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246
[The Tale of the Jew who heard some Devils' Reports of their Deeds to Satan; and how the Devil who got a Bishop to pat a Nun on the Back was most praisd.]
Seynt Gregory telleþ, for gode mennys prew,
Þat sum tyme was onës a Iew,
And trauayled o tyme by þe cuntre,
By iurnes þydyr þat he wulde be.
Fyl so, he nyghtede yn a wasteyne,
Þere he sagh no stede certeyne;
he sagh no stede where wast best
To lygge a nyght and take hys rest.
But an olde temple he sagh stondyng,
þat, sum tyme, folke mysbeleuyng
Made here sacrifyse þer-ynne
To here god, þat hyght Apolyne;
Þys Iew restede þere þat nyȝt,
And toke hys esë as he myȝt.
Þat sum tyme was onës a Iew,
And trauayled o tyme by þe cuntre,
By iurnes þydyr þat he wulde be.
Fyl so, he nyghtede yn a wasteyne,
Þere he sagh no stede certeyne;
he sagh no stede where wast best
To lygge a nyght and take hys rest.
But an olde temple he sagh stondyng,
þat, sum tyme, folke mysbeleuyng
Made here sacrifyse þer-ynne
To here god, þat hyght Apolyne;
Þys Iew restede þere þat nyȝt,
And toke hys esë as he myȝt.
As þe Iew lay þere alone,
To hym-self he made hys mone,
Þat he beleued on swych a lawe
Þat myȝt nat saue hym on no sawe.
Of Ihesu Cryst, he hadde herd speke,
How Iewes dyd hym on þe rodë steke.
Þurgh grete þan ynspyracyun,
He þoght so on hys passyun
Þat oure feyþ yn hys hertë ran,
Al be hyt he were no crysten man;
So, what for trouþe, and what for doute,
He made þe croys hym al a-boute,
And seþþen leyd hym downe to slepe;
Of ouþer, ȝaf he no more kepe.
To hym-self he made hys mone,
Þat he beleued on swych a lawe
Þat myȝt nat saue hym on no sawe.
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How Iewes dyd hym on þe rodë steke.
Þurgh grete þan ynspyracyun,
He þoght so on hys passyun
Þat oure feyþ yn hys hertë ran,
Al be hyt he were no crysten man;
So, what for trouþe, and what for doute,
He made þe croys hym al a-boute,
And seþþen leyd hym downe to slepe;
Of ouþer, ȝaf he no more kepe.
Sone at þe mydnyȝt he gan to wake
Þurgh grete noyse and cry, & sore to quake;
He lokèd vp, and sagh þere sytte
Fendës fele þat fouly flytte;
he sagh one syttë yn a cheyre,
Þat foule lokèd, and foule gan bere;
He bad hem allë ȝelde a-counte,
Here dedës what þey wulde amounte;
what þey hadde do many ȝeres,
He aresoned hem on hys maners;
To oon he cast enchesoun,
“Sey þou, felaw, what þou hast doun!”
“At a weddyng,” he seyde, “y was,
And, þere y dyd grete trespas;
Y slogh, þurgh myȝt of honde,
Boþe þe wyfe and þe husbonde;
And y dyd ȝyt a-noþer chek,
Alle þe ouþer y broght on cuntek,
And euery, y made ouþres foo,
Þat euery man gan ouþer slo.”
Þurgh grete noyse and cry, & sore to quake;
He lokèd vp, and sagh þere sytte
Fendës fele þat fouly flytte;
he sagh one syttë yn a cheyre,
Þat foule lokèd, and foule gan bere;
He bad hem allë ȝelde a-counte,
Here dedës what þey wulde amounte;
what þey hadde do many ȝeres,
He aresoned hem on hys maners;
To oon he cast enchesoun,
“Sey þou, felaw, what þou hast doun!”
“At a weddyng,” he seyde, “y was,
And, þere y dyd grete trespas;
Y slogh, þurgh myȝt of honde,
Boþe þe wyfe and þe husbonde;
And y dyd ȝyt a-noþer chek,
Alle þe ouþer y broght on cuntek,
And euery, y made ouþres foo,
Þat euery man gan ouþer slo.”
Þe mayster fend gan hym beholde,
And sette at noȝt þat he hadde tolde.
“For þat, how long hast þou be þore?”
“A twelue monþe,” he seyd, “and no more.”
“For þy dede þou getyst maugre,
And þarto ȝyt shalt þou bete be.”
And sette at noȝt þat he hadde tolde.
“For þat, how long hast þou be þore?”
“A twelue monþe,” he seyd, “and no more.”
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And þarto ȝyt shalt þou bete be.”
with hym wulde he no more stryue;
He called an-ouþer furthe belyue;
Felunlyche, with yȝen grym,
“where hast þou be?” seyd he to hym.
“Yn þe seë, haue y bene,
And moche sorow made men betwene;
Y haue broght to grete encumbre
Shyppes and men with-outë noumbre,
what yn cuntek, and yn tempest,
Twenty þousand at þe lest.”
Þe deuyl seyd, “þat ys no doute;
how long hast þou be þere-aboute?”
“Seuene wyntyr, al to-gydyr,
hauë y be haunted þedyr.”
Satan comaunded, for hys seruyse
He shuld be put to hys Iuwyse.
He called an-ouþer furthe belyue;
Felunlyche, with yȝen grym,
“where hast þou be?” seyd he to hym.
“Yn þe seë, haue y bene,
And moche sorow made men betwene;
Y haue broght to grete encumbre
Shyppes and men with-outë noumbre,
what yn cuntek, and yn tempest,
Twenty þousand at þe lest.”
Þe deuyl seyd, “þat ys no doute;
how long hast þou be þere-aboute?”
“Seuene wyntyr, al to-gydyr,
hauë y be haunted þedyr.”
Satan comaunded, for hys seruyse
He shuld be put to hys Iuwyse.
Þe þred deuyl was forþë fette
Byfore Satan, þer he was sette;
Satan seyd, “where ware þou?
How þou hast sped, sey me now.”
“A-boute a bysshope y haue be long,
Ȝyf y myȝt hym yn synnë fong;
But yn hym ys so grete bounte
Þat y myȝt neuer turne hym to þe.
But, þys nyȝt y haue so sped,
Þat hym with temptyng so fer haue led,
Þat y hope, y haue hys þoght
A party to my wyllë broght.
Þyr com to hym, for hys godenesse,
A nunne, y wene a pryores,
Sum þyng of hym for to here
Þat she perauenture myȝt of lere;
Algate, y broght hyt so to an ende,
Þat, what tyme þat she shul wende,
He smote here a lytyl on þe bak
Yn pleyyng, whan he to here spak.
God wyst what was yn hys þoȝt
And yn hys herte, for y wyst hyt noȝt.”
Byfore Satan, þer he was sette;
Satan seyd, “where ware þou?
How þou hast sped, sey me now.”
“A-boute a bysshope y haue be long,
Ȝyf y myȝt hym yn synnë fong;
But yn hym ys so grete bounte
Þat y myȝt neuer turne hym to þe.
But, þys nyȝt y haue so sped,
Þat hym with temptyng so fer haue led,
Þat y hope, y haue hys þoght
A party to my wyllë broght.
Þyr com to hym, for hys godenesse,
A nunne, y wene a pryores,
Sum þyng of hym for to here
Þat she perauenture myȝt of lere;
Algate, y broght hyt so to an ende,
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He smote here a lytyl on þe bak
Yn pleyyng, whan he to here spak.
God wyst what was yn hys þoȝt
And yn hys herte, for y wyst hyt noȝt.”
Satan asked ‘how long whyle
he hadde be aboute, hym to gyle.’
“Fourty wyntyr, and alle yn drede,
Ȝyt myȝt y neuer so moche spede,
Ne neuer er bryng hym to plyght
But þat y ded þys samë nyȝt.”
he hadde be aboute, hym to gyle.’
“Fourty wyntyr, and alle yn drede,
Ȝyt myȝt y neuer so moche spede,
Ne neuer er bryng hym to plyght
But þat y ded þys samë nyȝt.”
Ful weyl payd was Satanas
Þat he hadde broght hym to þat cas:
He ros aȝens hym, and made hym blysse,
And profred hym hys mouþe to kysse,
And seyd, ‘he was weyl wurþy
For to come and sytte hym by.’
Þat he hadde broght hym to þat cas:
He ros aȝens hym, and made hym blysse,
And profred hym hys mouþe to kysse,
And seyd, ‘he was weyl wurþy
For to come and sytte hym by.’
Before hem alle, þat ychë tyde,
he sette hym by hym, syde be syde,
And seyd, “ende þat þou hast bygunne;
For þat þou hast do, my loue þou hast wunne.”
he sette hym by hym, syde be syde,
And seyd, “ende þat þou hast bygunne;
For þat þou hast do, my loue þou hast wunne.”
Þys ychë Iew þat þerë lay,
In þe temple with grete affray,
Y trowe for soþe he slept ful lytyl,
whan he herde þat grete chapytyl;
Ȝyf he hadde slept, hym neded awake,
Ȝyf he were wakyng, he shulde a quake,
For Satan asked þere he sat,
“who lyþ þere, and what ys þat?
who durst so hardy be
To lye þere with-oute leue of me?
Goþe swyþe, one or two to-gedyr,
And, what he be, bryngeþ hym hedyr.”
In þe temple with grete affray,
Y trowe for soþe he slept ful lytyl,
whan he herde þat grete chapytyl;
Ȝyf he hadde slept, hym neded awake,
Ȝyf he were wakyng, he shulde a quake,
For Satan asked þere he sat,
“who lyþ þere, and what ys þat?
who durst so hardy be
To lye þere with-oute leue of me?
Goþe swyþe, one or two to-gedyr,
And, what he be, bryngeþ hym hedyr.”
Þe deuylys come un-to hys bedde,
And styrte aȝen, þey were so dredde;
Þe bedde, ne hym, ne durst þey touche,
So had he marked hym with þe crouche.
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Þe bedde, ne hym, ne durst þey touche,
So had he marked hym with þe crouche.
Þey turned aȝen to syre Satan,
And seyd, þey durst nat brynge þat man.
He asked ‘why þat chaunce byfel;’
Þey seyd, hyt was “a lore vessel,
An empty vessel þat marked was
From þe and þyne, syre Satanas;
Þe vessel, whan hyt þere was leyde,
Vn-to vs hyt longed nede.
Alas þe whyle þey gunne to reme!
He haþ hys mark þat wyl hym ȝeme.”
And seyd, þey durst nat brynge þat man.
He asked ‘why þat chaunce byfel;’
Þey seyd, hyt was “a lore vessel,
An empty vessel þat marked was
From þe and þyne, syre Satanas;
Þe vessel, whan hyt þere was leyde,
Vn-to vs hyt longed nede.
Alas þe whyle þey gunne to reme!
He haþ hys mark þat wyl hym ȝeme.”
Þe Iew þey called ‘a voyde vessel,’
And forsoþë, so hyt fel;
Voydë he was of hys lawe,
For he forsoke hyt for fyne awe;
‘Lore,’ for he hadde nat oure lawe take
Seþþe he hadde hys owne forsake.
For þys þyng, y hope þey seyd,
And called þe Iew a vessel voyd.
But þey myȝt nat do hym no dere,
Noþer to Satanas lede ne bere;
So hadde he hym with þe croyce blessed,
Þat of hym algate þey myssed.
Þe fendës and syre Satanas
Þan wente awey, cryying ‘alas!’
And forsoþë, so hyt fel;
Voydë he was of hys lawe,
For he forsoke hyt for fyne awe;
‘Lore,’ for he hadde nat oure lawe take
Seþþe he hadde hys owne forsake.
For þys þyng, y hope þey seyd,
And called þe Iew a vessel voyd.
But þey myȝt nat do hym no dere,
Noþer to Satanas lede ne bere;
So hadde he hym with þe croyce blessed,
Þat of hym algate þey myssed.
Þe fendës and syre Satanas
Þan wente awey, cryying ‘alas!’
Þe Iewë þo asswyþe a-ros,—
hyt was no wundyr þoȝ hym gros,—
Vn-to þe bysshope sone he ȝede
And tolde hym what he sagh yn dede;
Þe crystendome at hym he toke,
And, hys fals[ë] lawe forsoke,
And beleued oure lawe echedeyl,
And þe bysshope amended hym weyl.
hyt was no wundyr þoȝ hym gros,—
Vn-to þe bysshope sone he ȝede
And tolde hym what he sagh yn dede;
Þe crystendome at hym he toke,
And, hys fals[ë] lawe forsoke,
And beleued oure lawe echedeyl,
And þe bysshope amended hym weyl.
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Þys talë to ȝow haue y tolde,
how þe fendë halt hym bolde
whan he haþ tyced an holy man
with any temptacyun þat he kan,
hym þenkeþ he haþ do a grete chaffare;
And namely þo þat ordred are,
whedyr hyt be yn a womman handlyng,
Or yn any oþer lusty þyng;
Þarefore lordynges þat kun wel se,
Amendeþ ȝow, pur charyte,
And makeþ nat a-mys þe toye,
Þat þe fende of ȝou haue Ioye.
how þe fendë halt hym bolde
whan he haþ tyced an holy man
with any temptacyun þat he kan,
hym þenkeþ he haþ do a grete chaffare;
And namely þo þat ordred are,
whedyr hyt be yn a womman handlyng,
Or yn any oþer lusty þyng;
Þarefore lordynges þat kun wel se,
Amendeþ ȝow, pur charyte,
And makeþ nat a-mys þe toye,
Þat þe fende of ȝou haue Ioye.
Prest wel y-lettred ys to blame,
Þat letteþ nat, for drede ne shame,
To pley with wommen, and to rage;
For, aftyr pleyyng, cumþ outrage.
Ofte men se, and haue herd seye,
Þat swyche men go an euyl weye.
Þat letteþ nat, for drede ne shame,
To pley with wommen, and to rage;
For, aftyr pleyyng, cumþ outrage.
Ofte men se, and haue herd seye,
Þat swyche men go an euyl weye.
Ȝyue þou a-mong hem mayst na lyue,
But some algatë on þe clyue,
Take þou ensample at seynt Ierom;
Do as he dyd, and go fro hom.
But some algatë on þe clyue,
Take þou ensample at seynt Ierom;
Do as he dyd, and go fro hom.
Seynt Ierom wente yn-to deserte,
For drede of synne and foly grete.
Men asked hym why he þedyr ȝede,
Syn he was an holy man yn dede;
“y wentë þedyr, synne to fle,
Y dredde hyt wlde ha maystred me;
Synne of womman wyl with me fyȝt,
And y fele me yn moche vnmyȝt.
For ȝyf y a-bydë þat batayle,
Y drede þat y shal falle or fayle;
And ȝyf y fle þat ychë bekyr,
Y hopë þan y may be sekyr:”
Þarfore me þenkeþ, foles are þo
Þat fyȝt, and mow[ë] be þar-fro,
Þat fyȝt[ë] so þe deþ to haue
whan þey mow fle, hem self to saue.
For drede of synne and foly grete.
Men asked hym why he þedyr ȝede,
Syn he was an holy man yn dede;
“y wentë þedyr, synne to fle,
Y dredde hyt wlde ha maystred me;
Synne of womman wyl with me fyȝt,
And y fele me yn moche vnmyȝt.
For ȝyf y a-bydë þat batayle,
Y drede þat y shal falle or fayle;
And ȝyf y fle þat ychë bekyr,
Y hopë þan y may be sekyr:”
Þarfore me þenkeþ, foles are þo
Þat fyȝt, and mow[ë] be þar-fro,
Þat fyȝt[ë] so þe deþ to haue
whan þey mow fle, hem self to saue.
Þarefore, ȝe prestes þat dwel at hom,
Þenkeþ on þe drede of seynt Ierom,
And wommans felawshepe for to fle
For doute of synne, for so ded he.
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And wommans felawshepe for to fle
For doute of synne, for so ded he.
But of wymmen hyt ys grete wundyr,
hyt fareþ with hem as fyre and tundyr;
Comunly forsake þey none
Þat euer ys made of flessh and bone.
Ȝyf she wulde to foly here take,
Þe prest algate she myȝt forsake;
For þer ys none, þat she ne may
Haue a sengle man to here pay.
And ȝyf she wulde algate mysdo,
A knaue myȝt best beseme here to,
Þan hyt were to take a prest,
For synne and sclaunder were þere lest.
But how as euer men preche or spelle,
Of prestës wyues men here euer telle.
hyt fareþ with hem as fyre and tundyr;
Comunly forsake þey none
Þat euer ys made of flessh and bone.
Ȝyf she wulde to foly here take,
Þe prest algate she myȝt forsake;
For þer ys none, þat she ne may
Haue a sengle man to here pay.
And ȝyf she wulde algate mysdo,
A knaue myȝt best beseme here to,
Þan hyt were to take a prest,
For synne and sclaunder were þere lest.
But how as euer men preche or spelle,
Of prestës wyues men here euer telle.
Of ouþer wyues y wyl naght say,
Þey do nat wrong, but al day;
But y dare sey, as y haue herde,
On Englys toung to alle þe werlde.
Þey do nat wrong, but al day;
But y dare sey, as y haue herde,
On Englys toung to alle þe werlde.
Ȝyf þyr be oþer mayden or wyfe
Þat dysturbleþ þe holy lyfe
Of þe prest, þurgh lecchery,
Aȝens here shal kalle and crye
Alle þat are yn paradys,
And alle þat yn purgatory lys;
And allë þat are yn þys lyue
Aȝens here shul aryse and stryue;
For euery prest, aftyr þe sacré,
He parteþ þere Goddys body yn þre,
And offreþ hem to þe fadyr yn heuene
On þys wyse, as y shal neuene;
The fyrst he offreþ hem to blys,
To hem þat yn heuene ys;
Þe toþer he offreþ for vs alle here,
Þat we to hym be boþe lefe and dere;
Þe þryde he offreþ to haue memóry
For soules þat are yn purgatóry,
Þat God bryng hem oute of peyne
And brynge to þe ioye þat ys certeyne.
Þat dysturbleþ þe holy lyfe
Of þe prest, þurgh lecchery,
Aȝens here shal kalle and crye
Alle þat are yn paradys,
And alle þat yn purgatory lys;
And allë þat are yn þys lyue
Aȝens here shul aryse and stryue;
For euery prest, aftyr þe sacré,
He parteþ þere Goddys body yn þre,
And offreþ hem to þe fadyr yn heuene
On þys wyse, as y shal neuene;
The fyrst he offreþ hem to blys,
To hem þat yn heuene ys;
Þe toþer he offreþ for vs alle here,
Þat we to hym be boþe lefe and dere;
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For soules þat are yn purgatóry,
Þat God bryng hem oute of peyne
And brynge to þe ioye þat ys certeyne.
Certys, she douþ ful moche a-mys,
Þe womman þat dysturbleþ alle þys.
For, þo soulës are no þyng
wurscheped with þat offryng,
Noþer vs to cunseyl, or to rede,
Ne hyt helpeþ nat þe dede;
Allë þarefore þat now are,
And þat shul be, and now are fare,
Shul dampne þat womman to be lore,
And curse þe tyme þat she was bore;
And þarwith-alle, ne shal she be quyt,
Ȝyt shal hyre dampne hyre owne ynwyt
Þat ychë day þat alle shal ryse
Before Ihesu, þat hygh Iustyse.
Þe womman þat dysturbleþ alle þys.
For, þo soulës are no þyng
wurscheped with þat offryng,
Noþer vs to cunseyl, or to rede,
Ne hyt helpeþ nat þe dede;
Allë þarefore þat now are,
And þat shul be, and now are fare,
Shul dampne þat womman to be lore,
And curse þe tyme þat she was bore;
And þarwith-alle, ne shal she be quyt,
Ȝyt shal hyre dampne hyre owne ynwyt
Þat ychë day þat alle shal ryse
Before Ihesu, þat hygh Iustyse.
lokeþ, ȝe wymmen, what ȝe do!
Ȝyf ȝe dyd oght, doþe no more so,
Or harder penaunce, with bytter teres,
Shul ȝe do here, or ellës wheres.
And shame hyt ys euer aywhare
To be kalled ‘a prestës mare.’
Ȝyf ȝe dyd oght, doþe no more so,
Or harder penaunce, with bytter teres,
Shul ȝe do here, or ellës wheres.
And shame hyt ys euer aywhare
To be kalled ‘a prestës mare.’
Of swych one, y shal ȝow telle
Þat þe fendë bare to helle;
Þys chauncë fyl, þat ys so hard,
Yn þe tyme of gode Edward,—
Edward, syre Henryës sone,—
And þe tale ys weyl to mone.
Þat þe fendë bare to helle;
Þys chauncë fyl, þat ys so hard,
Yn þe tyme of gode Edward,—
Edward, syre Henryës sone,—
And þe tale ys weyl to mone.
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