 | Handlyng Synne |  |
[Of Anger, the 2nd Deadly Sin.]
The touþer synne men callë yre,
Þe deuylys doghtyr of hellë fyre.
Ȝyf þou art so wundyr wroþe
with one þat to þe ys dedly loþe,
Ȝyf þou nat sone repentë þe
To helle þou fallest þe fyrst gre.
Þe deuylys doghtyr of hellë fyre.
Ȝyf þou art so wundyr wroþe
with one þat to þe ys dedly loþe,
Ȝyf þou nat sone repentë þe
To helle þou fallest þe fyrst gre.
Þe man wraþþyþ hym lyghtly,
For lytyl, as yn malyncoly,
Þat synnë ne ys ryght gref
Þat sone ys wroþe, and lyghtly lef.
Noþeles, hyt were weyl to done,
wysman shulde nat wraþ hym sone.
For lytyl, as yn malyncoly,
Þat synnë ne ys ryght gref
Þat sone ys wroþe, and lyghtly lef.
Noþeles, hyt were weyl to done,
wysman shulde nat wraþ hym sone.
ȝyf þer be oþer lorde or syre
þat wraþþyth hym with gretë yre,
And euermore yn strenkþe
Þat wraþþë drawe yn lenþe,
Þat ychë wraþþe ys synnë strong
Þat lastyþ yn any man so long.
þat wraþþyth hym with gretë yre,
And euermore yn strenkþe
Þat wraþþë drawe yn lenþe,
Þat ychë wraþþe ys synnë strong
Þat lastyþ yn any man so long.
Ȝyf þou for wraþþe madyst chydyng,
Or repreuedyst a man of vyle þyng,
Yre haþ kast þe yn þys kas
Anoþer grece to hellë pas.
Or repreuedyst a man of vyle þyng,
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Anoþer grece to hellë pas.
Ȝyf þou for yre bygynne wykkednes
Þat no man may lette þe, ne stres,
Þat yche yre ys wyþ pryde,
Ȝyf þou for wraþþe wylt nat abyde.
Þat no man may lette þe, ne stres,
Þat yche yre ys wyþ pryde,
Ȝyf þou for wraþþe wylt nat abyde.
Ȝyf þou yn yre a man hate,
And þat wraþþë wylt nat late,
Greuusly þou art yn synne,
But þou forȝeue, and þer-of blynne.
Þe holy man seyþ hardly,
Þat þou hast slayn hym gostly.
And þat wraþþë wylt nat late,
Greuusly þou art yn synne,
But þou forȝeue, and þer-of blynne.
Þe holy man seyþ hardly,
Þat þou hast slayn hym gostly.
Ȝyf þy wraþþe þou wylt not blynne,
But bryngest anoþer to þy synne,
Þou shalt haue chargë of þo boþe,
For þurgh ȝoure wraþþe are oþer wroþe;
For þy defaute þan synneþ he,
Þe morë perel þyn shal be.
But bryngest anoþer to þy synne,
Þou shalt haue chargë of þo boþe,
For þurgh ȝoure wraþþe are oþer wroþe;
For þy defaute þan synneþ he,
Þe morë perel þyn shal be.
Ȝyf þou ȝaue euer cunsel or rede
For yre, þat a man were dede;
Or ȝyf þou yn any strut,
For Ire wundedyst a man, or hurt,
yn þys synnë ys outrage,
To helle þou makyst þy vyage.
Þus þan wrote þe holy man
At wham þys wurdë lerne y gan.
For yre, þat a man were dede;
Or ȝyf þou yn any strut,
For Ire wundedyst a man, or hurt,
yn þys synnë ys outrage,
To helle þou makyst þy vyage.
Þus þan wrote þe holy man
At wham þys wurdë lerne y gan.
Ȝyf þou for yre a man slogh
Þat myghtyst haue lefte weyl ynogh,—
Þat hyt was nat þe defendyng,
But for wraþþe and yre brennyng,—
Al þat euer God shope to be
Shal come and fyȝt aȝens þe
At þe day of iugëment,
And aȝens alle þou shalt be shent.
Þat myghtyst haue lefte weyl ynogh,—
Þat hyt was nat þe defendyng,
But for wraþþe and yre brennyng,—
Al þat euer God shope to be
Shal come and fyȝt aȝens þe
At þe day of iugëment,
And aȝens alle þou shalt be shent.
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Ȝyf þou art wunt custummably
For to curse for lytyl why,
Þy tunge bereþ þerof wytnesse
Þat men nowe weyl wraþ yn þe gesse.
For to curse for lytyl why,
Þy tunge bereþ þerof wytnesse
Þat men nowe weyl wraþ yn þe gesse.
Ȝyf a man curse as yn game,
And yn hys herte wyl hym no shame,
he ne synneþ nat þan dedly,
For hyt ys seyd al yn rybaudy.
Þys synne ys nat dampnable
But hyt be seyd custummable.
And yn hys herte wyl hym no shame,
he ne synneþ nat þan dedly,
For hyt ys seyd al yn rybaudy.
Þys synne ys nat dampnable
But hyt be seyd custummable.
Þou shal vndyrstand and wete,
with resun, mayst þou þe wraþþe and flyte
Aȝens vyleynye and synne,
ȝyf þou ne mayst do oþer bote þerynne;
wraþþe þe with mannys vyleynye,
But nat with his gode ne hys body.
with resun, mayst þou þe wraþþe and flyte
Aȝens vyleynye and synne,
ȝyf þou ne mayst do oþer bote þerynne;
wraþþe þe with mannys vyleynye,
But nat with his gode ne hys body.
Þat God loueþ, þou shalt loue,
here yn erþe, and yn heuene aboue.
Þat God neuer louyd, þou shalt hate,
wraþþe, and oþer synne foolate.
God louyþ euery creäture
Þat he formed to hys fygure;
But þe synnë þat ys wroght,
Þat loued he neuer noght.
Loue euery man yn hys gode dede;
hys wykkednes shalt þou hate & drede.
here yn erþe, and yn heuene aboue.
Þat God neuer louyd, þou shalt hate,
wraþþe, and oþer synne foolate.
God louyþ euery creäture
Þat he formed to hys fygure;
But þe synnë þat ys wroght,
Þat loued he neuer noght.
Loue euery man yn hys gode dede;
hys wykkednes shalt þou hate & drede.
þou mayst spekë wurdys smerte
Þogh wraþþë be nat yn þyn herte;
Þou mayst be wroþe, sum body to chastyse,
Þogh hate nat yn þy hertë ryse;
And ȝyf þou hate and sone forȝyuyst,
with God hymself þan þou lyuyst;
For God loueþ no þyng more specyaly
Þan for hys loue to haue mercy.
For he commaundeþ yn þe gospel
Þat man shuld forȝeue wraþ eche del,
And seyþ “blessyd be al mercyable!
Þey shul se God, and haue hym stable.”
And þat shal y shewe ȝow by a knyȝt
Þat loued more mercy þan myȝt.
Þogh wraþþë be nat yn þyn herte;
Þou mayst be wroþe, sum body to chastyse,
Þogh hate nat yn þy hertë ryse;
And ȝyf þou hate and sone forȝyuyst,
with God hymself þan þou lyuyst;
For God loueþ no þyng more specyaly
Þan for hys loue to haue mercy.
For he commaundeþ yn þe gospel
Þat man shuld forȝeue wraþ eche del,
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Þey shul se God, and haue hym stable.”
And þat shal y shewe ȝow by a knyȝt
Þat loued more mercy þan myȝt.
[The Tale of the Merciful Knight, and how the Crucifix kist him.]
Betwyxe twey knyȝtes be-ȝunde þe see
Fyl a grete cuntek to be;
Betwyxe hem fyl swyche wraþ & wo
Þat þe toon weyted þe toþer to slo:
Þey mette to-gedyr, y ne wote how;
Algate þe toon þe toþer slow.
Þys ychë slayn knyȝt had a chylde,
A doghty bachelere, and a wylde;
þys ychë chylde toke hym to rede
For to venge hys fadrys ded;
He gate hym grete powere and myȝt
And beseged þe toþer knyȝt.
Þe toþer knyȝt perseyued hym wel,
And drogh hym to hys best castel.
Þo was he beseged so streytly,
Þat he durst come oute on no party
Of alle þe twelue monþe with no deseyt,
So was he beseged streyte;
Messe ne matyns he ne herde
Ne nagher to þe cherge he ferde;
And hyt was yn þe lentyn tyde,
when men shuld leuë wraþ & pryde.
Þan fyl hyt on þe gode fryday,
Þe knyȝt þat yn þe castel lay
loked oute, and say men go
To þe cherchë, to and fro;
Barfote to þe cherche þey ȝede,
To aske mercy for here mysdede.
“Ey,” þoght þe knyȝt, “long ys gone,
Þat messe at þe cherchë herd y none.
what so euer God wyl for me werche,
y wyl ryse, and go to þe cherche.”
He drogh of hys hosyn and hys shone,
And ded þe ȝatys be on-done.
Barfote his ȝede, as ys þe acyse,
To cherche, for to herë Goddys seruyse.
And as he þe wey to þe cherchë name,
Þe chylde, hys enmye, aȝens hym came,
And seyd, “treytur, now shalt þou deye,
And my fadyr deþ ful dere a-beye;
No wurldës gode ne shal þe saue,
Þat þou þe deþ of me shalt haue.”
Þe knyȝt say nonë ouþer bote,
But fel on knees byfore hys fote,
And seyd, “haue on me mercy
For hym þat lyȝt yn þe vyrgyne mary,
And suffred deþ on þe rodë tre
Þys day, to saue boþe þe and me,
And forȝaue hem þat hys blode spylte;
Ryght so forȝyue þou me my gylte;
y am as a presun here yn þys place,
y putte me now alle yn þy grace;
Þat goddys grace be on þe lent
At þe day of Iugëment!”
Þys chylde, þat was hys enmye,
herde hym prey so rufully,
And seyd, “syn þou hast me besoght
For Ihesu loue þat dere vs boght,
And for hys modyr loue so dere,
For hem y graunte þe my pes here.”
Þys ychë chylde down swyþe alyghte,
And yn gode louë kest þe knyȝt;
“Now are we frendys, þat ere were wroþe,
Go we nowe to þe cherchë boþe,
yn gode loue, and parfyte charyte,
For hys sake þat ordeyned pes to be.”
Fyl a grete cuntek to be;
Betwyxe hem fyl swyche wraþ & wo
Þat þe toon weyted þe toþer to slo:
Þey mette to-gedyr, y ne wote how;
Algate þe toon þe toþer slow.
Þys ychë slayn knyȝt had a chylde,
A doghty bachelere, and a wylde;
þys ychë chylde toke hym to rede
For to venge hys fadrys ded;
He gate hym grete powere and myȝt
And beseged þe toþer knyȝt.
Þe toþer knyȝt perseyued hym wel,
And drogh hym to hys best castel.
Þo was he beseged so streytly,
Þat he durst come oute on no party
Of alle þe twelue monþe with no deseyt,
So was he beseged streyte;
Messe ne matyns he ne herde
Ne nagher to þe cherge he ferde;
And hyt was yn þe lentyn tyde,
when men shuld leuë wraþ & pryde.
Þan fyl hyt on þe gode fryday,
Þe knyȝt þat yn þe castel lay
loked oute, and say men go
To þe cherchë, to and fro;
Barfote to þe cherche þey ȝede,
To aske mercy for here mysdede.
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Þat messe at þe cherchë herd y none.
what so euer God wyl for me werche,
y wyl ryse, and go to þe cherche.”
He drogh of hys hosyn and hys shone,
And ded þe ȝatys be on-done.
Barfote his ȝede, as ys þe acyse,
To cherche, for to herë Goddys seruyse.
And as he þe wey to þe cherchë name,
Þe chylde, hys enmye, aȝens hym came,
And seyd, “treytur, now shalt þou deye,
And my fadyr deþ ful dere a-beye;
No wurldës gode ne shal þe saue,
Þat þou þe deþ of me shalt haue.”
Þe knyȝt say nonë ouþer bote,
But fel on knees byfore hys fote,
And seyd, “haue on me mercy
For hym þat lyȝt yn þe vyrgyne mary,
And suffred deþ on þe rodë tre
Þys day, to saue boþe þe and me,
And forȝaue hem þat hys blode spylte;
Ryght so forȝyue þou me my gylte;
y am as a presun here yn þys place,
y putte me now alle yn þy grace;
Þat goddys grace be on þe lent
At þe day of Iugëment!”
Þys chylde, þat was hys enmye,
herde hym prey so rufully,
And seyd, “syn þou hast me besoght
For Ihesu loue þat dere vs boght,
And for hys modyr loue so dere,
For hem y graunte þe my pes here.”
Þys ychë chylde down swyþe alyghte,
And yn gode louë kest þe knyȝt;
“Now are we frendys, þat ere were wroþe,
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yn gode loue, and parfyte charyte,
For hys sake þat ordeyned pes to be.”
Þe knyȝt was glad, and no ferly,
And so were al þat cumpanye,
Þat he forȝaue hym hys mysdede,
And to þe cherchë boþe þey ȝede.
Byfore þe cros þ[e]y knelyd downe
yn þe wurschyp of Ihesu passyowne,
For to kesse þe cros þat day,
As custume ys yn crystyn lay.
Þe elder knyȝt, for honoure,
Ȝede fyrst, and kyst hys creäture;
Aftyr þan, ȝedë þe chylde,
Þat was becomë meke and mylde;
wyþ þe tokene he gan hym blesse,
And kneled down, þe cros to kesse.
Þe crucyfyx, þat þere was leyd,
hys armës fro þe cros vpbreyd,
And clepd þe chyldë hym betwyx,
And aftyrward kyst hym, þat crucyfyx.
And so were al þat cumpanye,
Þat he forȝaue hym hys mysdede,
And to þe cherchë boþe þey ȝede.
Byfore þe cros þ[e]y knelyd downe
yn þe wurschyp of Ihesu passyowne,
For to kesse þe cros þat day,
As custume ys yn crystyn lay.
Þe elder knyȝt, for honoure,
Ȝede fyrst, and kyst hys creäture;
Aftyr þan, ȝedë þe chylde,
Þat was becomë meke and mylde;
wyþ þe tokene he gan hym blesse,
And kneled down, þe cros to kesse.
Þe crucyfyx, þat þere was leyd,
hys armës fro þe cros vpbreyd,
And clepd þe chyldë hym betwyx,
And aftyrward kyst hym, þat crucyfyx.
Alle þe parshe, boþe olde and ȝonge,
Parseyued, and say, þat clyppynge,
And how þe crucyfyx hym kyste;
Þey sagh hyt alle, and weyl hyt wyste.
Alle þey þanked swete Ihesu
Parseyued, and say, þat clyppynge,
And how þe crucyfyx hym kyste;
Þey sagh hyt alle, and weyl hyt wyste.
Alle þey þanked swete Ihesu
Of þat myrácle and þat vertu.
Of þys chylde was grete selkouþe
Þat þe crycyfyx kyst wyþ mouthe.
Noþeles, forsoþe and ywys,
Y trowe þat yn hys herte were moche blys;
And al þe folke þat sagh þys þyng
Made to God grete þankyng.
Of þys chylde was grete selkouþe
Þat þe crycyfyx kyst wyþ mouthe.
Noþeles, forsoþe and ywys,
Y trowe þat yn hys herte were moche blys;
And al þe folke þat sagh þys þyng
Made to God grete þankyng.
Of þese twey knyȝtës, how hyt betyd,
Þe myracle was sone oueral kyd;
And euery man þerof gan telle,
Prestys þerof yn prechyng gun spelle,
So þat euery man yn þat cuntre
lyued wel þe more yn charyte,
And allë men þe sunner forȝaue
Here wraþþe þat þey to ouþer dyd haue.
Þe myracle was sone oueral kyd;
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Prestys þerof yn prechyng gun spelle,
So þat euery man yn þat cuntre
lyued wel þe more yn charyte,
And allë men þe sunner forȝaue
Here wraþþe þat þey to ouþer dyd haue.
Sekyr þou be þat he was dygne,
Þat god shewed for hym swyche a sygne;
A sygne hyt was of gretë loue
That God almyȝty, of heuene aboue,
Profrede hym to kesse so louely,
For he meked hys herte so hy.
Þat god shewed for hym swyche a sygne;
A sygne hyt was of gretë loue
That God almyȝty, of heuene aboue,
Profrede hym to kesse so louely,
For he meked hys herte so hy.
Now mowe ȝe se þat God loueþ hem dere
Þat forȝyuen here wraþ in þys wrlde here.
So shal hys wraþ on hem be sene
Þat here wyl nat forȝeue here tene.
Þat forȝyuen here wraþ in þys wrlde here.
So shal hys wraþ on hem be sene
Þat here wyl nat forȝeue here tene.
Of Ire and wraþ, wul we now blynne,
And telle furþer of a-noþer synne
God ȝyue vs grace, so wraþþe forȝyue
Þat we may alle wyþ Ihesu lyue.
And telle furþer of a-noþer synne
God ȝyue vs grace, so wraþþe forȝyue
Þat we may alle wyþ Ihesu lyue.
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