Robert of Brunne's "Handlyng synne".

That þou make nat þy synne lytyl to ['to' omitted.] seme.

Make nat þy synne, lytyl to seme; Line 12411 Telle smale and grete, ȝyf þou God queme.

Ȝyt þer ys an enchesun ys kalled 'dymynucyun': On englys, hyt ys to mene, To make þy synne lytyl to ['to' omitted.] seme; Line 12416 Hyt ys to mene also anoþer þyng,

Of þy synne to make shedyng; And þys may be on two manere, whan hyt shuld be hole and clere:— Line 12420 whan þou tellest but þe grete, þe smalë synnes þan wylt þou lete; þese clerkys kalle hem 'cyrcumstauncys,' To þe grete synnes are þey puruyaunces; [purueyaunces.] þou puruéyst fyrst, yn þy þoȝt Line 12425 How þe grete synnes shulde [shul.] be wroȝt; Oftyn tyme, a foule þoȝt and an ['an' omitted.] yl, wyþ lykyng þer-yn, gadereþ a wyl [folio 82b:2] Aftyr þat wyl, cumþ a syȝt; Line 12429 Aftyr a [þe.] syghte, a speche ful ryȝt; weytyng yn wey, and þarto ȝyftes; Alle þese, to þe dede a man lyftes; Line 12432 Alle þese kalle men 'cyrcumstaunces,' Þat vn-to þe grete dede men haunces.

Lo here ensample of oure tale; Þou sëest [sest.] stykkës þat are smale, Line 12436 Þey brenne fyrst, feyre [lyght.] and shyre, To brynge þe grete stokkes [stokes.] sone on fyre: Ryȝt so do þése smale, þe with-ynne, A gretë synnë to bygynne; Line 12440 Þarfore y warne þe, yn þy lyfe, Of swychë smale þat þou þe shryue; For ȝyf þou for-hele hem with þy wyl, So mayst þou þy soulë spyl. Line 12444

Ryȝt so fareþ forholen synne, As fyre, borë bosum ynne; At þe lastë, hyt hym dereþ, And brennyþ [brēnþ.] þat hym aboutë bereþ; For no synne may be hyd, Line 12449 Þat hyt ne behoueþ opunly be kyd;

Ȝyf hyt be shewed here apert, Yn ouþer stede hyt ys couert; Line 12452 And ȝyf þou hydë here þy blame, hyt shal be shewed to þy shame.

Seynt Austyn seyþ a wurde to charge, Of Goddys ȝyfte, how hyt ys large: Line 12456 "Shryueþ ȝoure dedës and ȝoure þoȝt, For God forȝyueþ alle or noȝt; Oþer forȝyueþ he alle with gladehede, Or alle abydeþ to hys wraþhede. Line 12460 Ȝyf þou be allë fully shryue, Forsoþe þan be þey all forȝyue; Ȝyf þou þe shryue of alle but one, Noþer he forȝyueþ þat, ne none." Line 12464

Yn ryȝt resun þese clerkys telle, yn þat stede þere God shal dwelle [folio 83a] Plenerly, hyt behoueþ be clene, Þat no synnë mowe be sene. Line 12468 whan synne ys shryue, and clene eche deyl Þere wyl God, holde hys hostele; Þe mantel of loue ys leyd ful euene, Þat heleþ Ihesu and kyng of heuene. Line 12472 Yn o stede ne mowe þey reste; God or þe fendë, outë [þe toon oute O.] keste; One of þese, behoueþ þe chese; Take þe toon, þe touþer þou lese. Line 12476 Y wulde holde hym more þan wode, Þat cheseþ þe wykked, and leueþ þe gode. Take we God on oure party, And fle we þe fendës cumpany. Line 12480