The Seven Deadly Sins, OR "GYF ME LYSENS TO LYVE IN EASE."
[MS. Univ. Lib. Camb. Ff. 1. 6. fol. 56 b. Handwriting of the 15th century. Every ll has a stroke through it, and most of the final n's have a stroke over them as here indicated.]
(1)
As I walkyd apon a day
To take the eyre of fylde & floure,
Apon a mylde mornyng of may,
when floures ben full of swete savoure,
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I harde on say, "o god! for ay?
hough long shall I leve in my doloure?"
Apon hys knëys he gan pray,
"Swete Ihesu, sende me sum socoure,
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Maryes son, most of honoure,
That ryche & pore may ponyche & please,
lys me now in my longoure,
And gyf me lysens to lyve in ease.
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(2)
To lyve in ease, thy lawes to kepe,
Graunt me grace, lorde in blys soo bryght,
That I neuer in that caban crepe
Ther lusifer ys lokyn with-outyn lyght.
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My myddell woundys, they ben derne & depe,
Ther ys no plaster that persyth aryght,
her smertyng wyll nat suffre me to slepe,
Tyll a leche with dewte have thēm dyght.
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hit most be a cnect, a crouned wyght,
That knowth that quaysy from ben & pese,
Or ellys theyre medsyns they haue no myght
To geve a man lysens to lyve in ease.
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