<County: Shropshire>
<Code: L4239>
<MS reference: Oxford, Trinity College 16A>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 14r>But an olde mon . to deth drawyng
May not wake . But is ay slepyng
Men sey þt . al þys tokenes here
Bune of a+mon . when deth is nere
Whil mon leueth . he is lyke mon
When he is ded . wat . is he þan
Þenne mouwe men . here lykenes se
Changed . as hit had neuer y-be
Whenne monnes lyf . is at þe ende
On þys manere . Schal he wende
As he com . naked an ful porly
Þe furste deay . from his modur body
No3t he bro3t . With hym þt day
Ny no3t . þenne schal he bere away
But a+wyndeyng . cloth only
Þt . schal . be in . wrapped his body
¶ Wrecchetdly endeth . þe lyf of mon
3ef he by-holde . Wat he ys þan
When þet his lyf . ys went away
Þenne ys he no3t But . erþe an clay
To more corupconn . terneth he a3ayn
Þenn any oþer . styngyng careyn
Þe foule corupconn of . his Body
3ef hit schulde . longe on erþe ly
hit my3te þe erþe . so corupte make
Þt men þerof . here deth my3t take
So vile hit is . and violent
Therof þe grete . clerke jnnocent
Seyth in his . book þus openly
Of þe wrecchednes . of monnes body
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he seyth wat may strenger Be
Þen monnes careyn . ys onto se
<fol. 14v>No þynke here . is more vgley
Þen is a+monnes . dede body
Whenne hit . is leyde in erthe denne
Hit alt[o]gn[a]wen . schen wormes þenne
Tyl þe flehs . be from þe bones byten
For þus fynde we . hit in bookes rwyten
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Þe booke seyth . þt whenne a+mon
Dyeth þer schel . come to hym þan
Wormes and nedderes . vgly of sy3t
Þat flesche of mon . schel haue By ry3t
Þerfore in erþe mon schal slepe
Among wormes . on . hym to crepe
And gnawen on . þet stynkyng carcoyse
As wreten ys . jn Booke þt seyse
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Jn pouder schal slepen . 3euuer eyche mon
And mony wormes . schel keuere hym þon
For hyer is no . mon so wytty
so whyt so feyr . ny so my3ty
Emperoure . duck . kyng ny kaysere
Ny non þt bereþ . gret state here
Lered ny lewed . bonde ny fre
Nor riche nor pore . wat so þey bee
But he schal . at his laste day
To erþe and pouder . al a-way
Wormes schul . ryue hit al in synder
An þerfore hauy Myche wonder
Þt any mon vnnethe . wol see
What he was . ys and schal be
Ho-so wol in herte caste
wat he was . and schal be at þe laste
And wat he is . whel he ys here
<fol. 15r>He schulde haue fulytel . matere
Ioy to make . whel he hyr dwelleþ
As a versfeyer . in intere+telleth
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Woso wol vnderstonde and se
Wheþenne he com and whedor schelde he
he schelde not . yoye But hyt forsake
And 3euuer wepe . and sorow make
Why ys mon her . so+mery
And so tender . on his foule Body
Þat schal . be gnawen . wiþ wormes kene
And is þenne so . attly to be senne
Whoso of hym þenne . hade a+sy3t
Whanne þt wormes . han hym dy3t
And he al bare . ys to þe bon
So gresly sy3t . say neuur mon
As he my3te se . on þat careyn
Wherof scent Bernard . her wel seyn
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After mon he seyth .wormes he ys
And after worm . stynke and attelynes
So schal eyche mon . turned be þanne
Fro mon to no3t . in-to no monne
Þes may eyche+mon . wely se
Wat he ys was . and schal be
Wat he ys her . wyl þt he leueth
And wat fryt . his kynde 3euueþ
Her may men se . as wreten ys
Mychyl of monnes . wrechednes
And meche more . 3et my3te me telle
But her on wol y not lenger dwelle
Forþer-more . now . woly loke
<fol. 15v>To þe . secounde parte . of þs booke
Jn þe wheche þer ys . vnderstondyng
Off þe world . and of worldly þyng
The secounde party folewyng is
Off þe worldes vnstabulnes
WOrldes alle whenne . god by-gon
Wonly made he . for loue of mon
And alle þynges . as clerkes proue
Made wer þey . to monnes byhoue
Setþe he þe worlde . and alle þyng wro3t
To monnes Byhouue . þan oede he no3t
To loue þe world ny . his Body .
More þan oure lord . god al-my3ty
Ny 3et so meche . and þat is les
For 3ef he doth . vnkynde he ys
God were more . worth to be louet
Þenne alle creatoures . and so byhouueth
For he ys maker of . alle þyng
And of alle cryatoures . Bynnyng
¶ But mony her Ben . þt 3eueth hem mykyl
To þys world þt . is so swykel
And louen alle þyng . þt to hem falleth
sucht men worldly . Men men calleth
Þt here lyf most . on þe worlde setteþ
For þat þe loue . of oure+lord letteh
Þerfore schulde mon hym kepe
From worlde+lyf and veyn worchepe
By wordlely lyf . and vanyte
Mon may at þe laste . forbarered be
Of Blessed worlde . wher gret yoy ys
Wheche mon schul . haue and lyef endeles .
Þt doth to god her . þt hym falleþ
Of worldely recheys . þt þe . world calletþ
¶ But þe wo<exp>rd</exp>lde . þt god wolde maken
<fol. 16r>To monnes by-ho<exp>u</exp>ue . þat . y . 3er of spake
Þa3 hit Be taken . generaly
Mo þan on may hit synefy
A clerke þt hatte . Bertelamew
Seyde to wordes . Buth to scheuwe
Þt þe elementes and . þe heuenes
Alle conteyneth as . þe boke nemnes
And alle creatoures . þt god wro3te
So þt wytþ-outen . hem ys no3te
Þat on gostly in-visybel and clene
Þat oþer Bodyly . is and may+be seyne
Þe gostly worlde . men may not se
Heuene wher god . sitteth in trinyte
And þe nynne order . of aungeles
With holy spirit þt . þer-in dwelles
Þydur schen we comen . an lyuen ay
3ef þet we holden . þe ry3t way
Þat world wes mad . for monnes wonyng
Among aungeles . in gret lykyng
As clerkes moune her . lewed men telle
3euuer more jn . forte dwelle
Her-on wol y no lenger stonden
For after cometh þs . matere on honde
Lyed forth on a god salue
Þat oþer world þt . men moun se
Jn-to partes deuysede . may be
Þat bodily þyng . may hit By-holde
And eyþer parte a worlde . ys tolde
And boþe men may . se an cnowe
Þat on ys he3 . þt oþer ys lowe
Þe he3er ys from þe mone euene
To þe he3est<smudged> sterre of heuene
þt world ys boþen bry3t and feyr
And not corupte wyth vnclene eyre
<fol. 16v>With sterres and . planytes schynyng
And dyuers synes and not elles wonyng
And þe worlde þt lower wol falle
Conteyneth þe elementes alle
Wher men wonmen in diuerse londes
Þet on þe erþe . a-boute hit stondes
Jn with þys worlde ys wele and wo
And chaundyng ofte . to and froe
Þat softe ys to . summe to summe ys hard
As men . moune . here her+afterward
¶ Þys worldes bothe at goddes wylle
Wer made to mon for serteyn skylle
Þe he3est world þt . passeþ alle þyng
Wes mad to monnes . endeles wonyng
For eyche+mon schal haue þer a+plasee
And wonen in joy . 3ef he haue grace
For hit was mad . to oure auantage
And . for oure oune ry3te erytage
¶ þat oþer world . þat is lowere
Ys þe sterres and planyttes here
God ordeynede . hit oure Bihouue
By þys skylle þet y+schale proue
Fro þenne þe eyre . ande sonne
Noreschen þe erþe wher we wone
And al susteyneth þt freyt bereth
And comforteþ mon . an Best þt leueth
Hit tempereth . oure kynde and complexcioune
And tyme of 3er setteth . in sesoune
And ly3teth vs her . wher we dwelleth
Elles þe world were merke as helle
Þe bodyes þer-of in here kynde
Os schewen ensampel to hauen in mynde
To serue god in or kyde here
As þey don þere in here manere
¶ Þe lowest worlde 3eke ys mad for+mon
For þys skyle as clerkes . schewen kon
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 47r>For þo synnes þat þow hast don her
Þerfore suche as god wol vouche saue
Þat þow schalt her sucht neyes haue
Outher for þy synne or þe to fonde
Touheiwe<?> hiim<extra minim> þenne of alle his sonde .
And tak mekely þt god þe sent
And fle alle þo þynges þt he for-fende .
For by ney3es and angeres sere
He maketh a ma<exp>y</exp>keth a+mon his prisoun here
To sauere peyne for his foly
Jn his lyef as he is worthy
3ef he thole no3t grucchande
For his penaunce hit may hym stande
¶ And god wol more 3ete to hym do
He wol 3efe him mede þerto
Þat is þe ioye in heuene to eche
3ef he hit thole with herte meke
And ofte als-so almes dede
And naked clothe an hongery fede
And oþer werkes of mersy wyrche
After þe techyng of holy chyrche
And cepe hym to his lyues ende
From synne þenne schal his soule wynde
To blysse and ly3tly passe alle peyne
Of purcatory þis is serteyne
Her han 3e herd on þys wyse
Enymies þet arn þus spesceuyse
What helpeth soules in purcatori
NOW schule 3e here þe helpe serteyn
For hem ˆ <mrg>þt arn</mrg> in purcatoryes peyne
Soules þt to purcatory wendes
Mayi be holpen with goode frendes
Þat almes doth an for . hem preyeth
As þe holy mon seynt austyn seyth
Deuyne men schulden on+no manere
Þat þe soules of dede men her
Of here peyne mowne relesed be
But by frundes leuyng her þt han pete
For all þat men her don lasse and more
For þo soules þet dwellen pore
Encreth not in heuene here mede
<fol. 47v>But from peyne to heuene hem spede
Foure helpes þe arn genralle
Þat in purcatory helpeth soules alle
Þat is preyer and eke fastyng
Allmes dede and masse syngyng
¶ on too maneres clerkes con see
How soules fro þe peyne holpen may bee
Þat won by way of grace is
Þat oþer By way of Ry3twesnes
¶ By wey of grace on too manere
As wretoun jn þys boke here
By prey3er to cryst þt is oure hed
Whenne he is of-fered in forme of bred
Jn prestes hondes at þe messe
Whenne þe sacurment mad is
¶ By prey3er of his lemes als-so
Holy men þet toward . hym go
Þus may þe soule in purcatory
Thor3e wey of grace spescyaly
Delyuered be of peyne þat leres
With messe and holy mennes pre3eres
By Ry3tewesnes may . helpyng Be
On too maneres os men may see
Won to By penaunce þt her sore greueth
With almes þat men to þe pore 3eueth
¶ Anoþer By ascheth trew makyng
By penaunce of frendes and fastyng
Þus may þe soule as bookes wittenes
Be holpen By wey of Ry3wesnes
Ry3t os a mon þt is in presonne
Til he haue pay3ed serteyn raunsoune
Delyuered may be and bro3t a-way
By frundes þet for . hym wol pay
Jn þys wyse may soules þat wendes
From purcatory ben holpe By frendes
Bute summe mounn helpe and summe mounn no3t
Soules þt to purcatory arn Bro3t
Þorthe hem mounne þey holpe be
Þat her leuen in ry3t charyte
But help of hem þet charyte fayleth
To þe soule no thyng a-vayleth
<fol. 48r>For alle we arn lymes of on body
Þat her Ben and in purcatory
And as we euche day sune here
A body haue mony lymes sere
And eyche on of hem buth lasse and more
May helpe oþer þt feleth sore
But 3ef on dye his my3t mot fayle
Þat lym may not þat oþer avayle
So hit is in þe same wyse
By hem þat purcatory lyse
And By vs her 3euue men mounn calle
Sothly os ˆ <mrg>of</mrg> on Body lymes alle
Who soe into dedly synne is Bro3t
And charite in herte haþ no3t
He nys . But ded in soule with-inne
Jeuer whyl he is in dedly synne
All . his help is þenn jn veynne
To þo soules þt is in peyn
But neuur þe latur 3et þa3 he be
Jn synne and out of charyte
3et may he helpe þo soules þus
To pore to 3euuen her almes
For here prey3er spescialy
May helpen þo soules in purcatory
¶ 3et may Bysyness and trauayle
Of summe suynfule men men a-vayle
3ef by byddyng hit don be
Of frunde þt is in charyte
For þe dede þt hase most nede
Off prey3er and of almes dede
Þat thyng helpeth þe soule sone
For his sake þat made hit done
Þat jn herte hath charyte knyt
And not for his sake þet doth hit
¶ Þys may Be-falle y . vnderstonde
By-twene a lord and his seruaunde
Þer os þe lorde is Ry3twys
And þe seruaunde vsedh folyes
3ef þe seruaund do a good þyng
At þe lordes oune Byddyng
Auentes þe seruaunt þau3 hit be ded
<fol. 48v>Anentes þe lorde hit stondes in styde
But and þey bothe in charyte wore
Þe soule were holpen wel þe more
¶ Als-so . a preste þau3 þat he Be
Synful and oute of charyte
He is a munyster of holy chyrce
The sacrament vpon þe auter to worche
Wheche is neuuer þe les of my3t
Þa3e þe prest leue not a-ry3t
For þa3 a pruste þt syngeth masse
Be neuuer so ful of wykkednesse
Þe sacurment þet is hooly
Js not enpeyred þor3 his foly
Soules from peyne messe may Brynge
All-þau3 a synful pruste hit synge
Jn goddes nome he syngeth þe messe
Vnder . wham . in order he ys
¶ But spescyale preyres with god entent
Þat arn made By-fore þe sacurment
Of a good pruste arn wel better
Þan of an euuel and wel swetter
But offeryng of goddes body
Helpeth þe soule in purcatory
For-þy hit semeth þet messe-syngynge
May helpe soules from helle to brynge
Þat passeth hene in charyte
And in purcatory clensed schune . be
To men þt dampnet Buth for-3euur
Masse ny prey3er helpeth neuur
For ry3t as dede lymes ben þey
Þat hewen wern fro þe Body a-wey
And as no thynge may helpe kyndely
Þo lymes þt hewen be from þe body
Ry3t soe all þe helpe þt mon con telle
A-vayleth not hem þat Buth in helle
¶ But frundes her on sum wyse
Helpeth hem þt arn in paradyse
And hem als-so þat in purcatory dwelleth
A gret clerk in a boke þus telleth
Þat almes dedes and mennes Bedes
<fol. 49r>Þeo soules helpeth in al þer stedes
Hem . þey auayle in purcatory
Hem . oute to Spede þe more hastely
Hem . þey auayle in heuene þat here
Hem . to multeplen wel þe sannere
The . moe þey gederen in-to þet place
The . more here ioy is and here solase
Tho . þey a-uaule þat arn in helle
The . las þt come þyder to dwelle
The . fewer þat comen þyder for synne
The . lesce peyne þey han þer-jnne
The . moe soules þt theder wyndeth
The . more peyne þey haue with fundes
Ths . may help a-vayle by skyle
The . soules þat dwelleth jn hell style
And þo soules jn heuene nomely
And to þo soules jn purcatory
But helpe may non from peyne spede
But hem þet han charyte and drede
But jn heuene non nede may bee
Ny als jn helle nys noon charyte
Tho soules þey hauen boþe two
Jn purcatory and jn þat place woo
And 3et as a+mon may her with honde
Make degre for an-noþer þt is lyuande
Wheche is not ouur-pore þer-too
Ry3t so may mon for þe dede doo
¶ Tho soules þt to parodyse be goon
Nede of helpe her haue þey non
3ef mon for hem her do any good dede
Hit may hem helpe þet haue nede
Oure helpe her don spescyaly
Auayleth þo soules in purcatory
Summe more and summe lesse
After þat þay Ben jn worthynesse
And aftur þat charyte is cler
Of hem þat Buth leuyng her
But whene mon from heþen schal flytte
None serteyn her may wette
To purcatory wheþer he wyende
<fol. 49v>To blysse or peyne with-outen ende
¶ 3et clerkes seyeh þt summe good an profyte
Tat after deth arn dampnet tytte
For happyngly þey Buth euuel with-jnne
And passen awey jn dedly synne
Summe synful semen as þey deden mys
Tat schune be saue and wynde to blysse
Happly by-fore here ˆ <mrg>laste</mrg> endyng
Þey han a-mended here euul leuyng
Of þis no mon may serteyn be
For hit is goddes preuyte
But we susspose and trouwen ay
Þat þo Buth saf and jn good way
That we sun good werkes worche
Jn ful Byleue of holy chirche
And we schun prey3e boþe loude an stylle
For alle soules so charyte wylle
¶ Alle men may whi synge men messe
For a 3oung child þet her ded is
That of prey3er hath noon nede
For hit coude don neuuer synfel dede
For þis may be þe skyle whi
God to worschipe principaly
And for þe vsage of holy chirche
Þat offyes for dede þer to worche
For 3et may þat jn sum cass
The soule helpe þat nede haas
Her haue 3e herd By good wittenesse
Hou almes . prey3er . penaunce . and masse
Þat By frendes Be don serteyne
Mayi . helpe soules þer arn jn peyne