LES DOUTES DES CLERCS ET LA FOI DES SIMPLES

On Gode Fridaye I fynde • a feloun was ysaued, That liad lyued al liîs lyf ■ with lesynges and with thefte; And for he biknewe on the crosse ■ and to Cryste lie

[schrof liyni, lie was sonnere saued ■ than seynt Iohan the baptiste, And or Adam or Ysaye ■ or eny of the prophètes, That hadde ylcine with Lucyfer ■ niany longe yercs. A robbere was yraunceonned ■ rather than thei aile, With-outen any penaunce of purgatorie ■ to perpétuel

[blisse.

Thanne Marye Magdaleyne ■ what womman dede worsc? Or who worse than Dauid* that Vries deth conspired? Or Poule the apostle ■ that no pitec hadde Moche crystene kynde ■ to kylle to deth? And now ben thise as souereynes ■ wyth scyntes in heuene, Tho that wroughte wikkedlokest ■ in worlde tho thei were. And tho that wisely wordeden ■ and wryten many bokes Ofwitte and of wisdoine • with dampned soûles wonye....

The doughtiest doctour ■ and deuynoure of the

[trinitee, Was Augustyn the olde ■ and heighest of the foure, Savde thus in a sarmoun ■ I seigh it writen ones,

Ecce ipsi idiot i rapiunt celum, vbi nos sapietiles in inferno mergimur And is to mené to Englisshe men ■ more ne lasse,

« Aren none rather yrauysshed ■ fro the righte bvleue Than ar tins cunnynge clerkes • that conne nianv bokcs; Ne none sonner saued ■ ne sadder of bilcue, Than plowmen and pastoures ■ and pore comune labo-

[reres. 9 Souteres and shepherdes ■ suche lewede lottes Percen with apaier-noster' tbe pale j s of heuene, And passcn purgatorie penaunceles ■ at lier hennes-

[partynge, In-to tbe blisse of paradys ■ for lier pure bvleue, That inparfitly hère • knewe and eke lyued.

Yee men knowe clerkes • that ban cursed tbe tyme, That euere thei couthe or knewe more ■ than credo in

deum patrem.