derknes ¶ For he þat is in helle haþt defaute of light material
¶ For certes þe
derke ligħt þat schal come out of þe fuyre þat euer schal brenne schal turne
him al to peyne ¶ þat is in helle ¶ For it scheweþ him to þe Orrible deueles
þat him tormenten
110
couered wiþ þe derknesse of deþ
ben þe synnes þat þe
wrecchede man haþ don whiche þat distourben him to se þe face of god
Rigħt as a derk clowde bitwixen hous and þe sonne
lond of myssese by
cause þat þer ben þre maneres of defautes aȝeins þre þinges þat folk of þis
world han in þis persent lyf þat is to say honoures delices and richesse
a-
ȝeins honour han þey in helle schame and confusioū
¶ For wel ȝe wite
þat men clepen honour þe reuerence þat men don to man ¶ But in helle
is non honour ne reuerence ¶ For certes nomore reuerence schal be do to a
king þan to a knaue
115
¶ For which god saiþ by þe propħe I erem ¶ Thilke folk
þat me despysen schuln ben in despite
¶ Honour is eek cleped gret wor-
schipe þer schal no wigħt seruen oþer ¶ But of harme and torment . honor
is eek cleped gret dignite and heighnesse ¶ But in helle schullen þey ben
alle fortroden of deueles
as god saiþ ¶ Þe Orrible deueles schuln gon &
comen vpon þe heedes of dampned folk ¶ And þis is for as meche as
þe heyer þat þey weren in þis persent lyff ; þe more schuln þey ben aba-
ted and defouled in helle
¶ Aȝeins þe riche of þis world schullen þey ha-
ue myseyse of pouerte and þis pouert schal be .iiij. þinges
¶ In defaute of tre-
sour of which Dauid saiþ ¶ The riche folk þat enbraceden and Oneden
in al here herte to tresour of þis world schullen slepe in þe slepyng of deþ
as no þing schuln þey fynden in here handes of aƚƚ here tresour
120
¶ And
more ouer þe myseyse of helle schal ben in defaute of mete & drinke
For god saiþ þus by moyses ¶ Þey schuln be wasted wiþ hunger and
þe briddes of helle schuln deuoure him wiþ bitter deþ and þe galle of
þe dragoū here morseƚƚ
and forþer ouer here mysayse schal ben in
defaute of cloþyng ¶ For þey schuln be naked in body as of cloþing saue
þe fuyre in whiche þey brenne and oþer filþes
and naked schuln þey ben
of soule of alle maner vertues which þat is þe cloþing of soule ¶ Where
be þenne þe gay robes and þe softe schetes and þe smale schertes .
lo what
saiþ god of hem by þe propħe . I saye ¶ That vnder hem schuln be strawed
mouthes ¶ And here couertours schuln ben of wormes of helle
125
¶ And furþer
ouer here mysayse schal ben in defaute of freendes ¶ For he is nought
pouere þat haþ goode freendes ¶ But þer is no freend
¶ For neiþer god
ne creature schal be frend to hem and euerych of hem schal haten oþer
wiþ dedly hate