Prouwesse, Rihtwisnesse, and Meth,
Strengþe also wiþ hem he geth;
Line 48
Of þe seuen werkes [of merci] also—
Lord, ȝif vs grace hem wel to do.—
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;
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