1Now wille I rede forthermare,
2And shew yhow of sum paynes þat er þare.
3In purgatory, als þe buke wittenes,
4Es diverse payns, som mar, som les,
5And many mare þan I can neven;
6Bot I fynd wryten payns seven,
7Þat may be called payns of purgatory;
8And þa seven I wille here specefy,
9Of whilk men sal som fele and se,
10Als tite als þe ded-comyng sal be,
11Þe first payn es of þa seven,
12Als yhe herd me byfor neven,
13Þe grete drede þat þe saul es in
14When þe body at it sal twyn;
15For þe saul sese þan about it stande
16Grysly devels agayn it raumpande,
17Als wode lyons to wayt þair pray,
18And to ravisshe it with þam away.
19And þat syght es a payn ful grevous;
20For þe devels er swa foul and ydous,
21Þat swa hardy man was never nane
22Lyfand here in flesshe and bane,

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23Þat saw þe syght þat þe saul þan sese,
24Þat ne he for ferdelayk is witte shuld lese,
25Thogh he war never of hert swa balde,
26Als in þe thred parte of þis boke was talde.
27A grete payn aght þis syght to be
28Til þe saule þan, þat it sal se.
29Þe secunde payn neghest folowande
30Es þe grete drede, to understande,
31Þat þe saul sal hafe wyth dole and care,
32Until þe dome be gyfen, how he sal fare.
33For þe angels sal þare redy be
34And þe devels swa grisly to se,
35Þat sal disput of alle his lyfe
36Bytwen þam þar, with grete stryfe.
37His syns sal þan be shewed ful many,
38Als I tald byfor in þe thred part namly.
39Þe saul þan sal bytwene þam stande,
40And þe angels on his ryght hande,
41And devels on þe lefte syde.
42Þan mot þe saul in grete dred abyde,
43Until þat stryfe be broght to ende,
44And til it witte whyder it sal wende,
45And whether it sal be dampned or save;
46Þan sal þe saul a grete drede have,
47Als a man þat es in myddes þe se
48In grete perille, and may noght fle,
49When tempestes falles and stormes smert,
50Þan has þat man grete drede in hert;
51He mas þan vowes, and cryes on Crist,
52For, he es afered þat he sal be peryst;
53And þat drede til hym es a grete payn;
54For of his lyf he es uncertayn;
55And als a man has drede bodily,
56When he es acouped of felony
57Byfor kynges iustice, and þe cuntre,
58Þat charged es if he gilty be,
59He wate noght whether he sal be spilt,
60Or be delyvered of þat gilt.

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61Until þai have gyven þair verdite,
62And outher þar-of made hym qwyte
63Als þe laghe walde, or made hym gilty.
64If he þan haf drede, it es na ferly,
65For in grete dout of lyfe es þat man.
66Bot yhit has the saul mare drede þan.
67Til þe dome be gyven and it may se
68Whether it sal dampned or saufe be.
69For if it dome of dampnacion here,
70It gas til helle with-outen recoverere;
71And þe saul þat es dampned til þat place
72Thar never hope to haf mercy ne grace.
73What wonder es þan if þe saule drede have
74Þat doutes whethir he salsal be dampned or save.
75Of þes twa maners of payns of drede
76Yhe herd me aparty byfor rede,
77Þe whilk es declared in a stede,
78In þe thred part þat spekes of þe dede.
79Alle þis matere men may se þare,
80Þarfor here I wil spek þar-of na mare.
81Þe thred payn es a maner of exil
82When þe saules here agayn þair wil
83Er exild fra þis lyf til payn,
84With-outen any turnyng agayn;
85For þan sal þai haf grete murnyng,
86When þai er flemed fra þair lykyng,
87Fra alle þair frendes lefe and dere,
88And fra alle þe delyces þat þai had here.
89Þe murnyng þat þai haf on þis wyse,
90Til þam sal be grete payn and anguyse.
91Þe fereth payn es sere malady,
92Þat þe sauls sal haf in purgatory.
93For þai sal haf þar yvels sere,
94For sere syns, þat er unclensed here;
95Som for pride þat þai haf here-in bene,
96Sal haf þar als a fever cotidiene,

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97Þat þe saule sal pyn mar bitterly
98Þan ever fyver pyned here mans body.
99Som sal haf þar, for covatyse,
100Als þe dropsy to grege þair angwyse.
101Som sal haf in alle þair lymmes obout,
102For sleuthe, als þe potagre and þe gout.
103Som, for envy, sal haf in þair lyms,
104Als kylles and felouns and apostyms.
105Som for ire sal have als þe parlesy,
106Þat yvel þe saul sal grefe gretely.
107Som for glotoni sal haf þare,
108Als þe swynacy, þat greves ful sare.
109And som, for þe syn of lechery,
110Sal haf als þe yvel of meselry.
111Þus sal þe saules, als God vouches save,
112For sere syns, sere maledys have,
113Þat here has hadde repentance
114And has noght ful-filed here þair penaunce.
115Þir maladies þar þe saul mar greves,
116Þan it dos any body þat here lyves.
117Thynk we what payn has þe body,
118Þat has here bot a malady
119In þis lif, lastand alle a yhere,
120Or noght bot thre days, or four here.
121Þat malady greves þe body sare,
122Bot yhit it greves þe saul vele mare
123In purgatory, þar es it pynde,
124For þe saul es of mare tender kynde;
125For als a lytel thynd IN HARL. MS. 6923: thyng þin eghe lokand
126May greve mare þan it may þi hand,
127Swa feles þe saule mare penaunce
128Þan þe body, when it has grevaunce.
129Bot now may som say here agayne,
130And aske how þe saul may fele payne,
131Þat es noght elles bot a spirit,
132Þat may noght be feled, swylk es it;

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133For it es swa sutil, þat aftir þe dede,
134It may occupy na stede.
135Til þis, þus men answer may,
136Als men may here grete clerkes say.
137Þe saule þe lyfe of þe body es
138Of ilk man here, bathe mare and les.
139And with-outen þe lyfe is na felyng,
140For felyng may be in na dede thyng.
141Þan es alle þe felyng halely
142In þe saul, and noght in þe body;
143For when þe saul es passed away,
144Þe body es noght bot erthe and clay,
145Þat es a dede thyng, als a stane;
146Þe whilk may fele na thyng be it ane.
147Alswa yhit may som þos aske mare,
148How may þe saule þat duelles þare,
149Be pyned with sere maledy
150Þat falles til sere lymes of þe body,
151Sen it has nouther body ne hede,
152Ne lym þat may occupy stede.
153Til þis, men may answer þus shortly:
154Þe saul, al-if it haf na body,
155It sal be pyned als in lyms sere,
156Thurgh whilk it has mast synned here.
157Swa sal þe saul, fele payn and wa,
158And til other saules it sal seme swa.
159For ilkan til other sal seme þan,
160Als þai had shap of body of man;
161Þus sal ilka saul other se,
162For nan of þam may feled be.
163Na mar þan here a man ande may,
164When it passes fra his mouthe away.
165And þis may be pruved be þe godspelle.
166Thurgh þe ensampel of þe ryche man in helle,
167And of Lazar þat he ward mete
168Þat in Abraham bosom had his sete.

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169Abraham bosom es nathyng elles,
170Bot heven þar haly spyrites duelles.
171When þe ryche man, þat in helle sat lawe,
172Lazar in Abraham bosom sawe,
173He cryed til Abraham and prayed with-alle
174Þat a drope of calde water mught falle
175Til his tung, fra Lazar fynger ende,
176Als es in þe godspel contende.
177Bot al-if he þus spak to hym,
178Yhit had he na tung ne other lym,
179Ne Lazar, als yhe sal understande,
180Had nouther fynger, ne fote, ne hande,
181For þai bathe war spirites anly,
182Þat nouther had lymmes ne body.
183Þe tane was in blis soverayne,
184Þe tother was in endles payne.
185Bot þe ryche man saule feled in helle
186Payne, als he had bene in flesshe and felle;
187And Lazar saule til him semed þan
188Als he had body and lymes of man.
189Yhit has men herd som clerkes mayntene
190Swilk an opinion, als I wene,
191Þat a saule, þat es in purgatory
192Or in helle, has of þe ayre a body
193For to thole payne, in lyms sere,
194After þat he has synned here.
195Bot whether þe saul haf body or noght,
196He sal fele payne, after he has wroght.
197Þe fifte payne es þe fire hate,
198Þat na maner of thing may abate,
199Bot almusdede and messe and prayere,
200Þat frendes dus for þe saul here.
201To abate þat fire, þa thre er best,
202For þa thre may bring þe saul to rest.
203Þat fire is hatter and mare kene,
204Þan al þe fire þat here es sene;

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205For als þe fire of erthe, þar we won,
206Es hatter þan þe beme of þe son,
207Ryght swa þat fire on þe same manere,
208Es hatter þan þe fire es here.
209Alle þe waters, þat men may rekken,
210A spark þar-of may noght sleken.
211We se þe fire þat here es, greves sare
212Þe body, þat standes þar-in bare;
213Bot mare greves þe fire of purgatory
214Þe saul, þan þis fire dus þe body.
215For þe fire here, of strenthe es les
216Þan þe fire of purgatory es;
217And þe body with flesshe and bane,
218Es harder þan þe saul by it ane;
219And þe saul mare tender and nesshe
220Þan es þe body with þe flesshe.
221Sen þat fire es mare hate þare
222Þan þe fire es here, als I sayd are,
223And þe saul es swa tender of kynde,
224Þan semes it þat it es mare pynde
225Thurgh þat fire, þan þe body mught be
226With alle þe fire of Cristiante;
227For a spark of þat fire es mare hate
228Þan al þe fire of erthe, als clerkes wate.
229Many saules duells in þat fire strang.
230Bot sum duelles short wyle, and sum lang,
231Aftir þair syn es mare or les,
232And aftir þair penaunce fulfild es,
233Bot na saul may þethen pas,
234Until it be als clene als it first was,
235When he was hoven at funtstane
236And his crestendome þar had tane.
237Som clerkes, þat spekes of purgatory,
238Says þat þe fire þare is bodily,
239And noght gastly als þe saule es;
240For þe saule, als þe boke bers wytnes,
241May be pyned with fire bodily,
242Als it may be with þe awen body.

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243Bot þat fire wirkes noght thurgh kynde
244In þe saule, þat þar-with es pynde,
245Als dos þe fire þat brinnes here,
246Bot it wirkes on wonderful manere,
247Als God has ordaynd, forwhy, it es
248An instrument of Goddes ryghtwysnes,
249Thurgh wilk þe saule most clensed be
250In purgatory, ar it may God se.
251Alle þe fire þat es þar-in,
252Es bot a maner of fyre to wast syn,
253And noght divers fires, les and mare,
254Bot a maner of fire, als I sayd are,
255Þat alle veniel syns þan sal waste,
256Þat es unclensed here, lest and maste.
257For als fyre þat caffe son may bryn,
258Gold may melt þat es lang þar-in,
259Ryght swa þe fyre þar thurgh lang hete
260Þat wastes smale syns, may wast grete,
261And als þe hete of þe son þat comon es,
262Som men greves mare, and som men les,
263Right swa þe fyre þat es þare,
264Som sawles pyns les, and som mare;
265For þe sawles byhoves duelle þar-in,
266Aftir þe charge es of þair syn.
267Bot som sawles þar sal be delyverd sone,
268Þat large penaunce here has done;
269Som sal duel þar many a yhere,
270Þat litel penaunce has don here.
271And lang lygyn in þair syn;
272And þarfor says þus Saynt Austyn:
273Necesse est quod tantum urat dolor,
274quantum erat amor; tanto enim quisquis
275torquetur diucius, quanto affectus eius
276venialibus ahherebat forcius.
277Saynt Austyn says "nedeful it es,
278Þat sorow war als mykel and na les
279For ilka syn and ilka trespas,

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280Als luf and delyte in syn was."
281And alswa he says on þis manere,
282Þat ay þe styther þat ilk man here
283Gyves his lykyng and wille
284Til veniel syns, outher loud or stille,
285Þe langer sal he pyned be
286In purgatory;" þus says he.
287Þis fire, als byfore wryten es,
288Som saules pynes mare, and sum les,
289Aftir þat þai þat commes þar-in,
290Brynges ought with þam þat may bryn.
291For byfor ar þai may God se
292Byhoves als thre thynges brinned be,
293Þat es at say, als wodde, and hay,
294And stubble, þat may sone wast away;
295Þa er veniel synnes þat may falle,
296Bathe grete and smale, and men with-alle,
297Þe mast veniel syns sal þar bryn langly,
298Als wodde brinnes, þat es sadde and hevy,
299Þe lest veniel syns sal brin sone,
300Als stobble, þat son brinnes and son es done.
301Bot swa son brinnes noght þe mene synnes;
302Þai brin mar slawly als hay brynnes.
303Þus sal be brynned and wasted þare,
304Als veniel syns, bathe les and mare;
305And al dedly syns of wilk men er shryven,
306And þe gilt God has forgyven,
307For whilk þe penaunce es noght fulfilled here,
308Sal þare be wasted on þe sam manere
309And þe saules in þat fire be pyned
310Unto þai be als clene als gold fyned.
311And when þai er fyned and made bright
312Þai sal be broght befor Goddes sight,
313Til hey Paraydise, þat blisful place
314Whar ay es rest, ioy and solace.
315Þe sext payne es þis to telle;
316Þat þe saules unclensed, þat sal duelle

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317In purgatory, sal be bunden faste
318With bandes of syn, whilles þai may laste,
319Als men þat er bonden in pryson,
320Þat na man may for gyft ne raunson,
321Out of þat hard payn þam wyn,
322Until þe fire haf wasted þair bandes of syn.
323Þus er þai bunden by hend and fete,
324Allen bydonen, in þat brinnand hete.
325Me thynk þat na payne may be mare
326Þan þa saules has, whyles þai er þare.
327Grete dole þay mak, somtyme, and sarowe;
328For þai may nathyng begg ne borowe,
329To help þam, þat þai war out broght,
330Ne þair awen prayer help þam noght;
331For þar es nouther stede ne space,
332Helpe ne frenshepe to purchace;
333Bot þe gude þat þai did here, þai sal þar fele;
334Or if þair frendes, þat luffes þam wele,
335For þam here pray or do almus dede ;
336Alle þat may help þam in þair nede.
337Ful hard payn þar þai fele,
338Bot at þai er save þai wate wele;
339Bot sum tyme swa mykel payn þai hafe,
340Þat þai tak na kepe þat þai er save;
341Wharfor we shuld thynk, þat lyves here,
342What payn it es, on þis manere,
343To be swa pyned, and fele swa sare
344Fourty wynter, outher les or mare,
345Omang devels, þat þan has leve
346Som tyme to turment þe saules and greve,
347Ay whiles þai haf any spot of syn;
348For are, may þai noght out of payn wyn,
349Til þai be clensed and made right clene
350Of alle spottes of syn þat may be sene.
351And when þai er þus clensed wele
352Þan sal þai namare payn fele,

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353Bot als tite þar-efter þai sal wende
354Tille þe blis þat es with-outen ende.
355Þe sevend payn of purgatory es
356Þat þe saules er als in wildernes,
357Þar defaut es of alkyn thyng
358Of wilk man mught haf lykyng;
359Þair payn es turned manyfalde.
360Now er þai in hete, and now in calde;
361For sumtyme þai sal be pyned lang
362With hete, and som tyme with cald omang.
363Þai sal haf þare bathe hunger and threst,
364And travayl grete, with-outen rest.
365Þai er dungen þare, to eke þaire payn,
366With smert stormes als of wynd and rayn,
367And with stormes of hayle, sharpe and kene,
368Swylk stormes was never here sene.
369Als þe sauls sal þar here and se.
370Þus sal þai on sere-wyse pyned be,
371Sum many wynter for þair syn,
372Ar þai til þe sight of God may wyn.
373Swilk maner of payns þai sal have þare,
374With other ma, þat sal greve sare.
375Bot a grete payn yhit þis sal be,
376Þe grete yhernyng þat þai haf to se
377Þe face of God, þat es swa bright,
378And þe lang tariyng fra þat syght.
379Bot til þat sight þai may never wyn,
380Until þai be clensed þar of al syn.
381Here haf I talde yhow aparty,
382Of sum payns of purgatory.
383Now I wille shew, als þe boke telles,
384Whilk sauls in purgatory duelles.
385Þe saules þat to purgatory most wend
386Aftir þe dede, when þis life has end,
387Nedly byhoves dwelle þar-in,
388Unto þai be clensed of al syn,
389Thurgh bitter paynes þat er þare.
390Bot sum sal fele les, and sum mare,

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391Aftir þair syn es mare or les,
392Als in þis part byfor wryten es,
393Or aftir þair syns er many or fone,
394And aftir þai haf here penaunce done.
395Bot alle saules sal noght duelle in þat stede,
396For sum here þat als tite aftir þair dede,
397Sal wend strykly til heven blis,
398Als Innocentes þat never dyd mys,
399And other saules of men parfite,
400Þat in nathyng here has delyte,
401Bot anly in God þat boght þam dere,
402In lyffed ay in penaunce here.

403His bright face sal alle þas se,
404Þat sal duelle in þat blisful cite;
405And þat syght es þe mast ioy of heven,
406Als men mught here me byfor neven.
407And alle-if þat cite be large and wyde,
408Men salle hym se, until þe ferrest syde,
409And als wele þas þat sal be fra hym fer,
410Als þas þat sal þar til hym be nerrer;
411For als men of fer landes may haf sight
412Of þe son, þat we se here schyne bright,
413And als þe same son þat shynes byyhond þe se
414Shewes it here, and in ilka cuntre
415Alle þe day, aftir þe ryght course es,
416Bot when cloudes fra us hydes hir brightnes;
417Right swa þe face of God alle-myghty,
418Sal be shewed in heven appertely,
419Tille alle þe men þat þider sal wende,
420Þogh som suld duelle at þe ferrest ende.
421Bot ilk man, als he lufes God here,
422Sal won þar, som fer and som nere.
423For som lufes God here mar þan sum,
424And som lufes hym les þat til heven sal com
425Alle þas þat God here lufes best,
426When þai com þar sal be hym nerrest,
427And þe nerrer þat þai sal hym be,
428Þe verreylyer þai sal hym se;
429And þe mare verraly þai se his face,
430Þe mare sal be þair ioy and solace.

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431Bot þa þat here lufs hym les,
432Þai sal won þar, aftir þair luf es;
433Bot ilk man sal se hym in his degre,
434In what syde of heven swa he sal be.
435Here haf yhe herd of many fayre sight,
436Þat ay salle be sene in heven bright;
437Ful glade and ioyful alle þas may be,
438Þat swilk fayre sightes, ay, þar sal se,
439And of mykel ioy may þai ay telle
440Þat in þat cite of heven sal ay duelle.
441Alswa ilkan sal haf in þair heryng,
442Grete ioy in heven and grete lykyng.
443For þai sal here þar aungel sang,
444And þe haly men sal ay syng omang,
445With delitabel voyces and clere;
446And, with þat, þai sal ay here
447Alle other manere of melody,
448Of þe delytable noys of mynstralsy,
449And of alkyn swet tones of musyke,
450Þat til any mans hert mught like;
451And of alkyn noyse þat swete mught be,
452Ilkan sal here in þat cite,
453With-outen instrumentes ryngand,
454And with-outen movyng of mouth or hand,
455And with-outen any travayle,
456And þat sal never mar cese ne fayle.
457Swilk melody, als þar sal be þan,
458In þis werld herd never nan erthely man,
459For swa swete sal be þat noyse and shille
460And swa delitabel and swa sutille,
461Þat alle þe melody of þis werld here,
462Þat ever has bene herd, fer and nere,
463War noght bot als sorowe and care
464Als to þe lest poynt of melody þare.
465Omang þam alswa sal be swete savour,
466Swa swete com never of herbe ne flour,
467When þai war in seson mast,
468Or war mast of vertu for to tast;

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469Ne of spicery mught never spryng,
470Ne yhit of nan othir thyng,
471Þat thurgh vertu of kynde suld savour wele
472Swa swete savour als þai sal fele;
473For na hert may thynk, ne tung telle,
474How swete sal ilkan til other smelle;
475Þat savour sal be ful plenteuouse,
476And swa swete and swa delicious,
477Þat alkyn spicery þat men may fele,
478And of alle othir thyng þat here savours wele,
479War noght bot als thyng þat stynked sour,
480Als to regarde of þat delycious savour.
481Þan sal þat savour þat es swa swete,
482Be ioy til þam, ay when þai samen mete,
483Alswa ilkan þat sal won þar,
484Sal syng with angels, als I sayd ar,
485In swilk tones þat sal be swete to here,
486With ful delitabel voyces and clere;
487Bot þai sal love God ay in þair sang,
488And thank hym of his mercy ay omang;
489And ilkan of þat blisful company
490Sal speke with othir þar ful swetely,
491With laghyng and with lufly sembland,
492And say "weles us þat here er wonnand",
493And thank God omang þat þam gun wysse
494Til mekenes, þat þam led til þat blysse
495With anger þat þai had in þair lyf days,
496Þan may þai say þus als David says:
497Letati sumus pro diebus quibus
498nos humiliasti, annis quibus
499vidimus mala.
500"Loverd ful glad for þe days er we,
501In whilk þou made us lawe to be,
502In þe yheres in whilk we saw illes."
503Þus may þai syng and say for sere skilles.
504Þan sal þair sang and þair spekyng,
505Be til þam gret ioy and lykyng;

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506Alswa þai sal fele worshepes grete,
507For ilkan sal be sette in a ryche sete,
508And, als kynges and qwenes corouned be
509With corouns dight with ryche perre,
510And with stanes of vertu, precyouse to prays,
511Als David til God thus spekes and says:
512Posuisti Domine super caput eius
513coronam de lapide precioso.
514"Loverd on hys heved þou sette ryght,
515A coroune of preciouse stanes dight;"
516Bot swa fayre coroune was never sene
517In þis world, on kynges heved ne qwene.
518Þis coroune es þe coroune of blys,
519And þe stane es ioy þat þai sal never mys.
520Þis worshepe þat þai sal fele, sal pas
521Alle þe worshepes þat ever here was,
522Of whilk þai sal þar mar ioy have,
523Þan any man can yherne or crave.
524Þus sal þai have in þair wittes fyfe
525Parfite ioy with endeles lyfe,
526In þe heghe blisful cite of heven,
527Whar sere ioyes er ma þan tung can neven;
528For þai sal many hundreth thowsand se
529Of men and wemen in þat cite,
530Þat many sere ioyes þar sal haf,
531Als þai er worthy and God vouches saf.
532And alle þe ioyes þat þai alle sal se,
533Sal be ioyes til ilka man þat þar sal be,
534With-outen his awen ioyes, les and mare,
535Þat til hym-self sal be appropried þare;
536For þe sight of ilk ioy þat þai sal se þan,
537Sal be ioy þar til ilka man;
538For other mens ioyes tham sal like als wele,
539Als þai sal þair awen þat þai sal fele;
540Þan sal a man haf ma ioyes in heven
541Þan any tung couthe telle or neven;
542For ilk man sal haf special ioy and mede,
543For ilk gude thoght and ilk gude dede,

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544Þat he ever thoght or wroght open or prive.
545Þan may never þair ioys noumbred be,
546Þat ilk man in heven when þai com þider
547Sal in body and saule haf alle togider,
548And never mare of na ioy fele irkyng,
549For þai sal ay be new als at þe bigynning,
550Of whilk þe leste ioy þar to fele and se,
551Sal be mar þan alle þe ioyes of the werld may be
552Þai sal be fed þar and cled wele,
553With ioy of sight þat þai sal fele,
554Þai sal wirk þar nan othir thyng,
555Bot love ay God with-outen irkyng.
556Als a versifiour says in a verse þarby,
557Þe whilk es made in metre þus schortly:
558Visio sit victus, opus est
559laus, lumen amictus.
560"With þe sight of God þai sal be fed,
561And with brightnes of light þai sal be cled,
562And þair werk sal be ay lovyng,"
563In whilk þai sal haf gret likyng.
564Bot þair mast ioy in heven sal be
565Þe blisful sight of þe trinite,
566Þe whilk þai sal se ever-mar;
567And þat ioy sal pas alle othir þar,
568For ay whilles þai þat sight sal se,
569Of alle ioyes þai sal fulfilled be;
570And if þai suld þat syght mysse,
571Þai myght noght þan haf parfite blis.
572For if a man war pyned in helle,
573With ma payns þan tung may telle,
574And he of Goddes face mught se oght,
575Alle his payns suld þan gryefe hym noght.
576Now haf I redde here how men sal hafe
577Parfite ioy in heven þat sal be safe;
578Bot þe dampned men þar ogayne
579Sal haf ful sorowe and parfite payne,
580With-outen ende for þair wikked lyfe,
581For þai sal in alle þair wittes fyve,

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582Be turmented on sere manere,
583With grysely payns, many and sere,
584Þat es to say, in syght and heryng,
585In smellyng, tastyng, and felyng.
586First þai sal in helle about þam se
587Mare sorow þan ever in þis werld mught be,
588And þe sorow þat þai sal se þar,
589Sal be strang payne til þam ever-mare.
590Þair wonyng in helle, als says þe buke,
591Þai sal se ful of fire and of smoke,
592And ful grysely, and myrk, and dym,
593And about þam devels ful grym,
594Þat with sere payns sal payne þam ay,
595Als men mught here me byfor say:
596And alle-þogh þai in helle want light,
597Yhit sal þai of alle payns haf sight,
598Thurgh þe sparkes of fyr þar, als says Saynt Austyn
599Noght til þair comfort bot til þair pyne;
600Yhit mare sorow þam sal bytyde,
601Þai sal here in helle, on ilka syde,
602Ful hydus noyse and duleful dyn
603Of devels and of synful men þar-yn:
604Þai sal here devels þar, rare ful hydusly,
605And þe synful men goule and cry;
606Þai sal þar, in smellyng, fele mare stynk,
607Þan hert may here ymagyn or thynk,
608Of brynnand brunstan and of pyk,
609And of alkyn othir thyng þat es wyk.
610Þat stynk, als yhe sal understand wele,
611Sal be strang payne til þam to fele;
612Al-swa þai sal ilkan other wery,
613And myssay and sclaundre God allemyghty,
614Þai sal ay stryfe and be at debate,
615And ilkan other sal despice and hate.
616Omang þam sal never be pees,
617Bot hatreden and stryfe þat never sal cees.
618Þair throtes sal ay be filled omang,
619Of alle thyng þat es bitter and strang,

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620Of lowe and reke with stormes melled,
621Of pyk and brunstane togyder welled,
622Of molten bras and lede with-alle,
623And of other welland metalle:
624Þis sal be strang payne til þam to last,
625Omang alle othir paynes, lest and mast,
626With stryf þat sal be omang þam þan,
627When ilkan sal other wery and ban;
628Al-swa þai sal fele, als I byfor talde,
629Outrageus hete and outrageouse calde,
630For now þai sal frese in yse, and now in fire bryn
631And be gnawen with-outen and with-in;
632Within, als yhe sal understand,
633With wormes of conscience ay bytand;
634With-outen, with dragons felle and kene,
635Swa hidus was never here nane sene,
636With neddirs and tades and othir vermyn,
637And with many hydus bestes of ravyn,
638Als wode wolfes, lyons and beres felle,
639Þat sal noght be elles, bot devels of helle,
640In liknes of hydus bestes and vermyne,
641Þat sal þam gnaw without, to eke þair pyne,
642Als in þe sext part of þis boke es wryten.
643Þus sal þe synful be gnawen and byten
644With outen, thurgh hydus bestes and vermyn,
645And thurgh þe worme of conscience with-in.
646Þe devels alswa sal stryke þam felly,
647With glowand hamers, ful huge and hevy,
648Þat sal seme of iren and stele;
649Þir payns þai sal with alle other fele.
650Þus sal þai ever-mare be pyned þar,
651In alle þair fife wittes, als I said ar,
652With sere payns als es gode skille,
653For þai here used þair wittes ille.
654Alle þir payns þat yhe herd me telle,
655And many ma þat salle be in helle,
656Þai sal thole ay þar þat sal wende þider,
657In body and saule alle to-gider.

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658Þus sal þai ever mar contynuely
659Haf parfite payne þar, with-outen mercy,
660Fra whilk payne and sorow God us shilde,
661Thurgh prayer of hys moder mylde,
662And þe right way of lyf us wysse,
663Whar-thurgh we may com til heven blysse. Amen.
664Now es þe last part of þis buke sped,
665And alle þe maters þar-in haf I red,
666Þat contenes, als yhe mught here,
667Bathe general and special ioyes sere,
668Þat alle þas þat til heven sal come,
669Sal haf aftir þe day of dome;
670And sere schendshepes of helle alswa,
671Þat er even contrary til þa,
672Þe whilk, þas þat sal til helle wende,
673Sal haf þar, with-outen ende.
674Whar-for wha-swa of þis wil take hede,
675May be stird til luf and drede;
676Til drede, thurgh mynde of þe hydusnes
677Of payne and sorow þat in helle es;
678Til luf, thurgh mynd of ioyes and blisse sere
679Þat God hetes til alle þat lufes hym here.
680Bot þe drede es noght medeful to prufe,
681Þat accordes noght halely with þat lufe;
682For if drede stand by itself anely,
683Na mede of God it es worthy,
684Þarfor drede suld be lufes brother,
685And ayther of þam stand with other,
686For wha-swa lufes God on ryght manere
687He has grete drede to wrethe hym here;
688Þan lufes he his bydynges to fulfille,
689And dredes to do oght ogayne his wille,
690Delites to be with God ay,
691And dredes to be put fra hym oway.
692For men suld noght drede God anly for payne
693Bot men suld drede to tyn þe ioy soverayne,
694Þat es, þe syght of God of heven,
695Þe whilk yhe herd me byfor neven;

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696Þat es patþatEdition: pat luf ay with þat drede,
697And þat dred of God es worthy mede,
698For þogh we suld never helle se,
699Ne for syn suld never punyst be,
700In purgatory ne in helle,
701Ne in þis werld whar we duelle,
702Yhit suld we luf God for hym-self ryght,
703And drede to tyne hys luf and of him þe syght,
704For, sikerly I dar wele say þis,
705Þat wha-swa wyst what ioy and blys
706Of þe syght of God in heven war,
707And als proprely had sene it als es þar,
708He had lever thole here þis payne,
709Ilk day anes, alle qwik to be flayne,
710Ar he þe syght of his face suld tyne,
711Þat in heven so bright sal shyne.
712Many sere ioys ma þar sal falle,
713Bot þat sight es mast principalle ioy of alle;
714For þat ioyful sight sal contene
715Alle other ioyes þat sal þar be sene,
716Of whilk ioys, þe lest sal pas
717Alle þe ioy þat ever here was.
718For ioy here es noght bot passand vanite,
719Bot þe ioyes þat er þar ever-mar sal be,
720Til whilk ioyes þat has nan ende,
721God us bring when we hethen wende. Amen.
722Now haf I here als I first undir-toke,
723Fulfilled þe seven partes of þis boke,
724Þat er titeld byfor to have in mynde.
725Þe first es of þe wrechednes of mans kynde;
726Þe secunde es of þe werldes condicions sere,
727And of þe unstabelnes of þe werld here;
728Þe thred es of þe ded þat es bodily;
729Þe ferthe alswa es of purgatory;
730Þe fift es of domesday, þe last day of alle,
731And of þe takens þat byfor sal falle;

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732Þe sext es of þe paynes of helle to neven;
733And þe sevend part es of þe ioyes of heven.
734In þir seven er sere materes drawen
735Of sere bukes, of whilk som er unknawen,
736Namly til lewed men of England,
737Þat can noght bot Inglise undirstand;
738Þarfor þis tretice drawe I wald
739In Inglise tung þat may be cald
740Prik of Conscience als men may fele,
741For if a man it rede and understande wele,
742And þe materes þar-in til hert wil take,
743It may his conscience tendre make,
744And til right way of rewel bryng it bilyfe,
745And his hert til drede and mekenes dryfe,
746And til luf and yhernyng of heven blis,
747And to amende alle þat he has done mys.
748For þe undirstandyng of þir maters seven,
749Þat men may in þis buke se and neven,
750May make a man knawe and halde in mynde,
751What he es here of his awen kynde,
752And what he sal be, if he avyse hym wele,
753And whar he es, for to knaw and fele.
754Yhit may he se when he it redes
755What he es worthy for his dedes,
756Whether he es worthy ioy or payne
757Þis tretice may make hym be certayne,
758For þar-in may he many thynges se,
759Þat has bene, and es, and þat sal be;
760Þus may þis tretice, with þe sentence,
761Pryk and stirre a mans conscience,
762And til mekenes and luf and drede it dryfe,
763For to bring hym til ryght way of lyfe.
764Of alle þeis I haf sere maters soght,
765And in seven partes I haf þam broght,
766Als es contende in þis tretice here,
767Þat I haf drawen out of bukes sere,
768Aftir I had in þam understandyng,
769Alle-if I be of symple kunnyng.

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770Bot I pray yhou alle, par charite,
771Þat þis tretice wil here or se
772Yhe haf me excused at þis tyme,
773If yhe fynde defaut in þe ryme,
774For I rek noght, þogh þe ryme be rude,
775If þe maters þar-of be gude.
776And if any man þat es clerk,
777Can fynde any errour in þis werk,
778I pray hym he do me þat favour,
779Þat he wille amende þat errour;
780For if men may here any errour se,
781Or if any defaut in þis tretice be,
782I make here a protestacion,
783Þat I wil stand til þe correccion
784Of ilka rightwyse lered man,
785Þat my defaut here correcte can.
786Þis tretice specialy drawen es
787For to stirre lewed men til mekenes,
788And to make þam luf God and drede;
789Ffor wha-swa wil it here or rede,
790I hope he sal be stirred þar-by.
791Yf he trow þat God es alle-myghty,
792And he sal it here or se,
793And may noght þar-by stirred be,
794It semes þat he es wittles,
795Or over mykel hardend in wikkednes.
796Bot alle þas þat redes it, loud or stille,
797Or heres it be red with gode wille,
798God graunt þam grace þat þai may
799Be stird þar-by til ryghtwyse way,
800Þat es, tille þe way of gude lyfyng,
801And at þe last be broght til gude endyng.
802And yhe þat has herd þis tretice red
803Þat now es broght til ende and sped,
804For þe luf of our Loverd Ihesu,
805Pray for hym specialy þat it dru,
806Þat if he lyf, God safe hym harmles,
807And mayntene hys lyf in alle gudenes,

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808And if he be ded, als falles kyndely,
809God of his saule haf mercy,
810And bryng it til þat blisful place
811Whar endeles ioy es and solace,
812Til whilk place he us alle bryng,
813Þat for us vouched safe on rode to hyng. Amen.