Cursor mundi (The cursur o the world). A Northumbrian poem of the XIVth century in four versions. Ed. by the Rev. Richard Morris ...

To quam i sal þe tell here nexist þou sal þe scriue, þat es to prist To quam vr lauerd has giue[n] poste Bath to bind and als laus þe; Line 26141

Line 26141 If þou mai no preist to wine, Line 26142 þus scau a leud man þi sine, . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] If þou be stad in suilk a nede [folio 145b:1] For mikel may þe wail þis dede; Bot writen we þe queþer find Line 26148 He mai þe noþer lese ne bind, For-qui þat kay es giuen to nan Bot preist þat has þis order tan. þar-for man sal it hald in breist, Line 26152 And siþen scheu þis scrift to preist; þat if sua fall þat man be ded Asoil and wirk his best red. Line 26155 þe man þat scriuen and ded þus es We hope he sal haue for-giuenes, For þe trouth and stabil fai þat he was in in his last dai, Line 26159 And for þe grace þat godd has giuen To man þat yernes to be scriuen. Bot þou sal wijt þat preist es nan Mai al asoil bot pape allan, Line 26163 He þat pouste has al plener, And vnder him his penance[r]. þir oþer has all þar maistris sett þat þam agh hald þam in wit dede, Ne nan of oþer has pouste Line 26168 Bot it him elles granted be, For es na herd set for to kepe Wit right bot til his aun scepe. Line 26171 For-þi quen þou o scrift has nede, To þi pariche preist þou þe bede, þat if þou in sli cas be tan. Line 26174 þat he can consail giue þe nan, þou sal his leue haf and his will To scriue þe þan anoþer till; Line 26177

Line 26177 And if he be o leue to thra Line 26178 þou sal wit-vten his leue ga Til a wijser to sceu þi wond, þat skill has for to mak it sond. Line 26181 And we find cases oþer amang þat þou mai til anoþer gang, Fra þi preist þi scrifte to tell Line 26184 Quen he es bath fra-ward and fell. And þou him haue don priue scath þat him to scau þou wat war wath, Als brath, and drunkensum, and skald, And telles in breth þat him es tald. þat es alsua a comun case Line 26190 þat ilk preist may were he gase Here man scrift, asoil, and rede, [folio 145b:2] þat es quen man es in wath o dede. On seke man agh na scrift be laid, Bot þus gat o þe preist be said, Line 26195 Sli scrift sceuid þan sal þou driue If þou war couerd to liue. I ne wat queþer þou bes heþen tan For-þi penance i giue þe nan, Line 26199 For scrift sal mak þi saul scirre, Wit penance thol in clenssing fire; Bot if þat þou mai liue in chance, For þus, and þus, þou do penance.

¶ And þar ar cases we writen find þat preist mai noþer lese ne bind His aun scepe, bot sal he send Line 26206 To bischop for to his state amend, And þar-on first sal i þe lere A reule þat sais on þis maner, Line 26209 Al þe sin þat man has don, þat certain pain es laid apon, If it mai be wit prof ouer-tan Line 26212 þat sagh mai thol forgiuenes nan,

Als for-þi þat his ded es knauin Line 26214 His penance open most be schaun. For lagh will þat man opin plight Amended be in mans sight. [[MS. fight]] For writen es it he wrethes tua Line 26218 His euen cristen, þe curst alsua, For bath gain man, man seis him wirk, And þof skander hali kyrk. Line 26221 And he þat bath þair bleith has blend, A-gains bath be-hous him mend; And þat mai nanwais elles be Line 26224 Bot men his opin penance see; Es na simple preist þat mai Sli scrift on man bot biscop lai. Suilk sinnes mai be sinnes all Line 26228 Bot namlikest we mai þam call, þaa þat chapitil giues on dome, Als spous-brecking, and als hordom, And þat es don bi-tuix þe sib; Line 26232 þe biscop agh þaa for to snib. Fals wijtnes and trouth breking, Mans slaghter and hus brening, Wiche-craft, and als okering, Line 26236 And stelth þat es of halud thing; þir sinnes if þai cum to sight, [folio 146a:1] þe biscop agh þam for to right. þe toþer cas es if þi barne Line 26240 For þi defaut be for-farne, Sum sais þou sal to biscop ga For to tak þi penance fra; Alsua þi lauerd if þou ha slain, Line 26244 Or ben þi fader or moder ban, þi sun, þi sister, or þi broþer, þat ilkan agh wit right to suffre; Or laid on fader on moder hand, Line 26248 To biscop dome þou agh to stand,—

Be it don neuer sa priueli,— Line 26250 For-qui þi plight es owur vgli. þe ferth point es noght þe lest, O man þat menges him wit best For his flexs lust to ful-fill, Line 26254 He sal be sent þe biscop till. þe fift, in kirk if þou ha don Thing þat has þi gift for-don, Line 26257 Als reuelaick, hordom, or man slain, Quar for kyrk most be halud again. þe sext case, þou preist ta kepe Line 26260 þou sin not wit þin aun scepe, For þou hir has to sin driuen þat þou has oþer houen or scriuen, Noþer mai hir þi scrift a-mend, Line 26264 Ne þou hir mai til oþer send þat o þi scepe has na pouste; O biscop most sco scriuen be. A-noþer reule þou vnder-tak, Line 26268 þat ai quen nede es for to slak þe sett penance þat es for plight, þar-til has simple preist na might. For to slak o þat penance, Line 26272 Wit-vten biscop ordinance; And at þou þis mai better knau A sample sotht i sal þe scau. Lagh o penance will þat qua Line 26276 Be moder lijs or sisters tua, Or doghter, or qua reues man His aun lele spoused womman, Or he þat slas his aun wijf, Line 26280 He agh be wijfeles al his lijf, Bot he be yong o suilkin state þat he mai wijf for bere na-gate Line 26283 Oþer o spous or o purches: [folio 146a:2] þan mai his biscop do him grace,

Wijf to tak wijt hir to liue, Line 26286 Ar he him al to hordom giue. And þis mai simple preist nan do Wit-vten biscop leue þar-to, Als þe hali canon vs sais Line 26290 þat scrift on sere-kin sines lais. ¶ Alsua if þi parischen In sin lang has ligand bene, And þou haf oft-sith laid might Line 26294 His wrangwis liuelade for to right, And þou seis it mai noght auail For he ne will folu þi consail,— "Leif frend," agh þou til him sai, "I haue þe delt wit mani dai Line 26299 For to bete þi sinful lijf, Bot nu i se na bote to strif, For me to mend þi sin sa strange. I wat not quar-on it es lang, Line 26303 Queþer on mi plight or on þin, þat i ne mai do þe medicine, Or min vnconanscipe mai fall, Line 26306 Bot þat i moght, i ha don all; And sin i mai þe noght a-mend, I wil þe to þe biscop send." Line 26309 And if þou seis he will noght sua, Sum bok sais þi-self sal ga To biscop for to scheu þi dede, Line 26312 And folu his rede in suilk a nede. ¶ Alsua þou preist, if þou ha ben In plight wit þi pariscen, In reuelaic, thift, or okering, Line 26316 Fals marchandis or suilkin thing, þou mai him noþer scriue ne he Mai til anoþer be send fra þe, For þou þi right fordon has þan Line 26320 þat þou first had wit in þis man,

Als leth þou suld seke man hale, And giue him for to drinc duale. He has his iurediction Line 26324 Tint o þis man al wit resun; He þat him-self has tint his state, He ne mai till oþer it translate. Alsua has þou tint þi right Line 26328 O þis man thoru þin aun plight, Quen þou witsin him drafto dede, [folio 146b:1] For-þi es here na bettur rede þan to þi biscop for to gang, Line 26332 And til him scheu al þair wrang. ¶ þe tent case if þat þou Has mad to god sum god a-vou, Na simple preist mai it vn-do Line 26336 Wit-vten biscop rede þar-to. And þar es oþer cases slike Sett in serekin biscop-rike, þat biscop til him-seluen sere Line 26340 Haldes or til his penancer, For þeir þou salt to biscop ga And for oþer i sal tel ma. Line 26343

¶ þare es first ten pontes to scau For to rekken here nestes on rau, þat al be-for agh we be tift, Line 26346 þat wil þam saue wit sothfast scrift, Clene and reuful, hald, and treu, Open and schire, and oft at reu. Line 26349 Wrei and turnsum, propre, stedfast, Ernexst, willi, buxum, sothfast, Oþer pontes has vr scrift al nede þat blis and bute vs to sal bede. Line 26353 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]

þou vnder-stand wit þis word clen, For to mak clensing al be-dene, Line 26357

Line 26357 O saul wit-in, o bodi wit-vte, Line 26358 þat noght be left þat es to dute; Clense þe wit-in o gastli sake, O fleschely vtrage wit scrift to take, O gastly sin, als lust and pride, Line 26362 And þair bransches þat springes wide. Flessely sin es lucheri, Manass, theft, and glotori, For-þi sais crist to ypocrites, Line 26366 "Wa yow þ^o your-self sa bi-suikkes, For of your dische yee wasche tittes[t], Vte-quat þar es al nede of lest, Line 26369 And yee ar wit-in your-self al ful Wit wickednes, tresun, and bull, Bot wasch first your dische wit-in, þan mai yee best yow clenge o sin." Reuth þou haue in þi scriuing, Line 26374 For þou agh at haue sli soruing, þat teres fall and on þin ei þe sarnes o þin hert to wrei; Line 26377 O þis reuth mai þou find and loke [folio 146b:2] In þe biginyng o þis bok.

Hale agh scrift to be alsua, Line 26380 And noght for to be delt in tua, And bituix preistes tuin or thrin Agh þou noght to dele þi sin,— Sua dos mast þis ypocrites Line 26384 þat wald ai wrenk þair aun wites, For to sem þam-self god and lele, Tuix preistes sere þair scrift to dele, And wenis sua godd for-to blind,— þai leue þe grettes plight be-hind, Bileues þe heui, and sceues þe light þat ruffeld es for to ma slight; Bot certanli þai ar be-teld, Line 26392 For godd will noght þair scrift be delt,

Namar þan his willes es Line 26394 To giue vs half forgiuenes; For oþer forgiues he hus nan Or elles vr sinnes euer ilkan. Line 26397 þan be-houis him screue him halli, þat will haf halik his merci. Bot þou sal vnder-stand o þaa Line 26400 Sinnes þou was of scriuen a, And hali did o þam þi scrift, O þaa þe thar noght scriue þe eft, Bot if þat eft þou fallen be Line 26404 þou neu þi scrift and mend þou þe. And þar-of salt þou þe vmlok, O cases four i find in bok þat þof þou scraf þe o þi dede, Line 26408 To scriue þe eft þou most ha nede; þe first if þi preist suilk be þat right he can noght consail þe, þou sal, þof forwit he it wat, Line 26412 Til aun wiser sceu þi state, If þou mai haf his leue þer till, Or elles al wit-vten his will. Line 26415 þe toþer quen þou has noght don þe penance þat þe laid was on; þe thrid is quen þat þou ert sende To biscop fra þi preist to mend, If þat þou in suilk case es tane Line 26420 þar simple preist has pouste nane. þe herth [[sic]] wit here þou agh to min, If þou has dedli sinnes tuin Thre or four mai fall, or maa, [folio 147a:1] And þi witand has an o þaa Line 26425 In þi hert vn-scriuen left, þou sal al hali scriue þam eft, For o þi sin þat es not scriuen, Es na gat þi gilt for-giuen. Line 26429

Line 26429 And folus þan for þis allan Line 26430 þat o þas oþer for-giuen es nan,

Yit quat o man es clenli scriuen þat al his giltes er for-giuen, Line 26433 Thoru penance droun þat he had tan Godd him has for-giuen ilkan. Bitides in sin he fallus eft In neu or þat he for-wit left, Line 26437 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] I ask þe queþer his first trauail Line 26440 O penance sal him oght auail? Sin he has þan fordon þe saght þat drightin had him forwit raght. þar-til ansuer i þe son, Line 26444 þat al his god dede formast don He has þam wit þis ded slain, And al his wicked went again þat first vr lauerd had forgiuen, Line 26448 Quen he did penance and wel was scriuen. And rises a sin of vnkindnes Wit alle þat als greues es, Als all his oþer sinnes ware, Line 26452 And es vr lauerd mispaiand mare þan al þe dede he dide be-forn, For his lauerd he driues to scorn. For qua-so wrethes his lauerd king, And he o merci find him mind, Line 26457 If eft misdos wel es right. þe lauerd call again his plight; And þe grace he gaue him to Wit skil he mai it al for-do, Line 26461 þat losen be þat he had left, Quen he þat plight reherses eft. Bot siþen quen him reuus his dede I hask þe þen if it be nede Line 26465

Line 26465 þir form sinnes eft-son scriue, Line 26466 And neu penance for þam to driue, Quer he for þis anlepe sin Agh al a neu penance bigin? Raymund giues us here ansuer Line 26470 þat iesus crist es redier To merci giue þan jugement; [folio 147a:2] Quar-for þou vnderstand wit tent, þat right als all his forme sinnes Thoru a sin all neu biginnes, Line 26475 þis sinful man to pin and sake And for to thol all endles wrak, For his first grace he has for-don Thoru his last sinnes don, Line 26479 Alsua quen he es scriuen es right, And penance don for þis-kin plight, All quickens gain his [[his repeated in MS.]] first penance þat tint was wit þis last chance, And all þe god it couers a-gain Line 26484 þat wit þis an-lepe sin was slain, Wit oþer dedis god þat he For-wit had don in charite. þat es all þaa at vnderstand Line 26488 þat vte o dedli sin him fand, Quar-for he es noght halden to Neu penance or scrift to do, For þis an of þas oþer all. Line 26492 Bot if he haue neu preist, mai fall, þan he agh þir oþer schau þat þis neu preist mai þam knau, Quatkin man has he ben ar, Line 26496 For to amend him forþer mar. þe dedis god quickens again Line 26498 þat first war quick and siþen slain, Bot þaa þat forwit ded born ware, þai mai be quickend neuer mare.

Vnder-stand me wel, þou reder, Line 26502 Quat birthyn mai þis wordes bere, þaa dedis for quick born i tell þou did ar þou in sin fell, All again þir sal þou win Line 26506 Quen þou art mendid o þi sin, þat ded born þou vnder-take, þou did duelland in dedli sake. þat sal neuer be quick i-wis Line 26510 To couer þe right til heuen blis, Bot it sal stand in sted sumquar, In thre thinges if it mai namar; þe first es if þou comberd be Line 26514 In sin, þan sal it helpe þe Vte o þi sin raþer to rise To crist and end in his seruis; Line 26517 þe toþer thing in werlds welth [folio 147b:1] To help þe bath haf hape and helth; þe thrid es if þou heþen wende, Line 26520 þof þou be dempt wit-vten end þi pine þe sal be made to lesse, Al after þin god dedis es. For it es writen als we rede, Line 26524 Es na god were wit-vten mede, Ne na wick wit-vten wrak, Or here or elles quar to take, For suilk es crist reght-wis-hede Line 26528 þat metes ilk man his mede. þar lijs mare o þis mater þat i mai noght al recken here, Bot to þe pointes i first bigan Line 26532 I turn, and sai þam als i kan.

Treu agh scrift als-sua to be, þat es, þat þou þat scriues þe Line 26535 And he þat heris þi scriuing als, In hope ye be noght fonden fals,

Bot o þat sin þat þou es of scriuen þou hope þat it be þe for-giuen; It helpes þe noght certanli Line 26540 Bot þou ha hope stedfast in merci, And þat es god to sceu here nu, Hou cristin man agh here to trow. And þat es funden in vr crede Line 26544 þat þus in englis es to rede; [[Cr]edo] "In godd fader mighty, þat wroght Heuen and erth and al o noght, And in his sun godd crist iesu, Line 26548 Vr aller anlepi lauerd i tru, Conceueid on þe hali gast, And born o mari, maiden chast, Vnder ponce pilate don on rode, Ded doluen till hell he yode, Line 26553 And vte of it his tok his prai, And ros to lijf þe thrid dai, Til heuen he stei, þat al weldand Sites on his fader right hand, Line 26557 þeþen sal he com als for to deme Quic and ded als him es queme. I tru als in þe hali-gast, In hali kyrk mine hope es mast, Line 26561 To felascepe of halus win, And haue forgiuenes of vr sin, And for to rise in flexss and ban [folio 147b:2] To lif þat sal be neuer gan." Line 26565 ¶ þis es þe trouth man clepes crede, þat ilk cristen man cun behous nede, And stedfast hald þir pointes tuelue Als If he will oght saue him-selue. In þiskin trouth agh þou be tift Line 26570 If þou will com til rightwis scrift,

If þou will noght þi saul suick, þou sceu þi sin all openlike. Line 26573

Line 26573 Noght send wit messager a scrite For sua þou mate noght wasch þi wite, Bot sal þou wit þin aun mouth Line 26576 þi-self on stade þi costes ma ruth; For suilk it es vr lauerd will þat þou þi-self haf don þat ill, þar-of þi-self it has þe schame, Line 26580 To saue þi-self at bere þe blame; And noght wit wordes fayr and slight Agh þou for to plane þi plight, þat mai þi derf dedis dill, Line 26584 Bot openli þou þam vnhill, . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And tell þi sins ilkan bi nam, Line 26588 For lathnes leue þou noght, ne scam. And noght þi sinnes self allan Bot circumstances leue þou nan, (þe quilk grathli þe sal be kend, If þou þis bok will se till end,) Line 26593 And scrift o mouth es made for-þi þat prist mai se openli, þe wonde o sin al for to leche Line 26596 And wijt quat medicine to reche. Quar-of leching moght nan be fund Bot it war sene vn-to þe grund. Line 26599 And for þe scam man thinc scriuand, It sal for part o penance stand; For-þi þe wis man sais o lare, Line 26602 "Min aun muth me sal noght spare, In-wit mi soru al o mi lijf I sal fast wit mi-seluen strijf," þat es to sai, þat sal na thing Line 26606 For scam fra opin sin mai bring.

¶ þe sext point in hert þou hald, Scrift agh be scire and sundri tald,

Ilk sin þat es to scau Line 26610 Reckenend be it self on raw. Or þis word sundri þat i sai [folio 148a:1] Mai þou vndo anoþer wai. þat es, o sin þat es priue, Line 26614 Priueli agh scriuen be, O sin þat opin es and kid Tak open penance and vn-hid, For opin sin will opin-lik Line 26618 Be bett, and priue priuelik. Rith þis word þat es oft at neu, Sal þou if þe þi sinnes reu Vnder-stand on maners tuin, Line 26622 þat es quen þou art feld wit sin, Mak þe bun wit scrift to rise, And vnder-stand it on þis wise; Quilk it es, quat time, and tide, Line 26626 þi scrift agh noght at ouer bide, For þou sal scriue þe o sin alson Als þou has euer þi sin don,— Line 26629 And þou mai preist haf at þi will,— For licing es ful selcuth il. Bot if þou most algat a-bide Line 26632 Ouer-pas it nagat bitide; And if sekenes on þe be laid þou be wit scrift al redi graid Line 26635 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And rotes for defaut o leche, Line 26638 And hele þe wers it es to reche. Alsua þe sin quen it es wroght, Bot it be son wit saluing soght, It reches wide and rotes ai Line 26642 Wit-vten salft wil noght a wai; And þerof we resuns fiue þat man agh hastili him scriue, Line 26645

Line 26645 þe first o ded vnwiternes, Line 26646 þat man wat neuer quen it es; þe toþer for a sin or tua Vnbette þai drau ai toward maa, For he þat cumberd es wit an, Line 26650 Wit ma riueli he bes ouer tan; þe thrid qua lenges lijs in sin Vnnethes he mai þar-vte win. Of eilded thing fful wel we wate Better it es to change þe state, Line 26655 þe firth [[MS. firtf]] for dute o brath on hell, þat reues man þe tung to mell. And wijt and moning bath of hert, Quen ded thraus smites smert. Line 26659 þe first es dute o dom þat sall [folio 148a:2] Be wonnun wit our werkes all, þat we war of noght bett no scriuen, Quar-for þis term here was vs giuen. For-þi red i we scriue vs tite, Line 26664 And late we þar-of be na litte.

¶ Propre þat es þat þou ma knaun Nanoþer plightes bot þi naun, And wrei þi-self and oþer noght Line 26668 O þi wicked werkes wroght, And þar-of sais sent dauid welle, "I haue mi hert soght ilk a delle, And sueped wel þat was þar-in Line 26672 And sceu þe lauerd vte al mi sin." For he þat musters oþer mans mis, þar-wit mendes he noght his, Bot es he tald for bakbiter. Line 26676 Bot þai na be samen parte[n]ar Sekand til an sakful dede, For in þat case man most nede Sceu quam wit he did þat foli, Als if he lai a woman bi, Line 26681

Line 26681 Man agh to telle hir qualite, Line 26682 Sib or freind or quat sco be, To tell þe nam o þat person Es naman halden wit resun. Line 26685

¶ þe nend point þou vnderstand, þat scrifte agh selden be wreiand, þat es to knaun þat þi sin es Line 26688 Wroght wit þin aun wickednes, þat þou sa wrei þin aun dede, þat na soigne be for þe lede; Als adam did and eue his fere, Line 26692 þat formast of vr elders were, þat quen þai war to resun don O þat forbot þai had for-don, Line 26695 He said þar-till his wijf him ledde, And sco said þat þe worme hir bedde, And sua wenand to ma þam quite þai made þam worthier to wite. For-þi sais he þat noght lies, Line 26700 þat rightwis scrift him-seluen wries Cums his freind ripand his state, And he sceus him all þat he wate. þis freind es crist, þou vnder-stand, Vr preist þat has his folk in hand. For qua wil noght him-seluen wrei Bot for þir tua nu ar he dei, [folio 148b:1] He sal for-soth on domes-dai Line 26708 Haue wreiers, and þat es to sai, Godd him-self, his aun insight, þe werld, þe warlaw, and his plight. For writen it es and sua will right, þat al þis werld sal for him fight Again þe feluns and vnwise, Alkin scap o scaft sal rise, Line 26715 And he þat nu him-seluen wreis þan, Vr lauerd-self sal soigne þat man,

And sal sai, "þis man will we spare, For noght he spard him-self are, Forgiue we nu his werkes wroght, For he him-self forgaue him noght." And es nathing so well mai pai Line 26722 Vr wiþerwin als forto sai, Quen we had don here anikin ill, Als sai, "þe feind vs draf þer-till."

þe tent point forget þou noght, Line 26726 Scrift agh be made wit god for-thoght þat þou þi dedis sua for-lok, Als þou þam written had in bok. For qua will yeild a-cuntes right He agh it for-wit for to dight, Line 26731 Ne tell noght ouer-wit reuand ras, Als dos þis men þat penis tas Draus tuin at ans wit-vten hon, þat þai þe raþer mai ha don. Line 26735 Bot sinful man, if þou be wise, Hast noght þi scrift on þiskin wis, Bot ilk-a sin be self þou schau, Line 26738 þat þi preist mai þam graithli knau; Noght an þi werkes þat þou wroght, Bot wordes wick, and idel thoght, þat þou sua wit þin open hert Line 26742 Mak alle þi priuetes apert, þat thoru þat þe think þar Mai þi mede be welle þe mar. Line 26745 For qua will noght, wit-vten wene, Wit scrift þair conscience ma clene, It sal be don to þam i wise, þe prophet sagh, þe quilk es þise, þai sal yow vp on balkes lift Line 26750 Als suine þat ar to salting tift, And alle your entrailles ilkon [folio 148b:2] In welland pottes sal be don, Line 26753

Line 26753 And siþen þai sal yow cast in brine, As men dos wit salting suine. Line 26755 þis entrail in fire þat brennes Bi-takens þin vn-scriuen sinnes, þi-self sal casten be in brine, þat es to sai in lastand pine, þar endles gnasting es to toth Line 26760 And grete of ei wijt þou for-soth. Brinston sal be þat brine wit vnder, And wormes a-bouen apon to wonder, On ilk side sal be þe fere, Line 26764 þai þat war tint wit lucifere.

þe elleuend point stedfast and stabil Sal scrift be, þat es resonabil, And noght als neus þat er tan, Line 26768 þat ar to dai, to moru ar gan; Bot þat þi stabil pes mai last To crist þou hald þi penance fast, Ac do noght als dos naman Line 26772 þat wenis scrift þar scrift es nan, þai com to scrift a glos to make, Noght in entent þair sin for-sake. Bot es þair tent mare to be sene At scrifte þan to be scriuen clene, To þe preist ful well þai hight Line 26778 þair sin for-sak, þair lijf to right, Bot fra þat fals scrift be made, Es þar wit þaim na langer bade, þat þai þaim to þair filthes fest Line 26782 Als hund to þat he for-wit kest, And worthes þam wel wers þan ar, And quilum bettis neuer mare. Bot wijt þou well, wit-vten wene, þai do bot tarys crist wit tene, Line 26787 And oft his wrak on þam sua lendes þat þai er ded wit-vten amendes.

þou werye þan wit mode and mayn þat þou fall noght in sin again, Line 26791 For sli penance mai ha na fo, Man dos intent at eft misdo.

þe haly man, sent Austin, telles In bok o penance þar he spelles, þat, he sais, es penance, right Line 26796 Quen man es wepand for his plight, And siþen sin dos na mare [folio 149a:1] þat him thar-for wepe for-þer mare. Quat if [þat] man him scriue o sin, And sais þer-of he mai not blin, Line 26801 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] On [in scrift] he will an for-ber Line 26804 Anoþer he wil on no maner. I hask quere man him agh forsak Or man wit sli scrift agh to tak? It semis nai, al witerly, Line 26808 Ysodre us telles resun qui, And sais þai crist till hething driue Sli men quen þai þam coms to scriue, þat þere er dedis doand neu, Line 26812 þat þai agh sare wit resun reu. It mai nan him for buxum deme, Quen he to crist will noght quem; For mai naman wit quem to winn To serue at ans lauerds tuin, Line 26817 þat es to godd, and lust o sin, þat he ne most fra þam oþer tuin. And vnnait is þat scrift to-quils, Line 26820 þe quilk þat sinnes foluand files. Quat bote to wepe þe sin was left Quen þou þat ilk reherses eft? Quat bot on aside gadir til, And on anoþer side to spill? Line 26825

Line 26825 Again sli scrift pape Innocent [[Innocencius]] þusgat giues his commament, Line 26827 "We moneyche biscops preistes bath, Als þai þam-self will were fra wath, þat als farr-sum þai mai se, Line 26830 þai thol na sauls forto be Lend vnto þe feinddes hand, Namli wit fals scrift doand." Fals scrift es, well we wate, Line 26834 Quen it es stad in sinful state, þare he sinnes has mani ane He will do penance bot for ane, Or þar he scrift for an dos sua Line 26838 þat he anoþer wil noght for-ga. For writen it es qua all fulfilles þe laght, and in a point it spilles, He sal be plighti for þis an Line 26842 Als he þam broken had euer ilkan. For a sin es moght als fiue, To reue man wit þe lastand liue. A thirl sinkes þe schipp to grund, [folio 149a:2] And oft man deies of a wond, Line 26847 And þar es mani pointes als Quen man may chep men penance fals, Als quen in hert men haldes hete, And will noght þair misdide bete; Or if man be in sli mister Line 26852 þat þai mai þair sin noght for-ber, Als theif, reuer, or hazardour, Hore or okerer, or Iogolour, Bot þai þair mister wille forsak Line 26856 For fals penantes, men sal þam tak. Sin þis man þat I ar of spak Will sothfast scrift nan vnder-tak, And nan bot sothfast may availl, þan me thinc, wit-vten fail, Line 26861

Line 26861 þat his scrift es noght for to here, Sin he fra sin him will noght were. Sotht þe queder, bot we mai sai, Line 26864 His scrift þou agh noght to driue avai, Bot here his scrift and giue him rede þat to sum mendyng him mai lede, And þat he ai dai and night Line 26868 To do þe godes þat he might, Als orisun and almesdede, Til al þe gode he mai hym lede Line 26871 Bituixand crist his hert vndo, And send him grace right scrift to do. For þof his scrift vn-sothfast be, It sal him serue o thinges thre Line 26875 þe quilk i tald þe of resun In þe neist formast questiun. And it is for to trau þat can þe warlau sal noght in þis man Line 26879 Haue sa mikel of his will, Als if he desseli did ill; Als of a Iuu sent gregor telles, Line 26882 þat for drednes moght do noght elles Quen he þe deuel a-bot him saght, Bot saued him-self wit mikel agh[t], Quar-for þai moght harm do him nan, Bot a warlau þam told onan, Line 26887 "I fand a wessel tome," he said, Bot þar was on a taken laid. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] For-þi þof man be fest in sin, Line 26892 O god dede agh he neuer blin. [[MS. blun]] Yett ic ask þe forþer-mare [folio 149b:1] O þiskin man ic spak of are, Quen he is turnd to god entent, And will do fulli amendment, Line 26897

Line 26897 Quer he neu scrift agh for-þi Line 26898 And neu penance at vnderli? Noght allan for his ald plight, For þir þat he nu will right, Line 26901 Or for þas oþer þe quilk he bette Bot noght wit penance laghful sett. Raymund here answares til vs [[Raimundus]] To þis asking, and sais he þus, Line 26905 He þat wald noght leue his sin, And wald noght þar-of forwit blin, He sal wit right all neu be scriuen, Quat scrift-sum he has for-wit driuen. He þat dos scrift of an alsua, Line 26910 And will anoþer noght forga, For þis penance all may we se Was noght don al in charite, Line 26913 For þof man scriue him of a sin And in a-noþer ligges in, Man mai well wit alkin right, þat neuer him was forgiuen his plight. For crist forgiues noght a sake Line 26918 Bot we of all vr mendes make, And sin þis sinn was neuer forgiuen, Nedinges most it neu be scriuen; For hu mai we wot ani dett, Line 26922 þat haldes gilt forgiuenes gett, And quils þat neunes es in wonde Es plaster nan mai mak it sond; Namar it mai þe saul of sin Line 26926 To-quils it stikand es þar-in, And it es stikand euer emeþend, þat sothfast scrift has driuen to þe hend, And þat mai be on namaner, Line 26930 Bot haldand scrifte and sin for-ber.

þi scrift agh to be mad hernestly, Noght als intent o waynglori, Line 26933

Line 26933 Or als þis ypocrites dos Line 26934 In mans sight, in mans ros, And als sum men in scubardis Til oþer men telles þair folis, And sais amang riot ron Line 26938 "Alle men wat wel þat i ha don;"— Bot scrift sal be wit clene entent, [folio 149b:2] In will to do amenddement.

Willili lok þat þou be scriuen, Line 26942 Noght wit strength þar-to be driuen, For neding scrift mai ha na mede; Wittnes o sir caym dede, þat þou be yeitt his wicked-hede It moght him to no merci lede, Line 26947 For he was cald and ouer tane þat he hade his broþer slayn. Ar he seluen it wald yate, Line 26950 For-þi þan com he all to late To merci haue, quen he wit pride His broþer slaghter wend at hide.

¶ þe fortend point es buxumnes, Wit-vten quilk es nan þat es Line 26955 Mai haue elles for ani dede, A nentes crist merci to mede. And writen it es sua buxumli Line 26958 Him-self be-knaus sal haue merci.

¶ þe fijftend point es an þe last, þat þi scrift be mad sothfast, Line 26961 þe soth to hel for nakin thing To meng wit þi scrift lesing, Ne for na mekenes þat mai be Line 26964 þi-self ogh sai bot soth o þe. [[Austinus]] ¶ Sant austin sais þe man þat liges, Or wrangwisli him-seluen wryghes,

In his scrifing for buxumnes, Line 26968 His sin bes him neuer þe lesse, Bot for lesing it es þe mare, And he es sinfular þan are. Bot if þat it be suilk a thing Line 26972 þat þou wat of na certanyng, þat þou þan trous þar-of to sai þan haldes þou þe right wai. Line 26975 þir pointes o scrift qua-so will hald, Merci to haue he mai be bald, And sal his sothfast scrift atend Fra þe warlau him defend. Line 26979

Als þe hali writte us schaus, Four thinges us fra penance draus, Hope and wanhope, schame and dute, For þe warlau es euer a-boute Line 26983 Man to do in sin at lend, And þer-wit tak him at his hend. þis hope þan mai be thrine-fald, [folio 150a:1] Quen man cums to ouer bald. Line 26987 For licing o lijf, for warlds wine, For godds grith als traisting in, Hop es god at hald wit houe, Line 26990 Bot til vnskil noght worth a gloue. ¶ Again þe ferst us sais sant Iam, "Quat es mans lijf bot fam, And a rek þat mai noght last, Line 26994 Bot skailles wit a windes blast." Sant Iob sais, "man born o wijf Hu littel lastand es his lijf!" Line 26997 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Sant paule sais of vr last dai, Line 27000 "Es nan mai certain þer-of sai, Bot cums it als a theif be night, And hides him fra mans sight, Line 27003

Line 27003 Bot quen man wens al-þer best Line 27004 Pes haue and sikernes and rest, þan sal he cum and naman warne, Als baret dos on wijf wit barne." And þat he findes all will quell, For-þi crist biddes in gospell, Line 27009 "Wakes," he sais to cristen men, "For yee wat noþer quar ne quen, Ar or late, on day or night, Line 27012 þe lauerd will cum tok þe his might; For-þi bes war and tak god kepe þat he find yow noght on slepe." Again þe toþer hoping þat es Line 27016 In werldes welth hald sikernes, We find a sothfast sample laid, Hu a riche til him-seluen said, Line 27019 "Lijf," he said, "be glad and blith, For þou has soght in all þe sith Werldes welth to lijf in pese, Line 27022 Nu ete and drinc and mak at es." To quam cu[m] uoice it said, "þou sotte, To-night þai sal cum þe to fott, [[MS. fett]] þe findes, þat es for to say, Sal haue þi wreche saul a-wai. Line 27027 Quen þou þi-self to þaim es taght, To quam þan sal þou giue þin aght?" O wan-hope es þar tua maners, Line 27030 þat man fra scrift and penance bers, þe ferest þat sauls fele has spilt, Quen man for grettnes of his gilt Has tint þe hope o merci might, [folio 150a:2] And lijs he þar-for in his plight, Ogains til hope es medicine, Line 27036 To thinc on iesu cristes pine, þat stranger es to lous we find þan ani sinn es for to bind. Line 27039

Line 27039 And, als i tald noght siþen lang, þof man sin be neuer sa strang, Line 27041 Or neuer ha lin sa lang þer-in, And he will rise and bete his sin, þat he ne mai haf o merci state Line 27044 And hope þer-till þof it be late. þe thridd letting mas mani madd, Quen þai vn-mesurli ar radd Efter rising to fall egain, Line 27048 And mistrus in þair aun main, And sli mis-hope þat þai lij in, Ne dar þai nakin god bigin. Line 27051 And here gain ha we botes thre, Quar-wit þat we mai strenghed be, þe first for waikenes of vr fa Line 27054 þat qua-sum will mai were him fra, For þat fa haldi noght to strang þat, bot it on vr-self be lang, Mai gain vr aun will vs win Line 27058 þat es til him to heild wit sin. For qua witstandes warlau will, He has na might to do him ill, And fra he feld be ans dun Line 27062 He lijs ouercummen as crachun. þe toþer medicine es o strengh þat mai man comforth eke and lengh, And þat strength es o gret lighting, Quen man has casten his birthing O sin þat on him forwit lai, Line 27068 þat thral was vnder þe findes fai, And nu to crist es mad fre man þat ar was thralled to sathan. He þat was bare of al succur, Line 27072 Crist has nu cledd in hijs honur þat ar was vte o godds grith; Nu es alle rightwisnes him wit Line 27075

Line 27075 þat hali kirke had are for-saken, Sco has nu in hir helpes taken. Line 27077 þe thrid es crist at vnder-stand þat til alle his es ai helpand. Scham es þe ferth letting to scau [folio 150b:1] þat we se fele fra penance drau, Line 27081 And namlikest þis ypocrites þat wald ai hide þair aun wites, þat a last mai on oþer se, Line 27084 And on þam-self noght tua or thre Bot wald þai seme to mans sight In þair licam bath fair and slight, Wit-vten any wert or weme Line 27088 Bot inwit fild wit filth and fene. For qua moght se þat saul wit-in Man suld it find ful fole wit sinn; Again þis maner o letting, Line 27092 We find thre wais o beting. ¶ þe first, to min on his ouer-sight þat al wranges has to right, On þiskin sight þat al ouer-lais; Line 27096 We find þus as þe apostell sais, þat alle þis werld, on lagh and hei, Es nackind forwit cristis ei, Line 27099 Noght an vr warkes þat ar wroght Bot vr thoghtes ar þai be thoght, Al þat es gain als nu he seis, Line 27102 And al þat es or euer bes. Thinc for-þi naman scam in liue, Noght anes to preist his sinnes scriue, Bot elles to godd bot was wicare In mans scappe he sittes þare, Line 27107 And þof he þer his pouste bere, þan þof mai fall he es sinfullere. Qui suld þe scame þan sceu þi stat Til him þat alle þi warkes watt? Line 27111

Line 27111 ¶ þe toþer for all folk sal him blame Quen he bes ledd to soru and scam, þat in þe toþer werld sal be, Line 27114 War all folk sal his sinnes se. Vr lauerd he sais vn-to sli men, "Your foul sin sal i do ken Til al þe werld in your visage, Line 27118 þat al sal deme o your vtrage. And yee nu wald fra me hide; All sal se þan your sinful pride." ¶ þe thrid point, vr skilwisnes, Line 27122 For skil and resun god it es þat we leue noght to do þe thing þat mai vs mikel beildes bring. Line 27125 And es he for a fule to trou, [folio 150b:2] þat will noght do þat mai him prou; . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And þar es pointes oþer maa Line 27130 þat lettes man fra scrift al-sua; Als quen þat þou þi bising tas Be oþer men þat oft misgas, Line 27133 For þou þam sais in mikel plight þou haldes þin aun gilt bot light. Or quen þou tas to þe bald-hede, O gretter mans sinful dede; Line 27137 Or for þou mani wicked wate þou draus titter þe to þair state; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Or quen þi sin þe likes sua Line 27144 þat þou na wais it will forga. þeir ar þe pointes þat scriftes lattes, And mani saul to warlau gettes. Line 27147