Passus Decimus Quartus, etc.

"

8900

HAVE but oon hool hater," quod Haukyn;

"I am the lasse to blame,

Though it be soiled and selde clene:

I slepe therinne o nyghtes.

And also I have an houswif,

Hewen and children,—

Uxorem duxi, et ideo non possum venire.—

That wollen by-molen it many tyme,

Maugree my chekes.

It hath be laved in Lente

And out of Lente bothe,

With the sope of siknesse,

That seketh wonder depe,

And with the losse of catel,

Looth for to a-gulte

God of any good man,

By aught that I wiste;

And was shryven of the preest

That gaf me for my synnes

To penaunce pacience

And povere men to fede,

Al for coveitise of my cristendom

In clennesse to kepen it.

And kouthe I nevere, by Crist!

Kepen it clene an houre,

That I ne soiled it with sighte

Or som ydel speche,

Or thorugh werk, or thorugh word,

Or wille of myn herte,

That I ne flobre it foule

Fro morwe til even."

"And I shal kenne thee," quod Conscience,

"Of contricion to make

That shal clawe thi cote

Of alle kynnes filthe.

Cordis contritio, etc.

Do-wel shal wasshen and wryngen it

Thorugh a wis confessour.

Oris confessio, etc.

Do-bet shal beten it and bouken it

As bright as any scarlet,

And engreyven it with good wille

And Goddes grace to amende the,

And sithen sende thee to satisfaccion

For to sowen it after.

Satisfactio Do-best.

"Shal nevere cheeste by-molen it,

Ne mothe after biten it,

Ne fend ne fals man

Defoulen it in thi lyve.

Shal noon heraud ne harpour

Have a fairer garnement

Than Haukyn the actif man,

And thow do by my techyng;

Ne no mynstrall be moore worth

Amonges povere and riche,

Than Haukyns wif the wafrer,

With his activa vita."

"And I shal purveie thee paast," quod Pacience,

"Though no plough erye,

And flour to fede folk with

As best be for the soule,

Though nevere greyn growed,

Ne grape upon vyne.

To alle that lyveth and loketh

Liflode wolde I fynde,

And that y-nogh shal noon faille

Of thyng that hem nedeth,

We sholde noght be to bisy

Abouten oure liflode,"

Ne solliciti sitis, etc. Volucres cœli

Deus pascit, etc. Patientes

vincunt.

Thanne laughed Haukyn a litel,

And lightly gan swerye,

"Who so leveth yow, by oure Lord!

I leve noght he be blessed."

"No," quod Pacience paciently;

And out of his poke hente

Vitailles of grete vertues

For alle manere beestes,

And seide, "Lo here liflode y-nogh!

If oure bileve be trewe.

For lent nevere was lif,

But liflode were shapen,

Wher-of or wher-fore

Or wher-by to libbe.

"First the wilde worm

Under weet erthe,

Fissh to lyve in the