Robert of Brunne's "Handlyng synne".

[The Fourth Commandment. [Quartum mandatum ¶ Honora patrem & ma|trem, vt sis longeuus D.] ]

The fourþe comaundment ys, "oure Fadyr & modyr we shal [þou schalt D.] honoure." Certys þe chylde trespasyþ ful yl [doþ ful ille D.] Þat wyl [wyle O.] nat do þe fadrys wyl; Line 1060 Þe chylde owyþ hys wyl al [to D.] do, But dedly synne be þar-vnto; [þerto D.] For god forbedeþ swych synne algate, For loue, or for [O omits 'for.'] drede, erly or [Not to do . erly ne D.] late. Line 1064 Ellys yn al þyng [þynge O.] þat we [al þat euere þou D.] may, [folio 8a] Fadyr & modyr wurschype [wrshepe O.] we ay. [ay and glossed 'euere' in O, D om. we.]

Ȝyf þou euer, yn euyl wetand [ȝif ony man in euyl euere wetende D.] , Line 1067 On fadyr or modyr leydest þyn [leyd on D.] hand,

Hyt ys comaunded yn sum lawe [lawhe D.] þat swych men shulde be doun o dawe. [a man schulde be slawe D.] Vnneþys shuld þey mercy [mercy shulde þey O, Vnneþe mercy schulde he D.] fynde, Line 1071 For swyche a chylde ys kalled vnkynde; [on kynde D.] No bysshope may ȝyue þerfore [þer of O, þe byschop þerof may not ȝeue doom D.] dome But þe pope of þe court [curte O, pope of gret Rome D.] of Rome.

Ȝyf þou were euer [& ȝif ony be D.] so felun To ȝyue fadyr or modyr þy [her D.] malysun, Line 1076 Or stonde [stant D.] aȝens hem yn answere, And wldest nat [or wil not D.] bowë ne forbere, Þou hast synned þan dedly, To endëles penaunce wurþy, [wrþy O, & endeles pyne art wurþi D.] Line 1080 But sonë þou þer-of þe [þer of þou þe O, þou þerof Harl., þou þer-of þe clene D.] shryue And be bowyng yn [& to hem bowe þ^e D.] al þy lyue.

Ȝyf þy fadyr or modyr bydde [ȝif fader or moder D.] þe ouȝt do, And þou wylt nat bleþly [blely O, woldist nat wende D.] þarto Line 1084 By [Be OD.] þy wyl, but euer [euere O, om. D.] gruchande, Þou shalt weyl [þer of wel D.] vndyrstande, Þat, þogh þou do forþe þy [alþowh þou do it in D.] dede, Þat synne ys mochë for [ȝit þ. s. mechil is D.] to drede. Line 1088 Þou oghtyst [owyst D.] to bere penaunce grym, For þou greuyst a lytyl [a litil greuedyst D.] hym. with al þy myght, and [in D.] ryȝt gode wyl, Þy fadrys [fadyrs O.] byddyng [faderys entent D.] þou shalt fulfyl. Line 1092

Ȝyf fadyr or modyr falle [fallyn D.] yn elde, And noþer [þat neyþer D.] , for pouert [pouerte O.] , may hem self [hym selfe O, hem be D.] welde, Here chyldryn are holdë þan, þurgh [arn holde be D.] ryȝt, To susteyn [susteyne O.] hem at alle [al O, after her D.] here myght. Line 1096

Line 1096 Ȝyf þey se [& þei sen D.] hem so at mysese And þey may lyuë wel [weyl O, moun lyuyn wel at here D.] at ese, But þey help hem, [hem helpe OD.] þey are [arn D.] to blame And wrþy to haue wrldës [wrldys O, & were wurþi worldys D.] shame. Line 1100 Þoght [þoghe O, þowh þei han to D.] þey hauë þe mysdoun, Þou shalt nát fynde [fynde none OD (eschesoun D).] enchesoun Þat þyn help [helpe O, þi helpe be not fro D.] be fro hem went, [folio 8a:2] For hyt [it D (om. For).] were aȝens þe comaundment. Line 1104

Y se men þat purchasours [I se pourchasourys in labour D.] are, Þat coueyte catel with sorwe & kare Here chyldryn godë for [& for her childryn good D.] to wynne, And here [þowh her D.] soulës synke for synne. Line 1108

And oþer men also y [many men now I D.] see, Þat ȝyue here chyldryn boþe lond & [ȝeuyn here childryn good in D.] fee For to fynde hem [to fyndyn hem her D (om. For).] sustynaunce yn here age [her elde D.] , for allë [al O, alle D.] chaunce. Line 1112 Þo men, me þynkeþ, most [gretly D.] mysdo, Þat ȝyue here godë fro hem so; [ȝeuyþ her lond so hem fro D.] Hyt were [ȝyt were hem OD.] bettyr holde here land, [better to here lond D.] Þan begge hyt at a-nouþers hand: [a noþer hond D.] Line 1116 Men wexen sone sadde of hem þat [orkyn soone with hem to D.] craue When þey weyl wete þat þey naght [þat wetyn wel þei no good D.] haue. By a tale, y shal ȝou mone, [warne] Þat fyl betwyx þe fadyr & þe [be-twen þe good man & his D.] sone. Line 1120

[The Tale of the Fond Father.]

Of a man þat sum tyme was, [A tale.] y shal [I wil D.] ȝou telle a lytyl pas. Of hys sone [child D.] he was gelous, Line 1123

Line 1123 And ȝaue hym alle [al OD.] hys land & hous, And al hys catel in toune & felde, þat he shulde kepe hym wel [weyl O, schulde hym ȝeuyn D.] yn hys elde. Þys ȝong man wax fast [faste O, wex (om. faste) D.] , & was iolyfe, hys cunseyl was [ȝaf O.] to take a wyfe; Line 1128 he weddyd one, & broght here home with alle þe [O omits 'þe.'] myrþe þat þerto come; [al mery he spak to hir & com D.] He badde here fyrst, [O inserts 'boþe;' bad of . . . boþe D.] loude and stylle, Line 1131 To serue [servyn (om. weyl) D.] hys fadyr weyl at hys wylle. Sone aftyrwarde, [after þat D.] þys ȝongë man, Hys herte, hys [he his D.] þoght, chaunge began; Tendrere he was of wyfe and chylde, Line 1135 Þan to hys fadyr oþer [om. oþer D.] meke or mylde. Of o day, he [hym OD.] þoght [four or] fyue; [iiij or fyue D.] Long [Longe O.] hym þoght hys fadyr a-lyue; And euery day, boþe þe toon and þe toþer, [day after oþer D.] Serued hym weyl wers þan oþer. [hym wers . & with wil loþer D.] Line 1140 Y trowe þys man, whan [I þouȝte . . qwan D.] he gan mone [folio 8b] For þoght þat [þat om. D.] he ȝaf so meche [moche O, meche D.] hys sone, Þys oldë man was broght so logh [brout . . . lowhe D.] Þat he lay ful colde besyde a wogh. [and lay . . be þe wowe D.] Line 1144 Þys oldë man, vp-on a day, Pleyned hym þat he coldë lay: "Sone," he seyde, "for goddys loue wrye [hyl D. (Wrye, A.S. wríhan, cover.)] me with sum cloþe aboue." Line 1148 Þe sone, þat was þe husband To whom was ȝyuë alle [al O, ȝowyn al his D.] þe land, Clepyd hys sone, [he callid his child D.] & bade hym take A sak [sake O.] of þo [his D.] þat he dede make, Line 1152 And badde hym turnë hyt tweyfolde [twofolde O, to fold D.]

And ley [leye O, leyn D.] hyt on hys fadyr for colde. Þe chylde [dede [dede D, om. HO.] ] as he bad hym do, Toke a sak [sake O.] & karf [karfe O.] hyt yn [he tok . . . on to D.] two. Line 1156 Hys fadyr spakë to hym ȝorne, [O. glossed 'vaste.' he seyde to þe child hym be-forn D.] "Sey, why hast þou þe [qwhy hast þou þus þis D.] sak shorne?" þe chylde answered hym [hym answerde D.] yn haste A wurdë þurgh þe holy gaste, [hely gast D.] Line 1160 "Þys dedë haue y do for þe; Gode ensample ȝyuyst [ȝyfst O, ȝeue D.] þou me How y shal serue þe yn þy [þyn O, þus schal I þe serue in þin D.] elde, whan þou, þy self, mayst nat [qwhan þou mayst not þe be D.] welde; Line 1164 Þys halfe sak [sake O.] shal lygge [lyn D.] þy fadyr aboue, And kepe þe touþer part [& I schal kepe þat oþer D.] to þy [þyn D.] behoue. [

D adds 2 lines:

þou must han nedis cloth & corn& I provyde for þe be-forn.

] Vnkyndly þou techyst me þe [lernyst me to be D.] gode; Of unkynde cumþ vnkyndë [onkynde . comyþ onkynde D.] blode." Line 1168

[

This example were good to knowe.boþe for þe hyȝe & lowhe D.

] Þys ensample were gode [is good D.] to kone, Boþe to þe fadyr & eke to [for þe fader & D.] þe sone. God ys noght payd, here [not plesyd as D.] we fynde, Þat þe sone to þe fadyr ys nat kynde. [þer þe . . . vnkynde D.] Line 1172 Þarfor spekþ [spekyþ O, seyth þe wyse D.] Salamon To fadrys & to husbandys echon, [euerychon.] 'Þe whylys þat ȝe may drawe ȝoure [ȝour O, qwhyl . . . ȝour ond D.] hand, Ne ȝyueþ neuer awey [ȝeue neuer a-wey al D.] ȝoure land, Line 1176 And make ȝoure [ȝow O, ȝour D.] self, sogettys to be [to be soget D.] To hem þat owyn ȝow seruee.' [serue O, to serue ȝow bet D. D again adds 2 lines: 'do be counseyl & make it sekyr; þat it be truly sauyd fro bekyr'; but then leaves out two, 1183-4, 'Ne þy . . a-ȝene.'] Anoþer wysdom a clerk vs telleþ, [folio 8b:2]

Senek, þat moche of wysdom spellyþ, [mechil of wysdam telliþ D.] 'Ne be þou neuere [Harl. omits 'neuere;' D omits 'Ne.'] yn swych errour Line 1181 To make þyn eyr þy secutour, [secatour D.] Ne þy sekutoure þy fysycyene, Yn hopë for to leue a-ȝene.' Line 1184 For þy þyng, þy [þynge þyn O, Of al þi good . þin D.] eyr seyþ þys, Þat byfore was þyn, he halt hyt hys; [al þat was or is . he tellith his D.] Þyn executure, [exekutour O, executour D.] to haue þy þyng, [þynge O, þing D.] wlde þat þou madyst þyn endyng. [endynge O, Wolde þou . . endyng D.] Line 1188

Þou owyst [owst O.] to do no þyng [þynge O, Do no þing lowd ne D.] stylle withoute leue of þy fadrys wylle; [D adds 2 more lines: þat is to seyn . tak þou no þing. with-out þi faderys byddyng.] Þat ys to seyë, [seyn D.] take no wyfe For to make betwyxe [betwen D.] ȝou stryfe; Line 1192 Ne no grete þyng [gret þynge O, gret þing D.] beye ne [beyȝe ne D.] selle Ȝyf þou vndyr hys gouernaunce [gouernayle O, kepyng D.] dwelle. To relygyun þou mayst [In-to religioun mayst þou D.] go withoutë cunseyl of any [ony D.] mo; Line 1196 And to [to þe OD.] holy land, ȝyf þou haue hyt hette; [ȝif þou it hete D.] Syb, ne vnsyb, may [ne may O.] hyt lette. [for sibbe ne frend schalt þou not lete D.]

A clerk þat folylyche [þe clerk seiþ . he þat folyly D.] dyspendyth þe godys þat hysfadyr hymȝyueþ [ȝyfþ O.] or sendyþ, And wyl [wyle O.] nat ȝyue hym for to lere Line 1201 Clergye ne [er D.] craft, or ouþer mystere, wykkedlyche al þat gode he dyspendyþ [stelyþ O, þat good þou stelyst wikkydly I gesse D.] þat hys fadyr for godenesse spelyþ. [godenes. þat þi fader spendith for þi good|nesse D.] Line 1204 To hard a-cuncte [acomptis D.] shall he be sette At hys endyng, whan he shal be [qwan he is D.] fette, Þat so hys tyme haþ al forlore, [haþ for-lorn D.] Line 1207

Line 1207 And aȝens hys fadyr so hym mysbore, [so mys born D.] But [But ȝyf O.] he ȝelde hym, ȝyf þat [it ȝif D.] he may, Or preye for hym boþe nyght and day; For ȝyf þou mayst, & wylt noght, [& ȝif þou may & wil not D.] Þou art yn weye to peyne [to þe pyne D.] be broght. Line 1212

For a-noþer also [also om. D.] þou mayst be shent: Ȝyf þou destroblyst [desturblyst O, distourble D.] here testament Yn here lyfe, or aftyr here [þe D.] ded, Line 1215 with powere [power or ȝyfte O, power ȝifte D.] or ȝyft, cunseyl or rede, Þou hast trespast apertly [trespasyd a gret party D.] [folio 9a] Aȝens þys cómaundment so hy. Of alle wykked men þat men [alle men þat wikkid we D.] calle, [nota bene] Þe fals executours be [arn D.] werst of alle; Line 1220 For þey ne reche [rekke not D.] how þe soulë fare, [vare O.] And mennys owne eyres [chyldyr O, & her owyn childryn D.] , werst with hem are.

y tolde erwhyle, [erwhyl O, qwhyle qwy D.] for no socour Þou make [mak þou not D.] þyn eyre þyn executour; Line 1224 For alle þat was langere [longe D.] þy catel, he halt [now he holdiþ D.] hyt hys, euery deyl. [euerydel O.] 'Loue þou þy chyldyr out of wytte; Trust to hem, and helples sytte.' Line 1228 Ouþer ensample nedyþ þe noun [thore ȝe non D.] take; what dost [duste O, qwat dost D.] þou for þy fadrys sake, Ȝyt shal þy sone do for þe, les; For euer [euer O.] þe lastë, þe werst es. [is the werse D.] Line 1232 On hem y rede þyn herte so [hym . . þou D.] kest, Þat þou louë þy self [þe selfe O, loue þi self . & þi god best D.] best; Loue so þy chyldyr, loue so [loue þou childryn & loue D.] þy wyff, [wyffe O.]

Þat þou saue þe, boþe [þou loue boþe þi D.] soule & lyff. [lyffe.] Line 1236 Loue fadyr & modyr, þat þe forþe [furþ O, forth D.] brouȝt, Þenk on þat loue whan þey may nouȝt. [her loue qwan þei moun nat D.]

Seynt poule þat sagh [Poule saw D.] goddys pryuyte, he [& D.] seyþ yn hys autoryte Line 1240 A feyrë wurd [feyr wrde O, fayr wurd D.] vs for to saue, And specyaly to hem [þo D.] þat chyldryn [chyldyr O.] haue: He seyþ "be ȝe neuer so fole hardy To curse [kurse O, waryen D.] ȝoure chyldryn byttyrly; Line 1244 Ne greuusly, for lytyl [no D.] trespas, Betechë hem [be-take hem not D.] to satanas." Moche ys ȝour malysun [mechil is ȝoure maleys for D.] to drede; Curseþ hem noght; [cursith not D.] y ȝow forbede. Line 1248 Oft [Ofte O.] haue men boþe herde & see [Oftyn man hau herd & sen D.] Þat moche veniaunce þerfor haþ bee. [mechil . . . ben D (om. þat).]

For to leue ȝoure cursyng [ȝour cursynge O, ȝoure bannyng D.] bolde, [A tale.] Y shal ȝow telle what [þat D.] me was tolde Line 1252 Of a prest þat sagh and fonde [saw & fond D.] Þys chauncë yn [be-fil in D.] þe holy londe.

[The Tale of the Mother who curst her Child.]

A womman on a day ful raþe Line 1255 Ȝede to a watyr here [hir D.] for to baþe, And to[ke] [bad D.] here doghtyr here cloþys to kepe, [cloþis kepe D.] And baddë here [bade here þat O, chargid hir D.] she shuld nat slepe; "But, as sone as y þe kalle, Be redy with my cloþys alle." Line 1260 whan [qwan D.] she was baþed, she kalled [calde O, callyd D (om. her).] here faste, And bade here brynge here cloþys [bad bryngyn hir cloþis to hir D.] yn haste.

Here douȝtyr was nat alle [not al D.] redy, Ne comë nat at here fyrst [& cam not at þe ferste D.] cry. Line 1264 Þe modyr þat sat in here baþ wax [wex D.] ful of ire and of wraþ, And cleþyd [clepede OD.] eft-sonys aftyr here, [. . hyre O, clepede hir hastyly D.] kursyng [Kursynge O.] with ryghte gretë yre, [waryed hir ful bitterly D.] Line 1268 And seyd, "þe devyl come on [sche seyde þe deuyl mote come with D.] þe, For, þou art nat redy to me." "And y am redy," seyd [þo seyde D.] þe deuyl, Line 1271 "To take þat þou me betaght [betakyst D.] with euyl." he flegh on herë [fley in-to hir D.] þere [þer.] she stode, And madë herë wytte [here of here wyt O, hir out of hir wit D.] al wode.

Þys godë man for a-nouþer þyng [made a gret spekyng D.] Tolde hyt oft [ofte.] yn hys prechyng, [þat non come nyȝe hire for no þing D.] Line 1276 Þat none durste speke with here syþyn But ȝyf [ȝyf om. D.] he werë clenë shryuyn; For [& D.] ȝyf he were yn dedely synne, Þe fendë [deuyl D.] þat was here with-ynne Line 1280 Made here seye hym so moche [dede hir seyn hym so mechil D.] shame Þat alle men wundred [þat alle wundredyn D.] on hys blame. And þat was preued with [be D.] many one Þat to þe holy lond was gone. Line 1284

Þerfore, ȝe chyldryn, before al þyng [þynge O, for alle þinge D.] Dredyþ ȝoure [ȝour O, ȝe D.] modrys warryng; [waryynge, glossed 'cursynge,' O; moderys waryynge D.] And, ȝe wyuys, þenkeþ on þys cas, werryþ nat [Waryyþ noghte O, waryyth not for a D.] for lytyl trespas. Line 1288 Þey þat wyl [wyle O, For ȝe þat wil D. D has in margin, 'be war of waryyng.'] gladly warye, hem warryþ [waryyþ O, warye hem D.] god & seynt marye. For ho-so haunteþ hyt [hauntyþ hyt O, it hawnte D.] comunly

Yn ernest [in sclaunder D.] or yn rybaudy, Line 1292 He shall haue warryng [waryynge O, warnyng fro (corr. from 'wary|yng') D.] for blysse, [folio 9b] And of ['his' inserted in a later hand.] blessyng shal he [he schal D.] mysse; [glost 'fayle' in MS.] And ho-so curseþ withoutyn [ho so warye with-out D.] gylt [gylte O.] Hyt shal on hys hede be pylt. [pylte O, spylt D. O. gloss 'caste.'] Line 1296 Curser[y]s yn alle [Kurserys yn al O, for waryerys in al D.] here lyue Shal [Shul O.] neuer haue grace for to [þei shul neuere han grace to D.] þryue; As þey vse, so shal hem [so schal þei D.] falle, For kursyng [kursynge O, waryyng (om. shal) D.] shal come on hem alle.

wurschepyþ ȝoure [ȝour O.] fadrys, & ȝoure fadrys ȝow, Þan queme ȝe God, and doun ȝoure [ȝour O.] prow. [honouriþ ȝoure fader & moder euene; þan plese ȝe god þat sit in heuene. D.] God ȝyue vs grace to oure endyng [endyngge O, endyng D.] To kepe [kepyn D.] vs fro modrys cursyng, [kursyngge O, waryyng D.] Line 1304 And oure [oure O.] fadrys so to queme; Þat goddys comaundement we may ȝeme. [goddis c. þat we may queme D.]