awe
& noght for loue as men may knawe
ye gode sonnes thurgh loue has drede
To wrath her fader in word oyer dede
yis may wele be sones drede cald
Seche drede in hert schuld we hald
And drede ay mor~ goddes greuance
yen payn of helle or hys vengeance
for drede of payn only to se
ys drede with-outen cherite
Alle yt men dose in seche a drede
Schal turne hem to litel mede
But first thurgh ferdnes may drede begyn
Only for vengeaunce of synne
Thurgh wheche men may begyn do wele
And afturward a Swete loue fele
yat ye holy+gost wt drede schal knyt
Jn her hertes to stable her wyt
Drede mas a mon syn for-sake
<p. 10>And loue mas a mon gode vertues take
yai yat yis two in hert wen halde
god sones mon@ right be calde
yo sones mon@ calle her~ baldly
god her fader almyghty
Þe thrid thyng obedience is
yat is to say buxhemnes
yat we be buxhem to do goddes wille
& alle his comandmentes to fulfille
for ye sone schuld be obediente
to do ye fader comandmente
his comandmentes who so wil loke
he may fynd hom afturward in yis boke
Þe furthe thyng is seruice
for we arn halden of ofice
to serue god oure fader to pay
wt alle ye besynes yt we may
& al our~ hert & al our~ wil geue
To do yat hym is most leue
Schiche seruice may most lye
Jn alle ye werkes of mercye
As men may fynd in yis boke
Afturward who so wil loke
Þe fyfte thyng is honur~ tolde
yat we schuld all 3onge & olde
loue god wt grete talent
of al godes yt he has vs sent
On whiche gode we schuld take kepe
& spend hom in hys wyrschepe
& in non ryotes ne folyes
& yf we don we arn noght wyes
for vs be-houes a-count gyfe
of yt we do whil we here lyfe
& of al yt god here wil vs sende
& schew how we hom spende
& of al ye folyes yat we do
& of vchene hour~ & tyme yerto
yer-fore we schuld god honour~
vche a tyme & vche a hour~
oyer in word or in dede
or in thoght hym to honour be dede
& thonke hym oft & loue hym ay
of yat he dose vs nyght & day
so schuld ye godsons be skille
honour ye fader yt is his wille
Reuerence is ye sext & ye last
For we schuld wt hert stede-fast
Do god all manere of reuerence .
<p. 11>And nomly here in his presence
Jn chirche and in stedes with-oute
yere his body is born aboute
we schuld reuerence knele doune
be hit in feld or be hyt in toune
his presence here is ouer alle
yer~ we may speke to hym or calle
But holy chirche hys hous j . halde
yat is most stede of prayer calde
yere schuld we hym most reuerence do
with deuocion@ yt falles yer-to
For when we speke to god or pray
we schuld do hym reuerence ay
þat is to say loute and knele
with vn-kouert hed yen do we wele
& when we noght knele we schelde stonde
3if we may wele yat ware semande
& noght syt yere wt couerd hede
To speke with god in holy stede
Ne in chirche yat falles his hous to be
we schuld noght speke of vanite
For las reuerence we don hym yan
yen we wold do an erthly man
for yf we wern als j . vnderstonde
Jn ye kynges chamber of engelonde
To pray ye kynge of hys grace
how wold we bere vs in yat place
wold we noght yer~ in hys syght
Do hym reuerence wt alle our~ myght
And kepe vs so yt we nothynge
Schulden say yt myght displece ye kynge
Mekel mor~ reuerence yen schuld falle
To god yat is most kynge of alle
For he is kynge of alle kynges
Of whom al grace & godnes sprynges
yer-fore to god yat we to pray
we schuld do ye reuerence yt wo may
So may we all our~ askynge haue
yf hit be skylful yat we craue
Siche reuerence to ye fader falles
of his childer yt on hym calles
yer-fore we schuld nyght & day
when we ye pater noster say
As meke childer & buxom be
To oure fader ful of pyte
Als we wille yt he be to vs
A gode fader & gracious .
And if we wille his gode childer be .
<p. 12>Vs be-houes alle folies fle .
And loke yat we be clene wt-yn
when we schun pater noster begyn
<Tranche 2>
<p. 309><line 17>ÞE first degre mesure is cald
yat is a man suld mesur~ hald
Jn ye vnderstondyng of symply
Of ye trouth thurgh symple stody
And in all ye articles of hyt
wt-outen any musyng of wit
For why mesure he passes yat will
Thurgh Musyng seke and kynd skill
As Mistrowand men dus namly
yat ye trouth mesures in som party
Aftur yair~ vnderstandynges mast
& yat trauail of wit yai wast
Bot yai suld mesure aftir goddes will
yair vnderstandyng & yair~ skill
To ye mesure of ye trouth verray
as gode cristen men dus aye
and saynt paule says yus by skill
Be no mon more wys yen right trouth will
Bot lede hys wit thurgh sobrenes
Aftur yat ye mesure of trouth es
and salamon to hys son says 3hit
Swete son he says mesure yi wit
yat is to say as clerkes con se
yat you noght of swa self wit be
ne so fycched in ye surquydry
yat you ne be buxom yer-by
for to trow to all gode counsaile
yat bothe to lyf and saule may vayle
& yat you leue yi-self wit and bowe
To yaim yt ar mare wys yen yowe
And specialy thurgh gastly myght
Jn ye articles of ye trouth right
<p. 310>yen suld leue yair-self wit and will
& yair-self vnderstandynge and skill
And putt yaim in seruage
Of ye trouth for most avauntage
As says saynt poule & noght 3hern to se
Reson kyndly yere nan may be
And yis curious men oft dus
yt of ye trouth ouer mykel wil muse
bot who so wil his owen soule saue
And ye blys of heuen haue
hym by-houes aftur right trouth wirk
And trow as trouth of haly kyrk
ÞE secound degre of sobrenes
yat ye second maner of mesure es
Js when men right mesure settes
yat all maner of outrage lettes
Jn ye will namly of 3hernynge
And ye appitite of likynge
whar-thurgh men may so ordayne
A bridell to hald ye will agayne
yat is to say ye bridell of skill
wt whilk men suld lede ye will
yat hyt may noght ryn ouer tite
To flesshly 3hirnynges ne to delite
whar-fore ye wys mon of grete wit
says yus oponly in haly writt
hit is noght enoghe says he
ye couetys of vanyte
Jn ye 3hernyng of ye hert lyght
bot yt you restreyne yi hert & yi will right
For-why if you to yi hert will do
All yat hit will & assent yer-to
you mas grete ioy to yin enmyes
yat ar ye fyndes yt ye ay spyes
As a man dus on ye same manere
yat mas joy to his aduersare
Agayn wham he suld fyght in fyld
when he to hym will hym 3helde
yt mon 3heldes hym to ye fynd right
As he yat is ouer-comen in fyght
yer-fore saynt Petre yt god wele loued
says yus as yese clerkes has proued .
J . bid 3ow he sayd in godes name
yat 3he yat er here fer fro hame
As vncouth men and pilgryms
kepe 3ow wele here as goddes lyms
Fro 3hernynges of flessh yt ay fyghtes
Agayn ye soule boye dayes & nyghtes
<p. 311>He yat is pilgryme as 3he may se
And comes in a straunge cuntre
yere mony schrewes & robbours bene
as is in mony cuntres sene
yat pilgrms yat passes by ye strete
Spyes and waytes wt yaim to mete
To rob yaim and fro yaim reue
all yat yai haue and noght yaim leue
all ye gode men of yis world here
Or strange men to proue on yis manere
For yai ar out of yaire cuntre
yat is paradys yar~ yai wold be
yat is ye land and ye eritage
Of gode men yat flees outrage
yai ar gode pilgrims as ye boke telles
For-why yai thynk her~ nothyng elles
Bot make yair iornays day and nyght
Till yai come to yair cuntre right
yere yair right heritage lys
yat is ye Cyte of paradys
ye whilk goddes pilgrms by right ways
sekes ay here as saynt paule says
yat will noght for a-vauntage
Jn yis world here haue heritage
swilk pilgrims yt will passe sykerly
Puttes yaim in gode company
yat ledes yaim right as me may proue
And sykerly in trouth and loue
Trouth to pilgryms schewes ye way
and loue yaim beres nyght & day
Til yai be broght to yat cuntre
yere yair right heretage suld be
On whilk yai sett so fast yair thoght
yat ye way yeder deres yaim noght
he yat hym to swilk company gyues
thar noght drede robbors ne thyues
yat waytes ye stretes yar~ men wyndes
As . j . haue tald yai ar fyndes
yat robbes & tas all yo namly
yat has noght wt hym gode company
All yos yt thurgh sere fandynges
Fulfilles here yair~ wiked 3hernynges
yat promptes yaim in ye fyndes handes
And in hys snares & in hys bandes
Trouth and loue of god almyghty
wt-haldes ye hert stedfastly
<p. 312>And wt-drawes hit fro al wiked yoght
& fro foule will yat hit assent noght
To no syn yat comes ouer-twhert
yus trouth & loue wt-haldes ye hert
right as men dus wt ye faucon
yat to flyght is oft boune
wt ye gesses men haldes hym still
yat he flyghe not aftur hys will
ye hert is as ye faucon to flight
yat fayne wold fle if hyt myght
yat men may hald as men may proue
wt ye gesses of trouth and loue
ye hert oft fleghes perillously
So yat hyt perisshes hit-self yer-by
And falles sone as j . 3ow telle
Jn ye fowlers gyldres of hell
yat is ye fynd yat waytes ay
To take yat foule yf he may
yer-fore ye gode men yt ar wys
Restreynes yair~ willes fro folys
& yair~ 3hernynges fro all yt ill es
thurgh attemperaunce & sobrenes
whar-for senec yt was ye wysman
Says yus as j . shew 3ow can
Jf you loues wele says he
To be sobre and attempre
restreyne yi 3hernynges fro folys
And put a bridell to ye couatys
For as men haldes ye hors agayn
wt a bridel yat wald ryn fayne
yat he ne ga noght at hys will
right so men may hald ye hert still
with ye bridill of sobrenes
And of temperaunce yt syker es
yat hit ne may on nan wys
gyue hyt to worldly couatys
ne till na-n+other vanyte
So suld ye hert restreyned be
YE thrid degre yt men suld hald
Js mesure in wordes & speche cald
For salamon says yat ye wys man
& ye wele lered yt wysdome can
Mesurs all hys wordes ryght
& tempres hys speche wt all hys myght
And saynt jerome says ye gode techer
yus as ye boke may witnes bere
yat by weght of wordes to neuen
js comon@ lyf attempred euen
<p. 313>yat is to say and till vnderstande
Aftur ye wordes of ye tung stirande
Men may knaw who so can
ye wit or ye foly of ye man
And yer-fore ye wys mon of wit
spekes yus & says in holy writ
yat ye wordes yat wys men neuen~
Jn balance arn weghed ful euen
yat is to say yt he yat is wys
hys wordes wehes wt-out fayntys
Jn ye balance of reson@ and skill
And of discrecion@ & noght of will
So yat ye wordes in weghyng
hald ryght mesure in all thynge
hit ben som men of swilk will
yat con noght hald yair tung still
Bot lat ye tung ga whil hyt may~
And gyues no kepe what yai say~
be hyt gode or ill yat yai speke
Or sothe or legh noght yai reke
yo men may wele lykend be
Till a Milne as men may se
yat is wt-outen flod-3ate
yere ye water to ye Mylne has gate
yat ye clowes of ye Milne is cald
yat ye water fro ye whele may hald
yat turnes a-boute & noght blynnes
Ay as ye cours of ye water rynnes
right so comes to yair tung be vse
Jlle wordes as water to ye Milne duse
Bot ye wysmon of gode condicion@
Settes ye clowes of discrecion@
To kepe & hald ye water agayn
Of foule wordes & speches in vayn
And yer-fore says ye wysmon yus
Jn holy writ as ye boke schewes vs
lett not ye water go he says
yat is to say wt-hald always
yi wordes of ill entencion@
At ye clowes of discrecion@
For-why salamon says alswa
he yat lates ye water ga
Ouer hastily agayne skyll
he ys oft cause of mykel jll
Of motes of stryues of other thynges
yat of ye wiked tung oft sprynges
And yer-for~ says ye wysman wele
Jn haly writ as men may fele
<p. 314>Sett yi wordes he says in balance
To wehe yaim euen for all chaunce
And yi mouth a bridil with all
And take kepe yat you noght fall
thurgh yi tung by-fore yi~ face
yat spyse ye where so you gace
who so will noght when he may
wehe hys wordes er he yaim say
Jn ye balance of discrecion@
As yis boke yer-of mas mencion@
he falles in ye handes of hys enmys
yat er ye fyndes yat hym ay spys
when ye enmys yat will duell
On were til yai ha tane ye castell
Fyndes ye 3hates opon wyde
yai entre lyghtly on yat syde
right so ye fyndes yt waytes to wyn
ye castell of ye hert with-jn
when yai fynd open ye mayster 3hate
yt is ye mouth yar yai haue gate
yer-fore says ye prophet Dauy
Jn ye sauter yus oponly
J . haue set he says as j . couthe
gode kepynges vnto my mouthe
Agayn my enmys yt is agayn me
yat is ye fynd yat j . may noght se
ye kepyng of ye mouth is yis
As dd says yat was of hys
Discrecion@ and skill to fele
yat examyns ye wordes wele
yis is ye balance of mesure dyght
of whilk ye wysmon spekes right
yar ye wordes suld be euen layde
and wehed by-for~ er yai wer~ sayde
Men suld knaw yat suthfastnes
Haldes ye balance yat so euen es
For sothfastnes acorde may
ye entenciou@ of ye hert ay
And ye wordes of ye mouth fre
All to-gyders as yai falles to be
So yat ye mouth say noght elles
Bot sothfastnes as ye hert telles
For men suld for no mons loue
Ne for worldly gode yt men may proue
Ne for fauor ne for hatrede
Ne 3het for no drede of dede
loue to folwe suthfastnes
And to say soth when myster es
<p. 315>Ne men suld say no lesyng yan
Ne falshede in word of no man