3Dixerunt pharisei ad Jesum.
4Þe Jewes Jesus to vpbrayd
5Ilkone till oþer oftsiþes said,
6"Es þis noght Jesus, Joseph sun?
7We knaw him and his nacion;
8Omang vs here he was norist,
9How may þis be men cals him Crist?".
10Omang þamself oft said þai þus,
11And sum of þam said to Jesus,
12"Sen þou so crafty haldes þe,
13And men oftsiþes may here and se
14By selkuth sightes þat has bene sene
15In diuers places whare þou has bene,
16And namly in Caphernaum
17Whare þou was wont for to cum,
18Do sumwhat now þat we may se
19Þat dwels here in þine awin cuntre;
20Þare has þou many wonders done,
21And in þine awin cuntre ful fone."
22Jesus þan omang þe Jews
23Answerd þus to þa pharisews,
24Nemo propheta acceptus est in patria sua.
25"Forsuth I say to ȝow ilkane,
26Praised in his kith prophet es nane;
27He es noght resayued in his kith,
28War neuer so mekil grace him with;
29For prophet will þai him noght hald:
30Þare sal he first be ogain-cald.
31And suthfastly I say to ȝow
32Of wonders þat has bene bifore now,

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33For sumtyme war wonders ful grete
34In tyme of Elys, þe gude prophete.
35Widows war þan þat ful euil ferd
36When þe heuyn obouen þam sperd:
37Ȝeres thre and monethes sex
38Grete hunger in sere landes wex,
39For na water on þe erth decend.
40God himself it had defend
41Sex monethes and ȝeres thre,
42Þat made grete hunger for to be.
43And of al widows þat þare went
44Vnto nane was Elyse sent
45Of hunger for to help þam þan,
46Bot anely till a pouer woman
47In Sarept cete of Sydoyne;
48So þe buke of kinges beris testimoin.
49And many leprus men gan dwell
50Þan in þe landes of Israell,
51Þat lifed þan and war leprus
52Vnder þe prophet Elisyus,
53And ȝit nane of þam al bydene
54By his request war clensed sene,
55Bot ane þat hight Naman Syrus,
56Als þe buke wittnes till vs,
57"And he was seuyn sythes waschen þan
58In þe waters of Jordan."
59Þan al þe men, both les and mare
60þat in þe temple with him ware
61And herd þir wordes albidene,
62In þaire hertes þai had grete tene.
63Al þai war fulfild of ire
64And rase ogains him fell als fire.
65Pese no langer wald þai haue,
66With rude wordes to him þai straue.
67Jesus saw þam so sett to ill
68And sufferd þam say all þaire will.
69Þaire mekil strif might no man sted:
70Out of þe temple þai him led.

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71With mekill noyse and with grete rout
72Fro þaire cete þai kest him out.
73Obout him speres and sparthes þai bare;
74þat he suld dy ful fast þai sware.
75þai broght him till a high mowntaine
76On whilk þaire cete was sett sertaine.
77Þai led him vp vntill a scer
78Þat ouer-hinged on heght ful fer.
79Theues þat war ordand to spill
80War led to lepe doune at þat hill.
81When þai war þare al redy boune
82And ful prest for to put him doune,
83Jesu furth fra þam he ȝode;
84And lukand on him al þai stode.
85Sum wend he had bene ded for ay,
86And sum saw how he went oway,
87Bot nane had power in þat tide
88To mer him ne to bid him bide.
89Þus on þis molde he schewid his might
90In sere meruailes vnto mens sight.

94Respiciens Jesus in discipulos suos.
95Saint Mathew þe gude gospellere
96Tels till vs on þis manere
97How oure Lord Jesu stode and saw
98His disciples all on raw,
99And als þe gospell schewes till vs
100Vnto Saint Peter said he þus,
101"If þi broþer, what-so he be,
102In þis erth trispas to þe,
103Þou sal him blame bitwene ȝow twa,
104Þat of ȝowre wordes wit no ma,
105Ne of ȝowre cownsail lat wit nane
106Bot þou and he by ȝow allane;
107And if þi broþer with gude chere
108Þi blameing and þi wordes will here,

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109And so amend him of his sins,
110Þi broþer þan ful wele þou wins.
111And if he sett noght by þi saw
112Bot fra þi counsail fast will draw,
113Þan vnto þe sall þou ta
114Of þi best frendes ane or twa,
115For in þe mowthes of twa or thre
116May ilk a word wele witnest be.
117And þan if he will noght tak hede
118To ȝowre counsail, þan es it nede
119Þat þou tell vnto haly kirk
120Þe sins þat þou sese him wirk.
121And þan if he will noght be boun
122To haly kirk and to resoun,
123And do what-so may him avayle,
124Als haly kirk will gif counsaile,
125Onence þe þou hald him slike
126Als a puplicane or ane etnyke
127Þat in þis werld will neuer wirk
128By þe counsail of haly kirk,
129Bot lifes out of Goddes law
130And will no heleful counsayll knaw.
131And I say to ȝow, more and myn,
132Wham-so ȝe lese in erth of syn,
133Euer sal þai lesed be
134In heuyn with my Fader fre.
135And in erth all þat ȝe bind euyn,
136Þa same sal be bunden in heuyn.
137And ȝit anoþer tale I tell
138Vntill all þa þat with me dwell.
139If twa of ȝow fully in fere
140Assent togeder in þis werld here
141Of any thing þat þai will craue,
142Hastily þai sal it haue.
143Mi Fader þat es in heuyn king
144Sal grant vnto þam þaire asking.

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145And in what stede so twa or thre
146Er gederd in þe name of me,
147Þat lely lifes in Goddes lare,
148In middes þam myself es þare,
149In whilk stede so þai be in erth,
150If þai be thre, I am þe ferth."
151Þan Saint Peter come him till
152And said, "Lord, if it war þi will,
153I wald þe ask a lityll thing
154Acordand to þis same spekeing.
155If my broþer in worde or dede
156Ogains me breke his broþerhede,
157If he sal forgifnes haue
158Seuyn sithes if he will craue?"
159Þan oure mighty Lord Jesus
160Vnto Saint Peter answerd þus
161And said, "Þou has mysvndertane,
162For to forgif seuyn sithes allane.
163I say þou sal forgif him euyn
164With gude hert seuynty sithes and seuyn;
165Þat es, to forgif with gude will
166Als oft als men trispas vs till."

170Accesserunt ad Jesum ab Jerosolimis.
171Als Jesus went thurghout þe land
172Precheand to folk þat he fand
173Þare gederd to him gret plente
174Fra ilk a side of sere cete;
175And of Jerusalem fra þe Jews
176Come many scribes and pharisews
177To luke if þai might him oght tak
178In anything his lare to lac.
179And of his wordes for to asay
180Vnto him all þus said þai,
181"Whi suffers þou þi men omang

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182Brek þe laus þat has bene lang,
183Þat oure elders ȝemid and held
184In þis erth whils þat þai dweld?
185Þai wasche noght þaire hend in sum stede
186When þai sitt doun and ettes brede;
187And þat vsage was neuer sene
188Omang men þat suld kepe þam clene."
189Jesus þat was wise iustise
190Answerd to þam on þis wise
191And said, "Whi pas ȝe þe lare
192Of mighty God, þat es wele mare,
193Sen God bad ȝe suld do honowre
194To fader and moder and þam socowre?
195Ȝe do noght so with gude entent
196And so ȝe breke Goddes cumandment.
197To my deciples put ȝe blame
198And duse ȝowreself wers þan þe same.
199Bot ypocrites, to ȝow say I
200Þat þe trew prophet Ysai
201Of ȝow he made his prophecies
202Ful wele when he said on þis wise,
203Populus hic labijs me honorat,
204cor autem eorum longe est a me.
205"Þis folk," he sais, "þat I here se,
206With þaire lippes loue þai me,
207And with þaire mowth honowr þai ma,
208Bot þaire hert es fer me fra.
209Withowten any enchesoune
210Make þai singnes of deuocioune
211With lippes louyng to reherce
212Sen þaire hertes haldes þe reuerce.
213My lare sum tyme þai teche and ken
214For to be halden haly men."
215Þan al þe folk þat war cumen þeder
216Jesu cald þam al togeder;
217And when þai war al cumen him till,

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218Þir wordes he said als was his will,
219"Heres my wordes al ȝow omell,
220And vnderstandes what I ȝow tell
221Þat trispas for to solue and saue
222Þat ȝe to my desciples gafe.
223Þe thing þat entres mans mowth in
224Files noght a man with syn,
225Bot thing þat fra þe mowth cumes out
226Þat files a man; þat es no dout."
227Þan his desciples al in fere
228Said to him on þis manere,
229"Lord, wit þou wele, þir phariseus
230Will sclander þe vnto þe Jews
231For þi wordes þai here þe say,
232And do þe dere if þat þai may."
233Þan oure Lord so milde and fre
234Answerd þus to his menȝe,
235"Al þe plantes þat planted er
236In þis werlk here nere or fer
237Þe whilk my Fader planted noght,
238Vp with þe rotes þai sal be broght.
239And þarfore lattes þir men allane,
240For þai er blind and sight has nane.
241Blind þai er, þat sall ȝe ken,
242And also leders of blind men,
243For with þaire laws þai lese and bind
244Omang þe Jews, and both er blind."
245Þis said he þam for to vpbraid,
246And þan till his men þus he said,
247Cecus autem si ceco ducatum prestet,
248ambo in foueam cadunt.
249"If a blind man here vnderta
250To lede anoþer blind alswa,
251It es noght ferly if þai fall
252Both in þe dike, for so þai sall."
253Þan Peter þus to him gan say,

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254"Tel till vs, Lord, We þe pray
255What þir maters er to mene."
256Þan said he þus to þam bidene,
257"By ȝowre wordes þe suth I se,
258Nane vnderstanding ȝit haue ȝe.
259Kan ȝe noght se by north and sowth
260How al þat entres in mans mowth
261Into þe wambe graithli it gase,
262And degestioun downward it mase.
263And all þat of þe mowth sall pas
264Rising out of þe hert it has,
265For in þe hert first it dwels
266Þat files a man and nothing els,
267For out of a mans hert es broght
268Al-kins euil, als idell thoght
269Of man-slaghter and avowtri,
270Fornicaciowns and felony,
271Fals witnes and bacbiteing,
272Sclander, and oþer euil thing.
273Wele ȝe may vmthink ȝow þan
274Þat þise er þai þat files a man
275And noght to ett whare-so ȝe wend
276Ȝowre mete with vnwasschen hend,
277Þat files noght a man within,
278For in þat dede he dose no syn."

282Dixit Jesus turbis Judeorum: Operamini & c.
283Anoþer day Saint Jon sais vs,
284Grete puple gederd to Jesus,
285And vnto all þe folk in fere
286Said oure Lord on þis manere,
287Operamini non cibum qui perit,
288sed qui permanet in uitam eternam.
289He said, "Ȝe sal noght wirk allane

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290For mete and drink þat sune es gane,
291Bot for þat mete to wirk ȝe wende
292Þat lastes euer withowten ende,
293Þat Crist, þe sun of man sal gif
294To ȝow þat lely here will lif,
295For þat mete has my Fader fre
296Assigned to all þat his sal be."
297Þe phariseus þat stode obout
298Answerd þan with wordes stout,
299And þus þai said Jesu vnto,
300"Tell vs þan what we sall do,
301And oure dedes sal be puruaid
302Þat God will of oure werk be paid."
303Jesus þan said þam vntill,
304"Þis es Goddes werk and Goddes will
305Þat ȝe sal trow with gude entent
306In his sun þat he has sent."
307Vnto him þan þai answerd þus
308And said, "What wonder schewes þou vs
309Wharby þat we may seker be
310Traistly for to trow in þe?
311Quid operaris?
312What wirkes þou more þan oþer men
313Wharby we may þi mightes ken?
314Oure form faders of mightes grete
315In desert ette angels mete.
316Wreten may men find ful euyn
317How þat þaire mete was sent fra heuyn."
318Jesus withowten more delay
319Said, "Suthly vnto ȝow I say:
320Moyses þat ȝe ȝowre fader call
321Gert no brede fra heuyn fall,
322Bot my Fader þat last sal ay
323Gifes ȝow fra heuyn brede verray,
324For he þat descendid fra heuyn,
325He es þe brede of God ful euyn

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326Þat lastand life euer more may gif
327Vntill þam þat will lely lif."
328Þan said þai to him in þat stede,
329"Lord, gif vs of þat ilk brede",
330For nothing els þai vnderstode
331Bot þat he ment of erthly fode.
332Þan lele trowth to þam for to lere
333Jesu said þus on þis manere,
334"I am þe brede of lastand life
335Þat medcyn es to man and wife.
336Wha cums to me he sal be saue
337And hunger sal he neuer haue,
338And wha in me will trewly trist
339Hertly sal he neuer haue thrist."

343Oportebat Jesum transire per Samariam.
344When Jon þe Baptist, Zacari sun,
345Thurgh Herod was in preson done
346And might baptis men no mare,
347Þan desciples þat with Crist ware
348Baptist men both euyn and morn
349Wele ma þan John had done biforn.
350Þai gaf baptim and cristendom
351To all þat wald vntill þam cum.
352Þan went Crist vnto Galile
353And left þe cuntrese of Jude.
354To þat cuntre he wald encline
355Whare he had turned water to wine.
356And als he thurgh þe cuntre moued
357So it bifell þat him behoued
358Pas thurgh þe land of Samary,
359For þare þe way was most redy.
360Þarfurth bihoued him far
361Vnto a cete þat hight Sichar.
362Þat cete was sett biside þe felde

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363Þat Jacob sumtyme had in welde.
364Als folk of Genesy it mones,
365Jacob it boght of Emar suns,
366And þarin sum tyme gan he won
367And gaf it seþin to Josep his sun.
368A well in þat felde was þare
369And 'Jacob keld' to name it bare.
370Þe day was faire, þe weder hate,
371And Jesu was wery of gate.
372His manhede wex wery forgane,
373And doun he sett him on a stane,
374And rested him biside þe well,
375For þare him thoght faire for to dwell.
376It was þe sext oure of þe day,
377And his desciples toke þe way
378Vnto þe cete þat was biside
379For to by þam mete þat tyde.
380To þe cete war þai went ilkane,
381And als Jesu sat so allane
382A woman come, so it bifell,
383To fetche water at Jacobs well.
384Of Samari was þat woman,
385And þus to speke Jesus bigan.
386"Woman," he said, "a drink gif me
387Of þe water þat þou draws to þe."
388Þe woman þan gan hir avise
389And answerd to him on þis wise,
390"How es it so onence þi state?
391þou ert a Jew, right wele I wate;
392þat þou suld owþer aske or craue
393Water of me for to haue!
394I se by þi face and þi wede
395Þou ert a man of Jews lede,
396And I a woman Samaritane;
397Þarfore drink of me gettes þou nane.
398Þe Jews euermare, forsuth, refuse

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399With Samaritanes oght for to vse.
400Men of þat nacioune nothing mels
401With þam þat in oure ledes dwels.
402Þe Jews with vs neuer drinkes ne etis;
403Þarfore of me na drink þou getis."
404When Jesu al þir wordes herd
405Vnto hir sune þus he answerd,
406"Woman, if þou vnderstode
407Þe gift of God, gastly and gude,
408Or in þi hert and þou kowth think
409What I am þat askes þe drink,
410Þan wald þou be bousum and meke
411And hertly wald þou him biseke
412To gif þe drink ful clene and pure,
413Water of life þat euer sal dure.
414If þat þou knew here in þis place
415Him þat es gifer of all grace,
416Þi hert to him þou wald vplift
417And of his grace ask him a gift.
418And hastily to þe suld he gif
419Water þat makes al thinges to lif."
420To Crist ogain þe woman said,
421"Whare hastou swilk water puruaid?"
422Domine, in quo haurias non habes
423et puteus altus est.
424"Lord, þou has noght in to draw,
425And þe water es wonder law.
426Here I se þou sittes and restes
427And askes water als man þat thristes,
428And sais þou has water of þine awin;
429What suld þou do with oþer draun?
430Whare suld slike water cum to þe?
431Wher þou be man of most pouste,
432Mare þan was Jacob sumtyme
433Þat held þis well all vnto him?
434And vnto vs þis well he gafe

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435Water þarof for to haue.
436He and his childer ful many ȝere
437Vsed of þis water here,
438And his bestes euerilkane
439Oþer water vsed þai nane;
440For þam þis well was first puruaid."
441Þan Jesu answerd sune and said,
442"Woman, trow what I þe tell:
443Al men þat drinkes of þis well,
444It will noght slokken ay þaire thrist,
445Bot eftsones to drink sal þam list.
446And þai þat drinkes here whils þai lif
447Of water þat I haue for to gif,
448I sal slek þaire thrist foreuyr;
449Thrist efterward sal þai haue neuer.
450Þe water þat I gif a man
451It sal be made right in him þan
452Als a well gracius and fre,
453Euermore springand for to be.
454It waxes euer and vpward springes,
455A man to blis of heuyn it bringes,
456For vnto heuyn vpward it wendes,
457Water of lif þat neuer endes."
458To Jesu þan þe woman said
459And hertly vnto him scho praid,
460"Þat water, Lord, to me þou gif,
461Þat I neuer thrist whils I lif,
462And þat me thar cum here na mare
463Water to draw als I did are."
464And Jesu Crist, mighty and fre,
465Vnto hir þus answerd he,
466"Wend hame, woman, vnto þi hous
467And call þi man þat es þi spous,
468And with him þan þou cum to me
469Samyn to drink both þou and he."
470Þis woman þan, Samaritane,

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471Said, "Forsuth, man haue I nane."
472Jesus biheld to hir sum-dele
473And said, "Woman, þou sais ful wele
474'Na man I haue', þis es þi saw;
475Na mare þou has thurgh(t) Goddes law."
476And þat scho suld wele knaw his might
477Vnto hir þus said he right,
478Quinque enim uiros habuisti,
479& nunc quem habes non est tuus uir.
480"Fiue men flessly ar þis day
481Has knawen þe, þe soth to say.
482In syn so hastou led þi liue
483With oþer wiues husbandes fiue,
484And now þat man þat es þe next,
485And with þe sins, he es þe sext;
486And þi man aw him noght to be;
487Anoþer womans man es he.
488And þus þi wordes er verray,
489'Na man I haue' so if þou say."
490When scho herd he hir dedis reherced,
491Hir hert to him was sune reuersd.
492"Lord," scho said, "now se I right
493Þat þou ert prophet mekil of might,
494And man þat es of maste pouste;
495By þi saws þat may I se.
496Oure faders þat are lifed in landes
497In þis mowntayn þat here standes,
498God of heuyn here honord þai;
499And ȝe Jews omanges ȝow sai
500Þat Jerusalem, þat riche cete,
501Es stede whare God sal honord be.
502And al oure faders with gude will
503Honord God here in þis hill.
504A temple here was bifor þis tide
505Þat Samaritanes had edifide,
506Þare saintes honord God sumtyme

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507In þis mowntaine Garazime;
508And þe Jews teches and leres,
509Jerusalem es stede of praiers.
510Bot þis es noght þe mownt Mory
511Of whilk spekes þe Jews story,
512Whare Abraham offird his sun;
513Þare for to pray þe Jews er wun,
514And þare þai haue a temple sett -
515To wirschip God þai will noght lett."
516Al þus scho said for to asay
517Wheþer þat he war prophet verray.
518Þan vnto hir al þus said he,
519"Suffer, woman, and trow to me.
520Þe tyme it cums and draws nere
521Þat nowþer men in þis mownt here
522Ne in Jerusalem, þe riche cete,
523Sal cum to honowre þe Fader fre.
524Ȝe honore and wirschippes in ȝowre law,
525And what ȝe honor noght ȝe knaw.
526And we honore anely þat thing
527Wharof we haue kind knawing.
528We wate to wham oure dedes we dele,
529For of þe Jews cumes gastly hele.
530For of þaire kinde he cumes and springes
531Þat verray hele es of al thinges.
532God-sun of þam takes fless and blude
533On þis molde for mans gude.
534Into þaire kinde es cumen God-sun
535For sinful mans saluacioun.
536And tyme sal cum, suthly I say,
537And now it es, þis ilk day,
538When wirschipoures verray and right
539Sal wirschip þe Fader day and night
540In þe spirite þat suthfast es,
541And in him þat es suthfastnes.
542Þe Fader of heuyn þa men he sekes

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543Þat vnto gude vertus þam mekes,
544And with gude hert him honowrs
545Stedfastly both dais and oures.
546Þe haly gast es God of heuyn,
547More of might þan men may neuyn,
548And men þat here will honoure him,
549þam bihoues in ilk a tyme
550Honore him in þe haly gaste,
551And in suthfastnes alþer-maste
552With will in gude werkes for to won
553And in suthfast trowth in God-sun.
554Swilk houre cumes, als men sal se,
555Þe vmber of Jews law bright sal be
556When men sal noght mak þaire praiere
557In þis hill þat þou sese here,
558Whare old men þat war halden wise
559Praied and made þaire sacrafice,
560For þaire entent was for to be
561On hils whare God þaire werkis might se.
562God wons in heuyn and in ilk place
563Whare men wirschip vnto him mase.
564And vnto þase men will he draw
565þat in hert haldes þam meke and law,
566And noght vnto þam þat desires
567For to be high and haldes þam sires;
568Ne in þe temple men sal prai noght
569Þat in Jerusalem es wroght,
570For lang, I say, it sal noght last;
571Vnto þe ground it sal be cast,
572For men þaire hertes so þaron settes
573Þat gastly trowth gretely it lettes."
574Þe woman þan hir dedes gan rew
575And þus scho said vnto Jesu,
576Scio quia Messias uenit,
577qui dicitur Cristus.
578"I wate wele Messias cums sone
579Thurgh wham al suthfastnes bese done.
580Þat Crist in hali writ es cald,

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581Suthfastnes men sal him hald.
582When he es cumen in erth to dwell
583Al thinges trewly he sal vs tell."
584Vnto þe woman þan said he,
585"Lo, I am Crist þat spekes with þe."
586And when al þis was said and done,
587Þan his desciples come ful sone
588Fra þat cete faire and grete
589Whare þai had bene to by þam mete.
590Þai fand him sitand on þe stane
591With þe woman spekeand allane.
592Þai had grete wonder þat he wald
593So with a woman speking hald,
594Bot nane of þam said to him þan
595Whi he spac with þat woman,
596Ne of him nathing wald þai spir
597What counsail þat he held with hir.
598Þe woman saw þam cumand þat tide
599And langer wald scho noght abyde,
600Bot þare scho sett hir wessel doun
601And fast scho ran vnto þe toun.
602And when scho come þe cete in
603Scho said to al men, more and myn:
604Uenite & videte hominem
605qui dixit mihi omnia quecumque feci.
606"Cums," scho said, "and ȝe sal se
607A man þat has said vnto me
608Al þe suth and lained noght
609Of al þe werkes þat I haue wroght.
610He tald me al my preuetese;
611If he be Crist cums on and sese."
612Al of þe folk with ane assent
613Out of þe cete sone þai went.
614Of puple went ful grete plente
615out of þe cete Crist to se.
616Al his desciples bifor him stode

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617and said to him with mild mode,
618Rabbi, manduca.
619"Rabi," vnto him þai said,
620"Ett of þis mete we haue puruaid."
621Þan answerd Crist of mightes grete
622And said þus, "I haue for to ette
623Fude þat falles for my state
624Of þe wilk nothing ȝe wate."
625Þan herof had þai wonder strang
626And said þir wordes þam omang,
627"Wheþer any man has heder soght
628And fude for þis day to him broght?"
629Þan said Crist with milde mode,
630"Here in þis werld it es my fode
631For to wirk my Faders will,
632Þat has he sent me to fulfill.
633Þat es þe fode me falles to haue
634Fra endles paine man-saul to saue.
635And ȝe men of þis werld here
636Þat knawes þe kindes of þe ȝere,
637Ȝe sai now al in ȝowre wisdom
638Þat foure monethes er for to cum,
639Or cornes þat in cuntrese ere
640Be ripe in sesun for to schere,
641Bot suthly vnto ȝow I say:
642Liftes vp ȝowre eghen and se ȝe may
643How al þe feldes þat fruites bere
644Er white and ripe, redy to schere.
645Bihaldes and lukes furth ȝow biforn:
646Þe feldes er white, ripe es þe corn.
647And suthly ilk a man þat scheres
648His mede he takes and with him beres.
649And many fruites to him he wines
650In lastand life þat neuer blines,
651So þat he þat al-thing knaws,
652Þat his sede here omanges ȝow sawes

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653May haue ioy ouer oþer thinges
654Þat his sede faire furth bringes.
655And he þat scheres als ioy he makes
656In endles fruites he to him takes.
657Takes kepe my word, it es verray
658In al thinges þat I ȝow say.
659Ane es he þat saws þe sede,
660Anoþer es he þat repis for mede.
661I haue ȝow sent now all onew
662To schere þe sede þat ȝe neuer sew.
663Of fruites sal ȝe tak þe mede
664For whilk ȝe neuer traueld in dede.
665Oper men traueld ful ȝern
666In Goddes laus þe folk to lern.
667And in þaire werkes entre ȝe make
668Þe mede of þaire trauail to take.
669Þe prophetes þat bifor ȝow ware
670Trauailed ful fast in Goddes lare.
671Now er ȝe entrid in þaire dede
672Of þaire trauail to tak þe mede."
673Þare war many Samaritane
674Þat herd þir wordes euerilkane,
675And vnto Crist fast gan þai trow
676And bainly till his bidinges bow
677For wordes of þe woman þare
678Þat of his werkes ay witnes bare.
679Scho cried euer with voice ful balde,
680"Al my dedis þis man me talde,
681And plainly has he said to me
682Al my werkes þat war preue."
683Þan al þa men of Samary
684Þat saw his werkes so mighty
685Praied him if it war his will
686With þam þat he wald dwell still,
687So þat þai moght wit or he went
688More what his meruailes biment.
689And in þat cete he him held,
690Twa dais till ende with þam he dweld.

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691And or twa dais till ende war past
692Folk of þe cuntre ferly fast
693Trowed ful trewly in Jesus,
694And to þe woman said þai þus,
695"Noght for þi wordes, wele wit þou,
696Allane in Jesu will we trow,
697Bot for þat we þe suth may se
698Þat God-sun verrayly es he.
699And wele we wate and vnderstand
700By his lare in ilk a land
701Þat he es þe werldes Sauioure,
702Sent for sinful mans socoure."

706Ane haly monk had grete langing
707In his life to se sum takining
708How he might knaw þe lest blis
709Þat þai in heuyn sall neuer mis.
710Þarfore he prayed to God of might
711With grete deuociowne day and night.
712And when he was man of grete elde,
713And wex waike and ful vnwelde,
714Of couent werke he was made fre,
715And all at his awin will was he,
716Als ȝong man þat trauailes trewly
717To haue ese in eld es worthi.
718Fell auenture þat þe couent
719To kirk, als þai war wont, er went,
720Fra þe chapeter efter prime,
721Als monkes vsed in þat tyme.
722And þis gude man, als ȝe may here,
723In þe cloister made his prayere,
724And euer was his thoght on þis:
725To se sum point of heuyn blis,
726Out of þis life or he ferd;
727And of God was his prayers herd.
728A foule he saw bifor him sit,
729And wele him thoght he suld tak it.
730So faire a foule had he neuer sene,
731His hert þarto was casten clene.
732Toward þe fowle þan he went;
733He hopid it in his hand to hent.
734It hipped bifore him in þe gate.
735Till it come at þe abbay ȝate.
736Þe foule so tilled him furth þat tide
737Vntill a wode was þarbiside.
738And þare he fand so grete solase
739Þat hame to win no thoght he hase.

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740Þe fowle flegh vntill a bogh,
741And þe monk nere to him drogh.
742Þe foule sang with ful lufly soune,
743Þe monk to here has set him doune.
744So wele him liked þe fowles sang
745Þat þeþin he thoght nothing to gang.
746Bot when þe sang was broght to ende,
747Þan he thoght wele for to wende
748Hame ogaine, als he was won,
749Vnto þe howre of vnderon.
750Þe foule flegh fra him oway,
751And he went vnto his abbay.
752And euyn ogayne he toke þe gate,
753Als he come to þe abbay-ȝate,
754And whare þe ȝate was wont to stand
755A mose-bigrouen wall he fand.
756Þare wist he wele þat he come out:
757Ferly him thoght and went obout.
758Oþer ȝates sone fand he þare
759And wist he saw þam neuer are.
760Þe porter asked him in hy
761Whare mo was of his cumpany,
762And how þat he was þeder broght.
763And þan þe monk grete meruaile thoght.
764He said, "I am of þis abbay,
765I went right now out me to play."
766Þe porter said, "Þou has gane wrang,
767Þou was neuer monk here vs omang.
768Here wond þou neuer, þat wele wate I."
769And þan þe monk thoght grete ferly.
770Howses and werk he saw all new
771And menȝe þat he neuer knew.
772Vnto þe kirk he wald haue gane,
773Bot þederward way wist he nane.
774Þe porter him vnto þe kyrk lad

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775Als man þat was mased and mad.
776Þe prior him to parlore cald
777And spirred his name, and he him talde,
778And how he went fro þat abbay,
779Folowand a fowl þat ilk day.
780He said, "Grete ferly thinkes me
781Þat I þis hows þus changed se.
782Me think I wate noght what I may
783In þis case of myself say,
784Þat it es in so litell tyme
785Changed sen þis day at prime,
786For now I se here na felaw,
787Ne no man þat I can knaw."
788Þan þe prior asked him
789Who was abbot in þat time.
790He said at morn þat ilk day
791Was he abbot of þis abbay.
792He neuynd þan þe mans name
793Þat was þare when he went fra hame.
794Þe prior þan soght manyfalde,
795And þat abbot þat he of talde
796Was ded bifore thre hundreth ȝere,
797Als þai fand in þaire cronicles clere.
798And in þe same ȝere fand þai
799How ane olde monk went him to play,
800And neuer herd seþin tell
801Of þat monk how it bifell.
802Þan wist þai wele þat ilk was he,
803And thanked God with hertes fre.
804When þe monk wist how he had bene
805Fra hame thre hundreth ȝere bedene,
806Þan all þe tale he gan þam tell
807What made him so lang to dwell.
808Þan howsell asked he in haste
809And vnto God he gaf þe gaste,
810To won in welth withowten wo.

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811God len vs þat we may do so!
812All þis ensample þus es talde
813To make men in þaire herte balde
814Þat ful mekil es þe moste blis
815Þat in þe ioy of heuyn euer is,
816Sen þat þe lest blis was slike,
817Þat þe monk so wele gan like,
818Þat of thre hundreth ȝeres and ma
819Thoght him na more bot oures twa.
820A, Lord, blith aght vs to be
821When we think inwardly þat we
822Sal lif ay in þat bigly blis
823And neuer of þa mirthes mis.
824Gude werkes gladly we suld bigin,
825Þat vnto þat welth might vs win,
826And be ful fayn here for to take
827Sorows sere for Cristes sake,
828And trewly trow euermore in þis
829Þat oure bale sal be turned to blis;
830Als Crist to his desciples dere
831In þe godspell sais on þis manere,
832"All ȝowre care sall turned be
833Vnto aylastand gamin and gle."
834Al þat he hight he held ful euyn,
835For al þai er in blis of heuyn.
836All þe turmentes þat þai gan take
837In þaire cors for Cristes sake
838Es turned to ioy and solace;
839And if we will folow þaire trace,
840Þan sal we beld with þam in blis.
841Þarto alweldand God vs wis!

844On sere wise penance for to hald

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845Men in þis werld with Crist er cald.
846With prophet sawes sum biddes he cum,
847And with his awin word calles he sum,
848Sum with ensaumple of forgifnes,
849Als of þis woman beres witnes.
850God said in (þe) boke of prophecy,
851"My will es noght sinful suld dy,
852But þat he lif and turn his thoght,
853And mend þe mis þat he has wroght."
854And als he sais, þe suth to tell,
855And wreten es in þe euangell,
856"I come noght to þis werld for þis,
857Ðe rightwis men at call to blis,
858Bot I come for to call and win
859To penance þam þat has done sin;
860And thurgh penance sall þai wende
861To welth þat es withouten ende."
862Ðus es it by ensaumple sene
863Of þis ilk Mari Mawdelene
864Sorow of hert to haue pardoune
865Es better þan proud religioune.
866Ðis phariseu, proud, religiouse,
867Was enspired to bid Crist till hous.
868Oure Lord so enspired his mode,
869And all for erthly mans gude.
870Noght for himself sit wald he þus
871With sinfull men, bot all for vs.
872Crist in þat hows togeder had broght
873Ðis woman þat sere sins had wroght,
874And þe proud religius pharisew
875Ðat held him gude and was noght trew;
876Or worthines he made grete boste,
877And with þe law he him endoset.
878Iuied þare ware both þaire dedes,
879Of þaire werkes to knaw þaire medes.
880Of Mari penance to haue in thoght

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881More liked to murn þan to say oght.
882Hir teres and hir sare wepeinges
883Vs to ensaumple of penance bringes.
884In hert biheld scho on all wise
885How scho suld best fra bales rise;
886And asschamed nothing was scho
887In sight of folk what scho suld do.
888Vnboden to fest scho toke þe gate
889Omanges all þat at burdes sate.
890In scho come, and none hir bad,
891Omang riche metes and gestes glad.
892Onence hirself no schame hir thoght,
893Slike sorow in hir hert was soght.
894To wepe it schamed noght hir mode
895Bifor riche men of erthly gude.
896Scho knew þe filth of hir foul sins;
897To well of mercy sune scho rines,
898Ðare for to be clensed clene.
899No schame hir thoght for to be sene
900For þe grete schame of filth of sin
901Ðat scho knew in hirself within;
902No thoght hirself without
903Schamed to be of folk about.
904Crist þat wele wist all hir wogh,
905Vnto his mercy he hir drogh
906When he thurgh mekenes and pete
907Resaiued hir ane of his to be.
908Ane vnement broght scho vnto him
909Ðat scho had vsed in pride sumtyme.
910Scho wesche, scho dried, scho enoynt, scho kist,
911Whare hir medcyn to win scho wist.
912His fete enoynt scho in þat tide
913With vnement scho had vsed in pride,
914Ðat scho bifore vsed for to gif
915Vntill hir fless fouly to lif.
916With sorowful hert scho hir profers,

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917And so hirself to God scho offers.
918Hir eghen þat war wont to bihald
919Vnto folis, als hir fless wald,
920Bowsum war þai þare to grete;
921Ðe teres towched oure Lordes fete.
922Ðe hare þat scho sumtyme set out,
923To ger men bihald hir obout,
924Ðarwith oure Lordes fete scho dried,
925And so hir wikkednes scho wried.
926With mouth sumtyme scho spak foly
927And wordes of lust and litchery;
928Ðarwith scho kissed oure Lordes fete
929Ful bousumly hir bale to bete .
930Als fele defautes als scho are had
931Als fele mekenes to God scho made.
932All vices þat scho are gan vse,
933All turned scho þan into vertuse;
934So all þe thinges þat in hir was
935Gifen vnto blame and to trispas
936Turned scho to God at all rightes,
937To honore him with all hir mightes.
938Ðe phariseu proud and mis-avised
939Ðis sinfull woman sone despised
940And noght anly angerd he was
941Ðat scho approched vnto þat place,
942Bot he blamed oure Lord so dere
943Ðat he lete hir so negh him nere,
944And said if he war prophet trew
945He suld noght do so, sen he knew
946How þat scho had sinful bene,
947Als in þat cete oft was sene.
948Lo, þis ilk prowd pharisew
949Wist noght þe mightes of Jesu.
950He blamed hir for folis fele,
951And als þe leche þat hir suld hele.
952Ðe phariseu in saul was seke

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953For vnknawing and hert vnmeke.
954Both war seke, þe woman and he,
955Bot his sekenes he kouth noght se.
956Scho knew hir sekenes, and he noght;
957Ðe leche bitwene twa seke was broght.
958Ðe woman to hirself toke kepe;
959For hir sekenes sare gan scho wepe.
960Ðe pharisew so proud of mode
961His awin sekenes noght vnderstode.
962Of Goddes werkes nothing he wist;
963Ðarfore of gastly hele he mist;
964And scho þat trowed stedfastly
965Was helid thurgh his mercy.
966By þis ensample may we se
967If a man neuer so sinfull be,
968And he in Crist will trow trewly,
969And for his misdede mercy cry,
970And stedfast hope of helping haue,
971Of all his sin he may be saue.
972God grante vs grace so for to trow,
973And so vnto his biddinges bow,
974And so for to forsake oure sin
975Ðat we may till his welthes win.

978Jesus wald þir dedes do,
979For erthly men suld tent þarto,
980For thurgh swilk meruailes he wald
981Ðat many men till his trowth war cald.
982Ðis dede cors þat þai bare obout,
983To be doluen withouten dout,
984Out of þe cete þai him bare,
985For þat he suld be grauen þare,
986Suthly may it signify
987Ilk man þat sins in dede dedly,
988And ilk a man here filed in syn
989Thurgh thoghtes in his hert within
990Ded also, forsuth, es he,
991Als to be grauen within cete.
992And when þat slike likinges of thoght
993Furth in sinfull werk er wroght,
994Ðat menes, man-saul for to be lorn,
995Als cors out of þe cete born,

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996For als man makes his mancioune
997Within a cete to dwell and won,
998Right so men saules on sum wise
999Entres into þaire bodise,
1000When þai assent to flesly will
1001Sum tyme to gude, sum tyme to ill.
1002Ðe ȝates of þe same cete
1003Ðe fiue wittes of man may be,
1004For euinly bi þa wittes fiue
1005Entres to man-saul ded or liue.
1006Forþi ilk man bihoues algates
1007Ȝeme wele his fiue bodily ȝates,
1008Ȝeme his eghen at all his mightes
1009In þis werld fra vnworthly sightes,
1010And also suld man ȝeme his eres
1011No thinges to here þat his saul deres;
1012And als þe thirles of his nose
1013Fro euil smelling suld be close,
1014And fra all werkes withdraw his handes,
1015Ðat ogaines Goddes will oght standes,
1016And his fete suld ȝeme alswa,
1017In euil gates þat þai noght ga;
1018Ðat es to say, in wayes of syn,
1019Or whare euil dedes may bigin.
1020And he þat in himself may fele
1021Ðat he ȝeme þir fiue ȝates wele
1022Vnto God þan worthi es he,
1023Gastly to life raised at be.
1024Ðe widow es haly kirk to hald
1025Ðat for þis skill es widow cald,
1026For ay scho ȝernes hir Lordes present,
1027Sen he to heuyn fra hir es hent.
1028And als widow in þis werld left
1029Habides scho till his cuming eft,
1030Hir dedes in þis werld for to deme
1031If scho haue serued him to queme.

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1032Ðis widow sun þat on bere lies
1033Menes cristen man þat gastly dies;
1034Gastly in saul to dy he bigines
1035Ðat bodily dose dedly sines.
1036Ðe moder wepe for hir sun dere
1037Ðat bodily ded was broght on bere,
1038So haly kirk here for hir suns
1039Euer in dole and wepeing wons;
1040Night ne day scho neuer ses,
1041Till time þat God þaire sins relese.
1042When Jesus saw þe widow murned
1043To werkes of mercy he him turned
1044And said þus, 'Woman, wepe no mare.',
1045Lo, how þis menes in gastly lare:
1046Thurgh þe wepeing of haly saintes,
1047To wham men for sin mase þaire plaintes,
1048For sinful men God almighty
1049Mekes him to werkes of mercy.
1050Ðe bere whare-on þe cors was laid
1051Sinful mans conciens es said.
1052Ðan Jesus towches on þe bere
1053When he with grace in þis werld here
1054Towches a mans conciens,
1055And so fra sines mase gude defens.
1056He hardens a mans hert within
1057To stand ogains þe dedes of syn,
1058And also soft he will it make,
1059Penans for his sins to take.
1060Ðai þat þe body to biriing beres
1061Er tonges of fals loseniers
1062Ðat seses neuer to prayse and rose
1063Ðam þat þai se euill dose.
1064Ðai couer sin vnder wordes faire,
1065Als men dose ded cors vnder laire;
1066So hid þai sines foul and rogh,
1067Als stinkand cors es vnder throgh,
1068Or þai may mene men sins sertaine
1069Ðat beres þe saule to endles paine.

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1070Ðe bere to touche when Jesu ȝode,
1071Ðai þat bare it still þai stode,
1072For when a man in his hert murnes,
1073And to þe wayes of penance turnes,
1074Euil dedes to vse fra þan he blines,
1075And in him seses custome of sines.
1076Ðat þe bere beres houes still
1077When sinful man changes his will,
1078And touched he es thurgh Goddes grace
1079For to defende him fra his fase,
1080And ȝemes him wele both daies and oures
1081Fra roseing of fals losengoures.
1082And when þe bere so doun was sett,
1083Ðus said oure Lord withouten lett:
1084Adolescens, tibi dico: surge.
1085To þe child said he on þis wise,
1086"Ȝong man, I bid þat þou vp-rise."
1087A man þat here with sins es slaine
1088Quikkens vnto life ogaine,
1089Als sone als he will sese of sins,
1090And dedis of penance here bigins.
1091When he forsakes werkes wik,
1092In gude dedes he waxes quik,
1093And for to speke bigins he sone
1094When he schewes what he has done,
1095And wries himself and laines noght
1096Of all þe sins þat he has wroght,
1097Bot in schrift schewes þam opinly
1098And menes him to God almighty,
1099And ordaines him with al his might
1100To serue God both day and night.
1101Man to his moder es ȝolden ogaine
1102In werld thurgh prestes office plaine
1103When he to þe kirk es recouncild,
1104Assoyled of sins þat him had filde,
1105Of whilk sins bot he war clene

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1106His saul suld als ded be sene
1107And won in wa withouten end,
1108Bot if it war in erth amend.
1109Also þis man þat þusgat died
1110By man-kind may be signifide
1111First when þe fende gan with him striue
1112And gert him leue þe way of liue.
1113Ðis woman þat for þe cors murnes
1114To Jews temples sum men it turnes,
1115For patriarkes and sere prophetes
1116In haly writ oftsithes settes
1117Ðat Jewes mase offrandes and murnes
1118When erthly man to peris turnes;
1119Ðarfore to þaire sinagoges sais Crist,
1120"Murnes na more for men perist,
1121For man-kind þat lang ded has bene
1122Rise vnto life it sall be sene."
1123Ðe bere to touche when Jesus moued,
1124Ðai þat it bare stode still and houed,
1125And no ferrer þai bare þe bere;
1126Ðat may be ment on þis manere:
1127Fra mans hert be touched in haste
1128Thurgh vertu of þe haly gaste,
1129So þat he gude werkes bigin,
1130And fulfils penance for his sin,
1131Ðan seses þe forse and þe mightes
1132Of þe fendes and werid wightes.
1133He sett him vp þat ded had bene,
1134Man-kind on þat maner to mene
1135Ðat turned es right way to wende
1136Vnto þe life withowten ende.
1137He þat was ded, to speke bigan
1138In þis werld here when sinful man
1139Ðat sumtyme wirschipt in sere landes
1140Maumettes made with mans handes,
1141To God allane þaire hertes lift

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1142And schewed þaire sin with opin schrift.
1143Ðe childe es ȝolden þe moder vnto
1144When man in werld Goddes will wil do,
1145And lede his life, and noght be irk,
1146Efter þe laus of haly kirk.
1147God len vs so in land to lif
1148Ðat we oure gast to him may gif.