The Corpus ms (Corpus Christi coll., Oxford) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 589]

GROUP I. FRAGMENT X.

§ 1. THE BLANK-PARSON LINK. CORPUS MS. Here bygynneþ þe prologe of þe parson

[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.]

on leaf 261

By þat þe maunciple hadde his tale ended [Ca^m xxiiij^m] The sonne fro þe souþ syde is descended So lowe þat he was nought to my sight Degrees xxix as of highte / Line 4 Ten of þe clokke it was so as I gesse / ffor xj foote a lytel more or lesse My schadwe was at þilke tyme as þere / Of suche feet as my lengþe parted were / Line 8 In six foote equal of proporcion Ther-wiþ þe mones exaltacion I mene libra alwey gan ascende As we were entryng at a thropes ende Line 12 ffor wiþ oure Oste as he was wont to gye As in þis caas oure ioly companye / Sayde in þis wise lordynges euerychon Now lakkeþ vs no tale more þan oon Line 16 ffulfild is my sentence and my degre Who wile now telle a tale let se Almost fulfilled is myn ordynaunce I pray to god so ȝiue him right good chance Line 20 þat telleþ þis tale to vs lustely Sire prest quod he art þou a vicary Or art þou a person say soþ by þy fey Be what þou be ne breke nought oure pley Line 24

[6-text p 590] Line 24 ffor euery man saue þou haþ told his tale Line 25 vnbokele and schewe vs what is in þy male [folio 261b] ffor trewely me þenkeþ by þy cheere Thou scholdest knette vp wel a gret matiere Line 28 Telle vs a fable anon for cokkes bones This person answered al at oones Thou getest fable non y-tolde for me ffor Poule þat writeþ vnto Thimothe Line 32 Repreueþ hem þat wayuen soþfastnesse And tellen fables and such wrecchednesse Whi schulde I schewen draff out of my feste / Whan I may schewen whete if þat me leste Line 36 ffor which I saye if þat þou luste to heere Moralite and vertuous matiere And þenne þat ȝe woln ȝiue me audience I wol ful fayn at cristes reuerence / Line 40 Don ȝou plesaunce lefful as I can But trusteþ wel I am a sothryn man I can nought geste rom ram ruf by lettre Ne god wot rym holde I but lytel bettre Line 44 And þerfore if ȝou luste I wol nought glose I wol ȝou telle a mery tale in prose To knitte vp al þis feste an ende And ihesu for his grace witte me sende Line 48 To schewe ȝou þe wey in þis visage Of þilke parfyt glorious pilgrimage That highte Ierusalem Celestial And if ȝe vouche sauf anon ȝe schal Line 52 Bygynne vpon my tale for which I preye Telle ȝoure avis I can no bettre seye But naþeles þis meditacion I putte it ay vnder correction Line 56 Of clerkes for I am nought text wel I take but þe sentence trustel wel þerfore I make protestacion That I wol stonde to correction Line 60

[6-text p 591] Line 60 Vppon þis word we han assented sone [[a leaf cut out of the Corpus MS]] [for as hit semed / hit was for to doone [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 268a] to enden / in som vertuous sentence and for to yeve him space / and audience Line 64 and bad oure Oste / he shulde to him say that alle we / to telle his tale him pray oure Oste had the wordes / for vs alle sir prest quod he / now faire yow befalle Line 68 sey what yow luste / and we wol gladly here and with that worde / he seide in this manere telleth quod he / youre meditacioun but hasteth yow / the sonne wol a-doun Line 72 beth fructuous / and that in litel space and to do wel / god sende yow his grace.

Here endith the parson his prolog] [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 extract stops]]

[6-text p 593]

[And next folowyng bigynneth his tale.

[There are no breaks in the MS. Tyrwhitt's are kept here to prevent slight differences in the texts throwing the Six-Text out of gear.]

[Arch. Seld. B. 14, leaf 268, Bodleian Library.]

[75] Oure swete lord god of heuen / that no man wol perisshe / but wol that we come alle to the knewleche of him / and to the blisful liff that is perdurable / [76] amonesteth vs bi the prophete Ierome that seith in this wise / [¶ Jerome . state super vias . &c.] [77] stondith vppon the weyes and seeth and axeth of olde pathes / that is to seie [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 268b] of olde sentences / whiche is the good weye / [78] and walketh in that weye / and ye shulle fynde refresshynge / for youre soules // [79] Many ben the weyes spirituel that leden folke to oure lord ihesu criste and to the regne of glorie // [80] Of whiche weyes ther is a ful noble weye / and a ful couenable weye / whiche may not fayle to man ne to woman / that thorugh synne hath mysgoon / fro the right weye of Ierusalem celestial / [81] and this weie is cleped penaunce / of whiche men shulde gladly herken and enqueren / with al here herte / [82] to wete what is pen|aunce / and wherfore it is cleped penaunce / and in how many manere ben the accions of worchinge of penaunce / [83] and how many spicis ther ben of penaunce / and whiche thinges apperteyne and bihoven to penaunce / and whiche thinges distorben penance /

[6-text p 594]

[84] Seint Ambrose seith that penaunce is the [¶ Ambrosius.] pleynynge of man for the gilt that he hath don and no more to do any thing / for whiche him aught to pleyne / [85] And som Doctor seith / penaunce is the weyment|ynge of man that sorowith for his synne / and peyneth him-selff for he hath mys-doun / [86] penaunce with certeyne circumstaunce / is verry repentaunce of man that halt him-selff in sorow and other peyne for his giltes / [87] And for he shal be verry penitent / he shal first biwailen the synne that he hath doun / and stedfastly purposen in his herte to haue shrifft of mouthe / and to don satisfaccion / [88] and neuere to do thing for whiche him ought more to waile / or to compleyne / and to con|tenue in goode werkes / or ellis his repentaunce may nat availe / [89] For as seint Isidor seith / he is a Iaper and [¶ Isodorus.] a gabber and no verry repentaunte / that efft-sone doth thing / for whiche him ought to repent [90] weping / and nought for to stinte to do synne / may not availe [91] but natheles men shulde hope / that at euery tyme that a man falleth be it neuere so offt / that he may arise thorugh pen|aunce if he haue grace / but certeynely [folio 269a] it is grete doute / [92] ffor as seith seint Gregory / vnnethes ariseth he oute [¶ Gregorie] of his synne / that is charged with the charge of euel vsage / [93] And ther-fore repentyng folke that stinte for to synne / and forlete synne / or synne for-lete hem / Holy chirche holt hem seker of here saluacioun [94] And he that stinteth and verrily repenteth him in his last ende / Holy chirche yit hopeth his saluacion bi the grete mercy of oure lord ihesu for his repentaunce / but taketh the seker weye that is certeyne //

[95] And now sithen I haue declared yow whath thinge is penaunce / Now shulne ye vnderstonde that ther ben thre accions of penaunce / [96] The first is if a man be baptized after that he hath don synne / [97] seint Austyn seith / but he be penitent [¶ Austyne] for his olde synful liff / he may nat bigynne / the newe

[6-text p 595] clene liff / [98] for certes if he be baptised withoute penaunce of his olde gilte he resceivith the marke of baptime / but not the grace ne the remission of his synnes / til he haue verry repentaunce // [99] Another defaute is this / that men don dedely synne / after that thei haue received baptime / [100] The thrid defaute is / that men fallen in venial synnes / affter here baptime / fro day to day / [101] therof seith Seynt Austyne / [Austyne] that the penaunce of goode and humble folke is the penaunce of euery daie //

[102] The spices of penaunce ben thre / that oon of hem is solempne / Another comune / And the thride prive / [103] Thilke penaunce that is so|lempne is in two maners / as is to be put out of holy chirche in lente for slaughter of children / and suche manere thinge / [104] Another is whan a man hath synned openly¹] [Corpus] [folio 262a] of which synne þe fame is openly [Selden extract ds]] spoken in þe contre ¶ And þenne holy chirche by Iugge|ment [Corpus begins]] destreigneþ him for to do penance open. [105] Som penance is þat prestes enioygnen me communly in certein caas as for to gon perauenture naked in pylgrimage or bare foot [106] ¶ Pruie penaunce is þilke þat men don alday for priue synnes of whiche we schryuen vs pryuyly and resceyuen priue penance

[107] ¶ Now schalt þou vnderstande what byhoueþ and is necessarie to verray perfyte penaunce ¶ and þese standen on þre þinges [108] ¶ Contricion of herte ¶ Con|fession of mouþ // and Satisfaccion [109] ¶ ffor which saiþ Iohn Gresostomus ¶ Penitence destreigneþ man [Gresostomus] to accepte benignely euery peyne þat is him enioyned wiþ contricion of herte and schrift of mowþ wiþ satis|faccion and in werching of alle maner humilite [110] ¶ And þis is fruytful penytence aȝein þre þinges in whiche we wraþþen oure lord ihesu crist [111] þis is to sayn by delyt/ in þenking By rechelesnesse in speking ¶ By wicked synful worching [112] ¶ And aȝeins þise

[6-text p 596] wikkede gultes is penitence þat may be likened vnto a tre

[113] ¶ The rote of þis tre is contricion þat huydeþ him in þe herte of him þat is verray repentant Right as þe roote of a tree huydeþ him in þe erþe [114] ¶ Of þe roote of contricion springeþ a stalke þat bereþ braunches and leues of confession and fruyt of satisfaccion [115] ¶ ffor whiche crist saiþ in þe gospelle Doþ digne fruyt of penitence ¶ ffor by þis fruyte may men knowe þis tree and nouȝt by þe roote þat is hidde in þe herte of a man ne by þe braunches ne by þe leeues of confession [116] ¶ And þerfore oure lord ihesu crist saiþ þus ¶ By [¶ Textus] þe fruyt of hem schuln ȝe knowe hem. [117] of þis roote springeþ a seed of grace þe which seed is mooder of sikernesse and þis seed is egre and hoot [118] ¶ þe grace of þis seed springeþ of god þorough þe re|membrance of þe day of doome and on þe peynes of helle [119] ¶ Of þis matiere saiþ Salamon ¶ þat in þe drede of god man forleteþ his synne [120] ¶ The hete of þis seed is þe loue of god and þe desirynge of þe [¶ Salomon] ioye perdurable [121] þis hete draweþ þe herte of man to god and doþ him hate his synne [122] ¶ ffor soþly þer is no þing þat sauoureþ so wel a childe as þe mylk of his norice ¶ ne no þing is to him more abhom|inable þen þilke mylk whan it is medled wiþ oþer mete [123] ¶ Right so synful man þat loueþ his synne him semeþ þat it is to him most sweete / of any þing [124] ¶ but fro þat tyme þat he loueþ sadly oure lord ihesu crist and desireþ þe lyff perdurable þer nys to him more abhominable [125] ¶ ffor soþe þe lawe of god is þe loue of god ¶ ffor which .dauid. þe prophete saiþ ¶ I haue loued þy lawe [folio 262b] and hated [dauid] wikkednesse & haten. he þat loueþ god kepeþ his lawe and his word [126] ¶ This tree saugh þe prophete Danyel in spirit vpon þe auysion of Nabugodonosor when he coun|seiled him to do penitence [127] ¶ Penaunce is þe tre of lyf to hem þat it resceyuen And he þat haldeþ him

[6-text p 597] verray penitent is blessed after þe sentence of [Salomon.] Salomon

[128] ¶ In þis penitence or contricion man schal vn|derstonde .iiij. þinges; þat is to say what is contricion And whiche ben þe causes þat meuen a man to con|tricion and how he schulde be contrite and what con|tricion avayled to þe soule [129] þanne it is þus þat contricion is þe verray sorwe þat a man resceyueþ in his herte for his synnes wiþ sadde purpos to schryuen him and to do penaunce / and neuer more to don synne [130] and þis sorwe schal ben in þis maneres as saiþ Seint Bernard ¶ hit schal be greuous and heuy and ful [Bernardus] scharp and poynant in herte [131] ¶ ffirst for a man haþ agilt his lord and his creatour ¶ And more scharp and poynant for he haþ agult his fader celestial [132] ¶ And ȝet more scharp and poynant ¶ ffor he haþ wraþþed and agilt him þat bought him þat with his precious blood haþ deliuered vs fro þe bandes of synne and fro þe cruelte of þe deuel and fro þe peynes of helle

[133] ¶ These causes þat oughten to meuen a man to con|tricion ben vj ¶ ffirst a man schal remembre him of [.vj. causes] his synnes [134] but loke þat þilke remem|brance be to him no delyte by no wey: but gret schame & sorwe for his gulte ¶ ffor Iob saiþ ¶ Synful men don [Iob] werkes worþy of confessioun. [135] ¶ And þerfore saiþ Ezechie ¶ I wol remembre me alle þe ȝeres of my lyff [Ezechiele] in bitternesse of myn herte ¶ [136] And god saiþ in þapocalips ¶ Remembreþ ȝow fro whennes þat ȝe ben [Apocalips] falle ¶ ffor biforn þat tyme þat ȝe synned ȝe were þe children of god and lymes of þe regne of god [137] ¶ But for ȝoure synne ȝe ben waxe þralles and foule and membres of þe feende / hate of aungeles sclaundre of holy chirche and foode of þe false serpent perpetuel mateere of þe furye of helle [138] ¶ and þat more foul and abhom|inable ffor ȝe trespassen so often tyme as doþ þe hound þat torneþ to eten his spuyng [139] and ȝet

[6-text p 598] ben ȝe foulere for ȝoure longe continaunce in synne and ȝoure synful vsage for whiche ȝe ben roten in ȝoure synne as a beeste in his dunge [140] Suche maner of þouȝtes maken a man haue schame for his synne and no delite as god saiþ by þe prophete Ezechiel [Ezechiel] [141] ¶ ȝe schuln remembre ȝow of ȝoure weyes and þey schuln displese ȝow soþely ¶ Synnes ben þe weyes þat leden folk to helle

[142] ¶ The secounde cause that oughte to make a man to haue disdeyne of synne is þis þat as saiþ seint petre who so [folio 263a] doþ synne is þralle of synne and [Petrus] synne putteþ a man in gret þraldom [143] and þer|fore saiþ þe prophete Ezechiele I wente sorwful in desdeyn of myself Certes wel aughte a man haue disdeyne of synne and wiþdrawe him fro þat þraldom and vilenye [144] ¶ And lo what saiþ Seneca [Seneka] in þis matiere he saiþ þus Though I wiste þat neyþer god ne man ne schulde neuere knowen it/; ȝet wolde I haue disdeyne for to do synne. [145] And þe same Seneka seiþ ¶ I am born to grettere þinges þan to be þralle to my body. [146] More þralle may no man ne no womman make of his body; þan ȝeue his body to synne [147] ¶ And were it þe foulest cheerl or þe foulest womman þat lyueþ and lest of value ȝet is he changed and most foule and more in seruitute [148] euer fro þe heiher degre þat man falleþ þe more is he þralle and more vnto god and to þe worlde vile and abhomin|able [149] ¶ O goode god wel aughte men haue disdeyne of synne. seþþen þat þurgh synne þer he was free now is he maked bonde / [150] and þerfore seiþ seint austyn ¶ If þou haue desdeigne of þy seruant/ if he agilt or synned. haue þou þanne disdeyne þat þou þi self schuldest do synne [151] Take reward of þy value þat þou ne be to foul to þin value ne self [152] ¶ Allas wel oughten þey þanne haue disdeyn to be

[6-text p 599] seruantȝ and þralle to synne and sore ben aschamed of hemself [153] ¶ þat god of his endeles goodnesse haþ set hem in heih astate or ȝeuen hem wiþ strengþe of body hele. beaute. prosperite / [154] and bought hem fro þe deth wiþ his herte blood þat þay so vnkyndely aȝeins his gentilnesse quyten him so vileynesly to slaughter of here owne soules [155] ¶ O goode god ȝe wommen þat ben of so gret beaute Remembreth ȝou of þe prouerbe of Salamon ¶ he seiþ [¶ Salamon] [156] he likeneþ a fair womman þat is a fool of hire body y-like to a rynge of golde þat werith in þe groyne of a sowe [157] ¶ ffor right as a sowe wroteþ in euery ordure so wroteþ sche hire beaute in stynkynge ordure of synne

[158] ¶ The þridde cause þat oughte to meuen a man [¶ iij^a causa] to contricion is drede of þe day of doome and of þe horrible peynes of helle [159] ¶ ffor as seint Ierom saiþ [¶ Ieronimus] ¶ At euery tyme þat me remembreþ of þe day of doome I quake. [160] ffor whan I ete or drinke or do what so I do; euere semeþ me þat þe trompe sowneþ in myn eere. [161] Riseþ vp þat ben deede and comeþ to þe Iuggement [162] of goode god mechel aughte a man to drede such a Iuggement þere as we schuln ben alle as seiþ seint Poule byfore þe strete of oure lord ihesu crist [163] wher as he schal maken a general con|gregacion wher as no man may ben absent [164] ffor certes þere ne auayleþ non essoyne ne excusacion [165] [folio 263b] And nouȝt only þat oure defautes schullen ben y-Iuged ¶ but eek þat alle oure werkes schuln openly ben knowen [166] and as þat saiþ Seint bernard. þer ne [Bernardus] schal no pledynge auayle ne no sleighte we schullen ȝeuen rekenyng of euery ydel word [167] ¶ Ther schuln we haue a Iugge þat may nought / be deceyued ne corupt. And why; ffor certes alle oure þoughtes ben discouered as to him ne for prayere. ne for meede he wil not ben corrupte [168] ¶ And þerfore saith Salamon ¶ The wraþþe of god [Salamon] wol nought ben corrupte And þerfore saith Salamon þe wreche

[6-text p 600] of god ne wol nought spare no wight for praier ne for ȝifte ¶ And þerfore at þe day of doom þer nys non hope to eskape [169] Wherfore as seiþ Anselme ¶ fful gret [Anselmus] anguyssche schuln þe synful folk haue at þat tyme [170] ¶ Ther schal be þe sterne and þe wroth Iuge sitte aboue And vnder him þe orrible putte of helle to de|struye him þat mot byknowe his synnes whiche synnes openly ben schewed byforn god and biforn euery creature [171] and on þe lift syde moo deeueles þan þe herte may þinke for to harye and to drawe þe sinful soules to þe pyne of helle [172] and with Inne þe hertes of folk schal be þe bytyng Conscience ¶ And wiþoute forþ schal be þe world al brennyng [173] ¶ Whider schal þenne þe wrecched synful soule fflee to huyde him; Certes he may nouȝt huyde him. he moste come forþ and schewe him [174] ¶ ffor certes as saiþ seint Ierom // The erþe schal caste him out of him and þe see also and þe aier also þat schal ben ful of þondir clappes and lightenynges [175] ¶ Now soþly who so wol remembre him of þese þinges; I gesse þat his synnes schal nought turne him in to delyte but to gret sorwe for drede of þe peyne of helle [176] and þer|fore saiþ Iob to god ¶ Suffre lord þat I may a while [.Iob.] bywayle and wepe er I go and weepe wiþouten retournyng to þe derke lande couered wiþ þe derknesse of deþ [177] to þe land of mysese and of derkenesse where as is schadewe of deth wher as þer nys non oþer or|dinance but grisly drede þat euer schal laste [178] ¶ Lo heere may ȝe seen þat Iob preyede respite a while to bywepe and wayle his trespas ¶ ffor sooþly oo day of [exemplum] respite is bettre þan alle þe tresour of þis world [179] ¶ And for as moche as man may quyte himself biforn god by penitence in þis world and nought by tresour ¶ þerfore schulde he preye to god to ȝiue him respyt a while to byweepen and byweylen his trespas // [180] ¶ ffor certes al þe sorwe þat a man mighte make fro þe Begynnyng

[6-text p 601] of þe world nys but alytel þing at þe regarde of þe sorwe of helle [181] ¶ The cause why þat Iob clepeþ helle þe lond of derknesses; [182] vnderstondeth þat he clepeþ it lande of erþe ¶ ffor it is stable and neuer schal faile [folio 264a] derknes ¶ ffor he þat is in helle haþ defaute of light material [183] ¶ ffor certes þe derke light þat schal come out of þe fuyre þat euer schal brenne schal turne / him al to peyne ¶ þat is in helle ffor it scheweþ him to þe Orible deueles þat him tormenten [184] couered wiþ þe derknesse of deþ. . . . .[185] . . . [no gap in the MS.] ben þe synnes þat þe wrecchede man haþ don whiche þat distourben him to se þe face of god Right as a derk clowde bitwixen hous and þe [exemplum] sonne [186] lond of myssese by cause þat þer ben þre maneres of defautes aȝeins þre þinges þat folk of þis world han in þis present lyf þat is to say honoures delices and richesse [187] aȝeins honour han þey in helle / schame and confusion [188] ¶ ffor wel ȝe wite þat men clepen honour þe reuerence þat men don to man ¶ But in helle is non honour ne reuerence ¶ ffor certes nomore reuerence schal be do to a king þan to a knaue [189] ¶ ffor which god saiþ by [textus] þe prophete Ieremie ¶ Thilke folk þat me despysen schuln [Ieremie /] ben in despite [190] ¶ Honour is eek cleped gret wor|schipe þer schal no wight seruen oþer ¶ But of harme and torment. honour is eek cleped gret dignite and heigh|nesse ¶ But in helle schullen þey ben alle fortroden of deueles [191] as god saiþ ¶ þe Orrible deueles schuln gon & comen vpon þe heedes of dampned folk ¶ And þis is for as meche as þe heyer þat þey weren in þis present lyff/; þe more schuln þey ben abated and defouled in helle [192] ¶ aȝeins þe riche of þis world schullen þey haue mysese of pouerte and þis pouert schal be .iiij. þinges [193] ¶ In defaute of tresour of which

[6-text p 602] Dauid saiþ ¶ The riche folk þat enbraceden and Oneden [.dauid.] in al here herte to tresour of þis world schullen slepe / in þe slepyng of deþ as no þing schuln þey fynden in here handes of alle here tresour [194] ¶ And more ouer þe myseyse of helle schal ben in defaute of mete & drinke [195] ffor god saiþ þus by moyses ¶ þey schuln [dominus per moysen] be wasted wiþ hunger and þe briddes of helle schuln deuoure him wiþ bitter deþ and þe galle of þe dragon . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] here morselle [196] and forþer ouer here mysayse schal ben in defaute of cloþing ¶ ffor þey schuln be naked in body as of cloþing saue þe fuyre in whiche þey brenne and oþer filþes [197] and naked schuln þey ben of soule of alle maner vertues which þat is þe cloþing of soule ¶ Where be þenne þe gay robes and þe softe schetes and þe smale schertes. [198] lo what saiþ god of hem by þe prophete. Isaye [Isaye] ¶ That vnder hem schuln be strawed mouthes ¶ and here couertours schuln ben of wormes of helle [199] ¶ and furþer ouer here mysayse schal ben in defaute of freendes ¶ ffor he is nought pouere þat haþ goode freendes ¶ But þer is no freend [200] ¶ ffor neiþer god ne creature schal be frend to hem and euerych of hem schal haten oþer [folio 264b] wiþ dedly hate [201] ¶ þe sones of þe doughtren schullen rebellen aȝeins fader and mooder and kynredes aȝein kynrede and chyden and despisen euerich of hem oþer boþe day and night as god saiþ by þe prophete. Michias. [202] and þe louynge children þat whilom loueden so fleissly euerich oþer ¶ Wolden euerich of hem eten oþer if þay mighte [203] ¶ ffor how scholde þey louen hem to gydere in þe peynes of helle ¶ Whan þey hateden euerich of hem oþer in þe prosperite of þis lyf [204] ¶ ffor truste wel here fleisschly loue was deedly hate as saiþ þe prophete .dauid. ¶ Who so þat loueþ wikked|nesse [dauid] he hateþ his soule [205] ¶ And who so hateþ his owen soule ¶ certes he may loue non oþer wight

[6-text p 603] in no manere [206] ¶ And þerfore in helle is no frendschipe ¶ but euer þe more fleisshly kynredes þat ben in helle; þe more cursyng. þe more chyd|yng and þe more dedly hate þer is among hem [207] ¶ and furþer ouer þey schullen haue defaute of alle maner delites ¶ ffor why delices ben þe appetites of þe .v. wittes ¶ as sight. heeryng. smellyng. Sauor|yng. and touching. [208] but in helle here sighte schal be ful of derknesse and of smoke and ful of teeres and here heerynge ful of waymentynge and of gruntynge of teeþ as saiþ ihesu crist [209] here nose [Ihesus] [textus] þrulles schuln ben ful of stynke ¶ And as saiþ Isaye þe prophete ¶ here sauorynge schal be ful of bitter galle [210] and touching of here body ycouered wiþ fuyre þat neuer schal be quenched And wiþ wormes þat neuere / schullen deyen as god saiþ by þe mouþ of Isaye [211] ¶ And for as moche as þey schuln nouȝt wene [Isaye] þat þey may deyen for peyne and by here deþ flee fro peyne þat may þey vnderstonde in þe word of Iob þat saiþ. þer as is þe schadewe of deþ [212] ¶ Certes a schadewe haþ þe liknes of þe þing of which it / is schadewe ¶ but schadewe nys nought þe same þing of which it is schadewe [213] ¶ right so fareþ þe peyne of helle hit is y-like deþ for þe anguyssche orrible And why ¶ ffor it peyneþ hem euere as þough men schullen deyen anon But certes þey schuln nought deyen [214] ¶ ffor as saiþ seint Gregory to wrecchede Caytyfs synful schal ben deþ wiþouten deþ and ende wiþouten ende ¶ And defaute wiþouten faylinge [215] ¶ ffor here deþ schal alway lyue ¶ And here ende schal eueremore begynne. and here defaute schal nought faile [216] ¶ And þerfore saiþ Seint Iohn [Iohannes euaun|gelista] euaungelist ¶ They schullen folwe deþ and þey schuln nought fynden him ¶ and þey desiren to deye and deþ schal flee fro hem [217] ¶ And eek Iob saiþ þat in helle [Iob] is non ordre of reule. [218] and al be it so þat god haþ created alle þing in right ordre and no þing wiþ|outen

[6-text p 604] ordre ¶ But alle þinges ben ordeigned [folio 265a] and nom|bred ¶ ȝet naþeles þey þat ben dampned ben no þing in ordre ne holden non ordre [219] ¶ ffor þe erþe schal bere hem no fruyt [220] ffor as þe prophete saiþ Dauid. god schal destruye þe fruyt of þe erthe as fro hem Ne water schal ȝeue hem no moysture ne þe aier no refreissching. ne fuyr no light [221] ¶ ffor as saiþ seint Basile ¶ The brennyng of þe fuyr of þis world schal god ȝeuen in helle to hem þat ben dampned [222] ¶ But þe light and þe clernesse schal be ȝouen in to heuene to his children ¶ Right as þe goode man ȝeueþ fleissh to his children and bones to his houndes [223] ¶ And for þey schullen haue non hope to eschape saiþ Iob. at þe laste þat þer schal horrour and grisly drede [Iob] dwelle wiþouten ende [224] ¶ horrour is alway drede of harme þat is to come. and þis drede schal euere dwelle in þe hertes of hem þat ben dampned ¶ And þerfore han þay lorne alle here hope for .vij. causes [225] ¶ ffirst for god þat is here Iuge schal be wiþouten mercy to hem. ne þey may nought please him ne non of his halwes ne þey may ȝyue no þing for here raunson [226] ne þay haue no voys / to speke to him. Ne þey may nouȝt flee fro peyne. ne þay haue no goodnesse in hem þat þay may schewe to delyuere hem fro peyne [227] And þerfore saiþ Salomon ¶ The wikkede man [Salomon] deyeþ. and whan he is deed; he schal haue non hope to eskape fro peyne [228] ¶ Who so schame wel wolde vn|derstande þese peynes and beþinke him wel þat he haþ disserued þilke peynes for his synnes Certes he schulde haue more talent to syke and to wepe. þen for to syngen and to pleye [229] ¶ ffor as seiþ Salomon ¶ Who so þat hadde þe science for to knowe þo peynes þat ben establissched and ordeyned for synne; he wolde make sorwe. [230] þilke science as seiþ seint austyn makeþ a man to weymenten in his herte

[231] ¶ The .iiij^e. poynt þat oughte make a man [iiij^um capitulum]

[6-text p 605] haue contricion is þe sorweful remembraunce of þe good þat/ he haþ lost/ to doon heere in erþe and eek þe good þat he haþ lorn [232] ¶ Soþly þe goode werkes þat he haþ lost; eyþer þey ben þe goode werkes þat he wrought er he felle in to dedly synne ¶ Or elles þe goode werkes þat he wrought whil he lay in synne [233] ¶ Soþly þe goode werkes þat he dide biforn þat he fylle in synne ben alle mortefied and astonyed and dulled by þe ofte synnynge // [234] þat oþer goode werkes þat he wroughte whiles he lay in synne þey ben outerly deede as to þe lyff /perdurable in heuene [235] ¶ þenne þilke goode werkes þat ben mortefyed by often synnyng whiche goode werkes he dide whiles he was in charite ne mowen neuere quyken aȝein wiþouten verray penytence [236] ¶ And þerof saith god by þe mouþ of Ezechielle þat is [folio 265b] þe rightful man re|tourne aȝein from his rightwisnesse and to wirche wikked|nesse schal he lyue [237] nay. ffor alle þe goode werkes þat he haþ wrouȝt / ne schuln neuer ben in remembrance ffor he schal deye in his synne [238] ¶ And vpon þilke chapitre seiþ Seint Gregori þus þat we schulde vnder|stande þis principally [239] þat whenne we doon deedly synne it is for nought þanne to reherse or drawe in to memorie þe goode werkes þat we han wrought byforne [240] ¶ ffor certes in þe werkinge of dedly synne / þer is no triste / to no good werk þat we han don toforne þat is to sayn as for to haue þerby þe lyff per|durable in heuene [241] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] whan we han contricion [242] ¶ But soþely þe goode werkes þat men don whiles þat þey ben in dedly synne for as moche as þey weren don in dedly synne þey may neuer quiken aȝein [243] ¶ ffor certes þing þat neuer haþ lyff may neuere quyke ¶ And naþeles al be it þat þey ne auailen nought to han þe lyff perdurable; ȝet auailen

[6-text p 606] þey to abreggen of þe peyne of helle or elles to geten temperal richesse [244] ¶ Or elles þat god wol þe raþere enlumyne and lightne þe herte of þe synful man to han repentance. [245] and eek þey auaylen for to vsen a man to doon good werke þat þe feende haue þe lesse power of his soule [246] ¶ and þus þe curteyse lord ihesu crist ne wol þat no good werk be loste ¶ ffor in somwhat it schal auayle [247] ¶ But for as moche þe goode werkes þat men don whiles þey ben in good lijf ben al mortefyed by synne folwynge ¶ And eek seþenes alle þe goode werkes þat men doon whiles þey ben in dedly synne ben outrely deede as for to haue þe lyff perdurable; [248] wel may þat man þat no good werk ne doþ Synge þilke newe freissche song. Iay tout perdu mon temps & mon labour [249] ¶ ffor certes synne byreueþ a man goodnesse and nature and eek þe goodnesse of grace [250] ¶ ffor soþe þe grace of þe holy gost fareþ as fuyr þat may nouȝt ben ydel ffor fuyr fayleþ anon as it forleseþ his wirch|inge . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [251] þenne leseþ þe synful man þe goodnesse of glory þat oonly is behight to goode men þat labouren and werken [252] ¶ Wel may he be sory þenne þat oweth alle his lyff to god as lange as he lyueth haþ lyued and eek als longe as he schal lyue þat no goodnesse ne haþ to paye wiþ his dette to god to whom he oweþ alle his lyff [253] ¶ ffor truste wel he schal ȝiue acountes as saiþ seint Bernard of alle þe goodes þat han ben ȝouen him in þis present lyff / and how he haþ hem dispended [254] nought so moche þat / þer schal nought perissche an heer of his heede ne a moment of an houre ne schal not perissche of his tyme þat he ne schal ȝiue of hit a rekenyng

[255] ¶ The v^te. þing þat oughte meue a man [folio 266a] to [v^a causa] contricion is remembrance of þe passion þat oure lord ihesu crist suffred for oure synnes [256] ¶ ffor as saiþ seint Bernard ¶ Whil þat I lyue I schal haue remem|brance

[6-text p 607] of þe trauailes þat oure lord ihesu crist suffred in prechinge [257] his werynesse in trauaillynge. his tempt|acions whan he fasted his longe wakinges when he prayed his teeres when þat he wepte for pite of good peple [258] ¶ þe woo and þe schame and þe filthe þat men seyden to him ofte foule spittyng þat men spitten on his face ¶ of þe buffettes þat men ȝeuen him ¶ of þe foule mouthes and of þe re|preues þat men to him sayden [259] ¶ Of þe nayles wiþ þe whiche he was nayled to þe cros and of alle þe remenant of his passion þat he suffrede for my synnes and no þing for his gilte [260] ¶ And ȝe schuln vnder|stonde þat in mannes synne is euery maner ordre of ordinance turned vp so doun [261] ffor it is soþ þat god and reson and sensualite and þe body of man ben so ordeyned þat euerich of þise. .iiij. þinges/ schulde haue lordschipe ouer þat oþer [262] and þus god schulde haue lordschipe ouer reson and reson ouer sensualite and sensualite ouer þe body of man [263] ¶ And soþly whan man synneþ; al þis ordre of ordinance is turned vp so don [264] ¶ And þerfore þanne for as moche as þe reson of man wol nought be subget ne obeissant to god þat is his lord by right; þer|fore leeseþ it þe lordschipe þat it schulde haue in sensualite and eeke ouer þe body of man [265] ¶ And whi ¶ ffor sensualite rebelleþ þanne aȝein reson And by þat wey leseþ reson his lordschipe ouer sensualite and ouer þe body [266] ¶ ffor right as reson is rebelle to god Right so is boþe sensualite rebel to reson and þe body also [267] ¶ And certes þis ordinance and þis rebellion oure lord ihesu crist aboughte vpon his precious body ful dere herkeneþ in which wise [268] ¶ ffor as meche þanne is resoun rebelle to god; þer|fore is man worþi to haue sorwe and to be deed [269] ¶ This suffred oure lord ihesu for man after þat he hadde be betrayed of his disciple and destreyned &

[6-text p 608] bounde so þat þe blood brast out at euery nayl of his handes as seiþ seint Austyn [270] ¶ And forþermore for as moche as reson of man wol nought daunte sensu|alite whenne it may ¶ Therfore is man worþy to haue schame and þis suffrede oure lord ihesu crist for man when þey spetten in his visage / [271] ¶ And furþer more for as moche þanne as þe caytiff body of man is rebelle boþe to reson and to sensualite ¶ þerfore it is worþy þe deþ [272] ¶ And þis suffred oure lord ihesu crist for man vppon þe crosse where as þer was no part of his body fre wiþouten gret peyne and bitter passion / [273] and al þis suffrede ihesu crist þat neuer forfeted . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ¶ To mechil am I peyned for þe same þinges [folio 266b] þat I neuer deserued and to mochil defouled for frendschipe þat man is worþy to haue. [274] And þer|fore may þe synful man wel say as saiþ seint Bernard. Acursed be þe bitternes . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [275] ¶ ffor certes after þe diuers discordaunces of oure wikkednesse was þe passion of Ihesu crist y-ordeyned in diuerse þinges [276] as þus Certeȝ synful mannes soule bytraysed of þe deuel by coueytise of temperel prosperite / and scorned by disceyte when he cheseþ flesschly delites / and ȝet is he tormented by inpacience of aduersite ¶ And bispette ¶ By seruage in subiectioun of synne ¶ And atte laste it is slayn fynally [277] for this disordynance of synful man was ihesu crist first bytrayed ¶ And after þat was he bounde þat came for to vnbynde vs of synne and of peyne [278] ¶ Thanne was he by-scorned þat only schulde be honoured in alle þinges of alle þinges [279] þenne was his visage þat oughte be desired to be seyn of alle mankynde in which visage aungeles desiren to loken. vileynesly byspette [280] ¶ Thenne was he scourged þat noþing hadde gilt ¶ and fynally þenne was he crucified & slayn [281] ¶ Thenne was he acompliced þe

[6-text p 609] wordes of Isaye ¶ he was wounded for oure mysdedes and defouled by oure vileynies [282] ¶ Now seþenes þat ihesu crist took vpon himself þe peyne of alle oure wickednesses; Mochil oughte synful man bywepe and bywayle þat for his synnes goddes sone of heuene schulde alle þis peyne endure [283] ¶ The sixte þing þat oughte meue a man to contricion is þe hope [vj^a causa de con|tricione /] of .iij. þinges. þat is to sayn. forȝeuenes of synne . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] and þe glorie of heuene wiþ þe which god schal guerdon man for his goode deedes· [284] ¶ and for as moche as ihesu crist ȝeueþ vs þese ȝiftes of his largesse and of his souereyn bounte; þerfore is he cleped Ihesus nazarenus rex iudeorum [285] Ihesus is for to sayn sauyour of sa|uacion on whom men schuln hope to haue forȝeuenesse of synnes which þat is proprely sauacioun of synnes [286] ¶ And þerfore sayde þe aungel to Ioseph ¶ þou clepest his name ihesus þat schal saue his poeple of here synnes [287] ¶ And her of seiþ seint Petre ¶ Ther nys non oþer name vnder heuene þat is ȝoue to any man by which a man may be saued but only by ihesus [288] nazerenus is as moche to seyn as florissching in which a man schal hope þat he þat ȝeueþ him remission of synnes schal ȝiue also him grace wel to do ¶ ffor in þe flour is hope of fruyt in tyme comynge. and in forȝiuenesse of synnes is hope of grace wel to do [289] ¶ I was at þe dore of þin herte / saiþ ihc and cleped for to entre ¶ he þat openeþ to me schal haue forȝiuenesse of synne / [290] I wol entre to him by my grace and soupe wiþ him by þe goode werkes þat he schal doon whiche werkes ben þe foode of god and he schal soupe with [[Corpus MS. ends]] [ [[Arch. Seld. B. 14, leaf 275, back, for Corpus MS.]] me bi the grete ioye / that shal be yove to him ‖ [291] Thus shal man hope for his werkes of penaunce / god sholde yeve him his regne as he bihoteth him / in the gospel /

[292] Now shal man vnderstonde / in which

[6-text p 610] manere shal be his contricion ‖ I seie that hit shal be vniuersale & totale / this is to seine a man shal be verry repentaunt / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 276a] for alle his synnes that he hath done / in delite of his thought for delite is ful perilous / [293] ffor ther ben two manere of consentynges / that oon of hem is cleped consenting of affeccioun / whan a man is meved to do synne / & deliteth him longe for to thenke on that synne / [294] he hath reson that perceiveth wel that hit is synne ageynste the lawe of god / . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] al though his reson ne consente nat to do the synne in dede / [295] yit seine somme doctours / that suche delite that duellith longe is ful perilous / al be it neuer so lite / [296] And also a man sholde sorowe for al that euer he hath desired ayeines the lawe of god with perfite consentynge of resoun / ffor ther-of is no doute / that hit is dedly synne / in consentynge / [297] ffor certes ther is no dedly synne / but hit is first in man-is thoughte / & after that in his delite / and so forthe in-to consentynge / & in-to dede / [298] wherfore I seie that many men repente hem neuere of suche thoughtes / & delites / ne neuere shriven hem of hit / but only of the dede ‖ of grete synnes outwarde ‖ [299] wherfore I seie that suche wikked delites / & wikked thoughtes / ben subtile begillours of hem that shullen be dampned / [300] More-ouere a man oughte to sorowe for his wikked wordes / as wel as for his wikked dedes ‖ ffor certes the repentaunce of a singuler synne / and nought repent of al his other synnes or ellis repente him of alle his other synnes / & nat of a singuler synne / may nought availe ‖ [301] ffor certes almyghti god is al good / And therfore he for-yevith al / or elles right nought / [302] And herof seith seint Austyne / I wote certeynly [303] that [¶ Austyne.] god is enemy to euery synne / And how than he that observith. oo synne shal he haue foryeuenesse of the

[6-text p 611] remenaunt of his other synnes / Nay / [304] And ferther ouere contricion sholde be wonder sorowful / & ang|uysshous / & therfore yevith him god pleynly his mercy / And therfore whan my soule was anguysshous withinne me / I had remembraunce of god / that my prayere myghte come to him / [305] fforther ouere contricion must be contenuel / & that man haue sted|fast purpos to shriven him / & for to amende him of his liff / [306] ffor sothely whiles contricion lasteth man may [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 276b] haue hope of foryeuenesse / And of this cometh hate of synne / that distroyeth synne in him selff / & eke in other folke / as to his powere / [307] ffor whiche seith Dauid / ye that louen god / hateth wikkednesse / ffor [¶ Dauid] trusteth wel to love god / is for to love that he loueth / & hate that he hateth ‖

[308] The laste thing that men shulle vnderstonde in contricion is this / wherof avayleth contricion / I seye that somtyme contricion delyuereth a man from synne / [309] off whiche that Dauid seith / I seye quod Dauid [¶ Dauid] that is to seie / I purposed fermely to shrive me and thow lord relesedist my synne / [310] And right so as contricion availeth nought withoute sadd purpos of shriffte / . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] or satisfaccion withoute contricion / [311] And more-ouere contricion distroyeth the prison of helle / & maketh weyke & febleth the strengethes of the deueles / & restoreth the yifftes of the holy goste & of alle goode vertues / [312] & clensith the soule of synne / & delyuereth the soule fro the peyne of helle / & fro the companye of the deuel / & fro the seruage of synne / & restoreth to alle goodes espirituels / & to the companye of communyon of holy chirche / [313] And ferther-ouere hit makyth him that was whilom the sone of synne / & Ire / to ben the sone of grace / & alle these thinges ben preved bi holy writte / [314] And therfore he that wol sette his entent to these thinges / he were ful

[6-text p 612] wise / ffor sothe he sholde nought than in al his liff haue corage to synne / but yeve his body / & al his herte to the seruice of Ihesu criste / & therof don him homage / [315] ffor sothly oure swete lord Ihesu criste he sparith vs so debonerly in oure folies / that if he ne had pite of man-is soule / a sori songe myghte we alle synge /

Explicit prima pars penitencie / ¶ & sequitur secunda.

[316]

The secunde parte of penaunce / is confession / that is signe of contricion / [317] Now shulle ye vnderstonde what is confession / And whether hit oughte nedes to ben or noon / & whiche thinges ben couenable to verry confession /

[318] ffirst shalt thow vnderstonde that confession is verry shewynge of synnes to the preste / [319] That is to sey verry / that he mote confessen him / of alle the condicions that be-longen [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 277a] to his synne / as ferforth as he can / [320] al mote be seide / & no thing excused ne hidde / ne for-wrapped / & nought auaunte him of his goode werkes / [321] And fer-ther-ouere it is necessarie to vnder|stonde / whens that synnes springen / & how thei encresen / and whiche they ben

[322] of the springyng of synnes / as seith seint Poule [¶ Poule.] on this wise / That right as bi a man synne entred in-to this world first / & thorugh that synne deide / right so thilke deth entreth in-to alle men that synneden [323] And this man was Adam / bi whom the synne entred in-to this world / whan that he breke the commaundement of god / [324] And therfore he that first was so myghti / that he sholde nat haue deide / bi-cam suche oon that he most nedes deye / whether he wolde or noon / & al his progenye that is in this worlde / that in thilke manere synnen ‖ [325] Loke that in the estate of innocence / whan Adam & Eue

[6-text p 613] naked were in paradise / & nothing ne hadden shame of here nakednesse / [326] how that the serpent that was moste wyly of al other bestes that god had maked seide to the womman ‖ Commaunded god to yow / ye sholde nought eten of euery tre in paradise / [327] The woman answerde / of the fruyte quod she of the trees in paradise we feden vs / but sothly of the fruyte of the tre that is in the myddel of paradise / god forbede vs / for to eten ne to touche it / lest perauenture we sholden deye / [328] The serpent seide to the woman / nay nay / ye shol not deye of deth / ffor sothe god wote / that what day ye eten therof youre eyghen shul open / & ye shul be as godes knowynge goode & harme / [329] The woman saw that the tre was goode to fedynge / & faire to the eyghe / & dilectable to the sighte / she toke of the fruyte of the tre & ete of it ‖ & yaf it to hir housbond & he ete / And anoon the eyghen of hem bothe opened / [330] And whan that they knewe / that thei weren naked / thei sowed of fyge leves in manere of breches to hiden here membres ‖ [331] Here may ye se that dedly synne hath first suggestion of the fende / as shewith here bi the adder / & affterward the delite of the flesshe / as shewith here bi Eua / And [¶ Adam. Eua.] affter that the consentinge of the reson / as shewith bi Adam / [332] ffor trusteth [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 277b] wel though so were that the fende tempted oon / that is to seie / the flesshe / And the flesshe had delite in the beaute of the fruyte defended ‖ yit certes til that reson / that is to seie Adam con|sented to the etyng of the fruyte / yit stode thei in the highe state of Innocence ‖ [333] Off thilke Adam toke we thilke synne origynal / for of him flesshely discended ben we alle / & engendred of vile & corrupte matire / [334] And whan the soule is put in-to oure body / right anoon is con|tracte original synne / And that was erst but only peyne of concupiscence / is afterward both peyne & synne / [335] And therfore ben we alle I-borne sones of

[6-text p 614] wrathe & of dampnacion perdurable / if it nere baptyme that we receiven / whiche bynemyth vs the culpe / but for sothe the peyne dwellith with vs / as the temptacion / whiche peyne hight concupiscence / [336] And this concupiscence whan it is wrongfully disposed / or ordeyned in man / hit makith him coueite couetise of flesshely synne bi sight of his eyghen / and to erthely thinges / And eke coueitise of highnesse bi pride of herte /

[337] Now as for to speke of the first coueitise / that is concupiscence after the lawe of oure membres / that weren lawfully maked / & bi rightful iuge|ment of god / [338] I seie for-asmeche as man is nought obeisaunt to god / that is his lord / Therfore is his flesshe to him disobeisaunte / thorugh concupiscence / . . . . .[339] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] hit is impossible but he be distempered somtyme / & noyede in his flesshe to synne / [340] & this thing may nought faile / as longe as he leueth / it may wexe feble & faile / bi vertu of baptime / & bi the grace of god / thorugh penaunce / [341] but fully shal it neuere quenche / that he ne shal som|tyme be meved in him silff ‖ but if he were refreynede bi sikenesse / [[sic]] of bi malifice of sorcerie / or colde drynkes / [342] ffor what seith seint Poule / The flesshe coueiteth [¶ Poule.] ayeine the spirit / & the spirit ayeine the flesshe / thei ben so contrarie / & so striven / that a man may nought don alwey / as he wolde / [343] The same seith seint Poule / after his grete penaunce in water & in lande / In water bi night & bi daie in grete perile / & grete peyne / In lande in famyne / thruste / in colde and in [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 278a] clothes wantynge / & ones stoned almost to the dethe [344] yit seide he alas I caytiff man / who shal delyuer me fro the prison of my caytiff body / [345] And seint Ierome whan he [¶ Ierome] longe tyme had woned in deserte / where as he had no companye but bestes / where as he had

[6-text p 615] no mete but erbes / & water to his drinke / ne no bedde but the naked erthe / ffor whiche his flesshe was blak as an Ethiopen for hete & nygh distruyed for colde / [346] yit seide he that the brennynge of lecherie boiled in al his body / [347] wherfore I woote wel sekerly that thei ben disceived / that seine / that thei ne ben nought tempted in here body / [348] wittenesse of seint Iame thappostel / [¶ Iacobus.] that seith that euery wight is tempted in his owne con|cupiscence / that is to seie / that eueryche of vs hath matire & occasion to be tempted / of the norisshinge of synne that is in his body ‖ [349] And therfore seith seint Iohn [¶ Iohn Euang.] the Euangelist if that we seyne that we ben withouten synne we disceiven oure silff / & trouthe is nought in vs /

[350] Now shol ye vnderstonde in what manere synne wexeth & encreseth in man ‖ The first thing is the norisshinge of synne / of which I spak of biforne thilke flesshely concupiscence / [351] And after that cometh the suggestion of the Deuel / this is to seie the deuel-is bely / with which he blowith in man / the fire of flesshely concupiscence / [352] And after that a man bi|thinketh him / whether he wol do or noon thilke thinge / to which he is tempted ‖ [353] And than if a man with-stande / & weive the firste entisinge of his flessh / & of the fende / than is hit no synne / And if so be that he do nat so / than felith he anoon / a flamme of delite / [354] & than is hit goode to be-ware & kepe him wel / or elles he wol falle anoon / in-to consentynge of synne / & than wol he do hit / if he may haue tyme and place ‖ [355] And of this matire seith Moyses bi [¶ Moyses.] the deuel in this manere / The fende seith I wol chace & pursue man bi wikked suggestiones / & I wol hente him / bi movynge or sterynge of synne / And I wol departe my prise or my preye bi de|liberacion / & my lust shal be accomplesshed in delite / I wol drawe my swerde in consentynge / [356] ffor [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 278b] certes right as a swerde departeth a thinge in two peces ‖ Right

[6-text p 616] so consentynge departeth god fro man / And than wol I sle him with myn honde / in dethe of synne / thus seith the fende / [357] ffor certes than is a man al dede in soule / and thus is synne complesshed bi tempt|acion / bi delite / & bi consentinge / and than is synne cleped actuel /

[358] Ffor sothe synne is in two maneres / outher it is venial synne / or dedly synne / Sothely whan man loueth any creature / more than ihesu criste oure creatoure / than is it dedly synne / And venial synne is if man loue ihesu criste lesse than him oughte ‖ [359] ffor sothe the dede of this venial synne / is ful perilous / ffor hit amennseth the loue that men sholde haue to god more & more / [360] And therfore if a man charge more him silff / with many suche venial sinnes / certes but if it so be / that he som|tyme discharge him of hem bi shriffte / thei may ful lightly amennse in him al the loue / that he hath to ihesu criste / [361] & in this wise skippith venial synne / in-to dedly synne ‖ ffor certes the more that a man chargeth his soule with venial synnes / the more is he enclyned to falle in dedly synne / [362] And therfore lat vs not be necligent to discharge vs of venial synnes / ffor the prouerbe seith [¶ prouerbium.] That many smale makith a grete / [363] And herken this ensample / A grete wawe of the see / cometh somtyme with so grete a violence / that hit drenchith the shippe / And the same harme doth somtyme / the smale dropes [prouerbium. [in a late hand.]] of water / that entren thorugh a litil crevise / in-to the thurroke / & in-to the botme of the shippe / if men be so necligent / that men ne discharge hem nought be tyme ‖ [364] And therfore al-though ther be a difference bitwene these two causes of drenchynge / algates the shippe is dreynte ‖ [365] Right so farith hit somtyme of dedly synne / & of anoyous venial synnes / whan thei multiplie in a man so gretly / that thilke worldly thinges that he loueth / thorugh whiche he synneth venially / is as grete in his herte / as the loue of god or more / [366]

[6-text p 617] And therfore the loue of euery thinge / that is not bisette in god / ne don principally for godis sake / al-though a man loue it lasse than god / yit is it venial synne / [367] And dedly synne is / whan the loue of any thinge [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 279a] weyeth in the herte of a man / as meche as the loue of god or more / [368] Dedly synne as seith seint Austyne [¶ Austyno] is whan a man turneth his herte from god / whic[h]e that is verry souereyne bounte / that may nat chaunge / & yevith his herte to a thinge that may chaunge / & flitte ‖ [369] And certes that is euery thinge saue only god of heuen ‖ ffor sothe is / if that a man yeve his loue / the whiche that he owith al to god / with al his herte / vn-to a creature / certes as meche of his loue as he yevith [. . . .] to that creature / so meche he birevith from god / [370] & ther|fore doth he synne / ffor he that is dettour to god / ne yeldeth nought al his dette to god / that is to seine al the loue of his herte /

[371] Now sithen that a man vnderstondeth generally whiche is venial synne ‖ Than is it couenable to tellen of special sinnes whiche that many a man perauenture demeth hem no synnes / ne shriven hem nat of the same thinges / & yit natheles thei ben synnes / [372] sothely as these clerkes writen / this [is] [[a word (is?) erased here.]] to seine / that euery tyme that a man eteth or drinketh more than [¶ nota bene] sufficeth to the sustenaunce of his body / in certeine he doth synne / [373] And eke whan he speketh more than hit nedith / it is sinne ‖ Eke whan he herkeneth nought mekely the compleynte of the pore ‖ [374] Eke whan he is in hele of body & wol nought faste / whan other men faste withouten cause resonable ‖ Eke whan he slepeth more than him nedith ‖ or whan he cometh bi thilke encheson late to chirche / or to other good werkes of charite / [375] Eke whan he vsith his wiff / withouten souereyne desire of engendrure to the honour of god / or for thentent to yelde to his wiff the the (sic) dette of his body / [376] Eke whan he wol nought visite the sike / or prisoners whan he may ‖

[6-text p 618] Eke if he loue wiff or childe or any worldly thinge / more than reson requirith / Eke if he flatre or blandisshe / more than him oughte / for any necessite ‖ [377] Eke if he amennseth or withdrawith the almes of the pore ‖ Eke if he apparaileth his mete more deliciously than nede is / or ete hit to hastily bi likerous|nesse ‖ [378] Eke if he telle vanitees at the chirche or in godes seruise / or that he be a talker of ydel wordes [¶ ydel wordes.] of folie / or of vilonye / for he shal yelde accou[m]ptes of it at the daie of dome / [379] Eke whan he biheteth or assureth to do thinges / that he may not [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 279b] performe ‖ Eke whan that bi lightnesse of folie misseieth or scorneth his neighbour / [380] Eke whan he hath any susspecion of thinge / there as he woote of it no soth|fastnesse ‖ [381] These thinges & mo withouten nombre ben synnes as seith seint Austin [¶ Austyne.]

[382] Now shul men vnderstonde that al be it so / that noon erthely man may eschewe al venial synnes / yit may he refreyne him bi the brennynge loue that he hath to oure lorde Ihesu criste / & bi praiere / & bi confession / & other goode workes / so that it shal but litel greve / [383] ffor as seith seint Austyne ‖ If a man loue god / in suche manere / that al that euere he dothe is in the loue of god / or for the loue of god verrily ‖ ffor he brenneth in the loue of god ‖ [384] loke how meche meche that a drope of water that fallith in a furneys ful of fire anoyeth or grevith / so meche a venial synne is vn-to a man / that is perfite in the love of oure lord ihesu criste ‖ [385] Men may also refreyne venial synne / bi the resseivinge of the precious body of ihesu criste / [386] bi resseivinge eke of holy water / bi almes-dede / bi the general confession of the Confiteor at the masse / & at the Complyne / and bi blissinge of Busshopes / and of prestes & bi other goode werkes /

[6-text p 619]

De septem peccatis mortalibus & eorum &c

[387]

NOw is it bihouely thinge / to tellen whiche ben the .vij. dedly synnes / that is to seyne cheveteynes of synnes / but alle thei renne in Ooles / but in dyuers maners / Now ben thei cleped cheveteynes / for-as-meche as thei ben cheff / & of hem springen alle other synnes / [388] of the rote of these .vij. sinnes / than is pride the general rote of alle harmes / ffor of this rote springen certeine branches / as Ire / Enuye / accidie / or slouthe / Auarice / or couetise to comune vnderstonding / Gloteneye / & Lecherie / [389] And eueryche of these cheff synnes hath his branches & his twigges / as shal be declared in here chapitres folwynge /

[Of Pride, and its Twigs.]

[390] And though so be that no man can vtterly telle the nombre of the twigges & of the harmes that comyn of pride / yit wol I shewe a parte of hem as ye shul vnderstonde [391] ‖ There is Inobedience ‖ Avauntynge / Ypocrisie ‖ Despite ‖ Arrogaunce / In [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 280a] prudence ‖ Swellinge of herte ‖ Insolence ‖ Elacion ‖ . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Partinacie ‖ Veynglorie ‖ & many a-nother twigge that I can nat declare ‖ [392] Ino|bedient is he / that disobeyeth for dispite to the commaunde|ment [¶ Inobedient] of god / & to his souereynes / & to his gostly fader ‖ [393] Auauntour is he that bosteth of the harme [¶ Auauntour] or of the bounte / that he hath don / [394] ypocrisie is he that hideth him / to shewe him / suche as he is / and shewith him suche as he is not ‖ [395] Dispitous [¶ Dispitous] is he that hath disdeine of his neighbours / that is to seine / of his euen cristen / or hath dispite to do / that him oughte to do ‖ [396] Arrogaunt is he / that thinketh [¶ Arrogaunt.] that he hath thilke bounte in him / that he hath nought / or

[6-text p 620] weneth that he sholde haue hem bi his desertes / or ellis that he weneth that he be that he nys nought / [397] In|pudent is he that for his pride hath no shame for his [¶ Inpudent] synne ‖ [398] Swelling of herte is he / whan a man [¶ Swellinge of herte.] reioyseth him / of harme that he hath don ‖ [399] Inso|lent is he / that dispiseth in his iugement alle other [¶ Insolent.] folke / as to the regarde of his value / & of his connynge / & of his spekynge / & of his berynge ‖ [400] Elacion is / whan [¶ Elacion] he may neither suffre to haue maister ne felawe ‖ [401] Impacient is he / that wol nought be taughte ne vnder|nome [¶ Impacient] of his vice / & bi striff werreth trouthe wetingly / & maynteneth his folie ‖ [402] Contymax is he that [¶ Contymax] thorugh his indignacion / is ayeins eueryche autorite or power of hem that ben his souereynes ‖ [403] Pre|sumpcion [¶ Presumpcion] is he / whan a man taketh an emprise / that him ought not to do / or ellis he may it not do / & that is called surquidrie ‖ Irreuerent is whan a man doth not [¶ Irreuerent] honour / there-as him oughte to do / & waiteth to be reuerensed ‖ [404] Pertynacy is whan a man defendith [¶ pertynacy] his folie / & trusteth to meche his owne witte ‖ [405] Vayneglorie is for to haue pompe / & delite in [¶ Vaynglorie] temporel richesse / & glorifieth hem in worldly estates ‖ [406] Iangelynge is / whan a man speketh to [¶ Iangelynge.] meche / to fore folke & clappeth as a Mille / & taketh no kepe what he seith

[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 280b] [407] and yit is there a prive spice of pride / that waiteth first to be halowed / er he wol be saluwed / al be he lasse worth than that other is perauenture / & eke waiteth or desireth to sitte or to go above / him in the weie / or kisse pax / or be ensensed / or go to offringe / to fore his neighboure ‖ [408] & suche . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] a proude desire to be magnified / & honoured bifore the peple ‖

[409] Now ben ther two maners of pride / that oon of hem is withinne the herte of man / & that

[6-text p 621] other is withoute / [410] off whiche sothely the for|seide thinges & mo than I haue seide apertynent to pride / that is in the herte of man / And therto other spices of pride ther ben withoute / [411] but natheles oon of these spices of pride is signe of that other ‖ Right as the gay levesel at the tauernes is signe of the wyne / that is in the seler ‖ [412] And this is in many thinges / as in speche / & in contenances / & in outrageous aray of clothinge / [413] ffor certes if it nadde be no synne / in clothinge / Criste wold nought so soone haue noted & spoke of the clothinge / of thilke riche man in the gospel ‖ [414] And as seint Gregorie seith That precious clothe is cou|pable [¶ Gregorie.] / for the derth of hit / & for his softenesse / & for his strangenesse / & for his disgisinesse / & for the super|fluyte / or for the inordynaunte scantnesse / . . . [415] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]

[416] As to the first synne / that is in superfluyte of clothing whiche that makith hit so dere / to harme of the peple / [417] nat onely the coste of enbroudyng / the degise endentyng or barryng / owndyng / palyng / or bendynge / & semblable waste of clothynge / in vanite ‖ [418] But ther is also costlewe furrynge in here gownes / so meche pounsyng of cheseles to make hooles / so meche daggynge of sheres / [419] forth with the superfluyte in lengthe of the forseide gownes / trail|ing in the donge / & in the myre / on hors & eke on foote / as wel of man / as of womman / that al thilke trailynge is verrily as in effecte wasted & consumed / thred|bare & roten / with donge / rather than it is yoven to the pore / to grete damage of the forseide pore folke / [420] & that in sondry wise ‖ this is to seie / the more that clothe is wasted / the more mot hit coste to the peple / for the scarsenesse ‖ [421] [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 281a] And forther-ouer if it so be that thei wolde yeven suche pounsed &

[6-text p 622] dagged clothinge / to the pore folke / it is nought conuenient to were for here estate / ne sufficeaunt to bete here necessite / to kepe hem from the distemperaunce of the colde firmament‖ [422] On that other side to speke of the disordinat scantnesse of clothing / as ben these cutted sloppes or hanse lynes that thorugh here shortnes ne coueren not there shameful membres of man / to wikked entent/ [423] Allas some of hem shewen the shappe & the boce / of the orrible swollen membres / that semeth I-like to the maladie of hirnya in the wrapping of here hoses / [424] and eke the buttokes of hem that faren / as it were the hinder parte of a she Ape / in the ful of the moone / [425] And more-ouer the wreched swolle membres / that thei shewe thorugh disgisyng / in departynge of here hoses white & rede / semeth that halff here privy membres were flayne / [426] And if so be that thei departen here hoses in other colours / as is white & black / or white & blewe / or blak & rede / & so forthe / [427] than semeth hit as bi variaunce of coloure / that halff the partie of his priue membres ben corrupte / bi the fire of seint Antonye or bi Cancre / or bi suche other meschaunces / [428] Yit of the hinder parte of here buttokes / it is ful orrible to se / ffor certes in that partie of here bodie / there as thei purgen here stinkynge ordure / [429] that foule parte shewe thei vnto the peple / proudely / in dispite of honeste / whiche honeste Ihesu crist & his frendes obserued to shewe in his liff / [430] Now as to outrageous aray of wommen / god woot though the visages of hem semen ful chaste / & debonayre / yit notefien thei in there araye / in atire of likerousnesse & pride / [431] I seie nat that honeste in clothinge of man / & woman is vncouen|able / But certes the superfluyte / or the disordinat scantnesse of clothinge / is reprovable / [432] Also the synne of an ornement / or apparaile / as in thinges that apperteynen to ridynge / as in to many delicate horses that ben hold|en

[6-text p 623] for delite / that ben so faire fatte / and costelewe / [433] And also many a vicious knave I-mayntened [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 281b] bi|cause of hem // And in to curious harneyse / as in sadels cropers / peitresles / bridles couered with precious clothinge & riche barres / & plates / of golde & of siluer / [434] ffor whiche god seith bi Zakarie the [¶ Zakarias.] prophete / I wol confounde the riders of suche horses / [435] This folke taken litel rewarde of the ridynge of god-is sone of heuen / & of his harneys whan he rode vppon the Asse / & had noon othir harneys but the clothes of his pore disciples / Ne we rede nat that euer he rode on other beste / [436] I speke thus of the sinne of superfluite / & nat for the resonable honeste / whan reson it requirith // [437] And forther ouere / certes pride is gretely notefied in holdynge of grete meyne / whan thei ben of litel profite / or right of no profite / [438] & namely whan meyne is vileynous & damage|ous to the peple / bi hardynesse of high lordshippe or bi wey of office // [439] ffor certes suche lordes sellen than here lordshippes to the deuel of helle / whan thei sustene the wikkednesse of here meyne // [440] Or elles whan these folke of lowe degre / as tho that holden hosteleries / & that is many manere of folke / that susteynen theffte / for here Ostelers / & that is in manere of disseites / [441] thilke manere of folke ben the flyes of felonye that fole|wen the hony / or elles the houndes that folowen the careyne / suche forseide folke strangelen spirituely here lordshippes // [442] ffor whiche thus seith Dauid the prophete wikked [¶ Dauid] dethe mote come to thilke lordshippes / & god yeue that thei mowe descende a-doun in-to helle / ffor in here houses ben iniquitees & shrewdenesse & not god of heuen / [443] And certes but if thei do amende|ment / right so as god yaff his beneson to kyng Pharao bi the service of Iacob / and to Laban bi the seruise of Ioseph right so god wol yeue his malison to suche lordshippes / as susteyne the wikkednesse / of here seruauntes / but thei

[6-text p 624] come to amendement // [444] Pride of the table appereth eke ful offte / for certes riche men ben cleped to festes & pore folke ben put aweye / & rebuked [445] also in excesse of diuers metes & drinkes / & namely suche manere of bake [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 282a] metes & dissh metes / brennynge in wilde fire / & peynted & castelled with papire / & in semblable waste / so that hit is abusion for to thenke /[446] & eke in the grete preciousnesse of vessel & curiousite of mynstralcie / bi the whiche a man is stered the more to delites of luxurie / [447] if so be that he sette his herte the lasse on oure lord Ihesu criste / certeyne it is sinne / And certeynely the delites myghten be so grete in this case that men myghte lightly falle bi hem in-to dedly synne // [448] The espices that sourden of pride / sothely whan thei sourden of malice ymagened / avised or a fore caste / or elles of vsage ben dedly synnes it is no doute / [449] And whan thei sourden bi freelte vn|avised sodenly / & sodenly withdrawe ageyne / al be thei greuous synnes / I gesse that thei ben nought dedly / [450] Now myghte men axe / wherof that pride sourdeth & springeth / & I seie somtyme hit springeth of the goodis of nature / & somtyme of the goodis of fortune / and somtyme of the goodis of grace / [451] Certes the goodis of nature / stonden in the goodis of bodye / or goodis of soule / [452] Certes the goodis of bodye / ben hele of bodie / strengthe / delyuernesse / beaute / genterie / ffranchises / [453] Goodis of nature of the soule / ben goodis with [¶ Goodis of nature.] sharpe vnderstondynge / subtile engyne / vertu naturel / good memorie / [454] Goodis of fortune ben richesse / [¶ Goodis of fortune] high degrees of lordshippes / preisinges of the peple // [455] Goodis of grace ben scienses / power to suffre / [¶ Goodis of grace.] spirituel travaile / benyngnitees / vertuous contemplacion / with-stonding of temptacion / & semblable thinges / [456] of whiche foreseide goodis / certes hit is a ful grete folie a man to pride him in any of hem alle // [457]

[6-text p 625] Now as for to speke of godis of nature / god wot that somtyme we haue hem in nature / als meche to oure damage / as to oure profite [458] And for to speke of hele of bodie / certes it passeth ful lightly / & eke hit is ful offte encheson of sikenesse of the soule / ffor god woot the flessh is a ful grete enemy to the soule / and therfore the more the bodie is hoole / the more ben we in perel to falle / [459] Eke for to pride him / in his strengthe of bodie / hit is an highe folye / ffor certes the flesshe coueiteth ageine the spirit / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 282b] and ay the more stronge the flessh is / the soriere may the soule be / [460] And ouer al this / strengthe of bodie / & worldly hardinesse / causith ful offte many a man to perel & meschaunce / [461] Eke for to pride him in his gentrie / is a ful grete folie / ffor often tyme the gentrie of the bodie / bigynneth the gentrie of the soule / and eke we alle ben of on fader & of on moder / & alle we ben of oo nature roten & corrupte / riche & pore / [462] ffor sothe a manere of gentrie it is to preise that apparellith mannes corage / with vertues & moralitees / & makith him cristes childe / [463] ffor trusteth wel that ouer what man / that synne hath maistrie / he is verry chorle to synne /

[464] Now ben ther general thinges of gentillesse / as eschewynge of vices / or rebaudrie / & seruage of synne / In worde / in werke / & contenaunce / [465] & vsyng vertu / curtesie / and clennesse / & to be liberal / that is to seie large bi mesure / ffor that that passith mesure / is folie & synne / [466] Another is to remembre him / of bounte / that he of other folke hath receivede / [467] Another is to be benigne / to his goode subiectes / wherfore as seith Seneca / ther nys nothing more [¶ Seneca.] couenable to a man of high estate / than debonarte & pite / [468] And there . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] bees whan thei chese hem a kyng / thei chesen him that hath no prikke to stynge with // [469]

[6-text p 626] Another is a man to haue a noble herte / & a diligent to atteyne to highe vertues thinges / [470^* see after 471; and note the transposing of the clauses in 472 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [471] Certes also who that prideth him / in the goodes of fortune / he is a ful grete foole / ffor somtyme is a man a ful grete lorde bi the morowe / that is a wrecche & a caitiff / or it be night / [^*470] Now certes a man to pride him in the goodes of grace / is eke outragious folie / ffor the yifftes of grace / that shold haue turned him to goodnesse / & to medicyne / turneth him to venym & to confusion / as seith seint Gregorie / [¶ Gregorie.] [472] And somtyme the delites of man ben the cause of his grete maladie of whiche he deyeth / And somtyme the riches of a man is cause of his dethe / [473] Certes the commendacion of the peple is sum|tyme ful fals / & ful brotel for to truste also / this daie thei preise to morne thei lakke / [474] God woote desire to [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 283a] haue commendacion eke of the peple hath caused deth to many a besy man / [475] Now sithens that so is that ye haue vnderstonden what is pride / & whiche ben the spices of it / & whence pride sourdeth & springeth

Remedium contra peccatum superbie.

[476]

NOw shal ye vnderstonde / whic[h]e is the remedie ayeines the synne of pride and that is humilite or mekenesse / [477] that is a vertu / thorugh whiche a man hath verry knewleche of him silff / & holdith of him silff / no pris ne deynte / as in regarde of his desertes considring euere his freelte // [478] Now ben ther thre maners of humilite / as humilite in herte / Another humilite is in mouthe / The thride is in werkes / [479] The humilite in herte / is in foure maners / that on is whan a man ne holdith him silff nought worth bifore god of heuen / Another is whan he dispisith

[6-text p 627] noon other man / [480] The thride is / that he rekketh nat though men holde him nought worthe / The ferthe is whan he is nat sory / of his humyliacion / [481] Also the humilite of mouthe is in foure thinges / In attempre speche / & in humble speche / and whan he biknowith with his owne mouth that he is suche / as him thinketh that he is in his herte / another is whan he preisith the bounte of another man / & no thing therof amennsith [482] humilite / Eke humilite in werkes is in foure maners / the firste is whan he putteth other men biforne him / the seconde is / to chese the loweste place ouer al / the thrid is gladly to assente to good counsaile / [483] the fourthe is gladly to stonde to the worde of his soueraignes / or of him that is in highere degre than he / & this is a grete werke of humylite //

De inuidia.

[484]

Affter pride wol I speke of the foule synne of envie / whiche that is / as bi the wordes of the Philosophre sorowe of other mannes prosperite / and after the worde of seint Austyne / hit is sorowe of other mennes [¶ Austyne.] wele / & ioye of othe[r] men-is harme / [485] This foule synne is platly ayeine the holy goste / . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] yit natheles for-asmeche that bounte apperteyneth properly to the holy gost / And envie cometh properly of malice / ther|fore it is properly ayeines the bounte of the holy goste // [486] Now hath malice two [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 283b] spices / that is to seie hardnesse / & wikkednesse / or elles the flesshe of a man / that is so blinde that he considreth nought that he is in synne /. . . . . [no gap in the MS.] whiche is the hardnesse of the deuel // [487] That other spice of malice is / whan that a man werreieth trouth / whan that he woote that hit is trouth / & eke whan he werreieth the grace that god hath yive / to his

[6-text p 628] neighbour / and al this is bi envie / [488] Certes than is envie the worste synne that is / ffor sothely alle other synnes ben sumtyme ayeines .o. special vertu / [489] but certes envie is ayeines alle special vertues / & ayeines al goodnesse / for it is sory of al the bountees of his neighbour / And in this manere it is diuerse from al other synnes / [490] ffor wel vnnethe is ther any other synne / that hit ne hath sum delite in him silff / saue only envie / that euer hath in him selff angvisshe & sorowe / [491] The spices of envie ben these / ther is first sorowe / of other mennes / goodnesse / & of here pros|perite / whiche is kindely matire of ioye / than is envie a synne ayeins kynde / [492] The secounde spice of envie / is ioye of other men-is harme / & that is properly like to the Deuel / that euer reioyseth him of man-is harme / [493] Of these two spices cometh bagbitynge / . . . . [no gap in the MS.] or detraccion hath twey spices / as thus / Somme man preisith his neighbour / bi a wikked entente / [494] for he makith alwey a wikked knotte at the laste ende / alwey he makith a butte at the laste ende / that is digne of more blame than worth is al the preisinge / [495] The secounde spice is / that if a man be good / & doth & seith al thing to good entente / The bagbiter wol turne al the goodnesse vp so doun / to his shrewede entente / [496] The thride is to amennse the bounte of his neigh|bour / [497] The ferthe spice of bagbityng is this / That if men speke goodnesse of a man / than wol the bakbiter seie perfay / suche a man is better than he / in dispreisinge of him that men preise / [498] The .v. spice is this / for to consente gladly & herken the harme that men speke of other folke / this is ful grete / & ay encreseth after the wikked entente of the bakbiter ‖ [499] Affter bakbityng cometh grucchinge or murmuracion / & somtyme it springeth [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 284a] of inpacience ayeines god / & somtyme ayeines man /

[6-text p 629] [500] ayeines god it is / whan a man / groccheth ayeines the peyne of helle / or ayeines pouerte / of losse of catel / or ayeines reyne or tempest / or ellis grucchen for shrewen haue prosperite / or good men ad|uersite / [501] & al these thinges sholde men suffre paciently / for thei comen bi the rightful iugement and ordynaunce of god / [502] Somtyme cometh grocching of avarice as Iudas grucched ayeines the Magdaleyne / whan she anoynted the hede of oure lorde Ihesu criste / with hir precious oynement / [503] This manere murmur is suche / as whan men grocchen of goodnesse / that hem silff don / or that other folke don / of here owne catal / [504] Somtyme cometh murmur of pride / as whan Symon the Phareseie grucched ayeines the Magdaleyne / whan she approchede to Ihesu criste / & wepte at his feete for hir synnes / [505] And somtyme hit sourdeth of envie / whan men discoueren a man-is harme / that was priue / or bereth him on honde thinge that is fals // [506] Murmur is eke offte amonge seruauntes / that grucchen whan here souereynes bidden hem to don leueful thinges / [507] and for als meche as thei dar nat openly ayeine seie the commaundement of here souereignes / yit wol thei seie harme / & grucche / & murmur priuely for verry dispite / [508] whiche wordes men clepen the Deuels Pater noster / though so be that the deuel had neuere Pater noster / but that folke yeve hit suche aname // [509] Somtyme hit cometh of Ire / or of pride & hate / that norisheth rankour in herte / as afterward I shal declare / [510] Than cometh eke bitternesse of herte / thorugh whiche bitternesse euery good dede of his neighbour / semeth to him bitter & vnsauerie / [511] than cometh discorde / that vnbindeth al manere of frendeshippe / Than cometh scornynge of . . . . [¶ scornynge.] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] his neigh|bour / al do he neuere so wel / [512] Than cometh accusynge as whan a man sekith occasion to anoyen his [accusynge.]

[6-text p 630] neighbour / whiche that is like the craffte of the deuel / that waiteth both day & night to accusen vs alle // [513] Than cometh malignite / thorugh whiche a man / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 284b] anoyeth his neighbour priuely if he may / [514] & if he may nat algate his wikked wil ne shal nat wante / as for to brenne his hous priuely / or openly / or slen his bestes / and semblable thinges

Remedium contra peccatum Invidie.

[515]

NOw wol I speke of the remedie ayeines this foule synne of envie / ffirst is the loue of god principal / And louynge of his neighbour as him silff / ffor that on may nat be withouten that other / [516] And trusteth wel / that in the name of thi neighbour thow shalt vnderstonde the name of thi brother / ffor certes alle we haue but O fader flesshly & O moder / that is to seine Adam & Eve / And eke O fader spirituel that is to seie god of heuen / [517] thi neighbour artow holden to loue & willen al goodnesse / And therfore seith god / loue thi neighbour as thi silff / that is to saluacion bothe of bodie & of soule / [518] And more-ouere thow shalt loue him in worde / & in benigne amonesshing & chastising / & comfort him in his anoyes / & pray for him with al thin herte / [519] and in dede thow shalt loue him in suche wise / that thow shalt do to him in charite / as thow woldist hit were don to the in thin owne persone / [520] And therfore thow ne shalt do to him no damage in wikked worde / ne harme in his bodie / ne in his catel / ne in his soule / bi entisinge of wikked ensample / [521] thow shalt [not] desire his wiff / ne noon of his thinges / vnderstonde eke that in the name of thi neighbour is com|prehended his enemy / [522] Certes a man shal loue his enemy for the commaundement of god / & sothly thi frende shalt thow loue in god / [523] I seie thin enemy shalt thow loue for godis sake / bi his commaunde|ment

[6-text p 631] / ffor if hit were reson that man sholde hate his enemy / ffor sothe god wolde nat receive vs to his loue / that ben his enemyes / [524] ayeines thre manere of wronges that his enemy doth to him / he shal do thre thinges / as thus / [525] ayeines hate & rankour of herte / he shal loue him in herte / ayeine chiding & wikked wordes / he shal praie for his enemy / ayeine the wikked dede of his enemy / he shal don him bounte // [526] ffor criste [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 285a] seith / loue youre enemyes / & praye for hem that speke yow harme / & eke for hem that yow chasen / & pursewen / & doth bounte to hem that yow haten / Lo thus commaundeth vs oure lorde Ihesu criste / to do to oure enemyes / [527] ffor sothe nature driveth vs to loue oure frendes / And perfay oure enemyes han we more nede to loue / than oure frendes / And thei that more nede haue / certes to hem shulde men do more good|nesse / [528] And certes in thilke dede haue we remem|braunce of the loue of Ihesu criste / that deyed for his enemyes / [529] And for-asmeche as that loue is the more grevous to performe / so meche is more the grete merite // And therfore the louynge of oure enemyes hath confounded the venym of the Deuel / [530] ffor right as the Deuel is discomfited bi humilite / Right so is he wounded to the dethe / bi the loue of oure enemyes / [531] Certes than is loue the medicyne that chaseth out the venym of envie / from man-is herte / [532] the spices of this pas shulne be more largely declared in here chapetles folowynge /

De Ira.

[533]

Affter envie wol I declare the synne of Ire / for sothely who that hath envie vppon his neighbour anoon comunely he wol fynde him a matire of wrathe / in worde or in dede / ayeines him to whom he hath envie // [534] And as wel cometh Ire / of pride

[6-text p 632] as of envie / ffor sothely he that is proude or envious / is lightly wrothe /

[535] this synne of Ire after the discrivyng of seint Austyne / Is wikked wil / to ben avengede / bi [¶ Austyne] worde / or bi dede / [536] Ire after the Philosophre / is the feruent blood of a man / I-quiked in his herte / thorugh whiche he wolde harme to him that he hateth / [537] ffor certes the herte of a man / bi enchaufynge & mevynge of his bloode / wexeth so trouble / that he is out of al iugement of reson / [538] But ye shul vnderstonde that Ire is in two maners / that on of hem is goode / that other is wikked / [539] The goode Ire is / bi Ielousie of goodnesse thorugh the whiche a man is wrothe / with wikkednesse / & ayeins wikkednesse / And ther|fore seith th[e] wise man / that Ire is bett than pleye / [540] this Ire is with debonairte and hit is wrothe / with|outen bitternesse / nought wroth [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 285b] ayeines the man / but wrooth with the misdede of the man / as seith the prophete Dauid / Irascimini & nolite peccare / [541] Now [¶ Dauid. Irascimini & nolite peccare &c] vnderstondith that wikked Ire is in two maners / that is to seine / sodeyne Ire / & hastiff Ire withouten avisement / & consentyng of reson / [542] the menyng and the sens / of this is that the reson of a man ne con|sente nat to that sodeyne Ire / & than is hit venial / [543] Another Ire is ful wikked / that cometh of vilony of herte avised & cast biforne / with wikked wille to do vengeaunce / & therto his reson consentith / & sothely that is dedly synne / [544] This Ire is so dis|plesaunt to god / that hit troublyth his hous / & chasith the holy goste out of mannys soule / & wasteth & di|stroieth the likenes of god / that is to seie / the vertu that is in man-is soule / [545] & putteth in him the like|nes of the Deuel / & bynemeth the man from god that is his rightful lord / [546] This Ire is a ful grete plesaunce to the Deuel / for hit is the deuels furneys / that is enchafed with the fire of helle / [547] ffor certes

[6-text p 633] right so as the fire is more myghti to distroye erthely thinges / than eny other element / Right so is Ire myghti to distroye alle spirituel thinges / [548] Loke how that fire of smale gledes / that ben almoste dede vnder asshen wolne quiken ayeine / whan thei ben touched with brymston / Right so wol Ire euer more quiken ayeine / whan hit is touched bi the pride that is couered in [¶ exemplum.] man-is herte / [549] ffor certes fire ne may not come out of nothinge / but if hit were first in the same thing naturelly / As fire is drawe out of flyntes with steell / [550] And right so as pride is offten tyme mater of Ire / Right so is rancoure / norice & keper of Ire / [551] Ther is a manere tre as seith seint Isodre / that whan men [¶ Isidorus.] make fire of that tre / & couere the coles of hit with asshen / sothly the fire of hit wol lasten al a yere / or more / [552] And right so farith hit of rancoure / whan he is ones conceived in the hertes of som men / certes hit wol laste perauenture from on Esterday / til another . . [no gap in MS.] or more / [553] But certes that man is ful fer from the mercy of god / al thilke while ‖

[554] In [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 286a] this foreseide deuels fforneys / thei forgen .iij. shrewis Pride that ay blowith & encresith the fire bi chidinges & wikked wordes / [555] Than stondeth Envie & holdeth the hote Iren vppon the herte of man / with a peire of longe tonges of longe rancour / [556] And than stondeth the synne of contumelie or striff / & cheste / & batereth & forgeth bi vileynes reprovynges / [557] Certis this cursed synne anoyeth both the man him-silff / & eke to his neighboure / ffor sothly al-moste al the harme / that any man doth to his neighboure / cometh of wrathe / [558] ffor certis outrageous wratthe doth al / that euer the deuel him commaundith / ffor he ne sparith neither criste / ne his swete moder / [559] And in his out|rageous anger & Ire / allas allas / ful many on that tyme felith in his herte ful wikkedly /

[6-text p 634] both of criste / & of alle his halowes / [560] Is nat this a cursed vice / yis certis allas / hit bynemeth from man his witt / & his reson / & al his debonayre liff spirituel / that shulde kepe his soule / [561] Certes hit bynemeth eke god-is diwe lordshippe / & that is man-is soule / & the loue of his neighboure / hit strivith eke alday ayeines trouthe / hit reuyeth him the quiete of his herte / & subuertethe his soule /

[562] Off Ire comen these stinkynge engendrures / ffirst hate that is olde wratthe / discorde thorugh which a man forsaketh his olde frende / that he hath louede ful longe // [563] And than cometh werre / & euery manere of wronge that man doth to his neighboure in body or in catell [564] Off this cursed synne of Ire cometh eke manslaughter / And vnderstondeth wel that homycide that is manslaughter / is in diuerse wise / Some manere of homicide is spirituel / & some is bodily / [565] Spirituel manslaughter is in .vj. thinges / ffirst bi hate as seith seint Iohn / that he that hateth his brother [¶ Iohn.] is an homicide // [566] homicide is eke bi bakbityng / of whiche bakbiters seith Salomon / that thei haue two [¶ Salomon.] swerdis with the whiche thei slen here neighboures / for sothly as wikked it is to byneme him his good name / as his liff / [567] Homicide is eke in yevinge of wikked consail bi fraude / as for to yeve consail to [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 286b] areise wrongfully custumes & tallages / [568] of whiche seith Salomon / Lyoun rorynge / Bere hungry / ben like to [¶ Salomon] cruel lordshippes / in withholdyng or abreggyng of the sheepe / or of the hyre / or of the wages of seruauntes / or ellis in vsure / or in withdrawynge of almesse / fro the pore folke / [569] for which the wise man seith / ffedith him that almoste deyeth for hungre / for sothly but if thow fede him / thow sleest him / And alle these ben dedly synnes / [570] Bodyly manslaughter is whan thow sleest him with thi tonge / in other manere as whan thow commaundist to sle a man / or ellis yevist him consail to sle a

[6-text p 635] man / [571] Manslaughter in dede is in .iiij. maners / that on is bi lawe / right as a Iustice dampneth him that is coupable / to the dethe / but lat the Iustice be war that he do hit rightfully / & that he do it nat for delite to spille bloode / but for keping of rightwis|nesse / [572] Another homicide is don for necessite / as whan a man sleeth another in his defendaunt / & that he ne may non otherwise escape from his owne deth / [573] but certis if he may escape with|outen deth of his aduersarie / & sleeth him he doth synne / & he shal bere penaunce / as for dedly sinne / [574] Eke if a man bi caas or auenture shete an arowe / or cast a ston / with the whiche he sleeth a man hit is homicide / [575] Eke if a woman bi necligence ouerlithe hir childe in hir slepinge hit is homicide & dedly synne / [576] Eke whan a man distourbeth the con|cepcion of a childe / or maketh a woman bareyne bi drinkyng of venemous herbes thorugh whiche she may nat conceive / or sleeth a childe bi drynkes / or ellis putteth certeyne material thinges in hir secre place to sle the childe / [577] or ellis doth vnkyndly synne / bi the whiche man or woman shedith there nature in manere or in place / there as a childe ne may nat be con|ceived / or ellis if a woman haue conceived / and hurt|eth hir silff & sleeth hir childe / yit is it homicide / [578] what seie we eke of women that mordren there children for drede of worldly shame / certes an horrible homicide / [579] Homicide is eke if a man ap|procheth to a woman bi desire [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 287a] of lecherie bi the whiche the childe is perisshed / or ellis smyteth a woman wetingly / thorugh whiche she lesith hir childe / alle these ben homi|cides & horrible dedly synnes / [580] yit cometh ther of Ire many mo synnes / as wel in worde / as in thought / & in dede / as he that arecceth vppon god / or blameth god of thinge / of whiche he is him-silff gilty / or dispisith god & alle his halowes / as don these cursed hasardours /

[6-text p 636] in diuerse contres / [581] this cursed synne don thei / whan thei felen in here herte ful wikkedly of god & his halowis / [582] Also whan thei treten vnreuerently the sacrament of the auter / Thilke synnes ben so grete / that vnnethes may hit ben relessed but that the mercy of god / passith his workes / hit is so grete / & he so benygne / [583] Than cometh of Ire attrie anger / whan a man is sharply amonesshed in his shriffte to for|lete synne / [584] than wol he be angry and answere hokerly / & angerly / or defende & excuse his synne bi vnstedfastnesse of his flesshe / or ellis he dide hit / for to holde companye with his felowes / or ellis he seith the fende entised him / [585] or ellis he dide hit for his youthe / Or ellis his complexion is so coragious / that he may nat forbere / Or ellis hit is his destenye / as he seith vn-to a certeyne age / Or ellis he seith hit cometh him of gentilnes of his auncetres / & semblable thinges / [586] Alle these manere of folke so wrappen hem / in here synnes / that thei ne wol nought delyueren hem-silff / ffor sothly no wighte that excusith him of his synne wilfully / may not be delyuered of his synne / til that he mekely biknowe his synne / [587] Affter than cometh sweringe / that is expresse ayeines the commaundement of god / & this bifallith offte of anger & of Ire / [588] God seith thow shalt not take the name of thi lord god in veyne ne in ydel / Also oure lord ihesu seith bi the wordes of seint Mathewe / [¶ Mathewe.] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] [589] Ne wille ye nought to swere in no manere / neither bi heuen for it is godis trone / Ne bi the erthe for hit is the benche of his feete / Ne bi Ierusalem for it is the Cite of a grete kynge / Ne bi thin hede / for it [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 287b] is nat thin owne / for thow maist nat make an heere white ne blak / [590] but seith bi youre ye / ye & nay / nay / And what that is more it is euel / thus seith criste / [591] ffor cristes sake ne swerith nought so synfully / in dismembringe of criste / bi soule

[6-text p 637] herte / bones / & body / ffor certes it semeth that ye thenke the cursed Iewes dismembred him nought I-nough / . . [no gap in the MS.] but ye dismembren him more / [592] And if so be the lawe com|pelle yow to swere / than shul ye reule yow after the lawe of god in youre swerynge / As seith seint Ierome in .iiij.^the chap|itle [¶ Ierome.] / . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Thow shalt kepe .iij. condicions / thow shalt swere in trouthe / in dome / & in rightwisnesse / [593] this is to seyne thow shalt swere sooth / for euery lesing is ayeines criste / ffor criste in verray trouthe / And thenke wel this / That euery grete swerer / nat compelled lawfully to swere / the wounde shal nat departe from his hous / whiles he vsith suche vnlawful swerynge / [594] Thou shalt swere eke in dome / whan thow art constreyned bi the Domes|man to wittnesse the trouthe / [595] Eke thou shalt nat swere for envie ne for fauour / ne for mede / but for trouthe & rightwisnesse the declaracion of hit to the wourshippe of god / & to helpinge of thin euen cristen / [596] And therfore euery man that taketh the name of god in ydel / or falsly swerith with his mouthe / or ellis taketh on him the name of criste to be called a cristen man / & levith ayeins cristes levynge & his techinge / alle thei taken godis name in ydel / [597] Loke eke what seith seint Peter [¶ Petrus.] Actuum .iiij^to. Non est aliud nomen sub celo / Ther [act .iiij^to.] nys noon other name seith seint Peter vnder heuen / I-youen to men in whiche thei mowe be saued / that is to seine / but in the name of Ihesu criste / [598] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] As seith seint Poule / [¶ Paule.] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] that in the name of Ihesu euery kne of heuenly creatures / or erthely / or of helle shulle bowe / for hit is so high & so wourshipful / that the cursed fende in helle sholde tremble for to hire hit nempned / [599] Than semeth hit that men that sweren so horribly bi his

[6-text p 638] blissed name / that thei dispisen it more boldely than diden the cursed Iewes / or ellis the deuel that tremblith whan he hyrith his name /

[600] Now certis sithe that sweringe but if hit be lawfully don / is so highly defended / meche [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 288a] wors is forsweryng falsly / And yit nedeles

[601] what seie ye of hem / that deliten hem in swering / & holde hit a gentrie / or a manly dede / to swere grete othes / And what of hem that of verry vsage ne sease nat to swere grete othes / al be the cause nought worthe a strawe / certes this is an horrible synne/[602] swering sodonly withoute avisement is eke a synne / [603] Now lat vs go to thilke horrible & cursed swering / [¶ swerynges.] of adiuracion & coniuracion / as don these false en|chauntours / & nigromansours in basins ful of water / or in a bright swerde / in a cercle / or in a fire / or in a shelder|bon of a shepe / [604] I can not seyne but that thei don cursedly / & dampnably / ayeines criste / & al the feith of holy chirche /

[605] what seie we of hem that bileven on divynailles / as bi flight or bi noyse of briddes / or of bestes / or bi sorte bi nigromancie / bi dremes / bi chirkyng of doores / bi gnawynge of rattes / or crakyng of housus / & suche manere of wrecchednesse / [606] certis al this thinge is defended bi god & holy chirche / for whiche thei ben acursed til thei come to amendement / that in suche filthe setten here bileve / [607] Charmes for woundes / of maladie of men or of bestes / if thei take any effecte / hit may be perauenture / that god suffrith hit / for folke sholde yeve the more feith & reuerence to his name /

[608] Now wol I speke of lesinges / whiche gener|ally [¶ Lesynges.] is fals signifiaunce of wordes / in entente to disceiven his euen cristen [609] Some lesinge is of whiche ther cometh noon auantage to no wighte / And some lesinge turneth to the ease and profite of a man / & to

[6-text p 639] damage of another man / [610] Another lesinge is for to saue his liff / or his catel / Another lesing cometh of delite for to lye / in whiche delite thei wolne forge a longe tale / & peynte hit with al circumstaunces / wher al the grounde of the tale is fals / [611] Some lesinge cometh for he wol sustene his worde / Some lesinge cometh of rechelesnesse withouten avisement / & sem|blable thinges /

[612] Late vs now touche the vice of flaterynge / [¶ fflaterynges.] the whiche ne cometh nat gladly / but for drede / or for couetise / [613] fflaterie [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 288b] is generally wrongeful preisynge / fflater|ers ben the deuelis norices / that norisshen his children with mylke of losengerye / [614] ffor soth Salomon seith [¶ Salomon.] that flaterie is worse than detraccion / ffor somtyme de|traccion maketh an havteyne man / to be the more humble / for he dredith detraccion // But certes flaterie makith a man to enhansen his herte & his contenaunce / [615] fflaterers ben the deuelis enchauntours / for thei maken a man to wene of him selff be like / that he is nat like / [616] thei ben like to Iudas that bitrayed. . . . . [no gap in the MS.] a man to selle him to his enemy / that is to the deuel / [617] fflatrers ben the deuels Chapeleynes. that singen euere Placebo / [618] I reken flaterie in the vice of Ire / ffor offt tyme if a man be wroth with a-nother than wol he flatere som wight to sustene him in his quarel /

[619] Speke we now of suche cursinge as cometh [¶ Cursynge] out of Irons herte / Malison may be seide generally / euery maner powere of harme / suche cursing birevith a man fro the regne of god / As seith seint Poule [620] that [¶ Poule.] suche cursinge wrongefully / retorneth oftyn tyme ayeine to him that cursith / as a bridde retorneth ayeine to his ow[ne n]este / [621] And ouer al thing men oughte [[MS. rubbed.]] to eschewe to curse here children / & yeven to the deuel there engendrure / as fer forth as in hem is / certis hit is a grete perille & a grete synne //

[6-text p 640]

[622] Late vs now speke of chidynge & reproche [¶ Chidynge.] whiche ben grete woundes in man-is herte for thei vn-sewen the seemes of frendeshippe in mennes herte / [623] ffor certis vnnethes may a man ben pleynly accorded with him / that hath him openly reviled / & reproued & disclaundred / this is a ful grysely synne / as criste seith in the gospel / [624] And take kepe now that he that reprovith his neighbour / outher he reprovith him bi some harme of peyne that he hath in his body / As Mesel. Croked harlott / or bi some synne that he dothe // [625] Now if he reprove him bi harme of peyne / than turneth the repreff to Ihesu criste / for peyne is sent bi the rightwis sonde of god / & bi his suffe [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 289a] raunce / be it Meselrie or mayme / or maladie. [626] And if he reprove him vncharitably / of synne / as thow holour thow dronkelewe harlott / & so forth / than apperteyneth that to the reioysing of the deuel / that euer hath ioye that men don synne / [627] And certis chidynge may not come but of a vileyns herte / ffor after the habundaunce of the herte speketh the mouthe ful offte / [¶ ex habundancia cordis os loquitur.] [628] And ye shul vnderstonde that loke bi any wey / whan any man shal chastise another / that he be war of chidinge or reproving / ffor truly but he be wer / he may ful lightly queken the fire of anger & of wratthe / whiche that he sholde quenche / and perauenture sleth him that he myghte chastise with benyg|nite / [629] ffor as seith Salomon the amyable tonge / is [¶ Salomon.] the tree of liff / that is to seyne of liff espirituel / And a dislave tonge / sleth the spirites of him that reprovith / and eke of him that is reproved / [630] Lo what seint Austyne seith / ther is nothing so like the deueles childe as he that offte chideth / seint Poule seith [¶ Paule.] eke / I seruaunt of god bihove nought to chide / [631] And how that chiding is a vileyns thing bitwix al manere folke / ȝit is hit certis most vncovenable bitwixe a man & his wiff / for there is neuer reste /

[6-text p 641] And therfore seith Salomon / An hous that is vncouered in rayne & droppinge / & a chidynge wiff ben I-like [632] a man that is in a droppinge hous in many places / though he eschewe the droppinge in o place / yit it droppeth on him in a-nother place / so farith hit bi a chidinge wiff / but she chide him in o place / she wol chide him in another / [633] And therfore better is a morssel of brede with ioye / than an hous ful of delites with chidinge / seith Salomon [634] seint [¶ Salomon] Poule seith / O ye women be ye subiectes to youre housbondes / as bihovith in god / And ye men lovith youre wives / as Colonisences .iij^o. [¶ Ad Colonisen|ses .iij^o.]

[635] Affterward speke we of scornynge / whiche is a wikked synne / and namely whan he scornyth a man for his goode workes / [636] ffor certes suche scorners faren I-like the foule toode that may nat endure to smelle the swete sauoure of the vyne / whan it flourith / [637] [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 289b] These scorners ben partynge felawes with the deuel / for thei haue ioye whan the deuel wynneth / & sorowe whan he leseth / that is to seye sauacion of soule / [638] thei ben aduersaries to oure lord ihesu criste / for thei haten that he loveth / that is to seie sauacion of soule /

[639] Speke we now of wikked consail / ffor he that wikked consail yeueth is a traytoure / for he disceivith [¶ wikked con|saille.] him that trusteth in him / vt Achitofel de Absone / But natheles yit is his wikked counsail first ayens him selff / [640] ffor as seith the wise man Euery fals levyng man hath this properte in him selff / that he that wol anoye another man / he anoyeth first him selff / [641] And men shul vnderstonde / that man shal nat take his counsail of fals folke / ne of to angry folke / ne of grevous folke / ne of folke that louen to meche specially here owne profite / ne to meche wordly folke / & namely in con|saillynge of soules /

[642] Now cometh the synne of hem that sowen & maken discorde / amonges folke / whiche is a synne that [¶ Discorde.]

[6-text p 642] criste hateth vtterly / and no wonder is / for he deyed to make concorde / [643] & more shame do thei to criste / than dide thei that him crucified / ffor loueth better that frendeshippe be amonges folke / than he dide his owne body / whiche that he yaff for vnitees / therfore ben thei likened to the Deuel / that euere is a-boughte to make discorde /

[644] Now cometh the synne of double tonge / suche [¶ Double tonge.] as speken faire bifore folke / & wikkedly be-hynde / or ellis thei maken sembelaunt / as though thei spake of goode entencion / or elles in game & pleye / & yit thei speken of wikked entent /

[645] Now cometh biwreiynge of consail / thorugh the [¶ bi-wreiynge. of consaille.] whiche a man is defamed / certes vnnethe may he restore the damages /

[646] Now cometh manas that is an opon folye / ffor [¶ Manace] he that offte manassith / he thretith more than he may do ful offt tyme /

[647] Now cometh ydel wordes / that is withouten [¶ ydel wordes.] profite / of him that speketh the wordes / & eke of him that herkeneth the wordes / or ellis ydel wordes ben tho that be nedeles / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 290a] or withouten entente of naturel profite / [648] And al be hit that ydel wordes ben som|tyme venial synne / yit sholde men doute hem / for we shul yeue rekenynge of hem / biforne god /

[649] Now cometh Iangelynge that may nat be with|outen [¶ Iangelinge.] synne / as seith Salomon hit is a signe of aperte folye / [650] And therfore a Philosophre seide / whan a man asked him how men sholde please the peple / And he answerde & seide / do many goode workes / & speke fewe Iangelynges /

[651] And after this cometh the synne of Iapes that [¶ Iapes.] ben the deuels Apes / for thei maken folke to laughe at here iaperye / as folke don at the gaudes of an Ape / suche iapes defendith seint Poule // [652] Loke how that vertuous wordes & holy / conforten hem

[6-text p 643] that travaile in the seruice of criste / Right so conforten the vileyns wordes & knakkes of iapers hem / that travailen in the seruice of the deuel / [653] these ben the synnes that comen of the tonge / that comen of Ire / And other synnes many mo.

Remedium contra peccatum Ire.

[654]

THe remedie ayeines Ire / is a vertu that men clepen Mansuetude that is debonairte / & eke another vertu that men clepen Pacience / or ellis sufferaunce /

[655] Debonairte withdrawith & refreyneth the sterynges & the mevynges of man-is corage in his herte / in suche manere that thei ne skippe nought out bi anger / ne bi Ire / [656] Suffraunce suffreth swetly alle the anoysaunces / & the wronges / that men don to a man outwarde / [657] seint Ierome seith thus of Debonairte [¶ Ierome] that hit doth noon harme to no wighte / ne seith for noon harme that men him don ne seyne / he ne eschaungeth nat ayeines his reson / [658] This vertu cometh somtyme of nature / ffor as seith the Philosophre / a man is a quike thinge bi nature / debonaire & tretable bi goodenesse / But whan debonairte is enformed of grace / it is the more worthe /

[659] Pacience that is another remedie ayenst Ire / hit is a vertu that suffreth swetly euery mannys goodnesse / & is nat worthe for noon harme / that is don [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 290b] vnto him / [660] the Philosophre seith that Pacience is that vertu that suffreth debonairly alle the outrages of aduersite and euery wikked worde / [661] this vertu maketh a man I-like to god & maketh him his owne dere childe as seith criste / This vertu disconfiteth thin enemy / And therfore seith the wise man / If thow wolt venquysshe thin Enemy lerne to suffre / [662] And thow shalt vnderstonde / that a man suffreth .iiij. manere

[6-text p 644] of greuaunces in outwarde thinges / ayeines the whiche .iiij. he mote haue .iiij. manere of paciences /

[663] The first greuaunce is of wikked wordes / thilke gre|uaunce suffred oure lord ihesu criste / withouten grucchinge ful paciently / whan the Iewes dispised him & reproued him ful offte / [664] suffre thow therfore paciently / ffor the wise man eke seith / If thow strive with a fool / though the fool be wroth or though he laughe algate thow shalt haue no reste // [665] That other grevaunce outwarde is / to haue damage of thi catel / There ayeines suffred criste ful paciently / whan he was dispoyled of al that he hadde in this liff & that nas nought but the clothes / [666] The .iij. greuaunce is to a man to haue harme in his body / that suffred criste ful paciently in al his passion / [667] The ferthe greuaunce is an outragious labour in werkes / wherfore I seie that folke that maken here seruauntes to travaile to grevously or out of tyme / as on halydayes / sothly thei don grete synne / [668] Here ayeines suffred criste ful paciently & taught vs pacience / whan he bare vppon his blessed shildres the croys vppon the whiche he sholde suffre dispitous deth / [669] Here may men lerne to be paciente / ffor certes nought onely cristen men ben pacient / for the loue of ihesu criste & for guerdon of the blisse of heuen / & of the blisful liff that is perdurable / But certes the olde paynemes that neuere were cristen com|menden & vsen the vertu of pacience /

[670] A Philosophre vppon a tyme that wolde haue beten his disciple for his grete trespace / for whiche he was gretly ameved / & brought a yerde to scoure the childe / [671] And whan the childe sawe the yerde / he seide to his maister / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 291a] what wol ye don / I wol bete the quod the maister for thi correccion / [672] ffor sothe quod the childe ye oughte firste correcte youre silff / that haue lost youre pacience for the gilte of a childe / [673] ffor sothe quod the maister al weping thow

[6-text p 645] seist sothe / haue thow the yerde my dere sone & correcte me for myn impacience / [674] Off pacience cometh obedience thorugh the whiche a man is obedient to criste / & to alle hem to whiche he oughte to be obediente in criste / [675] And vnderstonde wel that obedience is perfite / whan men doon gladly and hastyly with good herte entirely al that he shulde don / [676] Obedience generally is to performe the doctryne of god / & of his soueraignes to whiche him oughte to be obeissaunt to al manere of rightwisnesse /

De accidia.

[677]

Affter the synnes of Envie & Ire / now wol I speke of the synne of accidie / for envie blyndeth the herte of a man / And Ire troubleth a man / And accide maketh him hevie / thoughtful / & wrawe / [678] Envie & Ire maken bitternesse in herte / whiche bitternesse is moder of accidie / & bynemeth him the loue of al goodnesse / than is accidie the anguysshe of a troubled herte / And seint Austyne seith / [¶ Austyne.] It is anoye of goodnesse / & anoye of harme / [679] certis this is a dampnable synne / for it doth wronge to Ihesu criste / in-asmeche as hit bynemeth the seruice that men don to criste with al diligence / as seith Salomon / [¶ Salomon.] [680] But accide doth no suche diligence / he doth al thing with anoy / & wrawnesse / slaknesse & excusacion / & with ydulnesse & vnlust / ffor whiche the booke seith / Acursed be he that doth the seruice of god necligently / [681] than is accidie Enemy to euery estate of man / ffor certis thestate of man is in .iij. maners / [682] The first estate is the estate of Innocencie as was thestate of Adam bifore or he fel in-to synne / in whiche estate he was holden to werche / as in heriyng & honouryng of god / [683] Another estate is the estate of synful men / in whiche estate men ben holden

[6-text p 646] to laboure / in praiyng to god for amendement of here synnes / & that he wol graunte hem to arise out of here [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 291b] synnes / [684] Another estate is thestate of grace / in whiche estate he is holde to do workes of penaunce / & certis to alle these thinges is accidie enemy & con|trarie / for he loueth no besynesse at al / [685] Now certis this foule synne accidie is eke a ful grete enemy to the liflode of the body / for it hath no purviaunce ayeines temporel necessite / for hit is for slouthed / for slougged & distroyed alle goodes temporelles bi rechelesnesse /

[686] The fourthe thing is / that accide is like hem that ben in the peyne of helle / bicause of here slouthe / & of here hevynesse / ffor thei that ben dampned ben so bounde / that thei ne mow nat wel do / ne wel thenke / [687] Off accide cometh first / that a man is anoyed / & encombred to do any goodnesse / & maketh that god hath abhomynacion of suche accide as seith seint Iohn /

[688] Now cometh slouth that wol nat suffre noon [¶ Slouthe.] hardenesse / ne no penaunce / ffor soth slouth is so tender & so delicate / as seith Salomon that he wol suffre noon hardnesse ne penaunce / And therfore he shendith al that he doth [689] ayeines his roten herted synne of accide / And slouth sholde men excersise & vse hem selff to don good workes & manly / & vertuously cacchen corage wel to don / thenk|yng that oure lord ihesu criste quiteth euery goode dede / be it neuere so lite / [690] vsage of labour is a grete thing / ffor hit maketh as seith seint Bernarde / the [¶ Bernard] laborer to haue stronge armes / & harde senowes / & slouth maketh a man feble & tendre / [691] Than cometh drede to bigynne any goode workes / ffor certes he that is enclyned to synne him thenketh it is so grete an emprise / for to vndertake to do workes of goodnesse / [692] and casteth in his herte that the

[6-text p 647] circunstaunces of goodnesse ben so grevous & so chargeable for to suffre / that he dar nat vndertake to don workes of goodnesse / as seith seint Gregorie /

[693] Now cometh wanhope / that is dispeire of the [¶ Wanhope.] mercy of god / that cometh somtyme of to meche out|ragious sorow / And somtyme of to meche drede / ymagen|ynge [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 292a] that he hath don so meche synne / that hit wold nat availe him / though he wolde repent him / & for sake synne & do good / [694] thorugh whiche dispeire or drede / he habundith his herte to euery manere synne / as seith seint Austyne / [695] whiche dampnable synne if it contenue vn-to his ende / hit is cleped synnynge in the holy gost / [696] this orrible synne is so perilous / that he that is dispeired ther is no felonye ne no synne that he douteth for to do / as shewed wel bi Iudas / [697] Certes abouen alle synnes / than is this synne most displesaunce to crist / & most aduersarie [698] to god / sothly he that dispeirith him / is like the cowarde Champion recreant / & seith creant withouten nede / Allas allas nedeles is he recreant / & nedeles dispeired / [699] ffor certes the mercy of god is euere redy to the penitente / & is above alle his workes / [700] Allas can nat a man bi-thinke him on the gospel of seint Luke. xv^mo. where as criste seith / That as wel shal [¶ luce .xv^mo.] ther be Ioye in heuen vppon a sinful man / that doth penaunce / than vppon nynety & nyne. that. . . . [no gap in the MS.] nedith no penaunce / [701] loke ferthermore in the gospel / the Ioye & the feste of the goodman that had lost his sone / whan his sone with repentaunce was retourned to his fader / [702] Can thei nought remembre hem that as seith seint luke. xiij^o. Capitulo / how that the theff seide that was [¶ luce .xiij^o. c^o.] honged bi-side ihesu cristes side / lord remembre on me whan thow comest vn-to thi kingdome / [703] ffor sothe seide criste / to day thow shalt be with me in Paradise [704] Certes ther is noon so orrible synne of

[6-text p 648] man / that it ne may in his liff be distroyed bi penaunce / thorugh vertu of the passion & the dethe of criste / [705] Allas what nedith a man than to be dispeired / sithen that his mercy so redy is / & so large / Aske & haue / [706] Than cometh sompnolence that is sloggy [¶ sompnolencia] slombrynge / whiche maketh a man hevy & dul in body / & in soule / & this synne cometh of slouthe / [707] And certes the tyme that [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 292b] bi wey of reson men sholde nought slepe bi the morowe but if ther were cause resonable / [708] ffor sothely on the morowe tide is most couenable a man to seie his prayeres / & for to thenke on god / & for to honoure god / & to yeve almes to the pore that first comen in the name of criste / [709] Lo whath seith Salomon who so wol bi the morowe awake & seke me / he shal fynde me / [710] Than cometh necligence or rechelesnesse / [¶ necligence] that recketh of nothinge / And how that ignoraunce is the moder of al thing/that toucheth harme/Certes necligence is the norice / [711] necligence doth no force whan he shal do a thinge / whether he do it wel or badly /

[712] Off remedy of these two synnes / as seith the wise man / That he that dredith god / spareth not to don / that him oughte to don / [713] & he that loueth god / he wol do diligence to please god / bi his workes / and habunden him selff with al his myghte wel for to don / [714] Than cometh ydelnesse / that is the yate of al [¶ ydelnesse.] harme / An ydel man is like to a place that hath no walles / there As deuels may entren bi euery side / or shete at him at discouert bi temptacion on euery side / [715] this ydelnes is the Thorroke of alle wikked & vileynes thoughtes / & of alle Ianglis / triflis / & of al ordure / [716] Certes the heuen is yeven to hem that wol laboure & nought to ydel folke / Eke Dauid seith / [¶ Dauid] thei ne be nat in the laboure of men / ne thei ne shal nat be whippede with men / that is to seie in purgarie /

[6-text p 649] [717] Certes than semeth hit that thei shul be turmented / with the deuel in helle / but if thei don penitence /

[718] Than cometh the synne that men clepen tarditas / as whan a man is to latrede or to tariyng / or [¶ tarditas] he wol turne to god / & certis that is a grete folye / he is like him that fallith in the diche & wol nought arise / [719] as this vice cometh of fals hope that he thenketh that he shal leve longe / bu[t] that hope failith ful offte /

[720] Than cometh laches that is he / that whan he [¶ Laches.] bigynneth any goode werke / a-non he wol forlete it & stynte / as don thei that haue any wight [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 293a] to gouerne / & ne taken of him no more kepe / anoon as thei fynde any contrarie or any anoye / [721] these ben the newe shepperdes that laten here shepe renne weti[n]gly to the wolff that is in the breres / or don no force of here owne gouernaunce / [722] Of this cometh pouerte / and distruccion bothe of spirituel & of temporel thinges / Than cometh a manere of coldnesse / that fresith at the herte of man / [¶ coldenesse.] [723] Than cometh vndevocion / thorugh the whiche a man is [¶ vndevocion.] blente / as seith seint Bernarde and suche langour in [¶ Bernard.] soule / that he ne may neither rede ne synge / in holy chirche / ne hire ne thenke of no deuocion / ne travaile with his hondes in no goode workes/that hit nys to him vnsaverie/ & al appalled / [724] than wexeth he sore & slowe & slombri & soone wol be wrothe / & soone is he enclyned to hate & to envie [725] Than cometh the synne of wordly sorowe / whiche that is cleped tristicia / that sleth [¶ Sorow.] a man as seint Poule / [726] ffor certis suche sorowe [¶ Poule] wercheth to the dethe of the soule & of the bodie also / fforther ouere than cometh that a man is anoyed of his owne liff/ [727] wherfore suche sorowe shorteth ful offte the liff of men / or that here tyme come bi wey of kynde /

[6-text p 650]

Remedium contra peccatum Accidie.

[728]

Ageyns this orrible synne of accidie / & the branches of the same / ther is a vertu that is cleped ffortitudo / or strengthe / that is an affeccion thorugh [¶ ffortitudo.] whiche/a man dispisith al maner of noyous thinges/[729] this vertu is so myghti & so vigorous / that hit dar withstonde myghtily & wisely kepe him selff from perellis that ben wikked / and wrestle ayeines the assavte of the deuel / [730] ffor hit enhaunseth & enforseth the soule / right as accidie abateth hit/ & makith hit feble / for this ffortitudo [¶ ffortitudo.] may endure bi longe suffraunce / the travailes that ben couenable /

[731] this vertu hath many spices . . [no gap in MS.] The first is cleped /Magnanymyte/that is to seie [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 293b] grete corage/ ffor certis ther bihoueth grete corage ayeines accidie / lest that hit swolowe the soule / bi the synne of sorowe / or distroye hit bi wanhope / [732] this vertu maketh folke to vndertake harde thinges / & grevous bi here owne wille / wisely & resonably / [733] And for|asmeche as the deuel fiteth ayeines man / more bi queyntise & bi slighte / than bi strengthe / therfor a man sholde with-stonde him / bi witt / & bi reson & with dis|cression / [734] Than ben ther the vertues of feith / & [¶ ffides spes.] hope in god / & in his seintes / to atcheuen & accomplisshe goode werkes / in the whiche he purposeth fermely to contenue / [735] Than cometh surete or sekernesse / [¶ Securitas] & that is / whan a man ne douteth nat to travaile in tyme comyng to performe the grete workes of goodnesse / that he hath bigonne / [736] Than cometh magnificence/that is to seie / [¶ Magnificencia] whan a man doth & performeth grete werkes / & that is the ende / whi that men sholde do goode werkes / for in the accomplisshing of grete & goode werkes lithe the grete guerdoun / [737] Than is ther Constaunce / that is stablenesse / of corage / & this sholde [¶ Constancia.] be in herte / bi stedefast feith / & in

[6-text p 651] the moovthe / & in berynge / in chere / & in dede / [738] Eke ther ben mo special thinges / & remedies / ageyns accidie in diuerse werkes / & in consideracion of peynes of helle / & of the ioyes of heuen / & in the truste of the grace of the holy goste / that wol yeve him myght to performe his goode entente /

De Auaricia.

[739]

Affter accidie wol I speke of avarice / & of couetise / of the whiche synne / as seith seint Poule / that the rote of alle synnes is couetise / Ad Tymotheum .vj.^to [740] ffor sothely whan the herte of a man is confounded in hit selff / & troubled / and that the soule hath loste the comforte of god / than seketh he an ydel solace of wordly thinges /

[741] Avarice after the discripcion of seint Augustyne / [¶ Austyne.] Is a likerousnesse in herte to haue erthely thinges / [742] Somme other folke seie / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 294b] that auarice is / for to purchase many erthely thinges / & nothing yeve to hem that haue nede / [743] And vnderstondith wel that auarice nys nat onely in londe ne in catel / but som|tyme in science / and in glorie / & in euery manere of outragious thinges / is auarice & couetise / [744] And the difference bitwixe auarice & couetise is this / Couetise is for to coueite suche thinges as thow hast nought / And auarice is to withholde & kepe / suche thinges as thow hast withouten rightful nede / [745] sothely this auarice is a synne that is ful dampnable / ffor al holy writt curseth hit / & speketh ayeines that vice / ffor it dothe wronge to Ihesu criste / [746] for it bireueth him the loue that men to him owen / and turneth hit bakwarde ayeines al reson / [747] & maketh that the auericious man / hath more hope in his catel than in Ihesu criste / & doth more obseruaunce in keping of his tresour / than he doth to the seruice of ihesu criste [748] And therfore seith

[6-text p 652] seint Paule / Ad Ephecios / v.^to that an auarious man is [¶ Poule] thral to ydolatrie /

[749] what difference is bitwixe an ydolastre / & an auarous man / But that an ydolastre perauenture ne hath but oon mavmet or two / And the auarous man hath many / ffor certis euery floreyne or noble in his cofre is his Mavmet / [750] And certis the synne of Mavmetrie is the first thing / that god defendith in the ten commaund|ementes / as berith witnesse in Exodi c^o (blank) [751] thow [¶ Exodi c^o.] shalt haue no fals godis / bifore me / ne thow shalt make to the no grave thinge / thus is than an auarous man that loueth his tresour biforne god / An ydolastre [752] thorugh his synne of avarice / & of couetise / comen these harde lord-shippes / thorugh whiche men ben distroyed / bi tallages Custumes & cariages / more than here duete or reson is / and eke take thei / of here bonde|men amersementes / whiche myghte more resonably be [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 294b] cleped extorcions than mercymentes / [753] of whic[h]e mercimentes & raunsons of bondemen / some lordis Stewardes seyne that hit is rightful / for-asmeche as a Cherle hath no temporel thing / that hit ne is here lordes as thei seie / [754] But certis thes lordes don wronge / that thei bireve here bonde folke thinges / that thei neuer gaff hem / Augusti[n]us de Ciuitate dei libro nono / [755] [¶ Austyne] sothe is that the condicion of thraldom / & the first cause of thraldom is for synne / Genesis quinto / [¶ Genesis quinto]

[756] thus may ye se that the gilte deservith thraldom / but nat nature / [757] wherfore these lordes ne shulde nat meche glorifie hem in here lord-shippes / sithen that bi naturel condicion thei ben lordis ouer thrallis / but for that / that thraldom cam first bi deserte of synne / [758] And ferther ouer there as the lawe seith / that temporal goodes of bonde folke / ben the goodes of here lordshippes / ye that is to vnderstonde / the goodes of the Emperour to defenden hem in here right / but nat for to robben hem ne reven hem / [759] And therfor

[6-text p 653] seith Seneca / Thi prudence sholde leve benygnely with [¶ Seneca.] thi thrallis / [760] thei that thow clepest thi thrallis / ben godis peple / ffor humble folke ben cristes frendes / thei ben contubernyal with the lorde /

[761] Thenke eke that of suche seede as Cherles springen / of suche seede springen lordes / as wel may the Cherle be saued / as the lorde / [762] The same dethe that taketh the Cherle / the same dethe takith the lorde / wherfore I rede do right so with thi cherle / as thow woldest thi lord dide with the / if thow were in his plighte / [763] Euery sinful man is a cherle to synne / I rede [¶ Consilium.] the lorde thow werche in suche wise / that thi cherles rather loue the than drede the / [764] I wot wel ther is degre / aboue degre / as reson is / & skele that if that men don here devoyre there as hit is due // But certes extorcions & dispites of youre vnder [folio 295a] lynges is dampnable /

[765] and therfore vnder-stondith wel / that conquerou[r]s or tirauntes maken ful offt thralles of hem that ben borne / of as roial blood / as ben thei that hem conqueren / [766] This name of thraldom was neuere erst couthe / til that Noye seide / that his sone Cayme shulde be thral to his brother for his synne / [¶ Cayme cause of thraldom.] [767] what seie we than of hem that pelyn & don extorcions to holy chirche / Certes the swerde that men yeven first to a knyght whan he is newe dubbed / signefieth that he sholde defende holy chirche / & nought robbe it / & who so doth is traitour to criste / [768] as seith seint Austyne / thei ben [¶ Austyne.] deuels wolvis that strangelyn the shepe of ihesu criste / & don worse than wolves / [769] ffor sothly whan the wolff hath ful his wombe / he stinteth to strangelyn shepe / but sothely the pilours & the distroy|ours of holy chirche goodes ne don nat so / for thei ne stinte neuer to pilen / [770] Now as I haue seide / sithen so is that sinne was first cause of thraldom / than is it

[6-text p 654] thus / that thilke tyme that al the world was in synne / than was al the worlde in thraldom & subieccion / [771] But certis sithen the tyme of grace cam / god ordeyned / that some folke shold be more high in estate & degre / than some / and some folke more lowe / And that eueryche sholde be serued in his estate / & in his degre / [772] And therfore in some contrees there they ben thrallis / whan thei haue turned hem to the feith / thei maken here thralles free / out of thraldom / And therfore certis the lord owith to his man / that the man owith to his lorde / [773] The Pope clepeth him silff seruaunt of the seruauntes of god / But for-asmeche as the estate of [¶ seruus seruo|rum] holy chirche / ne myghte nat haue be kept / ne the comen profite ne myght nat haue be kept ne pees ne reste / in erthe / but if god had ordeyned that some men hadde higher degre / & some men lower / [774] And therfore was souereynte ordeyned / to kepe and mayntene / & de|fende here vnderlinges / & here sub [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 295b] iectes in reson / as fer|forthe as it lith in here powere / and nat to distroye hem / ne confounde / [775] wherfore I seie / that suche lordes as ben like wolves / that devouren the possessions or the catel of pore folke wrongefully withouten mercy or mesure / [776] thei shullen resceiven bi the same mesure / that thei haue mesured to pore folke / the mercy of Ihesu criste / but if hit be amended / [777] Now cometh disceite [¶ Disceite.] bitu[i]xe marchaunt & marchaunt / And thow shalt vnder|stonde that marchaundise is in many maners / that oon is bodily & that other is gostly / that oon is leful & honest / that othere is dishoneste & vuleful / [778] Of thilke bodyly marchaundise that is leful & honest is this / that there as god hath ordeyned / that a Regne or a contre is sufficiaunt to him silff / than it is honest & leful / that of the abundaunce of this contre / that men helpe another contre that is more nedye / [779] And therfore ther mote be marchauntes to bringe from that oon contre / to that othere / here march|aundise

[6-text p 655] / [780] That other marchaundise is that / that men haunte with fraude / & trecherie / & disceite / with lesinges / & fals othes / is cursed & dampnable / [781] Espirituel marchaundise is properly Symonye / that is ententiff desire to bye thinge espirituel / that is thinge that apperteyneth to the seintuarie of god / & to the cure of soule / [782] This desire if it so be / that a man do his diligence to performe hit / al be it though his desire ne take noon effecte / yit is it to him a dedly synne / & if be ordrede he is irregulere / [783] Certis Symonye is cleped of Symon Magus / that wolde haue [¶ Symon Magus] bought with the temporal catel / the yifft that god hadde yeuen bi the holy gost / to seint Peter / & to thappostles / [784] And therfore vnderstondith / that both he that sellith & he that bieth thinges espirituels ben cleped symonyals / be hit bi catel be hit bi procuryng / or bi flesshly praiere / of his frendes / or of his spirituel frendes / [785] [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 296a] flesshely frendes / in two maners / as bi kynrede / or as bi other frendes / or of spirituel frendes / Sothely if thei praie for him that is nat able / & worthi it is symonye / iff he take that benefice / & if he be worthi & able hit nys noon / [786] The other manere is whan a man or a woman praie for folke to avaunce hem / onely for wikked flesshely affeccion / that thei haue vn-to the persones / & that is in soule Symonye / [787] but certes in seruices for whiche men yeven thinges espirituels vn-to here seruauntes / hit mot ben vnderstonde / that the seruice mot be honeste / & elles nat / And eke that hit be withouten barganynge / & that the persone be able / [788] ffor as seith seint Damasie / Alle the synnes of the [¶ Damasie] worlde / at the regarde of this sinne / ben as thinge of nought / ffor it is the grettest sinne that may be / after the sinne of Lucifer & of Antecriste / [789] ffor bi this sinne god forlesith the chirche & the soule / that he boughte with his precious bloode / bi hem that yeuen chirches to hem that ben nat digne / [790] ffor thei putten in theves that

[6-text p 656] stelen the soule of Ihesu criste / & distroyen his patry|moigne / [791] By suche vndigne prestes / & curates haue men the lasse reuerence of the sacramentes of holy chirche / And suche yeuers of chirches putten out the childerne of criste / & putten in-to the chirche the deuels owne sones / [792] thei sellen the soules / the lombes thei kepen to the wolff that strangelith hem / and therfore shul thei neuer haue parte of the pasture of the lombes / that is in the blisse of heuen / [793] Now cometh hasardrie / with his appur|tenaunce [¶ hasardrie.] / as tables / Ravfles / of whiche comen disceite / & flas othes / Chidinges / & al ravynges / blasphemynge / & reuyynge of god / & hate of his neighbours / wastynge of goodes / misspendynge of tyme / & somtyme man|slaughter / [794] Certis hasardours ne mowe nought be withouten gretesynne / whiles thei haunten that craffte / [795] Off Avarice cometh eke lesinges / thefft / fals witnesse [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 296b] ffals othes / and ye shul vnderstonde / that these ben grete synnes / & expresse ayeines the commaundementes of god as I haue seide / [796] ffals witnesse is in worde & in dede eke / In worde / as for to bireve thi neighbouris good name / bi thi fals wittnesse / or bireve him his catel / or his heritage bi thi fals wittnessinge / whan thow for Ire / or for mede / or for envie / berest fals witnesse / or accusest him / or excusest him bi thi fals wittnesse / or ellis ex|cusest thi selff falsly // [797] War yow questemongeres & [¶ war yow questemongeres.] notories / Certis for fals wittnessinge was Susanna in grete sorowe & peyne & many another mo / [798] The sinne of thefft is eke expresse ayeines godis heeste / & that in two maners / Corporel & spirituel / [799] [Corporel] as for to take thi neighboris catel / ayeines his wil / be hit bi force / or bi slighte / be it bi mette or bi mesure / [800] bi stelinge eke of fals enditementes vppon him / And in borowynge of thi neighboris catel / in that entente neuere to pay / & semblable thinges / [801] Es|pirituel thefft is sacrilege / that is to seie in hurt|ynge

[6-text p 657] of holy thinges / or of thinges sacrede to criste / in two maners / bi reson / of the holy place / as chirches or chirchehawes / [802] ffor euery violente sinne that men don in suche places may be cleped sacrilege / or euery violence in semblable place / Also thei that withdrawen falsly the rightes that longen to holy chirche / [803] And playnly & generally is sacrilege to yeve holy thinge / fro holy place / and vn holy thinge out of holy place / Or holy thinge out of vn|holy place /

Remedium contra Auariciam.

[804]

NOw shul ye vnderstonde / that the relevynge of Auarice is mesericorde / & pite largely taken / And men myght axe whi / that misericorde & pite / is the releuynge of Auarice / [805] Certes the auarouse man / shewith no misericorde ne pite / to the nedeful man / ffor he deliteth him in the kepinge of his tresoure / & not in the restoringe ne relevinge of his euen cristen / & therfore speke I first of misericorde [806] [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 297a] Than is misericorde as seith the Philosophre a vertu bi whiche the corage of a man is stered / bi the mysese of him that is mysesed / [807] vppon the whiche misericorde folwith pite / in performynge of charitable workes / of misericorde / [808] And certes this mevith man to misericorde of Ihesu criste / that yaff him silff for oure gult / & suffred dethe / for misericorde / & foreyaff vs oure original sinnes / [809] & therbi relesed vs fro the peyne of helle / & amennshed the peyne of purgatorie bi penaunce / And yevith grace wel to do / And at the laste the ioye of heuen / [810] the spices of misericorde ben as for to leue / & for to yeve / & eke for to foryeve / & relese & haue pite / in herte / & to haue compassion of the mischeff of thi

[6-text p 658] euencristen / & eke chastice there as nede is / [811] Another manere remedie ayeins auarice is resonable largesse / but sothely here bihovith the con|sideracion of the grace of Ihesu criste / & of his temporel goodes / & eke of the goodes perdurable that criste yaff vs / [812] & eke to haue remembraunce of the dethe that he shal resceive he note whanne / & eke that he shal forgon al that he hath / saue only that / he hath dispendid in goode workes /

[813] But for-asmeche as somme folke ben vnmesur|able / men oughten eschue foole largesse that men clepen waste / [814] Certis he that is foole large ne yevith nought his catel / but he leseth his catel / Certes what thinge that he yevith for vaynglorie / as to mynstralles / & to folke for to bere his renoun in the worlde he hath don synne & noon almes / [815] Certis he leseth foule his goode / that ne seketh nothinge with his goode but synne / [816] he is like an hors that seketh rather to drynke droupy water or troubly / than for to drinke water of the clere welle / [817] And for-asmeche as thei yeuen there as they shulde nat yeuen / to hem apperteyneth that malison that crist shal yeue at the day of dome to hem that shulle be dampnede

De gula.

[818]

Affter auarice cometh glotenye / whiche is expresse eke ayeines the commaundementes of [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 297b] god / glotenye is vnmesurable appetite to ete / or to drinke / or ellis to don I-noughe / to the vnmesurable [[appetite erased]] & discorde covetise to ete & to drinke / [819] This sinne cor|rumppeth al this worlde / as is wel shewed in the synne of Adam & of Eue / Lo eke what seith seint Paule / of [¶ Paule] gloteneye / [820] Many folke of whiche

[6-text p 659] I haue oft seide to yow / & now I seie it wepinge / to hem that ben enemyes of the croyce of criste / of whiche the ende is dethe / and of whiche here wombe is here god / & here glorie in confusion of hem that sc devouren erthely thinges / [821] he that is vsante to this synne of glotenye / he ne may no synne with-stande / he moste be in the seruage of alle synnes or vicis / for it is the deuels horde there he hideth him inne & resteth / [822] this synne hath many spices / The first is dronkenesse / that is the sepulture of manis reson / & ther|fore whan a man is dronke he hath loste his reson / & this is dedly synne / [823] but certis whan a man is nought wonte to stronge drinke / ne perauenture ne knowith nat the strengthe of the drinke / or hath feblenesse in his hede / or he hath travailled thorugh whiche he drynketh the more / al be he so sodenly caughte with drynke / it is no dedly synne but venial / [824] The seconde spice of gloteneye is / whan the spirite of man waxeth al trouble for dronkenesse / & birevith him the discresion of his witt / [825] The thride spice of glotenye is whan a man devoureth his meete / & hath no rightful manere of etynge / [826] The ferthe is whan thorugh the grete abund|aunce of his meete / the humores of his body ben dis|temperede / [827] The .v. is foryetefulnesse / bi to mechel drynkynge / for whiche somtyme a man for-yetith bi the morowe / what he dide at eve or on the night biforne /

[828] In other manere ben discrived the spices of glotenye / affter seynt Gregorie / The first is for to ete bi [¶ Gregorie.] fore tyme / The .ij.^de is whan a man geteth him to delicate meete / [829] The .iij.^de is whan a man taketh to mechel ouere mesure / The .iiij. [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 298a] is the curiouste / with grete entente to make & apparaille his meete / The .v. is to ete to gredily / [830] These ben the .v. fyngeris of the Deuels honde / bi the whiche he drawith folke to synne /

[6-text p 660]

Remedium contra gulam.

[831]

Ageynes glotenye is remedie / the abstinence of his body / as seith Galienus / but that holde I nat meritorie / if [¶ Galienus] he do hit onely for helthe of the bodie / seint Austyne wolde that abstynence were don for vertu / & with pacience / [832] Abstinence he seith is litil worthe / but if a man haue goode wille therto / And but if he be enforced bi pacience and bi charite / & that men do it for godis sake / & in hope to haue the blisse of heuen /

[833] The felowes of abstinence ben Attemper|aunce / that holdith the meene in al thinges Eke shame that eschewith al dishoneste / Suffisaunce that seketh no riche metes / ne drinkes / ne doth no fors of noon outrageous apparaillynge of meete / [834] Mesure also that restreyneth bi reson the dislave appetite of etinge / Sobernesse also that restreyneth the outrageousnesse of drinke / [835] Sparynge also that restreyneth the delicate ease to sitte longe at his meete / & sofftly / wherfore somme men stonden of here owne wil / to eten here meete at the lasse leyser /

De luxuria.

[836]

Affter glotenye / than cometh lecherie / ffor these two sinnes ben so nygh cosyns / that often tyme / thei wil nat departen / [837] god woot this sinne is ful displesaunt to god / for he seide him selff / do no lecherie / And there he putte grete peynes ayeines this sinne in the olde lawe / [838] yff a wo|man thral were taken in this sinne // she sholde be beten with stanes to the dethe / And if she were a gentil|woman she sholde be sleyne with stones / And if she were a busshopes doughter / she sholde be brente / bi godis commaundement / [839] fforther-ouere / for the synne of lecherie god dreynte al the worlde at

[6-text p 661] dilivio / And after that he brente .v. Citees / with thonder lighte / and [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 298b] sanke hem in-to helle /

[840] Now lete vs speke than / of thilke foule stinkyng synne of lecherie / that men clepen advoutrie / of wedded folke / that is to seie if that oon of hem be wedded or ellis bothe / [841] seint Iohn seith that advoutrers [¶ seint Iohan.] shulle ben in helle / in a stynkynge brennynge fire of brymston / for here lecherie / In bremston for the stinkynge of there ordure / [842] Certes the brekynge of this sacrament is an horrible thinge / hit was made of god him selff in paradise / & confermed bi Ihesu criste / as seith seint Mathew in the gospell / A man shal lete [¶ Mathewe.] fader & moder / & take him to his wiff / & thei shul be two in oo flesshe / [843] this sacrament bitoke|neth the knyttynge to geder of criste / and of holy chirche / [844] And nat onely that god forbade advoutrie in dede / but eke he commaunded that thow shuldist nat coveite thi neighbors wiff / [845] in this heeste seith seint Austyne is forboden al manere of couetise to do lecherie / Lo what seith seint Mathew quinto capitulo / in the [¶ Mathewe.] gospell / That who so seeth a woman to couetise of his luste / he hath don lecherie with hir / in his herte / [846] here may ye sen / that nat onely the dede of this synne / is forboden / but eke the desire to don that synne / [847] This cursed synne annoyeth greuously hem that hit haunteth / & first to here soules / ffor he obligeth hit to synne & to the peyne of deth / that is perdurable / [848] vn-to the body annoyeth it greuously also / for hit drieth him / & wasteth him / & shendeth him / & of his blode he maketh sacrifice to the fende of helle / hit wasteth eke his catel / & his substaunce / [849] And certis if it be a foule thinge / a man to wasten his catel on a woman / yit is it a fouler thinge / whan that for suche ordure / wemmen dispenden vppon men here catel & here substaunce / [850] this sinne as seith the prophete birevith man & woman here gode fame / & al here honour / And it is ful plesaunt to the deuel / for therby

[6-text p 662] wynneth he the most partie of [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 299a] this worlde / [851] And right as a Marchaunt deliteth him moste in chaffare that he hath most auantage of / Right so deliteth the fende in this ordure /

[852] this is that other honde of the Deuel / with .v. fyngeres to that kaccheth the peple to his vilonye / [853] The first fynger is the fool lokyng of the fool man / & of the fool woman / that sleth / Right as the Basilicok sleth folke bi the venym of his sight / for the couetise of the eyghen folwith the couetise of the herte / [854] The .ij^de. fynger is the vileynes touchinge in wikked manere / and therfore seith Salomon / that who so [¶ Salomon.] toucheth & handelith a woman / he farith I-like him that handelith the Scorpion that stingeth & sodenly sleth / thorugh his envenymynge / And who so toucheth warme picche / hit fouleth his fyngers / [855] The .iij. fynger is foule wordes that farith like fire that anoon brenneth the herte / [856] The iiij. fynger is the kissinge / & trewely he were a grete foole that wolde kisse the mouthe of a brennynge Oven / or of a forneys / [857] & more fooles ben thei that kissen in vilanye / for that mouth is the mouthe of helle / & namely these olde dotardes houlours / yit wol thei kisse / though thei may nat do & smater hem / [858] Certis thei ben I-like houndes / ffor an hounde whan he cometh bi the rosiere / or bi other beautees / though he may nought pisse / yit wol he lifft vp his legge / & make a con|tenaunce to pisse / [859] And for that many men wene that thei may nat synne / for no licorousnesse that he dothe with his wiff / Certis that oppinion is fals / god wote a man may sle him selff with his owne knyff / & maken him dronken with his owne tonne / [860] Certes be it wiff / be it childe / or any other erthely thinge / that he loueth bifore god / hit is his mavmet / & he is an ydolastre / [861] A man sholde loue his wiff bi discresion paciently & attemporally / & than is she [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 299b] as it

[6-text p 663] were his suster / [862] The .v. fynger of the deuels honde is the stingkyng dede of lecherie / [863] Certes the .v. fyngers of glotenye the fende putteth in the wombe of a man / And with the .v. fyngers of lecherie he gripeth him bi the reynes for to throwe him in to the furneys of helle / [864] there as thei shul haue the fire & the wormes that euere shal laste / & wepinge / & wailynge / sharpe hunger / & thruste / griselynesse of deuels / that shullen al to treden hem withouten respite / & with|outen ende / [865] Off lecherie as I seide sourden diuerse spices / as fornicacion that is bitwix man & woman / that ben nat maried / & this is dedly sinne & ayeines nature / [866] Al that is enemy & distruccion to nature / is ayeines nature / [867] Perfay the reson of a man tellith him wel that it is dedly synne / for-asmeche as god forbade lecherie / And seynt Paule seith / yeueth him the regne that is due to no wight [¶ Paule.] but to hem that don dedly synne / [868] Another synne of lecherie is / to bireven a maiden of hir maidenhede / ffor certis he that so dothe / he taketh a maiden out of the highest degre that is in this present liff / [869] & birevith hir thilke precious fruyte / that the booke clepeth the hundrede fruyte / I can nat seie it / in noon other wise in englissh / but in latyn hit hight / Centes[i]mus fructus / [¶ Centes[i]mus fructus.] [870] Certes he that so dothe / is cause of many damages & vilonyes mo than any man can reken / Right as he somtyme is cause of al the damages that bestes don in the felde / that breken the hegges or the clausure / thorugh whiche he distroyeth that may nat be restorede / [871] ffor certis no more may maidenhede be re|stored / than an arme that is smeten from the body / may retorne ayeine to wexe / [872] she may haue mercy this woote I wel / if she do penaunce / but neuere shal hit be / that she nas corrupte / [873] And al be it so that I haue spoken somwhat of advoutrie / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 300a] it is goode to shewen mo perilles that longen to aduoutrie / ffor to eschewe the foule

[6-text p 664] synne of [874] aduoutrie / in latyn it is for to seie / approching of other menis wivis / thorugh whiche tho that whilom were first oo flesshe / abunden here bodies to other persones / [875] Off this synne / as seith the wise man / folowen many harmes / ffirst brekyng of feith / & certis in the feith is the keye of cristendom / [876] & whan that feith is broke & lorne / certis cristendom stondith in vayne & withouten fruyte / [877] this sinne is eke a theffte / for theffte generally is / to reve a wighte his thinge ayeines his wille / [878] Certes this is the fouleste thefft that may be / whan a woman stelith hir body from hir housbond / & yivith hit to hir holour to defoule hir / & stelith hir soule from criste / & yivith hit to the deuel / [879] this is a fouler thefft than forto breke a chirche & stele the chaleys / ffor these aduoutres breken the temple of god spiritually / & stelen the vessel of grace / that is the body & the soule / ffor whiche criste shal distroien hem as seith seint Poule / [880] sothely [¶ Poule.] of this thefft dovted gretely Ioseph / whan that his lordis wiff praide him of vilonye / whan he seide lo my ladi how my lorde hath taken to me vnder my warde al that he hath in this worlde / ne nothing of his thinges is out of my power / but onely ye that ben his wiff / [881] and how sholde I than do this wikkednes / & synne so orrible ayeines god / & ayeines my lorde / god hit forbede / Allas al to litel is suche trouth now I-founde / [882] The thridde harme is the filthe thorugh whiche thei breken the commaundement of god / & defoulen the auctor of here matrymoigne that is criste / [883] ffor certis in-so-meche that the sacrament of mariage is so noble / & so digne / so meche hit is the gretter synne to breke hit / ffor god made mariage in Paradise in the state of Innocence / to multiplie [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 300b] mankynde to the seruice of god / [884] & therfore is the brekyng therof the more greuous / of whiche breking cometh fals heires ofte tyme / that wrongefully occupien other menis heritage / & therfore wol criste put

[6-text p 665] hem out of the regne of heuen / that is heritage to goode folke / [885] Of this brekyng cometh oftyn tyme / that folke vnwar wedden or synnen / with here owne kynrede / & namely thilke harlottes that haunten bordels / of these foole wemmen that mowe be likened to a comune gouge / where as men purgen there ordure / [886] what seie we eke of poytours that leven bi the horrible synne of putrie & constreinen wommen to yelde hem a certeyne rente of here bodily putrie / y somtyme of his owne wiff / or his childe / as don these baudes / Certes these ben cursed synnes / [887] Vnderstondith eke that advoutrie is sette gladly in the ten commaundementes / bituexe theffte & man|slaughter / ffor it is the grettest theffte that may be / ffor it is the theffte of body & of soule / [888] & hit is like homycide / for it kerveth a-two & breketh a-two hem that first were made Oo flesshe / & therefore bi the olde lawe of god / thei sholde be sleyne / [889] But natheles bi the lawe of ihesu criste that is the lawe of pite / whan he seide to the womman that was founden in advoutrie / & sholde haue ben sleyne with stones / after the wil of the Iewes / as was there lawe / Go quod ihesu criste & haue no more wille to synne / or willen to do no more no synne / [890] sothely the vengeaunce of advoutrie is awarded to the peyne of helle / but if it be distorbled bi penaunce / [891] yit ben ther mo spicis of this cursed synne / as whan that oon of hem is religious / or ellis both / or of folke that ben entred in-to order / as subdiacone / & deken / or preste / or hospitelers / & euer the higher that he is in order / the gretter is the synne / [892] The thinges that gretly agregen here synne / is the brekyng of here avowe / of chastite / that thei made whan thei resceivede order / [893] And forther ouere soth it is / that holy order is tresour [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 301a] cheff of god / & his especial signe & marke of chastite / to shewe that thei ben Ioyned to chastite / whiche that is the most precious liff that is / [894] And eke these ordred folke ben specially entitled to god / & of the

[6-text p 666] special meyne of god / ffor whiche whan thei don dedly synne / thei ben the special traytours of god / & of his peple / ffor thei leven of the peple / to praie for the peple / And while they ben suche traitours / here praiers availen nat to the peple / [895] ¶ Prestes ben as Aungels / as bi the dignite of here misterie / but for sothe seint Poule [¶ Paulus.] seith / that Sathanas transformeth him in an Aungel of light / [896] sothely the preste that haunteth dedly synne / he may be likened to the Angel of derkenesse / transformed / in the Angel of light / he semeth an Angel of light / & but for sothe he is an Angel of derkenesse / [897] suche prestes ben the sones of Belye as shewith in the boke of kynges / that thei weren the sones of Belial / that is the deuel / [898] Belyal is to seyne withouten Iugge And so faren thei / hem thenketh thei ben fre / & han no Iugge / no more than hath a fre Boole / that taketh whiche kow that him liketh in the towne / [899] Right so faren thei bi wommen / ffor right as a fre Boole is I-nough for al a toune / Right so is a wikked preste corrupt / I-nough for al a parissh / or for al a contre / [900] these prestes as seith the booke / ne conne nat the mynysterie of presthode to the pepel / ne god knowith hem nought / thei holde hem nat a-paide as seith the booke / of soden flessh that was to hem offred / but thei toke bi force the flessh that is rawe / [901] Certes right so these olde shrewis / ne holde hem nat a-paide of rosted flessh / & soden flessh / with the whiche the peple feden hem with grete reuerence / but thei wol haue rawe flessh / as men-is [¶ prestes wol haue rawe flesshe.] wivis & here doughtren / [902] And certis these women that consenten to here harlotries / don grete wronges to criste / & to holy chirche / And to alle halowes / & to alle soules / ffor they [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 301b] bireven him alle these that sholden wourshipe criste / & holy chirche / & pray for alle cristen soules / [903] And therefore haue suche prestes & here lemmans eke that consenten to here lecherie / the malison of al cristen courte / til thei come to amendement /

[6-text p 667] [904] The thride spice of advoutrie / is bitwene a man and his wiff / & that is whan thei take no rewarde in here assemblynge / but onely to here flesshly delite / as seith seint Ierome / [905] and rekken of nothinge but [¶ Ierome.] that thei ben assembled / bi-cause that thei ben I-mariede al is good I-nough / as thenkith to hem / [906] but in suche folke the deuel hath power / as seide the Aungel Raphael to Tobye / ffor in al here assemblynge thei putten oute ihesu criste of here herte / & yeven hem selff to al ordoure / [907] The .iiij. spice of advoutrie is the assemblyng of hem that ben of here kynrede / or of them that ben of oon affinite / or ellis with hem with whiche hir fader or here kynrede hath deled in the synne of lecherie / this synne maketh hem I-like to houndes / that taken no kepe to kynrede / [908] And certis perentela is in two maners / outher gostly outher flesshly / gostly is to delen with here gossebes / [909] ffor right so as he that engendreth the childe is the flesshly fader / right so is his gossebe his spirituel fader / ffor whiche a woman may no lasse synne assemble with hir gosseb / than with hir owne flesshely brother / [910] The .v. spice is that abhomynable synne of whiche that no man vnnethes oughte to speke ne write / natheles hit is openly rehersed in holy writte / [911] this cursednes don men & women in diuers entente / & in diuers manere / but though that holy writte speke of orrible synne / certis holy writte may nat be defouled / no more than the sonne that shyneth on the mexen / [912] Another synne perteyneth vn-to lecherie / that cometh in sleping / & this synne cometh offte to hem that [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 302a] ben maydens / & eke to hem that ben corrupte / & this synne men clepen pollucion / that cometh in .iiij. maners / [913] somtyme of a languysshinge of body for the humours ben to ranke / & to habundaunte in the bodie of a man / Somtyme for the infirmite & for the feblenes of the vertu retentiff / as phisike maketh mension / Somtyme for surfete of mete & drinke / [914] And somtyme of

[6-text p 668] violent thoughtes that ben enclosed in man-is mynde whan he gooth to slepe / whiche may nat be withouten synne / ffor the whiche men muste kepe hem wisely / or ellis thei may synne greuously

¶ The remedie ayeines lecherie

[915]

NOw cometh the remedie ayeinest lecherie / & that is generally chastite / & continence / that re|streyneth al the disordeine mevynge that cometh of flesshly talentes / [916] & euer the gretter merite shal we haue / that moste restreyneth the wikked enchau|fynges / or ordour of this synne / And this is in two maners / that is to seie chastite of mariage / & chastite of widewhode / [917] Now shalt thow vnderstonde that matrymonye is lefful assemblynge of man & of woman / that receiven bi vertu of sacrament / the bonde thorugh whiche thei may nat be departed in al there liff / that is to seyn whiles that thei leven bothe / [918] This is as seith the booke a ful gret sacrament / god made hit as I haue seide in Paradise / & wolde him selff be borne in mariage / [919] And for to halowen mariage / he was at a wedding / whereas he torned water vn-to wyne / whiche was the firste miracle that he wroughte here in erthe / bifore his disciples / [920] Trewe effecte of mariage clensith fornicacion / & replesshith holy chirche of good lynage / for that is the ende of mariage / & hit changith dedly synne / in-to venial synne / bitwex hem that ben wedded / & makith the hertes al oon / of hem /. . . [no gap in the MS.] as wel as the bodies / [921] this is verry mariage that was establis [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 302b] shed bi god or that synne bigan / whan naturel lawe / was in his right poynte in Paradise / And hit was ordeyned that oo man / sholde haue but oo woman / And oo woman sholde haue but oo man / as seith seint Austyne bi many resons / [¶ Austyne.]

[922] ffirst for that mariage is figured bitw[i]x god &

[6-text p 669] holy chirche / And that other is / for that a man is the hede of the woman / algate bi ordinaunce hit sholde be so / [923] ffor if a woman had mo men than oon / than sholde she haue mo hedes than oon / & that were an orrible thing bifore god / And eke oo woman myghte nat please to many folke attones / And also there shulde neuere be pees ne reste / amonges hem / ffor eueryche wolde axe his owne thinge / [924] And ferther ouer no man shulde knowe his owne en|gendrure / ne who sholde haue his heritage / And the woman sholde be the lesse biloued fro the tyme that she were comune to many men /

[925] Now cometh how that a man sholde bere him with his wiff / And namely in two thinges / that is to seie / in suffraunce & in reuerence / & that shewed criste whan he made first woman / [926] ffor he made hir nought of the hede of Adam / ffor she sholde nat cleyme to grete lordshippe / [927] ffor there as the woman hath the maistrie / she makith to meche disaray / there nedeth noon ensamples of this / thexperience day bi day oughte I-nough suffice / [928] Also certis god ne made nat woman of the foote of Adam / ffor she sholde nat be holden to lowe / ffor she can nat paciently suffre / but god made woman of the ribbe of Adam / ffor woman sholde be felowe vn-to man / [929] A man sholde bere him to his wiff / In feith / In trouthe / & in love / as seith seint Poule / that a man sholde love his wiff / As criste loueth [¶ Poule] holy chirche / that loued hit so wel that he deyede for hit / so sholde a man for his wiff If hit were nede /

[930] Now how that a woman sholde be subiecte to hir housbonde / that tellith seint Peter / ffirst in obedi|ence [¶ Petrus.] / [931] and eke as seith the Decre / A woman as longe [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 303a] as she is a wiff / she hath noon auctorite to swere / ne to bere wittnesse / withoute leve of here housbondes / that is here lorde / algate he sholde be so bi reson / [932] She sholde eke serve him in al

[6-text p 670] honeste / & ben attempre of hir array I woot wel that thei shulde sette al here entente to please here hous|bondes / but nat bi queyntise of here array / [933] seint Ierome seith that wives that ben apparelled in silke & [¶ Ierome.] in precious purpul / ne mowen nat clothen hem in ihesu criste / Loke what seith seint Iohn eke in this matere [¶ Iohan.] [934] seint Gregorie seith eke that no wight seketh [¶ Gregorie.] precious array but onely for vaynglorie to ben honoured the more biforn the peple / [935] hit is a grete folie a woman to haue feire array outwarde / & hir silff to be foule inwarde / [936] A wiff sholde eke be mesurable in lokynge / & eke in berynge / & in laughynge / & discrete in al hir wordes / & in hir dedes / [937] And aboven al wordly thinge she sholde loue hir housbonde with al hir herte / & to him be trewe of hir bodie / [938] so sholde an housbonde eke be trewe of his bodie to his wiff / ffor soth al the bodie of the wiff is the housbondes / so sholde hir herte be / or ellis ther is bitwex hem two / as in that no perfite mariage / [939] Than shal a man vnder|stonde / that for thre thinges a man & his wiff mowe flesshly assemble The first is / in entente to engen|drure of children to the seruice of god / for certis that is the cause fynal of matrymony / [940] A-nother cause is / to yelden eueryche of hem to other the dette of here bodies / for neither of hem hath powere of his owne bodie / The thirde cause is to eschewe lecherie / & vilonye / The ferthe for-soth is dedly synne / [941] As to the first it is meritorie / the seconde also / ffor as seith the Decre / that she hath the merite of chastite / that yeldeth to hir housbonde the dette of hir bodie / ye though hit be ayeinst hir likyng & the lust of hir herte / [942] The thride manere is venial synne / & trewly scarsly may any of these ben withoute venial synne / for the corupcion & for the delite / [943] The ferthe manere is / for to vnderstonde [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 303b] as is the assemble onely for amorous loue / & for noon of the forseide causes / but

[6-text p 671] for to accomplissh thilke brennyng delite / & thei recke neuere how offte / sothly hit is a dedly synne / And yit with sorowe some folke wol peyne hem to do more than here appetite suffisith /

[944] The secounde manere of chastite is to be a clene wedowe & to eschewe thenbrasing of man / & desire thenbrasing of ihesu criste / [945] these ben tho that haue ben wives & haue forgon there hous|bondes / And eke women that haue don lecherie / & ben releued bi penaunce / [946] And certes if that a wiff couthe kepe hir chaste in al / bi licence of hir housbonde / so that she neuere yaff noon occacion that he agilt hit were to hir a grete merite / [947] these manere of women that observen chastite moste be clene in herte / as wel as in bodie / & in thought / & mesurable in clothinge / and in contenaunce / abstynente in etynge / & in drinkinge / in spekynge / & in dede / & than is she the vessel or the boiste / of the blissed Magdaleyne / that fulfilled holy chirche ful of good odoure / [948] The thredde manere of chastite / is virginite / & hit bihovith that she be holy in herte / & clene in bodie / than is she spouse to ihesu criste / & she is the liff of aungels / [949] she is the preising of this world / & she is as these martirs in Regalite / she hath in hir that no tonge may telle / [950] virginite bare oure lorde / ihesu criste / & virginite he was him selff /

[951] A-nother remedie ayeines lecherie / is specially [¶ remedium contra luxuriam.] to withdrawe suche thinges / as yeven occasion to that vilonye / as is ease / & etynge / & drinkinge / ffor certis whan the pot boylith strongelie / the beste remedie is / for to with|drawe [¶ nota bene] the the (sic) fire / [952] sleping longe in grete quiete is eke a grete norice to lecherie /

[953] Another remedie a-yeines lecherie is that a man or a woman eschue the companye of hem bi whiche he douteth to be tempted / ffor al be it so that the dede be with-stonde / yit is ther grete temptacion /

[6-text p 672] [954] sothely a white wal / al-though it brenne nat fully / bi stikynge of a candel / yit is the wal blak of the lighte [955] [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 304a] ful offte tyme / I rede that no man truste in his owne perfeccion / but he be stronger than Sampson / or [¶ Sampson.] holiere than Dauid / & wisere than Salomon / [¶ Dauid.] [¶ Salomon.]

[956] Now that I haue declared yow as I can the .vij. dedly synnes / & some of here braunches / & here remedies / sothely if I couthe I wolde telle yow the ten comaundementes [957] but so high a doctryne I lete to divines / but natheles I hope to god thei ben touched in this litil tretise eueryche of hem alle /

De secunda parte penitencie.

[958]

NOw for-asmeche as the seconde partie of penaunce stonte in confession of mouthe / as I bigan in the chapitre / I seie seint Austyne seith / [959] synne is euery worde / & euery dede / & al that men coveiten ayeines the lawe of ihesu criste / And this is for to synne in herte / in mouthe / & in dede / bi the .v. wittes / that ben / sighte / hirynge / smellynge / tastynge or sauerynge / & felynge / [960] Now is hit good to [¶ prima circum|stancia peccati] vnderstonde the circumstances that aggregen mechel euery synne / [961] thow shalt considre what thow arte that doist the synne / whether thow be male or female / y[o]nge or olde / gentil or thral / fre or seruaunte / hoole or sike / wedded or sengle / ordred or vnordred / wise or foole / clerke or seculere / [962] if she be of thi kynrede bodily or gostly or non / if any of thi kynrede haue synned with hir or non / & many mo thinges /

[963] That other circunstaunce is this / whether hit be [¶ Secunda] don in fornicacion / or in aduoutrie or non / or in ceste or non / maiden or non / in manere of homicide or non / orrible grete synne or smale / & how longe thow hast contenued in synne / [964] The thride circunstaunce is [¶ tercia] the place where as thow hast don synne / whether in other

[6-text p 673] men-is hous or in thin owne / in felde or in chirche or in chirchehawe / in chirche dedicate or non / [965] ffor if the chirche be halowed / & a man or a woman spilt his kynde bi wey of synne with-inne that place / or bi wikked temptacion the chirche were enterdited / til it were reconsiled bi the [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 304b] busshoppe / [966] And if he were a preste that dide suche a vilonye / the terme of al his liff he shulde neuere singe masse / & if he dide / he shulde [¶ war ye prestes.] do dedly synne at euery tyme that he songe masse / [967] The ferthe circunstaunce is / bi suche mediat|ours [¶ quarta.] / as be messangers as for enticement / or for consentement / to bere company with felowshippe / ffor many a wrecche for to bere companye / wil go to the deuel of helle / [968] ffor they that eggen / or con|senten to the synne / ben partyners of the sinne / & of the dampnacion of the synne /

[969] The .v. . . . .is how many tymes [¶ quinta.] he hath synned / if it be in his mynde / & how offte that he hath falle / [970] ffor he that oft fallith in synne / dispisith the mercy of god / & encresith his synne / & is vnkynde to god / & he wexeth the more feble to withstonde synne / & synneth the more lightliere / [971] & the latter arisith / & is the more eschue to shriven him / & namely to him that hath be his con|fessour / [972] ffor whiche that folke whan that they falle ayeine in here olde folies / outher thei forleten here olde confessours / al vtterly / or ellis thei departen here shrifft / in diuers places / but sothely such departed shrifft deservith no mercy of god of his synnes / [973] The .vj. circun|staunce [¶ Sexta.] is this / whi that a man synneth as bi temptacion / & if him selff procure that temptacion / or bi the ex|ityng of other folke / or if he synne with a woman bi force / or bi hir owne assente / [974] or if the woman mavgre hir hede hath be enforsed or noon / this shal she telle / ffor couetise or for pouerte / & if hit was hir procurynge or non / & suche manere

[6-text p 674] harneys / [975] The .vij. circunstaunce is / in what [¶ Septima.] manere he hath don his synne / & how that she hath suffred folke to don to hir / [976] & the same shal the man telle pleynly / al circunstaunces / & whether he hath synned with comune bordel women or non / [977] or don his synne in holy tymes or non / In fast|ynge tymes or non / or biforn his shriffte or after his latter shriffte / [978] & hath perauenture / broken [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 305a] ther-fore his penaunce enioyned / bi whos helpe / & whos consaille / bi sorcerie & craffte / al moot be tolde / [979] al these thinges after that thei ben grete & smale engregen the conscience of man / And eke the preste that is thi Iugge may the better ben avised in his iugement / & in yevinge of thi penaunce / & that is after thi contricion / [980] ffor vnderstondeth wel / that after the tyme that a man hathe defouled his baptyme bi synne / if he wil come to saluacion / ther is noon other wey but bi penaunce & shrifft / & bi satisfaccion / [981] And namely bi tho two / if ther be a confessour to whiche he may shrive him / & the thridde if he may haue liff to performe hit /

[982] than shal a man loke & considre / if he wol make a trewe & profitable confession / ther moste be .iiij. condiciones therinne / [983] ffirst hit most be in sorowful bitternes of herte / As seith the kyng Ezechiel To [¶ Ezechiel] god I wol remembre me alle the dayes & yeres of my liff in bitternesse of myn herte / [984] This condicion of bitter|nesse hath .v. signes / The first is that confession mote be shamefaste / nat for to couere ne to hide his sinne / but for he hath agilt his god / & defouled his soule / [985] & here-of seith seint Austyne / the herte [¶ Austyne] travaileth for shame of his synne / & for he hath grete shamefastnes / he is digne to haue grete mercye of god [986] Suche was the confession of the Puplicane that wolde nat heve vp his eighen to heuen / for he had offended god of heuen ffor whiche shamefastnes he had anoon the mercy of god / [987] And therfore seith

[6-text p 675] seint Austyne / that suche shamefast folke / ben next for-yevenesse & remission / [988] That other signe is humylite of confession / of which seith seint Peter / [¶ Peter.] humbleth yow vnder the myght of god / the honde of god is myghti in confession / ffor ther-bi god foryevith the thi synnes / for he alone hath the power / [989] & this humylite shal be in herte / & in signe outwarde / ffor right as he hath humilite to god in his herte / Right so sholde he humble his body outwarde to the preste that sitteth in godis place / [990] ffor [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 305b] whiche in no manere / sithen that criste is souereyne / and the preste meene & mediatour bi|twex criste & the synnere / & the synnere is the laste bi wey of reson / [991] than sholde nat the synnere sitte as highe as his confessour / but knele biforn him / or at his feete / but if maladie distorbe hit / ffor he shal nat take kepe who sitte there / but in whos place that he sitteth / [992] A man that hath trespased to a lorde / and cometh to axemercy / & maketh his accorde/And he sette him doun anoon bi the lorde / men wold holde him outrageous / & nat worthi so sone to haue remission ne mercy / [993] The .iij. signe is that thi confession shulde be ful of teres if ye may / & if ye may nat wepe with youre bodily eyghe / lete thin herte wepe / [994] suche was the confession of seint Peter ffor after that he had for-sake ihesu criste / [¶ Petrus.] he went out & wept ful bitterly / [995] The .iiij. signe is that he lett nat for his shame to shewe his confession / [996] suche was the confession of the Magdaleyne / that spared for no shame of hem that were [¶ Magdaleyne.] at the fest for to go to oure lorde ihesu criste / & biknowe to him hir synne / [997] The .v. signe that a man be obeisaunt or a woman to resceive the penaunce that is to him enioyned / ffor certis ihesu criste / for the giltes of oo man was obediente to the deth //

[998] The secunde condicion of verray confession / is that hit be hastily don / ffor certis if a man had a dedly wounde / euer the lenger that he tarieth to warisshe

[6-text p 676] him-selff / the more wold hit corupte / & haste him to his dethe / & eke the wounde wolde be the wers to hele / [999] And right so farith hit bi synne / that longe tyme is in a man vnshewed // [1000] Certis a man ought hastily to shewe his synnes / for many causes / As for drede of dethe that cometh offte sodeynly / & is in no certeyne what tyme hit shal be / ne in what place / And eke the drecching of oo synne / drawith in another synne / [1001] [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 306a] and eke the lenger that he tarieth / the ferther is he from criste / & if he abide in-to his laste day/ful scarsly may he shrive him / or re|membre him on his synnes / or repente him / for the grevous maladie / of his dethe / [1002] And for-asmeche as he hath na in his liff / herkened ihesu criste / whan he hath spoken vn-to him/he shal crien vn-to oure lord ihesu crist at his laste day / & scarsly wol he herken to him / [1003] And vnderstonde that this condicion most haue .iiij. thinges / thi shrifft moot be purveide biforn & avised / for wikked haste doth no profite / & that a man can shrive him of his synnes / be hit of pride or of envie / & so forth with the spices & the circumstaunces / [1004] & that he haue comprehended in his mynde / the nombre & the gretnesse of his synnes / & how longe that he hath leyne in synne / [1005] & eke that he be contrite / of his synnes / & in stedfast purpos bi the grace of god / neuere effte to falle ayeine in synne / & eke that he drede & contrewaite him-selff / that he fle the occaciouns of synne / to whiche he is enclyned / [1006] Also that thow shalt shrive the of alle thi synnes to oo man & nat a parcel to oon / & a parcel to another / that is to vnderstonde / in entente to departen thi confession / as for shame or drede / for hit is nought but strangelyng of thi soule / [1007] ffor certis Ihesu criste is al good / in him is noon imperfeccion / & therfore outher he foryevith al perfitly / or ellis neuera|dele // [1008] I seie nat if thow be assigned to thi penitencere / for certeyne synne that thou art bounde to shewe to him / al the remanent of thi synnes / of whiche

[6-text p 677] thou hast be shriven to thi curate / but if it like the of thin humilite / this is no departing of shrifft / [1009] ne I seie nat there as I speke of diuision of confes|sion / if that thou haue licence for to shrive the to a discrete / & an [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 306b] honest preste / & where the liketh / bi the licence eke of thi curate / that thou ne maiste wel shrive the / of al thi synnes / [1010] but lat no blot be bihynde / lete no synne be vntolde / as fer as thow hast remem|braunce / [1011] And whan thow shalt be shriven to thi curate / telle him eke of al thi synne that thou hast don / sithen that thou were last I-shriven / this is no wikked entente of division of shrifft /

[1012] And also the verray shrifft axeth certeyne con|dicions / ffirst that thou shrive the bi thi fre wil / nat constreyned / ne for shame of folke ne for maladie / or suche thinges / ffor it is reson that he that trespaceth with his fre wil / he moot bi his fre wil confesse his trespace / [1013] noon other man shal telle his synne but he him selff / ne he ne shal nat nay it ne denye his synne / ne wretthe him ayeines the preste / for his amonesshynge to lete his synne / [1014] The secunde condicion is / that thi shrifft be lawful that is to seie / that thou that shrivist the / & eke the preste that hireth thi confession / ben verray in the feith of holy chirche // [1015] And that a man be nought dispeired / of the mercy of ihesu criste / as Cayme or Iudas / [1016] and eke a man most accuse him of his owne trespace & nat another / but he shal blame & witen him-selff of his owne malice / & of his synne / & noon other / [1017] but natheles if that anotherman be occacion of his synne / or entiser of his synne / or if the estate of a persone be suche / thorugh whiche his synne is aggreged / or that he ne may nat pleynly shriven him / but he telle the persone / with whiche he hath synned / than may he telle it [1018] so / that his entente be nat to bagbite the persone but onely to declare his con|fession /

[6-text p 678]

[1019] Thow shalt nat eke make no maner lesinges in thi confession / for humilite perauenture to seie that thou hast don synnes / of whiche thou were neuere gilti / [1020] ffor seint Austyne seith if [¶ Austyne.] thow bi cause of humilite makest lesinges of [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 307a] thi selff / though thow ne were nat in synne biforne yit art thow than in synne thorugh thi lesinges [1021] Thow most eke shewe thi synne / bi thi nowe propre mouthe / but if thou be wexe dome / & nat bi no letter / ffor thou that hast don the synne / thou shalt haue the shame in confession / [1022] Thow shalt nat eke peynte thi confession / bi faire & subtile wordes / to couere the more thi synne / ffor than bigilest thou thi selff & nat the preste / thou most telle it platly be it neuere so foule / ne so orrible / [1023] Thow shalt shrive the eke to a preste that is discrete / to counsaile the / And eke thou sha[l]t nat shrive for vaynglorie / ne for ypocresie / ne for no cause but onely for the dovte of Ihesu criste / & the hele of thi soule / [1024] Thow shalt nat eke renne to the preste al sodeynly to telle him thi synne / as whos tellith a Iape or a tale / but avisily / & with grete deuocion / [1025] And generally shrive the offte / if thou offte falle / offte arise bi confession / [1026] And though thou shrive the offter than ones of thi synne / of whiche thow hast be shriven it is the more merite / And as seith seint Austyne / thou [¶ Austyne.] shalt haue the more lightly relesynge / & the grace of god / both of synne & of peyne / [1027] And certis ones a yere at the leste weye hit is lawful for to be houselede / ffor certenly ones a yere alle thinges renovellen /

De satisfaccione.

[1028]

NOw haue I tolde of verry confession that is the secunde parte of penaunce /

[6-text p 679]

[1029] the .iij. parte of penaunce is satisfaccion / & that stant most generally in almes & in bodily peyne / [1030] Now ben ther .iij. manere of almes / Contricion of herte / that a man openeth him selff to god / Another is to have pete of the defaute of his neighbours / And the thride is in yevyng good counsaile / & comforte gostly & bodily / where men haue nede / & namely in sustenaunce of man-is foode / [1031] & to take kepe of that [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 307b] that a man hath nede of / off these thinges generally he hath nede / of foode / of clothing / & herborugh / he hath nede also of charitable counsaille / & visityng in prison / & maladie / & sepulture of his dede bodie / [1032] and if thou maist nat visite the nedeful with thi persone / visite hem bi thi massage / & thi yifftes / [1033] these ben the general almes & workes of charite / of hem that han temporal riches / or discrecion in counsaillyng / Off there workes shalt thow hyre at the day of dome /

[1034] these almesses shaltow don of thin owne propre thinges / & hastily & privily if thow maiste / [1035] but natheles if thou maiste nat don hit priuily / thou shalt nat forbere to do almes neuer a dele though men se hit / so that it be nat don for thanke of the world / but onely for to haue the thanke of oure lorde ihesu criste / [1036] ffor as wittnessith Seint Mathew. quinto capitulo / A Cite [¶ Mathei quinto Capitulo.] may nat be hidde that on a mountayne sette / ne men lighte nat a lanterne & put it vnder a busshel / but men sette hit on a candelstike / to lighten the men in the hous / [1037] Right so shal youre lighte lighten a-forne men that thei mowe seen youre goode workes / & glorifie / youre fader that is in heuen /

[1038] Now as for to speke of bodily peyne / it stonte in praieres / in wakynges / in ffastinges / & in vertuous

[6-text p 680] techinges of orisons / [1039] ye shul vnder-stonde that orisons / or praiers is for to seie / a pitous wil of herte / that redressith hit in god / & expressith it bi wordes / outwarde to renewe harmes / & to haue thinges espirituel & durable / & somtyme temporal thinges / off whiche orisons / certis in the orison of the Pater noster / [¶ Pater noster.] hath ihesu criste enclosed most thinges / [1040] Certis it is privileged of thre thinges in his dignite / ffor whiche it is more digne / than any other praiere / ffor that ihesu criste him selff maked / [1041] and it is shorte / for it sholde be couthe more lightly [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 308a] and for to withholde hit the more esily in herte / & helpen hem selff the offter / with the orison / [1042] And for a man sholde be the lasse wery to seie hit / And for a man may nat excuse him to lerne hit / for it is shorte & so esie / And for hit comprehendith in hit selff / alle good praiers / [1043] The exposicion of this holy praiere / that is so excellent & digne / I bitake these maistres of Theologie / saue thus meche wol I seyne / that whan thou praieste that god sholde foryeve the thi giltes as thou foryeuest hem that agilten the / Be ful wel war / that thou be nat out of charite / [1044] This holy orison amennsith eke venial synne / & therfore hit apperteyneth specially to penaunce /

[1045] This praiere most be trewly seide / & in verry feith // & that men praie to god / ordinatly / dis|cretly / & devoutely / And alwey a man shal putte his wil / to be subiette to the wil of god / [1046] this orison most eke be seide / with grete humblesse / & ful pure / honestly & nat to the anoysaunce of any man or woman / hit most eke be contenued with the workes of charite / [1047] hit availeth eke ayeines the vices of the soule / ffor as seith seint Ierome / bi fastynge ben saued the vices of the [¶ Ierome] flesshe / & bi praiers the vices of the soule /

[1048] Affter this thow shalt vnder-stonde / that bodily peyne stonte in waking / for ihesu criste seith / waketh and praieth / that ye ne entre in to wikked

[6-text p 681] temptacion / [1049] ye shul vnder-stonde eke that fast|ynge stonte in thre thinges / in forberynge of bodily meete / and drinke / & in forberinge of worldly iolitees / And in for|beringe of dedly synne / this is to seie / that a man shal kepe him fro dedly synne / with al his myght /

[1050] And thou shalt vnderstonde eke that god ordeyned fastinges / & to fastinges apperteynen .iiij. thinges [1051] largenesse to pore folke / gladnesse of herte espirituel / nat to be angry / ne anoyed / ne to grucche for he fasteth / & also at resonable houre for to eete bi [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 308b] mesure / that is for to seie / A man shulde nat eten in vntyme / ne sitte the lenger at his table to ete / for he fasteth /

[1052] Than shalt thou vnderstonde that bodily peyne stante in disciplyne or teching / bi worde / or bi writynge / or bi ensample / also in weryng of heires or of stamyne / or of haberions on here naked flesshe / for cristes sake / & suche manere penaunces / [1053] but war the wel that suche penaunces on thi flessh / ne make nought thin herte bitter / or angery / or anoyed / of thi selff / ffor better it is to caste awaie thin heire / than for to caste a-wey the swettnesse of oure lorde ihesu criste / [1054] And therfore seit[h] seint Poule / [¶ Poule.] Clotheth yow as thei that ben chosen of god / in herte of misericorde / debonairte / suffraunce / & suche manere of clothinge / of whiche ihesu criste is more apaiede / than of heire / or of haberioun /

[1055] Than is his disciplyne / in knokkynge of thi breste / in schourginge with yerdes / in knelynges / in tribulacions / [1056] in sufferinge paciently wronges / that ben don to him / And eke vnpacient sufferaunce of maladies / or lesinge of worldly catel / or of wiff / or childe / or other frendes /

[1057] Than shalt thou vnderstonde / whiche thinges distourben penaunce / and that is in .iij. maners / And that is drede / shame / & wanhope / that is desperacion / [1058] And for to speken first of drede / ffor whiche he

[6-text p 682] weneth that he may suffre no penaunce / [1059] there ayeines is remedie / for to thenke that bodily penaunce is but shorte / litel / at the regarde of the peyne of helle / that is cruel & so longe / that it lasteth withouten ende /

[1060] Now a-yeines the shame that a man hath to shriven him / and namely these ypocrites / that wolden be holde so perfite / that thei haue noon nede to shriven hem / [1061] Ayeines that shame / shal a man thenke / that bi wey of reson / that he / that hath nat ben a-shamed / to do foule thinges / Certis him oughte nat to ben a-shamed to don faire thinges / & goode thinges / & that is confessiouns / [1062] A man shulde eke thenke / that god seeth & woot wel thi thoughtes / [thoughtes repeated] [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 309a] & al thi workes / to him may nothing be hidde ne couered / [1063] men shulde eke remembre hem of the shame that is to come at the day of dome to them that ben nat penitente / ne shriven in this present liff / [1064] ffor alle the creatures in heuen erthe & in helle / shulle se appertely al that they hiden in this worlde /

[1065] Now for to speke of the hope of hem that ben so necligent & slowe to shrive hem / hit stante in two maners / [1066] that on is that he hopeth to live longe / & for to purchase meche riches for his delite / & than he wol shrive him / & as seith he may as him semeth tymely I-nough come to shriffte / [1067] Another is of the surquidrie that he hath in the hope of cristes mercy / [1068] And ayeines the first vice he shal thenke / that oure liff is in no sekernesse / & eke that al the riches in the worlde is in auenture & passinge as a shadowe on a wal // [1069] And as seith seint Gregorie / [¶ Gregorius] that hit apperteyneth to the grete rightwisnesse of god / that neuere shal the peyne stinte of hem / that neuere wolde withdrawe hem fro synne here thankes but euer contenue in synne / for that perpetual wil to do synne / shullen thei haue perpetual peine //

[1070] Wanhope is in two maners / The first wan|hope is in the merci of criste / That other is that thei

[6-text p 683] thenke / that thei myghte nat longe perseuere in good|nesse / [1071] The first wanhope cometh of that he demeth that he hath synned so gretly / so offte / & so longe lien in synne / that he shal nought be sauede / [1072] Certis ayeines that cursed wanhope he shulde thenke / that the passion of ihesu criste is more stronge for to vnbynde / than synne is for to bynde / [1073] Ayeines the seconde wanhope. . . . .[1074] . . [no gap in the MS.] that he demeth that he shulde nat longe perseuere in goodnes / he shal thenke that the febelnesse of the Deuel may nothing don but if men wil suffre him / [1075] & eke he shal have strengthe of the helpe of god / & of al holy chirche & of the proteccions of Aungels / if hem luste //

[1076] Than shul men vnderstonde what is the fruyte of penaunce [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 309b] [and last] as after the worde of ihesu criste / hit is the endeles blisse of heuen / [1077] there ioye hath no contrariouste of woo / ne greuaunce / there al harmes ben passed of this present liff / there as is the sekernesse from the peyne of helle / there as is the blisful companye that reioysen hem euermore / eueryche of otheris Ioye / [1078] there as the body of man that whilom was foule & derke is more clere than the sonne / there as whilom the bodi was sike freyle feble & mortal / is immortal / & so stronge & so hole / that there may nothinge empeire it / [1079] there as neither is hungre / thrust / ne colde / but euery soule replenesshed with the sight of the perfite knowynge of god / [1080] this blisful regne may man purchace bi pouerte espirituel / & the glorie bi lowe|nesse / the plente of ioye bi hungre & thruste / & the reste bi travaile / & the liff bi deth / & mortificacion of synne /

[6-text p 684]

To thilke liff he vs bringe that bought vs with his pre|cious bloode. Amen /

Here enden the talis of Caunturbury / And next thautour taketh leve.

[1081] NOw preye I to hem alle that herken this litil tretis or reden / that if ther be any thing in hit that liketh hem / that therof thei thanke oure lord ihesu criste / of whom procedeth al witte & al goodnesse / [1082] And if ther be any thing that displesen hem / I preie hem also that thei a-recte hit / to the defaute of myne vnconnynge / & nat to my wil that wolde ful fayne haue seide better if I hadde connynge / [1083] ffor oure booke seith / al that is writen is writen for oure doctryne / & that is myne entent / [1084] wher-fore I biseke yow mekely for the mercy of god / that ye preie for me / that criste haue mercy on me / and foryeve me my gultes / [1085] & namely of my translaciones / & endit|ynges of worldly vanytees / the which I revoke in my re|traccions / [1086] As is the booke of Troylus / the booke also of ffame / the booke of .xxv. ladies / the booke of the Duchesse / the booke of seint Valenty [ [Hatton MS. 1 folio 275b] day of þe parlement of briddes // The Tales Caunter|bury. tho þat sownen into syn / [1087] The boke of þe leon / And many anoþer boke if thei were in my remembraunce / & many a songe / & many A lecherous tayl. ¶ Of þe which Crist for his grete mercy for-yeue me þe syn. [1088] ¶ But of the translacion of Boece de consolacion and oþer bokeȝ of legendes of Seintes & Omelies / And moralite & deuocion / [1089] That thank I oure lorde Iesu Crist & his blisful moder and al the seinteȝ in heuen [1090] Biseking hem þat þei fro hen forthe vnto my lyves ende send me grace to bewaile my giltes / And to stodien to þe sauacioun of my soule ¶ And graunte me space of verrey penitence ¶ Con|fessioun

[6-text p 685] and satisfaccioun to don in this present life [1091] þorgh þe benigne grace of him þat is king of kinges & prest ouer alle prestes. þat bought vs with the precious blode of his hert / [1092] so þat I may ben oon of hem at þe day of dome. þat shullen be saued And he that wrote this boke also / Amen. Qui cum patre &c. [[Hatton extract ends.]] ]

O Mater Dei T…H Memento Mej [[late hand]]

Pertinet Thomā Heed ciuis Londoniar [[late hand]]

Eleison [[late hand]] [[Two blank leaves scribbled over.]]

End of Selden MS.