The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

De Accidia [folio 425a] [is cut out.]

[677]

[ [Harl. MS. 1758, on leaf219, back] Aftir the synnes of Ire I woll speke of the synnes of Accidie. ffor Enuye blyndeth the herte of a man & Ire troublyth a man. & Accidie makith hym heuy thoughtfull & wrawe. [678] ¶ Enuye & Ire maken bitternes in herte whiche bitternes is modir of Accidie. & be-nymeth hym the loue of all goodness. Then is Accidie the anguysche of a trouble herte. And seynt Austyn seith. [¶ Augustinus./] it is a-noie of goodnes & anoye of harme. [679] ¶ Certis this is a dampnable synne. ffor it doth wrong to ihesu crist. in as meche that he nymeth the seruyce that men ought to do to ihesu crist with all diligence. As seith Salomon. [¶ Salamon./] [680] But Accidie doth non suche diligence. he doth all thyng with a-noie & wrawnes. slaknes & excusacion & with dulnes & vnluste ¶ ffor whiche the book seith. A-cursid be he that doth the seruyce of god necligentli. [681] Then is Accidie enemye to eueri estate of man ffor certis the estate of [be-forn þat he fell in to synne.] man is in .3. maners. [682] ¶ Either it is the estate of [¶ Of .3. maners of Estat of man] Innocence as was the estate of Adam. biforn that he felle in to [¶ Estate of Inno|cence./] synne in whiche estate he was holdyn to wirche as in herying & honouryng of god [683] ¶ Another estate is the Estate of synfull men in whiche estate men ben holdyn [¶ Estate of syn|fulle men./]

[6-text p 646] to labour in praiyng to god for amendement of her . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [¶ Estat of grace./] synnes [684] ¶ Another estate is the estate of grace in whiche estate he is holdyn to do werkis of penytence. And certis to alle thes thynges is Accidie Enmye & con|trarie. ffor he louyth no besynes at all.// [685] ¶ Now certis this foule synne Accidie is eke a full gret enuye to the liflode of the body. for it hath no puruyaunce a-yen temperall necessite . ffor it is for-sleuthe & for|sloggeth & distroieth alle godis temperallis bi rechilnes.

[686] ¶ The .4. thyng is. that Accidie is like hem [¶ Accidie is lik to hem þat ben in the peyne of helle./] that ben in the peyne of helle . bi cause of her slouthe & of her heuynes. ffor thei that ben dampned ben so boun [Harl. 1758 folio 220a] de that thei ne may well do ne well thenke. [687] ¶ Of Accidie cometh first that a man is anoied & encombrid to don eny goodnes & maketh that god hath abhomynacion of suche Accidie. as seith seynt Ion. [¶ Johannes./]

[688] ¶ Now cometh sleuthe that woll not suffre non [¶ Of Slewthe/] hardnes ne no penaunce. ffor sothe slouthe is so tendir & so delicate. As seith Salomon. That he woll not [¶ Salamon./] suffre non hardnes ne penaunce & therfore he schendith all that he doth [689] ¶ a-yens this rotyn [¶ Remedium./] hertid synne of Accidie & slouthe schulde men excercise hem self to don good werkis & manli & vertuousli cacchen corage well to don. thenk|yng that our lord ihesu crist quyteth euerye good [[Harl. extract ends.]] ] [folio 426a] [Cambr. be|gins.] deede be it neuere so lytil // [690] ¶ Vsage of labour is a greet thyng for it makyth as seyth seynt Bernard / the labourer to haue stronge armys & harde senewis / And slouthe makyth hem feble & tendre [691] ¶ Thanne comyth dreed to begynne to werke onye goode werkis / for certis he that is enclyned to synne; hym thynkyth it is to greet an enpryse / for to vndyrtake to doon werkis of goodnesse / [692] And castith in his herte / that the

[6-text p 647] circumstauncis of goodnesse / . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] as seyth seynt. gregory./

[693] ¶ Now comyth wanhope that is dispeyr of the merci of god // that comyth sumtyme of to meche out|ragious sorwe / & sumtyme of to meche drede ymagyn|ynge / that he hath don so meche synne that it wele not auayle hym thow he wolde repente hym / and forsake synne / [694] thorw whiche dispeyr or drede he abandownyth al his herte to euery manere synne / As seyth seynt Augustyn [695] whiche dampnable synne / ȝif that it contynewe on to his ende it is clepid synnynge in the holygost / [696] This horrible synne is so parlious that he that is dispeyred / theere ne is no felenye ne no synne that he doutith for to do / As schewede weel be Iudas / [697] Certis a-bouyn alle synnys / thanne is this synne most displesant to Crist And most aduersarye [698] ¶ Sothly he that dispeyrith hym is lyk the coward / champioun recreaunt tat seyth creaunt withoutyn nede // Allas allas nedeles / is he recreaunt / and nedeles dispeyred / [699] Certis the merci of god is euere redy to the penytent / And is a-bouyn alle hyse werkis [700] Allas can not a man be-thynken hym / of the gospel of seynt. Luk .iij. where as Cryst seyth / that as weel schal theere been Ioye in heuene vp-on a synful man that doth penytence than vp-on a .90. & 19 ryghful men that neuere ne dede synne Ne nedyn no penytence [701] ¶ Loke ferthere in the same gospel the Ioye & the feste of [folio 426b] the goode man / that hadde lost his sone whan his sone with repentaunce was returned to his fadyr // [702] Can they not remembre hem ek that as seyth seynt Luk .33^o. how that the thef that was hangit be syde Ihesu crist seyde. Lord remembre of me whan thow comyst in-to thy regne. [703] ffor soth seyde Crist I sei to the / to day schalt tow be with me in paradys / [704] Certis there is non so horryble synne of

[6-text p 648] man that it ne may in his lyf been distroyed be penytence / thorw vertu of the passioun of the deth of cryst / [705] Allas what nedyth men thanne for to been dispeyred sithe that his mercy so redy is / & large. Axe & haue [706] ¶ Thanne comyth sompnolence / that is sluggy slumbrynge / whiche makyt a man been heuy & dul in body & sowele And this synne comyth of slouthe / [707] And Certys the tyme that by weye of resoun / man schulde not slepyn / that is by the morw but ȝif there were cause resonable [708] For sothly the morwe tyde is most conable A man to seye hise preyeris / & for to thanke his god / & for to honoure god / And to ȝeuyn almesse to the poore / that comyth fyrst in the name of crist // [709] lo what seyth Salomon. Who so wele by the morwe a-wake to seke me he schal fynde / [710] ¶ Thanne comyth necligence / or recheleesnesse / that rekyth of nothyng and how that ignoraunce / be modir of alle harm / Certis necligence is the noryche / [711] Necligence ne doth no fors whan he schal doon a thyng whedyr it be doon wel or euele /

[712] ¶ Of the remedye of these two synnys as seyth the wise man / that he that dredith god / ne sparyth nough[t] to don that hym auȝte to don [713] And he that louyth god he wele doon diligence to plese god by hise werkis / And enforce hym self with al his myght weel for to doon. [714] Thanne comyth Idil [folio 427a] nesse / that is the ȝate of alle harmys / An Idyl man is lik a place that hath none wallys / the deuyllis may entre on euery syde / or shete at hym at discouert by temptacyoun on euery syde / [715] This ydillenesse is the thurrok of alle wekked / & vylens thoutys & of alle Ianglys truflis / & of alle ordure / [716] Certys this. the heuene ys ȝevyn to hem that wil labouryn / & not to ydil folk / Ek dauid seyth that they ne been not in the labour of men / ne they schul nat been whippid with men / that is to seyne in purgatorye //

[6-text p 649] [717] ¶ Certis thanne semyth it they schul been turmentid / with the deuyl in helle / but ȝif they doon penytence //

[718] Thanne comyth the synne that men clepyn tarditas as whan a man is so laterede or taryinge / er he wele turne to god / And certis that is a greet folye he is lyk hym that fallyth in the deyth & wil non aryse [719] And this vice comyth of fals hope / that he thynkith that he schal leue longe / but that hope faylith ful ofte

[720] ¶ Thanne lacchesse that is he / whan that he begynnys / ony good werk / Anon he wele forlete it And stynte as doon they that haue ony wight to gouerne / and ne take of hym no moore keep / a non as they fynden ony contrarye or any anoy / [721] these been the newe schepperdys that letyn here scheep wetyngely go renne to the wolf that is in the brerys / ne do no fors of here owene gouernaunce [722] of this comyth pouerte / & distruccyoun bothe of spirituel & temperel thyngis / thanne comyth a maner coldnesse / that fresith al the herte of man / [723] Thanne comyth ondeuocioun / thour whiche a man is so blent. And as seyth seynt Bernard / hat swich langour / in soule that he may neythyr / reede ne synge in holy cherche / ne heere ne thynke of no deuocioun / ne trauayle with hise handys in no good werk that it nys to hym vnsauourry And al appallid / [724] thanne wexith he slow & slombry and soone wele be wroth / And sone is enclynyd to haate & to enuye / [725] ¶ Thanne comyth the synne of wordely sorwe / swich as is clepid tristicia / that [folio 427b] sleth man as seyth seynt Poul / [726] ffor certis swich sorwe werkyth to the deth of the soule & of the body also ffor therof comyth that a man is a-noyed / of his owene lyf. [727] wherfore swich sorwe. schortyth ful ofte the lyf of man / er that his tyme is come by weye of kynde./