[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
