Forto take to him hede
To fynde him þat he haþ neode,
And in his hert he is adrad
Þat god þat on þe Rode was sprad
Nile him not eche day ȝiue
Þat he myht bi liue.
Þer he is in wanhope falle,
Þat is þe worste sinne of alle.
In wanhope who so is nome,
He shal neuere in heueñ come.
Þe nithe comaundement þer is,
Þat no man þat cristened is
Shal wiþ tong ne wiþ honde
Sle no man in no londe.
A man may, as ȝe may here,
Slen a man in two manere:
Wiþ mannes honde is þat on,
So is slayn manyon;
And wiþ tong þat oþer is,
Þat is worse þan þat ywis.
If a man procureþ an oþer ought
And is in wille thought
Þat he leose his honour
Or his worldes tresour,
In al þat in him is,
He sleþ him in þat wille ywis.
And in a quest if he beo,
Þat a man shal dampned beo
Falseliche wiþ oute gilt,
In þat quest who so is pilt,
And he take þer offe hede
Þat man wile dampne him for mede
And he beo at þat assent
At þe day of Iugement,
Þat point shal on him beo pilt
Of his deth to bere þe gilt.
An oþer maner slauht þer is:
If a pore man fareþ amis
For hongur or for misese
And þou myht him ought ese
