[6-text p 674] harneys // [975] The seuenthe circumstaunce is in what maner he h[ath] doon his synne / & how that she hath suffred that folke han [doon] to hire / [976] The same shalle the man tellen pleynly with alle [cir]cumstaunces . & whether he hath synned with comoun borde[l] women or noon / [977] or doon his synne in holy tymes or noon / or by forn his shrifte / or after his lattere shryfte / [978] & hath parauenture broken therfore his penaunce enyoyned / by whoos helpe & whoos counseile . bi sorcerie or crafte al moste be tolde / [979] Alle these thynges after that they ben grete or smale . engreggen the conscience of man . & eke the preest . that is thy Iuge may the better ben auysed of hise Iugement . in yeuynge of thy penaunce . and [Christ Church MS folio 275a] [t]hat is after thy contricioun / [980] For vnderstonde wele that after tyme that a man hath defouled his bapteme by synne . if he wole come to sauacioun . ther is noon other wey . but be penitence and shrifte & be satisfaccioun / [981] & namely by the twoo // If ther be a confessour to whiche he may shryue hym / And the Thridde if he haue lyfe to performe it /
[982] Thanne shalle men loke & considere if he wole make a trewe & profitable confessioun; ther moste ben iiij. condiciouns // [983] Firste it mote ben in sorwefull bitternesse of herte / As seide te kynge Ezechiel to god / I wole remembre me alle the yeres of my lyfe in bitternesse of myn herte / [984] This condicion of bitter|nesse hath .v. signes // The firste is that confession moste be shamefaste nat for to kouere ne hide his synne / but for he hath agilte his god & defouled his soule / [985] And here of seith seint Augustyn / The herte trauailleth for shame of his synne / And for he hath grete shame-fastnesse / he is digne to haue grete mercy of god / [986] Swiche was ye confessioun of the publican . that wolde nat heue vp his eyen to heuen . For he hadde offended god of heuen / For whiche shamefastnesse; he had a noon the mercy of god / [987] And therfore seyth
