 | Handlyng Synne |  |
[The Tale of the Three Dishonest Executors.]
A tale y herde a gode man sey,
how a man dyd whan he shuld deye:
he ches hym þre executours,
Of al hys godys ordeynours,
Twey lewed men and a clerke,
To do gode yn soulë werke.
Þys clerk was a lordyng,
Þe toþer was an husbunde þat lyued by hys þyng,
Þe þrydë was a marchaunde
Þat boght and solde with cunnaunte.
how a man dyd whan he shuld deye:
he ches hym þre executours,
Of al hys godys ordeynours,
Twey lewed men and a clerke,
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Þys clerk was a lordyng,
Þe toþer was an husbunde þat lyued by hys þyng,
Þe þrydë was a marchaunde
Þat boght and solde with cunnaunte.
Fyl auenture he deydë sone;
Þey dyd with hym þat was to done;
To þe erþë þey hym dyght,
For, þat was þe dedys ryȝt.
whan he was dede, forȝate þey noȝt
Þat al hys godë þey furþe broght.
Þey dyd with hym þat was to done;
To þe erþë þey hym dyght,
For, þat was þe dedys ryȝt.
whan he was dede, forȝate þey noȝt
Þat al hys godë þey furþe broght.
Whan þey hadde gadred and a-countede
Þrytty mark hys gode amounted;
hys vessel was ten mark wurþy,
and ten mark of pens redy,
and ten mark hys ouþer store:
Þus þey hyt set, and at no more.
Þrytty mark hys gode amounted;
hys vessel was ten mark wurþy,
and ten mark of pens redy,
and ten mark hys ouþer store:
Þus þey hyt set, and at no more.
Þys clerk seyd: “we are þre;
As y rede, so do shul ȝe:
Þys ychë man þat dedë ys,
y hope hys soulë be yn blys;
and ȝyf hys soulë yn blys be,
he haþ no nede of gold ne fe;
hyt may no more but be yn heuene,
þogh we ȝaue þys, and swych[ë] seuene;
And ȝyf hys soulë be yn helle,
Alle þe pens þat we mow telle,
ne alle þe prestes þat messe mow synge,
Mow nat hyt out of hellë brynge:
So, be hyt yn helle, or be hyt yn blys,
hyt haþ no morë nede of þys;
“And we are swore to dele hyt ryȝt,
And euen to parte hyt at oure myȝt;
So we shul, ȝyf þat ȝe wylle:
And seyþ now here an euyn skylle;
he vouchede hyt saufe on vs, he seyd,
Þat we ȝaue hyt whan he deyde.
As y rede, so do shul ȝe:
Þys ychë man þat dedë ys,
y hope hys soulë be yn blys;
and ȝyf hys soulë yn blys be,
he haþ no nede of gold ne fe;
hyt may no more but be yn heuene,
þogh we ȝaue þys, and swych[ë] seuene;
And ȝyf hys soulë be yn helle,
Alle þe pens þat we mow telle,
ne alle þe prestes þat messe mow synge,
Mow nat hyt out of hellë brynge:
So, be hyt yn helle, or be hyt yn blys,
hyt haþ no morë nede of þys;
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And euen to parte hyt at oure myȝt;
So we shul, ȝyf þat ȝe wylle:
And seyþ now here an euyn skylle;
he vouchede hyt saufe on vs, he seyd,
Þat we ȝaue hyt whan he deyde.
“Þys yche vessel þat ȝe se,
hyt may wel fallë to me.
þe store of hous, y vndyrstande,
Falleþ weyl to an husbande;
And þese pens falle on best wyse
To a marchaunde to do hys marchaundyse.
For soþë, y kan se no bet,
How euer hyt myȝt be bettyr sette;
No better, certes, myȝt hyt falle:
Þys ȝe seeþ, and weteþ alle.
Takë eche man hys party,
For y haue parted hyt euenly.”
hyt may wel fallë to me.
þe store of hous, y vndyrstande,
Falleþ weyl to an husbande;
And þese pens falle on best wyse
To a marchaunde to do hys marchaundyse.
For soþë, y kan se no bet,
How euer hyt myȝt be bettyr sette;
No better, certes, myȝt hyt falle:
Þys ȝe seeþ, and weteþ alle.
Takë eche man hys party,
For y haue parted hyt euenly.”
And eche of hem hys partë toke;
Hyred þey neyþer messe ne boke
For to synge, ne for to rede;
þey seyd þe soulë had no nede.
y pray God, mysauenture
hauë swych executure!
Hyred þey neyþer messe ne boke
For to synge, ne for to rede;
þey seyd þe soulë had no nede.
y pray God, mysauenture
hauë swych executure!
Executur þat wyl nat do
As þe dede ordeyned to,
he shal haue ful euyl endyng
þat so wyþ-halt þe dedës þyng.
Fals executours þat haue ben,
þys chaunce haue men of hem sen,
þat oþer fayleþ hem wurldës grace,
Or, at here endyng, speche or space;
And ȝyf hyt stonde þe wurldës aght,
A tokene hyt ys, hys soule ys kaght.
As þe dede ordeyned to,
he shal haue ful euyl endyng
þat so wyþ-halt þe dedës þyng.
Fals executours þat haue ben,
þys chaunce haue men of hem sen,
þat oþer fayleþ hem wurldës grace,
Or, at here endyng, speche or space;
And ȝyf hyt stonde þe wurldës aght,
A tokene hyt ys, hys soule ys kaght.
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And here, at þys ychë pas,
Y shal ȝow tellë of a kas
Þat fyl now late yn Kesteuene;
But þe name y wyl nat neuene.
Y shal ȝow tellë of a kas
Þat fyl now late yn Kesteuene;
But þe name y wyl nat neuene.
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