 | Handlyng Synne |  |
181
[Of Usurers.]
And okerere may þar-to be tolde,
For coueytous man ys okerere bolde.
y haue ȝow toldë of þys lak
yn þe seuenþe comaundement whan y spak.
Þys to sey, y am hardy,
Þese chapmen haunte hyt comunly.
For coueytous man ys okerere bolde.
y haue ȝow toldë of þys lak
yn þe seuenþe comaundement whan y spak.
Þys to sey, y am hardy,
Þese chapmen haunte hyt comunly.
Ȝyf þou borow of a marchaunte,
And makest for wynnyng certeyn cunnaunt,
‘Gete þou wynnyng, or gete þou lore,
Þou shalt ȝyuë so þar-fore;’
For soþe ȝe fallë boþe yn synne,
And he ys a-cursed þat takeþ þe wynne.
with oker forsoþë boþe ȝe lyue;
Þat he wyl take, þat wylt þou ȝyue.
And makest for wynnyng certeyn cunnaunt,
‘Gete þou wynnyng, or gete þou lore,
Þou shalt ȝyuë so þar-fore;’
For soþe ȝe fallë boþe yn synne,
And he ys a-cursed þat takeþ þe wynne.
with oker forsoþë boþe ȝe lyue;
Þat he wyl take, þat wylt þou ȝyue.
Okerers, and kauersyns,
As wykked þey are as sarasyns.
who so myȝt preuë whych þey wore—
were þey lewed, or were þey lore—
Þey shulde nat come yn Crystys herde,
Ne come yn cherche ne chyrchë ȝerde.
Noþeles, þurgh þys skylle
Þey mowe be saued, ȝyf þat þey wylle,
leue þat synne, and do no more,
And do at holy cherches lore;
And ȝyue aȝeyn þat ychë þyng
Þat þey haue take yn okeryng;
ȝyf þey mow nat aȝen hyt ȝyue,
Helpe þe pore men þer-with to lyue,
largëly and with gode wylle,
And þey mowe peyse here dedys ylle.
As wykked þey are as sarasyns.
who so myȝt preuë whych þey wore—
were þey lewed, or were þey lore—
Þey shulde nat come yn Crystys herde,
Ne come yn cherche ne chyrchë ȝerde.
Noþeles, þurgh þys skylle
Þey mowe be saued, ȝyf þat þey wylle,
leue þat synne, and do no more,
And do at holy cherches lore;
And ȝyue aȝeyn þat ychë þyng
Þat þey haue take yn okeryng;
ȝyf þey mow nat aȝen hyt ȝyue,
Helpe þe pore men þer-with to lyue,
largëly and with gode wylle,
And þey mowe peyse here dedys ylle.
A gode ensample now ȝe here,
Of Pers þat was a tollere;
And y shal tellë ȝow as quyk,
How he was boþë gode and wyk.
182
And y shal tellë ȝow as quyk,
How he was boþë gode and wyk.
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