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MORALITEE.
DEre Frendes, this Emperoure is the fadir of hevin; the transgressoure, that Resseyved̛ þe contree, was Adam, the first fadir, that dude ayene the comaundement of god̛, when that he yete of the appiƚƚ; and̛ ther-for he was [leaf 173, col. 1] yoven to iiij. tormentoures. the firste tormentour, þat sette him in presoune, is þe prison̛ & the exile of this present lyf; and̛ ther-fore it is wretin̛ and saide thus, Heu mihi! quia incolatus meus prolongatus est, this is to seye, "Alas! for my dwellynge place is proloyned̛ or y-made fer, scil. ioye of paradys, that was lost by synne. The secounde Tormentour, þat hilde him, is the wrecchidnesse of this worlde, the wiche Tormentiþe vs with almaner of peynis & wrecchidnesses. The thirde, that slowhe him, is dethe, þe whiche iugylithe and̛ sleithe vs alle. The iiij. þat devourithe him, bethe wormes; for when a man deyithe, he is yevin to the mete of wormes. And̛ therfore the iiij. tormentours of this worlde bethe þe preson̛ of this worlde or exil, þe wrecchidnesse of the worlde, dethe, and̛ wormes; the whiche wolle have vengeauns and̛ peyne, for trespas of the first man̛, vnto the ende of the worlde. for the preson̛ holdiþe vs, wrecchidnesse of the worlde bryngithe in alle evelis, deþe sleþe vs, & wormes gnawiþe vs. but oure lorde Ihesu Crist, sone of the hie Emperour, toke mercy with him, and̛ lepte ouer hillis and̛ dalis, scil. þat is to seye, the wrecchidnesses of this worlde, and̛ enterid̛ the prisoune of helle, & toke vs oute. whenne mercy sawe this, that the sarvaunt was turnid̛ ayene, she had̛ no mater to playne, ne soþefastnesse had̛ no cause to pleyne, for hir fadir was founden̛ true; and̛ Ryghtwyssenesse, the thirde suster, was not pleyning, for in the transgression̛ rightwyssenesse was excusid̛, so þat dethe was had̛ & lyf ayene, perisshing̘ & fyndynge ayen̛. Then pes seynge hir sistris alle in acorde, and̛ Echon̛ of hem havinge hir purpose, she turnid̛ ayene; For whenne contencions & stryf wer̛ cessid̛, then̛ pes was felashipid̛ among hem̛. And̛ now have ye hard̛ playnli how that mercy and̛ sothefastnesse mette togeder, & Rightwisnesse & pes kiste. To the kyssyng of hevenliche Reconsiliacion̛ he bringe vs, that is named̛ saluator Ihesus, Qui cum patre &c.