fol. 136r 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 fol. 136v    60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

All Crysten men that walke by me, Behold and se this dulfull syght. It helpys not to calle ne cry, For I ame dampned, a dollfole wyght. Some tyme in Ingland duellyng — Thys was trew, withouten lesyng — I was callyd Syr Wylliam Basterdfeld, knyght. Bewere be me, both kyng and knyght, And amend you whyle ye have space. For I have lost everlastyng lyght, And thus of mercy can I gete no grace. When I was now as ye be, I kepyd never other lyffe: I spendyd my lyffe in vanyté, In veynglory, bate and stryffe. Grete othes with me were full ryffe; I had no grace me to amend. I sparyd nother meyd ne wyffe, And that hath brought me to this ende. I hade no hape whyll I was here For to aryse and me repent, Tyll that I was brought on bere; Than was to late, for I was schent. Allwey with them I ame aweyde; In fyre of hell I schall ever be brent. Alas, this werld hath me deseyvede, For I had no grace me to amende. In lechery I lede my lyfe, For I hade gode and gold at wylle. I scleughe myselve withouten knyffe, And of glotony I hade my fylle. In sleuth I ley and slepyd stylle. I was desyved in a reyste, A dolefulle deth, that dyde me kylle; Than was to late of “Had I wyste!” Thus ame I lappyd all aboute With todys and snakys, as ye may se. I ame gnawyn my body aboute; Alas, alas, full wo is me! It is to late, it will not be; I knaw welle women more and mynne. For hym that dyghed for you and me, Aryse and rest not in your syne. For when I was in my flowres, Than was I lyght as byrd on brere. Therfor I suffer scharpe schoures, And by that bergayn wonder dere, And byde in peynes many and sere; Therfor thus I make my mone. Now may helpe me no prayer; I have no gode bot God alone. Wo be thei, whosoever thei be, And have there fyve wyttys at wylle And wyll not bewere be me And knaw gode thing fro the ylle. The pore for faute, late them not spylle;1 And ye do, your deth is dyght. Youre fals flessch ye not fullfylle, Lost with Lucyfer fro the lyght. In delycate metys I sette my delyte, And myghty wynes unto my pay. That make this wormys on me to byte; Therfor my song is “Well-y-wey!” I myght not fast, I wold note praye; I thought to amend me in my age. I droffe ever forth fro dey to dey; Therfor I byde here in this cage. Thys cage is everlastyng fyre; I ame ordeynd therein to duelle. It is me gyven for myn hyre Ever to bryn in the pytte of helle. I ame feteryd with the fendys felle; Ther I abyde as best in stalle. Ther is no tong my care can telle; Bewere ye have not sych a falle. Alas that ever I borne was, Or moder me bore — why dyde sche so? For I ame lost for my trespas And abyde in everlastyng wo. I have no frend, bot many a fo. Behold me, how that I ame torne, For I ame rente fro tope to to. Alas, that ever I was borne! Gode brother, have me in mynd, And thinke how thou schall dyghe allwey. And to thi soule be not unkynde; Remembyr it bothe nyght and dey. Besyly loke that thou praye, And beseke thou heven kyng To save thee on that dredfull dey, That every man schall gyffe rekenyng. For there no lordys schall for thee praye, Ne justys, nother no man of lawe. Ther charter helpys thee not that dey, Ther pletyng is not worth an hawe. God gyve thee grace thiselve to know, And every man in hys degré. Farewele, I here an horn blow; I may no lenger byde with thee.

(see note) doleful (sorrowful) miserable creature without lying (see note) Beware by [my example] amend yourselves; time (see note) followed no other kind of life spent quarrel (debate); (t-note) [blasphemous] oaths; plentiful; (see note) (see note) spared; maiden fate occasion repent [my sins] bier damned carried away by (devils); (see note) burnt deceived (see note) goods; to my desire slew sloth deceived in a slumber too late for “If I had only known!”; (see note); (t-note) surrounded toads gnawed (t-note) more and less (every kind); (see note) prime briar afflictions buy; very dearly various (see note); (t-note) Who have use of their five senses If; ordained [Make sure that] your to my liking makes these worms Wellaway! (Woe is me!) would not [old] age carried on as my payment fettered; fierce fiends beast torn from head to toe; (see note) (t-note) Busily (Assiduously) beseech When Nor justices Their charter (legal claim) pleading; hawthorn berry (i.e., worthless); (t-note) in his rank (of every rank) (see note)