[6-text p 638] blessed name /. that they despise hym moore booldely / than dide the cursede Iewes / or elles the deuel / that trembleth whan he heereth his name /
[600] ¶ [N]Ow certes / sith that sweryng. but if it be lawefully doon is so heighly deffended /. muche worse is forsweryng falsly /. and yet nedelees
[601] ¶ What seye we eek/ of hem / that deliten hem [¶ Of hem þat deliten hem in sweryng/. for gentrie and of vsage] in sweryng and holden it a gentrie / or a manly dede to swere grete othes ‖. And what of hem / that of verray vsage ne cesse nat to swere grete othes / al be the cause nat worth a straw /. certes / it is horrible synne [602] ¶ Swerynge sodeynly with-oute auysement is eek a synne [603] But lat vs go now to thilke horrible sweryng [¶ Of the sweryng/ of adiuracion & coniuracion] of Adiuracion and coniuracion / as doon thise false En|chauntours / or Nigromanens / in bacyns ful of water /. or in a bright swerd. in a Cercle / or in a fir / or in a shulder boon of a sheepe /. [604] I kan nat seye / but that they doon cursedly / and damnablely agayns crist/. and al the feith of hooly chirche /
[605] ¶ What seye we of hem / that bileeuen in [¶ Of hem / þat bileeuen in dyuynayles] diuynailes /. as by flight or by noyse of briddes / or of beestes. or by sort/ by Geomancie. by dremes. by chirkynge of dores. or crakynge of houses. by gnawynge of rattes. and swich manere. wrecchednesse. / [606] certes / al this thyng is deffended by god / and by al hooly chirche /. ffor which they been acursed / til they come to amendement. that on swich filthe setten hire bileeue [607] ¶ Charmes [¶ Of charmes for woundes / or maladie] for woundes or maladie of men / or of beestes /. if they taken any effect. it be perauenture / that god suffreth it. for folk sholden yeue the moore feith / and reuerence to his name
[608] NOw wol I. speken of lesynges /. which gener|ally [¶ Of lesynges] / is fals signyficacion of word / in entente / to deceyuen his euene cristene [609] ¶ Some lesynge is / of which / ther comth noon auantage to no wight ‖. And som lesynge / turneth to the ese and profit. of o man / and to disese
