Robert of Brunne's "Handlyng synne".

[12 points of shrift]

The fyrste poynt of shryfte.

Þe fyrst poynt of þy shryfte oweþ to be, 'with þy gode wyl and hertë fre, Line 11352 whan þou art yn þy lyfë best, Awey þou shalt þy synnë kest;' For þan wurschepest þou God aboue, And forsakest þy synne for hys loue.

Dauyd seyþ, yn wurde to fulfyl, Line 11357 God shrofe hym with hys [hys O, om. H.] gode wyl; Abyde nat tyl þou most nedly, For þan hyt ys with fors and maystry; Þou shryuest þe þan for drede, Line 11361 Nat for loue, but more for nede;

Þan semeþ hyt þat hyt shulde be Þat þy synne forsakeþ þe. Line 11364 Swyche shryftë made Acor þe þefe: whan he shulde go to pynë grefe, He shrof hys synne, how he hadde stole Þre þyngës þat he hade forhole, Line 11368 A mantle of skarlet, a rolle of golde, And syluer, he hydde vndyr molde; Yn þe byble men mow hyt se, Yn þe story of Iosue. Line 11372

The Secunde poynt of shryfte.

þe secunde poynt ys next þyr-by, 'þat þou shalt shryue þe hastyly;' For whan þou doust [dost hyt.] yn longe respyte, hyt ys forȝete, þat long ys olyte. Line 11376 Seynt Bernard þarfore, to swych chyt, And seyþ 'moche forȝyt, þat longe abyt.'

Anouþer skyl ys, þat þou shalt hyt haste, For yn þy synne þy lyfe ys waste; Line 11380

Line 11380 For, as moche as þe tyme doþ amounte, For euery oure, shalt þou ȝelde acounte, Ȝyf hyt so were, þou myȝtest had space, [folio 75b:2] And wuldest nat come to shryfte ne grace.

Ȝyt, þyr ys þe þred resun [See French, l. 9719, &c. last page.] Line 11385 þat hastyly shal þy shryfte be doun; For yn þat tyme þat þy synne [synne O, shryfte H.] ys, Þou art departed fro heuene blys, Line 11388 And fro alle þe felawrede Þat shulde þe helpë at þy nede, And fro þe preyers of holy cherche, And fro alle gode dedes, þat men þer werche; Alle þe prayers, with-outë fayle, Line 11393 To þe blys of heuene, þe mow nat auayle.

Algate y rede, þou do gode dede; To ryse fro synne, hyt wyl þe spede, Line 11396 And bettyr wyl hyt pay God almyȝt, And þy penaunce shal be þe more lyȝt, And, þe more grace shalt þou haue, Þe for to shryue and saue. [[6 syll.]] Line 11400

The þred poynt of shryfte.

Þe þryd poynt of þy shryfte, 'Opunly þyn herte vp lyfte:' So byt God to me and þe, Þat opunly shal þy shryftë be. Line 11404

Salamon to vs seyþ, and [seyþ & to us.] kalleþ, 'Seuene tymes on a day þe ryȝtwys man falleþ;' As oftë þan behoueþ þe ryse, Ȝyf þou lyue yn ryȝt seruyse. Line 11408 Þus seyþ þe clerke seynt Austyne, Þat was a mayster of dyuyne, [deuyn.] 'Ȝyf þou to many prestes atwynne, Al holyche wylt shryue þy synne, Line 11412 Þou shalt fynde grace and forȝyuenes, And mede to þe, for þy mekenes.'

Þre þyngës mayst þou fynde, Þat wyl þe oute of synnë bynde; Line 11416

Þe fyrst ys, þat þou mayst lere, And many dyuers samples [sample.] here, Of euery prest, a lessoun, To knowë þy saluacyoun; [folio 76a] Line 11420 Ȝyf þou haue herde of many a-pryse, þe morë þou canst, of queyntyse.

þe touþer me þenkeþ a gode resoun, Þat quyteþ þe fro dampnacyoun, Line 11424 þe ofter þat þou shewest þy blame, þe more me þenkeþ þou hast of shame; þe shame þat þou hast yn þy shewyng, hyt ys forȝyuenes, to gode endyng. Line 11428

Þe þred, ys, þat þe weyl weres, [Glossed 'kepeþ' in Oxf.; 'kepyþ' in Harl., by a later hand.] For þou shalt be yn alle preyers

Of alle þe prestes þat þe haue shryue, As longë tyme as euer þey lyue, Line 11432 For þey are holdë þar-vn-to; þe order of prest wyl hyt be so; þe mo prestës þat for þe prey, þe sunner [soner.] art þou yn gode wey; Line 11436 And, at þe day of Iugëment, To God þey shul make þy present, þat þou werë clenë shryue, And þat þey mow be þe forȝyue. Line 11440

þo þat þou hast here hyd, þurgh alle þe werld þey shul be kyd, And askë domë on þe þere, þat þou, of hem, neuer shryuë were; Line 11444 For allë þyng þat euer ȝyt was, Shal þe acoupe of þy trespas; Þe synnë hymself shal forwreye; Þyn Inwyt, on þe self, þe dome shal leye.

þe fourþe poynt of shryfte.

Þe fourþë poynt, ful feyre hyt ys, 'yn shryftë to haue mekënes.'

She chese þat vertu, oure lady, Line 11451 So seyþ "magnificat," here owne storye, 'Þe gretë mekenes many folde Yn hys hand-mayden, God wlde beholde.'

Syn mekenes ys so noble a ȝyfte,

For-ȝete [Forȝeteþ.] hyt nat yn ȝourë shryfte. Line 11456 So spekeþ þe gospel of þys vertu, [folio 76a:2] How a mesyl come to Ihesu with gode wyl, and on knees hym sette, And ful myldely, Ihesu he grette; Line 11460 "lorde," he seyd, "þou mayst me saue Ȝyf þou wylt, and y hele haue." Ihesu sagh hys myldënes, Line 11463 And seyd "y wyl hele, alle þy sykenes."

He þat ys yn dedly synne, Gostely he ys a mesyl with-ynne; He þat wyl hys helë seke, To hys prest he mote be meke; Line 11468 Ȝyf þou meke þe to þy prest, Þou mekës [mekest.] þe to Goddës brest; Ȝyf þou be to hym ful stour, Þou doust to God grete dysonour; Line 11472 he sytteþ þere, yn Goddys se; To deme þy synne, he haþ pouste; Ȝyf he blame þe for þyn euyl, þat þou hast serued moche þe deuyl, Line 11476 Defendë nat þy folye, yn pryde ne yn ypocrysye; Noþer on þy self lye þou noȝt, To seye þyng þat þou neuer wroȝt; Line 11480 Ne forsake nat þy synne to wreye; More and [þan.] lesse, behoueþ þe seye.

þe fyueþe [Þe fyfþe.] poynt of shryfte.

Go we now to þe fyfþe [fyfþe O, fythe H.] poynt: To þe þrydde hyt ys a ioynt, Line 11484 þere y spake of ofte shryuyng,

To tellë many prestes a þyng.

what men are þo þat shryue hem bleþly, But þo þat synne but lyȝtly? Line 11488 For þo þat haue do synnës grete, Vnneþë [Vnneþe O, Vnneþ H.] wyl þey any lete. Ȝyf þey here any predycacyoun, Or sum ouþer chaunse be doun, Line 11492 Ȝyt wyl þey neuer shryue here shame, So are þey bounde yn þe fendës hame. [folio 76b]

And somë lette, for hard penaunce, For to telle here grete cumberaunce. Line 11496 And somë lette here synne to seye, For doute of prest, þat wyl hem bewreye: No shame myȝt to mochë be To þe ['þe' omitted.] prest þat telleþ [telþ.] þat pryuyte. Line 11500

letteþ nat, ȝoure synne to telle;

Þenkeþ on þe peynes of helle; Line 11502 what day þat ȝe dyd ȝoure synne, And how long ȝe haue lyued þer-ynne, what tyme, ánd how, hyt was wroȝt; Alle hyt nede [nedeþ.] þurghout be soghte.

Seynt Dauyd, þe holy prophete, Seyþ, þese wurdes, ful swete, Line 11508 "Alle my shryftë and my shame Haþ so couerd and hyd my blame, þat þe fende may haue no syȝt, Me to bewreyë with no plyȝt; Line 11512 Ne God of heuene wyl nat se Any þyng þat wyl dampnë me." Ȝyf þou shryue þe apertly, Þou mayst be sekyr to haue mercy. Line 11516

The syxte poynt of shryfte.

Þe syxte poynt ys, sorowe of herte; Þat oght to be bytter and smerte whan þou þenkest on þe gode dedes, þat, God haþ do for þy nedes, Line 11520 And þou hast do, as þou weyl wost, Þyng, þat, he hateþ moste.

No creatures ne hateþ he noȝt, But synnë þat ys do or wroȝt; Line 11524 Ne he hateþ nat þe fende of helle, Þe crëature of hym y telle, But þe wykkednes, pryde and synne Þat yn hym ys, and wyl nat blynne; Line 11528 Ne was þyr neuer aungel so bryȝt, Ne man so weyl with God almyȝt, Þat, ȝyf he had synned dedly, [folio 76b:2] To hellë pyne he was wurþy; Line 11532 Þat oght þey boþe to sorowe and kare, Þat yn dedly synnë are.

God hym [hym O, hym hym H.] self, of mageste, Vnto hys lykenes he formed þe; Line 11536 he made þy soule boþe fayre and clene, And to hys ownë godhede sene; And whan þou synnest, þou turnest wyk, And makest þy soulë black as pyk; Line 11540 Þát God had made to hym so weyl, Þou makest hyt lyke þe fende echedeyl. Sorowe oghte þan, þyn hertë bynde, Þat þou art tó hym so vnkynde; Line 11544 Þou dysonourest hym yn þat outrage, And reuylyst hys feyre ymage.

Of þys þyng þan ȝyuest [ȝyfst.] þou leste, Line 11547 whan þou cumst laghyng to þe prest; Euyl oghtest þou laghe, coudest þou se How þou bryngest þy dome with þe; Aboute þy nekke, hanggeþ a wyþþe, Þat haþ þe departed fro Goddys gryþþe: Þy self beryst þan, on þy bak, Line 11553 Þy vylë synne þat makeþ þe blak; May nonë fro þat dome þe borowe, But ȝyf hyt be with byttyr sorowe. Line 11556

Goddys treytour, and ryȝt vyleyn! Hast þou no mynde of Marye Maudeleyn, How she soȝt oure lorde Ihesus Yn Symundës hous leprous? Line 11560 Opone þyn herte, þy gostly eres, And þenke on herë byttyr teres! She cam nat laghyng to þe [com . . . . to þat.] feste, Noþer for game, noþer [no.] for geste; Line 11564 She com wepyng with here yne, Of Ihesu to haue medycyne; She broȝt a smel of grete sauour, Þat tokeneþ loue and grete onour; Line 11568

Line 11568 with here terës þat she lete, [folio 77a] þarwyþ she wyssh Ihesu [Ihū.] fete: So behoueþ vs with here to grete, Ȝyf we, oure synne, wyl truly lete; Line 11572 And, but we haue sorowe for oure [for oure O, with here H.] synne, Þe mercy of God mow we nat wynne.

þe [Þe O, Te H.] seuenþe poynt of shryfte.

The seuenþe poynt ys a gode resun, 'Þat þy shryfte be wysly doun,' Line 11576 Þat ys to sey, to a wys man, Þat þy shryfte vndyrstondë kan; Nat to one þat haþ no wyt Of vndyrstondyng of holy wryt. Line 11580 Seynt Austyn seyþ þys skyl, Do þyr-aftyr who so wyl, 'Of synnë, who so wyl hym lese, Line 11583 A wyse shryftfadyr behoueþ hym chese; And þat may byndë and vnbynde, Swych a man behoueþ hym fynde."

A prest þat ys no clergye ynne, Line 11587 How can he weyl dystyncte þy synne? But now, oueralle, se we mowne An holywatyr clerk of a tounne, þat lytyl haþ lerned yn hys lyue, he ys ordeyned a prest to shryue. Line 11592 Ȝyf he shulde a shryfadyr [shryftefader.] be, hym behoueþ [behouede.] haue lerned of sum degre, Or lerned, or herde, of some þat couþe, Ar he had be prest yn hys ȝouþe; Line 11596 And moche behoueþ [behouede.] hym stody and se, Or lerne at sum, yn pryuyte. he may lyue, as a gode man,

Þoghe he lytyl clergy kan; Line 11600 But for to preche, or herë shryfte, Of clergy behoueþ hym sum þryfte.

And allë prestes haue nat powere For to assoylë þe ryȝt clere, Line 11604 But hyt be þy parysshe preste, Or haue hys leuë at þe leste, [folio 77a:2] Or at þy parsone or vycary, For þese haue of þy soule maystry: Line 11608 Aske hem leue, and haue no gylt, And shryuë þe þan, where þou wylt.

The eyȝtþe [eyghteþe.] poynt of shryfte.

The eyghtþe poynt of þe twelue, 'Þy shryfte shal be alle of þy selue,' Line 11612 Of þyn ownë proper dede, And bewreye none ouþer, y þe forbede. Þyn ownë foly þou shalt seye, And none ouþer body bewreye. Line 11616

Dauyd seyþ yn þe sautere Þese wurdes, þurgh Goddys powere,— he spekeþ ²as weyl to lerned as to lewed,² [2_2 to lernede as weyl as lewede.] — "Myn owne lyfe, lorde, y haue þe shewed; None ouþer mannes y wyl dyscrye, Line 11621 For þat were boþe synne and vyleynye."

Ȝyue gode tent, to þys poynt, Þou prest þat art a-noynt! Line 11624 Ȝyf a man telle þe hys synne, And a-noþer be menged þer-ynne,— As ȝyf hyt were yn lecherye, Or hylp to sle, or robborye, Line 11628 For þese may nat a man weyl do Alone, but ouþer be þar-vnto,— Aske aftyr none ouþer name, But lestene wyl hys ownë blame; Line 11632 For ȝyf þou any ouþer man namest,

Y dar weyl seye þou hym dyffamest; hyt ys grete synne to hym and þe To aske or telle þat shulde nat be; Line 11636 hyt ys bakbytyng, and no shryfte; hyt ys a spyce of euyl þryfte.

Þou lewed man, y forbede þe weyl, Line 11639 Þogh þe prest aske, bewreye þou no deyl; Bewreyë weyl þyn ownë dede, But none ouþer, y þe forbede. y tolde langer yn myn auys, [folio 77b] Loke algate þy preste be wys. Line 11644

Do nat as þe pharysu, Preydë God aȝens hys pru; He ȝede to þe cherche with a man Þat men calle a publycan,— Line 11648 A publycan ys, yn oure sawe, A synful man, oute of þe lawe; Þys pharysu ys to mene 'byfore,' As forby alle, and fro ouþer shore,— Line 11652 Þys pharysu bygan to prey, And seyd, as a shrewe shulde sey, "Lordë, þanked mote þou be, [See French, lines 10111-15.] y am nat, as y ouþer se, Line 11656 Coueytous, ne lecherous of flesshe, And nat as he, þys publycan, ys: Euery woke y fastë twys, Line 11659 And ȝyue my tyþes of rychë prys."

Loke how he made hys auauntement Of þat gode þat God hadde hym sent; ȝe, syre, on a wykked wyse, Oþer men for tó despyce; Line 11664 hys owne godenes, coude he nat sey, But algate ouþer, behoueþ [behouede.] hym wreye.

Besydë stode þe pupblycan, [publykan.] Line 11669 And knew [knegh.] hym self a wykked man,

And durst nat loke to God vpward, But knokked on hys brest ful harde, And seyd with herte ful drefully, "Lorde, þou haue on me mercy!" Line 11672

Þe þublycan had mochë þanke; Þe pharysu, byfore God he stanke. Þus seyþ þe gospel, þat we alle knowe, "who so makeþ hym hygh, he shal be lowe; Line 11676 And, who loghyþ [who so logheþ.] hym yn skylle, Gode heghnes he shal come tylle."

Some, whan þey here shryfte [shryfte O, synne H.] bygynne, he shal hepe on God hys synne, Line 11680 And seyþ algate, 'he ne may noȝt [folio 77b:2] kepe hym, but synne be wroȝt.'

And some sey, whan þey do euyl, Hyt was algate þurgh þe deuyl; Line 11684 And some sey, as y haue herde, 'A! syre! so synneþ alle þe werlde.' Of þy self, shal nat be seyd; On þe, shal alle þe blame be leyd; Line 11688 God blameþ þe for þy mysdede, why seyst þou þan, 'þe behoueþ nede?' [hyt behoueþ be nede.] Ne no fende may but temptë þe; Þe dede shal alle þyn ownë be; Line 11692 Ne at þe worlde mayst þou noȝt kest; Do þy self weyl, hyt ys þe best; Here mayst þou se wyþ godë skyl, Alle hyt ys at þyn ownë wyl. Line 11696

The nyȝnþe poynt of shryfte.

þe nyȝnþë seyþ 'hyt ys foly On þy self for to lye.'

Sey of þy self no [to.] trespas, Ne more synne, þan þou done has; Line 11700 Ne forhele nat þy mysdede; Goddes veniaunce shalt þou drede.

[The Bible-Tale of Ananias and Sapphira.]

Seynt Luke seyþ hys autoryte, Yn þe bygynnyng of crystyanyte, Line 11704 Þe apostoles wente [ȝede.] aboute to preche— Þe crystyndom for to preche [teche.] — how men shuld þe worlde forsake, And what mede þarforë take; Line 11708 Ryche men solde here lande and fee, And come to þe apostoles yn pouerte.

A ryche man, þat hyghte Ananye, He solde hys godë plenerlye; [al plenerlye.] Line 11712 þe syluer þat he þarfore tolde, þerof a party he ded withholde;— Hys wyfe cunseyled wel þar-to Þat he shulde nat awey alle do;— Line 11716 Þe touþer partë, alle he lete, And keste hyt at seynt Peter fete. [folio 78a]

Seynt Petyr parceyued anoun þat þyr was þere [þyr was þere O, þer was H.] gylë doun: Line 11720 he seyd, "y comaundë þe, Alle þat þyr was, þou shewe hyt me." Ananyas þan swore hym þore, he solde hys þyng, for no more. Line 11724 Seynt Peter, þan seyd [seyde þan.] astyt, "why lyest þou on þe holy spyryt?" þys Ananyas fyl dowun dede, As, blak, as any lede. [[6 syll.]] Line 11728

Line 11728 Men tokë þe body asswyþe, And byryed hyt, þat ychë syþe.

hys wyfe come byfore hem alle,— Saphyra, men here calle;— Line 11732 She cunseyled þat hyt was hyd, But she ne wyst what was betyd. Seyn Peter asked here þe soþe ywys, "hast þou no more þan now here ys?" Saphyra answered and seyd, Line 11737 "Y haue no more þan here ys leyd." "þou lyest," he seyde, "þe soþe y se, And nat ȝyt al onely to me, Line 11740 But þou lyest vnto þe holy goste, þat alle þyng wote, and myȝt haþ moste." Asswyþë, yn a lytyl stounde, She fyl dowun dede vnto þe grounde. Line 11744 Men byryed sone here body Besyde here husbonde Anany.

Here-fore y rede þat þou soþe seye To þy prest, as þou shust deye. Line 11748

Yn þy shryfte, lye þou neuer a deyl; holy wryt forbedeþ hyt weyl. þou seyst hyt nat vnto þe prest, Line 11751 þou shewest hyt vnto Goddys breste; Boþe to God and to man, Þat oure defaute, seeþ alle, and kan.

Gode graunte vs þe soþe to sey, Line 11755 And clene be shryuë ar we dey! [folio 78a:2]

þe tenþe poynt of shryfte.

Þe tenþë poynte of shryfte, þys ys: 'Ȝyf þou shalt haue forȝyuënes, Þy synne naked shalt þou make, And opunly, hyt forsake.' Line 11760

Line 11760

hyle hem nat with feyrë wurde, Þat semeþ to gadyr þy synnes to hurde: yn tyfed [tyffede.] wurdys þat slyked are, Semeþ þy synnes þat þey noȝt were; Line 11764 yn swyche wurdys, þe fende ys queynte To make þy shryftë fals and feynte. No queyntyse make þou þerynne, Line 11767 But sey ryȝt as þou dedyst [dest.] þy synne.

þou mayst nat þy synnës wryte, Yn shryftë þe so to quyte, Ȝyf þou mayste speke, and haste [haue.] space To fynde a preste yn any place, Line 11772 with mouþe to speke, and nat [noght.] to hyde, Elles hyt ys a spyce of pryde: Seynt Austyn seyþ, algate þy lyue, 'wyþ mouþe opunly, þou þe shryue.'

þe eleuenþe poynt of shryfte.

þe elleuenþe poynt shul we [we shul.] knowe, Line 11777 'To þy prest þou bere þe lowe, Blelyche yn [þy.] penaunce for to do Alle þat he ioyneþ þe vnto.' Line 11780

Þou shalt make no fals delay, Penaunce to takë at þy pay; Hyt ys sloghnes and feyntés To take penaunce at þy dyuys; Line 11784 For þy synne, þe ryȝt penaunce Shal be þe prestës ordynaunce: Þus seyþ þe clerk, seynt Austyn, Line 11787 "Þe prestes mercy, þou do þe ynne; Þe prest ys crystys vycarye; Do þe alle yn hys mercy."

Ȝyf þe prest be of any resun, Line 11791 He wote weyl what shal be doun; [folio 78b] he wote what penaunce þe falleþ [falþ.] to haue, And what þy state ys, and what hyt wyl craue. And, þus þou wost weyl at gesse, Ȝyf þou were now yn a sykenes, Line 11796 And [al.] wuldest þou do, for to lyue, Alle þat þy leche wulde þe ȝyue; To þy soule, do þe samë wyse, Þy penaunce, as þe prest seyse. Line 11800

Many aȝens þe prest þey kaste, Þat þey mowe noþer bydde ne faste, But ȝyf þey algate penaunce [penaunce O, om. H.] shul do, Þan þay seye hyt behoueþ be so; Line 11804 No þyng aftyr hys dedys ylle, But algate at hys ownë wylle.

wenest þou so to come to heuene, Line 11807 with lyghte penaunce as þou wylt neuene? But y warne þe of þys cas; Þarto ys many a streytë pas. Þe manhede of God wulde noȝt Haue heuene, but hyt were boȝt. Line 11812 what wenest þou haue hyt for so lytyl here, whan God and man boȝt hyt so dere? By heuene with þy penaunce, Or, ellës-where, kepe harder chaunce. Line 11816

þe twelueþ poynt of shryfte.

þe twelueþe poynt of oure resun: 'Alle holy oweþ þy shryfte be doun; No poynt þou shalt with-holde, Line 11819 For, alle holy, hyt oweþ to ['to' omitted.] be tolde; And, þat shal y shewë þe On two maners; þy shryfte al hole shall be.

Ȝyf þou þe shryue by parcelles, Line 11823 Þe holy man seyþ, þy shryfte þou steles; Ȝyf þou shewe one, o party, And anoþer prest þou tellest anoþer foly, Þat shryfte ys noȝt, þy soule ys betrayd, And God almyȝty ys mys-payd; Line 11828 For to echoun þyn herte was stoken, [folio 78b:2] A synne þou heldë þer-ynne loken; þat þou with-helde, was nat forȝyue; Line 11831 Þou shewedest hyt nat, hyt ys vnshryue.

Body ne soulë ys payd weyl Tyl þou haue tolde þy synne [synne O, soule H.] eche deyl; Telle alle þy synnes, and with-holde noun; Or elles, y seye, shryfte ys þyr noun; For, ȝyt haþ þe fende pouste Line 11837 For to make sorowe yn þe.

lo here, ensample þat ys certeyn, Þat noun [no man.] may sey þer-aȝeyn; Line 11840 Ȝyf þou yn þy body haue woundës [wndes.] fyue, Þat, þe leste may for-do þy lyue, And hele hem allë but o wunde, Line 11843 Ȝyt may þat on, [one.] brynge þe to [to þe H, to O.] grounde.

[The Tale of how Shrift made a Woman's unconfest Sin fly out of her Mouth as a 'Blak,' a 'Fende of Helle.']

Of a womman y herde onys spelle, [A tale] þat alle here synnës wulde nat telle;

þys wumman hadde do a synful dede; here shamed to telle hyt for drede. Line 11848

On a [o.] day, grace was here ȝyue, þat she þoȝte she wulde be shryue: þys womman come vnto a frere, And, preyd hym, here lyfe to here. Line 11852 As she sat here shryftë ynne, She þoȝte vppon þys ychë synne; Þe frerë cumforted here weyl, Boldely to sey euery deyl; Line 11856 hys cumforte madë here ryȝt bolde, So þat she furþe þe [þat.] synnë tolde, þat she haddë longe forhole, þurgh cunseyl of þe deuyl stole; Line 11860 But, at þat ychë breyde þat she furþe þe [þat.] synnë seyde, Come fleyng oute, at [of.] here mouþe a blak, Ryȝt as she þe wurdë spak: Line 11864 þe frerë sagh hyt apertly, And þanked God of hys mercy.

þat ychë blak, y dar wel telle [folio 79a] þat hyt was a fende of helle, Line 11868 þat myȝt no lenger yn here reste whan þe synnë oute gan breste; But as longe as she þe synne forhale, Þe deuyl helde ful stylle hys stale; Line 11872 For euer-more he wyl a-byde whyl o synnë may hym hyde; And, for þat yche resun why, Shryue we oure synnë, alle holy; Line 11876 Nat by parcelles, to prestes atwynne; To one, alle holy, shryue þy synne;

To o preste telle [telle þou.] hyt euery deyl, Þan art þou shryuë holy weyl: Line 11880 At oure shryfte, God ȝyue vs myȝt Þese poyntes to kunne, and shewe hem ryȝt.

Now haue ȝe herde þe poyntës twelue, how euery man shal shryue hym selue, And of þese ['þese' omitted.] poyntes lerned sum deyl, how ȝe mow[ë] shryue ȝow weyl. Prestës oghte hem alle to kunne, lewed men to teche and monne; Line 11888 And but þey techë hem þys lore, Here perel ys weyl þe more.