<County: Suffolk>
<Code: L4266>
<MS reference: Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College 386/606>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 1r>The mygth of ye fader al-mythy
Ye wytt of ye sone al-wytty
The grace & ye goodnesse : of ye holy gost
On god & lord of mythes most
Be wt hus ath hours by-gennengge
& bryng hus til . a good hendengge
And help hus fully at ye dede
And graunt hus heuene blisse til [houre] heuene mode
By-for ony-theng þt euere was wrougth
Or ony by-gennenge was of outh
And by-for her ony tyme gan pas
The same god yt now is euere he was
Yt woneth in heuene : wt-outen drede
Thre personis in hon godhede
For god wele euere wt ye fader~ & ye sone
And wt ye holy gost in on godhed wone
As on god in sbstannce of dwelenge
Serue wt-outen ony by-gennengge
By-gynnyngge of god mythe neuere non be
For he was [euere] on god in trynite
He was euere wyis & ful of wyth
And also as mythy : as he is 3eth
Alle maner myth & wyth : of hym was tane
For neuere no god was but he a-lane
ye same god <ill><1 word></ill> made al ye by-gynnyngge
<fol. 1v>And was ye ferste makere of alle thenge
And thus is god : by-gynhere of alle
And wt-outen by-gynnegge : hus meste hym calle
And hende of alle thengge : wt-outen hende
Seker thus yt is holy wryth contende
For as he was ferst god in ye trinyte
Ryth so is he 3et : & euere-more xal be
And as he ferst by gan alle thenge
So xal he at ye laste : maken hendenge
Of alle thenge bothe in heuene & helle
Of man of deuel : & of aungelle
And after~ ys lyif : yi xullen lyuen ay
And so xal non qwyk theng but pay
As in thes bok : yt is ful contende
Qwo yt wyl it sen : & heren to ye hende
yat god al-mygthy xal ben yan
As he hes now bothe god & man
<lat></lat>
God alle thenge wt hes mygth made he
Wt-otyn hym may no theng be
Alle thenge yt he by-gan & wrouthe
Her yt he yt made yt was al but nougthe
Alle thenge he ordaynede : wt hes wille
And al here kendes <1 letter> dyuerse certayn skille
<fol. 2r>Qwerfore ye creatures : yt here lyuen & be doum
No kende manere of wyth : yi han by resoun
To louen her makere : as ys bok wytnessyth
But in her~ kende : as resoun asketh
For eueryche theng : yt god hath wrougth
Yt folweth ye kende : & paseth yt nought
Loueth hes makere : & hym worchepeth
Jn yt yt he hys kende : by rygth kepeth
Now sen <add>yo</add> two creatures : yt skil hauen man
Louen her makere in ye kende : yt yi han tan
Þanne howeth man : yt hath bothe skil & mynde
To louen hes creature : in al hes kende
And nougth to ben of werse condiconn
Yan ye creatures yt ben wt-outen resoun~
Seker~ manes kende : is to don godes wille
And hes comanndmentes : to ful-fille
For of al yt god made : bothe more & les
Man most pryncipale creature hes
Al yt god made : for man yt was done
As men may heren after-ward sone
God to man-kende : hadde greth loue
Qwan he ordaynde : for manes by-houe
Heuene holly : & al ys werd brade
And mydlerd & yanne man last made
Til hys howen liknesse : in ful fayr stature
<fol. 2v>And also made hym most dyugne creature
By-forn alle othere creatures of kende
And yer-to 3af hym wyth skil & mynde
For to knowyn bothe good & ille
And also 3af hym yer-to : a fre wille
For to chefen : & for to holde
Good other wekke qweder he wolde
Also he ordaynede man for to dwelle
For to lyuen in herthe : wt flech & felle
To knowyn godes werkes : & hym don worchepe
And hes comanndmentes : for to kepe
And yf he be to hes god buxhun
To ye endeles blysse at ye laste to cum
And yf he in ye werd : to wrong lyif wende
To ye peyne of helle : wt-outen hende
But he yt to god . hes lyif wil wele sethe
Gret mede yer-fore he may gethe
And he yt to wikkenesse : sethet hes wil
Schal hauen gret peyne : & yt is skil
Seker yt man is halden for wode
þat taketh ye wykke & leueth ye gode
Sen god made man of most dignete
And of alle othere : creatures most fre
And most he hath 3ouen : & 3et 3eues
Yan to alle othere creatures yt lyues
& 3et mechel more he hat by-hygth yer-to
<fol. 3r>Heuene blisse yf yt yi wil do
And 3et qwan we : hadden don al a-misse
And for hur senne : waren priued of yt blisse
God tok manes kende : for houre sake
& for houre lyif hes deth he gan take
And wt hes blod : he brougth hus a-gayne
To hes blisse from ye hendeles peyne
Thus greth loue god to man kedde
And manye mo benefices . to man he dede
Sekerly ye-fore : yche man lered & lewed
Schulde hy thanke for ye loue þt he hath schewed
And hes benefices halden in her mende
Yt grete god thus dede : to manes kende
And louen hym & thanken : as he kan
Trewely elles he is an hun-kende man
And Seruen hes god bothe day & nygth
And yt he hat 3ouen to man vsont in rygth
And spenden hes wyttes : in godes seruyse
Witterly elles he ys nougth wyse
And knowyn kendelyche qwat god isse
And qwat man is hym-self & nougth mysse
To thenken how wikke man is in soule & body
And how greth yt god is & how mythy
And how man greueth god yt doth nougth wil
And qwat man ys worthy : yt doth noug yer-fore to fil
<fol. 3v>And how mechel merciful & gracious yt god hes
And how large & plenteuons of goodnes
And how rygth-wys & how soothfast
And qwat he doth : to man : & xal at ye last
And qwat he doth yche day : to man-kende
This xulde yche man : hym hauen in mende
For þe rythe wey3e : yt lyith to heuene blisse
And yt ledeth man theder : thes it isse
The way3e of meknesse principaly
Yt is dred & loue to god al-mygthy
For yt may be cald : ye way3e of wisdom
And to yt way3e no [man] may com
Wt-oute knowenge : of hes god here
Of hes mythes & of hes werkes in fere
But her he may to þt knowenge wenne
Hym by-houeth to knowen hym-self wt-enne
Seker elles geteth he no knowenge to cum
To ye rythe wey3e : of meknesse & wysdum
Summe hauen wyth : for-to hunderstande
But 3et yi be recheles : & ful on-kunande
And of summe thenges : yt hauen non knowenge
Yt mythe hem steren to meknesse : & good lyuenge
Sweche men hadden nede of lore yche a day
To ben lerned of hem yt kun more yan yai
<fol. 4r>For to knowyn qwat mythe : hem stere & lede
To meknesse & to loue god & drede
Qweche yt is wey3e & ful good wyssenge
Yat to heuene blisse : may men bryngge
Seker in gret peryle of soule is yt man
Yt hath wyit & mende : & no good can~
And wele nougth lere : for to knawe
Ye werkes of god & godes lawe
Ne ben ware of hem-self nother moste ne leste
But euere leuen as an hun-skilful beste
Yt nother hath wyt ne skil ne mende
Seker yo men lyuen a-3enes her~ kende
For a man is nougth excused for on-kunnengge
Yat hes wyttes vseth nougth : in lernengge
Namely of thenges yt hym bi-falleth to knowe
Yt mythe meken hes herte : & maken yt lowe
And he yt kan nougth xulde hauen wille
For to leren & knowyn bothe good & ille
And he yt kan sum xulde glaly leren mare
For to knowen yt hym nedful ware
for an hun-kunnenge man : wt lernengge
May hym brougth : to ful good hunderstandengge
Of manye thenges to knowen & se
Of thenges yt hath be : & is & xal be
Yt to meknesse mygthe steren hys wille
To loue & dred & for to leuen alle ille
<fol. 4v>For manye ye ben ham lykenge: trifeles to heren
and diuerse vanytes : gladlyche wilen leren
and ben ful besy bothe in word & thouth
to leren thenges yt her soule helpeth nougth
but yt ware to hem ful nedful to knowe
to heren & leren yt yi ben ful slowe
For-yi kunnen nougth knowen ne se
The grete periles yt yi xulden fle
Ne qwyche wey3e yi xulden taken
Ne qwat wey3e yi xulden : for-saken
ye-fore no wonder is : yi he gon wrange
For in merknesse of knowenge yi gange
And wt-outy lygth of hunderstandenge
Of theng yt falleth to rygth-ful knowenge
For eueriche cristene man : & womman
yat rygth-ful wyth & resoun hony kan
þat ye rygth wey3e of resoun : kan nougth taken
Ne flen ye periles yt wyse men for-saken
Schulden ben buxhum : & euere ful besy
To heren & leren wyth : of wise men namely
yt hunderstanden & knowyn by skille
Qwat theng is good : & qweche is ille
he yt ye rythe wey3e : of leuenge wele loke
schulde thus by-gennen : as sayth ye boke
To knowen ferst qwat hym-self hes
So may he sonest com to ye wey3e of meknes

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 29r>3et for yt grete dred sum rysenge mythe be
and sum hope in her herte : of merci & pite
Qwan yi hem by-thouthe : hou heuene so brygthe
ye yt yi xulden dwellen : if yi deden rythe
And trewely thus xulde eueryche creatur~ her~ thenken
Jn qwos herte yt ony grace mythe senken
And trewely yi yt welen nougth thenken on thes
Yi couaytyn for to hauen : non other~ blys
And alle yo yt thenkyn ye werdes lyif so fully goode
Holy wryth telleth yt yi ben cursede or wode
Or elles it is sygne : & gret susspeccounn
yt yi ben fully in ye way3e : of dampnacounn
Now hauen 3e herd on diuerse manere
Of thes werd : & ye werdes condiconnys in fere
Now may men heren as clerkes can rede
Of ye dredful deth : & qwy it is so mechel to drede
Deth is the moste dred yt esse
yn al thes werd as bokes beren witnesse
For in thes werd : is no creature lyuande
Yt it is of ye deth euere-more dredande
And frel flen ye deth euere qwyles yi may
But ath ye laste alle we ben ye dethes pray
Bothen strengthe : & bewte : deth wele a-bate
And sone he schaungeth mygth in-to pouere a-state
For a-3en deth may no man stonde
Qwer-euere he cometh in ony londe
A-3enes deth qwan he cometh helpt no maner mede
Ther may lordchepe ne lawe : helpen : wt no dede
<fol. 29v>For al yt lyif hath : by-houeth ye deth to fil
And ye-on shulde we thenken ful wil
But by ye name of deth men may tane
Ful hunderstandenge : of mo il dethes yan ane
For as grete clerkes in dyuerse bokes reden
Thre manere of dethes ben . yt men sore dreden
yt on is bodili deth : by kende it is nougth les
An other is gostly deth : ye thredde : is hendeles
But bodili deth yt is euere ful kendely
Qwan manes soule departeth : from ye body
And trewely yt deth is bothen bittere : & harde
As thes bok ye-of telleth afterwarde
And gostly deth is a departenge thour senne
by-twyxen manes sowle grete god : & manes soule wt-enne
For as ye soule is ye lyif : of yche body
Rygth so ye lyif of iche soule : is god al-mygthy
and rygth as manes body : wt-outen dowthe
ys fully ded : qwan yt ye soule is houte
Rygth so ye soule of man : is ded al-so
Qwan yt god is departed : for senne ye-fro
For qwer yt senne is : ye is ye deuel of helle
And ye yt ye deuel is : god : wil nougth dwelle
For dedly senne ye deuel : & god of scharite
Trewely in on place to-gedere : yi may nougth be
For qwan a soule : is wounded wt dedly senne
Good paseth yane hout : & ye deuel cometh henne
Trewely a-for god yanne : yt soule is dede
Qwiles yt dedly senne & ye deuel dwellen in yt stede
Rygth as a . manes bodi here : may ben slayne
wt scharpe wepenes : yt man can hordayne
<fol. 30r>Rygth so is manes soule slaygne : thour senne
And yanne by-houeth god : & yt departen on twenne
Thus is gostly deth to dreden : mechel mare
yan bodily deth : yt no creature wil spare
For as mechel as manes soule namely
ys mechel more worthy : yan ys ye body
For-yi a manes soule : thour~ senne be ded
From ye sythe of god : yt is manes hed
3et may it lyuen a-3en : & wt penannce ben pynde
And ye bod ye-of take [sorwe] & repentannce by kynde
But of bodily deth here : is non 3en-turnenge
For of herthely lyif : it is ye laste hendenge
And ye rythe hentre & ye way3e it hes
To ye io3e or peyne : yt is hendeles
And yi a soule wt senne be slaygne
3et it may thour grace of god qweken a-gayne
And alle ye gostly woundes : yt it hath thour senne
Repentaunce & penaunce :may it hely wit henne
For god is gracious & so mygthy
And so ful of goodnesse & of mercy
To turnen to senful man : euere redyee is he
Trewely yan ony man here to hym wil be
For-yi ye bodily deth yt sore wil greuen
hes hordaygned to alle creatures yt here lyuen
The deth of manys soule : god wolde nougth sen
Of non cristene creature : if yi in senne ben
For ye lyif of manes soule : more god payeth
Yan ye deth . & ryght so hym-self sayth
<lat></lat>
<fol. 30v>God sayth j . wil nougth ye deth : of senful man
But yt he be turned to ye betere : & lyue yan
Thus may senful man : yt her~ soule han slayne
Ben turnede thour godes grace : & lyuen a.-gayne
But hendeles deth : yt is ye deth of helle
Sekerly yt deth is most bittere : & felle
helle is most halden : an hedous & an orible sted
and it is ful of peynes : & hendeles ded
And ful of brenengge deth : yt neuere xal blenne
and non creatur~ may dey3en : yt is ye-henne
Yf yi mythen deyhen ye-hen : as a body here may
Of alle yo brenenge peynes : dyleyuered yi waren yay
But yi xul felen yere : manye dethes brayde
And euere-more lyuen ye-wt : as clerkes han sayde
For ye deth of helle : is euere more deyhande
And it is a care-ful deth : euere-more leuande
ye deth of helle is nougth elles to say
But brennengge paynes & sorwes yt lasten ay
Þt soules schullen felen wt-houten hende
Alle yi yt to yt orible place schul wende
And bodily deth here : dreden fully men many
For two dyuerse skillis : most pryncipaly
hon is for ye grete peyne : yt we hauen in fere
Qwan deth hus a:-sayleth : & fully sleth hus here
and other~ is for houre lyif is brougth to an hende
And we weten nougth : qwether~ we xul wende
Trewely we ben in dowte : & hun-certayne
Qwether~ we xul wenden to ioy3e or payne
But how yt euere we yanne : schullen fele or fare
<fol. 31r>Trewely ye peyne of ye deth : is fel & sare
And ye-fore . al yt of hes deth : haueth ony mende
Ful gretly dredeth hes deth : by kynde
And so it semeth : as sayth ye bok
Yt crist hym-self . dede : in ye manhed yt he tok
For a.-for~ yt he schulde dey3en : on ye rode
For dred of hes deth : he swatte water & blode
For he wiste her he to his deth schulde pas
Qwat ye harde peyne of ye deth was
And by othere dyuerse skilles : men may weten ful+wil
Yt ye peyne of deth is hard to fil
For trewely of deth : many men hauen mechel wonder~
For alle maner of thenges : it bresteth & breketh a-sunder~
And it skulketh a-way : & it stalketh by dyuerse way3es
And ye-to ful holy man : thus he say3es
<lat></lat>
The holy man sayth : yt deth hendeth alle thenge
And of alle ye creatures lyif : he maketh hendenge
And also deth is so sley & so fully preue
yt no creature openliche may hym se
And for yt non creature : may hym sen openly
Ye-fore may no man : knowen ne weten fully
Ne no creature may ymagen : qwat deth hes
Ne of qwat schap : ne of qwat lykenes
But qwat yt deth is : ye bok : wil 3ow say
Qwa yt wele weten : trewelyche he may
Deth is nougth elles to sayn : qwo wile hunderstanden trewely
But a . departenge by-twyn manes soule : & ye body
As ye bok witnesseth : & clerkes by-forn han sayde
<fol. 31v>Yt departenge of ye soule : is cald ye dethes brayde
And also a . priuacounn : of iche creatures lyif
Qwan deth departeth : ye body & soule in stryif
As man by an exaunple : may knowyn ful wil
Yt merknesse is nougth ful kynde to fil
For in euery place qwer~ no lygth esse
Ther euere-more properliche merknesse
Rygth so by kende skil : ye deth is nougth elles
But a priuenge of lyif as grete clerkes telles
For in qwat lyif creatur~ : yt ye lyif fayleth
Ther is ye deth & hym yanne : a-sayleth
Foure skilles clerkes fynden ful a.-pertly
Qwy yt men xulden dreden : ye deth principaly
hon is for yt ye peyne of deth : is so felle
And so mechel more greuous : yan ony man can telle
And eueryche creature most it felen : wt-enne
Qwan ye body & þe soule : schulden parten on twenne
An-other skil is for ye sythes : yt yi schul sen
Of deueles : yt a-bowten hem yanne xul ben
The thredde skil for ye grete a.-countes yt we xul 3elde
Of al houre lyuenge : bothen : in 3ougthe & helde
The ferste skil is : for we ben ful hun-certayne
Qwether we xul wenden : to yo3e or payne
And qwo-so to these foure skilles wil taken hede
he hauthe ful gretly : ye deth sore drede
Ferst we haugthen to dreden ye deth in houre herte
For ye peyne ye-of : is so ouer-bittere & smerte
Ath houre laste schone : qwan we schul make hende