¶ Here begynneth the proheme of this present boke . THe laborous & the most meruaylous werkes Of sapyence syth fyrst reygned nature My purpose is to tell as wryten clerkes And specyally her moost notable cure In my fyrst boke I wyll preche and depure It is so pleasaunt vnto eche persone That it a boke shall occupye alone Soone after this I shall wysedome descryue Her blessyd housholde / and her dwellynge place And than retourne vnto her actes blyue And she them wrought by tyme / processe & space All this mater she taught me of her grace I spake with her / as ye may here and rede For in my dreme I mette her in a mede O clyo lady moost facundyous O rauysshynge delyte of eloquence O gylted goddes gaye and gloryous Enspyred with the percynge influence Of delycate heuenly complacence Within my mouth let dystyll of thy shoures And forge my tonge to gladde myn audytoures Myn ignoraunce whome clouded hath eclyppes With thy pure bemes illumynyne all aboute Thy blessyd brethe let retleyre in my lyppes And with the dewe of heuen thou them degoute So that my mouth may blowe & encense oute The redolent dulcour aromatyke Of thy depured lusty rethoryke I knowe my selfe moost naked in allactes My comyn vulgare eke moost interupte And I conuersaunte & borne in the partes Where my natyfe langage is moost corrupte And with moost sondry tonges myxte & rupte O lady myn wherfore I the beseche My muse amende / dresse / forge / mynysshe & eche For to all makers here I me excuse That I ne can delycately endyte Rude is the speche of force / whiche I must vse Suche infortunate my natyfe byrth may wyte But O ye lordes whiche haue your delyte In termes gaye / and ben moost eloquent This boke to you no pleasaunce may present But netheles as tasted bytternesse All swete thynge maketh be more precyous So shall my boke extende the goodlynesse Of other auctoures whiche ben gloryous And make theyr wrytynge delycyous I symple shall extoll theyr soueraynte And my rudenes shall shewe theyr subtylyte Gower chaucers erthly goddes two Of thyrste of eloquent delycacye With all your successours fewe or moo Fragraunt in speche / experte in poetrye You ne yet them in no poynt I enuye Exyled as ferre I am from your glorye As nyght from daye / or deth from vyctorye I you honour / blysse / loue / and gloryfye And to whose presence my boke shall attayne His hastyle dome I praye hym modefye And not detraye / ne haue it in dysdayne For I purpose no makynge for to dystayne Meke herte / good tonge / and spyryte pacyent Who hath these thre / my boke I hym present And as hym lyst let hym detraye or adde For syth I am constrayned for to wryte By my souerayne / and haue a mater gladde And can not please paynte enourne ne endyte Let ignoraunce and chyldhode haue the wyte I aske no more / but god of his mercy My boke conferme from sclaunder and enuy ¶ Explicit prohenium .

ALl besy swymmynge in the stormy flode Of fruyteles worldly medytacyon To purpose late no thynge semed so good As to tell youthe hath domynacyon And for to put in sequestracyon Eche other thynge that hym sholde cause vnrest And thus to bedde I wente with thought my gest The chesplayer / or he a man haue drawne Hath onely thought to make good purueyaunce For kynge or quene / aulfyn / knyght / or pawne Echone of these he hath in his remembraunce So eche estate and worldly gouernaunce In one escheker in my mynde I sawe But I ne wyst what draught was best to drawe Fyrst my desyre was to haue drawen my kynge At hertes lust in sure prosperyte But in the che●●e I had espyed 〈…〉 The kynge to purpose may not passe his see To make hym waye / or some pawne drawen be Than bothe to guyde the kynge and pawnes eke And all other my wyttes were to seke I thought how by morall phylosophye The chesse was founde / and set in dyuersyte Of draught for a myrrour of polocye The whiche vertue departed is in thre Fyrst must man con hymselfe rule in degre Efte his housholde / and than in vnyuerse Cyte and reygne / these ben the thre dyuerse Arystotell in his poletyke boke The fyrst of these sayth hyght monestyca The seconde parte / who hath lust to loke Of polycy hyght yconomica The thyrde partye is cleped poletica But of all these syth I had neuer scole To playe at chesse I me thought but a fole For in this borde escheker of my mynde As I fyrst put a man or to drawe a draught Fyrst come the worlde with dame fortune vnkynde And sayd eschecke / and so strongly they faught Ayenst me that all my men were caught With theyr escheckes so touche they eche estate That or I wyst / sodeynly I was mate Than came reason / and thus to me she sayd With moble fortune / and fals worldlynesse O fole of foles / hast thou thy wytte assayd With enuy man to countre them at chesse Thou mayst not fynde a poynt of sykernesse For in theyr draught all deceyte is include Go forth quod she / a fole I the conclude Than was I woo / and prayed a bone To teche me waye vnto dame sapyence That she myght lerne me some dyscrecyone For well I knowe my propre neclygence Myn ignoraunce / myn insuffycence Ferre from all helpe / for whiche I gan to wepe Whyles at the last I fell vpon a slepe Thus brought on slepe / my spyryte forth gan passe And brought I was me thought in a place deserte In wyldernes / but I nyst where I was In moche derkenes / in caues / in moche couerte With wylde beestes in deuourynge experte Now wood / now water / now hyll / now valaye Now wynde / now rayne / I knewe no waye The wylde wolues after me sewen fast I wolde flee them / but well flee I ne myght And of a waye I was ware at the last Thorny and strayte encomerous to the syght Thyder I wente / I was ware of a lyght But forth I thronge with thornes all to rent And thanked god of lyght whiche he had sent Out from a mede moost heuenly vnto loke Aboute whiche ranne a lusty ryuer swete A lady came / and two with her she toke I ranne to her / and lowly gan her grete The waters name asked I / she sayd quyete And sone she sayd / my name is sapyence Intellygence this hyght / and this scyence Vnto all vertues we ben ladyes thre Bothe in offyce / and degree dyfferent It is my parte to knowe dyuynyte My syster here hath knowlege dylygent Of creatures in heuen and erth content And dame scyence of thynges temporall Hath knowlege pure / thus mayst thou knowe vs all Of vs all thre I am the moost souerayne And yf the lyst me descryue and dyffyne I am the true propre knowlege certayne Of erthly thynge / and eke of thynge dyuyne Aye fresshe and grene / & lusty is herte myne Though I seme yonge / full olde my yeres been For sapyence in olde folke is aye seen The deserte place of fere / thrugh whiche thou come Is dredefull worldly occupacyon Sone leue that place & dwell with me at home Thou shalte haue wytte / lust / delectacyon Grace / helpe / lyfe / he le / and eterne saluacyon Now wyll I rest that trauayled haue all daye For my labour is brought all vnto playe Gladde was I tho / and on knee fell a downe Helde vp myn handes / & sayd I wolde full fayne Her seruaunt be with all subgeccyowne But lady myn maystres / and hole souerayne Quod I tell me your labour and your payne That ye so longe haue had / I wyll sayd she Gyue audyence the gladder shalte thou be A doutfull prynce moost myghty & moost dygne 〈…〉 excellent and moost vyctoryous Hauynge a sone and foure doughters benygne And a seruaunt whiche with affectuous Loue and desyre he cherysshed in his hous A commaundement gaue his seruaunt in certayne The whiche he brake / and deth sholde be his payne Foure tourmentours the kynge cleped to hym Badde one hym to put in pryson soure An other sholde quycke fley hym lyth & lym The thyrde kyll hym / the fourth sholde him deuoure The foure doughters herde tell of this rumoure Whose names ben mercy / trouth / ryght / and peas But mercy thought her faders Ire to ceas She loked downe in to the pryson depe Her loued seruaunt sawe she syttynge there For whome her herte gan bothe blede & wepe Dystyllynge teres dysteyned all her chere She gan vnlace her tressed sonnysshe here Naked her brest / and for compassyoun Before her fader on knees fell a doun O mercyfull / and o moost mercyable Kynge of kynges / and fader of pyte Whose myghty mercy is immesurable O prynce eterne / O benygne lorde quod she To whome mercy is gyuen of properte Of thy seruaunt that lyeth in pryson bounde Haue thou mercy or deth myn herte wyll wounde I am souerayne aboue thy werkes all I am the pure auaunt of thy godhede I am thy chylde / thy gemme celestyall The mynyster of all thy godlyhede The substaunce that all mankynde dooth fede I am the treasour of thy deite O prynce of peas my bone now graunt thou me Se how I sytte dyssheuelde on knee My crystall eyen / se how theyr teres rayne My rosy lyppes / se how they perced be The bemed chere eke of my chekes twayne Se how the tery ryuer dooth dystayne My swannysshe throte with syghes in dystraynte My breste forbette / se fader all is faynte And yf thou wylte graunte me yon prysonere And gyue me leue to lose hym out of payne All this dystresse / and all this myn heuy chere To gladnes thou myght me restore agayne Thy hygh vengeaunce / why sholde thou not restrayne And shewe mercy syth he is penytent With that came trouth / & asked what it ment To trouth than spake her fader reuerent And sayd a seruaunt whiche I loued best On payne of deth I gaue a comaundement Whiche for to kepe in hym was all my trest But he it brake / and as a proude traytour kest Me to supplaunt / and I made my behest For his trespasse he sholde dye at the lest My doughter mercy prayeth with voyce pyteous I wolde forgyue / and on hym haue pyte For syth my mercy is moost copyous I must it shewe / thus argueth she to me Nay nay quod trouth / fader it may not be Thou must of force obserue thyn owne statute And thy promesse fulfyll for euery fute Thynke that I am thy doughter veryte That of all trouth dooth execucyon Withouten whome thyn eterne deite Were vnyat with imperfeccyon Thy wyll is lawe / thy promesse is reason And syth thy wyll / and thy promesse also Was he sholde dye thou mayst not go therfro For thy godlyhede put out all varyaunce Stable thy sentence / and thy Iust Iugement Let execute in dede the same penaunce That was forbroken of thy commaundement Than sayd mercy / vnworthy is that assent For sauns doute euery reasonable creature Without mercy may not lyue ne endure Knowe ye not well that I am sempyterne Quod mercy tho / how may ye me refrayne I am lady aboue the heuen superne Though ye in erth be pryncesse & souerayne My myghty grace is neuer voyde ne vayne Ergo I must releue seruaunt penytent Saue fro the deth assoyle this argument Ryght sensyble & preygnaunt for your parte Is that stronge argument quod veryte But to dyspute / mercy is not myn arte Neyther in herne ne in hole / trouth longeth to me And permanent I am as well as ye And syth of force my fader must be trewe From his behest / how may ye hym remewe And yf ye thynke he breke not his behest For to permute with mercy his vengeaunce For one is god / than wolde ye at the lest In his godhede include bothe ignoraunce And hastynesse and exyle purueyaunce And prescyence / and aske eke myght I sone Why hyght he that / that better were vndone Than sayd mercy / wherto was mercy wrought But yf mercy had execucyon Wherto on me was all my faders thought And all his Ioye in my creacyon Was I not made for restoracyon Of heuenly blysse / and for necessyte That bothe aungell and man must haue of me And yf so were that I were adnychylate The heuenly courte may not restored be My faders realme were vayne and vacuate A poore housholde it were withouten me Why sholde I not than haue a soueraynte And complement of my petycyon Than answered trouth / for ye aske no reason Though ye all daye argue for your purpose Trouth shall delyuer at her owne volunte My lyberte in no poynt wyll I lose I am my faders chylde / as well as ye And ryghtwysenes I wote wyll holde with me And with that worde trouth for her syster went Dame ryghtwysenes whiche was anone present On goodly wyse / but ferefull to beholde Come ryghtwysenes all bemed full of lyght For she ne spared for hote / ne for colde For hyghe for lowe / for to fulfyll all ryght My systers stryue quod she with voyce on hyght I wyll dyscusse / and theyr contencyon As ryght asketh / brynge to conclusyon To his seruaunt I thynke / what trust & grace My fader had and eke charyte And in erth for hym he made a place Of lust / delyte / and of all lyberte Eche erthly thynge eke vnto his soueraynte He hadde enclyne / and be obedyent Whyles he truly fulfylleth his commaundement What thynge in erth he coude or myght deuyse For hertes rest and lyues sustenaunce On hym gan laugh in all goodly wyse And at his lust made hym obeysaunce Exyled from hym was vnhappy chaunce Aduersyte myght neuer his steppes sewe To his seruaunt whyles he was seruaunt trewe And yf so were he brake his commaundement My fader made a constytucyon That prysoned & all quycke fleyne and rent Deed and deuoured sholde be punycyon For his trespasse and his transgressyon That bothe pure lote and fere this Iust precepte Sholde hym excyt ●hat it were truly kepte Notwithstandynge the promesse and statute The trust / the loue● the bounte and kyndenesse Yone freyle seruaunt subgecte to seruytute Saue to conspyre with all vngentylnesse And of the Iust maundement made full Iust transgresse Wherfore of ryght me thynketh he must be deed Let be quod peas / that is a cruell dede And with that worde peas came in to the place Whose persone was patron of portature Her rosy lyppes with chere full of grace Offred kyssynge vnto eche creature Phebus hymselfe with all his bemed cure May not be lyke the lyght of her vysage So pure perfyte was that heuenly ymage And on this wyse she gan her tonge affyle And sayd to trouth / O ryght how may this mene Is your purpose peas for to exyle And to make mercy neuermore be sene And to ordeyne deth for to reygne as quene This wolde no more / but for to depryue expresse My faders realme / and his souerayne rychesse Syth euery realme that hath dyuysyon Within hymselfe must nedes be desolate And we ben foure for one conclusyon For to susteyne the realme and his estate Amonge vs foure / why sholde than be debate And syth that lawe wyll rather lessen peyne That it extende / let peas and mercy reygne My faders realme debate suffreth no whyle It is of rest and of tranquyllyte Bycause of whiche he wryteth in his style The prynce of peas / the auctour of pyte Kynge of mercy / and lorde of all bounte Thus nede of force must peas reygne & preuayle Thefe stryfe and debate perysshe in all batayle The chefe auaunt and commendacyon Of this hyghe realme is for it is of pees Than wherto make ye dysputacyon Contraryous ben your debate / and rees With stryfe I wyll not dwell withouten lees And yf debate me from this realme dysseuer The londe of peas destroyed is for euer But syth so is / there is a trespasse done Vnto mercy let yelde the trespassour It is her offyce to redresse it soone For trespasse is to mercy a myrrour And ryght as swete hath his apryce by soure So by trespasse mercy hath all her myght Without trespasse mercy hath lacke of lyght What sholde be syke / but yf that sykenes were What nedeth salue / but yf there were a sore What nedeth drynke there thyrste hath no powere What sholde mercy / but trespasse go before But trespasse by mercy were lytell store Without trespasse none execucyon May mercy haue / ne yet perfeccyon But syster trouth / ye may reygne as a pryncesse Without falshode / and haue your soueraynte Without Iniure / and so may ryghtwysenesse Eke without warre I peas may alwaye be But mercy kyndely hath no properte Withouten trespasse / of whiche she hath her myght Ryght as the sonne the mone gyueth all theyr lyght Therfore I rede as for conclusyon That we obey mercy with one accorde And that we leue all our dyscencyon For lytell thynges as clerkes bere recorde With peas groweth & grete thynge with dyscorde Wyteth awaye / therfore let pacyfye Our lust to one / and fall we to mercy Let be quod trouth to you I nyll assent No more wyll I ywys / quod ryghtwysenes And with that worde / trouth to her fader went And thus she sayd / O grounde of stedfastnes O permanent / O very trouth endeles Holde thy behest / and supporte veryte For ryghtwysenes accordeth vnto me These wordes sayth ryghtwysenes / & kneleth doun And sayd fader syth it is myn offyce To gyue condygne remuneracyoun To euyll / and good / to eche vertue & vyce And not to spare for prayer ne for pryce And I shall thy godhede gloryfye That trouth asketh / I must nede Iustyfye The foresayd caas reseruynge in my mynde How soone thy seruaunt lust to the offende And how he was cruell / fals / and vnkynde To thy behest I must of ryght attende And nede of force to Iugement condescende Wherfore I gyue sentence dyffynytyue In fourme foresayd that payne to deth hym dryue Of this processe to haue the true entent I wyll thou wete quod sapyence to me This myghty kynge is god omnipotent In one god regnaunt / and persones thre His sone is cryst / his doughters in degre Ben vertues foure annexte to his godhede His seruaunt is olde Adam as I rede Retourne we now to our mater agayne All though darted with asper maladye Mercy fell downe she myght no lenger fayne As a swouned / or in a lytergye Peas seynge that stode on extasye And at the last with pyteous voyce & mylde She sayd alas / peas is for aye exylde O mercy god / for my syster mercy Lyenge in a swoune dyenge for lacke of brethe For trouth vntrue / and vnryghtwysenes Ayenst vs hath gyuen sentence of dethe I wyll not rest / but go thrugh holte & hethe Exyled awaye retourne wyll I neuer Fare well fader / fare well thy realme for euer Fare well mercy fare well thy pyteous grace So well awaye that vengeaunce shall preuayle Fare well the bemed lyght of heuens place Vnto mankynde thou mayst no more auayle The pure derkenes of hell the doeth assayle O lyght in vayne the clyppes hath the incluse Man was thy lorde / now man is thy refuse O seraphyn gyue thyn armonye O cherubyn thy glory do awaye O ye trones let be all your melodye Your Ierarchye dysteyned is for aye Your maystres se in what arraye She lyeth in swoune / and 〈…〉 with debate Fare well / fare well poore housholde desolate O souerayne myghty domynacyons O vertues / and ye potestates O pryncypates with all your heuenly sownes Archaungell / aungell / with thryes thre estates Your spouse dame peas ouerset is with debates Now may ye wepe / and Ierarchyes thre Your ordres nyne may not restored be Fare well ye all / dame mercy lyeth in swoun For sothefastnes accused hath mankynde And ryghtwysenes that sholde do all reasoun Hath dampned hym as cruell and vnkynde Mercy and peas for them no grace may fynde Notwithstandynge Iugement may haue no sute Bycause of peas / but it be execute Woo worth debate / that neuer may haue peas Woo worth penaunce that asketh no pyte Woo worth vengeaunce / that mercy may not ceas Woo worth that Iugement that hath none equyte Woo worth that trouth that hath no charyte Woo worth that Iuge that may no gylte saue And woo worth ryght that may no fauour haue Fare well saturne / Ioue / mars / & phebus bryght Fare well venus / and fare well mercurye Fare well thou shynynge lady of the nyght I was your guyde / but now awaye goo I O cruell mars / thy temrestes fury Now mayst thou shewe / and Iupyter thyn Ire Now mayst thou rayne with dartes full of fyre I was the reyne / that helde you all togyder I brydled you / and set you in accorde But now I go ywys I wore neuer wheder Wherfore of force ye must fall to dyscorde O thou souerayne of all batayle the lorde Now mayst thou sende comete thy messengere To sygnefye that batayle / nygheth nere Whan Flora rydeth / and colde awaye is gone With Iupyter / than mayst thou mete at lust And Iune in some sygne of the aquylone Engendre fyre / and make herbes combust Enfecte the ayre / and so togyder Iuste One with other hote / colde moyst and drye Contraryous stryfe for the vyctorye Now may ye fyght / & make bothe wynde & reyne And erratyke aye in your course be For peas is gone / that your Ire dyde refrayne And stabled you in all tranquyllyte Fare well ye all with all your brode countre Fare well fader / thy realme may neuer encreas And with that worde euanysshed dame peas The faders blysse / the souerayne Ioye & chefe Of all the heuen the broder to mercy This woofull caas seynge / and this myschefe For me ywys dyde sende full hastely O sapyence he sayd full pytously With some counseyle helpe now in this nede Thrugh perced / myn herte begynneth to blede For peas is gone / & mercy lyeth in swoun Withouten comforte so welawaye the whyle Eke desolate is this heuenly regyoun But mercy reygne / & peas come from exyle O sapyence helpe now to reconcyle My syster peas / and mercy to comforte And to this fyne with counseyle me supporte O mayster myn / O souerayne myghty lorde Harde is this caas quod I withouten leas Hygh is that helpe / that may brynge to accorde Mercy and trouth / dame ryghtwysenes & peas Mercy wolde saue her man / & vengeaunce seas Trouth wyll not so ne yet dame ryghtwysenes And for this stryfe peas is to wyldernes Echone of them wyll no waye be remeued From her entent it is incomerous Them to accorde / how sholde it be contreued Syth two for two stande aye contraryous This sole caas is wonders studyous For this accorde who so that shall fulfyll Must nede of force perfourme theyr aller wyll But sapyence who may best please them all ▪ And gyue echone theyr full desyre expresse I mene the wretche / that lyeth in pryson thrall Mercy to haue / and his gylte to redresse And not to offende dame trouth & ryghtwysenesse And reuoke peas / who shall this do quod he In one godhede syth we be persones thre My fader is aye full of lastynge myght And all wysedome appropred is to me Of all goodnes the blessyd heuenly lyght The holy ghoost hath to his properte Thus myght wysedome & goodnes that bothe thre Aye of one wyll / may this accorde make But of vs thre who shall the trewse take My wyttes hole I gadred vnto me And fynally as for conclusyon O mayster myn / I sayd it lyeth in the Of this accorde the execucyon And on thre wyse I proue it by reason Wherfore of force to make this accorde Dyspose thy selfe / be bothe subgecte and lorde Thy fader is so ferefull well thou woost That peas and mercy dare not compromytte In hym as Iuge / and eke the holy goost In whome all grace goodnes & trouth is knytte Dame trouth & ryght for Iuge wyll not admytte For well they wote that he is mercyes frende Wherfore thy selfe of this must make an ende Yone wretche desyred not thy faders myght Ne yet the goodnesse of the holy ghoost For thy wysedome he cast with the to fyght And smote thy shelde amyd the heuenly hoost For whiche thy selfe must answere well thou woost Not thy fader / ne yet the thryde persone The helpe of this thus lyeth in the alone These systers foure who that shall pacyfye Must be the sone of man / & take mankynde And for mannes gylte / gyltes suffre to dye And raunson man that thynke I in my mynde Syth but to one sone the Trynyte may fynde Whiche sone thou arte / that by necessyte This solempne acte lyeth fynally in the Than sayd my selfe / O lady sapyence O good beldame or ye ferder procede Vouchesauf to tell your noble reuerence Why myght wysedome & goodnes as I rede To thre persones whiche are in one godhede Appropred ben / are they not peregall And coeterne / and consubstancyall Yes sone ywys quod sapyence to me They ben all thre in goodnesse myght & wytte Egall and lyke / of one substaunce they be But yet ywys thou clepest them a ryght Whan that thou sayst the fader full of myght The sone of wytte / the spyryte of goodnesse This wyll a cause that is in kynde expresse A fader is thou wotest a name of age Of impotence and of debylyte A sone a name is of youth / and courage Of inscyence and instabylyte A spyryte is a name of cruelte Of hyght & pryde / this may thou propre fynde And eke comune yf thou wylte se in kynde Wherfore the fader in the Trynyte We clepe myghty the sone full of wytte The good spyryte / this is of proprete To auoyde the vyce / that in kynde is knytte But of them all sone myn I wyll thou wytte In myght with grace more excellent is none Echone hath all / and all thre is but one Retourne we sone myn to our matere My souerayne lorde the broder of mercy Sayd sapyence / I se it now so clere That this accorde in me is fynally But harde it is to take mankynde and dye Neuerthelesse mercy to recomforte And saue mankynde / suche deth nere but dysporte With full effecte he concluded in his herte Of all mankynde to make redempcyon Gyue deth for lyfe / gyue Ioye for paynes smerte Leue soueraynte / and make subgeccyon The aungelles eke had suche compassyon Of mannes deth / that ryght in specyall To helpe mankynde / they cast them all Vnto counseyle the holy spyrytes went The Ierarchyes with theyr heuenly collage To praye for man / it was theyr hole entent That he myght come to his olde herytage Out from the carybde / and the smoky cage Of seruytude / the whiche hym had incluse Foure thousande yere / he myght it not refuse The Ierarchye nexte to the Trynyte With heuenly voyce pytous / and delycate Kneled a downe / and sayd O god we be As thou well wost to the immedyate As assessours we ben to thyn estate Cubyculers also of thy godhede To our prayer / O myghty god take hede The to beholde is our souerayne solace Our lyfe / our lust / and aye lastynge blysse The hyghe glorye that shyneth in thy face The wytte of kynde may not 〈◊〉 ywys And syth that man so lyke vnto the is And fourmed was vnto thyn owne lykenesse Out of this blysse / why lyeth he in derkenesse What honour is / what worthynesse To thy godhede to suffre thyn ymage Deuoured be / and drenched in derkenesse For whome thou made lyght to be herytage And syth our blysse is hole in thy vysage O welawaye why sholde of it the shapnesse The to dystayne alwaye in derkenesse Wherfore we praye / O prynce full of grace Thou haue pyte of man thy creature His bondes stronge / vouchesaue to vnlace Let not thy shappe so longe derkenes endure Gyue some rewarde vnto thyn owne honoure For now is tyme of mercy and of peas And tyme is comen that all vengeaunce sholde ceas ¶ Explicit supplicatio prime Ierarchie .

¶ Incipit Inuocatio secunde Ierarchie Than kneled downe the seconde Ierarchye And humbly sayd O souerayne lorde of all We be y made thy myght to magnefye And to obserue thy lawe imperyall As worthy lordes that in generall With besy cure supporten thyn empyre And with knyghthode obeyen thy desyre Hens from vs all the proude prynce of derkenes As captyue toke lordes of eche estate Than man was made thrugh the heuenly goodnes For to restore this kyngdome desolate But welawaye wherto was man create Syth that the lyon of all cruelte In his derke lake of hym hath so eraynte Our worthy lordshyppes / & our maners olde O myghty god / how longe voyde shall they be Thyn heyres eke / how longe shall deth withholde Syth thou arte lyfe / why hath deth soueraynte If thou be kynge to thyn honour thou se So bynde the fende / and take man by conquest Vnto thy blysse / and set thy reygne in rest Foure thousande yere is suffysaunt For to punysshe olde Adam for a taste And welawaye / hell is exuberaunt With his of sprynges / & our realme stondeth waste Now rewe on man thou that all mercy haste For now is tyme of mercy and of peas And tyme come that all vengeaunce sholde seas ¶ Explicit supplicatio secunde Ierarchie

¶ Incipit supplicatio tercie Ierarchie Tharchaungell than with theyr Ierarchye Kneled downe / and sayd with voyce benygne O god thou wost we be alwaye redye To thy godhede to gyue louynge condygne To what prouynce / and as thou lyst assygne Vs in thy realme / as true and dylygent Offycyalles we do thy commaundement Thy messengers we be redy alwaye And in thy realme to what place we be sent We can not fynde / but peas is gone awaye And mercy lyeth with wepynge all be shent For trouth and ryght to her wyll not assent To saue mankynde our realme whiche sholde restore Where so we goo / debate is vs before Our enemyes eke of vs haue vyctorye Whyle thy chyldren contynue in dyscorde And but mankynde be brought to thy glorye Thou mayst neuer them foure brynge to accorde On thyn olde mercy / O good god recorde And syth eche thynge to the possyble is Pease thy chyldren / & brynge mankynde to blys The faders herte by kynde sholde be pyteous Of his chyldren / and wayle for theyr absence Wherfore I praye / O prynce vyctoryous Sende for dame peas / brynge her to thy presence And to mankynde graunt a playne indulgence For now is tyme of mercy and of peas And tyme is come that all vengeaunce sholde ceas ¶ Explicit supplicatio tercie Ierarchie

THat excellent prynce of all worthynesse That myghty lorde / that fader gracyous That rote of ryght / that well of goodlynesse That noble kynge / that mayster gloryous That souerayne syre / and moost vyctoryous Behelde his realme all wasted with ruyne And in hymselfe to pyte gan enclyne He helde also how pytously complayned His heuenly courte of his reygne desolate And how mercy with teres was dystayned And peas his chylde exyled for debate And how mankynde was so incarcerate That by no waye he myght his realme restore Than gan his herte for pyte waxe all sore Vnto mercy / he gan his hede to helde Whiche was in poynt thrugh wepynge for to spyll Than thrugh darted his herte gan to yelde And droppes small of pyte to dystyll His blessyd sone than knewe his faders wyll Felte yren hote / and thought tyme for to smyte And vp he rose with all lust and delyte He kneled downe and sayd fader of myght I am thy sone / in whome all wysedome is And well I wote / thou farest not aryght For chyldren thyn ben at debate ywys Gyue me this cause / O souerayne lorde of blys I shall rewarde echone with theyr entent And man agayne to thy blysse represent Swete swetest sone / quod that good fader tho Of thy behest I am entyerly glade Do what the lyst to brynge man out of woo But it forthynketh me / that I man made I mene the godhede / that suche gladnesse hade For to make man / in the must take mankynde And penaunce bere his handes to vnbynde With humble herte to do thy wyll With loue and lust / with sadde & hole desyre I am redy / and what thou wylte I wyll Thy pure pleasaunce I may not but desyre I wyll pursewe the ryght of thyn empyre Quod that good sone with spyryte vylygent And vp he rose / and to his syster went He toke her vp / and goodly gan her kysse Enbraced her vnto his herte / and sayd O swerte mercy / O pryncesse of all blysse O syster myne / O goodly yongly mayde With salte teres / why be ye thus arayde I am that wyght that shall your sorowe ceas And saue mankynde / & brynge agayne dame peas Cast vp your eyen beholde I am your brother Your lyfe / your lust / your loue / your champyon And for your sake my selfe shall / & none other Become a man / and suffre passyon To helpe mankynde / and with double renoun Brynge hym to you / & saue whiche was thrall That mortall is / I shall make immortall Thus shall I do your herte to recomforte Your soueraynte eke for to magnefye Full manfully I shall my payne comporte And thynke on you as on myn owne lady To fyght in armes / and obteyne vyctory Gyue trouth & ryght theyr owne desyre at full And euery gylte / you at lust to adnull Reuyue gan that goodly lady tho The brothers speche was salue to all her sore She thanked hym / as cure of all her woo She kyssed hym swete / she loued hym more & more O prynce she sayd / whiche shall my ryght restore What may I do your thanke for to deserue That redy ben for me to lyue and sterue O swete moost swete brother / & all my knyght O very cause of all myn hertes rest To gyue rewarde / where shall I gader myght To your kyndnesse / I not how I may best Thanke you for this / but O prynce worthyest Me as your owne / commaunde aye as ye lyst Thus all was well / and eyther other kyst The Trynyte to counseyle wente anon Concluded in haste / a messenger sholde go Vnto the mayde the doughter of Syon To salewe her / and for to saye her to The sone of god to brynge man out of woo Moder and mayde she sholde bere and conceyue Whiche message done she goodly gan receyue She thanked god with herte lust and desyre And on eche poynt submytte her to his wyll The holy ghoost was redy to enspyre His swete breth her brest with blysse gan fyll The sone of god full preuely and styll Within her wombe toke incarnacyon And borne he was for mannes saluacyon He knewe the cause of his foure systers stryfe And how by sentence man sholde punysshed be Fyrst in the pryson of this present lyfe Rent with vnhele / slayne with aduersyte Dye at the last / and with all cruelte Suffre wormes deuour / hym in his graue Harde was this payne / & eche man sholde it haue This to redresse hymselfe in pryson was Beten with scourges / and rente vpon a rode Suffred the deth / and caused no trespas A monument his corps fomynge of blode Deuoured / than he rose and yode Hymselfe to hell / and losed man anone Had hym to blysse vnto his faders trone He toke with hym to blysse and made her quene His swete moder the blessyd mayde Marye To praye for man / and mankynde to sustene And vnto her commaunded dame mercy Whiche for her chylde she toke full thankfully And sayd she wolde for man be aduocate If trouth and ryght with man wolde debate And vnto mercy goodly thus she sayd O fayre syster / to you now haue I brought With double honour man for whome ye prayd And your desyre in eche thynge haue I wrought So ryghtwysely and truly haue bought Hym with my blode that trouth & ryght certayne Haue all theyr lust / and no cause to complayne If man vnkynde resorte vnto his gylte Ayenst the kyndenes whiche I haue done And trouth & ryght wyll deme hym to be spylte Yet your desyre ye shall obteyne ryght soone For my moder shall come and aske a bone And saye / swete sone thynke on thy passyon And saue the ryght of thy redempcyon Thynke how of man I came / and am thy moder And thou my lorde / my maker / and my chylde Eke thou arte man / & man is eke thy full broder And hym best loueth thy moder mylde If man therfore offende with werkes wylde Thynke thou hym bought / & be no lenger wrothe That ones was lefe / let neuermore be lothe For man to dye / and efte hym for to lose Inconsonaunt it were to all reason What in erth or heuen yet wolde suppose That so solempne and hye redempcyon As is thy deth / sholde in conclusyon Be vayne & voyde / suche raunson precyous Must in effecte be alwaye fructuous Double tytle thou hast of properte In euery man / for thou his maker is His sauyour / and all good hath of the If he dysplease offende and do amys Or wolde sorsake thy lordshyp or thy blysse Yet is he thyn / thou made hym / thou hym bought Hym to forsake thy tytle wyll it nought The more ywys that thou hast done for man The more feruent on hym sholde be thy thought The chefe auaunt is how thou gate and wan Hym with batayle / and from his foos brought Eke loue is more swete / that it dere is bought All these in one yf thou in mynde reuolue Thy loue from man no thynge shall mow dyssolue Yet to mercy more straunge the to excyte O blessyd sone / se how I sytte on kne Beholde these brestes small with all delyte That gaue the souke the mylke of chastyte Beholde the wombe of whiche thou borne wolde be Beholde the hondes that on my lappe the layde Beholde thy spouse / thy moder / and thy mayde And for all this haue mercy sone of man For nexte thy selfe I derest haue them bought For well thou woost / the swerde of sorowe ran Out thrugh myn herte / whan thou on rode was brought And I the sawe with woundes all besought Syth thus in payne I had my parte with the Parte of my wyll for man sone graunt thou me Thus shall my moder saye / yf man offende O syster myn / your lust for to sustene Eke my selfe his trespasse for to amende My woundes wyde shall holde bothe newe & grene Dystyllynge blode full fresshe they shall be sene If with mankynde my fader wyll debate Whan he them seeth / he mowe no lenger hate Therfore be gladde / O syster myn mercy Haue here your man / do with hym what ye lyst She kneled downe / toke hym full thankfully Enbraced hym / and after syth hym kyst That tonge can tell vnneth her spyryte wyst For pure gladnes / in what place for to abyde Her perfyte blysse perced the heuen wyde Forth than he wente vnto dame veryte And sayd syster / be ye not yet content Yes broder myn quod she in all degre For trouth it is that man was neclygent More than I aske eke is his punysshement Than wente he forth vnto dame ryghtwysenesse Asked the same / whiche answered thus I gesse O swete broder / man is for his trespasse More punysshed than I my selfe desyre I am content debate awaye shall passe And with that worde peas feruent as the fyre Was present tho / for staunched was all yre Mercy and trouth mette at theyr owne lyst And ryght and peas togyder hertely kyst To whiche kyssynge / O myghty prynce of peas Brynge vs all / as thou starfe on a rood And graunt me grace / or of makynge ceas To thy pleasaunce some mater that is good For to compyle to helpe me from the flood Of fruyteles worldly medytacyon And fynde a waye to my saluacyon