Robert of Brunne's "Handlyng synne".

Here bygynne the Seuenþe [seuen.] Sacra|mentys of holy cherche.

Baptism

The fyrst sacrament ys holy bapteme, Houe of watyr, and noyted [smerede.] with creme; 'Crystendom,' or 'crystynyng,' Þat ys on englys, oure spekyng. Line 9496

Crystendom, to cryst hyt longeþ, And to alle þat crystendom vndyrfongeþ; Þys ys þe fyrst and pryncypalle, Þurgh þe whych we are saued alle; Line 9500 Saued we are, þurgh crystendam, Of þe heued synne of Adam, yn whych synne alle mankynde ys bore, Ȝyt, and shal be, and was byfore. Line 9504

Adams synnë was so grefe, Þat þyr was to God, none [noun to God.] so lefe, Þyt he ne shulde to hellë gone But he were wasshe yn þe fonte stone,

yn fonte stone and watyr baptysed, Line 9509 As Ihesu cryst haþ [had.] dyuysed.

Ȝyf þou beleue þat any wham ys saued with-oute crystyndam, Line 9512 y seye, forsoþe þou hast mys went [folio 63b] Aȝens þys holy sacrament.

Ofte we here þe lewed men seye, Þat [And.] erre ful moche oute of þe weye, Line 9516 Þat of þe Iewës seye sum oun, 'Þey ne wote wheþer þey be saued or noun;' But of sum prestes ys gretter tene, Þat so of þe Iewës also wene; Line 9520 Certes, þey are alle yn were, And yn þe feyþ þey are nat clere, For, shal neuer Iewe þat deyeþ Iewe, Of heuene blys haue part ne prewe, Line 9524 But he be crystened yn þe holy gaste, And yn þe sacrament be ful stedfast.

Lo, here a wurde to leue ȝoure drede! yn þe gospel þat we rede, Line 9528 Þat god Ihesu vs allë techeþ Þurgh seynt Mark, þat hyt precheþ, "He þat beleueþ and ys baptysed, He shal be saued, so ys dyuysed; Line 9532 And he þat beleueþ nat, forsoþe & ywys, Boþe body and soulë, lore he ys."

loke [Lokeþ.] how ȝe mow be a-bawed, þat seye þat þe Iewe ys saued! Line 9536 Þe Iewe, þe oldë lawë kan, But þat alone may saue no man; And þarfore was hyt fyled and left, For heuenë blys, vs hyt [hyt vs.] refte Line 9540 Þurgh Adams synne fro vs echone, Tyl hyt was clensed yn flume Iordone, whan Ihesu was baptysed þer-ynne For to wasshe awey þat synne; Line 9544 And al þat euer to Cryst wyl teme, Behoueþ be baptysed yn watyr and creme:

Þan art þou clene, þou shalt beleue, Of Adams synnë, and of Eue. Line 9548

Þarfore hyt ys þe fyrst sacrament Þat þou art to, fyrst made present; Lokë þat þou kunne hyt knowe; [folio 63b:2] hyt makeþ þe hygh, þere þou were lowe, hyt makeþ þe fre, þat er were þralle, Line 9553 Fro þe fendës seruage alle, Þat þe þar neuer þe fendë drede But hyt be þurgh þyn owne mysdede. Line 9556

Ȝyf a chylde be dedë bore— Þogh hyt were quyk yn wombe byfore— And, receyue nat þe bapteme, Of heuene may hyt neuer cleme; Line 9560 with-outë doute, beleue ȝe þys, Þat hyt shal neuer come to blys; Ne peyne of hetë, ne of colde, Hyt shal non fele, no ryȝt hyt wolde; Line 9564 Hyt noght mysdyd, ne serued wo, Ne [No.] to nonë shal hyt go; Þys ys peyne with-outen ende, hyt shal neuer to Ioyë wende. Line 9568 Gretë grace ys to hem lent, Þat here receyue þys sacrament.

Also, ȝe þat heue chyldryn al day, loke ȝe be stedfast yn oure [ȝoure.] lay, Line 9572 Þat nonë haue yn hertë doute, Ne to wycchecrafte leste no [ne.] loute.

Þou settest þy self yn borghgage To teche þe chylde whan hyt haþ age; Ȝyf þou se hyt mysdo or seye, Line 9577 Þou shalt teche hyt better wey, Ȝyf hyt be so þat þou maght, Þou [þou O, þat H.] art holde þat hyt be taght; Line 9580 Quyte þe weyl [weyl so.] oute of borghgang, Þat þou ne haue for hyt no wrang.

loke also, ȝyf þou euer ware

Yn place þere wymmen chyldryn bare; Ȝyf þou sawe hyt yn perel of dede, Line 9585 And þou ne coudest do bote ne rede, Ne seyë wurde, ne helpe at nede, So þat hyt to þe deþë ȝede; Line 9588 Þou shalt þerforë perel haue; [folio 64a] Vnkunnyng shal þe nat saue; For euery man, boþe hygh and logh, Þe poyntes of bapteme oweþ to knowe, To helpe chyldryn yn many kas; Line 9593 Men wete neuer what nede one has. who so ne kan, y rede hym lere Yn syȝte, yn dede, and he may here. Line 9596

Y shal ȝow teche, as y herde telle Onës a frerë menor spelle: "Ȝyf þou se a chylde yn swyche perel Þat none may saue hyt with no wylle, Line 9600 Sey þan þus, ȝyf þou haue haste, "y crysten þe yn þe name of þe fadyr & sone & holy gast," And ȝyue, what þou wylt, hyt a name, And kast on water; þan ys hyt frame; And ȝyf þou ȝyue hyt namë none, Line 9605 Noþer Robert, Wyllyam, no [ne.] Ione, Loke þat þese wurdës be weyl seyd, And water þer-on algate leyde; Line 9608 And þat þyr be none ouþer waste, But yn þe fadyr and sone, and holy gaste; Þese wurdes forȝete þou naght, Line 9611 Ne watyr, what as euer elles be [ys.] wroȝt."

Mydwyuës þat wyþ wymmen wone, Alle þe poyntes, behoueþ hem kone; Line 9614 Prestes shuld teche hem þe ordynaunce, what þey shuld sey and do yn chaunce, And examyne her [examyne here O, examyne H.] what she couthe, what she shuld do, and seye with mouþe.

[The Tale of the Midwife who christend a Child wrongly.]

Y shal ȝow telle of a mydwyfe, [A tale] Þat loste a chylde, boþe soule & lyfe. Line 9620 he tolde hyt yn hys sermoun, And ȝaue here ofte hys malysoun.

Þys mydwyfe, whan þe chylde was bore, She helde hyt on here lappe before; Line 9624 And whan she sawe þat hyt shulde deye, She bygan, loudë for to crye, And seyd, "God and seynt Ione [folio 64a:2] Line 9627 Crysten þe chylde, boþe flesshe and bone."

[The next twelve lines, from O, are omitted in H.] Þys mydwyffe noghte ellës seyde, [[Bodl. MS.]] And yn þe cherche-ȝerde þey wulde hyt haue leyde, As a-nouþer chyld shuld ha be Þat hade receyuede þe solempte. Line 9632

Þe prest askede þe mydwyffe, 'Ȝyfe hyt were cristenede whan hyt hade lyffe, And who hyt cristened, and on what manere, Line 9635 And what was seyde, þat any myghte here.'

Þe mydwyffe seyde unto þe prest, [Margin, 'a note for mydwyffes.'] "Þys herde þey þat stode me nest, 'Þat God almyghty and Seynt Ioun ȝyue þe chylde cristendom yn flesshe and boun."' Line 9640

Þan seyd þe preste, "God and seynt Iame [[Harl. MS.]] Ȝyue þe boþe sorow and shame, And Crystys malysun haue þou for-þy, And alle þe ouþer þat were þe by! Line 9644 Yn euyl tymë were þou bore, For yn þy defaute, a soule ys lore." She was commaunded she shuld no more Come eftesones þere chyldryn were bore.

Mydwyues, y tolde thys tale for ȝow,

Þat ȝyf ȝe kunnat, lerneþ how Line 9650 To sauë þat, God boȝt ful dere, Þe poyntes of bapteme y rede ȝow lere; Mydwyfe ys a perylus þyng Line 9653 But she kunne þe poyntes of crystenyng;

Ne beleueþ nat on þese shappers, [shapperes.] Ȝoure mysdede ful mykyl deres; Line 9656 y wolde þo shappers were on lowe, And al þo þat on hem trowe.

Þe beleue ys, 'þe fadyr and sone & holy gaste;' Alle ouþer beleue ys wykked and waste; Þurgh hem ys alle þyng shape & wroȝt, Line 9661 And ouþer shappers [shapperes.] ne are noȝt; God ys shapper of alle þyng, he wote þe mydward, and þe endyng; Line 9664 Þe oþer shappers, þat men of seye, Hyt ys a beleue of deuyl weye.

Þe mete þat ȝe leye at þe chyldës hede [heuede.] For swyche shappers, were bettyr leued; Ȝyf hyt for hem þerë lye, Line 9669 Þan ys hyt [ys hyt O, ys H.] a wykked erysye; [heresye.] ley hyt for þe loue of þe holy gaste, Fadyr, and sone, oo God stedfaste, Line 9672 As wysly as he become a chylde, Bore of Marye, mayden mylde, Þat he ȝyue hyt to lyue yn ['yn' omitted.] gode grace, And gode endyng, and se hys face. Line 9676

Ȝyf þou were euer so vnwys [folio 64b] For to crystene a chyldë twys, Or ȝyf þou euer consentedest þar-to Þat any ouþer shulde so do,— Line 9680 At home, as yn pryuyte, Anouþer tyme, þat men myȝt se,— For ȝyf hyt were baptysed at hame wyþ alle þe poyntes of bapteme name, Line 9684

Line 9684 Þan were hyt aȝens þe feyþe to werche, Eftesones [Eftsone.] to baptyse [baptyse O, baptysed H.] hyt at cherche; But ȝyf þou suppose þyr fayleþ a poynte Þat to þe crystendom shuld a-mounte, Þan were hyt nat for to drede Line 9689 For to fulfyl þat shulde be nede; For alle þe poyntes of watyr & creme, Þurgh alle crystendom ys o bapteme, Line 9692 O baptemë, and nat two, Of alle þe [þo.] poyntes þat þou sest do. Þarfore he þat ys ones baptysed, Ones for euer ys; þus ys auysed. Line 9696

Also, ȝe þat chyldryn heue, ȝe shul nat forȝete ne leue To teche hyt pater noster & crede; Ȝyf ȝe ne do, hyt ys to drede. Line 9700

To foly þou shalt nat drawe ne wone Þy goddoȝtyr ne þy godsone, Namely to þat vylayny Þat falleþ vn-to lechery, Line 9704 Ne to no foly þat may be; Þou shalt teche hem synne to fle. Ne nat be so fole hardy, Þy goddoȝtyr to lye þe by, Line 9708 Ne for to dwelle a-lone with þe, For perel þat may falle and be.

Many a pryuy peryl þyr ys, And specyaly yn drunkenes; Line 9712 yn drunkenes men wyl rage, And, ragyng wyl reyse korage; And sonë may a man be shent [folio 64b:2] Þat doþe aȝens þe comaundement. Line 9716

Seynt Gregory telleþ yn hys spelle Of swyche a shame þat onës felle.

[The Tale of the Bad Bourgeois ['Curialis,' Common-Councilman, bourgeois.] who lay with his God-daughter and was kild for it.]

A man hefe onës at þe fonte A maydë chylde, as men are wonte; Line 9720 Þys mayde wax, and bygan to belde weyl yn-to womans elde; And at Ester tyme gan hyt falle whan men hadde fastë lenten alle, Line 9724 Þys man bysoghte, for specyalte, Þat hys god-doȝtyr wyþ hym myȝt be, And alle þat ychë Esterday And lenger, ȝyf hyt were here pay. Line 9728

Þe fadyr and þe modyr graunted sone; Þey þoȝt none euyl myȝt be done. Þys man, for drunkenes & vnryȝt, lay by hys god-doȝtyr þat yche nyȝt: Þys man on þe mornë þoȝt Line 9733 How synfully þat he [he O, om. H.] hadde wroȝt; Ful grete þoȝte þan was he ynne, Þat he hadde do so greuus a synne; Line 9736 Twey þoghtes yn hys hertë come, To go [go O, gode H.] to þe cherche, or byde at home: "Ȝyf y vnto þe cherchë ȝede, Of venïaunce y haue grete drede; Line 9740 And, ȝyf y nat þedyr go, Men wyl wene y haue do sum wo." So algate vnto þe cherche he name; he drede nat God, but morë shame. Line 9744

Þe fyrst day, he dred hym sore he shuld be cumbred sumwore, And ȝyt a-noþer he lokede ay, whyche tyme þe fende wulde bere hym a|way; Line 9748

Line 9748 Alle þe woke, for worldës shame, He ȝede to þe cherche, but lytyl to frame;

whan he hadde long a-bydë so, And, no skaþë come hym to, Line 9752 Þys þoght he yn hys herte ful raþe, [folio 65a] For he hadde þarfore no skaþe, he wendë God had hyt forgete As ouþer men do þat haue forlete; Line 9756 Or þoȝt þat he hadde hyt forȝyue, And hym neded nat þer-of be shryue, Ne shulde þerof come no myschaunce, For he was of so longe suffraunce. Line 9760

But God, þat fórȝeteþ no þyng, he sente þarfore grete heuenyng; Þe seuenþe day þys man deyde, As þe holy man vs seyde; Line 9764 Sone aftyr þat byryed he [he byryede.] was, Veniaunce come for þat trespas; Vpp of [Out of.] hys graue a fyre vpp smote— Ful stynkyng and ful hote— Line 9768 And brenned [brende.] þat cursed body alle, And stone and erþe, boþe grete and smalle; Alle was so brend yn-to þe grounde, Þat of hys body myȝt noȝt be founde. Line 9772

Here mow ȝe here apertly why God toke veniaunce greuusly, Þat God shewed so moche hys Ire, For he synned þat tyme with hyre Line 9776 Þat he [he O, om. H.] lyfte of þe fonte stone: hyt ys a warnyng to vs echone þat we kepe þe sacrament, Oure bapteme þat God haþ sent; [lent.] Line 9780 And þat we bettyr hyt holde For þys tale þat y ȝow tolde. Ȝe, Ihesu lordë, þou hyt graunte

þat we mow holdë þat cunnaunte Line 9784 þat we at þe fonte stonë make, Ihesu to serue, and Satanas forsake.

[Of Confirmation.]

The secunde sacrament, y vndyrstonde, Ys graunted of þe bysshop honde; Men kalle hyt 'confyrmacyon,' Line 9789 A sykernesse neuer more vndon wyþ no lawe, ne with no skylle, [folio 65a:2] But ȝyf ȝe self algatë wylle; [See French, 1. 7232, next page.] Line 9792 As ȝyf þou boghtest house and [or.] land with charter at þy neghburs hande, Þou mayst holde hyt for euer-more, So bapteme þe saueþ ones þore; Line 9796 And ȝyf hyt be graunted of þe kyng, Þat þou hast boght, þan ys syker þyng; Syker ys, þat yn rolle ys leyde, For þan may hyt neuer be wyþseyde; Line 9800 þe rollyng fordoþe croppe and rote, And ryȝt of þo þat wulde þe mote; [plete] Rollyng, and þe grete assyse, Aftyr hem may no lawë ryse. Line 9804

Þus fareþ hyt of confyrmacyun Aftyr tyme þat bapteme ys doun; Confyrmacyun ys more ne lesse, But aftyr crystenyng, gode sykernesse; Þys [þy.] bapteme ys charter of ryȝt Line 9809 Þat fordoþë Adams [adames.] plyȝt, And, þat ys of grete pouste, Þat fro þe fende hyt byeþ þe fre, Line 9812 And defendeþ þe þyn [þyn O, yn H.] erytage, Þat þou mayst holde hyt yn alle þyn age, And saue þy statë euery deyl, Ȝyf þou kepe þy charter weyl; Line 9816 Ouer þys, ȝyf hyt be þy lordes wylle Þat he þy charter wyl fulfyle,

Þan art þou stalworth þurgh hys powere, And þy charter made more clere. Line 9820

Þe bysshope ys as [as O, a H.] lorde or [or þe.] kyng To conferme þy crystenyng; He confermeþ þat we haue take whan we haue Satan forsake, Line 9824 Oure crystendom, þat hyt be sekyr To fende vs aȝens þe fendës bekyr, Þan ys oure charter quyte and clere, Line 9827 Confermyng with þe bysshopes powere.

And ȝe shul alle weyl vndyrstande, [folio 65b] whan chyldryn are blessed of þe bysshopys [of bysshop.] hande, Þat blessyng ys contermacyoun Aȝens þe fendes temptacyun, Line 9832 And makeþ vs stalwurþe yn batayle whan þe fende wyl vs asayle; Þan are we made Goddes champyons, Aȝens þe fendës, Goddys felons; Line 9836 þan haue we receyued fully myȝt Aȝens þe fendë for to fyȝt; And ȝyf we be yn beleue stedfaste, we haue powere, dowun hym to kaste. Line 9840

Certes, þo men moche mysdo, Þat [Þat þey H, Þat O.] a-byde long, are þey go þar-to; And wommen, gretly ouer alle þyng, þat wyl nat here chyldryn bryng Line 9844 To receyue þe sacrament At þe bysshopes confyrment; [conferment O, cofyrment H.] For some wete weyl, þat chyldryn kepe, Þat many are drecched yn here slepe; Line 9848 Þe fende hem sheweþ grete affray, To some on nyȝt, and some a [on.] day, How þat he, may hem greue, [[6 syllables]] To make ouþer men mysbeleue; Line 9852

Line 9852 Some men hyt here, & some men ['men' H, om. O.] hyt sees, Yn many stedys, vanytes, More before þe sacrament Þan aftyr, [afterwarde.] whan he ys shent; Line 9856 Hys powere ys þan moche fordoun Þurgh þys confyrmacyun; For þat oght we, to beleuë ryȝt, þat þys sacrament haþ þat myȝt. Line 9860

Anoþer poynt, here-to longeþ, Þat lewed men nat vndyrstandyþ: "Þou man or womman, be nat so wylde To holde to þe bysshope þyn owne chylde; For ȝyf þou do, þou art commare Line 9865 To hym þat hyt, gat or bare; Ȝyf a frende man holde hyt þore, [folio 65b:2] To wedde þat chylde, he may neuer more; þys longeþ to þys sacrament; Line 9869 Þarefor [Þarfore y rede.] ȝyueþ gode entent."

yn þys skyllë, as y kan, hyt ys grete perel to an vncouþe man, Line 9872 A maydë chyldë for to holde Byfore þe bysshope, as y er tolde, But ȝyf he askë fyrst byfore, what hyt ys, and where was bore; Line 9876 Elles perauenture yn hys lyue he myȝt haue þat chylde to wyue; Or ȝyf she ȝyue here to folye, he myȝt, yn kas, lygge here by; Line 9880 Þys kas [Þys kas O, Þys H.] ys nat often seen, But hyt may fallë, or haþ ben; Þarfore, noþer mo [more.] ne lesse, But 'wyys [wys.] ys, þat ware ys.' Line 9884

Now of þys confyrmacyun wyl we leue oure sermoun; God ȝyue vs gracë, for hys myȝt, yn þe beleue to ferme vs ryȝt, Line 9888 Þat þe holy goste with vs wone, Þat cumþ of þe fadyr and of þe sone.

[Of the Sacrament of the Altar. [This Section, to p. 336, is copied into the Vernon MS. (with a few changes of words and forms) as '7 Miracles of Corpus Christi,' and is printed in 'Minor Poems of the Vernon MS.,' ed. Hortsmann and F. J. F.; E. E. T. Soc. 1891.] ]

God almyȝty, þat al þyng weldes, Line 9891 wyndës, watrys, [and watres.] wodes, & feldes, As soþely as þou madest of noȝt Alle créatures þat euer were wroȝt, Forȝyue me, to day, Lorde, my synne, Þat y þys wrþy ['wrþy' should be cut out.] sacrament mowe begynne, And wurschypfully þar-of to speke, Line 9897 Þat we þe beleuë neuer [neuer þe beleuc.] breke; Ne for to tellë, yn þys long, Þyng, þat falle-of, may any wrong, Line 9900 But þat máy be, þe to queme, And vs yn stedfaste beleue to ȝeme.

Goddës sone, of heuene a-boue, He shewed vs alle, for gretë loue; Line 9904 For whan hys passyun neyghed nye, [folio 66a] To hys dyscyplys þat were hym bye, He ȝaue [Ȝafe.] hys body hem to fede,— More loue ne myȝt he shewe yn dede,— Þat þey shuldë myndë haue Line 9909 On hym, þat he myȝt hem saue; Ȝyt aftyrward he lete hym slo with ful vyle deþ, and pynyng wo; Line 9912 For vs, and hem, ded he þys, To bryngë vs echone to blys, Ne [No.] more loue ne myȝt he do, Ne neuer man, myȝt so do; Line 9916 For vs he ded hyt, þys ys certeyn, Þat we shuld loue hym weyl aȝen; Þogh we vs self ȝaf an hundryd syþe, O poynt of loue ne myȝt we kyþe Line 9920 vn-to þe loue þat he haþ vs doun, For hyt ys oure saluacyun; And of vs, askeþ he ryȝt noȝt

But þat may weyl y-nogh be wroȝt, Line 9924 No þyng but loue-longyng, To loue hym weyl ouer alle þyng, And for hys loue to leuë synne; hys loue, hys blys, þan mow we wynne; For þou mayst neuer haue hym to þe, Line 9929 But, þou wylt fyrst synnë fle; Alle þyng he loueþ, but synne he hates; Ȝyf þou hym louest, with synne þou wlates. [steynyst] Ȝyf þou loue [louest.] one, þe behoueþ nedes Line 9933 Forsake þat þyng þat he þe forbedes; Elles, hyt ys tolde no loue, And namëly to God a-boue. Line 9936

And þou mayst nat [nat H, om. O.] loue hym with no greyth, But þou haue of hym gode feyþe, Þat ys to seye, to beleue hyt weyl, Alle þat ys wryte of hym euerydeyl. Line 9940 Stedfast beleue, of loue hyt comes; And of beleuë, loue men nomes: [O. gloss 'taketh.'] So ys þe toon with þe touþer; [folio 66a:2] with stedfast beleue, loue ys þe broþer. Line 9944

To whom ogh [oghte.] þan oure loue be went, But to þe beleue of þys sacrament? Þys, oght to beleue, euery crysten man, And lerne þe beleue of one þat kan, Line 9948 'Þat þe bred þat sacred ys At þe auter, ys Goddys flessh:' Boþe flesshe and blodë þer ys leyd, Line 9951 Þurgh þe wurdes þat þe prest haþ seyd, Þat lyȝte with-ynne þe vyrgyne Marye, And on þe rode for vs wulde deye, And fro deþ to lyue he ros, God and man, yn myȝt and los. Line 9956

For who so beleueþ nat clere yn þe sacrament of þe autere,

He shal neuer þe blys a-byde, For no þyng þat may betyde. Line 9960

Yn þe oldë lawë, þus ys wryte, Boþe Iewes and crysten weyl hyt wete, "God seyd, and hyt was wroȝt; he commaunded alle þyng of noȝt." Line 9964 Þese wurdës are verry and clere; Dauyd hem seyth yn þe sautere; Syn he made alle þat noȝt er was, lesse maystry were hyt þan [þan were hyt.] yn kas, Line 9968 For to chaunge þe lekënes [lyknes.] Yn-to an ouþer þyng þat es; þe lykënes of bred and wyne, Line 9971 Yn flesshe and blode to turne hyt ynne; Yn flessh and blode þe brede be broȝt, Syn he madë alle [al byfore of noght.] of noȝt.

Ȝyf þou se hyt nat with bodly [bodyly.] syȝt, Line 9975 Þy soule with-ynne shal beleue hyt ryȝt; And ȝyf þou felë no sauour, But ryghtely wyne, and brede of flour, [But . . . flour O. But ryȝt bred and wyne of flour H.] Þat ys þe wysdom of Goddys ordynaunce For to saue vs alle fro þys chaunce; Line 9980 For ȝyf hyt fyl, as flesshe to take, [folio 66b] wlate we shulde, and hyt forsake; And for he wulde nat men hyt forsoke, But þat alle men hyt vndyrtoke, Line 9984 Þarfore hys wysdom, hys ownë rede, Sauerþ hyt yn wyne and brede; Hyt semeþ bredë, as be [by.] syȝt, And as brede, sauer haþ ryȝt; Line 9988 Noþyr þe [þy.] syȝt, noþer þe [no þy.] felyng, Haþ [Hast þou on no (but altered in the same hand).] þer-of any certeyn þyng; what shal þan, þe most saue, [[6-syllable line]] But stedfast beleue þat þou shalt haue? Stedfast beleue of euery deyl, Line 9993 Þat shal þan, saue þe weyl. [[6-syllable line]]

And some haue sey hyt bodyly, To whom he shewed hys mercy; Line 9996 Lo here a tale for of ȝow sum, Þat y fonde yn 'vitas patrum.' [A tale]

[The Tale of the Priest for whom the Sacramental Bread and Wine were turnd into a Child's Flesh and Blood.]

Þyr was a man of relygyoun; Of almës he had grete renoun; Line 10000 But, for þe fende [þe fende O, þe H (? þe = they).] wulde haue [had.] hym shent, He beleued nat yn þe sacrament, And seyd 'hyt was nat Ihesu Þat conceyued was þurgh vertu; Line 10004 Ne Ihesu was nat þe oblé [vbble.] Þat reysed was [was reysede.] at þe sacré; And þo þat wurschep ded þarto, To beleue hyt, [hyt. hyt.] was nat to do.' Line 10008

Byfore twey abbotes þus he tolde; Þese abbotes wryte þys tale to holde; hyt oght be tolde to euery wham Þat ys aȝens þe crystendam, Line 10012 Tyl hyt be preued with [by.] clergye wheþer hyt be beleue or erysye.

Þese abbotes shewed hym þe ryȝt weye with alle þe ensamples þat þey coude seye; And he seyd 'þat hyt was lye, [O. gloss 'fals.'] Line 10017 But ȝyf he sagh [saye.] hyt with hys ye.' "Doþe þan so þat y hyt se, [folio 66b:2] Þan wyl y beleue þat hyt may be." Line 10020

Þese abbotes preyd a ful seuen nyȝt Þat God wulde shewe hym, þurgh hys myȝt, Yn flesshe and blode on þe autere,

To cónferme hys beleuë clere; Line 10024 And hym-self preyd specyaly Þat God wulde shewe hym also yn body; "Lorde," he seyde, "for no mysbeleue Þat þou shuldest, with me þe greue, Line 10028 But for to shewe þe ryȝt soþenes Þat þou art þe sacrament of þe messe, Þat y may make ouþer certeyn whan y with yën haue þe seyn!" Line 10032

Þe [þese.] abbotes lay yn orysun Tyl alle þe seuen nyȝt were [were alle H, were O.] doun; þe seuenþe day, to þe cherche þey cam, [come.] And þe touþer man with hem þey nam; [nome.] A sege was ordeyned for hem þre Line 10037 To beholdë alle þe pryuyte Of þat holy sacrament Þat shewed was yn here present: Line 10040 Betwyxe hem sate þys ychë man Of whom þe myracle fyrst began.

whan þe vble was on þe auter leyd, And þe prest þe wurdes had seyd, Line 10044 Alle þre þoȝt þan verrylyk, Before þe prest, þat a chyld lay quyk Yn feyrë forme of flesshe and blode; Þys say þey þre, þere þey stode. Line 10048

whan þe preste shulde parte þe sacrament, An aungel dowun from heuene was sent, And sacryfyed þe chylde ryȝt þare; As þe prest hyt brak, þe aungel hyt share; þe blode yn-to þe chaleys ran Line 10053 Of þat chylde, boþe God and man.

Þys man ȝede to þe heyȝest degre, To housel hym, as fyl to be; Line 10056

Line 10056 Hym þoght þe prest broȝte on þe pateyn [folio 67a] Morselles of þe chylde alle [Leave out 'alle.'] newe sleyn, And bedde hym a morsel of þe flesshe with alle ȝe blode þer-on alle fresshe.

Þan gan he cry, with loudë steuene, "Mercy! Goddys sone of heuene! Line 10062 Þe brede þat y sagh on þe auter lye, Hyt ys þy body; y se hyt with ye. Of þe brede, þurgh sacrament, Line 10065 To flesshe and blode hyt ys alle went; Þys y beleue, and euer y shal; For verryly we se hyt alle." Line 10068

whan he and þey were alle certeyn, yn forme of brede hyt turned aȝeyn; He ded hym housel as ouþer wore, And was a gode man for euermore; Line 10072 And alle þe toþer [alle ouþre.] beþ þe better, Þat heren þys tale, or redyn þys lettyr.

Þe prest þat sacreþ Goddys body, Hym behoueþ bé clene nedëly: Line 10076 A lewed man þat shal hym [hyt.] receyue, Alle maner of fylþe, behoueþ hym weyue.

Be þou neuer so gode a preste, Ne so grete wyttë yn þy breste, Line 10080 Y rede þe here how þe propertes are shewed, Þogh [Þoghe þat.] þe langage be but lewed.

Þou wost weyl þat þe vblè Ys but a lytyl þyng to se; Line 10084 So shal we be lytyl yn wyl, lytyl and meke, with-outyn yl, Noȝt yn pryde, ne naȝt ['naȝt' omitted.] yn heghþe,

For no wysdom ne for no sleghþe, Line 10088 Þat we ne falle with Lucyfere, For proude men wonë with hym þere.

Þe vblè ys made of whete, [See French 1. 7421-5.] Þe louelyest cornë þat men ete; Line 10092 So shal [shulde.] we be meke and louely To allë þo þat beþ vs by; Þys mekënes ys aȝens Ire, [folio 67a:2] Þat ys with Lucyfere yn fyre. Line 10096

[See French 1. 7389-94.] Þe paste of þe vblè, nat ne ogh [oghþ (the last letter has been added on).] Be made of any maner of [cut out 'maner of.'] soure dogh; For þe soure dogh makeþ alle soure Þe swetnes þat cumþ of þe floure. Line 10100 By þys soure dogh ys tokenyng Þat enuye ys a wykked þyng, For hyt fordoþe swetnes of dede Þat God shulde ȝyue for soulë mede; Line 10104 Þarfore makeþ he none herbergerye Þere he fyndeþ [fyndes.] byfore, enuye.

A vertu also yn þe whete ys, Þat ys moche aȝens sloghnes; Line 10108 For whetë cornës wyl nat prykke, As otës dowün, or barlykke; Ne we shulde nat haue any prykyl Of ydylnes ouer mykyl. Line 10112

Ydylnes gruccheþ, and ys heuy of þoȝt, And also sonë wroþe for noȝt; And þat wraþþë cumþ of [of a.] sorowe, Þat of wanhope wyl mochë borowe. Line 10116 Þys sacrament of þe messe loueþ noun swyche ydulnesse, Ne, with noun, wyl he dwelle,

But þere men of Ioyë spelle. Line 10120

Þe paste to þe vblè seyd byforne, Shal nat be ¹of no medel¹ [1_1 of medlede.] corne, But allë onëly of wete; Þe mastlyoun shul men lete. Line 10124 Þat yche meneþ, with no wyse we shul vs medel with coueytyse, And namëly with auaryce, For þat ys tolde a wykked vyce. Line 10128

[See French l. 7413-20.] Also þou seest þe vblè ys þynne, And grete dunhede ys noun þer-ynne; And þat wyl weyl sygnyfye Aȝens þe synne of glotonye; Line 10132 For þere ne wyl þe sacrament reste, [folio 67b] þere glotonye wyl hym oute keste. [keste O, kaste H.]

[See French l. 7389-94.] And þou seest, þe vblè ys whyte; And we shul hauë noun [no.] delyte Line 10136 Of no maner of flesshely lak, Of lechery, þat makeþ vs blak.

Þese are þe seuene propertes Yn þe vblè, as þou sees; Line 10140 And euery properte [a properte.] þer-ynne Ys aȝens a dedly synne.

Aȝens þys sacrament, þan do þo Þat are yn synne, and þar-to go, Line 10144 Or are yn wyl aȝen to wende To synne, and hemself shende.

Also a preste þat goþ, syngeþ hys messe, þat yn dedly synnë ys, Line 10148 An hunder folde he synneþ more Þan ȝyf he, a lewed man wore.

Alle þey þat receyue þys sacrament yn dedly synne, or wykked entent, Line 10152

Line 10152 yn any óf þese ychë seuene Þat þou hast me herdë [hast here herde me.] neuene, Hyt ys to here dampnacyun, And þarfore veniaunce shal be doun. Line 10156 And, here y shal telle a tale, [A tale] How hyt ys to þo men bale.

[The Tale of the Priest who was enabled to see Folk's sins in their Faces.]

A parysshe prest was yn a tounne, A man of ful grete dyscrecyounne;— Dyscrecyun, a ryȝt wyt ys, Line 10161 On boþe partys ryȝtly to ges;— Of hys parysshenes he vndyrstode, whyche were yl, and whych were ['were' omitted.] gode; Tweyn he haddë for to gete, Line 10165 Þat neuer wuldë synnë lete.

And fyl hyt at an esterne, Þat a prest shul [shulde.] none ouþer [housel.] werne But ȝyf hyt be þe gretter synne, Line 10169 As yn cursyng, or yn vnbuxyme. Þys prest was yn gretë þoȝt [folio 67b:2] wheþer he shulde housel hem or noȝt; he preyd God, of heuene kyng, Line 10173 Þat he wulde sende hym sum tokenyng wheþer hé shulde hem forbede; To housel hem, he [hym.] þoȝt grete drede. Line 10176

Fro God he had þys answere: 'Þat echone shuld hys owne charge bere, And þat he shulde warne hyt none, But ȝyue hyt furþe to euerychone;' Line 10180 "Do þou as Ihesu dyd [dede.] yn dede, And þou shalt no man hyt forbede, Ne morë þan he ded Iudas, Þat haddë do ful grete trespas." Line 10184

he ȝaue hyt to alle with myldë mode whan brede was turned to flessh & blode.

For some þat hyt takeþ, hyt shal hem saue, And some þarforë peyne shal haue; Line 10188 Aftyr þey are of synnë clene, So shal hyt on hem be sene."

Ȝyt preyde he God of morë grace, Þat he myȝt knowë hem by face, Line 10192 Þe whyche receyued hyt wurþyly, And whyche to have hyt were wurþy. And God graunted hym hys wyl, To knowe þe godë fro þe yl. Line 10196

Þe folk [folke.] þat to þe prestë went For to receyue þe sacrament, Of some þe faces were as bryȝt As þe sunne ys, ón days lyȝt; Line 10200 And some, here vysages al blake, Þat no þyng myȝt hem blaker make; And somë [In Harl. the remainder of the line is scratched out.] were as rede as blode, Staryng ryȝt as þey had be wode; Line 10204 And sum were swolle, þe vyseges [vysege.] stout, As þoȝ here yȝen [yen.] shulde burble out; And sum gnapped here fete & handes, As doggës doun þat gnawe here bandes; And sum hadde vysages of meselrye; [folio 68a] And some were lyke foule maumetrye: Many wundrys were on hem sene, Mo þan he myȝt se at þat tyme. Line 10212

Þe prest, whan he say [saghe.] alle þys, Of þat syȝt he gan hym grys; For þat syȝt was hydous, And dreful, [dredful.] and perylous. Line 10216

Ȝyt preyd he God, with gode entent, Þat he myȝt wyte, what al þat ment; And God almyȝty loued hym weyl, And wuldë shewe hym euerydeyl; Line 10220 "Þo men þat are so bryȝt [[6 syllables]] As þe sun, on day[e]s lyȝt, Þo men are ȝyt yn charyte, And clene of synne, & wurschepeþ [wrshype.] me;

Þo men þat were so blake, Line 10225 Þat no þyng myȝt hem blaker make, Þey are lecchours foule with-ynne, And haue no wyl to leue here synne; Þo men þat werë [In Harl. the words after 'were' have been scratched out, but a later hand has written 'face full of blode' for them; an original 'of' can be made out before the 'full.'] rede as blode, Line 10229 Þey are Irus, [yrous.] and wykked of mode, here euene crystyn for to slo with deþ, or, with pyne do wo; Line 10232 Þo þat þou sagh with swolle vysage, Þey are enuyous ouer outrage; And þo þat gnapped here finger endes, Are bakbyters betwyxë frendys; Line 10236 Þo þat þou sagh, meselles be syȝt, Þey loue more gode þan God almyȝt; Þo þat þou sagh lyke maumetrye, On worldly þyng [wrly (sic) þynge.] þey most affye; Line 10240 More loue þey gode þat hé haþ sent þan þey do hym þat alle haþ lent; þese maner men are ȝyt yn wyl, yn here synne to lyuë stylle; Line 10244 And þarfore shal þe sacrament On hem aske hardë Iugëment, Þat þey haue receyue [receyuede.] hyt vnwurþyly, [folio 68a:2] And serued þe fende, hys enemy. Line 10248

Þys tale y tolde for loue of þo Þat yn synne to housel go, Or beþ yn wylle to turne aȝeyn; Line 10251 For alle here trauayle þey do yn veyn.

Ȝyf þou, whan þy [þyn.] housel shalt take, Be yn wylle þy synne to forsake For euermore yn stedfaste herte, Line 10255 Þogh þou synne sone aftyr, [after synne sone.] and smert, Ȝyt God takeþ hyt nat to so grete grym As ȝyf þou yn tresoun receyuedest hym.

yn no þyng wote y more tresun, Þan brynge þy lorde to [on.] hys felun; Line 10260 And ȝyt men sey here synne ys grefe,

Þat bryngeþ [brynge.] a trew man on a þefe; And ȝyf þou do þus, þy wytande, þan chargë men hyt most yn hande; Line 10264 þarfore loke þat þou wyte noȝt, No synne hyde yn herte ne þoȝt, Ne wyl nat wyte for neuer more whan þou receyuest God ryȝt þore. Line 10268

Also þe clerk þat haunteþ synne, But he leue, and þer-of blynne, He shal nat serue at þe auter, Noþer halewed þyng to comë ner. Line 10272

Y touched langer of þys outrage whan y spake of sacrylage, Þat þe holy gost shewed hym noȝt For þe dekene synned yn þoȝt, Line 10276 Yn þe tale of Ion [Ion.] Crysostomus; [[p. 278]] Þys tale ys tolde for ȝow and vs.

Also he ys wurþy to be shent, Þat, sone aftyr þe sacrament, Line 10280 To foly and to synne hym draweþ: lytyl of Goddes veniaunce hym aweþ.

Ȝyf þou forgete or ouersyttes Tyme of housel, þat þou weyl wytes, Line 10284 lytel fors of hym þou ȝyues, [folio 68b] Þou louest hym nat þat þou by lyues, And ouer alle þyng he loueþ þe beste, And þou ne wylt, a nyȝtys geste, Line 10288 lete hym herber yn hys hous; Þou art vnkynde ryȝt merueylous, Þat alle þe ȝere þou latest hym [hyt.] weyue, And with wurschyþ þou wylt nat hyt receyue. Line 10292 God manaceþ swyche, for swyche enchesun, And ryȝt hyt wyl, and gode resun; For swychë men are holde vntrewe Line 10295 Yn þe olde lawe, and eke yn þe newe.

Comaundement yn þe olde lawe was, 'Ones yn þe ȝere to shewe þy trespas;' þe newe law ys of [of þe.] more onour 'Ones to receyue þy creatoure,' Line 10300 Ones yn þe ȝerë, to knowleche, Þy lorde to pes, for drede of wreche.

Þat prest, y blame ouer alle þyng, Þat with-oute skylle lettyþ to synge; Line 10304 For many a soulë myȝt be saued with þe messe þat he haþ leued; For al[lë] þat yn peynë ys, Abydeþ þe socoure of þe messe; Line 10308 For euery messe makeþ memórye Of soules þat are yn purgatórye; Mochë þanke shal þat prest haue, Þat helpeþ, hem for to saue; Line 10312 For no þyng may hem so moche auayle Of here peyne and here trauayle, As þe sacrament of þe autere, Ne makeþ hem of peyne so clere. Line 10316

And þat may y [y O, om. H.] shewe apertly By a tale of seint Gregorye; Seynt Gregory telleþ for þe same, [A tale.]

[The Tale of the Priest who was waited on by a Dead Lord whom he afterwards sang out of Purgatory.]

þer was a prest, Felyx was [was H, om. O.] hys name; Bysyde hys wonyng yn a paþ Line 10321 was a wasshyng yn an hote baþ; Þys prest þedyr [ofte þyder.] oftë ȝede [folio 68b:2] To wasshe hym whan he haddë nede. Þys prest þere euer redy fonde Line 10325

Line 10325 A man þat serued hym to fote and honde; he drogh hys hosen of, and hys shone, And efte was redy hem on to done; Line 10328 At euery tyme þat he þedyr cam, hys shone and hys hosen, of he nam, And serued hym at euery a tyde, Yn þe water, and eke besyde. Line 10332

Þys prest, þat cam [com.] þedyr so ofte, Þat þys man serued so softe, he ne asked hym neuer more when he was, ne how he come þore; But euery tymë was redy Line 10337 And serued hym peynyblëly. [penyblely O, peynybly H.]

Þys prest þoȝt he serued hym weyl, "hys trauayle wyl y quyte sum deyl." On o day he þedyr þoȝt, Line 10341 And, twey loues with hym he broȝt; yn-to þe baþ, ȝede þe prest, And, wesshe [wysshe.] hym, as he dyd neste: Line 10344 Þys man was þere hym aȝayne; To serue hym weyl, he dyde hys mayne;

Þys preste, whan he shuld furþë go, He ȝaue þe man þese louës two, Line 10348 And þanked hym moche, hys seruyse, And more he wuldë ouþer wyse.

Þys man answered þe prest aȝeyn: "Þys brede þou broȝtest to me yn veyn, For neuer morë shal y ete Line 10353 Bredë, ne noun ouþer mete. Y am a man, þat ys dede, Þat neuer more shal etë brede." Line 10356

Þe preste asked "on what manere Ys hyt þat þou wonest þus here?" Þys yche man answered and seyd, "Y was lorde here, are y deyde; Line 10360

Line 10360 And þys seruyse þat y am ynne, [folio 69a] ys þe peynë for my synne; But y pray þe, pur charyte, Offre on þe auter þese loues for me; Line 10364 And y beseche þe, ouer alle þyng, Þat syxe messys for me þou synge, For, were þey sunge, y hope to wende Yn-to þe ioye with-outen ende. Line 10368 whan þe syxtë messe ys lefte, Ȝyf þou ne fyndë me here efte, know þou þan soþëly ywys Þat for þy prayere y am broȝt ['broȝt' omitted.] yn blys."

þys prest, alle þat wokë long, Line 10373 Fór þys same man preyd and song; And whan þe wokë was alle gone, Þe prest cam [com.] þedyr, and fondë none. he beleued þan weyl þat he was broȝt To blys, for, he fonde hym noȝt.

By þys tale þan mowe ȝe se, þat hyt ys grete charyte, Line 10380 Messes for the dede to synge, Þe soulës oute ³of þyne to³ [3_3 of pyne for to.] brynge.

Passyng alle þyng, hyt haþ powere, Þe sacrament of þe autere, Line 10384 And namëly whan hyt ys doun with godë mannes deuocyun; Hym, wyl God sunner here þan one þat ys nat hym so dere. Line 10388

yn þe seuenþe comaundement [[page 73]] Toucheþ to þys sacrament, Yn a talë of a knyȝt, How þe prest þat lyueþ nat ryȝt, Line 10392 Of hys preyer ys lytyl prowe, And þere telleþ hyt weyl how; And y shal telle a-nouþer here, Of a messë of a frere. [A tale.]

[The Tale of the Suffolk Man who was taken out of Purgatory by two Masses his Wife got sung for him.]

A man yn Souþfolke onës deyde Besydë Sudbyry, men seyde. For þat man, swych grace was dyȝt, [folio 69a:2] Þat hym was graunted to come a nyȝt For to spekë wyþ hys wyfe Line 10401 To amende þe defaute of hys lyfe: "Ȝyf a messe were for me doun with gode mannes deuocyoun, Line 10404 y hope," he seyd, "to blys go, And be delyuerd of alle my wo; Y prey þe, pur charyte, To trauayle so moche for me." Line 10408

She graunted hym þat ychë bone, And ros vp on þe mornë sone, And, vn-to þe frerës ȝede, For þere hoped she best to spede. Line 10412 She cam, [com.] and spak with a frere, And preyd she myȝt hys messë here, And for here housbunde soule to synge, And she wulde ȝyuë hym offrynge. Line 10416

Þe frere ded here a messe yn comune, as þe seruyse ys; whan þys messë sungë was She went home a godë pas. Line 10420 Þe nyȝt aftyr, þan come he, "Slepest þou?" he seyd; 'nay,' seyd she, 'Be ȝe ȝyt,' she seyd, 'yn blys? þe messë for ȝow sungen [sunge.] ys.' Line 10424 "þe messe," he seyde, "þou dedyst be do, A party hyt halpë þer-vn-to; My parte y had, of þat messe, As of þyng þat comune ys; Line 10428 Ȝyf one for me were specyale [were specyaly for me.] seyde, Þat ouþer for me blys had nede,— Ȝyf þe prest were of lyfe so gode [gode O, go H.]

Þat God hys preyer vndyrstode— Line 10432 Y hopë [hopede.] þan, grace to haue, Þat hys messë myȝt me saue." Ofte he seyd[ë] to hys wyfe "A prest! A prest! of clenë lyfe." Line 10436

On þe mornë, sone she ȝede [folio 69b] To þe frerës eft god spede, And shewed hyt to þe pryour, And prey[ed] hym of socour, Line 10440 'Ȝyf he had any broþer, Þat he hoped, were better þan oþer, Þat wyl syngë me a messe For a man þat dedë ys; Line 10444 And at myn esë he shal haue, To a pytaunce, þat he wyl craue.'

Þe pryor spake vn-to a frere, And prey[ed] hym on alle manere Line 10448 Þat he wulde a messë synge For þat soule þat she made preyng.

Þe frerë was an holy man; And ar þat he hys messe bygan, Line 10452 He preyde to God hys orysoun Yn ful grete afflyccyoun, Þat hyt myȝt be, hym to pay, Þe messe þat he shulde synge þat day.

whan þe messe was do to ende, Line 10457 He bad þe womman home to wende; "And, whan þou more eftë heres, Cum and sey to ourë freres." Line 10460

Þe nyȝt aftyr, lesteneþ now, He come, [Cum.] and seyd, "slepest þou?" 'Nay,' she sayd, 'how farë ȝe?' "weyl," he seyd, "and so wurþ þe." [most þou] Line 10464 'were ȝe pay[ed] of þat messe, Þat, for ȝow, sungyn ys?' "Ȝe," he seyd, "graunte mercy, Þys messe to me ys more wurþy Line 10468 Þan alle þe worlde, an hunder syþe,

Ne myȝt haue made me halfe so blyþe; hys preyer was to God so dere, Þat he besoghte, þat [al.] wlde he here, Line 10472 Ȝyf he had preyd for an hundred mo, Fro pyne to blys, he had broȝt þo; For what þyng he hade asked bone, [folio 69b:2] God had graunted hyt hym as sone; Line 10476 And haue gode day, for now y wende To þe ioye with-outyn ende." God late vs neuer þer-of mysse, with-outyn ende to haue þat blys! Line 10480

Þys wyfe come sonë on þe morne, And fyl on knees þe frere byforne, And toldë hym weyl, euery deyl, Line 10483 How he, for hys prayer, yn ioye was weyl; And þe frere ful weyl þarby lete, And þanked God; and ['and' omitted.] for ioye he grete. [wepte] weyl were hym at hys endyng Þat had swych a prest for hym to synge!

Yn þys tale, þan, shewed ys, Line 10489 Ouer alle gode þan ys þe messe; For þe sacrament of þe autere Oueral passeþ hys powere; Line 10492 Yn þat messe, þey hem affye, Þe [Þo.] soules þat are yn purgatorye, For hyt makeþ mencyun of þe passyun As Ihesu Cryst to deþ was doun; Line 10496 Þe sone ys offred to þe fadyr yn heuene For þe [þo.] soules þat þe prest wyl neuene.

Also, þys talë wyl mene Þat þe preste be gode and clene; Line 10500 Þan wyl Ihesu Cryst hym here, For what þyng he makeþ preyere: Preye he for body, or for soule, [soule or for bodye.] Þat ys yn pyne, or here yn noye, Line 10504 Boþe wyl God almyȝty saue, what-so þe godë prest wyl craue.

Nat only for soules ys he herd,

But also for vs, yn þys world; [vs here yn þe werlde.] Line 10508 Be a man yn sykenes, or yn prysoun, weyferyng, or yn temptacyun, Or yn any ouþer trauayle, Þe sacrament wyl vs auayle; Line 10512 hyt wyl delyuer vs out of peyne, [folio 70a] Ȝyf oure beleuë be certeyne; And þat was weyl shewed yn dede Yn Ingland, so seyþ seynt Bede; Line 10516 Yn hys bokys wrytyn þyr ys [A tale.] A feyre myrácle of þe messe.

[Bede's Tale of Jumna and Tumna; or, How an Abbot's Mass|singing made the Fetters fall off a Knight in Prison.]

what tyme seynt Bede was man lyuand, were many kyngës yn þys land; Line 10520 Betwyxë tweyn was grete batayle, For whych þyng y telle þys merueyle; þe toon hyght Edfryde of þe norþe cuntre, þe toþer of Lyndëseye was he: Line 10524 Edfryde had grete seygnourye, [seynurrye.] Seynt Audre housbonde, of Ely. [husb. of St. A. of E.; l. 10689.] þys batayle was, [was O, om. H.] þurgh here boþe [boþe her.] assent, Besyde a watyr, men calle Trent: Line 10528 Syre Edfrydes broþer hyȝt Elfwynne, He was slayn þe [Þat.] batayle ynne; On boþe partyys, ne was none So feyre a knyȝt of flesshe and bone, Line 10532 Ne so doȝty was of armes; Þarfore seynt Bede pleyneþ hys harmys.

An noþer knȝyt also was felte [eke was felde.] dowun Almoste dede, and fyl yn swoun: Line 10536 Þe namë of þys ȝungë knyȝt, 'Iumna,' seyþ seynt Bede, he hyȝt. whan þys Iumna had long leyn, He couerd, and sette hym vp aȝeyn, Line 10540

Line 10540 And stopped hys woundes, þey shuld nat blede, And as he myȝt, þennë he ȝede To seke hym helpe agher to haue, Line 10543 Or frendës fynde, þat hym myȝt saue.

And as he wente with mochë drede, He was take with kyng Eldrede, And, broght vn-to a lordyng, An Erle þat heldë of þat kyng. Line 10548 Þe Erle asked hym 'what he was, And where he had be yn hard kas?'

For drede of deþ, he was affryȝt, [folio 70a:2] And durst nat sey he was a knyȝt; Line 10552 He seyd, "seyre, ȝyf þy wyl be, Y am an husband of þe cuntre; Y was wunt to lede vytayle To knyȝtës þat were yn batayle; Line 10556 And now y am a porë man, Yn þys maner fro þe batayle wan, And wyl fonde to saue my lyfe [lyffe.] Tyl y may comë to [vnto.] my wyfe." Line 10560 Þe erle þan made [made þan.] a leche be [by.] stoundes Tende to hym, to hele hys woundes.

Þat tyme were here many thedys, [thedes countries.] Many vságes yn many ledys; Line 10564 For euery kyng, yn þat dawe, Beleued on dyuers lawe; Sum were crystyn, on oure fay, And some beleued on paynyms lay; Line 10568 Þarfore þat tyme was mykyl þro, And ofte was boþë werre and wo; Ȝyf any kyng myȝt of oþers men take, He shuld hem selle, or yn seruage make.

wharfore y telle so of þys knyȝt, Line 10573 þe erle dyd hym bynde euery nyȝt þat he ne shuld[ë] fro hem fle, Ne stele awey to hys cuntre; Line 10576 Noþeles, [Noþeles O, Noþele H.] for alle þat þey myȝt hym bynde,

A-noþer tyme, lose, þey myȝt hym fynde; Só fast, þey neuer [neuer þey.] hym bonde, Þat lose a-noþer tyme þey hym fonde. Line 10580

Þys boundë knyȝt hyght Iumna, And had a broþer þat hyȝt Tumna; þys Tumna was prest relygyous, For he was abbot of an house; Line 10584 So long he leued yn þat estre [toune [Oxf. gloss 'a toune.'] ] Þat for hys name he hyȝt Tuncestre; Þat tounne, as y vndyrstande, hyt was yn Northhumber-lande. Line 10588

þys abbot herd tydyng certeyn [folio 70b] Þat Iumna was yn batayle slayn; He come to Trent, þys abbot Tumna, And fonde a body ryȝt lyke Iumna; Line 10592 Onóurablye he dyd hyt graue Yn hys cherche, þere he wulde hyt haue, And song þarforë, day and ouþer, For he went he [wende hyt (but he is used for the neuter, see ll. 10586, 10786, &c.).] had be hys broþer. Line 10596

Þogh þat Tumna had chose wrong, hys broþer had þe godenesse of hys song; For God alle wote, and wyst hyt þere For whom he madë hys preyere; Line 10600 how as euer men, þys knyȝt at eue bonde, Þe bondes, on þe morne, vndo þey fonde; Men myȝt neuer hym yn bondes so feste Þat þey þat tyme ne gunne al to-braste. [breste.]

Þo men þat had þys man yn holde, Line 10605 Þys wundyr to þe erle þey tolde; Þe erle had þer-of gretë wundyr

Þat hys bondes [bondes O, landes H.] were so a sunder, Line 10608 He seyd 'hym self wulde with hym speke, To wytë why hys bondes dyd breke.'

Before þe erlë was he fette, And þe erle, ful feyre he grette, Line 10612 "Sey me now," he seyd, "bele amye,

"kanst þou weyl on sorcerye? Sum wycchecrafte þou doust aboute bere, [aboute þou doust bere.] Þat þy bondes mow þe nat dere. Line 10616 For soþe," he seyd, "sum what þou dos, Þat euer-more þey fynde þe los."

he seyd, "on whycchecrafte beleue y noȝt, Ne for me shal none be wroȝt, Line 10620 Ne wyl nat be, [be O, om. H.] þurgh fendys crafte, Vnbonde, ne with no whycchëcrafte. Syre erle," he seyd, "hyt ys a-nouþer; Yn my cuntre y haue a broþer Line 10624 Þat supposyþ weyl þat y am [be.] slayn, For y come nat home agayn; For me he syngeþ euery day a messe; [folio 70b:2] Prest, and abbot, for soþe he ys; Line 10628 Y wote weyl, þát ys þe enchesun Þat my bondes are so ondoun, For, no þyng haþ powere Aȝens þe sacrement of þe autere; Line 10632 And ȝyf y were dede [dede O, de H.] yn ouþer werlde, hys preyer shulde for me be herde, To bryngë me of pyne and wo And aftyrward to blys[së] go." Line 10636

Alle þe meyne þan, and þe erle, Supposed weyl he was no cherle, As he to hem byfore hadde seyd, whan þey on hym fyrst handës leyd; By hys semblant and feyre beryng Line 10641 Hym semed weyl to be a lordyng; By hys speche, þey vndyrstode Þat he was man of gentyl blode. Line 10644

Þe erle toke hym yn pryuyte; Of when [wenne.] he was, telle hym shulde he; "Sey me þe soþe, and, as y am knyȝt, Þou ne shalt haue [for me haue.] for me, skaþe ne plyȝt." "Syn ȝe me behete ȝoure pes and gryth, Y am þe kyngës man Edfryth; Armës y bare yn þe batayle,

with alle my powere hym to auayle." Line 10652 "So me þoȝt," seyd þe erle, "Þe semed nat to be a cherle; But, for þát y here þe seye, Þou were wurþy for to deye, Line 10656 For þou hylpë þer to slo, Þat alle my kyn ys dede me fro; But, langer þat y sykerd þe, Shalt þou haue no skaþe for me." Line 10660

He ȝede and solde hym for raunsoun At London to a Frysoun,— A Frysoun ȝe shul vndyrstande To a marchaunde of Fryslande;— Line 10664 Þys Frysun wulde þys man furþe lede, [folio 71a] And, dyd on hym bondes for drede; For he ne shulde skape [eschape.] by þe weye, He dyd on hym, bondes for to leye; [He dede bondes on hym to leye.] But hyt auayled hym no þyng Line 10669 Neuer a day, þat byndyng; For yn þat oure þat þe messe was sunge, Þe bondes to-braste, and alle to-sprunge.

Þys Frysoun þoȝt 'how may þys be? Line 10673 hé may ryȝt weyl fro me fle; Chaunsfullyche hyt vayled noȝt, þe katel þat y wyþ hym [hym wyþ.] boȝt.' Line 10676

þe Frysoun seyd, "wylt þou weyl Restore aȝen alle my katel, And y shal ȝyue þe leue to go To þy cuntre, þere þou come fro; Line 10680 But fyrst þou shalt me trouþë plyght, And trewly holde hyt at alle þy myȝt, To brynge þe katel, and ȝyue for þe, And ellës y grauntë þe nat fre." Line 10684 he graunted hym alle þat he seyd, And trouþe yn hande with hand[ë] leyd.

þys Iumna went to þe kyng Loyre, þat was kyng of Kaunterbyre; Line 10688 he was seynt Audre syster sone, And Iumna was wonte with here to wone;

Of alle hys state, boþe wo and wele, Iumna tolde þe kyng euery deyl; Line 10692 Þe kyng þan ȝaue hym hys raunsoun, And he bare hyt to Londoun to þe Frysoun.

Syþen ȝede he home, þys knyȝt Iumna, To hys broþer þe abbot Tumna, Line 10696 And tolde hym of alle hys wo-fare, And of alle hys cumforte yn alle hys care. Þe abbot ful weyl þan vndyrstode Þat hys messe dyd hym grete gode, Line 10700 And þat þe sacrament gan hym borowe Oute of seruage and out of sorowe.

Þys tale telleþ vs seynt Bede, [folio 71a:2] Yn þe gestys of Inglond þat we rede. Line 10704

By þys talë, mow men lere Þat þe messe helpeþ vs weyl here; For vs lyuyng, hyt makeþ memórye, As weyl as for soules yn purgatórye; Line 10708 Euery man shal beleue þat ryȝt, Þat holpe wyl be, as was þe knyȝt.

Þys sacrament helpeþ nat ȝyt a-lone, But deuoute offrynges also echone; Line 10712 Alle þat we offre at þe messe, Alle oure saluacyun hyt ys; Nat onely for to saue þo þat dede beþ, But þe quyke also hyt saueþ [hyt saueth also.] and redeþ; As weyl haue þe quyke, þe pru, Line 10717 As þe dede, þereof vertu; Quyke and dedë, more and lesse, Alle are saued þurgh þe masse. Line 10720

þe offryng ys also a present þat hyt be oure helpe, þe sacrament, To þe fadyr of heuene bysyly, Line 10723 For whom þou offrest, to haue mercy.

A tale y fondë onës wryte; And as y wote, þan shul ȝe wyte; [A tale] And weyl a-cordeþ yn alle þyng, Þat God ys payd of gode offryng. Line 10728

Line 10728

[The Tale of the Miner, and how his Wife's Offerings for his Soul fed him while he was buried alive in a Mine.]

Þyr was a man beȝunde þe see, A mynour, woned yn a cyte,— Mynurs, þey make yn hyllys holes, Line 10731 As yn þe west cuntre men seke coles.—

Þys mynur soȝte stones vndyr þe molde, Þat men make of, syluer and golde; he wroȝt on a day, and holed yn þe hyl; A perylous chauncë to [vnto.] hym fyl; Line 10736 For, a grete party of þat yche myne Fyl dowun yn þe hole, and closed hym ynne.

hys felaus alle, þat were hym hende, Þat he were dede, weyl soþely wende; Þey ȝede and toke hem alle to rede, [folio 71b] And tolde hys wyfe þat he was dede. Line 10742

Þys womman pleyned here husbonde sore— wulde God þat many swyche [swyche many.] wommen wore!— She hylpe hys soule yn allë þyng, Line 10745 In almës dede, and yn offryng; She offred for hym to þe auter, Ful of wynë, a pecher, Line 10748 And a feyrë lofe with-alle, Euery day as for a pryncypalle; Alle þat twelue moneþ stabëly, But o day þat passed forby. Line 10752

Fewe swyche wymmen now we fynde, Þat to here husbondes are so kynde! But þys wyfe, at alle here myȝt, Ded for hym boþe day and nyȝt. Line 10756

Fyl hyt at þe twelue moneþ ende, Hys felaws to þe mounteyne gun wende, And comë to þe same stede efte,

Þere þey last here werk [i-]lefte. Line 10760 Ryȝt þere, þey fyrst bygan, And perced þurgh vn-to þys man.

Þe man yn godë state þey fonde, lyuyng with-outë wem or wounde; Line 10764 Euerychone, þey hadde grete ferly, And þat was gretë resun why; Alle þo men were yn grete were, How he had lyued alle þat ȝere. Line 10768 But he tolde hem euerychone How he hadde lyued þere alone; "Y haue lyued gracyous lyfe, Þurgh þe curtesye of my wyfe, Line 10772 For euery day she haþ me sent Brede and wynë to present; But o day certys ete y noȝt, For, no mete was to me broȝt." Line 10776

Þey led [ledde.] þys man vnto þe tounne, And tolde þys myracle vp and dounne, Fyrst, þur[o]gh þe cyte, [folio 71b:2] And seþþë [seþþe O, seþ H.] þur[o]gh þe cuntre. Line 10780 Þey asked hym, at þe laste, Þat day þat he dyd[ë] faste; He tolde hem þe day[ë]s name, And hys wyfë seyd þe same; Line 10784 Þat day she offred neuer a deyl; Þe gode fryday, he myȝt be weyl.

Now mow ȝe here, þat almës dede, Gostëly a man wyl fede, Line 10788 And so mow ȝe weyl vndyrstande Þat God ys payd of gode offrande.

But fór alle þys tale, yn ȝoure lyues, [note.] Truste ȝe nat moche ón ȝoure wyues, Line 10792 Ne on ȝoure chyldryn, for no þyng, But makeþ ȝe self, ȝoure offryng:

For, so kynde a womman as y of tolde, lyueþ nat now, be þou bolde; Line 10796 Ne no clerk, þat þys [þys O, om. H.] ryme redys, Shal fynde a womman of so kynde dedes.'

Ȝe men þat are now yn present, þat haue herd me rede þys sacrament, how ouer alle þyng hyt haþ powere, Line 10801 Þe sacrament of þe autere, As y haue here to ȝow shewed —Nat to lered onely, but eke to lewed,— Ȝe lewed men, y telle hyt ȝow, Line 10805 Þese clerkys kun [kunne.] hyt weyl y-now, Pray we [Preye we now.] alle oure creatoure, [creatour O, creature H.] Þe sacrament oure sauyoure, [sauueour.] Line 10808 Þat body and soule he wyl vs saue, And we hym loue, and he vs haue! [The Vernon MS. borrowing ends here.]

[Of Penance.]

The fourþe sacráment ys penaunce, Þat ys for synnë a quytaunce; Line 10812 God graunte vs alle, penaunce to do, For we haue gretë nede þarto.

Aȝens þys, þan, synnë þo Þat to shryftë onely go Line 10816 with-oute any manér of smert [folio 72a] Of felyng, of sorowe of hert; Euery man shulde haue a-fore þoȝt Line 10819 How and whan hys synne was wroȝt, And beþenke hym weyl on [of.] euery dede, Fyrst are he to shryftë ȝede; Elles, asoyled may he nat be clene, Of forȝetë synnes, y mene. Line 10824 Ouer lytyl fors certys he ȝyueþ Of any penaunce, or how he lyueþ;

Swychë men, here synne þey synke, þat recchë nat þer-on to þynke. Line 10828 Some men, whan here synne ys wroȝt, Hyt no more [more eft.] cumþ yn here þoȝt, And ȝyueþ no fors, [force.] þat he forȝeteþ hys synne; and hym þe fend eteþ. Line 10832 leuer ys hym late hem alle weyue, þan any hard penaunce receyue.

Ȝyf þou wylt haue þe sacrament, Þe behoueþ ȝyue weyl bettyr entent, Line 10836 And recordë euery dede with sorow of herte, and with drede, And forþynke, with mochë mone, Þat þou ne mayst þenk on echone; Line 10840 And ȝyf þou shryue þe euery deyl Of þo, þat þe meneþ weyl, Þat þou ne lettë for no shame To tellë opunly þy blame: Line 10844 Swyche a man þat þus ys shryue, May be asoyled, and penaunce ȝyue.

penaunce may be ȝyue to none But he shryue hys synnes echone, Line 10848 And be of godë répentaunce; No prest may elles ȝyue hym penaunce; Penaunce pyneþ þy flessh and ['and' omitted.] þe fende, And plesyþ God, and makyþ hym frende. Aftyr, ȝyf þou þenk on þat Line 10853 Synne þat þou yn shryfte forȝat, Þou art holde to telle hyt þy prest [folio 72a:2] whan þou hast mynde þer-of yn brest.

whan þou hast þy synne forsake, And þy penaunce þer-forë take, Line 10858 Forȝete nat þan þat þou ne do

Þe penaunce þat he [he O, om. H.] ioyneþ þe to. Line 10860 Ȝyf þou forȝetest, þou shalt bey [bye.] hyt harde yn purgatórye aftyrwarde; For o day þat þou forȝetest here, A ȝere, þere [þere O, om. H.] þou shalt by hyt dere. Line 10864

And ȝyf þou fallest eft yn synne, Efte þy shryfte alle newe bygynne, And do gode dedës þer-with-alle, Line 10867 For þat es [ys.] of penaunce pryncypalle; Ȝyf þou ne do, verrement Þou synnest yn þys sacrament; For of þat man, hyt ys grete drede, Þat wyþdraghþ hym fro godë dede. Line 10872

Many man also þenkeþ þys þoȝt, 'þat werk of penaunce auayleþ noȝt þe whylys þat he ys yn synne;' But þan had he most nede to bygynne; For godë dedës and penaunce Line 10877 Reysyn a man to répentaunce; For many þyngës, gode hyt ys, Þogh hyt auayle hym naght yn blys.

þe prest wote neuer what he menes, Þat for lytyl, curseþ hys parysshenes; Þat yche shepard ȝyueþ no gode kepe, Þat betecheþ þe wulfe hys shepe; Line 10884 At þe last acounte shal he mysfalle, whan he shal answere for hem alle; And þe lordë shal þe shepard hate, þat wasteþ hys store, and bryngeþ o gate; Þe lordë boȝt þe shepe ful dere, Line 10889 lese hem nat þan [nat þan O, noȝt H.] so lyȝtly here; Þoȝ þey outrage, and do foly, He shal nat sle hem with felony; Line 10892

Line 10892 he shal hem chastyse with smert [lewede.] speche, [folio 72b] with small baytynges, and nat with wreche.

As þe gode shepard kepyþ hys shepe, So shalle þe prest, hys parysshenes kepe; Þere shepe gone wrong besyde þe paþ, Line 10897 Þe shepard cryeþ for drede of skaþe; And ȝyf þey wyl nat at hys crye Turne aȝen to here pasture nye, Line 10900 Þan setteþ he on hys hounde, And bayteþ hem a wel gode stounde, And bryngeþ hem to her pasture weyl, Ne sleþ he ȝyt none, neuer a deyl. Line 10904

with þese prestes hyt shulde fare so, whan here parysshenes oghte mysdo; wyþ feyre techyng, and godë spelles, And stoutly, whan þey wyl nat elles, Line 10908 And with ordynaryys of holy cherche, Tyl þat þey wyl ryȝtly werche; Nat with cursyng, þat es [ys.] slaghter euyl, So sone betake hem to þe deuyl. Line 10912 Haue to hem swych charyte As þou wuldest God hadde to þe; kowardyse hyt ys, and foule maystry, To þrowe a faucoun at euery flye; Line 10916 Of flyes men mow hem weyl spourge, And þrowe to hem naght but a scourge; No more shal no prest þrawe, But a scorge, þat ys loue [þat ys loue.] awe. Line 10920

Lewed man, þou shalt cursyng doute, And to ['to' omitted.] þy prest þou shalt nat stoute; Be he wykked, or be he gode, Þou shalt to hym be þolëmode. Line 10924

Hyt ys nat a lytyl þyng For to fallë yn cursyng, For hyt reueþ þe þy gostly frendes, And betecheþ þe vn-to þe fendes, Line 10928 And hyt forbarreþ alle gode dedes

Þat þe shuld helpe yn alle þy nedes, Tyl þou com to amendëment [folio 72b:2] with penaunce, þat ys, þys sacrament.

Yn sacrylage, y tolde a tale Line 10933 how cursyng breweþ mochë bale, Þat alle þe ȝere hopped aboute, Þat wulde nat þe prestys byddyng doute.

Now wyl we leuë, at þys [þys O, þs H.] tyme, Line 10937 Of penaunce morë for to ryme, For y shal tellë þer-of more At shryftë, whan y comë þore; Line 10940 God ȝyue me gracë so to telle, To shamë alle þe fendes of helle!

[Of the Fifth Sacrament—Holy Orders.]

NOw of þe fyfþë sacrament, Þe order of þe bysshopes presentement. þys falleþ to þese lordynges, Line 10945 As popës, emperoures, and kynges, And to alle þat clerkys auaunce To holy cherches portynaunce; [purtynaunce.] Line 10948 Swyche men, þat are of grete nobley, Yn þys sacrament þan synne þey, Þat þey graunte, for mede þat þey take, Vnwurþyly, a bysshope to make, Line 10952 Of whom þat ys þe famë ryfe Þat he ys, of febyl lyfe, Or oþer to auaunce, hyt ys folye, wyþoutyn resonable clergye. Line 10956

Clerk behoueþ [behouede.] hym for to be, Þat shulde receyue swyche dygnyte For to gouerne holy cherche; with clergy, behoueþ hym algate werche. But now ys fulfylled þe prophecye Line 10961 Þat, sorë wepyng, seyþ Isaye, "Ryȝt swych shal be þe prest [[6 syllables]]

As þe lewed man lyue, þou sest." Line 10964

lytyl kan lasse þe lewed man þan some of þesë prestës kan. who ȝyuen hem more to worldly þyng þan prestës do, for alle here prechyng?

ȝyf he be clerk, and euyl dous, [folio 73a] Line 10969 Of hym ys nat to make no rous. what vayleþ to vndyrstonde þe lettyr, And hys lyfe be neuer þe bettyr? Line 10972 Alle þat clergye, y telle it but lore, when he lyueþ neuer þe bettyr þer-fore.

But how seyþ Salamon yn hys spellyng, "wo þe land, þere chylde ys kyng!" Line 10976 And wo þe folk, þat kan nat lyue whan holy cherchë ys mys-ȝyue! And to þe husbonde, wo ys [ys H, om. O.] hys lyfe, þat haþ yn hys ['hys' omitted.] hous a fole to wyfe! Line 10980

ȝe lordes, do ȝe Goddes ordynaunce, And godë men ȝe shul auaunce; To gode men ȝyueþ ȝoure benefyces Line 10983 Þat kun hem kepe fro wykked vyces; Þan make ȝe gode presentëment To order of þys sacrament.

Also, haþ he wykkedly doun Þat letteþ gode mannes eleccyoun; Line 10988 'Eleccyoun' ys, 'weyl chesyng A gode man to kepe holy þyng.' Þese hyghë men do grete trespas, Þat chese nat ryȝt, alas! alas! Line 10992 Þát were wurþy, hem þey spare, And þe vnwurþy auaunced are; And, þat ys nat lytyl synne To hem þat hyt ȝyuen, and eke so wynne; Hyt may be tolde for symonye, Line 10997 For ȝyfte to auaunce þe vnwurþy.

By a tale, y may ȝow shewe þat hyt ys synne to chese a shrewe; Line 11000 And ȝyt ys he yn wers entent, þat letteþ gode mannes auauncëment.

Seynt Gregory telleþ þarfore a tale [A tale.] þat telþ many one, what grete and smale, he telleþ mo hymself a-lone, Line 11005 þan alle þe doctours do echone.

[The Tale of Paschasius's Punish|ment for not agreeing to the Election of the best Man for Pope.]

Yn þe cherche of Rome, he telleþ þus, [folio 73a:2] A dekene was þat hyghte Pascasyus, Line 11008 A man of almës þan was he, Þat ofte of þe porë had pyte; Þat yche tyme was elleccyone To chese here pope, as er [ere.] was wone. Line 11012

Twey men were yn choys to take, Oþer Laurence, oþer [or.] Symake; hys felaus alle, Symakus chese, So þat Laurence hys voys lese; Line 11016 Pascasyus graunted neuer þartyl, But chese Laurence at hys owne wyl; He repented hym neuer noȝt, But yn Laurencë stode hys þoȝt. Line 11020

Yn þys popes tyme, syre Symakus, Deyde þe dekene Pascasyus: Þys dekene was an holy man, As yn þe cuntre þe famë ran, Line 11024 And dyd þys myrácle, as ȝe mowe [may.] here: A wode man touched on hys bere, And a party of hys cloþyng,

And a-none he hadde botenyng. Line 11028

longë, aftyr þat þys was, Fyl of þys dekene a merueylous kas; For þere besydë, yn a paþ was a wasshyng, at an hote baþ; Line 11032 'Termes' men calle þat watyr wasshele, For many one had þerat here hele.

Þus þe holy bysshope seynt Germyne Com þedyr to be wasshe þer-ynne; Line 11036 Þere fonde he þys dekene Pascas, And at þe [þat.] watyr seruyng was: Þys bysshope merueyled yn hys þoȝt, wheþer hyt were Pascas or noȝt; Line 11040 At þe laste, seynt Germyne seyde "Art þou nat Pascas þat deyde, Þat we helde a man holy?" "Ȝys," seyd Pascas, "hyt am y; Line 11044 And at þys water, serue y þus, [folio 73b] For y graunted neuer [nat.] to Symakus, But to Laurence, with alle my myȝt, Þat was nat so gode yn Goddys syȝt; Line 11048 y ne repented yn alle my hope, [nat in al myn hope.] For y wulde haue hadde hym pope. But wuldest þou prey for me, Germyne, y shulde come sone oute of þys pyne; Line 11052 And þat [þat O, om. H.] mayst þou wete yn þys manere, Ȝyf þou fynde me no more here."

Þe bysshope Germyne, home he ȝede, And preyd to God for hys mysdede. Line 11056 Þe nextë tyme þat he come þore, Of Pascas, sagh he no more.

Lokë, [Lokeþ.] lordes, how ȝe mysdo, Þat eleccyoun dystroubleþ [dystourbleþ.] so; Line 11060 For a ȝyfte, or a presént,

Ȝe suffre holy cherche to [to H, om. O.] be shent; Ȝourë synnë shal be greuous, whan þys dekene Pascasyus, Line 11064 For so lytyl, to purgatorye ȝede, For whom was shewed myrácle yn dede.

Aȝens God, he ys nat quyte, Þat suffreþ for hys owne profyte, Line 11068 Holy cherche, wrongly be ȝyue To þo men þat wykkedly lyue; Þey shul be a-couped of tresoun, As traytours yn eleccyoun; Line 11072 Many shul go a deuyl wey, Or be encumbred or [ar.] þey dey.

Ȝyt shal y telle, among þese talys, A tale þat now late fyl yn Wales: Line 11076 yn þe tyme of seynt Dauy Fyl þys þyng, a grete ferly.

[A Tale of Warning against buying Bishoprics, and worshipping Bad Bishops' Bodies.]

As þe munkës shulde do werche werk þat fyl vn-to here cherche, Line 11080 As þey dalue dowun yn þe clay, Þey fonde a bysshope alle hole lay, with flesshe and blode, and hole sendal, [folio 73b:2] And, wyþ ouþer vestement alle, Line 11084 As fresshë as he were depeynt. þey wende he had be a corseynt; þey toke hym vp, euerychone, And, leyd hym vppon a stone, [a tumbe of stone.] Line 11088 And wurscheped hyt moche with-alle, For þey wende myrácles shulde falle. At hygh feste tymës of þe ȝere Þey ensensed þe body as [as H O,? for 'at.'] þe hygh autere.

A nyȝt, whan þe sekesteyn yn bede was leyd, Line 11093 Hym þoȝt one come, and to hym seyd,

"Ensense þe body no more so, Ne do no wurschep þar-vnto." Line 11096

Þe sekesteyn, for alle þat defense, Ȝyt he ȝaue þe body ensense. Anouþer nyȝt, fór þat same, Efte þe sekesteyn he gan blame, Line 11100 and seyd, "holde hyt no more yn prys, þat yche body, þat þere lys." þe munkë seyd, "telle me why þat he to wurschep [to be wrshepede.] ne ys wurþy." Line 11104 "loke to morne, and þou mayst wyte what lyþ yn hys mytyr wryte."

þe munkë ros vp on þe morne, And, fonde yn hys mytyr horne Line 11108 Þesë verse wryte on a scrowe, For þat he shulde þe bettyr trowe: Þese are þo ychë twey verse, Þat to holynes are reuers, Line 11112 Quem lapis ille tegit, sandalia viliter emit; Estuat in baratro, pessimus ille latro. "he þat þys stone hyleþ one [on.] lyche, wykkedly boȝt hys bysshopryche. Line 11116 yn helle he welleþ pynë [yn pyne.] grefe, For alþerwerst [alþerwest.] þan was he þefe."

Alþerwerst [alþerwest.] þen shal hem be, Þat for mede come to dygnyte. Line 11120 hyt ys nat to speke, ne to ['to' omitted.] preche, [folio 74a] Þe clergye werche [wercheþ.] moche aftyr wreche.

Ne þou shalt no dedë werche, Noþer to iangle, yn holy cherche; Line 11124 Namely yn tyme of holy feste, Þán shuldë men iangle leste. Þat tyme make many one, gaderyng yn holy cherche of ydul þyng; Line 11128 And of alle shalt þou ȝelde acounte, To whos godenesse hyt shuld amounte. y haue touched of þys [swych.] outrage

whan y spake of sacrylage. [[p. 292]] Line 11132

Ne þou oghtes [oghtest.] nat to be enchesun To sturble mannys deuocyoun. Ȝyf þou ne wylte Goddes seruyse here, lette none ouþer of here preyere; Line 11136 Fole ys, þat foly þat ['þat' omitted.] wyl nat drede, And more þat letteþ alle oþer gode dede. Ryȝt so [so O, om. H.] seyþ Salamon þe wyse, Vs alle of foly to [for to.] chastyse. Line 11140

Clerk to bete, or handes on ley yn vyolence, hyt ys grete eye; Hyt longeþ to þys sacrament Þurgh bysshopës commaundëment; Line 11144 yn sacrylagë þer y spake, [[p. 280]] y touched of þat ychë lak; And yn þe ten commaundëmens, [[p. 72, 77]] y wene y touched of þys defens; Line 11148 Þarforë, now hyt ys beste, Of þys sacrament to reste.

God grauntë þesë lordynges, weyl to do yn allë þynges, Line 11152 And late hem neuer here soulës lese For no wrongës [no wrons O, wronges H.] þat þey chese!

[Of the Sixth Sacrament,—Marriage.]

The syxte sacrament ys matrymony, Þére hyt ys do ryȝtwusly; Line 11156 God comaundeþ yn hys boke Þat man shuldë hyt weyl loke; For he stabled hyt yn paradys, [folio 74a:2] hyt ys holde yn þe morë prys; Line 11160 And yn Kana [kana of.] Galyle He turnede water yn wyne to be.

Aȝens þys ychë sacrament

Do many onë verrement; Line 11164 yn þys, do þo men ful ylle, Þat wedden any aȝens here wylle; Here wyl behoueþ to-gedyr consente, Are þe prest do þe sacrament. Line 11168

Ne þou ne shalt [not] do þy myȝt þat two be weddyd with vnryȝt. Synne þou wystest þat þey shulde noȝt with no skyl togedyr be broȝt, Line 11172 Þou synnest moche þurgh þys resun, For þey mow neuer be weyl vndoun.

Ne þou shalt nat, for no gode— þoȝt [Þogh.] hyt be þyn ownë blode— Line 11176 Dysturble hyt þere hyt oȝt to be, Ȝyf þey haue do hére wyl fre.

Ȝyf þou wost þe soþe of euery deyl, Line 11179 Þat two are weddyd, and oȝt nat weyl, But þou shewe hyt, þou dost grete synne To one þat may do bote þer-ynne; For, þus ys þe gospel sawe, And þe same seyþ [seyþ þe.] landës lawe, Line 11184 'Þat who so consenteþ to a þefe, Euene peyne shul þey [þey shul.] haue grefe.'

Of foly trouþës þat are ȝyue, Þare-of byfore y haue ȝow shryue; Line 11188 Y haue tolde hyt as y couþe, How men falsen here trouþes with mouþe; whan y spake of lecherye, [[p. 234]] Y spakë þer of þat foly, Line 11192 And yn þe syxtë commaundment [[p. 58]] Þere spekþ hyt of þys asent; Þarfore nedeþ me nat here To spekë more of þys matere; Line 11196 But, y pray euery man [folio 74b] þat hys crystendom loueþ, or kan,

Þat þey neuer swych þyng graunte, Two to wedde of fals cunnaunte; Line 11200 For many come neuer yn wedlak But for þe fyrst cunnaunt þat men spak.

Also, for men by-hete hem largely, Are chyldryn wedded ofte for-þy; Line 11204 For þyr are many wedded for gode, And for no stedfast loue of blode, And, þat ys no [no O, þe H.] ryȝt weddyng; Hyt quemeþ nat to heuene kyng. Line 11208 Many one weddeþ euery deyl For þe loue of syre kateyl; whan hyt ys go, and ys alle bare, þan ys þe weddyng sorowe & kare; Line 11212 loue ande catel þan ys awey, And 'welaweye' þey cry and sey.

And ȝe men þat brekyn cunnaunte, Ȝe selfe falsen þat ȝe fyrst graunte; Line 11216 Þan ys weddelak þurgh ȝow shent, Þat was þe fyrst sacrament; Ȝe shende hyt wyþ ȝoure fals behetyng, And þey noȝt weddë but þe þyng; Line 11220 So, betwyxe fals and coueytous, ys welaweyë broȝt to hous. Of þys myȝt men mochë speke, But leuer ys me my mouþe to steke Line 11224 Þan y spak oȝt oute of skore, For sone y myȝt be blamed þarfore. God ȝyue hem grace, þo þat shul wedde, Yn ryȝt wedlak be broȝt to bedde; Line 11228 And delyuer hem of here wyues Þat oute of skyle chyden and stryues!

[Of the Seventh Sacrament,—Aneylyng or Extreme Unction.]

Now of þe seuenþe sacrament: Line 11231 Þese clerkys kalle hyt 'oynament,' On Englys hyt ys 'anelyng' whan man shal make hys endyng;

Seynt Iamë stable[d] hyt for to be [folio 74b:2] A sacrament þurgh crystyanyte. Line 11236

Ȝyf þou aske hyt wyþ gode wyl, Of wykked gostes gest [getest.] þou noun yl, Ne þe fende haþ no powere þy body for to comë nere. Line 11240 Ȝyf þou of dedly synne be shryue, þo þat are venyal beþ þe forȝyue; þou mayst þan sykerly go þy weye, what tyme as euer þat þou shalt deye.

Ȝe þat loue þys sacrament, Line 11245 Here mowe ȝe lerne, ȝyueþ gode entent. Þat tymë þat [Þou trowest þat.] þou shalt wende, And draghest vn-to þy lyuës ende, Line 11248 Þou shalt aske deuoutëly Anelyng to þy body; Þoȝt [Þogh.] hyt be broȝt redy to þe, Asked behoueþ hyt algate be. Line 11252

Ȝyf þou vnwetyng hyt haue, hyt helpeþ þe nat so moche to saue As ȝyf þou asked [askedest.] hyt by name; Þus seyþ þe apostle seynt Iame; Line 11256 For whan þou askest hyt with gode wyl, Þou mekyst þe þan to fulfyl Þe sacramentes of holy cherche with beleue, and gostely to werche; Line 11260 Þan ys holy cherche holde þurgh ryȝt To pray for þe boþe day and nyȝt.

Hyt ys to be holde yn prys, [yn gret prys.] For hyt saueþ man on twey partys; Line 11264 Þe soule hyt bryngeþ to saluacyoun, And for hele of body hyt ys doun.

But many one þus hope and seye, 'Anele hem nat but þey shulde deye; Line 11268 For ȝyf he turne aȝen to lyfe, He shulde lygge no more [no more lygge.] by hys wyfe.' Al þo þat beleueþ þys,

wykkedly þey beleue [beleueþ.] a-mys. Line 11272 Holy cherche makeþ no menyng, [folio 75a] For swyche þyng defende anelyng; But yn euery an euyl strong— lygge þou shortë whyle or long— Line 11276 Þou shalt aske þys sacrament, with gode wyl and gode entent, Syn hyt auayleþ but lyghtly But hyt be asked derwurly. [derwrþely.] Line 11280

Þy gode wyl shal stonde for oght, Ȝyf þou hyt aske, and haue hyt noȝt; For some are now a-lyue þou seest, And dede are he may haue þe preste; Þarfore, askë hyt be tyme, Line 11285 For, deþ cumþ now as yn swyme; yn euery sykenes, aske hyt al-weys; God almyȝty ys ryȝt curteys, Line 11288 he seeþ þy wyl, what þou wuldest [wst.] haue, Hys mercy ys þe more þe to saue.

Ihesu, y þanke þe of þy grace, Þat hast lent me [me lent.] wyt and space, Line 11292 Þys yn Englys for to drawe, As holy men haue seyd yn sawe; For lewed men hyt may auayle, For hem y tokë þys trauayle. Line 11296

Of þys sacrament wyl y blynne; Of shryfte, to telle, y wyl bygynne; God ȝyue me gracë so to seye, Of shryfte to shewë þe ryȝt weye, [shewe ryghtly weye.] Line 11300 Þat we receyue, are we be went, with-outë synne, þys sacrament.