The minor poems of the Vernon ms. ... (with a few from the Digby mss. 2 and 86) ...

Videte vocacionem vestram.

(Paul, 1 Cor. 1, 26.)

Þis wordus here þat I ow say, To Religious men longen þay; Line 52 Þus muche ben þei forte mene, As ȝe schul heere al bydeene: "Seo," he [sc. Poul] seiþ, "bi-holde ȝe To what þing ȝe cleped be." Line 56 Þat he seiþ, hem to redresse And to sturen hem to Parfytnesse. ffor [r. þerfor] eueri Mon þat lyueþ here Ouhte ha Ioye and Serwe I-fere: Line 60 Ioye for þe worþily wonynge Þat is ordeynt to wel lyuynge, [MS. Th.: Ioy for þe holy religion] Serwe also to haue þerbi ffor vre liuynge vnrihtfuli. Line 64 ffor her seiþ seint Eusebi Wordus þat ben ful dredfuly: "A Mon to Religiun him dresse Is aller-hext sikernesse; Line 68 Not parfyt liue þer-inne son Is aller-hext Dampnacion." In Religiun we to beo don Is aller-hext Saluacion: Line 72 Ȝif þow wolt þat saluacion proue, Al þat is good þou most loue, Þou most loue [r. leue] eke also Al þat Religius [r. þe world?] longeþ to; Line 76 Þou most al þi wille ȝiue Parfytly and sikerly to liue. And seint Bernard vs techeþ in hiȝ To liue Mekeli, loueli, and worschipfuli. Line 80 Þat "worschipfuli" is to mene, To Godus worschipe feir and clene, Þat þou do al þyn entent To don al his Comaundement; Line 84

Line 84 To don his biddyng þou not asterte In al þat þou may þenke wiþ herte, And loke þou no þing þer-of breke Wiþ al þat þou wiþ mouþ mai speke, Line 88 Or worche in dede wiþ-oute striue Wiþ eny of þi wittes fyue, Wiþ siȝt of Eȝe, wiþ Tonge tastyng, Smellyng of Neose, of Ere heryng; Line 92 What þou dost bi wei or strete Wiþ bodi worching, going wiþ feete, Liggyng, stondyng, þenkyng [r. sittyng] also, Loke ȝif hit beo godus wille or no. Line 96 Ȝif hit beo his wille, do hit son; Ȝif hit ne beo, hit not don, Do hit not þenne for no maystrie, Þouȝ þou scholdest þerfore dye.— Line 100 Þenne mony mon loud and stille Wol aske, what is godus wille. Hit is to vs boþe more and les To haue vs euere in holynes.— Line 104 Þenne is to wite what, and whi, Þat makeþ a mon þenne holi. Two þinges þer ben In worchyng: Þat on is loue, þat oþur knowyng; Line 108 Þat is knowyng of alle soþnes, And loue of alle grete goodnes. To knowyng of god þat is soþnes Maist þou not come in blod and flesch, Line 112 Bote to knowe [r. þorw knowyng] þin owne flesch, [r. self?] And also [r. to loue of] godus grete goodnes, Maistou not come, as I þe mene, Wiþ-outen loue of þin Euencristene. Line 116 To knowyng of þi-sel[f] maistou Come þorwh good þenkyng nou; [Sp. per frequentem meditacionem] Þou mayȝt come to godus knowynge Þorwh þin owne feire plesynge. [per puram contemplacionem] To knowe þi-self old or ȝinge Maistou come bi þis bithinkynge: Þenk bisiliche, I preye þe, What þou weore, art, and schalt be, Line 124

Line 124 ffurst as to þi bodi here, Seþþhe to þi soule þat is so dere. As to þi bodi: foulore hit is Þen euer was eny donge, I-wis— Line 128 Was neuer ȝit dounge so foule Þat wolde so stinke, rote and moule; Þou weore in so gret fulþe igete, Abhominable hit is þerof to speke; Line 132 Þou schalt beo dilyueret to frete To Todus and oþur wormes mete. What þou hast ben & art, haue in mynde, Þat þi soule beo not beo-hynde;— Line 136 What þi soule schal beo in tyme comyng, May no mon knowe but heuene-kyng. Þenk þou hast In chele and hete I-do mony wikkednesse and grete, Line 140 Þenk also, hem to redresse Þow hast laft mony gret goodnesse. Þenk also, þat þis beo not weyued, Þat longe hast lyued, and muche reseiued, Line 144 And hou þou hast spendet þat reseit; To þe þenne wol þis beo ful streit: ffor vch a tyme, drede þe nouȝt, Þat þou hast not on god I-þouȝt, Line 148 Þou hast so loren of þi dispens And don aȝeyn þi lordus defens— ffor hit is vr lordus biddyng To loue him ouer al oþur þyng. Line 152 ffor þou schalt ȝelde also a-counte What vch an Idel word wol amounte, Also to Acountes þou schalt beo brouȝt ffor euerich Idel werk and þouht; Line 156 And as vch an her on þin hed is wried Þat is saued schal beo glorifyed, Also schal no þing ascape Wiþ-outen a-counte erly or late. . . . . Line 160 ffor þe soule þer hit is holde, Is more þen al þis worldus molde— Here is muche of godus grace! Ȝit schal hit ocupye no place. Line 164

Line 164 Þe Bodi and þe soule ben al a-stray, Diuerse þouȝtes, willes, disires al day: Ho mihte þenne seche his herte so niȝ To ȝiue acountes al trewely Line 168 Of al þat euere he hedde mys-wrouht Or eny mis-dede hedde in þouht? Seoþ now, breþeren bi ten or twelue, How ȝe ha neode to knowe or-selue!— Line 172 Tac good ȝeme what þou [now] art To soule, and let hit not astart, Whon þou hast in þe luytel of goode, Luitel of wit and pouwer and moode, Line 176 Þis is þus muche forte say Þat þou coueytest vche a day Þing þat nouht is worþ in dede Ne þat þe helpe mai at gret nede. Line 180 Help vs god þat sitteþ on lofte, ffor elles beo we bigyled ofte, Oþurwhile þorwh Ragynge as vnwitti, And oþurwhile beo veyn [MS. veny] glori; Line 184 Now are we trauaylet in to drede I-lope, Now beo þe wey of fals hope. Þow art so chaungable be-hynde & bi-forn, Þat we wol to-day we wol not to-morn; Line 188 Ofte vr-seluen for to plese Are we aboute worldly ese, But we haue hem at vr wille We beo turmented, us þinkeþ wiþ [om. wiþ] ille: Line 192 Whon þou hem at þi wille most hast, Þen art þou wiþ hem agreued mast. Þenk wel ȝit, I rede þe, Hou liht þou art to tempted be, Line 196 ffebel and Brutel to stonde a-ȝeyn, Redi to asente wiþ al oure mayn. Of alle þeos Merueylous chaunces Vr lord haþ sent vs diliueraunces, Line 200 And vche oþur day þerfore [r. þerfro] He vs dilyuereþ more and more. [r. mo] Whon þou weore nouȝt, he formede þe, Þi soule to his liknesse to be, Line 204

Line 204 And þy stinkynde bodi also ffoormed he wiþ lymes two, So feir and noble and of gret prise Þat no Mon may no such deuise. Line 208 Þenk bisiliche, ȝe Þat loueþ or ffadres and modres fre, Whi ȝe louen hem so tenderly— I wolde wite þe resun whi. Line 212 Ȝif þou seist þus, as soþ hit is, ffor þou wer born and geten of her flesch: So don þe beestes, soþ to say, Þat breden of Mon and wommon al day. Line 216 Þe soþe ȝif þou wol lerne þen, Bodi ne soule nastou of hem, But bi him ful witterli Þat is vr lord, god Almihti. Line 220 What heddestou ben, I preye þe, Ȝif þou heddest stille such i-be In fulþe of synne as þou i-gete were? fful Abhomynable hit is to here. Line 224 Ȝif þou loue broþur or suster þan ffor þei ben of þat fflesch i-tan Þat þou weore þi-self also— Þerfore þat loue hast þou hem to: Line 228 Þou scholdust þen loue hard and nesch A pece of ffadur or Modur fflesch In þis Maner, þat I sei here, Al on Schornes [r. of-shorne] þeiȝ hit were. Line 232 Ȝif þou sigge in þis degre Þou louest hem, for flesch figured þei be To þi liknes, and for þei han Soule of god as þou hast tan: Line 236 Bi þis is he no more þi broþur But on as muche as is a-noþur, But in as muche neuer-þe-latur As ȝe hedde boþe on flesch-fadur, Line 240 And þenne þe biginnyng [MS. bigimyng] of vre flesch Is stynkynde fulþe neuerþeles. Of O flesch-ffadur alle we came, Adam was he cald bi name; Line 244

Line 244 And for he dude so gret folye, Scholde we neuer loue her fleschlye, Bute vche Mon þus scholde loue oþur Gostlich here as sustur and broþur.— Line 248 Ihesu, þat is vr aller kyng, As I seide atte bygynnyng, Whon þou weor nouȝt, þen formed he þe. Whon þou weore lore, þen fond þe he, Line 252 Whon þou weore sold in sorwe and sinne, Þen bouȝt he þe wiþ muchel wynne; Whon þou were diht, i-dampned also, Þen mihtfulliche he saued þe þo; Line 256 Whon þou weore boren in synne eke, He Baptised þe wiþ wordus swete. And whon þou sungest, al day to se, Þen Mekeliche he soffreþ þe, Line 260 And longe he wol ȝit þe abyde, Resseyue þe aftur, so may be-tyde, And putte þe in to his swete couent, Euer to beo to him present. Line 264 Whon þou mis-dost, he wol þe þrete, Longe he bydeþ ar he wol bete; Whon þou syngest wiþ wille fre, fful sone wol he for-ȝiue hit þe. Line 268 Whon þou mis-gost eke also, He þe Amendeþ wiþ wille ful þro, Whon þat þou in doute art ouht, In to þe techyng he haþ þe brouht; Line 272 Whon þou art hungri in eny neode, ffeire he ordeyneþ þe to ffeede; Whon þou hast colde, he warmeþ þe, Mon, Whon þou hast hete, he keleþ þe þon; Line 276 Whon þou wakest, [MS. walkest] he saueþ þe so, Whon þou slepest, he kepeþ þe to; Whon þou rist vp, he þe sosteyneþ, Whon þou fallest, he þe reiseþ, Line 280 Whon þou sittest, he halt þe ek, Whon þou stondest, he strengþeþ þi feet, And also, soþ for to say, He vndursitteþ þe euere and ay; Line 284

Line 284 Whon þou gost, he wol þe lede, Whon þou aȝeyn turnest, resseyueþ þe eke, Whon þou gost mis, a-ȝeyn calleþ he, [r. þe] Whon þou art seek, þi cumfort to [r. wol?] be.— Line 288 Such goodnesses in mony degre Haþ vr lord god I-do for þe. And goodnesse in þyn herte wore, Þou weore holden euer-more Line 292 Alle dayes to þenke [on him] I-wis, And alle tymes to þonke for þis, Alle dayes to speke to [him] Aboue And alle dayes him hertly loue, [= praise] Line 296 And also wel, ȝit i þe say, On niht as vppon þe day. Þerfore þou þat art þus wrouȝt, At euen and morwe haue þus þi þouȝt Line 300 Hou mony þousund men to say Han perisched in þat niht or þat day, Summe in bodi, soþ hit is, Summe in soule leosen her blis; Line 304 Summe in fuire and oþur maneere, Summe in water þat is so clere; Summe Robbed and woundet also; Summe sodeynly to deþ han go Line 308 Wiþ-outen schrif and hosul þen Þat hem þe rihte wei scholde ken, And for defaute of Confessiun Parauntur go to dampnaciun. Line 312

ÞEnk also, a-noþur is þis Þat niht and day moni mon is ffalle in peril of soule way, Þat þe fend haþ mad hem stray, Line 316 Þat is to sei þus forþi In þe seuen synnes dedly: In Glotenye and Lecherie, Monslauȝt also and Envye. Line 320 And of alle þeose wikkede chaunses Haþ crist mad þe diliueraunces, He haþ þe saued as mihti kyng Wiþ-outen þyn owne deseruyng! Line 324

Line 324 And what hastou don him and whare Þat haþ þe kept from al þis care? Ȝif þou toke þus goode kepe Whon þou awakest of þi slepe, Line 328 Hou mony goodnesses he haþ þe do, And euer is to þe aboute mo, Þow schuldest him loue souereynli Ouer al þis world, witterli; Line 332 Þou schalt him fynde so bisy now Euermore a-boute þi prow As non oþur þyng he aboute were But þe to kepe whil þou art here. Line 336 Whon þou hast þouȝt in þis wyse, A-Morwe soone vp arise And þonke þi lord of al þis goode, Þat for þe wolde dye on Roode, Line 340 And sei to him wiþ herte fre In þis maner þat i sei to þe:

Gracias ago tibi, domine Ihesu criste, qui me [mise|rum peccatorem] [so MS. Simeon] in hac nocte custodi[sti], [pro|texisti], visitasti, sanum saluum & incolimem ad hanc horam peruenire fecisti, & pro alijs vniuersis beneficiis que [MS. qui] michi tua sola bonitate contulisti. Qui viuis & regnas deus per omnia. [The English translation is omitted.] Sey þus, for hit is to þi by-heue, Line 343 Boþe on Morwen and at eue.

[vv. 355-362 are not in the Spec.] ÞEnk þenne, I rede, also, Ar þat þou to þi bed go, Hou þou hast spendet þi tyme honeste Whon þou vp ros til þou go to reste; Line 348 And whon þou hast bi-þouȝt þe wel, Bi-sech god merci eueridel Of al þe synnes þat þou hast wrouȝt, And goodnesse þou hast do nouȝt Line 352 Whil vr lord þe lante miht, In þat day ne in þat niht. And loke þou do non oþur dede Til þou haue þe Comaundet, I rede, Line 356 Þe and alle oþur goode eke In to þe hond of god ful meke,

And þenne schaltou þus [The Latin text (In manus tuas &c.) is omitted.] say In þis Manere, I þe pray. . . . . Line 360 What þeos wordus ben to mene, Ȝe schul on Englich here bi-dene:

"In to þin hondes, lord verray, And in to þin holy Aungeles ay, Line 364 I be-teche þis ilke niht Mi bodi and soule to þe be diht, Mi breþeren and my sustren alle, And al my frendes, what-so bi-falle, Line 368 And my nexte frendes eke, And al my gode doeres, i beo-seke, And also I be-seche at ene Alle oþur cristene for to mene. Line 372 Kep vs, lord, þis niht in hiȝe, Þorwh þe [MS. þi] beo-sechyng of þi Modur Marie And of al halewen also Þat euer weore on eorþe i-do, Line 376 ffrom vices and couetyse vn-hende And ffrom temptaciun of þe fende, Of sodeyn deþ vnwarned to telle, And also from þe pyne of helle; Line 380 Liht myn herte of þe holy gost, As þou art lord of mihtes most, And of þi grete grace þou me take, To þi Comaundemens me boxum make, Line 384 And neuer beo departet from þe Wiþ-outen ende, so mot hit be."— — Ȝif þou vse þis-Maner þing, Þen schaltou haue soþfast knowyng, Line 388 To knowe þi lord in whom is al, Þat haþ þe Mad and saue schal. Loke þenne þat þis beo þe rif, Her-wiþ to lede holy lyf.— — Line 392

Þreo Maners þer beo þen Of Contemplaciun vs to ken: Þe furste of hem þat þer is, In Creatures hit is, i-wis; Line 396 Þat oþur in holy writ, we fynde; Þe þridde in god and in his kynde.

Contemplaciun is, siker ȝe beo, Þe goodnesse of god for to seo. Line 400 Bi his [MS. þis] Creatures may þou seo þan Þreo þinges ben In god and Man; Þis þreo ben, vs to redresse: Miht, wit, and gret goodnesse. [2 vv. wanting (Miht is ap|propred to god þe Fader).] . . Wit to god þat is sone, Line 405 Goodnes to god holigost in wone. Þorwh his miht, þat wel was torned, Alle þinges þei ben formed; Line 408 Þorwh his wit, so wel demeyned, Alle þinges wysliche he [r. be] ordeyned; Þorwh his goodnesse, not denyed, Alle þeose þinges he [r. be] multiplyed. Line 412 His pouwer maistou seo þe laft Þorwh her gretnesse and here schaft; His wit also wiþ-outen distaunce Þorwh heore bounte [r. beaute] and ordynaunce; Line 416 His godnesse may we seo ful newe Bi heore Multiplicaciun and vertuwe. Heore gretnesse may we seo Wiþ foure propurtes [Lat. dimensiones] þat þer beo, Line 420 Þat is folliche for to say Þorwh heore heiȝnesse and depnesse ay, Þe oþur two ben of strengþe Þat is [MS. was] þorwh heore brede and lenge. Line 424 His wit maistou seo ful breme, Ȝif þou þerof take good ȝeme, Þer as he haþ ȝiue sum creature þore Beoyng wiþ-outen eny more, Line 428 Þat is as muche forte say As stones þat ben in world al day. [Some vv. wanting: (to sum being & liuing as to treon & grases).] . . . . . He haþ ȝiue to oþur þynge Lyf, beoynge, and fleoynge, [r. felynge] Line 432 And al þise ben bi his hestes To þat þing þat men callen bestes. To oþur haþ he ȝiuen also Lyf, beoynge, and fleoinge [r. felynge] bo, Line 436 And also more þing of Renoun: He haþ to hem [MS. him] I-ȝiue resoun;

Þis þing is I-ȝiuen þen Boþe to Aungel and to men. Line 440 Stones noþing may þei feele, Ne grases, and ȝit lyue þei [sc. grases] wele; Bestes lyuen and feleþ þe; Mon lyueþ and waxeþ as doþ þe tre, Line 444 And as a Best feeleþ, he doþ, And resun as Angel haþ he soþ. Þenk þou on þat dignite To creature of Mon is ȝiue so fre, Line 448 Hou þat his ȝift wiþ honoures Sormounteþ alle oþur Creatoures. Þerfore seiþ Austyn þus fol riht: "I nolde ben Aungel, þeiȝ I miht, Line 452 Heore stat wolde I forsake þan ffor þat stude was purueyed for man."

ÞEnk also, Mon is worþi Gret schenschipe, witerli, Line 456 Þat wol not liue at godus wille And his Comaundemens folfille, Whon alle Creatures þat ben and were Ben ordeynd for monnes mestere. Line 460 Þe goode bestes [r. creatures] þat meke beo þon, Beoþ maad for þreo þinges for mon: ffor to helpen vs wiþ-outen fayle, As schep, hors, kuyn, in vre trauayle; Line 464 And vs to feede, [r. hyde? cf. MS. Thornt.] and vs to cloþe, As leþer, fflesch [r. flax (Th. lyne).] and wolle boþe, [2 vv. om.? cf. MS. Thornt.] As Corn on eorþe and foules to be And also ffissches in þe Séé. Line 468 Þe nuyȝing graȝes [= grases] and bestes venimous Ben ordeynd for þreo þinges to vs: ffor chastisyng, and amendement, And for techyng wiþ good entent. Line 472 Chatised and punissched we ben in route Whon we ben hurt, and in such doute; [i.e. in doubt of being hurt] And þat is ful derworþli Of Godus owne grete merci— Line 476 Þerfore bodili he com To Chastise vs, boþe god and Mon, [MS. Th.: And þat es gret mercy of Godde þat he will chasty vs bodyly þat we be noght punescht lastandly.]

Þat we nere dampned wiþ-outen ende ffor to dwelle wiþ þe ffende. Line 480 We ben amendet whil we wol mynne Þat al vr wo comeþ fro vr synne; Whon we seo þe soþe þus So smale creatures may greuen vs, Line 484 Þen may we þinke þat we be fful of ffebelnesse and of ffrelete, We ouhten alle to beo ful Meke. Whon we godus werkes wol se and seke . . . . . [The 3rd point (teaching of noious creatures) is wanting.] Line 488 Whon þou hast þus monyfolde Þe werkes of god folliche beo-holde, Lift vp þyn herte wiþ wille liht And þenk þe Muchelnes of Godus miht, Line 492 Þat alle þing ordeyneþ in delyt, And al hit is for vre profyt. A, Lord, Merci! what schul we say Bot we þe serue to þi pay? Line 496 Al þat he vs ȝaf to Multiplie, Alle þo Bestes we distruye; Ȝif God ordeyne and forme hem, We beo bisi to struiȝe hem þen. [Some verses om.?] Line 500 Loue [al. þei l.; loue = praise] God for his goodnesse; Honoure him for his feirnesse; Glorifye him at þi redres And also for his grete prouwes.— Line 504 ÞEn is þer a-noþur degre Of Contemplaciun, I telle þe, Þe wȝuche trewe and soþ is hit: Þat is cald holy writ; Line 508 Þat wol teche þe wiþ-Inne, To drawe þe from peril of synne, Þe peyne forte douten ay, To loue þe Ioye þat come may. Line 512 And euer loke, aboute þou be To holde wiþ þe Charite, [513-14 ought to follow the 2 vv. om. after 518. The text is here very corrupt.] Þis world also in alle wyse Þou beo aboute to dispise; Loke þou what is to done, And also loke what is to schone. [2 vv. om., cf. Spec.: Quan|tum illuminat intellectum in cognitione veritatis, et quan|tum inflammat affectum in fervore caritatis.]

Of þis two þinges seruen hit Al þat is writen in holy writ: Line 520 Þis ben þo two, to trowe, Þat þou schalt boþe leeue [r. loue] and knowe [2 vv. om.; Spec.: Ex scriptura debes extrahere et cognos|cere:] Wȝuche ben þe seuen synnes dedly, And þe seuen vertuwes þerby, Þe ten Comaundemens al-wey, And þe twelf Articles of þe fey, And þe seuen ȝiftus of þe holigost, And þe seuen sacremens most, Line 528 And þe seuen werkes of Merci, And þe vertuwes of þe Ewangeli, [The 7 praiers of the Paternoster are om. here and in the poem.] And þe Ioyes also of heuen And þe peynes of helle to nemen. Line 532