Dan Michel's Ayenbite of Inwyt : or, Remorse of conscience : Richard Morris's transcription now newly collated with the unique manuscript British Museum MS. Arundel 57, volume 1, text / by Pamela Gradon.

OF ÞE YEFÞE OF RED / AND OF UIRTUE OF MERCI.

Ase þe holy gost yefþ strengþe and wyl of greate þinges to onderuonge: alsuo he yefþ red / huerby me comþ to guode heauede and to guode ende of þet me nimþ an hand. Þet is a grat grace þet þe holy gost yefþ / þet is ycleped þe yefþe of red. huerby þe man heþ grat bezyinge / and grat beþenchinge in þet he nymþ an hand. And þet he ne by to hastif ine his niminges.

Vor ase zayþ þe filozofe / 'greate þinges byeþ y-do / naȝt be strengþe of bodie ne be armes: ac be guod red.' And anoþer zuo zayþ þet hette socrates / þet 'of hastif red: hit uorþingþ efterward.' and þeruore zayþ salomon. 'Ne do naȝt wyþ-oute guod red. and efter þe dede hit ne ssel naȝt þe uorþenche.'

Þis grace him sseweþ ine man ine þri maneres. Verst to zeche bleþeliche guod red. Þous redde tobye / [typographic Fol. 57. b.] his zone. 'Vayre zone' zayþ he / 'zech euremo red of wyse men.' And salomon þus zayþ. 'þer no guod red ne ys: þet uolk to-ualþ / and is al onzauwed. ac hi is wel y-holpe huanne þer is moche guod red wyþinne.' 'Ac loke' þe zayþ þe wrytinge 'uram kueade rederes. and ne akse no red at foles / uor hi ne louieþ / bote þet ham likeþ. naȝt þet payeþ god.' Alsuo tekþ þe writinge / þet me ssel zeche red ate yealden / and naȝt mid þe yonge þet ne byeþ naȝt yproued ine nyedes. Ac mid þe yealde þet habbeþ yzoȝe and yproued þe þinges / þet is þet wyt / and þet red. Vor þan þet roboam salomonnes zone / uorlet þane red of þe yealde guode men / uor þane red of yonge: he uor-leas þet gratteste del of his kingdome.

Efteward / huo þet heþ þise yefþe / he onderzekþ þe redes þet me him yefþ / and þengþ mid greate beþenchinge : þet is grat bezyinge : yef me him ret wel / and treweliche / naȝt liȝtliche yleue to þe rede / oþer to þe ziggenge of one manne / ne of tuaye / hou moche þet hi by his priues / and his urendes. Huerof seneke zede. þet 'wys man exameneþ þe redes / and ne ylefþ naȝt liȝtliche. uor þe ilke þet ylefþ liȝtliche: uint ofte þet me him gyleþ / and misret.' Efterward / huo þet þis yefþe heþ / he boȝþ to guod red þanne he hit heþ yuounde. Vor naȝt he zekþ red / þet ne heþ no wyl to do laȝe. Huerof salomon zayþ. Þet 'hit þingþ to þe fole þet he is ine riȝte waye. Ac þe wyse zayþ. on red is to zigge. uor þe wyse bouȝþ to guod red / þet

þe foles onworþeþ.' Þe meste profitable red þet me may habbe / is þe red of oure guode maistre Iesu crist þet is þe wysdom of god þe uader of huam comþ al guod red and ous brengþ uram heuene / þe ilke þet is þe angle of red / ase zayþ þe writinge. þet is þet red þet he ous yefþ ine his spelle huanne he zede. 'yef þou wylt by parfit: guo and zel al þet þou hest / and yef hit þe poure uor godes loue. an com efter me / and þou sselt habbe grat hord ine heuene.' Yziȝ and þench huo yefþ þane red. uor þet is ase zayde þe wysdom of god þe uader. þe angel of red / þet is zoþ god / and zoþ man / þet com ine erþe þe uor to rede / and þe uor to teche þane way and þane riȝte peþ to guonne into paradis. þet is þe peþ of pouert� / huerby let þe holy gost þo þet he aliȝt of þe yefþe of red. Zoþ hit is þet ine oþre manere / and þe oþre waye hi moȝe ham soui. ase be þe waye of þe hestes of oure Lhord Iesu crist loki : ase ine spoushod / oþer ine wodewehod / and ine richesses of þe wordle huanne me his uzeþ wel. Ac þe holy gost be þe yefþe of red / let and draȝþ uorþ more riȝtuolliche and more zikerliche be þe peþe of zoþe pouert� / huer-by me onworþeþ and deþ onderuot þe wordle and alle couaytyse / uor þe loue of god.

Þes yefþe of red bestrepþ þe zenne of auarice and of couaytise / and zet a wel uayr trau / þet is þe uirtue of merci / þet is zorȝe and þolemodnesse of oþremanne kuead / and of oþremanne misdede. Þet trau heþ zeue stapes huerby hit wext and profiteth. [MS. porfiteþ] Þet byeþ þe zeue [typographic Fol. 58. a.] þinges þet moche ledeþ man to merci / and to habbe þolemodnesse of oþre manne kueade. Þet uerste þing þet ssel man sterye to merci : is kende. uor ase zayþ þe boc þet spekþ of kende of bestes. 'no uoȝel ne eth of oþren yef he is of his kende.' Efterward þe ilke zelue boc zayþ. þet 'on mere draȝþ uorþ þet colt of anoþre huanne hi is dyad.' Efterward me heþ moche yzoȝe and

yproued / and is ine þo boc yuonde. þet þe wolues draȝeþ uorþ þe children þet byeþ uor-kest / and wereþ his uram oþre bestes. Wel ssel þanne a man habbe pite / and þolemodnesse of þe kueade of þe oþre þet is him anlich ine kende. Þet alle we byeþ of one kende / and of one ssepþe. and to one uorbisne ymad / ase we habbeþ y-zed be-uore. Þe oþer þing þet ssel man draȝe to merci / and to þolemodnesse of oþre manne kuead/ þet is grace. uor alle we byeþ lemes of o body / þet is of holy cherche be grace. and o leme heþ kendeliche of anoþren : þolemodnesse. Efterward alle we byeþ wiþ-boȝt of one zelue pris. þet is mid þe blisuolle blode of Iesu crist þet he ssedde uor ous ine þe rode / ous uor to wiþ-begge uram þe dyaþe eurelestinde. Huanne godes zone wes þanne zuo reuþeuol / zuo uol of merci auoreye ous : wel ssolle we habbe reuþe / and þolemodnesse þe on of þe oþre. helpe / and soucouri þe on þe oþer. Efterward / alle we byeþ children of on uader and of moder be byleaue and be grace. uor we byeþ godes children and of holy cherche. and þe on broþer ssel helpe þe oþren : þanne he yziȝþ his niede. uor ate niede : me yziȝþ huet þe urend is. Þe þridde þing þet ssel moche man sterie to merci : is þe heste of þe holy writinge. þet redeþ and hoteþ þe workes of mersi aboue alle oþre workes. Huerof þe wise salomon zayþ / 'y-wyte þe 'zayþ he / 'þet þin heued ne by naȝt wiþoute oyle.' Vor be oyle is y-uorþed þet uer ine þe lompe. and ine lompe is onderstonde merci þet ssel by euremo ine þine heuede / þet is ine þine herte. And al ase þe oyle op arist ine þe lompe / alle þe oþre woses : alsuo merci alle þe oþre uirtues. An alsuo ase þe oyle norisseþ and lokeþ þet uer ine þe lompe. and huanne hit faileþ : þet uer is y-kuenct. alzuo huanne merci fayleþ: þe loue of god faileþ: ase saynt Ion zayþ. 'Huo þet yzeȝe his broþer' zayþ he 'habbe niede and mezayse / and he ne him yefþ sset þe dore of his herte' / þet is to zigge / 'huo þet ne

heþ reuþe and him ne helpþ yef he may / hou is' he zayþ / 'godes loue ine him?' / ase yef he zede / þet ne may naȝt by. Vor þe oyle of merci is y-faled ine þe lompe of his herte.

Efterward þe guode tobie toȝte his zone / and zayde þus. 'Vayre zone bi merciuol ase þe miȝt. yef þou hest ynoȝ of guode : yef largeliche. and yef þou hest lite: of þo litle yef gledliche.' And oure lhord Iesu crist zayþ ine his spelle. 'guo zayþ he and zel al þet þou hest / and yef hit þe poure.' þet is þe uirtue þet þe holy writinge ret. more generalliche. Vor þet is þe uirtue þet god mest is mid ypayd ase zayþ þe writinge. [typographic Fol. 58. b.] Huer-of god zayþ be þe profete. 'ich wille he zayþ merci: and naȝt sacrifice.' and saint austin þus zayþ / þet 'þer ne is no þing þet makeþ man zuo by beloued mid gode : ase pite.' Vele men makeþ to god sacrefices / of uestinges / of peregrinages / of ssarpnesses of bodye / ac uor to do elmesse / hi byeþ straite and wrechchen. Efterward þer byeþ manie men to huam god heþ largeliche y-yeue of timliche guodes. and makeþ sacrefices naȝt to god: ac to þe dyeule / oþer to þe wordle / in þet hi despendeþ folliche hare guodes ine ydelnesses uor bost of þe wordle ac uor to yeue uor god: hy byeþ harde ase an aymont.

Efterward ase merci likeþ to god alsuo hit ne likeþ noþing to þe dyeule. Vor þet is þe armure huer-by he is þe raþre ouercome / ase zayþ a glose ope þe sautere. Vor he ne may naȝt þolye þane guode smel of þe ilke smerieles namore þanne þe boterel þanne smel of þe vine. Zuych smel ne miȝte naȝt Judas þolye þo þe magdalene smerede Iesu cristes uet mid þe precious smerieles. Vor him þoȝte þet hit wes þing uorlore. and he betere louede þet zeluer ine his porse be his couaytise. Of zuiche uolke is lhord a dyeuel and mayster. þet is ine helle. þet is y-cleped : ssette-pors. þet an hermite y-zeȝ / þet zede þet he hedde þet mestier uor to

ssette þe porses of þe wrechchen / þet hi ne ssolle by open to do elmesse.

Þe uerþe þing þet ssel man sterie to merci / is þe greate largesse of oure lhorde / þet yefþ largeliche to allen / be þet / þet hy byeþ. ase zayþ saint Iacob. and makeþ þe zonne ssine ope þe guode / and ope þe kueade / ase he zayþ ine his spelle. Vor þanne huo þet is zuo large to ous. uor he ous yefþ al þet we habbeþ of guod: we ssolle by large and cortoys / þe on / a-ye þe oþre / and helpe þe on / þe oþre. uor þus he ous hat ine his spelle þo he zede. 'byeþ uol of merci ase youre uader is.' þe zone ssel by ylich þe uader oþer he is onkende be zaynte peter. And þeruore zayde þe wyse ine þe writinge. 'by merciuol and reuþeuol to þe uaderlyese / ase hire uader / and hire moder. and þous þou sselt by godes zone.'

Þe vifte þing þet ssel man sterie to merci / is : worþssipie god. Vor ase zayþ salomon. Þe ilke worþssipeþ wel god oure lhord : þet deþ guod to þe poure. uor þet me ham deþ : me hit deþ to god / ase him-zelf hit wytnesseþ ine his spelle. 'þet þou hest y-do he zayþ to onen of mine poure : þou hit hest y-do to me.' þe poure byeþ þe little mayne of oure lhorde. yef þou worþssipes þe pouere þou worþssipes god. Vor huo þet worþssipeþ þe mayn� : he worssipeþ þe lhordes sergont. and huo þet deþ ssame to þe main�: he deþ ssame to þe sergond. Of þisen we habbeþ uayre uorbysne ine mine lhorde sant martin to huam god him ssewede þe niȝt efterward þet he todelde his mentel to þe poure / and wes [typographic Fol. 59. a.] beuealde ine þe mentle / and zede. to his angles. 'Martin yet nou y-primsened me heþ yssred mid þise cloþe.'

Þe zixte þing þet ssel moche sterie ane man to merci: is þe dred of dom. Vor ase zayþ saint iacob. 'dom wyþ-oute merci / ssel bi do to þan : þet ne deþ workes of merci.' Vor ase god zayde ine his spelle. 'Huanne me comþ to þe dome / þe dom ssel by yeue aye

þo þet ne habbeþ y-do þe workes of merci.' uor god ham wile do þet dyaue eare. and þerof hit ne is no wonder / to þan þet anhaste makeþ ham dyaue to þe poure / ase hit sseweþ ine þe godspelle. ine þe uorbisne of þe riche manne / þet onworþede þane lazre. uor þet he him wernde his elmesse : god him wernde ane drope of weter / þer he wes ine uere of helle. Alsuo to þe fole maydenes þet ne hedde non oyle ine hire lompen / god ham ssette þe gate of þe sposayles / and ham zede. ich not huo ye byeþ. zuo þet hy bleften wyþ-oute. Þus he ssel do ate day of dome to wrechchen and to þe couaytous / þet ne ssolle habbe þe ledinge of merci / þet let þe zaules in-to paradis / and ham makeþ way to comene to-uore god. ase zayþ þe wrytinge. ase me makeþ way and ondeþ þe gate bleþeliche to þan þet brengþ uayr present. Vor-zoþe ariȝt acorsed ssel by þet uram reuþe went þane reg at þo daye. Vor god ssel yeue dom wel dreduol / þet ssel by zuo uest and zuo stable / and uor alle time y-confermed / ne neure ine none time wyþcleped. Þes dom yzed beuore / ssel he do ase king. þanne ssel he keste his greate manzinge ase þe heȝe bissop an souerayn pope. Vor king he is: and bissop / ase zayþ þe writinge. Vor he nom kende of man of kinges kennd / and of bisssoppes. Þe ilke amanzinge sel by ope alle þo uolke / þet ssole by a left- half / non ne worþ uorbore. Þet ssolle by þe kueade huiche he ssel miszigge uor hare on-trewþe. and þus he ssel ham zigge. 'Guoþ ye acorsede in-to þe greate uere eurelestinde ine helle þe stinkinde / and þyesterness of ssed / þet is agrayþed to þe dreduolle dyuele / and to his uelaȝes / þet habbeþ ymad his messages.' A. allas / þes dom þaȝ hit by wel ssort : uor-zoþe hit ssel by wel zorȝuol and hard. Huanne he his ssel wreke out of his uelaȝrede. Mochel is to drede zuo harde to-delinge.

Þe zeuende þing þet ssel moche man sterie to merci: is a zed þet betere makeþ frut ine lhene land / þanne hit

do ine uette. Hou merci multiplieþ þe timliche guodes. hyer-of we habbeþ uele uayre uorbisnen. huerof ich wille hier zome telle. Me ret of saint germain of ancerne. Þet þo he com uram rome / ate out-guoinge of melane he acsede at onen of his diaknen yef he hedde eny zeluer. and he ansuerede þet he ne hedde bote þri pans. uor saynt germayn hit hedde al yeue to pouren. Þanne he him het : þet he his ssolde yeue to þe poure. uor god hedde ynoȝ of guode huerof he hise uedde uor þane day. Þe dyacne mid greate pine and mid greate grochinge yeaf þe tuaye pans / and ofhild þane þridde. Þe sergont of ane riche kniȝte him broȝte ane his lhordes haf tuo hondred pans. [typographic Fol. 59. b.] Þo clepede he his dyacne and him zede / þet he hedde benome þe poure ane peny. and yef he hedde yeue þane þridde peny to þe poure : þe kniȝt him hedde yzent: þri hondred pans.

Efterward me ret ine þe lyue of Ion þe amoner þet was zuo ycleped uor þe greate elmesses þet he dede. A riche ientilman wes y-robbed of þieues / zuo þet him naȝt ne blefte. He him com to playni to þe uorzede manne. and he him zede his cas. he hedde greate reuþe þerof. and het his desspendoure þet he him yeaue uyftene pond of gold. Þe spendere be his couaytise ne yeaf bote vyf. An haste a gentil wymman wodewe zente to þe uore yzede Ion / uif hondred pond of gold. Þo he clepede his spendere / and him acsede hou moche he hedde y-yeue to þe kniȝte. he ansuerede: vyftene pond. Þe holy man ansuerede : þet nay. he ne hedde bote vyf. and huanne he hit wiste / þe ilke zelue þet his hedde onderuonge / zuo zayde to his spendere. þet yef he hedde y-yeue þe viftene pond þet he hedde y-hote: oure lhord him hede yzent be þe guode wyfman: a þouzond and vyf hondred pond. And huanne he acsede ate guode wyfman þo he hedde hise ycleped hou moche hi hedde him y-lete / hi andzuerede / þet

uerst hi hedde y-write ine hare testament / þet hi him let a þousend and vyf hondred pond. Ac hi lokede efterward ine hare testament and hi yzeȝ þe þousend pond defaced of hire write / and zuo ylefde þe guode wyfman / þet god wolde þet hi ne zente bote vif hondred.

Efterward saint gregori telþ þet saint boniface uram þet he wes child / he wes zuo piteuous : þet he yaf ofte his kertel and his sserte to þe poure uor god. þaȝ his moder him byete ofte þeruore. Þanne be-vil þet / þet child yzeȝ manie poure þet hedden mezeyse. he aspide þet his moder nes naȝt þer. an haste he yarn to þe gerniere / and al þet his moder hedde y-gadered uor to pasi þet yer : he hit yaf þe poure. and þo his moder com and wyste þe ilke dede : hy wes al out of hare wytte. Þet child bed oure lhorde : and þet gernier wes an haste aluol.

Efterward þer wes a poure man ase me zayþ. þet hedde ane cou / and yhyerde zigge of his preste ine his prechinge / þet god zede ine his spelle þet god wolde yelde an hondreduald al þet me yeaue uor him. Þe guode man mid þe rede of his wyue / yeaf his cou to his preste þet wes riche. þe prest his nom bleþeliche / and hise zente to þe oþren þet he hedde. Þo hit com to euen: þe guode mannes cou com hom to his house ase hi wes y-woned / and ledde mid hare alle þe prestes ken al to an hondred. Þo þe guode man y-zeȝ þet / he þoȝte þet þet wes þet word of þe godspelle þet he hedde y-yolde. and him hi weren yloked beuore his bissoppe aye þane prest. Þ ise uorbisne sseweþ wel þet merci is guod chapuare. uor hi deþ wexe : þe timliche guodes.