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,
