| sig: [A1] | |
| ref.ed: 73 | |
| The conuercyon of swerers. | |
| sig: [A1v] | |
| THe fruytfull sentence and the noble werkes | |
| To our doctryne wryten in olde antyquyte | |
| By many grete and ryght notable clerkes | |
| Grounded on reason and hyghe auctoryte | |
| 5 | Dyde gyue vs example by good moralyte |
| To folowe the trace of trouthe and ryghtwysnes | |
| Leuynge our synne and mortall wretchednes | |
| By theyr wrytynge dothe vnto vs appere | |
| The famous actes of many a champyon | |
| 10 | In the courte of fame renowned fayre and clere |
| And some endyted theyr entencyon | |
| Cloked in coloure harde in construccyon | |
| Specyally poetes vnder cloudy fygures | |
| Coueryd the trouthe of all theyr scryptures | |
| 15 | So hystoryagraphes all the worthy dedes |
| Of kynges and kynghtes dyde put in wrytynge | |
| To be in mynde for theyr memoryall medes | |
| How sholde we nowe haue ony knowledgynge | |
| Of thynges past but by theyr endytynge | |
| 20 | Wherfore we ought to preyse them doubteles |
| That spente theyr tyme in suche good besynes | |
| Amonge all other my good mayster Lydgate | |
| The eloquent poete and monke of bery | |
| Dyde both contryue /and also translate | |
| 25 | Many vertuous bookes to be in memorye |
| Touchynge the trouthe well and sentencyously | |
| But syth that his dethe was intollerable | |
| I praye god rewarde hym in lyfe perdurable | |
| sig: [A2] | |
| Amonge all thynges nothynge so prouffytable | |
| 30 | As is scyence with the sentencyous scrypture |
| For worldly rychesse is often transmutable | |
| ref.ed: 74 | |
| As dayly dothe appere well in vre | |
| Yet scyens abydeth and is moost sure | |
| After pouerte to attayne grete rychesse | |
| 35 | Scyens is cause of promocyon doubtles |
| I lytell or nought expert in poetrye | |
| Remembrynge my youth so lyght and frayle | |
| Purpose to compyle here fyll breuyatly | |
| A lytell treatyse wofull to bewayle | |
| 40 | The cruell swerers whiche do god assayle |
| On euery syde his swete body to tere | |
| With terryble othes as often as they swere | |
| But also for drede plonged in neclygence | |
| My penne doth quake to presume to endyte | |
| 45 | But hope at laste to recure this scyence |
| Exorteth me ryght hardely to wryte | |
| To deuoyde ydlenesse by good appetyte | |
| For ydlenesse the grete moder of synne | |
| Euery vyce is redy to lette ynne | |
| 50 | I with the same ryght gretely infecte |
| Lykely to deye tyll grace by medecyne | |
| Recured my sekenes my payne to abiecte | |
| Commaundynge me by her hye power deuyne | |
| To drawe this treatyse for to enlumyne | |
| 55 | The reders therof by penytencyall pyte |
| And to pardon me of theyr benygnyte | |
| sig: [A2v] | |
| RYght myghty prynces of euery crysten rygyon | |
| I sende you gretynge moche hertly and grace | |
| Right wel to gouerne vpryght your dominyon | |
| 60 | And all your lordes I greete in lyke cace |
| By this my lettre your hertes to enbrace | |
| Besechynge you to prynte it in your mynde | |
| How for your sake I toke on me mankynde | |
| ref.ed: 75 | |
| And as a lambe moost mekely dyde enclyne | |
| 65 | To suffre the dethe for your redempcyon |
| And ye my kynges whiche do nowe domyne | |
| Ouer my comons in terrestryall mancyon | |
| By pryncely preemynence and Iuredyccyon | |
| In your regall courtes do suffre me be rente | |
| 70 | And my tender body with blode all be sprente |
| Without my grace ye maye nothynge preuayle | |
| Though ye be kynges for to mayntene your see | |
| To be a kynge it may nothynge auayle | |
| But yf my grace preserue his dygnyte | |
| 75 | Beholde your seruauntes how they do tere me |
| By cruell othes now [vp]on euery syde | |
| Aboute the worlde launcynge my woundes wyde | |
| All the graces whiche I haue you shewed | |
| Reuolue in mynde ryght ofte ententyfly | |
| 80 | Beholde my body with blody [d]roppes endewed droppes] proppes 1509, droppes Hn, 1531 |
| Within your realmes nowe torne so pyteously | |
| Towsed and tugged with othes cruelly | |
| Some my heed some myn armes and face | |
| Some my herte do all to rente and race | |
| sig: A3 | |
| 85 | They newe agayne do hange me on the rode |
| They tere my sydes and are nothynge dysmayde | |
| My woundes they open and deuoure my blode | |
| I god and man moost wofully arayde | |
| To you complayne it maye not be denayde | |
| 90 | Ye nowe to tug me / ye tere me at the roote |
| Yet I to you am chefe refuyte and boote | |
| Wherfore ye kynges reygnynge in renowne | |
| Refourme your seruauntes in your courte abused | |
| To good example of euery maner towne | |
| ref.ed: 76 | |
| 95 | So that theyr othes whiche they longe haue vsed |
| On payne and punysshement be holly refused | |
| Meke as a Lambe I suffre theyr grete wronge | |
| I maye take vengeaunce thoughe I tary longe | |
| I do forbere I wolde haue you amende | |
| 100 | And graunte you mercy and ye wyll it take |
| O my swete brederne why do ye offende | |
| Agayne to tere me whiche deyed for your sake | |
| Lo se my kyndenes and frome synne awake | |
| I dyde redeme you frome the deuylles chayne | |
| 105 | And spyte of me ye wyll to hym agayne |
| Made I not heuen the moost gloryous mansyon | |
| In whiche I wolde be gladde to haue you in | |
| Now come swete brederne to myn habytacyon | |
| Alas good brederne with your mortall synne | |
| 110 | Why flee ye frome me / to torne agayne begynne |
| I wrought you I bought you ye can it not denye | |
| Yet to the deuyll ye go nowe wyllyngly | |
| sig: A3v | |
| See | |
| Me | |
| 115 | Be |
| (kynde | |
| ¶Agayne | |
| My payne | |
| Reteyne | |
| 120 | (in mynde |
| ¶My swete bloode | |
| On the roode | |
| Dyde the good | |
| (my broder | |
| 125 | ¶My face ryght red |
| Myn armes spred | |
| My woundes bled | |
| (thynke none oder | |
| ¶Beholde thou my syde | |
| 130 | Wounded so ryght wyde |
| ref.ed: 77 | |
| Bledynge sore that tyde | |
| (all for thyn owne sake | |
| ¶Thus for the I smerted | |
| Why arte thou harde-herted | |
| 135 | Be by me conuerted |
| (and thy swerynge aslake | |
| ¶Tere me nowe no more | |
| My woundes are sore | |
| Leue swerynge therfore | |
| 140 | / and come to my grace |
| ¶I am redy | |
| To graunte mercy | |
| To the truely | |
| / for thy trespace | |
| 145 | ¶Come nowe nere |
| My frende dere | |
| And appere | |
| / before me | |
| ¶I so | |
| 150 | In wo |
| Dyde go | |
| Se se | |
| ¶I | |
| sig: [A4] | |
| Crye | |
| 155 | Hy |
| (the | |
| Vnto me dere broder my loue and my herte | |
| Turmente me no more with thyn othes grete | |
| Come vnto my Ioye and agayne reuerte | |
| 160 | From the deuylles snare and his subtyll net |
| Beware of the worlde all aboute the set | |
| Thy flesshe is redy by concupyscence | |
| To burne thy herte with cursed vyolence | |
| Thoughe these thre enmyes do sore the assayle | |
| 165 | Vpon euery syde with daungerous iniquite |
| But yf thou lyst / they may nothynge preuayle | |
| ref.ed: 78 | |
| Nor yet subdue the with all theyr extremyte | |
| To do good or yll / all is at thy lyberte | |
| I do graunte the grace thyn enemyes to subdue | |
| 170 | Swete broder accepte it theyr power to extue |
| And ye kynges and prynces of hye noblenes | |
| With dukes and lordes of euery dygnyte | |
| Indued with manhode wysdome and ryches | |
| Ouer the comons hauynge the soueraynte | |
| 175 | Correcte them whiche so do tere me |
| By cruell othes without repentaunce | |
| Amende by tyme lest I take vengeaunce | |
| sig: [A4v] | |
|
Exodi vicesimo / non accipies nomen dei tui in vanum. |
|
| Vnto the man I gaue commaundement | |
| Not to take the name of thy god vaynfully | |
| 180 | As not to swere but at tyme conuenyent |
| Before a Iuge to bere recorde truely | |
| Namynge my name with reuerence mekely | |
| Vnto the Iuge than there in presence | |
| By my name to gyue to the good credence | |
| 185 | A my brederne yf that I be wrothe |
| It is for cause ye falsly by me swere | |
| Ye knowe your-selfe that I am very trothe | |
| Yet wrongfully ye do me rente and tere | |
| Ye neyther loue me nor my Iustyce fere | |
| 190 | And yf ye dyde ye wolde full gentylly |
| Obeye my byddynge well and perfytely | |
| The worldly kynges hauynge the soueraynte | |
| Ye do well obey without resystence | |
| Ye dare not take theyr names in vanyte | |
| 195 | But with grete honoure and eke reuerence |
| Than my name more hye of magnyfycence | |
| Ye ought more to drede whiche am kynge of all | |
| Bothe god and man and reygne celestyall | |
| ref.ed: 79 | |
| No erthely man loueth you so well | |
| 200 | As I do / whiche mekely dyde enclyne |
| For to redeme you from the fendes of hell | |
| Takynge your kynde by my godhede dyuyne | |
| You were the fendes I dyde make you myne | |
| For you swete bretherne I was on the rode | |
| 205 | Gyuynge my body my herte and my blode |
| sig: [A5] | |
| Than why do ye in euery maner of place | |
| With cruell othes tere my body and herte | |
| My sydes and woundes it is a pyteous cace | |
| Alas swete brederne I wolde you conuerte | |
| 210 | For to take vengeaunce ye do me coherte |
| From the hous of swerers shall not be absent | |
| The plage of Iustyce to take punysshement | |
|
¶Vnde. Ecclesiastici .xxxiii. Vir multum iurans implebitur iniquitate et non discendet a domo eius plaga. |
|
| A man moche swerynge with grete iniquite | |
| Shall be replete / and from his mancyon | |
| 215 | The plage of vengeaunce shall not cessed be |
| Wherfore ye brederne full of abusyon | |
| Take good hede to this dyscrypcyon | |
| Come nowe to me and axe forgyuenes | |
| And be penytente and haue it douteles | |
|
Augustin[u]s. Non potest male mori qui bene vixit et vix bene moritur qui male vixit. |
|
| 220 | Who in this worlde lyueth well and ryghtwysly |
| Shall deye well by ryght good knowlegynge | |
| Who in this worlde lyueth yll and wrongfully | |
| Shall hardly scape to haue good endynge | |
| I do graunte mercy but no tyme enlongynge | |
| 225 | Wherfore good brederne whyles that ye haue space |
| Amende your lyfe and come vnto my grace | |
| sig: [A5v] | |
| ref.ed: 80 | |
| My wordes my prelates vnto you do preche | |
| For to conuerte you from your wretchednes | |
| But lytell auaylleth you nowe for to teche | |
| 230 | The worlde hathe cast you in suche blyndnes |
| Lyke vnto stones your hartes hathe hardnes | |
| That my swete wordes may not reconsyle | |
| Your hertes harde with mortall synne so vyle | |
| Wo worthe your hartes so planted in pryde | |
| 235 | Wo worthe your wrath and mortall enuye |
| Wo worthe slouth that dothe with you abyde | |
| Wo worthe also inmesurable glotony | |
| Wo worthe your tedyus synne of lechery | |
| Wo worthe you whome I gaue free wyll | |
| 240 | Wo worthe couetyse that dothe your soules spyll |
| Wo worthe shorte Ioye cause of payne eternall | |
| Wo worthe you that be so peruerted | |
| Wo worthe your pleasures in the synnes mortall | |
| Wo worthe you for whome I sore smerted | |
| 245 | Wo worthe you euer but ye be conuerted |
| Wo worthe you whose makynge I repente | |
| Wo worthe your horryble synne so vyolente | |
| Wo worthe you whiche do me forsake | |
| Wo worthe you whiche wyllyngely offende | |
| 250 | Wo worthe your swerynge whiche dothe not aslake |
| Wo worthe you whiche wyll nothynge amende | |
| Wo worthe vyce that dothe on you attende | |
| Wo worthe your grete vnkyndenes to me | |
| sig: [A6] | |
| Wo worthe your hertes withouten pyte | |
| 255 | Wo worthe your falshode and your doublenesse |
| Wo worthe also your corrupte Iugement | |
| Wo worthe delyte in worldely rychesse | |
| ref.ed: 81 | |
| Wo worthe debate without extynguyshement | |
| Wo worthe your wordes so moche impacyent | |
| 260 | Wo worthe you vnto whome I dyd bote |
| And [wo] worthe you that tere me at the rote wo] 1509 omits, wo 1531 | |
| Blessyd be ye that loue humylyte | |
| Blessyd be ye that loue trouthe and pacyence | |
| Blessyd be ye folowynge werkes of equyte | |
| 265 | Blessyd be ye that loue well abstynence |
| Blessyd be ye vyrgyns of excellence | |
| Blessyd be ye whiche loue well vertue | |
| Blessyd be ye whiche do the worlde eschue | |
| Blessyd be ye that heuenly Ioye do loue | |
| 270 | Blessyd be ye in vertuous gouernaunce |
| Blessyd be ye whiche do pleasures reproue | |
| Blessyd be ye that consyder my greuaunce | |
| Blessyd be ye whiche do take repentaunce | |
| Blessyd be ye remembrynge my passyon | |
| 275 | Blessyd be ye makynge petycyon |
| Blessyd be ye folowynge my trace | |
| Blessyd be ye louynge trybulacyon | |
| Blessyd be ye not wyllynge to trespace | |
| Blessyd be ye of my casty[g]acyon castygacyon] castycacyon 1509, castygacyon 1531 | |
| 280 | Blessyd be ye of good operacyon |
| sig: [A6v] | |
| Blessyd be ye vnto me ryght kynde | |
| Blessyd be you whiche haue me in your mynde | |
| Blessyd be ye leuynge yll company | |
| Blessyd be ye hauntynge the vertuous | |
| 285 | Blessyd be ye that my name magnefy |
| Blessyd be ye techynge the vycyous | |
| Blessyd be ye good and relygyous | |
| Blessyd be ye in the lyfe temperall | |
| Whiche applye yourselfe to Ioye celestyall | |
| ref.ed: 82 | |
| 290 | The brytyll worlde ryght often transmutable |
| Who wyll in it his lyfe and tyme well spende | |
| Shall Ioye attayne after inestymable | |
| For in the worlde he must fyrst condyscende | |
| To take grete payne as his power wyll extende | |
| 295 | Agaynst the worlde the flesshe and the deuyll |
| By my grete grace for to withstande theyr euyll | |
| For who can be a gretter fole than he | |
| That spendeth his tyme to hym vncertayne | |
| For a breuyat pleasure of worldly vanyte | |
| 300 | Than after that to haue eternall payne |
| Who of the worlde delyteth and is fayne | |
| Shall after sorowe and cry ve ve | |
| In an other worlde quante sunt tenebre | |
| Who is wyser than he that wyll applye | |
| 305 | In the worlde take payne by due dylygence |
| After shorte payne to come grete glorye come] come to Hn, 1551 | |
| Whiche is eterne moost hye of excellence | |
| Where he shall se my grete magnyfycence | |
| sig: [A7] | |
| With many aungelles whiche for theyr solace | |
| 310 | Insacyately do beholde my face |
| Regarde no Ioye of the erthly consystory | |
| For lyke as Phebus dothe the snowe relente | |
| So passeth the Ioyes of the worlde transytory | |
| Tyme renneth fast tyll worldely lyfe be spente | |
| 315 | Consyder this in your entendemente |
| Blessed be they that my wordes do here | |
| And kepe it well / for they are to me dere | |
| Therefore good brederne your hertes enclyne | |
| To loue and drede me that am omnipotent | |
| 320 | Bothe god and man in Ioye celestyne |
| ref.ed: 83 | |
| Beholde my body all to_torne and rente | |
| With your spytefull othes cruell and vyolente | |
| I loue you ye hate me ye are to harde herted | |
| I helpe you ye tere me lo how for you I smerted | |
| 325 | Mercy and peace dyde make an vnyte |
| Bytwene you and me but trouth and ryghtwysnesse | |
| Do nowe complayne byddynge my godheed se | |
| How that ye breke the lege of sothfastnesse | |
| They tell me that by Iustyce doubtelesse | |
| 330 | I must take vengeaunce vpon you sykerly |
| That by your swerynge / agayne me crucefye | |
| For at the request of good mercy and peace | |
| I haue forborne you longe and many a daye | |
| Yet more and more your synnes do encrease | |
| 335 | Wherfore my Iustyce wyll no more delaye |
| sig: [A7v] | |
| But take vengeaunce for all your proude araye | |
| I warne you ofte ye are nothynge the better | |
| But ye amende my vengeaunce shall be gretter | |
|
¶Contra iuratores christum in celo crucifigentes. per bernardum dixit dominus. Nonne satis pro te vulneratus sum? nonne satis pro te afflictus sum? desine amplius peccare. quia magis aggrauat vulnus peccati quam vulnus lateris mei |
|
| Am not I wounded for the suffycyent | |
| 340 | Haue I not for the ynoughe afflyccyon |
| Leue more to synne by good amendement | |
| The wounde of synne to me is more passyon | |
| Than the wounde of my syde for thy redempcyon | |
| Thoughe I do spare I shall not desteny | |
| 345 | But ye amende to brenne eternally |
| ref.ed: 84 | |
| With my blody woundes I dyde your chartre seale | |
| Why do you tere it / why do ye breke it so | |
| Syth it to you is the eternall heale | |
| And the releace of euerlastynge wo releace] relefe 1530, 1551 | |
| 350 | Beholde this lettre with the prynte also |
| Of myn owne seale by perfyte portrayture | |
| Prynte it in mynde and ye shall helthe recure | |
| And ye kynges and lordes of renowne | |
| Exhorte your seruauntes theyr swerynge to cease | |
| 355 | Come vnto me and cast your synne adowne |
| And I my vengeaunce shall truely releace | |
| With grace and plente / I shall you encreace | |
| sig: [A8] | |
| And brynge you whiche reuolue inwardly | |
| This my complaynt / to eternall glory | |
| 360 | Amen. |
|
¶The Auctor. |
|
| Go lytell treatyse deuoyde of eloquence | |
| Tremblynge for drede to approche the maieste | |
| Of our souerayne lorde surmountynge in excellence | |
| But vnder the wynge of his benygnyte | |
| 5 | Submyttynge the to his mercyfull pyte |
| And be[se]che his grace to pardon thy rudenes beseche] beche 1509, beseche 1531 | |
| Whiche of late was made to eschewe ydylnes | |
| ¶Thus endeth the conuersyon of swerers made and compyled by Stephen_Hawys grome of the chambre of our souerayne lorde kynge Henry the seuenth. Enprynted at London in Flete_strete at the sygne of the sonne by Wynkyn_de_Worde. prynter vnto the moost excellent pryncesse my lady the kynges graundame. The yere of our lorde a. M.CCCCC. and .ix. The fyrst yere of the reygne of our souerayne lorde kynge Henry the .viii. | |
| sig: [A8v] |