THe frutefull sentēce & the noble werkes
To our doctryne wry tēi olde ātyquyte
By many gret & ryght notable clerkes
Groūded on reason and hygh auctoryte
Dyde gyue vs example by good moralyte
To folowe the trace of trouth and ryght wysnes
Leuynge our synne and mortall wrechednes
By theyr wrytynge doth to vs appere
The famous actes of many a champyon
In the courte of fame renowned fayre and clere
And some endyted theyr entencyon
Cloked in coloure harde in construccyon
Specyally poetes vnder cloudy fygures
Couered the trouthe of all theyr scryptures
So hystoryagraphes all the worthy dedes
Of kynges and knyghtes dyde put in wrytynge
To be in mende for theyr memoryall medes
How sholde we now haue knowledgynge
Of thynges past / but by theyr end ytynge
Wherfore we ought to prayse them doubteles
That spent theyr tyme in suche good busynes.
Amonge all other my good mayster Lydgate
The eloquent poete and monke of bury
Dyde bothe contryue and also translate
Many vertues bokes to be in memory
Touchynge the trouthe well and sentencyously
But syth that his deth was intollerable
I praye god rewarde hym in lyfe perdurable
Amonge all thynges nothynge so profytable
As is scyence with the sentencyous scrypture
For wordely rychesse is often transmutable
As dayly dothe appere well in vre
Yet scyence abydeth and is moost sure
After pouerte to attayne grete rycheste
Scyence is cause of promocyon doubtelesse
I lytell or nought experte in poetry
Remembrynge my yough so lyght & frayle
Purpose to compyle here full breuyatly
A lytell treatyse wofull to be wayle
The cruell swerers whiche do god assayle
On euery syde his swete body to tere
With terryble othes as often as they swere
But also for drede plonged in neclygence
My penne doth quake to presume to endyte
But hope at laste to recure this scyence
Exorteth me ryght herdely to wryte
To deuoyde ydelnesse by good appetyte
For ydelnesse the grete moder of synne
Euery vyce is vedy to lette ynne.
I with the same ryght gret
[...]ly infecte
Lykely to dye tyll grace by medycyne
Recured my sekenes my payne to abiecte
Commanndynge me by her hye power deuyne
To drawe this treatyse for to enliunyne
The reders therof by penytencyall
[...]yte
And to pardon me of theyr benyguyte
RYght myghty prynces of euery crystē regyon
I sende you gretynge moche hartely & grace
Ryght well to gouerne vpryght your domynyon
And all your lordes I grete in lyke cace
By this my letter you hertes to enbrace
Besechynge you to prynte it in your mynde
Now for your sake I toke on me mankynde
And as a lambe moost mekely dyde enclyne
To suffre the deth for your redempcyon
And ye my kynges whiche do now domyne
Ouer my comens in terrestryall mancyon
By pryncely premynence and iuredyccyon
In your regall courtes do suffre me be rent
And my tender body with blode all be sprent.
Without my grace ye maye nothynge preuayle
Thoughe ye be kynges for to mayntene your see
To be a kynge it maye nothynge auayle
But yt my grace preserue his dygnyte
Beh
[...]lde your seruauntes howe they do tere me
By cruell othes nowe vpon euery syde
Aboute the worlde launsynge my woundes wyde
All the graces whiche I haue you shewed
Reuolue in mynde ryght ofte ententyfly
Beholde my body with blody droppes endewed
Within your realmes nowe torne s
[...]pyteously
Towsed and tugged with othes cruelly
Some my heed some myne armes and face
Some my herte do all to rent and race
They newe agayne do hange me on the rode
They tere my sydes and are nothynge dysmayde
My woundes they do open and deuoure my blode
I god and man moost wofully arayde
To you complayne it maye not be denayde
Ye nowe to tugge me / ye tere me at the roote
Yet I to you am chefe refuyte and bote
Wherfore ye kynges reygnynge in renowne
Refourme your seruauntes in your courte abused
To good example of euery maner towne
So that theyr othes whiche they longe haue vsed
On payne and punysshement be holly refused
Meke as a lambe I suffred theyr grete wronge
I may take vengeaunce though I tary longe
I do forhere I wolde haue you amende
And graunte you mercy and ye wyll it take
O my swete bretherne why do ye offende
Agayne to tere me whiche dyed for your sake
Lose my kyndnes and from synne a wake
I dyde redeme you from the deuylles chayne
And spyte of me ye wyll to them agayne
Made I not heuen the moost gloryous mancyon
In whiche I wolde be gladde to haue you in
Now come swete bretherne to myne habytacyon
Alas good bretherne with your mortall synne
Why flee ye frome to tourne agayne begynne
I wrought you / I bought you / ye can it not denye
Yet to the deuyll ye go now wyllyngly
See
[figure]
Me
Be
[figure]
kynde
¶ Agayne
My payne
Retayne.
[figure]
in mynde
¶ My swete bloode
On the roode
Dyde the goode
my broder
¶ My face ryght redde
Myne armes spredde.
My woundes bledde
Thynke none other
¶ Beholde thou my syde
[figure]
Wounded so ryght wyde
Bledynge sore that tyde
[figure]
All for thyn owne sake
¶ Thus for the I smerted
[figure]
Why arte y
u harde herted
Be by me conuerted
[figure]
& thy sweryng aslake
¶ Tere me now no more
[figure]
My woundes are sore
Leue swerynge therfore
[figure]
and come to my grace.
¶ I am redy
[figure]
To graunte mercy
To the truely
[figure]
For thy trespace
¶ Come now nere
[figure]
My frende dere
And appere
[figure]
before me.
¶ I so
[figure]
In wo
Dyde go
[figure]
Se se
Vnto me dere broder my loue and my herte
Tourmente me no more with thy othes grete
Come vnto me my ioye and agayne reuerte
From the deuylles snare and his subtell nette
Beware of the worlde all aboute the sette
The flesshe is redy by concupycence
To burne thy herte with cursed vyolence
Thoughe these thre enemyes do sore the assayle
Vpon euery syde with daungerous iniquite
But yf thou lyst they may nothynge preuayle
Nor yet subdue the with all theyr extremyte
To do good or yll all is at thy lyberte
I do graunte the grace thyne enymyes to subdue
Swete broder accepte it theyr power to extue
And ye kynges and prynces of hye noblenes
With dukes and lordes of euery dygnyte
Indued with manhode wysoome and ryches
Ouer the comons hauynge the soueraynte
Correcte them whiche so do tere me
By cruell othes without repentaunce
Amende by tyme lest I take vengeaunce
¶ Exodi vicesimo. Non accipies nomen dei cui in vanum.
[Page]Vnto the man I gaue commaundement
Not to take the name of thy god vaynfully
As not to swere but at tyme conuenyent
Before a Iuge to bere recorde truely
Namynge my name with reuerence mekely
Vnto the Iuge than there in presence
By my name to gyue good credence
A my bretherne yf that I be wrothe
It is for cause ye falsly by me swere
Ye knowe your selfe that I am the very trouthe
Yet wrongefully ye do me rent and tere
Ye neyther loue me nor my iustyce fere
And yf ye dyde ye wolde full gentylly
Obey my byddynge well and perfytely
The wordely kynges hauynge the soueraynte
Ye do well obey without resystence
Ye dare not take theyr names in vanyte
But with grete honoure and eke reuerence
Thou my name more hye of magnyfycence
Ye ought more to drede whiche am kynge of all
Bothe god and man and regne celestyall
None erthely man loueth you so well
As I do whiche mekely enclyne
For to redeme you frome the fendes of hell
Takynge your kynde by my godhede dyuyne
You were the fendes I dyde make you myne
For you swete bretherne I was on the rode
Gyuynge my body my herte and my blode
Than why do ye in euery maner of place
With cruell othes tere my body and herte
My sydes and woundes it is a pyteous cace
Alas swete bretherne I wolde you conuerte
For to take vengeaunce ye do me coherte
From the hous of swerers shall not be absente
The plage of Iustyce to take punysshment
Vnde. Ecclesiastici xxxiii. Vir multū iurans imple
bitur iniquitate et non descendet a domo plaga
A man moche swerynge with grete iniquite
Shall be replete and from his mancyon
The plage of pest ylence shall not seased be
Wherfore ye bretherne full of abusyon
Take good hede to this dyscrecyon
Come now to me and aske forgyuenes
And be penitent and haue it doubtles
¶ Augustinus. Non potest male mori qui bene vixit et vir bene moritur qui male vixit.
Who in this worlde lyueth well and ryghtwysly
Shall dye well by ryght good knowlegynge
Who in this worlde lyueth wrongfully
Shall hardely scape to haue good endynge
I do graunte mercy but no tyme enlongynge
Wherfore good bretherne whyle that ye haue space
A mende your lyfe and come vnto my grace
My wordes my prelates vnto you do preche
For to conuerte you from your wretchednes
But lytell auayleth you now for to teche
The worlde hath cast you in suche blyndnes
Lyke vnto stones your hartes hath hardenes
That my swete wordes may not reconsyle
Your hertes harde with mortall synne so vyle
Wo worthe your hertes so planted in pryde
Wo worthe your wrathe and mortall enuy
Wo worthe slouthe that dothe with you abyde
Wo worthe also immesurable glotony
Wo worthe your tedyous synne of lechery
Wo worthe you whome I gaue tre wyll
Wo worthe couetyse that dothe your soules spyll
Wo worthe shorte ioye cause of payne eternall
Wo worthe you that be so peruerted
Wo worthe your pleasures in your synnes mortall
Wo worthe you for whome I sore smerted
Wo worthe you euer but ye be conuerted
Wo worthe you whose makynge I repent
Wo worthe your horryble synne so vyolent
Wo worthe you whiche do me forsake
Wo worthe you whiche wyllyngly offende
Wo worthe your swerynge whiche doth not aslake
Wo worthe you whiche wyll nothynge amende
Wo worthe vyce that on you doth atttende
Wo worthe your grete vnkyndnes to me
Wo worth your hertes withouten pyte.
Wo worthe your falshode and doublenesse
Wo worthe also your corrupte iugement
Wo worthe delyte in worldly rychesse
Wo worthe debate without extynguysshement
Wo worthe your wordes so moche impacyent
Wo worthe you vnto whome I dyde boote
And wo worthe you that tere me at harte roote.
Blessyd be ye that loue hum ylyte
Blessyd be ye that loue trouthe and pacyence
Blessyd be ye folowynge the werkes of equyte
Blessyd be ye that loue well abstynence
Blessyd be ye byrgyngs of excellence
Blessyd be ye whiche loue well vertu
Blessyd be ye whiche dothe the worlde eschue.
Blessyd be ye that heuenly ioye do loue
Blessyd be ye in vertuous gouernaunce
Blessyd be ye whiche do pleasures reproue
Blessyd be ye that consyder my greuaunce
Blessyd be ye whiche do take repe
[...]taunce
Blessyd be ye remembrynge my passyon
Blessyd be ye makynge petycyon
Blessyd be ye folowynge my trace
Blessyd be ye louynge trybulacyon
Blessyd be ye not wyllynge to trespace
Blessyd be ye of my castygacyon
Blessyd be ye of good operacyon
Blessyd be ye vnto me ryght kynde
Blessyd be you whiche haue me in your mynde
Blessyd be ye leuynge euyll company
Blessyd be ye hauntynge the vertuous
Blessyd be ye that my name magnyfy
Blessyd be ye techynge the vycyous
Blessyd be ye good and relygous
Blessyd be ye in lyfe temperall
Whiche applye your selfe to ioye celestyall
The byrtyll worlde ryght often transmutable
Who wyll it in this lyfe and tyme well spende
Shall ioye attayne after inestymable
For in this worlde he must fyrst condyscende
To take grete payne as his power wyll extende
Agaynst the worlde the flesshe and the deuyll
By my grete grace for to withstande theyr euyll
For who can be a greter fole than he
That spendeth his tyme to hym vncertayne
For a breuyat pleasure of worldly vanyte
Than after that to haue eternall payne
Who of the worlde delyteth and is fayne
Shall after sorowe and crye ve be
In another worlde quante sunt tenebre
Who is wyser than he that wyll applye
In the worlde take grete payne by due dylygence
After shorte payne to come grete glorye
Whiche is eterne moost hye of excellence
Where he shall se my grete magnyfycence
With many aungelles whiche for theyr solace
Insacyately do beholde my face
Regarde no Ioye of erthely consystory
For lyke as phebus dothe the snowe relente
So passyth the ioyes of the worlde transytory
Tyme renneth fast tyll worldely lyfe be spente
Consyder this in your entendemente
Blessyd be they that my wordes do here
And kepe it well / for they are to me dere
Therfore good brederne your hertes enclyne
To loue and drede me that am omnipotent
Bothe god and man in ioye celestyne
Beholde my body all to torne and rente
With your spytefull othes cruell and vyolent
I loue you ye hate me ye are to harde harted
I helpe you ye tere me lo how for you I smarted.
Mercy and peas dyde make and vnyte
Bytwene you and me but trouthe & ryght wysnesse
Do now complayne byddynge my goohede se
How that ye breke the lege of soth fastnesse
They tell me that by iustyce doubtelesse
I must take vengeaunce vpon you sykerly
That by your swerynge agayne me crucyfy
For at the request of good mercy and pease
I haue forborne you longe and many a daye
Yet more and more your synnes do encrease
Wherfore my iustyce wyll no more delaye
But take vengeaunce for all your proude araye
I warne you ofte ye are nothynge the better
But ye amende my vengeaunce shall be gretter.
¶ Contra iuratores xꝑm ī celo crucifigētes: per ber
nardū dixit dūs. Nonne satis prote vulneratus sū?
nōne satis afflictꝰ sūedesine āpliꝰ peccare: qr magis
aggrauat vulnus peccati ꝙ vulnus lateris mee.
Am not I wounded for the suffycyent
Haue I not for the ynoughe affeccyon
Leue more to synne by good amendement
The wounde of synne to me is more passyon
Than the wounde of my syde for thy redempcyon
Thoughe I do spare I shall not desteny
But ye amende to brenne eternally
With my blody wounde I dyde your charter seale
Why do ye tere it why do ye breke it so
Syth it to you is the eternall heale
And the relefe of euer lastynge wo
Beholde this lettre with the prynte also
Of myne owne seale by perfyte portrayture
Prynte it in mynde and ye shall helthe recure
And ye kynges and lordes of renowne
Exhorte your seruauntes theyr swerynge to cease
Come vnto me and cast your synne adowne
And I my vengeaunce shall truely release
With grace and plente I shall you encrease
And brynge you whiche reuolue inwardely
This my complaynte to eternall glory
AMEN
¶ The auctoure.
Go lytell treatyse deuoyde of eloquence
Tremblynge for drede to approche the maieste
Of our souerayne lorde surmountynge in excellēce
But vnder the wynge of his benygnyte
Submyttynge the to his mercyfull pety
And beseche his grace to pardon thy rudenes
Whiche of late was made to eschewe ydelnes
¶ Thus endeth the conuersyon of swerers made & compyled by Stephen Hawys grome of y
e chambre of our souerayne lorde kynge Henry the seuenth.