University of Virginia Library

The .v. synne then is Slowthe
Euen as the boke showthe
Haste thou ben flowe and take no hede
To teche thy godchyldren (Pater noster/& Crede.
Hast thou ben slowe for to here
Goddes seruyce when tyme were.
Haste thou come to chyrche late
And speke of synne by the gate
Haste thou ben slowe in goddes seruyce
Or trouble it by ony vyce.
Haste thou letted ony mon
That to chyrche wolde haue gone
Haste thou spoken ony rybawdry.
Within the chyrche or sentwary.
Hathe thyne herte ben wrathe and greate.
When goddes seruyce was sayd or treate.
Haste thou herde it to the ende
Or thou out of the chyrche wende
Haste thou vsed many wordes
Idell othes or nyse bordes.
And vsed there moche vanyte
And lefte Pater noster and Aue
No man of chyrche stonde shall.
Nor leue pyller nor to wall
But fayre on knees he sholde seet
And knele downe on the fleet
And praye to god with herte meke.
To gyue the grace and mercy eke
Haste thou gone by chyrche or chyrchorde
And for the deed prayed no worde

Ihesus

Dost thou ony tyme arre or wyrche.
Ayenst ye termynacyons of crystes chyrche.
Thou canste not be saued the boke sayth
But thou be stedfast in thy fayth
Hast thou sene a preest ayenst the cōmynge.
Goddes body with hym bryngynge
Haste thou sone without deuocyon
Upon the erth kneled downe
Fayre nor foule sholdest spare nought.
To worshyp hym that all hath wrought
That daye man mayst thou gladde be
That our fauyoure thou mayst se.
So moche good dothe that syght.
As saynt Austyn sheweth ryght
That daye thou seest goddes body.
Thou shalte haue these thynges sykerly
Meate and drynke at thy nede
And of thyne enemy nedes not drede
Idell othes and wordes lo
God forgyueth the also
Sodayne dethe the same daye.
On the shall not happen no naye
That same daye I the plyght
Thou shalte not lese thyne eye syght
And euery fote thou goste then
That blessyd syght for to kenne
They shall be tolde and stande instede
Truely sone at thy moost nede
Haste thou without deuocyon
Herde ony preoycacyon
Or hast thou gone elles where
Whan thou sholdest haue ben there
Hast thou ben slowe and lothe to fast
When thy herte theron dyde not cast
Hast thou ben slowe in ony degre
To do the werkes of charyte.
Haste thou holpen by daye or nyght
To bury the deed with all thy myght
Poore naked and also hungry
Haste thou socoured them mekely
Hast thou herte rewchehad
Of them that were nede bestad
To seke/sore/and to prysoners

Mercy.

And harboured also the wayfarers
Hast thou ben slowe and faynte in herte
To do penaunce for it dyde smerte
Or ony pylgrymage hast thou to do
That thou were Ioyned therto.
Hast thou begon ony dede
For goddes loue or soule mede
As prayers penaunce or fastynge
Or ony other holy thynge
And after were so slowe and faynte
That thy deuocyon was all quaynte
Hast thou slowe and faynte be
To helpe thy wyfe and thy meyne.
Of suche they haue nede therto
Saye yf thou haue so do.

If thou be seruaunt
Hast thou kepte thy conaunt
Hast thou be sharpe and busy
To serue thy mayster truely
Haste thou truely euery daye
Serued thy mete and thy paye
Hathe thy neyghboure trusted on the
To helpe the in ony degre
Haste thou for slowe and fayntyse.
Hym dysceyned in that wyse.
For to lende haste thou ben lothe
And for to paye haste thou ben wrothe
Arte thou wonte ouer corne to ryde.
When thou myghtest haue gone besyde
Haste thou lyfte vp sharde or lypyat
There beestes hathe gone in therat
Hathe slouthe so shente thy thought
That in to dyspayre it hathe be brought
And neuer myghtest none ende make
Of no good dede that thou dydest take
Hast thou for slouth, and for faynte
That all thy wyll hathe ben wente
And sought nought elles but lust and ease.
And all that wolde thy body please
I truste sone by my talkynge
Unto thy mynde call some thynge.
And I charge the be not a drede
But shewe it me in goddes stede.
I wyll the helpe by our sauyours sygne
And therto I laye my soule for thyne.