XXII. Knowe thy self and thy god.
[Digby 102, leaf 123.] [9 stanzas of 8, abab, abab.]
(1)
Thenke hertely in þy þouȝt
Of what matere þou dede bygynne.
Of fylthy seed þou were wrouȝt,
And wan in at þe wyket of synne.
Line 4
Foulere fylþe knowe y nouȝt
Þan þou were fed þy moder wiþ-ynne;
In a sake ful of filþe þou was out brouȝt,
In wrecchednes horyble, and stynkyng skynne.
Line 8
(2)
¶ What þou art, knowe þy self wel.
Þou were conceyued in synne, and born wiþ woo.
Þy moder and þou, on fortune whel,
In perile of deþ, parted a-twoo.
Line 12
Of pynes of helle, what soules fele,
And þou in mynde keped þoo,
Hit wolde make þy corage kele,
Whan þou hadde wil, to synne goo.
Line 16
(3)
¶ God made þe of nouȝt, haue in mynde,
Wiþ soule of resoun; lyk his ymage.
In heuene, wiþ angels, aboue þe wynde,
He ordeyned þe endeles heritage.
Line 20
Wiþ more loue he dede þe bynde:
Bycome þy brother in mannys lynage.
He, ielous louer and trewest to fynde,
Þy soule is spouse to his maryage.
Line 24
