<County: Essex>
<Code: L6330>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Douce 157>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>



<Tranche 1>

<fol. 29r>Whan þe soule from þe body skyppes
As saiþ seint John in þe apocalipses
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He saiþ þe dede be blessed ry3t
Þat deyeþ in god. ful of my3t
Bot alle 3if holy+men may deye wele
3et þe peyne of deþ behoueþ hem to fele
Þat is more þan man can ymagyne
Whan þe soule and þe body schal twynne
Þe wheche þei schul drede a partye
Þorugh mankynde or ell were folye
For cryste hymself 3it had drede
Of deþ þorugh kynde of his manhede
Þan au3t evy man as bifore is sayde
Drede þat bytter deþes brayde
The seconde skyll as before is redde
Why þat deþ is so gretly dredde
Jt is for þe gresyly sy3t of fendes
Þat a+man seeþ whan hese lyf endes
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For whan þe lyf schal passe fro man
Þe feendes schal gadre a-boute hym þan
To rauyse þe soule wyth hem away
To peyne of hell 3if þat þey may
As wode lyouns þei schall fare
And raumpe on hym and grenne and stare
And enforce hem at his laste endyng~
Hym in wanhope for to bryng~
Þorugh þretyng~ þt þay þan schall make
And þorugh þe ferdenes þat he schall take
Þat sy3t he schal se with ey3e
Wt peynes of deþ þat he schal dreye
And here of þe prophete Jeromye
Spekeþ þus in hese prophecye
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He saiþ amonge all hese anguyse
On hym schal gedre all hese ennemyes
No wonder it is if þe fendes þan
Gadre to þe ende of synfull man
<fol. 29v>For in þe lyf of seynt bernard
We rede when he drow3 to dede ward
Þe fende þat is gresyly and grymme
Come to hym and axed of hym
Be what skylle he wold and be what ry3t
Chalange þe kyngedome of heuen bry3t
Þan answerd he þus mekely
And sayde . J . knowe . J . am nou3t worþy
Þorght my desert to haue it
Whan . J . shall oute of þis werld flytte
Bot my lord ihesu cryste ful of my3t
Þat it haþ frelye þorgh double ry3t
Þorugh þe ry3t fader es herytage
And also to oure gret auantage
Þorugh þe ry3t of hese passyoun
Þat he tholed for oure raumsoun
Þe tone ry3t frely he gaf to me
Þe toþer to hym-self helde he
Of whose gyft . J . chalange it be ry3t
As þe lawe of hys mercy and my3t
And whan þe fende herd hym þus say
All disconfyte he vanyste a-way
And þe holy+man whan þis was done
Turned ageyn to hym-self sone
And 3alde þe gost to god and dyed
And sone þe soule to heuene flyed
Þan semeþ it wele þat god wele þus
Suffre þe fende appere to vs
Jn tyme of deþ . at oure laste ende
Whan we schal oute of þis werld wende
Syþþe þat holy men þat leued ry3t
My3t nou3t passe wyth-oute þat sy3t
Ne goddes moder þat he louede mare
Wolde nou3t fro þat sy3t here spare
Bot he graunted here at here askyng~
Þat in þe tyme of here deyeng~
Þay schuld no power haue here to dere
Ne þe sy3t of hem here schuld not fere
And 3et hym-self god spared nou3t
<fol. 30r>For at hese deþ to hym þe fende sou3t
Jn hese manhede for so he walde
Þus say þay þat be clerkes calde
Þan be we certayne wt-oute were
At oure last ende þei schall apere
Bot a gret peyne to vs schal bee
Þe si3t of hem whan we hem see
For þey be so gresily as sayþ þe book~
And so horryble vp-on to looke .
Þat all þe men here-of medeleerde
Of þat si3t my3t þan be aferd
Bot in þis lyf here may no man
Se hem in þe fourme þat þay haue þan
For if þay hadde so large powere
Jn suche fourme to schewe hem here
Out of wyt men wold þay affray
So horryble and gresily euere be þay
Bot in suche fourme as . j . vnderstand
Þay schewe hem nou3t to men leuand
Bot to hem whanne þe deþ is nere
For god haþ restrayned here powere
Þat þay may no+man tempte ne greue
For þer forþ þan þay haue leue
Now wele j schewe 3ou a party why
Þat þay ben so gresyly
For whan þey were bry3t angelles
As þei be now þat in heuene dwelles
Fro þat place for synne þey fell
And become foule deueles of hell
And foule desfugured hem þorugh synne
Þat þei were fyled and hardened wt-inne
Had þay nou3t synned þay hadde bene
Bry3t angelles as þay were ere sene
And now be þey foule and grysely
Þorugh fyllyng of synne namely
Þerfor saiþ clerkes of gret conyng~
Þat synne is so foule a þyng~
Þat 3if a+man my3t se hese synne
Jn þe kynde lyknes þat it falleþ jnne .
<fol. 30v>He schuld for derkenes soner flee
Þan for any deuele þat he my3t see
Here may men se and vnderstande
How foule synne is and how fylande
Bot men knowe no3t what it is
For-þi þay drede it wele þe lesse
Syþen þe deuele haþ take hese foule lyknesse
Of þe filthe of synne þat so filyng es
Þan awyth þe soule of a man wt-jnne
Be ry3t foule þat is defouled wt synne
Forþy a man au3te where-so he wendes
More drede synne þat si3t of fendes
Whan þay appere at hese laste day
Hese synne schal be fouler þan þay
Of wheche man wele nou3t hym schryue
Ne repente hym in hese lyue
The þredde skyll is to vnderstondyng~
Why he schuld drede þe deþes comyng~
As for þe rekenyng~ þt is streyte and hard
Of alle oure lyf so frowarde . /
Þat we schall 3elde in godes sy3t
As wele of wrong~ . as of ry3t
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Of alle þyng þat euere we wrou3t
Of werke . of woorde . of wyll . of þou3t
And of all oure þat <add>[a]</add> tyme þat passeþ a-way
On-to oure laste endynge day
Alle schull be þan schewed and sene
Gode and euell boþe foule and clene
And be reherced as þe book says vs
Be-twene angelles and fendes hedous
Þei schull dispute þan of all oure lyue
Wt grete discorde and full gret stryue
Þe angeles schall reherce þe gode
Þe fende þe euele wt ful gret mode
All þe werkes þat euere we wrou3t
Be-twene hem þan schall be oute sou3t
<fol. 31r>Boþe euery þou3te and euery wyll
Wheþer þat þey be good or yllee
And euery word þat we haue spoken
Þat good or euell my3t be-tokene
All schall be reherced lesse and more
Betwen hem þan as . j . sayde ore
Þan schall we boþe here and see
All þe preuytees þat euere dede wee
Þer-for saiþ cryste in þe gospell
On þis manere als . j . wele 3ou tell
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Noþyng he saiþ is hydde hy3e ne lawe
Þat it ne schall be schewed and knawe
Þan most we a-byde we may nou3t flee
Tyll all oure lyf discussed bee
And alle oure dedes boþe gode and yll
Schall be discussed . at goddes wyll
Þan schall we se oure synne holy
And what we be . þerfor worþy
Þan schall we knowe and se in sy3t
Wheþer we haue do wrong~ or ry3t
And wheche we dede parfytely here
And wheche we dede on euell manere .
Wrecched soule he saiþ what schalt yu say
Whan yu partest fro þe body a-way
Þan be-houeþ þe rekenyng~ to 3elde
Of all þi lyf boþe 3ouþe and elde
How yu haste ledde here thy lyfe
And how yu hast i-spended þi wyttes fyfe
Þan schall weleaway be þi song~
For you þi tyme here spentest wrong~
Jn werke . in woord in þou3t in wyll
Whan you schulde speke you helde þe styll
To greue god you haddest no drede
Þu haste done many synfull dede
Bot whan you seest alle þi trespasse
Þan schalt þou synge Allas allas
Be you lered or be you lewed
Þi synnes schall be þan to many schewed

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 81r>The bodyes of synfull . þat loude schall shryke
And for þay wolde nou3t take
Holy techyng~ for goddes sake .
Þerfor þe fendes . schall bete hem þare
Wyþ . hoote . jrne hameres . and none spare .
The . x. peyne . is þat neuere shall blynne
Þe harde knawyng~ . of conceynce wt in
For wt.-jn shal þe woorme . of concyence hem . frete
As wt-oute shul woormes . gresyly . and grete
So . shall . þay be gnawe wiþ-oute doute
Euere wyþ.-jn . and . also wyþ.-oute .
Full moche sorwe . shall þan be in hell
Among~ . þe synfull . þat þere shull dwell
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For þay . shall . euere . cry. and say
Allas. allas. and . wayleaway
Why wolde we neuere. before trowe
Þat sorwe and payne. is here nowe
Þan. shall þay. playne. hare wyckednes
And. þus. say. as. in. book . wreten es
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What. avayleþ vs pryde. þay. shall say
What bostynge . of ryches . and ryche . aray
Alle . þat pompe . as we se now
Jt passeþ . awey as . a . shadow .
And as . a messangere . before rennynge
And as . a . shyppe . þat goþ in water flowynge
And. as . a . fowle . fleynge in þe aeyre wt wynd
Of whoso . weyes . men may . no trace fynde
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Þus . shall . hare pompe . away. pas
And be . as . þynge . þat neuere was
Þan shall hem þynk . whan . all is a-way
All hare lyf. bot. an. oure . of. a .day
<fol. 81v>Had þay neuere so longe leued here
Þan may. þay. say. on. þis manere
Ry3t now . borne we were . in world to be
Ry3t now in halle . and chambre . lykyng were we
Ry3t now we deyed . and passed a-way
Ry3t . now . we be in helle boþe ny3t and day
And for-why . þat concyence . stered hem nou3t
To for-sake heire synne . þat þay had wrou3t
Bot fulfylled euere here hare fleshly wyll
Þarfor . it . is . boþe ry3t . and good skyll
Þat hare concyence. gnawe hem wyþ-in
Euere-more in hell . for hare stynkyng syn .
The . xi . payne . is . wepynge . of terys
As þe book sheweþ . of sorwe . þat þere is
For-why . wyþ grete colde . and hete
Þat þay shal souffre þai shal euere wepe
And þe terys . fro hare ey3en shall renne
As dropes . of reyne . þat falleþ on men .
How moche water as shal falle þan .
Fro a mannes ey3e . may þenk no man .
For-why . þai shal be euere wepynge
And hare teerys . euere rennynge
And water fro hare ey3en . renne so fast
Þat hare wepynge . so longe shall last
Þat in alle þe werld here. as . j . wene
Js nou3t . so moche water sene
As fro hare ey3en . shal fall euere . among
So fast þay shall wepe . and so long~ .
Wharfore seynt Austyne . saiþ vs þus
Whose woordes . bee . autentyke . to vs
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Jn hell . he saiþ . mo terys shall bee
Of þe synfull wepte . þan dropes in þe see
For water of hare ey3en so fast so gret hede
Þat þe water þat þan shall doun renne
Fro hare ey3en . shal hem . skalde and brenne .
<fol. 82r>For it . shall be hatter þan . euere was
Mostyne led or wellynge bras
As men . haue herd . grete clerkes tell
Þat haue discryued . þe paynes of hell
And for-why þat þay . had here lykyng~
Jn hare synne . and neuer for þynkyng~
Ne sorwe wolde make . bot þou3t it swete
Þer-for þay . shull in hell euere . wepe
And wyþ . hare terys . be skalded þere
To . encrece . hare . payne . as . j . sayde ere
The . xii . payne . is . shame . and shendeschepe
Þat þe synfull . shall haue in . helle depe
Of euery . synne þat þay . here wrou3t
Þare it shall be knowe. and soþely þou3t
All synnes . of þouþ . of woord . and werk
As saiþ seynt Austyne þat worþy clerk
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All hare synnes in hem-self shewed shall bee
And þay . shull nou3t hem . hyde ne <exp>see</exp> flee .
Þay shall haue shame . for hare synnes þore
To encrece here sorwe . þat shall be more
Þan euere . had man here . in þou3t
For velony . þat he euere wrou3t
Foule shame . þai shall haue ny3t and day
Þat . neuer shall passe . fro hem . away
Þan . may . þay . say . þus . euery why3te
As . þe prophete . saiþ in þe sawter ry3t
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Þat . is my shamefulnes . saiþ hee
Alle day . þat is . agaynes . mee
And . þe shendeshepe . of my face
Haþ couered me in eueryche place
Þay . shall be shamed . of heire synne
Þat hem shal þenk . þat þei shall brenne
Þourgh grete shame . þay . shall haue þore
For it shal neuere . sese . bot laste euere-more
For-why þow . no+more peyne . were in hell
Þan . þat shame. þat . j . of tell
<fol. 82v>Jt shuld . be to hem . þare more peyne
Þan any man coude here ordayne
And for-why þat þay here on here lyue
Durst nou3t for shame of synne hem shryue
Bot euere in . syn . were wyþ-oute shame bolde
Jt is ry3t . þat þay. haue . as j tolde
Shame in hell for here synne þere euere
Of wheche synne . amende wold neuere .
The . xiij . peyne . as þese clerkes wote
Js boondes . of fyre . brennynge hote
Wyþ wheche þe synfull shul be boounde
As in some . book . wreten is founde
And þe bondes . of þat fyre . shal neuere slake
For-why . þay . wolde . neuere . here synnes for-sake
Þay shal wyþ þese bondes brennand
Jn helle be boounde boþe foot . and hand
And ful+hard streyned euery a lym
Wyþ foule deueles gresyly . and grym
And among hote . and colde ofte be caste
And wt glowand hamers . bete ful fast
And þer to be gnawe wt woormes fell
As . 3e herde me be-fore tell
Hare wonynge in hell shal be endeles
Among stenche . and sorwyng~ in hoge derknes
Whare euere is ny3t . and neuere day
As men may hyre þese clerkes say
Þan shul þai . se. whan þay þare come
Goddes vengeaunce þorugh wysdome
For here . synne. þat god here myspayed
Þer-for hym-self. in þe gospell sayde
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He saiþ bynde hare handes . and fete fast
And in-to þe ferrest derknes hem caste
Þat is þe ferred derknes of hell
Whare more sorwe is þan tunge may tell
Þere shull hare heuedes be turned donward
And hare feett . vp . boounde full hard
<fol. 83r>And be steeyned full sore . be feet and hand
Wt breynnyng~ cheynes fast glowand
Þus shull þay be pyned and neuere sese
Wiþ oþer peynes many and dyuers
As . saiþ a clerk openly
Jn a book þat he made of stody
Of dyuers questyons of dyuynyte
Þat is called . flos sciencie
Þat is . on englysch . floure of knowynge
Whare wreten . is many preuy þynge
And in þe book . þus he telleþ
How þai shal hange . þat þere dwelleþ
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he saiþ . in þe ground of helle dongeon
Þe heuedes of synful men. shul hange doun
And þe feet vpward . harde . and sore knytte
Stefly streyned . to caste in hell pytte
For þat . þay . were . euere . here . redy
To synne . wt dyuers lymmes of hare body
Tharfor þay shall be bounde þere
Be dyuers . lymes . as . j . sayde ere
Wt brennynge bondes . hote & glowyng
Þat euere-more shull be lastynge
For þat þai wolde nou3t . god knawe
Ne kepe here . þe ordre . of hys lawe .
Bot turned hem . fro euere fro godward
And in þe werld heyre hertys sett hard
And cursedly vsed heyre leuynge
Jn.to. foule fleshly lykynge
Þer-for . it . is ry3t . and resoun
Þat þay be turned vp so doun .
And stayned in helle . and bounde fast
Wt bondes . of fyre . þat euere shal last
The xiiij peyne . is . despeyre to tell
Jn wheche þe synfull euere shall dwell
Wyþ.-outen . hope . of mercy . þan

<Tranche 3>

<fol. 104r>Thus saiþ clerkes . as þe book bereþ wytnes
Þat holy cherche . þat here fy3ttyng es
Js nou3t elles bot þe gaderynge
Of alle crysten+men . of gode lyuynge
Holy cherch is ouercomynge also
God wiþ alle þe companye of þoo
Þat dwellen wiþ hym in hese blis
Þe wheche he haþ hy3t to all hys
Vnder holy cherche . þat here fyttyng es
Bene alle gode man . boþe more and les
Vnder holy chyrche . þat is ouercomynge
Bene alle holy men in heuene dwellynge
Bot holy chirche þat sy3tteþ here faste
After þe day of dome . at þe laste
Jn þe bri3t cytee of heuene shall wone
Euere-more wiþ hese spouse goddes sone
For þan shall þe nombre fulfylled bee
Of holy men. þan in þat cytee
Þurgh holy cherche . þat is dc goddes spouse
And þat cytee cryst calleþ hys fader house
For þare alle ry3t wyse+men . and holy
Shull euere wone . in angeles companye
And eche of hem shall haue blissfull wonyng~
And parfyte joye wiþ endles lykyng~
Þis cytee of heuene . so wyde . and brade
No man wote kyndely how it is made
No can þorugh wyte jmagine in þou3t
Of what manere mater it is wrou3t
Jt is nou3t made . of lyme and stone
Ne of tree þat hathe it none
As þese erþely cytees be made here
Þat be wrou3t of coruptyble matere
For no þynge . shal be in þat cytee
Þat coruptyble . or fayleng~ shall bee
Bot þe matere . of it . is ful goodly . and trewe
Ful precyous þynge . and ful of vertue
<fol. 104v>This cytee conteneþ alle heuene ryche
Bot non woot be kynde what is lyche
We fynde wreten . þat it is fayre and bry3t
Bot no man can descryue it a-ry3t
Ne so wyse clerk . was neuere on lyue
Þat couþe þe fayrenes . of it descryue
Bot þow . j . can nou3t discryue þat stede
3et wele . j . ymagyne . of myn owne heuede
To shewe . as . j . can a . discrecyon
For j haue þarto . grete affeccyon
And a grete comfort it is to me
To þynk or speke . of þat fayre cytee
Þat trauayle may me greue noþynge
For þareto . j . haue . a . grete lykynge
Agayne þe trowþe . noþyng . j . doo
3if me lyke . þe cytee . þat me longeþ+too
Þat may lyken . in euery partye
Boþe to bodely þynge and gostely