<B CMPRICK>
<Q M3 IR RELT PRICK>
<N PRICK OF CONSC>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D NL>
<V VERSE>
<T REL TREAT>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>
<S SAMPLE X>


[^THE PRICKE OF CONSCIENCE (STIMULUS
CONSCIENTIAE).
ED. R. MORRIS.
BERLIN: A. ASHER & CO., 1863.
PP. 79.2892  - 90.3293    (SAMPLE 1)
PP. 248.9214 - 259.9624   (SAMPLE 2)^]

<S SAMPLE 1>
<P 79>
Now wille I rede forthermare,
And shew yhow of sum paynes +tat er +tare. 
In purgatory, als +te buke wittenes, 
Es diverse payns, som mar, som les, 
And many mare +tan I can neven; 
Bot I fynd wryten payns seven, 
+Tat may be called payns of purgatory; 
And +ta seven I wille here specefy,
Of whilk men sal som fele and se, 
Als tite als +te ded-comyng sal be,
+Te first payn es of +ta seven,
Als yhe herd me byfor neven, 
+Te grete drede +tat +te saul es in 
When +te body at it sal twyn; 
For +te saul sese +tan about it stande
Grysly devels agayn it raumpande, 
Als wode lyons to wayt +tair pray, 
And to ravisshe it with +tam away. 
And +tat syght es a payn ful grevous;
For +te devels er swa foul and ydous,
+Tat swa hardy man was never nane 
Lyfand here in flesshe and bane,
<P 80> 
+Tat saw +te syght +tat +te saul +tan sese, 
+Tat ne he for ferdelayk is witte shuld lese,
Thogh he war never of hert swa balde, 
Als in +te thred parte of +tis boke was talde.
A grete payn aght +tis syght to be 
Til +te saule +tan, +tat it sal se. 
+Te secunde payn neghest folowande 
Es +te grete drede, to understande,
+Tat +te saul sal hafe wyth dole and care, 
Until +te dome be gyfen, how he sal fare. 
For +te angels sal +tare redy be 
And +te devels swa grisly to se,
+Tat sal disput of alle his lyfe
Bytwen +tam +tar, with grete stryfe.
His syns sal +tan be shewed ful many,
Als I tald byfor in +te thred part namly. 
+Te saul +tan sal bytwene +tam stande, 
And +te angels on his ryght hande, 
And devels on +te lefte syde. 
+Tan mot +te saul in grete dred abyde,
Until +tat stryfe be broght to ende, 
And til it witte whyder it sal wende, 
And whether it sal be dampned or save; 
+Tan sal +te saul a grete drede have, 
Als a man +tat es in myddes +te se 
In grete perille, and may noght fle,
When tempestes falles and stormes smert, 
+Tan has +tat man grete drede in hert;
He mas +tan vowes, and cryes on Crist, 
For, he es afered +tat he sal be peryst;
And +tat drede til hym es a grete payn; 
For of his lyf he es uncertayn;
And als a man has drede bodily,
When he es acouped of felony 
Byfor kynges iustice, and +te cuntre`,
+Tat charged es if he gilty be, 
He wate noght whether he sal be spilt, 
Or be delyvered of +tat gilt.
<P 81> 
Until +tai have gyven +tair verdite, 
And outher +tar-of made hym qwyte
Als +te laghe walde, or made hym gilty. 
If he +tan haf drede, it es na ferly,
For in grete dout of lyfe es +tat man. 
Bot yhit has the saul mare drede +tan. 
Til +te dome be gyven and it may se
Whether it sal dampned or saufe be. 
For if it dome of damp[{na{]cion here,
It gas til helle with-outen recoverere;
And +te saul +tat es dampned til +tat place 
Thar never hope to haf mercy ne grace. 
What wonder es +tan if +te saule drede have
+Tat doutes whethir he sal dampned or save. 
Of +tes twa maners of payns of drede
Yhe herd me aparty byfor rede, 
+Te whilk es declared in a stede, 
In +te thred part +tat spekes of +te dede.
Alle +tis matere men may se +tare, 
+Tarfor here I wil spek +tar-of na mare. 
+Te thred payn es a maner of exil 
When +te saules here agayn +tair wil
Er exild fra +tis lyf til payn, 
With-outen any turnyng agayn;
For +tan sal +tai haf grete murnyng,
When +tai er flemed fra +tair lykyng, 
Fra alle +tair frendes lefe and dere,
And fra alle +te delyces +tat +tai had here.
+Te murnyng +tat +tai haf on +tis wyse, 
Til +tam sal be grete payn and anguyse. 
+Te fereth payn es sere malady, 
+Tat +te sauls sal haf in purgatory.
For +tai sal haf +tar yvels sere,
For sere syns, +tat er unclensed here; 
Som for pride +tat +tai haf here-in bene,
Sal haf +tar als a fever cotidiene,
<P 82>
+Tat +te saule sal pyn mar bitterly 
+Tan ever fyver pyned here mans body.
Som sal haf +tar, for covatyse, 
Als +te dropsy to grege +tair angwyse.
Som sal haf in alle +tair lymmes obout, 
For sleuthe, als +te potagre and +te gout. 
Som, for envy, sal haf in +tair lyms,
Als kylles and felouns and apostyms.
Som for ire sal have als +te parlesy,
+Tat yvel +te saul sal grefe gretely. 
Som for glotoni sal haf +tare,
Als +te swynacy, +tat greves ful sare.
And som, for +te syn of lechery,
Sal haf als +te yvel of meselry.
+Tus sal +te saules, als God vouches save, 
For sere syns, sere maledys have, 
+Tat here has hadde repentance
And has noght ful-filed here +tair penaunce. 
+Tir maladies +tar +te saul mar greves,
+Tan it dos any body +tat here lyves. 
Thynk we what payn has +te body,
+Tat has here bot a malady 
In +tis lif, lastand alle a yhere, 
Or noght bot thre days, or four here. 
+Tat malady greves +te body sare,
Bot yhit it greves +te saul vele mare
In purgatory, +tar es it pynde, 
For +te saul es of mare tender kynde;
For als a lytel thynd [\IN HARL. MS. 6923: thyng\] +tin eghe    #
lokand 
May greve mare +tan it may +ti hand,
Swa feles +te saule mare penaunce 
+Tan +te body, when it has grevaunce. 
Bot now may som say here agayne, 
And aske how +te saul may fele payne,
+Tat es noght elles bot a spirit, 
+Tat may noght be feled, swylk es it;
<P 83>
For it es swa sutil, +tat aftir +te dede,
It may occupy na stede. 
Til +tis, +tus men answer may, 
Als men may here grete clerkes say. 
+Te saule +te lyfe of +te body es 
Of ilk man here, bathe mare and les.
And with-outen +te lyfe is na felyng,
For felyng may be in na dede thyng. 
+Tan es alle +te felyng halely 
In +te saul, and noght in +te body; 
For when +te saul es passed away, 
+Te body es noght bot erthe and clay,
+Tat es a dede thyng, als a stane; 
+Te whilk may fele na thyng be it ane. 
Alswa yhit may som +tos aske mare, 
How may +te saule +tat duelles +tare,
Be pyned with sere maledy 
+Tat falles til sere lymes of +te body, 
Sen it has nouther body ne hede, 
Ne lym +tat may occupy stede. 
Til +tis, men may answer +tus shortly:
+Te saul, al-if it haf na body, 
It sal be pyned als in lyms sere, 
Thurgh whilk it has mast synned here. 
Swa sal +te saul, fele payn and wa,
And til other saules it sal seme swa. 
For ilkan til other sal seme +tan, 
Als +tai had shap of body of man; 
+Tus sal ilka saul other se, 
For nan of +tam may feled be. 
Na mar +tan here a man ande may,
When it passes fra his mouthe away. 
And +tis may be pruved be +te godspelle. 
Thurgh +te ensampel of +te ryche man in helle,
And of Lazar +tat he ward mete
+Tat in Abraham bosom had his sete.
<P 84>
Abraham bosom es nathyng elles,
Bot heven +tar haly spyrites duelles.
When +te ryche man, +tat in helle sat lawe,
Lazar in Abraham bosom sawe, 
He cryed til Abraham and prayed with-alle
+Tat a drope of calde water mught falle 
Til his tung, fra Lazar fynger ende,
Als es in +te godspel contende. 
Bot al-if he +tus spak to hym,
Yhit had he na tung ne other lym, 
Ne Lazar, als yhe sal understande,
Had nouther fynger, ne fote, ne hande, 
For +tai bathe war spirites anly, 
+Tat nouther had lymmes ne body.
+Te tane was in blis soverayne, 
+Te tother was in endles payne. 
Bot +te ryche man saule feled in helle 
Payne, als he had bene in flesshe and felle;
And Lazar saule til him semed +tan 
Als he had body and lymes of man. 
Yhit has men herd som clerkes maynte[{ne{] 
Swilk an opinion, als I wene,
+Tat a saule, +tat es in purgatory 
Or in helle, has of +te ayre a body
For to thole payne, in lyms sere, 
After +tat he has synned here.
Bot whether +te saul haf body or noght, 
He sal fele payne, after he has wroght.
+Te fifte payne es +te fire hate,
+Tat na maner of thing may abate, 
Bot almusdede and messe and prayere,
+Tat frendes dus for +te saul here. 
To abate +tat fire, +ta thre er best, 
For +ta thre may bring +te saul to rest. 
+Tat fire is hatter and mare kene, 
+Tan al +te fire +tat here es sene;
<P 85> 
For als +te fire of erthe, +tar we won, 
Es hatter +tan +te beme of +te son, 
Ryght swa +tat fire on +te same manere, 
Es hatter +tan +te fire es here. 
Alle +te waters, +tat men may rekken, 
A spark +tar-of may noght sleken. 
We se +te fire +tat here es, greves sare 
+Te body, +tat standes +tar-in bare; 
Bot mare greves +te fire of purgatory
+Te saul, +tan +tis fire dus +te body.
For +te fire here, of strenthe es les
+Tan +te fire of purgatory es; 
And +te body with flesshe and bane,
Es harder +tan +te saul by it ane; 
And +te saul mare tender and nesshe
+Tan es +te body with +te flesshe.
Sen +tat fire es mare hate +tare 
+Tan +te fire es here, als I sayd are,
And +te saul es swa tender of kynde, 
+Tan semes it +tat it es mare pynde 
Thurgh +tat fire, +tan +te body mught be 
With alle +te fire of Cristiante`; 
For a spark of +tat fire es mare hate
+Tan al +te fire of erthe, als clerkes wate. 
Many saules duells in +tat fire strang. 
Bot sum duelles short wyle, and sum lang,
Aftir +tair syn es mare or les, 
And aftir +tair penaunce fulfild es, 
Bot na saul may +tethen pas, 
Until it be als clene als it first was,
When he was hoven at funtstane
And his crestendome +tar had tane. 
Som clerkes, +tat spekes of purgatory, 
Says +tat +te fire +tare is bodily, 
And noght gastly als +te saule es; 
For +te saule, als +te boke bers wytnes, 
May be pyned with fire bodily, 
Als it may be with +te awen body.
<P 86> 
Bot +tat fire wirkes noght thurgh kynde 
In +te saule, +tat +tar-with es pynde, 
Als dos +te fire +tat brinnes here, 
Bot it wirkes on wonderful manere,
Als God has ordaynd, forwhy, it es
An instrument of Goddes ryghtwysnes,
Thurgh wilk +te saule most clensed be
In purgatory, ar it may God se.
Alle +te fire +tat es +tar-in, 
Es bot a maner of fyre to wast syn, 
And noght divers fires, les and mare, 
Bot a maner of fire, als I sayd are,
+Tat alle veniel syns +tan sal waste, 
+Tat es unclensed here, lest and maste. 
For als fyre +tat caffe son may bryn,
Gold may melt +tat es lang +tar-in, 
Ryght swa +te fyre +tar thurgh lang hete 
+Tat wastes smale syns, may wast grete, 
And als +te hete of +te son +tat comon es,
Som men greves mare, and som men les, 
Right swa +te fyre +tat es +tare, 
Som sawles pyns les, and som mare;
For +te sawles byhoves duelle +tar-in,
Aftir +te charge es of +tair syn.
Bot som sawles +tar sal be delyver[{d{] sone, 
+Tat large penaunce here has done; 
Som sal duel +tar many a yhere, 
+Tat litel penaunce has don here. 
And lang lygyn in +tair syn; 
And +tarfor says +tus Saynt Austyn: 
(\Necesse est quod tantum urat dolor, 
quantum erat amor; tanto enim quisquis 
torquetur diucius, quanto affectus eius
venialibus ahherebat forcius.\)
Saynt Austyn says "nedeful it es, 
+Tat sorow war als mykel and na les
For ilka syn and ilka trespas,
<P 87> 
Als luf and delyte in syn was."
And alswa he says on +tis manere, 
+Tat ay +te styther +tat ilk man here
Gyves his lykyng and wille
Til veniel syns, outher loud or stille,
+Te langer sal he pyned be 
In purgatory;" +tus says he. 
+Tis fire, als byfore wryten es,
Som saules pynes mare, and sum les, 
Aftir +tat +tai +tat commes +tar-in, 
Brynges ought with +tam +tat may bryn.
For byfor ar +tai may God se 
Byhoves als thre thynges brinned be,
+Tat es at say, als wodde, and hay,
And stubble, +tat may sone wast away;
+Ta er veniel synnes +tat may falle,
Bathe grete and smale, and men with-alle,
+Te mast veniel syns sal +tar bryn langly, 
Als wodde brinnes, +tat es sadde and hevy,
+Te lest veniel syns sal brin sone,
Als stobble, +tat son brinnes and son es done. 
Bot swa son brinnes noght +te mene synnes;
+Tai brin mar slawly als hay brynnes.
+Tus sal be brynned and wasted +tare, 
Als veniel syns, bathe les and mare;
And al dedly syns of wilk men er shryven,
And +te gilt God has forgyven,
For whilk +te penaunce es noght fulfilled here,
Sal +tare be wasted on +te sam manere 
And +te saules in +tat fire be pyned
Unto +tai be als clene als gold fyned. 
And when +tai er fyned and made bright 
+Tai sal be broght befor Goddes sight, 
Til hey Paraydise, +tat blisful place
Whar ay es rest, ioy and solace. 
+Te sext payne es +tis to telle; 
+Tat +te saules unclensed, +tat sal duelle
<P 88>
In purgatory, sal be bunden faste 
With bandes of syn, whilles +tai may laste, 
Als men +tat er bonden in pryson, 
+Tat na man may for gyf[{t{] ne raunson, 
Out of +tat hard payn +tam wyn,
Until +te fire haf wasted +tair bandes of syn.
+Tus er +tai bunden by hend and fete, 
Allen bydonen, in +tat brinnand hete.
Me thynk +tat na payne may be mare 
+Tan +ta saules has, whyles +tai er +tare. 
Grete dole +tay mak, somtyme, and sarowe;
For +tai may nathyng begg ne borowe, 
To help +tam, +tat +tai war out broght,
Ne +tair awen prayer help +tam noght; 
For +tar es nouther stede ne space,
Helpe ne frenshepe to purchace;
Bot +te gude +tat +tai did here, +tai sal +tar fele; 
Or if +tair frendes, +tat luffes +tam wele, 
For +tam here pray or do almus de[{de{] ; 
Alle +tat may help +tam in +tair nede. 
Ful hard payn +tar +tai fele, 
Bot at +tai er save +tai wate wele; 
Bot sum tyme swa mykel pay[{n{] +tai hafe,
+Tat +tai tak na kepe +tat +tai er save;
Wharfor we shuld thynk, +tat lyves here,
What payn it es, on +tis manere,
To be swa pyned, and fele swa sare
Fourty wynter, outher les or mare,
Omang devels, +tat +tan has leve 
Som tyme to turment +te saules and greve, 
Ay whiles +tai haf any spot of syn;
For are, may +tai noght out of payn wyn,
Til +tai be clensed and made right clene
Of alle spottes of syn +tat may be sene.
And when +tai er +tus clensed wele 
+Tan sal +tai namare payn fele,
<P 89>
Bot als tite +tar-efter +tai sal wende
Tille +te blis +tat es with-outen ende. 
+Te sevend payn of purgatory es 
+Tat +te saules er als in wildernes,
+Tar defaut es of alkyn thyng 
Of wilk man mught haf lykyng;
+Tair payn es turned manyfalde. 
Now er +tai in hete, and now in calde; 
For sumtyme +tai sal be pyned lang 
With hete, and som tyme with cald omang. 
+Tai sal haf +tare bathe hunger and threst,
And travayl grete, with-outen rest. 
+Tai er dungen +tare, to eke +taire payn, 
With smert stormes als of wynd and rayn, 
And with stormes of hayle, sharpe and kene, 
Swylk stormes was never here sene.
Als +te sauls sal +tar here and se. 
+Tus sal +tai on sere-wyse pyned be,
Sum many wynter for +tair syn,
Ar +tai til +te sight of God may wyn. 
Swilk maner of payns +tai sal have +tare,
With other ma, +tat sal greve sare.
Bot a grete payn yhit +tis sal be, 
+Te grete yhernyng +tat +tai haf to se 
+Te face of God, +tat es swa bright,
And +te lang tariyng fra +tat syght.
Bot til +tat sight +tai may never wyn,
Until +tai be clensed +tar of al syn. 
Here haf I talde yhow aparty,
Of sum payns of purgatory.
Now I wille shew, als +te boke telles, 
Whilk sauls in purgatory duelles. 
+Te saules +tat to purgatory most wend
Aftir +te dede, when +tis life has end, 
Nedly byhoves dwelle +tar-in, 
Unto +tai be clensed of al syn, 
Thurgh bitter paynes +tat er +tare. 
Bot sum sal fele les, and sum mare,
<P 90> 
Aftir +tair syn es mare or les, 
Als in +tis part byfor wryten es, 
Or aftir +tair syns er many or fone, 
And aftir +tai haf here penaunce done. 
Bot alle saules sal noght duelle in +tat stede, 
For sum here +tat als tite aftir +tair dede, 
Sal wend strykly til heven blis, 
Als Innocentes +tat never dyd mys, 
And other saules of men parfite, 
+Tat in nathyng here has delyte,
Bot anly in God +tat boght +tam dere, 
In lyffed ay in penaunce here.  

<S SAMPLE 2>
<P 248>
His bright face sal alle +tas se, 
+Tat sal duelle in +tat blisful cite`; 
And +tat syght es +te mast ioy of heven, 
Als men mught here me byfor neven.
And alle-if +tat cite` be large and wyde,
Men salle hym se, until +te ferrest syde, 
And als wele +tas +tat sal be fra hym fer, 
Als +tas +tat sal +tar til hym be nerrer; 
For als men of fer landes may haf sight
Of +te son, +tat we se here schyne bright, 
And als +te same son +tat shynes byyhond +te se
Shewes it here, and in ilka cuntre`
Alle +te day, aftir +te ryght course es, 
Bot when cloudes fra us hydes hir brightnes;
Right swa +te face of God alle-myghty, 
Sal be shewed in heven appertely, 
Tille alle +te men +tat +tider sal wende, 
+Togh som suld duelle at +te ferrest ende. 
Bot ilk man, als he lufes God here, 
Sal won +tar, som fer and som nere.
For som lufes God here mar +tan sum, 
And som lufes hym les +tat til heven sal com 
Alle +tas +tat God here lufes best, 
When +tai com +tar sal be hym nerrest,
And +te nerrer +tat +tai sal hym be, 
+Te verreylyer +tai sal hym se;
And +te mare verraly +tai se his face,
+Te mare sal be +tair ioy and solace.
<P 249> 
Bot +ta +tat here lufs hym les,
+Tai sal won +tar, aftir +tair luf es; 
Bot ilk man sal se hym in his degre`,
In what syde of heven swa he sal be.
Here haf yhe herd of many fayre sight, 
+Tat ay salle be sene in heven bright; 
Ful glade and ioyful alle +tas may be, 
+Tat swilk fayre sightes, ay, +tar sal se, 
And of mykel ioy may +tai ay telle 
+Tat in +tat cite` of heven sal ay duelle.
Alswa ilkan sal haf in +tair heryng, 
Grete ioy in heven and grete lykyng.
For +tai sal here +tar aungel sang, 
And +te haly men sal ay syng omang,
With delitabel voyces and clere; 
And, with +tat, +tai sal ay here 
Alle other manere of melody, 
Of +te delytable noys of mynstralsy, 
And of alkyn swet tones of musyke,
+Tat til any mans hert mught like; 
And of alkyn noyse +tat swete mught be, 
Ilkan sal here in +tat cite, 
With-outen instrumentes ryngand, 
And with-outen movyng of mouth or hand,
And with-outen any travayle, 
And +tat sal never mar cese ne fayle.
Swilk melody, als +tar sal be +tan, 
In +tis werld herd never nan erthely man, 
For swa swete sal be +tat noyse and shille
And swa delitabel and swa sutille,
+Tat alle +te melody of +tis werld here, 
+Tat ever has bene herd, fer and nere, 
War noght bot als sorowe and care 
Als to +te lest poynt of melody +tare.
Omang +tam alswa sal be swete savour,
Swa swete com never of herbe ne flour, 
When +tai war in seson mast, 
Or war mast of vertu for to tast;
<P 250> 
Ne of spicery mught never spryng, 
Ne yhit of nan othir thyng, 
+Tat thurgh vertu of kynde suld savour wele 
Swa swete savour als +tai sal fele;
For na hert may thynk, ne tung telle, 
How swete sal ilkan til other smelle; 
+Tat savour sal be ful plenteuouse,
And swa swete and swa delicious, 
+Tat alkyn spicery +tat men may fele, 
And of alle othir thyng +tat here savours wele,
War noght bot als thyng +tat stynked sour,
Als to regarde of +tat delycious savour.
+Tan sal +tat savour +tat es swa swete,
Be ioy til +tam, ay when +tai samen mete,
Alswa ilkan +tat sal won +tar, 
Sal syng with angels, als I sayd ar,
In swilk tones +tat sal be swete to here, 
With ful delitabel voyces and clere;
Bot +tai sal love God ay in +tair sang, 
And thank hym of his mercy ay omang;
And ilkan of +tat blisful company 
Sal speke with othir +tar ful swetely, 
With laghyng and with lufly sembland, 
And say "weles us +tat here er wonnand",
And thank God omang +tat +tam gun wysse 
Til mekenes, +tat +tam led til +tat blysse
With anger +tat +tai had in +tair lyf days, 
+Tan may +tai say +tus als David says: 
(\Letati sumus pro diebus quibus 
nos humiliasti, annis quibus 
vidimus mala.\) 
"Loverd ful glad for +te days er we, 
In whilk +tou made us lawe to be, 
In +te yheres in whilk we saw illes."
+Tus may +tai syng and say for sere skilles. 
+Tan sal +tair sang and +tair spekyng, 
Be til +tam gret ioy and lykyng;
<P 251>
Alswa +tai sal fele worshepes grete, 
For ilkan sal be sette in a ryche sete,
And, als kynges and qwenes corouned be 
With corouns dight with ryche perre`,
And with stanes of vertu, precyouse to prays, 
Als David til God thus spekes and says:
(\Posuisti Domine super caput eius 
coronam de lapide precioso.\) 
"Loverd on hys heved +tou sette ryght, 
A coroune of preciouse stanes dight;" 
Bot swa fayre coroune was never sene
In +tis world, on kynges heved ne qwene.
+Tis coroune es +te coroune of blys,
And +te stane es ioy +tat +tai sal never mys. 
+Tis worshepe +tat +tai sal fele, sal pas 
Alle +te worshepes +tat ever here was,
Of whilk +tai sal +tar mar ioy have,
+Tan any man can yherne or crave. 
+Tus sal +tai have in +tair wittes fyfe
Parfite ioy with endeles lyfe, 
In +te heghe blisful cite` of heven,
Whar sere ioyes er ma +tan tung can neven;
For +tai sal many hundreth thowsand se 
Of men and wemen in +tat cite`,
+Tat many sere ioyes +tar sal haf, 
Als +tai er worthy and God vouches saf. 
And alle +te ioyes +tat +tai alle sal se, 
Sal be ioyes til ilka man +tat +tar sal be,
With-outen his awen ioyes, les and mare, 
+Tat til hym-self sal be appropried +tare; 
For +te sight of ilk ioy +tat +tai sal se +tan, 
Sal be ioy +tar til ilka man; 
For other mens ioyes tham sal like als wele,
Als +tai sal +tair awen +tat +tai sal fele;
+Tan sal a man haf ma ioyes in heven 
+Tan any tung couthe telle or neven; 
For ilk man sal haf special ioy and mede,
For ilk gude thoght and ilk gude dede,
<P 252> 
+Tat he ever thoght or wroght open or prive`. 
+Tan may never +tair ioys noumbred be,
+Tat ilk man in heven when +tai com +tider
Sal in body and saule haf alle togider,
And never mare of na ioy fele irkyng, 
For +tai sal ay be new als at +te bigynning, 
Of whilk +te leste ioy +tar to fele and se,
Sal be mar +tan alle +te ioyes of the werld may be 
+Tai sal be fed +tar and cled wele, 
With ioy of sight +tat +tai sal fele, 
+Tai sal wirk +tar nan othir thyng, 
Bot love ay God with-outen irkyng.
Als a versifiour says in a verse +tarby,
+Te whilk es made in metre +tus schortly:
(\Visio sit victus, opus est
laus, lumen amictus.\) 
"With +te sight of God +tai sal be fed, 
And with brightnes of light +tai sal be cled,
And +tair werk sal be ay lovyng," 
In whilk +tai sal haf gret likyng. 
Bot +tair mast ioy in heven sal be 
+Te blisful sight of +te trinite`,
+Te whilk +tai sal se ever-mar;
And +tat ioy sal pas alle othir +tar, 
For ay whilles +tai +tat sight sal se,
Of alle ioyes +tai sal fulfilled be; 
And if +tai suld +tat syght mysse, 
+Tai myght noght +tan haf parfite blis. 
For if a man war pyned in helle, 
With ma payns +tan tung may telle, 
And he of Goddes face mught se oght,
Alle his payns suld +tan gryefe hym noght.
Now haf I redde here how men sal hafe 
Parfite ioy in heven +tat sal be safe; 
Bot +te dampned men +tar ogayne
Sal haf ful sorowe and parfite payne, 
With-outen ende for +tair wikked lyfe, 
For +tai sal in alle +tair wittes fyve,
<P 253> 
Be turmented on sere manere, 
With grysely payns, many and sere,
+Tat es to say, in syght and heryng, 
In smellyng, tastyng, and felyng. 
First +tai sal in helle about +tam se 
Mare sorow +tan ever in +tis werld mught be, 
And +te sorow +tat +tai sal se +tar, 
Sal be strang payne til +tam ever-mare. 
+Tair wonyng in helle, als says +te buke,
+Tai sal se ful of fire and of smoke,
And ful grysely, and myrk, and dym, 
And about +tam devels ful grym, 
+Tat with sere payns sal payne +tam ay, 
Als men mught here me byfor say: 
And alle-+togh +tai in helle want light, 
Yhit sal +tai of alle payns haf sight, 
Thurgh +te sparkes of fyr +tar, als says Saynt Austyn
Noght til +tair comfort bot til +tair pyne;
Yhit mare sorow +tam sal bytyde,
+Tai sal here in helle, on ilka syde,
Ful hydus noyse and duleful dyn
Of devels and of synful men +tar-yn: 
+Tai sal here devels +tar, rare ful hydusly, 
And +te synful men goule and cry; 
+Tai sal +tar, in smellyng, fele mare stynk, 
+Tan hert may here ymagyn or thynk,
Of brynnand brunstan and of pyk, 
And of alkyn othir thyng +tat es wyk.
+Tat stynk, als yhe sal understand wele,
Sal be strang payne til +tam to fele;
Al-swa +tai sal ilkan other wery, 
And myssay and sclaundre God allemyghty,
+Tai sal ay stryfe and be at debate, 
And ilkan other sal despice and hate. 
Omang +tam sal never be pees, 
Bot hatreden and stryfe +tat never sal cees. 
+Tair throtes sal ay be filled omang,
Of alle thyng +tat es bitter and strang,
<P 254>
Of lowe and reke with stormes melled, 
Of pyk and brunstane togyder welled,
Of molten bras and lede with-alle,
And of other welland metalle:
+Tis sal be strang payne til +tam to last, 
Omang alle othir paynes, lest and mast,
With stryf +tat sal be omang +tam +tan,
When ilkan sal other wery and ban;
Al-swa +tai sal fele, als I byfor talde,
Outrageus hete and outrageouse calde, 
For now +tai sal frese in yse, and now in fire bryn 
And be gnawen with-outen and with-in; 
Within, als yhe sal understand,
With wormes of conscience ay bytand;
With-outen, with dragons felle and kene, 
Swa hidus was never here nane sene, 
With neddirs and tades and othir vermyn, 
And with many hydus bestes of ravyn,
Als wode wolfes, lyons and beres felle,
+Tat sal noght be elles, bot devels of helle,
In liknes of hydus bestes and vermyne, 
+Tat sal +tam gnaw without, to eke +tair pyne, 
Als in +te sext part of +tis boke es wryten. 
+Tus sal +te synful be gnawen and byten 
With outen, thurgh hydus bestes and vermyn, 
And thurgh +te worme of conscience with-in. 
+Te devels alswa sal stryke +tam felly, 
With glowand hamers, ful huge and hevy,
+Tat sal seme of iren and stele;
+Tir payns +tai sal with alle other fele.
+Tus sal +tai ever-mare be pyned +tar, 
In alle +tair fife wittes, als I said ar, 
With sere payns als es gode skille, 
For +tai here used +tair wittes ille. 
Alle +tir payns +tat yhe herd me telle, 
And many ma +tat salle be in helle,
+Tai sal thole ay +tar +tat sal wende +tider,
In body and saule alle to-gider.
<P 255> 
+Tus sal +tai ever mar contynuely
Haf parfite payne +tar, with-outen mercy, 
Fra whilk payne and sorow God us shilde, 
Thurgh prayer of hys moder mylde, 
And +te right way of lyf us wysse, 
Whar-thurgh we may com til heven blysse. Amen.
Now es +te last part of +tis buke sped, 
And alle +te maters +tar-in haf I red,
+Tat contenes, als yhe mught here, 
Bathe general and special ioyes sere, 
+Tat alle +tas +tat til heven sal come,
Sal haf aftir +te day of dome;
And sere schendshepes of helle alswa, 
+Tat er even contrary til +ta, 
+Te whilk, +tas +tat sal til helle wende, 
Sal haf +tar, with-outen ende.
Whar-for wha-swa of +tis wil take hede, 
May be stird til luf and drede;
Til drede, thurgh mynde of +te hydusnes 
Of payne and sorow +tat in helle es; 
Til luf, thurgh mynd of ioyes and blisse sere 
+Tat God hetes til alle +tat lufes hym here. 
Bot +te drede es noght medeful to prufe,
+Tat accordes noght halely with +tat lufe; 
For if drede stand by itself anely, 
Na mede of God it es worthy, 
+Tarfor drede suld be lufes brother, 
And ayther of +tam stand with other, 
For wha-swa lufes God on ryght manere 
He has grete drede to wrethe hym here; 
+Tan lufes he his bydynges to fulfille, 
And dredes to do oght ogayne his wille,
Delites to be with God ay,
And dredes to be put fra hym oway.
For men suld noght drede God anly for payne 
Bot men suld drede to tyn +te ioy soverayne, 
+Tat es, +te syght of God of heven, 
+Te whilk yhe herd me byfor neven;
<P 256> 
+Tat es pat luf ay with +tat drede, 
And +tat dred of God es worthy mede, 
For +togh we suld never helle se, 
Ne [{for{] syn suld never punyst be,
In purgatory ne in helle, 
Ne in +tis werld whar we duelle,
Yhit suld we luf God for hym-self ryght, 
And drede to tyne hys luf and of him +te syght,
For, sikerly I dar wele say +tis, 
+Tat wha-swa wyst what ioy and blys
Of +te syght of God in heven war, 
And als proprely had sene it als es +tar, 
He had lever thole here +tis payne,
Ilk day anes, alle qwik to be flayne, 
Ar he +te syght of his face suld tyne, 
+Tat in heven so bright sal shyne. 
Many sere ioys ma +tar sal falle, 
Bot +tat sight es mast principalle ioy of alle;
For +tat ioyful sight sal contene 
Alle other ioyes +tat sal +tar be sene, 
Of whilk ioys, +te lest sal pas 
Alle +te ioy +tat ever here was. 
For ioy here es noght bot passand vanite`,
Bot +te ioyes +tat er +tar ever-mar sal be, 
Til whilk ioyes +tat has nan ende, 
God us bring when we hethen wende. Amen. 
Now haf I here als I first undir-toke, 
Fulfilled +te seven partes of +tis boke, 
+Tat er titeld byfor to have in mynde. 
+Te first es of +te wrechednes of mans kynde; 
+Te secunde es of +te werldes condicions sere,
And of +te unstabelnes of +te werld here;
+Te thred es of +te ded +tat es bodily;
+Te ferthe alswa es of purgatory; 
+Te fift es of domesday, +te last day of alle,
And of +te takens +tat byfor sal falle; 
<P 257>
+Te sext es of +te paynes of helle to neven; 
And +te sevend part es of +te ioyes of heven. 
In +tir seven er sere materes drawen 
Of sere bukes, of whilk som er unknawen, 
Namly til lewed men of England,
+Tat can noght bot Inglise undirstand; 
+Tarfor +tis tretice drawe I wald
In Inglise tung +tat may be cald
Prik of Conscience als men may fele,
For if a man it rede and understande wele, 
And +te materes +tar-in til hert wil take, 
It may his conscience tendre make,
And til right way of rewel bryng it bilyfe, 
And his hert til drede and mekenes dryfe,
And til luf and yhernyng of heven blis,
And to amende alle +tat he has done mys.
For +te undirstandyng of +tir maters seven,
+Tat men may in +tis buke se and neven, 
May make a man knawe and halde in mynde, 
What he es here of his awen kynde,
And what he sal be, if he avyse hym wele,
And whar he es, for to knaw and fele. 
Yhit may he se when he it redes
What he es worthy for his dedes, 
Whether he es worthy ioy or payne 
+Tis tretice may make hym be certayne, 
For +tar-in may he many thynges se,
+Tat has bene, and es, and +tat sal be; 
+Tus may +tis tretice, with +te sentence, 
Pryk and stirre a mans conscience,
And til mekenes and luf and drede it dryfe, 
For to bring hym til ryght way of lyfe.
Of alle +teis I haf sere maters soght, 
And in seven partes I haf +tam broght, 
Als es contende in +tis tretice here,
+Tat I haf drawen out of bukes sere, 
Aftir I had in +tam understandyng, 
Alle-if I be of symple kunnyng.
<P 258>
Bot I pray yhou alle, par charite`,
+Tat +tis tretice wil here or se 
Yhe haf me excused at +tis tyme,
If yhe fynde defaut in +te ryme,
For I rek noght, +togh +te ryme be rude, 
If +te maters +tar-of be gude. 
And if any man +tat es clerk, 
Can fynde any errour in +tis werk, 
I pray hym he do me +tat favour,
+Tat he wille amende +tat errour;
For if men may here any errour se,
Or if any defaut in +tis tretice be, 
I make here a protestacion, 
+Tat I wil stand til +te correccion 
Of ilka rightwyse lered man, 
+Tat my defaut here correcte can. 
+Tis tretice specialy drawen es 
For to stirre lewed men til mekenes,
And to make +tam luf God and drede;
Ffor wha-swa wil it here or rede, 
I hope he sal be stirred +tar-by. 
Yf he trow +tat God es alle-myghty,
And he sal it here or se, 
And may noght +tar-by stirred be, 
It semes +tat he es wittles, 
Or over mykel hardend in wikkednes. 
Bot alle +tas +tat redes it, loud or stille, 
Or heres it be red with gode wille, 
God graunt +tam grace +tat +tai may 
Be stird +tar-by til ryghtwyse way,
+Tat es, tille +te way of gude lyfyng,
And at +te last be broght til gude endyng.
And yhe +tat has herd +tis tretice red
+Tat now es broght til ende and sped,
For +te luf of our Loverd Ihesu,
Pray for hym specialy +tat it dru, 
+Tat if he lyf, God safe hym harmles,
And mayntene hys lyf in alle gudenes,
<P 259> 
And if he be ded, als falles kyndely, 
God of his saule haf mercy, 
And bryng it til +tat blisful place
Whar endeles ioy es and solace,
Til whilk place he us alle bryng, 
+Tat for us vouched safe on rode to hyng. Amen.  



