<County: Yorkshire West Riding>
<Code: L0410>
<MS reference: London, BL Add. 37049>
<Text: Desert of Religion>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 46v>Ye fyrste tre of yis forest schene .
Js ye tre of vertus yat ay is clene .
Yat in mekenes festis his rotes .
Of hym vertus vpwarde schotes .
And sprynges & spredes his leues & groves
And buriones bath wt braunches & boghes
yis tre be-takenes men yt ar mylde
And debonere als a chylde
Swylk ar ye varay scolers right .
Of our mayster god of myght .
Mekenes falles in hert to dwell .
Thrugh yir four thynges to tell .
Thrugh oft be-thynkyng~ vp & doune
Thrugh haly delyte wt-outen
And thrugh veray contrycioune .
Thrugh sufferance wt-outen gruchyng
Thrugh haly delyte wt-outen changyng
Or thynkyng~ of his wrechenes .
Or what god has done hym mar or les .
Yis thoght if he lat noght pas
And vmthyngkyng what he was
And wheyne he come & right se .
And what he is & wheyder sall he .
And what he sall be at his ende .
And whyderward yt he sall wende .
Hee sall be many skylles knaw .
Hym for to meke & for to law .
For out of mekenes of dede & thoght .
Comes all ye vertus yt euer was wroght .
Jn seuen braunches of yis tre .
Jn seuen vertus may men se .
And out of ilk a verertu<sic> euen .
Sprynges other vertus in leves seuen .
yat forth brynges ye froyte of lyfe .
yat bath suld couayt man & wyfe
yis is ye tre of whylk we here
yt dauyd of spekes in ye sawtere .
ye ryghtwys is als a+tre yt standes
Be-syde ye course of ye water-strandes
And gyfes his froyte in conabill tyme .
His lefe sall nother fade ne dwyne .
<fol. 47r mainly illustrations>
<fol. 47v>Ye secund tre of yis foreste fayre .
Js ye tre of vices yt may enpayre .
yat groves & festes his rotes on pride .
And boghes & braunches on ilk a syde .
yat dounward groves ay in-to hell .
His froyte is bath bytter & fell .
For out of pride comes all wykkenes .
yat euer was wroght her mare or les .
For pride yt comes of herte & thoght
Was ye fyrste synn yt euer was wroght
Pryde was begynyng of all ill~ .
Pryde is contrarius to alkyn skill .
Pryde brake fyrste ye company
And ye ordour in heuen yt was semely
yar-for fra heuen doune he fell .
Jn-to ye depeste pytt of hell .
ye syn~ of pryde full perlyous s is
Of wham sprynges all wykkednes
Jt blyndes a man & reues hym syght .
yat he knawes noght hym-selfe ryght .
Pryde may be lykkende wele .
To ye fendes awne wyfe as j fele .
Yat serues gode & delycyous
And is straunge and perlyous
Thrugh ye whilk ye fende he can
Make here dronken many a man
yt ar reche here wyght & myghty
Nobell wyse balde & hardy .
And communly to vnderstande
All maner of men here lyfeande
Jn seuen braunches of yis tre
Jn seuen vices may men se
And out of ilk vice doune euen .
Sprynges other vices in leues seuen
yat forth brynges ye froyte of dede
Tast itt noght man J ye red
yis is ye tre yat in sermoune
God bad fell and hew it doune
And cast itt in a fyre to bryne
For no froyte itt will begyne
To bere yat is at sap of lyfe
Nother to man ne to wyfe
yar-<exp>fro</exp> for grub itt vp be ye rotes .
And all ye braunches yt of hym schotes .
<fol. 48r: mainly illustrations>
<fol. 48v>JN yis wod Here may yu se .
Spryngand full fayr a-nother tre .
Wyth leues on ilk+a syde be dene .
Yat wynter & somer is ay grene .
And beres froyte yt is ay rype .
Yat nane bot meke wt hend may grype .
Yis is ye tre of mekenes gode .
Yat our lady vnder stode
Jn mouthe mekenes schew itt may .
Thurgh four thynges yt j sall say .
Thurgh oft wreyng~ in schryft of ill .
Thurgh deuote prayer loude or still .
Thurgh hertt contynuel lowynge .
Thurgh gode schewyng~ & techynge .
Jn werk mekenes may be sene .
Thurgh four thynges yat here bene .
Thurgh whytyng~ of all yt dett is es
Thurgh lely body buxumnes .
Thurgh wyrkyng~ of gode werkes namly
Thurgh herd lyfe ye flesch to chasty
For when a man in penaunce lyfes .
And thurgh penaunce his flesch grefes .
And fleys delyte and kepes hym chaste .
And for-<exp>f</exp>sakes yt ye flesch lofes maste
And chastis itt & puttis itt law .
Yan may men mekenes in hert kaw .
Yir tuelf degrese yat J now neuen .
Ledes uerray mekenes euen .
Be thre partes and makes itt lyght .
Jn hert in mouthe & wark ryght .
Wt-outen yir tuelf in yir thre
Verray mekenes may noght be
Yis tre floryschand yat yu sees .
Of mekenes is ye tuelf degrees .
Yat in a meke hart fyrst begynnes .
And sythen vp-ward spredes & sprynges .
And beres ye froyte yt ay is swete
And delycyous for to ette .
Yis suld men sett in yair orth3arde .
Yat groves or clymbes to heuen-warde .
And dyke itt wt depe deuocioune
Yat wynd of pryde dryfe itt not doune
Ne stele ye froyte yt on itt groves .
Ne breke ye braunches ne boghes .
<fol. 49r: mainly illustrations>
<fol. 49v>3itt groves here in yis Wylldernes
A tre of grett wykkednes
Yat beres froytte bitter als gall
Yat itt tastes itt poysouns all
Yo man yat thoght hym for to schryfe
Braunches & boghes a-way suld ryfe
For pride agaynes god weres all-ways
And his godes als clerkes says .
And god weres agayn pryde .
And abates hir myght on ilk+a syde
Pryde is qw quene of all vyces .
Yt to all wykkednes vs entices .
Yat all gode swelous as j gesse .
Pryde for-dose all grace & vertose .
And gude all werkes yt men dose .
Pryde is ye fyrste yt asayles faste .
Goddes knyght & leues hym laste .
Pryde is ye gredy lyonesse .
For when he has ouer-commen ryght
All other synnes thurgh grace & myght
Yan commes pryde after yt<exp>e</exp> victory .
And assayles hym maste stalworthly .
Pryde makes a man to wyn hell sone
And wastes all ye gude yt he has done .
Pryde men makes hey state to covayte .
And mastry ouer all other to layte .
Bott pride as clerkes in bokes cane rede .
May be for-done thurgh gyfte of drede .
Yis spreyngand tre yt yu now sees
Of pryde is called ye tuelfe degrees
Ye fyrste in proude hert festes his rotes .
And sythen vpwarde his boghes schotes .
Grub & graue als gode gardynere .
Abowt ye rote bath day and zere .
And fell itt wuele in-to ye fyre .
Heuen yar-for sall be yi hyre .
Vn-to yi lorde if yu be trew .
Jn his erbere latt itt noght grew .
Jn-to his gardyne when he will ga .
His dyssporte yar-in to ta .
<fol. 50r><mainly illustrations>
<fol. 50v>JN yis deserte is a-nother tre
Sprynges & spredes as men may se
Yat nother groves in cite ne in toune
Bott in places of relygioune
Jit beres froyte yt is full soure .
And full bytter of sauoure
For ye state of relygioune
Suld be thurgh Right intencioune
Far fra ye werld als ye boke telles
Als in deserte w[h]ar na man dwelles
For he yat kepes yat wele .
Ye maners of ye werld suld not fele .
For man thurgh right intencioune .
Yat is in ye state of relygioune .
Ay yis werld suld hate & fle
Yat is ay full of vanyte
Swa yt his conuersacioune be .
Jn heuen be-for ye trinyte .
For he suld putt all his tresore.
Jn heuen yt sekyrest is yar-fore .
Sway may he yan his tresore saue .
And in heuen itt fynd and haue .
Ye tresore of men relygiouse .
Js poruertt yat is preciouse <smudged> .
Jf it come of a gode will .
Wt-outen gruchyng loude or styll .
Bott ye relygiouse yt loues his saule .
Suld take insampell at saynt paule .
And als he dyd ye werld forgett .
And all yat may relygioune lett .
Yir ar ye tuelfe abusyouns
Yat groves in relygiouns
Yis tre suld yai nyght & day .
Be a-boute to hew a-way .
Wt his boghes & wt his braunches .
Yat in relygioune makes dystaunces .
Whar ye saule suld duell in wildernes
Yat has for-saken ye werkes of ye flesch .
Yis tre has poysonud & broght doune .
Many a man of relygioune .
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 57v>JN yis forest 3itt groves a tre .
Als telles ye boke of pryuete .
Yat god yat is maste of myght
Yus says to hym yt kepes itt ryght
J gyfe ye to ete wt-outen stryfe
Of ye froyte yt sprynges of ye tre of lyfe
Yat standes in myddes paradyse .
Jitt passes all ye froyt of pryse .
And he yt kepes noght yis tre .
Of yat gude froyt sall noght se .
For wha sa is synfull and ill .
Yir thre names he beres be skill .
Godes thefe & thefes fere .
And mortherer~ of his doghter dere
And godes traytour men hym calles .
Ye synfull man yt in syn falles .
First god thefe he may be knawen .
For he wastes yt is noght his awen .
Yat he hym tok to kepe & welde .
Of ye whilk hym buse a-counte 3elde .
Mortherer he hym-self mase .
Yt thurgh syn his saule slase .
For god ordayned it to blys .
Yat thurgh grace his doghter ys .
Godes traytour he is be resone .
For he dose god grett tresone .
When he 3eldes to ye fende haly .
Yat os godes maste enmy .
Ye castell of his hert so qweme .
Ye whilk god toke hym for to 3eme .
For he yt in schryfe his hert lawes .
Spekes to god yt itt wele knawes .
For ye preste yt is of schryfte herer~ .
Jn schryfte is called goddes awn er~ .
Yis tre sprynges of a mannes hert .
Yt vn-to god is convert .
Fra all wikkednes & his synnes .
When he wt<exp>t</exp> sare herte on yaim mynnes .
And schryfes hym clene & tase pennance .
And for yaim haues verray repentaunce .
And thynkes na mare to do ya synnes .
Yis tre to florysch yan be-gynnes .
Ye froyte is satisfaccioune .
Yat commes oute of confescioune .
<fol. 58r: mainly illustrations>
<fol. 58v>JN yis forest groves a-nother tre .
Yat in wyldernes sprynges full hee .
Ye whilk tre als j vnder stande .
Sathanas sett itt wt his hande .
Jn ye fyrst braunche yu may se .
Sex thynges yat ar gode to fle .
Yir sex ar full mykell in vse .
Yat gode begynnyng of lyfe for-dose .
Ane itt is dafa dasynes of hert aneley<e corrected to y by other hand?> .
<mrg>ye</mrg> Secunde is tendernes of body .
Ye thyrde thryd is jdelnes of man in qwart
Ye ferth is hevines of hert .
Ye fift is lythernes of hert wt-in .
Ye sext is arghnes to be-gyn .
Other sex in a braunche ar sett
Als tariyng and reklesnes .
Sone forgetyng & slawnes .
Lachenes alswa & faylyng~ .
Yir sex mase a grett lettyng~ .
Other sex ar spryngand yan .
Yat till ill endyng brynges a man .
Yat amendment of life may lett .
Yir ar ya sex yat ar noght gode .
Vnbuxsumnes & vntholemode
Gruchyng~ alswa and drerynes .
Langour wanhope yt werst es .
Yir sprynges & spredes on ilk+a syde .
Oute of ye tre yt is called accyde .
Yir ar ye vices aghten to knaw .
Jn whilk men falles yt ar slaw .
For ye fende thurgh jdelnes can .
Lett ye gude lyfe of a man .
And occupie hym in his nedes .
Jf he fynd hym jdell in gode dedes .
Yis tre wt braunches & wt boghes .
And wt leves yt on hym groves .
Ware gode to grub & grave a-way .
Oute of gastely gardyn for ay .
For itt is nawther gode ne abell .
To bere thyng~ yt is perfectabell .
To man yt gode lyfe walde lede .
Jtt sall hym fayle in his maste nede .
<fol. 59r: mainly illustrations>
<fol. 59v><ill><torn off part></ill> sorest of delite
<ill><torn off part></ill> yt is full white .
<ill><torn off part></ill> & honest day & houre
<ill><torn off part></ill> delycius of sauoure .
<ill><torn off part></ill> ye qwhilk ye haly+gaste .
Makes duellyng~ for itt is cˆ[h]aste .
For chastite men calles right .
A tre of grete vertu & might .
Ye whilk has seuen degrece sere .
And seuen braunches spryngand here .
Ye fyrst degre is to be-gyn .
Clyne consciens of hert wt-in .
Ye secund aghˆ[t] to be full couthe .
Yat is honest spek speche of mouthe .
Ye thryd is kepyng~ of ye wittes fyfe .
Ye ferth is straytnes here of lyfe .
Ye fift is fleyng~ of ill company .
And ye encheson of grete foly .
Ye sext is gode occupacioune .
Ye seuent is prayer wt deuocioune .
Now will j schew efter my witt .
Ye seuen braunches yt commes of itt .
Ane is of maydens yt will fle
Flescly dede to yai maryd be .
Ye secund is of anlapy .
Yat has bene filed & left foly .
Ye thryd is yas yt wedded bene .
Ye ferth is state of wo wydouse clene .
Ye fift state is of maydens schene .
Yt whils yai lyfe thynkes schast to bene .
Ye sext state of clerkes may be
Yat ar ordand in haly degre .
Ye seuent als boke mas mencioune .
Js ye state of men of religioune .
Yis tre to men is full profytabill .
Jtt festens yair herttes & mas yaim stabill .
Als tre in ye erth roted fast .
Yat wyndes ne stormes doune may cast .
Yis is ye gode tre of continence .
Yat men suld kepe wt diligence .
Fra fleschly filth yat itt may fyle .
And fra ye fende yt has many wyle .
<fol. 60r: mainly illustrations>
<fol. 60v>IN yis forest a-nother tre sprynges .
Yat many scharpe thornes forth brynges .
Yat many prykes and makes war wrath
Yat deserues full litell schath .
Bot men may vnderstand & se .
Yat wikked tonge is ye tre .
And ye leves in haly writt
Js vnderstanden ye wordes of itt .
And lange itt is to tell be talle
All ye leves grete and smale .
Bot men may ten braunches knaw .
Yat on yis tre groves hye & law .
And yas may be cald skill .
Yir ten synnes yt j neuen will .
Jdell speche & vayn a-vauntyng~ .
Losengery and bakbiteyng~ .
Leyng~ & <exp>for</exp> floryschyng~ thurgh ath .
Stryuyng~ and gruchyng~ bath .
Frawardnes & sclaunder to neuen .
To god & to his halows in heuen .
Here may men se spryngand wyde .
Ye tre of ye tonge yat noght can hyde .
Yat men may call & halde be skill .
Ye tre of ye tonge yat is ill .
And on yis tre ten leves hynges .
Yat oute of wikked tonge sprynges .
Ye whilk may a man lede .
To ye put of hell yat is to drede .
Yis tre beres full many leves .
Yat many sakles oft-tyme greves
Yis is ye tre yt god in yre .
Bad hew doune & cast in fyre
For ye froyte of itt was full soure .
And ba[y]ske and bitter of odoure .
A-mange thornes yis tre sprynges .
For of itt commes alk-yn synnes .
Yat dyseses bath man & wyfe .
Yis tre sprynges now full ryfe .
Ji t ware gode to hew itt doune
And putt itt oute of religioune .
And all-swa oute of all ye werlde .
For itt fra heuen has many marrede .
<fol. 61r: mainly illustrations>
<fol. 61v>JN yis deserte sprynges a tre .
Yat spredes his boghes bath wyde & hee .
Yis tre is called prowes be name .
Many braunches beres ye same .
For prowes is a vertu pryse .
Jitt mase a man hardy & wyse .
Seuen braunches has yis vertu .
And seuen leves of grete valu .
Yir ar ye braunches first to knaw .
And ay ar groveand on a raw .
Nobelnes of hert in ilk a chaunce
Traystyng sekyrnes & sufferaunce .
Stedfastnes yt mekyll may wayle .
And lastandnes wt-outen fayle .
Hunger & thryst of rightwisnes
And ilk ane of yir a vertu es .
Bot seuen leves sprynges of itt .
Yat men calles & haldes thurgh witt .
Seuen victories yt here awayles .
Of seuen manere of batayles .
Thurgh qwhilk a man may not mys .
Of seuen crounes in heuen blys .
Ye fyrst batayle to be-gynne .
Js ye batayle of dedely synne .
Ye secund is penaunce harde .
Ye thryd is of ye flesch frawarde
Jn ye werld is ye ferth & ye fift twa .
Yat ane is welth yat other is wa .
Ye sext is wikked men & fell .
Ye seuent is ye fende of hell .
Yir ar called ye seuen degrese .
Of prowes yt a man may chese .
And seuen braunches of victory .
Yat men suld couayte for ye maystry .
Yat may hym lede ye right way .
To heuen blys yat lastes ay .
Yir bataylles suld a man a-byde .
And fyght fast on ilk a syde .
And stande stalworthly in yat stoure
God will hym helpe & socoure .
And saue & kepe hym & defende .
Fra ye begynnyng~ vn-to ye ende .