<County: Suffolk>
<Code: L9320>
<MS reference: London, BL Egerton 3245>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 3r>Sin þe creaturis þat skil han naan
loin him in þe kynde þt þey han taan
than auhtte man . þat haþ skil & mynde .
to loue his creature in his kynde .
And nouht to be of werse condiciun .
than creaturis wiþ-oute resun .
Mannis kynde is to doo goddes wille .
And all hise maundementes to fulfille .
For of al þat god made more & les .
Man most principal creature es .
And al þat he made for man was done .
As 3e schul here aftirward soone .
God to mankynde had gret loue .
qwan he ordaynid for mannis be-houe
heuene holliche & þis world brad .
Al midlerd & man last he maad .
to his licknesse in fayr stature .
And made him most digne creature .
Be-forn all creaturis of kynde
he 3af him wit skil & mynde .
For to knowe boþe good & ille .
And als he 3af him a fre wille .
For to chese & for to holde .
good or euil qweþir he wolde .
And as he ordeynid man for to dwelle .
And him in erthe in flesch & felle .
to knowe his werkis & him wurchepe .
And his commaundmentes for to kepe .
And 3if he be to god buxome
to endles blisse þan schal he come .
<fol. 3v>And 3if he wrongly in þis world wende .
to payne of helle wiþ-outin ende .
God made to his owin licknesse .
Iche man þat here liuiþ more & lesse .
To qwom he haþ 3ouin wit & skille .
For to knowe boþe good & ille .
And wil to chese als þey vouche-saue .
good or euil qweþir þey wil haue .
He þat his wil to good wil set .
gret mede þerfore may he get .
And he þat to wickidnesse set his wille .
Schal haue gret peyne as it is skille .
And for-thy man is holdin for wood .
that chesiþ þe euil & leuith þe good .
Sitthin god mad man of most dignete .
Of alle creaturis and most Fre .
And mad him til his owin licknesse .
In fayr stature as be-forn seyd esse .
And most is 3ouin & 3it þer-to .
Heuene blisse 3if he wel doo .
And 3it qwan he had doon amis .
And þurh sinne was priuid of blis .
God took mankynde for his sake .
And for his loue þe ded gan take .
And wiþ his blood bouht him ageyn .
to þat blis fro endles peyn .
Thus gret loue god to man kid .
And many benefyces to him did .
For-thy iche man lerid & lewid .
Schuld thynke on þe loue þt he him schewid .
<fol. 4r>And hise benefysis holde in mynde
That he þus dide to mankynde
And loue him & þank him as he kan .
And ells is he an vnkynde man .
And serue him boþe day & nyht .
And þat he haþ 3ouin him vse it ryht .
And spende his wit in goddis seruyse .
For soþe ellis he is nouht wyse .
And knowe kyndly qwat god es .
And qwat man self is þat is les .
How weyk man is in soule & body .
And how stalwurthy god is & myhtty .
How man god greuiþ þt doþ nouht wele
And qwat man is wurthy þerfore to fele .
How mercyful & gracious god is .
And how ful of goodnes he is .
How ryhtwys he is & how stedfast .
And qwat he haþ doon & schal atte+last .
And iche day dooþ to mannis kynde
this schulde iche man haue in mynde .
For the ryht waye þat lyþ to þe blis .
And lede man may thedir is this / .
The weye of meknesse principaly .
And of drede & loue of god almyhtty .
That may be cald þe weye of dome .
Jn to þe qwiche weye no+man may kome .
wiþ-owtin knowyng of god here .
of his myhttes & of his werkis sere . <mrg>diuerse</mrg>
But or he may to þat knowyng winne .
Him be-houiþ to knowe him self wiþ-inne .
ellis getiþ he be noo knowyng to come .
Jn to þe forsayde weye of wisdome .
<fol. 4v>Summe han wit to vndirstande .
And 3it þey arn ful vnkunnande .
And of sum thyng þey han no knowyng .
that myht stire hem to good liuyng .
Swiche men haddin nede to lere iche day .
Of oþre men þat kun more þan þay .
to knowe þat myht hem stire & lede .
to meknesse & to loue and drede .
the qwiche is weye & good wissyng .
that vnto heuene may vs bryng .
Jn gret peryl of soule is þat man .
that haþ wit & mynde & noo good kan .
And wil nouht lere for to knawe .
the werkis of god & goddes lawe .
Ne knowe him self that is leste .
but liuiþ as an vnskilful beste .
that neythir haþ skil wit ne mynde .
that man liuiþ a-geyn his kynde .
For nouht excusiþ a+man his vnkunnyng .
that his wit vsiþ nouht in leryng
Namely in þat him falliþ to ko knowe .
that myht meke his herte & make it lowe .
But he þat kan nouht schuld haue wille .
to lere & knowe good and ille .
And he þat kan owht schuld lere mare .
to knowe al þat him nedful ware .
For an vnkunnand man þurh leryng .
Man be brouht to vndirstandyng .
Of manye þyngis to know & see .
that haþ ben and is and schal be .
<fol. 5r>That to mekenesse myht stire his wille .
And to loue & drede & leue al ille .
Ma+men han lykyng triflis to here .
And vaniteis wiln gladly leere .
And arn besy in wurd & thouht .
to lere þat þe soule helpiþ nouht .
But þat hem nedful were to knawe .
to listin & here þey arn ful slawe .
For-thy þey kan nouht knowe ne see .
the perylis þat þey schuld drede & Fle .
Or qwat weye þat þey schuld take .
Ne qwiche weye þey schuld for-sake .
But noo wundir is þauh þey goo wrang .
Jn mirknesse of vnknowyng þey gang .
wiþ-outin lyht of vndirstandyng .
Of þat þat falliþ to Ryht knawyng .
For-thy iche cristen man & wumman .
that wit & wisdam mochil kan .
that þe perylis þat wysmen flese .
they schuld be buxom ay and besy .
to here & lere of hem namely .
that vndirstandiþ & knowiþ be skille .
qwiche weye is good & qwiche is ille .
He þat ryht weye of liuyng wil loke .
Schuld þus be-ginne as seyþ þe boke .
to knowe first qwat him-self es .
So may he sonest kome to mekenes .
that is þe grownd of alle vertuis atte+laste .
On qwiche alle vertuis mow ben set faste .
<fol. 5v>For he þat knowiþ wel & kan see .
qwat he is was and schal bee .
wysere man he may be teld .
qweþir he be 3ung man or eld .
than he þat kan al oþir þyng .
And of him-self haþ noo knowyng .
For he may nouht knowe god ne fele .
but 3if he first knowe him-self ryht wele .
Therfore a+man schuld first leere .
to knowin him-self propirly here .
For 3if he knowe him-self kyndly .
than may he knowe god almyhtty .
And of his endyng þynke schuld he .
And of þe laste day þat schal be .
He schuld knowe qwat þis world es .
that is ful of pompe & letcherousnes .
And lere to knowe & þenk wiþ alle
qwat schal aftir þis lyf be-falle .
<add>Knowyng of al þis þan schuld him lede .</add><on erasure, perhaps by another hand>
to haue mynde of meknesse & drede .
So may he come to good liuyng .
And qwan he of þis world schal wende .
be brouht to blis wiþ-outin ende .
The beginnyng of þis proces
Ryht knowyng of a+man himself es .
But sum+man haþ gret lettyng .
that þey may haue noo ryht knowyng .
Of hem-self þat þey schuld first knawe .
that First to mekenesse schuld hem drawe .
therof Foure thyngis J fynde
that makiþ a+mannis wit ofte blynde .

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 15r>3it are þer moo þan J now tolde .
That falliþ to man qwan he wexiþ olde .
Thus may men see þat hem knowe kan .
qwat þe maneris arn of an eld man .
<lat></lat>
The last ende of mannis lyf is hard .
That is qwan he drawiþ to dedward .
Qwan he is syk and down lys .
And so febil þat he may nouht rys .
Than arn elde men as vncerteyn .
qweþir he schal deye or couere a-geyn .
But 3it kan sum+men þat arn sly
wite 3if he schal of þat euil dy .
Be certeyn toknis as 3e schal here .
that be-fallin qwan ded is nere .
His frount be-ginniþ þan dounward to falle .
And his browis heldin down wt alle .
The lefte eye of him þt semiþ lesse .
And narwere þan þe ryht eye esse
His nose at þe poynt is scharp & smal .
thanne be-ginniþ his chin to fal .
His poucis arn stille wt-oute stirynges .
His feet waxe colde his body clynges .
And 3if ded be neer as to a 3ung man .
he walkiþ & may nouht slepe þan .
And an eld man to ded drawende .
May nouht wake but ay is slepende .
Men seyn þat alle þese toknis seere .
Arn of a man þat ded is neere .
qwil a+man liuiþ he is lyk a man .
qwan he is ded qwat is he þan .
<fol. 15v>Thanne may men her licknesse see .
Chaungid as it had neuir ben hee .
qwan mannis lyf is brouht to ende .
On þe same wyse schal he hethe wende .
Pore & nakid as he kam here .
the firste day fro his modir dere .
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Noo thyng he brouht wt him þat day .
No thyng schal he bere hethin away .
But a wyndyng-cloþ only .
that in schal be lappid his body .
And þus wrecchidly endiþ þe lyf of man .
And 3if we be-helde qwat is he þan .
Qwan þe lyf is passid a-way .
than is he nouht but erthe & clay .
that turniþ to more corrupciun .
than any stynkande careynis doon .
For þe corrupciun of his body .
3if it schuld longe a-boue erþe ly .
Jt myht þe eyr so corrupt make .
that men þer of her ded myht take .
So is it vyl and violent .
therfore þe gret clerk Jnnocent .
Telliþ in his book ful opinly .
Of þe wretchidnesse of mannis body .
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He sayþ qwat þyng foulere may be .
than mannis careyn þat is to see .
Or qwat is more orrible in stede .
<fol. 16r>Than mannis body qwan it is dede .
As qwo sayþ nothyng is so vgly .
As here is a mannis ded body .
And qwanne it is in erthe leyd lawe
wirmis schal it al to-gnawe .
Til þe flesch be fro þe bonis bitin .
For-thy in bokis þus fynd we writin .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
The book seyþ þat qwan a man .
Js ded þer schal come to him þan .
wirmis & neddris vgly in syht .
to qwom mannis flesch falliþ wyht .
For-thy in erthe man schal slepe .
Among wirmis þat on him schuln crepe .
And gnawe on þat stynkand carkays .
As is writin in a book þat says .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
He sayþ in poudir schal slepe iche man .
And wirmis schuln alle couere him þan .
For in þis world is noon so witty .
So wyht so fayr ne soo myhtty .
Emperour duk ne kaysere .
Ne othre þat berin gret staat here .
Ne lerid ne lewid bonde ne fre .
Ne riche ne pore qwat so he be .
That he ne schal turne at his last day .
To erþe & poudir al o-way .
And wirmis schuln ryue him al o-sundir .
And þerfore hauy mochil wundir .
<fol. 16v>That vnnethis any man wil see .
Qwat he was and qwat he schal be .
But qwo so wolde in herte caste .
qwat he was & schal be atte laste .
And qwat he is qwils he liuiþ here .
He schuld haue ful lytil matere .
For to make ioye qwil he here duelliþ .
As a vercifiour Jn his metre telliþ .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
He sayþ qwo soo wold fele and see .
qweþin he come & qwidir schal hee .
Schuld he neuere be blithe but ioye for-sake .
And euere wepe & gret dool make .
Qwer to is a+man þan here so mery .
And so tendre ouir his body .
That schal be gnawe wiþ wirmis kene .
And ek so vgly is to be sene .
Qwo so of him þanne had a syht .
Qwan þe wirmis him so han dyht .
Qwan he is bare in to þe boon .
So grisly syht sawh he neuer noon .
As he myht see of þat carkays
qwy seynt bernard in his metre says .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
Aftir man he seyþ wirmis es .
And aftir vermyn stynk & vglynes .
And so schal iche man turnid be than .
Fro a+man Jn-to noo man .
This may iche man in this partye see .
qwat he was and qwat he schal bee .
<fol. 17r>And qwat he is qwil he here liuiþ .
And qwat maner frut his kynde giuiþ .
Here men may see as writin es .
Mochil of mannis wretchidnes .
And mochil more 3it may men telle .
But goo ferþermore & loke .
to þe secunde partie of þis boke .
Jn þe qwiche men may haue vndirstandyng
Of þe world & of worldly lykyng . <blank line>
<lat></lat>
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Al this world boþe wyd & brad .
Owr lord only for man haþ mad .
And alle þyngis as clerkis kan proue .
Arn maad vn-to mannis be-houe .
Sithen he þe world & al þyng wrouht .
To mannis be-houe þan auht man nouht .
To loue þe world and his body .
More þan owr lord god almyhtty .
Ne 3it so mochil & þat is les .
And qwo so dooþ vnkynde he es .
For god were more wurþy to be louid .
Than any creature and so be-houid .
Sitthin he is makere of al thyng
And of alle creaturis þe be-ginnyng .
This seye J be men þat 3iuin hem to mikil
To þis wretchid world þat is so fikil .
And louin al thyng þat to it falliþ .
Swiche men worldly men men calliþ .
<fol. 17v>That her loue on þe world most settiþ .
The qwiche þe loue of god most lettiþ .
And þerfore schuld a man him kepe .
Fro worldliche loue & veyn wurchepe .
For þurh þe loue of þis world & vanite .
A man atte laste for-barrid may be .
Of þe blissid world þere al ioye es .
Qwere þe lyf of man schal be endles .
That doþ to god here þat him falliþ .
that þe world of worldis richesse calliþ .
Be al þe world þat god wold make .
To mannis be-houe þat J of spake .
Al 3if it generaly be taan .
Jt may ben vndirstandin moo worldlis þan an .
A gret clerk þat hattiþ bartilmew .
Seyþ þer are two worldis to schew .
that þe elementis and all þe heuenis .
Conteyniþ al þat clerk in bok neuenis .
And alle creaturis þat god wrouht .
Soo þat wiþ-outin hem Are nouht .
The toon is gostly inuisible & clene .
The toþir is bodyly & may be seene .
The gostly world þat men may nouht see
Js heuene qwere god sittiþ in trinite .
And þe nyne ordris of aungellis .
And holy spiritis þat þer-inne duellis .
Thidir schul we come & liue ay .
3if we thidir holde þe ryht way .
That world was mad for mannis wonyng
Among aungellis in lykyng .
<fol. 18r>Euir more þer-inne to dwelle .
As men may here þese clerkes telle .
Her on wul J noo lengere stonde .
For aftirward comiþ þe materye to hoonde .
The toþir world þat men may see
Jn two partijs diuysid may be .
The qwiche bodily þyng may be-halde .
And eythir partye may be a world cald
And boþe may men see and knowe .
But þe ton is hey & þe toþir is lowe .
The heyere is fro þe mone euene .
Jn-to þe heyest sterris of heuene .
That world is boþe bryht & fayr .
Ther is noo corrupciun but cler ayr
wiþ sterris & planetis schynende .
And sundry sygnis & nouht ellis wonende .
And þe world þat lowere may falle .
Conteyniþ holiche þe elementis alle .
That on erthe and aboute it standis .
Qwere sundry manere of men wonin in sundry landis .
And in þis world is bothe wele and woo .
And chaungyngis ofte boþe two & froo .
That to summe is softe & to summe is hard .
As men may here aftirward .
This world as it is goddis wille .
was mad to man for certeyn skille .
The heyest world þat paciþ al thyng .
was mad to mannis endles wonyng .
For iche man schal haue þere a place .
And wone in ioye 3if he haue grace .
that world was mad to owr avauntage .
And also it is owr ryht erytage .