<County: Lincolnshire>
<Code: L0194>
<MS reference: London, BL Cotton Appx vii, Hand B>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 27r>als men see3 yat til yem Will tent
And yerfore yus sei3 Jnnocent
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He sey3 als is in latyn tolde
Euer os yis world [es] waxes olde
And ye lenger yat theyr tyme is sought
And ye elde of eyther is forth brought
The more in malice and in felnes
The kynde of eyther drobled is
Jn both thys worldes outrage we se
Of pompe and pryde and vanite
And selcouth maners in seer gys
That nowe are vsed on ilk wys
Jn worlde3 having and beryng
Jn veyn apparel and weryng
That take3 mykle veyn costage
And turne3 all in-to grete outrage
For swilk gyses and swilk maners
Als yong men nowe haunte3 and werks
And comenly euery day are seen
Before yis tyme has nought been
For yong men calle3 nowe curtesy
That men held sumtyme vileny
And vileny & yei will it holde
That sumtyme curtesy was called
Nowe mey men se oft chaunging
Jn sere maners of clething
<fol. 27v>Sumtyme schort and sumtyme wyde
Sumtyme narowe and sumtyme syde
Sumtyme hang their clothes as a stole
And sumtyme tatred als a tatred fool .
Summe goo wrynchand to and fro .
And summe goos hipand als a koo .
Thus vse men all newe gette
And this world all aukward yei sette
Thurgh whilk vnkyndely pompe and pryde
That yei vse on ilk a syde
So mekle pryde als nowe is sene
Before yis tyme has neuer been
Ne swylk gyse als men mey nowe se
Bot J . trowe yei mey toknes be
Of grete myscheues J vnderstand
That vnto man is nere comand
Therfore in their gyse schall yei fall
For therwith yei wreth god yat suffre3 all
And this wreth schall with yem mete
For yus sei3 dauid ye prophet
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And they stered god sey3 he
Jn their newe fyndinges of vanite
Jn them is falling many-folde
And al thurgh pryde yat J . of tolde
This mey be seyde als ye boke proue3
Be yem yat newe gyse contreue3
For yei do so ye world to plese
<fol. 28r>More for pryde yan for theyr ese
And they yat wyth swylk gyses god greve3
Schall fall in many myscheues
For thei wil nought be led be skyl
A whyle god latys yem have theyr wylle
Bot atte last will he on yem sende
Vengeaunce bot yei yem amende
Than must yem schewe sum token
That god has left yem all forsaken
And thus be they knowen be seer gyse
Forthy sey3 . Dauid on this wys
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J left . yem he sey3 . oute of couert
After ye yarning of their hert
Jn their newe fyndynges . als yei go
And this mey be seyde . be alle . yo .
That til yis world here make yem gay
And turne3 yem-self fro god away
They schall for their . synne3 wende
Atte last to pyne wythouten ende
Bot yei swylk vanytes forsake
And be tyme amende3 make
Yit has ye world . als men oft heres
Many other contrary maners
For nowe is vertue . turned to vice
And play and pouert to maladys
Nowe is deuocioun . on sum syde
Turned all to pompe and pryde
Nowe is wisdome . holden foly
<fol. 28v>And turned all in-to trechery
And foly is nowe holden wisdome
With proude men and vnbuxum@
Nowe is loue turned to lechery
And ryghtwisnes to tyrauntry
Thus is this world turned vp and doune
Vntill mannys dampnacioun
Mekle peyn . schal be theyr mede
And dool . forthy yem aught to drede
Jn theyr wyttes J hold yem wode
That hold . gode thinges ille . and ill thinge3 gode
Wo schall yem be als Clerkes tell
For thus sey3 god in ye gospel
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He sey3 woo til yowe yat sey3 with will
That ill is gode . and godˆ[e] is ill
This is to sey yem schal be woo
That here mysturne3 yeir lyf so
Thus is ye world and ye lyf yerin
Full of vanyte and of synne
Bot sum@ men loue yis world so mekle
And this lyf . yat is so fekle
And also worlde3 vanyte
That thei wold neuer other world schuld be
Thei wold nought knowe ye parels alle
Of this lyf ne what schuld falle
Bot for they lyve in solace3 seer
They holde noon heuen bot only here
Bot atte last this lyf schall stynte
<fol. 29r>And alle theyr ioy fro them be tynte
Bot wold a man vnderstand wele
What this world is . and what he schal fele
Whan he schall wende fro this world away
Him schuld nought lyst be nyght ne day
Nouther myrth ne solace make
Bot alle this worldes welth forsake
And lyve in penaunce . and in pouert
For drede yat he schuld have in hert
Jf he wold knowe . and trowe howe hard
What he schall suffre afterward
Bot yit ageyn yat drede myght he
Thurgh hope of hert comforted be
Whan he thinke3 on heuen bryght
There he schall wone if he do ryght
Thus mey ilk man do . and think
Jn whos grace of god mey synk
And he that will nought think on yis
Ne yarne3 to have noon other blys
Bot thinke3 this worlde3 lyf so gode
He is outher cursed or wode
Outher it is a sygne of suspecioun
That he is in wey of dampnacioun
Nowe have J . schewed on seer maner
The condicioun of this world here
And of this worlde3 vnstablenes
And of ye maner yat yer-in is
Forthermore yan nowe wil J . loke
Vntil ye third party of this boke
<fol. 29v>Of yat party Wyll J . begyn
And tell maters yat are therin
That specially . speke3 als . J . schal rede
Of dede . and why . it is to drede
Dede is ye most dredeful ying yat is
Jn ye world . als bokes wytnes
For here is noon creature lyvand
That it ne is for deed . dredand
And fleys . ye deed ay whyles it may
Bot atte last it is ye deede3 pray .
Bor force and beaute . he abate3
And chaunge3 . sone . myghtes and states
There ageyn . mey no man stand
Where so it cums . in any land
Ageyn3 whilk . noon mey helpe ne rede
That is to sey . bodily . deed
For alle yat lyve has nede3 it to fele
That awght ilk man to trowe ryght wele
Bot be ye name of dede mey be tane
And vnderstanden . moo dedes yan oon
For als thyse Clerkes in bokes rede
Thre maners of dede are yat men drede
On bodily . thurgh kynde is
An-oyer gostly . the third endle3
Bodily deed . yat is kyndely
Js twyning of ye soule and ye body
And yat is both bitter and hard
Als yhe mey here afterward
Gostly deed . is twyning . thurgh syn
<fol. 30r>Betwyx . god . and manys soule wythin
For als ye soule is lyf of ye body
So ye lyf of ye soule is god almyghty
And als ye body withouten doute
Js deed whan ye soule is passed oute
The soule of man is deed . also
Whan god is departed yer-fro
For where syn is . is ye deuel of hell
And there thei are will god nought dwell
For dedely syn ye deuel and he
Jn on stede yei mey nought be
Whan a soule is wounded with syn
God passe3 oute and ye deuel is in
Anence god yan ye soule is dede
Whyle3 syn and ye deuell dwell in yat stede
And als ye body mey be sleyn
With wopen yat men mey ordeyn
So is ye soule sleyn thurgh syn
Wherfore god and it behoue3 to twyn
Than is gostly dede . to drede moor
Than bodily dede yat noon will spare
Jn also mekle os ye soule namely
Js better and moor worth yan ye body
For if ye soule with syn be deed
Fro god almyghty yat is ye heued
Yhit mey it lyve and be pynd
Bot if ye body . be deed be kynd
Of yat dede is noon geyn turnyng
<fol. 30v>For of erthly lyf it is endyng
And ryght entry . and wey it is
To ioy . or peyn . yat is endles
And if ye soule with synne be sleyn
It mey thurgh grace Qwyken ageyn
And ye gostly woundes of synne
Thurgh penaunce mey be holed yerin
For if god be ryghtwys . and myghty
He is full of godenes and mercy
Atte turne him to man full redyer is he
Than any man til him wil be
For if ye body yat yus greve3
Ordeyned to man yat here lyve3
The dede of soule will nought he
Of ye man if he synfull be
For lyf of mannys soule more him paye3
Than dede . for yus him-self sey3
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J will nought . ye deed of ye synfull man
Bot yat he be turned and lyve yan
Than mey ye synfull yat his soule has sleyn
Be turned . and thurgh grace lyve ageyn
Endle3 deed . is ye deed of hell
That is most bytter and most fell
Hell is holden an hydous stede
The whilk is full of endle3 deed
And of peyn yat neuer schall blyn
And noon mey dey yat is yerin
Jf yei myght dey . als ye body here mey .

<Tranche2>
<fol. 107r>Jf he my3t ry3t conceyve in mynde
Howe grysely a deuel is in his kynd
Yat wold for all ye gold in mydleerth
Se on . so schuld he be aferd
Howe schall yei fare yan yat schall yem se
And ay in company with yem be
ye sinfle schall euer on yem loke
For yus fynde we writen in bok
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Jn hell schall yei fynd face to face
whos werkes yei loued and filowed in trace
while3 yei were here in erth lyvand
And with yat sy3t J . vndrestand
Full dolefull crying schall yei here
Als seynt Austyn sey3 . on yis maner
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Yere schal yei se ye deuel with eye
With sparkes yat of yat fyre schall flye
And here yerwith in ilk party
Ye wreched sinfle grete and ory
Ye sorowe and dool yat yei schall make
Schall neuermore yere . cees ne slake
And for yei here hated to se
And to here yat gode schuld be
Foryi itte . is resoun and ry3t
Yat yei ay se yat vgly sy3t
And ay have hering of dolefle dyn
<fol. 107v>To eke yeir peyn yere for yat syn
Ye eyghted peyn als ye boke sey3 vs
Js horrible vermyn and venemous
Ye whilk schall on ye sinfle ruk
And euermore yem gnawe and souke
Als vgly dragouns and neddres kene
And todys so foule wore neuer sene
And oyer vermyn with venem
And wyld bestes grysely and grym
Yat with teth schall yem ay byte
On ye lymmes where yei had most delyte
Synfle werkes here for to wirk
Ageyn godde3 lawes and holy kyrk
For yei dyd here ageyn3 godde3 lawes
Vermyn and wode bestes schall yem gnawe
For yeir syn yat yem thou3t swete
Als god sey3 thurgh ye prophet
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J schall send in sinfle sey3 he
Ye teth of bestes yat fell schall be
With wodenes of yem in-to ye erth draggand
And of neddres fast gnawand
Yus schall wode bestes gnawe yem ay
And neuer pas fro yem awey
Yat peyn schall be full hard to drye
For yeir venym schall neuer dye
Bot euer lyve and with yem dwell
Als god sey3 vs in ye gospel
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Yeir vermyn schall neuer dey sey3 he
Ne yeir fyre schall neuer slekned be
Here-to accorde3 Seynt Austyn
And speke3 yus of yat vermyn
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Ye vermyn of hell schall euer lyve so
And neuer dey ye sinfle fro
Yei schall lyve in ye flamne of fyre
Als fysshes do3 in water schyre
yat vermyn on yem ay schall crepe
And in yem fest yeir clokes full depe
Yei schall with vermyn ay couered be
So . yat no lym schall be fre
And on yem schall yei be gnawand
Wheder so yei sitte or stand
Vermyn schall be yeir clething
And vermyn schall be yeir bedding
For J fynd writen where J . have red
Howe ye prophet ysay descryve3 yat bed
To ye kyng Nabogodonosor
For to make him ferd yerfore
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Of wormes he sey3 yi bed schall be
Yat schall be strewed thik vndre ye
And yi couertour all bedene
Schall be vermyn fell and kene
Ye whilk beddes are ordeyned in hell
<fol. 108v>For suche men yat yere schall dwell
yus schall yei pyned for syn
Euermore with fyre and vermyn
For yus we <hole> fynd in holy wryt
Jn a boke of ye byble yat hei3t Judit
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Jn ye sinfle flessh oure lord schall geve
Fyre and vermyn yat euer schall lyve
So yat yei schall byrn euermore
And fele of vermyn byting sore
yat peyn is more to fele and se
Yan alle ye peynes in yis world mey be
Yus schall vermyn be to yem peyn
Bot yit mey men sey yus yereageyn
Als men in bokes mey writen se
Yat after ye grete dome schall be
No qwik creatur lyvand yan
Bot only aungel deuel and man
Howe schuld in hell or oure elle3
Lyve any vermyn als men telle3
Or any best yat man mey deer
Vnto yis men mey answere
On yis maner who so can
And sey ye vermyn yat schall be yan
Als J trowe no ying elle3 is
Bot deuels in vermyn liknes
Ye deueles schall gnawe yem withoute
Jn vermyn liknes all aboute
<fol. 109r> And yeir concience als vermyn
Schall gnawe yem oure-all within
And yat gnawing schall be full hard
Of ye whilk J . schall speke afterward
Yis vermyn withouten schall be more grysely
Yan vermyn here and more my3ty
And for ye sinfle was here namely
Ay full of hatred and of enuy
And nou3t wold mend yem of yeir syn
Bot lete itte gnawe yeim ay within
Jtte is ry3t and goode3 lawe
yat vermyn in hell ay yem gnawe
Ye nynt peyn J vnderstand
Js dinging of deueles with melle3 glowand
Ye deuel schall ye sinfle bete
With glowand hamers hoge and grete
Als smythes smyte ye yrne fast
So . yat itte breyke3 atte last
Ry3t so ye deuel schall euer dyng
On Sinfle withouten stynting
And with melle3 geve yem swilk dynt
Yat itte al to poudre my3t stryke hard flynt
For harder dynt gave neuer engyne
Als bere3 witne3 Seynt Austyn
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Als men mey se an engyn cast
And stryke doun walles . of a castle . fast
With a stone hoge and hevy
<fol. 109v>So schall deuele3 dyng more felly
Ye bodys and soules . yat schall dwell
After ye last dome in hell
For yei schall have power and leve
Ye sinfle men to dyng and greve
Als Seynt Austyn schowe3 till vs
Jn a boke where he sey3 yus
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He sey3 ye dome schall be redy
To sklaunderers of god almy3ty
And to yoo yat schall be ay smytand
ye sinfle bodys with mellys in hand
And foryi . yat yei wold nou3t take
holy disciplyn for godde3 sake
Foryi ye deuel schall stryke yem sore
With hevy mellys euermore
Ye tende peyn is gnawing . within
Of concience yat neuer schall blyn
For within schall concience yem frete
Als withouten schall vermyn grete
So schall yei be in gnawing withouten doutt
Euer both within and withoute
Yei schall euermore crye and sey
Allas allas and weleawey
Why ne wolde we neuer ore trowe
What peyn and sorowe here is nowe
Yei schall pleyn yem of yeir wikednes
Als sey3 yus a clerk and writen is
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What helpe3 pryde vs . schall yei sey
Or rosing of ryches or ryche aray
Alle yat pompe als we se nowe
Js passed awey als a schadowe
And als messagers before rynand
And als a schip in water flowand
And als a foule flyand with wynde
Of whos gate no trace mey men fynde
Yus schall all yeir pompe pas
And be als ying yat neuer was
Yem schall think whan all is awey
Alle yeir lyf bot als a dey
Jf yei neuer so long lyved here
yan mey yei sey on yis maner
Nowe were we born in world to be
And nowe in all oure welth wer we
And nowe we deyed and passed awey
Nowe are we in sorowe yat schall last ay
yan schall yei knowe howe euel yei lyved
Whan ye worme of concience had yem greved
Yat within ay schall yem byte
For yei had in vanytes grete delyt
And for yeir concience stered yem nou3t
To forsake folys yat yei wrou3t
Bot filewde ay yeir flesshly will
Foryi itte is gode ry3t and skyll
yat ye worme of concience within
Euermore gnawe yem for yeir syn
Ye elleuent peyn . is teres of greting
<fol. 110v> Ye elleuent peyn is teres of greting
Of sinfle yat withouten cesing
Schall grete euermore als sey3 ye boke
What for sorowe . and what for smoke
And what for colde and what for hete
Euermore yan schall yei grete
And teres fro yeir eyen schall ryn fast
And yeir greting so long last
Yat in yis world als . J . wene
Js nou3t so mekle water sene
Als fro yeir eyen schall fall yore
For why . yei schall greet euermore
Forwhy Seynt Austyn telle3 vs yus
Whos wordes are autentike till vs
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Jn hell he sey3 oute yer schall be
Mo teres yan dropes are in ye se
Ye sinfle schall yere euer grete
And yeir teres schall be of so grete hete
Yan yei schall wene whan yei doun ryn
For hete yem-self to skald and bryn
Yei schall be hatter yan euer was
Multen lede or welland bras
Als J . have hard . grete Clerkes tell
Yat have descryved ye peynes of hell
And for yei had . here ay lyking
Jn yeir syn . and no forthinking
Ne had no sorowe bot ay thou3t swete
<fol. 111r>Foryi yei schall euermore grete
And with yeir teres ay be skalded sore
To eke yeir peynes als J . seide ore
Ye twelft peyn . is schame and schenschip
Yat ye soules schall have in hell so depe
Of ilk a syn yat yei here dyd
For yere schall be all knowen and kyd
Bot of thou3t word and werk
Als sey3 Seynt Austyn ye grete clerk
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Alle synnes in yem . schall schewed be
And yei mey neyther yem hyde . ne fle
Yei schall have more schame yore
And yeir schenschip schall be more
Yan euer had man . here in thou3t
Of vileny yat euer he wrou3t
And yat schame with yem schall last ay
And neuer pas fro yem awey
Yan mey yei sey yus yat yere dwelle3
Als ye prophet in ye Sawter telle3
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All my schamefulnes sey3 he
All dey . is ageyn3 me
And ye schenschip of my face
Schall couer me euer in ilk a place
Swilk schame schall yei have for syn
Yat yei schall think als yei schuld birn@
And certe3 . if no peyn were in hell