<fol. 3v>schal be weping & gring of teeþ þerfore j conseyle þt þu a-vise
þe wil how þu wilt answere to þis question how þu hast
entrid wheþer bi cleping or bi þin oune prokeryg for þu wol
dist trauel on godis gospel or for þu woldist be richeli
arayed answer~ to þin oune conscience now as þu schalt
or long answer~ to god þu þt hast takyn þe ordir of prest
wheþer þu be curat or+non who sterid þe to take vpon þe
so hye a stat wheþer for þu woldist life in goddes contemp
placion eiþer for to lyfe a delicious lif vpon oþer men
nys trauel & þi-self trauel not : whi also settyn men her
sonys to scole wheþer for to gete hem gre<add>te</add> <exp>a</exp>wancementes
oþer to make hem þe better to knowe how þei schuldyn serue
god þis may men seyn opinly bi þe sciensse þt men set
tyn hem to / whi j prey 3ow puttyn men her sonys raþer to
laue ciuile & to þe kingges co[u]rt to write lettris or vrit
tys þan to philosophie or to diuinite ; but for þei ho
pyn þt þeise occupacions schuldyn be menys to make
hem grete in þis world j hope þt þer wyl no man seie þat
ne þei schuldyn lern better þe rule of goode lyuyng in þe
book of goddes laue þan in ony bokis of mennys world
li wisdom ; but certes it is soþe þt seynt jon crisomton
seiþ lordis ben louyng þe bodiys of her childryn but
her soulis þei despisid þei desiryn hem to welfar~ of
þe world & þei take non hed what þei schuldyn suff
ryn in þe oþer . sum ordeyn fees for her sonys but non
ordenyn hem to godward þe losse of her bodiys þei
wyln dere begge but þe helþe of her soule þei recyn not of
<fol. 4r>if þei seen hem pore þei sorwyn & sykyn but þow þei
seeyn hem synnyn þei sorwyn no þing in þis þei schew
yn þt þei browtyn forþe her bodiys but not her soulys
& if we takyn hede trulyche what homynacouns ben sca
teryd in þe chyrche now-a-dayes a-monge prestys we schul
dyn alle wel wyte þt þei come not in-to þe folde of crist
bi cristys clepyng for to profyte but bi oþir weyis forto
gete hem worldly welþe & þis is cause of many errow
rys amonge þe peple ; & herfore it is wrytyn in þe book
of mornyge wher~ þe prophete spekyþ þus to god þe en
my haþ put his honde to alle þynges desiderable to
hym for he haþ seyn folk laueles enteryd in to þe scuna
rye of wyche þu haddyst comondid þei schulden not en
tre in-to þi chyrche . þis enemy is satanas as his na
me sownyþ þt haþ put his honde to alle þt hym lykiþ
what synne j preye 3ow wolde þe fynde haue sone of
men þt is not now vsyd in what plentye is pryde en
wye wraþþe & couetyse whanne wer~ þei so grete as þei
ben now & so of alle oþir synnys & whi trowyst þu
but for þer is laueles peple enteryd in-to þe temple
þt neiþer kepyn in hem-self [þe] laue of god ne kunyn teche
oþir & to euery soche seiþ þe prophete osee for þt þu hast
put awey kunnying j schal put þe awey þt þu schalt
vse no presthode to me . lo þt god expresly her~ on holy
wry3t forbediþ men to take þe state of prestehode on hem
but if þei han kunnyng þt nedyþ hem þu þanne þt canst
neiþer rule þi-self ne oþir after þe laue of god bewar
how ˆ [þu] wolt answar~ to god at his dredeful dom
<fol. 4v>whann he schal seye to þe þt j toke to my teme 3elde re
kynyng of þi bayly ; þe secunde questyon þt euery curat
& prelat of holy chrche schal answer~ to his þis how
hast þu rulyd þt is to seie þe soulys of þi sugettes &
þe godys of pore men 3if now þi a-cunte furst how hast
þu goueryd goddes flock þt wol takyn þe to kepe as an
herde-man þt doþ al for þe loue of his bodely hir~ as
a fadir or os a wolf þt etyþ þe chepe & kepyþ hem not
seie whom þu hast turnyd from her cursyd lyuyng bi þi
deuowut prescheyng whom hast þu tawt þe laue of god
þt wos arst vnkunnyng þer~ schal be herde a greuous ac
cusyge of fadyrles chyldryn & an harde aleggynge
þt þei han lyuyd bi her wagys & not don a-wey her~
synnys . 3elde also a ryknynge how þu hast rulyd & spen
dyd þe goodys of por~ men her~ what seynt bernard
seiþ dredyþ clerkes drediþ mynystris of þe chyrche þe
wyche byn in þe place of seyntes & þei don so wycked
ly þt þei holdyng hem not apayd wyþ scoche wagys þt
weryn sufficient to hem þt ouerplus þt nedy men schuldyn
han þei be not a-schamyd to waste in her housys of pride
& of lecsherye & wt-holdyn to hem-self wyckedly & cur
sedely þe lyf lode of por~ men wt doubled wickednesse
truly þei seyn . furst for þi reuyn oþir menys goodes &
siþen þei mysvsyn holy þynges in her vanyteys euery
soche bayly be war for a non vnto þe lest ferþing he
schal reken . trowst þu not þanne þt þu schalt not be disa
louyd of god of þt þu hast dispendyd in fedyng of fate
palfreys of hondys of haukys & if it so be þt is worst
<fol. 5r>of alle þt is on+leccherous wommen here what is seide on
soche ; þei han lad her dayes in welþe & in a poynt þei ben
gon doun in-to helle þenk þer-fore j rede þt þu schalt 3el
dyn rykenyg of þi bayly ; þe þryd question þt þe furst
bayly schal answare to is þis how hast þu lyuyd what
lyte of holynesse hast þu schewyd in þi lyuyng to þe peple
& what merowr hast þu be of holynesse to hem 3ef now
þi ryknyng how hast þu lyuyd as a prest or as a lewde man
as a man or as a best jt is to wondryn trulely how þe lyf
of prestis is chongyd þei ben cloþid of kny3tes þei speken
as vnhonystly os cherlys or of wynyng os marchantes
þei rydyn as princys & al þis þt is þus spendyd is of po
re mennys goodes & of cristes heritage her-fore seiþ an holy
doctor þe cley of egypt wos tou3 styngyng & medlyd
wt blod þe sclattes weryn hard to be vndoon for þei we
rn bakyn wt þe fyre of couetise & wt þe ˆ [lye of] lustys . in þeise
trauelyn ryche men & þeise yei wakyn awaytyng to
por~ men in þeise trauelyn prelates þt ben blynde wt to
myche schynynge of rychessys þt make hem housys lyke
chirchys in gretnesse þt wt deyuerse peytours colorn scham
bres & diuerse clonyng of colorys maken ymagys gay
but þe pore man for defaute of cloþis beggyþ & wt an
emti wompe cryeþ at þe dor~ & if j schal seie soþe
seiþ þis doctour ofte tyme þus pore men ben robbyd
for to cloþe wt trees & stonys to soche spekiþ þe prophe
te jsaye who hart þu her~ her~ þu art occupyinge þe pla
ce of petyr or of paule & c~ but how as judas wos amonge
þe postlys as symon magus wos amonge desciplis
<fol. 5v>as a kandyl newe quengyd þt styngiþ al þe hous
in þe stede of a+bryt lantarne & as a+smoke þt blyn
diþ menys y3en in stede of clere fyre . & if þu contraye
þus þe forme of lyuyng þt crist & his a-postlys
leftyn to prestis þer-for~ seiþ þe prophete jeromye þei
han entryd & þei han had & not ben obedient
þei han wt false tytle & false corupt intensyon &
þei haddyn pore menis godis to her mys-vsyng
& þei haue not ben obedient to þe laue of god in
her oune lying þer-fore it is writyn þt þe hardest
dom schal falle on soche . an hard dom for þei han
mysentryd an hardar for þei han mys-rwlyd & þe
hardast dom for þei han cursedly lyuyd þenke þer
fore i rede how þu wolt 3elde reknying of þi bayly
þe secunde bayly þt schal a-konte at þis dom for
hym-self & also for oþir is he þt haþ kepyng of ony
comynte as kyngges princis meyris & schirwis &
justyses & þeise schullyn also answeryn to þeise
same þre questions þe furst question [how] hast þu en
tryd in-to þyn office eiþer for profyt of þe peple to dis
trye falshed & forþeryn truþe or desyre of wynnyg
or [of] wordly worchep if þu take soche an office more
for þin oune wordly profy3t þanne for helþe of þe co
mynte þu art a+tiraunt as þe philososer seiþ for it
is to drede leest þer ben many þt desiryn soche states þt
þei may þe raþer oppresse þo þt þei hatyn & take 3eftes
<fol. 6r>to spare to punche hem þt han trespast & so make
hem partyner of her synnes & many soche whan
ne þei be so hy þei þenkyn not þt þei ben pore
menes broþeryn but þei wenyn to passe hem
in wordly worchepe þt is but wynd of þe wyche
god seiþ by þe prophete þei han regnyd but not
of me þei haue ben princis but j knewe not so we
redyn of roboam þt wos þe sone of kyng salamon
what tyme þt he wos furst kyng þe peple of isra
el come to hym & seydyn þei fadir in his laste dayes
put vpon vs a grete charge we preye þe þt þu wold
dist make it lytter & we schullyn serue þe & þe kyng
toke consel of þe olde wyse men & þei conseylyd hym
to ansuar~ hem fayr~ & þt schulde be for þe beste but
he lest þe conseyle of þeise olde wyse+menys & dede after
þe consel of chyldrin þt weryn his pleyferyn & seide
to þe peple whanne þei comyn a-3en my leste fyn
gyr is gretter þan my fadrys rygge my fadir greue
id 3ow sum-what but j wole eke mor~ & þe peple
herdyn þis & rebellydyn a-3ens hym & token hem
a-noþer kyng & syþin cam neuer þe kyngdom hol to
gydere a-3en þerfore it is goode þt eueury lorde
of þe comuntes þt he be not lad bi folis non bi noon
oþir ere rownerys but þt he haue an eye of loue
to þe comunte þt he haþ to rule for wyte 3e wyl
be he neuer so hy 3ut he schal come by-forn his
hier to 3elde rikynyg of his bayly ; þe secunde
<fol. 6v>questyoun how hast þu rulyd þe peple & þe office þt þu had
dyst to gouerne þu þt hast ben a juge in cause of pore
men how hast þu kept þis heest of god . þu schalt not take
hede of þe persone of a por~ man to be to hym þe hardar for his
pouerte ne þu schalt by-holde þe semelant of a ryche man
to spare or to fauor hym in wrong for his richesse o lord
god what avysioun is þer among officerys of boþe lauys now-
on-dayes if a grete man plete wt a pore to haue ou3t þt
he holdyþ euery offycyr schal be redy to hi3e al þt he
may þt þe ryche man my3t haue soche a eende as he
desyriþ but if a pore man plete wt a+riche man þanne þer
schal be so many delayes þt þow þe por~ manys ry3t be
open to al þe contre for pure defaute of spendyng he
schal be glad for to ce<exp>r</exp>ce schyreuis & baylyes wollyn
retorne por~ menys wryttys wt <lat>tarde venit</lat> but if þei
fele mede in her hondes & 3ut j her~ seie of men þt han
seen boþe lauys þt þt court þt is clepyd cristyn is mo
re cursud þerfore it is wryttyn 3iftys þei taken out of
mennys bosoms to ouertorne þe wyes of ry3t dome
but it is to drede þe word of crist in what dom 3e+de
me 3e schullyn be demyd whanne 3e come to 3elde ry
kenyg of 3our~ bayly þe þryde question is how hast
þu lyuyd þt hast demyd & punchyd oþir men for her
trespasse a grete dottour seyþ þe bi-houiþ to fle þe wyc
kydnesse of oþir men . þu þt chastisist hem for her trespassis
if þu þi-self do vnlauefulli in demyng oþir men þu
damnyst þi-self siþ þu dost þt þu damnyst & paule seiþ
why thechist þu not [þi]-self þt techist oþer whi stelist þu þat
techist oþer men not for to stele seynt greger seiþ how
<fol. 7r>schal he take gouernal of oþer þt can not go by-forn hem jn
god lyuyg & whanne ony man stant bi-forn hym in dom
he must take hed by-fore what juge he schal stande
hym-self to take his dom after his dedes but it is to drede
þt many faryn as þe to false prestes þt wolde haue damnyd
to deeþ þe holy whomman susanne for che wolde not assente
to her leccherye of wiche it is wrytyn þey turnyd awey
<mrg>her</mrg> y3en for þei wolde not seeyn heuene ne haue in mynde
ry3tful domys so it happiþ ofte þei þt were mor~ worþi
to be hangyd damnyn hem þt ben lesse worþi as a clerk
telliþ of sacrates þe philosopfer vpon a day a man axid
hym whi he lawyd & he seide for j see grete þeuys lede
a litil þef to hangyng j prey 3ow wheþer is he þe gretter
þef þt bi-nemyþ a man house & his londe from hym & his
heyris for-euer-mor~ or he þt for grete nede steliþ a
schepe or a calf wheþer troue 3e not þt it hapiþ soche ex
torsioneres to be oþer wyle iugys & deme men þus to deþ
but j rede þe þt demyst þus oþer þenke on þt dom þt þu schalt
come to to 3elde ryknyng of þi bayly þe þrid bayli þt
schal be clepid to þis dredeful a-contes schal be euery
cristyn man þt schal reknyng to his lorde god for þe godes
þt he haþ had of hym but her~ j wole speke but a furst
question þt is þis how entrist þu & her~ beþ war 3e þt here
getyn ony good wrongfully takyn bi extorcion bi rauyn
bi vsure or bi disceyte woo schal be to þo at þis dredeful
day as seynt austyn seiþ if he be cast in-to þe fyr~ þt haþ
not 3ouyn of his oune good wher~ trowist þu þt he schal
be cast þt haþ raft oþer mennys goodes from hem & if he schal
brenne wt þe fend þt haþ not cloþid þe nakyd where
<fol. 7v>trowist þu schal he brenne þt haþ mad hem nakyd þt weryn
harst cloyd but as seynt greger seiþ to þinges make men
to lyue þus bi rauen of her nei3bors þt ben desir~ of hinesse
& drede of pouerte & what vengange falliþ of þis synne
of couytyse 3e may se bi a fygure of holy wri3t whanne þe
aungel seide to þe prophete zakarie rere vp þyn y3en &
se what is þt þt gooþ out & þe prophete seide what is it &
þe aungel seide þis is þe pote goyng out þis is þe i3e of
hem of alle þe erþe & þer wos a weyte of led bore & þer wos a
womman syttyng in þe myddyl of þis pott & þe aungel
seide þis is vnpete & he toke her & cast her in to þe myd
del of þis pott & he toke þe gobet of led & castid in-to
pottes mouþ & þe prophete lift vp his y3en & he sey tho
wommmen comyng out & spirites in her wyngges & þei
haddyn wyngges like kytes & þei reredyn vp þis pott
bitexe heuene & erþe & þanne þe prophete spak to þe aung
el whidyr wolyn þeise ber þis pott & he seide in-to þe
londe of sennar þis pott is couetise for ry3t as a pott
haþ a wide mouþ so couetise gapiþ euer+mor~ after world
li good & ri3t as þe lycor of ˆ [þe] pott profetit nou3t to þe pott
but to men þt drawyn þer-of so worldli good oftyn profetiþ not
to þe chynchis but to oþer þt comyn after as it is writyn
he þt haþ mony schal haue no frute of it & þis is þe
y3e of couetise men for yei ben blynde to se [ho]w þei schulyn
come to heuene but to winyng of worldli þing þei seeyn
many weyes lyke to howlys & ny3t crowys þt sen beter
bi nyt þan bi day þe gobat of led is þe synne of obstinatioun
<fol. 8r>þe womman sittyng in þe pott is vnpete as þe aungel seyde
þt folwiþ auarise for þoru3 auarise þe man lesiþ þe pite
þt he schulde haue of þe myschef of his soule siþ oftyn
men lesyn þe lijf of her soule bi dedli synne þt þei don
to haue wynnyng & also þei lesyn þe pite þt þei schuldyn
haue to her bodi puttyng hem-self to may grete bodly
trauels & perels boþe on þe se & on þe londe & al makiþ
couetise þis pott is stoppid wt þe gobet of led whanne
þt it may not go out of þe schynchis herte by penanse
as job seiþ whanne he is fullyid ne schal be stoppyd þe
to wommen þt beryn vp þis pott ben pryde & lust of flecsche
þt ben clepid in holy writ þe to dowteres of þe watirleche
crynng bryng bryng & þei haddyn wynggis þe furst wyng
is grace spirytual as kynnyˆ [n]g wisdom consel & many oþer
for whiche 3eft ofte men wexyn prudde þe secunde wyng
is bodely grace as strengþe fayr~nesse & gentry & oþir
soche of wiche men wexyn prudde ofte þe wyngges of
þe secunde womman þt is flecschly desyre þt ben glotenye
& slowþe seyþ seynt austen lot <rbd>.</rbd> þt while þt he wos
in bysinesse duellyng a-mong schrewys in sodom he wos
a gode man but whanne he wos in þe hil slowe for sy
kernesse he in his dronkennesse lay bi his dowteres
& þeise wommen haddyn wyngges like to kytes þt wt cry
ing voyse sekyn her mete as bartholomuus seiþ & þus
fariþ couetise of men wytnessyng : s : austeyn / what
is þe gretenesse of fleschly desire siþ þe raue
norvus fisches han sum mesure whanne þei hungren