Piers Plowman - Maybe You Like It

12.064: "Clergie and kynde wit cometh of sighte and techyng,
12.065: As the Book bereth witnesse to burnes that kan rede:
12.065: Quod scimus loquimur, quod vidimus testamur.
12.066: Of quod scimus cometh clergie, a konnynge of hevene,
12.067: And of quad vidimus cometh kynde wit, of sighte of diverse
peple.
12.068: Ac grace is a gifte of God, and of greet love spryngeth;
12.069: Knew nevere clerk how it cometh forth, ne kynde wit the weyes:
12.069: Nescit aliquis unde venit aut quo vadit &c.
12.070: "Ac yet is clergie to comende, and kynde wit bothe,
12.071: And namely clergie for Cristes love, that of clergie is roote.
12.072: For Moyses witnesseth that God wroot for to wisse the peple
12.073: In the Olde Lawe, as the lettre telleth, that was the lawe of Jewes,
12.074: That what womman were in avoutrye taken, were she riche or
poore,
12.075: With stones men sholde hir strike. and stone hire to dethe.
12.076: A womman, as we fynden, was gilty of that dede;
12.077: Ac Crist of his curteisie thorugh clergie hir saved.
12.078: For thorugh caractes that Crist wroot, the Jewes knewe hemselve
12.079: Giltier as afore God and gretter in synne
12.080: Than the womman that there was, and wenten awey for shame.
12.081: The clergie that there was conforted the womman.
12.082: Holy Kirke knoweth this — that Cristes writyng saved;
12.083: So clergie is confort to creatures that repenten,
12.084: And to mansede men meschief at hire ende.
12.085: "For Goddes body myghte noght ben of breed withouten clergie,
12.086: The which body is bothe boote to the rightfulle,
12.087: And deeth and dampnacion to hem that deyeth yvele;
12.088: As Cristes caracte confortede and bothe coupable shewed
12.089: The womman that the Jewes broughte, that Jesus thoughte to
save:
12.089: Nolite iudicare et non iudicabimini.
12.090: Right so Goddes body, bretheren, but it be worthili taken,
12.091: Dampneth us at the day of dome as dide the caractes the Jewes.
12.092: "Forthi I counseille thee for Cristes sake. clergie that thow lovye,
12.093: For kynde wit is of his kyn and neighe cosynes bothe
12.094: To Oure Lord, leve me — forthi love hem, I rede.
12.095: For bothe ben as mirours to amenden oure det-autes,
12.096: And lederes for lewed men and for lettred bothe.
12.097: "Forthi lakke thow nevere logik, lawe ne hise custumes,
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