[ LXXIII. ]
(HOW A MAN ESCAPED THE DEVIL BY PENITENCE.)Addit. MS. 9066.
[leaf 70 back (cont'd)]
A solitarie man̛ wente onys by the waye; and̛ as he wente, he thought to do a synne, and̛ Imagenyd̛ in his herte there on̛. and̛ when he come vndre a wode side, with thinkyng̘ of the synn̛, he sawe sittyng̘ vndre a tree a fende, faste wrytyng̘. he wente to hym̛, to wete wat he wrote, and̛ seide, "what does thoū?" The Deuyƚƚ seide, "I write thy synnes, and̛ thy foule thoughtes, that thou haste in thyn̛ herte with delite and̛ assentyng̘." when he had̛ herde this, he was sorye and̛ contrite, and̛ turned̛ his back to the fende a litiƚƚ while; and̛ for his synnes he wepte faste, and̛ with sorofuƚƚ herte he knoked̛ on his breste. than he turned̛ hym agayne to the fende, and̛ asked̛ hym, what he couthe saye of his synnes, that he wrote. Þen̛ the fende loked̛ on̛ his boke, and̛ saide, "alas! alas! a litiƚƚ hote watire hathe washed̛ a-waye aƚƚ that I haue in my boke of the written̛ this day!" then the fende with mych sorowe vanyshed̛ a-waye, and̛ the good̛ man wente home to his selle a-gayne, and̛ was more warr̛ of Euyƚƚ thoughtes. thus the good̛ man begiled̛ the deuyƚƚ with contricion̛, and̛ with wepyng̘, that wolde haue brought hym̛ to helle. on the same [leaf 71] wise it is good for vs to do a-waye oure synnes with contricion̛, and̛ wepyng̘, and̛ confession̛,