<County: Gloucestershire>
<Code: L6980>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Laud Misc. 601>
<Text: Prick of Conscience>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 1v>And as he was þe ferste makere of al þing
So schal he atte laste make þe endyng
Off al þing boþe in heuene & in helle
Off man & feond & aungles to dwelle
þe whuche after þis lyf schulleþ euere ly<crease>e
And alle oþere creatures to deþ be ydru<crease>
Ac god þat man made & þe wordle bygan
As now & euere schal be boþe god & man
Alle þing þorw his mi3t made he
For wiþoute him may noþing be
Al þing he ordeignede after his wile
Jn here kyndes for to stonde stille
Wherfore creatures þat dombe beoþ
Ne conneþ no wit ac boxom 3ut hem me <ill><1 word></ill>
To louie him as þe bok witnesseþ þis
Jn here manere & as here kynde is
For al þing þat god haþ ywrou3t
þat folweþ his kynde & passeþ hit nou3t
loueþ here makere & honoureþ in his kynd
And so in þat manere hi haueþ him in mynde
Suþþe þe creatures þat haueþ reson no<?>
louieþ him in þe kynde þat hi beoþ on
þanne ou3te man þat haþ skyle & fei
his creatour to honore by al manere wei
And nou3t to be of worse condicioun
þan þe creatures þat beoþ wiþoute r<a crease>
For of al þing þat god made more lasse
Man is most principal & schal alle <crease> passe
As 3e schulleþ yhuyre heere after war<crease> sone
þat al þat god made was for man <crease> done
Gd<after capital, 1 letter lost under initial?> to mannes kynde hadde <a crease> delit
<fol. 2r>whanne þat he ordeignede for mannes profyt
heuene & eorþe & al þe wordle brod
And al oþer þing ac man to þe laste ende abod
And him made to his liknesse in semely stature
As him þat was most worþi creature
Ouer alle oþere beste þe whuche haueþ kynde
And 3af him wit resoun & mynde
Euere for to cnowe boþe goed & ille
And þerto god 3af him wit at wille
Boþe for to cheose & for to holde
Goed oþer vuel wheþer þat he wolde
And also god ordeignede man for to dwelle
And for to liue on eorþe in flesch & felle
And to cnowe his werkes & him to honoure
And his hestes for to kepe in euerich houre
And 3if he to god be boxom bycome
To þe endeles blisse he schal be ynome
And 3if he be froward fro goednesse to wende
þe harde peynes of helle schulleþ be his ende
wherfore he may be yholde as a+man woed
þat cheoseþ þe vuel & leueþ þe goed
Suþþe þat god made man of most dignite
And of alle creatures euere is most fre
For after his liknesse he made him ywis
As he þat scholde haue part of his blis
And most goed to him euere god 3iueþ
þan to eni oþer þing þat on eorþe liueþ
For whanne þat adam hadde ydo amis
And for synne was ybrou3t in gret anguis
God wolde take mankynde for his sake
<fol. 2v>And for his loue deþ þeraftur take
And wiþ his blod him a3en bou3te
And to his endeles blisse him brou3te
þus gret loue god þo cudde to man
And manie oþere bunfices to him wan
wherfore ech man boþe lered & lewed
Scholde þenke on þat loue þat is to hym yschewed
And alle his bunfices haue in his mynde
þat he haþ euere ydo to al mankynde
And þerto him serui boþe day & ni3t
For so may he do godes wil ari3t
And his wittes spende in his seruise
Hem wel to bysette in ech a manere wyse
For bote a+man cnowe kyndely what god is
And him-self also þat he be on of his
And how a+man greueþ god þat doþ nou3t wel
And makeþ him for synne boþe fers & fel
And also how mercifol god is at al assay
And þerto gracious ynow to alle mennes pay
And how ri3fol he is & how soþfast
And euere haþ ybe boþe ferst & last
And what he doþ ech day to al mankynde
þis scholde ech man cnowe & haue in mynde
For þe ri3te wei þat ledeþ a+man to heuene blisse
And þat bringeþ a+man out of al anguisse
Pryncipaly is þe wei of al meoknesse
Drede & þe loue of god in al symplesse
þanne may þat þe wei of wysdom be ynome
Jn to þe whuch wei may no man come
wiþoute fol cnowynge of god heere
And of his mi3t & werkes so dere
<fol. 3r>Ac ar he may þulke cnowynge wynne
him byhoueþ to cnowe him-sulf wiþinne
Elles he ne may no cnowynge haue
þe Forseide wei of wisdom ne craue
Bote some men haueþ goed vnderstondynge
Ac 3ut hi beoþ in monie þinges vncnowynge
And of some þinges haueþ cnowynge ri3t non
þe whuch mi3te hem sturie godes wil for to don
Suche men hadde neode for to leorny eche day
how þat hi scholde here lyf lede in godes lay
And to cnowe what mi3te hem sturie & lede
To meoknesse & to loue & to godes drede
þe whuch is þe wei as i segge ywis
þat ledeþ a+man to heuene where is euere blis
And in gret peryl of soule is þulke man
þat haþ wit & mynde & no goed can
Ne wilneþ no goed to leorne by no sawe
þe werkes of god & of his holy lawe
And cnoweþ nou3t what him-self is no rest
Bote euere liueþ as an vnskilfol best
þat haþ noþer skile wit ne minde
Ac euere liueþ a3enst his owne kynde
For he excuseþ nou3t his vnconnynge
þat vseþ nou3t his wit in leornynge
And namely of þing þat he scholde cnowe
þe whuch his heorte scholde make lowe
And he þat noþing can scholde leorne more
To cnowe what him neodeþ in godes lore
For an vnconnynge Man þorw leornynge
May be ybrou3t to goed vnderstondynge
Off monie þinges to cnowe & to se
<fol. 3v>what þat haueþ ybe & 3ut schulleþ be
þat to meoknesse mi3te sturie his wille
God to louie & to drede & to fle al ille
Many a+man haþ lykynge trufles to huyre
And in yldelnesses setteþ al his cure
And euere is busy in wil & in þou3t
To leorni þing þat þe soule helpeþ nou3t
And þing þat neodfol were for to cnowe
To listne oþer to leorne hi beoþ wel slowe
þer-for no wonder hit is þei hi go amis
For euere in derknesse here goynge is
Al o<u?>t of þe li3t of vnderstondynge
Off þing þat byfalleþ to ri3t cnowinge
þer-fore ech cristene man & womman
þat haþ wit & mynde & resoun can
Scholde euere be busy by alle wei
To l<?>orne al þing þat bylongeþ to þe fei
And so vnderstonde boþe loude & stille
whuch is þe goede wei & whuch is þe ille
And he þat þe ri3te wei of cnowinge wole loke
Scholde byginne þus as hit is ywrite in boke
To cnowe ferst him-sulf in al clannesse
For so may he come to al meoknesse
For þat is þe ground of alle vertues to laste
Jn þe whuch alle vertues mowe be yset faste
For he þat wel cnoweþ & can þerto yse
what him-sulf was & is & schal be
þe more wysour man he may be ytold
wheþer þat he be 3ong oþer old
þer-fore ech wis man moste ferst lere
To cnowe him sulf propreliche heere
<fol. 4r>And 3if he cnowe him-sulf wiþinne & wiþoute
þanne schal haue euere god in doute
And in his endynge his þou3t mot be ycast
And in þe dredfol day þat schal come last
he scholde also cnowe what þe wordle is
þe whuch is fol of pompe & of þing þat nou3t nis
And lete awei folies & foule lustes alle
And þenke what schal after þis lyf falle
For cnowynge of al þis scholde him lede
To haue mynde on meoknesse & drede
For so may a+man come to goed lyuynge
And atte laste him brunge to goed endynge
And whanne he schal out of þis wordle wende
he schal come to þe lyf þe whuch haþ non ende
The bygynnynge of þis prosces ywis
Ri3t cnowinge of a+man sulf hit is
Ac some men haueþ muche lettynge
þat hi mowe nou3t haue fol cnowinge
Off hem-sulf þat hi scholde ferst cnowe
And wiþ meoknesse euere make hem lowe
Ac of þat matier foure þinges J fynde
þat makeþ mennes wittes wel blynde
And þe cnowing of hem-self letteþ
þorw þe whuch ofte him-sulf he forsetteþ
wherfore seint bernard bereþ witnesse to vs
And makeþ his writynge þat seiþ þus
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þat is fauour of folk & muche fayrnesse
And hete of 3ouþe & gret richesse
Byreueþ a+man ri3t resoun & mynde
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 66r><line 3> he seiþ alle men schulleþ to þe dom arise
And in to vale of iosophat come in alle wise
For þere ich schal sitte in mi propre persone
To deme as hi beoþ worþi þe men euerichone
josaphat is þus muche for to saye
As þe stede of dom atte laste daye
wheron crist schal nou3t fulliche come
For byfore he haþ þe kynde of eorþe ynome
Ac vp in þe eyr he schal sitte as a+lord
jn a+whit cloude as holi writ seiþ þis word
<lat></lat>
lo he seiþ oure lord schal him schewe
jn a whit cloude wiþ alle his aungles ˆ <add>a</add> rewe
Euene aboue þt vale as hit were in houinge<?>
where alle men schulleþ him yse in dom sittinge
Ac þe skile whi he schal sitte þere
Men moweþ finde bi þis sawe heere
For þe vale of iosaphat is yset in a weilete
Bytwene þe hei mount of oliuete
And ierusalem in þat oþer side
þe whuch stondeþ amiddes þe wordle wide
And also þere is þe mount of caluarie
And sepulcre of crist & of oure ladi marie
And also in þat place staunt bethleem
Nou3t fer fro þe cite of ierusalem
þer-fore god on þat day schal site þere
þe grete dom to 3iue in þis manere
Lo heere is 3e mowe now yse
þe vale of iosaphat þat is vnder me
<fol. 66v>Where þat yburied was my moder marie
Off wham ich tok flesch & blod wiþoute vilenie
he may segge also heere 3e mowe yse now
þe cite of bethleem where ich was ybore for 3ow
And in cloutes ycloþed & 3ut honoured lasse
Jn a cribbe ich was yleid bytwene oxe & asse
he may segge also heere 3e mowe yse stounde
þe cite of ierusalem þe whuch is nei to 3oure honde
where ich hadde for 3ow mani a boffet
And wiþ scharpe skourges al aboute byset
And suþþe þe crois to me was ymad wel 3are
And þanne yleid vpon mi scholdres bare
he segge may also lo heere faste þerby
Js as 3e mowe yse þe mount of calueri
where he was an-honged on þe rode
Bytwenene two þeoues & schadde for vs his blode
where þat his peyne for vs was most
And where þat he deiede & 3af vp his gost
he may 3ut segge ri3t þus also
lo heere is þe sepulcre a+litel þerfro
wherinne ic was yleied for 3ow as for ded
whanne ich was yburied as þe prophetes hadde ysed
he may segge also heere was my sete
whanne þat ich to þe deþ wente fro þe mount of oliuete
where aungles hem schewede in mannes liknesse
whanne ich stei in to heuene wher~ is euere blisse
And tolde 3ow how my comynge scholde be
To þe laste dom as 3e mowe now yse
Now haue 3e yhurd wel þe enchesoun
whi þat he wole sitte aboue þat vale by resoun
þe whuch men þe vale of iosaphat calleþ
<fol. 67r>For þat amiddes þe wordle falleþ
Also anoþer resoun may be forþ brou3t
whi he schal þere adoun come & elles-wher nou3t
For þere was his ferste comynge adoun
jn-to þis wordle for mannes saluacioun
whanne þat he ferst flesch & blod tok
Off þe mayde marie as telleþ þe bok
Off þe Forme off man þat crist schal deme ynne
Crist steorne of si3te schal þanne be
A3enst þe synfol man þat him schal yse
And dredfol as hit is ywrite in boke
he schal to hem be whanne hi schulleþ on hym loke
And likynge & delitable he schal be to si3te
Off goede men þat haueþ heere yleued ari3te
Ac alle þe persones of þe holy trinite
Schulleþ nou3t be yschewed at þulke priuite
Ne þe godhede schal nou3t aperi þanne
Bote crist alone jn þe forme of manne
And godes sone he is þat schal demen vs
And þerfore seint luk in his bok seiþ þus
<lat></lat>
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he seiþ god haþ y3oue to his sone al þe dom
þe whuch schal be y3oue ar we come to oure hom
For þat men scholde honoure þe sone ari3t
As hi honoureþ þe fader þat is fol of mi3t
þe goede men schulleþ him yse in his manhod
wiþ þe godhede as man in flesch & blod
þe whuch he schal nou3t hide fro hem
Ac as god & man he schal aperi to þe goede men
Ac þe vuele men in manhode him schulleþ yse
<fol. 67v>Onliche ri3t as hong on þe þe rode tre
Blew wan & blody as he þanne was
whanne þat he deyede for oure trespas
For in þe fome of man he schal þanne seme
And ri3t so in his manhod he schal hem deme
And god schal at his doun-comynge
þe tokne of þe croys wiþ bringe
þis tokne schal þanne be yschewed
As þe bok seiþ boþe to lered & to lewed
<lat></lat>
þat is þe tokne of þe croys fro heue<add>ne</add> schal be ynome
whanne þat oure lord schal to þe dom come
Ac þis tokne as ic wene schal nou3t be
þulke selue croys ne þe same tre
On þe whuch god was ynayled foot & honde
Bote a+tokne of þe croys þeron to vnderstonde
3ut some seggeþ & hit may wel be soþ
þat þe tokne of þe spere wiþ þe croys goþ
wiþ þe wuch crist was ystonge to þe horte rote
And wiþ nayles ysmite þorw hond & fote
Alle þeos toknes schulleþ þanne be yschewed
Byfore alle men boþe lered & lewed
Ac þe synfolle þat schulleþ ydampned be
To hure schedschip schulleþ him yse
For crist schal hem schewe his woundes wide
jn heued in hondes in fot & in syde
þe whuche fresche & newe schulleþ seme
To þe synfolle þat he schal þere deme
For he schal þanne schewe to hure confusioun
Alle þe toknes of his harde pascioun
And þat schal be to here schendschip euermo
<fol. 68r>As seint austyn seiþ þus þat hit is so
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he seiþ oure lord godes sone of heuene
haþ ykept in his body as ic segge wel euene
þe sores of his woundes swiþe clere
þat he soffrede for mannes synnes heere
he to schewe to his enemyes in þat wyse
whanne in dom he schal sitte as iustise
he schal segge lo heere is þe man in flesch & blode
þe whuch 3e dude an honge on þe rode
Byholdeþ þe woundes þe whuche 3e on <dot after n?> me stikede
And þe syde þat a knit wiþ his spere prikede
þe whu for 3ow was open euermore
Ac 3e nolde noþing take of my lore
A gret schendschip schal þis be to hem alle
þat haueþ crist for-sake & beoþ in synne yfalle
And wrou3te noþing to godes honour
þat soffrede for hem mony an hard schour
what mowe hi þanne answerie & segge
hi haueþ noþing hem to excuse ne to forþ legge
For on þat day as þe bok bereþ witnesse
Schal noþing be yschewed bote ri3tfolnesse
And gret reddure to þe synfolle namely
þe whuche schulleþ be ydemed to peyne worþily
For hure defens is þanne to hem wel vncouþ
As þerof telleþ to vs johne wiþ his mouþ
<fol. 68v><lat></lat>
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he seiþ <add>no</add> stede of defens schal be yfounde
whanne crist schal be yseie in þat stounde
3euynge witnesse & toknes environ<?>
Off his grete peynes & of his harde passion
On þat day þer schal be noþer aungel ne man
þat hi ne schulleþ tremble & for drede bycome wan
Al þei <add>hi</add> wete þat oure lord wole hem saue
3ut hi schulleþ on þat day gret drede haue
For þe grete austerite & þe grete affray
þat god schal schewe on þulke day
A3enst þe synfolle as ic may reherci
þe whuche schulleþ be ydampned wiþoute merci
Ac suþþe þe ri3tfolle men þat god wole saue
And aungles so muche drede schulleþ haue
þanne more drede þe synfolle schulleþ haue in þt stounde
As an holi man seiþ as he haþ in bok yfounnde
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he seiþ 3if þe pileres of heuene bri3t
þe whuche beoþ holi men þat liueþ ari3t
Schulleþ drede cristes comynge in manhede
And þe aungles also schulleþ haue drede
And wel sore wepe & biterli þerto
what schal þe synfol man þanne do
þe whuch schal be ydampned wiþoute eni grace
þerfore þulke holi man seiþ þus in anoþer place
<lat></lat>
he seiþ 3if þe ri3tfol man þat is clene out of synne
<fol. 69r>Schal vnneþe saluacioun to his soule winne
þe synfol man & þe wickede on þat on ende
wheþer schulleþ hi þanne hem bywende
For þanne schal oure lord in his manhede sitte
A-boue þe synfolle & 3iue hem an hard fitte
For he schal be wroþ & steorne of chere
hem for to deme þat haueþ mis liued heere
And helle þat is byneoþe so wid & deope
þanne schal be yopned hem for to kepe
And þe eorþe þat hi on stondeþ schal quake
And tremble for here synne & alto-schake
So þat vnneþe þe eorþe schal hem bere
So muche hure synnes schulleþ þe eorþe dere
And þe wordle aboute hem schal be brennynge
And feondes on ech a+syde of hem stondynge
þanne gret sorwe schal be hem among
For heuene schal hem smite al a-long
wiþ þounder dyntes & li3tninges yfere
And hi wolde hit fle ac hi ne findeþ no place þere
For hi schulleþ so be byset bi euerich a syde
þat hi mote nedes al here meschef abide
Off þe accusoures þe whuche schulleþ accuse
the synfolle men atte day of dome
Manie accusoures schulleþ be þanne
To accuse þe synfolle afore þe domes-manne
For as 3e schulleþ heere fynde ywrite
F<ill><two words></ill> manere accusoures þat schulleþ nou3t be for3ite
Concience is þe ferste & þat is þe inwit of man
And his synnes þe whuche he wel rekene can
And godes creatures þt we schulleþ þere cnowe
And aungles of heuene & deueles þat boþ lowe