Declaracio.

Frendes, this emperour is our lord̛ Ihesu crist. the forest is holy chirche; the plantes are the [leaf 17, back] holy sacramentes, that are ordeyned̛ ther in, and goddes comaundementes. ¶ The Steward̛ is dethe, the whicℏ sparetℏ none. The Swyne is a synner, the whicℏ defouletℏ the sacramentes, and goddes preceptes, ne kepetℏ hem not, as he shuld̛ do. God seetℏ that, and biddetℏ the forster, that is, dethe, that he cutte of his taile. this taile is thi kynnesman, or thi speciaƚƚ frend̛, the whicℏ detℏ sleetℏ, that thou shuldest amende thi lyf̘; or els he dothe away thi taile, that is, thi richesse. ¶ Also he dothe away thi lyft ere, that is, thi brother, or thi Sustir, that thou shuldest amende the. ¶ And thou do not, he dothe away thi right ere, that is, he sleetℏ thi sone, or thi doughtir, or thi wyf̘, that thou shuldest amende thi lyf̘. ¶ But ofte sithePage  152 wrecched̛ man, thougℏ he suffre aƚƚ this, yit he dothe many synnes ayenst god̛, and so he is vncurable. ¶ God, whan he seetℏ this, he biddetℏ detℏ slee hym, and take him to the Coke, that is, the deveƚƚ, the whicℏ swolwitℏ the hert, that is, the soule, in the paynes of helle. ¶ But whan the day of dome cometℏ, than god shaƚƚ sitte in his dome, and wold̛ have the hert, that is, the soule; for he lovetℏ more one soule than aƚƚ the world̛; For the soule he yaf̘ his precious blood̛, whicℏ he wold̛ not yeve for aƚƚ the world̛. ¶ In that dome shaƚƚ stonde our aduersarie, that is, the fende, the shrewd̛ coke, agayn̛ the synner̛; and he shaƚƚ allegge, that the synfuƚƚ man hatℏ none hert, that is, no soule, the whicℏ shuld̛ obeye to god in aƚƚ thynges. ¶ Than shaƚƚ the deveƚƚ sey, "he was obedient to me, and to his god inobedient; therefore, rightfuƚƚ domesman, deme hym myn̛, to be dampned̛ witℏ me; for many a tyme thou hast scourged̛ hym, that he shuld̛ obeye to thy comaundementis, But that he wold̛ not, but to me obeyed̛." wo shaƚƚ be to hym, that so shaƚƚ be founden̛ at the day of dome! Therfore studie we so to lede our lyf̘, that we mow come to everlastyng blisse. Amen.