The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

198' THE CANTERBUR Y TALES.
sons or prayers is to say a piteous will of heart, of thy flesh make not thine heart bitter or
that redresseth it in God, and expresseth it by angry, nor annoyed of thyself; for better is to
word outward, to remove harms, and to have cast away thine hair than to cast away the
things spiritual and durable, and sometimes sweetness of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
temporal things. Of which orisons, certes in therefore saith Saint Paul, "Clothe you, as
the orison of the Pater nfoster hath our Lord they that be chosen of God in heart, of miseri.
Jesus Christ, enclosed most things. Certes, it corde,15 debonairt6,16sufferance,7 andsuchmanis privileged of three things in its dignity, for ner'of clothing," of which Jesus Christ is more
which it is more digne than any other prayer: apaid 1 than of hairs or of hauberks. Then is
for Jesus Christ himself made it: and itis short, discipline eke in knocking of thy breast, in
for2 it should be coude the more lightly,3 and scourging with yards,'9 in kneelings, in tribulato withhold4 it the more easy in heart, and tions, in suffering patiently wrongs that be
help himself the oftener with this orison; and done to him, and eke in patient sufferance of
for a man should be the less weary to say it; maladies, or losing of worldly catel,20 or of wife,'and for a man may not excuse him to learn it, or of child, or of other friends.
it is so short and so easy: and for it compre- Then shalt thou understand which things
hendeth in itself all good prayers.- The ex- disturb penance, and this is in four things;
position of this holy prayer, that is so,excellent that is dread, shame, hope, and wanhope, that
and so digne, I betake to these masters of is, desperation. And for to speak first of dread,
theology; save thus much will I say, when thou for which he weeneth that he may suffer no
prayest that God should forgive thee thy guilts, penance, thereagainst is remedy for to think
as thou forgivest them that they guilt to thee, that bodily penance is but short and little at
be full well ware that thou be not out of charity. the regard of 2 the pain of hell, that is so cruel
This holy orison aminisheth 6 eke venial sin, and and so long, that it lasteth without end. Now
therefore it appertaineth specially to penitence. against the shame that' a man hath to shrive
This prayer must be truly said, and in very him, and namely22 these hypocrites, that would
faith, and that men pray to God ordinately, be holden so perfect, that they have no need to
discreetly, and devoutly; and always a man shrive them; against that shame should a man
shall put his will to be subject to the will of think, that by way of reason he that hath not
God. This orison must eke be said with great been ashamed to do foul things, certes he ought
humbleness and full pure, and honestly, and not not to be ashamed to do fair things, and that is
to the annoyance of any man or woman. It must confession. A man should eke think, that God
eke be continued with the works of charity. It seeth and knoweth all thy thoughts, and all
availeth against the vices of thesoul; for, assaith thy works; to him may nothing be hid nor
Saint Jerome, by fasting be saved the vices of the covered. Men should eke remember them of
flesh, and byprayer the vices of the soul. the shame that is to come at the day of doom,
After thisthou shalt understand, that bodily to them that be not penitent and shriven in this
pain stands in waking.7 For Jesus Christ saith, present life; for all the creatures in heaven,
"Wake and pray, that ye enter not into temp- and in earth, and in hell, shall see apertly 23 all
tation." Ye shall understand also, that fasting that he hideth in this world.
stands in three things: in forbearing of bodily Now for to speak of them that be so neglimeat and drink, and in forbearing of worldly gent and slow to shrive them; that stands in
jollity, and in forbearing of deadly sin; this is two manners. The one is, that he hopeth to
to say, that a man shall' keep him from deadly live long, and to purchase 24 much riches for his
sin in all that he may. And thou shalt under- delight, and then he will shrive him: and, as
stand eke, that God ordained fasting, and to he Wayeth, he may, as him seemeth, timely
fasting appertain four things: largeness 8 to enough come'to shrift: another is, the surquepoor folk; gladness of heart spiritual; not to drie 25 that he hath in Christ's mercy. Against
be angry nor annoyed nor grudge9 for he -the first vice, he shall think that our life is in
fasteth; and also reasonable hour for to eat by no sickerness,26 and eke that all the riches in
measure, that is to say, a man should not eat this world be in adventure, and pass as a
in untime,l0 nor sit the longer at his meal, for 11 shadow on the wall; and, as saith St Gregory,
he fasteth. Then shalt thou understand, that that it appertaineth to the great righteousness of
bodily pain standeth in;discipline, or teaching, God, that never shall the pain stint 27 of them,
by word; or by writing, or by ensample. Also that never would withdraw them from sin,
inwearing of hairs2 or of stamin, or of haber- their thanks,28 but aye continue in sin; for
geons 14 on their naked flesh for Christ's sake; that perpetual will to do sin shall they have
but ware thee well that such manner penance perpetualpain. Wanhope2 is intwo manners.30
1 Worthy. 2 In order that. 15 With compassion. 16 Gentleness.
3 The more easily conned or learned. 17 Patience. 18 Better pleased.
4 Retain. 5 Commit. 19 Rods. 20 Chattels.
6 Lesseneth. 7 Watching. 21 In comparison with. 22 Especially.
s Liberality. 9 Murmur. 23 Openly. 24 Acquire.
10 Out of time. 11 Because. 25 Presumption; from old French, "surcuider," to
12 Haircloth. 13 Coarse hempen cloth. think arrogantly, be full of conceit. 26 Security.
14 It was a frequent penance among the chivalric 27 Cease. 28 With their goodwill.
orders to wear mail shirts next the skin. 29 Despair. 30 Of two kinds.