The Ellesmere ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 589]

GROUP I. FRAGMENT X.

§ 1. THE BLANK-PARSON LINK.

[This is really a link between some unwritten Tale and the Parson's. It has been made into the Manciple-Parson Link (or Yeoman-Parson by the Christ-Church MS) by Chaucer's copiers, though not meant for it.]

¶ Heere folweth the Prologe / of the Persons tale . ELLESMERE MS. [folio 210a]

BY that the Manciple / hadde his tale al ended The sonne / fro the south lyne was descended So lowe / that he ne nas nat to my sighte Degrees / nyne and twenty / as in highte Line 4 Ten of the Clokke / it was tho / as I gesse ffor elleuene foot or litel moore / or lesse My shadwe was / at thilke tyme as there Of swiche feet as my lengthe parted were Line 8 In sixe feet equal / of proporcion Ther with / the Moones exaltacion I meene Libra / alwey gan ascende As we / were entryng at a Thropes ende Line 12 ¶ ffor which our hoost as he was wont to gye As in this caas / oure Ioly compaignye Seyde in this wise / lordynges euerichoon Now lakketh vs no tales / mo than oon Line 16 ffulfilled is my sentence / and my decree I trowe / that we han herd of ech degree Almoost fulfild is al myn ordinaunce I pray to god / so yeue hym right good chaunce Line 20 That telleth this tale / to vs lustily ¶ Sire preest quod he / artow a vicary Or arte a person / sey sooth by thy fey Be what thou be / ne breke thou nat oure pley Line 24

[6-text p 590] Line 24 ffor euery man saue thou / hath toold his tale Line 25 Vnbokele / and shewe vs what is in thy Male ffor trewely / me thynketh by thy cheere Thou sholdest knytte vp wel a greet mateere Line 28 Telle vs a fable anon / for Cokkes bones ¶ This Person answerde / al atones Thou getest fable noon / ytoold for me ffor Paul / that writeth vn-to Thymothee [¶ Paulus ad Thi|motheum.] Repreueth hem / that weyueth soothfastnesse And tellen fables / and swich wrecchednesse Why sholde I sowen / draf out of my fest Whan I may sowen whete / if þat me lest Line 36 ffor which I seye / if that yow list to heere Moralitee / and vertuous mateere And thanne / þat ye wol yeue me Audience I wol fayn / at Cristes reuerence Line 40 Do yow plesaunce / leefful as I kan But trusteth wel / I am a Southren man I kan nat geeste / Rum / Ram / Ruf / by lettre Ne god woot rym holde I but litel bettre Line 44 And therfore / if yow list I wol nat glose I wol yow telle / a myrie tale in prose To knytte vp al this feeste / and make an ende And Ihesu for his grace / wit me sende Line 48 To shewe yow the wey / in this viage [folio 210b] Of thilke parfit/ glorious pilgrymage That highte / Ierusalem celestial And if ye vouche sauf / anon I shal Line 52 Bigynne vp-on my tale / for which I preye Telle youre auys / I kan no bettre seye ¶ But nathelees / this meditacion I putte it ay / vnder correccion Line 56 Of Clerkes / for I am nat textueel I take but sentence / trusteth weel Therfore / I make a protestacion That I wol stonde to correccion Line 60

[6-text p 591] Line 60 ¶ Vp on this word / we han assented soone Line 61 ffor as vs semed / it was for to doone To enden / in som vertuous sentence And for to yeue hym space and audience Line 64 And bede oure hoost he sholde to hym seye That alle we / to telle his tale hym preye ¶ Oure hoost hadde the wordes for vs alle Sire preest quod he / now faire yow bifalle Line 68 Sey what yow list and we wol gladly heere And with that word / he seyde in this manere Telleth quod he / youre meditacioun But hasteth yow / the sonne wole adoun Line 72 Beth fructuous / and that in litel space And to do wel / god sende yow his grace Line 74

¶ Explicit/ prohemium .

[6-text p 593]

¶ Heere bigynneth / the Persouns tale .

[Ellesmere folio 210b]

[There are no paragraph-breaks in the MS, but Tyrwhitt's are kept in the print for convenience sake.]

¶ Ier. 6^o. State super vias & videte & interrogate de viis antiquis / que sit via bona / & ambulate in ea & in|uenietis refrigerium animabus vestris &c . .

[75]

Oure sweete lord god of heuene / that no man wole perisse / but wole that we comen alle to the knoweleche of hym / and the blissful lif / that is perdurable /. [76] amonesteth vs by the prophete Ieremie / and seith in this wyse / [77] ¶ Stondeth vpon the weyes / and seeth / and axeth of olde pathes / that is to seyn / of olde sentences / which is the goode wey / [78] and walketh in that wey / and ye shal fynde refresshynge for youre soules &c [79] ¶ Manye been the weyes espirituels that leden folk / to oure Lord Ihesu Crist. and to the regne of glorie / [80] Of whiche weyes / ther is a ful noble wey / and a couenable / which may nat fayle [folio 211a] to no man / ne to womman / that thurgh synne hath mysgoon fro the righte wey of Ierusalem celestial / [81] and this wey / is cleped Penitence / of which man sholde gladly herknen and [¶ Nota de penitence] enquere with al his herte / [82] to wyten what is Peni|tence / and whennes it is cleped Penitence / and in how manye maneres been the accions or werkynges of Penitence / [83] and how manye speces / ther been of Penitence / and whiche thynges apertenen and bihouen to Penitence / and whiche thynges / destourben Penitence /

[6-text p 594]

[84] ¶ Seint Ambrose seith / that Penitence / is the [¶ What Penitence is] pleynynge of man / for gilt þat he hath doon / and na|moore to do any thyng for which hym oghte to pleyne / [85] ¶ And som doctour seith / Penitence is the wayment|ynge of man / that sorweth for his synne / and pyneth hym self for he hath mysdoon [86] ¶ Penitence / with certeyne circumstances / is verray repentance of a man that halt hym self in sorwe / and oother peyne for hise giltes / [87] And for he shal be verray penitent. he shal first biwaylen the synnes that he hath doon and stidefastly purposen in his herte / to haue shrift of mouthe / and to doon satisfaccion [88] and neuere to doon thyng. for which hym oghte moore biwayle / or to compleyne / and con|tinue in goode werkes / or elles his repentance may nat auaille /. [89] ffor as seith seint Ysidre ¶ he is a Iaper and a gabber / and no verray repentant. that eftsoone dooth thyng. for which hym oghte repente /. [90] Wepynge / [¶ Nota] and nat for to stynt to synne / may nat auaylle [91] ¶ But nathelees / men shal hope /. that euery tyme þat man falleth / be it neuer so ofte / þat he may arise thurgh Peni|tence / if he haue grace /. but certeinly it is greet doute ‖ [92] ffor as seith Seint Gregorie / vnnethe ariseth he out [¶ Nota secundum sanctum Gregorium] of synne / that is charged with the charge of yuel vsage / [93] And therfore / repentant folk / þat stynte for to synne / and forlete synne / er þat synne forlete hem / hooly chirche / holdeth hem siker of hire sauacion /. [94] And he that synneth / and verraily repenteth hym in his laste /. hooly chirche yet hopeth his sauacion / by the grete mercy / of oure lord Ihesu Crist for his repentance but [tene certum] taak the siker wey /

[95] ¶ And now / sith I haue declared yow / what thyng is penitence / now shul ye vnderstonde / that ther been .iij. accions of Penitence / [96] ¶ The firste accion of [¶ The firste accioun of penitence] Penitence is / that a man be baptized after that he hath synned ‖. [97] Seint Augustyn seith ‖ but he be penytent [¶ Nota secundum sanctum Augustinum] for his olde synful lyf. he may nat bigynne / the newe

[6-text p 595] clene lif /. [98] for certes / if he be baptized / withouten penitence of his olde gilt he receyueth the mark of baptesme / but nat the grace / ne the remission of his synnes / til he haue repentance verray / [99] ¶ Another [¶ The .ij^de. accioun of penitence] defaute is this that men doon deedly synne / after þat they han receyued baptesme [100] ¶ The thridde defaute [¶ The .iij^de. accioun of penitence] is / that men fallen in venial synnes after hir baptesme / fro day to day [101] ¶ Ther of seith Seint Augustyn [¶ Augustinus] ¶ That penitence / of goode and humble folk /. is the penitence of euery day / [species]

[102] The speces of Penitence / been .iij. ¶ That oon [¶ Of .iij. speces of penaunce] of hem / is solempne ¶ Another is commune ¶ and the thridde is priuee [103] ¶ Thilke penance that is so|lempne [¶ Of penaunce solempne] is in two maneres /. As to be put out of hooly chirche in lente for slaughtre of children / and swich maner thyng [104] ¶ Another thyng is / Whan a man hath synned openly / of which synne / the fame is openly spoken in the contree / and thanne hooly chirche by Iugge|ment destreyneth hym / for to do open penaunce / [105] ¶ Commune penaunce is / that preestes enioynen men in [¶ Of commune penaunce] certeyn caas / as for to goon perauenture [folio 211b] / naked in pilgrimages / or bare foot [106] ¶ Pryuee penaunce is [¶ Of priuee penaunce] thilke / that men doon alday for priuee synnes / of whiche they shryue hem priuely and receyue priuee penance

[107] Now shaltow vnderstande / what is bihouely [¶ What is bihouely to perfit penitence] and necessarie / to verray perfit penitence /. And this stant on .iij. thynges ‖. [108] Contricioun of herte ‖. Con|fession of Mouth ¶ and Satisfaccion /. [109] ffor which / seith Seint Iohn Crisostom ¶ Penitence destreyneth a man [¶ Iohannes Crisostomus] to accepte benygnely euery peyne that hym is enioyned / with Contricion of herte and shrift of mouth / with satis|faccion / and in werkynge of alle manere humylitee / [110] and this is fruytful penitence agayn .iij. thynges in whiche [¶ Of iii thynges in whiche we wratthe oure lord Ihesu crist /] we wratthe oure lord Ihesu Crist ‖. [111] This is to seyn / by delit in thynkynge ¶ by reccheleesnesse in spekynge ‖. and by wikked synful werkynge ‖ [112] And agayns thise

[6-text p 596] wikkede giltes is Penitence that may be likned vn-to a tree / [¶ How penaunce may be likned to a tree.]

[113] The roote of this tree / is Contricion / that hideth hym in the herte / of hym þat is verray repentant. right as the roote of a tree hydeth hym in the erthe [114] ¶ Of the roote of Contricion spryngeth a stalke that bereth braunches and leues of Confession / and fruyt of satisfaccion [115] ¶ ffor which Crist seith in his gospel /. dooth digne fruyt of [¶ dominus in Euaungelio.] Penitence /. for by this fruyt may men knowe this tree / and nat by the roote / that is hyd / in the herte of man / ne by the braunches / ne by the leues of Confession [116] And therfore / oure Lord Ihesu Crist / seith thus /. by the fruyt of hem / ye shul knowen hem [117] ¶ Of this [¶ Of a seed þat spryngeþ of Contricioun] roote eek spryngeth a seed a grace / the which seed / is mooder of sikernesse / and this seed / is egre and hoot [118] the grace of this seed / spryngeth of god thurgh re|membrance of the day of doome / and on the peynes of helle [119] ¶ Of this matere seith Salomon That in the [¶ Salomoun] drede of god / man forleteth his synne [120] ¶ The heete [¶ Of the heete of this seede] of this seed / is the loue of god / and the desiryng of the ioye perdurable [121] This heete / draweth the herte of a man to god / and dooth hym haten his synne / [122] for soothly / ther is no thyng that sauoureth so wel to a child / as the Milk of his Norice / ne no thyng moore abhom|ynable than thilke Milk whan it is medled with oother mete [123] Right so the synful man that loueth [¶ Nota exemplum.] his synne / hym semeth / that it is to him moost sweete of any thyng. [124] but fro that tyme / that he loueth sadly oure lord Ihesu crist. and desireth the lif perdurable / ther nys to him no thyng moore abhomynable / [125] for soothly / the lawe of god / is the loue of god / for which / Dauid the prophete seith ¶ I. haue loued thy lawe & hated [¶ dauid propheta] wikkednesse and hate / he that loued god / kepeth his lawe and his word [126] ¶ This tree saugh the prophete Daniel / in the Auysion of the kyng / Nabugodonosor / whan he con|seiled hym to do penitence [127] ¶ Penaunce / is the tree of lyf / to hem that it receyuen / and he þat holdeth hym

[6-text p 597] in verray penitence / is blessed / after the sentence of Salomon

[128] ¶ In this penitence or contricion / man shal vn|derstonde [¶ Of .iiij. thynges / longynge to contricioun] .iiij. thynges / that is to seyn / what is Contricion /. and whiche been the causes þat moeuen a man to con|tricion /. and how he sholde be contrit. / & what con|tricion / auailleth to the Soule [129] ¶ Thanne is it thus / [¶ What contricioun is.] þat contricion / is the verray sorwe / that a man receyueth in his herte for his synnes / with sad purpos / to shryue hym / and to do penaunce / and neueremoore to do synne / [130] and this sorwe / shal been in this manere as seith seint Bernard ¶ It shal been heuy and greuous / and [folio 212a] ful [¶ Sanctus Bernardus] sharpe and poynant in herte [131] ¶ ffirst / for man hath agilt his lord / & his Creatour / and moore sharpe and poynant. for he hath agilt hys fader celestial /. [132] and yet moore sharpe and poynant. for he hath wrathed and agilt hym that boghte hym /. which with his precious blood haþ deliuered vs / fro the bondes of synne / and fro the crueltee of the deuel and fro the peynes of helle

[133] ¶ The causes that oghte moeue a man to Con|tricion [¶ Of .vj. causes þat oghten moeue a man to contricioun] / been .vj. / ¶ ffirst a man shal remembre hym of hise synnes / [134] but looke he / that thilke remem|brance. [¶ The firste cause of contricioun] ne be to hym no delit by no wey / but greet shame and sorwe for his gilt ¶ ffor Iob seith / synful men / doon [¶ Iob] werkes / worthy of Confession [135] And therfore seith Ezechie /. I. wol remembre me / alle the yeres of my lyf [¶ Ezechias] in bitternesse of myn herte [136] And god seith in the [¶ dominus in Apocalipse] Apocalipse ¶ Remembreth yow / fro whennes þat ye been falle /. for biforn that tyme þat ye synned / ye were the children of god /. and lymes of the regne of god / [137] but for youre synne / ye been woxen thral and foul / and membres of the feend / hate of Aungels / sclaundre of hooly chirche / and foode of the false serpent. perpetueel matere of the fir of helle /. [138] And yet moore foul and abhom|ynable / for ye trespassen so ofte tyme / as dooth the hound / þat retourneth to eten his spewyng /. [139] and yet

[6-text p 598] be ye fouler / for youre longe continuyng in synne & youre synful vsage / for which / ye be roten in youre synne / as a beest in his dong [140] ¶ Swiche manere of [¶ dominus per Ezechielem pro|phetam] thoghtes / maken a man / to haue shame of his synne / and no delit. as god seith / by the prophete Ezechiel ‖. [141] ye shal remembre yow of youre weyes / and they shuln displese yow /. soothly synnes been the weyes / that leden folk to helle

¶ [142] The seconde cause that oghte make a man / [¶ The .ij.^de cause of contricioun] to haue desdeyn of synne is this /. That as seith seint Peter /. who so that dooth synne / is thral of synne /. And [¶ sanctus Petrus] synne / put a man in greet thraldom ‖. [143] And ther|fore seith the prophete Ezechiel /. I. wente sorweful / in [¶ Ezechiel propheta] desdayn of my self/. And certes / wel oghte a man / haue desdayn of synne / and withdrawe hym / from that thraldom and vileynye /. [144] and lo / what seith Seneca [¶ Seneca] in this matere ‖. He seith thus /. though I wiste / that god / neither god ne man / ne sholde neuere knowe it/. yet wolde I haue desdayn / for to do synne [145] ¶ And the same Seneca also seith / .I. am born to gretter thynges / [¶ Idem Seneca] than to be thral to my body / or than for to maken / of my body a thral / [146] ne a fouler thral / may no man ne womman maken of his body / than for to yeuen his body to synne /. [147] al were it the fouleste cherl / or the fouleste womman that lyueth / and leest of value / yet is he thanne moore foule / & moore in seruitute /. [148] euere / fro the hyer degree that man falleth /. the moore is he thral / and moore / to god and to the world abhomyn|able / [149] ¶ O goode god / wel oghte man haue desdayn of synne / sith that thurgh synne / ther he was free / now is he maked bonde [150] ¶ And therfore / seyth Seint [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] Augustyn /. If thou hast desdayn of thy seruant. if he agilte / or synne /. haue thou thanne desdayn / that thou thy self / sholdest do synne /. [151] take reward of thy value / that thou ne be / to foul to thy self [152] ¶ Allas wel oghten they thanne haue desdayn to been

[6-text p 599] seruauntz & thralles to synne / and soore been ashamed of hem self. [153] that god / of his endelees goodnesse / hath set hem in heigh estaat /. or yeuen hem wit / strengthe of body / heele / beautee / prosperitee / [154] and boghte hem fro [folio 212b] the deeth / with his herte blood / that they so vnkyndely / agayns his gentilesse / quiten hym so vileynsly / to slaughtre of hir owene soules / [155] ¶ O goode god / ye wommen / that been of so greet beautee / [¶ Notate vos mulieres & cauete] remembreth yow / of the prouerbe of Salomon ¶ he seith / [¶ Salomon] [156] likneth a fair womman / that is a fool of hire body / lyk to a ryng of gold / that were in the groyn of a soughe [157] ffor right as a soughe / wroteth in euerich ordure / so wroteth hire beautee in the stynkynge ordure of synne

[158] ¶ The thridde cause / that oghte moeue a man [¶ The .iij.^de cause of contricioun] to Contricion / is drede of the day of doome / and of the horrible peynes of helle [159] ¶ ffor as seint Ierome seith ‖. [¶ Sanctus Ieronimus] At euery tyme / þat me remembreth of the day of doome .I. quake /. [160] for whan I ete or drynke / or what so that I do / euere semeth me / þat the trompe sowneth in myn ere [161] Riseth vp ye that been dede / and cometh to the Iuggement [162] ¶ O goode god / muchel oghte a man / to drede swich a Iuggement/. ther as we shullen been alle / as seint Poul seith / biforn the seete of oure lord Ihesu [¶ Sanctus Paulus] Crist/. [163] wher as he shal make / a general con|gregacion / wher as no man may been absent/. [164] for certes / there auailleth noon Essoyne / ne excusacion [165] And nat oonly / that oure defautes shullen be Iugged /. but eek that alle oure werkes / shullen openly be knowe [166] ¶ And as seith Seint Bernard. ther ne [¶ Sanctus Bernardus] shal / no pledynge auaille ne sleighte /. we shullen yeuen rekenynge of euerich ydel word / [167] ther shul we han a Iuge / that may nat been deceyued ne corrupt. And why? for certes alle oure thoghtes / been discouered as to hym /. ne for preyere / ne for meede / he shal nat been corrupt [168] ¶ And therfore seith Salomon ¶ The wratthe of god / [¶ Salomon] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]

[6-text p 600] ne wol nat spare no wight /. for preyere ne for yifte /. and therfore at the day of doom / ther nys noon hope to escape [169] ¶ Wherfore as seith Seint Anselm. / fful greet [¶ Sanctus Anselmus] angwyssh / shul the synful folk haue at that tyme /. [170] ther shal / the stierne and wrothe Iuge sitte aboue /. and vnder hym / the horrible put of helle open to de|stroyen hym that noot biknowen hise synnes / whiche synnes / openly been shewed biforn god and biforn euery creature [171] ¶ And in the left syde / mo deueles / than herte may bithynke /. for to harye and drawe / the synful soules to the peyne of helle [172] ¶ And with Inne the hertes of folk shal be the bitynge Conscience / and with oute forth / shal be the world al brennynge /. [173] Whider shal thanne the wrecched synful man flee / to hiden hym ¶ certes he may nat hyden hym / he moste come forth and shewen hym [174] ¶ ffor certes / as seith seint Ierome /. the Erthe shal casten hym / out of hym / [¶ Sanctus Ieronimus] and the See also / and the Eyr also / that shal be ful / of thonder clappes and lightnynges / [175] ¶ Now soothly / who so wel remembreth hym of thise thynges / I gesse / þat his synne / shal nat turne hym in delit but to greet sorwe / for drede of the peyne of helle /. [176] And ther|fore seith Iob to god ¶ suffre lord / that .I. may a while [¶ Iob ad deum] biwaille / and wepe / er I go with oute returnyng. to the derke lond / couered with the derknesse of deeth / [177] to the lond of mysese and of derknesse / where as is the shadwe of deeth /. where as ther is / noon ordre / or ordinance / but grisly drede that euere shal laste [178] ¶ Loo / heere may ye seen / þat Iob preyde respit a while / to biwepe and waille his trespas / for soothly / a day of respit. is bettre than al the tresor of the world [179] ¶ And for as muche as a man / may acquiten hym self / biforn god by Penitence in [folio 213a] this world / and nat by tresor / therfore sholde he preye to god / to yeue hym respit a while / to biwepe / and biwaillen his trespas /. [180] for certes / al the sorwe / that a man myghte make / fro the bigynnyng

[6-text p 601] of the world / nys but a litel thyng at regard of the sorwe of helle / [181] ¶ The cause / why that Iob clepeth helle / [¶ Why Iob clepeth helle the lond of derknesse] the lond of derknesse /. [182] Vnder-stondeth / that he clepeth it londe of Erthe / for it is stable / and neuere shal faille dirk. for he that is in helle / hath defaute of light material [183] for certes / the derke light that shal come out of the fyr/ that euere shal brenne / shal turne hym al to peyne þat is in helle / for it sheweth him to the horrible deueles / that hym tormenten / [184] couered with the derknesse of deeth /. that is to seyn / that he þat is in helle / shal haue defaute of the sighte of god /. for certes / the sighte of god / is the lyf perdurable [185] ¶ The derk|nesse [¶ Of the derk|nesse of deeth] of deeth / been the synnes / that the wrecched man hath / doon / whiche that destourben hym / to see the face of god / right as dooþ a derk clowde / bitwixe vs and the sonne [186] ¶ Lond of Misese / by cause that ther been [¶ Of the lond of Misese] .iij. maneres of defautes / agayn .iij. thynges / that folk / of this world / han in this present lyf ‖. that is to seyn honours / delices / and richesses [187] ¶ Agayns honour / [¶ Of honours / delices / & richesses] haue they in helle / shame and confusion [188] ffor wel ye woot that men clepen honour / the reuerence / that man doþ to man /. but in helle / is noon honour ne reuerence /. for certes / namoore reuerence shal be doon there to a kyng than to a knaue [189] ¶ ffor which god seith / by the prophete Ieremye ‖ Thilke folk / þat me despisen / shul [¶ dominus per Ieremiam prophetam] been in despit / [190] ¶ Honour/ is eek cleped greet lord|shipe / . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] and heigh|nesse / but in helle / shul they been al fortroden of deueles /. [191] And god seith /. the horrible deueles shulle goon and [¶ dominus dicit /] comen / vp on the heuedes of the dampned folk /. And this is for as muche / as the hyer that they were in this present lyf /. the moore shulle they been abated and defouled in helle / [192] ¶ Agayns the richesses of this world / shul [¶ Agayns the richesses of this world] they han mysese of pouerte / and this pouerte / shal been in foure thynges /. [193] In defaute of tresor / of which that

[6-text p 602] Dauid seith ¶ The riche folk / that embraceden and oneden [¶ Of defaute of tresor vnde dauid [?]] al hire herte to tresor of this world / shul slepe / in the slepynge of deeth /. and no thyng ne shal they fynden in hir handes / of al hir tresor [194] ¶ And moore ouer / the myseyse of helle / shal been / in defaute of mete and [¶ Of defaute of mete & drynke] drinke /. [195] for god seith thus by Moyses /. They shul [¶ dominus per Moysem] been wasted with hunger and the briddes of helle / shul deuouren hem with the bitter deeth / and the galle of the dragon / shal been hire drynke / and the venym of the dragon / hire morsels [196] ¶ And forther ouer / hire [¶ Of defaute of clothyng /] myseyse / shal been in defaute of clothyng. for they shulle be naked in body / as of clothyng. saue the fyr / in which they brenne / and othere filthes / [197] and naked shul they been of soule / as of alle manere vertues / which þat is the clothyng of the soule /. Where been thanne the gaye Robes / and the smale shetes / and the softe shertes [198] ¶ Loo / what seith god of hem by the prophete ysaye. [¶ dominus per Ysayam prophetam] That vnder hem / shul been strawed Motthes / and hire couertures / shulle been of wormes of helle [199] ¶ And forther ouer / hir myseyse shal been / in defaute of [¶ Of defaute of freendes] freendes / for he nys nat poure that hath goode freendes / but there is no frend [200] for neither god ne no creature / shal been freend to hem / and euerich of hem / shal haten oother with deedly hate / [201] The sones and [folio 213b] the doghtren / shullen rebellen / agayns fader and mooder / and kynrede agayns kynrede / and chiden and despisen / euerich of hem oother bothe day and nyght. as god seith / [¶ dominus per Michaiam pro|phetam] by the prophete Michias [202] ¶ And the louynge children / that whilom loueden so flesshly euerich oother / wolden euerich of hem / eten oother / if they myghte /. [203] for how sholden they loue togidre in the peyne of helle / whan they hated ech of hem oother in the prosperitee of this lyf [204] ¶ ffor truste wel / hir flesshly loue / was deedly hate / as seith the prophete Dauid ¶ who so that loueth wikked|nesse [¶ Dauid propheta ‖ Qui diligit iniquitatem / odit animam suam] / he hateth his soule /. [205] and who so hateth his owene soule / certes / he may loue noon oother wight

[6-text p 603] in no manere / [206] and therfore / [in helle] is no solas / ne no freendshipe / but euere / the moore flesshly kynredes / that been in helle /. the moore cursynges / the more chid|ynges / and the moore deedly hate / ther is among hem [207] ¶ And forther ouer / they shul haue defaute of alle [¶ How the dampned shul haue defaute of alle manere delices] manere delices / for certes delices / been after the appetites of the .v. wittes /. as sighte /. herynge. smellynge /. sauor|ynge./ and touchynge /. [208] but in helle / hir sighte shal be ful of derknesse and of smoke. and therfore / ful of teeres /. and hir herynge / ful of waymentynge / and of gryntynge of teeth / as seith Ihesu crist. [209] hir nose|thirles shullen be ful of stynkynge stynk/. And as seith Ysaye the prophete /. hir savoryng shal be ful of bitter [¶ Ysayas propheta] galle /. [210] and touchynge of al hir body / ycouered with fir that neuere shal quenche / and with wormes that neuere shul dyen / as god seith / by the Mouth of [¶ dominus per Ysayam] Ysaye /. [211] And for as muche as they shul nat wene / that they may dyen for peyne / and by hir deeþ flee fro peyne / that may they vnderstonden by the word of Iob /. [¶ Iob] that seith / ther as is the shadwe of deeth [212] ¶ Certes a shadwe / hath the liknesse of the thyng. of which it is shadwe /. but shadwe is nat the same thyng of which it is shadwe [213] ¶ Right so fareth the peyne of helle / it is [¶ Exemplum] lyk deeth for the horrible angwissh /. and why? for it peyneth hem euere / as though they sholde dye anon / but certes / they shal nat dye [214] ¶ ffor / as seith Seint [¶ sanctus Gregorius] Gregorie ¶ To wrecche caytyues / shal be deeth with-oute deeth / and ende with-outen ende / and defaute with-oute failynge / [215] for hir deeth / shal alwey lyuen / and hir ende / shal eueremo bigynne / and hir defaute shal nat faille [216] ¶ And therfore / seith Seint Iohn the [¶ Sanctus Iohannes Euaungelista] Euaungelist /. They shullen folwe deeth / and they shul nat fynde hym /. and they shul desiren to dye / and deeth shal flee fro hem [217] ¶ And eek Iob seith / that in helle [¶ Iob] is noon ordre of rule /. [218] and al be it so that god hath creat alle thynges in right ordre / and no thyng/ with|outen

[6-text p 604] ordre / but alle thynges / been ordeyned and nom|bred /. yet nathelees / they that been dampned / been no thyng in the ordre / ne holden noon ordre /. [219] for the erthe ne shal bere hem no fruyt [220] ¶ ffor as the prophete [¶ Dauid propheta] Dauid seith ¶ god shal destroie the fruyt of the erthe / as fro hem / ne water / ne shal yeve hem no moisture /. ne the Eyr no refresshyng. ne fyr no light [221] ¶ ffor as seith seint Basilie ¶ The brennynge of the fyr of this [¶ Sanctus Basilius] world / shal god yeuen in helle / to hem þat been dampned /. [222] but the light / and the cleernesse / shal be yeuen in heuene to hise children /. right as the goode man / yeueth flessh to hise children and bones to his houndes /. [223] And for they shullen haue noon hope to escape seith seint [¶ Sanctus Iob] Iob atte laste ¶ that ther shal horrour / and grisly drede / dwellen with-outen ende /. [224] Horrour / is alwey drede / of harm that is to come / and this drede shal euere dwelle in the hertes / of hem that been dampned / And therfore / han they lorn al hire hope / for .vij. causes [225] ¶ ffirst. [¶ How the dampned / han lorn al hir hope for .vij. causes] for god [folio 214a] that is hir Iuge / shal be / with-outen mercy to hem /. and they may nat plese hym / ne noon of hise halwes /. ne they / ne may yeue no thyng for hir raunson /. [226] ne they haue no voys / to speke to hym /. ne they may nat fle fro peyne /. ne they haue no goodnesse in hem / that they mowe shewe to deliuere hem fro peyne [227] ¶ And therfore seith Salomon ¶ The wikked man [¶ Salomon] dyeth / and whan he is deed. he shal haue noon hope / to escape fro peyne [228] ¶ Who so thanne / wolde wel vn|derstande the peynes / and bithynke hym weel / that he hath deserued thilke peynes for his synnes / certes / he sholde haue moore talent to siken and to wepe /. than for to syngen and to pleye / [229] ffor as that seith Salomon /. [¶ Idem Salomon] Who so that hadde the science to knowe the peynes that been establissed and ordeyned for synne / he wolde make sorwe / [230] Thilke science / as seith seint Augustyn / [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] maketh a man / to waymenten in his herte

[231] ¶ The fourthe point that oghte maken a man [¶ Of the .iiij.^e]

[6-text p 605] to haue contricion / is the sorweful remembrance of the [point þat oghte maken a man to haue contricioun] good / that he hath left to doon / heere in erthe /. And eek the good that he hath lorn [232] ¶ soothly / the goode werkes þat he hath left /. outher they been / the goode werkes that he hath wroght. er he fel / in to deedly synne /. or elles / the goode werkes that he wroghte / while he lay in synne [233] ¶ soothly / the goode werkes that he dide / biforn that he fil in synne / been al mortefied and astoned and dulled / by the ofte synnyng ‖ [234] The othere goode werkes that he wroghte / whil he lay in deedly synne / þei been outrely dede / as to the lyf perdurable in heuene [235] ¶ Thanne thilke goode werkes / that been mortefied by ofte synnyng. whiche goode werkes he dide / whil he was in charitee /. ne mowe neuere quyken agayn / with-outen verray penitence /. [236] and ther-of seith god / by the mouth of Ezechiel ¶ That if the rightful man / re|turne [¶ dominus per Ezechielem] agayn from his rightwisnesse / and werke wikked|nesse / shal he lyue? [237] nay /. for alle the goode werkes that he hath wroght ne shul neuere been in remembrance / for he shal dyen in his synne [238] ¶ And vp-on thilke Chapitre / seith seint Gregorie thus ‖. That we shulle vnder|stonde [¶ Sanctus Gregorius] this principally /. [239] that whan we doon deedly synne / it is for noght thanne to rehercen / or drawen in-to memorie the goode werkes / that we han wroght biforn [240] ¶ ffor certes / in the werkynge of the deedly synne / ther is no trust to no good werk that we han doon biforn /. that is for to seyn /. as for to haue therby the lyf per|durable / in heuene /. [241] but nathelees /. the goode werkes quyken agayn and comen agayn / and helpen and auaillen / to haue the lyf perdurable in heuene / whan we han contricion /. [242] but soothly / the goode werkes that men doon / whil they been in deedly synne / for as muche / as they were doon in deedly synne. they may neuere quyke agayn / [243] ffor certes / thyng þat neuere hadde lyf. may neuere quykene / and nathelees /. al be it that they ne auaille noght /. to han the lyf perdurable. / yet auaillen

[6-text p 606] they / to abregge of the peyne of helle /. or elles / to geten temporal richesse. / [244] or elles / that god wole / the rather enlumyne / and lightne the herte of the synful man / to haue repentance /. [245] and eek they auaillen / for to vsen a man to doon goode werkes / that the feend / haue the lasse power of his soule / [246] And thus the curteis lord Ihesu crist/. wole that no good werk be lost. for in somwhat it shal auaille /. [247] but for as muche / as the goode werkes that men doon / whil they been in good lyf /. been al mortefied / by synne folwynge. and eek / sith that alle the goode werkes / that men doon / whil they been in deedly synne / been outrely dede / for to haue the lyf perdurable /. [248] wel [folio 214b] may that man that no good werk ne dooth / synge thilke newe frenshe song Iay tout perdu mon temps et mon labour [249] ¶ ffor certes / synne bireueth a man / bothe goodnesse of nature / and eek the goodnesse of grace / [250] ¶ ffor soothly / the grace of the hooly goost fareth lyk fyr/ that may nat been ydel / for fyr/ fayleth / anoon as it forleteth his wirk|ynge / and right so. grace fayleth anoon as it forleteth his werkynge / [251] then leseth the synful man the goodnesse of glorie / that oonly is bihight to goode men that labouren and werken ‖. [252] wel may he be sory thanne / that oweth al his lif to god / as longe as he hath lyued / and eek as longe as he shal lyue / that no goodnesse ne hath / to paye with his dette / to god / to whom he oweth al his lyf ‖. [253] ffor trust wel / he shal yeuen acountes / as seith seint Bernard of alle the goodes / that han be yeuen hym [¶ Sanctus Bernardus] in this present lyf. and how / he hath hem despended / [254] noght so muche /. that ther shal nat perisse an heer of his heed /. ne a moment of an houre / ne shal nat perisse of his tyme / that he ne shal yeue of it a rekenyng/

[255] The fifthe thyng that oghte moeue a man to [¶ Of the .v^e. thyng þat oghte moeue a man to contricion.] contricion / is remembrance of the passion / that oure lord Ihesu crist suffred for oure synnes / [256] for as seith seint Bernard ¶ whil that .I. lyue / I shal haue remem|brance [¶ Sanctus Bernardus]

[6-text p 607] of the trauailles / that oure lord crist suffred in prechyng/. [257] his werynesse in trauaillyng. hise tempt|acions whan he fasted /. hise longe wakynges / whan he preyde /. hise teeres / whan that he weepe / for pitee. of good peple /. [258] the wo / and the shame / and the filthe / that men seyden to hym /. of the foule spittyng/ that men spitte in his face /. of. the buffettes / that men yauen hym /. of the foule mowes / and of / the re|preues / that men to hym seyden /. [259] of the nayles / with whiche he was nayled to the croys /. and of al the remenant of his passion that he suffred for my synnes / and no thyng for his gilt [260] ¶ And ye shul vnder|stonde [¶ how in mannes synne / is / euery manere of ordre / or ordinaunce turned vp so doun] / that in mannes synne / is euery manere of ordre or ordinance / turned vp so doun [261] ¶ ffor it is sooth / that god and reson. and sensualitee / and the body of man / been ordeyned / that euerich / of thise foure thynges / sholde haue lordshipe / ouer that oother /. [262] as thus /. god sholde haue lordshipe ouer reson /. and reson ouer sensualitee /. and sensualitee ouer the body of man /. [263] but soothly / whan man synneth / al this ordre or ordinance / is turned vp so doun [264] ¶ And therfore thanne / for as muche as the reson of man / ne wol nat be subget ne obeisant to god that is his lord by right. ther|fore / leseth it the lordshipe / that it sholde haue / ouer sensualitee / and eek ouer the body of man /. [265] And why? ffor sensualitee rebelleth thanne agayns reson /. and by that wey / leseth reson the lordshipe ouer sensualitee / and ouer the body /. [266] for right as reson is rebel to god / right so / is bothe sensualitee / rebel to reson / and the body also [267] ¶ And certes this disordinance and this rebellion / oure lord Ihesu crist aboghte vp-on his precious body ful deere / and herkneþ in which wise / [268] ¶ ffor as muche thanne as reson / is rebel to god? ther|fore / is man worthy to haue sorwe / and to be deed /. [269] this suffred oure lord Ihesu crist for man / after that he hadde be bitraysed of his disciple / and distreyned and

[6-text p 608] bounde / so that his blood / brast out at euery nayl of hise handes / as seith seint Augustyn [270] ¶ And forther ouer / [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] for as muchel as reson of man / ne wol nat daunte [folio 215a] sensu|alitee whan it may / therfore is man worthy to haue shame and this suffred oure lord Ihesu crist for man / whan they spetten in his visage [271] ¶ And forther ouer/ for as muchel thanne / as the caytyf body of man / is rebel / bothe to reson and to sensualitee / therfore is it worthy the deeth [272] ¶ And this suffred our lord Ihesu crist for man vp-on the croys / where as ther was no part of his body free / with-outen greet peyne and bitter passion [273] ¶ And al this suffred Ihesu crist þat neuere forfeted / . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] to muchel am I peyned for the thynges that I neuere deserued and to muche defouled / for shendshipe that man is worthy to haue [274] And ther|fore [¶ Sanctus Bernardus] / may the synful man wel seye / as seith seint Bernard Acursed be the bitternesse of my synne /. for which / ther moste be suffred so muchel bitternesse /. [275] ffor certes / after the diuerse disconcordances of oure wikkednesses / was the passion of Ihesu crist. ordeyned in diuerse thynges / [276] as thus ¶ Certes / synful mannes soule / is bitraysed of the deuel / by coueitise of temporeel prosperitee / and scorned by deceite whan he cheseth flesshly delices / and yet is it tormented by Inpacience of aduersitee and dispeir by seruage and subieccion of synne / and atte laste / it is slayn fynally [277] ¶ ffor this disordinaunce of synful man was Ihesu crist bitraysed / and after that was he bounde that cam for to vnbynden vs / of synne and peyne / [278] thanne was he by-scorned that oonly / sholde han been honoured in alle thynges and of alle thynges [279] ¶ Thanne was his visage / that oghte be desired to be seyn of al man kynde / in which visage Aungels desiren to looke / vileynsly bispet/. [280] thanne was he scourged / that no thyng hadde agilt And finally / thanne was he crucified and slayn [281] ¶ Thanne was acompliced the

[6-text p 609] word of ysaye / that seith / that he was wounded / for [¶ Ysayas] oure mysdedes / and defouled for oure felonies / [282] ¶ Now sith that Ihesu crist took vp-on hym self / the peyne of alle oure wikkednesses /. muchel oghte synful man wepen and biwayle / that for hise synnes goddes sone of heuene / sholde al this peyne endure [283] ¶ The sixte [¶ Of the .vj.^e thyng that oghte moeue a man to contricioun / thurghe hope of .iij. thynges] thyng þat oghte moeue a man to contricion / is the hope of .iij. thynges /. that is to seyn / foryifnesse of synne /. and the yifte of grace / wel for to do and the glorie of heuene / with which / god shal gerdone a man for hise goode dedes / [284] ¶ And for as muche as Ihesu crist yeueth vs thise yiftes of his largesse / and of his souereyn bountee /. therfore is he cleped / Ihesus Nazarenus rex Iudeorum / [285] Ihesus / is to seyn saueour/ or sal|uacion on whom / men shul hope / to haue foryifnesse of synnes / which that [is] proprely / saluacion of synnes / [286] and therfore / seyde the Aungel to Ioseph Thou shalt [¶ How the Aungel spak to Iosephe] clepen his name Ihesus / that shal sauen his peple of hir synnes /. [287] And heer-of seith seint Peter /. Ther is [¶ Sanctus Petrus] noon oother name vnder heuene / that is yeue to any man by which / a man may be saued but oonly Ihesus… /. [288] Nazarenus / is as muche for to seye / as florisshynge / in which a man shal hope /. that he þat yeueth hym remission of synnes / shal yeue hym eek grace / wel for to do / for in the flour is hope of fruyt in tyme comynge /. And in foryifnesse of synnes hope of grace / wel for to do [289] ¶ I was atte dore of thyn herte seith Ihesus and cleped for to entre /. he that openeth to me / shal haue foryifnesse of synne /. [290] .I wol entre in-to hym by my grace / and soupe with hym [folio 215b] by the goode werkes that he shal doon / whiche werkes / been the foode of god / and he shal soupe with me / by the grete ioye that I shal yeuen hym [291] ¶ Thus shal man hope /. for hise werkes of penaunce / that god shal yeuen hym his regne / as he bihooteth hym in the gospel

[292] ¶ Now shal a man vnderstonde / in which [¶ How a man shal be contrit]

[6-text p 610] manere / shal been his contricion /. I seye / that it shal been vniuersal and total // this is to seyn A man shal be verray repentant for alle hise synnes that he hath doon in delit of his thoght. for delit is ful perilous. / [293] ffor ther been / two manere of consentynges /. that oon of hem / is [¶ Of two manere of consentynges] cleped consentynge of Affeccion / whan a man is moeued to do synne / and deliteth hym longe / for to thynke on that synne /. [294] and his reson aperceyueth it wel that it is synne / agayns the lawe of god / and yet his reson / refreyneth nat his foul delit or talent. though he se wel apertly / that it is / agayns the reuerence of god /. al-though his reson ne consente noght to doon that synne in dede / [295] yet seyn somme doctours / that swich delit that dwelleth longe / it is ful perilous / al be it neuere so lite / [296] ¶ And also / a man sholde sorwe namely / for al that euere he hath desired agayn the lawe of god with perfit consentynge of his reson / for ther-of is no doute / that it is deedly synne in consentynge ‖. [297] ffor certes / ther is no deedly synne /that it nas first in mannes thought. and after that in his delit /. and so forth / in-to consentynge and in-to dede /. [298] Wherfore I seye / that many men ne repenten hem neuere of swiche thoghtes and delites / ne neuere shryuen hem of it. but oonly / of the dede of grete synnes outward /. [299] wherfore I seye / that swiche wikked delites / and wikked thoghtes / been subtile bigileres / of hem that shullen be dampned [300] ¶ Moore ouer man oghte to sorwe / for hise wikkede [¶ How a man oghte / to repenten hym / for hise wikkede wordes / as wel as for hise wikkede dedes] wordes / as wel / as for hise wikkede dedes /. for certes / the repentance of a synguler synne and nat repente of alle hise othere synnes /. or elles repenten hym / of alle hise othere synnes / and nat of a synguler synne / may nat auaille /. [301] for certes / god almyghty is al good / and ther-fore / he foryeueth al / or elles right noght. [302] And heer-of seith seint Augustyn /. [303] that [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] god is enemy to euerich synnere /. and how thanne / he that obserueth o synne /. shal he haue foryifnesse of the

[6-text p 611] remenaunt of hise othere synnes? nay [304] ¶ And forther ouer / contricion sholde be wonder sorweful / and ang|wissous [¶ how con|tricion / sholde be wonder sorweful] /. and therfore / yeueth hym god pleynly his mercy / and therfore / whan my soule was angwissous with Inne me /. I hadde remembrance of god that my preyere myghte come to hym [305] ¶ fforther ouer / contricion moste be continueel /. and that man haue stede|fast [¶ how contricioun moste be con|tinueel] purpos to shriuen hym / and for to amenden hym of his lyf /. [306] ffor soothly / whil contricion lasteth / man may euere haue hope of foryifnesse / and of this / comth hate of synne /. that destroyeth synne / boþe in him self/. and eek in oother folk. at his power ‖. [307] ffor which seith Dauid ye that louen god / hateth wikkednesse / for [¶ Dauid] trusteth wel / to loue god / is for to loue that he loueth / and hate that he hateth /

[308] ¶ The laste thyng that man shal vnderstonde in [¶ Wherof Contricioun auailleth] contricion / is this / wher-of / auayleth contricion ¶ I seye / that som tyme / contricion / deliuereth a man fro synne /. [309] of which that Dauid seith / ‖ .I. seye quod Dauid [¶ Dauid] [folio 216a] that is to seyn ¶ I purposed fermely to shryue me / and thow Lord / relesedest / my synne [310] ¶ And right so as contricion auailleth noght with-outen sad purpos of shrifte / if man haue oportunitee / right so / litel worth is shrifte / or satisfaccion / with-outen contricion [311] ¶ And moore-ouer contricion / destroyeth the prison of helle / [¶ How con|tricion destroyeth the prisoun of holle] and maketh wayk and fieble alle the strengthes of the deueles / and restoreth / the yiftes of the hooly goost and of alle goode vertues / [312] and it clenseth the soule of synne and deliuereth the soule / fro the peyne of helle / and fro the compaignye of the deuel / and fro the seruage of synne / and restoreth it to alle goodes espirituels / and to the compaignye and communyon of hooly chirche [313] ¶ And forther ouer /. it maketh hym that whilom was [¶ how con|tricioun / maketh him that whilom was sone of Ire / to be sone of grace] sone of Ire / to be sone of grace /. and alle thise thynges been preued by hooly writ. [314] and therfore / he that wolde sette his entente to thise thynges / he were ful

[6-text p 612] wys /. for soothly / he ne sholde nat thanne in al his lyf haue corage to synne / but yeuen his body and al his herte to the seruice of Ihesu crist /. and ther-of doon hym hommage /. [315] for sooþly / oure sweete lord Ihesu crist. hath spared vs so debonairly in our folies / that if he ne hadde pitee of mannes soule a sory song we myghten alle synge . . . . .

¶ Explicit prima pars penitentie ‖.

Et sequitur secunda pars eiusdem .

[316]

THe seconde partie of Penitence / is Confession / that is signe of contricion / [317] ¶ Now shul ye vnderstonde / what is confession /. and wheither it oghte nedes / be doon or noon /. and whiche thynges been couenable to verray Confession

[318] ¶ ffirst shaltow vnderstonde / that confession / is [¶ What con|fession is] verray shewynge of synnes to the preest. [319] this is to seyn verray /. for he moste confessen hym / of alle the condiciouns / that bilongen to his synne / as ferforth as he kan / [320] al moot be seyd / and no thyng excused ne hyd ne forwrapped / and noght auaunte thee of thy goode werkes [321] ¶ And forther ouer/ it is necessarie to vnder|stonde / whennes that synnes spryngen / and how they encreessen and whiche they been

[322] ¶ Of the spryngynge of synnes seith seint Paul [¶ Of spryngynge of synnes / secundum Paulum] in this wise /. that right as by a man / synne entred first in-to this world. and thurgh that synne deeth /. Right so thilke deeth entred in-to alle men that synneden / [323] and this man was Adam / by whom / synne entred in-to this world / whan he brak the comaundementz of god. / [324] And therfore / he that first was so myghty / that he sholde nat haue dyed / bicam swich oon that he moste nedes dye wheither he wolde or noon / and al his progenye in this world that in thilke man synneden [325] ¶ Looke / [¶ Of the tempta|cioun of Adam in Paradys] that in thestaat of Innocence / whan Adam and Eue

[6-text p 613] naked weren in Paradys / and no thyng ne hadden shame of hir nakednesse /. [326] how that the serpent that was moost wily of alle othere beestes / that god hadde maked seyde to the womman /. why comanded god to yow / ye sholde nat eten / of euery tree in Paradys? [327] The womman answerde /. Of the fruyt quod she / of the trees in Paradys / we feden vs / but sooþly [folio 216b] of the fruyt of the tree / that is in the myddel of Paradys / god forbad vs for to ete / and nat touchen it/. lest per auenture we sholde dyen [328] ¶ The serpent seyde to the womman /. nay /. nay /. ye shul nat dyen of deeth / for sothe god woot. that what day / that ye eten ther-of /. youre eyen shul opene / and [ye] shul been as goddes / knowynge good and harm. [329] ¶ The womman thanne saugh / that the tree was good to feedyng. & fair to the eyen / and delitable to the sighte / she took of the fruyt of the tree / and eet it / and yaf to hire housbonde / and he eet and anoon the eyen of hem bothe openeden /. [330] and whan that they knewe that they were naked / they sowed of fige leues a maner of breches / to hiden hire membres [331] ¶ There may ye seen / that deedly synne / hath first suggestion of the feend /. as sheweth heere by the naddre /. And afterward. the delit of the flessh / as sheweth heere by Eue /. And after that the consentynge of reson /. as sheweth heere by Adam / [332] ffor trust wel / though so were / that the feend tempted Eue / that is to seyn the flessh / and the flessh hadde delit in the beautee of the fruyt defended /. yet certes / til that reson / that is to seyn Adam / con|sented to the etynge of the fruyt. yet stood he in thestaat of Innocence [333] ¶ Of thilke Adam / tooke we thilke synne original /. for of hym flesshly descended be we alle and engendred / of vile and corrupt mateere / [334] and whan the soule / is put in oure body. right anon / is con|tract original synne /. and that þat was erst but oonly peyne of concupiscence / is afterward / bothe peyne and synne /. [335] and therfore / be we alle born / sones of

[6-text p 614] wratthe and of dampnacion perdurable / if it nere baptesme that we receyuen / which bynyneth vs the culpe /. but for sothe / the peyne dwelleth with vs. as to temptacion. which peyne / highte concupiscence / [336] whan it is wrongfully disposed / or ordeyned in man /. it maketh hym coueite by coueitise of flessh / flesshly synne / by sighte of hise eyen / as to erthely thynges /. and coueitise of hynesse / by pride of herte

[337] ¶ Now as for to speken of the firste coueitise / [¶ Of coueitise of Concupiscence] that is Concupiscence after the lawe of oure membres / that weren lawefulliche ymaked and by rightful Iugge|ment of god [338] ¶ I seye for as muche / as man is nat obeisaunt to god that is his lord therfore / is the flessh to hym disobeisaunt thurgh Concupiscence which yet is cleped norrissynge of synne / and occasion of synne /. [339] therfore / al the while that a man hath in hym / the peyne of Concupiscence /. it is impossible / but he be tempted somtime and moeued in his flessh to synne ./ [340] and this thyng may nat faille as longe as he lyueth /. it may wel wexe fieble and faille by vertu of baptesme / and by the grace of god / thurgh penitence / [341] but fully / ne shal it neuere quenche /. that he ne shal som tyme be moeued in hym self. but if he were al refreyded by siknesse / or by malefice of sorcerie / or colde drynkes /. [342] ffor lo / what seith seint Paul ¶ the flessh coueiteth [¶ Sanctus Paulus] agayn the spirit/ and the spirit agayn the flessh /. they been so contrarie and so stryuen /. that a man may nat alwey doon as he wolde / [343] ¶ The same seint Paul [¶ Sanctus Paulus] after his grete penance / in water [folio 217a] and in lond /. in water by nyght / and by day in greet peril / & in greet peyne /. In lond / in famyne / in thurst in coold and cloothlees and ones stoned almoost to the deeth // [344] yet seyde he / allas I caytyf man /. who shal deliuere me fro the prison of my caytyf body [345] ¶ And seint Ierome / whan he [¶ sanctus Ieronimus] longe tyme hadde woned in desert /where as he hadde no compaignye / but of wilde beestes / where as he ne hadde

[6-text p 615] no mete but herbes / and water to his drynke / ne no bed / but the naked erthe / for which his flessh was blak as an Ethiopeen for heete / and ny destroyed for coold /. [346] yet seyde he / that the brennynge of lecherie boyled in al his body / [347] wherfore / I woot wel sykerly / that they been deceyued / that seyn / that they ne be nat tempted in hir body / [348] witnesse on Seint Iame the Apostel /. [¶ Sanctus Iacobus Apostolus] that seith / that euery wight is tempted in his owene con|cupiscence /. that is to seyn that euerich of vs / hath matere and occasion to be tempted of the norissynge of synne / that is in his body /. [349] And therfore seith Seint Iohn [¶ Sanctus Iohannes Euaungelista] the Euaungelist ‖. If that we seyn / that we beth with oute synne /. we deceyue vs selue / and trouthe is nat in vs

[350] ¶ Now shal ye vnderstonde / in what manere / [¶ how synne wexeth or / encreesseth in man] that synne wexeth / or encreesseth in man ¶ The firste thyng /. is thilke norissynge of synne of which I spak biforn /. thilke flesshly concupiscence /. [351] and after that/ comth the subieccion of the deuel / this is to seyn / the deueles bely / with which he bloweth in man / the fir of flesshly concupiscence /. [352] and after that a man bi|thynketh hym / wheither he wol doon or no thilke thing to which he is tempted /. [353] And thanne /. if that a man withstonde and weyue the firste entisynge of his flessh / and of the feend / thanne is it no synne / and if it so be / that he do nat so / thanne feeleth he anoon a flambe of delit. [354] and thanne is it good to be war / and kepen hym wel or elles / he wol falle anon in to consentynge of synne. / and thanne wol he do it. if he may haue tyme and place ‖. [355] And of this matere seith Moyses by [¶ Moyses per demonem] the deuel in this manere ¶ The feend seith / I wole chace and pursue the man / by wikked suggestion ./ and I wole hente hym by moeuynge / or stirynge of synne. / I wol departe my prise or my praye by de|liberacion / and my lust shal been accompliced in delit. I wol drawe my swerd in consentynge /. [356] ffor certes / right as a swerd departeth a thyng in two peces / right

[6-text p 616] so consentynge / departeth god fro man / and thanne wol I sleen hym / with myn hand in dede of synne / thus seith the feend /. [357] for certes / thanne is a man al deed in soule /. And thus is synne Accompliced by tempt|acion by delit. and by consentynge /. and thanne is the synne / cleped Actueel

[358] ¶ ffor sothe / synne is in two maneres /. outher / [¶ Of synne in two maneres venial and deedly] it is venial / or deedly synne ¶ Soothly / whan man loueth any creature moore than Ihesu crist oure creatour / thanne is it deedly synne ‖. And venial synne is it. if man loue Ihesu crist lasse than hym /. [359] ffor sothe / the dede of this venial synne / is ful perilous for it amenuseth the loue / that men sholde han to god moore and moore [360] And therfore / if a man charge hym self with manye swiche venial synnes /. certes / but if so be that he som tyme descharge hym of hem by shrifte /. they mowe ful lightly amenuse in hym al the loue that he hath to Ihesu crist. [361] and in this wise / skippeth venial in-to deedly synne [folio 217b] ffor certes the moore that a man / chargeth his soule with venial synne the moore is he enclyned / to fallen in-to deedly synne /. [362] and therfore / lat vs nat be necligent to deschargen vs of venial synnes ¶ ffor the prouerbe seith [¶ prouerbium] that manye smale / maken a greet [363] ¶ And herkne this ensample ‖. A greet wawe of the see comth som tyme [¶ exemplum] with so greet a violence / that it drencheth the shipe ¶ And the same harm dooth som tyme / the smale dropes of water/ that entren / thurgh a litel creuace in to the thurrok. and in the botme of the shipe / if men be so necligent that they / ne descharge hem nat by tyme /. [364] And therfore / al though ther be a difference bitwixe thise two causes of drenchynge /. algates / the shipe is dreynt. [365] ¶ Right so fareth it somtyme of deedly synne / and of anoyouse veniale synnes / whan they multiplie in a man so greetly / that thilke worldly thynges that he loueþ thurgh whiche he synneth venyally /. is as greet in his herte as the loue of god / or moore / [366]

[6-text p 617] and therfore the loue of euery thyng. that is nat biset in god ne doon principally for goddes sake /. al though that a man loue it lasse than god / yet is it venial synne /. [367] and deedly synne / whan the loue of any thyng. wexeth in the herte of man / as muchel as the loue of god / or moore / [368] ¶ Deedly synne / as seith seint Augustyn / [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] is. whan a man / turneth his herte fro god / which that is verray souereyn bountee / that may nat chaunge / and yeueth his herte / to thyng that may chaunge and flitte /. [369] And certes / that is euery thyng saue god of heuene /. ffor sooth is / that if a man yeue his loue / the which þat he oweth al to god with al his herte /. vn-to a creature /. certes / as muche as he yeueth of his loue to thilke creature / so muche he bireueth fro god / [370] and ther fore dooth he synne /. for he that is dettour to god /. ne yeldeth nat to god al his dette / that is to seyn al the loue of his herte

[371] ¶ NOw sith man vnderstondeth generally / which is venial synne /. thanne is it couenable / to tellen specially of synnes / whiche that many a man per auenture / ne demeth hem nat synnes / and ne shryueth hem nat of the same thynges / and yet nathelees / they been synnes [372] ¶ Soothly / as thise clerkes writen / this is to seyn /. [¶ Of manye diuerse synnes] that at euery tyme that a man eteth or drynketh / moore than suffiseth to the sustenance of his body / in certein he dooth synne [373] ¶ And eek whan he speketh moore than nedeth / it is synne ¶ Eke / whan he herkneth nat be|nignely the compleint of the poure [374] ¶ Eke / whan he is in heele of body and wol nat faste whan hym oghte faste / with-outen cause resonable ¶ Eke whan he slepeth moore than nedeth /. or whan he comth by thilke encheson to late to chirche / or to othere werkes of charite [375] ¶ Eke / whan he vseth his wyf. with-outen souereyn desir of engendrure to the honour of god / or for the entente / to yelde to his wyf the dette of his body [376] ¶ Eke / whan he wol nat visite the sike and the prisoner if he may

[6-text p 618] ¶ Eke / if he loue / wyf or child /. or oother worldly thyng. moore than reson requireth ¶ Eke / if he flatere or blandise / moore than hym oghte / for any necessitee [377] ¶ Eke / if he amenuse or withdrawe the Almesse of the poure ¶ Eke / if he apparailleth his mete moore deliciously / than nede is / or ete to hastily by likerous|nesse [378] ¶ Eke / if he tale vanytees at chirche / or at goddes seruice / or that he be a talker of ydel wordes / of folye / or of vileynye /. for he shal yelden [folio 218a] acountes of it at the day of doome ‖. [379] Eke / whan he biheteth / or assureth to do thynges / that he may nat perfourne ¶ Eke / whan that he / by lightnesse or folie / mysseyeth / or scorneth his neighebore [380] ¶ Eke / whan he hath any wikked suspecion of thyng ther he ne woot of it no sooth|fastnesse ‖ [381] Thise thynges and mo with-oute nombre / been synnes / as seith seint Augustyn.

[382] ¶ NOw shal men vnderstonde / that al be it so / that noon erthely man / may eschue alle venial synnes /. yet may he restreyne hym / by the brennynge loue / that he hath to oure lord Ihesu crist. and by preyeres and confession and othere goode werkes /. so that it shal but litel greue ‖. [383] for as seith seint Augustyn ¶ If a man loue god [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] in swich manere / that al that euere he dooth / is in the loue of god / and for the loue of god verraily / for he brenneth in the loue of god / [384] Looke how muche that a drope of water/ that falleth in a fourneys ful of fyr anoyeth or greueth / so muche anoyeth a venial synne vn-to a man / that is perfit in the loue of Ihesu crist / [385] ¶ Men may also / refreyne venial synne / by receyuynge worthily / of the precious body of Ihesu crist ‖. [386] by receyuynge eek of hooly water/. by Almesdede /. by general confession of Confiteor at masse and at Complyn / and by blessynge of Bisshopes and of preestes and oothere goode werkes

Explicit secunda pars Penitentie .

[6-text p 619]

¶ Sequitur de septem peccatis mortalibus / et eorum dependencijs circumstancijs & speciebus

¶ De Superbia .

[387] NOw is it bihouely thyng. to telle / whiche been the deedly synnes / this is to seyn / Chieftaynes of synnes /. alle they renne in o lees / but in diuerse maneres ¶ Now been they cleped Chieftaynes / for as muche as they been chief. and spryngen of alle othere synnes / [388] ¶ Of the roote / of thise .vij. synnes / thanne is pride the general roote of alle harmes /. ffor of this roote / spryngen certein braunches /. As Ire. Enuye. Accidie / or Slewthe. Auarice / or Coueitise to commune vnderstondynge /. Glotonye. and Lecherye. [389] And euerich of thise chief synnes hath hise braunches and hise twigges as shal be declared / in hire Chapitres folwynge / [[no break in the MS.]]

[The Twigs of Pride.]

[390] And thogh so be that no man kan outrely telle / the nombre of twigges and of the harmes that cometh of pride /. yet wol I shewe a partie of hem / as ye shul vnderstonde [391] ¶ Ther is / Inobedience. Auauntynge. Ypocrisie. Despit. Arrogance. Inpudence. swellynge of herte. Insolence. Elacion. Inpacience. strif. Contumacie. Presumpcion. Irreuerence. Pertinacie. Veyne glorie / and many another twig that I kan nat declare [392] ¶ Ino|bedient [¶ Of Inobedience] is he / that disobeyeth for despit to the comande|mentz of god /. and to hise souereyns /. And to his goostly fader / [393] ¶ Auauntour is he / that bosteth of the harm / [¶ Of Auauntynge] or of the bountee / that he hath doon [394] ¶ Ypocrite is [¶ Of Ypocrisie] he / that hideth to shewe hym swich as he is /. and sheweth hym / swich as he noght is [395] [folio 218b] ¶ Despitous [¶ Of despit/] is he / that hath desdeyn of his neighebore / that is to seyn of euene cristene / or hath despit to doon that hym oghte to do [396] ¶ Arrogant is he / that thynketh / [¶ Of Arrogance] þat he hath thilke bountees in hym that he hath noght or

[6-text p 620] weneth that he sholde haue hem / by hise desertes /. or clles / he demeth that he be that he nys nat/ [397] ¶ In|pudent [¶ Of Inpudence] is he /. that for his pride / hath no shame of hise synnes / [398] ¶ Swellynge of herte is /. whan a man [¶ Of swellynge of herte] reioyseth hym / of harm that he hath doon / [399] ¶ Inso|lent [¶ Of Insolence] is he /. that despiseth in his Iuggement alle othere folk/ as to regard of his value /. and of his konnyng. and of his spekyng. and of his beryng [400] ¶ Elacion is / whan [¶ Of Elacioun] he ne may neither suffre to haue maister ne felawe / [401] ¶ Inpacient is he /. that wol nat been ytaught ne vnder|nome [¶ Of Inpacience] of his vice / and by strif werreieth trouthe wityngly / and deffendeth his folye / [402] ¶ Contumax is he /. that [¶ Of Contumacie] thurgh his indignacion is agayns euerich auctoritee or power/ of hem that been hise souereyns [403] ¶ Pre|sumpcion [¶ Of pre|sumpcioun] is / whan a man vndertaketh an emprise that hym oghte nat do / or elles that he may nat do / and this is called surquidie ¶ Irreuerence is / whan men do nat [¶ Of Irreuerence] honour / there as hem oghte to doon / and waiten to be reuerenced [404] ¶ Pertinacie is. whan man deffendeth [¶ Of Pertinacie] hise folies. and trusteth to muchel in his owene wit. [405] ¶ Veyneglorie / is for to haue pompe and delit in his [¶ Of veyne glorie] temporeel hynesse / and glorifie hym in this worldly estaat [406] ¶ Ianglynge / is / whan men speken to [¶ Of Ianglynge] muche biforn folk. and clappen as a Mille / and taken no kepe what they seye /

[407] ¶ And yet is ther a priuee spece of pride / that [¶ Of othere priuee speces of pride] waiteth first to be salewed er he wole salewe / al be he lasse worth / than that oother is per auenture /. and eek he waiteth or desireth / to sitte / or elles to goon aboue hym in the wey / or kisse pax /. or been encensed / or goon to offryng biforn his neighebore / [408] and swiche semblable thynges / agayns his duetee per auenture / but that he hath his herte and his entente in swich a proud desir to be magnified and honoured biforn the peple

[409] ¶ Now been ther two maneres of pride /. that [¶ Of two maneres of pride] oon of hem / is with Inne the herte of man / and that

[6-text p 621] oother is with oute /. [410] of whiche soothly thise for|seyde thynges / and mo than I haue seyd / apertenen to pride that is in the herte of man / and that othere speces of pride / been with oute /. [411] but natheles that oon of thise speces of pride / is signe of that oother. / right as the gaye leefsel atte Tauerne / is signe of the wyn that is in the Celer /. [412] and this is in manye thynges / As in speche and contenance / and in outrageous array of clothyng. [413] for certes / if ther ne hadde be no synne in clothyng Crist wolde nat haue noted and spoken of the clothyng of thilke riche man in the gospel ‖. [414] And as seith Seint Gregorie ¶ That precious clothyng is cow|pable [¶ Sanctus Gregorius] / for the derthe of it. and for his softenesse / and for his strangenesse and degisynesse / and for the super|fluitee / and for the inordinat scantnesse of it [415] ¶ Allas / may men nat seen as in oure dayes / the synful costlewe array of clothynge /. and namely / in to muche superfluite / or elles / in to desordinat scantnesse

[416] AS to the firste synne / in superfluitee of [¶ Of superfluitee & outrageous array of clothinge] clothynge / which that maketh it so deere to harm of the peple /. [417] nat oonly / the cost of embrowdynge / the degise / endentynge / barrynge / owndynge / palynge / wyndynge / or bendynge / and semblable wast of clooth / in vanitee / [418] but ther is [folio 219a] also costlewe furrynge in hir gownes /. so muche powsonynge of chisel to maken holes /. so muche daggynge of sheres / [419] forth with the superfluitee in lengthe of the forseide gownes / trail|ynge / in the dong and in the Mire on horse and eek on foote / as wel / of men as of wommen /. that al thilke trailyng is verraily as in effect wasted / consumed / thred|bare / and roten with donge / rather / than it is yeuen to the poure / to greet damage of the forseyde poure folk /. [420] and that in sondry wise /. this is to seyn / that the moore that clooth is wasted / the moore it costeth to the peple for the scantnesse [421] ¶ And forther ouer / if so be / that they wolde yeuen swich powsoned and

[6-text p 622] dagged clothyng to the poure folk /. it is nat conuenient to were for hire estaat ne suffisant to beete hire necessitee / to kepe hem / fro the distemperance of the firmament [422] Up-on þat oother side / to speken of the horrible [¶ Of disordinat/ scantnesse of clothynge] disordinat scantnesse of clothyng. as been thise kutted sloppes / or haynselyns / that thurgh hire shortnesse / ne couere nat the shameful membres of man to wikked entente [423] ¶ Allas / somme of hem shewen the boce of hir shape and the horrible swollen membres / that semeth / lik the maladie of Hirnia in the wrappynge of hir hoses / [424] and eek the buttokes of hem faren / as it were the hyndre part of a she Ape in the fulle of the Moone [425] ¶ And moore ouer / the wrecched swollen membres that they shewe / thurgh the degisynge in departynge of hire hoses in whit and reed / semeth that half hir shame|ful priuee membres weren flayne [426] ¶ And if so be that they departen hire hoses in othere colours /. as is whit and blak. or whit and blew / or blak / and reed and so forth /. [427] thanne semeth it as by variance of colour that half the partie of hire priuee membres were corrupt by the fir of seint Antony / or by Cancre / or by oother swich meschaunce [428] ¶ Of the hyndre part of hir buttokes. it is ful horrible for to see /. ffor certes / in that partie of hir body / ther as they purgen hir stynkynge ordure / [429] that foule partie shewe they to the peple prowdly in despit of honestitee / the which honestitee that Ihesu crist and hise freendes obseruede / to shewen in hir lyue [430] NOw / of the outrageous array of wommen / [¶ Of outrageous array of Wommen] god woot that though the visages of somme of hem / seme ful chaast and debonaire / yet notifie they in hire array of Atyr likerousnesse and pride [431] ¶ I sey nat that honestitee in clothynge of man or womman / is vncouen|able / but certes the superfluitee / or disordinat scantitee of clothynge / is repreuable [432] ¶ Also / the synne of aornement or of apparaille / is in thynges that apertenen [¶ Of outrageous apparaille / of thynges that] to ridynge /. as / in to manye delicat horses that been hoold|en

[6-text p 623] for delit. that been so faire / fatte and costlewe /. [433] [apertenen to ridynge] and also / to many a vicious knaue / that is sustened by cause of hem / In to curious harneys /. as in sadeles / in Crouperes / peytrels and bridles couered with precious clothyng and riche / barres and plates of gold and of siluer /. [434] for which god seith / by Zakarie the [¶ dominus per zakariam prophetam] prophete / I wol confounde the rideres of swiche horses [435] ¶ This folk taken litel reward of the ridynge of goddes sone of heuene / and of his harneys whan he rood vp on the Asse / and ne hadde noon oother harneys / but the poure clothes of hise disciples / ne / we [folio 219b] ne rede nat. that euere he rood on oother beest. [436] I speke this / for the synne of superfluitee / and nat for resonable honestitee / whan reson it requireth [437] And forther/ certes pride is greetly notified in holdynge of greet meynee / [¶ Of pride / in holdynge of greet meynee] whan they be of litel profit or of right no profit. [438] and namely / whan that meynee / is felonous and dama|geous to the peple by hardynesse of heigh lordshipe / or by wey of Offices /. [439] ffor certes swiche lordes / sellen thanne hir lordshipe to the deuel of helle / whanne they sustenen / the wikkednesse of hir meynee [440] ¶ Or elles / whan this folk of lowe degree / as thilke that holden hostelries / sustenynge the thefte of hire hostilers / and that is / in many manere of deceites / [441] ¶ Thilke manere of folk / been the flyes that folwen the hony / or elles / the houndes / that folwen the careyne /. Swich forseyde folk stranglen spiritually hir lordshipes /. [442] for which / thus seith Dauid the prophete / ¶ Wikked [¶ Dauid pro|pheta] deeth moote come vp thilke lordshipes /. and god yeue / that they moote descenden in-to helle al doun / al doun /. for in hire houses / been iniquitees and shrewednesses / and nat god of heuene /. [443] and certes / but if they doon amende|ment. right/ as god yaf his benyson to Pharao / by the seruice of Iacob / and to Laban / by the seruice of Ioseph. / right so / god wol yeue his malison to swiche lordshipes / as sustenen the wikkednesse of hir seruauntz / but if they

[6-text p 624] come to amendement [444] ¶ Pride of the table / appeereth [¶ Of pride of the table] eek ful ofte ./ for certes riche men been cleped to festes / and poure folk been put awey and rebuked [445] Also in excesse of diuerse metes and drynkes /. and namely / [¶ Of excesse of diuerse metes and drynkes] swiche manere bake metes and dissh metes brennynge of wilde fir / and peynted and castelled with papir / and semblable wast/ so that it is abusion for to thynke [446] And eek in to greet preciousnesse of vessel / and curiositee [¶ Of to great preciousnesse of vessel /. and curiositee of Mynstralcye] of Mynstralcie / by whiche / a man is stired the moore to delices of luxurie / [447] if so be that he sette his herte / the lasse vp-on oure lord Ihesu crist /. certeyn it is a synne / and certeinly / the delices / myghte been so grete in this caas / that man myghte lightly / falle by hem in-to deedly synne [448] The especes that sourden of pride / [¶ Of the especes that sourden of pride] soothly / whan they sourden of malice ymagined / auised and forncast. or elles of vsage / been deedly synnes / it is no doute /. [449] And whan they sourden by freletee vn|auysed / and sodeynly withdrawen ayeyn / al been they greuouse synnes /. I gesse / that they ne been nat deedly [450] Now myghte men axe / wher-of that pride [¶ Wher-of / pride sourdeth and spryngeth] sourdeth / and spryngeth and I seye / somtyme it spryngeth / of the goodes of nature / and som tyme / of the goodes of ffortune /. and som tyme / of the goodes of grace [451] ¶ Certes / the goodes of nature / stonden / [¶ Of goodes of nature] outher in goodes of body / or in goodes of soule [452] ¶ Certes / goodes of body / been heele of body. as [¶ Of goodes of body] strengthe / deliuernesse / beautee / gentries / franchise / [453] ¶ Goodes of nature of the soule / been good wit [¶ Of goodes / of nature / of / the soule] sharpe vnderstondynge. subtil engyn. vertu natureel. good memorie [454] ¶ Goodes of ffortune / been richesse / [¶ Of goodes of ffortune] hyghe degrees of lordshipes. preisynges of the peple [455] ¶ Goodes of grace / been science. power/ to suffre [¶ Of goodes of grace] spiritueel trauaille. benignitee. vertuous contemplacion. withstondynge of temptacion / and semblable thynges /. [456] of whiche forseyde goodes. certes it is a ful greet folye / a man to priden hym / in any of hem alle [457]

[6-text p 625] NOw as for to speken of goodes of nature /. god woot that som tyme we han hem / in nature / as muche to oure [folio 220a] damage / as to oure profit [458] ¶ As for to speken of heele of body /. certes / it passeth ful lightly / and eek it is / ful ofte encheson of the siknesse of oure soule /. for God woot the flessh / is a ful greet enemy to the soule /. and therfore / the moore that the body is hool / the moore be we in peril to falle [459] ¶ Eke / for to pride / hym in [¶ Of pride / of strengthe of body] his strengthe of body / it is an heigh folye /. ffor certes / the flessh coueiteth agayn the spirit /. and ay / the moore strong that the flessh is / the sorier may the soule be /. [460] and ouer al this / strengthe of body and worldly hardynesse / causeth ful ofte many a man / to peril and meschaunce [461] ¶ Eek for to pride hym of his [¶ Of pride of gentrye] gentrie / is ful greet folie/ for ofte tyme / the gentrie of the body / binymeth the gentrie of the soule /. and eek we ben alle / of o fader / and of o mooder /. and alle we been of o nature / roten. and corrupt. bothe riche and poure ‖. [462] ffor sothe / o manere gentrie / is for to preise / that apparailleth mannes corage with vertues and moralitees / and maketh hym cristes child. [463] for truste wel / that ouer what man þat synne hath maistrie / he is / a verray cherl to synne

[464] ¶ NOw been ther generale signes of gentillesse /. [¶ Of generale signes / of / gentillesse] as eschewynge of vice and ribaudye / and seruage of synne /. in word / in werk /. and contenance /. [465] and vsynge vertu / curteisye. and clennesse /. and to be liberal /. that is to seyn / large by mesure /. for thilke that passeth mesure / is folie and synne [466] ¶ Another is / to remembre hym of bountee / that he of oother folk hath receyued [467] ¶ Another is / to be benigne to hise goode subgetis ‖. wherfore seith senek ¶ ther is no thing moore [¶ Seneca] couenable to a man of heigh estaat /. than debonairetee and pitee [468] And therfore / thise flyes / that men [¶ Nota] clepeth bees /. whan they maken hir kyng. they chesen oon that hath no prikke / wherwith he may stynge [469]

[6-text p 626] ¶ Another is / man to haue a noble herte / and a diligent to attayne to heighe vertuouse thynges [470] NOw certes / a man to pride hym in the goodes of grace / is eek / an [¶ Of pride in the yiftes of grace] outrageous folie / for thilke yifte of grace / that sholde haue turned hym to goodnesse and to medicine / turneth hym to venym and to confusion / as seith seint Gregorie [471] Certes also / who so prideth hym / in the goodes of [¶ Of pride in the goodes of ffortune] ffortune /. he is a ful greet fool /. for som tyme is a man a greet lord by the morwe /. that is a caytyf and a wrecche er it be nyght. [472] and somtyme / the richesse of a man / is cause of his deþ / somtyme / the delices of a man / is cause of the greuous maladye / thurgh which he dyeth [473] Certes / the commendacion of the peple / is som|tyme [¶ Of commen|dacioun of the peple.] / ful fals and ful brotel for to triste /. this day they preyse / tomorwe they blame / [474] god woot desir/ to haue commendacion of the peple / hath caused deeth / to many a bisy man [475] Now sith that so is / that ye han vnderstonde what is pride / and whiche been the speces of it. and whennes pride sourdeth / and spryngeth

¶ Remedium contra peccatum Superbie .

[476]

NOw shul ye vnderstonde which is the remedie agayns / the synne of pride /. and that is humylitee / or [¶ Of humilite or mekenesse] mekenesse /. [477] that is a vertu / thurgh which. a man / hath verray knoweleche of hym self. and holdeth of hym|self/ no pris ne deyntee /. as in regard of hise desertes / considerynge euere his freletee [478] NOw been ther .iij. maneres of humylitee /. as humylitee in herte /. and another [¶ Of .iij. maneres of humilitee] humylitee in his [folio 220b] mouth ¶ The thridde in hise werkes [479] ¶ The humilitee in herte / is in iiij. maneres ¶ that [¶ Of .iiij. maneres of humilitee in herte] oon is / whan a man / holdeth hym self as noght worth biforn god of heuene ‖. Another is /. whan he ne despiseth

[6-text p 627] noon oother man [480] ¶ The thridde is / whan he rekketh nat. though men holde hym noght worth ¶ The ferthe is / whan he nys nat sory of his humiliacion [481] ¶ Also the humilitee of mouth /. is in .iiij. thynges ¶ In [¶ Of .iiij. thynges / of / humilitee of mouthe] attempree speche ¶ And in humblesse of speche ¶ and whan he biknoweth with his owene mouth /. that he is swich / as hym thynketh that he is in his herte ¶ Another is /. whan he preiseth the bountee of another man /. and no thyng ther of amenuseth / [482] ¶ Humilitee eek in [¶ Of .iiij. maneres of/ humilitee in werkes] werkes is in .iiij. maneres ¶ The firste is / whan he putteth othere men biforn hym ¶ The seconde is / to chese the loweste place ouer al ¶ The thridde is / gladly to assente to conseil [483] ¶ The ferthe / is to stonde gladly / to the award of hise souereyns /. or of hym / that is in hyer degree /. certein this is a greet werk of humylitee.

¶ Sequitur de Inuidia .

[484]

After Pride wol I speken / of the foule synne of Enuye [¶ What Enuye is secundum Philosophum et secundum Augustinum] which is / as by the word of the Philosophre / sorwe / of oother mannes prosperitee /. and after the word of seint Augustyn /. it is sorwe of oother mannes wele / and ioye of othere mennes harm / [485] ¶ This synne is platly agayns the hooly /. Al be it so / that euery synne is agayns the hooly goost/. yet nathelees for as muche / as bountee / aperteneth proprely to the hooly. and Enuye comth proprely. of malice /. ther|fore it is proprely / agayn the bountee of the hooly goost [486] ¶ Now hath malice two speces /. that is to seyn [¶ Of .ij.^o speces of malice / and the firste / is hardnesse / of herte] hardnesse of herte in wikkednesse /. or elles / the flessh of man is so blynd / that he considereþ nat. that he is in synne /. or rekketh nat that he is in synne /. which is the hardnesse of the deuel / [487] ¶ That oother [¶ Of another spece of malice] speche of malice / is whan a man werreyeth trouthe / whan he woot that it is trouthe /. And eek / whan he werreyeth the grace / that god hath yeue to his

[6-text p 628] neighebore / and al this / is by Enuye [488] ¶ Certes / thanne is Enuye the worste synne that is /. ffor soothly / alle othere synnes been som tyme oonly / agayns o special vertu /. [489] but certes / Enuye is agayns alle vertues / and agayns alle goodnesses /. for it is sory / of alle the bountees of his neighebore / and in this manere / it is diuers from alle othere synnes [490] ¶ ffor wel vnnethe / is ther any synne / that it ne hath / som delit in itself. saue oonly Enuye / that euere hath in itself angwissh and sorwe [491] ¶ The speces of Enuye been thise / Ther is [¶ Of the firste spece of Enuye] first. sorwe of oother mannes goodnesse / and of his pros|peritee. / and prosperitee / is kyndely matere of Ioye/. thanne is Enuye a synne agayns kynde [492] ¶ The seconde spece of Enuye / is ioye of oother mannes harm /. [¶ Of the .ij.^de spece / of Enuye] and that is proprely lyk to the deuel /. that euere reioyseth hym of mannes harm [493] ¶ Of thise two speces / comth bakbityng. and this synne / of bakbityng or detraccion / hath certeine speces / as thus ¶ Som man preiseth his [¶ The firste spece / of bakbitynge] neighebore by a wikke entente /. [494] for he maketh alwey a wikked knotte [folio 221a] atte laste ende /. alwey / he maketh a but/ atte laste ende / that is digne of moore blame /. than worth is al the preisynge [495] ¶ The seconde spece is / that if a man be good / and dooth / or seith a thing to good entente /. the bakbiter wol turne all thilke goodnesse / vp so doun / to his shrewed entente [496] ¶ The thridde is / to amenuse the bountee of his neighe|bore [¶ The .iij.^de spece] [497] ¶ The fourthe spece of bakbityng is this /. [¶ The .iiij. spece] that if men speke goodnesse of a man /. thanne wol the bakbiter seyn /. pardee /. swich a man / is yet bet than he / in dispreisynge / of hym that men preise / [498] ¶ The fifte spece is this /. for to consente gladly and herkne [¶ The v.^o spece] gladly to the harm that men speke of/ oother folk ‖. this synne is ful greet and ay encreeseth / after the wikked entente of the bakbiter [499] After bakbityng cometh gruchchyng or Murmuracion /. and somtyme it spryngeth [¶ Of grucchyng / or Murmuracioun] of Inpacience agayns god /. and somtyme agayns man

[6-text p 629] [500] ¶ Agayns god it is / whan a man gruccheth agayn the peynes of helle /. or agayns pouerte /. or los of catel. agayn reyn / or tempest. or elles gruccheth / that shrewes han prosperitee /. or elles / for that goode men han Ad|uersitee / [501] and alle thise thynges sholde men suffre paciently /. for they comen by the rightful Iuggement and ordinance of god [502] ¶ Som tyme comth grucching of [¶ Of grucchyng/ þat comth of Auarice] Auarice / as Iudas grucched agayns the Magdaleyne /. whan she enoynte / the heued of oure lord Ihesu crist. with hir precious oynement [503] ¶ This maner murmure is swich. as whan man gruccheth / of goodnesse / þat hym self dooth /. or that oother folk doon of hir owene catel [504] ¶ Som tyme comth murmure of pride /. as whan Simon [¶ Of murmure þat comth of pride] the Pharisee / grucchched agayn the Magdaleyne / whan she approched to Ihesu crist. and weepe at his feet for hire synnes [505] ¶ And somtyme grucchyng sourdeth of [¶ Of murmure þat sourdeth of Enuye] Enuye / whan men discouereth a mannes harm that was pryuee / or bereth hym on hond / thyng that is fals [506] ¶ Murmure eek / is ofte amonges seruauntz / that grucchen / [¶ Of murmure amonges seruauntz] whan hir souereyns bidden hem doon leueful thynges /. [507] and for as muche / as they dar nat openly withseye the comaundementz of hir souereyns / yet wol they seyn harm / and grucche and murmure priuely for verray despit / [508] whiche wordes / men clepen the deueles Pater noster / though so be that the deuel ne hadde neuere Pater noster /. but that lewed folk yeuen it swich a name [509] ¶ Som tyme / grucchyng comth of Ire / or [¶ O grucchyng/ that/ cometh of Ire] priue hate / that norisseth rancour in herte /. as afterward I shal declare [510] Thanne cometh eek bitternesse of [¶ Of bitternesse of herte] herte / thurgh which bitternesse / euery good dede of his neighebor / semeth to hym / bitter and vnsauory [511] ¶ Thanne cometh discord / that vnbyndeth alle manere [¶ Of discord] of freendshipe ¶ Thanne comth / scornynge of . . . . . [¶ Of scornyng/] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] his neighe|bor / al do he neuer so weel [512] ¶ Thanne comth / [¶ Of Accusyng/] Accusynge /. as whan man seketh occasion / to anoyen his

[6-text p 630] neighebor / which that is lyk / to the craft of the deuel / that waiteth / bothe nyght and day to accusen vs alle [513] ¶ Thanne comth malignitee / thurgh which a man [¶ Of Malignitee] anoyeth his neighebor priuely / if he may. [514] and if he noght may / algate / his wikked wil / ne shal nat wante /. as for to brennen his hous pryuely /. or empoysone / or sleen hise beestes / and semblable thynges /.

[folio 221b] ¶ Remedium contra peccatum Inuidie

[515] NOW wol I speke of the remedie / agayns the foule synne of Enuye / ¶ ffirst is the louynge of god principal / and louyng / of his neighebor as hym self /. for soothly / that oon ne may nat been / with-oute that oother /. [516] And truste wel / that in the name of thy neighebore /. thou shalt vnderstonde the name of thy brother ffor certes / alle we haue o fader flesshly / and o mooder / that is to seyn / Adam and Eue /. and eek o fader espiritueel / and that is god of heuene [517] ¶ Thy neighebore / artow holden for to loue and wilne hym alle [¶ How a man / shal loue his neighebore] goodnesse /. and therfore seith god / loue thy neighebore as thy selue / that is to seyn / to saluacion / of lyf and of soule [518] ¶ And moore ouer / thou shalt loue hym in word / and in benigne amonestynge / and chastisynge / and conforten hym / in hise anoyes / and preye for hym with al thyn herte / [519] ¶ And in dede / thou shalt loue hym in swich wise /. that thou shalt doon to hym in charitee / as thou woldest that it were doon to thyn owene persone /. [520] And therfore / thou ne shalt doon hym no damage in wikked word / ne harm in his body / ne in his catel / ne in his soule / by entissyng of wikked ensample [521] ¶ Thou shalt nat desiren his wyf ne none of hise thynges Vnderstoond eek / that in the name of neighebor / is com|prehended [¶ How in the name of neighe|bor / is compre|hended a mannes enemy] his enemy [522] ¶ certes man shal louen his enemy / by the comandement of god /. and soothly / thy freend / shaltow loue in god [523] ¶ I seye / thyn enemy / shaltow loue for goddes sake / by his comande|ment

[6-text p 631] ¶ ffor if it were reson þat a man sholde haten his enemy /. for sothe / god nolde nat receyuen vs to his loue / that been hise enemys [524] ¶ Agayns .iij. manere of [¶ How a man shal do .iij. thynges / agayns .iij. manere of thynges that his enemy dooth to hym] thynges that his enemy dooth to hym /. he shal doon .iij. thynges as thus [525] ¶ Agayns hate and rancour of herte / he shal loue hym in herte ¶ Agayns chidyng and wikkede wordes / he shal preye for his enemy ¶ And agayn wikked dede of his enemy /. he shal doon hym. bountee [526] ¶ ffor crist seith / loueth youre enemys / and preyeth for hem that speke yow harm /. and eek for hem / that yow chacen and pursewen and dooth bountee / to hem that yow haten ¶ Loo / thus comaundeth vs oure lord Ihesu crist. to do / to oure enemys /. [527] ffor soothly nature dryueth vs / to louen oure freendes /. and parfey / oure enemys / han moore nede to loue than oure freendes /. and they that moore nede haue / certes / to hem shal men doon good|nesse / [528] and certes in thilke dede / haue we remem|brance / of the loue of Ihesu crist that deyde for hise enemys /. [529] and in as muche as thilke loue / is the moore greuous to perfourne / in so muche / is the moore gretter the merite / and ther-fore the louynge of oure enemy / hath confounded / the venym of the deuel /. [530] ffor right as the deuel / is disconfited by humylitee /. right so / is he wounded to the deeth / by loue of oure enemy [531] ¶ Certes. / thanne is loue the medicine / that casteth out the venym of Enuye / fro mannes herte [532] ¶ The speces of this paas / shullen be moore largely in hir Chapitres folwynge declared . . .

¶ Sequitur de Ira .

[533] After Enuye / wol I discryuen the synne of Ire /. ffor soothly / who so hath enuye vpon his neighebor / anon he wole comunly fynde hym a matere of wratthe / in word / or [folio 222a] in dede / agayns hym / to whom he hath enuye ‖. [534] And as wel comth Ire of pride /

[6-text p 632] as of enuye /. for soothly / he that is proude or enuyous / is lightly wrooth

[535] ¶ This synne of Ire / after the discryuyng of seint Augustyn / is wikked wil / to been auenged / by [¶ sanctus Augustinus] word / or by dede /. [536] Ire after the Philosophre /. is [¶ Philosophus] the feruent blood of man / yquyked in his herte / thurgh which he wole harm / to hym that he hateth [537] ¶ ffor certes the herte of man by eschawfynge and moeuynge of his blood / wexeth so trouble / that he is / out of alle Iuggement of reson [538] ¶ But ye shal vnderstonde / that Ire is in two maneres / that oon of hem is good / and [¶ Of Ire in two maneres] that oother is wikked / [539] ¶ The goode Ire / is by Ialousie of goodnesse / thurgh which / a man is wrooth [¶ Of good Ire] with wikkednesse / and agayns wikkednesse /. and ther|fore seith a wys man /. that Ire is bet than pley ‖ [540] [¶ Sapiens] This Ire / is with debonairetee /. and it is wrooth with|outen bitternesse / nat wrooth agayns the man / but wrooth / with the mysdede of / the man /. as seith the prophete Dauid Irascimini & nolite peccare [541] NOw [¶ Dauid propheta] vnderstondeth / that wikked Ire / is in two maneres / [¶ Of wikked Ire in ij^o. maneres / and the firste / is sodeyn Ire] that is to seyn / sodeyn Ire / or hastif Ire withouten auisement and consentynge of reson /. [542] the menyng and the sens of this / is / that the reson of man ne con|sente nat to thilke sodeyn Ire / and thanne it is venial [543] ¶ Another Ire is ful wikked / that comth of [¶ Of Ire þat comth of felonie of herte auised & cast biforn] felonie of herte auysed and cast biforn / with wikked wil / to do vengeance / and therto / his reson consenteth and soothly / this is deedly synne [544] ¶ This Ire / is so dis|plesant to god that it troubleth his hous / and chaceth the hooly goost out of mannes soule / and wasteth and de|stroyeth the liknesse of god / that is to seyn / the vertu that is in mannes soule / [545] and put in hym / the lik|nesse of the deuel and bynymeth the man fro god / that is / his rightful lord /. [546] this Ire / is a ful greet plesaunce to the deuel /. for it is the deueles fourneys / that is eschawfed / with the fir of helle ‖. [547] ffor certes /

[6-text p 633] right so / as fir is moore mighty / to destroyen erthely thynges / than any oother Element. right so Ire is myghty to destroyen alle spiritueel thynges [548] ¶ Looke /. how that fir of smale gleedes that been almoost dede vnder asshen wollen quike agayn / whan they been touched with brymstoon? / right so Ire wol eueremo quyken agayn / whan it is touched / by the pride that is couered in mannes herte / [549] ffor certes / fir ne may nat comen out of no thyng. but if it were first in the same thyng natureelly / as fir / is drawen out of flyntes with steel [550] And right so / as pride is ofte tyme matere of Ire /. right so is rancour/ norice and keper of Ire [551] Ther is [¶ Nota secun|dum Ysodorum] a maner tree as seith sein Ysidre / that whan men maken fire of thilke tree / and couere the coles of it with Asshen soothly / the fir of it wol lasten al a yeer or moore ‖. [552] And right so / fareth it of rancour/. whan it is [¶ exemplum] ones conceyued in the hertes of som men certein / it wol lasten perauenture / from oon Estre day vnto another Estre day / and moore /. [553] but certes / thilke man / is ful fer fro the mercy of god / in thilke while

[554] ¶ In this forseyde deueles fourneys / ther [¶ Of .iij. shrewes þat forgen alwey in the deueles fourneys] forgen .iij. shrewes ‖. Pride that ay bloweth and encreesseth the fir/ by chidynge and wikked wordes [555] ¶ Thanne stant Enuye / and holdeth the hoote Iren vpon the herte of man / with a peire of longe toonges / of long rancour [556] ¶ And thanne stant the synne of contumelie / or strif and cheeste / and batereth and forgeth / by vileyns repreuynges [557] ¶ Certes / this cursed synne anoyeth [folio 222b] bothe to the man hym self / and eek to his neighebore ¶ ffor soothly / almoost al the harm that any man dooth to his neighebore / comth of wratthe /. [558] for certes outrageous wratthe / dooth / al that euere / the deuel hym comaundeth /. for he ne spareth neither crist ne his sweete mooder/. [559] And in his out|rageous anger and Ire / allas / allas / ful many oon at that tyme / feeleth in his herte ful wikkedly /

[6-text p 634] bothe of crist and of alle hise halwes [560] ¶ Is nat this a cursed vice? yis certes / Allas / it bynymeth from man his wit and his reson / and al his debonaire lif/ espiritueel / that sholde kepen his soule [561] ¶ Certes / it bynymeth eek goddes due lordshipe / and that is mannes soule / and the loue of hise neighebores ‖. It stryueth eek alday agayn trouthe /. It reueth hym / the quiete of his herte / and subuerteth his soule /

[562] Of Ire / comen thise stynkynge engendrures [¶ Of the engen|drures that comen of pride] ¶ ffirst hate / that is oold wratthe. discord / thurgh which a man / forsaketh his olde freend ful longe / [563] ¶ And thanne cometh werre / and every manere of wrong that man dooth to his neighebore / in body / or in catel [564] Of this cursed synne of Ire / [¶ Of man|slaughtre in diuerse maneres] cometh eek manslaughtre ‖. And vnderstonde wel / that homycide / that is manslaughtre / is in diuerse wise ¶ Som manere of homycide is spiritueel / and som is bodily [565] ¶ Spiritueel manslaughtre is in .vj. thynges ¶ ffirst by [¶ Of .vj. thynges / þat bee / in spiritueel manslaughtre] hate / as seint Iohn seith /. he that hateth his brother / is homycide / [566] ¶ homycide is eek by bakbitynge / of [¶ Nota secun|dum Iohannem] whiche bakbiteres seith Salomon /. that they han two [¶ Salomon] swerdes / with whiche / the sleen hire neighebores /. ffor soothly / as wikke is / to bynyme his good name / as his lyf [567] ¶ Homycide is eek / in yeuynge of wikked [¶ Of homycide / in yeuynge of wikked conseil] conseil by fraude /. as for to yeuen conseil / to areysen wrongful custumes /and taillages /. [568] of whiche seith Salomon ¶ Leon rorynge and Bere hongry / been like to the [¶ Salomon] crueel lordshipes / in withholdynge or abreggynge / of the shepe / or the hyre or of the wages of seruauntz /. or elles in vsures / or in withdrawynge of the Almesse of poure folk. [569] ffor which the wise man seith ¶ ffedeth hym / that [¶ Sapiens] almoost dyeth for honger/. for soothly / but if thow feede hym / thou sleest hym / and alle thise been deedly synnes [570] BOdily manslaughtre is / whan thow sleest him with thy [¶ Of bodily man|slaughtre] tonge /. In oother manere /. as whan thou comandest to sleen a man / or elles / yeuest hym conseil / to sleen a

[6-text p 635] man [571] Manslaughtre in dede / is in .iiij. maneres. [¶ Of man|slaughtre in dede. in ./ iiij. maneres] ¶ That oon / is by lawe /. right as a Iustice dampneth hym that is coupable to the deeth. / but lat the Iustice [¶ Of man|slaughtre by lawe] be war/ that he do it rightfully /. and that he do it nat for delit to spille blood / but for kepynge of rightwise|nesse / [572] ¶ Another homycide / is that is doon for [¶ Of homycide doon for / necessitee] necessitee /. as whan o man sleeth another in his defendaunt and þat he ne may noon ootherwise escape / from his owene deeth /. [573] but certeinly / if he may escape with outen manslaughtre of his aduersarie / and sleeth hym /. he dooth synne / and he shal bere penance as for deedly synne [574] ¶ Eek/ if a man / by caas or auenture / shete [¶ Of homycide / by caas or auenture] an arwe / or caste a stoon / with which he sleeth a man / he is homycide [575] ¶ Eek/ if a womman by necligence / [¶ Of homycide / whan a womman / ouerlith hir childe] ouerlyeth hire child in hir slepyng. it is homycide and deedly synne / [576] Eek/ whan man destourbeth con|cepcion [¶ Of homycide / in destourbyng/ of the concepcion of/ a childe.] of a child and maketh a womman / outher bareyne by drynkynge venenouse herbes / thurgh which / she may nat conceyue /. or sleeth a child by drynkes wilfully or elles / putteth certeine material thynges / in hire secree places / to slee the child / [577] or elles / dooth vnkyndely synne / by which man or womman shedeth hire nature / in manere or in place / ther as a child may nat be con|cei [folio 223a] ued /. or elles / if a woman haue conceyued / and hurt hir child / and sleeth the child / yet it is homycide [578] ¶ What seye we eek/ of wommen that mordren [¶ Of wommen þat mordre hir children / for worldly shame] hir children for drede of worldly shame /. certes / an horrible homicide [579] ¶ Homycide is eek/ if a man ap|procheth [¶ Of homycide thurghe approch|ynge of man to womman by desir of lecherie /. or elles thurgh smytynge of a womman with childe] to a womman / by desir of lecherie / thurȝ which the child is perissed / or elles smyteth a womman wityngly / thurgh which she leseth hir child ‖. Alle thise been homy|cides / and horrible deedly synnes [580] Yet comen ther of Ire / manye mo synnes /. as wel / in word / as in thoght and [¶ Of many mo synnes that comen of Ire] in dede / as he that arretteth vpon god /. or blameth god / of thyng. of which he is hym self gilty. / or despiseth god / and alle hise halwes / as doon thise cursede hasardours

[6-text p 636] in diuerse contrees ‖. [581] This cursed / synne doon they / whan they feelen in hir hertes / ful wikkedly of god / and of hise halwes [582] ¶ also / whan they treten vnreuerently [¶ Of hem þat vnreuerently treten / the sacrement of the Auter] the sacrement/ of the Auter / thilke synne is so greet. that vnnethe may it been releessed but that the mercy of god / passeth alle hise werkes / it is so greet and he so benigne [583] Thanne comth of Ire attry Angre /. [¶ Of attry Angre] whan a man / is sharpely amonested in his shrifte to for|leten his synne /. [584] thanne wole he be angry and answeren hokerly and angrily / and deffenden / or excusen his synne / by vnstedefastnesse of his flessh /. or elles he dide it for to holde compaignye with hise felawes /. or elles he seith the fend enticed hym / [585] or elles / he dide it for his youthe /. or elles / his conpleccion is so corageous / that he may nat forbere /. or elles it is his destinee / as he seith / vnto a certein age /. or elles he seith / it cometh hym of gentillesse of hise Auncestres and semblable thynges [586] ¶ Alle this manere of folk / so wrappen hem in hir synnes /. that they ne wol nat deliuere hem self /. ffor soothly / no wight / that excuseth hym wilfully of his synne / may nat been deliuered of his synne / til that he mekely biknoweth his synne? [587] After this / thanne cometh sweryng. that is expres / [¶ Of sweryng/] agayn the comandement of god. and this bifalleth ofte / of anger and of Ire ‖. [588] God seith; thow shalt nat take / the name of thy lord god in veyn / or in ydel / Also oure lord Ihesu crist seith by the word of seint Mathew /. [¶ Math. 6^o. nolite iurare omnino] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [589] Ne wol ye nat swere in alle manere. neither by heuene. for it is goddes trone. / ne by erthe /. for it is the bench of his feet. ne by Ierusalem /. for it is the Citee of a greet kyng. ne by thyn heed / for thou mayst nat make. an heer whit ne blak /. [590] but seyeth by youre word / ye / ye / and nay / nay And what that is moore / it is of yuel seith crist. [591] ffor cristes sake ne swereth nat so synfully / in dismembrynge of Crist. by soule.

[6-text p 637] herte. bones. and body ¶ ffor certes / it semeth that ye thynke / that the cursede Iewes / ne dismembred nat ynough the preciouse persone of crist. but ye dismembre hym moore / [592] ¶ And if so be / that the lawe com|pelle yow to swere /. thanne rule yow / after the lawe of god in youre sweryng. as seith Ieremye .4^o. c^o . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ¶ Thou shalt kepe .iij. condicions Thou shalt swere in trouthe /. [¶ Iurabis in veritate in Iudicio & in Iusticia] in doom. / and in rightwisnesse ‖. [593] this is to seyn / thou shalt swere sooth /. for euery lesynge is agayns Crist. ffor crist is verray trouthe /. And thynk wel this / that euery greet swerere / nat compelled lawefully to swere /. the wounde shal nat departe from his hous / whil he vseth / swich vnleueful sweryng ‖. [594] Thou shalt sweren eek in doom / whan thou art constreyned by thy domes|man / to witnessen the trouthe [595] ¶ Eek [folio 223b] thow shalt [¶ How a man shal nat swere / for enuye / ne for fauour / ne for meede / but for rightwisnesse &c.] nat swere / for enuye ne for fauour / ne for meede / but for rightwisnesse / and for declaracion of it /. to the worshipe of god / and helpyng of thyne euene cristene /. [596] And therfore / euery man that taketh goddes name in ydel /. or falsly swereth with his mouth /. or elles taketh on hym the name of crist. to be called a cristene man / and lyueth agayns Cristes luyunge and his techynge / alle they / taken goddes name in ydel / [597] ¶ Looke eek / what seint Peter seith Actuum .4^o. Non est aliud nomen sub celo &c ¶ Ther [¶ sanctus Petrus Actuum .4^o.] nys noon oother name seith seint Peter / vnder heuene yeuen to men / in which they mowe be saued /. that is to seyn / but the name of Ihesu crist [598] ¶ Take kepe eek / how that the precious name of crist /. as seith seint Paul / [¶ Paulus ad Philipenses 2^o.] ad Philipenses .2^o. In nomine Ihesu &c ¶ that in the name of Ihesu / euery / knee of heuenely creatures /. or erthely. or of helle sholden bowe /. for it is / so heigh and so worshipful / that the cursede feend in helle / sholde tremblen / to heeren it ynempned [599] ¶ Thanne semeth it that men þat sweren so horriblely / by his

[6-text p 638] blessed name /. that they despise hym moore booldely / than dide the cursede Iewes / or elles the deuel / that trembleth whan he heereth his name /

[600] ¶ [N]Ow certes / sith that sweryng. but if it be lawefully doon is so heighly deffended /. muche worse is forsweryng falsly /. and yet nedelees

[601] ¶ What seye we eek/ of hem / that deliten hem [¶ Of hem þat deliten hem in sweryng/. for gentrie and of vsage] in sweryng and holden it a gentrie / or a manly dede to swere grete othes ‖. And what of hem / that of verray vsage ne cesse nat to swere grete othes / al be the cause nat worth a straw /. certes / it is horrible synne [602] ¶ Swerynge sodeynly with-oute auysement is eek a synne [603] But lat vs go now to thilke horrible sweryng [¶ Of the sweryng/ of adiuracion & coniuracion] of Adiuracion and coniuracion / as doon thise false En|chauntours / or Nigromanens / in bacyns ful of water /. or in a bright swerd. in a Cercle / or in a fir / or in a shulder boon of a sheepe /. [604] I kan nat seye / but that they doon cursedly / and damnablely agayns crist/. and al the feith of hooly chirche /

[605] ¶ What seye we of hem / that bileeuen in [¶ Of hem / þat bileeuen in dyuynayles] diuynailes /. as by flight or by noyse of briddes / or of beestes. or by sort/ by Geomancie. by dremes. by chirkynge of dores. or crakynge of houses. by gnawynge of rattes. and swich manere. wrecchednesse. / [606] certes / al this thyng is deffended by god / and by al hooly chirche /. ffor which they been acursed / til they come to amendement. that on swich filthe setten hire bileeue [607] ¶ Charmes [¶ Of charmes for woundes / or maladie] for woundes or maladie of men / or of beestes /. if they taken any effect. it be perauenture / that god suffreth it. for folk sholden yeue the moore feith / and reuerence to his name

[608] NOw wol I. speken of lesynges /. which gener|ally [¶ Of lesynges] / is fals signyficacion of word / in entente / to deceyuen his euene cristene [609] ¶ Some lesynge is / of which / ther comth noon auantage to no wight ‖. And som lesynge / turneth to the ese and profit. of o man / and to disese

[6-text p 639] and damage of another man [610] ¶ Another lesynge / for to sauen his lyf or his catel / [Another lesynge] comth of delit. for to lye. in which delit / they wol forge a long tale / and peynten it with alle circumstaunces where / al the ground of the tale is fals ‖. [611] som lesynge [folio 224a] comth / for he wole sustene his word ¶ And som lesynge / comth of reccheleesnesse with-outen auisement. and sem|blable thynges

[612] Lat vs now touche / the vice of flaterynge /. [¶ Of fflaterynge] which ne comth nat gladly but for drede /. or for coueitise [613] ¶ fflaterye is generally wrongful preisynge ¶ fflater|eres [¶ how flatereres been the deueles norices] / been the deueles norices / that norissen hise children / with Milk of losengerie ‖. [614] ffor sothe / Salomon seith. [¶ Salomon] that flaterie is wors than detraccion. for som tyme de|traccion maketh an hauteyn man / be the moore humble /. for he dredeth detraccion / but certes flaterye / that maketh a man / to enhauncen his herte and his contenance [615] ¶ fflatereres / been the deueles Enchauntours for [¶ how flatereres / been the deueles enchauntours] the make a man to wene of hym self. be lyk / that he nys nat lyk. [616] they been lyk to Iudas / that bitraysed [God / and thise flatereres bitraysen] a man / to sellen hym to hise enemy. that is to the deuel [617] ¶ fflatereres / been [¶ how flatereres/ been the deueles Chapelleyns] the deueles Chapelleyns / that syngen euere Placebo [618] ¶ I rekene fla[te]rie in the vices of Ire. / for ofte tyme / if o man / be wrooth with another /. thanne wole he flatere som wight. to sustene hym in his querele

[619] Speke we now / of swich cursynge / as comth [¶ Of cursynge þat comth of Irous herte] of Irous herte ¶ Malison generally / may be seyd euery maner power or harm ‖. swich cursynge / bireueth man fro the regne of god / as seith seint Paul /. [620] And ofte [¶ Sanctus Paulus] tyme / swich cursynge wrongfully / retorneth agayn / to hym þat curseth /. as a bryd that retorneth agayn / to his owene nest [621] ¶ And ouer alle thyng men oghten eschewe to cursen hire children / and yeuen to the deuel hire engendrure / as ferforth / as in hem is /. certes it is greet peril and greet synne

[6-text p 640]

[622] Lat vs thanne speken of chidynge and reproche / [¶ Of chidynge & reproche] whiche been / ful grete woundes in mannes herte / for they vnsowen / the semes of freendshipe in mannes herte [623] ¶ ffor certes / vnnethes may a man / pleynly been accorded with hym / that hath hym openly reuyled and repreued in disclaundre /. ¶ This is / a ful grisly synne / as crist seith in the gospel /. [624] And taak kepe now. that he þat repreueth his neighebor /. outher he repreueth hym by som harm of peyne / that he hath on his body /. as Mesel / croked harlot. or by som synne that he dooth [625] ¶ Now if he repreue hym by harm of peyne / thanne turneth the repreue to Ihesu crist. for peyne is sent by the rightwys sonde of god / and by his suffrance / be it Meselrie or Maheym or maladie [626] ¶ And if he repreue hym vncharitably of synne /. as thou dronk|elewe harlot and so forth /. thanne aperteneth that/ to the reioysynge of the deuel /. that euere hath ioye / that men doon synne [627] ¶ And certes / chidynge may nat come / but out of a vileyns herte ¶ ffor after the habundance of the herte / speketh the mouth ful ofte [628] ¶ And ye shul vnderstonde that looke by any wey. whan any man shal chastise another / that he be war / from chidynge and repreuynge /. ffor trewely / but he be war he may ful lightly / quyken the fir of Angre and of wratthe / which þat he sholde quenche. and per auenture sleeth hym / which that he myghte chastise with benig|nitee [629] ¶ ffor as seith Salomon ¶ the amyable tonge is [¶ Salomon] the tree of lyf. that is to seyn / of lyf espiritueel /. and soothly. a deslauee tonge / sleeth the spirites of hym that repreueth / and eek of hym that is repreued [630] ¶ loo / what seith seint Augustyn ‖ ther is no thyng so lyk the [¶ sanctus Augustinus] deueles child /. as he / that ofte chideth ¶ Seint [folio 224b] Paul seith [¶ Sanctus Paulus] eek ‖. I seruant of god / bihoueth nat to chide [631] ¶ And how þat chidynge / be a vileyns thyng bitwixe alle manere folk/. yet is it certes / moost vncouenable / bitwixe a man and his wyf /. for there is neuere reste /

[6-text p 641] and therfore seith Salomon /. An hous that is vncouered [¶ Salomon] and droppynge /. and a chidynge wyf been lyke [632] ¶ A man that is in a droppynge hous in manye places /. though he eschewe the droppynge in o place / it droppeth on hym / in another place ¶ So fareth it by [¶ Nota exemplum] a chydynge wyf /. but she chide hym in o place / she wol chide hym in anoþer [633] ¶ And therfore / bettre is a morsel of breed with ioye / than an hous ful of delices with chidynge seith Salomon [634] ¶ Seint [¶ Salomon] Paul seith ¶ O ye wommen / be ye subgetes to youre [¶ Paulus ad Colonienses .3^o.] housbondes / and ye men / loueth youre wyues. Ad Colonienses .3^o.

[635] Afterward / speke we of scornynge. which is a [¶ Of scornynge] wikked synne /. and namely / whan he scorneth a man for hise goode werkes /. [636] ffor certes / swiche scorneres / faren / lyk the foule tode / that may nat endure / to smelle / the soote sauour of the vyne / whanne it florissheth [637] ¶ Thise scorneres / been partyng felawes with the deuel. / for they han ioye / whan the deuel wynneth. and sorwe whan he leseth. [638] they been Aduersaries of Ihesu crist. for they haten that he loueth. that is to seyn / saluacion of soule

[639] Speke we now of wikked conseil. for he þat [¶ Of yeuyng/ of wikked conseil] wikked conseil yeueth / is a traytour. / he deceyueth hym þat trusteth in hym Vt Achitofel ad Absolonem .‖. But nathelees / yet is his wikked conseil first agayn hym self /. [640] ffor as seith the wise man ./ euery fals luyunge / hath his propertee in hym self/. that he þat wole anoye another man. he anoyeth first hym self [641] ¶ And men shul vnderstonde / that man shal nat [¶ Of what folk / þat a man shal eschuen to taken his conseil] taken his conseil of fals folk/. ne of angry folk/ or greuous folk/ that louen specially / to muchel hir owene profit. ne to muche worldly folk namely / in conseilynge of soules

[642] NOw comth the synne of hem that sowen / and [¶ Of hem that sowen and maken discorde] maken discord amonges folk. which is a synne / that

[6-text p 642] Crist hateth outrely /. and no wonder is ¶ ffor he deyde / for to make concord. [643] And moore shame do they to Crist. than dide they / that hym crucifiede / for god loueth bettre / that freendshipe be amonges folk. than he dide his owene body. the which that he yaf for vnitee ‖. Therfore been they likned to the deuel / that euere been aboute to maken discord

[644] NOw comth the synne of double tonge. swiche [¶ Of the synne of double tonge] as speken faire byforn folk/. and wikkedly bihynde. or elles / they maken semblant. as though they speeke of good entencion. or elles in game and pley and yet they speke of wikked entente

[645] NOw comth biwreying of conseil. thurgh [¶ Of biwreying of conseil] which/a man is defamed/.certes/vnnethe/may he restoore the damage

[646] NOw comth Manace. that is an open folye /. for [¶ Of Manace] he / that ofte manaceth. he threteth / moore than he may perfourne / ful ofte tyme

[647] NOw cometh ydel wordes. that is with outen [¶ Of ydel wordes] profit of hym that speketh tho wordes. and eek of hym / that herkneth tho wordes ¶ Or elles ydel wordes / been tho that been nedelees / or with outen entente of natureel profit ./ [648] And al be it that ydel wordes been som tyme venial synne. yet sholde men douten hem. for we shul yeue rekenynge of hem bifore god

[649] NOw comth Ianglynge. that may nat been with [¶ Of Ianglynge] oute synne ¶ And as seith Salomon. it is a synne of apert [¶ Salomon] folye /. [650] And therfore / a Philosophre seyde /. whan [¶ Philosophus] men axed hym / how [folio 225a] that men sholde plese the peple: and he answerde / do manye goode werkes / and spek fewe Iangles

[651] After this / comth the synne of Iaperes / that [¶ Of the synne of Iaperis.] been the deueles Apes. for they maken folk to laughe at hire Iaperie / as folk doon / at the gawdes of An Ape /. Swiche Iaperes deffendeth seint Paul. [652] ¶ Looke / how that vertuouse wordes and hooly woordes conforten hem /

[6-text p 643] that trauaillen / in the seruice of crist. right so conforten the vileyns wordes and knakkes of Iaperis. hem that trauaillen / in the seruice of the deuel [653] ¶ Thise been the synnes / that comen of the tonge. that comen of Ire / and of othere synnes mo .

¶ Sequitur remedium contra peccatum Ire .

[654]

The remedie agayns Ire. is a vertu / that men clepen Mansuetude. that is debonairetee /. and eek another vertu / þat men callen pacience / or suffrance

[655] ¶ Debonairetee / withdraweth and refreyneth [¶ Of debonairetee] the stirynges and the moeuynges of mannes corage in his herte. in swich manere / that they ne skippe nat out by Angre ne by Ire / [656] ¶ Suffrance / suffreth swetely / alle [¶ Of Suffrance] the anoyaunces and þe wronges / that men doon / to man outward [657] ¶ Seint Ierome seith thus of debonairetee. [¶ Sanctus Ieronimus] that it dooth noon harm to no wight ne seith. ne for noon harm that men doon or seyn. he ne eschawfeth nat agayns his reson [658] ¶ This vertu som tyme comth of nature /. ffor as seith the Philosophre. A man is a quyk [¶ Philosophus] thyng by nature. debonaire and tretable to goodnesse. but whan debonairetee / is enformed of grace / thanne is it the moore worth

[659] ¶ Pacience / that is another remedie. Agayns Ire. [¶ Of Pacience] it is a vertu that suffreth swetely euery mannes goodnesse / and is nat wrooth for noon harm / that is doon to hym [660] ¶ The philosophre seith / that pacience is thilke [¶ Philosophus] vertu / that suffreth debonairely alle the outrages of Aduersitee / and euery wikked word [661] ¶ This vertu / maketh a man lyk to god / and maketh hym / goddes owene deere child / as seith Crist. this vertu disconfiteth thyn enemy ¶ And therfore seith the wise man. / If thow [¶ Nota secundum sapientem] wolt venquysse thyn enemy / lerne to suffre / [662] And thou shalt vnderstonde / that man suffreth iiij. manere [¶ Of .iiij. manere of greuances. that man suffreth in outwarde thynges.]

[6-text p 644] of greuances in outward thynges. agayns the whiche iiij. he moot haue / .iiij manere of paciences

[663] ¶ The firste greuance / is of wikkede wordes /. [¶ The firste greuance] thilke suffrede Ihesu crist. with-outen grucchyng ful paciently. whan the Iewes despised and repreued hym ful ofte [664] ¶ suffre thou therfore paciently. for the [¶ Remedium] wise man seith /. If thou stryue with a fool / though [¶ Nota de sapiente] the fool be wrooth / or though he laughe. algate / thou shalt haue no reste [665] ¶ That oother greuance [¶ The .ij.^de greuance] outward. is to haue damage of thy catel ¶ Ther agayns [¶ Remedium] suffred crist ful paciently. whan he was despoyled / of al that he hadde in this lyf. and that nas but hise clothes / [666] ¶ The thridde greuance is / a man to haue harm in [¶ The .iij.^de greuance] his body ¶ That suffred crist. ful paciently in al his [¶ Remedium] passion [667] ¶ The fourthe greuance /. is in outrageous [¶ The .iiij.^e greuance] labour / in werkes. Wherfore I seye that folk/ that maken hir seruantz to trauaillen. to greuously / or out of tyme. as on haly dayes / soothly / they do greet synne [668] Heer agayns suffred Crist ful paciently / and [¶ Remedium] taughte vs pacience /. whan he baar [folio 225b] vp-on his blissed shulder / the croys / vp-on which / he sholde suffren despitous deeth [669] ¶ Heere may men lerne to be pacient/. for certes noght oonly cristen men been pacient. for loue of Ihesu crist / and for gerdon / of the blisful lyf / that is perdura[b]le. but certes the olde payens that neuere were cristene / commendeden and vseden the vertu of pacience

[670] A Philosophre vp-on a tyme that wolde haue [¶ Nota de in|paciencia cuius|dam Philosophi contra suum discipulum] beten his disciple for his grete trespas for which he was greetly amoeued and broghte a yerde to scoure with the child. [671] and whan this child saugh the yerde. he seyde to his maister. what thenke ye do? / I. wol bete thee quod the maister for thy correccion [672] ¶ ffor sothe quod the child / ye oghten first correcte youre self /. that han lost al youre pacience / for the gilt of a child [673] ¶ ffor sothe quod the maister al wepynge thow

[6-text p 645] seyst sooth / haue thow the yerde my deere sone and correcte me / for myn inpacience [674] Of pacience comth [¶ how Obedience comth of pacience] Obedience / thurgh which a man is obedient to Crist. and to alle hem to whiche he oghte to been obedient in Crist [675] ¶ And vnderstond wel that obedience is perfit. whan that a man dooth gladly and hastily with good herte entierly al that he sholde do [676] ¶ Obedience generally / is to perfourne the doctrine of god and of his souereyns to whiche / hym oghte to ben obeisaunt in alle rightwisnesse . . . .

¶ Sequitur de Accidia .

[677]

After the synne of Enuye and of Ire. now wol I speken of the synne of Accidie. for Enuye / blyndeth the herte of man and Ire troubleth a man. and Accidie maketh hym heuy thoghtful and wrawful [678] Enuye and Ire maken bitternesse in herte. which bitternesse is mooder of Accidie and bynymeth hym the loue of alle goodnesse. thanne is Accidie / the Angwissh of troubled herte And seint Augustyn seith. / [¶ sanctus Augustinus] it is anoy of goodnesse and ioye of harm [679] ¶ Certes this is a dampnable synne. for it dooth wrong to Ihesu crist. in as muche as it bynymeth the seruice / that men oghte doon to crist with alle diligence / as seith Salomon. / [¶ Salomon] [680] but Accidie / dooth no swich diligence. He dooth alle thyng with anoy / and with wrawnesse / slaknesse / and excusacion / and with ydelnesse / and vnlust. ffor which the book seith ‖. Acursed be he that dooth the seruice of god necligently [681] ¶ Thanne is Accidie / [¶ Nota & caue] enemy / to euerich estaat of man. for certes / the estaat of man / is in .iij. maneres [682] ¶ Outher it is / thestaat of [¶ Of .iij. maneres of estates of man] Innocence. as was thestaat of Adam / biforn that he fil into [¶ Of thestaat/ of Innocence] synne. in which estaat he was holden to wirche / as in heriynge and adowrynge of god [683] ¶ Another estaat. [¶ Of thestaat/ of synful men] is estaat of synful men. in which estaat men been holden

[6-text p 646] to laboure in preiynge to god. for amendement of hire synnes. and that he wole graunte hem to arysen out of hir synnes / [684] ¶ Another estaat is thestaat of grace. in [¶ Of thestaat of grace] which estaat he is holden to werkes of penitence. and certes / to alle thise thynges is Accidie enemy and con|trarie. ffor he loueth no bisynesse at al [685] ¶ Now certes this foule swyn Accidie. is eek a ful greet enemy to the liflode of the body. for it ne hath no purueaunce agayn temporeel necessitee. for it forsleweth and for|sluggeth. and destroyeth alle goodes temporeles / by [folio 226a] reccheleesnesse

[686] The fourthe thyng is. that Accidie is lyk to hem [¶ How Accidie is lyk to hem that been in the peyne of helle] that been in the peyne of helle. by cause of hir slouthe and of hire heuynesse for they that been dampned / been so bounde. that they ne may neither wel do / ne wel thynke [687] ¶ Of Accidie comth first that a man is anoyed and encombred for to doon any goodnesse. and maketh / that god hath abhomynacion of swich Accidie

[688] NOw comth slouthe. that wol nat suffre noon [¶ Of the synne of slouthe] hardnesse ne no penaunce. ffor soothly / Slouthe is so tendre. and so delicaat as seith Salomon / that he wol nat [¶ Salomon] suffre / noon hardnesse ne penaunce. and therfore / he shendeth / al that he dooth [689] ¶ Agayns this roten [¶ Remedie agayn slouthe] herted synne of Accidie and slouthe / sholde men exercise hem self to doon goode werkes. and manly and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doon. thynk|ynge that oure lord Ihesu crist. quiteth euery good dede / be it neuer so lite. / [690] vsage of labour / is a greet thyng. for it maketh as seith seint Bernard the [¶ Nota secun|dum Bernardum] laborer/ to haue stronge armes / and harde synwes. and slouthe maketh hem feble and tendre [691] Thanne comth [¶ Of drede / to bigynnen anye goode werkes] drede to bigynne to werke anye goode werkes. for certes / he that is enclyned to synne. hym thynketh / it is so greet an emprise / for to vndertake to doon werkes of goodnesse. [692] and casteth in his herte / that the

[6-text p 647] circumstances of goodnesse been so greuouse and so chargeant for to suffre. that he dar nat vndertake / to do werkes of goodnesse / as seith seint Gregorie [¶ Gregorius]

[693] NOw comth wanhope. that is despeir of the [¶ Of the synne of wanhope] mercy of god. þat comth somtyme / of to muche out|rageous sorwe. and somtyme / of to muche drede. ymagin|ynge that he hath doon so muche synne / that it wol nat auaillen hym. though he wolde repenten hym and forsake synne /. [694] thurgh which despeir/ or drede / he abaundoneth al his herte to euery maner synne as seith seint Augustin. [695] Which dampnable synne / if that [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] it continue vn-to his ende / it is cleped synnyng in the hooly goost [696] ¶ This horrible synne is so perilous. that he þat is despeired ther nys no felonye / ne no synne that he douteth for to do. as sheweth wel by Iudas [697] ¶ Certes abouen alle synnes / thanne is this synne moost displesant to Crist and moost Aduersarie [698] ¶ Soothly. he that despeireth hym / is lyke the coward champion recreant . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] and nedelees despeired ‖. [699] Certes / the mercy of god / is euere redy to euery penitent. and is abouen alle hise werkes [700] ¶ Allas / kan a man nat bithynke hym / on the gospel of seint Luc .15. where as Crist seith /. that as wel shal [¶ Luca in Euaungelio] ther be Ioye in heuene vpon a synful man that dooth penitence. than vp on 90 and .19. rightful men / that . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] neden no penitence [701] ¶ Looke forther in the same gospel. the ioye / and the [¶ In eodem Euaungelio] feeste of the goode man that hadde lost his sone. whan his sone with repentance. was retourned to his fader [702] ¶ kan they nat remembren hem eek/. that as seith seint Luc .23. how that the theef that was hanged [¶ Nota secundum Lucam de latrone / sus|penso cum christo] bisyde Ihesu crist. seyde. Lord remembre of me. whan thow comest in to thy regne [703] ¶ ffor sothe. [seyde] Crist. I seye to thee. to day shaltow been with me in Paradys [704] ¶ Certes ther is noon so horrible synne of [¶ Nota]

[6-text p 648] man / that it ne may in his lyf be destroyed by penitence. thurgh vertu of the passion / and of the deeth of Crist ‖. [705] Allas / what nedeth man thanne to been despeired. sith þat his. mercy / so redy is and large. / Axe and haue [706] Thanne cometh Sompnolence / that is sloggy [¶ Of Sompno|lence] slombrynge. which maketh a man be [folio 226b] heuy and dul / in body and in soule. And this synne comth of Slouthe [707] And certes / the tyme that by wey of reson men sholde nat slepe. that is by [the morwe] but if ther were cause resonable. / [708] ffor soothly / the morwe tyde is moost couenable a man to seye hise preyeres / and for to thynken on god / and for to honoure god. and to yeuen Almesse to the poure. that first cometh in the name of Crist. [709] Lo what seith Salomon ¶ Who so wolde [¶ Salomon] by the morwe awaken and seke me / he shal fynde [710] Thanne cometh Necligence / or reccheleesnesse / [¶ Of Necligence / or reccheleesnesse] that rekketh of no thyng/. And how that Ignorance be mooder of alle harm. / certes Necligence is the norice [711] ¶ Necligence ne dooth no fors / whan he shal doon a thyng. Wheither he do it weel or baddely . . . . .

[712] Of the remedie of thise two synnes. as seith [¶ Of the remedie ayens Necligence and recchelees|nesse. secundum Sapientem] the wise man /. that he that dredeth god / he spareth nat to doon that him oghte doon /. [713] and he that loueth god / he wol doon diligence to plese god by hise werkes / and abaundone hym self with al his myght wel for to doon [714] Thanne comth ydelnesse. that is the yate of alle [¶ Of ydelnesse] harmes / ¶ An ydel man / is lyk to a place that hath no walles. the deueles may entre on euery syde and sheten at hym at discouert by temptacion on euery syde [715] ¶ This ydelnesse is the thurrok of alle wikked and vileyns thoghtes / and of alle Iangles / trufles / and of alle ordure [716] ¶ Certes / the heuene is yeuen to hem that wol labouren and nat to ydel folk ¶ Eek Dauid seith / [¶ Dauid] that they ne been nat in the labour of men ne they shul nat been whipped with men / that is to seyn in purgatorie /

[6-text p 649] [717] certes thanne semeth it. they shul be tormented with the deuel in helle but if they doon penitence

[718] Thanne comth the synne that men clepen [¶ Of the synne þat men clepen Tarditas] Tarditas. as whan a man is to laterede / or tariynge er he wole turne to god /. and certes / that is a greet folie. He is lyk/ to hym that falleth in the dych. and wol nat arise ./ [719] And this vice / comth of a fals hope. that he thynketh / that he shal lyue longe. but that hope / faileþ ful ofte /

[720] Thanne comth lachesse. that is he / that whan he [¶ Of the synne of lachesse] biginneth any good werk/. anon he shal forleten it and stynten / as doon they / that han any wight to gouerne / and ne taken of hym namoore kepe anon as they fynden any contrarie or any anoy [721] ¶ Thise been the newe sheepherdes / that leten hir sheepe wityngly go renne to the wolf / that is in the breres / or do no fors of hir owene gouernance [722] of this / comth pouerte and destruccion. bothe of spiritueel / and temporeel thynges Thanne comth a manere cooldnesse / that freseth al the herte of a man / [¶ Of cooldnesse of a mannes herte] [723] Thanne comth vndeuocion thurgh which a man is [¶ Of vndeuocioun] blent as seith Seint Bernard. and hath swich langour in [¶ Sanctus Bernardus] soule. that he may neither rede ne singe in hooly chirche / ne heere / ne thynke of no deuocion / ne trauaille with hise handes in no good werk. that it nys hym vnsauory and al apalled [724] ¶ thanne wexeth he slough and slombry and soone wol be wrooth / and soone is enclyned to hate and to enuye [725] Thanne comth the synne of [¶ Of worldly sorwe] worldly sorwe. / which as is cleped tristicia. that sleeth man / as seint Paul seith / [726] ffor certes swich sorwe / [¶ Sanctus Paulus] werketh to the deeth of the soule and of the body also / for ther-of comth þat a man is anoyed of his owene lif. [727] wherfore swich sorwe shorteth ful ofte the lif of man. er þat his tyme be come by wey of kynde .

[6-text p 650]

[folio 227a] ¶ Remedium contra peccatum Accidie .

[728]

Agayns this horrible synne of Accidie. and the branches of the same. ther is a vertu / that is called fortitudo. or strengthe / that is an affeccion / thurgh which / a man despiseth anoyouse thinges [729] ¶ This vertu is so myghty and so vigerous. that it dar withstonde myghtily and wisely kepen hym self fro perils that been wikked. and wrastle agayn the assautes of the deuel. [730] for it enhaunceth and enforceth the soule right as Accidie abateth it and maketh it fieble. / ffor this fortitudo may endure by long suffrance / the trauailles that been couenable

[731] ¶ This vertu / hath manye speces. and the firste / is cleped Magnificence. that is to seyn greet corage. [¶ Of Magnanim|itee] for certes ther bihoueth greet corage agains Accidie / lest that it ne swolwe the soule by the synne of sorwe / or destroye it by wanhope [732] ¶ This vertu maketh folk / to vndertake harde thynges and greuouse thynges / by hir owene wil / wesely and resonably ‖. [733] And for as muchel / as the deuel fighteth agayns a man. moore by queyntise and by sleighte. than by strengthe. therfore men shal withstonden hym by wit and by reson and by dis|crecion [734] Thanne arn ther the vertues of ffeith and [¶ Of the vertues of feith and hope] hope in god and in hise seintes to acheue and acomplice the goode werkes / in the whiche / he purposeth fermely to continue [735] Thanne comth seuretee / or sikernesse. and that is. whan a man / ne douteth no trauaille in tyme comynge / of the goode werkes / that a man hath bigonne [736] Thanne comth Magnificence / that is to seyn / whan [¶ Of Magnificence] a man dooth and perfourneth grete werkes of goodnesse and that is the ende / why that men sholde do goode werkes. for in the acomplissynge of grete goode werkes / lith the grete gerdon [737] Thanne is ther Constance. that is stablenesse of corage. and this sholde [¶ Of Constaunce] been in herte / by stedefast feith. and in mouth / and in

[6-text p 651] berynge / and in chiere and in dede [738] Eke ther been mo speciale remedies agains Accidie in diuerse werkes / [¶ Of mo speciale remedies agayns Accidie] and in consideracion of the peynes of helle and of the ioyes of heuene / and in trust of the grace of the holy goost that wole yeue hym myght to perfourne his goode entente .

¶ Sequitur de Auaricia .

[739]

After Accidie / wol I speke of Auarice and of Coueitise / of which synne seith seint Paule [¶ Sanctus Paulus] that the roote of alle harmes is Coueitise. Ad Thimotheum .6^o. [740] ffor soothly whan the herte of a man. is confounded in it self and troubled and that the soule / hath lost the confort of god. thanne seketh he an ydel solas of worldly thynges /

[741] Auarice / after the descripcion of seint Augustyn. [¶ What Auarice is secundum Augustinum] is likerousnesse in herte to haue erthely thynges. [742] ¶ Som oother folk seyn / that Auarice / is. for to purchacen manye erthely thynges. and no thyng yeue to hem that han nede / [743] ¶ And vnderstoond / that Auarice / ne stant nat oonly in lond ne catel but som|tyme / in science and in glorie. and in euery manere of outrageous thyng is Auarice and Coueitise / [744] ¶ And the difference bitwixe Auarice and Coueitise is this [¶ Of the differ|ence / bitwixe Auarice and Coueitise] ¶ Coueitise / is for to coueite swiche thynges as thou hast nat ‖. And Auarice / is for to withholde and kepe swiche thynges as thou hast with-oute rightful nede [745] ¶ soothly [folio 227b] this Auarice is a synne / that is ful dampnable. for al hooly writ curseth it / and speketh agayns that vice. for it dooth wrong to Ihesu crist. [746] for it bireueth hym the loue that men to hym owen / and turneth it bakward agayns alle reson. [747] and maketh that the Auaricious man / hath moore hope in his catel / than in Ihesu crist and dooth moore obseruance in kepynge of his tresor / than he dooth to seruice of Ihesu crist. [748] And therfore seith

[6-text p 652] seint Paul ad Ephesios 5^o. that an Auaricious man / is [Panlus ad Ephesios .5^o.] the thraldom of ydolatrie

[749] ¶ What difference / is bitwixe an ydolastre / and [¶ Of the differ|ence bitwix an ydolastre and an auaricious man] an Auaricious man? but that an ydolastre per auenture / ne hath but o Mawmet or two / and the Auaricious man hath manye. ffor certes / euery floryn in his cofre is his Mawmet/. [750] And certes the synne of Mawmettrie is the firste thyng that God deffended in the ten comaund|mentz as bereth witnesse Exodi capitulo .20^o [751] ¶ Thou [¶ Exodi capitulo. 20^o] shalt haue no false goddes bifore me / ne thou shalt make to thee no graue thyng. thus is an Auaricious man that loueth his tresor biforn god an ydolastre / [752] thurgh this cursed synne of Auarice Of Coueitise comen thise [¶ Of Coueitise] harde lordshipes / thurgh whiche men been distreyned by taylages / custumes and cariages / moore than hire duetee or reson is / And eek they taken of hire bonde men Amercimentz. whic[h]e myghten moore resonably ben cleped extorcions than Amercimentz [753] ¶ Of whiche Amercimentz and raunsonynge of bondemen / somme lordes stywardes / seyn that it is rightful. for as muche as a cherl / hath no temporeel thyng that it ne is his lordes / as they seyn / [754] but certes thise lordshipes doon wrong that bireuen hire bonde folk. thynges that they neuere yaue hem /. Augustinus de civitate. libro. 9^o. [755] [¶ Augustinus de civitate. libro. 9^o.] ¶ Sooth is / þat the condicion of thraldom and the firste cause of thraldom is for synne genesis 9^o. [¶ genesis .9^o.]

[756] ¶ Thus may ye seen that the gilt disserueth thraldom / but nat nature /. [757] wherfore thise lordes ne sholde nat muche glorifien hem in hir lordshipes / sith that by natureel condicion they been nat lordes of thralles. but that thraldom comth first by the desert of synne [758] ¶ And forther ouer / ther as the lawe seith / that temporeel goodes of boonde folk. been the goodes of hir lordshipes. ye that is for to vnderstonde. the goodes of the Emperour / to deffenden hem in hir right. but nat for to robben hem ne reuen hem [759] ¶ And therfore

[6-text p 653] seith Seneca ¶ thy prudence sholde lyue benignely with [¶ Seneca] thy thralles /. [760] thilke þat thou clepest thy thralles been goddes peple. for humble folk/. been cristes freendes / they been contubernyal with the lord /

[761] ¶ Thynk eek / that of swich seed as cherles spryngeth. of swich seed spryngen lordes. As wel may the cherl be saued as the lord. [762] the same deeth þat takeþ the cherl. swich deeth taketh the lord. wherfore I rede / do right so with thy cherl. as thou woldest that [¶ Nota] thy lord dide with thee if thou were in his plit/. [763] euery synful man / is a cherl to synne I rede thee certes that thou lord werke in swiche wise with thy cherles. that they rather loue thee than drede / [764] I woot wel ther is degree aboue degree. as reson is and skile it is that men do hir deuoir/ ther as it is due / but certes extorcions and [folio 228a] despit of youre vnderlynges / is dampnable /

[765] ¶ And forther ouer vnderstoond wel / that thise Conquerours / or tirauntz / maken ful ofte thralles of hem that been born / of as roial blood as been they that hem conqueren / [766] ¶ This name of thraldom / was [¶ Genesis ‖ Male|dictus Canaan seruus seruorum erit / fratribus suis] neuere erst kowth. til that Noe seyde / that his sone Canaan sholde be thral to hise bretheren for his synne [767] What seye we thanne / of hem that pilen and doon [¶ Of hem þat pilen & doon extorcions in hooly chirche] extorcions in hooly chirche? / ¶ Certes / the swerd that men yeuen first to a knyght whan he is newe dubbed / signifieth / that he sholde deffenden hooly chirche / and nat robben it ne pilen it /. and who so dooth is traitour to Crist [768] ¶ And as seith seint Augustyn / they been [¶ sanctus Augustinus] the deueles wolues that stranglen the sheepe of Ihesu crist. and doon worse than wolues. [769] ffor soothly / whan the wolf hath ful his wombe / he stynteth to strangle sheepe. / but soothly / the pilours and destroy|ours of goddes hooly chirche / ne do nat so / for they ne stynte neuere to pile [770] NOw as I haue seyd / sith so is / that synne / was first cause of thraldom. thanne is it

[6-text p 654] thus. / that thilke tyme that al this world was in synne. thanne was al this world in thraldom and subieccion [771] ¶ but certes / sith the time of grace cam / god ordeyned that som folk sholde be moore heigh in estaat and in degree. and som folk moore lough. and that euerich / sholde be serued in his estaat. . . . . [no gap in MS.] [772] and therfore / in somme contrees ther they byen thralles. whan they han turned hem to the feith. they maken hire thralles free out of thraldom. And therfore certes / the lord oweth to his man. that the man oweth to his lord ‖. [773] the Pope calleth hym-self seruant of the seruantz of god. / but for as muche as the estaat of hooly chirche. ne myghte nat han be / ne the commune profit myghte nat han be kept. ne pees and reste in erthe / but if god hadde ordeyned that som men hadde hyer degree and som men lower/ [774] therfore / was souereyntee ordeyned / to kepe and mayntene and def|fenden hire vnderlynges or hire subgetz in reson / as fer|forth as it lith in hire power/. and nat to destroyen hem ne confounde [775] ¶ Wherfore I seye / that thilke lordes that been lyk wolues that deuouren the possessions or the catel of poure folk wrongfully with-outen mercy or mesure / [776] they shul receyuen by the same mesure [¶ Eadem mensura &c] that they han mesured to poure folk/ the mercy of Ihesu crist but if it be amended [777] ¶ NOw comth deceite / [¶ Of deceite / bitwixe Mar|chaunt and Marchant/] bitwixe Marchant and Marchant ¶ And thow shalt vnder|stonde that marchandise / is in manye maneres. that oon is bodily and that oother is goostly. that oon is honeste and leueful. and that oother is deshoneste and vnleueful [778] Of thilke bodily marchandise that is leueful and [¶ Of bodily marchandise that is leueful & honeste] honeste. is this /. that there as god hath ordeyned that a regne or a contree / is suffisant to hym self/. thanne is it honeste and leueful. that of habundaunce of this contree. that men helpe another contree that is moore nedy /. [779] And therfore / ther moote been Marchantz to bryngen fro that o contree to that oother / hire march|andises

[6-text p 655] [780] ¶ That oother marchandise that men haunten with fraude and trecherie and deceite. with lesynges and false othes / is cursed and dampnable [781] Espiritueel marchandise / is proprely Symonye /. [¶ Of espiritueel marchandise / that is Symonye] that is ententif desir/ to byen thyng espiritueel. that is // thyng that aperteneth to the Seintuarie of god / and to cure of the soule [782] ¶ this desir/ if so be that a man do his diligence to parfournen it. al be it that his desir ne take noon [folio 228b] effect. yet is it to hym a deedly synne / and if he be ordred / he is irreguleer [783] Certes Symonye / is cleped of Simon Magus / that wolde han [¶ Of whom Symonye bereth his name] boght for temporeel catel. the yifte that god hadde yeuen by the hooly goost. to seint Peter and to the Apostles ‖. [784] And therfore vnderstoond that bothe he that selleth and he that beyeth thynges espirituels / been [¶ Of diuerse maneres of symonye] cleped Symonyals. be it by catel. be it by procurynge / or by flesshly preyere of hise freendes / flesshly freendes / or espiritueel freendes [785] ¶ flesshly in two maneres /. As by kynrede / or othere freendes. soothly if they praye for hym that is nat worthy and able / it is Symonye. if he take the benefice. / and if he be worthy and able / ther nys noon [786] ¶ That oother manere is / whan a man or [¶ Of another manere of Symonye] womman preyen for folk to auauncen hem oonly / for wikked flesshly affeccion that they have vn-to the persone and that is foul Symonye [787] ¶ but certes in seruice / for which men yeuen thynges espirituels vn-to hir seruantz. it moot been vnderstonde / þat the seruice / moot been honeste / and elles nat. and eek / that it be with-outen bargaynynge. and that the persone be able. [788] for as seith Seint Damasie ¶ Alle the synnes of the [¶ sanctus damasius] world / at regard of this synne / arn as thyng of noght. for it is the gretteste synne that may be. after the synne of Lucifer and Antecrist. [789] for by this synne / god forleseth / the chirche and the soule that he boghte with his precious blood / by hem þat yeuen chirches to hem that been nat digne. [790] for they putten in theues that

[6-text p 656] stelen the soules of Ihesu crist and destroyen his patri|moyne ‖. [791] by swiche vndigne preestes and Curates / han lewed men the lasse reuerence of the sacramentz of hooly chirche. and swiche yeueres of chirches putten out the children of Crist /. and putten in to the chirche the deueles owene sone. [792] they sellen the soules / that lambes sholde kepen to the wolf that strangleth hem /. And therfore / shul they neuere han part of the pasture of lambes / that is the blisse of heuene [793] NOw comth / hasardrie with hise apur|tenances. [¶ Of hasardrye with hise apur|tenaunces] as tables and Rafles. of which / comth deceite. false othes. chidynges. and alle rauynes. blasphemynge and reneiynge of god. and hate of hise neighebores. wast of goodes. mysspendynge of tyme. and somtyme man|slaughtre .‖. [794] Certes / hasardours ne mowe nat been with-outen greet synne . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [795] [¶ How of Auarice. comen. lesynges. fals witnesse. and false othes.] Of Auarice / comen eek lesynges. thefte. fals witnesse. and false othes ‖. And yeshul vnderstonde that thise been grete synnes. and expres agayn the comaundementz of god as I haue seyd [796] ¶ ffals witnesse. is in word and eek in dede [¶ Of fals witnesse] ¶ In word / as for to bireue thy neighebores goode name by thy fals witnessyng. or bireuen hym his catel or his heritage. by thy fals witnessyng. whan thou for Ire / or for meede. or for enuye. berest fals witnesse / or accusest hym or excusest hym by thy fals witnesse. or elles ex|cusest thy self falsly. [797] ware yow questemongeres and Notaries ¶ Certes. for fals witnessyng was Susanna in ful gret sorwe and peyne. and many another mo / [798] ¶ The synne of thefte is eek expres agayns goddes heeste. and in [¶ Of the synne of thefte] two maneres / corporeel. or espiritueel. [799] [Corporeel] [¶ Of thefte corporeel] as for to take thy neighebores catel agayn his wyl be it by force or by sleighte. be it by Met or by mesure. [800] By stelyng eek of false enditementz vpon hym. and in borwynge of thy neighebores catel. in entente neuere to payen it agayn [folio 229a] and semblable thynges / [801] ¶ Es|piritueel thefte / is Sacrilege. that / is to seyn / hurt|ynge [¶ Of thefte espiritueel]

[6-text p 657] of hooly thynges. or of thynges sacred to crist in two maneres. by reson of the hooly place. as chirches or chirche hawes. [802] for which euery vileyns synne that men doon in swiche places / may be cleped sacrilege. or euery violence in the semblable places / ¶ Also / they that withdrawen falsly / the rightes that longen to hooly chirche [803] ¶ And pleynly and generally .sacrilege. is / to reuen hooly thyng/ fro hooly place /. or vnhooly thyng out/ of hooly place. / or hooly thing out of vn|hooly place

¶ Releuacio contra peccatum Auaricie .

[804]

NOw shul ye vnderstonde. that the releeuynge of Auarice. is Misericorde and pitee largely taken /. And men myghten axe. why that Misericorde and pitee. [¶ Of Misericorde & pitee] is releeuynge of Auarice [805] ¶ Certes / the Auaricious man / sheweth no pitee ne Misericorde to the nedeful man / for he deliteth hym in the kepynge of his tresor. and nat in the rescowynge ne releeuynge of his euene cristene. and therfore speke I first of Misericorde / [806] ¶ Thanne is Misericorde / as seith the Philosophre. [¶ What Miseri|corde is secundum Philosophum] a vertu / by which the corage of man is stired by the mysese of hym that is mysesed /. [807] vp-on which Misericorde folweth pitee in parfournynge of charitable werkes of Misericorde [808] And certes thise thynges / [¶ Of thynges / that sholde moeue a man to Misericorde] moeuen a man to Misericorde of Ihesu crist. that he yaf hym self for oure gilt. and suffred deeth for Misericorde / and forgaf vs oure originale synnes. [809] and therby relessed vs fro the peynes of helle. and amenused the peynes of Purgatorie by penitence and yeueth grace wel to do / and atte laste the blisse of heuene / [810] The speces of Misericorde been. as for to lene and for to yeue /. and to foryeuen and relesse. and for to han [¶ Of the speces of Misericorde] pitee in herte and compassion of the meschief of his

[6-text p 658] euene cristene. And eek to chastise there as nede is / [811] ¶ Another manere of remedie agayns Auarice / is [¶ Of another remedie agayn Auarice] resonable largesse / but soothly heere bihoueth the con|sideracion of the grace of Ihesu crist and of hise temporeel goodes / and eek of the goodes perdurables that crist yaf to vs. [812] and to han remembrance / of the deeth that he shal receyue. he noot whanne. where. ne how /. and eek that he shal forgon al that he hath. saue oonly / that he hath despended in goode werkes.

[813] ¶ But for as muche as som folk been vnmesur|able. men oughten eschue fool largesse that men [¶ Of fool largesse] clepen wast / [814] ¶ Certes / he that is fool large ne yeueth nat his catel / but he leseth his catel ‖. Soothly / what thyng that he yeueth for veyne glorie. as to Mynstrals and to folk /. for to beren his renoun in the world. he hath synne ther-of and noon Almesse. [815] certes he leseth foule his good. that ne seketh with the yifte of his good / no thyng but synne. [816] He is lyk/ to an hors that seketh. rather to drynken drouy or trouble water / than for to drynken water of the clere welle. / [817] And for as muchel as they yeuen. ther as they sholde nat yeuen. to hem aperteneth thilke malison / that crist shal yeuen at the day of doome / to hem / that shullen been dampned . . .

[folio 229b] Sequitur de gulâ

[818]

After Auarice comth Glotonye / which is expres eek agayn the comandement of god ¶ Glotonye / is [¶ What Glotonye is] vnmesurable Appetit to ete or to drynke / or elles to doon ynogh to the vnmesurable Appetit and desordeynee coueitise to eten or to drynke. [819] ¶ This synne cor|rumped al this world. as is wel shewed / in the synne of Adam and of Eue ¶ Looke eek / what seith seint Paul of [¶ Sanctus Paulus] Glotonye [820] ¶ Manye seith seint Paul goon / of whiche

[6-text p 659] I haue ofte seyd to yow. and now I seye it wepynge / that been the enemys of the croys of Crist. of whiche the ende is deeth. and of whiche / hire wombe is hire god and hire glorie / in confusion of hem / that so devouren erthely thynges [821] ¶ He that is vsant / to this synne of Glotonye / he ne may no synne withstonde. he moot been in seruage of alle vices. for it is the deueles hoord / ther he hideth hym and resteth [822] ¶ This [¶ Of the speces of Glotonye] synne hath manye speces ¶ The firste / is dronkenesse. [¶ The firste spece of Glotonye] that is the horrible sepulture of mannes reson. and ther|fore / whan a man is dronken / he hath lost his reson. and this is deedly synne [823] ¶ But soothly. whan that a man is nat wont to strong drynke. and perauenture / ne knoweth nat the strengthe of the drynke. or hath feblesse in his heed. or hath trauailed. thurgh which he drynketh the moore. al be he sodeynly caught with drynke / it is no deedly synne / but venyal [824] ¶ The seconde spece of [¶ The .ij.^de spece of Glotonye] Glotonye is. that the spirit of a man / wexeth al trouble. for dronkenesse bireueth hym the discrecion of his wit [825] ¶ The thridde spece of Glotonye. is whan a man [¶ The .iij.^de spece of Glotonye] deuoureth his mete. and hath no rightful manere of etynge [826] ¶ The fourthe is. whan thurgh the grete habund|aunce [¶ The .iiij.^e spece of Glotonye] of his mete. the humours in his body / been des|tempred [827] ¶ The fifthe. is foryetelnesse by to muchel [¶ The .v.^e spece of Glotonye] drynkynge. for which somtyme a man foryeteth er the morwe. what he dide at euen. or on the nyght biforn

[828] ¶ In oother manere been distinct the speces of / [¶ Of othere manere speces of Glotonye. whiche been likned to the .v. fyngres of the deueles hand. secundum sanctum Gregorium] Glotonye after seint Gregorie ¶ The firste is. for to ete bi|forn tyme to ete ¶ The seconde is / whan a man get hym. to delicaat mete / or drynke [829] ¶ The thridde is. whan men taken to muche ouer mesure ¶ The fourthe is curiositee with greet entente. to maken and apparaillen his mete ¶ The fifthe is. for to eten to gredily [830] Thise been / the fyue fyngres of the deueles hand. by whiche. he draweth folk to synne . . . .

[6-text p 660]

¶ Remedium contra peccatum Gule .

[831]

Agayns Glotonye is the remedie Abstinence. as seith Galien. but that holde I nat meritorie. if he do it oonly for the heele of his body ‖. seint Augustyn wole / that Abstinence be doon for vertu and [¶ Augustinus] with pacience [832] ¶ Abstinence he seith is litel worth /. but if a man haue good wil ther-to. and but it be enforced by pacience and by charitee. and that men doon it for godes sake. and in hope to haue the blisse of heuene

[833] ¶ The felawes of Abstinence / been. Attemper|aunce [¶ Of the felawes of Abstinence] that holdeth the meene in alle thynges ¶ Eek [¶ Attemperaunce] shame. that eschueth alle deshonestee ¶ Suffisance / that [¶ Shame] [¶ Suffisaunce] seketh no riche metes ne drynkes. ne dooth no fors of to outrageous apparai [folio 230a] lynge of mete [834] ¶ Mesure also. that restreyneth by reson / the deslauee appetit of etynge ¶ Sobrenesse also. that restreyneth the outrage of drynke ‖ [¶ Sobrenesse] [835] sparynge also. that restreyneth the delicaat ese to sitte longe at his mete and softely. wherfore / som folk stonden of hir owene wyl / to eten / at the lasse leyser

¶ Sequitur de Luxuria .

[836]

After Glotonye / thanne comth lecherie. for thise two synnes / been so ny cosyns. that ofte tyme / they wol nat departe. [837] god woot this synne is ful displesant thyng to god. ffor he seyde hym self/ do no lecherie. and therfore / he putte grete peynes agayns this synne / in the olde lawe [838] ¶ If wom|man [¶ Of diuerse Iuyses / to diuerse wommen of estaat/ for the synne of lecherye] thral / were taken in this synne. she sholde be beten with staues to the deeth. And if she were a gentil womman / she sholde be slayn with stones. And if she were a bisshoppes doghter/ she sholde been brent by goddes comandement [839] ¶ fforther ouer/ by the [¶ How for the synne of lecherie al the world was dreynt/ And .v. Citees brent & sonken] synne of lecherie / god dreynte al the world / at the

[6-text p 661] diluge. And after that he brente .v. Citees with thonder leyt and sank hem in to helle

[840] Now lat vs speke thanne / of thilke stynkynge [¶ Of the synne of Auowtrie] synne of lecherie that men clepe Auowtrie. of wedded folk /. that is to seyn. if that oon of hem be wedded. or elles bothe [841] ¶ Seint Iohn seith that Auowtiers [¶ Nota secun|dum Iohannem] shullen been in helle / in a stank brennynge of fyr and of Brymston . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] for the stynk of hire ordure /. [842] Certes / the brekynge of this sacrement is an horrible thyng/. it was maked of god hym self in paradys and confermed by Ihesu crist as witnesseth seint Mathew in the gospel. A man shal lete [¶ Mathei. 19^o.] fader and mooder/ and taken hym to his wif/ And they shullen be two in o flessh [843] ¶ This sacrement bitok|neth the knyttynge togidre / of Crist and of hooly chirche. [844] And nat oonly that god forbad Auowtrie in dede. but eek he comanded that thou sholdest nat coueite thy neighebores wyf [845] ¶ In this heeste seith seint Augustyn. is forboden alle manere coueitise to doon [¶ Sanctus Augustinus] lecherie ¶ Lo what seith seint Mathew in the gospel. that [¶ Mathei .v.^to] who so seeth a womman to coueitise of his lust /. he hath doon lecherie / with hire in his herte. [846] Heere may ye seen / that nat oonly. the dede of this synne is forboden. but eek the desir / to doon that synne / [847] This cursed synne anoyeth greuousliche hem that it haunten ¶ And first to hire soule. for he obligeth it to synne and to peyne of deeth that is perdurable ‖. [848] vn-to the body. anoyeth it greuously also for it dreyeth hym. and wasteth. and shent hym. and of his blood he maketh sacrifice to the feend of helle. it wasteth his catel and his substance. [849] And certes if it be a foul thyng / a man to waste [¶ Nota] his catel on wommen. yet is it a fouler thyng/. whan that for swich ordure. wommen dispenden vp-on men hir catel and substance [850] ¶ This synne as seith the prophete [¶ propheta] bireueth man and womman hir goode fame. and al hire honour. and it is ful plesant to the deuel. for ther-by

[6-text p 662] wynneth he. the mooste partie of this world ‖. [851] And right as a Marchant/ deliteth hym moost in [folio 230b] chaffare / that he hath moost auantage of // right so deliteth the fend in this ordure.

[852] this is that oother hand of the deuel / with .v. [¶ Of .v. fyngres of the deueles hande] fyngres to cacche the peple to his vileynye [853] ¶ The firste fynger / is the fool lookynge of the fool womman. [¶ The firste fyngre] and of the fool man. that sleeth / right as the Basilicok sleeth folk by the venym of his sighte. for the coueitise of eyen / folweth the coueitise of the herte [854] ¶ The seconde fynger / is the vileyns touchynge in wikkede [¶ The .ij.^de fynger] manere. And ther-fore seith Salomon. / That who so [¶ Salomon] toucheth and handleth a womman. he fareth lyk hym that handleth the Scorpion þat styngeth and sodeynly sleeth / thurgh his enuenymynge. as who so toucheth warm pych. it shent hise fyngres [855] ¶ The thridde. is [¶ The .iij.^de fynger] foule wordes. that fareth lyk fyr. that right anon / brenneth the herte [856] ¶ The fourthe fynger / is the [¶ The .iiij.^e fynger] kissynge. and trewely / he were a greet fool that wolde kisse the mouth of a brennynge Ouene / or of a fourneys. [857] And moore fooles been they that kissen in vileynye. for that mouth / is the mouth of helle. and namely thise olde dotardes holours. yet wol they kisse / though [¶ How thise olde lecchours / been likned to houndes] they may nat do and smatre hem [858] Certes / they been lyk to houndes. for an hound / whan he comth by the Roser / or by othere beautees. though he may nat pisse. yet wole he heue vp his leg / and make a con|tenance to pisse [859] And for that many man weneth. [¶ Nota] that he may nat synne. for no likerousnesse that he dooth with his wyf/./ Certes that opinion is fals. god woot. a man may sleen hym self/ with his owene knyf / and make hym seluen dronken of his owene tonne ‖. [860] Certes be it wyf be it child / or any worldly thyng/ that he loueth biforn god. it is his mawmet and he is an ydolastre [861] ¶ Man sholde louen his wyf/ by discrecion [¶ How a man sholde louen his wyf] paciently and atemprely. and thanne is she. as though it

[6-text p 663] were his suster [862] ¶ The fifthe fynger of the deueles [¶ The v^e fynger of the deueles hande] hand is the stynkynge dede of leccherie [863] ¶ Certes the .v. fyngres of Glotonie the feend put in the wombe of a man. and with hise .v. fyngres of lecherie. he gripeth hym by the reynes / for to throwen hym in to the fourneys of helle. [864] ther as they shul han the fyr and the wormes that euere shul lasten. and wepynge and wailynge / sharpe hunger and thurst. and grymnesse of deueles / that shullen al to-trede hem with-outen respit and with|outen ende [865] ¶ Of leccherie / as I seyde / sourden [¶ Of diuerse speces of leccherie] diuerse speces ¶ As ffornicacion / that is bitwixe man and womman / that been nat maried. and this is deedly synne and agayns nature. [866] Al that is enemy and destruccion to nature. is agayns nature [867] Parfay / the reson of a man / telleth eek hym wel / that it is deedly synne. for as muche. as god forbad leccherie. And seint Paul yeueþ hem the regne that nys dewe to no wight. but to hem that doon deedly synne [868] ANother synne [¶ Of the synne. to bireue. a mayden / of hir maydenhede] of leccherie. is to bireue a mayden of hir maydenhede. for he that so dooth. / certes / he casteth a mayden / out of the hyeste degree that is in this present lif. [869] and bireueþ hire thilke precious fruyt that the book clepeth the hundred fruyt I ne kan seye it noon oother weyes in englissh. but in latyn / it highte Centesimus fructus [870] ¶ Certes / he that so dooth. is cause of manye damages and vileynyes / mo than any man kan rekene. right as he som tyme is cause of alle damages that beestes don in the feeld. that breketh the hegge or the closure. thurgh which he [folio 231a] destroyeth. that may nat been restoored. [871] ¶ ffor certes / namoore may maydenhede be re|stoored. than an Arm that is smyten fro the body may retourne agayn to wexe. / [872] She may haue mercy this woot I wel. if she do penitence. but neuere shal it be / that she nas corrupt [873] ¶ And al be it so that I haue spoken somwhat of Auowtrie. it is good to shewen mo perils that longen to Auowtrie. for to eschue that foule

[6-text p 664] synne [874] Auowtrie in latyn is for to seyn. Approchynge [¶ What Auowtrie is / . And of diuerse perils þat longen to Auowtrie] of oother mannes bed. thurgh which / tho that whilom weren o flessh abawndone hir bodyes to othere persones [875] ¶ Of this synne / as seith the wise man folwen manye harmes ¶ ffirst brekynge of feith. and certes. in feith is the keye of Cristendom. [876] and whan that feith is broken and lorn. soothly Cristendom stant veyn and with-outen fruyt [877] ¶ This synne is eek a [¶ How in Auowtrie is com|prehended thefte] thefte. for thefte generally is for to reue a wight his thyng agayns his wille [878] ¶ Certes / this is the fouleste thefte that may be. whan a womman / steleth hir body from hir housbonde and yeueth it to hire holour to defoulen hire ./ and steleth hir soule fro Crist / and yeueth it to the deuel. [879] this is a fouler thefte. than for to breke a chirche and stele the chalice ‖. for thise Auowtiers breken the temple of god spiritually and stelen the vessel of grace. that is the body and the soule. for which Crist shal destroyen hem. as seith Seint Paul [880] ¶ Soothly [¶ Sanctus Paulus] of this thefte douted gretly Ioseph. whan that his lordes [¶ Nota de Iosepho] wyf preyed hym of vileynye. whan he seyde. lo my lady. how my lord hath take to me vnder my warde al that he hath in this world. ne no thyng of hise thynges is out of my power/ but oonly / ye that been his wyf. [881] And how sholde I thanne do this wikkednesse and synne so horrible agayns god / and agayns my lord? god it forbeede. Allas al to litel. is swich trouthe now y-founde [882] ¶ The thridde harm. is the filthe / thurgh which they breken the comandement of god. and defoulen the Actour of matrimoyne þat is Crist/. [883] ffor certes / in so muche as the sacrement of mariage is so noble and so digne. so muche is it gretter synne for to breken it. for god made mariage in Paradys in the estaat of Innocence to multiplye man kynde to the seruice of god. [884] and therfore. is the brekynge moore greuous. of which brekynge comen false heires ofte tyme that wrongfully ocupien folkes heritages. And therfore / wol Crist putte

[6-text p 665] hem out of the regne of heuene that is heritage to goode folk [885] ¶ Of this brekynge comth eek ofte tyme. that folk vnwar / wedden or synnen with hire owene kynrede. and namely / thilke harlottes that haunten bordels of thise fool wommen. that mowe be likned to a commune gonge where as men purgen hire ordure [886] ¶ What seye we eek of Putours þat lyuen by the horrible synne of putrie. [¶ Of putours that lyuen / by the puterye of wommen] and constreyne wommen to yelden to hem a certeyn rente of hire bodily puterie. ye somtyme of his owene wyf/ or his child. as doon this bawdes / certes / thise been cursede synnes [887] ¶ Vnderstoond eek / that Auowtrie is set gladly in the ten comandementz bitwixe thefte and man|slaughtre. for it is / the gretteste thefte that may be. for it is thefte of body and of soule. [888] and it is lyk to homycide. for it kerueth atwo and breketh atwo / hem / that first were maked o flessh. and therfore / by the olde lawe of god they sholde be slayn. [889] but nathelees by the lawe of Ihesu crist that is lawe of pitee. whan he seyde to the [folio 231b] womman that was founden in Auowtrie. and sholde han been slayn with stones. after the wyl of the Iewes as was hir lawe. Go quod Ihesu crist and haue na|moore wyl to synne. or wille namoore to do synne ‖ [890] Soothly / the vengeance of Auowtrie is awarded to the peynes of helle but if so be / that it be destourbed by penitence [891] Yet been ther mo speces of this cursed synne. as whan that oon of hem is religious. or elles bothe. [¶ Of Religious and ordred folk/ that vsen leccherye] or of folk / that been entred in-to ordre. as subdekne or preest or hospitaliers. and euere the hyer that he is in ordre. the gretter is the synne [892] ¶ The thynges that gretly agreggen hire synne. is the brekynge of hire Auow of chastitee. whan they receyued the ordre ‖. [893] And forther ouer sooth is that hooly ordre. is chief of al the tresorie of god. and his especial signe and mark of chastitee. to shewe that they been ioyned to chastitee which that is moost precious lyf that is /. [894] And thise ordred folk been specially titled to god / and of the

[6-text p 666] special meignee of god. for which / whan they doon deedly synne. they been / the special traytours of god and of his peple. for they lyuen of the peple ‖. . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [895] Preestes been Aungeles. as by the dignitee of hir mysterye /. but for sothe / seint Paul [¶ Sanctus Paulus] seith /. that Sathanas transformeth hym in an Aungel of light. / [896] Soothly / the preest that haunteth deedly synne. he may be likned to the Aungel of derknesse transformed in the Aungel of light /. he semeth Aungel of light. but for sothe / he is Aungel of derknesse [897] ¶ swiche preestes been the sones of [[first Belie]] Helie. as sheweth in the book of Kynges. that they weren the [¶ In libro Regum] sones of Belial. that is the deuel ‖. [898] Belial is to seyn / with-outen Iuge. and so faren they / hem thynketh they been free and han no Iuge. namoore than hath a free bole that taketh / which Cow that hym liketh in the town. [899] so faren they by wommen. / ffor right as a free bole. is ynough for al a toun. right so is a wikked preest corrupcion ynough for al a parisshe. or for al a contree ‖. [900] Thise preestes as seith the book / ne konne nat the mysterie of preesthode to the peple. ne god ne knowe they nat. they ne holde hem nat apayd as seith the book of soden flessh that was to hem offred / but they tooke by force / the flessh that is rawe [901] ¶ Certes / so thise shrewes / ne holden hem nat apayed of roosted flessh and sode flessh. with which the peple / fedden hem in greet reuerence. but they wole haue raw flessh of folkes wyues and hir doghtres. / [902] And certes / thise [¶ Notate & cauete] wommen that consenten to hire harlotrie / doon greet wrong to Crist and to hooly chirche / and alle halwes. and to alle soules. for they bireuen alle thise. hym that sholde worshipe Crist and hooly chirche And preye for cristene soules ‖. [903] And therfore han swiche preestes and hire lemmanes eek that consenten to hir leccherie the malison of al the court cristiene. til they come to amendement

[6-text p 667] [904] The thridde spece of Auowtrie / is som tyme bitwixe [¶ Of Auowtrie / bitwixe a man and his wyf/] a man and his wyf and that is whan they take no reward in hire assemblynge. but oonly to hire flesshly delit /. as seith seint Ierome. [905] And ne rekken of no thyng but [¶ Ieronimus] that they been assembled. by cause that they been maried al is good ynough as thynketh to hem. [906] but in swich folk hath the deuel power / as seyde the Aungel Raphael [¶ Angelus Raphael ad Thobiam] to Thobie. for in hire assemblynge / they putten Ihesu crist out of hire herte. and yeuen hem self to alle ordure [907] The fourthe spece is. the assemblee of hem that been [¶ Of the assem|blee of hem/ that/ been of o kynrede] [folio 232a] of hire kynrede. or of hem / that been of oon affynytee. or elles with hem with whiche hir fadres / or hir kynrede / han deled in the synne of lecherie / this synne / maketh hem lyk to houndes that taken no kepe to kynrede [¶ Of kynrede in two maneres / outher goostly / or flesshely] [908] ¶ And certes parentele is in two maneres / outher goostly or flesshly /. goostly / as for to deelen with hise godsibbes. [909] for right so as he that engendreth a child / is his flesshly fader / right so is his godfader / his fader espiritueel. for which / a womman may in no lasse synne assemblen with hire godsib / than with hire owene flesshly brother [910] The fifthe spece. is thilke abhomynable [¶ The .v^e. speche of leccherie] synne. of which / that no man vnnethe oghte speke ne write. nathelees / it is openly reherced in holy writ ‖ [911] This cursednesse doon men and wommen in diuerse entente and in diuerse manere. but though that hooly writ speke of horrible synne. certes / hooly writ may nat been defouled. namoore / than the sonne that shyneth on the Mixne [912] Another synne aperteneth to leccherie that [¶ Of the synne of Polucioun] comþ in slepynge. and this synne cometh ofte / to hem that been maydenes / and eek/ to hem that been corrupt. and this synne men clepen Polucion that comth in .iij. maneres ‖. [913] Somtyme / of langwissynge of body / for the humours been to ranke / and habundaunt in the body of man ¶ Somtyme of infermetee. for the fieblesse of the vertu retentif. as phisik maketh mencion ¶ som tyme for surfeet of mete and drynke [914] ¶ And somtyme / of

[6-text p 668] vileyns thoghtes. that been enclosed in mannes mynde / whan he gooth to slepe. which may nat been with-oute synne. for which men moste kepen hem wisely. or elles / may men synnen ful greously

¶ Remedium contra peccatum luxurie .

[915]

NOw comth the remedie agayns leccherie. and that is generally Chastitee and Continence. that re|streyneth alle / the desordeynee moeuynges / that comen of flesshly talentes. [916] And euere / the gretter merite shal he han. that moost restreyneth the wikkede eschaw|fynges of the ordure of this synne. and this is in two [¶ Of chastitee in two maneres] maneres. that is to seyn / chastitee in mariage and chastitee of widwehode [917] NOw shaltow vnderstonde that matrimoyne / is leefful assemblynge of man And of [¶ What matri|moyne is] womman / that receyuen by vertu of the sacrement the boond. thurgh which they may nat be departed in al hir lyf that is to seyn. whil that they lyuen bothe [918] This as seith the book/ is a ful greet sacrement. god maked it. as I haue seyd in Paradys. and wolde hym self. be born in mariage. [919] and for to halwen mariage. he was at a weddynge. where as he turned water in to wyn. which was / the firste miracle that he wroghte in erthe biforn hise disciples [920] ¶ Trewe effect of [¶ Of trewe effect/ of mariage] mariage / clenseth fornicacion and replenysseth hooly chirche of good lynage. for that is the ende of mariage. and it chaungeth deedly synne in to venial synne / bitwixe hem that been ywedded. and maketh the hertes al oon / of hem that been ywedded. as wel as the bodies. [921] verray mariage. that was establissed by god. er that synne bigan. whan natureel lawe / was in his right poynt in Paradys and it was ordeyned. that o man / [¶ How o man sholde haue but o womman. And o womman but o man in mariage secun|dum Augusti|num] sholde haue but o womman. and o. womman but o man. as seith Seint Augustyn by manye resons

[922] ¶ ffirst for mariage is figured / bitwixe Crist and

[6-text p 669] holy chirche. And that oother is [folio 232b] for a man / is heued of a womman. algate / by ordinaunce it sholde be so. [923] ffor if a womman / hadde no men than oon. thanne sholde she haue / moo heuedes than oon. and that were an horrible thyng biforn god. and eek / a womman / ne myghte nat plese to many folk / at oones. / And also / ther ne sholde neuere be pees ne reste amonges hem. for euerich / wolde / axen his owene thyng [924] ¶ And forther ouer / no man ne sholde knowe / his owene en|gendrure. ne who sholde haue his heritage. and the womman sholde been the lasse biloued / fro the tyme that she were / conioynt to many men

[925] NOw comth / how that a man sholde bere hym [¶ How a man sholde bere him with his wyf/] with his wif / and namely in two thynges. that is to seyn / in suffrance and reuerence as shewed Crist. whan he made first womman. [926] ffor he ne made hire nat of the heued of Adam. for she sholde nat clayme to greet lordshipe [927] for ther as the womman hath the maistrie / she maketh to muche desray / ther neden none ensamples of this. the experience of day by day oghte suffise [928] ¶ Also certes / god ne made nat womman of the foot of Adam / for she ne sholde nat been holden to lowe. for she kan nat paciently suffre. but god made womman of the ryb of Adam. for womman sholde be felawe vn-to man [929] Man sholde bere hym to his wyf In feith / in trouthe / and in loue / as seith seint [¶ Sanctus Paulus] Paul. that a man sholde louen his wyf / as Crist loued hooly chirche /. that loued it so wel / that he deyde for it. so sholde a man for his wy[f] if it were nede

[930] ¶ Now / how that a womman / sholde be subget [¶ How a womman / sholde be subget to hir housbonde / secundum Petrum & decretum] to hire housbonde that telleth seint Peter. ffirst in Obedi|ence [931] ¶ And eek / as seith the decree. A womman that is wyf / as longe as she is a wyf / she hath noon Auctoritee to swere ne bere witnesse / with-oute leue of hir housbonde. that is hire lord / algate / he sholde be so by reson [932] ¶ She sholde eek/ seruen hym in alle

[6-text p 670] honestee. and been attempree of hire array /. I woot wel/ that they sholde setten hire entente to plesen hir hous|bondes but nat by hire queyntise of array [933] ¶ Seint [¶ Nota secun|dum sanctum Ieronimum] Ierome seith / that wyues / that been apparailled in silk/ and in precious purpre. ne mowe nat clothen hem in Ihesu Crist. / What seith seint Iohn eek / in thys matere?‖ [934] Seint Gregorie eek seith. that no wight seketh [¶ Sanctus Gregorius] precious array. but oonly for veyne glorie / to been honoured the moore / biforn the peple ‖. [935] It is a greet folye /. a womman to haue a fair array outward / and in hir self / foul inward [936] ¶ A wyf / sholde eek be [¶ How a wyf sholde be mesur|able in lookynge & in berynge &cetera] mesurable in lookynge and in berynge and in lawghynge / and discreet in alle hire wordes / and hire dedes. [937] and abouen alle worldly thyng she sholde louen hire housbonde with al hire herte. and to hym / be trewe of hir body [938] ¶ so sholde an housbonde eek be to his wyf /. ffor sith that/ al the body / is the housbondes. so sholde hire herte been. or elles / ther is bitwixe hem two. as in that no parfit mariage [939] Thanne shal men vnder|stonde. [¶ How a man & his wyf/ mowen assemblen flesshely for .iij. thynges] that for thre thynges / a man and his wyf flesshly mowen assemble ‖ ¶ The firste. is in entente of engen drure of children. to the seruice of god. ffor certes / that is the cause final of matrimoyne [940] ¶ Another cause is. to yelden euerich of hem to oother / the dette of hire bodies. ffor neither of hem / hath power ouer his owene body / ¶ The thridde is. for to eschewe leccherye and vileynye ¶ The ferthe / is for sothe deedly synne [941] As to the [folio 233a] firste / it is meritorie /. the seconde also / for as seith the decree. that she hath [merite of chastitee] þat yeldeth to [¶ In decreto] hire housbonde the dette of hir body. ye though it be agayn hir likynge and the lust of hire herte [942] ¶ The thridde manere is venyal synne. and trewely scarsly may ther any [of] thise be with-oute venial synne / for the corrupcion and for the delit / [943] ¶ The fourthe manere is for to vnderstonde. if they assemble oonly for amorous loue / and for noon of the foreseyde causes. but

[6-text p 671] for to accomplice thilke brennynge delit / they rekke neuere how ofte. soothly it is deedly synne. and yet with sorwe somme folk wol peynen hem moore to doon / than to hire appetit suffiseth

[944] The seconde manere of chastitee / is for to been [¶ Of chastitee in wydwehede] a clene wydewe and eschue the embracynges of man and desiren the embracynge of Ihesu crist. [945] thise been tho þat han been wyues and han forgoon hire hous|bondes. and eek wommen þat han doon leccherie and been releeued by Penitence [946] ¶ And certes. if þat a wyf koude kepen hire al chaast by licence of hir housbonde so þat she yeue neuere noon occasion þat he agilte. it were to hire a greet merite [947] ¶ Thise manere wommen þat obseruen chastitee . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] in clothynge and in contenance / & been abstinent in etynge. and drynkynge. in spekynge / and in dede. they been the vessel / or the boyste of the blissed Magdelene / þat fulfilleth hooly chirche of good odour [948] The thridde [¶ Of chastitee in virginitee] manere of chastitee is virginitee. and it bihoueth þat she be hooly in herte and clene of body / thanne is she spouse to Ihesu crist and she is the lyf of Angeles. [949] she is the preisynge of this world. and she is as thise martirs in egalitee. she hath in hire. that tonge may nat telle ne herte thynke ‖. [950] Virginitee baar oure lord Ihesu crist and virgine was hym selue

[951] Another remedie agayns leccherie. is specially / [¶ Of another remedie agayns leccherye] to withdrawen swiche thynges / as yeue occasion to thilke vileynye. as ese. etynge and drynkynge / for certes / whan the pot boyleth strongly /. the beste remedie is to with|drawe the fyr [952] ¶ Slepynge. longe in greet quiete. is eek a greet norice to leccherie

[953] ¶ Another remedie agayns leccherie. is / þat a [¶ Another remedie agayns leccherie] man or a womman eschue the compaignye of hem by whiche he douteth to be tempted. for al be it so þat the dede is withstonden. yet is ther greet temptacion ‖.

[6-text p 672] [954] Soothly. a whit wal. al-though it ne brenne noght fully by stikynge of a candele. yet is the wal blak of the leyt. [955] ¶ fful ofte tyme I rede. þat no man truste in [¶ Nota] his owene perfeccion but he be stronger than Sampson. & hoolier than Danyel. & wiser than Salomon

[956] ¶ Now after þat I haue declared yow as I kan the seuene deedly synnes and somme of hire braunches and hire remedies; soothly if .I. koude .I. wolde telle yow the ten comandementz. [957] but so heigh a doctrine I lete to diuines. nathelees I hope to god. they been touched in this tretice euerich of hem alle

¶ Sequitur secunda pars Penitencie .

[958]

NOw for as muche. as the second partie of Penitence. stant in Confession of mouth / as I bigan in the firste Chapitre / I seye. seint Augustyn seith [What synne is. secundum Augustinum] [959] ¶ Synne is euery word and euery dede. and al þat men coueiten agayn the lawe of Ihesu crist. and this is for to synne. in herte. in mouth. and in dede by thy fiue wittes. that been. sighte. herynge. smellynge. tastynge / [¶ Memorandum mors intrauit/ per fenestras] or sauourynge. and feelynge; [960] Now is it good to vnderstonde that. þat agreggeth muchel [folio 233b] euery synne [¶ Of thynges þat agreggeth synne. and the firste is this] [961] ¶ Thow shalt considere / what thow art þat doost the synne / wheither thou be male or femele. yong/ or oold. gentil or thral. free / or seruant. hool / or syk. wedded or sengle. ordred / or vnordred. wys or / fool. clerk / or seculeer. [962] if she be of thy kynrede / bodily or goostly or noon / if any of thy kynrede haue synned with hire or noon /. and manye mo thinges

[963] ¶ Another circumstaunce is this. wheither it be [¶ The .ij.^de circumstaunce] doon in fornicacion or in Auowtrie or noon / Incest or noon /. mayden or noon. in manere of homicide / or noon. horrible grete synnes / or smale. and how longe thou hast continued in synne [964] ¶ The thridde circumstance / is [¶ The .iij.^de circumstaunce] the place / ther thou hast do synne. wheither in oother

[6-text p 673] mennes hous / or in thyn owene. in feeld or in chirche / or in chirchehawe. in chirche dedicaat / or noon. [965] for if the chirche be halwed. and man or womman spille his kynde in with that place by wey of synne or by wikked temptacion / the chirche is entredited . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [966] and the preest þat dide swich a vileynye. to terme of al his lif/ he sholde namoore synge masse. and if he dide. he sholde doon deedly synne / at euery time þat he so songe masse / [967] ¶ The fourthe circumstance is. by whiche mediat|ours [¶ The .iiij.^e circumstaunce] / or by whiche messagers / as for enticement or for consentement to bere compaignye with felaweshipe. for many a wrecche for to bere compaignye shal go to the deuel of helle. [968] wher-fore / they þat eggen or con|senten to the synne / been parteners of the synne / and of the temptacion of the synnere.

[969] ¶ The fifthe circumstance. is / how manye tymes [¶ The .v.^e circumstaunce] þat he hath synned / if it be in his mynde / and how ofte þat he hath falle. [970] for he þat ofte falleth in synne. he despiseth the mercy of god and encreesseth hys synne and is vnkynde to crist. and he wexeth the moore fieble to withstonde synne and synneth the moore lightly / [971] and the latter ariseth / and is the moore eschew for to shryuen hym / namely / to hym þat is his Con|fessour / [972] ffor which that folk / whan they falle agayn in hir olde folies. outher they forleten hir olde confessours al outrely. or elles they departen hir shrift in diuerse places. but soothly / swich departed shrift deserueth no mercy of god of hise synnes [973] ¶ The sixte circum|stance [¶ The .vj.^e circumstaunce] / is why þat a man synneth as by temptacion and if hym self procure thilke temptacion / or by the ex|citynge of oother folk. or if he synne with a womman by force / or by hire owene assent. [974] or if the womman maugree hir hed hath been afforced or noon / this shal she telle. ffor coueitise / or for pouerte. and if it was hire procurynge or noon / and swiche manere

[6-text p 674] harneys [975] ¶ The seuenthe circumstance / is / in what [The .vij.^e circumstaunce] manere he hath doon his synne / or how þat she hath suffred þat folk han doon to hire. [976] And the same shal the man telle pleynly with alle circumstances. and wheither he hath synned with comune bordel wommen or noon. [977] or doon his synne in hooly tymes or noon. in fast|ynge tymes or noon. or biforn his shrifte. or after his latter shrifte. [978] and hath per auenture / broken ther-fore his penance enioyned. by whos helpe and whos conseil. by sorcerie or craft. al moste be toold [979] ¶ Alle thise thynges. after þat they been grete or smale engreggen the conscience of man. And eek the preest þat is thy Iuge may the bettre been auysed of his Iuggement in yeuynge of thy penance and that is after thy contricion ‖ [980] ffor vnderstond wel þat after tyme þat a man hath defouled his baptesme by synne. if he wole come to [folio 234a] saluacioun. ther is noon other wey / but by penitence / and shrifte and satisfaccioun [981] and namely by the two if ther be a confessour / to which he may shriuen hym / and the thridde if he haue lyf to parfournen it

[982] Thanne shal man looke and considere / þat if he wole maken a trewe and a profitable confessioun ther moste be .iiij. condicions [983] ¶ ffirst it moot been in [¶ How shrift moot been sorweful] sorweful bitternesse of herte. as seyde the kyng Ezechiel to [¶ Nota de con|fessione Regis Ezechielis] god /. I wol remembre me alle the yeres of my lif in bitternesse of myn herte /. [984] this condicion of bitter|nesse [¶ How con|fessioun moste be shamefast/] hath fyue signes ¶ The firste is / þat confession moste be shamefast. nat for to couere ne hyden his synne / for he hath agilt his god and defouled his soule /. [985] And ther-of seith seint Augustyn ¶ the herte [¶ Sanctus Augustinus.] trauailleth for shame of his synne / and for he hath greet shamefastnesse / he is digne to haue greet mercy of god [986] ¶ Swich was the confession of the Puplican þat [Nota de con|fessione Publi|cani] wolde nat heuen vp hise eyen to heuene / for he hadde offended god of heuene / for which shamefastnesse/ he hadde anon the mercy of god [987] ¶ And ther-of seith

[6-text p 675] seint Augustyn /. that swich shamefast folk / been next foryeuenesse and remission [988] Another signe / is [¶ Of humylitee in confessioun Vnde sanctus Petrus.] humylitee in confessioun. of which seith seint Peter / Humbleth yow vnder the myght of god. the hond of god is myghty in confession. for ther-by / god foryeueth thee thy synnes. for he allone hath the power / [989] & this humylitee shal been in herte and in signe outward. for right as he hath humylitee to god in his herte? right so sholde he humble his body outward to the preest/ þat sit in goddes place. [990] ffor which in no manere sith þat crist is souereyn and the preest meene and mediatour bi|twixe crist and the synnere. and the synnere is the laste. by wey of reson [991] thanne sholde nat the synnere sitte as heighe as his confessour/ but knele biforn hym / or at his feet but if maladie destourbe it /. ffor he shal nat taken kepe. who sit there / but in whos place þat he sitteth ‖. [992] A man þat hath trespased to a lord and comth for to axe mercy and maken his accord. and set him doun anon by the lord / men wolde holden hym outrageous and nat worthy so soone for to haue remission ne mercy [993] ¶ The thridde signe is. how þat thy shrift sholde be ful of teeris if [¶ How a mannes shrift/ sholde be ful of teeris] man may / and if man may nat wepe with hise bodily eyen / lat hym wepe in herte /. [994] Swich was the confession [¶ Nota de con|fessione sancti Petri /] of seint Peter/ for after þat he hadde forsake Ihesu crist/ he wente out and weepe ful bitterly [995] ¶ The fourthe [¶ How a man sholde nat lette for shame to shewen his con|fessioun] signe is / þat he ne lette nat for shame to shewen his confession [996] ¶ swich was the confession of the Magdelene / þat ne spared for no shame of hem þat weren [¶ Nota de con|fessione Marie Magdalene] atte feeste for to go to oure lord Ihesu crist/ and biknowe to hym hire synnes [997] ¶ The fifthe signe is / that a man [¶ How a man sholde been obeisaunt to receyue penaunce for hise synnes] or a womman be obeisant to receyuen. the penaunce þat hym is enioyned for hise synnes. for certes Ihesu crist for the giltes of a man / was obedient to the deeth

[998] ¶ The seconde con[dicion] of verray confession / [¶ How confes|sioun sholde been hastily doon for diuerse causes.] is / þat it be hastily doon. for certes / if a man hadde a deedly wounde euere the lenger þat he taried to warisshe

[6-text p 676] hym self / the moore wolde it corrupte and haste hym to his deeth and eek the wounde / wolde be the wors for to heele. [999] ¶ And right / so fareth synne / þat longe tyme is in a man vnshewed [1000] ¶ Certes a man oghte hastily shewen hise synnes for manye causes. as for drede of deeth þat cometh ofte sodenly. and no certeyn what tyme it shal be / ne in what place. and eek the drecchynge of o synne draweþ In another / [1001] and eek the lenger þat he tarieth / the ferther he is fro crist [folio 234b] And if he abide to his laste day / scarsly may he shryuen hym / or re|membre hym of hise synnes / or repenten hym / for the greuous maladie of his deeth [1002] and for as muche as he ne hath nat in his lyf herkned Ihesu crist whanne he hath spoken. he shal crie to Ihesu crist at his laste day / and scarsly wol he herkne hym [1003] ¶ And vnderstond / that this condicion moste han foure thynges ¶ Thi shrift/ moste be purueyed bifore and auysed. [¶ How a mannes shrift moste be purueyed & auysed biforn.] for wikked haste dooth no profit/ and þat a man konne shryue hym of hise synnes / be it of pride or of Enuye and so forth of the speces and circumstances. [1004] and þat he haue comprehended in hys mynde the nombre and the greetnesse of hise synnes. and how longe þat he hath leyn in synne. [1005] and eek/ þat he be contrit of hise synnes. and in stidefast purpos by the grace of god neuere eft to falle in synne. and eek/ þat he drede and countrewaite hym self / þat he fle the occasions of synne to whiche he is enclyned [1006] ¶ Also / thou shalt shryue thee of alle [¶ How a man shal shryue him of alle hise synnes to o man] thy synnes to o man / and nat a parcel to o man and a parcel to another /. that is to vnderstonde in entente / to departe thy confession / as for shame or drede. for it nys but stranglynge of thy soule /. [1007] ffor certes Ihesu crist is entierly al good in hym nys noon inperfeccion. and therfore / outher he foryeueth al parfitly / or neuer a deel [1008] ¶ I seye nat þat if thow be assigned to the Penitancer for certein synne. þat thow art bounde to shewen hym al the remenant of thy synnes. of whiche

[6-text p 677] thow hast be shryuen to thy curaat. but if it like to thee of thyn humylitee /. this is no departynge of shrifte. [1009] ne I seye nat ther as I speke of diuision of confes|sion / þat if thou haue licence for to shryue thee to a discreet and an honeste preest / where thee liketh and by licence of thy curaat. that thow ne mayst wel shryue thee to him of alle thy synnes. [1010] but lat no blotte be bihynde / lat no synne been vntoold / as fer as thow hast remem|braunce. [1011] and whan thou shalt be shryuen to thy curaat. telle hym eek alle the synnes þat thow hast doon / syn thou were last yshryuen / this is no wikked entente of diuision of shrifte

[1012] ¶ Also the verray shrifte axeth certeine con|dicions [¶ How a man sholde shryue him by his free wyl vncon|streyned] / ¶ ffirst/ þat thow shryue thee by thy free wil noght constreyned. ne for shame of folk/. ne for maladie. ne swiche thynges. for it is reson þat he þat trespasseth by his free wyl. that by his free wyl / he confesse his trespas. [1013] and þat noon oother man telle his synne but he hym self. ne he shal nat nayte ne denye his synne. ne wratthe hym agayn the preest for his amonestynge to leue synne [1014] ¶ The seconde condicion. is þat thy [¶ How a mannes shrift/ shal be laweful] shrift be laweful. that is to seyn / that thow þat shryuest thee / and eek the preest þat hereth thy confession been verraily in the feith of hooly chirche. [1015] and þat a man / ne be nat despeired of the mercy of Ihesu crist as Caym or Iudas [1016] ¶ And eek a man moot accusen [¶ How a man moot accusen him self / & noon oother/ of his owene trespas] hym self / of his owene trespas and nat another / but he shal blame and wyten hym self/ & his owene malice of his synne / and noon oother. [1017] but nathelees / if that another man be occasion or enticere of his synne. or the estaat of a persone be swich / thurgh which his synne is agregged. or elles þat he may nat pleynly shryuen hym / but he telle the persone / with which he hath synned. thanne may he telle. [1018] so þat his entente / ne be nat/ to bakbite the persone / but oonly to declaren his con|fession

[6-text p 678]

[1019] ¶ Thou ne shalt nat eek/ make no lesynges in [¶ How a man shal make no lesynges in his confessioun] thy confession / for humylitee per auenture / to seyn þat thou hast doon synnes of whiche that thow were neuere gilty [1020] ¶ ffor Seint Augustyn seith ¶ If [¶ Nota secundum Augustinum] thou [folio 235a] by cause of thyn humylitee / makest lesynges on thy self /. though thow ne were nat in synne biforn / yet artow thanne in synne thurgh thy lesynges / [1021] ¶ Thou most eek shewe thy synne / by thyn owene propre [¶ How a man moot shewe his synne / by his owene propre mouthe] mouth / but thow be woxe dowmb / and nat by no lettre. for thow that hast doon the synne thou shalt haue the shame therfore [1022] ¶ Thow shalt nat eek [¶ How a man / shal nat peynten his confessioun] peynte thy confession by faire subtile wordes to couere the moore thy synne. for thanne bigilestow thy self/ and nat the preest/. thow most tellen it pleynly / be it neuere so foul ne so horrible [1023] ¶ Thow shalt eek [¶ How a man shal shruyen hym to a discreet preest/] shryue thee to a preest þat is discreet to conseille. and eek thou shalt nat shryue thee for veyne glorie / ne for ypocrisye / ne for no cause / but oonly for the doute of Ihesu crist and the heele of thy soule. [1024] ¶ Thow shalt nat eek renne to the preest sodeynly to tellen hym [¶ How a man shal nat renne sodeynly to shrifte.] lightly thy synne / as who so telleth a Iape or a tale / but auysely and with greet deuocion ‖. [1025] And generally shryue thee ofte ‖. If thou ofte falle / ofte thou arise by confession. [1026] and though thou shryue thee ofter [¶ Nota /] than ones of synne / of which thou hast be shryuen. it is the moore merite? And as seith seint Augustyn / thow [¶ Sanctus Augustinus.] shalt haue the moore lightly relesyng/ and grace of god / bothe of synne and of peyne /. [1027] And certes oones a yeere atte leeste wey / it is laweful for to been housled. for certes oones a yeere / alle thynges renouellen

[1028] ¶ Now haue I toolde you of verray confession. that is the seconde partie of Penitence .

¶ Explicit/ secunda pars Penitencie?

[6-text p 679]

et sequitur tercia pars eiusdem .

[1029]

The thridde partie of Penitence. is Satisfaccion. and [¶ Of .iij. manere of Almesses.] that stant moost generally in Almesse. and in bodily peyne [1030] ¶ Now been ther thre manere of Almesses ¶ Contricion of Herte; where a man offreth hymself to god ¶ Another is / to han pitee of defaute of hise neighebores ¶ And the thridde is / in yeuynge of good conseil goostly and bodily / where men han nede. and namely in sustenance of mannes foode [1031] ¶ And tak [kepe] / þat a man hath nede of thise [¶ Of the werkes of charitee] thinges generally /. he hath nede of foode. he hath nede / of clothyng / and herberwe. he hath nede of charitable conseil and visitynge in prisone and in maladie / and sepulture of his dede body. [1032] And if thow mayst nat visite the nedeful with thy persone / visite hym by thy message and [[MS. repeats thy message and]] by thy yiftes. / [1033] Thise been generally almesses or werkes of charitee of hem that han temporeel richesses / or discrecion in conseilynge ¶ Of thise werkes / shaltow heren at the day of doome?

[1034] Thise Almesses shaltow doon of thyne owene propre thynges and hastily and priuely if thow mayst. [1035] but nathelees / if thow mayst nat doon it priuely. thow shalt nat forbere to doon Almesse though men seen it/ so that it be nat doon for thank of the world. but oonly for thank of Ihesu crist [1036] ¶ ffor as witnesseth Seint Mathew capitulo .v^o. A Citee may nat been hyd / [¶ Mathei .50.] that is set on a montayne. ne men lighte nat a lanterne and put it vnder a busshel /. but men sette it on a candle|stikke to yeue light to the men in the hous./ [1037] right so shal youre light lighten bifore men. that they may seen youre goode werkes and glorifie youre fader that is in heuene?

[1038] ¶ Now as to speken of bodily peyne. it stant in [¶ Of bodily penaunce] preyeres / in [folio 235b] wakynges / in fastynges / in vertuouse

[6-text p 680] techinges of orisons / [1039] ¶ And ye shul vnderstonde / that orisons or preyeres / is for to seyn a pitous wyl of herte that redresseth it in god and expresseth it by word outward to remoeuen harmes and to han thynges espiritueel and durable / and somtyme temporele thynges. / of whiche orisons certes / in the orison of the Pater noster / [¶ Of the orisoun of the pater noster /] hath Ihesu crist enclosed moost thynges [1040] ¶ Certes it is priuyleged of thre thynges in his dignytee. for which it is moore digne than any oother preyere. for that Ihesu crist hym self maked it/ [1041] and it is short/ for it sholde be koud the moore lightly. and for to withholden it the moore esily in herte. and helpen hym self/ the ofter with the orison. [1042] and for a man sholde be the lasse wery to seyen it. and for a man may nat excusen hym to lerne it. it is so short and so esy. and for it comprehendeth in it self alle goode preyeres. / [1043] the exposicion of this hooly preyere / that is so excellent and digne I bitake to thise maistres of Theologie. saue thus muchel wol I seyn. that whan thow prayest/ that god sholde foryeue thee thy giltes / as thou foryeuest hem that agilten to thee. be ful wel war / that thow be nat out of charitee? [1044] ¶ This hooly orisoun amenuseth eek venyal synne / and therfore it aperteneth specially to penitence

[1045] This preyere / moste be trewely seyd and in verray feith. and that men preye to god ordinatly & dis|creetly & deuoutly. and alwey a man shal putten his wyl / to be subget to the wille of god [1046] ¶ This orison moste eek been seyd with greet humblesse and ful pure honestly. and nat to the anoyance of any man or womman /. It moste eek been continued with the werkes of charitee. [1047] It auayleth eek agayn the vices of the soule. for as seith seint Ierome. By fastynge / been saued the vices of the [¶ Nota secundum Ieronimum.] flessh / and by preyere the vertues of the soule

[1048] ¶ After this. thou shalt vnderstonde / that bodily peyne stant in wakynge. for Ihesu crist seith. waketh and preyeth that ye ne entre in wikked

[6-text p 681] temptacion [1049] ¶ Ye shul vnderstanden also. that fast|ynge [¶ How fastynge stant in thre thynges.] stant in thre thynges. In forberynge of bodily mete and drynke. and in forberynge of worldly Iolitee. and in for|berynge of deedly synne. this is to seyn / that a man shal kepen hym fro deedly synne with al his myght/

[1050] And thou shalt vnderstanden eek that god [¶ Of .iiij. thynges þat apertenen to fastynge.] ordeyned fastynge. and to fastynge appertenen .iiij. thinges. [1051] Largenesse to poure folk/./ gladnesse of herte espiritueel. nat to been angry / ne anoyed / ne grucche for he fasteth. / and also / resonable houre for to ete by mesure. that is for to seyn. a man shal nat ete in vntyme / ne sitte the lenger at his table to ete for he fasteth

[1052] ¶ Thanne shaltow vnderstonde / that bodily [¶ How bodily peyne stant / in disciplyne / or techynge.] peyne / stant in disciplyne or techynge / by word and by writynge / or in ensample. / Also in werynge of heyres or of stamyn / or of haubergeons on hire naked flessh for cristes sake / and swiche manere penances. [1053] but war thee wel that swiche manere penances on thy flessh / ne make thee nat or angry or anoyed of thy self/. for bettre / is to caste awey thyn heyre. than for to caste awey / the siker|nesse of Ihesu crist [1054] ¶ And therfore seith seint Paul /. [¶ Sanctus Paulus] Clothe yow as they that been chosen of god in herte. of Misericorde. debonairetee / suffrance / and swich manere of clothynge. of whiche Ihesu crist is moore apayed / than of heyres or haubergeons / or hauberkes?

[1055] [folio 236a] ¶ Thanne is discipline eek in knokkynge of [¶ Of othere diuerse maneres of disciplyne] thy brest/ in scourgynge with yerdes. in knelynges. in tribulacions?. [1056] in suffrynge paciently wronges that been doon to thee. and eek/ in pacient suffrance of maladies / or lesynge of worldly catel / or of wyf/ or of child / or othere freendes

[1057] ¶ Thanne shaltow vnderstonde / whiche thynges [¶ Of the thynges that destourben penaunce] destourben penance. and this is in .iiij. maneres / that is. drede. shame. hope. and wanhope / that is desperacion [1058] ¶ And for to speke first/ of drede. for which he [¶ ffirst of drede /]

[6-text p 682] demeth that he may suffre no penaunce ‖ [1059] ther [and of the remedie ther of/] agayns is remedie for to thynke. that bodily penance / is but short and litel at regard of the peynes of helle. that is so crueel and so long / that it lasteth with-outen ende

[1060] ¶ Now again the shame / that a man hath to [¶ Of shame / and of the remedie ther of/] shryuen hym. and namely thise ypocrites / that wolden been holden so parfite / that they han no nede to shryuen hem [1061] ¶ Agayns that shame. sholde a man thynke that by wey of reson / that he þat hath nat been shamed to doon foule thinges / certes hym oghte nat been ashamed to do faire thynges / and that is confessions [1062] ¶ A man sholde eek thynke / that god seeth and woot alle hise thoghtes and alle hise werkes / to hym may no thyng been hyd ne couered [1063] ¶ Men sholden eek / remembren hem of the shame that is to come at the day of doome to hem that been nat penitent/ And shryuen in this present lyf. / [1064] ffor alle the creatures in erthe and in helle shullen seen apertly / al that they hyden in this world

[1065] ¶ Now for to speken of hope / of hem that [¶ Of hope & of Surquiderie] been necligent/ and slowe to shryuen hem? that stant in two maneres. [1066] that oon is þat he hopeth for to lyue longe and for to purchacen muche richesse for his delit/. and thanne he wol shryuen hym. and as he seith / hym semeth thanne tymely ynough to come to shrifte ‖ [1067] Another is Surquidrie / that he hath in cristes mercy / [1068] ¶ Agayns the firste vice. he shal thynke / [¶ Remedie agayn necligent hope] that oure lif is in no sikernesse. and eek that alle the richesses in this world / ben in auenture and passen as a shadwe on the wal. [1069] and as seith seint Gregorie. / [¶ Sanctus Gregorius] that it aperteneth to the grete rightwisnesse of god. that neuere shal the peyne stynte. of hem þat neuere wolde withdrawen hem fro synne hir thankes / but ay continue in synne. ffor thilke perpetueel wil to do synne / shul they han perpetueel peyne

[1070] ¶ Wanhope is in two maneres. the firste wan|hope [¶ Of wanhope in two maneres] is in the mercy of crist ‖. that oother is / þat they

[6-text p 683] thynken / þat they ne myghte nat longe perseuere in good|nesse [1071] ¶ The firste wanhope comth / of that he [¶ Of the firste wanhope] demeth that he hath synned so greetly and so ofte / and so longe leyn in synne / that he shal nat be saued [1072] ¶ Certes agayns that cursed wanhope sholde he [¶ Remedium] thynke that the passion of Ihesu crist/ is moore strong for to vnbynde / than synne is strong / for to bynde [1073] ¶ Agayns the seconde wanhope / he shal thynke / [¶ Remedie / agayn the .ij^de. wanhope] that as ofte as he falleth. he may arise agayn by penitence / And though he neuer so longe haue leyn in synne / the mercy of crist is alwey redy to receiuen hym to mercy [1074] ¶ Agayns the wanhope / þat he demeth / that he [¶ Remedie agayn the thridde wanhope] sholde nat longe perseuere in goodnesse. he shal thynke / þat the feblesse of the deuel may no thyng doon / but if men wol suffren hym [1075] and eek/ he shal han strengthe of the helpe of god / and of al hooly chirche / and of the proteccion of Aungels / if hym list

[1076] ¶ Thanne shal men vnder [folio 236b] stonde / what is the [¶ What the fruyt of penance is.] fruyt of penance And after the word of Ihesu crist it is the endelees blisse of heuene. [1077] ther ioye hath no contrarioustee of wo ne greuance. ther alle harmes been passed of this present lyf / ther as is the sikernesse / fro the peyne of helle. ther as is the blisful compaignye that reioysen hem eueremo euerich of otheres ioye. [1078] ther as the body of man / that whilom was foul and derk/. is moore cleer than the sonne. ther/ as the body that whilom was syk/ freele / & fieble / and mortal / is inmortal and so strong/ and so hool / that ther may no thyng apeyren it. [1079] ther as ne is / neither hunger / thurst ne coold but euery soule replenyssed with the sighte of the parfit knowynge of god [1080] ¶ This blisful regne may men purchace by pouerte espiritueel. and the glorie by lowe|nesse. the plentee of Ioye by hunger and thurst and the reste by trauaille /. and the lyf/ by mortificacion of synne?

[6-text p 684]

¶ Here taketh the makere of this book/ his leue .

[1081]

NOw preye I to hem alle that herkne this litel tretys or rede that if ther be any thyng/ in it that liketh hem / that ther-of they thanken oure lord Ihesu crist. of whom procedeth al wit and al goodnesse. [1082] And if ther be any thyng that displese hem. I preye hem also that they arrette it to the defaute of myn vnkonnynge and nat to my wyl. that wolde ful fayn haue seyd bettre / if I hadde had konnynge. [1083] ffor oure boke seith / al that is writen / is writen for oure doctrine. and that is myn entente [1084] ¶ Wherfore / I biseke yow mekely for the mercy of god / that ye preye for me / that crist haue mercy on me and foryeue me my giltes. ‖ [1085] and namely of my translacions and endit|ynges of worldly vanitees / the whiche I reuoke in my re|traccions [1086] ¶ As is the book of Troilus ¶ The book also of ffame ‖ The book of the .xxv. Ladies ¶ The book of the Duchesse ¶ The book of seint Valentynes day of the parlement of briddes ‖. The tales of Caunter|bury / thilke that sownen in to synne [1087] ¶ The book of the Leon And many another book/ if they were in my remembrance / and many a song and many a leccherous lay. that crist for his grete mercy foryeue me the synne [1088] ¶ But of the translacion of Boece de consolacione / and othere bookes of Legendes of seintes / and Omelies / and moralitee / and deuocion / [1089] that thanke I oure lord Ihesu crist and his blisful mooder / and alle the seintes of heuene / [1090] bisekynge hem / þat they from hennes forth vn-to my lyues ende / sende me grace to biwayle my giltes / and to studie to the saluacion of my soule / and graunte me grace of verray penitence / con|fession

[6-text p 685] and satisfaccion to doon in this present lyf / [1091] thurgh the benigne grace / of hym þat is kyng of kynges / and preest/ ouer alle preestes / that boghte vs with the precious blood of his herte / [1092] so þat I may been oon of hem at the day of doome that shulle be saued? Qui cum patre &cetera

¶ Heere is ended the book/ of the tales of Caunter|bury / compiled by Geffrey Chaucer / of whos soule Ihesu crist/ haue mercy Amen . [[4 fly-leaves follow, more or less scribbled-on with later verses, &c. On the back of the 3rd is a list of the Tales, and on the front of the 4th is a late 15th-century copy of Chaucer's 'Truth'—"Fle fro the prees and dwelle with sothfastnesse," without the Envoy. Other lines follow this.]]