Pacience is a poynt, þa33e,
& quo for þro may no3t þole, þe þikker he sufferes.
&Thorn;en is better to abyde þe bur vmbestoundes
&Thorn;en ay þrow forth my þro, þa33e masse,
How Mathew melede þat his Mayster His meyny con teche.
A3t happes He hem hy3t & vcheon a mede,
Sunderlupes, for hit dissert, vpon a ser wyse:
Thay arn happen þat han in hert pouerte,
For hores is þe heuen-ryche to holde for euer;
&Thorn;ay ar happen also þat haunte mekenesse,
For þay schal welde þis worlde & alle her wylle haue;
Thay ar happen also þat for her harme wepes,
For þay schal comfort encroche in kythes ful mony;
&Thorn;ay ar happen also þat hungeres after ry3t,
For þay schal frely be refete ful of alle gode;
Thay ar happen also þat han in hert rauþe,
For mercy in alle maneres her mede schal worþe;
&Thorn;ay ar happen also þat arn of hert clene,
For þay her Sauyour in sete schal se with her y3en;
Thay ar happen also þat halden her pese,
For þay þe gracious Godes sunes schal godly be called;
&Thorn;ay ar happen also þat con her hert stere,
For hores is þe heuen-ryche, as I er sayde.
These arn þe happes alle a3t þat vus bihy3t weren,
If we þyse ladyes wolde lof in lyknyng of þewes:
Dame Pouert, Dame Pitee, Dame Penaunce þe þrydde,
Dame Mekenesse, Dame Mercy, & miry Clannesse,
& þenne Dame Pes, & Pacyence put in þerafter.
He were happen þat hade one; alle were þe better.
Bot [s]yn I am put to a poynt þat pouerte hatte,
I schal me poruay pacyence & play me with boþe,
For in þe tyxte þere þyse two arn in teme layde,
Hit arn fettled in on forme, þe forme & þe laste,
& by quest of her quoyntyse enquylen on mede.
& als, in myn vpynyoun, hit arn of on kynde:
For þeras pouert hir proferes ho nyl be put vtter,
Bot lenge wheresoeuer hir lyst, lyke oþer greme;
& þereas pouert enpresses, þa33tloker hit lyke & her lotes prayse,
&Thorn;enne wyþer wyth & be wroth & þe wers haue.
3if me be dy3t a destyne due to haue,
What dowes me þe dedayn, oþer dispit make?
Oþer 3if my lege lorde lyst on lyue me to bidde
Oþer to ryde oþer to renne to Rome in his ernde,
What grayþed me þe grychchyng bot grame more seche?
Much 3if he me ne made, maugref my chekes,
& þenne þrat moste I þole & vnþonk to mede,
&Thorn;e had bowed to his bode bongre my hyure.
Did not Jonas in Jude suche jape sumwhyle?
To sette hym to sewrte, vnsounde he hym feches.
Wyl 3e tary a lyttel tyne & tent me a whyle,
I schal wysse yow þerwyth as holy wryt telles.
Hit bitydde sumtyme in þe termes of Jude,
Jonas joyned watz þerinne Jentyle prophete;
Goddes glam to hym glod þat hym vnglad made,
With a roghlych rurd rowned in his ere:
'Rys radly,' He says, '& rayke forth euen;
Nym þe way to Nynyue wythouten oþer speche,
& in þat cete My sa3es soghe alle aboute,
&Thorn;at in þat place, at þe poynt, I put in þi hert.
For iwysse hit arn so wykke þat in þat won dowellez
& her malys is so much, I may not abide,
Bot venge Me on her vilanye & venym bilyue;
Now swe3e Me þider swyftly & say Me þis arende.'
When þat steuen watz stynt þat stown[e]d his mynde,
Al he wrathed in his wyt, & wyþerly he þo3t:
'If I bowe to His bode & bryng hem þis tale,
& I be nummen in Nuniue, my nyes begynes:
He telles me þose traytoures arn typped schrewes;
I com wyth þose tyþynges, þay ta me bylyue,
Pynez me in a prysoun, put me in stokkes,
Wryþe me in a warlok, wrast out myn y3en.
&Thorn;is is a meruayl message a man for to preche
Amonge enmyes so mony & mansed fendes,
Bot if my gaynlych God such gref to me wolde,
Fo[r] desert of sum sake þat I slayn were.
At alle peryles,' quoþ þe prophete, 'I aproche hit no nerre.
I wyl me sum oþer waye þat He ne wayte after;
I schal tee into Tarce & tary þere a whyle,
& ly3tly when I am lest He letes me alone.'
&Thorn;enne he ryses radly & raykes bilyue,
Jonas toward port Japh, ay janglande for tene
&Thorn;at he nolde þole for noþyng non of þose pynes,
&Thorn;a33e
In His g[lo]wande glorye, & gloumbes ful lyttel
&Thorn;a33t.
Then he tron on þo tres, & þay her tramme ruchen,
Cachen vp þe crossayl, cables þay fasten,
Wi3t at þe wyndas we3en her ankres,
Spende spak to þe sprete þe spare bawelyne,
Gederen to þe gyde-ropes, þe grete cloþ falles,
&Thorn;ay layden in on laddeborde, & þe lofe wynnes,
&Thorn;e blyþe breþe at her bak þe bosum he fyndes;
He swenges me þys swete schip swefte fro þe hauen.
Watz neuer so joyful a Jue as Jonas watz þenne,
&Thorn;at þe daunger of Dry3tyn so derfly ascaped;
He wende wel þat þat Wy33t in þat mere no man for to greue.
Lo, þe wytles wrechche! For he wolde no3t suffer,
Now hatz he put hym in plyt of peril wel more.
Hit watz a wenyng vnwar þat welt in his mynde,
&Thorn;a33t fro Samarye, þat God se33ise, He blusched ful brode: þat burde hym by sure;
&Thorn;at ofte kyd hym þe carpe þat kyng sayde,
Dyngne Dauid on des þat demed þis speche
In a psalme þat he set þe sauter withinne:
'O folez in folk, felez oþerwhyle
& vnderstondes vmbestounde, þa33e þat He heres not þat eres alle made?
Hit may not be þat He is blynde þat bigged vche y3e.'
Bot he dredes no dynt þat dotes for elde.
For he watz fer in þe flod foundande to Tarce,
Bot I trow ful tyd ouertan þat he were,
So þat schomely to schort he schote of his ame.
For þe Welder of wyt þat wot alle þynges,

&Thorn;at ay wakes & waytes, at wylle hatz He sly3tes.
He calde on þat ilk crafte He carf with His hondes;
&Thorn;ay wakened wel þe wroþeloker for wroþely He cleped:
'Ewrus & Aquiloun þat on est sittes
Blowes boþe at My bode vpon blo watteres.'
&Thorn;enne watz no tom þer bytwene His tale & her dede,
So bayn wer þay boþe two His bone for to wyrk.
Anon out of þe norþ-est þe noys bigynes,
When boþe breþes con blowe vpon blo watteres.
Ro33ed ful sore, gret selly to here;
&Thorn;e wyndes on þe wonne water so wrastel togeder
&Thorn;at þe wawes ful wode waltered so hi3e
& efte busched to þe abyme, þat breed fysches
Durst nowhere for ro33e yþes.
&Thorn;e bur ber to hit baft, þat braste alle her gere,
&Thorn;en hurled on a hepe þe helme & þe sterne;
Furst tomurte mony rop & þe mast after;
&Thorn;e sayl sweyed on þe see, þenne suppe bihoued
&Thorn;e coge of þe [co]lde water, & þenne þe cry ryses.
3et coruen þay þe cordes & kest al þeroute;
Mony ladde þer forth lep to laue & to kest,
Scopen out þe scaþel water þat fayn scape wolde,
For be monnes lode neuer so luþer, þe lyf is ay swete.
&Thorn;er watz busy ouer borde bale to kest,
Her bagges & her feþer-beddes & her bry3t wedes,
Her kysttes & her coferes, her caraldes alle,
& al to ly3ten þat lome, 3if leþe wolde schape.
Bot euer watz ilyche loud þe lot of þe wyndes,
& euer wroþer þe water & wodder þe stremes.
&Thorn;en þo wery forwro3t wyst no