He soght yn hys herte aboute,
But þeryn foundë he no doute
Line 8852
Þat fyl to synne, ne dedly þyng
To lette þe holy gostes comyng.
He called hys dekene to hym bylyue,
And cunseyled hym 'he shuld hym shryue
Ȝyf he felt oght hym wyþ-ynne,'
Line 8857
"Any maner of dedly synne
Yn þoght or dede þat þou mayst mene;
Of alle, y pray þe, shryue þe clene."
Line 8860
Þe dekene þan opunly with mouþe
Shroue hym of allë þat he couþe.
1He seyde, "of o þyng y haue gret doute:
Yn þoghtës, whan we turnede aboute,1 [1_1 Omitted in Harl.]
Line 8864
On a womman myn 2yȝe ys y2 [2_2 ye y.] -caste;
Þe syȝte of here myn herte to-blaste
And, swal yn my [myn.] herte so grete,
Þe þoȝt of here ne coude y lete;
Line 8868
But God and ȝow, mercy y crye [folio 59a:2]
Of þat þoȝt and þat folye."
Þe bysshope seyd hyt was tresun
Of þe fendes temptacyun.
Line 8872
Of þat synne he asoyled hym fre,
And ȝede aȝen to hys degre.
Þe dekene loked at þe nexte turnyng,
She was a-wey, he sagh no þyng;
Line 8876
Þe holy goste come furþe a-none,
And shewed hym to þe bysshope Ione;
And seynt Ioun was þer-of blyþe,
And þanked God ful felë syþe.
Line 8880
For wommens sake, þys tale y tolde,
Þat þey [þey hem.] oute of þe chaunsel holde
wyþ here kercheues, [kercheuers.] þe deuylys sayle,
Elles shal þey go to helle, boþe top and tayle;
Line 8884
