<County: Wiltshire>
<Code: L5420>
<MS reference: Canterbury, Cathedral Archives and Library, Lit. D.13 (66)>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 6r>3utte sorie wille no3te ondirstonde
þat þynge þt my3te hem to vrede bringe make hem vred
For-þye welle no3te byre bote þt hem paieþ
þer-fore þe prophete in þe sauter saieþ
<lat></lat>
he seiþ he naþ no wille to feile
No to vndyrstonde to do wele
þis wordes bi hym may beo ysaide here
þat wile no3te ondirstonde no lere
To drede god & to do his wille
Bote folwiþ here lykynge & louyþ ille
Some ondirstonde as þey hyriþ telle
Bote no drede in here hertes may dwelle
þat ys þorwe defautte of trowþe þt may beo
For þey bilyue no3te bote þey hit seo
Bote grocchiþ whan þey dredfol þynge hyre
And þer-fore þe prophete seiþ on þys manere
<lat></lat>
þe prophete seiþ þey troweþ no3te
Bote grocchiþ & were agriuþde in þo3te
þus beoþ many þt bylyueþ noþynge
þat men hem seiþ a3enste here likþnge
Bote grocchiþ<?> gretly & are frowarde
when men seiþ ou3te þt hym þynckiþ harde
Some kan seo in boke & such þynge rede
Ly3ttenes of herte lettely hem drede
So þt hit maþ no3te wt hym dwelle
And þerfore criste seiþ þus in ye gospelle
<fol. 6v><lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
To a+tyme he seiþ some bilyuyþ a+þynge
And passiþ þer fro in tyme of fondynge
Alse þus seiþ þe prophite dauid
Jn a psalme þt acordiþ þer-wiþ
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
he seiþ in his wordes lyuyde þay
And louyde his louynge as þey couþe say
Bote sone þey hadde ydo & for-3þte
his workes & þo3te na-more on hitte
Suche men beþe euere so onstedefaste
þe ne trowþe ne drede may wiþ hem laste
For þey beoþ wonde when þey haue quarte
þat on ihesu criste þs no3te here herte
Bote wo kan no3te drede he may lere
þat þis tretis wole rede oþer hyre
3if he hit rede oþer here to eynde
þe materes þt beoþ heire conteynde
Par chaunce here hertes schal beo lowe
And ondirstonde hem-self as . J . trowe
þorw þt þey chal conceþue þer-by
To worche goude workes & leue foly
þer-for þis boke ys on Jnglische drawe
of diuerse materes þt beoþ onknawe
To lewide men þt beoþ onknowande
<fol. 7r>þat kan no3te latyn onderstande
To make hel hem-self furste to knowe
And fro synne & vanite drawe
For to styre hem to reþ3te drede
when þei þis tretys hyre or rede
þat pricke here concience schal wt-Jnne
And of þt drede may loue bygynne
þorw conforte of ioyes of heuene sere
As men may afterward rede & hyre
þis boke as hit-self beriþ witnes
Jn vij parties dyuydid ys
þe furste party to knowe & haue in mynde
þs of worchyng[u]es of mannes kynde
þe secunde ys þe concience sere
And of þe onstablenes of þis worlde here
þe iij party þis boke to rede
Of þe deþ þe whiche ys to drede
þe iiij party ys of purgatory
þere soules beoþ þclensid of all foly
þe v party ys of day of dome
And of toknynges þt before schal come
þe vj party ys of þe paynes of helle
þere dampnyde schal euere more dwelle
þe vij party ys of þe ioþes of <ill> heuene
þis beo þe partyes of þis boke seuene
And of ech party fynde men may
Diuerse materes on þis boke to say
<fol. 7v>Go we to <ill><2 chars></ill> þe furste þt ys
þat spekiþ of mannes wrecchidnes
For all þt bifore ys wryten on to loke
ys bote an entre of þys boke
here bigynneþ þe furste party of mannes wrechidnes
Furste whan god made man & al þynges of no3te
Of þe fouleste matere man he wro3te
þat was of eorþe t[w]o skiles to holde
þat on ys for god wolde
Of foule matere make man in despite
Of lucifer þt fule so tyte
To helle whan he synnede for pride
And of all þt wþi<sic> hym fulle þt tyde
For þey scholde haue þe more schynchipe
And þe more sorwe whan þey tok keipe
þat man of so foule matere scholde dwelle
Jn þt place fram whiche þey fulle
þat oþer skille ys to seo
þat man scholde heire makere beo
Euere when he seoþ & þenckiþ in þo3te
Of how foule mratere he was þwro3te
For þorw his goudnes & his my3te
he wolde þseo þt place in heuene bry3te
þat was þmade wide þorw þe synne of pride
Beo fufillede on euery+syde
þorw þe vertues of mekenes
þat euene contrary to pride ys
þan may no man þuder come
<fol. 8r>Bote he beo meke & boxome
þat prouiþ þe gospal & seiþ þus
how god saide to his deciples
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
Bote 3e beo he seiþ as a+childe
þat ys to seiþ boþe meke & milde
he schal no3te be no way
þe kþngdome haue þt lasteþ ay
þan beo-howeþ a+man euere heire seke
þynge þt my3te sonneste make hym meke
Bote no þynge may meke hym more
To þencke as J . saide ore
how he was ymade of foule matere
And ys no3te elles bote eorþe heire
For þus seiþ a+clerk as J . 3ow say
what þs a man bote eorþe & clay
And poudre þt weþ þe wynde brekiþ
And þer-fore Jope þus to god spekiþ
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
he seiþ þet þencke lorde how þu madeste me
Foule of eorþe & clay heire to beo
Rþ3te so schal J . torne agayne
To eorþe & to poudere sertayn
þan seiþ oure lorde god al-my3ty
A3en3 to man þus a+worde schortly
<fol. 8v><lat></lat>
Þencke man he seiþ askes er+tow now
And in-to aske agayn schal þow
þan ys a+man no3te elles to say
Bote askes & poudere eorþe & clay
Of <1 word> þys scholde ech+man here haue mynde
To knowe þe wrechednes of his kynde
þat may beo yseide as J schewe kan
Jn all þe parties of lif of man
All a+mannes lif kasten may beo
Pryncipall<exp>e</exp>y in two parties [or] þreo
þat beoþ þes to onderstondenge
Bygynnynge mydewarde & eyndynge
þes iij parties beoþ þe spaces ytolde
Of þe lif of ech+man 3onge & olde
Of þe bigynnynge of mannes lif
Bþgynnynge of mannes lif þt furste ys
Conteyneþ moche wrecchednes
þare-fore . J . wile or . J fere passe
Schewe 3ow what man furste wasse
Soime<4 minims> tyme was whan man was no3te
By-fore he was getyn after or forþ bro3te
he was getyn after as hit þs knowen
Of fyle sede of man wiþ synne sawen
He was conceyuyde sunfolly
wiþ-Jnne his owen moder body
where his herborw wiþ-Jnne was dy3te
As dauid saide seiþ in þe sautere ry3te
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<fol. 9r>Lo he seiþ a+mannes kynde ys
J . ham conceyuyde in wickednes
And my modyr haþ conceyuyde me
Jn synne & in kaytifte
þer dwellide man in a+derke dongoun
Jn a+foule stede of corupcion
where he hadde no oþer fode
Bote wlatsome glat & wyckede blode
Of foule styncke as J seide ere
wiþ þis he was furste norschide þere
After whan he oute come
For þt dongoun his modyr wome
And was þbore to his þis wordle lþ3te
he hadde noþer strengþe ne my3te
And was þ-bore to þis wordle lþ3te
Noþer to go ne to stonde
Ne to crepe wiþ fote ne honde
þan haþ a+man lasse my3te þan a+beste
whan he þs þbore & seien leste
For whan a beste ys bore hit may go
Sone afterwarde þan to & fro
Bote a+man haþ no my3te so to do
when he þbore men wote hit ys so
For may he noþer go no crepe
Bote ligge & spraule crie & crepe weipe
For onnyþe ys a+childe ybore folly
þat he ne bigynneþ to goly & crye
And be þt crye men may knowe þan
where hit beo man or wonman
<fol. 9v>For whan hit ys borne 3if hit crie A
hit ys a+man for he do swa
þat þe furste letre ys of þe name
Of fourme fadyr adame
And 3if hit a+womman beo
when hit ys yborne hit seiþ E
E ys ye furste letre & ye hede
Of þe name of eue þt bigan oure dede
þer-fore a+clerk made on his manere
þis vers metre þt ys wryten here
<lat></lat>
Alas he seiþ ys comen of Eue
þt beoþ all men þt heire byhowiþ byleue
when þey beoþ ybore what so þey beo
þey seien furste A . oþer E
þus ys here bigynnynge
Of oure lif sorwe & weipynge
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
he seiþ all we beoþ bore gredande
And makynge a+sori semblante
For to schewe þe grerte wrecchednes
Of oure kynde þt in vs ys
And when þe tyme comeþ of oure burþe
All mayde we sorwe & no murþe
Nakyd come we hider & bare
And re3te so schal we hennes fare
On þes to tymes scholde we þenke þan
For þus seiþ ye wisman


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 115v>þe eorþe he seiþ ys fol of mercy
þan may men hit fynde heire plenteuously
he þt haþ hit or~ he hennes weynde
Atte grete dome schal fynde criste his frende
Where ry3tfolnes only schal beo hauntyde
And no mercy þere schal beo grauntide
how þe wordle schal seyme as hit ware now<?> made
After þe dome all þe wordle brade
Schal seyme as hit were nowe made
þe erþe schal beo þere euene & hale
Smoþe cleire as any cristalle
þe eorþe aboue schal schine bry3te
þan schal euere beo daþ & neuere ny3te
For þe elementes all schal clene beo
Of all corupcions þt we may seo
þan schal þe wordle in all partys
Seyme as hit were paradis
þe planetes & þe sternes echone
Schal schine bry3tore þan euere sonne schone
þe sonne schal beo as some clerkes deme
Seuesiþes bry3tore þan hit now seymeþ
For hit schal beo as bry3te as hit furste was
By-fore þt adam dide trispas
þe mone schal beo as bry3te & clene
As þe sonne ys now þt schyneþ heire
þe sonne schal euene in þe efte stande
wiþ-oute remywynge euere schynande
And þe mone a3enste hure in þe weste
<fol. 116r>And na+more schal trauaile bote euere reste
As þey were ysette atte bigynnynge
whan god made hem & all þynge
þey were þan as men may trowe
Moche bry3tere þan þey beo nowe
þe mone & þe heuene aboute gas
And þe sonne his cours aboute tas
And þe oþer planetes euerechone
Mouen as þey here cours h<?>ue tane
As þe elementes kyndely doþ
þat ys nedefol to mannes by-howe
þus ordaynyd hem god to seruy man
Bote of all suche seruise þey schal sesse þan
For all men after domesday
þey schal be þere þey schal beo for ay
þe goude to blis in reste & pes
þe yuele to pine þt neuere schal ses
what nede were þt þes criatures þan
Schewid suche seruice to man
No wickede creatures schal beo þan lyuande
þorw-oute þe wordle in no lande
Noþyng schal growe þere gres none treo
Ne scragges ne roches schal none beo
Ne dayl ne hille ne montayne
For þe eorþe schal beo euene & playne
And beo ymade euene & faire & clene
As any cleire cristal þt euere was sene
For hit schal beo finyd & purgid wiþ-oute
And all oþer elementes schal beo aboute
And no+more beo ytrauailid in no side
<fol. 116v>Ne wiþ no charge beo ocupide
Now haue 3e hurde me by-fore rede
Of þe day of dome þt meny may drede
And of þe toknes wonderfol & many
þat schal fall by-fore þat day namely
And how þe wordle þt we now seo
After þe dome schal nowe ymade beo
As ys conteynde ho so wole loke
Jn þe fifte party of þis boke
here on wouly no lengour stonde
Boto go we to þe nexte party folwande
þat speke specialy as wryten ys
Of þe paynes of helle þt beoþ eyndeles
þat all men þt heire byhowiþ lif lede
Au3te specially for to drede
For þe paynes beoþ so felle & harde
As 3e schal seo & hyre after-warde
þat echone may drede 3onge & olde
þat hyriþ hem beo rehersid & tolde
Heire bygynyneþ þe sexte party þat
ys of þe paynes of helle

Meny men spekiþ of helle
Bote of þe paynes few kan telle
Bote ho so in eorþe my3te wite
And knowe wel þe souþe 3utte
what payne þe synfole þere scholde feile
he my3te onderstonde wele
þey scholde in gret ferdnes beo ybro3te
Euere whan þeþ in þe paynes þo3te
<fol. 117r>For þe mynde of hem my3te men fere
So bytere & orible þey here
For-yy yt meny knowiþ no3te ry3te
what manere of paynes in helle beoþ dy3ted
wiþ-oute eynde as for synfole men
A+party of mo paynes sere
As 3e may sone afterwarde hyre
Bote furste J wole schewe 3ow where ys helle
As J haue hyrde grete clerdes telle
And suþþe J wole schewe 3ow more
And speke of paynes þt beoþ þore
Some clerkes seyn as bokes beriy witnes
þat hell euene amydde þe eorþe ys
For all þe eorþe by skile liknid may beo
To a+rounde appel of a treo
þat euene amyddes haþ a+kolke
Ry3t as myddys an ey ys a+3olke
For þe 3olke es euene amyde-warde
þe myddel of an ey whan hit ys harde
Ry3t so ys helle putte as clerkes telles
Amyddes þe eorþe & nowhar elles
As þe 3olke amydes an eþ lys
And þe white aboute in þe same wis
Ry3t so ys þe eorþe wiþ-oute doute
Amyddes þe heuenes þt goþ aboute
<fol. 117v>þus may men seo by harde eþ3e sy3te
how heuene & eorþe stonde ry3te
Fol hedous & moche helle ys kidde
For-why hit ys wt-jnne eorþe yhydde
þudere schal þe synfole dryue
As sone as þe laste dome ys 3yue
wt all þe fendes euere þere to dwelle
þat now beoþ in þe eyre & in eorþe & in helle
þere schal þey all yputte to-gedere
wo schal hem beo þt schal come þydere
For þer ys so moche sorwe & bale
And so meny paynes wiþ-oute tale
þat all þe clerkes þt euere hadde wite
þat euere were or~ lyuyþ 3itte
Couþe no3te telle ne schewe þorw lore
how moche sorwe & payne ys þore
And if hit þorw kynde my3te beo so
þat an hondride þousand men or mo
hadde an hondride þousand of tonges of stile
And ech tonge my3te speke wisly & wele
And ech tonge of ech a+man
Bigonne whan þe wordle bigan
To speke of paynes & scholde speke ay
whiles þe wordle laste to domesday
3ut my3te þey no3te þe sorwe tell
þat to synfole men ys ordeynyd in hell
<fol. 118r>For why no write of man may þmagynne
þe paynes þt þere beoþ yordeynyd for synne
Bote men may fynde ho so wole loke
Some manere of paynes wryten in þis boke
As men haue hirde grete clerkes tell
Amonges all oþer paynes of hell
Bote ho ys so wise & witty
yat couþe telle þe paynes proprely
Bote if hit were he hadde beo þore
And seyne þe paynes lasse & more
Bote ho comyþ þere sertayne
May no3te ly3tly torne agayne
he moste dwelle þere & neuere away come
For þe boke seiþ þus of wisdome
<lat></lat>
þat ys on englisch men knowiþ none
þat comiþ fram helle þt Judere ys gone
For all þt beoþ þere moste dwell for ay
he may neuere beo ybro3te away
Bote 3if hit were þorw miracle only
Of specially grace of god al-my3ty
þorw whiche some þt in hell haþ bene
And orible paynes haue þere sene
haue beo ybro3te away fram all þt striif
And tornyd a3eyn fram daþ to lif
As la3ar~ was mary broþer Maudeleyn
þat seþ & hadde þere meny+a+pyne
<fol. 118v>þat tyme namely whan he was dede
For his soule was þan at þt stede
Foure days as criste fouchid saue
And so longe his body lay heire in graue
And atte laste god raysid hym ry3te
Fro doþ to lyue þorw his my3te
Bote what he saw he no3t fore-3ate
As sone after as he sate
wiþ criste at mete in martha ys hous
And tolde a+party of þe paynes hidous
Bote 3ut deorste he no3t al tell
For drede of criste þt he saw in helle
3ut lyuede he after fiftene 3ere
Bote he low neuere ne made glade chere
For drede of doþ þt he moste deþe
And of þe paynes þt he saw wt eye
For how bitere deþ ys may no+man witte
Bote only he þt haþ feilid hitte
And what paynes in hell beoþ me nolde yw<binding>
Bote [he] only þt haþ hem sene
As to of symones sones ry3te
þe whiche ga3yn? & lynterne hy3te
whan þey furste deide & hennes wente
þey seie in hell meny a+tormente
And suþþe whan criste deide on þe rode
þey aros fram dede & aboute 3eode
And tolde how criste by-fore ar he ros
<fol. 119r>To hell come & toke þt his will was
And moche more couþe þey tell
Of þe paynes þt þey seþ in hell
Bote þey hadde no lyue y weyne
To hell al þt þey hadde þere seyne
where-fore þey lyuede heire euere in penance
And neuere after mayde bliþe contenance
Of wham ys wryten in apistil þus
þat pilate seynte to tiberius
þat þan emperour was
For to areseny hem of þt kas
And 3ut meny oþer þt were dede
haue beo some tyme in þt stede
And seie þere many an hodous pyne
And þorw miracle itornede to lyue agayne
Bote amonge al oþer þt þere haþ beo sene
þ fynde wryte paynes fourtene
þorw whiche synfole schal beo pynyd ay
Jn body & soule after domesday
þe whiche beoþ general paynes of hell
And whiche þey beoþ J wole 3ow tell
þe furste ys fyre so hote to reken
þat no manere of þynges may hit sleken
þe secunde ys clipid chile as seie some
þat non hete of fyre may ouercome
þe yridde also filye & styncke
þat ys strengeore þan herte may þyncke
þe feorþe ys hongour scharpe & stonnge
þe fifte ys brennynge þurste amonge