[6-text p 638] blissede name that they dispise it / more boldely / than the cursede Iewys / or ellys the deuyl that tremblith whan he herith his name
[600] ¶ Now certis sythe that swerynge but ȝif it be laufully doon / is so heyly defendit/ moche werse is forswerynge falsely / And ȝit needeles /
[601] what seye we ek of hem that delite hem in swerynge . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] /othis. And what of hem that of verray vsage ne cese not to swere greete othis / al be the cause nat worþ a straw / certis this horrible synne / [602] Swerynge sodeynly is ek a greet synne / [603] But let vs go now to that horrible synne swerynge of adiuracioun as don these false en|chauntouris or nigramanciens in bacenys ful of watyr or in a brygh swerd / in a cerkele / or in a fir or in the schuldir|bon of a scheep / [604] I can nat seyn but that they doon cursedely & dampnably a-geyns crist & al the feith of holy cherche /
[605] ¶ What seyn we of hem that beleyn on dyuynalis / as be flight or be noyse of briddis / or of bestis / or by sort bi Griomancye be dremys by chirkynge of doris / or krakynge of housys / by gnawynge of rattis / and sweche manere wrechedenesse / [606] Certis al this thyng is defendyt/ bi god & holy cherche / for whiche thei been acursed / til thei come to a-mendement that on swich felthe besettyn here be-leue / [607] Charmys for woundis / or maladie of men / or of bestis / if they takyn ony effect / it may be parauenture that god sufferith it for folk schulde ȝeue the moore feith / & reuerence to his name
[608] ¶ Now wele I speke of lesyngis / whiche gener|ally is fals sygnyfiaunce / of word in entent to disseyuyn his euene cristene / [609] Some lesyngis of whiche there comyth non auauntage to no wight / And sum [folio 422a] lesyng turnyth to the ese or profit of a man & to
