<County: Suffolk>
<Code: L8491>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ashmole 750, Hand C>
<Text: Ipotis>


<fol. 148r><space for initial>lle þat welyn of wysdam ler
lestyn to me and 3e schal her
Of a tale of holy wryt
Seynt Jon the apostell wytnes it
þat þe be-fel in grete rome
þe chef cyte of cristyn dome
A chyld was sent of myghtes moste
þrow the vertu of þe holy goste
the emperour of rome þan
hys nam was hotyn syr Adrya~
And qwhan þe child of gret honour
was come be-for þat emperour
vp-on ˆ [his] kne he hym sette
þe emperour ful fayr he grette
the emperour wt myld cher~
Asked fro wen he come and wer
the chyld answerde a ply3t
Fro my modyr~ j come now ry3t
And fro my fadyr þat hye iustyce
to teche men þat arn noght wyse
ne noght fulfild of godes lawe
þe emperour answerde and seyd hys sawe
þan ert þu wyse . wysdom to teche
þe chyld answerde wt myld speche
he is wyse þat heuen may wynne
And kepyn hym out of dedly synne
þe emperour wt-owtyn blame
Chyld he sayd wat is thy name
<fol. 148v>My name he sayd is ypotys
Mykyl j can tellyn of heuen blysse
wat seyd þe emperour may heuen be
þe chyld sayde . one of godes pryuite
And qwat he sayde is god almyght
þe chyld answerd anonne ryght
he is wt-owte begynnyg~
And also wt-owte endyng~
the emperour seyde j haue selkouth
qwat come ferst out of godes mouth
the chylde answerde a-non
þer-of speketh þe apostel jon
Jn his gospell al and sum
<lat>jn priincipio erat verbum</lat>
þis was þe fyrst word be-gynnyg~
þat euer spak our~ euen kyng~
And that word was the sone
the fadyr and þe holy goste to-geder wone
thre personys in trinite
þat non may from oder te
the emperour answerd hym ful euen
chyld hast þu ben in heuen
how fele heuenys hath god all-myght
Seuen sayd the chyld a ply3t
þe hyest heuen þat euer may be
js of þe holy trinite
þer is the fadyr wt the sone
þe holy gost to-geder þey wone
thre personys in on godhed
as clerkys in bokes red
<fol. 149r>þe ioy may no+ma~ dyscryue
lord ne lady þat is on lyfe
þat heuen is a gostly fer
of a lower degr~ 3e ma her
þat þoye may no+man deuyne
tyl domys day þat þey clyne
the þrydde heuene is lyk cristall
Ful of þoye and swete small
For ma~ and woma~ þat place is dyght
þat loued god in all her myght
þe þoye may no tong telle
tyl domys-day þat þey schall spell
the forthe heuen is gold liche
Ful of precious stonys ryche
For jnnocentes þat place is dyghte
þat euer is day and neuer nyghte
þe fyfte heuen is long and brod
Ful of goddes manhod
3yf the manhod of god ne wer~
All thys world for-lor it wer~
And folw þe passion of hys manhed
heuen blys schal ben owr med
the sexste heuen holy cherche is
Ful of holy Aungeles j-wys
that of hym redyth and sengyt day and nyght
of hys strenght and of hys myght
þe seuene-þe heuen . so seyth the storye
is paradyse after purgatorye
whan the soules han drien her penance
he schull dwell þer-in wt-oute distaunce
<fol. 149v>þes ben þe seuen heuenus syr emperour
þat weldyth ihesuc our~ Sauyowr
þe emperour askede anon ryght
How fele ordrys ben þer of aungeles bryght
þe chyld answerde hym
and seyd . ix . ordrys be þer-in
þe ferste is cherubyn
And þe oþer seraphyn
þe thredde ordyr is <ill><1-2 words></ill>
þe fyfte ordyr is <ill><1-2 words></ill>
And the sexte is potestatus

þe thred ordyr is thronus
and þe odyr is dominacionus
þe fyfte ordyr is principatus
And þe sexte is potestatus
þe seuent ordyr is virtutes
And þe heyghte is Angelices
þe neynt order is Archangely
and euery prinse haue hys party
A thowsand angelles to hys baner
to serwyn hym both far and ner~
þe tenþe ordyr schal mankyne ben
For to fufil þat place a-3en
in heuen be þat ilke side
þat lucifer fel oute for pride
þan schal the manhed of god Almyght
Ben our prince and þat is ryght
ouer all princes he schal be
wt hys fader in trinite
Of myche þoie he ma telly<?>
wt-outyn ende þat schal þar dwellyn
<fol. 150r>Hys awne broder he schal þer se
wyth hys fader in maieste
þe emperour sayd chyld j þe praye
wat made þe ferste daye
þe chylde hym answerd ful euen
Archangelles Angelles and heuen
And thys world of gret nobleye
god made ferst on a sonnendaye
And on þe monday verement
god made the fyrmament
Sonne and mone to schynne bryghte
And fele sterres þer-on ar dyghte
þe tewseday j vndyr-stonde
god made see and londe
wellys fele and watrys fresche
herbys he made trees and gras
On þe wednesday

wellys feel and watrys fresche
to tempyr þe erthe hard and nessche
Herbys he made . trees and grasce
And al thyng~ þat hys wylle was
On the wednesday . god ful of myght
made fysch an flood and fowlles of flyght
And bad hem a-bowte þe worlde wende
For helpyn al man-kynde
On þe þorday god made bestes alle
Dyuers be doune and <exp>and</exp> be dalle
And 3af hem erþe to been her fode
And bad hem torne man to gode
<fol. 150v>On þe fryday god made Adam
After hys chappe . and 3af hym name
And sythyn hys on rybbe gan to take
And made hym Eue . to been hys make
All paradise he gan hym take
A gret lord he gan hym make
All paradys he gan hym take
And made hym man of myghtes moste
And 3af lyfe and þe holy goste
and made hym lord of þat he had wroghte
þe Saturday god ne for-gat noghte
þat day he blyssed wt god wylle
And hys werkes grete and stylle
Eueryche on hys party
and bad hym goo and multiplie
þe sonday ryste he tok
As clerkes fyndyn in þe bok
He bad and commawnded all man-kynd
þat reste schulden hauen in mynd
þat day schuld no man werke
But bydde bedys and go to cherche
and kepyn hem out of dedly synne
þat he fall noght þer-jnne
þe emperour wt wordes mylde
3yt þus gan asken of þe chylde
3yf he cowde tellyn hym owghte
Of how fele þynges Adam was wroghte
þe chyld answerde and seyd of seuene
qweche he arne j schal þe euene
<fol. 151r>Erþe . sclem . was on of þo
water of þe see god tok þer-to
Of Sonne and of þe wynde
And of þe clowdes j-wrete we fynde
And of þe stonys be þe see coste
And also of þe holy goste
Of þe erþe is made is flesche
And of þe water is hys blod . for it is nesche
Of þe sonne hys herte and hys bowelys
hys kyndnes and hys god thewys
Of þe clowdes hys wyttes beth
And of þe ston is made hys bon
He soule of the holy goste alon
lo Syr emperour Adryan
Of how felle þynges is made a ma~
ffor-þy euery ma~ in þis world her
So is of dyuers maner
he þat hath of þe herþe moste
he schal be hewy well þu woste
both in worde and in dede
in al thyng~ as j the rede
he þat hath þe moste of þe see
Jn trauayle hym schal lef to be
and myche cowyte lond and lede
þat schal hym faylyn at hys moste nede
For al þys faryth be þis worldes gode
As be an ebbe and a flode
<fol. 151v>He þat hath of wynde þe most myghte
þrow ryght reson he schall be lyghte
hastyff of herte . and wylde of þowthe
And spekyth many wordes þat seruyn of noghte
he þat of þe sonne hath þe moste plenty
hot and hasty he schal be
Staworþest as ma~ of myghte
And in hys hert he schal be lyghte
He þat of þe clowdes hat þe most foyson
he schal be wyse þrow ryghte reson
He þat of þe ston most is wroghte
he schal be stedfast in herte and thoghte
And in trayuell trest and trewe
And þrow ryght reson pale of hewe
He þat hath of thee holy gost
he schal han in hys herte most
God þoght . god word and god dede
the hongry to cloþen and to fede
lowen god and holy cherche
And oþer god werkes to werche
þe emperour sayd þu spekyst of þe see
tel me chylde qwat it may be
þe chyld answerd be heuene kyng~
And seyd a wyld wey of wanderyng~
Swech way þu mayst wander þer-in
þu schalt neuer no lond wyn
þa~ seyd þe emperour
tel me chyld paramour
<fol. 152r>Qwat tyme dyd Adam amys
war-þrow he les paradis
þe chyld seyde at myd-morwe tyde
A-bowte mydday he les hys pride
An angell drof hym in-to desert
wt a bryght brennyg~ swerd
And bad hym lyuiyn in car and wo
He and hys of-sprenges euer mo
And all þat euer of hym came
þe fend wt hym to helle name
þe sowle3 wondren in helle þor~
tyl þat ihu criste bor~ wor~
And suffrede on þe rode passyon
And boght vs oute of prison
Alas sayd þe emperour j haue gret dulle
þat Adam was so mykyl a+foll
How fele synnys ded Adam
warfor god our kynd vs be-name
Seuene þe chylde seyd þo
Sacrilege was on of þo
Fornicacyon was on of þes
Auarys of conscyens
<lat>Jn gula superbie</lat>
þe seuene heued-synnes dyde he
Jn superbia he synnyd hylle
Qwha~ he wrowt þe fendys wylle
And noght hafter þe lor of god
He told noght of hys forbot
<fol. 152v>Jn Sacrilegge he synned sor
qwhan he wrote the feyndes lor
And fulfyllyd hys owne talent
to do þe feyndes commaundent
Man-sleer he was j-nowe
Qwhan he hys owne soule slowe
þef he was and now for gode
Qwhan he stalle þat hym was forbode
Serteynement as j þe saye
þerfor he was worþi to dye
Fornicacion he ded in mende
Qwhan he lewed vp-on þe fende
And held þat godes lawe was fals
in Aueryce he synnyd als
Qwhan he coweyte mor~
þan he hadde nede for~
Al paradys was hys at hys wyll
lytil wondyr was þo god lykyd ille
Jn glotonye he synnedde vyle
qwan he put hym in þat perille
þe appel of þe tre to take
þat god for-bod hym . and eue hys make
And sythyn he synned warst of alle
qwhan he was in þat perile falle
He ne hadde no grace for to ryse
qwhan god come to hym in þis wyse
Adam he sayde qwat dost þu nowe
Ada~ answerde wt hys mowthe
lord ich her þe wel a plyghte
but of þi lore j haue no syghte
<fol. 153r>Our lord þo . to Ada~ seyde
Man qwy wroghtes þu þis euel dede
Adam answerde wt wordes stylle
þe woman lord þu tokest me tylle
Made me to don þis euell dede
Our lord þo to eue sayde
woman qwy wroghtes þis wylle
þe addyr lord gan me be-gylle
Our lord to þe addyr seyd þo
Feynd wy wroghtes þu wemen þis wo
þe Addyr answerd wt maystrye
For j hade to hem gret enwye
þat j for pride gan to mys
Our lord sayd 3yt to Adam
For the gylte þu hast do man
þow schalt in the world swynk þi mete
in myche trauayle and in wo and myche hete
And lyue þu schalt in car and woo
þu and þyn of-sprenges euer mo
to eue þanne sayd our heuenne kyng~
woma~ for þi wykyd conseylyng
þu schalt ben in woo and heste
jn myche car and wo and cheste
And ber þyn frowt wepyng and car sor~
þu and þyn of-sprynges euere-mor~
Our~ lord to þe addyr sayd þan
Jn lyknes of woman temptydyst ma~
j commaunde þe þat þu on þi wombe glyde
And Alle þat euer is the be-syde
<fol. 153v>Of þe schal be sor~ a-ferde
And þan scha come in-to deserte
A virgyn schal be boren blyþe
þat al þi poste schal to-dryue
þo lyued Adam in erþe her~
Ful . ix . honddryth 3er~
And . xxxij . 3er as j þe telle
And sythe he dyde and 3ede to helle
hys soule wonde in helle þor~
Four . Ml . 3er and vj C mor~
And fowr 3er and tytyd seuene
And sythyn mygthfull god of heuene
And he was of myghtes most
And sent a-don þe holy gost
And tok flech and blod of Mary
wt-outyn wem of her body
xxx . wynter and thr~ half 3er~
godys Sonne wente in erþe her~
Forty days for vs he faste
þe jewys tokyn hem at þe laste
And dedyn god sone on þe rode
he suffred deth for our gode
And sythyn þe holy gost wente to helle
þe fendes poste powste for to felle
He tok out Ada~ and eue
And all þat wern hym leue
Moyses dauid and Abraham
And alle þe beste wt hym he nam
he ladde hem in to paradyse
þer ioye and blysse euermor is
<fol. 154r>And sythyn after hys vp-rysyng~
and styed to heuene þer he kyng~
on hys fader ryghte hond he set hym þan
þer he is sothfast both god and ma~
þat ilke kyng~ omnypotent
Schal come at þe day of jugement
to demen men after her dedis
he is vn-wyse þat it ne dredis
þe gode to ioye the wyk to pynne
þe yoye þe gode schal haue may no ma~ dyuyne
þat þey schuln haue for her serwyse
þat lowyn god in alle wyse
þe emperour sayd be euene kyng~
Chyld þis was a fayr vndoyng
whar-wt þe feynd most be-gylyth ma~
Tell me chyld 3yf þat þu can
whar-wt þe feynd most be-gylyth ma~
And how fele synnys þu mayst me telle
þat drawyth a mannys sowle moste to helle
among man-kynde þey ben ful ryfe
the chyld sayde synnys fyue
A-mong man-kynde þey ben ful ryiue
wykkyd thoght in mannys hert
whylus a man is holl and smert
Man sclawndyr and tel oþer schame
And bryngyght in wykkede fame
but he wt scryfte mak hym cler~
he soule goth to helle fer
<fol. 154v>Pryde is þat oþer
glotonye is þe þred broþer
lecherye is the ferþe
on of the werst a-bouyn þe erþe
Couetyse þe fyffe synne is as j þe telle
þat drawyth a man soulle most to helle
Seynt poule wytness it in hys story
þat þe peyne of cowetys in purgatory
be hym selue is j-dyghght
a qwel of bras brennyg~ bryght
Ful of hokys a-bowyn and vndyr
And qwhan it goth it rowtyh as þe thondyr
Ful of soule3 it is hanggynge
as þykke as on may be odyr þryngge
qwy it is lyknyd to a qwhele
j schal þe tellyn far and wele
3ong~ men in her 3owthe þey wyn þe prise
And 3ewyth hym al to dywyse
And in þe myddyl of hys lyfe nyl noght blyne
But at þe laste he dyeth þer inne
Serteynement as j the telle
wt-owtyn hend he goth helle
Coueytyse endyd neuer well
ffor-þi it is lyknyd to a qwhell
And pryde þat is bolde
ys wers be an hondryth foulde
For aungel þat wer so bryghte
so cler and ful of lyghte
Swych wreche on hem god gan take
Þat summe be commyn feyndes blake
<fol. 155r>and fellyn oute as j þe telle
Ryght in to þe pyne of helle
And summe dwellyn her a-mong~ man kynne
To tysen men to dedly synne
þer-for man schryfe þe of pryde
For qwhan wermys han etyn þi syde
þe body rotyn in clayes gronde
þi soule in fyre and wo j-bonde
Sor schal þe soule smerte
þat euer bar pride in hys herte
Pryde is a synne most of plyghte
þat wratthet ihesuc ful of myghte
lychery þat is the ferþe
On of the warste a-bouen erþe
þan lychery þynkyth þer is
So swete ne so merye as it is
Jn holy wyrte þan is it set
þat lychery is þe deweles net
kep 3ow alle frome þat synne
þat 3e ne fal noght þer inne
now glotonye j wyll 3ow descryue
A-mong mankynde it is ful ryue
þer-mede þe fend taketh þe wreches fale
qwhan þe ben dronkyn of wynne and ale
þey cryen and sweryn as þey wer wode
Be crystes hert and be hys blode
And spyten god of hys passyon
so þat many on hath hys malysson
But þey schryvyn hym of her glotonye
Jn hel schal ben her balye
<fol. 155v>Allas seyd þe emperour þis is an hard chawnche
qwhat lettyth a man to do penawnce
A-3en examynyg~ of our sauyour
þe chyld seyd her thynges four
lodenge is þe on and schame is þe oþer
And wanhope ys þrydde brothyr
þe fowrþe is wt-owte fable
þat god is so mercyable
he wylle of synful men tak no wreche
3yf he wele of schryfte hym be-seche
þe emperour sayd soth þyng it is
qwhat bryngyth a ma~ most to heuen blys
þe chyld hym answerde and seyde
good thoght and good worde and good dede
þer was neuer no euyll dede j-wrowghte
þat atte þe begynyg~ nas lyþe thoghte
ne neuere no good doyng~
þat good thoghte nas at þe begynnyg~
þe ma~ þat hath wt hym good speche
þo is foo wolde of hym tak wreche
he may wt good speche or he wende
of hys foo makyn hys frende
God speche is of myche myghte
A-3en ihesu in heuen lyghte
A man may wt good dede
wynnyn hym heuene blysse to mede
þe Emperour seyde þis wyll j leue
leue chylde tak it noght in greue
tel me chyld 3yf þat þow can
On how fele deþys may dye ma~