 | Handlyng Synne |  |
That þou make nat þy synne lytyl to seme.
Make nat þy synne, lytyl to seme;
Telle smale and grete, ȝyf þou God queme.
Telle smale and grete, ȝyf þou God queme.
Ȝyt þer ys an enchesun
ys kalled ‘dymynucyun’:
On englys, hyt ys to mene,
To make þy synne lytyl to seme;
Hyt ys to mene also anoþer þyng,
Of þy synne to make shedyng;
And þys may be on two manere,
whan hyt shuld be hole and clere:—
whan þou tellest but þe grete,
þe smalë synnes þan wylt þou lete;
þese clerkys kalle hem ‘cyrcumstauncys,’
To þe grete synnes are þey puruyaunces;
þou puruéyst fyrst, yn þy þoȝt
How þe grete synnes shulde be wroȝt;
Oftyn tyme, a foule þoȝt and an yl,
wyþ lykyng þer-yn, gadereþ a wyl
Aftyr þat wyl, cumþ a syȝt;
Aftyr a syghte, a speche ful ryȝt;
weytyng yn wey, and þarto ȝyftes;
Alle þese, to þe dede a man lyftes;
Alle þese kalle men ‘cyrcumstaunces,’
Þat vn-to þe grete dede men haunces.
ys kalled ‘dymynucyun’:
On englys, hyt ys to mene,
To make þy synne lytyl to seme;
Hyt ys to mene also anoþer þyng,
390
And þys may be on two manere,
whan hyt shuld be hole and clere:—
whan þou tellest but þe grete,
þe smalë synnes þan wylt þou lete;
þese clerkys kalle hem ‘cyrcumstauncys,’
To þe grete synnes are þey puruyaunces;
þou puruéyst fyrst, yn þy þoȝt
How þe grete synnes shulde be wroȝt;
Oftyn tyme, a foule þoȝt and an yl,
wyþ lykyng þer-yn, gadereþ a wyl
Aftyr þat wyl, cumþ a syȝt;
Aftyr a syghte, a speche ful ryȝt;
weytyng yn wey, and þarto ȝyftes;
Alle þese, to þe dede a man lyftes;
Alle þese kalle men ‘cyrcumstaunces,’
Þat vn-to þe grete dede men haunces.
Lo here ensample of oure tale;
Þou sëest stykkës þat are smale,
Þey brenne fyrst, feyre and shyre,
To brynge þe grete stokkes sone on fyre:
Ryȝt so do þése smale, þe with-ynne,
A gretë synnë to bygynne;
Þarfore y warne þe, yn þy lyfe,
Of swychë smale þat þou þe shryue;
For ȝyf þou for-hele hem with þy wyl,
So mayst þou þy soulë spyl.
Þou sëest stykkës þat are smale,
Þey brenne fyrst, feyre and shyre,
To brynge þe grete stokkes sone on fyre:
Ryȝt so do þése smale, þe with-ynne,
A gretë synnë to bygynne;
Þarfore y warne þe, yn þy lyfe,
Of swychë smale þat þou þe shryue;
For ȝyf þou for-hele hem with þy wyl,
So mayst þou þy soulë spyl.
Ryȝt so fareþ forholen synne,
As fyre, borë bosum ynne;
At þe lastë, hyt hym dereþ,
And brennyþ þat hym aboutë bereþ;
For no synne may be hyd,
Þat hyt ne behoueþ opunly be kyd;
Ȝyf hyt be shewed here apert,
Yn ouþer stede hyt ys couert;
And ȝyf þou hydë here þy blame,
hyt shal be shewed to þy shame.
As fyre, borë bosum ynne;
At þe lastë, hyt hym dereþ,
And brennyþ þat hym aboutë bereþ;
For no synne may be hyd,
Þat hyt ne behoueþ opunly be kyd;
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Yn ouþer stede hyt ys couert;
And ȝyf þou hydë here þy blame,
hyt shal be shewed to þy shame.
Seynt Austyn seyþ a wurde to charge,
Of Goddys ȝyfte, how hyt ys large:
“Shryueþ ȝoure dedës and ȝoure þoȝt,
For God forȝyueþ alle or noȝt;
Oþer forȝyueþ he alle with gladehede,
Or alle abydeþ to hys wraþhede.
Ȝyf þou be allë fully shryue,
Forsoþe þan be þey all forȝyue;
Ȝyf þou þe shryue of alle but one,
Noþer he forȝyueþ þat, ne none.”
Of Goddys ȝyfte, how hyt ys large:
“Shryueþ ȝoure dedës and ȝoure þoȝt,
For God forȝyueþ alle or noȝt;
Oþer forȝyueþ he alle with gladehede,
Or alle abydeþ to hys wraþhede.
Ȝyf þou be allë fully shryue,
Forsoþe þan be þey all forȝyue;
Ȝyf þou þe shryue of alle but one,
Noþer he forȝyueþ þat, ne none.”
Yn ryȝt resun þese clerkys telle,
yn þat stede þere God shal dwelle
Plenerly, hyt behoueþ be clene,
Þat no synnë mowe be sene.
whan synne ys shryue, and clene eche deyl
Þere wyl God, holde hys hostele;
Þe mantel of loue ys leyd ful euene,
Þat heleþ Ihesu and kyng of heuene.
Yn o stede ne mowe þey reste;
God or þe fendë, outë keste;
One of þese, behoueþ þe chese;
Take þe toon, þe touþer þou lese.
Y wulde holde hym more þan wode,
Þat cheseþ þe wykked, and leueþ þe gode.
Take we God on oure party,
And fle we þe fendës cumpany.
yn þat stede þere God shal dwelle
Plenerly, hyt behoueþ be clene,
Þat no synnë mowe be sene.
whan synne ys shryue, and clene eche deyl
Þere wyl God, holde hys hostele;
Þe mantel of loue ys leyd ful euene,
Þat heleþ Ihesu and kyng of heuene.
Yn o stede ne mowe þey reste;
God or þe fendë, outë keste;
One of þese, behoueþ þe chese;
Take þe toon, þe touþer þou lese.
Y wulde holde hym more þan wode,
Þat cheseþ þe wykked, and leueþ þe gode.
Take we God on oure party,
And fle we þe fendës cumpany.
| Handlyng Synne | |