Classic Poem

But for this mater, Jacke,
thou most undirstonde,
that Crist in his godhede
is lord of alle thingis,
as testimonie of Scripture
preveth in many places;
as touching his manhood
he was nedi and pore,
for of his nede spake
David in his psalmes.
Ego, inquit, mendicus sum et pauper, et Dominus solicitus est mei.
And after Austin and Jerom
this word of Crist was seid,
so thanne these twey
stonden wel togidere,
that Crist after oo kynde
was lord of alle,
and after that other
nedide to begge.
For if Crist seie soth,
him silf ne hadde noon harborow,
to resten in his owne heed,
and steken out the stormes.
Vulpes, inquit, etc., ubi caput suum reclinet.
And if we shulen geve credence
to doctours wordes,
heere what seith seint Jerom,
and seint Bernard also.
Cave, inquit Jeronimus, ne mendicante Deo tuo alienas divitias augeas; et Bernardus. Ut te, Domine, per omnia nostrœ paupertati conformares, quasi unus in turba pauperum stipem per hostia mendicabas.
Wherefore thou feynest fonnedli
that oure Lord we sclaundre;
or ellis oure holy doctours
diden not her dever.
Jak, have no merveyle
that y speke Latyn,
for oones I was a manciple
at Mertoun halle,
and there y lernede Latyn
by roote of clerkes.
Of clamourus also begging
thou chaterist and criist,
and seist it is uttirli
forbodun in Goddis lawe.
Jak, the blynde begger
sat bi the weye,
and lowde criede uppon Crist,
as the gospel tellith;
but him was govun ige-sigt,
for al his grete noise,
and also the pore man
at the specionus gate
praiede to the apostlis
to parten of her almes;
and ther the begger unreproved
of crokidnesse he was heelid.
I forgete not the lazar
that beggide of the riche,
and criede lowde at his gate
to cachen his almes.
Where redist thou that he was
repreved of his begging?
I rede wel he was ful soone
in Abrahams bosum.
Thou makist also more ado
for writing in oure tablis
of sich mennes names
that geven us her almes,
“Wenynge that God were a fool,
“not knowinge mennes dedes,
“but if he were mengid
“bi weie of gour writyng.”
Jak, writyng was ordeyned
for slipernes of mynde,
not of God, but of us men,
hirt in oure nature,
and bi bodili buystousnesse
fallen to forgetynge.
Now special preier,
as clerkes seien,
moste helpeth the soulis,
and that may not be done
withouten special mynde.
Thanne for oure forgetfulnesse
it nedith us to noten,
and this is cause whi
we writun in oure tablis.
And Esdras wroot a newe book,
to have the lawe in mynde.
To seint Joon in the Apocalips
it was bodun also,
that privy revelacion
to writun in his book,
for unstabilnesse of mynde,
seith the comoun glose.
“Whi,” also thou axist,
“make ge so many maistris,
“agens Cristis bidding
“in the holi gospel?”
For sothe, Jak, among other,
this is a lewid question.
Taking heed to thin astaate,
thou art but a knave,
and git thou lokist that thi knave
shulde calle thee maistir.
Leve Jacke Jawdewyn,
how kepist thou the gospel?
Nevertheles to thi question
answerith the comoun glose,
that neithir the acte of teching,
neither the acte of maistir,
ben forbodun of Crist,
but oonli ambicion,
and the nyce appetite
of worldly worship.