<County: Staffordshire>
<Code: L0177>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Laud Misc. 286>
<Text: Rolle, Psalter>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 6rb><line 35><lat></lat> Mony seyn to my soule þer
is no hele to hit in god of hit ¶ This
seyinge is of the deuyl wher mon þorogh
his entisinge is cumbred wt mony synnes .
For he is euer aboute to bryng men in dispeire
seying to hem . þu hast muche synned . & it is
<fol. 6va>hard to leue lust of thi flesch & lykyng of the
worlde . Do forþ & lede þi lif as the lust . for
god wol not hele þi soule . he is a lier þt tel
leþ þe þis and bigiler of þi soule . for godus
mercy is euer redye to all men þt for his luf
wol forsake hir synne . & þis þe prophet
schewiþ & seiþ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> my lord
þu art my vptaker my ioy & hei3ing my hed
¶ þus þei seid to deceyf me bot lord þu
takes me not aftur hor fals wordus . &
forþi þu art my ioy . þat is j ioy in the & seche
onlye þin honour not vanyte ne preysing
of men . & forþi þu art he3ing my hed fro
erþly loue in-to contemplacyon & loue of he
uen so þt j be not put downe þor3e gruc
ching in no temptacyon ne tribulacyon þt
falliþ . for paciens is so roted in my hert
þorgh luf of crist þt bi his grace it makeþ
me to spring & sprede in charite bothe to
frendes and enemys . forþi . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> wt my voice j cried to our lord and he
herd me fro his holy hul . ¶ A deuout vois
of hert þt is a+gret 3erning of godus luf for ht
souneþ plesantly bifore crist in swetnes . De
uoute prayer he calleþ criing for þe strength
of the fuyre of luf [is] in deuout soule & makeþ
his praier to perse heuen . And so god herd his
prophete . & vche day herus deuout prayers
of his seruantes . fro his holy hul þt is holy
chirche or vche deuout monnes soule þt is
hye in vertues as an hil reised fro þe wrechid
nes of the worlde þt worldely men resten
hem in as a swyne sleping in myre or in
a dunge-hul . and forþi . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> j haue slepped and j am napped & j
rose for my lord toke me vp . ¶ her~ the
prophet spekiþ in the person of synful men þt per
grace has forsaken his wycked lifyng . &
<fol. 6vb>for luf of endles blys purpose him or kepe
goddes lawe and life more perfitely & makyng
his moone he seiþ j rested me first in synful
lyf and slownes & j am soked in my synne
for long liyng þer-in And siþen j rose per grace
from deþ to lyf fro ydultees and vanytes of
the worlde to excersise in goddis seruyse . But
þus dud j not bi my-self but my lorde toke
me vp fro synne to penaunce . When my
wylle hated to synne for þen þur3e luf of
criste j was made soroweful for my trespas
and þerfore he enspired my hert to hate synne
euur-aftur and for gret mekenes & paciens þen
þt he kyndelid in me <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> j schal not drede þousandus of
folle goyng aboute me . lord ryse make me
safe my god . ¶ Thes thousandes of folc
bene alle þe deuels of helle and viciouse
men wt alle oyer temptaconns the which gone
aboute men to deceyfe hem & depart hem fro
god . Bot alle þos þar him not drede whom
god haþ vptaken . and þerfor desire we þis siker
nes of god and sey we deuoutly . rise lorde
& make me per þi grace rise perfitly in-to þi luf
& make me safe my gode god . for þi luf saueþ
for drede of euel þing . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> For þu has smyten alle contrariyng to
me wtout encheson þu altobrast þe teþe of þe
synful . ¶ lord per þi grace þu safe me for j loue
þi doyng and þi byddyng . & þu shalt smyte þe
deuyl and alle his lymes in euur-lastynge
dampnacoun . for þei noye þi louers wtout en
cheson . for noþinge haþ reson to noye a+ry3te
wys+mon þt noyeþ no mon . For no mon may be
excused þat harmeþ a gode mon in worde
or in dede . for vche mon is holden to help hym
in his seruyse & to luf his godenes . The teþe
of synful is þe maliciously gnawyng of bak
biters & deceyfable wordes of flaterers . þe
whiche crist shalle alle to-breke in hur teþe
For þen þei shul not conne see þe euel of
<fol. 7ra>ry3twys men . ne gode of hem-self ne of euel
men whom þei ne flatur in hor synne for
drede of fauour or wordely mede . bot þen þei
shul lefe hur teþe . þt is alle hor fals strenþ þt
beres hem now vp . shal faile hem in most
nede & þei for hur flaterynge and fals clo
syng in synne & a3eyns seyinge þe treuþe of
goddes lawe wynne hem þe fire of helle
þt neuur schal haue end . But þei þt bene trew
in godes lawe schul sone passe alle noye
& þe tribulacyoun & þe sekenes of þis worlde in
to rest of hele euur-lastynge in ioye . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Of lord
is hele and þi blessing on þi folke ¶ Trowe
3e to þt . þat is seyd of holy wryt to hele of 3our
soule & hope studfastly in crist & in his lawe
& nou3t in 3our-self ne in lawe of monnes
fyndynge . furþer þen god is þe grounde . for all
onlye in him is helpe . and sauacioun . & he
wol not safe bot his louers . þt lufen him
her~ in kepyng his cumaundments . for he þt
kepes hem wel ys only lufed of god . And
lord on þi folke þt is on vchon þt sechen to do
þi wylle be þi blessyng and þer-of þu graunt vs
part þt we may þer-þor3e be brou3t to þi loue &
so to endles blysse in heuen .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
When j cleped god of my ry3twisnes
here me in tribulacyon þu madest brode to me .
¶ þe way of ry3twysnes þis is . þe vois of
ry3twis+mon . As who seiþ . When j cleped in
wardly jhesu criste in-to my soule to 3if to me
more grace . þat is continue is grace wt me
not wt-drawynge hit for synne done bifore
& god 3ifer & worcher of my ri3twysnes þur3e
his mercy herd me . þt is he 3af to me my 3er
nyng not aftur the desire of the flesch . but
to hele and profyt of my soule & in waxing in
his luf . & not in þe luf of erthly þingus . þis the
prophete spekes to men tellyng þat god haþ herd
him and how aftur he hath god in his hert
<fol. 7rb>of whom he spekeþ . for gret loue makeþ men
homeliche to speke to god . for-þi he seid in tri
bulacyon þu madest brode to me my hert . þt is
to sey . fro gret Anguysch of malice & sorenes
þt þe fals welþ of þis fals fals worlde come
not to me aftur my desire . þu hast brou3t me
þerfro wtot grucchinge to gostly ioy . þe which
is of clene consciens . þt is rote of alle delite
and true charite þt putteþ away straytnes
and makeþ a+mon large . þt is . hit makeþ a+mon
encrese fro day to day in vertues . and lowses
alle bandes of synne and schameþ the deuel
and alle his mynystres and hit ledeþ hem
þt kepen hit in-to brede . þt is . in-to brode wey
of cristus cumaundments . jn þis brede holden
alle holy men and wymmen and þei þt haue
not fonden þis wey . her hertes bene ful
streyt bounden in deceytes of the deuyl of
þe worlde and of the flesche . And so alle hor
ioy schal be wyped awey when ry3twisnes
faileþ þt þei here lufed and trusted me . For
how schulde he bot faile . þt settes his luf on
failyng thing . for-þi lorde . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> hafe mercy of me lord
and here my prayer ¶ þu hast mercy of me in
ry3twisnes stiryng me fro synne . & 3it hafe
mercy of me lorde helpyng me a3eynes wre
chidnes of this lyfe . þt no þing let me to be
perfit in þi loue . þat puttes away alle wyked
nes when hit bygynneþ to flamme my
hert . þerfore lorde here my prayer~ þt my de
sire be fulfilled boþ in frendus & enemys . seying
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> So
nes of men how longe be 3e heuy of hert .
wherto loue 3e vanyte & sechon lesinge ¶
God haþ mercy of mony . and so he wol of
3ow 3if 3e wol leue to synne . for-þi 3e sones
of men þt is of Adam and Eue whom 3e
folow beryng in 3ow hor ymage how longe
wol 3e be heuy of hert . þt is when wil 3e
leue þe heuy beryng of synne . & þe noyes
wey3t of wicodnes þe which makes 3our hertes
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 24ra>is þur3e freten wt rust of lust And lykyng of the fles
che and of the fals worlde ablen hom not to re
ceyue grace to þonke crist wt hur gode lifing
for the gret godenes and kyndenes þat he of
his fre wille dude to monkynde . whi so . for
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> The sekenes of hom bene multi
plied and aftur þei hasted hom ¶ mony men
when þei haue synned knoweþ per grace the se
kenes of hur soules . and afturwarde þei haste
hom to the leche . For he that is seke schulde
raþer seche the leche þen þe leche him . A foule
pride it is of mon when he is wondid wt synne
þat deyneþ not to go to crist godis sonn of heuen
to aske for3ifnes of his synne . but þenkeþ or
saiþ proudely . 3if god wol safe me let him . bot
þei wol not wt a+sorewful hert mekely aske
mercy forsakyng hor synne . Suche blynde
wrecches and þei haue bodely sekenes . won
ful+fayne wt trauaile and cost . seche to haue
a+leche þat con hele hem . And so þei schewe
þt þei loue hur stynkyng body . bettur þen hur
soules . and hur lif bettur þen god . of whom
deþ is the end as seint poule seiþ . þt is endles
peyne in helle þt neuer schal cese . For alle suche
wrechus blinded wt synne felen not þe sorenes
of hur soules . and þerfor þei knowen not þat
þei ben seke . and so þei dee in hur synne . and
of suche god seiþ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> J schal gedur þe couentus of hom
of blodes ne J schal not be þenkyng on hor
nomus bi my lippus ¶ That is to sey . J schal
not gedur the couentus of wiccod men endyng
in hor lustus to þe cite of heuen . but in-to the
fire of helle þat ner schal be slekked . For he
uen is ordeynde only for my chosen frendus
the which sleen in hom flescly synnus & vices
and gone gostly þe wey of the spirite reuling
hom bi resoun and bi godus lawe þes bene
not men of blode . Blode bitokenes synne
& vnclannes þt wrechus lyue in fulfillyng hor
fleschly desires per veyn stiryngus and he3nes
of hur blode . þat þei done comenly þt bene
comen of grete worldely kyn . hei3ing hom
<fol. 24rb>self wt pride And gret bostful wordes . forþi
J schal not thenk on hur nomes to write hom
in the boke of lif . For be my lippus þei schun
not be nemed. þat is be my two lawes .
bot to hur schendschip . when j schal say in
my dome go 3e cursed wrecches fro me . in
to þe fire of helle . to be tourmentid wt de
uelus in <exp>helle</exp> ˆ <mrg>peyne</mrg> wt-out end . þen schul gode
men and wymen þe which lifeden here
mekely aftur cristus biddyng take gret worship
of god . For he schal for3ete þen to haue any
mynde of synne þat þei haue amendid hem
of wt verrey contricyon . þat is . sore for+þin
kyng þat þei haue synned a3ein the will
of god . for in his dome he schal gedur his
frendus to him wt gret ioy to come to heuen .
wher-inne þei schun be glorified in body &
soule wt alle ioyful bri3tnes to wonne wt
him þat þei serued in ioy and blys wt-out
end . And þis schal euery mon and womon
be siker to hafe þt here betyme wol forsake
hur synne and fully set hur trust in god .
And þerfor forsakyng myn synne . j hope þt non
part . Our lorde is part of my heritage . and
of my chalis þu+art þat schal restore my he
ritage to me . Our lord of heuen is part .
þat is he is porcyon of ri3twise men her~
per whom alle men and wymen þt schun
be saued schun be eyres in heuen blis .
wiccod cheson hom aftur hur loue ande
hur lustus diuerse partis . Summe men cheson
hom riches for hur part . Summe strengþe .
summe lewte . iche mon þt þing he loueþ
best chesiþ to his part But crist and alle his
trwe folowers in mekenes . haue fullye
chosen god þe fadur of heuen to hur parte
for he is my3ti and wilful to depart end
les ioye to alle þat sechen hit here de
uoutlye wt leuyng of synne . and he is
part of my chalis . þt is he is cuppe of
alle my delite & my ioy to þenk on . For alle
lustus of my flesch and oþer wilful stirynges
bene slekked in me in deuout þenkyng in
the passion of our lorde ihesu crist . worldely
<fol. 24va>men drinken of the dric of the worlde trou
bled delites of couetise and venomous lustus of
lecherye þt sone deceyfes hom and þrowes hom
to helle . But crist and his halowus schun drin
ke delite of heuenly ioy . the which þe fadur of
heuen burliþ pleynteuoslye to vche mon aftur
þat he had loued him in keping of his coman
dement3 for he schal restore to his true louers
the heritage of heuen . þat þei left in Adam
and þerfore j hope . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
St-ryngus fellen to me in ful clere þinges
forwhi my heritage is ful clere to me ¶
her~ the prophet spekeþ of crist and of his mem
bris to whom strengus fellen . þt is truþes
of boþe þe lawes of god . þe which as euen
stringus or lynes leden men to heuen . forþi
prustus schulde not faile . to drawe the puple
wt stringes of the holy lore and conuersaconn
lasting of gode ensanple to holy and vertu
es lifinge . And if prustus don not this . bot
bene proude of hur power . and coueitous of
worldely godes and bowen away fro the
lawe of god . Mi wille is not in hom seiþ god
ne j schal not take sacrifice of hur honde .
For how schulde the wille of god be wt
hom þt bene aboute in alle wiccod wille &
vicyous lifing and euel ensanple to destroye
the heritage of crist dere bo3t wt his hert
blode for loue he had þerto . And 3it is louers
in whom he is gretly plesid . he makeþ to
seme to hom þt lifen aftur þo desires of þe
flesche loþ and outkastingus and 3it þei ben
to hem ful bry3t and faire . And forþi seiþ
criste . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> J schal blesse the
lorde þt 3af me vndurstondyng and ouer þt
to þe ny3t my kidneres blamed me ¶ lo
what loue crist schewed to his folowers
saying to his fadur J schal preyse þe . þat
has 3ifen vndurstondyng to my seruantus
per the which my heritage in heuen schal
be fulfilt . and J schal se my louers and
þei me . & J schal gouerne hom at my wille
fedyng wt my si3t in endles ioye . For my
<fol. 24vb>fadur haþ graunted to me . that my louers be one
in me . as he . and J bene on . For as he and J bene
vndepartable in the godhed . so bene J and þei in
loue . and ouer þis my kidneres þt is . þe iewes of
whos kynde J toke flesch blamed me wt wonge
in temptacyons and diuerse peynes . to þe ny3t .
þt is to þe deþ . þei mysseyd me and sclaundirde
me and J grucched not for J left not þerfor to
do my fadur wille . And also our kidneres . þt is
our~ fleschly delites makeþ vs worþi blamyng
to þe deþ . for our~ wittus and our þo3tus bene so
redy to euel fro our 3ouþe . þt synne leueþ vs no
tyme of þis lif . forþi we bene muche holden
to god 3if he suffres vs here no tyme wtot pu
nysching . And for my wille is euur to kepe paci
ens in aduersites <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
J purueyde our lord euer in my sy3t . for he is at my
ri3t+honde þat J be not stired . ¶ Purueid god per
whom vche mon lasteþ in godenes . jn my si3t
þt is my mynde J loked to him boþe in tribula
cyon and welþ . For when J entierly haue mynde
of him J am nouþer hie3ed in pride ne in vayn
glorye . for no preising of men ne welþ of the
worlde ne lawe3ed in grucching for no disese
þt mai come . for J for3ete not god . þat is euer
lastyng to sett my entent on failing þinges of
the worlde . For J festened myn entent stabu
ly to him so þat he is my si3t in eche temptacoun
for he mai not be ouercomen wt synne . þat
bisely wt þe ei3e of his soule biholding on god
For he is at the ry3t+hond of me . þat J be not
stired þt is he helpiþ me in myn entent . þt hit
be stabiled in him . and þen non euel þing may
haue maistrye ouer me . ne in me . And . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> þerfor gladid
is my hert and my tong ioyed . ouer þat my flesch
schal reste in hope . ¶ This is ful ioy when a
mon conceyueþ þe blis of heuen . in his hert
and schewiþ hit wt preising of god wt is mouþ .
For he schal not faile to haue knowynge .
what is to do to godis plesing . and ouer þt ioye
þt my+hert conceyueþ and my mouþ schewiþ .
my flesch schal reste in hope of vprising to receyf
<fol. 25ra>of god euer-lastyng ioy And rest in heuen .