The Regius
Manuscript
Hic Incipiunt Constituciones
Artis
Gemetriae Secundum Eucyldem
Whose wol bothe
wel rede and loke,
He may fynde wryte
yn olde boke
Of grete lordys
and eke ladyysse,
That hade mony
chyldryn y-fere, y-wisse;
And hade no rentys
to fynde hem wyth,
Nowther yn towne,
ny felde, ny fryth:
A cownsel togeder
they cowthe hem take;
To ordeyne for
these chyldryn sake,
How they my[g]th
best lede here lyfe
Withoute gret
desese, care and stryfe;
And most for the
multytude that was comynge
Of here chyldryn
after here [g]yndynge.
(They) sende
thenne after grete clerkys,
To techyn hem
thenne gode werkys;
And pray we hem,
for our Lordys sake,
To oure chyldryn
sum werke to make,
That they my[g]th
gete here lyvynge therby,
Bothe wel and
onestlyche, ful sycurly.
Yn that tyme,
thro[g]gh good gemetry,
Thys onest craft
of good masonry
Wes ordeynt and
made yn thys manere,
Y-cownterfetyd of
thys clerkys y-fere;
At these lordys
prayers they cownterfetyd gemetry,
And [g]af hyt the
name of masonry,
For the moste
oneste craft of alle.
These lordys
chyldryn therto dede falle,
To lurne of hym
the craft of gemetry,
The wheche he made
ful curysly;
Thro[g]gh fadrys
prayers and modrys also,
Thys onest craft
he putte hem to.
He that lerned
best, and were of onesté,
And passud hys
felows yn curysté;
[G]ef yn that
craft he dede hym passe,
He schulde have
more worschepe then the lasse.
Thys grete clerkys
name was clept Euclyde,
Hys name hyt
spradde ful wondur wyde.
Get thys grete
clerke more ordeynt he
To hym that was
herre yn thys degré,
That he schulde
teche the synplyst of (wytte)
Yn that onest
craft to be parfytte;
And so uchon
schulle techyn othur,
And love togeder
as syster and brothur.
Forthermore [g]et
that ordeynt he,
Mayster y-called
so schulde he be;
So that he were
most y-worschepede,
Thenne sculde he
be so y-clepede:
But mason schulde
never won other calle,
Withynne the craft
amongus hem alle,
Ny soget, ny
servand, my dere brother,
Tha[g]ht he be not
so perfyt as ys another;
Uchon sculle calle
other felows by cuthe,
For cause they
come of ladyes burthe.
On thys maner,
thro[g] good wytte of gemetry,
Bygan furst the
craft of masonry:
The clerk Euclyde
on thys wyse hyt fonde,
Thys craft of
gemetry yn Egypte londe.
Yn Egypte he
taw[g]hte hyt ful wyde,
Yn dyvers londe on
every syde;
Mony erys
afterwarde, y understonde,
[G]er that the
craft com ynto thys londe,
Thys craft com
ynto Englond, as y [g]ow say,
Yn tyme of good
kynge Adelstonus day;
He made tho bothe
halle and eke bowre,
And hye templus of
gret honowre,
To sportyn hym yn
bothe day and ny[g]th,
An to worschepe
hys God with alle hys my[g]th.
Thys goode lorde
loved thys craft ful wel,
And purposud to
strenthyn hyt every del,
For dyvers
defawtys that yn the craft he fonde;
He sende about
ynto the londe
After alle the
masonus of the crafte,
To come to hym ful
evene stra[g]fte,
For to amende
these defautys alle
By good consel, [g]ef
hyt myt[g]th falle.
A semblé thenne
he cowthe let make
Of dyvers lordis,
yn here state,
Dukys, erlys, and
barnes also,
Kyn[g]thys, sqwyers, and mony mo,
And the grete
burges of that syté,
They were ther
alle yn here degré;
These were ther
uchon algate,
To ordeyne for
these masonus astate.
Ther they
sow[g]ton by here wytte,
How they my[g]thyn
governe hytte:
Fyftene artyculus
they ther sow[g]ton
And fyftene
poyntys they wro[g]ton.
Hic incipit
articulus primus.
The furste artycul
of thys gemetry:--
The mayster mason
moste be ful securly
Bothe stedefast,
trusty, and trwe,
Hyt schal hum
never thenne arewe:
And pay thy felows
after the coste,
As vytaylys goth
thenne, wel thou woste;
And pay them trwly,
apon thy fay,
What that they
deserven may;
And to her hure
take no more,
But what they mowe
serve fore;
And spare, nowther
for love ny drede,
Of nowther partys
to take no mede;
Of lord ny felow,
whether he be,
Of hem thou take
no maner of fe;
And as a jugge
stonde upry[g]th,
And thenne thou
dost to bothe good ry[g]th;
And trwly do thys
whersever thou gost,
Thy worschep, thy
profyt, hyt shcal be most.
Articulus secundus.
The secunde
artycul of good masonry,
As [g]e mowe hyt
here hyr specyaly,
That every mayster,
that ys a mason,
Most ben at the
generale congregacyon,
So that he hyt
resonably y-tolde
Where that the
semblé schal be holde;
And to that semblé
he most nede gon,
But he have a
resenabul skwsacyon,
Or but he be
unbuxom to that craft,
Or with falssehed
ys over-raft,
Or ellus sekenes
hath hym so stronge,
That he may not
com hem amonge;
That ys a
skwsacyon, good and abulle,
To that semblé
withoute fabulle.
Articulus tercius.
The thrydde
artycul for sothe hyt ysse,
That the mayster
take to no prentysse,
but he have good
seuerans to dwelle
Seven [g]er with
hym, as y [g]ow telle,
Hys craft to lurne,
that ys profytable;
Withynne lasse he
may not be able
To lordys profyt,
ny to his owne,
As [g]e mowe knowe
by good resowne.
Articulus quartus.
The fowrhe artycul
thys moste be
That the mayster
hym wel be-se,
That he no
bondemon prentys make,
Ny for no covetyse
do hym take;
For the lord that
he ys bonde to,
May fache the
prentes whersever he go.
Gef yn the logge
he were y-take,
Muche desese hyt
mygth ther make,
And suche case hyt
mygth befalle,
That hyt mygth
greve summe or alle.
For alle the
masonus tht ben there
Wol stonde togedur
hol y-fere
Gef suche won yn
that craft schulde swelle,
Of dyvers desesys
ge mygth telle:
For more gese
thenne, and of honeste,
Take a prentes of
herre degre.
By olde tyme
wryten y fynde
That the prenes
schulde be of gentyl kynde;
And so symtyme
grete lordys blod
Toke thys gemetry,
that ys ful good.
Articulus
quintus.
The fyfthe artycul
ys swythe good,
So that the
prentes be of lawful blod;
The mayster schal
not, for no vantage,
Make no prentes
that ys outrage;
Hyt ys to mene, as
[g]e mowe here,
That he have hys
lymes hole alle y-fere;
To the craft hyt
were gret schame,
To make an halt
mon and a lame,
For an unperfyt
mon of suche blod
Schulde do the
craft but lytul good.
Thus [g]e mowe
knowe everychon,
The craft wolde
have a my[g]hty mon;
A maymed mon he
hath no my[g]ht,
[G]e mowe hyt
knowe long [g]er ny[g]ht.
Articulus sextus.
The syxte artycul
[g]e mowe not mysse,
That the mayster
do the lord no pregedysse,
To take of the
lord, for hyse prentyse,
Also muche as hys
felows don, yn alle vyse.
For yn that craft
they ben ful perfyt,
So ys not he, [g]e
mowe sen hyt.
Also hyt were
a[g]eynus good reson,
To take hys, hure
as hys felows don.
Thys same artycul,
yn thys casse,
Juggythe the
prentes to take lasse
Thenne hys felows,
that ben ful perfyt.
Yn dyvers maters,
conne qwyte hyt,
The mayster may
his prentes so enforme,
That hys hure may
crese ful [g]urne,
And, ger hys terme
come to an ende,
Hys hure may ful
wel amende.
Articulus septimus.
The seventhe
artycul that ys now here,
Ful wel wol telle
gow, alle y-fere,
That no mayster,
for favour ny drede,
Schal no thef
nowther clothe ny fede.
Theves he schal
herberon never won,
Ny hym that hath
y-quellude a mon,
Wy thylike that
hath a febul name,
Lest hyt wolde
turne the craft to schame.
Articulus octavus.
The eghte artycul
schewt [g]ow so,
That the mayster
may hyt wel do,
[G]ef that he have
any mon of crafte,
And be not also
perfyt as he au[g]te,
He may hym change
sone anon,
And take for hym a
perfytur mon.
Suche a mon,
thro[g]e rechelaschepe,
My[g]th do the
craft schert worschepe.
Articulus nonus.
The nynthe artycul
schewet ful welle,
That the mayster
be both wyse and felle;
That no werke he undurtake,
But he conne bothe
hyt ende and make;
And that hyt be to
the lordes profyt also,
And to hys craft,
whersever he go;
And that the grond
be wel y-take,
That hyt nowther
fle ny grake.
Articulus
decimus.
The then the
artycul ys for to knowe,
Amonge the craft,
to hye and lowe,
There schal no
mayster supplante other,
But be togeder as
systur and brother,
Yn thys curyus
craft, alle and som,
That longuth to a
maystur mason.
Ny he schal not
supplante non other mon,
That hath y-take a
werke hym uppon,
Yn peyne therof
that ys so stronge,
That peyseth no
lasse thenne ten ponge,
But [g]ef that he
be gulty y-fonde,
That toke furst
the werke on honde;
For no mon yn
masonry
Schal no supplante
othur securly,
But [g]ef that hyt
be so y-wro[g]th,
That hyt turne the
werke to nogth;
Thenne may a mason
that werk crave,
To the lordes
profyt hyt for to save;
Yn suche a case
but hyt do falle,
Ther schal no
mason medul withalle.
Forsothe he that
begynnyth the gronde,
And he be a mason
goode and sonde,
For hath hyt
sycurly yn hys mynde
To brynge the
werke to ful good ende.
Articulus
undecimus.
The eleventhe
artycul y telle the,
That he ys bothe
fayr and fre;
For he techyt, by
hys my[g]th,
That no mason
schulde worche be ny[g]th,
But [g]ef hyt be
yn practesynge of wytte,
[G]ef that y
cowthe amende hytte.
Articulus duodecimus.
The twelfthe
artycul ys of hye honesté
To [g]every mason,
whersever he be;
He schal not hys
felows werk deprave,
[G]ef that he wol
hys honesté save;
With honest wordes
he hyt comende,
By the wytte that
God the dede sende;
Buy hyt amende by
al that thou may,
Bytwynne [g]ow
bothe withoute nay.
Articulus
xiijus.
The threttene
artycul, so God me save,
Ys,[g]ef that the
mayster a prentes have,
Enterlyche thenne
that he hym teche,
And meserable
poyntes that he hym reche,
That he the craft
abelyche may conne,
Whersever he go
undur the sonne.
Articulus
xiiijus.
The fowrtene
artycul, by good reson,
Scheweth the
mayster how he schal don;
He schal no
prentes to hym take,
Byt dyvers crys he
have to make,
That he may,
withynne hys terme,
Of hym dyvers
poyntes may lurne.
Articulus
quindecimus.
The fyftene
artycul maketh an ende,
For to the mayster
he ys a frende;
To lere hym so,
that for no mon,
No fals mantenans
he take hym apon,
Ny maynteine hys
felows yn here synne,
For no good that
he my[g]th wynne;
Ny no fals sware
sofre hem to make,
For drede of here
sowles sake;
Lest hyt wolde
turne the craft to schame,
And hymself to
mechul blame.
Plures
Constituciones.
At thys semblé
were poyntes y-ordeynt mo,
Of grete lordys
and maystrys also,
That whose wol
conne thys craft and com to astate,
He most love wel
God, and holy churche algate,
And hys mayster
also, that he ys wythe,
Whersever he go,
yn fylde or frythe;
And thy felows
thou love also,
For that they
craft wol that thou do.
Secundus
punctus.
The secunde poynt,
as y [g]ow say,
That the mason
worche apon the werk day,
Also trwly, as he
con or may,
To deserve hys
huyre for the halyday,
And trwly to
labrun on hys dede,
Wel deserve to
have hys mede.
Tercius
punctus.
The thrydde poynt
most be severele,
With the prentes
knowe hyt wele,
Hys mayster
conwsel he kepe and close,
And hys felows by
hys goode purpose;
The prevetyse of
the chamber telle he no man,
Ny yn the logge
whatsever they done;
Whatsever thou
heryst, or syste hem do,
Telle hyt no mon,
whersever thou go;
The conwsel of
halls, and [g]eke of bowre,
Kepe hyt wel to
gret honowre,
Lest hyt wolde
torne thyself to blame,
And brynge the
craft ynto gret schame.
Quartus punctus.
The fowrthe poynt
techyth us alse,
That no mon to hys
craft be false;
Errour he schal
maynteine none
A[g]eynus the
craft, but let hyt gone;
Ny no pregedysse
he schal not do
To hys mayster, ny
hys felows also;
And that[g]th the
prentes be under awe,
[G]et he wolde
have the same lawe.
Quintus
punctus.
The fyfthe poynte
ys, withoute nay,
That whenne the
mason taketh hys pay
Of the mayster, y-ordent
to hym,
Ful mekely y-take
so most hyt byn;
[G]et most the
mayster, by good resone,
Warne hem lawfully
byfore none,
[G]ef he nulle
okepye hem no more,
As he hath y-done
ther byfore;
A[g]eynus thys
ordyr he may not stryve,
[G]ef he thenke
wel for to thryve.
Sextus
punctus.
The syxte poynt ys
ful [g]ef to knowe,
Bothe to hye and
eke to lowe,
For suche case hyt
my[g]th befalle,
Amonge the masonus,
summe or alle,
Throwghe envye, or
dedly hate,
Ofte aryseth ful
gret debate.
Thenne owyth the
mason, [g]ef that he may,
Putte hem bothe
under a day;
But loveday [g]et
schul they make none;
Tyl that the werke
day be clene a-gone;
Apon the holyday [g]e
mowe wel take
Leyser y-now[g]gth
loveday to make,
Lest that hyt
wolde the werke day
Latte here werke
for suche afray;
To suche ende
thenne that hem drawe,
That they stonde
wel yn Goddes lawe.
Septimus
punctus.
The seventhe poynt
he may wel mene,
Of wel longe lyf
that God us lene,
As hyt dyscryeth
wel opunly,
Thou schal not by
thy maysters wyf ly,
Ny by the felows,
yn no maner wyse,
Lest the craft
wolde the despyse;
Ny by the felows concubyne,
No more thou
woldest he dede by thyne.
The peyne thereof
let hyt be ser,
That he prentes
ful seven [g]er,
[G]ef he forfete
yn eny of hem,
So y-chasted
thenne most he ben;
Ful mekele care
my[g]th ther begynne,
For suche a fowle
dedely synne.
Octavus punctus.
The eghte poynt,
he may be sure,
[G]ef thou hast
y-taken any cure,
Under thy mayster
thou be trwe,
For that pynt thou
schalt never arewe;
A trwe medyater
thou most nede be
To thy mayster,
and thy felows fre;
Do trwly
al....that thou my[g]th,
To both partyes,
and that ys good ry[g]th.
Nonus
punctus.
The nynthe poynt
we schul hym calle,
That he be stwarde
of oure halle,
Gef that ge ben yn
chambur y-fere,
Uchon serve other,
with mylde chere;
Jentul felows, ge
moste hyt knowe,
For to be stwardus
alle o rowe,
Weke after weke
withoute dowte,
Stwardus to ben so
alle abowte,
Lovelyche to
serven uchon othur,
As thawgh they
were syster and brother;
Ther schal never
won on other costage
Fre hymself to no
vantage,
But every mon
schal be lyche fre
Yn that costage,
so moste hyt be;
Loke that thou pay
wele every mon algate,
That thou hsat y-bow[g]ht
any vytayles ate,
That no cravynge
be y-mad to the,
Ny to thy felows,
yn no degré,
To mon or to
wommon, whether he be,
Pay hem wel and
trwly, for that wol we;
Therof on thy
felow trwe record thou take,
For that good pay
as thou dost make,
Lest hyt wolde thy
felowe schame,
Any brynge thyself
ynto gret blame.
[G]et good
acowntes he most make
Of suche godes as
he hath y-take,
Of thy felows
goodes that thou hast spende,
Wher, and how, and
to what ende;
Suche acowntes
thou most come to,
Whenne thy felows
wollen that thou do.
Decimus
punctus.
The tenthe poynt
presentyeth wel god lyf,
To lyven withoute
care and stryf;
For and the mason
lyve amysse,
And yn hys werk be
false, y-wysse,
And thorw[g] suche
a false skewysasyon
May sclawndren hys
felows oute reson,
Throw[g] false
sclawnder of suche fame
May make the craft
kachone blame.
[G]ef he do the
craft suche vylany,
Do hym no favour
thenne securly.
Ny maynteine not
hym yn wyked lyf,
Lest hyt wolde
turne to care and stryf;
But get hym [g]e
schul not delayme,
But that [g]e
schullen hym constrayne,
For to apere
whersevor [g]e wylle,
Whar that [g]e
wolen, lowde, or stylle;
To the nexte semblé
[g]e schul hym calle,
To apere byfore
hys felows alle,
And but [g]ef he
wyl byfore hem pere,
The crafte he
moste nede forswere;
He schal thenne be
chasted after the lawe
That was y-fownded
by olde dawe.
Punctus
undecimus.
The eleventhe
poynt ys of good dyscrecyoun,
As [g]e mowe knowe
by good resoun;
A mason, and he
thys craft wel con,
That sy[g]th hys
felow hewen on a ston,
And ys yn poynt to
spylle that ston,
Amende hyt sone, [g]ef
that thou con,
And teche hym
thenne hyt to amende,
That the l(ordys)
werke be not y-schende,
And teche hym
esely hyt to amende,
With fayre wordes,
that God the hath lende;
For hys sake that
sytte above,
With swete wordes
noresche hym love.
Punctus
duodecimus.
The twelthe poynt
of gret ryolté,
Ther as the semblé
y-hole schal be,
Ther schul be
maystrys and felows also,
And other grete
lordes mony mo;
There schal be the
scheref of that contré,
And also the meyr
of that syté,
Kny[g]tes and
sqwyers ther schul be,
And other
aldermen, as [g]e schul se;
Suche ordynance as
they maken there,
They schul maynté
hyt hol y-fere
A[g]eynus that mon,
whatsever he be,
That longuth to
the craft bothe fayr and fre.
[G]ef he any stryf
a[g]eynus hem make,
Ynto here warde he
schal be take.
xiijus punctus.
The threnteth
poynt ys to us ful luf.
He schal swere
never to be no thef,
Ny soker hym yn
hys fals craft,
For no good that
he hath byraft,
And thou mowe hyt
knowe or syn,
Nowther for hys
good, ny for hys kyn.
xiiijus
punctus.
The fowrtethe
poynt ys ful good lawe
To hym that wold
ben under awe;
A good trwe othe
he most ther swere
To hys mayster and
hys felows that ben there;
He most be
stedefast and trwe also
To alle thys
ordynance, whersever he go,
And to hys lyge
lord the kynge,
To be trwe to hym,
over alle thynge.
And alle these
poyntes hyr before
To hem thou most
nede by y-swore,
And alle schul
swere the same ogth
Of the masonus, be
they luf, ben they loght,
To alle these
poyntes hyr byfore,
That hath ben
ordeynt by ful good lore.
And they schul
enquere every mon
On his party, as
wyl as he con,
[G]ef any mon mowe
be y-fownde gulty
Yn any of these
poyntes spesyaly;
And whad he be,
let hym be sow[g]ht,
And to the sembl&3233;
let hym be brow[g]ht.
Quindecimus
punctus.
The fiftethe poynt
ys of ful good lore,
For hem that schul
ben ther y-swore,
Suche ordyance at
the semblé wes layd
Of grete lordes
and maystres byforesayd;
For thelke that be unbuxom,
y-wysse,
A[g]eynus the
ordynance that ther ysse
Of these artyculus,
that were y-meved there,
Of grete lordes
and masonus al y-fere.
And [g]ef they ben
y-preved opunly
Byfore that semblé,
by an by,
And for here
gultes no mendys wol make,
Thenne most they
nede the crafy forsake;
And so masonus
craft they schul refuse,
And swere hyt
never more for to use.
But [g]ef that
they wol mendys make,
A[g]ayn to the
craft they schul never take;
And [g]ef that
they nul not do so,
The scheref schal
come hem sone to,
And putte here
bodyes yn duppe prison,
For the trespasse
that they hav y-don,
And take here
goodes and here cattelle
Ynto the kynges
hond, everyt delle,
And lete hem
dwelle ther full stylle,
Tyl hyt be oure
lege kynges wylle.
Alia
ordinacio artis gematriae.
They ordent ther a
semblé to be y-holde
Every [g]er,
whersever they wolde,
To amende the
defautes, [g]ef any where fonde
Amonge the craft
withynne the londe;
Uche [g]er or
thrydde [g]er hyt schuld be holde,
Yn every place
whersever they wolde;
Tyme and place
most be ordeynt also,
Yn what place they
schul semble to.
Alle the men of
craft tehr they most ben,
And other grete
lordes, as [g]e mowe sen,
To mende the
fautes that buth ther y-spoke,
[G]ef that eny of
hem ben thenne y-broke.
Ther they schullen
ben alle y-swore,
That longuth to
thys craftes lore,
To kepe these
statutes everychon,
That ben y-ordeynt
by kynge Aldelston;
These statutes
that y have hyr y-fonde
Y chulle they ben
holde thro[g]h my londe,
For the worsche of
my ry[g]olté,
That y have by my dygnyté.
Also at every
semblé that [g]e holde,
That ge come to [g]owre
lyge kyng bolde,
Bysechynge hym of
hys hye grace,
To stonde with [g]ow
yn every place,
To conferme the
statutes of kynge Adelston,
That he ordeydnt
to thys craft by good reson,
Ars quatuor coronatorum.
Pray we now to God
almy[g]ht,
And to hys moder
Mary bry[g]ht,
That we mowe keepe
these artyculus here,
And these poynts
wel al y-fere,
As dede these holy
martyres fowre,
That yn thys craft
were of gret honoure;
They were as gode
masonus as on erthe schul go,
Gravers and ymage-makers
they were also.
For they were
werkemen of the beste,
The emperour hade
to hem gret luste;
He wylned of hem a
ymage to make,
That mow[g]h be
worscheped for his sake;
Suche mawmetys he
hade yn hys dawe,
To turne the pepul
from Crystus lawe.
But they were
stedefast yn Crystes lay,
And to here craft,
withouten nay;
They loved wel God
and alle hys lore,
And weren yn hys
serves ever more.
Trwe men they were
yn that dawe,
And lyved wel y
Goddus lawe;
They tho[g]ght no
mawmetys for to make,
For no good that
they my[g]th take,
To levyn on that
mawmetys for here God,
They nolde do so
thaw[g] he were wod;
For they nolde not
forsake here trw fay,
An beyleve on hys
falsse lay.
The emperour let
take hem sone anone,
And putte hem ynto
a dep presone;
The sarre he
penest hem yn that plase,
The more yoye wes
to hem of Cristus grace.
Thenne when he sye
no nother won,
To dethe he lette
hem thenne gon;
Whose wol of here
lyf [g]et mor knowe,
By the bok he may
kyt schowe,
In the legent of
scanctorum,
The name of
quatour coronatorum.
Here fest wol be,
withoute nay,
After Alle Halwen
the eyght day.
[G]e mow here as y
do rede,
That mony [g]eres
after, for gret drede
That Noees flod
wes alle y-ronne,
The tower of
Babyloyne was begonne,
Also playne werke
of lyme and ston,
As any mon schulde
loke uppon;
So long and brod
hyt was begonne,
Seven myle the
he[g]ghte schadweth the sonne.
King Nabogodonosor
let hyt make,
To gret strenthe
for monus sake,
Tha[g]gh suche a
flod a[g]ayne schulde come,
Over the werke hyt
schulde not nome;
For they hadde so
hy pride, with stronge bost,
Alle that werke
therfore was y-lost;
An angele smot hem
so with dyveres speche,
That never won
wyste what other schuld reche.
Mony eres after,
the goode clerk Euclyde
Ta[g]ghte the
craft of gemetré wonder wyde,
So he ded that
tyme other also,
Of dyvers craftes
mony mo.
Thro[g]gh hye
grace of Crist yn heven,
He commensed yn
the syens seven;
Dialetica the
secunde, so have y blysse,
Rethorica the
thrydde, withoute nay,
Musica ys the
fowrth, as y [g]ow say,
Astromia ys the v,
by my snowte,
Arsmetica the vi,
withoute dowte
Gemetria the
seventhe maketh an ende,
For he ys bothe
make and hende,
Gramer forsothe ys
the rote,
Whose wyl lurne on
the boke;
But art passeth yn
hys degré,
As the fryte doth
the rote of the tre;
Rethoryk metryth
with orne speche amonge,
And musyke hyt ys
a swete song;
Astronomy nombreth,
my dere brother,
Arsmetyk scheweth
won thyng that ys another,
Gemetré the
seventh syens hyt ysse,
That con deperte
falshed from trewthe y-wys.
These bene the
syens seven,
Whose useth hem
wel, he may han heven.
Now dere chyldren,
by [g]owre wytte,
Pride and covetyse
that [g]e leven, hytte,
And taketh hede to
goode dyscrecyon,
And to good norter,
whersever [g]e com.
Now y pray [g]ow
take good hede,
For thys [g]e most
kenne nede,
But much more [g]e
moste wyten,
Thenne [g]e fynden
hyr y-wryten.
[G]ef the fayle
therto wytte,
Pray to God to
send the hytte;
For Crist hymself,
he techet ous
That holy churche
ys Goddes hous,
That ys y-mad for
nothynge ellus
but for to pray yn,
as the bok tellus;
Ther the pepul
schal gedur ynne,
To pray and wepe
for here synne.
Loke thou come not
to churche late,
For to speke
harlotry by the gate;
Thenne to churche
when thou dost fare,
Have yn thy mynde
ever mare
To worschepe thy
lord God bothe day and ny[g]th,
With all thy
wyttes, and eke thy my[g]th.
To the churche
dore when tou dost come,
Of that holy water
ther sum thow nome,
For every drope
thou felust ther
Qwenchet a venyal
synne, be thou ser.
But furst thou
most do down thy hode,
For hyse love that
dyed on the rode.
Into the churche
when thou dost gon,
Pulle uppe thy
herte to Crist, anon;
Uppon the rode
thou loke uppe then,
And knele down
fayre on bothe thy knen;
Then pray to hym
so hyr to worche,
After the lawe of
holy churche,
For to kepe the
comandementes ten,
That God [g]af to
alle men;
And pray to hym
with mylde steven
To kepe the from
the synnes seven,
That thou hyr mowe,
yn thy lyve,
Kepe the wel from
care and stryve,
Forthermore he
grante the grace,
In heven blysse to
hav a place.
In holy churche
lef nyse wordes
Of lewed speche,
and fowle bordes,
And putte away
alle vanyté,
And say thy pater
noster and thyn ave;
Loke also thou
make no bere,
But ay to be yn
thy prayere;
[G]ef thou wolt
not thyselve pray,
Latte non other
mon by no way.
In that place
nowther sytte ny stonde,
But knele fayre
down on the gronde,
And, when the
Gospel me rede schal,
Fayre thou stonde
up fro the wal,
And blesse the
fayre, [g]ef that thou conne,
When gloria tibi
is begonne;
And when the
gospel ys y-done,
A[g]ayn thou
my[g]th knele adown;
On bothe thy knen
down thou falle,
For hyse love that
bow[g]ht us alle;
And when thou
herest the belle rynge
To that holy
sakerynge,
Knele [g]e most,
bothe [g]yn[g]e and olde,
And bothe [g]or
hondes fayr upholde,
And say thenne yn
thys manere,
Fayr and softe,
withoute bere;
"Jhesu Lord,
welcom thou be,
Yn forme of bred,
as y the se.
Now Jhesu, for
thyn holy name,
Schulde me from
synne and schame,
Schryff and hosel
thou grant me bo,
[G]er that y schal
hennus go,
And vey contrycyon
of my synne,
Tath y never,
Lord, dye therynne;
And, as thou were
of a mayde y-bore,
Sofre me never to
be y-lore;
But when y schal
hennus wende,
Grante me the
blysse withoute ende;
Amen! amen! so mot
hyt be!
Now, swete lady,
pray for me."
Thus thou my[g]ht
say, or sum other thynge,
When thou knelust
at the sakerynge.
For covetyse after
good, spare thou nought
To worschepe hym
that alle hath wrought;
For glad may a mon
that day ben,
That onus yn the
day may hym sen;
Hyt ys so muche
worthe, withoute nay,
The vertu therof
no mon telle may;
But so meche good
doth that syht,
As seynt Austyn
telluth ful ryht,
That day thou syst
Goddus body,
Thou schalt have
these, ful securly:-
Mete and drynke at
thy nede,
Non that day schal
the gnede;
Ydul othes, an
wordes bo,
God for[g]eveth
the also;
Soden deth, that
ylke day,
The dar not drede
by no way;
Also that day, y
the plyht,
Thou schalt not
lese thy eye syht;
And uche fote that
thou gost then,
That holy syht for
to sen,
They schul be told
to stonde yn stede,
When thou hast
therto gret nede;
That messongere,
the angele Gabryelle,
Wol kepe hem to
the ful welle.
From thys mater
now y may passe,
To telle mo medys
of the masse:
To churche come [g]et,
[g]ef thou may,
And here thy masse
uche day;
[G]ef thou mowe
not come to churche,
Wher that ever
thou doste worche,
When thou herest
to masse knylle,
Pray to God with
herte stylle,
To [g]eve the part
of that servyse,
That yn churche
ther don yse.
Forthermore [g]et,
y wol [g]ow preche
To [g]owre felows,
hyt for to teche,
When thou comest
byfore a lorde,
Yn halle, yn bowre,
or at the borde,
Hod or cappe that
thou of do,
[G]er thou come
hym allynge to;
Twyes or thryes,
without dowte,
To that lord thou
moste lowte;
With thy ry[g]th
kne let hyt be do,
Thyn owne
worschepe tou save so.
Holde of thy cappe,
and hod also,
Tyl thou have leve
hyt on to do.
Al the whyle thou
spekest with hym,
Fayre and
lovelyche bere up thy chyn;
So, after the
norter of the boke,
Yn hys face lovely
thou loke.
Fot and hond, thou
kepe ful stylle
From clawynge and
trypynge, ys sckylle;
From spyttynge and
snyftynge kepe the also,
By privy avoydans
let hyt go.
And [g]ef that
thou be wyse and felle,
Thou hast gret
nede to governe the welle.
Ynto the halle
when thou dost wende,
Amonges the
genteles, good and hende,
Presume not to hye
for nothynge,
For thyn hye blod,
ny thy connynge,
Nowther to sytte,
ny to lene,
That ys norther
good and clene.
Let not thy
cowntenans therfore abate,
Forsothe, good
norter wol save thy state.
Fader and moder,
whatsever they be,
Wel ys the chyld
that wel may the,
Yn halle, yn
chamber, wher thou dost gon;
Gode maneres maken
a mon.
To the nexte degré
loke wysly,
To do hem reverans
by and by;
Do hem [g]et no
reverans al o-rowe,
But [g]ef that
thou do hem know.
To the mete when
thou art y-sette,
Fayre and
onestelyche thou ete hytte;
Fyrst loke that
thyn honden be clene,
And that thy knyf
be scharpe and kene;
And kette thy bred
al at thy mete,
Ry[g]th as hyt may
be ther y-ete.
[G]ef thou sytte
by a worththyur mon.
Then thy selven
thou art won,
Sofre hym fyrst to
toyche the mete,
[G]er thyself to
hyt reche.
To the fayrest
mossel thou my[g]ht not strike,
Thaght that thou
do hyt wel lyke;
Kepe thyn hondes,
fayr and wel,
From fowle
smogynge of thy towel;
Theron thou schalt
not thy nese snyte,
Ny at the mete thy
tothe thou pyke;
To depe yn the
coppe thou my[g]ght not synke,
Thagh thou have
good wyl to drynke,
Lest thyn enyn
wolde wattryn therby_
Then were hyt no
curtesy
Loke yn thy mowth
ther be no mete,
When thou
begynnyst to drynke or speke.
When thou syst any
mon drynkynge,
That taketh hed to
thy carpynge,
Sone anonn thou
sese thy tale,
Whether he drynke
wyn other ale.
Loke also thou
scorne no mon,
Yn what degré
thou syst hym gon;
Ny thou schalt no
mon deprave,
[G]ef thou wolt
thy worschepe save;
For suche worde
my[g]ht ther outberste,
That myg[h]t make
the sytte yn evel reste,
Close thy honde yn
thy fyste,
And kepe the wel
from "had-y-wyste."
Yn chamber amonge
the ladyes bryght,
Holde thy tonge
and spende thy syght;
Law[g]e thou not
with no gret cry,
Ny make no ragynge
with rybody.
Play thou not buyt
with thy peres,
Ny tel thou not al
that thou heres;
Dyskever thou not
thyn owne dede,
For no merthe, ny
for no mede;
With fayr speche
thou myght have thy wylle,
With hyt thou
myght thy selven spylle.
When thou metyst a
worthy mon,
Cappe and hod thou
holle not on;
Yn churche, yn
chepyns, or yn the gate,
Do hym revera(n)s
after hys state.
[G]ef thou gost
with a worthyor mon
Then thyselven
thou art won,
Let thy forther
schulder sewe hys backe,
For that ys norter
withoute lacke;
When he doth speke,
holte the stylle,
When he hath don,
sey for thy wylle;
Yn thy speche that
thou be felle,
And what thou
sayst avyse the welle;
But byref thou not
hym hys tale,
Nowther at the wyn,
ny at the ale.
Cryst then of hys
hye grace,
[G]eve [g]ow bothe
wytte and space,
Wel thys boke to
conne and rede,
Heven to have for
[g]owre mede.
Amen! amen! so mot
hyt be!
Say we so all per
charyté.
D.T.
Zangari
Copyright © 2000-2002
Baron Steuben Lodge #264
All rights reserved
Revised: March 30, 2008