Robert of Brunne's "Handlyng synne".

The fyrste grace þat shryfte ȝyueþ.

þe fyrst grace þat þy shryfte shal ȝyue, he makeþ þy soulë for to lyue. Line 11900 whan þy mouþe with shryfte ys opun, Deþ and synne are boþe oute lopun.

Salamon seyþ, þat ys wys, Yn a bokë of Prouerbyys, [folio 97a:2] Line 11904 "Þe weye of lyue, [lyffe.] with-outyn ende, Oute of ryȝtwys mannes mouþe shal wende." Of þe mouþe þat ys vnryȝt, hyd hys [ys.] synne fro grace and [of.] lyȝt; Line 11908 Þy mouþë, no gracë cumþ ynne, whan þyn herte ys ded yn synne: Deþ and lyfe, ȝe mowe weyl se,

To-gedyr mow þey neuer be. [neuer mowe þey be.] Line 11912

For somë, whan þey come to shryfte, No more wyl þey here herte vp lyfte To God for grace, but beþ harde as stone, So longe haue þey with here synne gone; Sorowe of synnë haue þey noȝt, So ys here soule beneþë broȝt.

For, a lymme þat ys ded or drye Line 11919 Þurgh sykenes, or smete yn pallësye, Þogh men prykkë hyt wyþ oghte, [See French, l. 8729 below.] For hyt ys dede, hyt feleþ noȝte; No more of grace, þe soule may fonge, Þat haþ ley yn synne so longe; Line 11924 But Ihesu cryst, þat none wyl tyne, he boghte alle mankynde wyþ pyne, And graunteþ hym grace, hys shryfte by|gynne, Line 11927 And yn hys shryfte, to sorowe hys synne.

Þurgh swyche sorow, cumþ þe lyfe of grace, Þe deþ of synne awey to chace. Þan ys þys a feyrë ȝyfte, Þe lyfe of euer, þurg þy shryfte; Line 11932 Þy soule þat was for synnë lore, Þurgh shryfte haþ grace and lyfe byfore; Þys ys þe grace and þe fyrst vertu, Þat shryfte doþ to þy soulë pru. Line 11936