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PRIMUS VEXILLATOR.
0001 Glorious God, in all degres lord most of myth,
0002 þat heuene and erthe made of nowth, boþe se and lond,
0003 þe aungelys in heuene hym to serue bryth
0004 And mankynde in mydylerd he made wyth hys hond,
0005 And our lofly Lady, þat lanterne is of lyth,
0006 Save oure lege lord þe kynge, þe leder of þis londe,
0007 And all þe ryall of þis revme and rede hem þe ryth,
0008 And all þe goode comowns of þis towne þat beforn us stonde
0009 In þis place.
0010 We mustyr 3ou wyth menschepe
0011 And freyne 3ou of frely frenchepe.
0012 Cryst safe 3ou all fro schenchepe
0013 þat knowyn wyl our case.

SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
0014 þe case of oure comynge 3ou to declare,
0015 Euery man in hymself forsothe he it may fynde:
0016 Whou Mankynde into þis werld borne is ful bare
0017 And bare schal beryed be at hys last ende.
0018 God hym 3euyth to aungelys ful 3ep and ful 3are,
0019 þe Goode Aungel and þe Badde to hym for to lende.
0020 þe Goode techyth hym goodnesse, þe Badde synne and sare;
0021 Whanne þe ton hath þe victory, þe toþyr goth behende,
0022 Be skyll.
0023 þe Good Aungel couetyth euermore Mans saluacion
0024 And þe Badde bysytyth hym euere to hys dampnacion,
0025 And God hathe govyn Man fre arbitracion
0026 Wheþyr he wyl hymself saue or hys soule spyll.

PRIMUS VEXILLATOR.
0027 Spylt is Man spetously whanne he to synne asent.
0028 þe Bad Aungel þanne bryngyth hym thre enmys so stout:
0029 þe Werlde, þe Fende, þe foul Flesche so joly and jent.
0030 þei ledyn hym ful lustyly wyth synnys al abowt.
0031 Pyth wyth Pride and Couetyse, to þe Werld is he went,
0032 To meynten hys manhod all men to hym lout.
0033 Aftyr Ire and Envye þe Fend hath to hym lent,
0034 Bakbytynge and endytynge wyth all men for to route,
0035 Ful evyn.
0036 But þe fowle Flesch, homlyest of all,
0037 Slawth, Lust and Leccherye gun to hym call,
0038 Glotony and oþyr synnys boþe grete and small.
0039 þus Mans soule is soylyd wyh synnys moo þanne seuyn.

SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
0040 Whanne Mans sowle is soylyd wyth synne and wyth sore,
0041 þanne þe Googe Aungyl makyth mykyl mornynge
0042 þat þe lofty lyknesse of God schulde be lore
0043 þorwe þe Badde Aungelys fals entysynge.
0044 He sendyth to hym Concyens, pryckyd ful pore,
0045 And clere Confescyon wyth Penauns-doynge.
0046 þei mevyn Man to mendement þat he mysdyd before.
0047 þus þei callyn hym to clennesse and to good levynge,
0048 Wythoutyn dystaunce.
0049 Mekenesse, Pacyense, and Charyte,
0050 Sobyrnesse, Besynesse, and Charyte,
0051 And Largyte, uertuys of good degre,
0052 Man callyth to þe Castel of Good Perseueraunce.

PRIMUS VEXILLATOR.
0053 þe Castel of Perseuerauns wanne Mankynde hath tan,
0054 Wel armyd wyth vertus and ouyrcome all vycys,
0055 þere þe Good Aungyl makyth ful mery þanne
0056 þat Mankynde hath ouyrcome hys gostly enmiis.
0057 þe Badde Aungyl mornyþ þat he hath myssyd Man.
0058 He callyth þe Werld, þe Fende, and þe foule Flesch iwys
0059 And all þe seuene synnys to do þat þey canne
0060 To brynge Mankynd ageyn to bayle out of blys,
0061 With wronge.
0062 Pride asayleth Meknesse wyth all hys myth,
0063 Ire ageyns Paciensse ful fast ganne he fyth,
0064 Envye ageyn Charyte strywyth ful ryth,
0065 But Covytyse ageyns Largyte fytyth ouyrlonge.

SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
0066 Coveytyse Mankynd euere coueytyth for to qwell.
0067 He gaderyth to hym Glotony a3eyns Sobyrnesse,
0068 Leccherye wyth Chastyte fyteth ful fell
0069 And Slawthe in Goddys seruyse ageyns Besynesse.
0070 þus vycys ageys vertues fytyn ful snelle.
0071 Euery buskyth to brynge Man to dystresse.
0072 But Penaunce and Confescion wyth Mankynd wyl melle,
0073 þe vycys arn ful lyckely þe vertues to opresse,
0074 Saun dowte.
0075 þus in þe Castel of Good Perseuerance
0076 Mankynd is maskeryd wyth mekyl varyaunce.
0077 þe Good Aungyl and þe Badde be euere at dystaunce;
0078 þe Goode holdyth hym inne, þe Badde wold brynge hym owte.

PRIMUS VEXILLATOR.
0079 Owt of Good Perseueraunce whanne Mankynde wyl not come,
0080 3yt þe Badde Aungyl wyth Coveytyse hym gan asayle,
0081 Fyndende hym in pouerte and penaunce so benome,
0082 And bryngyth hym in beleue in defaute for to fayle.
0083 þanne he profyrth hym good and gold so gret a sowme,
0084 þat if he wyl come ageyn and wyth þe Werld dayle,
0085 þe Badde Aungyl to þe Werld tollyth hym downe
0086 þe Castel of Perseueraunce to fle fro þe vayle
0087 And blysse.
0088 þanne þe Werld begynnyth hym to restore.
0089 Haue he neuere so mykyl, 3yt he wold haue more;
0090 þus þe Badde Aungyl leryth hym hys lore.
0091 þe more a man agyth, þe harder he is.

SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
0092 Hard a man is in age and covetouse be kynde.
0093 Whanne all oþyr synnys Man hath forsake,
0094 Euere þe more þat he hath þe more is in hys mynde
0095 To gadyr and to gete good wyth woo and wyth wrake.
0096 þus þe Goode Aungyl caste is behynde
0097 And þe Badde Aungyl Man to hym takyth,
0098 þat wryngyth hym wrenchys to hys laste ende
0099 Tyl Deth comyth foul dolfully and loggyth hym in a lake
0100 Ful lowe.
0101 þanne is Man on molde maskeryd in mynde.
0102 He sendyth afftyr hys sekkatours, ful fekyl to fynde,
0103 And hys eyr aftyrward comyth euere behynde,
0104 I Wot Not Who is hys name, for he hym nowt knowe.

PRIMUS VEXILLATOR.
0105 Man knowe not who schal be hys eyr and gouerne hys good.
0106 He caryth more for hys catel þanne for hys cursyd synne.
0107 To putte hys good in gouernaunce he mengyth hys mod,
0108 He wolde þat it were scyfftyd amongys hys ny kynne.
0109 But þer schal com a lythyr ladde wyth a torne hod,
0110 I Wot Neuere Who schal be hys name, hys cloþis be ful þynne,
0111 Schal eryth þe erytage þat neuere was of hys blod,
0112 Whanne al hys lyfe is lytyd upon a lytyl pynne
0113 At þe laste.
0114 On lyue whanne he may no lenger lende,
0115 Mercy he callyth at hys laste ende:
0116 "Mercy, God! be now myn frende!"
0117 Wyth þat Mans spyryt is paste.

SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
0118 Whanne Manys spyryt is past, þe Badde Aungyl ful fell
0119 Cleymyth þat for couetyse Mans sowle schuld ben hys
0120 And for to ber it ful boysowsly wyth hym into hell.
0121 þe Good Aungyl seyth nay, þe spyryt schal to blys
0122 For at hys laste ende of mercy he gan spell
0123 And þerfore of mercy schal he nowth mysse,
0124 And oure lofly Ladi if sche wyl for hym mell,
0125 Be mercy and be menys in purgatory he is,
0126 In ful byttyr place.
0127 þus mowthys confession
0128 And hys hertys contricion
0129 Schal saue Man fro dampnacion
0130 Be Goddys mercy and grace.

PRIMUS VEXILLATOR.
0131 Grace if God wyl graunte us of hys mykyl myth,
0132 þese parcellys in propyrtes we purpose us to playe
0133 þis day seuenenyt before 3ou in syth
0134 At...on þe grene in ryal aray.
0135 3e haste 3ou þanne þedyrward, syrys, hendly in hyth,
0136 All goode neyborys ful specyaly we 3ou pray,
0137 And loke þat 3e be þere betyme, luffely and lyth,
0138 For we schul be onward be vnderne of þe day,
0139 Dere frendys.
0140 We thanke 3ou of all good dalyaunce
0141 And of all 3oure specyal sportaunce
0142 And preye 3ou of good contynuaunce
0143 To oure lyuys endys.

SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
0144 Os oure lyuys we loue 3ou, þus takande oure leue.
0145 3e manly men of..., þer Crist saue 3ou all!
0146 He maynten 3oure myrthys and kepe 3ou fro greve
0147 þat born was of Mary myld in an ox stall.
0148 Now mery be all...and wel mote 3e cheve,
0149 All oure feythful frendys, þer fayre mote 3e fall!
0150 3a, and welcum be 3e whanne 3e com prys for ro preve
0151 And worþi to be worchepyd in boure and in hall
0152 And in euery place.
0153 Farewel, fayre frendys,
0154 þat lofly wyl lystyn and lende.
0155 Cryste kepe 3ou fro fendys!
0156 Trumpe up and lete vs pace.

MUNDUS.
0157 Worthy wytys in al þis werd wyde,
0158 Be wylde wode wonys and euery weye-went,
0159 Precyous prinse, prekyd in pride,
0160 þorwe þis propyr pleyn place in pes be 3e bent!
0161 Buske 3ou, bolde bacheleyrs, vndyr my baner to abyde
0162 Where bryth basnetys be bateryd and backys ar schent.
0163 3e, syrys semly, all same syttyth on syde,
0164 For bothe be see and be londe my sondys I haue sent,
0165 Al þe world myn name is ment.
0166 Al abowtyn my bane is blowe,
0167 In euery cost I am knowe,
0168 I do men rawyn on ryche rowe
0169 Tyl þei be dyth to dythys dent.
0170 Assarye, Acaye, and Almayne,
0171 Cauadoyse, Capadoyse, and Cananee,
0172 Babyloyne, Brabon, Burgoyne, and Bretayne,
0173 Grece, Galys, and to þe Gryckysch See,
0174 I meue also Masadoyne in my mykyl mayne,
0175 Frauns, Flaundrys, and Freslonde, and also Normande,
0176 Pyncecras, Parys, and longe Pygmayne,
0177 And euery toun in trage, euyn to þe Dreye Tre,
0178 Rodys and ryche Rome.
0179 All þese londys at myn avyse
0180 Arn castyn to my werdly wyse.
0181 My tresorer, Syr Couetyse,
0182 Hath sesyd hem holy to me.
0183 þerfor my game and my gle growe ful glad.
0184 þer is no wythe in þis werld þat my wytte wyl me warne.
0185 Euery ryche rengne rapyth hym ful rad
0186 In lustys and in lykyngys my lawys to lerne.
0187 Wyth fayre folke in þe felde freschly I am fadde.
0188 I dawnse doun as a doo be dalys ful derne.
0189 What boy bedyth batayl or debatyth wyth blad
0190 Hym were betyr to ben hangyn hye in hell herne
0191 Or brent on lyth leuene.
0192 Whoso spekyth a3eyn þe Werd
0193 In a presun he schal be sperd.
0194 Myn hest is holdyn and herd
0195 Into hy3e heuene.

BELYAL.
0196 Now I sytte, Satanas, in my sad synne,
0197 As deuyl dowty, in draf as a drake.
0198 I champe and I chafe, I chocke on my chynne,
0199 I am boystows and bold, as Belyal þe blake.
0200 What folk þat I grope þei gapyn and grenne,
0201 Iwys fro Carlylle into Kent my carpynge þei take,
0202 Bothe þe bak and þe buttoke brestyth al on brenne,
0203 Wyth werkys of wreche I werke hem mykyl wrake.
0204 In woo is al my wenne.
0205 In care I am cloyed
0206 And fowle I am anoyed
0207 But Mankynde be stroyed
0208 Be dykys and be denne.
0209 Pryde is my prince in perlys ipyth;
0210 Wretthe, þis wrecche, wyth me schal wawe;
0211 Enuye into werre wyth me schal walkyn wyth;
0212 Wyth þese faytourys I am fedde, in feyth I am fawe.
0213 As a dyngne deuyl in my dene I am dyth.
0214 Pryde, Wretthe, and Enuye, I sey in my sawe,
0215 Kyngys, kayserys, and kempys and many a kene knyth,
0216 þese louely lordys han lernyd hem my lawe.
0217 To my dene þei wyl drawe.
0218 Alholy Mankynne
0219 To helle but I wynne,
0220 In bale is my bynne
0221 And schent vnder schawe.
0222 On Mankynde is my trost, in contre iknowe,
0223 Wyth my tyre and wyth my tayl tytly to tene.
0224 þorwe Flaundris and Freslonde faste I gan flowe,
0225 Fele folke on a flokke to flappyn and to flene.
0226 Where I graspe on þe grounde, grym þer schal growe.
0227 Gadyr 3ou togedyr, 3e boyis, on þis grene!
0228 In þis brode bugyl a blast wanne I blowe,
0229 Al þis werld schal be wood iwys as I wene
0230 And to my byddynge bende.
0231 Wythly on syde
0232 On benche wyl I byde
0233 To tene, þis tyde,
0234 Alholy Mankende.

CARO.
0235 I byde as a brod brustun-gutte abouyn on þese tourys.
0236 Euerybody is þe betyr þat to myn byddynge is bent.
0237 I am Mankyndys fayre Flesch, florchyd in flowrys.
0238 My lyfe is wyth lustys and lykynge ilent.
0239 Wyth tapytys of tafata I tymbyr my towrys.
0240 In myrthe and in melodye my mende is iment.
0241 þou I be clay and clad, clappyd vndir clowrys,
0242 3yt wolde I þat my wyll in þe werld went,
0243 Ful trew I 3ou behyth.
0244 I loue wel myn ese,
0245 In lustys me to plese;
0246 þou synne my sowle sese
0247 I 3eue not a myth.
0248 In Glotony gracyous now am I growe;
0249 þerfore he syttyth semly here be my syde.
0250 In Lechery and Lykynge lent am I lowe,
0251 And Slawth, my swete sone, is bent to abyde.
0252 þese thre are nobyl, trewly I trowe,
0253 Mankynde to tenyn and trecchyn a tyde.
0254 Wyth many berdys in bowre my blastys are blowe,
0255 Be weys and be wodys, þorwe þis werld wyde,
0256 þe sothe for to seyne.
0257 But if mans Flesch fare wel
0258 Bothe at mete and at mele,
0259 Dyth I am in gret del
0260 And browt into peyne.
0261 And aftyr good fare in feyth þou I fell,
0262 þou I drywe to dust, in drosse for to drepe,
0263 þow my sely sowle were haryed to hell,
0264 Woso wyl do þese werkys iwys he schal wepe
0265 Euyr wythowtyn ende.
0266 Behold þe Werld, þe Deuyl, and me!
0267 Wyth all oure mythis we kyngys thre
0268 Nyth and day besy we be
0269 For to distroy Mankende
0270 If þat we may.
0271 þerfor on hylle
0272 Syttyth all stylle
0273 And seth wyth good wylle
0274 Oure ryche aray.

HUMANUS GENUS.
0275 Aftyr oure forme-faderys kende
0276 þis nyth I was of my modyr born.
0277 Fro my modyr I walke, I wende,
0278 Ful feynt and febyl I fare 3ou beforn.
0279 I am nakyd of lym and lende
0280 As Mankynde is schapyn and schorn.
0281 I not wedyr to gon ne to lende
0282 To helpe myself mydday nyn morn.
0283 For schame I stonde and schende.
0284 I was born þis nyth in blody ble
0285 And nakyd I am, as 3e may se.
0286 A, Lord God in trinite,
0287 Whow Mankende is vnthende!
0288 Whereto I was to þis werld browth
0289 I ne wot, but to woo and wepynge
0290 I am born and haue ryth nowth
0291 To helpe myself in no doynge.
0292 I stonde and stodye al ful of þowth.
0293 Bare and pore is my clothynge.
0294 A sely crysme myn hed hath cawth
0295 þat I tok at myn crystenynge.
0296 Certys I haue no more.
0297 Of erthe I cam, I wot ryth wele,
0298 And as erthe I stande þis sele.
0299 Of Mankende it is gret dele.
0300 Lord God, I crye þyne ore!
0301 To aungels bene asynyd to me:
0302 þe ton techyth me to goode;
0303 On my ryth syde 3e may hym se;
0304 He cam fro Criste þat deyed on rode.
0305 Anoþyr is ordeynyd her to be
0306 þat is my foo, be fen and flode;
0307 He is about in euery degre
0308 To drawe me to þo dewylys wode
0309 þat in helle be thycke.
0310 Swyche to hath euery man on lyue
0311 To rewlyn hym and hys wyttys fyue.
0312 Whanne man doth ewyl, þe ton wolde schryue,
0313 þe tothyr drawyth to wycke.
0314 But syn þese aungelys be to me falle,
0315 Lord Jhesu, to 3ou I bydde a bone
0316 þat I may folwe, be strete and stalle,
0317 þe aungyl þat cam fro heuene trone.
0318 Now, Lord Jesu in heuene halle,
0319 Here whane I make my mone.
0320 Coryows Criste, to 3ou I calle.
0321 As a grysly gost I grucche and grone,
0322 I wene, ryth ful of thowth.
0323 A, Lord Jhesu, wedyr may I goo?
0324 A crysme I haue and no moo.
0325 Alas, men may be wondyr woo
0326 Whanne þei be fyrst forth browth.