Robert of Brunne's "Handlyng synne".

The fyfueþ [fyfþe.] grace þat shryfte ȝyueþ.

Ȝyt þyr ys a feyrë ȝyfte Line 12055 Þat vs [vus.] purcháceþ þe grace of shryfte; hyt makeþ vs [vus.] lefe, þere we were loþe, hyt peseþ God whan he ys wroþe. wroþë shul we neuer hym make, But hyt were for synnë sake; Line 12060 Ȝyue þou þe shryue, and mercy cry, God forȝyueþ all þy foly.

weyl oȝt we loue [to loue.] hym as lorde and syre, Þat wyl so sone forȝyue hys yre; Line 12064 Þarfore seyþ seynt Bernard, Þat noun, to shryfte, be slogh ne hard. Haue þou mekenes with répentaunce, And hope yn shryfte gode áffyaunce, Line 12068 How þou hast myȝt merueylusly Ouer God, and hyse þat are hym by, And ouercomest hym gracyously, Þat noun may wynnë with maystry; Line 12072

Line 12072 For allë þyng, for drede hym douteþ, And to hys domë, alle þyng louteþ.

Shryfte, þou art of grete vertu, And purchacest to vs grete pru; Line 12076 For whan þou comst byfore þe kyng, Forgyuënes ys þyn askyng; And þat yche kyng loueþ þe so wel, Þat he forȝyueþ þe euery deyl. Line 12080

Shryfte, þou art Goddes messangere; Þou makyst synful, aungelys pere; Þou purchasest vs, pes [pees.] and gryþ; So seyþ to vs þe prophete Dauyd: [dauyþ.] whan he was yn synnë shent, Line 12085 And dampnable yn Iugëment, A wurde he seyde to þe prophete, "Y haue synned; y wyl of lete." Line 12088 Natan þe prophete forȝaue hys synne whan he seyd þat he wulde blynne. [folio 80b] Þe glose here-on seyþ redyly, 'he þat shryueþ hym parfytely, Line 12092 Asswyþë, for þat shryfte, He haþ forȝyuenes, of Goddys ȝyfte.'

He þat þenkeþ for to be shryue, And hope hyt ys to be forȝyue, Line 12096 Ȝyf hyt so be þat he with-drawe Hys mys-dede, for Goddys awe, Þan may y, ful weyl proue Þat þe prophete Dauyd seyde aboue: Line 12100 Þus he seyd yn hys lyue, "Y haue þoȝtë me to shryue, And God forȝauë me, as sone, Alle þe synnes þat y haue [hade.] done." Line 12104 Yn [See French, l. 8885-86.] þe byble men fynde þese þynges, Yn a boke þat ys of kynges.