I.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 83a.]] [Sidenote: Patience is often displeasing, but it assuages heavy hearts, and quenches malice.] Pacience is a poynt, þaȝ hit displese ofte, When heuy herttes ben hurt wyth heþy{n}g oþ{er} elles, Suffrau{n}ce may aswage{n}[1] hem & þe swelme leþe, For ho quelles vche a qued, & quenches malyce; 4 For quo-so suffer cowþe syt, sele wolde folȝe, [Sidenote: Happiness follows sorrow.] & quo for þro may noȝt þole, þe þikker he sufferes; [Sidenote: It is better to suffer than to be angry.] Þe{n} is bett{er} to abyde þe bur vmbe-stou{n}des, Þen ay þrow forth my þro, þaȝ me þynk ylle. 8 I herde on a halyday at a hyȝe masse, [Sidenote: Matthew tells us of the promises made by Christ: Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.] How mathew melede, þat his mayst{er} his meyny con teche, Aȝt happes he hem hyȝt & vche on a mede, Su{n}derlupes for hit dissert vpon a ser wyse: 12 Thay arn happen þat han i{n} hert pouerté, For hores is þe heuen-ryche to holde for eu{er}; [Sidenote: Blessed are the meek, for they shall “wield the world.”] Þay ar happen also þat hau{n}te mekenesse, For þay schal welde þis worlde & alle her wylle haue; 16 [Sidenote: Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.] Thay ar happen also þat for her harme wepes, For þay schal comfort encroche i{n} kythes ful mony; [Sidenote: Blessed are the hungry, for they shall be filled.] Þay ar happen also þat hungeres aft{er} ryȝt, For þay schal frely be refete ful of alle gode; 20 [Sidenote: Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be their reward.] Thay ar happen also þat han i{n} hert rauþe, For mercy i{n} alle man{er}es her mede schal worþe; [Sidenote: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see the Saviour.] Þay ar happen also þat arn of hert clene, For þay her sauyo{ur} in sete schal se w{i}t{h} her yȝen; 24 [Sidenote: Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called God’s sons.] Thay ar happen also þat halden her pese, For þay þe g{ra}cio{us} godes su{n}es schal godly be called; [Sidenote: Blessed are they that live aright, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.] Þay ar happen also þat con her hert stere, For hores is þe heuen-ryche, as I er sayde. 28 [Sidenote: These blessings are promised to those who follow poverty, pity, penance, meekness, mercy, chastity, peace and patience.] These arn þe happes alle aȝt þat v{us} bihyȝt weren, If we þyse ladyes wolde lof i{n} lykny{n}g of þewes; [Sidenote: [Fol. 83b.]] Dame pouert, Dame pitee, Dame penau{n}ce þe þrydde, Dame Mekenesse, Dame mercy & Miry cla{n}nesse, 32 & þe{n}ne Dame pes & pacyence put i{n} þ{er}-aft{er}. He were happen þat hade one, alle were þe bett{er}, Bot syn[2] I am put to a poy{n}t þat pou{er}te hatte, [Sidenote: Poverty and patience are to be treated together.] I schal me poruay pacyence, & play me w{i}t{h} boþe; 36 For in þe tyxte, þere þyse two arn i{n} teme layde, [Sidenote: They are “fettled in one form,” and have one meed.] Hit arn fettled in on forme, þe forme & þe laste, & by quest of her quoyntyse enquylen on mede, & als i{n} myn vpynyou{n} hit arn of on kynde; 40 [Sidenote: Poverty will dwell where she lists, and man must needs suffer.] For þer as pouert hir proferes ho nyl be put vtt{er}, Bot lenge where-so-eu{er} hir lyst, lyke oþ{er} greme, & þere as pouert enpresses, þaȝ mon pyne þynk, Much maugre his mun,[3] he mot nede suffer, 44 [Sidenote: Poverty and patience are play-fellows.] Thus pou{er}te & pacyence arn nedes play-feres. Syþen I am sette w{i}t{h} he{m} samen, suffer me by-houes, Þe{n}ne is me lyȝtloker hit lyke & her lotes prayse, Þe{n}ne wyþ{er} wyth & be wroth & þe wers haue. 48 [Sidenote: What avails impatience, if God send affliction?] Ȝif me be dyȝt a destyné due to haue, What dowes me þe dedayn, oþ{er} dispit make? Oþ{er} ȝif my lege lorde lyst on lyue me to bidde, Oþ{er} to ryde, oþ{er} to re{n}ne, to rome i{n} his ernde, 52 What grayþed me þe grychchy{n}g bot grame more seche? Much ȝif he me ne made, maugref my chekes, [Sidenote: Patience is best.] & þe{n}ne þrat moste I þole, & vnþonk to mede, Þe[t] had bowed to his bode, bongre my hyure. 56 [Sidenote: Did not Jonah incur danger by his folly?] Did not Ionas i{n} Iude suche Iape su{m}-whyle, To sette hy{m} to sewrte, vnsou{n}de he hy{m} feches? Wyl ȝe tary a lyttel tyme[4] & tent me a whyle, I schal wysse yow þer-wyth as holy wryt telles. 60

[Sidenote 1: MS. _aswagend_.] [Sidenote 2: MS. _fyn_.] [Sidenote 3: _mon_ (?).] [Sidenote 4: MS. _tyne_.]

[Headnote: JONAH IS SENT TO NINEVEH.]