¶ The history of king Boccus/ & Sydracke how he confounded his learned men/ and in the sight of them drunk strong venom in the name of the trinity & did him no hurt. Also his divynyte that he learned of the book of Noe. Also his profycyes that he had by revelation of the angel. Also his answeris to the questions of wisdom/ both moral and natural with moche worldly wisdom contained in number. CCC. lxv. translated by Hugo of Caumpeden/ out of french into Englysshe.  

Sidrack  
King boccus.    

¶ Iohn Twine to the redar  
THe profit and commodite of this book (oh gentle and curteys redar) is so evident & open/ that it nedythe no setting out nor praising/ for dowtful things commonly be praised or despraysed/ be cause true iugment may be taken of them. but things of open goodness need no praising/ for with their goodness they praise themself/ as thou shalt find this book/ the which to speak truly can not be sufficiently praised. I had liefer therefore (as Sallust saith of Carthago) hold my peses and to speak little of it/ but shortly to know somewhat of his matters in effect/ he showeth of goddys' works right as the old & new testament in many volumes declareth. Also natural philosophy expressing the causes with evident ensamples of much moralyte in giving good counsel and a delect betwyx good and bade & truly more evident than ever did Plato/ Arystotyles/ or Cicero in their manifold works he shortly teacheth much knowledge of physyke the disposition of complections the alteration of ages with much secrecy of the year/ greatly of astronomy/ course of heaven/ & planets with their respects/ briefly and plainly that that ypocras/ Galyen or Ptholomy comprehended in great or just volumes. Also much worldly experience. Abundant in prophesies/ how the manners of men shall altar and the world shallbe ended/ with his iugment marvelous exhorting the people to eschew the filthiness of sin/ what pains are ordained for it/ and the joys of heaven. Than is this book necessary to all men. For it exhortyth to wisdom/ good manners/ ensamples hystoryis. wherefore it may well be called a book of philosofye/ that is to say a stody of wisdom. Than I counsel every man to rede this book/ or that cannot rede to give diligent eere to the reder for they shall find therein great fruit both to the soul and body.   

¶ Here beginneth the table of this book.  
¶ first the history of Boccus & Sidracke/ how by the power of god he destroyed his idols/ and by the counsel of the angel showed him the umbre of the trinity/ whereby he converted him and all his host. Than gave he him instructions/ and answered to divers questions that he demanded of him.  

¶ The questions.  
¶ If god be ever and ever shallbe? The first question.  
Where may it be that god of heaven may be seen two.  
If god be over all and every where iii  
Which was the first thing that god made iiii.  
The king asked when angel was wrought u.  
Wherefore serve the angels that are in heaven vi.  
Do devils know all rhing and may do all thing seven.  
What shape are angels and what can they do viii.  
Did god make Adam with his own hand ix.  
In what place was Adam made x.  
Whether went Adam when he came out of paradise xi.  
Did Adam any other sin than that he the appul eat and god's commandment broke twelve.  
What did Adam fro god take/ and how shall he amendies make. xiii.  
Why was not Adam straight lost when he had that sin wrought xiiii.  
Why would not god sand an angel or a man to amend Adam xv.  
Why shall god be born of a maiden & she still a maiden xuj.  
Why is death called death and how many deaths there be xvii.  
Sends god man knowledge what death he shall die xviii.  
When the soul from the body departeth how goth it to other place nineteeen,  
Whether were the soul or body made first xx.  
Which speaketh in man the soul or the body xxi.  
The soul that is a ghost & hath nother flesh nor bone how may it feel well or woe xxii.  
Which is more lord the soul or the body xxiii.  
In what place of the body hath the soul his dwelling xxiiii.  
Why is the soul no lengar in the body than blood is left twenty-five.  
How may it be that the people so die xxvi.  
How may man know that god made man to his likeness xxvii.  
Seeing man is made of god's likeness why may he not do as god did xxviii.  
Where becometh all the blood of man when he dieth xxix.  
Where becometh the fire when it is quenched thirty.  
Why dyethe not the body when he hath lost half his blood or more xxxi  
Of what complextion and nature is the body xxxii.  
Aware souls made at the first or be they made every day xxxiii  
May they have any excusing that of god know nothing. xxxiiii.  
Shall a man do more than god commaundyth him xxxv.  
How many worlds be there & how do men them call xxxvi.  
Doth god greatly reward them that rightly his seruys here do. xxxvii.  
The people that shallbe at the coming of him and that shall be after shall they believe in him steadfastly xxxviii.  
What commandment shall gods sone give the people xxxix.  
The blesfulest/ fairest/ & worthiest thing what is it. xl.  
The foulest and most perilous thing to see which is it. xli.  
Shall the good souls sorrow for the wicked xlii.  
Which is bettar of health or sickness to have xliii.  
What power hath god given to soul here xliiii.  
When goddies son is returned to heaven shall he leave any governor here to rule the people xlv.  
Goddys' house who shall keep it and have it in hold. xlvi.  
He that doth no good but holdyth him still doth he ill. xlvii.  
Lordshype/ shall it be more of rigour or pity xlviii.  
Shall aman do good to his kin or friends xlix.  
Whereof cometh gentylhed l  
How may it be cold when the wether is fair and clear li.  
May aman by any tokyn know the good from the ill lii.  
The believe of idols shall it be aresed after my death liv.  
Why was it not goddies will that man lived not a week with one meal of meet liv.  
Die the rich men as the poor do lv.  
Shall men iuge the rich as they do the poor lvi.  
May wecked men ever get goddies love as the good have. lvii.  
How may the child that full of love is come out of the mother's womb lviii.  
May any woman bear more children at once than one lix.  
Which is the best thing that may be or man may have lx.  
What is the worst thing that man may have lxi  
How may aman be leel and true lxii.  
Whereof cometh hardiness and dread in man lxiii.  
Whereof cometh meselry or scalle lxiiii.  
Ware all things of goddies making made at the begyning. lxv.  
Who noryssheth the trute in earth lxvi.  
The beasts that have no wit how wax they ragyus and mad lxvii.  
What beast levyth longest in his kind lxviii.  
Fedyth god all thing that is in earth of his making lxix.  
fishes/ fowls/ and beasts have they souls or no lxx.  
They that shallbe after the incarnation shall they live as long as we do now lxxi.  
How long shall the world endure: lxxii.  
Live any men mother out of the earth that we on go lxxiii.  
Why are some men whit some brown and some black. lxxiiii.  
Whereof cometh felony lxxv.  
Why are not all beasts of one colour lxxvi.  
They that eat or drink more than need do they well or no. lxxvii.  
Which is the best thing/ and the worst of the man. lxxviii.  
Whether is a man more apt to cunning in eting of hot metis or of cold. lxxix  
How may aman i'll felony/ wrath/ and malencoly. lxxx.  
Is it better to have hate of woman or love. lxxxi.  
A man that is young/ how angeryth he for a little thing. lxxxii.  
How may a man blameless be to love a woman and him not she lxxxiii.  
Whereof cometh fattnesse in a man's body lxxxiiii.  
Shall aman chasten a woman with beting when she doth amiss lxxxv.  
What thing is gelousy and whereof cometh it lxxxvi,  
Shall aman love his friend & open to him all the secrets of his mind lxxxvii.  
May aman do his profit and labour not for it lxxxviii.  
Shall men do alms deeds to poor that have need lxxxix.  
How shall he order himself that is alday among the people lxxxx.  
Is a rich man less worthy that hath lost his good or the poor that hath encresed lxxxxi.  
Whereof cometh the wicked custom of men or manner. lxxxxii.  
Seeing iron is so strong and hard where with was first made the hamer/ tongues/ and hyth lxxxxiii.  
Do they amiss that swear by their god what so he be. lxxxxiiii.  
Shall aman in althynges be chair of his body lxxxxv.  
With whom shall aman love to go and whose company shall he tie from lxxxxvi.  
Which is better to have of ryehes or to be poor lxxxxvii.  
Shall a man honour a poor man as he do a rich man lxxxxviii.  
Delight the poor men in their poverty as the rich men do in their riches. lxxxxix's  
Shall aman boast him of that thing that he doth c.  
Why are hounds raster in doing of their kind than other beasts are. c.i.  
He that coveteth another man's wife doth he well or ill. c.ii  
May not aman scape death by riches/ might/ or by some other means. c.iii  
Is it good to answer them that speak folly. c.iiii  
Which cunning of all is most grevoust to man. c.u.  
They that labour for to win & cannot why do they not leave c.vi  
Whereof may it come that men wax fools and unwise c.vii  
Is the soul and the body woe when they shall departed c.viii.  
Which shall aman take for the more a young man or an old. c.ix.  
Why raineth it more in one year than in another c.x.  
Why made not god man so that he might not have sinned. c.xi  
Is it good to have entermetynges with all manner of men indyfferently. c.xii  
Why would god this world make c.xiii.  
How was this world made as it is now and how holdeth it as it is. c.xiiii.  
Is there any other than we that hath the claryte or the light of the son. c.xu  
How long is the world/ how broad/ and how thick c.xvi.  
Why shall god this world clean undo c.xvii.  
How are the fowls born a high that do fly. c.xviii.  
Whence cometh the rain that falls c.xix  
Hail stones whereof come they c.xx  
Whereof come the tempests c.xxi.  
Whereof cometh the thunder c.xxii.  
The wind whereof cometh it c.xxiii.  
How issueth the water out of the hills which hills seem to be dry. c.xxiiii.  
The water that is in the see why is it salt c.xxu  
Whereof cometh the lyghtening c.xxvi.  
The water that doth ebb and flow whereof come they and whither do they go. c.xxvii.  
Beware not hills and roches made at the first making of the world c.xxviii.  
Shall ever so great a flood come any more as was in the time of Noe. c.xxix.  
Why did No take with him into the arch venomous beasts as scorpion/ edder/ and snake. c.xxx.  
Whereof cometh gold. c.xxxi.  
How springeth some waters out of the earth hot c.xxxi.  
Whereof cometh the Brimstone c.xxxii.  
Whereof cometh carbouncles & other precious stones. c.xxxiii.  
How many landies be in the world c.xxxiiii.  
May aman by dry land go the world round about c.xxxv.  
Might a man sail so long that his ship came unrent to the turning of the firmament c.xxxvi.  
Why made not god man to be ever young/ iolyfe/ and of power rich/ and of long life/ and at his death to have bliss c.xxxvii.  
Which are the angels that receyvethe man's soul into heaven. c.xxxviii.  
Which is better of these two/ good works without chaslyte/ or wicked works/ and chaste to be. c.xxxix.  
What maketh the earth quake c.xl  
Whereof cometh the eclipse of the son and moon c.xli  
How fall the stars that men see fall/ and from whence come they all. c.xlii.  
How many heavens are there c.xliii.  
How high is the heaven above the earth c.xliiii.  
Of what might is the firmament c.xlu  
Of what might are the planettis & what be they called c.xlvi  
How many manners of waters be there c.xlvii.  
How many seas be there c.xlviii.  
Why hath god made the world round c.lxix.  
Why is the moan cold and the son hot c.l.  
Which is the most thing that is c.li.  
Is there more gravel in earth or drops of water in the see. c.lii  
May the gravel in earth told be/ or drops of water in the see. c.liii.  
How many stars are on the sky c.liiii.  
How many angels did god make/ how many be left/ and how many tell. c.lu  
Which are most/ of men/ beasts/ or fishes c.lvi  
Which is the delectablest place in all the world c.lvii.  
Which is the most prows in town or forest c.lviii.  
If a man have an evil wife/ or a wemme in any of his limbs shall aman cast it in his teeth c.lix.  
Shall men both worship men and do their will c.lx  
Shall aman forget the service of a good servant that well hath served him. c.lxi.  
May a man with hold himself from a woman that he hath in keeping/ that he commit no lechery. c.lxii.  
Which is the greatest delight that is. c.lxiii.  
Shall a man aught delight him with a woman c.lxiiii.  
When two hosts meet shall they straight fight c.lxu  
Which of his members might a man worst forego c.lxvi.  
Who made the first instrument that ever was/ and how came it in his thought c.lxvii.  
He that is dumb/ deaf/ and can not see/ what speech in his heart thynkethe he. c.lxviii.  
Why are some clouds of the sky white & some black. c.lxix.  
May no creature know gods will or thought c.lxx  
Shall aman worship god all day c.lxxi.  
Whereof cometh bleared eyen and why c.lxxii.  
What people shall men worship in this world c.lxxiii.  
Which is the largest man in the world c.lxxiiii.  
Shall a poor man put himself at any time before a reach man. c.lxxv.  
Is a man in any sin to eat all that he may get c.lxxvi.  
Shall a man give greeting to a man every time of the day when he him doth meet c.lxxvii.  
How shall a man order his children that he do not afterward repent him. c.lxxviii.  
Whether shall a man love better his wife or children c.lxxix.  
If I had nother father nor mother how should I have been born c.lxxx.  
The child that hath the full shape in the mother how may it not sometime be brought forth a live. c.lxxxi  
Are all women in this world of one manner c.lxxxii.  
If thy neighbours wife or servants miss use themselves shalt thou show thy neighbour thereof c.lxxxiii.  
Shall aman hast him to do that that he hath to do. c.lxxxiiii.  
Shall a man love every man c.lxxxv.  
Are all the people of the world common after one c.lxxxvi.  
Do men honour the rich men in the other world and not the poor at all. c.lxxxvii.  
Shall the father bear any burden for the son/ or the son for the father c.lxxxviii.  
They that slay men/ take they from them their sin also. c.lxxxix.  
Which is most sorrow of that a man heareth or seythe. c. lxx●x  
May ama find any that eat one another again kind c. lxxxxi  
Which is worst of these three/ mourder/ theft/ or slander c. lxxxxii.  
forgive god gladly all the sins that man doth here c. lxxxxiii.  
Why labour men in this world as they do c. lxxxxiiii.  
Which is the wickedest thing that is c. lxxxxv  
The good works or wicked that men do/ whether come they of god or of himself. c. lxxxxvi.  
Where hideth the day him from the night/ and the night fro the day light. c. lxxxxvii.  
Who hold the planets on the sky that they fall not c. lxxxxviiis  
How may men know the hours & points of day & night c. lxxxxix  
Turn all the stars about on the sky cc.  
Which is the holsomest place in all the world cc.i  
Tell me which is the worthiest day in the year cc.i  
Why was sleep made and wherefore cc.ii  
Shall there be ever war and strife in this world cc.iii.  
Wrath not god for man's death or his misfortune what so ever it be. cc.iiii.  
Which are they that now most the world sustaineth cc.v.  
Which is heygher the king/ or the law of the land cc.vii  
May aman any good have here/ that he may with him bear/ and grieve him nothing cc.viii.  
If two men love together & after be separate/ when they come together shall they love as they did before cc.ix  
How may aman love a woman or she him for the sight cc.x  
A man that hath light conscience/ and swerethe falsely by his god for ten false things is he any more forsworn than one's cc.xi  
They that have knowledge to teach the folk shall they have more grace than other men cc.xii.  
The thought that aman thinketh whereof cometh it cc.xiii.  
Why fall people of the falling evil cc.xiiii.  
Which is the pereloust limb that aman hath cc.xu  
Which is the sureest art of all/ and most peril may come of it. cc.xvi.  
How is a man iolyfe/ and light of body cc.xvii.  
May aman not get a child as oft as he knoweth his wife fleshly. cc.xviii.  
Whereof is the kind of man/ and how gatheryth it so when it goth him fro. cc.xix.  
Is aman bond to love his children and do them good. cc.xx  
Enchantment or socery/ veil they aught or are they folly. cc.xxi  
Which is the wyghtest beast & most of savour cc.xxii.  
Which is higher of land or see. cc.xxiii.  
Whereof come snails/ and how doth they hold themself so to the grass. cc.xxiiii.  
Why sleep these old men as these young men do cc.xxv.  
If god had made so great a man as all the world/ might he have resisted god. cc.xxvi.  
What should this world have been if god had not dight it as is now cc.xxvii.  
Whether came angel of gods onde as did the soul of Adam or not. cc.xxviii.  
What thing is heavenly paradyse cc.xxix.  
Which is the fairest thing to look on that god made in this world. cc.xxx.  
Whether art thou bond to love them more that loveth the/ or them that thou lovest. cc.xxxi.  
Which are worthiest words/ erbes/ or stones cc.xxxii.  
Shalt thou tell all thy counsel to thy frynd. cc.xxxiii.  
Which women be though that is most profit for men to do their delight withal. cc.xxxiiii.  
Whereof cometh the trymbeling or quaking that a man hath some time in his body. cc.xxxv.  
When a man seethe/ doth the eye give it outward/ or doth it receiveth it inward. cc.xxxvi.  
How may a man by himself say we. cc.xxxvii.  
May the see be demynysshed any thing with taking away any of the water. cc.xxxviii.  
Whether shall aman love better the child that cometh of the sister/ or of the brother. cc.xxxix.  
Which are the most perilous thyngiss in man. cc.xl  
Which is the holsomest flesh that aman may eat cc.xli.  
How doparteth the meet in a man's body cc.xlii.  
How shall a man do to get out above that stekethe fast in his throat cc.xliii.  
The muck that cometh of man how stynketh it so. cc.xliiii.  
Why is man's urine so salt cc.xlv.  
Whereof breed worms in man and how do they feed. cc.xlvi.  
Which crafts are though that aman may worst forbear cc.xlvii.  
Which shall in heaven have more joy children that never did a miss/ or them that for gods love refrained ill. cc.xlviii.  
How may aman overcome the will of this world cc.xlix.  
Thomas that go to hell or paradyse may they con again cc.xlix.  
Why go not the good into earthly paradyse cc.l  
Why go not the good in to earthly paradyse cc.l  
Whether is soul heavy or light great or small dark or bright cc.lii.  
The good souls that go from the body whither go they cc.liii.  
May no man go to heaven but he see purgatory cc.liiii  
Seeing god sendyth some to heaven & some to hell whereof shall than the doom be cc.lv  
Young children that have no reason shall they be dampened tell me or no cc.lvi  
Is there any house/ town or cyte in the other world cc.lvii  
Shall the children of heathen men be dampened cc.lviii.  
If Adam had no sin done should the people that of him came have feed with flesh as they do now cc.lix.  
Did the flood drown paradyse cc.lx.  
Of what age made god Adam cc.lxi.  
Such as shall they at the iugment and have no time of purgation what shall become of them cc.lxii.  
When the soul cometh to the body which part goith it in. cc.lxiii.  
Who named first allthing and taught them cunning cc.lxiiii.  
Whereof is it that some are less and some more cc.xu  
Which is more perilous of hete or cold. cc.lxvi.  
Shall the child follow the ill conditions of the father. cclxvii.  
Which is best/ to speak or hold him still cc.lxviii.  
Which aught to be wysar of a young man or old cc.lxix.  
What thing is delight cc.lxx.  
What manner of appuls did Adam eat cc.lxxi.  
How learn young children more than old men cc.lxxii.  
Which is the delectabelest thing under the son cc.lxxiii.  
Why was here made on man's body cc.lxxiiii.  
How is it that some be born doume and deaf cc.lxxv.  
profiteth men the alms deeds that they do cc.lxxvi.  
sinneth the iuge that judgeth or he that doth execute. cc.lxxvii.  
Thomas that are fools and doume born and do ill shall they be dampened cc.lxxviii  
Keep angels men's souls here cc.lxxix.  
How may angel show himself openly to men saying he hath no body. cc.lxxx.  
Do devils espy that that people doth cc.lxxxi.  
On what manner is the fire of purgatary cc.lxxxii.  
What thing is hell and how come souls thither cc.lxxxiii.  
Know souls any thing that be in hell. cc.lxxxiiii.  
The good that be hens go be they in perfect joy cc.lxxxv.  
May souls show themself to their good friends every time when they will. cc.lxxxvi.  
Whereof come dremies. cc.lxxxvii.  
Was the fruit in the trees when they were first made cc.lxxxviii.  
What time and what day was Adam made cc.lxxxix.  
When the flood was done made god new fruit to man. cc.lxxxx.  
Where set No ship on land. cc. lxxxxi.  
When No can out of the ship can he strange to this world. cc. lxxxxii  
Whereof cometh petye in a man's heart cc. lxxxxiii.  
Why have not fowls nature in them to engendure as other beasts do. cc. lxxxxiiii.  
Shall men have pity of those that be in woe and deliver them if they have might thereto. cc. lxxxxv.  
Which is better to drink wine or water cc. lxxxxvi.  
When man is in great will to fight how may he refrain him of that passion cc. lxxxxvii.  
Why have women all the woe and the joy also cc. lxxxxviii.  
Why are children at their birth as unconing as beasts that have no reason cc. lxxxxix.  
Whereof cometh natural wit in man ccc.  
Whereof cometh the neezing ccci.  
Why dieth the wind for a shower of rain ccc.ii.  
Which is stronger wind or water ccc.iii.  
On what manner shall a man leave in this world ccc.iiii.  
Shall a man when he is in a good place change to seek abetter. ccc.u  
Which is worthier of rich or poor ccc.vi.  
Which is more seemly to man fair face or fair body. ccc.vii.  
How shall a man lede his life that fyndethe aman with his wife. ccc.viii.  
Shall men for their loss blame god ccc.ix.  
Which is the savourest thing that is ccc.x.  
Of what manner of bounte aught kings to be ccc.xi.  
How cometh sweet of a body/ whereof/ and why ccc.xii.  
Which are the best colours for man's wearing ccc.xiii.  
Which is the grenest thing that is ccc.xiiii.  
Which is the fattest thing that is ccc.xv.  
Which is better to have when a man shall die repentance or hope of joy. ccc.xvi.  
Shall men be sorry for them that die ccc.xvii.  
Came ever any from the other world that told tidings of heaven or hell. ccc.xviii.  
Shall a man say any thing when he go to bed ccc.xix.  
Which is the strongest batayle that is ccc.xx.  
How lieth the children in the mother's womb ccc.xxi.  
Why is some wine white and some read ccc.xxii.  
Have fowls or beasts any understanding ccc.xxiii.  
Which helpethe the soul more/ that a man doth before he die or after his death. ccc.xxiiii.  
sleep the fishes ever or no. ccc.xxv.  
Which is the fairest fowl in the world ccc.xxvi.  
Which is the fairest beast & that might worst be mist. ccc.xxvii.  
Which are the fairest horses that be ccc.xxviii.  
Which be the beasts that have most understanding. ccc.xxix:  
By what token may men know that God's son is born. ccc.xxx  
What signifieth tho tokens ccc.xxx.  
Shall he be a child more cunning then other ccc.xxxi.  
Where shall he most devil ccc.xxxii.  
Shall gods son a fair man be ccc.xxxiiii.  
Why would god die. ccc.xxxv  
Who shall him kyl/ and how long shall he be dead ccc.xxxvi.  
Shall he ascend without company. ccc.xxxvii.  
Shall gods son have any house in earth. ccc.xxxviii.  
Shall his body be ever dwelling in earth ccc.xxxix.  
Shall every man have power to make his body ccc.xl.  
They that have might to make his body shall they be more honoured before god than other. ccc.xli.  
Why shall they every day make it. ccc.lxii.  
What thing is sin/ that men shallbe lost by ccc.xliii.  
By what sign shall men know that god's son is dead. ccc xliiii.  
Of what virtue shall gods son be ccc.xlv.  
Shall his dyscypyls do miracles ccc.xlvi  
Shall they never have woe nor end that go to heaven. ccc.xlvii.  
Shall they never have rest that be in hell ccc.xlviii.  
Shall they that be in heaven be naked or clothed ccc.xlix.  
When god shall come to judgement and dame both quick and deed/ who shallbe then alive ccc.l.  
Where shallbe born the antichryst ccc.li.  
What day shall the iugment be on ccc.lii.  
What time shall the doom be ccc.liii.  
On what manner shall he come to the iugment. ccc.liiii.  
Shall his cross be there present ccc.liiii.  
How shall he show himself at the judgement ccc.lv.  
Shall his ministers be with him at the judgement. ccc.lvi.  
How shall he do the judgement and what shall he say. ccc.lvii.  
Shall any man know what he hath done ccc.lviii.  
What shallbe done after the doom. ccc.lix.  
What shallbe come of this world after the doom ccc.lx  
Shall the good have leave to do what they will ccc.lxi.  
Shall they remember them of their wickedness ccc.lxii.   
FINIS   

MEn may find in old bokies  
Who so the in lokies  
Acts worthy of memory  
Full of knowledge and mystery  
Whereof I shall show a little ielle  
That be fell on's in the Eest  
There was a king that Boccus height  
And was a man of moche might  
His land lay by the great ynde  
Bectorye height it as we find  
After the time of No even  
Eight hundred year forty and seven  
The king Boccus him be thought  
That he would have a city wrought  
His enemies there with to fere  
¶ And again them to maintain his were  
Chiefly for a king that was his foo  
That moche of ynde longed unto  
His name was Garaab the king  
Boccus tho purveyed all thing  
And shortly a tower began he  
There he would make a optye  
And was right in the incoming  
Of Garabys land the king  
The masons with great labour  
Begun to work on the tower  
And all that they wrought on the day  
On night was it done a way  
On morrow when Boccus it, heard  
He was wrouthe that it so fared  
And it all new quykly begun  
At night when they should leave soon  
Of work/ and they went to rest  
On the morrow all was downekest  
Well seven. months thus they wrought  
And all might a veil naught  
¶ Boccus was wroth wonderly  
He called his gentylls that was him by  
Cownsell me lordynges/ quod he  
How I may best make this city  
Sir they said send you anon  
For your philosophers everichone  
And the astronomers that in your country is  
For of them can you no cownsell miss  
King Boccus for them sent  
His messyngers to gather them went  
And when they appeared to gyther there  
Four score and ix masters there were  
The king received them with the best  
And three days he did let them rest  
The fourth day he did them cawl  
And they before him were come all  
¶ Lordynges he said I shall tell you now  
For what cause I have sent for you  
I am the most king I wysse  
That under the son rising is  
All the kings of this country  
At my commandment truly be  
Except Garaab the king  
That in ynde is raining  
He contraries my commandment  
And not comys to my parliament  
And him would I fain compel  
But how in his land to enter I cannot tell  
But men have hounseled me  
For to make there a city  
Masons and stone I thither brought  
And seven mounthes there as they wrought  
Right in the entry of his land  
For to meek him to his hand  
And all that they on day wrought  
At night turned all to naught  
And if Garaab hath peradventure herd  
Of our work how it fared  
He will say I have no might  
A tower in his land for to dight  
Therefore your wits here on say  
praying you that you me say  
How I may after my will  
This tower and the city fulfil  
For I had liefer a venged to be  
Of Garaab that despysyth me  
Than the name of all the world to bear  
And by my god I you swear  
That I shall soon for your deed  
Quite richly your meed  
¶ Sir quod they we you promise  
That tower surely for to furnyshe  
So that you shall a vengyd be  
And have your mind of the city  
And you us respite give  
Forty days by your leave  
Till we our art have over seen  
How your tower shall be made a gain  
And we shall do our might  
To make it stand day and night  
A place he caused made ready to be  
With vernaunt flowers and many a tree  
And with freyshe water of the river  
He commanded on all goodly manner  
That they were served richly  
That day as his own body  
Astronomers there voare many one in fee  
That were the elder men of that countryt  
And they wrought diligently in their art  
Every one by himself on his part  
And when the forty days were go  
They came before the king anon  
He asked them how they had wrought  
Sir quoth they take you no thought  
Be you glade and merry also  
For you shall all your mind come to  
Within a xiv. nights you shall see  
Therefore let your masons ready be  
Such atyme as we shall you say  
Stones upon the tower to say  
And look that they be than ready  
And we all will be there by  
Full greatly thanked them the king  
And moche joy had he of their saying  
¶ Than came the day that they had set  
The masons were all ready fet  
And the masters went with all  
To see them that work shall  
With great joy they be gun  
And wrought as long as they had son  
When that the night came at the last  
They went home to make repast  
And they left upon the work all night  
Great plenty truly of candle light  
They went all home at night time  
And came again the next day be prime  
The king was the next day would  
When he saw his work not stood  
All the treasure that he had up laid  
In ydylnesse it is consymed he said  
And he anon called before him the clerks  
And said are these your good works  
That you have caused me for to do  
By the god that I believe on and love also  
Quite I shall all your deed  
And for your works you shall have meed  
Bind them foot and hand  
These words were spread a broad in his land  
And so they were in prison cast  
Therein kept without favour fast  
¶ Ferof this tower the voice rane  
And unto Garaab at length it came  
When he it heard great joy he had  
And in his heart he was full glade  
A letter he made to king Boccus  
And sent it by him that spoke thus  
I Garaab of ynde king  
To the Boccus sends greeting  
We have understanding well  
Of thy work and thy will everydeal  
Of the city thou wouldest dight  
But thou hast theyrto no might  
Neither by art nor by engyn  
For to bring it to a fine.  
But wilt thou send me to my fere  
Thy daughter that to the is so dear  
And I shall give the leave thereto  
To make that thou desirest so  
This came to Boccus the king  
All in scorn and in mocking  
Boccus thought his heart should blede  
When he heard the letters rede  
And was so wooed with that answer  
That by and by he slew the messyngere  
Than did he in his land cry  
If there were any low or high  
That could him cownsell of that thing  
How he myhht bring it to ending  
That city with the tower  
He should with great honour  
give him his daughter unto weigh  
With half his treasure in his life  
Well two days after this cry  
The king sat full drerely  
For he wist not what to do  
Than came an old man him to  
And said sir I shall not crave  
Your daughter nor your treasure to have  
But if you will do me good  
I shall wytsafe to amend your mode  
And show who shall on him take  
Your tower and city for to make  
¶ The king anon sworn by his god  
That he loved and trusted in ever more  
He should so quyt his service  
That it should like him and all his  
Sir he said this is best to do  
Send the king Tractabar unto  
And pray him for your service  
That he you lend in any wise  
The book of astronomy  
That No had with him in balye  
By an Angel was made that book  
And No to one of his sons it took  
And so hath it go I tell you  
That Tractabar hath it now  
Pray him also you to lend  
And with that book hastily to send  
His astronomer Sydrac  
Which shall undo all the hole pac  
All your will shall soon be do  
If Sydrac come you once to  
Anon the king did letters make  
And to a messynger he deed them take  
And unto Tractabar them sent  
With a full rich and good present  
desiring him very curtesly  
His book and Sydrac to send shorty  
¶ When Tractabar that messengere  
Had received with loving there  
Saying you are right welcome to me  
great joy I have that I now see  
My lord and my friend Boccus  
To send me loving letters thus  
A book to send him he prays me  
That in old time had No  
That book can fulfil his will  
Of a thing that lies beryed in a hill  
That who so might come them to  
He might an his will do  
My father went up to that hill  
But he might never come there till  
But Boccus is of moche might  
And he will with them fight  
That upon that hill won  
He shall have his will soon  
He sent him his book and Sydrac  
And a letter that thus spoke  
Unto our lord and friend  
The king Boccus unto we send  
Whom king Garaab getteth well  
And certyfyeth that we have every deal  
According your mind we send you to  
Our book and our clerk also  
And thank you moche of your sending  
A glad man was Boccus though  
When Sydrac before him came truly  
He took him by the hand right gladly  
And told him every deal of his case  
And how to him it befallen was  
¶ Sir quod Sydrac that land I wysse  
Every deal be weched is  
There shall near man speed  
Upon that land to do no deed  
That thereof shall come any prosperity  
Except their wychecrafte undoune be  
And I shall it readily unbind  
¶ I thank the quoth the king for thy words  
¶ Sir king quod Sydrac we find  
In this ●osse that was Noes ●ynde  
That an angel came him to  
From his god that sent him tho  
And told him that he might find  
An hill far in the land of ynde  
That called is the green ravens hill  
And hath that name for this skill  
When No the raven sent  
Out of the ark verament  
To prove if there apered any ground  
But he fallen on careyn that he found  
And would not truly come away  
The dough upon another day  
Found land and came again belive  
With a branch of green olive  
That hill is of length as we rede  
Four ioyrneys and three of breed  
People there dwelleth of strange cheer  
Made of body as we are here  
But their visages for to see on  
Are as hounds everyone  
By the law of femynne as it tells  
Lies it there/ no man in dwellies  
On that hill such frutfulnese is  
That twelve M. herbs there growies  
Four thousand may good do  
Four thousand are yvel to  
The third thousand who then understood  
May do neither evil ne good  
Seven manner waters there are on  
And all they gather in till one  
The dews the herbs cause to spring  
And if you will have your intending  
find means the herbs to win  
And than may you never blynne  
To do all that your will is  
And overcome your enemies  
The king made joy when he heard this  
And sworn so ever have I bliss  
His treasure and gods to loose all  
But those herbs have I shall  
¶ readily on the third day  
He with great company went his way  
Unto the hill ward they made speed  
And Sydrac with them did lede  
The thyrtene day come they till  
A vale at the foot of the hill  
There tarried they three days  
The fourth day to the hill took their ways  
But the people that dwelled there  
Hard that they come were  
Anon again them went boldly  
And did bet them back manfully  
Unto the vale again they turned  
And fyften days so they iourned  
And than went they to the hill again  
Truly with all their main  
And fought with them full hardly  
But they were discomforted foully  
Unto the dale again they went  
And after great succour they sent  
When they come they did them speed  
again that they were at that deed  
And than they that on the hill wore  
They did dyscomforte for ever more  
And viii. days they dwelled still  
Having all the hill at will  
¶ Boccus was heathen and known naught  
God that heaven wrought  
He believed all in ydolatre  
And in false ymagere  
Sydrac believed in the trinity  
Keeping his commandment with dylygense  
The king where he go  
His mammetes with him did lede  
And upon the eighteen day  
Upon the hill where they lay  
Their war clean done  
The king made ready a pavilion  
And his gods forth fet  
Each one in his place was set  
There were they set in mould  
Both of silver and gold  
And among them there was one  
richest of them everichone  
Of gold and silver comely to see  
Hyest among them stood he  
Most had in honour  
Among all that there wore  
Bestes the king forth 'gan call  
To make sacrifice with all  
He took Sydrac by the hand  
With other lords of his land  
To the pavilion they went  
The bests beware there present  
A sheep very fat he took truly  
Killing him with his knife devoutly  
Before him that so high stood  
And offered to him the blood  
And every one slew at the last  
And about the pavilion them cast  
¶ Sydrac wondered in his thought  
And marryed sadly what they wrought  
¶ King Boccus said Sydrac up rise  
And unto our god make sacryfyse  
¶ Sydrac answered with great ire  
And said that shall I never sire  
Sacryfyse shall I make him to  
heaven and earth that made also  
Both air/ element/ son and the se  
And all that therein be  
Also that made both Adam and Eve  
He is the god that I on believe  
¶ The king was wroth there he stood  
And asked him in his mode  
What canyst thou by my gods say  
Are they not good and all things may  
¶ Nay quod Sydrac trust me to  
They are wicked and false also  
And the devil in them dwelling is  
Craftily that begyleth the I iwis  
And all that honour to them make  
But I cownsel you them forsake  
For a bad god I him suppose  
That cannot amannies heart disclose  
I had liefer to death be tormented  
Or of me they should be honoured  
¶ The king was wroth of his saying  
And caused his gods forth to bring  
And when they were before him brought  
He said Sydrac disdain naught  
Sacryfyse to do anon  
Before so rich a god as this is one  
Sir he said my sacrifice  
Shall be to god that high justice  
That made man and man not him  
But this is the devils limb  
The devil of them thank takyth  
That unto him honour maketh  
Therefore they be refused of me  
All these mahowndes that you here see  
Now was the king moved sore  
That his gods despised wore  
And said to Sydrac tell thou me  
Thy god how called is he  
¶ Sir he said I shall tell ywys  
On god a ghostly substance is  
And the angels of heaven light  
That are so noble and so bright  
Passing the son in manifold  
Having great joy on him to behold  
¶ The king than called two of his  
That ware in his law counted wise  
For to dispute with Sydrac  
But he cast them soon aback  
And overcome all their reason  
Right in opyn disputation  
¶ Pray thou than quoth they thy god unto  
And we will to ours also  
Trusting to have tokening  
Who shall sonyst have his asking  
And look how that we shall far  
In this wild country where we are  
Anon they all forth went  
And held a great parliament  
Than was there one that spoke  
¶ I shall tell you this Sydrac  
That causyth the king this work to begyne  
And brought us here it for to wine  
Without him may it naught  
Our purpose to end be brought  
And through his enchantment  
Our god with fire hath brent  
Nevertheless I rede that we  
Counsel that he delivered be  
And when we have that we have sought  
And in to our country again brought  
Having our purpose on our enemies  
Than shall the king by my advise  
'Cause him hanged and drawn to be  
By cause to our god he hath do felon  
¶ All assented to that conclusion  
And made to the king of it relation  
¶ Anon the king chose him ten  
Of his most sagyest wise men  
And bid them to Sydrac go  
saying that the king was woe  
That he should be prysonede  
And say if he will my ioyrney speed  
I shall forgive the trespass  
That done to my god was  
¶ Sydrac answered truly thus  
great well the king Boccus  
And say also to him so god me save  
That I will no forgyfnes have  
Of nothing that I have done amiss  
But if god that in heaven is  
On his god hath shoyd power as he did see  
What? will he forgive that me  
But say to him if it be his will  
That I shall his service fulfil  
In god of heaven trust he shall  
And his commandment do all  
Than his grace and mercy  
I shall him show apertly  
¶ Anon the messyngers went  
Unto the king that them had sent  
And told him what answer they had  
The king was wroth/ and bad  
That he should other days nine  
In prison lie and there pine  
When the ix day was come and go  
The king sent him again unto  
The same bodies less nor more  
That he sent to him before  
And he his answer on them laid  
As he had before said  
When the king saw at the last  
That his ioyrne was over cast  
And that he was a comfortlese man  
That without him nothing can  
He set him forth anon right  
And made him all the joy he might  
Sydrac anon before the king  
¶ said sir by god of all thing  
The work that thou hast to do  
Shall never ending come unto  
But thou wilt trust in god of light  
That all thing made of his might  
And if that thou wilt him see  
Apertly I shall show him the  
¶ The king said than with words grim  
¶ Let it so be than/ show me him  
And he be so good/ as thou prechest  
I shall believe as thou me techest  
¶ When he that herd anon Sydrac  
And went from him a little while bake  
And set on his knees at the last  
His sith up to heaven did cast  
And this prayer made he  
Lord god full of pity  
That heryst all that call the to  
And madest heaven and earth also  
And angels full of claryte  
Of wisdom also for to be  
Lucyfer by his pride had a fall  
For lord would he abyn of all  
And thou lord him castest down  
Into hell that foul prison  
Than madest of earth slym  
Adam our father and puttest him in  
Of thy grace ghost of life  
And madest Eve to be his wife  
Lord that werkyst so perfitly  
I beseech the inwardly  
That thou thy grace down me send  
This wicked people for to amend  
So that I have no blame  
And that they worship thy holy name  
When he had made his oryson  
An angel came from heaven down  
And Sydrac truly this certyfyed  
That god had herd all that he desired  
And has grawnted the thy bone  
This king shalt thou convert soon  
Thou shalt overcome by god's grace  
The devil and his wicked trace  
God hath granted the might  
And his grace shall be thy light  
Thou shalt to morrow upon a trow  
Party of gods might him show  
How he the world first began  
And why that he made man  
Of the coming a god's son  
That in earth shall with you won  
And of the antecryst with all  
That the world end shall  
An erthen pot thou 'cause to be fet  
And upon three stakies it set  
In the name of the trinity  
One god and persons three  
Fill that pot with water clear  
And than call the king the near  
God's grace than shalt thou see  
And show it him and so shall he  
The angel anon went his way  
Sydrac marked well what he did say  
And at that had great rejoicing  
giving laud to god for so cumforting  
¶ He called the king and said sir  
Will you see that you desire  
¶ He was full wrouth I iwis  
And said show we what a is  
Which is better that will I see  
Our god that thou hast brent/ or he  
Sydrac three stakies took anon  
And set an erthen pot thereon  
Than with water it did fill  
He looked therein with good will  
Than called the king him to  
And said behold here in/ loo  
The king beheld and than saw he  
The umbre of the trinity  
That of might is truly most  
Father and son and holygost  
In heaven all they sitting wore  
And the angels them before  
Singing all that there won  
¶ Lo quod the father to the son  
The son to the holygost also  
And the holygost unto them too  
When the king had seen that sight  
He was full joyful and full light  
He thought that he was in heaven  
His blessydnes could he not tell that he had sin  
He told Sydrac how he fared  
And said unto him that all they heard  
I believe in thy god I iwis  
And in all thing that of him is  
Or ever was or ever shall be  
But I pray the tell now me  
That I the better believe thereon  
How than are they three in one  
¶ Sir he said I shall you show  
On what manner you shall him know  
Sir if you understand verily  
The son in the sky shining bryghtly  
Three things are there innate  
And noman can them separate  
One is the son properly  
That you see upon the say  
another is the claryte  
That it gyvys to you and me  
And the hete is the third  
That wide in the world is spread  
Be the son I understand  
The father that all thing hath in hand  
And the son by the claryte  
For of the father come is he  
The holygost by the hete  
These are the three that I great  
And all three are god but one  
As you may see the son upon  
¶ Boccus then is now in such gladnese  
That no man could it exprese  
And on high cried and spoke  
I believe in thy god Sydrac  
Three persons and one very god mighty  
To late I have on him be eved surely  
The gods that my fathers wore  
And my auncytors here before  
For sake I here for ever in say  
For his love that all thing may  
¶ When the people that understood  
They were for it ny wood  
And sworn that Sydrac should they  
For oft that any man cowd say  
Sume went morning alone  
And for the king made great morn  
And said alas that he was born  
Our king hath his wit forlorn  
There withal they came him to  
And said sir thou hast mysdo  
Full wrought than are thy main  
All that to the trusty should be  
That thou hast a which believed  
And thy good god renayed  
That thy father and forgoars all  
Had full dear and did on call  
Now hast thou him by thy assent  
confounded and in fire brent  
¶ The king said unto all them  
You wot never what you mean  
Therefore I have him forsakyn  
And unto another god me taken  
Long I have been in the dark night  
I take me now to the son light  
You are of this thing full lewd  
For Sydrac that had me showed  
The umbre of the trinity  
And that our fathers and we  
Have believed in gods falls & bad  
And a feeble life have we had  
But now have I him in mind  
That may both loose and tind  
In his law soothe to say  
Than will I both live and day  
¶ The people drawn themselves bake  
All that were anger with Sydrac  
They chose four men of the host  
That wisest were and could most  
For to hold disputation  
again Sydrac and his reason  
These four before the king went  
And said to him with one assent  
This which with his wichcraft lewdly  
Hath you moved greatly  
Sir let him come forth now  
And we shall dispute with him before you  
¶ So it come to pace at the last  
And to dispute they began fast  
They showed him their false law  
¶ And he undid it on a raw  
He destroyed with good reason  
All their falls and pervert opinion  
Wroth a way than 'gan they turn  
For again him cowd they not spourne  
When they overcome wore  
And they might do no more  
They went anon forth and fet  
Of stark venom a gobet  
And came to Sydrac there he stood  
And said thou sayst thy god is good  
Daryst thou in the name of him  
Drink this gobet of venom  
For if he be true and strong also  
To the it can no velony do  
¶ By god Sydrac that/ that you ween  
May not a vayl you a been  
¶ Venom of adder nor of snake  
That each in goddys' name take  
May grieve me right naught  
give it hither that you have brought  
¶ The venom in his hand took he  
That all the people about might see  
You that to my god trust not to  
Anon shall see what he can do  
He drank that venom anon right  
And was hole sound and light  
All the people that there gathered was  
Had great wonder at that caas  
¶ The king was full glad therefore  
And said to all that there wore  
Had Sydraces god not mighty been  
He had burst that we had it sign  
And these four that did him spite  
Thought he would a be deed quite  
¶ When the devil was out leaped  
Of his great god that he was in crepyd  
He and his fellows also  
In to other gods did go  
And they all at the last  
Upon the king a cry did cast  
And said Boccus thou had lost thy wit  
To play now this foolish tit  
To change thy old law  
And to trust in this withes saw  
Us thou hast now forsakyn  
And to a wychcrafte the takyn  
And we shall forsake the  
None of us thy friend will be  
Thy sacrifice we shall forsake  
On thy gods we shall do wreck  
All thy bests we will slo  
And help again the thy foe  
We shall also hast belive  
Out of thy kingdom the to drive  
All thy children slay we shall  
And other of thy kine with all  
And thyself with sooth to say  
On evil death shall 'cause to day  
But thou will't slake all this  
And believe still in thy bliss  
Revoke all that thou hast said  
And all that thy heart is on laid  
And break yonder pot in two  
His wichcraft for to undo  
And the water at the last  
Unto thy howndes thou cast  
Seeing that Sydrac doth not blynne  
This woe to bring the in  
THe king & all that were thore  
Of this thing wondered sore  
And a masyd were sumdele  
¶ Sydrac that beheld full well  
And said sir dysmay you nought  
On god of heaven be thy thought  
Let the devil have no intrese  
The with his engyn to refresh  
For thou shalt see anon right  
That I shall destroy him and his might  
A betyll in his his hand he took  
And to the false gods he it shaken  
He stood and said all on high  
In his name that is almighty  
I shall you break this very day  
And the devil drive away  
With his betyll he laid upon  
And broke the idols everichone  
When the devil see no more  
That his dwelling might be thore  
He and all his company  
Begun then from thence to high  
And an hydyous cry they cast  
When the idols were all to braced  
An erthquake did they make anon  
So that the folk thought everichone  
That the yerth sank & down went  
Thunder and lyghtening also they sent  
hail and rain also there wore  
That made the folk abashed sore  
And the king of all the host  
Was abashed all the most  
¶ Sydrac saw the king in dread  
Anon he unto him did go  
And said sir dyscomfort you naught  
Goddys' might that all hath wrought  
Is stronger than the devil of hell  
And that thou shalt perceive well  
Therefore dread not but comfort the  
Over us shall soon his grace be  
Down came than an angel bright  
All about him much light  
¶ And said Sydrac take with thine handies  
The water that in the pot standies  
On the four corners of the house it cast  
As long as any of it doth last  
In the name of the trinity  
betokened of the stakys three  
Bete together fast the two  
And the devil shall i'll there fro  
¶ Sydrac did as he him bad  
And fair wether anon they had  
An other angel they saw coming  
bearing aswerd all brenning  
And smote the devil and him did shent  
And those idols all to brent  
All the folk that there wore  
And would not be converted before  
When they had seen that sight  
They turned unto god anon right  
¶ Boccus the king when he that sauh  
Alytel he began to laugh  
In his heart he was full jocund  
And asked Sydrac in that stound  
¶ Leave Sydrac/ and tell now me  
What syngnyfy the stakes three  
And the pot of earth also  
That thou the water dydyst put into  
Andrea why thou so the water did cast  
And bet to gyther the stakes fast  
¶ Sir he said the stakes three  
Do signify the Trynytye  
Father and son and holygoost  
That are one god/ as thou well knowest  
By the erthen pot I take  
This world that god of earth did make  
The three Rakies the pot up bar  
God it syngnyfyeth be thou well were  
The water that in the pot was done  
Syngnyfyeth plainly goddys' son  
That in this world shall born be  
Of a fair virgin puer and free  
And that son shall all with right  
Destroy the devil and his might  
Upon a cross he shall be done  
And die about the time of none  
In earth shall he buried without fail be  
And rise up within days three  
Through that deed shall he call  
Adam and verily his friends all  
Out of woe and of their mornfull care  
That now in the devyllies hands are  
The water that I at the last  
About on the four corners did cast  
Betokenys four men that shall tho  
In four sides of the world shall go  
That many a man shall surely wite  
Every one his book shall write  
By the which they confownde shall  
The devil and his power all  
The stakes that I together smote  
Made great been as you it wots  
That was in tokyn of them though  
That with goddys' son shall go  
And shall his dyscypyls also be  
They shall preach the trinity  
And the noise of them shall wend  
Over all to the worlds end  
For they shall to the people preach  
And the right believe them teach  
That man had better not be born  
That it despysyth/ for he is forlorn  
And those that are in right believe  
Goddys' son shall them forgive  
All that they have done amiss  
And bring them in to heaven bliss  
¶ Boccus liked those words well  
And is instructed now sumdele  
By Sydracs' true information  
In the faith hath take a foundation  
And goddys' name in honour had  
And of the faith right glad  
Than desired he for to here  
Many things that he would requere  
praying that he tell would  
Things that he ask should  
Sydrac said full meekly  
Ask what you will sir hardly  
The king asked him anon  
These questions by one and one  
That are written in this book  
And unto them great heed he took.  
¶ Here after begin the questions   

¶ Hic incipiunt questiones  

The first thing than asked he  
If god was ever and ever shall be  
GOd had never beginning  
Nor never shall have ending  
Before he heavy nor earth wrought  
Or any thing to effect brought  
He known well how them to dight  
And all thorough his own might  
Or he made angel to be  
The number of them well wist he  
Of man of best of every dell  
Of fowl of fish all known be well  
And what deed echone should have  
Also which should their souls save  
Which they were should be forlore  
All together known he before  
And their words and also thought  
God had orels a be unperfect and naught  
For of all that were of his making  
There needed to be non amending  
Ne empeyred should he a be naught  
All though they had not be wrought  
He was/ is/ and ever shall be  
Of one power I ensure the  
Over all truly is his might  
And three heavens he hath dight  
The one is bodily that we see  
An other ghostly where angels be  
The third there god himself is  
Where is a joyful bliss  
Where shall the right 〈…〉 end 〈◊〉 dyd● on  
When this world is past and go   

¶ The second question.  
¶ The king asked where it aright been  
That god of heaven might be seen  
UIsybyl is god that warn I the  
And invysybyl also is he  
For all things may he see  
And he may nor seen be  
For that/ that is of bodily making  
May see no ghostly thing  
But ghostly thing that is in bliss  
May see ghostly thing that is  
But when goddys' son so dear  
In to earth is come among us here  
And the people shall walk both to  
Both he and his work 〈…〉 true  
That shall be most of goddies might  
And shall in a maiden light  
Body to take of that virgin  
And shall be born without sin  
And do truly as a man shall do  
Save sign that may he not do  
And god almighty shall he be  
Him shall men/ here feel and see  
And except he body took  
There might no man on him look   

¶ The third question  
¶ Than asked the king him more  
If god be over all & every whore.  
Never yet god made thing  
That is/ or hath of him feeling  
For we/ such as we are now  
Feel him and I shall show the how  
We live here/ war and go  
That comys always him fro  
And by the fruit one kind him felyth  
That every year newly spryngyth  
The heueunes then feel him also  
They turn in orbis as he had them do  
Son and moan and star bright  
All they feel him and his might  
For all they fast about go  
Untyll they come where they came fro  
The earth also him truly felys  
For every year his fruit he gevys  
Wind and the fe● feel him I wis  
For when the most tempest is  
At his bidding and at his will  
Withdraw they them and hold them still  
The deed him felys on like manner wise  
For at his will they shall up rise  
The bests that in earth both creep and go  
They feel him/ for they do also  
As he gave their kind to be  
And over them all verily is he.   

¶ The four question.  
¶ Which was the first thing  
That god made asked the king  
Sir quod Sydrac unto me list  
A fair palace made he first  
Full of bliss and full of light  
That the kingdom of heaven height  
After made he the world thus  
And hell deep underneath us  
In to heaven his friends he did let  
His foes in hell were subject  
Man made he than as was his will  
The umbre of angels to fulfil  
In stead of them that fall wore  
And should in heaven come no more  
angel and man shall fellows be  
For one god honories both he and we  
That is god of might most  
Father/ son and holygoost   

¶ The .v. question  
¶ The king than Sydrac be sought  
To tell wan angel was wrought  
When god said word but one  
Than angel was made anon  
Lucyfer himself did see  
That fairest of all was he  
In pride soon he did fall  
And despised the other of his company all  
He was so good as him thought  
As god himself/ that him wrought  
Sume of the angels turned him to  
And thought that it might be so  
Maysteres to make than he them height  
Above other angels bright  
Out of that palace was he cast  
An hour might he not therein last  
For it was no right that he  
That again his lord would be  
Should any part have in that bliss  
And for him they fared all amiss  
Truly all that were of his assent  
some of them to hell went  
And sum in to the thyckest air  
That of joy is none espeyre  
They may no mercy have  
Ne for pride they may none crave   

¶ The uj. question  
¶ The king asked where of serve they  
The angels that in heaven are aye  
THe angels the now heaven are in  
Shall never have will to sin  
By cause they refused Lucyfer  
In bliss they shall be ever  
To who god hath gyvyn ywysse  
Order and offyce in his bliss  
¶ Of angels is there one manner  
That unto folk tellyth here  
Both in water and in land truly  
The great things of god all mighty  
¶ Another manner there is also  
That tell●● coming folks unto  
Be it loud/ be it still  
The small bodies of goddies will  
The third potestas called is  
That are put in great offies  
Lordshype over devils they have  
And commands them as a man his knave  
That they ne may aught can  
Over much evil to do to man  
¶ another height pryncypates  
Masters over good spyryts be these  
And commands them to fulfil  
Goddys' service unto his will  
¶ Than is there one that virtutes height  
Which tech men to go aright  
¶ Another is there great of might  
Dominaciones their name height  
Which be obedient to the other before  
And in their subiectyon are thore  
¶ Another/ and throni called is he  
There upon is goddies see  
By them usys god on high  
His judgements full gryssely  
¶ An order is there chief of all  
Which cherubyns we do call  
Many creatures of skill  
Are that order subject till  
For diligently they behold and see  
In the mirror of goddys' claryte  
And they know by their natures  
The privities of creatures  
¶ And yet is there Seraphyn above  
They are brenning in goddy ●●out  
Moore than all the other be  
And they are of such dignity  
That no other spyryt certainly is  
Betwyx them and god in eternal bliss   

¶ The seven. question  
¶ The king asked if devils also  
All thing know and all thing may do  
UEryly sir quod Sydrac we do find  
That devils are of angels kind  
And by cause they of their nature ware  
Of full great coning they are  
And they are more ghostly  
Than man that hath body  
Therefore know they more than man  
By nature moche secrecy tell can  
Save things that are coming  
Of that they know little or nothing  
Things that I have done or thou  
That know they well I now  
Of evil will and evil thought  
Thereof wot the devils naught  
Ne none but god alone I ensure the  
Of a manies heart the prevyte  
The devils may well yvel do  
But good they ne have will unto  
And yet may they not fulfil  
To do i● yvel all their will  
Not more have they might until  
Than good angels them suffer will   

¶ The viii. question  
¶ What shape are angels & what thyn●  
They can do a said the king  
ON owyse have they even  
The lyknese of god of heaven  
For bodylese they are and height  
Full of fair bed and of light  
And there is nothing in kind  
That they ne wot and have in my●de  
No wonder that they of knowledge be  
For all things in god they see  
And all that they have will unto  
Without grievance may they do   

¶ The ix. question  
¶ The king than Sydrac asked  
If god Adam with his hand formed  
MAn and all that god him lent  
Was made of his comaundment  
And who so understand can  
A feeble nature is in man  
And of a fowl thing god him dight  
To confound the devil and his might  
For man so feeble to 〈◊〉 that he came fro  
That is to him great sobowe and woe  
Of the four elements as 〈◊〉 the  
Our parent Adam made be  
For his kind 〈◊〉 was God's will  
Should ●oue 〈◊〉 of the world fulfil  
For god knew ●e for 〈◊〉 the should sin  
And l●se the virtue that he was ●reat in  
And that he should as aman unwysse  
Not long live in paradyse  
All other things did he make  
To man's behove and for his sake  
And many worms he made also  
As me's/ freys and other more  
Man to sorrow and bite s●ime tide  
Be cause he should not fall in pride  
And that he should remember by this  
How feeble a thing that he is  
When so feeble a thing and so vile  
Shall him greatly wax and trobyll  
Of mire and rain see men may  
How they are traveled all day  
So busy should we of right  
God to serve with all our might  
For unto our delight made he  
A●l things that we see  
And we and they were made also  
Unto god worship to do   

¶ The x question.  
¶ The king asked him than  
In what stead made god Adam  
IN Ebro● are god ●olde it have  
Where 〈…〉 was put in grave  
But first he was ●et in paradyse  
A fair stead tha● in the est lyese  
There is joy and gr●t desire  
And trees a many 〈◊〉 of fruit  
And every fruit 〈◊〉 of might  
As god hastyth 〈◊〉 with virtue dight  
One fruit there is that if aman  
Had once eat of it/ neue● after than  
He should hounger any more  
And another also groweth thore  
That is called the fruit of life  
Both good for man and wife  
For who so eties of that tree  
Shall never syke nor old he  
When Adam was thither brought  
There was Eve than of him wrought  
So were they made as we find  
Of one flesh and of oh kind  
Be cause they should be where they went  
As of one flesh/ so of one assent  
God made them that they should not sin  
The more mercy after to win  
And when that god had Adam maked  
He and Eve were both naked  
But thereof shamed they nought  
Untyll they had sin wrought  
When they of the appull had byten abyte  
Either shamed of other was tyte  
For they saw them than unclad  
Of clothing a grace that they had  
And in paradyse they wore  
Seven hours and no more  
The third hour after his m●kyng  
Gave Adam name to all thing  
The sixth hour eat his wife  
The appull that made all the strife  
The seventh hour Adam did of it eat  
And was chased and streyth out hete  
The angel came thither anon right  
With a sword of fire very bright  
And with the fire be set he there  
The walls of paradyse that there were  
So that no man there in should won  
Untyl the coming of goddys' son  
After his death he shall undo  
The fire that it doth compass so  
And Adam and his friends all  
Into heaven conduct shall   

¶ The xj. question  
¶ Than as●yd he whither went Adam  
Out of paradyse when he came  
AFter that/ he went anon  
There he was made in Ebron  
A hundredth year there lede his life  
And had children by his wife  
But at length Cayn that was fell  
Did kill his brother Abel  
Adam therefore came his wife not near  
By the space of a hundredth year  
Making great sorrow that Abel was slain  
Than bade him the angel go again  
And know his wife as he should do  
Saying that the will of god was so  
For cursed of god was Cayn  
And a●l the sede that came of him  
And of that cursed seed forlorn  
Goddys' son would not be born  
That fu●fyl●ed Adam and ●eth begotten he  
Of whose seed goddies some born shal● be  
And weet thou sir that from Adam  
Unto the time that No came  
Never fallen on earth no rain  
Ne none raynebowe was ne fain  
Flesh that time no man did eat  
No wind than was/ god none be let  
The wether was all times there  
Fair as summer's day and clear  
And plenty was of all thing  
Till man's sin it made letting   

¶ The twelve question  
¶ Did Adam any other sin than it  
He broken goddies bode & the appul bit  
NAy/ he did none other sin  
But a greater might he not begin  
For he coveted god to be  
And for that the appul eat he  
And should no creature of wite  
His creatories bode oversyt  
If you before god now were  
And some angel said to the there  
That thou behind shouldest see  
Or the world should destroyed be  
And god the bade look on him fast  
And no where else thy eyen cast  
Goddies bode thou shuldyst fulfil  
And let all the world spill  
For that Adam couth no good  
Before god sometime he stood  
And behind he looked as unwise  
Wherefore he lost paradyse  
And in that one sin that he did  
Sevyn sins were there hid  
¶ first pride/ for that he  
Desired goddies like to be  
¶ Inobedyence another also  
For he broke that god bade him do  
¶ covetise the third did him grieve  
For he coveted more than god would give  
¶ Sacrylege was the foverth sin  
That Adam was wrapped in  
For he took upon him thore  
That god had forbyden him before  
¶ The fift may be called by reason  
ghostly fornication  
For his very spouse he forsook  
And to the devils counsel him took  
Whereby his right sponsale he broke  
And in advoutre he stake  
¶ The sixth to manslawter he drew  
For he by that himself slew  
¶ gluttony the seventh was  
When he put him in that caas  
To eat the appul that his wife bad  
And that god him forbidden had  
Wherefore in that eating unwisely  
Was sin enough as me thynkyth truly   

¶ The xiij question  
¶ What was the Adam from god did take  
And how shall he amendies make  
FRom god Adam much took  
That time that he him forsook  
All that he should there have wrought  
That Adam should forth have brought  
That is that they should have overcomen  
The devil/ and his might have nomen  
As the devil did Adam  
Both him/ and all that of him came  
Because his sin was moche more  
Than was all the world/ therefore  
It behooved him more again to yield  
And this had he naught to weld  
Or find a man that should more be  
Than all the world/ which was not he  
And therefore did he eat his breed  
In labour and sweet till he was deed   

¶ The xiiij question.  
¶ Forlorn for ay why was he naught  
When he so great a sin had wrought  
FOr it behoveth nedely to stand  
That god hath ordained before hand  
God ordained at the beginning  
That of Adam and his ospring  
Should the orders of God's choose  
Be fulfilled/ and out losyn  
And after when Adam forthought  
Was angered that he had so wrought  
Mercy anon might he none take  
For he might not amendis make  
And if god had forgiven him this  
And have put him again into bliss  
That angel was cast fro before  
For a thought and for no more  
Than had god been unryghtwyse  
Therefore in sin and wreak he lyse  
If a man found anon  
In a sloughe a rich stone  
That were fowl and nothing clean  
He should wash it as I ween  
And in treasure it not say  
Untyll the filth were away  
But gods son that more shallbe  
Than all the world/ shall die on tree  
Amendies for Adam to make  
And him fro his penance take  
So shall he come out of hell  
And among gods choose dwell   

¶ The xu question.  
¶ Why would not god an anngel sand  
Or a man Adam to amend  
ANd angel had bought man & made him fire  
His underlyne than should he be  
Man in earth was maked here  
For to bear angel fere  
And if angel the kind nam  
Of man/ and a man became  
Then were angel of less posterity  
Than god him made first to be  
And man again might man not win  
For all were they locked in one sin  
For this shall gods son of might  
In a clean maiden light  
Our kind shall he in her take  
And of two kyndies a man make  
God and man both shall he be  
And of his manhed shall he  
Beguile the devil/ for evermore  
As that he did man before  
And of mankind shall he not twynne  
Save that he shall never do sin   

¶ The xuj question.  
¶ Why shall god be born y● me tell  
Of a maiden/ and she amayden devil  
Sir on three manners we find  
That god in earth made man's kind  
first made he man and gave him life  
That nother came of man nor wife  
Man of man only than he name  
As Eve that he made of Adam  
The third manner than shallbe  
When god of his power I ensure the  
Shall light in earth in a woman  
Without knowleging of any man  
And sethe the world first began  
Evermore god looked unto man  
That he should best do his will  
And his commaundementis fulfil  
And of his kind shall choose be  
A clean maiden and a free  
That shallbe withouten sin  
And all virtues her within  
Her father shall her son be  
And of his dought his mother make shall he  
She invyolate/ shall be in her light  
And devil in her ix months right  
For the ix orders shall he fulfil  
Of angels than in heaven are still  
With man's kind that shall be born  
And forth have comen here before  
He shall also through his might  
Be born of that maiden bright  
And she after child bearing  
shallbe wemmyd of nothing  
For as the son his light casts  
Through the glass that hole lasteth  
And cometh out as he first was  
Without wemme of the glass  
So shall god in that maiden lend  
And out of her body wend  
And she still left a maiden right  
As the glass fro the son light   

¶ The xvij question.  
Why is death called death tell me  
And how many deaths that therbe  
For bitterness is called death in deed  
And for Adam through evil rede  
A bitter bite of the appul he boat  
That drove him into labour and swote  
And three manner of deaths theris/  
One that not ripe is  
As of children that are young  
They feel no pains strong  
Another death there is also  
That bitter is to come unto  
As a young man when him liketh best  
And the death be on him fist  
bitterness he feeleth and woe  
Or the ghost depart him fro  
ghostly death the third it is  
There the foul is ever deed fro bliss  
And all three to man they came  
For the sin that did Adam  
And if that sin ne had been wrought  
Man ne should have died naught   

¶ The xviij question.  
¶ Sends god aught to man to say  
Of what death that he shall die  
Nay: he sendeth to no man  
But he that so moche can  
That he haveth no meaning of the deed  
And worketh after the best rede  
Sudden death shall he not die  
For he shall go the ready way  
And the good that believeth aright  
In god of heaven and his might  
And work as they aught to do  
To what death that they go to  
Whether they be slain with sword or knife  
Or with wild bests lose their life  
Or in water drowned be  
Or hanged high upon a tree  
Or of some fowl adventure  
May then the life no longer endure  
Wicked death are none of these  
In the sight of god and these  
For their good deeds more and less  
And gods own ryghtwysenesse  
May not he forgottyn in thought  
For they cursed fyltynes of sin naught  
And if they had often done amiss  
Through febylnes that in them is  
Truly it shall be forgiven all  
By the sharp pains that they suffer shall  
But he that in god trowes naught  
Ne his commandments hath not wrought  
What may it him a veil  
That he haveth great travail  
And proofs long or he die  
And though men him fortunate say  
What death so ever he dies I iwis  
Wicked death and short it is   

¶ The xix question.  
¶ When soul fro the body shall shed  
How wendies the soul to other stead  
THe soul wends fro the body  
When he dieth full privily  
But when it is out go  
Again to the body there cometh none  
A sort of devils it take  
And moche joy and dene therewith make  
And unto hell they it bear  
With many pains it to dear  
But after the time of gods son  
That he is comen in earth to won  
Of leading/ shall be manners three  
Souls to lede there they shall be  
¶ One is if a man had here lived  
Trusting as god hath him instructed  
And his commandments all hath wrought  
And from the right faith erred naught  
When his life in this world ends  
And his soul from the body wendies  
Of angels a great company  
Gaderies them with melody  
Untyl him that his keeper was  
Rejoicing greatly at that caas  
Taking that soul with play and song  
And thanking god ever among  
Untyl heaven therewith they wend  
There to dwell without end  
¶ Another manner of leading is  
If aman have done amiss  
And will not his law fulfil  
But hath all his life done ill  
And again that he die shall  
He repenties him of all  
And unto god for mercy cries  
When that soul from the body flies  
A good angel it taketh in haste  
And deliver it to a wicked ghost at last  
And he shall it forth lede  
pain to suffer for his mysdede  
But when he hath bete it all  
And suffered that he suffer shall  
Then the good angel him taketh away  
And ledethe him to joy for ay  
¶ The third manner if man or wife  
In sin have ever lad their life  
And god's bidding would not fulfil  
But did all their hearts will  
devils keep that soul anon  
When it is out of the body gone  
And bear it to the pain of hell  
Without end therein to dwell   

¶ The twenty question  
¶ Now would I wite whether wore  
Sowle or body made before  
first the body is made fulfayre  
Of fire/ water/ earth and air  
And the four complexyons that are  
In man/ of these four they are  
When the body is made also  
Goddys' grace cometh thereto  
And blowyth in him the ghost of life  
And after of him made a wife  
Lord and Sir he made him be  
Of all that he in earth might see  
But when he the appul chose  
Clothing of grace than did he loose  
Which him grieved very sore  
As you have herd here before   

¶ The xxj question  
¶ Which spekyth know would I  
The soul of man or body  
NOT might hath the body  
Of himself syk erly  
To speak/ to go/ ne aught else to do  
But that the soul him giveth to  
Men see ofre it chaunsys  
That aman on ahorse rid ice  
And him gydeth to and fro  
The way that he will go  
And the horse so compelled  
Goyth as the man will him lede  
On like manner hath the body no might  
Of speaking/ of going/ ne of sight  
Nor of naught that he do shall  
But of the soul it cometh all  
The body is of earth wrought  
And shall rote away to naught  
Therefore is he of feeble are nature  
Than the soul that ever shall endure  
And the body ne is nothing  
Unto the soul but an hything  
Thou seyste well when the soul is gone  
A soul caryn is the body on  
That speak ne store aught may  
When the soul is gone away  
And by cause all thing of the soul is  
Therefore goeth she first to joy or bliss  
And than felyth the soul everydeal  
That the body doyth ill or well   

¶ The xxiij question  
¶ The soul that a ghost is on  
And hath nother flesh ne bone  
¶ Ne nought takys ne gyvys him fro  
How may it feel other well or woe  
A ghost is the soul the sooth to say  
And never more may it they  
Eat ne drink will it naught  
And it is as swift as thought  
Felt ne seen may it not be  
Nor no stead may it occupe  
But when the life cometh to end  
And the soul shall fro the body wend  
If he held god's commandment  
A cloth of grace to him shallbe sent  
Have he be wicked over all  
A cloth of sorrow come to him shall  
Through which clothing feel shall he  
joy or pain whether it be   

¶ The xxiij question.  
¶ Who is more lord of the twey  
Sowle or body thou me say.  
THe body the more lord is  
That leadeth the soul often amiss  
But the more apparel should abide  
The soul/ if that evil betide  
As if there were now young men twain  
Going in a parellous way  
And that one be bold and hardy  
That other a coward that goeth him by  
The coward thinketh as he goes  
If again us come any fooes  
This hardy man shall me out bear  
So that me they shall not dear  
Thus goeth the coward hardly  
The hardy thynkyth what do shall I  
This is a coward that goeth by me  
If other than good come he will i'll  
And I shall miss him when I have need  
Thus goeth the hardy man in dread  
All thus faries it wyturly  
Betwyx the soul and the body  
The body says I will have quite  
All my will and my delight  
When I am dead earth shall I be  
What then shall I reck what is of me  
¶ The soul says a fellow I lede  
That me beareth feeble felowrede  
For if there come any adversity  
I shall it feel and not be  
Thus is the soul in peril aye  
For that the body holdyth play   

¶ The xxiiij question  
¶ Where hath the soul I the rede  
In man's body his woning stead  
IN the body everywhere  
Wonyth the soul if blood be there  
Blood is wessel for the soul truly  
And of the blood is the body  
And where as blood raynyth nothing  
There hath the soul no dwelling  
As in teeth and here also  
In nails and in hide thereto  
If you say life is in though  
For they may feel who doth them woe  
Thereto lieth answer good  
For their roots touchyth blood  
Pair them and clip them who thou wilt  
And come their roots not until  
Shall they feel it never a deal  
Whether thou doyst them woe or we'll   

¶ The xxu question  
¶ Why doth the soul no lengar rest  
In the body/ than the blood doth jest  
Like it faryth I the ensuer  
As fish in apond of water puer  
If a man a goter make  
The water of that pond to slake  
The water rennith small & small  
Untyl it be run out all  
Than lie the fish of that pond  
Beting themself again the dry land  
And when the water is all away  
Than most they nedys' day  
Of the soul it fareth so  
When the blood it rennyth fro  
As the blood out yssueth treuly  
So doth the soul there wax feeble quyely  
And when the blood is out every deal  
The soul no longer liketh weal  
In that body for to devil  
But departeth all so suell  
For his nature hath he lost tho  
As fish when the water is therefro   

¶ The xxuj question.  
¶ I pray the now that thou me say  
How it is that ●he folk● so die  
AMan dieth on many ways  
Sum when that his days  
That god him set fulfilled are  
Than it behoveth him nedely to fare  
Somme of outrage that they do  
As of meet and drink also  
And destroyeth their nature  
So that they may not endure  
understand that no man may  
Over god's term leave one day  
But with outrage may he let  
The term that god him have set  
Some dieth in batayle and in fight  
With staff or sword as falls light  
And on many otherwise also  
more than I can tell the unto   

¶ The xxvij question.  
¶ How may man weet that it so is  
That god made man to his likeness  
WE find of antiquity  
In books that sometime had Noye  
That when god of heaven king  
Had made be'st and all thing  
Than said one of the parsons three  
That are in the trinity  
Now althing are made more and les  
Make we man to our likeness  
And because he said make we  
Is to understand that there are three  
And that he said is no losing  
Than are we like him in making   

¶ The xxviij question  
Sethen we of god's likeness be  
Why may we not do as did he?  
TO God's likeness are we dight  
And therefore hath be given us might  
Above all other creature  
That he made here for to dure  
And for that likeness so know we  
All things that in earth be  
We can labour/ work and win  
And we know alms fro sin  
All creatures may we take  
And our servants of them make  
And all other things that are naught  
Unto God's likeness wrought  
Have no coning ne might thereto  
To do thyngiss that we do  
Ne command us they ne may  
As we do them every day  
But though we be of his likeness  
We may not nevertheless  
Be all so strong and wise as he  
For his handworke all are we  
He is maker of all thing  
And we are of his making  
He is lord and we subject as a slave  
And for the likeness that we have  
If that we do not ill  
Angels number we shall fulfil  
For other likeness than his  
Were not worthy to that bliss   

¶ The xxix question.  
¶ Where becometh the blood all  
Of man/ when he die shall.  
GOd made blood of water right  
And the body of earth he dight  
And as water in earth synketh  
And the earth the water drinketh  
For to maintain all thing  
That waxeth and in earth spring  
Also maintaineth truly  
The blood/ that is in the body  
And when the soul depart shall  
The blood he beareth with him all  
And when the heart is fro him sent  
The blood is into the water went  
And the body that is dry  
And ripe/ may not long lie  
That it ne drinketh the blood also  
As the earth will the water do   

¶ The xxx question.  
¶ When the fire quenched is  
Whether becometh it tell me this?  
OF the son the fire is right  
Thereof haveth he hete and light  
And he be quenched he shall go  
To the son there he came fro  
Thou seest the son that light maketh  
And hete also there it on taketh  
On night when he fro us is went  
All the hete that he to us lent  
And then light of him also  
All doth he take it him unto  
And leadeth with him that he brought  
from him depart ne may it naught  
Also when fire is slaked here  
He withdraweth him on the same manner  
Unto the nature for to go  
Of the son there he came fro   

¶ The xxxj question.  
¶ Why dieth not the body thore  
When he loseth half his blood & more  
Though the blood be half aweye  
The body may not yet die  
For the hete of the soul I iwis  
That the blood by maintained is  
Departeth not so lightly  
And I shall tell the for why  
The little blood that there is left  
Maketh that the soul fro him is not refte  
For it maintaineth the soul styffely  
And the soul the blood and the body  
The week that in a candle is  
When it beginneth for to miss  
The fire slaketh and is a way  
Euynso it is here to say  
Of the blood the week I make  
And by the fire the soul I take  
When the blood away is all  
The soul no longer devil shall  
But the blood comforteth him so  
Except some other evil it forth do  
dieth he not so lightly  
But holdeth him on live continually   

¶ The xxxij question.  
¶ Of what complexyon may it be  
The body/ and of what nature is he  
OF the nature of earth it is told  
And his complexyon is cold  
And than is he maked yare  
Of the four elamentis that are  
Of the earth is the flesh  
And the blood of water nesshe  
Of air the soul maked was  
Andrea of fire the hete he has  
See thine flesh is of erthes' kind  
And blood of water as we find  
Both are they cold of kind to fond  
But soul that is of God's onde  
That aught to be clean and fair  
And is hot of kind of air  
That soul abideth in the blood  
And heteth it and doth it good  
And the blood heteth truly  
All the limbs of the body   

¶ The xxxiij question.  
¶ Were souls made at the first for ay  
Or are they made yet every day  
ALl thing that god thought  
to make all were at once wrought  
That is to say at the beginning  
That he before saw all thing  
And one commandment made he  
All that was and that shallbe  
But I say not that they were  
In the likeness that they now are  
All things in him were enclosed verily  
Untyll they come to their being apertly  
Than he shaped their figure  
Euerychon after their nature  
But he commanded all to be  
At one's/ as we do see  
So at one's made he all thing  
At his word and his bidding   

¶ The xxxiiij. question  
¶ May they have any excusing  
That of god know nothing?  
SUch as god know not here  
Nor him to learn will not endevere  
At the day of doom shall he  
Know them for none of his main  
And though that believe and will not do  
The works that belongeth them unto  
That sympely them understand  
As simple men that are in land  
If they dampened be therefore  
Turmentyd should they not be sore  
And they that have good understanding  
Of god/ and do not his bidding  
From pain they may them not defend  
But if that they do here amend   

¶ The xxxu question.  
¶ Shall aman aught else do  
But that god commandeth him to?  
GOd hath kindly made man  
To serve him in all that he can  
And his commandment to do  
And the devil to hate also  
And as we lordship will crave  
Of all things/ and their service have  
even so will god on all wise  
Ask and have of us service  
And that we believe on him steadfastly  
And worship him with our body  
And love him above all thing  
For we are all of his making   

¶ The xxxuj question.  
¶ How many worlds are of all  
And how do men them call?  
THere are ghostly worlds two  
And two bodily worlds also  
That one ghostly heaven is  
There angels are and all the bliss  
And there the good generation  
Of Adam/ shall hereafter won  
That other ghostly than is hell  
There the devils in pains devil  
¶ The two bodily is in our sight  
As sun/ and moon/ day/ and night  
And other things that we see  
That us giveth claryte  
The t'other truly we can not want  
The chief thing that we do enhaunte  
As the earth that all thing taketh  
And our womb that naught forsaketh  
And fro the bodily that are  
Unto the ghostly for to far  
Whether it be low or high  
Ne is it but a twynkeling of an eye   

¶ The xxxvij question.  
¶ Is god of great yielding to though  
That right in his service here go  
IN all the world ne is no man  
That may think ne tell can  
The good/ the honour in many wise  
That god giveth man for his service  
That in him ttusteth and in his might  
And his commandment doth aright  
And short commandment ordained hath he  
Do good and let evil be  
His son shall he sand here down  
To die for man's salvation  
And though that his service have in mind  
In his bliss they shall it find  
For he shall them worship more  
Than any angel that is thore   

¶ The xxxviij question  
¶ The people that in that time shallbe  
Of goddies son when come is he  
¶ And after shall they commonly  
Believe in him steadfastly  
ALl shall they in him their truth lay  
His own folk that is to say  
But all shall they gathered be  
Of divers speech and sunder country  
But they shall not everyone  
Have commandment after one  
Th● commandment as men shall see  
Of goddys' son shall truly one be  
After him his ministers twelve  
Shall command that self  
Butt they that come after though  
That in stead of ministers shall go  
They shall well behold and find  
The feebleness of man's kind  
And lighter commandment for that skill  
Shall they make the folk until  
And each nation shall ween that he  
Be better than any other be  
But of them shallbe at the fine  
As it doth by a great gardyne  
Where in many trees standeth  
And each of them frewte beareth  
The tree that best frewte bears  
Be they appulles or be they peers  
The plentuousest of bearing  
And of best savour in eating  
That tree shall the gardynere  
Most love and serve in time of year  
Also they that shall best believe  
In gods son and their heart him give  
And best shall here in earth do  
When time cometh there unto  
They shall most worshipped be  
In heaven before the trinity  
A mirror that they shall behold and see  
Full of joy/ that of no tongue may expressed be   

¶ The xxxix question.  
¶ What commandment by thy leave  
Shall gods son his folk give?  
IT shallbe love and abstinence  
And charity and patience  
And that no man other do  
Than he would were done him to  
God himself for man's love  
Shall send his son from above  
And shall feel here abstinence  
And sufferance and patience  
And bitter death at the last  
His folk out of pain to cast  
And who so behold these four things  
All goodness out of them springs  
For he that good love hath in god  
Love in himself is not all odd  
And he that hath abstinence  
And charity and patience  
And haveth the love of god with all  
No doubt he shall have the life eternal   

¶ The xl question.  
¶ The blesfulest thing after thy wit  
And dygniest/ and fairest which is it?  
A Sowle that is good of man  
Of all things that I tell can  
Is the fairest thing that may be  
For brighter than the son is he  
And a worthier thing is there naught  
Of all that god in earth hath wrought  
For of gods own onde it came  
When god blew on Adam  
Therefore are angels set thereto  
To keep it in all that they may do  
¶ Also the blysfullest it is  
For it is ordained to that bliss  
There never end shallbe  
Of joy and bliss and game and gle  
And god gave commandment to all thing  
For to serve man his blessing  
Than is man's soul blysfulest though  
And worthiest and fairest also   

¶ The xlj, question.  
¶ The foulest & the ꝑelousest thing to see  
And most wyckedest which may that be  
Wicked soul of man I wysse  
Is the foulest thing that is  
So hard hearted man is none  
And he a wicked soul saw one  
In the right likeness of it  
That he ne should lose his wit  
Also it is perelouse  
For it goth to a velayne house  
There apparel is and moche woe  
Where it never shall come fro  
The most cursed is it ay  
For gods son on domes day  
Before all his angels thore  
Shall curse it for evermore  
And of the pain that it shall to  
Angels and Archangels also  
Shall have both joy and bliss  
For that it had done amiss   

¶ The xlij question  
¶ The good souls shall they aught  
For the wicked sorrow or take thought  
GOod men when the wicked spyl  
Shallbe all of goddys' will  
And when they the doom have seen  
Of them that again god hath been  
They shallbe demt from God's face  
Which shulbe all their solace  
For the doom shallbe rightwise  
That god shall give his enemies  
And when they are in all their pains  
A 'mong the other hell hownes  
The good souls shall glade be  
Them in their pains on to see  
As we have game to behold  
fish swyme in the water cold   

¶ The xliij question  
¶ Whether is better so god the save  
Health or syknes for to have  
Health of soul is good to win  
To keep it out of deadly sin  
For when it is hole and fair  
Of heaven bliss it shallbe heir  
And his dwelling with god shallbe  
For his labour and diligence  
If thou haddyst now a knight  
That ware strong and stout in fight  
And ware hold bold and hardy  
Him thou woldyst hold the by  
And thou shuldyst in to fight  
And ware he sick and of no might  
Not where woldyst thou with him go  
Where thou shuldyst stand in dread  
Like manner it is of souls hele  
God will not with that soul deal  
That feeble is by the syknes of sin  
But he will thereof blynne  
again the health of the body  
To agood man say I sickerly  
Is better hole than syke to be  
For in goodness his health useth he  
And they that live in sin and woe  
sickness is best for them though  
Which for the pain of their sickness  
Shall they sin yet the less  
And withdraw them therefro  
That in health should not so do   

¶ The xliiij question  
¶ What power is it that would I lere  
That god hath given to soul here  
GOd hath given soul unto  
Akyngdome for to rule also  
That if he keep it aright  
His kings sete shallbe dight  
Before god in heaven bliss  
And god shall say to him this  
Come my deer son to me  
The kingdom that I behyght the  
Thou hast it so kept in all thing  
That thou art worthy to be a king  
Therefore shalt thou crowned be  
Before my father's majesty  
The soul for the king take I  
And for the kingdom the body  
And the commandment of each good king  
In his land should be done above all thing  
Therefore what so the soul will  
The body should it do with skill  
And but the body do also  
As the soul counsaylethe him to  
Both together they should be cast  
In fire of hell at the last   

¶ The xlv question.  
¶ When goddess son to the earth is sent  
And again to heaven is went  
Shall he any governor leave here  
In this world the folk to lere?  
AFter that gods son up shall sty  
Into his father's company  
His xii ministers leave he shall  
That in earth him companied with all  
A holy house among them all  
Shall they make/ that they shall call  
God's house and so shall it be  
For therein may men god see  
After them shall other come also  
That their commandment shall do  
A while/ till it last may  
And they shall fro day to day  
Wax rich and of great might  
And for their riches anon right  
The law that gods son them left  
And his xii ministers eft  
Febely than shall they it hold  
But for riches shall all be sold  
And god shall then destroy them tho  
For their sin and for their woe  
And than shall come great maystery  
Of the art of astronomy  
And wise men hold shall they be  
But coveyties shall shende all their gle   

¶ The xluj. question  
¶ Goddys' house that thou hast told  
Who shall it keep and have in hold  
Forsooth goddys' son himself  
Shall among his disciples twelve  
Command one to keep it right  
And stone of stonies shall he height  
He shall it keep that it shall not spill  
After man shall succeed man according his will  
But after the time that goddys' son  
Is come in earth for to won  
A thousand year after than shall begin  
In the world to spring sin  
Against god and his lore  
And shallbe worse than before  
After that men shall see  
Two great doves shall born be  
That goddys' law further shall  
And mischief destroy all  
That one dove shallbe called mendar  
And that other amonester  
In the world they shallbe bold  
And poor men they shallbe told  
The good shall love them inwardly  
The wicked shall dread them wonderly  
And worship them with dread and saw  
For they shall have of them great awe  
Champyons they shallbe strong  
The faith to hold and to fordo wrong  
Good kepars shall they be  
Of god's house and his main   

¶ The xlvij question  
¶ He that no good doth but holdeth him still  
Whether doth he good or ill  
HE that no good doth nor ill deeds  
The life of beast right he leads  
And that doth ill for he do 〈◊〉  
And he that of good wy● a●ynne  
And doth not there he may it do  
He doth ill and sin also  
¶ As if a man were hunger stead  
And gladly would of meet be fed  
And he by an orchyarde were going  
There he moche freute saw hanging  
Andrea dieth for fault of meet  
And of the freute will not eat  
He doth evil and amiss  
For his own defawte it is   

¶ The xlviij question.  
¶ Lordship whether shall it be  
Stout and stern or of petye?  
Lordship is gods will  
Law and justice to fulfil  
And if might justice find  
Men should be of fishes kind  
The strong should the feeble eat  
And great the small that they might gete  
And lordship aught stout to be  
And stalworthe and of potence  
With right and skill the wicked to dame  
And peace among the folk to set clean  
Alytel gods son before  
A king shall in earth be born  
He shallbe profit or he die  
And in his prophesy he shall say  
bathed be they god unto  
That dame/ and ryghtwysenes shall do  
If a wicked man be raynt  
And of his wickedness be ataynt  
The lord may dame him of his right  
And forgive it of his might  
But if he afterward do amiss  
Of the doom worthy he is   

¶ The xlix question.  
¶ Shall any man good do  
His kind and his friends unto?  
IF thy kind good men be  
And they have defawte of the  
And have lost by mischance  
The good that should them advance  
Thou shalt them help and good them do  
And give them good counsel also  
If they be of wicked life  
Be it man or be it wife  
And they be in wretchydnesse  
Through their own wickedness  
As some that are of evil mode  
He doth ill that doth them good  
That men putteth in all is lorne  
In a purse that is all to torn  
What helpeth it wax for to take  
And a serge thereof make  
And before aman it light  
That is blind and hath no sight  
To such aman helpeth it naught  
That light before him be brought  
Also it is lost for to show  
Any goodness to a shrew   

¶ The l question.  
Now I pray the tell me  
Gentylhed what may that be  
GEntylry that is power  
And riches that aman hath here  
Of land and rent and of fee  
And cometh of antiquity  
And that in cost hath to maintain  
For most ientyll is he counted certain  
But some are rich men of good  
And are churls kind of blood  
A rich man men call him one  
But gentleman is he flone  
And he that rich is wonderly  
A noble man of his body  
Curteys/ wise and held fire  
A great gentleman is he  
And though he be a power man  
And among men bear him can  
As of norture in bower and hall  
A gentleman men shall him call  
But of pour men we all came  
As of Eve and adam   

¶ The lj question  
¶ How may it be cold every year  
When the wether is fair and clear  
THe wether when that it is fair  
The hete cometh down from the air  
And in to the earth he driveth thore  
The hete that heated the earth before  
And so is hete all away  
On winters days that is to say  
And when the wether is trobelus and thike  
The hete may not down light  
From the son by his might  
So may it here be warm told  
And sometime in fair wether cold   

¶ The lij question  
¶ May aman by any trow  
The goodmen from the wicked know  
GOod men themself declare right  
For of visage they are bright  
And their eyen also are bright  
And lovely they are of sight  
For the good life they are in  
And they are truly out of sin  
And because they live so chastened  
Sweet words have they commonly  
The wicked of evil will they be  
And lowering are they on to see  
Of stableness have they nothing  
Out of measure is their speaking  
Smart going they have also  
And they are seldom in ro  
And the wickedness of their heart  
In word and work they show all smart   

¶ The liij question.  
¶ The believe that was here before  
Of false idols that here wore  
Shall it ever raised be  
So sterke as was in time of me?  
Children that shall come of the  
In god of heaven their believe shallbe  
And their children yet also  
But they that shall come of them though  
Shall turn unto the wicked law  
That was before by old saw  
And they shall make a cyte  
Therein shall a tower be  
And that tower shall have thore  
Four and forty stages before  
And therein shall reign a king  
Of all the world most masterling  
And an image he shall do dight  
After his father and like him right  
And all folk shall he make go to  
That image worship to do.   

¶ The liiij question.  
¶ Why was it not gods will  
That man lived not a week with one fill  
Hunger one of the pains is  
For sin that Adam did amiss  
And man was made so (if he would)  
That he ever leave should  
Without travail and without woe  
But when he was fallen god fro  
Might he not again come him to  
Without travail and woe also  
And travail should him not life  
But if he had hunger and thirst  
And hunger/ thirst/ keelth/ and hete  
With other pains that men with meet  
Should man nothing of have wist  
Had the man not sinned first  
And with hunger and thirst may  
gluttony be done away  
And for to mean in man's thought  
The gluttony that Adam wrought  
And that sin to wash a way  
Kindly him hongereth every day   

¶ The lu question.  
¶ The rich men die they also  
lightly as the pour men do?  
Rich and pour that men find  
All god made them of one kind  
One while waxeth the pour rich  
And sometime made pour is the rich  
Up and down catel is brought  
But kind of man ne changes naught  
Hunger and thirst hete and cold  
joy and sorrow many fold  
sleep and wake eating and drinking  
And many more kinds of living  
This hath the power men as well  
As the rich of kind every deal  
But the pour by reason  
Are of strongar complexion  
Than the rich that deyntely doth feed  
But they in travail their life do lede  
But when death knocketh truly  
There is no nother remedy  
But both alike shall far  
Rich or pour whether they are   

¶ The luj question  
¶ Shall men iuge the rich also  
As they the pour do  
IUge they shall them of right  
Stryghter than the pour wight  
And ever the richer that he be  
And he mysdo again the  
The more pain should he bear  
Should no riches him out were  
And if men dame the rich sore  
The power shall him dread the more  
But for the pour man's deed  
Hath the rich no dread  
But god rewards them than  
The rich more than the pour man  
And demyth both ryghtwysly  
After as they are worthy  
So should men dame the quick  
Rich and pour all alike   

¶ The lvij question  
May the wicked as well for aye  
Have goddies love as the good may  
A Wicked man that hath do sin  
And of wyckydnes will blynne  
crying god mercy willing to do it no more  
He shallbe in goddies favour  
The good are goddies where they go  
The wicked are fall him fro  
If aman athing have lore  
That he loved well before  
And he may it after find  
That shall he more have in mind  
And more shall thereof be glad  
Than of all the other that he had  
By man faryth god even so  
If aman again him miss do  
And it deadly sin be  
Far fro god fallen is he  
But if he will mercy crave  
Sickerly he shall it have  
For thereof is god fulfayne  
And than findeth he him again  
And of his finding is he glad  
For the great love that he to him had  
Thus may wicked aswell all day  
Have gods love as goodmen may.   

¶ The lviij question.  
¶ How may the child that full of love is  
Come out of the mother's womb tell me this  
GOd that all hath made of naught  
Moore wonders hath he wrought  
And as he hath power thereto  
The one body in that other to do  
So hath he might it out to bring  
For at his will are all thing  
When time cometh that woman shall  
Be delivered of that she goth withal  
All the joints of her body  
Open and enlargeth them kindly  
All one save the chin before  
And in that time the child is boar  
As a likeness of death that ware  
But as soon as the body bore  
The air hath savoured that is here  
The bones that febely mow steer  
Begin for to dry anon  
And waxeth hard growing to bon  
And all the lyghthes that beware open  
In the woman again are cropen  
hearken I shall tell the how  
If aman his fyngar drow  
The joint will open and undo  
And after shut again to  
So it faryth with woman after chylding  
Through the grace of the hevynly king   

¶ The lix question  
¶ May any woman bear more  
Children in her at once than two  
A Woman may bear kindly  
Seven at once in her body  
For the matryce of woman  
If you understand can  
Hath seven chambers and no more  
And each one is separate other fro  
And she may have in each of though  
A child/ and so with seven go  
If goddies will be first thereto  
And the kind of woman also  
If hot of kind be the woman  
And hath great liking to the man  
One chamber or two or three  
Of them that in her matryce be  
Of great will open there again  
That aman hath by her lain  
The seed falls in them anon  
And they close again each one  
And if that seed acordaunt find  
It waxeth further in his kind  
And if that other chaumbers be  
Open/ and it be that she  
Know man again that same night  
Or on the morrow by day light  
Or the second day/ later naught  
And the seed be therein brought  
They spear to and hold it fast  
And nourish children at the last  
And so long they should be born  
Latter than other are before  
As they ware gete sonderly  
But understand not thereby  
That every time that aman  
Knows flessly awoman  
That the seed in her rote take  
Many things may letting make  
But it behoveth that he and she  
Be both together atempre  
For if aman alecheroure be  
And haunteth many as men do see  
The seed of him is of no might  
For feebleness of fowling right  
And if aman hold him fro  
That he no woman come to  
And than doth as you wot  
The seed of him is so hot  
When it is to his chamber brought  
It brennyth and wastyth all to naught  
And if the man be of temper  
And if the woman not so be  
But brenning hot and of good will  
It shall the seed in her spylle  
And if they both be of tempure  
Their seed shall in his chamber dure  
Fist there in and so ground fast  
That it shall come to man at the last  
And if their together coming  
Be glade and merry in all thing  
Of glad semblant their child shallbe  
As they ware both at the assembly  
And if they assemble them wrothly  
T'other shallbe the child truly  
If the one be glade the other naught  
And the child be bytwyx them wrought  
The child shallbe sometime blithe  
And sometime great felnes kythe  
And if that it befall so  
That the one of them two  
Hath any man greatly in thought  
When the seed is to his chamber brought  
That seed may lycknes take percaas  
Of him that in their thought so was   

¶ The lx question  
Which is the best thing that may be  
Or man may have tell it me  
humility is the best thing  
That is under heaven king  
For he that hath with him humility  
He is endued with virtues three  
Unto god and himself also  
And his neyghbore unto  
All things are loved thereby  
And god loveth it greatly  
The angels that in heaven are  
For humilyte might not fall in care  
With the other that fallen out  
For they were unleel and stout  
The great flood scaped No  
By the goodness of humilyte  
That him made of naught also  
And at his will them shall for do  
Trusting steadfastly that he  
Was ever and without end shallbe  
And keep well the commandment  
That his son when he down is sent  
Shall in earth give man unto  
Toward god and man also  
To do good and wyckydnes let be  
And covetise and envy i'll  
And take unto him patience  
With charity and abstinence  
For who so hath these three  
I iwis aleel man is he  
And after for his humilyte  
In heaven may he crowned be  
With angels before god of might  
Where ever is day with out night   

¶ The lxiij question  
¶ hardiness of man and dread  
Whereof come they I the rede  
Boldness and dread of man  
Whereof they come tell I can  
They come of the complexion  
And I shall tell the areson  
Thou knovest that men made ware  
Of the four elements that are  
Save that god gave him ghost  
And after aman hath in him most  
Of weet of drieth hete or cold  
Shall his complexion betolde  
And these four even be  
Raining in man/ then shall he  
Be neither coward ne hardy  
Lysten I shall tell the why  
If kelth not overcome the hete  
Nor the dry overcome the weet  
Equalyte than of hete/ kylth/ weet and dry  
The heart of man shall then lie  
For the evynhode of them tho  
And stir neither to ne fro  
And if the hete the kelthe over go  
And the hete the kylth also  
The body beginneth for to shake  
And the heart to stir and quake  
And for the hete is hardy anon  
And dredyth not that he lokyth on  
If the cold be master over the hete  
And over the dry be the wet  
The body waxeth cold at need  
And the heart week and full of dread   

¶ The lxiiij question  
¶ Whereof may it be fall  
Man to have meselry or scall  
SCall and meselry also  
Of the woman come they though  
A woman that is hot of kind  
And aman her in her flowers find  
The flowers are both hot and dry  
And the man than by her lie  
And gete a child peradventure  
That child shallbe of nature  
Other be scalled or mesel  
The nature it is so fell  
That it in the woman takes  
Of a blood that it all makys  
Menstruum that blood we call  
That bredyth meselry or scall  
Which reigning in woman  
It is but folly to come to man  
But aman shall know his wife  
In intent to get a life  
To worship god that him wrought  
And when she is with child brought  
He should come nigh her no more  
Untyl the child ware bore  
Nor forty days should naught  
Such precept to No the angel brought   

¶ The lxu question  
¶ Ware althynges of goddies making  
Made at the first beginning  
GOd made of his might althing  
At his word and bidding  
But all the creatures that he forth brought  
At one time made he them naught  
For it were again kind by my thought  
A thing that of matter is wrought  
But if the matter were before  
Or that thing of it made wore  
For long is stone or tree  
Or the house made be  
Also find I many things yet  
As worms coming of man's sweat  
As lees and other worms more  
And some of man's flesh also  
And of man's flesh them feed  
As worms that in hands breed  
Scarbode is of fylt a neat  
A worm that is so great  
Of howndes come howndflees to  
And worms of wicked air also  
And if these things latter be  
Than that that they come of/ thinketh me  
That god at the beginning  
Made not at one's all thing  
And all things he made I iwis  
Unto the least worm that is   

¶ The lxuj question  
¶ Tell me now after thy wit  
The fruit in earth who norysshies it  
ALL the fruit that in earth grows  
And all that man therein sows  
All noryshies god of his might  
And for that hath he them dight  
The four elamentes to find  
Each one noryssheth in his kind  
The earth sustaineth when he to him taketh  
The air noryssheth and it maketh  
The water it feedeth and green it maketh  
Of fire/ here and waxing it taketh  
These four make ripe every fruit  
Whereof men suffice their apetyte  
Right as who should sethe meet  
Four things behoveth him to gete  
Fire and water air and vessel  
Or else is it not sodden we'll   

¶ The lxvij question  
¶ The bests that have no wite  
How wax they ragyous tell me it  
GOd made each best as we find  
And gave each wit after his kind  
And each kind hath knouleging  
After his wite of some thing  
And that wite may soon away  
In manner as I shall the say  
Aman may rekyn and find soon  
The xxvii day of the moan  
In time of june right esterly  
A star him showeth on the sky  
And be it night or be it day  
If a beast it behold may  
Or the umbre in water on night  
It shall wax ragyous anon right  
And if it man or beast than bite  
It shall become rageous strait   

¶ The lxviii question  
¶ What beast is it that you find  
That lengest leaveth in his kind?  
AN Erne leaveth longest as I trow  
Of all the beasts that I know  
The earn every day will fly  
In to the air up so high  
higher than any man may see  
And fresh and new becometh he  
And in long life he continueth  
That so often himself renueth  
The adder also hath long life  
And under earth he dwellyth rife  
And under stonies and in brynkes  
The kelyth of the earth drynkys  
His hide he newyth every year  
And becomyth young and fair  
Be he not slayned with beast or man  
A thousand year well live he can  
And when a thousand year is gone  
Horn his heed growyth on  
And shortly after beginneth he  
A fair dragon for to be  
But all they far not so  
Some dye or they come thereto  
And some are slayned here and there  
Or else all to fallen they were   

¶ The lxix question  
¶ Fedyth god all thing  
That is in earth of his making  
GOd made allthing good  
And to all he sendyth lives food  
Fruit on earth and flesh on land  
And fish in water and on sand  
To man's food is ordained all  
And thereby he live shall  
Beasts so are fed also  
Of that the earth cometh fro  
Fowls some in earth are fed  
And some in water their life is led  
The fyssh liveth by his meet  
And each of them will other eat  
The worm in earth is feed also  
And this sendyth god them unto  
Unto all that he hath life lent  
He hath meet to them sent   

¶ The lxx question  
¶ fish & fowl and beasts echone  
Have they souls or have they none  
rightly souls for to say  
Is such that it may never day  
For if the body do well here  
The soul shallbe assocyat to angel clear  
And that is called soul of skill  
That god gave only man until  
Wherefore every other creature  
Is under man by right nature  
And for that should he  
Over all beasts master be  
Have soul that most wisdom can  
Or else aware beast like to man  
Beasts and fowls and fishes all  
Have no soul rightly to call  
If thou say as some men do  
All that liveth hath soul there to  
Trough which soul the body steries  
Etyth/ drinketh/ saith and hears  
It is no soul it is but an onde  
That god hath lent them here we have fond  
For no good ne can they do  
But that man them noryssheth to  
Than have they wit of man's teaching  
But of themself have they nothing  
If wit of themself wore  
Their soul ware of might the more  
But their soul that I a yeaning call  
When the body dead shall fall  
It faryth as an onde of thy mouth  
When it is gone no man it couth  
But vanysshies in the air away  
And no lengar ne dure may   

¶ The lxxj question  
¶ They that in time of God's son be  
Shall they live as long as we  
OF body such as now are we  
But so great shall they not be  
And we are now of lengar life  
Than shallbe than man or wife  
For the world is now stalworthyare  
Than shallbe then and myghtyare  
And the earth giveth us to  
Moore fruit than it shall them do  
And the plenty that the earth yeldies  
Both in woods and in feldies  
Is now of much more might  
Than it shallbe then with right  
And the wine is strongar now  
Than shallbe then and to more prow  
Wherefore aught we by right nature  
Have lengar life and lengar to endure  
Than they that in those days are  
And febleare so forth shall they far  
For he that may than the people among  
Live a. C. year he liveth long  
And ever shall men downwardly go  
Of life and of strength also  
But in wit wax they shall  
And in malice with all  
And of their bodies lessen shall  
Twyxen this and domys day   

¶ The lxxij question  
¶ Tell me now some ensure  
How long this world shall endure  
NO man in earth may verily  
The prevyte know of goddys' secrecy  
It is so great that wite it ne can  
Nother beast/ angel ne man  
Ne no thing but it be he  
That with god be full preve  
And that he loveth alther most  
As his son or the holy ghost  
For they with him are all one  
In godhead/ or else wot it none  
For every earthly man will naught  
Tell to every man his thought  
Ne his will in prevyte  
But if he privy with him be  
Also reserveth god him to  
Many things that he will do  
That he will of no kowleging  
give to man/ ne to nothing  
But to his own son only  
For he is next and most him by  
And that time that gods son  
Shall in earth a man here won  
Men shall him ask if the world here  
Shall endure seven thousand year  
And anon answer he shall  
And say you/ and more withal  
For of the father's prevyte  
Of the more/ shall none the wiser be  
We find weal that god of heaven  
Hath made planets seven  
The world to keep by day and night  
And to everyone giveth that is his might  
And every one is assyngned to  
A thousand year to keep also  
And when every one haveth on this wise  
A thousand year done his service  
Than shall ever god fulfil  
The world longer at his will  
For as all planets governors be  
Euenso governeth them he  
And for he is above all  
Wot none but he what shall befall   

¶ The lxxiij question.  
¶ Leave any men in the world mother  
Out of the earth that we on go  
Sir isles are many in the see  
A thousand & fourehondred & two there be  
Some are inhabited men withal  
And some not/ nor never shall  
There are some that men in devil  
Of our likeness every dell  
And of hyth but hanfulls three  
And beards hanging to their kne  
Their here down to their helys is  
Of flesh they feed both of goose and gryce  
Their beasts are small everichone  
A speech they have by them alone  
¶ another isle is by the see  
And therein are small main  
A span long are they and no more  
And all of fish live they thore  
In the water are they be light  
And up on land they are on night  
¶ Yet there other isles be  
With men all so great as we  
With one eye in the front no more  
And us with two they dread full sore  
They eat flesh/ and with the fellies  
Cloth they them/ and with nothing else  
¶ Yet there is another also  
The folk that longeth thereto  
Are tailed right as sheep each one  
And then live by fish alone  
¶ Yet is there one of our shapnesse  
But they are much less  
And they are ever in fight and were  
Again a great manner of fowl is there  
In cold winter though fowls great  
Take they/ and hold them for their meet  
¶ another is there yet near hand  
There is a manner foul dweland  
Though they were in fire brought  
Brenne ne should their feathers naught  
¶ another folk is there feyre and sound  
That have visage like a hound  
¶ Yet is there folk in a country  
And feeble and lene they be  
On son and on the moan they believe  
And sacrifice to them they give  
But when they will sacrifice make  
Sum will his best friends take  
And pray him company him bear  
At the sacrifice he shall do there  
Than shall he 'cause to be made a fire  
And when it brenneth full shyere  
Than shall he cry that all may here  
For love of the son so dear  
Or the moan whether it be  
Or an image made of tree  
Lepe I in this fire all hot  
For my merit well I wot  
Thus himself there he brenneth  
And the devil his soul winneth  
And though that bear him company  
Anon shall do the same folly  
The other folk about bydene  
Sit till they be brenned full clean  
And than shall they their ashes take  
And relykes shall they thereof make  
¶ Another land there is also  
That sacrifice the devil unto  
Of their bodies/ and are full blithe  
They 'cause to be made a sharp sith  
In likeness of a horse shoe  
And that shall have haftes two  
By the here than shall he hanged be  
high on loft that men may see  
The sith in his neck shall men say  
The haftes in his hands twey  
And he shall cry as a man in a rage  
For the love of his image  
That is my god this shall I do  
And kerue his own neck in two  
The heed hangs still on high  
The body falls hastily  
That body shallbe with honour takyn  
And done out all that is therein  
And salted as they will it have  
And by that image do it grave  
Upon the grave shall written be  
His own name/ and how that he  
Made to that image sacrifice  
And on what day and in what wise  
¶ Another manner is there yet  
Of folk that are of little wit  
When they sacrafyce should make  
A high tree they do take  
And do styke it in a place  
With many about making solas  
And about that same tree  
Four swerdis naked shall set be  
The points upward everichone  
Than shall he betaken anon  
He that sacrifice shall do  
Be bound foot and hand also  
And up drawn shall he be  
Into the overmost end of the tree  
There shall he cry the folk unto  
In the worship of god this I do  
They slake the rope they him with drow  
And he fallyth sharp I now  
Upon the swords he doth light  
And goeth to the devil right  
Than shall men that body take  
And a fair stead for it make  
Two days/ and that whyl shallbe  
A cry made in all the cowntre  
That such a man made sacrifice  
And if any are so wise  
To come and ask any bone  
Hast them and come thither son  
Or he to his grave be brought  
For of their bone want shall they naught  
Than come some unto that stead  
And unto him make their bede  
And at their goddys' foot shall he  
Afterwards gravyn be  
¶ Yet is there a country furthermore  
When a man is deed thore  
If he have a wife than shall she  
All quick by him graven be  
And also the man by the wife  
If she or he forlese their life  
¶ Another folk there is and that  
Will eat for deyntes hound and cat  
¶ Another is when he wife shall wed  
He dare not with her go to bed  
The first night/ but he causeth blythly  
Another gest to lie her by  
For it is peril a says to life  
To touch first a wedded wife  
¶ Another manner there is well fed  
But they will never wife wed  
They say that one wife ne can  
Hold her ever to one man  
¶ Yet is there one that men do call  
Land femynne that men call  
All of women and no men  
For therein live no man can  
That passyth five year of age  
Over five days there to have heritage  
But in four sesons of the year  
Men and they gathere full near  
Having with them felowrede  
Looking after no syburrede  
Viij. days far they thus no more  
Or the men departed them fro  
And if any a child have  
Be it so that it be a gnaw  
They shall it keep and nourish well  
five year/ but more no deal  
And than shall they drive it soon  
To the land there men in won  
They labour and till their met to wine  
And over them they have a queen  
That commaundyth them as queen should do  
Holding them in peace and ro  
Countries are there many more  
But long it were to tell of though  
But of these some shall mere  
At the coming of the false prophyte  
But many shall there first be lorne  
For a king that shallbe born  
That shall the world seek valyently  
And shall do wryt them as men find truly  
And many of those shall he spill  
And with other their lands fill   

¶ The lxxiiij question  
¶ Why are some men black in town  
Some whit and some brown  
IN three manners it cometh to  
That a man is coloured so  
One is through kind  
As we in our bokies find  
For if the man brown be  
And the woman as well as he  
And if they together have engendrure  
It aught to be brown of nature  
If the one be brown the other whit  
And they assemble with great delyt  
whose seed with most delyt festies  
When it in the chamber resties  
That seed shall the child be  
Lyckenyd most and shape of ble  
Another manner there yet is  
If a man be fed amiss  
And pourly lie and pourly go  
It maketh him not coloured so  
As he should be with right  
If he ware kept day and night  
The third cause it is also  
The land and the air thereto  
For ever the hotter the land is  
The browner is the folk Iwis  
The colder land the whiter ay  
For their skin is not brent all day   

¶ The lxxu question.  
¶ Tell me now per company  
Whereof cometh felony?  
Wicked humours make malemcolye  
And that engendereth felony  
The wicked humours kindel smert  
And gloweth son while about the heart  
And chafeth it as a fire  
And maketh it dark and black for Ire  
And that darkness answereth than  
Up into the brain pan  
And when the brains are derked so  
Great deal of wit they for go  
And smite anon in felony  
And that maketh the heart so dry  
But when that the humours seize  
And of their glowing do release  
The heart rests and still lieth  
And the darkness fro him wendeth  
The limbs lyghten everichone  
And in good point becometh anon   

¶ The lxxvi question.  
The beasts that god in earth hath wrought  
Of one hew why are they naught?  
FOr they of god's likeness not be  
divers colours have they perdie  
And by cause they on the ground frete  
divers herbs to their meet  
Some are cold and some are hot  
And some are dry and some are weet  
And if a beast/ when it great is  
Gothe eating on the grass  
That most is hot and dry also  
The young shall black hew come unto  
And if the most part be hot  
Red shall that young be god it wot  
And be they moist it shallbe grey  
And be they cold white for ay  
And if that a beast find  
In one place erbes of sundry kind  
And she feed her of them all  
Of divers hue the young shall fall  
And after that she most of eteth  
Most of that hue the young getteth  
And of all beasts fareth it so  
Wild and tame where so it go  
And all hath god dight this thing  
At his will and his ordaining   

¶ The lxxvij question  
¶ They that eat or drink more than need is  
Whether do they well or amiss?  
HE that eateth more than he should  
And more than his kind would  
He doth harm his body unto  
And some unto his soul also  
And destruction of meet doth he  
That other withal might fed be  
A gain god such aman is  
Worse than a beast I iwis  
God ordained man to feed  
After that his kind hath need  
And the remnant to save  
Untyl after he need have  
And a man that is wise  
Shall eat once a day or twice  
A man that etyth at meel  
Untyl him thynkyth that he is well  
And layth eft above more  
Or that be digested before  
His stomach encombres he  
And the hete that therein should be  
And so his kind he bryngyth down  
And himself to corruption  
And his wit in that is less  
Than a beast that etyth gross  
For there is neither horse ne kowe  
From that he hath etyn I now  
That will eat any more  
Till after he hongar sore  
And seeing a brute beast doth it  
Moore should a man that hath wit  
Wherefore I say a miss they do  
That eat more than need is to   

¶ The lxxviij question  
¶ Which is the best thing of the man  
And the worst that thou reckyn can  
THe best thing of the man I iwis  
And the worst the tongue it is  
For by his tongue a man may get  
Silver and gold drink and meet  
Love/ worship and favour  
And enhaunting of honour  
Also for the tongue he may  
Have shame and bylony alday  
For such words may he say  
That peradventure may 'cause him to they  
The tongue hath nother gold ne fee  
But much honour maketh she  
And the tongue hath no bone  
But it doth break many one  
And also well/ ware it the will  
Might it speak the good as ill   

¶ The lxxix question  
¶ Whether hath aman more cunning  
Of hot mets or of cold eting  
A Man that useth hot meats  
He chasys his body when he eties  
The sinews norysshies he thereby  
And all the veins of his body  
He warmyth the brain and the heart  
And maketh them of wit smart  
Cold metes doth not thereto  
But keleth senowes and veins also  
And styreth the humours wicked and ill  
That the head held still  
And they keel a man's wit  
Wherefore necessarily behoveth it  
When the wits are so cold  
That they the less coning hold   

¶ The lxxx question.  
¶ How may aman i'll felony  
And wrath and malencoly?  
first shall amam have in his thought  
Him that him hath made of naught  
And thank it him in all sake  
That he at his likeness would him make  
And he should him bethynke also  
Of the death that he shall to  
That no man may fro shrink  
Also shall he him bethynke  
How god hath given to many  
Maim and sickness of body  
And to some roting of limb  
And what health he gave to him  
Eat and drink after skill  
And sleep as that reason will  
That evil well overcome he shall  
That him steereth to grieve withal  
And so may he felony  
Overcome and malancoly   

¶ The lxxxj question.  
¶ Whether to have is more bate  
Love of woman or her hate?  
A Good woman is good to love  
And hold unto man's behove  
For of good women cometh naught  
Neither in work nor in thought  
But good and worship where she goeth  
And every man therefore her commends  
For but good and truth and law  
Doth she mean to her fellow  
And such a woman love men shall  
And do worship and honour with all  
A wicked woman shall men hate  
And i'll from her in the gate  
If men may not i'll her still  
find means to eschew her wicked will  
For men shall never have but folly  
Of wicked womannies company  
Much peril and great blame  
And among men eschap much shame  
Her manners are full of vice  
Much like to a cocatryce  
Which is a beast as men of tellyth  
And in the water most he dwellyth  
He hath a great head and a long  
And many reth crooked and wrong  
twice in the year he is grieved  
With worms that in his teeth do bread  
And when he felyth them so  
The land doth he draw to  
And lieth again the son aldaye  
Gaping as wide as he may  
Than cometh a foul that god would make  
The worms out of his teeth to take  
Aprycke on his head is dight  
Shapen as an edyl right  
The fowl creepeth in all nice  
In to the mouth of the Cocatryce  
And the worms etyth echone  
The Cocatryce felyth anon  
That the worms destroyed be  
Anon her mouth closyth she  
And would that fowl eat for his meed  
That hath done to him that good deed  
The bird felys her not well  
And wotyth that she will him spyl  
With his mouth that is sharp before  
The Cocatryce smytyth thore  
In the mouth again the palate  
That she openyth her mouth with that  
The bird fleyth out in haste  
And spedyth her away fast  
Such seruys yeldyth wicked women  
For all his good deed/ unto man  
Wherefore shall good men still  
flee from their wicked will   

¶ The lxxxij question  
¶ A man that is in health and young  
How angeries he for a little wrong  
I Shall tell the how and why  
The heart is lord of the body  
The body is his wardeyn  
And his servant with all his meyn  
For all that liketh the heart unto  
Likes to the body also  
The eyen are gythers of the heart  
The ears messyngers smart  
The tongue his advocate is she  
And the feet his summer's be  
The hands are his knights insured  
The herties castle is the head  
The brains so are castle as I have sayen  
That of the heart resevyth fain  
If the heart a word here verily  
Be it scathe or be it merry  
He may it not wite ne know  
But his messyngers to him it show  
And if that the tidings him like  
He reioysys of it wonderlyke  
And all his men have joy and bliss  
That the heart so merry is  
But when the messyngers tell him any thing  
Whereto he hath no liking  
He stirreth and quakyth wrothfully  
And all his men are than sorry  
Albina are they wroth and quake also  
As the wot themself do  
His enemies are glad therefore  
On his men waxing glowing sore  
If the heart be strong and wyes  
And love the castle there he lies  
And his men will see until  
And their scathe not nourish will  
Blame/ charge/ and the wroth all  
Upon himself take he shall  
Holding him fast it again  
Than shall his men rest and be fain  
And his foos overcome be  
That have reared his main  
But if the heart be feeble and vain  
His enemies brennes him again  
And if he have no might in resesting  
Their assault him assailing  
And his men are as feeble as he  
And remembres naught her adversity  
But to mysdo they stir them smart  
And all the sorrow bideth the heart  
Wherefore the body may take no scathe  
But the heart fell it rath   

¶ The lxxxiij question  
¶ How may a man blameless be  
¶ To love a woman & him not she  
Love may they together well  
As in god I the tell  
For god them together feasted lovely  
Of both making one body  
By cause fruit should be bytwyx them two  
To goddys' name worship to do  
Wherefore should either love other in bliss  
As the will of god is  
¶ Of love there is another manner  
After as the world useth here  
As a man to love his wife  
For her fayrnes and her good life  
For riches and her lewte  
And wit that in her may be  
Aman that a good wife havys  
That him both wynnys and savys  
And is of good manner withal  
The world will that he her love shall  
And for these skills shall woman  
After the world again love man  
But who so loveth other weal  
And of these virtues have no deal  
Moche to blame are they truly  
For they love unskylfully.   

¶ The lxxxiiij question.  
¶ Whereof cometh the fatness & why  
That aman hath in his body?  
OF flewmys that in the body runneth  
Cometh fathed who so them kenneth  
And if the flewmies be sweet  
Through the body they sheet  
And the hete of other things  
Sle they/ and themself springs  
And lordship they have anon  
Over the humours everichone  
And when that they masters are  
The sweetness of them turneth yare  
In to greece/ than gather that  
And maketh so the body fat  
If the flewmes be salt within  
The flesh and the body they brenne  
And company anon they take  
Unto colours yellow and black  
And when they in limbs & veins spread  
And though colours with them lede  
So long as they therein dure  
They let the body of norture  
And holdis it so lene alway  
That it no greece gather may  
Therefore it is good to many one  
To let the flewmes out of him go  
For aman may be slaynyd thereby  
Or make great scab on his body.   

¶ The lxxxu question  
¶ Shall a man awoman chastise  
With beting when she doth amiss  
GOod women to deal with all  
Their misdeeds shallbe but small  
And if she have aught mysgon  
She repenties her anon  
Shonysshing her mysdede  
Men shall then her chastise and lede  
With fair words and soft  
And shall noman morn her often  
When a wicked woman hath myswrought  
And shonysys it right naught  
But doth use it all tyte  
And hath therein great delight  
If man her blame that she did so  
Another time shall she worse do  
If men them upbrede or bete  
The less she shall her folly let  
Men shall her warn twice or thrice  
With fayrewordes if he be wyes  
And with gift and fair heating  
Will not leave that thing  
Man shall her let and fro her go  
For it helpyth man no nother to do  
Unto woman that wicked will be  
For of the devils will is she  
And the devil her dwellyth in  
That causyth that she cannot blyn  
Wherefore there is no better won  
But let the devil and her alone   

¶ The lxxxuj question  
¶ What thing is gelousy to know  
And why is man in gelousy so  
OF gelousy are manners more  
For to tell of than one or two  
One gelousy of god it is  
When aman heryth speaking amiss  
Again god or again his lay  
As herytykes do all day  
There should aman be right jealous  
And to his law were defyrus  
Yet shall a man jealous be  
Over his friend if any have he  
And that gelouse is commandment  
Of clean heart and loving intent  
Yet is there a gelousye  
That cometh of fowl heart and folly  
And of wicked humours also  
That the heart gatheries unto  
That gelousy cometh of woman surely  
Enhaunting them wickedly  
The heart brennys of wicked thought  
Rest in the body may it naught  
Meet and drink he forgettyth all quite  
With all his joy and his delight  
If aman be in such a strife  
For her that is his own wife  
Out of his thought he shall it late  
And think that it may him not bate  
His borden from his back he threw'  
And cast it unto ground low  
And think if she good would be  
Should none her keep so well as she  
And think till he faryth so  
He sekyth after sorrow and woe  
And if he love one wodly  
That not is his own properdly  
He travaylys in gelousye  
Of brenning heart and great folly  
In angwysshe great live he sha'  
And his time losyth all  
He is like that man I iwis  
That night and day fighting is  
Again the wind it for to take  
His own at his will to make  
And ever the lengar he doth so  
The further is the wind him fro   

¶ The lxxxvij question  
¶ Shall aman love his friend  
And opyn to him all his mend  
HIs good friend aman love shall  
With good heart and clean with all  
After his might and with him deal  
And of his charge bear somdele  
For if he right good friend be  
No goodness forgetyth he  
But of divers manners are they all  
Many that men friends call  
Some there are that well can shake  
And aman fair semblant make  
Saying that he is his friend  
Untyl he know aught of his mend  
He proferies him his will to do  
But there is no trust there to  
What he doth he rekenyth not nor hue  
But that it be his own prow  
For did he aught again him  
He should find him fell and grim  
And he loveth me lightly inbate  
That for a little will me hate  
He that loveth me for mine  
And not for me/ that is venom  
But he is friend to man's behove  
To trust in and to love  
That naught assentyth to the will  
Of his friend that may turn to ill  
And serveth not glosyngly  
But chastise him of his folly  
And though he apertly him mysdo  
He ne says him no word unto  
In that friend shall man have fyaunce  
And love him and him advance   

¶ The lxxxviij question  
¶ May aman his profit do  
And no travail have thereto  
SIthen adan eat through wicked rede  
The appul that god forbid  
from that time unto now  
Might never adam do his prow  
Ware he never so mighty  
Without travail of his body  
The world that men on affy  
Is but vanity and folly  
Therefore it behoveth poor to travel smere  
And rich men in their heart  
As to think how they shall save  
And multyplye that they have  
And also think on heaven king  
To make himself a good ending  
Better it is before to travel hard  
So that the prove come afterward  
Than of travail here to slake  
And fowl ending after to make  
For without some travail  
May no man in the world avayl   

¶ The lxxxix question  
¶ Shall men do good & alms deed  
Unto poor that have need  
DO good/ men shall to a poor man  
That himself help ne can  
And what befall ne rekyn shall  
But for goddys' love do all  
Unto the rich is lent richesse  
To help the poor that hath distress  
He shall think that poor born be  
Of adam and Eve as well as he  
And to his lycknes are wrought  
And that he hath his riches naught  
Of himself but of goddys' love  
His body to keep only  
But his soul with all to tile  
And think that after a while  
He shall die and go hens somewhere  
And nothing shall he with him bear  
But as he came so shall he far  
Both poor/ naked and bore  
Therefore shall he poor give unto  
Gladly departing therewith also  
For that he giveth that shall he find  
And that he levyth him behind  
Is the worldies and not his  
Whreof he shall have little bliss   

¶ T●e. lxxxx. question  
¶ How shall aman him order me say  
That is among the folk alday  
A Man shall him contain wisely  
Among men and curteslye  
And with fair semblant every whore  
Speaking at measure and no more  
And here other speak when they begin  
Though he have no delyt therein  
For it is great courtesy  
To cast unto him his eye  
That he spekyth hold with all  
And to his words lysten he shall  
Yet shall he keep him every a tide  
With out boast and also pride  
Though he more richer were  
Than any other that are there  
For ever the myghtyare he be  
The better behavyour of should be he  
For to be curties and meek  
If he will honour seek  
And if he shall speak any whore  
He shall him bethynke before  
And cast than in his heart right well  
Or that he speak any deal  
And when that he shall tell his will  
give bold and fair semblant there till  
Andrea be abashed of nothing  
Whyl he is in telling  
Aman that shall a reason show  
A baysshing as he doth it out throw  
His knowledge is then lost among  
For they will say that he saith wrong  
Be he among fools brought  
There his wisdom helpyth naught  
Wherefore he him contain  
Untyl he be among wysmen again  
As folly among wysmen is wyke  
wisdom among folies is like   

¶ The. lxxxxj. question  
¶ Is a rich man less worthy  
That he losyth his good holy  
¶ Or a pour worthy the more  
That riches on him increased wore  
AS long as the rich hath his good  
He is regarded as of noble blood  
He is called and herd over all  
And every man him trust shall  
If his good fall him fro  
He losyth might and honour also  
With courage and doutynesse  
And becomyth coward never the less  
At cownsel shall he be not regarded  
His words shall nothing be trusted  
No man shall his tales believe  
No faith shall men to him give  
And the talking shallbe I iwis  
That he was/ and now not is  
¶ The pour when he waxyth rich  
His neybors shall their trust in him pych  
He is held wise curteys and good  
Though he be a churl of blood  
His word is hard and believed weal  
Though it be losing a great deal  
Frendys he find anon right  
That sometime set of him full light  
If he come any where to the meet  
He shallbe set among the great  
To counsel shall they call him gladly  
That before regarded him lightly  
By the rich it fareth even so  
As men seethe by a merchant it do  
That borroweth great good all day  
Of rich men that lend may  
And have naught thereof greatly  
But travaileth and lives thereby  
And when the rich his good will have  
Than is the merchant but a knave  
And while he the reches occupied  
He was of them rich counted  
Of this world it fareth so  
Of all that men may gather them to  
Hath he naught but whyl he is here  
His livelihood/ and he be on bear  
Hath he no more than he first with begins  
He cometh and goeth a power man  
But the poor that rich was  
Is held gentylare per caas  
Than he that naught had  
Nor naught hath for he is bade   

¶ The. lxxxxij. question  
¶ The wicked manner of men we see  
And wicked custom whereof may that be  
OF wicked will and wicked heart  
And of malice that gathers smart  
For man hath the wit  
To know his manner & reason it  
And to let it if he will  
And to change it from evil  
He that wicked custom hath also  
Good may he not think ne do  
Nor his heart in rest be  
For in unclean thought travails he  
Through the which surely  
His time he wastyth and body  
As he that goeth beastye  
That he might sykerlye go by  
That goeth about without towns  
Both by dale and by downs  
And needles travaylys him amiss  
For all his own folly it is   

¶ The. lxxxxiij. question  
¶ Seeing iron is so hard and strong  
And for to work it somewhat long  
¶ How was first made & wherewith  
tongues mariner and the styth  
GOd commanded all thing  
And all are of his making  
And wist whereof man had need  
For to do with any deed  
To him his messyngers he sent  
The angel that to adam went  
He bade him iron take in his hand  
And than was it as nesshe as sand  
And thereof first made a styth  
And hammer/ tongues to work with  
He went and shaped them everichone  
And they become hard anon  
And when it to the dylwy came  
No of such lomes made than  
That ware forged after tho  
And kept them and after made more  
And so to this time wrought are they  
And shallbe to domysday   

¶ The. lxxxxiiii. question  
¶ Do they amiss that alday swear  
By their god what so he were  
HE that swears by his god falsely  
For he should trust in him perfitly  
Whether he good or wicked is  
He doth evil and amiss  
For I trow there is no man quyke  
That his god holdyth wyke  
And falsely for covetise  
swears on him by many wis  
He is devil and devils like  
And worse than an herytyke  
For his god falseth he  
For thing that little while shallbe  
And though his god be false and wick  
And he forswear him by him thick  
His neighbour for to beguile  
He sinneth greatly I tell the treulye  
Law nor treuthe hath he none  
Nor among men should go  
That by his god falsely will swear  
For he would aman with falsed deer   

¶ The. lxxxxv question.  
Shall aman of his body  
In allthing be chaste treuly?  
chastity a man shall hold  
Of his body many fold  
Of false oaths and of lechery  
And of all other velany  
Of evil sight of evil speak  
Of evil going and of handling eke  
Not to sleep in evil ne in evil rede  
Nor eat nor drink in evil stead  
Ne none other thing do  
But as right him gydeth to  
All that is evil is to i'll  
And of all that shall a man chaste be  
Sethe god at his likeness hath sent  
Shape to man/ and wit him lent  
Evil to know and it to forsake  
Than doth he amiss that thereto will him take  
And he that him therefro holdeth all  
To god's company he shall  
And to his angels also  
When time comes there unto   

¶ The. lxxxxuj. question  
¶ Whom shall amam love with all to go  
And whose company i'll fro  
IN fair dews that may them meet  
shall aman go and in herbs sweet  
There may he go sickerly  
Without hurt of his body  
For who so in the fire goose  
He brennyth both foot and toos  
By this shalt thou understand  
With whom aman shall go company/ and  
Go with the good to and fro  
So shalt thou not mysdo  
Nor noman shall to the say  
Where thou goyst by the way  
But worship/ honour of the will talk  
And than in the dew thou doyst walk  
But if aman in himself be good  
And he turn there to his mood  
To haunt folies company  
To him thereof shall come folly  
And evil report and wicked name  
And vylony of folk and blame  
And they shall say he would not go there  
But he of their manners were  
Ware he not of their assent  
Therefore in their company he went  
Every good man will him i'll  
And this upon the fire goeth he  
Wherefore should men with good go  
And that are folies i'll them fro   

¶ The. lxxxxvij. question  
¶ Whether is better so god the save  
riches or poverty for to have  
Richeses are there bodily  
And there are also ghostly  
And who cometh the one until  
May have the other if he will  
For he may have that is need  
The soul and body both to feed  
He shall find how him he serve shall  
And his commandment do all  
Iche man shall find to do it well  
And for his riches the more every deal  
If men worship the poor aught  
That is but wind and turnyth to nought  
For of that honour that he had  
May he not be feed ne clad  
Wherefore to bodily profit  
Than is it more delyt  
Men say a rich churl is he  
That poor and worshipped men see   

¶ The. lxxxxviij. question  
¶ Shall aman honour that are nigh done  
Like a rich man and agrom  
THat man that dame will lelly  
He shall also debonarly  
Apover neigh do honour to  
As he should to a rich do  
Though the rich be high set  
And the poor stand on his feet  
But if they both in like caas be  
Of iugment to here the sentence perdie  
no more shall he be disdaining  
To here the poor man's saying  
Than he shallbe of the rich man's matter  
So as the poor man's be as good or better  
jugment came of god wherefore it should  
Be delyd even if men would   

¶ The. lxxxxix. question  
¶ Delyt the poor in poverty also  
As the rich in their riches do  
Apover man that hath no meet  
And to fill the womb he may gete  
He delighteth him more therein  
Than the rich with all that he doth win  
For if the poor have his fill  
Of meet and drink he hath his will  
And the rich is hongre aye  
To gather more than he may  
And have he never so great fee  
He may never filled be  
For better at ease than is Iwis  
The full man/ than the hongre is  
The poor so of his hongar sesyth  
The rich in his hongar contynuyth  
He that long hath seek leyne  
When he is heeled he is feign  
And in his heart reioysyth more  
Than they that ever in health wore  
When the sickness of the poor  
That hongre is may aught cover  
With meet and drink that he hath got  
Moore delight he hath in that  
Than he that is in riches sad  
That never no default had   

¶ The. C. question  
¶ Shall a man aught make his roos  
Of any thing that he does  
These wise men should boast them naught  
Of nothing that they have wrought  
For offence wa●e it god unto  
And his own dishonour also  
Be he never so doughty  
Ne so valiant of his body  
And he boast him of his deed  
Men shall scorn him to his meed  
And though they say it not/ they him hold  
For a liar of that he told  
But a coward of no bounte  
For men shall ween he doughty be  
Of much more his boast will make  
Than ever dared he under take  
Than say some that by him sat  
That he is a lyare in that  
He was never worth a torde  
But a bostar in word  
And he that doughty man is told  
And a hardy and a bold  
Kepyth his tongue where he doth resort  
Suffering other of him to report  
That is much more his honour  
For it is an old auctoure  
He that himself bostyth in town  
With an horse tord men shall him crown   

¶ The. Cj. question  
¶ Why are howndes faster in their kind  
Than other beasts that men do find  
OF all the beasts that I wot  
Is none of nature so hot  
As is a hound in his nature  
And when he shall make engendure  
Of their hete the great glowing  
Maketh them together fastening  
As two pieces of Iron far  
In the fire when they welled are  
Ley that one that other upon  
And give them a stroke anon  
Through hete they together bind  
And so far hounds in their kind   

¶ The. C.ii question  
¶ He that of another man's wife covetis is  
Or of his good doth he amiss?  
HE that is covetous and wood  
After other man's good  
Other his wife whether it be  
Great sin and amiss doth he  
And such aman as we of tell  
Is called the devils gripe of hell  
For the devil coveth ay  
To draw unto him that he may  
And for such a covetous is known  
That more would have than his own  
For a man should with another do  
As he would men did him to  
What man would him take fro  
His wife or his goodies mother  
I trow it would make him loath  
And soon make him wroth  
Wherefore should man hold him even  
As the angels do in heaven  
There none coveteth others bliss  
But holdyth him content as he is   

¶ The. C.iij question  
¶ May no man eschape/ but die  
By riches/ might ne any rede me say  
Every man is made as thou hast herd  
Of four things in this mydelerd  
Of fire/ water/ earth/ air  
Both the fowl and also the fair  
And these four each one be  
Contrary to other in quality  
And the body may not blyn  
Where these four are gathered in  
But together have they batayle  
Ey unto one of them doth fail  
And be the one down clean brought  
The body liveth lengar naught  
Therefore where so a man be  
Be it on land or on see  
The death cleaveth ever by him  
As it were his own lime  
His lime might he away cast  
But death cleaveth over fast  
So that power ne richesse  
Ne cunning ne doughtynesse  
No excusation may aman make  
When god will the death him to take  
For good and bade shrew and which  
Young and old poor and rich  
Strong and feeble folies and wise  
Great and small may none scape this  
The death that he most to go  
Unto the earth there he came fro   

¶ The. C.iiij. question  
¶ Syttyth god to answer aye  
Them that folly speak alday  
Him to farforth aman strykys  
That answers him that folysly spekies  
But if his folly should him dear  
Than is it good that he answer  
Sometime spekyth a fool folly  
And noman wottyth of whom ne why  
And men answer him nothing  
Is none the worse of his saying  
Butt if men answer him thore  
They bold him to speak the more  
And than is a fool all hot  
To speak more than he wots  
And his words will not let  
To confirm with words great  
And so engendryth great folly  
And great hathred and envy  
And if men him answered naught  
His jangling were to end brought  
Therefore he goth on the egg of a sword  
That answereth unto a foles' word   

¶ The. C.u. question  
¶ What cunning of all that you tell can  
Is most grievous unto man?  
OF all conyngiss the grevosest  
That is clergy and eke the best  
The sotylest and the most of wit  
And the most worshyped is it  
And therefore is it called art  
For it arteth on each part  
His herer unto cunning  
And of all thing knowleging  
And soonest may it avail  
But art of the most travail  
Than is writing of all that be  
For he that writeth may not see  
A bought/ cs he is in writing  
Nor here no speech nor other thing  
Nor think/ nor lysten/ ne naught do  
B●t all only there unto  
Therefore of all travails thou wottest  
Than is writing alther most   

¶ The. C.uj question  
¶ They that travail for to win  
And can not live/ why will they not blyn  
MEn that travail and ease them naught  
In great covetise are they brought  
And great traldam live they in  
And yet they cannot blyn  
But they shall travail and go there fro  
And all that travail in such woe  
Shall another of it make him blithe  
That little did for it/ but labour light  
I say not that is gottyn in haste  
Shall a man dyspend in waist  
Ne shall of that feel no dysese  
But he shall with that sit at ease  
And never the less at measure spend  
Of such as god will send  
Ease them that not have  
And life and soul so may he save  
But he that of travail can not late  
For covetise of worldly bore  
And hath I now without that  
He shall never man be fate  
But ever the more he may win  
The more care is he in  
Wherefore it is good in travail strong  
Though a man win/ to rest among   

¶ The. C.vij. question  
¶ On what manner may it rise  
That men wax soles and unwise  
ON many manners cometh it to  
That men fools wax also  
Some are simple as fools born  
Some by evil their wits have lorne  
And some by losing of their blood  
Some for their brains wax all wooed  
Some of wicked humours begin  
And some for the hete that they have be in  
Some by cause their heart is of feeble might  
And some for evil sight on night  
And some that wake over fast  
That drieth the brains at the last  
And many manners are there more  
That works unto man great woe   

¶ The. C.viij. question  
¶ Is the soul or the body woe  
When one shall departed another fro  
FOr sooth it grevyth them fulsore  
And full morning are therefore  
Feeling great ang●ysshe and woe  
When that one partyth the other fro  
And if it at their will wore  
They departed would never more  
If a young man took awyfe  
That he loved as his life  
And she him more than althing  
Who so betwyx them made departing  
Departing them again their will  
That should please them both full ill  
So is it betwyx the soul and the body  
They are spoused together inwardly  
And so great love together hold  
That they never departed would  
Andrea if they febely have wrought  
sithen they together were brought  
Than chely is the sorrow all  
When that they departed shall  
For the body rottyh away  
The soul goeth to pain for ay  
Than it is no wonder that they be wroth  
And dreading of thyr departing both   

¶ The. C.ix question  
¶ Whether shall men hold the more  
A old man or a young man that wore  
UNto neither shall men hold  
There both are for fools told  
For if the young a fool is  
And he be instructed amiss  
The hot nature will in him glow  
And humours as a low  
Which hetyth his heart and his blood  
And maketh him iolyfe and wood  
And while that hete lasteth so  
A short rede should he assent to  
But an old fool if there be one  
That hath little hete or none  
And he be tangeled with iolyte  
A right kind fool is he  
For his time he had before  
And now would have one more  
And that iolynesse men in him find  
Is of force and of no kind  
And so is he ioylyfe amiss  
For he showeth more than in him is  
As he that flesh would sethe kindly  
With the claryte of the son verily  
But to such fools old  
Shall no wiseman him hold   

¶ The. C.x. question  
¶ Why raynys it in one year more  
Than in another and wherefore  
Sometime that it raynyth so  
In one year more than in another do  
first of goddys' will I it fet  
And than of governal that he hath set  
As of moving a the planeties  
And of the signs that them meats  
After as they move low or high  
Make they the years were or dry  
And all cometh of goddies will  
Rain it/ snewe it/ or be it still   

¶ The. C.xi question  
¶ Why hath not god man so wrought  
That he ne had sinned naught  
IF god had man first so dight  
That he after ne sinned might  
Of meryt were no man worthy  
For no goodness of his body  
All the meryt again. should go  
Unto god there it came fro  
And of goddys' bliss no man worthy wore  
But he deserved it had before  
And aware man made on such manere  
That he might no sin do here  
His goodness of him lief ware naught  
But his that him so hath wrought  
For of that that the behoveth need  
Art thou worthy to have no meed  
But the man that of his will  
May do both good and ill  
And doth the good/ worthy he is  
For to come unto that bliss  
That god hath ordained him unto  
And that the devil should also  
Shame him/ that god had man ordained  
To have the bliss that he of myscaryed  
By the works of his own will  
The good to take and i'll the ill   

¶ The. C.xii question  
¶ Is it good to have entormeting  
Again every man of allthing  
AMan shall climb on a tree  
That he thinketh esyest be  
The fruit for to come unto  
If he will his profit do  
And he that on the son beam will climb  
He may break his neck some time  
For he that clymeth over high  
May hap sometime to wry  
even so it faryth with man's demenar  
That entermetyth a 'bove his powar  
Late them that are rich and fierce  
Entyrmet them with their pers  
And the poor where they far  
With such other as they are  
But sometime the poor is pert perdie  
To strive with the rich in his poverty  
Butt with the rich to entyrmet  
He may loose and nothing gete  
And if that it so befall  
That arych him to cownsel call  
Entyrmete him of no more  
Than that he is called fore  
Late rich with the rich man  
Do the best that they can  
And work they good work they ill  
Ever the poor hold him still  
With his like about he go  
And entyrmete him as with the  
where he shall have dread none  
To hurt his heed again astone   

¶ The. C.xiii question  
¶ Tell me now for what sake  
That god would that world make  
GOd made the world as was his will  
The palace of heaven to fulfil  
Of the which angels fell out before  
For the pride they in wore  
And for that the trinity  
Was not worshipped as it should be  
Than made he man that bliss to win  
That angel had lost by sin  
But all though that here are wrought  
Shall not to that bliss be brought  
None but though that are worthy  
For the good deeds of their body   

¶ The. C.xiiii. question  
¶ How was the world made as it is  
And how holdies it tell me this  
When angel had done amiss  
And was fall out of bliss  
God commanded there unto  
Be made the world & it was so  
Fire & air them highest drawn truly  
For they were lyghtest sickerly  
Earth and water down them dressed  
And the water upon the earth doth rest  
And all four by and by  
Ware hanging in the mydel of the sky  
And fastening have they none  
But of goddies might alone  
God made the world of the likeness  
Of an egg more nigh less  
Be the shell take I shall  
The firmament that closyth all  
Be the white the water take I  
That is between the earth and the sky  
Be the yolk that is innermest  
Take I the earth that is lowest  
And when the yolk is sod hard  
Awhyt is in the mydwarde  
Whereby I take hell  
For it is fortherest from the shell  
And so is hell heaven fro  
Ferrest put in sorrow and woe  
And echone is as thou mayst see  
There god them ordained first to be   

¶ The. C.xu question  
¶ Is any other folk than we  
That of the son hath the claryte  
divers other the world are in  
And fer from us they been  
Under us they are loo  
That their feet again owrs go  
And who so all the world might see  
In one son both be we  
But sometime when here is night  
Than have they the day light  
And here sometime shynyth the son  
When that they none see cone  
For when the son to rest goeth thore  
Half prime is it to us and more  
And the roundness I iwis  
Of the world maketh this  
Our summer and our winter also  
Is both on us and them unto  
But after the son drawyth to ending  
When here is erly than there is morning  
And in other placies more  
Of the word it faryth so  
That some have summer very hot  
There other have winter cold and wots  
And god hath of the son I iwis  
Made the way that maketh all this   

¶ The. C.xuj question  
¶ How long may the world be  
And how broad and thick is he  
HE that the world beholdyth all  
It is round as a ball  
And for his roundness it behove thanede  
That all one like be long and breed  
Bud the thycknes also  
Is even with them two  
And in caas it were all plain land  
As the palm of my hand  
Aman should every day  
Go certain miles by the way  
And should have no letting  
Of water ne no nother thing  
The world for to thorough fare  
He should not come there  
His purpose through to go  
By a thousand days without more  
And that same shall he find that doth go  
The thycknes as well as the breed   

¶ The. C.xvij. question  
¶ Why shall god clean also  
The folk of this world undo  
GOd shall this world destroy I iwis  
For a better than it is  
For ware it now that here stood  
A rich palace and a good  
And the man that it longed to  
Another house had also  
Well sympler and less worthy  
And it fortuned than chaunceably  
That of the palace fell awalle  
And loose thereof the stones and all  
And that wall might he not make  
But he would the stones take  
Of the little house beside  
I trow there should no nother betide  
But he would his palace dight  
As shortly as he might  
And of his house have little care  
But that his palace fulfilled aware  
He ware a fool that would cheese  
The better for the worse to lose  
So faryth god I warn the weal  
For of his palace fell a great deal  
And of this world no nother careth he  
But that his palace fulfilled be   

¶ The. C.xviij question  
¶ The fowls that in the air fly  
How are they born on fit a high  
THe thycknesse of the air ahye  
Is the chief cause truly  
That the fowls a loft are born  
Else ware their flight forlorn  
The air is thick and moist also  
And will disclose and close again to  
And when the fowl is a loft  
His wings styreth he oft  
With the warping of his wing  
He doth the air a sondre minge  
Which waxeth thick and he is light  
And that him holdyth in his flight  
And that the air is thick above  
Aman may well prove  
Who so in his hand will take  
A yard and it smertly shake  
It shall bow in the shaking  
And that doth no nother thing  
But thycknes of the air withstandies  
The yard in shaking of thy handies  
And so it withstandyth the fowls all  
In their fleeing that they ne fall   

¶ The C.xix. question  
¶ Among all other tell me yet  
The rain that fallyth whence comith it  
BAyne is water of the see  
And with blast of wind mounties he  
And when the wind is on high  
The son that is hot kindly  
Draws the water fast him to  
The wind puttyth fast after also  
As that men may see sometime  
A due lying till half the prime  
But when the son his hete yeldies  
That dew in town and in feldies  
He takyth up and draweth fast  
And cometh to the air at the last  
And is there thyckened in cloud  
Than cometh wind and blowyth loud  
And beareth it in the air everywhore  
Till it be waxed thick and more  
Than beginneth it to be heavy soon  
Aod may not long a 'bove won  
But fallyth in rain hastily  
And when the rain is down cleanly  
The cloud becomyth white and fair  
Which is a the keelth of the air  
And that wastyth the son there near  
And so becomyth the sky clear   

¶ The. C.xx. question  
¶ Hail stones that fall also  
From whence and whereof come the  
OF water gathered under the sky  
And of kylth of the air on high  
As when a cloud is but thine  
little pour having him in  
And above in the air fly  
Winds that are cold and dry  
And when that cloud should in drops fall  
With coldness are they frozen all  
And that that should have fall rain to ground  
They fall than in stones round   

¶ The. C.xxj question  
¶ Whereof are the tempests all  
That sometime among us fall  
IN that year that summer is cold  
And the moisture manifold  
That is in the air holdyth still  
And may not cleansed be at will  
But gatheryth fast and holdyth thore  
And in winter encresyth to more  
Than be fallyth in some party  
That the earth cleaveth for dry  
The spered winds than come out  
And spread them all about  
In to the air their way they take  
And thereof great tempest make   

¶ The. C.xxii question  
¶ Tell me now for it is wonder  
Whereof cometh the thounder  
‛ RIse out of the earth arecke truly  
As a smoke men may see perfitly  
And exhalations they height  
Which ascend in to the air right  
Hot and dry are some of tho  
And some hot and moist also  
When they all the highest are  
Of the air the wind that is there  
He that/ that is hot and dry  
May the hastlyar up a high  
And when the weet cometh thore  
For moisture gatheryth wind sore  
And waxyth cold thereby  
And thyckeneth also wonderly  
And than is it insunder cast  
And clouds made with winds blast  
And the exhalation that is dry  
Is cast a 'mong the clouds high  
From one to another as a ball  
But at the last out it shall  
And when he brekyth it asunder  
Anoyse it maketh that we call the thunder  
For dry among the weet will naught  
Dwell when the weet pressys him aught  
And by ensample thou mayst see  
On what manner it may be  
Let a man his handful hold  
Of whet or silver which he would  
The more he the hand togethtr priest  
The more will it out threst  
And so it is to understand  
Of the t'other before hand   

¶ The. C.xiij question  
¶ The wind that blowyth by land & see  
Whereof ever may it be  
I Have told here before  
Evalations what they wore  
And he that is hot and dry  
As I said will up a high  
Now when it cometh clouds among  
If the clouds be thick and strong  
They cast that exhalation  
To and fro up and down  
And be cause it is dry at the last  
It turneth in to winds blast  
And ware that exhalation hot  
It turneth in to rain wot   

¶ The. C.xxiiij. question  
¶ How yssueth water of hills high  
That seemed rather to be dry  
ALso as the veins lie  
In man's body low or high  
So the earth that we on go  
Is under full of veins also  
And open the hide the vain upon  
The blood springeth out anon  
even as well upon the crown  
As on the foot beneath down  
So the veins that in the earth lie  
Have water running low and high  
Up and down to and fro  
As the veins in earth go  
And there they the earth feeble see  
high or low whether it be  
It brestyth out and rennyth there  
hill or dale whether it be   

¶ The. C.xxv. question  
¶ The water that is in the see  
Why is it salt tell you me  
IN the mydel of the world a see is  
Where the son ever brenning is  
And by that brenning hete  
Are the waters that should be sweet  
Become bitter and salt also  
Which see runneth the other unto  
Whereof all salt it is  
And the hete of the son maketh moche of this  
Ware it that the see still stood  
And ware the water fresh and good  
The stink thereof so great should be  
That all the fishes in the see  
Should die anon both great and small  
And that ware unto man great bale  
And on the land should be such stink  
Moore than I can express or think  
Which should on land so be here  
That it should all the people dear   

¶ The. C.xxvi question  
¶ Whereof ever may it be  
The lyghtening that we here see  
Clouds sometime on the sky  
Renne together up a high  
With so great fire and so ken  
That fire lyghtenyth them between  
And that is that we lightning call  
And sometime down will it fall  
Sometime slekenies it a loft  
In the cloud and that is oft   

¶ The. C.xxvij. question  
¶ The waters that ebb & flow also  
Whereof come they & whiter do they go  
ALl the waters that ever be  
All they come out of the see  
And thither again they go  
Unto the see where they came fro  
The waters that fall in earth synkyth  
And as a spring the earth them drynkyth  
And when they are come thither  
In veins gather they together  
And they that go in by one side  
By another out they glide  
The earth takyth and giveth all  
The waters that are and on earth fall   

¶ The. C.xxviii. question  
¶ hills and roches were they naught  
Made when the world was first wrought  
FRom the first time of adam  
Unto the time that No came  
Was never hill ne rock with all  
But as plain about as a ball  
rain fallen than to earth none  
No tempest was nor storm  
But in the time of No  
For the great iniquity  
And for the sin that adam wrought  
God sent astode that ceased naught  
Xl. days and xl. nights  
All the world destroyed he thore  
Save them that in the arch wore  
And the course of the stood them among  
In his coming was so strong  
That where it neysshe ground fond  
It did fret away both earth and sonde  
Stone and rock field and town  
Albina was turned up see down  
But when the flood began to slake  
And little streams for to make  
Stones on hepes so with stood  
And turned no more for the flood  
And when some with stood so  
Mother them gathered unto  
The neysshe ground the water doth fret  
For no hardness it doth let  
And afterward the sonnys hete  
With frost and snow together do meet  
Dryving the stones together hard  
And become rocks afterward  
Wherefore by the foresaid skill  
That flood made both dale and hill   

¶ The. C.xxix. question  
¶ Shall the dylwy come any more  
In the world that was before  
GOd hath height unto man kind  
As we in our books find  
That never shall come to destroy man  
Such a dylwy as than ran  
But if of sin man not amend  
A sharp scourge he shall them send  
That scourge is a sword of wreck  
That one shall again another take  
And o●e shall another for do  
And destroy the world also   

¶ The. C.xxx. question  
¶ When Noe should to the arch go  
And of each beasts took with him two  
Why would he evil beasts take  
As scorpions/ adder/ and snake  
No did them in the arch ley  
For two things that I shall the say  
That one for the commandment  
That god him be the angel sent  
And that dared he not break  
For he saw much wreak  
Of each one two god bid him take  
For he would not them all new make  
Wherefore his precept did he  
And of them came/ that now be  
¶ That other was for man's he'll  
For but if venomous beasts feel  
Ware dwelling in each country  
So full of venom the earth should be  
That it should enuenym all thing  
As fruit and corn that in earth did spring  
And so should no man thereof eat  
But he died by that meet  
And the beasts ne live I iwis  
But of the venom that in earth is  
And they cleanse the earth by kind  
Of the venom they therein find  
And all their venom is truly  
Of the earth that they live by  
For take an adder for asay  
The venemost that men find may  
And in a vessel him do  
That no earth come him to  
With flesh and bred keep it thore  
fifteen days and no more  
All his venom shallbe gone  
And hurt may he do none  
For venom in him none doth abide  
Except he on the earth do slide   

¶ The. C.xxxj question  
¶ Whereof ever cometh the gold  
That man so precious doth hold  
THe mine of gold without miss  
In veins of the earth waxing is  
And silver also with metals mother  
Which the earth come fro  
But gold and silver men find between  
The earth there it is pure and clean  
Men gather it and dight it so  
With art that they have thereto  
But there men it most find  
Is a land by the west Ind  
In guise of brass men find there  
By the bank of the see everywhere  
But every man can not it dight  
For to bring it to the right   

¶ The. C.xxxi. question  
¶ Tell me now if thou wot  
How out of the earth spring waters hot  
Waters' that all hot so spring  
Have it somwher in their renning  
By brimstone hath his course  
And not far from his sours  
By the hete of the kind of brimstone  
The water becomyth warm anon  
And warm springeth out also  
And who so laid his nose thereto  
He should anon feel full we'll  
savour of brimstone somdele   

¶ The. C.xxxii. question  
¶ Among all other tell me one  
Whereof cometh the brimstone  
Quick brimstone that men call  
Cometh of lyghtening that doth fall  
Upon roches by the see  
Either on hills whether it be  
And so hard down are they cast  
With air above and winds blast  
That they fall the earth within  
And that earth they lie and ●ry●  
Which earth exist height thereby  
For it is brent so wondrously  
And that turneth to brimstone  
Which wellyth up sometime anon   

¶ The. C.xxxiij. question  
¶ Carboncles' and other stones mother  
Whereof may come all though  
OUt of Nygre that is a see  
Where cokyls are in great plenty  
And hung together two and two  
Opening in the water hanging so  
The rain falls from above  
And entres in them there they hove  
When they have received the rain astounded  
They close them and go to ground  
And at the ground/ lie they thore  
well a. C. year and more  
And they that are of that country  
When they seek them in the see  
Their visages to covar they begin  
With netes blathers blown thine  
And in black sow them also  
For the fish will i'll them fro  
Than go they down them to win  
And perlys find they them with in  
Whyte and round but neysshe they be  
But when they come out of the see  
And the air have them smyt upon  
They become right hard anon  
But though that are not in season  
Nor their time have after they went down  
To be fulfilled by the ground  
They stink as a pilled hound  
The Carboncles come also  
Of cokyls as pearls do  
But Carboncles of small hail fall  
And in fresh water be they all  
They by the ground wylbe  
Two hundred winter well or three  
And they stink and far amiss  
When their time not fulfilled is  
But all the rain that doth fall  
Turn not to stones all  
The rain that the first day fallyth  
Of the moan in january/ that men callyth  
And the moan be in that sign  
That unto that thing be dygne  
If that rain in the cokyl go  
Pearls shall come of tho  
And hail that to fall is won  
The eight day of the moan  
In February and the moan be right  
In a sign that Cancer height  
And the cokyls that hail in take  
Carboncles thereof they make  
But that rain and hail each deal  
Fall full seldom wite you well   

¶ The. C.xxxiiij. question  
¶ Of this world now tell me  
How many lands therein be  
Land but one is there none  
Who so all hole might see there on  
But for departing of the see  
That departyth them in three  
Three lands are that we call  
With out small isles all  
But all are one land to gethere fist  
And all upon one ground they rest  
And who so might the land be hold  
That no water let him should  
All hole and one he should it see  
And so made god it to be  
The water above insunder it casties  
But under hole and fast it lasties   

¶ The. C.xxxu question  
¶ Might any man on dry land well  
Go the world about every deal  
IN earth no man might go  
The world about to ne fro  
For he should find many lettynges  
And that of many things  
He should find wastenes full great  
There nethere were drink ne mere  
But wild beasts many one  
Ready to tere him as a bone  
Ware a hundredth men on one wrought  
And if that ne let him naught  
The open earth should letting be  
That swellyth and giveth again the see  
And many lettings other more  
If he est and west will go  
And if north and south go he  
Many other lettynges be  
For three zones shall he find  
Where no man may live in one kind  
One is hot and cold are two  
May no living thing be in tho  
And goddies will it is also  
Sha● no man be mighty thereto   

¶ The. C.xxxuj. question  
¶ Might any man sail night & day  
That had the wind with him aye  
¶ So long that his ship came unrent  
To the turning of the firmament  
A Man that in a ship wore  
Though he sailed ever more  
Yet should he not come near the sky  
And I shall tell the why  
The earth is round as a ball  
In the mydel/ and the sky over all  
Is alike far there fro  
And the water also  
All about on the earth doth stand  
And though a man took underhande  
To sail an hundred year  
He should the sky be all so near  
When that he from home went  
As when his hundred year are spent   

¶ The. C.xxxvij. question  
¶ Why made not god man to be  
Aye young/ ioylyfe/ and of pouste  
¶ rich and long life him lent  
And at his death to bliss have went  
HAd god made man on that manere  
As that thou tellyst here  
God as I think in my thought  
Had the devil great wrong wrought  
Which for a thought fell to hell  
And more with him than I can tell  
Should aman than be of long life  
Rich/ young/ and ioylyfe  
And have here all his delight  
And than far to heaven quite  
Noman is worthy to come thore  
But if he have done wherefore  
God hath granted us unto  
Be cause we shall here well do  
Health with out sickness  
joy and delight and great richesse  
And life also without end  
For the death that men here to wend  
Than is it for to reckon right  
Not other but as a by●des flight  
That flieth here in/ yonder out  
And be a man never so stout  
Nor so young/ nor fair to day  
To morrow shall it all a way  
I would not live a thousand year  
And all my delight have here  
And than unto heaven gone  
I had liefer be there a non  
For one delight that is thore  
Is worth a thousand here and more  
And therefore were it moche scate  
Thither for to come so late   

¶ The. C.xxxviij. question  
¶ Which are the angels tell me this  
That receiveth man's soul to bliss  
Each man an angel hath him to  
To keep him that he not miss do  
And when the soul at the end  
Shall out fro the body wend  
And it unto god be dear  
The angel that was his kepare here  
Shall come with great melody  
And of angels great company  
receiving him unto meed  
And to joy him lede  
After the time that is to say  
That goddys' son shall they  
But or he day on the road  
Albina go to hell wicked and good  
But all alike shall they naught  
Be pained/ but as they have wrought  
And some shallbe in free prison  
Till time of his passion  
But when the great doom shallbe  
Men shall agree at wonder see  
Sowle and body together go  
And together feel joy or woe  
And the soul that to hell shall went  
The devil that him holp to shent  
Shall receive him and say him to  
Thou hast done as I bade the do  
Thou withstodyst not my will  
Nor my teaching unto ill  
Wherefore shalt thou go with me  
Ever more in pain to be  
Thus shall they be received thick  
Good with good/ and wicked with wick   

¶ The. C.xxxix question  
¶ I pray the master say me now  
Which is better of the two  
¶ Good works without chastity  
Or works wicked/ and chaste to be  
GOod works would I cheese  
Though I chastity forlese  
For be thou chaste of thy body  
And thou work wickedly  
What virtue than hast thou in the  
Percaas is then thy chastity  
For sickness that thou may not dure  
Or for kelth of thy nature  
Or for age that thou may no more  
What meryt art thou worthy therefore  
And than for to go slay a man  
Or to rob in wood or fen  
Or thy neyghbore to beguile sotelly  
Or his good to forlese falsely  
What is worth such chastity  
When thou of other hast no pity  
But that unchaste life leads  
And he be good of all deeds  
His sin doth no man dear  
But all one he shall him bear  
And god alone he sinneth to  
And that may he soon fordo  
With alms deed or other thing  
But he that is of wicked bearing  
And of wicked deeds blynne ne can  
He sinneth both to god and man  
And lighter is it for to win  
Forgyfnes of god of sin  
Than of god and man both  
For the more that are to him wrought  
The more labour peace to make  
For the better caas than would I it take  
For to leave chastity  
Than wicked work/ and chaste to be   

¶ The. C.xl question  
¶ What thing may it ever make  
Earth din that doth the earth quake  
exhalations hot and dry  
That are drawn up right high  
And there with clouds driven fast  
And hard down to earth cast  
Which in to the cleft of the earth go  
As the clouds shones them fro  
cometh than hot wether and rain  
Which spereth the clefts of the earth again  
The exhalations dwell therein  
Spered and may not out win  
To and fro they move them thore  
But out may they no whore  
And if the exhalation be  
Gathered there great quantity  
So hard move them they shall  
That the earth quakyth with all  
And sometime more sometime less  
After as it is of mykelnesse   

¶ The. C.xli question  
¶ Tell me now if thou cone  
Whereof is the eclyps of son & moan  
OF the moan is eclyps no doubt  
In full moan or there about  
& when the full moan standithe south  
The son is than north  
A shadow of the earth riseth soon  
Ascending up a 'bove the moan  
And hoveth long while of the night  
Betwyx her and the sons light  
For light hath the moan none  
But that the son her smiteth on  
And so the moan her light leves  
For the shadow it reves  
But as she goys and her pace makys  
From the shadow/ light she takys  
Eclyps of the son commonly  
Is in the new moan or there by  
When the moan is new right  
She is dark with out light  
And that time the son and she  
Be one side of the sky shallbe  
And the son beam as it is won  
Should light down on the moan  
But if the moan under alyne fall  
line of eclyps that we call  
Light she taketh naught anon  
Unto she before be gone  
But unto that she there shall hove  
Be twyx us and the son above  
Her derknes ronnyth from our sight  
Much of the sons light  
This is the kyndest eclyps to see  
That may of the son be  
Other eclyps three we find  
Of the son against kind  
One came in time of No  
Again that the dyluny should be  
Another shallbe in sooth to say  
I● time that goddys' son day  
And in the birth shallbe the thryde  
Of the antechryst as shallbe kydde   

¶ The. C.xlij question  
¶ Stars that men see fall  
How fall they & from whence come they all  
UNderstand sir vyturly  
That no stars fall fro the sky  
But I shall tell the what it may be  
That the folk so falling see  
It is a fire that is abiding  
In the highest of the air brenning  
Next to the spear of fire  
And when the night sometime is shire  
Sparkles of that fire clear  
That much have of their matere  
Fall and pierce the air on night  
And come so unto our sight  
And seemeth as it were a star  
That by the sky did slide there  
For a sparkle coming from so high  
Unto a star is full likely   

¶ The xliij question  
¶ Tell me now or we further far  
How many heavens that there are  
WE lay that there are heavens three  
Whereof the one is that we see  
Turning about and is the sky  
And that heaven is bodily  
And to our sight it is blue  
As it were of asur hew  
The other heaven of to tell  
Is there good angels dwell  
That is ghostly/ and is all  
Of hue as it were crystal  
The third is goddies see  
Where he sitteth in majesty  
Therein is much bliss  
And of the gold of hue it is  
Of seven heavens also we tell  
For seven planets that therein dwell  
But rightly of heavens to lere  
So are no more but these three here   

¶ The. C.xliiii. question  
¶ Tell me now how high the heaven  
Above the earth is for to neven  
SO high is heaven the earth fro  
That if it were now also  
That a stone in heaven wore  
And weighed a hundredth stone and more  
And it should from heaven fall  
Unto ground among us all  
It should be seven year  
Or it to ground came here  
And nevertheless so far they are  
That a good soul should far  
From earth in to heaven sty  
In the twynkeling of an eye   

¶ The. C.xlv. question  
¶ The firmament that we over us see  
Of what might may it be?  
WHo so know it all aright  
The firmament is of great might  
Ever about it turneth ay  
And rests never night nor day  
For this world had no festening  
Ne ware his about turning  
Ware it that it still stood  
There nies man ne fish in flood  
Foule ne beast ne nothing here  
That life hath that aught might steer  
All that ever we steer or go  
Or flit other to or fro  
All together is us lent  
Of the turning of the firmament  
Therefore may thou see Iwis  
That of moche might it is   

¶ The. C.xlvi. question  
¶ Tell me now of what might  
The planets are & what they height  
planets governeth all thing  
That liveth or hath in earth waxing  
And each planet of his kind  
To nourish and give his mind  
Of the child each alike  
While the mother go therewith quyke  
Each one than shapyth his  
Of every lime that in him is  
And of planets are but seven  
whose names I shall to the reckon  
¶ Saturnus the first we call  
He is highest of them all  
Most and strongest is he  
And he passyth in his country  
The xii signs be one and one  
And he dwellyth in each one  
Or he pass half three year  
And his planet of power  
The man that is born therein  
And he dounward go to begin  
Dounward shall he go of might with all  
And if he regne regne he shall  
And this planet regnyth of power  
once in a thirty year  
And his regne and his might  
Is in a sign that Lybra height  
And dounward he rest takes  
To a sign height aries  
¶ The secounde planet is jupyter  
He is not from us so far  
Of great riches planet is it  
Of merchandise and of great wit  
And among men of good loose  
And be the xii signs he goos  
Dwelling in each one  
A year or he about have gone  
The man born in him that is  
Of xii year best of state he is I iwis  
In cancer he regnes hard  
In Caprycorne he goeth dounwarde  
¶ The third planet Mars is height  
Planet of war and fight  
And of blood spylling there men day  
By the xii signs lieth his way  
And in each one truly dwellyth  
Forty days or he passyth  
He that is born in that planet  
Within a year may he byete  
And four and thirty days thereto  
His deeds and his will also  
His regne is in Caprycorne  
And in Canser his might is lorne  
¶ The fourth planet is the son  
And if you understand con  
It is the planet of great worship  
Of kings and of ●ordshype  
Kepar of earth we him call  
And by the signs he passyth all  
And in each when he cometh thore  
He dwelleth a month and no more  
That is born in that he may every year  
Change his work and his manner  
His regne so is in Any's  
And in Lybra he him rests  
¶ The fift planet venus is  
Planet of love/ delight and bliss  
He that therein born shallbe  
Feble heart shall have of vanity  
But in four hundredth and forty days  
May he change all his ways  
His work and thought holly  
The xii signs goeth he by  
And in each one of though shall he  
Seven and twenty days be  
In piscibus raineth he stabely  
And down he goeth in Gemyny  
¶ The sixth planet Mercurius  
That art and cunning giveth us  
By the xii signs lieth his ways  
Dwelling in each one seventeen days  
He that is born in him may  
Be two hundred and the fourth day  
Change his courage and his thought  
And the works that he wrought  
¶ The moan the seventh planet we say  
Planet of water and of way  
By the xii signs she goeth also  
Dwelling in each one days two  
He that is born in this planet  
In a month may he byete  
And change his work and will  
Be it good be it ill  
In Taurus' cometh her regne unto  
And abesses her in Scorpyo  
And all the world is not I iwis  
So great as one planet is  
Save the three that lowest won  
Venus/ Mercurius/ and the moan   

¶ The. C.xlvij. question  
¶ Tell me now this once yet  
¶ How many manner of waters is it  
OF waters many manner there be  
first the water of the see  
That all other waters come fro  
Water of wells there is also  
That their hue and manere  
Four times change in a year  
Welles are springing else whore  
Four days in the week no more  
I stood there is that rennyth aye  
All the week save saturdaye  
A stood is in the est see right  
Which rennyth ever on night  
And a day it frozen is fast  
But on night may it not last  
Yet men may a well find  
In the isles of the see of ynde  
That who so put a staff therein  
As of a fire it should bryn  
And it nothing slekyn can  
But only the breyne of man  
Other wells are yet mother  
And who the water drunk of tho  
Of some good memory should he take  
And some forgetfulness should make  
Some amorous will make the men  
And some will bareyne make women  
Some will make iron and steel  
In the fire to temper we'll  
A great well yet is there one  
Standing still as any stone  
But who so maketh solace there by  
Anon it rennyth hastily  
Some waters are hot of kind  
And some cold as men do find  
And the kind of the ground causyth all this  
Where any water running is  
And all is at goddys' will  
Both running and stonding still   

¶ The. C.xlviij. question  
¶ Now would I wit of the see  
How many seas that there be  
Seas we find there are three  
Whereof one height the see better  
All about the earth goeth she  
And is salt as men may see  
That other see the black see height  
And enuyrons that other right  
The third is called the stinking see  
Therein may no man living be  
For the stink that it cometh fro  
Enuyrous truly that other two  
And god hath made them so to be  
Of his will and his potence   

¶ The. C.xlix. question  
¶ Why hath god the world made all  
Round about as a ball  
THere are many skills why  
But three I find principally  
For his own lycknes is one  
There none end ne is upon  
For he ne had begyning  
Nor never shall have ending  
And seek the world never so with travail & mind  
Not ending shall men therein find  
Another sail is comodyte  
Why it behoveth so to be  
For all the forms that thou know'st  
Round contains aldermost  
Now is it so at the beginning  
That the world contains allthing  
Wherefore it behoved thereto  
That it should round be also  
The third cause is for the sky  
And I shall tell the how and why  
Late with war here fill a can  
And when it is full break it than  
The wax shallbe of that shapnes  
As was the can more ne les  
Now is the say round and fair  
And containeth fire and air  
Water and earth ferrest therefro  
And all behoveth round to be though  
The round say the fire round maketh  
And air of fire roundhed taketh  
Water within air also  
And earth within all tho  
And because the sky as thou hast hard  
Is round and all are in him sperd  
All behoveth them round to be  
As thou ere on the wax might see   

¶ The. C.l. question  
¶ Why is the moan cold of kind  
And the son hot as we find?  
The son is well of hete  
And the moan of waters wet  
Now is that one dry and hot  
And that other moist and wot  
The hete of the son doth spring  
That in earth is all thing  
But with that hete may they not dure  
But if they have withal moisture  
And that the son heteth on day light  
The moan keleth upon night  
And giveth it moisture there unto  
Therefore all things springeth so  
Should the son give us for ay  
His here both night and day  
Man nor beast should live no throw  
Ne nothing should in earth grow  
And if the keelth of the moan  
Should ever among us won  
And of the hete have right naught  
Should no leaving thing forth be brought  
Therefore hath god ordained so  
As the world hath mister to   

¶ The. C.lj question  
¶ Now I pray the tell me this  
Which is the most thing that is?  
OF all thing that thou most  
Gods mercy is the most  
For no mouth may speak I iwis  
No heart think how great it is  
Unto though that will it crave  
And desireth it to have  
It is greater than all earth may be  
Or all the water in the see  
It passyth all leves that spring  
Or herbs/ or any other thing  
You/ an hundredth thousand fold  
It passys all that I have told   

¶ The. C.lij question  
¶ Whether may gravel of earth more be  
Or drops of water of the see  
Gravel of the earth is well more  
Than all water drops that ever wore  
For all that were or yet shallbe  
All they come of the see  
And for an handfuf of gravel  
behoveth of drops a gooddele  
For well smaller is one hope  
Of gravel/ than a water drop  
And water may be no where  
But if earth be under there  
And many miles may men gone  
Drye/ where no water is on  
And the see was never so deep a fleet  
That deeper ne is under earth great  
And if water upon roche stand  
Under roche is earth mould or sand  
Now is the earth appearing small  
And wide strekes him with all  
In many steeds where water is scant  
Is found of earth good plente  
Wherefore gravel of earth say we  
Are more than water drops be   

¶ The. C.liij question  
¶ May the gravel aught told be  
Or water drops of the see  
ANd the word such a thousand wore  
As it is and well more  
And that it should last with all  
Such a thousand as now shall  
Four and twenty hours right  
Are in the day and in the night  
And each a noure for to rekyn  
Syxty points are therein  
And though it might so befall  
That in each a point of all  
Were born a thousand men or more  
And full whore were each of though  
Yet should the drops of the see  
Be more than though heres be  
And yet is greatness of earth more  
Than all the drops wore  
And goddys' mercy most of all  
He that with heart to him will call   

¶ The. C.liiij. question  
¶ Now would I wit vyturly  
How many stars are on the sky  
IF all the men a live wore  
That have be dead here before  
sithen that adam was forlorn  
And all that ever shallbe born  
Betwyx us and the world be gone  
Beware every one born anon  
So mykel folk there should not ware  
As stars on the heaven are  
But for the height of the sky  
Ne may no man see them perfitly  
All the stars that there be  
But some apertly may men see  
How above with the sky they go  
As it them beareth to and fro  
When some go down/ some up are went  
With moving of the firmament   

¶ The. C.lu question  
¶ Canst thou of angels tell me aught  
How many god in heaven wrought  
And how many be left therein  
And how many fell for sin  
GOd of his mercy and might  
Of angels ix ordres hath dight  
And in each order made he  
Many a legyon for to be  
And a legyon I iwis  
Syxe thousand and syxe hundredth is  
With fifty and syxe thereto  
And all him worship to do  
But there fell out of each one  
All so many as came to one  
And also many were they though  
As halfedele the folk and more  
That have be born and born shallbe  
And when fulfilled is each a se  
Of angels that fell away  
Than shall it be doomsday  
That god shall dame both good and ill  
And that shallbe at goddies will   

¶ The. C.luj question  
¶ Which are the most of beast or man  
Or fowl/ or fish that swyme can  
Beasts are more than men  
And fowls more than beasts such ten  
And for each afowle also  
A thousand fishes are and more  
For thereof is the most plente  
Of all creatures that be  
God made man of earth and slime  
And best of hete he made him  
fishes of water/ fowl of air  
And all that he made is fair  
And if god them all had wrought  
Of earth like/ as he did naught  
They should have risen all also  
At doomsday as man shall do  
But for earth is in them none  
Wherefore to naught they turn each one   

¶ The. C.lvij. question  
¶ Of all the world tell me yet  
The delectabelest stead which is it  
WHere amannies heart is fist  
And for to dwele were levest  
There is the delectabelest stead  
To him that he may on trede  
For were aman in acountre  
In the fairest stead might be  
And had all that he had need  
Him to cloth and to feed  
And his heart loved else whore  
No delight had he thore  
But there aman lovyth well  
Though it be fowl every deal  
There is his joy and his solace  
Moore than in any other place   

¶ The. C.lviij. question  
¶ Which is more prows and best  
That in town or in forest  
prows in town as I ween  
Ne was ever worth abent  
It is no prow/ it is folly  
And keytefnes and mysardry  
Some man to aman full rife  
Will draw unto a man his knife  
That would never do so  
And it were betwyx them two  
But there are things three  
That make him hasty to be  
One thereof is folly  
That maketh his heart skyp a high  
Anothere that he hopyth well  
That the folk elk adel  
Shall start on him and him hold  
And let to do that he would  
The third for his brains small  
Are turned by wine or ale  
And he that assailed is  
Holdyth him still in all this  
He dredyth that he should him slo  
And lord●hype feryth he also  
The third hedredyth his enemy  
For he wortyth not if he be dowghty  
His own lostes he feryth eke  
Which maketh his heart meek  
But ware they both in the forest  
There might men know the best  
There should no men on them wonder  
No man put them insunder  
Ne no baylyfe ware thereto dread  
But the boldar him forth bede  
Wherefore prows in town as men tells  
Nies but boast and nothing else   

¶ The. C.lix. question  
¶ If aman have an evil wife  
Or be pour or of feeble life  
Or have a wemme in a limb  
Shall a man upbreyde it him  
NO man aught other upbreyde  
For no lack that on him is laid  
If he have an evil fere  
So god may sand to him here  
If he in poverty fallen be  
So may peradventure to morrow he  
For the wheel of adventure  
No while will endure  
And if he have any lack  
Either on body or on back  
Or any of his limbs all  
Upbreyd him naught what so befall  
For he that sent him that every deal  
May sand it to the right weal  
Wherefore each man fairly speak  
That of his speech god take no wreak   

¶ The. C.lx question  
¶ Shall men every man worship do  
And all their will do also  
AMan should all this do with skill  
If that he might come there till  
But no man may/ no man can  
Do the will of every man  
Nevertheless do not amiss  
worship every man as he is  
And fulfil every man's will  
That turn thyself unto no if  
Do with good cheer that thou shalt do  
To them that prays the unto  
And for a little say not nay  
To do their will if thou may  
That thou desirest shalt thou find  
And each man to serve the shallbe mind  
Thy honour shall wide wend  
Every man shall hold the good and kind  
Whereby may no ill of the tide  
Thy good word goeth so wide   

¶ The. C.lxj question  
¶ Shall he aught forgotten be  
That to liking hath served me  
IF aman do me service  
Unto my will in all wise  
I aught to forget it never more  
Though the service little wore  
For he that doth me liking  
He giveth me enough of his thing  
And I aught his help to be  
If he have need of me  
For every man that doth a good deed  
Is worthy to have well his meed  
And the good will of such one  
Aught I ever to think upon   

¶ The. C.lxij. question  
¶ May aman him aught with hold  
From her that he hath in hold  
That he no lechery do  
When he hath great will thereto  
Full well aman may hold him still  
And withstand his own will  
From lechery if that he will  
Though he great will have thertyl  
Late him cast in his thought  
How fair that him god hath wrought  
At his own likeness to be  
And that so fair a thing to see  
Should be kept cleanly also  
That no filth ne came there to  
Were it now sir that a king  
Gave me a rob of his clothing  
Full clean I would it keep and bright  
And worship it at all my might  
For much worship to me it were  
A kyngys' clothing for to bear  
even so should it with us befall  
Of goddys' clothing are we all  
And if we think to hold it clean  
Our fowl will that was so keen  
Shall twine away and pass for naught  
And kendele no more in our thought  
The more that men a fire leys in  
The more and hotter will it brine  
And it will not leave brynning  
But men it sleken with some thing  
even so brenneth lechery  
In man that giveth him to folly  
And if he will that it be laid  
Think on god as I have said  
Also shall in his thought be  
What meed cometh of chastity  
And if he be ta'en in sin  
What pain shall his soul be in  
And thus may he keel shortly  
His brenning will that was so outragyously   

¶ The. C.lxiij. question  
¶ The grettyst delight that is  
Which is it tell me this  
I find there are delights two  
Bodily and ghostly also  
The bodily will not last  
That men doth there on is a way cast  
It fareth as the candle light  
That now brenneth ferly bright  
Now than is it out quite  
So fareth bodily delight  
ghostly delight is on other wise  
As delight in god and his service  
And though that delight them therein  
For to keep them out of sin  
Wit you well that they though  
In the pain of the woe  
That they suffer their soul to save  
Full great delight therein they have  
And who so is therein brought  
That delight ne keelyth naught  
It waxeth aye from less to more  
Ever until aman come thore  
There no end may be  
Which is before the trinity  
And there shall his delight betolde  
Moore than here a thousand fold  
Wherefore the most delight that is  
Is to delight in god I iwis   

¶ The. C.lxiiij. question  
¶ Tell me now if that aman  
Shall aught delyt him with a woman  
delight with women are there twye  
And which they are I shall the say  
That one is ghostly with chaste life  
As aman with his own wife  
fleshly know her well he may  
Children to wine to goddys' pay  
And fro that time that he  
Wotyth that she with child be  
He shall him hold from her holly  
Till it be born of her body  
This is delight of chastity  
That dygne and honest aught to be  
Bodily delight there is also  
That no time hath reward unto  
But every time that will him takys  
His fles●hly lust he not forsakies  
And that is purly life of beast  
That nother is good ne honest  
And such a delight with woman  
Should no man have that good can   

¶ The. C.lxu question  
¶ If one host another meet  
Shall he anon on him sheet  
CUm an host with all their main  
And another come them again  
Smite anon ne shall they naught  
Their cheveteyne shall have forthought  
And be well advised and wise  
And over see his enymes  
And if he have hope in his mode  
That his party may be good  
He shall ordain his folk wisely  
And be vygorus and hardy  
And his enemes assail  
As it fallyth to batayle  
And if he aperceving is  
That the feblear side be his  
He shall comfort his folk ycke deal  
And make good visage and bear him weal  
And far a● he had no awe  
And in all that him with draw  
Holding them fast together so  
That none outraye other fro  
If his fleing may not avail  
But that other him assail  
Uygorously he than withstand  
And heart his folk to be doand  
The feeble side parchaunce so may  
With little scathe scape away   

¶ The. C.lxuj question  
¶ Which members of the man are though  
That he worst might forego?  
AMan might no limb forbear  
Butt if it him greatly dear  
And some one might he worse for go  
Than he might other two  
For though he forego foot and hand  
Eere and eyen though him want  
Yet may he be full hot of heart  
And leave many day in quart  
But aware teeth and tongue foregone  
Good life after had he none  
For though are the most hardly  
That help to sustain the body  
The tongue the meet turneth all  
Under the tethe that chew it shall  
And the tongue is made also  
Unto god worship to do  
The teeth gryndeth the meet small  
That the body leaveth withal  
And for that a man may naught  
Without these be forth brought  
Therefore tooth and tongue are though  
That aman may worst forego   

¶ The. C.lxvij. question  
¶ The first instrument who made it  
And how came it in his wit  
OF the children of No  
japhet the youngest of the three  
He contrived it and wrought  
As god it sent in his thought  
And of the sound he it took  
Of trees that the wind shaken  
And also of water's son  
That ran hard from hills down  
Some son was low and some high  
And thereof found he melody  
An instrument he made anon  
That melody to work upon   

¶ The. C.lxviii. question  
¶ He that is doom/ deft & may not see  
What speech in his heart thynkeh he  
A Man that is born to day  
Doum and deaf that see ne may  
No language ne may lere  
For that he may naught here  
Than behoveth him of kind  
Nedly in his he●te have mind  
Of the speech that Adam spoke  
Or he goddys' precept broke  
That is ebru that god gave man  
first when he to speak began  
For if a tree a fruit here  
Be it appul/ be it pere  
The fruit must take kind and hew  
Of the rote that it on grew  
But the kind of the tree  
Shall change if it imped be  
And but aman have imping  
Of language through some learning  
The first speech have he shall  
That man was first learned with all   

¶ The. C.lxix. question  
¶ Why are some clouds of the sky  
Whyte and some black there by  
Clouds sometime are right thine  
For little water that there is in  
Than comys the light of the day  
And the son that shines aye  
Which giveth on the cloud light  
And the cloud that is of little might  
Is through shined there with all  
Whereby white he show him shall  
For through water may men see  
If that it not deep be  
The cloud that black is to our sight  
Is thick of water and of might  
And for the thycknes that he haas  
May no light there thorough paas  
Wherefore holdies it odrye  
Not full mykel up on high  
And be cause it is thick and low  
behoveth it black to us to show   

¶ The. C.lxx question  
¶ May no creature that god wrought  
Wit goddies will nor his thought  
GOd made never creature  
angel ne man nor other figure  
That might wite goddys' thought  
Nor his will till it was wrought  
When he any thing will do  
He says be made and it is so  
But or he it in work fulfil  
There may no man wite his will  
God wottyth the thoughts of each one  
But his knoweth right none  
Save the holy trinity  
For all one are they three  
Sometime wottyth man what god do will  
That is he that he sendyth until  
By angels to tell him his thought  
Ellys none wot it naught   

¶ The. C.lxxj. question  
¶ Yet would I wite if I may  
If aman shall worship god alday  
Every man should with right do so  
But their might is not thereto  
For the body is feeble of might  
And behoveth sometime rest with right  
And but he rest may have  
Long may he not the life save  
Wherefore god honour he may  
At serteyne hours of the day  
And in serteyne time he shall  
Travail to hold the life with all  
And sometime rest shall he take  
The body strong with to make  
For after meet and drink is rest  
To nature of the body best  
And when he shall god worship do  
Look all his heart be thereto  
For he that sayeth to god his bede  
And his thought be in other stead  
The tongue were as good be still  
For it askys with no will  
Wherefore that god worship shall  
Speke tongue/ heart/ thought and all   

¶ The. C.lxxij. question  
¶ Whereof may it be and why  
That eyen sometime look bleryly  
Sometime hears aman a thing  
That is not to his liking  
Or a thing of great pity  
And he of tender heart be  
The heart mekies anon right  
And castyth wather to the sight  
So weep the eyen also smert  
And all maketh the tenderness of the heart  
And of that heart shall seldom  
Evil will of felnesse come  
And the eyen that weep oft  
Oldeth the heart and doth it soft  
For the hete that the heart felies  
With the tears greatly kelies  
But he that not well 〈◊〉 weep  
Great felnesse in his heart can keep  
And of hard heart than is he  
And of no mercy nor pity  
But he that to weep is ready  
In him is pity and mercy   

¶ The. C.lxxiij. question  
¶ What manner of folk are men hold to  
In this world worship to do  
Every man shall pryncypaly  
worship god that is on high  
That him made and shall unmake  
When that talon will him take  
His wife shall man worship also  
For one body are they two  
His lord also worship he shall  
That he seruys and dwellyth with all  
Father and mother also shall he  
worship before all that be  
Yet shall he worship for their meed  
That him good doth with word or deed  
Sister and brother and his kind  
Unto worship should he have in mind  
And every man if that he might  
Aught he to worship with right   

¶ The. C.lxxiiii. question  
¶ The largest man which is he  
That now in the world may be  
A Large man that have shall  
Though he the world seek all  
Shall he none find ne see  
That of his own may large be  
For of no largeness told it is  
Aman to give that not is his  
For all the largesse that men tells  
Of god they are and no man else  
And all that man is sent  
Of goddys' love it is him lent  
For naked hither is he brought  
And of himself he hath naught  
And naked away shall he wend  
With him he bears it not at the end  
And if it his own were  
Than might he it with him bear  
And god him lendyth good truly  
That he it spend worthily  
Himself at measure for to feed  
And help the poor that hath need  
And seeing he is bound thereto  
The poor for to help also  
So may no man make his roos  
That it is largesse that he does  
Wherefore wot I no large man  
That to himself appropryat it can   

¶ The. C.lxxv. question  
¶ Shall a poor man every whore  
Put him arych man before  
IF it be so that they tweye  
Go together by the weigh  
The poor man shall ever more  
Put the rich man before  
And at one table be they  
The poor set him not to high  
For if arycher come than he  
Him behoveth to flyte his see  
And than better it wore  
That he had set him else whore  
But be they both in a batayle  
And shall their enymes assail  
There the poor with out dread  
Before the rich him forth bede  
For a poor may be also doughty  
As arych man of his body  
And with that forth putting percaas he may  
worship more get than the rich that day   

¶ The. C.lxxuj. question  
¶ Is a man in any sin to eat  
All thing that he may gete  
UNto man god had such love  
That he made to his behove  
Fowl and fish in the see  
Beast and fruit in earth to be  
And when that he man had wrought  
And in to paradyse him brought  
He made him lord of all this  
Them to put in his seruys  
And for to use them to his food  
For god made all things good  
And seeing he gave him leave there till  
He doth no sin me think with skill  
That of all thing etes  
At measure when he it gethes  
For what he etes with good will  
Ne may ever do him ill  
Though it adder were or snake  
But if he again heart it take  
Though it be the best men find  
It doth no good to his kind   

¶ The. C.lxxvij. question  
¶ Shall aman another great  
Alday when he may him meet  
AMan so oft naught great thou shall  
As thou him metyst aday with all  
But if thou in thy house be  
Among thy folk and thy main  
Greeting shalt thou say them thore  
twice upon the day no more  
On morn when thou comyst them among  
And on even at thy bede going  
And meet thou thy friend be the street  
One's in the day thou shalt him great  
And thou shalt say him that greeting  
After the time of your meeting  
At morn or even weather it be  
And if that he first great the  
great him again curtesly  
Men shall the say worship thereby  
But thou him shalt but once great  
On the day that thou him oft meet   

¶ The. C.lxxviij. question  
¶ How shall a man his children order  
So that after repentyth not he  
IF you have children keep them well  
Till they be of age somedele  
And than if thou have them dear  
'Cause them some craft to lere  
That in need mister can  
His cunning is esy to bear  
It will help and nothing dear  
There is no treasure thereto  
For treasure will a way go  
And when the treasure is gone all  
cunning a gain it bring shall  
Daunt them not while they are young  
But sharp words of thy tongue  
Say unto them ever among  
So shall they dread to do wrong  
With thy children do thou shall  
As men doth a green wand with all  
It may be wreathen while it is green  
How so men will without tene  
Were it dry soon would it crack  
A with thereof should no man make  
So should men children chastise in youth  
Till that they some good couth  
For that yougth takyth commonly  
In age he shall find it readily   

¶ The. C.lxxix. question  
¶ Whether shall amam more love have till  
His wife or child with skill  
AMan shall love over all thing  
God his maker heaven king  
And next his own body  
And than his wife pryncypaly  
His children aught aman by kind  
For to love and have in mind  
But when god first made adam  
And Eve of his body came  
He gave him her unto fere  
And bade him for to have her dear  
Than in that giving made he  
Man and his wife one to be  
And if thou and thy wife be one  
And that parting is none  
Ne none other may forsake  
Unto death the one take  
Thou aught thy wife to love more  
Than all the children that thine more  
If thou forlese thy good wife  
Than lesyst thou the solace of thy life  
And if thou thy children forego  
Of thy wife may thou win more  
Wherefore shalt thou thy wife love more  
Than thy children and hold in store   

¶ The. C.lxxx. question  
¶ If I had no father born  
Ne no mother me before  
How should I have born be  
In this world or here or see  
Long or god the world wrought  
Or man or beast therein brought  
He knew all that should be born  
Which saved and which forlorn  
And all their names and thought  
God had been else naught  
Wherefore he wist well of the  
That thou shouldest born be  
And seeing thou nedys' shouldest be born  
Though thy father the before  
Ne thy mother that was also  
Had nother come this world unto  
Another father thou shouldest have had  
And mother that had the both fede and clad   

¶ The. C.lxxxj. question  
¶ The child that hath full the shap  
In the mother/ by what hap  
Is it sometime brought to naught  
And may alive forth be brought  
BE three causes may it come to  
Why it cometh to pass so  
One than may be goddys' will  
That he willeth that it shall spyl  
Another skill also there is  
Why it so fareth sometime amiss  
The feeble nourishing in the wife  
That it may not come to life  
For the feebleness of the which norture  
maketh the seed not to dure  
feebleness of reins the third  
As in woman is be tied  
Some woman with child may be  
And so feeble of reinss is she  
That she is not of the might  
Of the child to suffer the weight  
The mother steries and turns about  
So that the child fallyth out  
When it is out than is it lorne  
And so than is it dead born  
And by the grace of goddies might  
The mother speries anon right   

¶ The. C.lxxxij. question  
¶ women that in this world are here  
Are they all of one manner  
WImen are made all after one  
In flesh/ blood/ hide and bone  
And all the lymes thou sayst one bear  
Every one such lymes were  
And that men felys one upon  
May men feel on every one  
But of complexion are they sear  
Of word/ will and of manner  
But all on one delight men find  
When it cometh to deed of kind  
Oft of wathers may thou see  
That of divers hews they be  
But in thy mouth if thou them take  
All as one water shall they smake  
So do women where they far  
All of one saviour they are  
But thinketh some man  
That swetar is some woman  
Than some other fifteen  
And of that may be three things mean  
One is if she be fair and white  
For aman hath more delight  
In her that is bright on ble  
Than in a lothlyer on to see  
Another cause is noble wede  
For aman giveth gladder meed  
To her that nobly is dight  
Than to a poor ragged wight  
The third skill is when a man  
So great love hath to woman  
That him thynkyth none so sweet to hold  
For love hath no lack it is said of old   

¶ The. C.lxxxiij. question  
¶ If thy friend have wife and main  
And them mysdo thou see  
Salt thou unto thy friend it say  
And his wife and main be wrey  
IF thy neighbour have a wife  
That be of evil life  
And thou may it undertake  
That she wrong doth again her make  
Or dystroyer of his good be  
And thou may it weet or see  
Warn him so privily and still  
That he smite in none evil will  
But bid him that he look thereto  
So that they no more do so  
And make he him wroth at the first  
When that he the sooth hath wist  
And through thy words he shall take heed  
And than shall he the better speed  
And save his good that should away  
And if thou him no word did say  
For men sayne in old saws  
By good neighbours god day men daws   

¶ The. C.lxxxiiij. question  
¶ If a man any thing shall do  
Shall he him aught hast thereto  
IF thou think to do a good deed  
Hastily thereto thou the speed  
For good deed shall have no respite  
He doth it twice that doth it tyte  
But think thou evil deed to do  
Haste the nothing there unto  
Be think the first in thy heart  
That it the not after smart  
For if that thou take good heed  
Evil haste is all unspede  
In little time may befall the  
That thy heart may changed be  
So that thou shalt the with hold  
from that thou first done would  
Andrea than shalt thou like weal  
That thou hasted to it no deal   

¶ The. C.lxxxv. question  
¶ Shall he that any good can  
In this world love every man  
ghostly for god love shalt thou  
Every man and I shall tell the how  
Till his soul no evil will  
Moore than thou wilt thine own till  
But bodily thy love shallbe  
To every man as he loveth the  
Love he the love him a geyne  
And of his company be feign  
Hate he the/ hate him also  
And do with him as he would to the do  
Come thou to thy friends house  
There thy foes thou feryst not thus  
He will receive the with bliss  
And for the the gladder he is  
If thou any thing him crave  
With good will thou mayst it have  
Such aman shalt thou love again  
And his will to do be feign  
If thou come unto thy foo  
That saw the liefer hung than go  
Despite of him may thou gete  
Or either drink or meet  
From such aman shalt thou i'll  
And hate him as he doth the  
For in old saws says men that  
He that loves there he is hate  
Again the streme he rows sore  
And to lose hath he no more   

¶ The. C.lxxxuj. question  
¶ The folk of this world each one  
Are they comune after one  
BEtwyx them is comunaute  
In some things as thou may see  
For all are they born in care  
And all shall they hens far  
And all shall they rot away  
And all arise at domysday  
But betwyx them in some thing  
Is diversity/ for some is king  
Some poor and vile is their meet  
Some live by that they may gete  
Some go called and some bore  
And of diverse manner men are  
Of diverse will of diverse thought  
Here in comune are they naught  
And as here is diversity  
So shall there in other world be  
Some shall in to pain be brought  
To dole the works that he hath wrought  
And some shall in to pain of hell  
There with out end to dwell  
And some shall in to heaven bliss  
That nothing here have done amiss   

¶ The. C.lxxxvij. question  
¶ Do men the rich honour each one  
And unto the poor eyhgt none  
In the other world also  
As men here in this do  
ARych man more honour shall have  
In other world than he can crave  
And the poor more shame suffer  
Than any man here and greater  
The rich there shall honour find  
And the poor set behind  
But they have no man there dear  
After as he was rich here  
Understand now if thou can  
All the riches of the man  
Is the soul that him is in  
And if it be clean out of sin  
It is noble and rich  
Him shall angels of make much  
And worship do to him truly  
For the goodness that he is rich by  
The poor soul that sinful is  
Shall nother have honour ne bliss  
The angels turn their face therefro  
For it for povert goeth to woe  
Worship gettyth it right none  
Beware it rich it had good won  
But his riches was all spent  
And from him clenely it went  
When he goddies precept forsook  
And to deadly sin him took  
Therefore after as his riches wore  
Is he worthy to be honoured thore   

¶ The. C.lxxxviij. question  
¶ Shall the father bear any bourthyn  
For his son/ or his son for him  
THe father of the son shall bear  
No burden that him may dear  
Ne the son not charged is  
With that the father doth amiss  
Each man of his own sin  
Is charged that he deyes in  
But for the son the father may  
Be charged often and every day  
As if that the son mysdo  
And the father wot that it be so  
And chastise him not of his sin  
But sufferyth him to be therein  
He sins all so well as he  
And for him charged shallbe  
The son for his deed doing  
And the father for his suffering  
But the father is charged naught  
Of that that the son wrought  
But that he might a him corrected  
If he had to him aught seyed  
But by sufferance there is he in need  
Charged for his sonnys mysdede   

¶ The. C.lxxxix. question  
¶ They that slay men and undo  
Take they their sin them unto  
NAy/ sin that one man hath wrought  
May charge another naught  
No man with right may other slo  
For no mysdede ne for no woe  
But if it by lordship be  
That of god hath the pouste  
justice for to do the right  
Thereto is him given might  
And if aman for wrath or hate  
Sle another in the gate  
The sin of the dead chargys' him naught  
Him that him to dead brought  
But what he did evil or weal  
Shall cleave by himself every deal  
Naught than may be of godys' mercy  
That he that is slain wrongfully  
May of some sin released be  
For the sharp deed that he  
Against right was brought unto  
And he that him slay also  
Encresyth his sin where he goeth  
By also many as he sleyth  
For greater sin naught tell I can  
Than wilfully to slay a man   

¶ The. C. lxxxx. question  
¶ Which is most sorrow thynkyth the  
That thou heryst or dost see  
Sighed of eye will more dear  
Than that a man heres with ere  
For that a man seas with eye  
That may be no flattery  
For he seas all the deed doing  
And all the sorrow of that thing  
That most go right near the heart  
And doth it aldermost smert  
For old men say/ and it is news  
That eyen ne se/ heart ne rues  
But that a man is told unto  
He wottyth never if it be so  
And though he trow he say aright  
Yet deryth it nothing the sight  
For the heart thinketh as it would  
It is not perchance as it is told  
And thus comforteth he vyturly  
Albina the wits of the body  
Sight of eye is bodily  
And hearing of ere is ghost  
Right as the wind so is hearing  
That is herd and seen nothing  
Wherefore more sorrow is to see  
Than to here what so it be   

¶ The. C. lxxxxj. question  
¶ Might men any folk sinned  
That etyth other again kind  
HE that travails day and night  
To hurt his neighbour with unryght  
To lose his good that he won  
With travail or craft that he can  
And that he should his life with lede  
For to cloth him with and to feed  
Me think he biteth him very sore  
And eateth him as that it wore  
Yet is there another manner  
Aman to eat another here  
If he a losing on him lie  
Wherefore he hath great vylonye  
Or saith of him evil behind his back  
Or before men maketh of him alack  
He eateth him without methes  
Though he not bite him with his teeth  
And he that sleeth a man also  
And hath no cause there unto  
Or for gift that him is height  
Forsooth he than him eateth right  
And more manners the●e is of meet  
That aman may another eat   

¶ The. C. lxxxxij. question  
¶ Which is the worst thing of these three  
Morder/ theft/ or a slanderer to be?  
TO be a slanderer is a wicked life  
For he maketh oft great strife  
He is about day and night  
To make debate unto his might  
And so may he by wicked rede  
Be encheson a man to be deed  
Wherefore it is great folly  
To have such one in company  
Theft also is great sin  
For he that will never blynne  
To steel his neighbour fro  
That he hath bide for much woe  
And so doth he again him drive  
In woe and travail to live  
Or to beg for ever more  
Look what sin he doys thore  
But the most sin of all though  
Is man to murder and slo  
For he destroyeth that stature  
That god made after his figure  
And reves life there it should be  
And goddies service so lettyth he  
Mannys lycknes slo shall he naught  
Ne none but god that him hath wrought   

¶ The. C. lxxxxiij. question  
¶ forgiveth god with good cheer  
All the sins that a man doth here  
IF all the drops in the see  
And grasses that in earth may he  
And all the leves men can neven  
And all the stars of heaven  
And all the fishes that swyme can  
And all the heres of beast and man  
Ware all on one sin brought  
The tenthdele ne were they naught  
Of the mercy of god of heaven  
For that may no man sum ne reckon  
Had a man done all the sin  
That all this world dared begin  
And he had sorrow in heart therefore  
And would leave and do no more  
God would on him have mercy  
And forgive it him readily  
admitting him among his main  
And of his turning glade be  
But he that levyth not his sin  
Ne naught thereof will blynne  
Nother mercy will crave  
He is worthy none to have  
For who so askys unworthily  
It may be denied justly   

¶ The. C. lxxxxiiij. question  
¶ Why travaylys aman so  
In this world as men do  
FOr two things pryncypaly  
The one to sustain the body  
The other that it strong be  
To serve god in trinity  
As in prayer and almesdede  
For though will the soul feed  
And to gather have in mind  
To leave his children and his friend  
Albina his travail should be here  
To save the soul that god hath dear  
And to do as that we find  
As the mire doth in his kind  
By summer's days he gaderies all  
That he in winter by live shall  
He will not so long abide  
That it come to the winter tide  
even so should a man lere  
To till his soul while he is here  
Abide he till he hens far  
Cold winter he fyndies and care  
Wherefore should he so travail  
That it might after him a veil   

¶ The. C. lxxxxv. question  
¶ Tell me now with out miss  
Which is the wickest thing that is  
WIckydare thing may none be  
Than wicked man in pouste  
For the soul that is in him  
Is both myrke and dim  
And a wicked man might see been  
How dark his soul is for sin  
So fowl a thing shall he see it  
That he should forlese his wit  
Wherefore is there no myrcknesse  
Again a man in wickydnesse   

¶ The. C. lxxxxvj. question  
¶ The good works and the ill  
That a man doth of his will  
Whether come they of god him to  
Or of himself that doth them so  
UNderstand you well I iwis  
That of god no evil is  
Of him is all holiness  
And all fayrhed and goodness  
And for goodness man he wrought  
To paradyse when he him brought  
He gave him wit as was his will  
For to know both good and ill  
And when aman had knowleging  
Of both/ than was at his choosing  
Whether he would take unto  
And than began he evil to do  
When that he the good let  
Biting the appul that he did eat  
And sithen he might do whether he would  
And he would unto the wicked him hold  
Of himself every deal it is  
That he did so amiss  
To help he had an enymy  
And so hath both thou and I  
Three we have every day  
Us to tempt all that they may  
Our own flesh/ the world/ the send  
Each one would us truly shend  
But we know among all this  
Which is better and which worse is  
Than is that wickydnes every deal  
Of him that doth it and might do weal  
If a man were well be thought  
To thank him that made him of naught  
He should have grace well to do  
And wickydnes hold him fro  
Wherefore of god cometh us goodness in  
And of ourself evil and sin   

¶ The. C. lxxxxvij. question  
¶ Where hideth him the day fro night  
And the night fro the day light  
THat time that god the world dight  
Of his word and of his might  
The elements were mixed each one  
And light on earth was none  
Than departed them god asunder  
And each one did set other under  
Than made he son and moan to light  
That one on day that other on night  
The son about goes ever more  
To light here and else whore  
When he us lighteth it is day  
And night when it is a way  
And when he departyth us fro  
About the earth behoveth him to go  
And the earth that is so round  
Reves us in that stound  
The light that we had of him  
And than is the night to us dim  
But when the son is about went  
And again is to us sent  
soon so as he shows any thing  
We see it is in the dawing  
And as he ryses aye and aye  
So waxes us the clear day  
Thus departyth day and night  
By reason of the son light  
And ever when cometh that one  
The other departyth anon   

¶ The. C. lxxxxviij. question  
¶ How hold the planets them all  
On the sky that they ne fall  
When god had dight the firmament  
And stabled every element  
On the sky under the heaven  
Made he planets seven  
And he made up on high  
All the stars of the sky  
And each planet there he is  
In his own spear goeth I iwis  
The moan so is lowest of all  
The highest Saturnus we call  
And all have they their stering  
A gain the sky in his going  
And ever the higher that they be  
The more to go hath he  
Some as a year and some two  
In his spear about to go  
And some about to go also  
Have but a month thereto  
And all they are of kind  
Of the firmament as we find  
Having together a fastening  
So that there may be no parting  
And so god hath ordained them all  
That none may from other fall  
So may none fall from other well  
Till god undo the world all each deal   

¶ The. C. lxxxxix. question  
¶ How may men that hours know aright  
And the points of day and night  
IN what land thou be  
Thou mayst esely know and see  
soon so the son thou see may  
That is appoint of the day  
And when the son to rest is gone  
Thou knowest that it is night anon  
And the night with the day  
Have but four and twenty hours aye  
And every hour hath no more  
But a thousand points and four score  
And this thing may thou well  
Be a candle prow each deal  
Be the day short or long with sail  
The therbe shall not miss if thou will  
Reckyn the day after as it is  
And the night as reckoned is  
And each an hour know thou may  
When it cometh and passyth away   

¶ The. CC. question  
¶ All the stars up on high  
Turn they about on the sky  
Turning are the stars aye  
And as the sky goeth so go they  
And for the turning of the sky  
Is that they go so hastily  
But one there is that semith naught  
Unto our sight that it goeth aught  
And yet is he ever stering  
In a circle about turning  
For full in the end stondyth he  
The one end of the axeltre  
That the world all turns on  
For that seemeth his stering none  
And be cause he the axeltre is by  
Turns he so narrowly  
And so seemeth he therefore  
Ever in one stead as it wore  
Whereby shypmen on the see  
In what stead so they be  
Be night have great knolegeing  
By him and by his showing  
And for that the shypmen all  
Lodys' star they him call   

¶ The. Cc.j question  
¶ The holsomest stead which is it  
Of all the world after thy wit  
HOlsomest stead unto man  
Is there he best guide him can  
That no sickness by him meet  
Ne none outrage of keelth ne hete  
Ne much sleep ne over much waking  
Of meet and drink no outrage taking  
In hot country no hot meet  
Ne cold in cold shall he none eat  
And therefore who so hole will be  
Do as I shall teach thee  
One's eat on day and night  
And once sporge the reins in sevenyght  
And once in a month let the blood  
And once to purge him in the year is good  
Thus may he him keep in hele  
But of these men find not feel   

¶ The. Cc.j question  
¶ Tell me for I am in dwere  
The dygnyest day of the year  
OF all the year the dygnyest day  
So is held the Saturday  
When god had heaven and earth wrought  
And all thing therein brought  
And all them wrought he though  
In syxe days and no more  
On the sondaye he began  
And the sixth day made he man  
When that of man was made each limb  
The seventh day god rested him  
For veryhed took he no rest  
But for that he chose it day best  
And bade man that day he in peace  
And of all works to fees  
Wherefore the Saturday of all  
The dygnyest day we call  
But a time shall men see  
When goddys' son shall man be  
That he shall die and after arise  
The third day on alwyse  
Which rising day men worship shall aye  
And that shallbe the Sunday  
And after shall men ever call  
Sunday the best of all   

¶ The. CC.ij. question  
¶ Yet would I wit more  
Why sleep was made & wherefore  
Sleep is made for man's rest  
Of all thing one of the best  
For it esyth the heart namely  
And might giveth to all the body  
As if a lord waken be  
Wakyd is all his main  
There ne may sleep none of all  
For to be ready if he call  
Till he sleep/ sleep all his  
Than are they the lighter in seruys  
The heart of man the lord call I  
For it maysteryth all the body  
And when it is a sleep anon  
The limbs rest them everyone  
And than all the kindly hete  
Of the body giveth to meet  
About the stomach for to brynne  
And to dygest that there is with in  
And than the kind to him takys  
That to him shall or he wakys  
And purges him of that other deal  
As kind giveth him full we'll  
Thus gatheryth the body might  
And is after strong and light  
For to do that it shall do  
That ne ware/ if sleep were not so  
Therefore hath god the night wrought  
To man's rest and else naught  
For pain is none/ ne no morning  
Unto man again waking   

¶ The. CC.iij. question  
¶ Shall ever in this word be  
War and contecte as men now see  
AT the beginning when there wore  
Four men in the world no more  
Was there war and envy  
And man's slawghter and felony  
And it shall never seas  
That the world be all in peace  
For were the world in peas holly  
Men might call it skylfully  
Paradyse and else naught  
For there was never no war wrought  
But love/ peas/ and charity  
And though may holly here not be  
But in this world are wars two  
ghostly and bodily also  
The ghostly war may no man see  
Which is of the devil and his main  
Night and day on man he wars  
And in all that he may men deres  
Bodily war all first began  
Which is betwyx man and man  
And that shall never to end torn  
Untyl it be the day of doom   

¶ The. CC.iiii. question  
¶ Wraths god him ought for man's deed  
What dead so he die good or quede  
THough god saw all the world brynne  
And all the folk die that are therein  
And dried everydeal the see  
In god should no wretch be  
In him may be no evil mode  
For nothing of this worlds good  
Man's deed deryth god no more  
What deed so he dies no whore  
Than it doth the fire to brynne  
A hill that many aunts were in  
The pain that they feel in brenning  
Ne deries them for no kings thing  
Not more doth god sooth to say  
What time aman shall here they  
No surar thing than is the deed  
But of the time can no man rede  
And for that what time he they shall  
God grevyth him nothing with all  
But sithen man wots no prow  
When he shall they ne how  
Look he be ready aye I rede  
Than shall him not the deed dread   

¶ The. Cc.u question  
¶ Which folk are it as thou wetes  
That the world now most susteynes  
Four manner of folk there are  
That were it so that they ne beware  
The world might not up held be  
Ne far so well as we now see  
One than are these men of craft  
That learn other that are dafte  
cunning their lyvelod for to win  
And god to serve without sin  
Another are though that till the land  
And win us meet and drink to hand  
The thryde are lords that peas keep  
For in peace may men surely sleep  
If peace were not there were great doubt  
To live or any where walk about  
The fourth manner of folk than are  
Chapmen that about far  
from feyre to feyre fro land to land  
And bring that men do wand  
And should defaute have of it also  
Did not chapmen give them thereto  
Wherefore the world with out this  
Might be kept on none wise   

¶ The. Cc.vij question  
¶ Whether is higher as thou doyst undarstand  
The king or the law of the land  
Law is of more antyquyte  
Than king or prince may be  
And if thou wilt wit why  
I shall the tell apertly  
The name of king or emperor  
Is gevyn for worldly honour  
And it fallyth to his might  
The law for to keep aright  
Than is king for law set  
To keep that law be not let  
Than is law more than he  
For to do law hath he potence  
For a thing that ordained is  
For another/ than semies this  
That he that it is dight for  
Of them two is the more  
And if the king for law be  
Than is law more than he  
Yet shall I say the another saw  
If the king do again the law  
Law shall him dame with skill and right  
Than is law above his might  
And break he law in any thing  
He is not worthy to be king  
Truly here after shall come one  
A king that shall height Solomon  
In his saws say shall he  
blessed mote they all be  
That shall in this world round  
Do justice and right in every stound   

¶ The. CC.viij. question  
¶ May man in any manere  
Only worldly good have here  
That he over all may with him bear  
And the weight him not dear  
AMan in this world may have  
Good him eneywhere for to save  
And help him at his need  
And ever he may it with him lede  
That is cunning of some art  
Which will not fro man part  
Who so hath him nedyth not to dread  
For it will him both clot and feed  
Bettar treasure never no man wan  
Than is cunning unto man  
And whither so aman will go  
He may it bear with out woe  
And here unto none of his  
Wherefore shall Solomon the wise  
Say as aman well be taught  
That wit and wisdom is worldies aught   

The. Cc.ix question  
¶ If two have love together strong  
And after are asunder long  
And come together aught one whore  
May they love so as they did before  
Love betwyx friends twey  
That once is ne should not they  
And if that they insunder be  
That either other long not see  
And they together come eft  
The love that was before left  
Before that they insunder wore  
May come again and right well more  
As thou in a garden mayst see  
Standing a well liking tree  
And the gardynar behave him so  
That he take no heed thereto  
To muck and till and else it dight  
It myscaryeth anon right  
Losing his well liking  
For it seemed is nothing  
But when the gardynar it seas  
That it faileth among other trees  
Heed again thereto he takys  
And the earth about it bettar makys  
And than beginneth it to spring  
And take again to his liking  
So it faryth of friends too  
If that one fro the other go  
And after together come again  
Either wylbe of other feign  
And the love they had before  
Or that asunder sondre wore  
For new may they them between  
As the tree that eft waxed green   

¶ The. Cc.x question  
¶ How may amam love woman right  
Or she him for the sight  
Sometime fallyth aman to meet  
Afayre woman in the street  
His eyen will he on her cast  
Beholding her right fast  
And the eyen anon present right  
Unto the brains that same sight  
Brains sand the heart unto  
And in delight he fallyth also  
And as soon as he is in delight  
He beginneth to love tyte  
The brain sendyth to the eye again  
That they of that sight are fain  
Delyting them to behold more  
So that the heart therefore  
Fallyth in a fowl liking  
And so beginneth the love to spring  
But and the heart were of might  
Strong to hold him in that sight  
And say lord I thank it the  
The sight that I yonder see  
That thou wouldest after thy figure  
Make so fair a creature  
temptation should he none be in  
Ne fall in no delight of sin  
Ne his heart should have no meaning  
Another time to such a thing  
Not more should woman on her side  
If she did thank god every tide   

¶ The. Cc.xj question  
¶ Aman that light conscience bears  
And by his god falsely swears  
Of ten false things for the nonies  
Is he aught for sworn but once  
HE that swears an oath amiss  
By his god what so he is  
For ten false things all in one  
Soothe as he swears for each one  
And if each of the ten false be  
Tene times forsworn is he  
An hundredth things though it wore  
So oft forsworn is he thore  
And who so assenties thereto  
That he made that oath also  
Also oft is he forsworn  
As he that made that oath before   

¶ The. CC.xij. question  
¶ Thomas that any knowledge have here  
The folk for to lere  
Shall any grace come them unto  
Moore than it shall other men to  
Right it is that every man  
That travayls in labour as he can  
That it be him yielded so  
As his travail amounties to  
And he that travayls here  
Only good other to lere  
Or preches to them how they shall  
Hevynly bliss win with all  
God shall them in heaven save  
And double meed shall they have  
For that they have techyd right  
The way unto heaven light  
But two manner of teachers be  
In this world as thou mayst see  
Unto the son is likened one  
That giveth his light ever anon  
And every like his light lasts  
For aught that he down casts  
That are the good that teches here  
Doing themself as they do lere  
But some are that tech well  
And wickedly live themself every deal  
Unto the candle light are though  
That to other giveth his light him fro  
And wastes himself hastily  
He that is no grace worthy  
For if aman were set to deal  
treasure among feel  
And he might pay them each one well  
And hold himself a great deal  
If he deal so his dealing  
That himself left nothing  
Or if aught him left wicked ware  
It is but right he evil fare  
skill it is that he far ill  
That will choose it of his will   

¶ The. CC.xiij. question  
¶ Thought that a man thinketh alday  
Whereof ever come it may  
commonly thought in heart will spring  
Of clear heart and cunning  
For ever the more that aman  
Of art in this world can  
The more thought he hath therefore  
And ymagynes more and more  
The wisdom that these wise have so  
Of pure courage it cometh them to  
And that is of pure blood naught else  
That about the heart dwells  
And the puryte of that blood  
Cleres the brains and makies them good  
And that claryte that in the brains dure  
giveth to the courage moisture  
And unto the eyen claryte  
And to all the lymes light to be  
The heart it giveth unto  
Blythnes and liking also  
Which maketh aman cunning  
And to have thought of much thing  
But for his cunning shall he naught  
Smite in to an evil thought  
And his thought shallbe holly  
To worship god pryncypaly  
And after to work at his might  
Things that be honest and right   

¶ The. CC xiv. question  
¶ Why than fall the folk also  
Of the evil as men see they do  
FOr three things pryncypaly  
Falls umwhyle amannies body  
One is for colours & humours wyk  
That steer in the body thick  
And the humours day and night  
With the good in the body fight  
And if the wicked masters be  
The heart sometime they turn perdie  
And ableese to the brains cast  
That aman falls at the last  
And for that same vanity  
With foot and hand travaileth he  
And foam out of the mouth doth fall  
His wits so and doth loose all  
Another than is deadly sin  
That aman is cumbered in  
And goddys' commandment doth naught  
But in sin is all his thought  
Such power hath the devil of him  
That he him shows to him full grim  
The angel that hath him in keeping  
Rekenies than of him nothing  
Wherefore the devil than foully  
torments him this pytyously  
The third cause than is fantasy  
That cometh to the heart unwisely  
Wherefore it fails and coward is  
And waxes dreadful and losys bliss  
Wherefore sometime he falls smert  
And cometh a fantesy of the heart   

¶ The. CC.xv. question  
¶ Which is the perolousest limb  
That man's body hath in him  
OF all the limbs of the body  
The perylousest than hold I  
The eyen that should the body wis  
That it not go amiss  
For in peril both put they  
Sowle and body every day  
The eyen show the brains anon  
The thing that they see upon  
And the brains also smert  
Nuncyes it forth unto the heart  
The heart hath liking in the sight  
And fallyth in sin anon right  
And had the eyen see no thing  
The heart had fall in no liking  
Also perylouse they ere  
For they are tender and light to dear  
And pride and ire and covetise  
With other sins more than this  
Which things had be unsought  
And man's eyen saw right naught  
And for that of everichone  
Perylouser lime is none   

¶ The. Cc.xuj. question  
¶ Which is the sykerest art of all  
And there most peril may in fall  
Clerks that to the world preches  
And goddys' will to do them teches  
And how they shall their souls guide  
And the devil from them cause to slide  
The surest art have they tho  
And the perylousest also  
For of the world they are the light  
As to the body is eyen sight  
The eyen light the body  
And ledyth it by way and sty  
Without hurt there it wylbe  
Which hurt should take might it not see  
Also though that learn this art  
And thech forth thereof some part  
The right way the folk they lede  
And their souls ghostly they feed  
And if they do as they say  
Theyr selfe goeth in the right way  
And if they naught ne do  
As they other tech unto  
Foully they themself spyl  
And the candle like they are until  
That lights me and the ryghtwel  
But himself wastes every deal   

¶ The. CC.xvij. question  
¶ How is a man sometime iolyfe  
And light of body all his life  
Sometime beginneth iolyfte  
In man's body to stir and be  
And that cometh right kindly  
Of a young blood in the body  
That of his mother took it than  
Or he to the world came  
But than after his bearing  
Gatheryth he of meet in feeding  
Anew blood and that steryth him  
Sometime in every a lime  
And the young blood therewith  
Steryth in to each a light  
The heart reverdysse with all  
As that it of kind shall  
So come in iolynyte  
Ey to that blood so stering be  
But when it begynnes to sesse  
The heart quickly hath release  
Of iolynyte and fallyth thore  
In a sadness as it was before   

¶ The. CC.xviij. question  
¶ May man achyld not get rife  
Each time that he touches his wife  
IN this world man is none  
That might get his wife upon  
Achyld each time aye  
That he with her lay  
Ne so oft may no woman  
conceive of the seed of man  
Achyld forth for to bring  
As he might get it in pleyeng  
For she is coldar of nature.  
And keelth to seed is no norture  
A lecherous man sometime also  
That goeth tha● work much unto  
And travails him ever right  
Of his reins he lesyth might  
Than is the seed feeble and vain  
And to engendure has no main  
As a woman seven chaumbres has  
And in each of though parcas  
May she conceive a child no more  
And yet hath she enough of tho  
And were aman of such powere  
To gete one when he came her near  
At each time where should that wife  
Spere so many in her life  
Also if there be gotten one  
The mother speries up an one  
And no more conceiveth she  
Untyl that same born be   

¶ The. CC.xix. question.  
¶ What is it and how gathers it so  
Mannys kind when it goth him fro  
Amannes' kind that goth him fro  
Gathers out of every limb  
For when aman about his mind  
With woman to done his kind  
The hete of him and the great will  
That he has his deed to fulfil  
Causeth his body to sweet witin  
Blood inward fro every limb  
And that blood becometh all white  
And to the stones goth all tyte  
And from thence it issueth so  
When it cometh there unto  
Another cause than is froting  
Of man to wife with great liking  
Long rest also a cause is why  
And full felling of the body  
From aman sometime/ one of though  
Doth it sleeping go him fro  
But body travayling and fasting  
Will come to him no such thing   

¶ The. Cc.xx question  
¶ Is aman bound thereto  
To love his children & good them do  
AMan shall love over all thing  
God that is of heaven king  
And himself after that  
And his children that he got  
For they are fruit of his body  
And for that aught he to love them truly  
But he shall not love them so  
foolishly as many do  
For some are their children loving  
More than themself in some thing  
For if thou leave now for no sin  
Worldly goods for to win  
And caryst not where thou it take  
Their children with rich to make  
In also much thou lovest them more  
Than thyself hearken wherefore  
Thy wrong taking maketh the  
That thou shalt dampened be  
And me think he Louis ill  
That his soul therefore will spyl  
Wherefore of thy labour diligently  
Shalt thou find them meet truly  
And somewhat thou learn them shall  
That they may after live with all  
And when they can it let them go  
And purchase them with other more   

¶ The. CC.xxi. question  
¶ Enchaunmenting and socery  
Uayle they aught or are they folly  
THe body may they somdele veil  
But to the soul they do great travail  
And he that them work shall  
Three things most have with all  
first behoveth him to know a right  
The hours & points of day and night  
For go he aught there again  
All his labour is in vain  
The t'other is he most of need  
give great faith unto the deed  
And have steadfast in his thought  
That the devil shall fail him naught  
Yet most he know astronomy  
Which shall help him a great party  
But want he any of these three  
His work is naught but vanity   

¶ The. CC.xxij. question  
¶ Which is the wightest beast that is  
And most of saviour tell me this  
Hound is the wyghtest beast of all  
And the trewest on to call  
Lyghter no beast run ne can  
Nor none lovyngare to man  
And the savourest is he  
Save if it the mire be  
For of all beasts the mire I iwis  
Savours most after that it is   

¶ The. CC.xxiij. question  
¶ Whether of the two may be  
Hyer the land or the see  
Land is higher of the two  
Else should the see it over go  
Lete a wessel with water fill  
even by the brink standing still  
Yet shall the brynkes the water hold  
But were it more up/ it would  
Renne over the vessel quickly  
And there spyl truly  
Eueyn so it fareth by the see  
But if the earth might hyare be  
The see should it over run  
That all the world should well ken   

¶ The. CC.xxiiij. question  
¶ Whereof snails come wit I would  
And why they to the grass them hold  
OF the hete and the swote  
Come they of grass that is hot  
And for moisture hold they them so  
Unto the grass as that they do  
And all be it loathly to sight  
It is a worm of much might  
For who so knoweth well the kind  
Of great virtue he may it find  
Be encumbered the breast of man  
That he his breath naught draw can  
Who so took the snails then  
And fried them well in a pan  
With oil of olive where men it get  
And with honey gave it him to eat  
Tene days at even and morrow  
It should deliver him of that sorrow  
And if a white spot were  
In his eye the sight to dear  
And took snails and them did brynne  
Of that that is them with in  
And when it is brent to coal also  
The tender part so much do thereto  
Of a roast leke/ and so much yet  
Ofybenus a tree as men call it  
And bray it all together well  
And after sarce it every deal  
And use it twice or thrice a day  
The white spot shall go a way   

¶ The. CC.xxv. question  
¶ How sleep these old men also  
As these young children do  
Children young sleep for the grennesse  
Of their branes and the sweetness  
For tender and light it aught to be  
As is the flower upon a tree  
If a wind thereon blow truly  
It fallyth of lightly  
Also is it of a child I iwis  
When it of meet felled is  
An air smiteth there upon  
Whereby it inclines upon one  
And slepes than and rests so  
Which is nourishing there unto  
An old man also sleep will  
As a child but by other skill  
For feebleness of brains slepys he  
As a ripe appul upon a tree  
When a wind it touches aught  
It fallyth unto ground for naught  
The old man is in that caas  
A little ease when that he has  
He fallyth a sleep quite  
And that is greatly his delight  
For feeble reins and heavy bonies  
That causyth him to sleep for the nonies   

¶ The. Cc.xxuj. question  
¶ If god had so great a man wrought  
As all the world/ might he aught  
Have stand again god right  
through virtue of his might  
HAd he made so great aman  
As any man reckon can  
As all the world dale or down  
Wood/ water/ felled/ or town  
Again god had he no main  
Moore than an aunt hath him again  
And yet a thousand times less  
Than hath the aunt in his greatness  
For god with word evynly wrought  
heaven/ earth and all of naught  
And would he bid them sink  
It should be done as thou couldst think  
Seeing he earth and henyn may undo  
even with his word also  
And is but appoint of his might  
Much more than with right  
Is the remnant of his pouste  
Wherefore to him may nothing be   

¶ The. CC.xxvij. question  
¶ What should this word have be & how  
Had god not dight it as it is now  
IT should have be more ne less  
Than a fowl dale of darkness  
Or as a dark prison pit  
And nothing should have aluted it  
The elements that we now call  
Should have be troubled together all  
And god should nevertheless in bliss  
Have been and wrought nothing of this  
But for the creatures sake  
That god would afterward make  
The elements claryfyed he  
Setting each one there they should be  
And dighted all things to man's prow  
Also as that they are now   

¶ The. CC.xxviij. question  
¶ Weather the angels of goddys' onde can  
As did the soul first of Adam  
ADamys soul so was wrought  
Of goddies flat but angel naught  
They were of goddys' word alone  
He bade them be and they were echone  
But god blew upon Adam  
ghost of life and he forth came  
Wherefore adam and his offspring  
That steadfastly over all thing  
Trust in god and believe shall  
And his bidding do with all  
Dygnyer before god shall be  
Than angels be reasons three  
first he hath life that may not wonde  
Of the spririte of god's onde  
And that was higher to my thinking  
Than angel that came ofspeking  
Also aman has enemies  
To tempt him were he goth or lies  
And angel in no tempting is  
Wherefore he may not do amiss  
And he that the tempting withstandis  
And cometh not in the devils handis  
He is more dignyer than he  
That in no tempting may be  
The third cause than is also  
That god hath set angel thereto  
To keep man both far and hende  
And fro all evil him to defend  
And from all encombrement  
Butt if himself thereto assent  
And if angel man's servant be  
Than is agood man dygnyer than he   

¶ The. CC.xxix. question  
¶ Now would I know I iwis  
What thing is hevynly paradyse  
HEuynly paradyse than is  
Nothing but that same bliss  
That a man hath of the sight  
Of goddys' face that is so bright  
For he that seas him face to face  
He hath all manner of grace  
joy and delight endless to be  
Health/ fayrhed/ strength/ and lewte  
Wit and cunning with riches also  
God for his might sand us thereto   

¶ The. Cc.xxx question  
¶ The fairest thing in this world to see  
That god made which may it be  
AMan than is the fairest thing  
That is in earth of goddies making  
And the loveliest of visage  
For he him made after his image  
And for man made son and moan  
With all things that under won  
And also as he would make  
All things for man's sake  
service unto man to do  
So will he man to him shall do   

¶ The. CC.xxxj. question  
¶ Whether oughtest thou to love alday  
That love the/ or that the lovest me say  
THou shalt love that loveth the  
And that thou lovest some let be  
For thou lovest some peraventure  
That of the take full little cure  
And but thou love with all shy main  
Him that loveth the again  
Than will I say thou lovyst naught  
God that at his likeness the wrought  
And who so loveth sin here  
He loveth the devil to have to fere  
And he ne loveth here no man  
But to shende all that he can  
And to put him in pain and woe  
Lo/ what wise he loveth though  
The good he hateth day and night  
But them to dear he hath no might  
For god defends them with his might  
And loveth all that loveth him a right  
Therefore they that great love hath the till  
Love him again for that is skill   

¶ The. CC.xxvii. question  
¶ Which are the worthiest words that be  
And grass and stones as thinketh thee?  
GOd gave unto things three  
Much virtue and potence  
And to man's help each one  
To word/ to grass/ and to stone  
The worthiest word and most of might  
For to say day or night  
Is to worship heaven king  
And pray him after good ending  
For if this word be worthily spoken  
It shallbe hard fro earth to heaven  
Also grasses are there feel  
Made unto man's he'll  
But of so many is there one  
That may wert be foregone  
That is where to food of man  
Worthyar grass not I tell can  
Also are there many stones  
Of great virtue for the nonce  
But mill stones are they though  
That man may not well forego  
For the grinding of the corn  
They may wert be forborn  
And seeing all haves of them need  
That with breed shall them feed  
Worthiest stone I them call  
Among other stones all   

¶ The. CC.xxxiij. question  
¶ Shalt thou thy counsel tell every deal  
To thy friend that thou lovest well  
COunsel aught to be told  
To him that thou all have would  
Which is god and man else  
For he will hele that thou tells  
If thou thy friend tell it unto  
It may after befall so  
That that friendship may over go  
And thy friend becomyth thy foe  
Than may thou say if the list  
Now wottyth my foo that my frynd wist  
Or if thou thy friend it say  
And wenyst he shall the not wrey  
And he tells it privily  
Unto another friend him by  
And he the fourth as may welbe  
This may it not long be prevete  
For that many mouths wot  
On some tongue it lies full hot  
Thus might thou come in blame therefore  
Wherefore bettar untolde it wore  
If thou a preuete have wrought  
And thy heart may hele it naught  
Thinking it sadness in the right  
Untyl thou have told it to some wight  
Go from the folk be the alone  
That no man here the make no moan  
And call it than thyself to  
As thou wouldest to another do  
When thou hast told thy heart shall keel  
And no more anguish shalt thou feel  
If thou no ways may it hold  
Till thou have it another told  
Look thou tell it to such one  
That thou may well trust upon  
That he will tell it on no side  
For no wrath that may be tide   

¶ The. CC.xxxiiij. question  
¶ Which are women of most profit  
For man to have to his delight  
UNtyl soul profits none  
But amanies wife alone  
But of the body if thou say  
In the year are sesons twey  
After which aman look shall  
What woman he shall deal with all  
In winter when the air is cold  
And his keelth yields manifold  
A young woman and brown also  
profits than man unto  
For brown woman is of hot onde  
And of hot guts fond  
And her hete heties man also  
And great profit doys him to  
In summer when the air is hot  
And heteth both dry and wot  
Than is a young white woman  
Best unto profit of man  
For she is cold of kind to feel  
And man of great hete may she keel  
But an old woman doth no profit  
Unto man nother brown ne white  
For ill onde about she beres  
And moist guts that greatly deres  
She makys aman pure heavy  
And grevyth every deal his body  
And doth change his fair colour  
Wherefore in her is no succour   

¶ The. CC.xxxv. question  
¶ The quaking that aman is in  
Sometime whereof may it begin  
Quaking that sometime lightly  
Falls aman in his body  
Cometh of flemes that are cold  
That the moisture in his body hold  
For they over come of their do  
All the colers that in him be  
When the colers have all in weld  
A great keelth in man they yield  
That cold reykes forth there with  
Unto sins veins and each light  
Which causyth him to quake begin  
And the body shake within  
As the blast of a cold air will make  
A thin clothed man for to shake   

¶ The. CC.xxxvi. question  
¶ When aman saith a thing  
Whether giveth the eye out in seeing  
Or it receyvyth inward thereto  
The shape that it seas also  
Nothing may come out owhore  
But there that it went in before  
Nor eye may nothing give outward  
But that it first received inward  
Wherefore understand a right  
Three things go to the sight  
first that thing that thou shalt see  
That other that it coloured be  
For of all things is seen nothing  
But only the colouring  
The third are beams of the sight  
Which upon that thing shall light  
That shallbe seen and after this  
Moisture that in the eyen is  
Draws unto him the shaping  
And the fashion of that thing  
And that shape yields it the branes unto  
And the brains to the heart also  
The heart sendies it to him at the last  
And in memory holds fast  
And for that sending will the heart  
Think another time full smart  
Of the thing eyen had somwhore  
Seen truly therbefore   

¶ The. CC.xxxvij. question  
¶ How may a man speaking be  
Be him alone and say we  
AMan is made more ne less  
But after goddies own likeness  
And also as in the godhead be  
reckoned rightly people three  
So there are in every man  
Three things that I reckon can  
Body/ soul/ and the wit  
These three are together knit  
The tongue an instrument is right  
To speak the soul giveth might  
The wits govern above all  
What so the tongue speak shall  
And seeing every man hath these three  
In speech may he well say we   

¶ The. CC.xxxviij. question  
¶ May with taking from the see  
It in any thing amenysshed be  
Thing that men alday of take  
behoveth to menysshe and slake  
Now is no water of all that be  
Fresh nor salt but of the see  
And every day men takys thereto  
Both man and beast and fowl also  
And all that is taken every day  
again to the see ne may  
There goeth of it to waste somdele  
As every man may wit well  
But the earth yields waters' her fro  
That unto the see go  
And the see restores eft  
Of all that men hath it reft  
And it is so long and wide  
And so greatly deep and side  
That men may aperceve nothing  
That thereof goys to wasting   

¶ The. CC.xxxix. question  
¶ Whether shall man love one or other  
Child of the sister or of the brother  
BOth aught thou for to love them even  
After goddys' right of heaven  
But after the worldys' law  
Some man were liefer to him draw  
The brother's child and love him more  
Than the sisters/ hearken wherefore  
The child takys matter of the wife  
And of the father shape and life  
And shape of all thing I iwis  
Is worthyare than the matter is  
Wherefore that some men will say  
The brother's child is near of twey  
But gyle is on that other side  
As men hath wist it oft betide  
My brother's wife may be a wile  
And may do her husband gyle  
And wit on him achyld lightly  
That he no more got than I  
But achyld that my sister bore  
Thereof am I sure and aware  
That that behoveth to be kin of need  
But of my brother's child is dread   

¶ The. Cc.xl question  
¶ Tell me now if that thou can  
The peryloust things that are in man  
Four colours hath man him in  
That of four complections begin  
The first is blood that may not miss  
That other black colour I wysse  
The third is fleme white on to see  
And yellow colour the fourth is he  
And want aman of these three  
His body were deed anon  
And each one behovys to be  
At his seson in his pouste  
And if any lack them all  
Out of time that they should in him fall  
In sickness the body falls  
perilous wherefore men them calls  
And each one hath his power  
In divers quarters of the year  
Three things the first quarter ches  
Capricorn/ Aquarius/ and pisses  
And of flemes have they might  
And weet and cold is their right  
In December they begin  
And in mydel of March they blynne  
Which is the coldest time of all  
For that is that we winter call  
¶ The second quarter next thereby  
Have Aries/ Taurus/ Gemini  
Blood in man have they might to  
And are hot and moist also  
In March is their beginning  
And in june is their ending  
Ver height that seson that I mean  
All things therein wax green  
¶ The third quarter hath him unto  
Cancer/ Leo/ and Uirgo  
And they are both hot and dry  
Of yellow colours is their maystrye  
In june is their begyning aye  
And in September they wend away  
Which is the summer tide  
The meryest time that men abide  
¶ The fourth hath signs thus  
Libra/ Scorpio/ Sagittarius  
They are both cold and dry  
And of black colour have sygnorye  
whose beginning is in September  
And their parting in December  
And who so these four times observes  
And his kind well in them guides  
From perelles might he keep him long  
And in he'll hold his limbs strong   

¶ The xlj question  
¶ Of all the flesshes the men may get  
Which is the holsomest to eat  
THe flesh that is of most substance  
And giveth man most sustynaunce  
That flesh is the holsomest  
And unto man's nourishing best  
But who so a good stomach might get  
That might well dygest his meet  
To him is best though it be great  
Flesh of bugle and of neat  
For great might to man they give  
But sick men will they grieve  
For a sick man is feeble right  
And his stomach is of no might  
Wherefore mutton is best him to  
And young chykens are good also  
For tenderness that men in them find  
And greatly charges not the kind  
For a sick man may suffer no deal  
Of that a hole man may right well   

¶ The. CC.xlij. question  
¶ The meet that aman shall live by  
How departies it in his body  
Sustenance that aman take shall  
Gaderies unto the stomach all  
And with drink synkes therein  
And than to seethe will it begin  
And when it is sudden well  
And dygested every deal  
In five parts divided it is  
And every party goys unto his  
The first part wylbe fall  
To be clenest and purest of all  
And that part also smart  
Draws him lightly unto the heart  
That other part draws him also  
The brains/ eyen/ and heed unto  
The third unto the lymes shall  
And unto the blood with all  
The fourth goeth there it is not spylt  
To the longs/ to the liver and to the milte  
The fift than is as brene of all  
Which will unto the guts fall  
And men cast it out thereby  
That it helpyth not the body  
And dryuke departies also in man  
As I of meet to tell began   

¶ The. CC.xliij. question  
¶ How shall aman of his throat win  
Abone or a thorn stycking therein  
By bread or liquor takyn fully  
And swelowed inward hastily  
And if it sink not  
And will not through the throt  
Take of raw flesh a mossel  
And with a small thread bind it well  
That mossel swallow with speed  
But in thy hand hold the thread  
Till it is down hold fast  
And it shall that bone out cast  
If the thread break do it eft  
Unto that it be out refte   

¶ The. CC.xliiij. question  
¶ The muck that every man goeth fro  
Tell me why it styncketh so  
stinking is it for causes twey  
And which they are I shall say  
That one for spering of the body  
So that none air may come thereby  
I shall the set ensample how  
If a man took right now  
A piece of flesh never so fair  
And spered it there it had no air  
And it lie hot soon shalt thou see  
That it should stinking be  
For the humours is another skill  
That the stomach draw him until  
Which full byttar are and sour  
Salt and of evil savour  
With the meet they minge them all  
When so aman eat shall  
Great stench the meet of them takys  
Whereby as aman lies it smakys   

¶ The. CC.xlv. question  
¶ Tell me now I pray the this  
Why man's urine so salt is  
BE three things comys it to  
Why that it is salt also  
One is be cause a man that it drinks  
In him through the meet it synkes  
And steps therein out to get  
All the salt that was in the meet  
another cause also truly  
Is for the swote of the body  
The body sweties inward for hete  
And kindly salt is the sweet  
And that sweat mengeles with the pyssa  
Wherefore as salt it is  
The third cause for the hete with in  
To seethe and boil that will not blyn  
In the body both sweet and drink  
Or they may to the bladder sink  
And for these causes three  
Behoveth urine salt to be   

¶ The. Cc.xluj. question  
¶ Whereof ever worms breed  
In man and how that they feed  
Worms are truly there breed  
And in man's body feed  
Of the muck of grossy metes  
That a man or woman etes  
And of the self live they well  
Of the venomousest deal  
For as the adder and the pode  
And other worms that in earth wood  
Fedyth the earth them verily  
Of the venom that therein doth lie  
Also these worms that in us lie  
Cleanses us of great party  
Of evils that should in us make  
Uenemous metes that we take  
Nevertheless hurt they do  
There men hath them long also   

¶ The. CC.xlvij. question  
¶ How many crafts & which are though  
That man might wert for go  
Crafts four in earth ere  
That men might not well for bear  
One is smyth another wryght  
That to men many things dight  
The third art so is sowing  
And the fourth so is weving  
After the time that made was adam  
Was smything the first art that came  
Wherefore is it lord of all  
For nothing that to man shall fall  
Of werking lomes to work with all  
That it through smiths' hands ne shall  
Wryghting is also a cunning  
That might not be foreborne be my iuging  
For as for the iron steres the tree  
So most the tree help to the iron be  
For with out tree may no man well  
Light nothing with iron and steel  
Of sowing as the world hath need  
With sowing is dight man's wede  
Though man in leather should be called  
Yet were it with out sowing bade  
Also clouth is made right none  
But if weving be there on  
Other many crafts there are  
But these four be the first that ware  
And of all they are the best  
And to man's life of the surest   

¶ The. CC.lxviij. question  
¶ Whether shall in heaven have more bliss  
Children that never did amiss  
Or they that for god of their will  
Took the good and left the ill  
Children young that did no sin  
Great joy shall in heaven win  
You/ their joy shallbe much more  
Than they here have done therefore  
But he that is of age perfit  
And knoweth this worlds delight  
And might take all to his behove  
And levyth all for goddys' love  
Taking penance on his body  
There he might live esely  
An hundredth fold shallbe his bliss  
Moore than any chyldes I iwis  
For as achyld no ill can do  
So can it no good thereto  
Mede is not ordained alto though  
That wicked deeds are kept fro  
But that do of their will good deed  
To them so is ordained meed   

¶ The. CC.xlix. question  
¶ How may aman on what manere  
Over come the will of this world here  
HE may will over come every deal  
And that lightly and we'll  
If athing fall in his thought  
That he wotyth good is naught  
And he have thereto great will  
It in deed to fulfil  
Turn thy thought in that tempting  
And begin to think on other thing  
Thy first thought shall fall the fro  
And that wicked will thou shalt forego  
But hold thou thereon thy thought sore  
Thou delights more and more  
And kyndeles ever as a gleed  
Unto that thou come to deed  
And than falls thou in sin  
For thy thought could not blynne  
But pine the all that thou may  
For to turn thy thought away  
Anon shall it in the keel  
And no more thereof shalt thou feel   

¶ The. CC.xlix. question  
¶ Thomas that to paradise or hell go  
Shall they ever come out therefro?  
ALL that are in paradise  
Would gladly out that be thou wise  
But the souls that are in hell  
Would never out but still there dwell  
And I shall tell the for why  
If a lord dwelled here by  
And had dwelling in a cete  
Two servants of his main  
That one served him so aright  
That the lord wardayne him height  
soon would he have his lord come again  
The t'other were a wicked swain  
And for falsehood taken wore  
And in prison held sore  
And abode an evil ending  
At the lords home coming  
The good servant would he came tyte  
In trust of the more profit  
The wicked would he tarried lange  
For at his coming should he hang  
And ever in prison liefer were he  
Than come out and hanged be  
Also they that in paradyse won  
Them longeth after gods son  
The very profit that come shall  
That the world shall dame over all  
For than shall their bliss be more  
An hundredth fold than was before  
For than shall soul and body wend  
Into heaven withouten end  
But souls that to hell go  
Wold gods son never came so  
For at his doom the body shall  
Come and devil the soul withal  
And both into hell far  
And an hundreth fold have care  
Moore than that he had first  
Therefore to devil still him list  
For better with one care with inn  
Than to come out and have twain   

¶ The. Cc.l question  
¶ Why go not the good that are wise  
Unto earthly paradyse?  
IT is not convenient dare I say  
That they thither took the way  
earthly paradyse was wrought  
To body and to soul naught  
It is a place earthly  
Therefore when soul is fro the body  
It may no where have dwelling  
But it be in ghostly thing  
For ghost rejoiceth him right naught  
In place that bodily is wrought  
ghost to ghost that is his right  
And body in bodily thing hath might  
Soul may no man feel ne see  
Wherefore in his kind must he be   

¶ The. CC.lij. question  
¶ Whether is soul heavy or light  
Great or small dark or bright  
WEre a thousand souls here  
Lying on alefe of paper  
Hevyar were the paper naught  
For they are light & as thought  
Under thy nail might thou spear  
A thousand and be never the were  
Thy eyen and thy sight before  
Should never the less thy sight be  
To see the thing that thou wouldest see  
No more than thou hast letting  
Of the wind to see a thing  
And in the world is naught so white  
As is of hew a good spirit  
But a sinful soul sinful and wycke  
Is also black as any pick  
Great loathly and heavy  
And fallyth dounward readily  
There nys man ne woman none  
That a sinful soul saw one  
But if the more wonder were  
Out of his wit he should far   

¶ The. CC.liij. question  
¶ Good souls that fro the body go●  
Whither wend they anon  
ALl that ever to life came  
From the first time of adam  
Young and old good and wicked  
Till goddys' son on road be deed  
Holly unto hell flyed  
Some to the low and some to the high  
But after his death on the rood  
So shall the souls of the good  
When they fro the body shed  
Wend unto the cleansing stead  
And when they cleansed are a right  
Unto the bliss of heaven light  
The wicked shall with out dwelling  
Anon in to hell be sinking  
And some shall here have done so  
That great cleansing nedyth them not to  
But also soon as they they  
Wend to heaven the high way  
But never the less at their end  
Be purgatory shall they wend   

¶ The. CC.liiij. question  
¶ May no man in heaven be  
But he first purgatory see  
NO man or woman shall ever be  
Ne was in time that is gone perdie  
That shall to heaven when he shall they  
But by purgatory be his way  
Nevertheless there shallbe two  
That there by need not to go  
The prophyt that shall man save  
For of cleansing no need shall he have  
That other shallbe that maiden bright  
That goddys' son shall in light  
For full clean shallbe of sin  
The body that he shall light in  
Wherefore shall she with out care  
With soul and body to him far   

¶ The. Cc.lu question  
¶ sithen god sendies some to hell  
And some to heaven for to dwell  
Whereto shall the doom be  
And what thing than iuge shall he  
GOod souls should in heaven dwell  
And wicked before the doom in hell  
And all at the angels call  
Unto the doom come shall  
In soul and body as they wore  
In this world here before  
And both together shall they wend  
There they shallbe with out end  
glorified shallbe the wise  
Of him that is the high justice  
And trobeled than shallbe their bliss  
That men never ne shall miss  
And brighter shall than the body be  
Than is the son in his claryte  
The wicked shall to hell go  
Sowle and body to dwele in woe  
The pain that he had first in would  
Shall then be encresed three fold  
For right is the body that was here  
In ill and good the Souls fere  
That it with the soul feel also  
joy or pain where it goys to  
Wherefore shall the doom be set  
Eythere joy or pain to get   

¶ The. Cc.luj. question  
¶ Young children that can not reason  
Shall they aught feel damnation  
Shall no man dampened be but he  
That grants well he worthy be  
For again say may he naught  
All the deeds that he hath wrought  
But cheldrens that no good can  
Ne no wit had of man  
damnation shall none come in  
For they did no deadly sin  
But if any be perchance  
That should have come to creaunce  
And be deed or it be born  
joy for ever it hath forlorn  
But pain it shall none dole  
Dwele it shall in a dark hole  
Where they shall feel every adele  
Nyther of woe ne of we'll   

¶ The. CC.lvij. question  
¶ Whether in that other world may be  
Only house town or cete  
AFul fair cete god first dight  
Of his cunning and his might  
Both to angel and to man  
Or that man to sin be 'gan  
But after the sin of adam  
Each man unto hell came  
And that is a full wicked cete  
Made to the devil and his main  
But when goddys' son is come truly  
And death hath suffered pityously  
Than shall men find ways three  
Each one to a divers cete  
The good to heaven the way shall take  
The wicked to hell to devils black  
That repent them here shall be done  
To purgatory to make them clean  
Woning steeds be there no more  
Where man or woman shall to go   

¶ The. CC.lviij. question  
¶ Shall they be dampened canst thou me say  
Children of heathen men that they  
Children of heathen in yougth died  
And after their father's law a lived  
Albina shall they dampened be  
No bliss shall they ever see  
But young children shall have no awe  
That should have be of goddys' law  
In a darkness shall they dwell  
But of pain dare them none tell   

¶ The. CC.lix. question  
¶ If no sin had done Adam  
Should all the folk that of him came  
With flesh and fell as they are seen  
Ever in paradise have been?  
HAd Adam so him bethought  
That he had no sin wrought  
Of his offspring should never none  
Out of paradyse have go  
But lived there without torment  
And fro thence to heaven have went  
Right as one of heavens main  
Without death or any pain  
Should no sin ne no liking  
Have be than in child getting  
Should no man have thought velany  
Among other of his company  
no more then now is velanye  
For to look a man in the eye   

¶ The. Cc.lx question  
¶ When water hylled the world every deal  
Hyllyd it paradyse as weal?  
THat flood in earth god sent also  
The most deal of the folk to fordo  
And for to wash the mekyl sin  
That the world that time was inn  
But in paradyse came it naught  
For there was no sin in wrought  
But one that adam the appul ate  
And the sin lay not in that  
It lay in the breaking  
Of the precept of heaven king  
And for the sin that he did thore  
Might he therein dwele no more  
With all his sin was he out cast  
Unto this world here at the last  
And when no sin was there about  
In paradyse when he was out  
What would the flood than do therein  
Whare was left no sin   

¶ The. CC.lxxj. question  
¶ Of what age made god adam  
When he in to this world came  
ADam god made and his fere  
At his licknes for they are to him dear  
And young right as angels wise  
For the love that he and his  
Should the ordres of angels fulfil  
That Lucyfer began to spyl  
But when they mysded at the last  
And of paradyse were out cast  
Their here began to wax and spread  
And to their heel's down it go  
And after their here on to see  
Them seemed of thirty year to be   

¶ The. CC.lxij question  
¶ Thomas that at the doom shall they  
And have not served to hell the way  
Nore time of purgation so soon may be  
What shall come of them tell me  
THey that so long here live shall  
Untyl god the world dame all  
And them behovys on all wysse  
Unto the doom for to arysse  
And hath not served here to dwele  
With wicked in the pain of hell  
Ne naught worthy so readily are  
In to heaven for to far  
Untyl their soul cleansed is  
Of that it here did amiss  
God shall sand them south to say  
So sharp a pain or they day  
That shall cleanse them over all  
And for all the days stand them shall  
That they had be worthy to take  
In purgatory them clean to make  
Also in their up taking  
Shall come to them a sharp cleansing  
And so shall they up wend  
In to the bliss with out end   

¶ The. CC.lxiii. question  
¶ When soul come to the body also  
Which part goth it in thereto?  
Goddys' will may not miss  
What so he will anon it is  
But when god asoule shall make  
To a body that it shall take  
Of his might he makys it all  
Within the body it have shall  
As thou sayst upon a tree  
Pere or appul whether it be  
When it to wax shall begin  
The carnel bredyth there with in  
And waxes in the fruit holly  
So doth the soul in the body   

¶ The. CC.lxiiij. question  
¶ Who named first all thing  
And teched them their cunning  
GOd when he had made adam  
Gave him strength beute & wisdom  
And he gave unto things all  
Names as men them call  
And he gave man cunning also  
As behoved his life unto  
Of goddys' grace and of his will  
And than be left they so all still  
From the time that they begun to be  
Unto our second father No  
He newed and teched all thing  
As adam did at the beginning  
Our second father we him call  
For the dylwy drowned all  
But No and his sons three  
And their wives/ of them came we  
Nevertheless No came  
Of the gendure of adam  
But that time no men had lives  
But they four and their wives  
And or he died came of them two  
xxiv. thousand and more   

¶ The. CC.lxv. question  
¶ Whereof it be and wherefore  
That some men are less & some more  
commonly a man's waxing  
Is after the time of his bearing  
And somwhyle man more or less is  
After the vessel he lay in I iwis  
He that is planet of that year  
When a child is born so here  
If he in time of the birth be  
Of his sign in the entre  
That child so shallbe kindly  
But little man of his body  
And if he be the sign amyde  
For the more man he shallbe kydde  
And if it in the ending fall  
Than is he more than the other all  
And by cause the planets of more might wore  
In the time here before  
Wherefore men than ware  
Of greattare might then now are  
And ever more while the world shall stand  
The more shall all things be less and   

¶ The. Cc.lxuj. question  
¶ Whether is perylousare to have  
Hete or cold thyself to save  
HEte and cold over measure  
Are full hot to endure  
If thou have cold and clotheless be  
Yet may thou somwyse help the  
For to stir and go fastly  
Or some ways travail thy body  
Travail in keelth than is good  
It will soon enchafe thy blood  
And when the blood in hete is brought  
All the lymes eschafe for naught  
But if thou have an outrage hete  
It is evil for to bete  
There may thou help thyself not so  
As thou in the cold may do  
The hete will gather more and more  
And grieve aman all to sore  
But if he any drink may feel  
Or with some other thing him keel  
Full dry it will his body make  
And great evil cause him to take  
Wherefore than is more pain to have  
Hete than keelth and surear to save   

¶ The. CC.lxvij. question  
¶ Doth the child follow naturally  
The wicked conditions of his parent truly  
Though father and mother wicked be  
And the child may live and the  
And do as he aught to do  
Toward god and man also  
It shall him nothing dear  
That his forgoars wicked were  
No more than it dereth where to grow  
Though a thief or wicked man it sow  
And be his father never so good  
Ne his mother never so mild of mode  
And himself be wicked truly  
Defiled with deeds wickedly  
It fareth as where that first men brynne  
And after the earth sows it in  
That shall never in earth spring  
Ne fruit shall it none forth bring   

¶ The. CC.lxvi. question  
¶ Whether is bettar and less to spyl  
Aman to speak or hold him still  
Speak and leave is both to do  
As aman seas time thereto  
Thou may sometime a word say  
That may 'cause the for to they  
A●d sometime may thou hold the still  
That may turn the unto ill  
Wherefore if thou shalt speak any whore  
Auyse the on it before  
Also well as thou can  
That it be scathe to no man  
And that thy words may a veil  
Or else losys thou thy travail  
If thou any word say shall  
For to pay thy friend with all  
And it be a gain two or three  
unsaid were it bettar be  
A man should have in many points  
A crane's hals with many joints  
That he not speak to rath  
Whereof should turn scathe  
But that he may his word with call  
Or it pass the joints all   

¶ The. CC.lxvij. question  
¶ Whether aught wysar to be  
Young man or old as thinketh the  
I Think it ware again kind  
That men young men should find  
That of all thing wysar were  
Than old men and could more  
●or of the brains of the man  
Is much of the wit that he can  
And the brains of the old  
Are sadder and more may hold  
Than of a young man that are light  
And to hold are of no might  
Also the eldar that aman is  
The more time of proof hath be his  
And the more aman may here and see  
The more most his cunning be  
In xl year more can men  
Than in viii nine or ten  
Wherefore aught old to be wysare  
Than any young man in fere  
The old may men over run well  
But over the other never a deal   

¶ The. CC.lxviii. question  
¶ Tell me now I pray the  
What thing delight may be  
Bodily delight is hele  
And for to have riches feel  
And the body at ease to make  
And many gifts for to take  
For if that thou in he'll be  
In some thing thou delights the  
Be thou rich and fast may win  
Thy delight is than therein  
And he that will curteys be told  
And giveth gifts many fold  
For to get him loos and pryese  
His delight therein lyese  
A covytous man delights him sore  
For to gather more and more  
And that he to gather hath delight  
Comes some time other to profit  
Another delight is there yet  
And ghostly delight height it  
When aman delights him nothing  
But in the service of heaven king  
Neither in catel child ne wife  
But in holiness of life  
Of all delights the best that is  
For it giveth the endless bliss   

¶ The. CC.lxi. question  
¶ What kind appul was that  
That our father Adam ate  
ADam eat an appul right  
Such as we now see in sight  
And that appul for his sin  
Tokyn of death bore there with in  
For that that was first sweetest of all  
Be came byttar as any gall  
In tokyn that he that first had space  
Was put there fro and from grace  
And in to woe and sorrow than  
Whereof the appul sour be came  
And the sin was not for that  
That he so the appul ate  
But by cause he broke the commandment  
Of his maker/ that made him shent  
And all that ever came of them to  
For their sin went in to woe   

¶ The CC.lxxii. question  
¶ Why learn these young children so  
Moore than these old men do  
Children are hottar of kind  
Than any old man that men find  
And curious they are also  
To the thing that men them settis to  
lightly taking and holding  
For their wit is ever waxing  
Cold man hath saddar wit  
Wherefore hard taking is it  
And of long time hath he seen  
Many things that hath been  
Whereof he hath before  
Therefore he taketh not much more  
And man's wit is more thinking  
In other things that he hath in occapyeng  
And children but of their lesson  
Have no occupation  
Therefore their wit is thereon set  
And are of naught else let   

¶ The. CC.lxii. question  
¶ Which is the dylectablest sight  
That is under sun light?  
THe delectabelest thing that may be  
Than is to heaven for to see  
And think on him that all hath wrought  
heaven/ earth/ and all of naught  
Son/ moan/ and star bright  
That is delectable ghostly sight  
Delectable sight there is also  
That bodily thing longs unto  
As to see delights him many one  
That he loves and longs to see on  
For man delighteth him to be hold  
Thing that he loves and have would  
Though it loathly be and black  
For love men say hath no lack  
And be it so fair as it aught  
And aman love it naught  
In the sight hath he no liking  
Ne delights him therein nothing   

¶ The. CC.lxiij. question  
¶ Why made god as thou mayst see  
Hear on man's body for to be  
MAter that man hath of each limb  
Took first god of earth slime  
And compared to earth he is  
For as on earth waxeth gris  
So waxeth here upon the man  
Other fruit naught give he can  
And on the first man here 'gan spring  
In the stead of his clothing  
When he clothing of grace had lorne  
For he him to god had mysborne  
He saw him naked and shamed sore  
On all the lymes that on him wore  
Than sent god here on him waxing  
That to his heel's was hanging  
There with was his body clad  
And Eve no nother clothing had   

¶ The. CC.lxxv. question  
¶ Why come some this world unto  
Doumbe born and deaf also  
LOng before that god began  
This world for to make or man  
Wist he well that man should sin  
And goddys' hest to break begin  
And stablest he forth by  
The turning about of the sky  
And the planets in their going  
For to govern all thing  
And the signs there they in go  
For to work both well and woe  
And in some point of though  
Are some born deaf and doume also  
Some crooked and some blind  
As men may many find  
And all for adamys sin is that  
When that he the appul ate  
And be cause he sinned in his assent  
In all the wits that god him lent  
Where by in each wit that man haas  
Fallyth this aveature percaas  
In tokyn that adam forsook  
God in them all and the appul took   

¶ The. Cc.lxxuj. question  
¶ profiteth the folk aught unto  
The almesdedes that they here do  
AMan that doth here almesdede  
He is worthy of much meed  
If he for god it do only  
And he trust in him steadfastly  
●o much pain it will him save  
In purgatory that he should have  
And he that belevyth not in god truly  
But in idols belevyth sickerly  
No alms do he ne may  
Though he the poor give alday  
For alms deed may none it prove  
With out it be given for goddys' love  
And give for him & believe in him naught  
This may not be together brought  
For if a man now wore  
With a spear wounded sore  
Lechcrafte might do no good to him  
While the iron styked therein  
Neuerthelesse aman is sin  
May sooner have grace for to blynne  
And through knowleging may he loos  
For almesdedes that he does   

¶ The. CC.lxxvij. question  
¶ A iuge sins he aught  
That denies them that ill hath wrought  
Or sins he aught also with all  
That the iugment fulfil shall  
BUt if judges were set  
The wicked sometime for to let  
An evil world should soon begin  
And peril were to live therein  
Wherefore is it good to be here  
Wicked deeds to correct and dear  
For he that works here amiss  
In so much as in him is  
He wraths god of heaven sore  
Than is iuge ordained therefore  
Wreckar of goddys' cause to be  
Wrong to deny in every country  
Now if he dame him that doth ill  
Me thinketh he doth goddys' will  
And he that the iugment shall do  
Unto him sha● dempt is so  
He hath no p●ryl therein  
But waysshes his hand in blood of sin  
Now than who so in iugment shall fyte  
Look that he fro right not ●yte  
For gift/ favour/ ne for made  
For he wraths god so tha● deed  
But in 〈◊〉 judges right  
Sins 〈…〉 the plight   

¶ The. CC.lxxviij. question  
¶ Thomas tha● are dom● & ●ooles born  
And doys 〈…〉  
HOles that no good can  
Ne no wit have of man  
And are born of their mother so  
Men tell of them what so they do  
As a child that hath no wit  
But doth all that liketh it  
And bettar do can it naught  
But as it falls in the thought  
And by cause their wit is no more  
Dampened be they not therefore  
But they that in wit were born  
And after it have forlorn  
And did evil there before  
While that they in wit wore  
And no mercy of god asked  
Of that deed while their wit lasted  
And after known nother good nor ill  
Thomas shallbe at goddies will   

¶ The. CC.lxxix. question  
¶ Angels that with god are dear  
Keep they mennys souls here  
Every man what so he be  
That belevyth in the trinity  
Hath an angel him to zeme  
And to tech him to good to lene  
And all his good thoughts and deeds  
Puttys him his angel that leads  
A wicked angel he hath also  
Wicked deeds to put him to  
And his wit is lent him free  
And good and evil knows he  
Whether angel he follow will  
And the good angel is f●lwo  
When he seas his man mysgo  
And his joy is well the more  
When men doys after his lore  
For of himself hath man right naught  
But wickydnes in deed and thought   

¶ The. CC.lxxx. question  
¶ How may angel that hath no body  
Show himself here to man openly  
angel that is in goddys' sight  
To see all thing hath he might  
But him may no body see  
For a ghostly thing is he  
And through man's prison  
Is angel sometime sent here down  
And he may come also smart  
As any thought in man's heart  
Of the air he takyth a body  
And than is he seen openly  
And than aman hear him can  
And he him as another man  
But were not that body truly  
Him might see no bodily eye   

¶ The. CC.lxxxj. question  
¶ Are devils spyers ever more  
Of that the folk do everywhore  
devils are ever more ready  
Where so aman doth wickedly  
And many ministers have they  
That are walking night and day  
And that never more blynne  
Men to tempt and bring in sin  
And when man hat● do● also  
Anon his master hete●●ys it to  
But if that it so b●falle  
That any of the devils all  
With some good man be down cast  
His power will no lengar last  
Among his fellows he shallbe she●●  
And be cast in great torment  
So sore them ●●nes hesp●de naught  
Of the thing that he after wrought   

¶ The lxxxij question  
¶ How is that fire on what manere  
purgatory that men call here  
Fire of purgatory is  
There much woe is and no bliss  
Thethere shall face all though  
That shallbe saved and no more  
They that are here of repentance  
And do not fully here pr●●aunce  
There shall he it fulfil be done  
For to make him fully clean  
But there shows to them in that woe  
Angels and other hallows more  
For whose love they did 〈◊〉 h●re  
And they amend them at their sh●re  
Sight of them and trust all so  
Of bliss that they shall after to  
That shallbe the comfort all  
For they wot to bliss they shall  
But that shall after that goddys' son be  
Deed truly upon the road tr●   

¶ The. CC.lxxxiij. question  
¶ What thing is it men call hell  
And how come souls therein to devil  
Hell is a stead of pain and woe  
And yet are there hells two  
The neither and the uppar hell  
And the neither the worse we ●el  
For there is the great pine  
And prync●paly are there in  
¶ The first pain is I wots  
That above other fire is hot  
As that our fire is of nature  
Above fire wrought of the paynture  
¶ That other pain than is great cold  
Such that no man young ne old  
May suffer it so straining it is  
And there is nother joy de bliss  
¶ The third pain that is in that hell  
Are dragons and adders fell  
That in the fire live also  
As fishes in the water do  
¶ The fourth is such stink in that hole  
That nothing may it th●●  
¶ The fift scourgears fowls to ●ete  
As smyth doth 〈…〉 ●●mours great  
¶ The sixth pain that there is dight  
Is great darkness without light  
¶ The sevente is the confusyone  
Of all the sins a man b●e done  
For every man shall know and see  
His deed though him loath be  
¶ The right pain shallbe the cry  
That the dragons so gryssely  
And the adders that there won  
Shall cry upon him ever anon  
¶ The ninth is that he shall for go  
The sight of god and ever to be in woe  
A wicked shall have all this pine  
For he forsook the ordres nine  
Of angels that in heaven wore  
Ne wrought not after goddys' lore  
But though that now wend to hell  
Shall not all in the neither dwell  
In the higher shallbe their dwelling  
As adam and his offspring  
Unto the time of the prophet  
That their sin with his death shall bete   

¶ The. CC.lxxxiiij. question  
¶ They that in whole have they're dwelling  
Wot they or know they any thing  
rightwise souls know well  
All men and thayr deeds every deal  
And they wore all that ever is  
Both in sorrow and in bliss  
Wicked sowl● that is in hell  
Knows all that with them dwell  
But of heaven wot they naught  
Ne of no good deed that is wrought  
The good pray ever more  
For them that did them good before  
And they present to god also  
The good deeds that we do  
And the sight in the trinity  
maketh them all thing to know and see   

¶ The. CC.lxxxv. question  
¶ The good that hens begun all tyte  
Come they now to joy perfit  
UNto joy though they be brought  
Parfyt joy have they naught  
As they shall afterward come till  
Andrea why I shall the say the skill  
If thou come unto a feast  
There rich metes are and honest  
And thou be set alone to meet  
The sadlyare shalt thou eat  
But if a good fellow come to the shall  
That thou daryst to eat with all  
Thou etyst meryare than thou dedyst before  
And thy meet doth the good the more  
even so the soul that is in bliss  
Hath much joy there that he is  
But perfit joy hath it naught  
Till his fellow be thereto brought  
Which is the body that it in lay  
And that shallbe at domysday  
When they together shall come again  
Either of other shallbe fain  
And have of other great delyt  
Than shallbe their joy perfit  
And though that shall to hell fare  
Shall than have perfit care   

¶ The. Cc.lxxxuj. question  
¶ May souls aught show them until  
Their friends each time when they will  
GOod souls that are in bliss  
May each time that their will is  
Show them to friends that would them see  
Sleeping or waking whether it be  
But the soul that is in hell  
behoveth ever more still to dwell  
Thomas that are in purgatory/ are believe  
That the good angel may them give  
So may they show them their friends unto  
To pray them that they them good do  
Or that they prayer for them make  
That their pains may soon slake  
But if any show him to the  
And seys that he dampened be  
Trust it naught never the less  
It is a devil in his likeness   

¶ The. CC.lxxxvij. question  
¶ dreams that men dream on night  
Whereof come they to man's sight  
SOme time of heaven king  
For to tell man some thing  
And of the devil they come somwhyle  
To be gyle that faith give them till  
Sometime of humours stering  
About the heart of man sleeping  
Sometime the womb filled will it make  
Over much meet and drink to take  
Sometime of that men seas on day  
And can not cast it a way  
Or thing that he hath of great thought  
In sleep is it before him brought   

¶ The. CC.lxxxviij. question  
¶ When god made first trees for man  
Was any fruit in them than  
AS god made adam fully man  
And Eve of him fully woman  
Of their seed forth mother to bring  
So did he of all other thing  
Among all other trees he wrought  
That fruit in their seson forth brought  
And every tree that men find  
Hath his fruit in him by kind  
And the seed of them also  
Brought forth fruit as they now do   

¶ The. CC.lxxxix. question  
¶ What time and what day was it  
That adam was made tell me yet  
ADam was made as old men told  
When the moan was three days old  
And had little than of light  
Gnabrygab than it height  
The first moan was it of the year  
And on a friday that was clear  
Adam saw that same time  
And anon he called it prime  
But after changed all No  
And the moans stablished he  
On a friday adam was wrought  
No that day of live was brought  
And on such a day shall born be  
The very prophyt/ and die on tree  
And he shall as he well may  
Work many wonders on that day   

¶ The CC. lxxxx question  
¶ When the flod over the world ran  
Made god than new fruit to man  
GOd made fruit and all thing  
To man's meet at the beginning  
Trees he made and fruit thereon  
And tho fell in the flod each one  
The rotes stood in the earth still  
And after the flod waxed to will  
A●d were so fair as they first wore  
bearing fruit as they did before  
So was no fruit made new  
But the trees that first grew   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxj. question  
¶ Where set No ship on land  
When the flod was with drawand  
soon so the flod was with droughe  
The arch was set safe I 'nough  
Upon a great hill and a high  
That height the mount of Hermonye  
Also quickly as No  
Was out gone with his mean  
And the beasts everichone  
The trees took rotes up a non  
That upon the ship wore  
And shall there stand ever more  
God set the likeness on the sky  
So that men should wit there by  
That never more should be none  
Such a flod as that was one   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxij. question  
¶ When Noe from the ship went so  
Came he this world strange unto?  
GOd made never creature  
Ne never shall here for to dure  
That he ne shall that warn I the  
To this world right strange be  
For porely we came and bore  
And poor shall we hens far  
To day born to morrow on bear  
Our heritage is not here  
And have we heritage none  
Than are we strange everichone  
And strange was No also  
When of the arch he came the world unto   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxiij. question  
¶ Whereof ever may it be  
That a man has in his heart petye?  
PEtye comes of a free blood  
And a nesshe heart that is good  
Pyte to god may lyckened be  
For of him is mercy and pity  
And he that will no pity have  
Him availeth not pity to crave  
Pyte tendres man's heart  
And causyth it to sweat all smart  
The heart there with in sweet is brought  
And for no nother travaileth naught  
When the heart hath pity of a thing  
Anon it fallyth in melting  
And to sweet it will begin  
For tenderness that than is in   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxiiij. question  
¶ Why have fowls in them no nature  
As beasts to make engendure  
HAd fowls kind in them also  
As the other beasts do  
Young to bear in their body  
They might not than fly a high  
The heaviness of their bearing  
So should let them of fleeing  
And than might take them every man  
When they great to wax began  
And they are made by the air to fly  
And not ever by the ground to lie  
Wherefore they ordained ware  
Of goddys' will as they now are   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxv. question  
¶ Sal men have pity of all though  
That lie in pain and in woe  
And deliver them also  
If that men may come thereto  
IF that thou in pain se  
Man or beast whether it be  
Than shalt thou have pity of the sight  
And deliver them if thou might  
Nevertheless men may well slo  
divers beasts and fowls also  
Mannies meet of for to make  
When time comes them to take  
But should they do the no service  
Nothere for meet ne other wise  
Though thou have to it delight  
Or serve not for thy appetite  
But as it came so let it go  
Do it nother pain ne woe  
Be it a worm that venom bears  
And it the/ nor non other deries  
Thou shalt no hurt it do  
For thou hast no cause thereto  
God it made not for naught  
For thy let him that it wrought  
For to do with it at his own will  
And do not thou with wrong it spyl   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxvj. question  
¶ Which is bettar as the doyst think  
Wine or water for to drink  
WIne is a thing full precious  
That many are after covetous  
And sometime it health makys  
Unto some man that it takys  
For it is naught to every man  
To drink I like that it drink can  
wise men drink wine often  
At measure and bear them soft  
They noman miss say ne miss do  
Them is wine profit unto  
But folys that wine drink shall  
That drink drunk therewithal  
And when the wit drunken is  
Then will they gladly do amiss  
Men to bete or to slo  
Or unto whoredom for to go  
Unto men that use it so common  
Were better the water than the wine  
But he that mesurably  
Drynkys wine and not for thy  
Lese his wit/ him doth it good  
And maketh him good body and blood  
Therefore shall wine to good be priest  
And unto fools is water best   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxvij. question.  
¶ When man is ardaunt for to fight  
With some that standis in his sight  
How than may he hold him still  
And overcome that wicked will  
AMan may temper him if he will  
And he will lede his wit with skill  
If that he in wretch be brought  
For some thing that him likes naught  
If he be in will to fight  
Withstand his will at his might  
And undertake to think else whore  
And may his blood not keel therefore  
Out fro folk he draw him fast  
And alone in his heart he cast  
That man may do when he is wroth  
That all his live may be him loath  
And be him alone so flyte and fight  
As it were in that others sight  
And with his breath that he lets go  
Shall his great hete wend him fro  
So guyeted shall he be  
And become all in a temper   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxviij. question  
¶ Why have women all the woe  
Of this world and the joy also  
LIghtly woe and lightly we'll  
Have these women every deal  
Full lightly take they joy them to  
And full lightly woe also  
lightness of the brain mas this  
There no sadness in is  
Less they are than men of wit  
Wherefore their thought lightly will flit  
They far as a leaf on the tree  
That turns where the wind wylbe  
Ware their wit sad as of man  
Men should of them/ for that they can  
Domesmen and justice take  
But no law will it them now make  
lightly they trust that men them say  
And also quycly it is a way  
And for that they now trust/ & now let go  
Have they so soon well and woe   

¶ The. CC. lxxxxix. question  
¶ Why are children when they born are  
So unconing as beasts beware  
A child that tender is and a youngling  
May of this wo●●d know nothing  
For he is both tendar and green  
And of this world hath nothing seen  
Unto he come to greater age  
That he may himself page  
Than may he see and understand  
Of all things that be coming/ and  
Unconning is a child also  
Unto the devil shame to do  
That he that so little born shall be  
And that a beast can more than he  
That he shall have the heritage  
That the devil for his outrage  
first lost/ and for his pride  
This is his sorrow in every tide  
For feebleness of nature is it  
Why children young have no wit  
When adam was made and his wife  
And god had given him ghost of life  
readily known they all thing  
For they were of goddies making  
But that father and mother hath here  
For feebleness of the matere  
When it is born it can no good  
Less than a beast leping in the wood   

¶ The. CCC. question  
¶ Tell me now if that thou can  
Whereof comys natural wit in man  
OF pure brains it cometh unto  
Pure blood & pure heart also  
And be the two pure of these three  
And the third naught be  
Right clear wit may ne be there  
As that all three together were  
For with one eye seas no man so  
As that he with two might do  
Be heart and brains never so good  
And dark be in him the blood  
heart and brains it drinks till  
And the wit truly doth spyl  
Be the heart good and the blood bright  
And the brains myrke and light  
Greatly will light brains grieve  
All that that other to would give  
And the planets in their going  
Works in man all this thing   

¶ The. Ccc.j question  
¶ Whereof may it come to  
The nesing that men nese so  
Nesing falls soothe to say  
Unto man of things twey  
first of humours that are ascended  
In to the brains of the head  
The brains refuse them gladly  
And casties them out hastily  
And in the down falling of tho  
Unto the nostrils they go  
For though are ready open eye  
Whereby go they so a weigh  
Another is to look up on high  
Unto the son on the sky  
And the hete of the son anon  
Fylles the veins of the head echone  
Dryving out the keelth thore  
That in the brains was before  
And if thou wilt with hold nesing  
Spear thy mouth at the beginning  
And draw thy breath fast to and fro  
And nesing shall the over go  
For the nose stoppies there with all  
And at the mouth it out go shall   

¶ The CCC.ij question  
¶ Wind blowing with main  
Why deyes it for a shower of rain  
WAter and wind together are  
As it mother & daughter ware  
Daughter of mother has feeding  
And wind of water begyning  
& when. the cloud that it has wrought  
Is himself down brought  
¶ The wind is still anon right  
For his mattar hath lorne sight  
For knife shall no man make weal  
If he have nother iron ne steel   

¶ The. CCCiii. question  
¶ Whic is the strongar of these twey  
Wind or water this me say  
GRound of all thing with right  
Is strongar and of more might  
Than the crop above it cast  
Else might it no while last  
And strongar is that thing I iwis  
That steries than that steered is  
Now is wind at the begyning  
Stered air and no nother thing  
And course of water maketh it all  
That the air so star shall  
And if wind with water stirred be  
Than is water strongar than he   

¶ The. CCC.iiii. question  
¶ Tell me now on what manere  
Aman shall live in this world here  
AMan shall live in that manner  
So that when he deyes here  
afterward may rise  
Boldly to go be fore justice  
That is to say that all his thought  
Be on him that him hath wrought  
And worship him all that he can  
And after in god love every man  
And of that truly he may win  
Of his travail with out sin  
Than shall he live with out pride  
Envy and covetise also let glide  
This may he both live well and die  
And rise and go to the bliss the weigh   

¶ The. Ccc.u question.  
Shall aman that in good stead be  
To seek a bettar range the country  
IF thou in a good place be  
Where with thou mayst well agree  
There thou good life may lede  
The to clot and to feed  
Hold the still run naught  
Ne for the bettar have no thought  
To seek a bettar thou may be in mind  
But thou wottyst not where it to find  
And there thou comyst percaas  
Shallbe worse than that other was  
Such wenies to find him before  
Baken breed when he comes thore  
He shall peradventure find the corn  
Standing yet in the felled unshorn  
Wherefore if thou in good stead be  
Hold the therein by rede of me   

¶ The. Ccc.vi question  
¶ Which are more worthy of the twey  
Rich or poor thou me say  
THere are worthiness two  
ghostly and bodily also  
The bodily worthiness  
That is nother more ne less  
But after as a man hath here  
So is he hold among men dear  
Therefore by so much as thou hast now  
So much worthy art thou  
Have thou but a penny in all  
Not more worthy men hold the shall  
ghostly worthiness is not so  
But who toward god best may do  
And serve him here all the best  
He with god is worthiest  
Much worthy here to be  
Is truly but a vanity  
But that worthy is to god to wend  
That worthiness hath no end   

¶ The. CCC.vij. question  
¶ Whether is to man more seemly  
Fair visage or fair body  
A Fair body to man I iwis  
A full seemly thing it is  
But what the naked body be  
No man may it well see  
Be it shapenyl or weal  
The clotheses covers it every deal  
But that that is in sight  
And may not be hid with right  
The visage that man is known by  
If it be fair and seemly  
A fair man men will him call  
And leave his other limbs all  
And in a fair visage and white  
Hath aman much delight  
Wherefore in all the man not lieth truly  
So comely a lyam as is a fair visage verily   

¶ The. CCC.viij. question  
¶ How shall aman lede his life  
That findeth ama haunting his wife  
find thou aman with thy wife  
Look thou make with him no strife  
privily thou go thy way  
And nothing unto them say  
But afterward thou say her to  
That she no more do so  
Say she doth here selfe shame  
For in her lieth all the blame  
There would no man her come till  
But it were by her will  
Wherefore chastise her courtesly  
And look how she will do there by  
And she will not do after thy lore  
Of that upbraided her no more  
If thou smite on the man a non  
When thou comest him first upon  
And begin to fight also  
The devil procuries there unto  
One of you may lightly the other slo  
And so encresyth soon thy woe  
Therefore though it grieves the sore  
Better the lass scathe than the more   

¶ The. Ccc.ix question  
Shall men for tene or for losing  
Blame god of heaven in any thing?  
GOd of heaven is so wise  
That in him no blame lyse  
But thanking/ worship/ & honour  
As to him that is our creator  
And if thou for thy folly  
Fall in any malencoly  
Blame thou god therefore nothing  
Blame the and thine unconing  
Have thou not as thy will wore  
Why shalt thou blame god therefore  
Though thou pray god sand me  
It may not at thy will be  
But if thou travail for to live  
God shall help the for to thrive  
Were aman a water in  
That deep ware and could swim  
And he cried on god fast  
And ware perished at the last  
For defaute of stering  
That he would help himself nothing  
Wherefore blame god no man should  
He would have holp if himself would   

¶ The. CCC.x. question  
¶ Which is the savourest thing  
Of all that are at thy weening  
OF all things that ever be  
Is there none so savour  
Unto man/ beast/ and foul also  
As sleep is when time is thereto  
There nis nother meet ne drink  
That savoryth aman I think  
As sleep. when aman would fain  
No delight is there again  
With out sleep may nothing thrive  
Of all that ever are a live  
For that ordained god the night  
Therein to rest and sleep every wight  
Sleep norysshes man's kind  
And beasts as that men find  
Man/ beast/ ne foul is none  
So iolyfe nor so well be go  
Hold him fro sleep again his will  
Thou mayst him soon spyl  
And 'cause him to lose both flesh and blood  
Be he never so totter and wood  
Wherefore is sleep sickerly  
The savourest thing that I wots truly   

¶ The. CCC.xj. question  
¶ Of what manner & of what bounte  
Aught kings and lords to be  
Lords & kings aught right well  
To be true as any steel  
In word in work to their might  
And with justice dame a right  
Uyse them well also to be  
Curteys/ meek and of pity  
And to mysdoars nevertheless  
Stout to dame their wickydnesse  
For he may never god well please  
Nor his lordship in honour with ease  
That sparyth wickedness to shent  
And god is not there with content  
They aught also to be doughty  
Wygrous and fers of their body  
Large and giving courtesly  
Their state may they maintain there by  
To poor they aught be mercyable  
And unto the rich stable  
And above all thing  
To work the will of heaven king  
For he hath them lords set  
Good to do and yin to let   

¶ The. CCC.xij. question  
¶ Sweet that cometh of the body  
How comes it whereof and why  
Sweet kindly cometh commonly  
Of wicked blood in the body  
That steryth sometime and hath no roo  
And other humours him mynges to  
And when they together take  
Great hete in the body they make  
And that hete that is within  
Maketh the body as it should brynne  
And that body that is so hot  
Anon casts out the swote  
The kind clensys there with all  
But over much hurt shall   

¶ The. CCC.xiij. question  
¶ Which are the best hews that ere  
Of clothing men for to were  
BEst hews that may be  
To man's clothing are three  
That are rede/ white/ and green  
And for these causes I it mean  
The read supposies regalyte  
And is colour of dignity  
It giveth the werer much bliss  
And to the son lyckened it is  
Whyte wede is a worthy thing  
And of angels it is clothing  
it maketh him mild that it weryth  
And hew of the moan it beareth  
Grene is a precious colour  
And should be hold in honour  
Of all other most is it born  
For grass/ tree/ and also corn  
And all that waxyth in earth by dene  
Albina is it clad in green  
And that most things are clad with all  
Dygnyest hew men hold shall   

¶ The. CCC.xiiij. question  
¶ Seeing men green a good hue call  
Which is the grenest thing of all  
THe grenest thing is water I ween  
For waters make all thing green  
And aware not of water the moisting  
Should no green thing spring  
Grasses that on hills are standing  
There no water is running  
With rain and dews of the air  
Wax they both green and fair  
And seeing grennesse is by watries might  
Than is it grenest with right   

¶ The. Ccc.xu question  
¶ Tell me now so have thou bliss  
Which is the fattest thing that is  
FAttest thing that is of kind  
Than is earth that men find  
For trees and all other thing  
Of the fatness of earth spring  
And aware fattnesse of the earth no whore  
Should they never spring more  
Of the fatness of earth cometh all  
That they spring and wax with all  
Of earth take they their nature  
And else might they not endure   

¶ The. Ccc.xuj. question  
¶ Whether is bettar at the death day  
Repentance or hope of bliss for aye  
BOth are good sooth to say  
Unto man when he shall die  
Repentance is good to have  
But good hope shall aman more save  
For every man that die shall  
May not repent him of all  
For thy behoveth him nedly  
Trust him all in goddys' mercy  
But he that in no hope is  
For to come to heaven bliss  
Shall he never come therein  
Be he never so clean of sin  
But he that hath all his trust  
That god is of mercy most  
That trust shall save him at the last  
When other shallbe out cast   

¶ The. CCC.xvij. question  
¶ Shall men grieve & make evil cheer  
For aman that deyes here  
By kind men weep and make care  
When their friends fro them far  
Nevertheless the man that aye  
Hath kept goddys' law/ I say  
Of his death no sorrow is  
For he goeth unto bliss  
There to be for ever more  
Him should no man sorrow sore  
But he that in god trusts naught  
Nor his commandment hath not wrought  
And dieth so in that intent  
And is so to hell went  
For him is sorrow to make  
That he such life would not for sake   

¶ The. CCC.xviij. question  
¶ Came fro that other world ever any thinng  
That of hell or heaven told tiding  
MAny have come again here  
Good men that with god were  
The folk to counsel and tell  
Both of heaven and of hell  
That ware good men here before  
Of whom that we yet have lore  
They written in books what was wrought  
By cause men should for get it naught  
The great joy that is in heaven  
That no tongue in earth may reckon  
And the great pain of hell  
That they have that therein dwell  
This told adamys son Abel  
Seth and Enocke also well  
No and Melchysedech also  
And other prophytes set thereto  
Through goddys' commandment  
They are hither again sent  
That is to say their teaching  
Through which we have knolegeing  
Of heaven and hell both  
Well is he that they roth   

¶ The. CCC.xix. question  
¶ Shall aman any thing say  
When he shall to sleep him ley  
AMan that belevyth in god aright  
And kepyth his will at his might  
When he to sleep doth lay him down  
He shall say this oryson  
Lord god of might most  
To the be take I my ghost  
Thou keep it lord and it defend  
From encumbrance of the fiend  
From him lord thou me clear  
That he me never dear  
Have mercy on me heaven king  
And grant me lord my asking  
And than sleep he hardly  
With out dread of thy enemy   

¶ The Ccc.xx question  
¶ Of all batayle that is in land  
Which is the strongest to withstand  
BAtayle strongar wor I naught  
When that I have all be thought  
Than is temptation of the devil  
None that doth aman more evil  
Other batayls seas some day  
But the devils fonding lastyth aye  
sleep man or wake he where so he be  
That batayle may he evil i'll  
And be he never so steadfast  
Yet will the devil him cast a cast  
And man may not i'll of the stead  
But with fasting or some holyhede  
And be cause that war is ever on one  
Therefore strengar wots I none   

¶ The. CCC.xxj. question  
¶ How lieth a child tell me this  
¶ In the mother's womb when it is  
A child through goddys' grace  
Hath in the mother's womb aspace  
In a chambyr one of the seven  
Of the matryce that of men be callen  
And the fists soothe to say  
Lie be fore the eyen twaye  
And great joy they have and rejoicing  
There they lie and liking  
And they would never more  
Come in other stead than thore  
But when they are here comen  
And the air of this world have taken  
Than would they not be there again   

¶ The. CCC.xxij. question  
¶ Tell me now of wines tyte  
Why some is rede and some white  
No was the first man  
That ever vine to plant began  
Fourthy plants he gathered and fet  
That ware in fourthy days set  
Every day two in earth he dight  
One on day another on night  
Thomas that the day were set upon  
Unto the son on it shone  
For hete of son that shone than  
Of goddys' grace though rede became  
And that in earth on night did lay  
When the son was a way  
For nights keelth that fell thereon  
Be came white everichone  
Wherefore are the read hottar weal  
Than the white a great deal   

¶ The. CCC.xxiij. question  
¶ Have fowls & beasts any speaking  
Or understanding of any thing  
OF beast or foul shalt thou none find  
That hath language in his kind  
Of all beasts men reckon can  
Hath none language but man  
Foules and beasts cry by dene  
Butt they wots never what they mean  
When that one maketh a cry  
That other hairs readily  
And crieth again by and by  
But what they mean wots not they  
All that ever they cry and do  
Of kind is and usage also  
Which kind hath god them dight  
For man shall over them have might   

¶ The. CCCxxiiij. question  
¶ Whether helpeth the soul more  
That aman doth here before  
Or that men after do for him  
When that he is deed and dim  
BOth helps man in need  
But both are not of one meed  
For if a man going be  
In a da●knesse there he may not see  
And a lantern go him before  
Thereof hath he light well more  
Than though behind followed two  
For/ for them might he mysgo  
Also a man that doth good here  
As long as he may himself steer  
Thereof hath the soul more meed  
Than for such two after deed  
Many men have that rede  
To do for them when they are deed  
When himself may have it no more  
The less thank he is worthy therefore  
Would he for goddies love it deal  
While that he ware in hele  
Than went before him the light  
To lede him the weigh a right   

¶ The. CCC.xxv question  
¶ Fishes that swim here and thore  
In water sleep they never more  
fishes that are in the see  
Or in river whether it be  
Have their eyen bright within  
And to and fro they ever swim  
It is not of their kind the right  
That they sleep other day or night  
If they be weary they will rest  
A while where them thinketh best  
And if they felt the air also  
As we or fowls or beasts do  
That above earth won  
Of kind should they sleep full soon   

¶ The. Ccc.xxuj. question  
¶ Of all that in the world be  
The fairest soul which thinketh the  
IF all the fowls that god hath wrought  
Wore in to one place brought  
And stood all upon a flock  
The fairest of all were the cock  
And he hath things three  
That in none other may men see  
On his heed he beareth a crown  
And spore upon his shank down  
And god hath given him the might  
To know the hours of day and night  
The cock is jealous over his wife  
And often for her maketh strife  
And he should have default of meet  
Or his wife if he might aught gete  
And if he dwelled in field also  
Or in wood as other do  
All the fowls that before him wore  
Reverence should hear them thore  
And for his fayrnesse have of him awe  
Than is he fairest with law   

¶ The. CCC.xxvii. question  
¶ Which is the fairest beast that is  
And that aman might not miss  
Horse is the fairest beast in land  
Stalworthyest and made to hand  
With horses often lords gete  
Land and life/ drink and meet  
Horses in harow and in plough  
In cart and everywhore good I 'nough  
Horses bear men to and fro  
There they on foot might not go  
Wherefore is he best and fairest  
And unto man's behove the best   

¶ The. CCC.xxviij. question  
¶ Tell me now yet things mother  
The fairest horses which are though  
Horse's in the world are many one  
But not all shapen after one  
He that well shapen shallbe  
behoveth to have this property  
Four things long/ behoveth him to  
And four things short also  
And four things large somedele  
Than is he horse shapen full weal  
Long shanks/ and long hals  
Long tail and long rib als  
Four short things is no lake  
Heed/ ears/ pastors/ and back  
Four large things come there nest  
Mouth/ nostrils/ croupe/ and breast  
And great eyen falls weal  
Than is he shapen well every a deal   

¶ The. CCC. xxjx. question  
¶ Which are the beasts so god the save  
That most understanding have  
Beasts that of understanding be  
Most of all other are three  
Ape/ bear/ and hound also  
These wylbe buxum man unto  
Mannys teaching will they lere  
And understand that they steer  
When No in the arch was in the flood  
These three beasts next him stood  
And of all the last went him fro  
For none understood so much as though   

¶ The. CCC.xxx. question  
¶ When goddys' son shall born be  
By what tokyn shall men it see  
TOkyns many shallbe fall  
When goddys' son lord of all  
shallbe born of her that hethes  
Over all the world shall then be peace  
Agreat ster●e shall show that day  
That all the world well se may  
Asercle of gold purpred with all  
About the son show him shall  
A well of oil in great tokening  
Out of the earth than shall spring  
And a description shall taken be  
Over all the world in every country  
A dumb beast as that we find  
That day shall speak again kind  
Beast/ foul/ and fish also  
That day shallbe in rest and ro  
And the devils in hell dwelling  
Shallbe full sorry and morning  
The eighteen day after he is born  
He shallbe circumcised and shorn  
And that in tokening be shall  
That he is god and man with all   

¶ The. CCC.xxx. question  
¶ Tell me now as shallbe fall  
What signify the tokyns all  
peas shallbe over all  
For he is peace that man come shall  
The star that shall show freely  
His godhead shall signify  
About the son the golden thing  
Shall betoken that he is king  
The purpre shallbe token also  
Of the passion that he shall to  
The well of oil showyth byturly  
That he shallbe well of mercy  
The description that shall taken be  
Tokenes that over all lord is he  
The doume be hast speaking tokenes als  
That they that in the law were false  
And were but as beasts told  
Shall turn to him and of him hold  
Beast and soul shallbe in bliss  
And they wots goddys' son he is  
And the devils shallbe sorry  
For they dread him wonderly  
That he is that shall break hell  
And take away that with him dwell   

¶ The. CCC.xxxj. question  
¶ When he is born achyid shall he  
Be cunning more than another shallbe  
soon as he born is/ he can  
Moore than any other man  
For though he be than a youngling  
The godhead in him wots allthing  
The son of the trinity  
The father's wisdom truly  
So is sperd in him only  
Wherefore shall he know well more  
Than any after or before  
Nevertheless for all that he can  
He will fulfil the kind of man  
In all things that falls him to  
Save sin that shall he never do   

¶ The. CCC.xxxij. question  
¶ When he is born as that we tell  
Where shall he in host dwell  
WIth his mother while he is young  
So shallbe his dwelling  
In to Egype she lede him shall  
And there a while dwele him with all  
After again shall he go  
Unto the land that he came fro  
And begin the folk to tech  
And openly for to preach  
And all his life shallbe so  
As he teches there unto  
To many sin he shall forgive  
Such as upon him will believe  
And cold water them crysten in  
In forgiveness of their sin  
For water as that men well wots  
S●eckenes the fire that is hot  
It cleanses filth and maketh clean  
And that is dry it maketh green  
And it sleckeneth also thirst  
Unto man that drink list  
Wherefore in water baptize shall he  
For virtue of these myghtes three  
first it sleckenes hete of sin  
And cleanses filth that man is in  
And dry souls green shall he make  
Through the baptism that they shall take  
And in this life shall he dwell  
Ey to he day and break hell   

¶ The. CCC.xxxiiij. question  
¶ Yet would I wit more of the  
Shall goddys' son afayre man be  
A Shall with right of nature  
Be the fairest creature  
That ever was and ever shallbe  
Shall none be so fair as he  
And it is right that he be fair  
That of heaven is son and heir  
And he shall upon an hill  
His disciples show him till  
And he shall seem to their sight  
As it were the son light  
And his clotheses white of hew  
As it were new fallen snewe  
Therefore is no man alive  
That his fayrhed may descrive   

¶ The. CCC.xxxv. question  
¶ Tell yet if that thou can me say  
Why it was that he would they  
FOr obedience and for love  
heaven to dight to our behove  
For obedient shall he be  
Unto the death upon the tree  
So that that was forlorn  
Through the tree there before  
Should be won again also  
Through the tree that he shall to  
And for love of man kind  
That his service will have in mind  
He had liefer death take  
Than he would man kind forsake  
His death shall aman again buy  
To reve the devil of his maystery  
The father shall to the son give  
Pour for his servants that he will here leave   

¶ The. Ccc.xxxuj. question  
¶ Who shall him slo and by what rede  
And how long shall he be deed  
A Manner of folk shall him slo  
That height jews and none but though  
Afalse counsel take they shall  
And afalse wyttnesse with all  
To bring him to the death also  
And knights shall to death him do  
In grave shall he be nights two  
The whyls shall the godhead go  
To hell to feet all hyse  
And the third day shall he arise  
To paradyse than wend shall he  
Forty days there to be  
In which time he shall bodily  
Tenterhook times show him openly  
first he shall him show I say  
To him that him in grave shall lay  
After to his mother dear  
For to glad her morning cheer  
After he shall him show also  
The Mary Magdalene unto  
And her sins forgive shall he  
The fourth time to maryes three  
The fift to peter south to say  
The sixth time to pylgryms twey  
That to a castle shall with him wend  
And thore shall he with them sand  
And the seventh time in a hall  
Among his dyscypyls all  
There shall he bid them grope and see  
Wyturly that he it be  
The eighteen day to one that shall  
Grope his wounds and hands with all  
And to aful worthy hill  
The ninth day shall he show them till  
The tenth among the people openly  
When he ascendyth to heaven on high   

¶ The. CCC.xxxvij. question  
¶ Shall he ascend to heaven so high  
Alone with out company  
ALL though that with him rise shall  
To heaven shall ascend him with all  
And in that lyknesse shall he far  
That he was in before his care  
But when he is up on high  
Above the clouds by the sky  
In that lyknesse he shall be thore  
That he did in him show before  
Unto his dyscypyls two  
Oo an hill where they shall go   

¶ The. CCC.xxxviij. question  
Shall goddies son that him is dear  
Only house in earth have here  
IN earth a house shall he have  
That man afterward shall save  
And that shall his spouse be  
For all shallbe on it and he  
By the sacrament of his body  
That he shall make solempnelye  
Unto his apostyls at the meet  
And each one shall thereof eat  
And that sacrament that I the tell  
Shall in his house devoutly dwell  
And all of good conversation  
Shall come unto salvation  
Through the virtue and the might  
Of that sacrament so dight  
And all though that are outfous  
And are spered out of that house  
In pain of hell shallbe shent  
But they come to amendment   

¶ The. CCC.xxxix question  
¶ Shall his body ever dwelling be  
In earth that men may it see  
HIs body shall ever be dwelling  
In earth to the worldys' ending  
Upon a day as he shall  
His apostyls soup with all  
He shall take the bread and bliss  
And say/ eat/ my body this icy  
Than shall he take the cup in handies  
That with wine before him standies  
And bless it and say them unto  
Have drink this my blood also  
The self blood is it that I here make  
That shallbe shed for man's sake  
And through the virtue and the might  
Of his word is there anon right  
His very body god and man  
As that he to say began  
And if that sacrament ne wore  
His flesh only and no more  
With out blood thereto wrought  
His very body ware it naught  
Flesh in leaving man to be  
Without blood can no man see  
And there shall his dyscypyls take  
Might that sacrament to make  
With word he shall them learn thore  
That himself said before  
And that body shall dwelling be  
So that men each day may it see   

¶ The. CCC.xl. question  
Shall every man have might thereto  
His body for to make also?  
NAy/ shall none have thereto might  
But that thereto are ordained right  
That of his holy house shallbe  
keepers/ and have the dyngnyte  
And though that keeper bear him ill  
And will not fulfil god's will  
Neverthewors is that flesh and blood  
Ne never the better though he be good  
And who so taketh it worthily  
His soul hele he taketh thereby  
And he that unworthily it taketh  
His own damnation he maketh  
For he taketh not god's body  
But bread he taketh all only  
The godhead that there was in  
God takes it to him for his sin  
For so worthy a thing as he  
In a foul vessel will not be  
And no more enpeyre ne can  
That same body a wicked man  
Than is enpeyred the sonnys light  
Of a warderobe that here is dight   

¶ The. CCC.xlj. question  
¶ Thomas that have might thereto  
That body for to make also  
Shall they before the trinity  
Moore than other worshipped be  
NO man shall there worshipped be  
For honour nor for dignity  
But with god he shall be dear  
After as he hath done here  
Though goddys' house would him choose  
Her kepar to bind and loose  
His worship shallbe never the more  
But if he have done wherefore  
And do he not aright also  
As him be cometh for to do  
He shall have blame and pain withal  
Well more than another shall  
For he that is made a hyrdar  
Of goddies house to be kepar  
His sheep must he keep well and know  
And by his own life them show  
How that they their life shall lede  
And them keep from mysdede  
Wherefore if he mysdo  
So much more pain shall he go to   

¶ The. CCC.xlij. question  
¶ Why shall they every day be won  
To make the body of goddys' son  
FOr three things pryncypaly  
Shall a priest make goddys' body  
For god and for himself also  
And for the folk that see thereto  
He that it seas hath meed therefore  
And that it takes much more  
But he that receyvyth it unworthily  
Himself he dampneth surely  
And the body ne doth it naught  
But him that lewdly hath wrought  
In paradyse appyls many one  
Made god and wicked none  
And for an appyl that Adam did eat  
Was he out of that place bete  
And that was not for that  
That the appul was naught that he ate  
But for that that goddys' bode broke he  
That him defended had that three  
So shall far that Sacrament  
It shall 'cause no man be shent  
Again the devil strength shall it make  
Look he be clean that it shall take   

¶ The. CCC.xliij. question  
¶ Tell me now what thing is sin  
That many shallbe lorne in  
Sin forsooth is right naught  
For that god never wrought  
God of heaven made all thing  
And all was good of his making  
And for his works good wore  
Sin is none of them therefore  
And for he made it not soothly  
In substance it is naught truly   

¶ The. CCC.xliiij question  
¶ By what syngne shall men see  
When gods son shall deed be?  
AT his death shall befall  
Syngnes many one withal  
For the son shall lose his light  
And become dark as the night  
The earth everydeal shall quake  
That to folk great dread shall make  
Deed bodies shall rise him with all  
The third day when he rise shall  
An astronomer then shallbe  
In the boest and say shall he  
By the darkness that he shall find  
That than dies god of kind   

¶ The. CCC.xlv. question  
¶ When goddess son in earth shall dwell  
Of what virtue shall men him tell  
OF moche virtue shall he be  
By his works that men shall see  
Of his virtue he shall with right  
Overcome the devil and his might  
His gluttony/ covetise/ and pride  
That the devil had spread wide  
And all his might dystroy he shall  
That he Adam beguiled withal  
From fever and other evils feel  
Many men than shall he hele  
With five loves and fishes two  
five thousand shall h● feed and more  
And twelve lepies men shall fill  
Of the relief there that shallbe still  
The prince of his apostyls shall he  
Save going upon the see  
He shall command the wind to lieth  
And it shallbe still also swyth  
To blind shall he give sight  
The crooked oft to go right  
Awoman that shall with here great  
And with her tears waysshe his feet  
And with her hair them wipe and dry  
He shall forgive her/ her folly  
A deed man that in grave hath leyn  
Four days/ he shall areyse again  
One of his dyscypyls shall bear  
A sword and reve amannies ere  
The ere in his hand shall he take  
And again it hole make●  
All the princes in hell that are  
Shall he 'cause to quake and eke care  
When he their gates shall come unto  
And command them that they undo  
That his are shall he take thore  
And send them to bliss for ever more   

¶ The. Ccc.xluj. question  
¶ Shall his dyscypyls aught also  
Do miracles as he shall do  
HIs dyscypyls through his grace  
Shall to many sick do solace  
For he shall ever by them be  
They shall speak and work shall he  
Many one with their teaching  
To goddys' law shall they bring  
A wicked man that time shallbe  
And say that goddys' son is he  
And begin to ascend a high  
As he would to heaven fly  
One of the apostyls there by standing  
And see where he is so flying  
He shall command him through the might  
Of goddys' son that he down light  
And he shall fall down anon  
And break his neck bone  
Of many a bale they shall do boat  
And many a syke bring on foot  
And all shall of his might be  
That shall give them that pouste   

¶ The. CCC.xlvij. question  
¶ Shall they never have no end  
Nor no woe that to heaven wend  
Souls that are in heaven bliss  
Shall never of joy miss  
Woe ne should they never see  
Nor old shall they never be  
They shall ever be rejoicing  
As a child in his best liking  
And hool as fish in delight  
Swift as wind and snow white  
Bright as the shining son  
And know all that angels con  
Leel as dead in allthing  
And worshipped shall they be as king  
A thousand year in game and play  
thinketh them not an hour of the day  
And that delyt they are with all  
With out end them last shall   

¶ The. CCC.xlviij. question  
¶ Thomas that are in hell fist  
Shall they no mercy have ne rest  
Tho' that shall to hell wend  
They are dampened with out end  
Rest shall they none have ne mercy  
For of that they are not worthy  
He that lets of his fire will  
The good/ and takys him to ill  
It is right that he have also  
As that he him chose unto  
And t● pray for him loud or still  
Is all again goddies will  
He that in purgatory is  
To cleanse and after shall to bliss  
For him is prayer to make  
Of his pains for to slake  
But he that dampened is to hell  
He shall ever in sorrow dwell  
With out rest with out ro  
And with out mercy also   

¶ The. CCC.xlix. question  
¶ They that in heaven shall have their see  
Shall they clad or naked be?  
THey shall be naked of envy  
Of pride and of lechery  
And clad also nevertheless  
With grace and bliss and brightness  
Shame of themself shall they think none  
Though they have no clothis on  
no more than Adam of him thought  
Or that he the sin wrought  
When he had of the appul taken  
Than shamed him a saw his making  
Not more than shamyth the  
That man upon thy visage see   

¶ The. Ccc.l question  
¶ When god to dame come shall  
Quick/ deed/ and the world all  
And all shallbe deed/ which is than he  
That shall alive here be  
LIfe and death of for to say  
May be said on manners twey  
Death that body goys here to  
And death of soul in pain also  
He that god hath served here  
And his commandments held dear  
He shall not be deed that day  
For he shall live in bliss ever and aye  
And he that goddys' will ne wrought  
And he that trowed on him naught  
He shallbe deed with out end  
And to the pain of hell wend  
And that the Antechyrst shall turn  
From the faith/ they may well morn  
Them aware bettar they were unborn  
For many shall by him be lorne   

¶ The. CCC.lj. question  
¶ Where shallbe born that false prophyte  
That all that woe in earth shall sete  
ANtechryst shall born be  
In Babylon a great cete  
A wicked woman him bear shall  
And the devil shall enter him with all  
And wicches shall nourish him  
In alone height corozaym  
Very prophyt they shall him call  
And many wondres shall of him fall  
All the folk shall he draw  
To his assent and to his law  
The rich shall on him believe  
For the gifts that he shall give  
The poor shall to him turn also  
For great awe that he shall put them to  
And for that he wise shallbe  
For all the clergy know shall he  
The clerks shall he to him ally  
Through wisdom of his clergy  
The good men and steadfast  
That in goddys' law would last  
Many shall he draw him to  
For miracles that he shall do  
He shall 'cause the fire to fall  
from heaven and his foos born all  
Deed men he shall cause arise  
To bear wyttnesse of works his  
No dedman but the devil only  
Shall rise in dampened body  
And bear witness of his werkies  
Among lewd men and clerks  
Much people shall to him draw  
Namely folk of the first law  
Three year and a half shall he  
Reign with much dignity  
Twelve apostyls chose he shall  
With him to walk over all  
He shall feign him for to die  
And two days shall he be a weigh  
The third day shall he come with bliss  
And say that he up risen is  
Than shall come Enocke and Elye  
And shall preach again his folly  
Great folk shall they turn him fro  
But he shall them both slo  
Not longer there than devil he will  
But he shall draw him to a hill  
For to follow and to do shame  
Thomas that wicked have his name  
Sudden death shall he die thore  
For god will that he regne ●omore  
And full sore may agryse as ●yse  
When they shall to the 〈◊〉 rise   

¶ The. CCC.lij. question  
¶ What day shall it befall  
That goddies son shall dame us all  
ON such aday shall he dame hyse  
As he fro death to life shall rise  
That shallbe on a sunday  
That now is sabbat in our lay  
Of heaven than the orders nine  
That nevermore shall heaven tene  
Shallbe fulfilled as they were all  
Or lucifer began to fall  
living men shall then everyone  
Die for dread and rise anon  
There shallbe none of so great meed  
That at that day he shall have dread   

¶ The. CCC.liij. question  
¶ What time shall he come thereto  
For to dame the world also?  
AT the midnight forsooth I tell  
Such time as he shall harowe hell  
That each time shall he lede out thore  
Albina though that his frendies wore  
And that time out shall he lede  
His of this world to give them meed   

¶ The. CCC.liiii. question  
¶ How shall he come & on what manere  
When he shall come to dame us here?  
AS a king to a city  
That will have his inentere  
And inen before him shall bear  
His crown his sheld and his spear  
Whereby men may have knowleging  
That thither coming is the king  
So shall be come to the doom  
But nother with knight ne with groom  
But with ordres of angels all  
That bodies out of their grave shall call  
And they shall deal and set in twynne  
The good from those that deyed in sin   

¶ The. CCC.liiij. question  
¶ Shall his cross be there present  
When he shall give his iugment  
NAy his cross shall not be there  
But the semblant as it were  
And that shallbe of more claryte  
Than men in the son see  
And when the doom is done all  
With his to heaven wend he shall   

¶ The. CCC.lv. question  
¶ When he the folk shall dame also  
How shall he show him them unto  
SO as he did his dyscypyls till  
Dysfygured upon an hill  
He shall show him unto them  
brighter than any son beam  
So shall he show him to the good  
And to the wicked hanging on road   

¶ The. Ccc.luj. question  
¶ Shall his mynystres with him be  
In the doom to here and see  
HIs ministers shallbe thore  
Thomas that with him walked before  
And all that lived after his ●ore  
And ke pars of his house wore  
And all that live in chastity  
Or that dead for his love shall be  
All shall they be of his will  
sinful wretches for to spylle  
For that shall they be there present  
To here and see the judgement   

The. CCC.lvij. question  
¶ How shall he the doom do  
And what shall he say them to  
GOod departed shall he see  
from the wicked that there shallbe  
Than shall he to the good say  
You in earth stood by me aye  
I houngred sore and you me fed  
I thursted and you me drink bede  
I was naked and you me clad  
In sickness I help of you had  
I lay in prison and might not see  
Thither you came to vyset me  
And by cause you did this gladly  
Come to my father's joy hevynly  
And you that of me not wrought  
But all that you liked wrought  
With the devil and his you go  
Unto pain for ever and odd  
For you nothing did me fore  
When you in your liking wore  
This shall every man here and see  
Why he shall saved or dampened be   

¶ The. CCC.lviij. question  
¶ Shall every man than know weal  
That he hath done here every adele  
ALL that ever aman hath wrought  
Good and ill in deed or thought  
Albina shall on him written be  
That all the world may it see  
But if any ware of repentance  
That took his shryft here and penance  
Of his mysded with heart contrite  
That sin for given is all tyte  
The good than thank god shall thore  
That they of such life wore  
Wherefore that they should then wend  
To the bliss with out end  
And the wicked shall see eft  
What goodness they have left  
And what wickedness they took  
When that they the good forsook  
Full▪ sorry be they than in thought  
But all shall avail them naught  
For they shall anon be shent  
With the devil in torment   

¶ The. CCC.lix. question.  
¶ When all is done that doom so hard  
What shall be done afterward  
afterward the devil shall  
Take though that shall with him all  
And wend to hell for ever more  
The wicked men to pain thore  
Goddies son shall his take  
That here did well for his sake  
And lede them to his father's bliss  
Where ever I like joy is  
And all shall their bliss be  
That they ever god shall see  
And never more shall die  
For if they should choose one of tweye  
They should liefer in hell be  
God every day in bliss to see  
Than be in heaven and see him naught  
For that ware naught worth them thought   

¶ The. CCC.lx. question  
¶ What shall then betide and who  
Of this world where we are now  
AS water it first fordid also  
Shall it fire than fordo  
All together shall it brynne  
Shall nothing beleft therein  
The elements shall then slake  
Of their figure and a new take  
Son and moan shall brighter be  
Seven times than men now them see  
Earth/ water/ fire/ and air  
They shallbe than three times so fair  
Than they ever were before  
And so shallbe left ever more  
All travayls in earth shall blynne  
Shall no pain after be therein   

¶ The. CCC.lxj. question  
Shall the good have leave there till  
For to do all that they will  
THe good shall then be of that will  
To do but good and nothing ill  
For than shall they each thing do  
That their will standyth unto  
And in what stead they would they wore  
Anon as thought they shallbe thore  
And other work shall they have none  
But goddys' visage to see upon  
And thank him that of all lord is  
That they are come to that hlies   

¶ The. CCC.lxij. question  
¶ Shall they than remember aught  
Of wickedness that they here wrought  
REmember them they shall every deal  
Of that they wrought here ill and well  
And great joy have they shall  
That they the wickedness over came all  
As a knight is blithe and glad  
That a strong batayle hath had  
And hath boar the praise away  
From all his enymyes that day  
Great joy it is his friends unto  
That he that day bore him so  
And all so sorry are they though  
That for their sin go than to woe  
¶ Here end the questions.   
¶ The end of the history.   


Sydracke god yield it the  
The teaching that thou hast teched me  
From darkness thou hast me brought  
Unto light that faileth naught  
Now than wots I much thing  
That after jesus have great longing  
And now wots I what god may do  
To life and unto soul also  
Wherefore it is good now  
Upon what manner and how  
That we shall our tour fulfil  
Whereto we first had great will  
For that was the cause why we  
Came first unto this country   

FOr thy the king Boccus anon  
Took horse and worthed there upon  
And his master Sydracke before  
And all his folk be 'gan to ray thore  
They came in to the in coming  
Of Garabys land the king  
There they began the tour to dight  
That sank from them every night  
The king caused to be brought lime & stone  
And caused masons to come anon  
And Sydracke the king present  
devised them the foundament  
In the name of the trinity  
One god and people three  
Boldly there upon they wrought  
And that should hurt them found they naught  
And in days syxe and twenty  
Was the tour made up fully  
And all thing that thereto should  
After the king it ordain would  
¶ When that Garaab it heard  
Of the town how it fared  
How it was to end brought  
He was full sorry in his thought  
And foul abashed he was also  
For he perceived it should him undo  
In heart might have no rest  
He counseled him what was best  
A messynger anon he sent  
That unto king Boccus went  
And prayed him purcharyte  
Of him to have mercy and pity  
King Boccus answered and spoke  
By the counsel of Sydracke  
That if Garaab will a good man be  
And believe in the trinity  
That may both damn and save  
That he shall of him mercy have  
And Garaab sent to him again  
That what he will I shall do fain  
King Garaab caused to be broken anon  
His false idols everichone  
And trusted in god of heaven light  
Serving him with all his might  
And many lands there mother  
Caused Boccus to serve god tho  
But when king Boccus was deed  
And Sydracke/ than was there no rede  
But anon they god forsook  
And to their false idols they took  
Through entysement of the wicked ghost  
Now he that is of might most  
Save us fro his wicked wiles  
For many one that shrew begyles  
And bring us into that bliss  
Whereof that none end is.  
AMEN   

PRay we now with all our might  
Unto god of heaven light  
That he give us grace so to do  
That we heaven may come unto  
That we shall all to I w●●●  
And that Hugh of caumpeden●  
That this book hath through sought  
And unto Englysshe time brought  
Live in joy without sin  
And that he god is love here win  
So that he at his lives end  
Unto the bless of heaven wend.  
FINIS    

¶ Thus endeth the history and questions of king Boccus and Sydracke. printed at London by Thomas Godfray. At the cost and charge of dan Robert Saltwode monk of faint Austin's at Cantorbury.  
¶ Cum privilegio regali.