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Nou ich habbe yzed þe zeue stapes / huer-by clifþ / and wext / and profiteþ / þet trau of uirtue / and of chastet�. Nou behoueþ to zigge / of þe boȝes / of þise trawe / þet byeþ zeuen. be þe zeue states / of þe stapes of uolke / þet byeþ ine þise wordle.
Þe uerste stat / is of þan þet byeþ yhole of bodie / and habbeþ wel yloked hire maydenhod. Ac alneway / hi ne byeþ naȝt y-bounde þerto / þet hi ne bi ine mariage. Ine þet stat / me ssel loki chastete / þet is clennesse of herte / and of bodie. Þeruore þe children of riche men / ssolle habbe guode lokeres / and oneste / þet hi by be-zide ham / and þet hi bi diligent ham wel to teche / and loki uram zenne / and uram kueade uelaȝrede. Vor þe fole uelaȝredes / amerreþ ofte children and hare techinge þet kueade uolk / þe wordes of kueadnesse / of ribaudie / þe fole takinges / and inhoneste ine zenne of lecherie. and oþerhuil of þo lecherie / þet is aye kende. Þerof anoþre time we habbeþ yspeke ine þe chapitle of uices. an þeruore hit ne behoueþ naȝt to reherci. uor þe ilke kende ne is naȝt uayr. And þeruore me ssel þe children chasti / and wel teche / and bi bezide ham þerhuile þet hi byeþ yonge. And wonye his to hyealde þe guode techinges. Vor ase zayþ salomon. 'þet child lyerneþ ine his yeȝeþe: he hit wyle healde ine his elde.' And þe filozofe zayþ. 'Hit ne is naȝt lite þing / to wonie guod / oþer kuead / ine his yeȝeþe.' Vor ase me zayþ. 'Huo þet tekþ colte endaunture: hyalde hit wyle þerhuyle hit ilest.' Zuiche fourme ase þe sso takþ ate ginnynge: he halt euremor ine þet stat. Þanne heþ chastet� nyede of guode lokinge. uor oþerlaker hy ssel zone by uorlore.
Þe oþer stat is of ham þet bieþ naȝt clene of bodie / and habbeþ hare chastet� uorlore / and hare maydenhod / er þan hy weren euerte [So in MS.] ymarissed / ne y-bounde mid bende. huo may ham wyþnyme uorte bi y-marissed. and [typographic Fol. 69. a.] alneway hy byeþ y-ssriue and uorþenchinde of hare zennes. Ine þo stat me ssel loki chastet�. Vor huo þet is ine þet stat: he ssel habbe uest porpos / and wyl / þet neure mor ne ssel ayen yerne to þe zenne of his bodye. ac raþre he him ssel loki be his miȝte. wyþ-oute þet / þet he him moȝe marissi yef he wyle. And huo
þet wyle ine þet stat loki his chastet�: hit behoueþ þet he defouly and chasti his uless be hardnesse of uestinges / and be penonces. Þis is þe oþer boȝ of þise trawe.
Þe þridde is of ham þet byeþ y-bounde be mariage. ine þo stat me ssel loki chastete / out-ynome þe dede of spoushod. Vor hi ssolle loki hare bodi þe on to þe oþre klenliche and treweliche / wyþ-oute do onriȝt : þe on to þe oþren. and þet acseþ þe laȝe of spoushod. þet þe on bere to þe oþren laȝe and trewþe of his bodie. Vor þerhuyle þet hy byeþ y-uestned to-gidere be spoushod þe on to þe oþre / hi byeþ o body / ase zayþ þe writinge. and þeruore ssel þe on louye þe oþren / ase him-zelue. Vor ase hi byeþ on body. hi ssolle by on herte be trewe-loue / ne nanmore ham to-dele / be herte ne be bodie þerhuile þet hi libbeþ. Þeruore hi ssolle loki hare bodyes clene. and chastliche out-ynome þe dede of spoushod. and þeruore zayþ zaynte paul. þet þe wyues ssolle louie hare lhordes / and worssipie. and deuoute- liche by chast and sobre. chaste to loki hare body uram oþren þanne of hare lhordes. sobre ine mete and ine drinke. uor to moche drinke / and to moche ethe: is grat aliȝtinge to þe uere of lecherie. Alsuo ssel þe man loki his body clenliche þet he ne yeue hit naȝt to oþre wyfmen / bote to his. Spoushod is a stat þet me ssel wel klenliche / and wel holylyche loki uor manie skeles. uor hit is a stat of greate autorit�. uor god hit made ine paradis terestre ine þe stat of clennesse. erþan man hedde y-zeneȝed. And þeruore me ssel hit holyliche loki / uor þane skele þet god hit made / and uor þane stede huer hit wes ymad. Efterward / hit is a stat of greate dignet�. uor god wolde by bore of wyfman yspoused. þeruore þe mayde marie made of spoushod hire mentel: hueronder wolde by godes zone bi y-conceyued / and y-bore. Under þo mentle wes y-hole uram þe dyeule / þe priuite / and
þe red of oure scele / and of oure helþe. þeruore þanne me ssel hit worþssipie and clenliche loki. Efter þet me ssel hit loki holyliche / uor his holynesse. [Ms. lolynesse] uor hit is on of þe sacramens of holy cherche. and betokneþ þe spoushod þet is be-tuene holy cherche: and Iesu crist and betuene god / and þe zaule. Þanne þet stat of spoushod is zuo holy and suo honeste: þet þe dede þet wes dyadlich zenne out of spoushod / is wyþ-oute zenne ine spoushod. and naȝ onlepiliche wyþoute zenne: ac hit mai by to merite uor to wynne þet lif wyþ-oute ende. And þou sselt ywyte þet ine þri cas me may do þe dede of spoushod wyþ-oute zenne. and he mai habbe grat merite ase to þe zaule.
Þe uerste cas is huanne me deþ þe ilke dede ine wylle uor to habbe child to serui god. uor ine zuiche onderstondinge wes uerst spoushod yzet. Þe oþer cas is: huanne þe on yelt to þe oþre his dette / þanne he hit akseþ. and þerto ssel sterie dom : þet yelt to echen his riȝt huanne he hit akseþ and bit be mouþe / oþer be tokne ase doþ þe wyfmen þet byeþ ssamuest zuich þing [typographic Fol. 69. b.] uor to acsi. Þe ilke þet uorzakþ þane oþrene þet acseþ: zeneȝeþ. [MS. zeneȝeȝ] uor he deþ him wrang of his oȝene þinge. uor þe on heþ riȝt ine þe bodie of þe oþre. Ac he þet acseþ þet he ssel : he deþ wel and ariȝt. huanne he hit deþ ine þo onderstondinge he ofserueþ auoreye gode. uor riȝt him diȝt þerto / and naȝt lecherie. Þe þridde cas is huanne me hit acseþ his wyue of þo dede / uor to loki hire uram zenne. nameliche huanne he yziȝþ þet hi is zuo ssamuest / þet hi nolde neuremo acsi hare lhorde of zuiche þinnge. and ylefþ þet hi ssolde ualle bleþeliche in-to zenne / oþer liȝtliche bote yef me hire ne acsede. Huo þet ine þo onderstondinge / yelt / oþer acseþ zuiche dette: he ne zeneȝeþ naȝt ac raþre ofserueþ auoreye god. uor pite him stereþ þet to done. Ine þise þri cas / ne is no zenne ine þe dede of spoushod.
Ac ine oþre cas me may zeneȝi / oþer liȝtliche / oþer dyadliche. and specialliche ine þri cas. Þe uerste is. huanne me ne zekþ ine zuich dede : bote þe lecherie and his lost. and ine þo cas me may zeneȝi / liȝtliche / and deadliche. Liȝtliche / huanne þe lost ne paseþ naȝt þe markes / ne þe zetnesses of spoushod. þet is to zigge / huanne þe lost is zuo y-led mid scele / þet þe ilke þet is ine þet stat nolde naȝt þet þing do: bote ine his wyue. Ac huanne þe lecherie and þe lost is zuo grat ine his wyue þet scele is y-blent / and ase moche wolde do he ine hire : þaȝ hy nere naȝt his wyf : ine þet cas is þe ilke zenne dyadlich. uor zuich lecherie geþ ouer þe markes of spoushod. huerof god him wreþeþ ofte to zuiche uolke / and yefþ oþerhuil grat miȝte to þe dyeule ham uor to slea / ase me zayþ of saren [sareu?] raguelis doȝter / þet wes yonge tobies wyf. þet hedde y-het zeue housboundes / þet alle were y-slaȝe of þe dyeule : þe uerste niȝt þet hi wolden ligge by hire. Þeruore þe angel zayde to tobyen þet hise ssolde habbe to wyue. 'Ich þe wyle zigge' he zayde / 'ine huet uolc þe dyeuel heþ myȝte / ine þan þet doþ out god / zuo out of hare herten / and of hare þoȝtes. þet ne yeueþ ham naȝt / bote to hare lecherie to uoluelle / ase an hors deþ. oþer a mule.' and þeruore ham benimþ god oþerhuil hare frut / zuo þet hi ne moȝen habbe no child. Yet hi moȝe zeneȝi dyadliche ine anoþre manire. Þet is to wytene / huanne þe on deþ aye kende / and oþerlaker þanne kende of man acseþ / ne laȝe of mariage acseþ / ne oueryernþ. zuich uolk zeneȝeþ more gratliche / þanne oþre beuore yzed. Ac þo þet in hare spoushod lokeþ þe drede of oure lhorde / and lokeþ klene hare spoushod ase hit is yset. zuych uolk payeþ god.
Þe oþer cas huer me may zeneȝy be spoushod / is huanne man geþ to his wyue ine time þet he ne ssolde naȝt guo. þet is huanne hi is ine þe ziknesse þet wyfmen habbeþ communliche. zuo þet he his naȝt ne spareþ
huanne he wot þet hi is in zuich stat. zeneȝeþ gratliche and uor þan þet god uorbyet / þet man ne habbe uelaȝrede mid his wyue. ine zuich stat / and uor þe peril of his children. Vor ase zayþ saint gregorie. ine zuych stat byeþ ofte beyete þe crokede / þe blynde / and þe mezels. þe dyaue / þe doumbe / þe ssornede [Looks like ssorued in MS.] / þe scallede. and men and wyfmen þet habbeþ oþere zyknesses in hare [typographic Fol. 70. a.] bodie þanne hi comeþ to manhod ase goutes / and beles. and oþre ssrewede eueles. Þeruore þe wifman ssel wel zigge to hire lhorde huanne hi ys ine zuych stat / þet he abyde. and hi alsuo abyde: þerhuile hi is ine þe ylke stat. Alsuo hi ssollen to-gidere spari uram þe dede of spoushod: ine holy times / ase ine greate festes and solemnes / to yeue ham-zelue þe betere god uor to serui. Alsuo ine times of uestinge of holy cherche hi ssolle abide mid þo dede. naȝt uorþan þet hit by zenne zuych þing to done ine zuiche time. and ine zuiche onderstondinge me may hit do. Ac oþerhuil hit is þet me ssel abide / þet me moȝe hit do wyþ-oute zenne: uor betere to habbe of god þet me him bit / ase zayþ saynt austin. Alsuo ine time þet þe wyfman lyþ a childbedde / oþer nyeȝ uor to childi. he ssel him loki uram þe dede of spoushod / uor onestete / and uor peril þet miȝte by. Þeruore þise kinges / erles / barouns / and oþre lhordes habbeþ hare chambren be ham-zelue uram hare wyues ine zuiche time. oþer hi wendeþ to yzy hare kasteles / oþer hare oþre stedes. and þeruore hi habbeþ zuo uayre children and zuo cliene [MS. chene] of bodye. Me uint ine þe boc þet spekþ of kende of bestes. þet þe elifans nele naȝt wonye mid his wyue: þerhuyle þet hi is mid childe. and man be scele ssel bi more antempred þanne a best. and þeruore he ssel more him-zelue ine þo stat þolye / and ine þo time. Ac alnewey / ich ne zigge naȝt þet yef he deþ þe dede of spoushod ine þo time be guode cause / and ine guode onderstondinge / huerof god is demere yef hit is zenne.
Þe þridde cas is / huerine me may kueadliche zeneȝi ine his spoushod : is. ine holy stede. uor ine holy stedes ase ine cherchen þet byeþ apropred uor god to bidde and hym seruy. me ne ssel naȝt do þe dede of spoushod uor worþssipe of þe stede. And huo þet ine zuyche stede ne lokeþ him naȝt þo dede uor to do : he zeneȝeþ uor þe scele of þe stede þet godes uless and his blod byeþ y-sacred inne. uor zuich þing mai by zenne in one stede / and ine one time: þet ne is no zenne ine oþre. Þe [MS. þer] uerþe stat is of ham þet habbeþ yby ine spoushod: ac dyaþ heþ to-deld þe on uram þe oþere. And þe ilke þet is ybleued ine lyue he ssel him loki chastliche ase longe ase he is ine þe stat of wodewehod. þet is a stat þet zaynte paul prayzeþ moche / þet zayþ to wodewon. 'huo þet guod is: he him hyealde ine þet stat. and yef hit him naȝt ne lykeþ : he him wyui. Vor betere and more holy þing is to wyui: þanne him-zelue berne.' Þe ilke bernþ / þet to zenne graunteþ. Vor he zet his herte be wylle and be wilninge to þe uere of lecherie. Ac more hit were worþ him to wyui / þanne himzelue of zuiche uere uorberne. and þet is to onderstonde of ham þet byeþ ine þe stat of simple wodewehod. naȝt of þan þet byeþ ine þet stat y-bounde be heste þet ne moȝe [typographic Fol. 70. b.] naȝt ham spousy / wyþ-oute deadlich zenne / efter þe beheste. Ac alneway yef þe beheste is simple / þet is to zigge / huanne hi is y-do priueliche / and wyþ-oute / solemnet�. þaȝ hit by zuo þet ha zeneȝi dyadliche / þet efter zuych ane beheste him spouseþ : alneway he may bleue ine his spoushod / yef þer ne is non oþer destorbinge. Ac he ssel do penonce / uor þe beheste. Ac huanne þe beheste is solempne / ase be hand of prelat / oþer be profession of religion. oþer be holy ordre / þet me heþ onderuonge / ase sudyakne / oþer dyakne / oþer prest. Þanne þo [We may read þe?] spoushod ne is naȝt. ac raþre hit behoueþ / to dele þo / þet ine zuiche manyre / comeþ to-gidere / uor hi ne moȝe naȝt by soued ine zuych stat.
To loki þet stat of wodewehod / me ssel sterie þe uorbisne of þe turle. Vor ase zayþ þe boc / of kende of bestes. efter þet þe turle heþ ylore hare make : hi ne ssel neuremo / habbe uelaȝrede / mid oþren. ac alneway he is one / and be-ulyȝt / þe uelaȝrede of oþren.
Þri þinges belongeþ moche / to ham þet byeþ ine þe stat / of wodewehod. Þe uerste is him-zelue kepe / and priueliche bi ine his house. naȝt uor to uolȝy þe uelaȝredes suspiciouses. Þerof we habbeþ uorbisne of Iudit / þet wes wodewe / and hi wes a uayr wyfman / of huam me ret ine þe writinge. þet hi hild hare ine hare boure be-sset mid hare maydenes. Huerof zaynte pauel wyþ-nimþ þe yonge wyfmen wodewen / þet were ydele / and bysye to guonne / an to comene / ganglinde / and to moche spekinde. ac bisset hy ssollen by ine hare house / and yeue ham guode workes to done / ase saynte paul tekþ.
Þe oþer þing is / yeue ham to bidde god. and bleþeliche bi at cherche ine deuocion / and ine tyares / ase me ret ine þe godspelle of saint luc. þet þe ilke guode wodewe / þet hette anne / þet hy ne to-delde hire naȝt / uram þe temple. and seruede god niȝt / and day. ine benes and ine uestinges.
Þe þridde þing is / ssarpnes of metes. Vor ase zayþ saint bernard. þys spilþ ine lostes. alsuo ase he spilþ ine þe wetere / þet zuo longe he may by þer onder: þet he lyest þet lif. Non ne may habbe his heaued. þet is his herte / longe ine þe wetere / of lostes of þise wordle / þet he ne ssel lyese þet lyf / þet is þe grace of þe holy gost. be huam þe zaule leueþ ine god. To þo stat belongeþ: ase loȝe cloþinge. naȝt proud / ne bisiuol / to þe uorbisne of iudit. þet let hire uayre robes / and hare riche agrayþinges / þo hire lhord wes dyad. and nom cloþinge of wodewehod / onworþ / and loȝ / and more wes tocne of wepinge / and of zorȝe: þanne of goye. and of ydele blisse. Þeruore þet hi ledde chastet� / and hi
hit wolde loki al hare lif. Hy hire ssredde mid þe here / and ueste eche daye. and hi wes uayr / and yong / riche / and wys / ac guodnesse of herte / and loue of chastet�: hit hire dede do. And þus ssel libbe: þet wyle loki chastet� ine þo stat. Þis is þe uerþe boȝ of þise trawe.