fol. 182v Ihereth of one thinge that ye owen ofthenche — Ye that weryeth that riche schrud and sytteth on eure benche — Thah me kneoly ou byvore and myd wyn schenche, From the dreorye Deth ne may no mon atblenche.

line5 Ye that sytteth ischrud myd skarlet and myd palle, Wel sothe tythinge ich ou wile telle: The Feond thencheth, iwis, the saule for to quelle, As we hit fyndeth iwryten in the godspelle.

Ah of one thinge we schulle nymen gome —line10 That we weren poure tho we hider come.fol. 183r We hit ihereth iwis swithe ofte and ilome; The saule and the lycome, selde heo beoth isome.

Hwenne that chyld bith iboren and on eorthe ifalle, Nolde ich yeven enne peny for his weden alle.line15 Ah seoththen mony mon byyet bures and halle; Forthi, the wrecche saule schal into pyne falle.

Thenche we on the laste day, that we schulle heonne fare Ut of thisse worlde with pyne and with kare, Al so we hider comen naked and bare,line20 And of ure sunnen yeven onsware.

Nabbe no mon so muchel; al hit wile agon — His lond and his ayhte, his hus and his hom. The sorye saule maketh hire mon; Iwis, ne may atblenche ure never non.

line25 Thenne the latemeste day Deth haveth ibrouht, Binymeth ure speche, ure syhte and thouht; And in uyche lyme Deth us haveth thurehsouht. Thenne beoth ure blisse al iturnd to nouht.

Ne myhte no tunge telle, that ever wes ibore,line30 The stronge pyne of helle, thauh he hedde iswore, Er the saule and thet body a-two beon todrore, Bute Crist that lesede his folk that ther wes forloren.

Anon so the saule bith ifaren ut, Me nymeth the lycome and preoneth in a clut —line35 That wes so mody and so strong and so swythe prud, And wes iwuned to weryen mony a veyr schrud!

Nu lith the cley-clot al so the ston, And his freondes stryveth to gripen his iwon; The sorie saule maketh hyre mon:line40 Of alle hire erore freond nu naveth heo non.

Thenne seyth the saule with sorie chere: “Away, thu wrecche fole baly! Nu thu lyst on bere!fol. 183v Ich schal habbe, for the, feondes to ivere. Away, that thu eure to monne ischape were!

line45 Ne schaltu never sytten on bolstre ne on benche Ne never in none halle thar me wyn schenche; For thine fule sunnen and for thin unywrenche, Hy schal thi wrecche saule to atelyche stenche.

Hwer beoth alle thine freond, that fayre the bihehte,line50 And feyre the igretten, bi weyes and bi strete? Nu heo wulleth, wrecche, alle the forlete; Nolden heo non herestonkes nu the imete.

Hwer beoth thine disches myd thine swete sonde? Hwer beoth thine nappes that the glyde to honde?line55 Hwer is thi bred and thin ale, thi tunne and thi stonde? Nu thu schalt in the putte wunye myd the Wonde.

Ofte thu hevedest mihte to don al thine wille; Ever thu were abuten us bo vor to spille. Nu thu schalt, wrecche, liggen ful stylle,line60 And ich schal thine gultes abuggen ful ille.

Hwi noldestu myd Criste maken us isauhte? Massen lete synge, of that he the bitauhte? Ever thu were abuten to echen thin ayhte. Forthi, we beoth, an ende, bothe bipauhte.

line65 Selde wule me for the masse lete singe, Other in Holy Chireche don ey offringe; Me wule for thin ayhte, maken stryvynge, And pute the withuten of alle thine thinge.

Ly, awariede bodi, that never thu naryse!line70 Hwenne ich thenche the upon, ful sore me may agryse. For ich schal bernen in fur and chyveren in yse, And ever beon in pynen a feole kunne wise.

Nu schal thin halle myd spade beon iwrouht, And thu schalt therinne, wrecche, beon ibrouht;fol. 184r Nu schulle thine weden alle beon isouht;line76 Me wule swopen thin hus, and ut myd the swofte!

Thi bur is sone ibuld that thu schalt wunyen inne; The rof and the virste schal ligge on thine chynne. Nu the schulle wurmes wunyen withinne;line80 Ne may me heom ut dryven myd nones kunnes gynne.

Nu is aferd of the mi mey and mi mowe; Alle heo wereth the weden that er weren thin owe, And thu schalt nu in eorthe liggen ful lowe. Way, hwi noldestu her of thisse beon iknowe?

line85 Nu schal forrotyen thine teth and thi tunge, Thi mawe and thi milte, thi lyvre and thi lunge, And thi throtebolle that thu mide sunge. And thu schalt in the putte vaste beon ithrunge.

Hwer beoth thine theynes that the leove were?line90 Of alle thine riche weden nu thu art al skere. Beo thu in the putte wrmes ifere; Hit bith sone of the al so thu never nere.

Al that ich hatede hit thuhte the ful god; That makede the qued that the bistod.line95 Hevedestu thi wille, thu were al wod; And ich am wrecche saule ful sori-mod.

Nu thu schalt byleven, and ich mot fare nede. For alle thine gultes, fongen i schal mede — That is hunger and chele and furbernynde glede —line100 And so me wule Sathanas ful atelyche brede!

Ich am sori inouh, bi day and bi nyht, Ich schal to thestre stude ther never ne cumeth liht. Ther ich schal imete mony o ful wiht, Ne schal ich never iseo Crist that is so bryht.

line105 In a bytter bath ich schal bathe naked Of pych and of brunston — wallynde is imaked!fol. 184v Ther is Sathanas the Qued, redi wyth his rake, And so me wile forswolewe, the furbernynde drake!

Thah al that fur in this world togedere were ibrouhtline110 Ayeynes thare hete, nere hit al nouht! Wo is hym alyve that therinne is ibrouht! Away theos ilke pyne thu havest me bysouht.

Hwo iseye thene Qued hw lodlich heo beo — Hornes on his heved, hornes on his kneo?line115 Nis no thing alyve that so atelich beo! Wo is heom in helle that hine schulleth iseo!

He yoneth myd his muthe, and stareth myd his eye; Of his neosturles cumeth the rede leye; That fur springeth him ut of everuyche breye —line120 He moste deye for kare hwoso hine iseye!

Al so beoth eyeputtes as bruthen led; That fur springeth him of wunderliche red. Ne may no tunge telle hw lodlich is the Qued; Hwoso lokede him on for kare he mihte beo ded!”

line125 Holde we us clene ut of hordom; Masses leten singe, and almesdede don, And with Holy Chireche maken us isom. Thenne muwe we quemen Crist at the Dom.

The Kyng that al this world scop thurh his holy mihteline130 Biwite ure saule from than Uvele Wihte, And lete us hatye that wouh and luvye that ryhte, And bringe ure saule to heoveriche lyhte. Amen.

fol. 182v Listen to a thing you must remember — You wearing rich clothes sitting on your bench — Even if they kneel before you and pour out wine, From dreadful Death no one can escape.

line5 You sitting dressed in scarlet and fine cloth, A very true message I will tell you: The Fiend plots, surely, to kill the soul, As we find it written in the gospel.

But there’s one thing we ought to heed —line10 That we were poor when we came here.fol. 183r We hear about it all the time; The soul and the body, they’re seldom in agreement.

When a child is born and falls to earth, I’d not give a penny for all his clothes.line15 But later many a man buys bowers and halls; For that, a wretched soul will fall into pain.

We must think of the last day, when we’ll go from here Out of this world with pain and with care, Just as we came here naked and bare,line20 And for our sins render an account.

No one possesses much; it’ll all go away — His land and his property, his house and his home. The sorrowful soul utters its lament; Indeed, we can’t escape ever at all.

line25 Then on the last day Death will advance, Stealing our speech, our sight and mind; And in every limb Death will enter us. Then will our joy be turned all to nothing.

No tongue may describe, that ever was born,line30 The strong pain of hell, even if he’d sworn to, Before soul and body were drawn asunder, Until Christ redeemed his folk who there were lost.

As soon as the soul has departed, They take the corpse and sew it in a clout —line35 Once so confident and strong and so very proud, And used to wearing many a fair garment!

Now the clay-clod lies just like a stone, And his friends strive to seize his possessions; The sorrowful soul utters his lament:line40 Of all his former friends he doesn’t have any.

Then the soul says in a sorrowful way: “Alas, you rotten foul belly! Now you lie upon bier!fol. 183v Thanks to you, I’ll have fiends as companions. Alas, that you ever were shaped like a man!

line45 Now you’ll never sit on cushion or bench Or ever in any hall where they pour out wine; Because of your foul sins and your wickedness, Your lousy soul will hie to horrible stench.

Where are all your friends, who swore to you fairly,line50 And greeted you fairly, on roads and on streets? Now they desire, wretch, all you’ve left behind; They’d not willingly want to meet now with you.

Where are your dishes amid your pleasant banquet? Where are your cups passed to you by hand?line55 Where are your bread and ale, your barrel and your cask? Now you’ll be in the pit dwelling with the Fiend.

You’ve often had power to do all your will; You were always intent to ruin us both. Now you will, wretch, lie very still,line60 And for your sins I’ll pay very sorely.

Why didn’t you make us reconciled with Christ? Have masses sung, as he taught you? You were always intent on increasing your property. For that, we are, in the end, both deceived.

line65 Seldom will they sing masses for you, Or in Holy Church give any offering; To gain your property, they’ll argue a claim, And dispossess you from all your things.

Lie, cursed body, who’ll never rise up!line70 When I think of you, I’m utterly terrified. For I’ll burn in fire and shiver in ice, And always be in pain in very many ways.

Now will your hall be built with a spade, And therein will you, wretch, be brought;fol. 184r Now will your clothes be entirely sought after;line76 They’ll sweep your house, and out with the sweepings!

Quickly built is your bower that you will dwell in; The roof and the ceiling will lie on your chin. Now will worms dwell inside you;line80 One can’t get them out by any kind of trick.

Now your kinsman and kinswoman are afraid of you; They all wear the clothes that formerly were your own, And now in earth you’ll lie very low. Alas, why wouldn’t you here take heed of this?

line85 Now entirely will rot your teeth and your tongue, Your stomach and your spleen, your liver and your lung, And your windpipe that you sing with. And you will into the pit be thoroughly flung.

Where are your servants who were dear to you?line90 Now you’re without all your rich clothes. You are in the pit together with worms; It’ll soon be as if you never were.

All that I hated you considered good; That caused the harm that happened to you.line95 Unless you had your will, you went berserk; And I’m a miserable soul all sorry in mood.

Now you’ll remain, and I must needs go. For all your guilt, I’ll receive the reward — Hunger and cold and fiery coals —line100 And so will Satan very horribly roast me!

I am plenty sorry, by day and by night, That I’ll go to the dark place where light never comes. There I’ll encounter many a foul creature, And I’ll never see Christ who’s so bright.

line105 I will bathe naked in a bitter bath Of tar and brimstone — its boiling is prepared!fol. 184v There is Satan the Devil, ready with his jaws, And thus will he devour me, the fire-burning dragon!

Were all this world’s fire to be brought togetherline110 Beside this heat, it’d be like nothing! Woe to anyone living who’s brought therein! To avoid this very pain you prayed for me.

Who tells of the Evil One how ghastly he is — Horns on his head, horns on his knees?line115 There’s nothing alive that’s equally hideous! Woe to whoever will see him in hell!

He gapes with his mouth, and glares with his eyes; Out of his nostrils come red flames; Fire bursts out of him from every eyebrow —line120 Whoever sees him must die for horror!

The eye-pits are like boiling lead; Fire bursts out of him fantastically red. No tongue may tell how loathly is the Evil One; Whoever looks at him may be dead for horror!”

line125 Let us remain clear of whoring; Let us have masses sung, and perform almsdeeds, And with Holy Church make our peace. Then we may please Christ at the Judgment.

May the King who created all this world through his holy mightline130 Guard our soul from the Evil Creature, And cause us to hate that wrong and love that right, And bring our soul to heavenly light. Amen.