University of Virginia Library

Of the ten commaundements

Then with the x commandements God forbed all synne
And taght man how he myȝt him gret mede wynne.
The first is to worschip on God and no mo.
This biddyng sal be vnderstanden so
That it forbedes all mamettrie,
And also all maner of sorcerie.
Mammentrie is to do creature that honour
That thou suld do all onely to thi creatour,
That is, worschip him for himself ouer all other thing.
A seint sal thou worschip, for he is his derlyng.
Ymages in the kirk that thou on lokes
Are to the as to the clerk are his gode bokes:
Thou sal not worschip thaim bot for tha[t] sake
That thei bringe to thi mynd thi prayer to make.
The second is: tak not the name of thi God in vayn.
Ilk fals oth vnleful and idel is theragayn:
He is ay in peril of synne dedly
That sweres bi Goddis hert or any party.
This biddyng forbedes alle heresy,
And also all feyned and fals ypocrisy.
The thrid is: thou sal kepe wel thi haliday.
That is thus mekel openly for to say:
Put fro the synne and bodely werkyng,
And gif the to God with hertly prayng.
Tak kepe her that on halyday marchandyse
Lettes man oft of Goddes seruise.
The ferd is: worschip thi fader and thi moder.
Be way of kynde thes two may noȝt be the to der;
To thaim ogh thou buxumnes and honour,
And also [faith] in thair help and socour.
And haly kirk is thi moder gastly
And the keper of thi saule thi fadir sot[h]ly.
And whoso is thi warldly lord or thi kyng
Is taken for thi fadir in this byddyng.
The fift is: thou salt no man sle vnlaghfully,
That is to say, nother bodely ne gastly,
For ille ensaumple, hate, and bakbityng
Are [a]lle to thi neghbur gastly sleyng.
Hurtyng bothe gastly and bodely is forbed,
And wernyng of mete to the pour in peril of ded.
The sext is: thou sal don non auoutrie.
And this forbedes all maner of lecherie,
Bot it be betwix the and thi wyf with gode entent,
For to kepe the lagh of God in that sacrament.
The seuent biddes that thou sal no thing stele,
Ne non othir mannes gode agayns his wille dele.
This forbedes fals cautels, deceit, and maystrie,
That mas many to loise his gode vnriȝtwisly,
And whoso harmes any man in this maner
Sal noȝt be saf bot he make asseth at his power.
The aghtend is: bere agayn no man fals witnes,
And in tyme and maner skilful layne thou sothfastnes,
When it is noȝt lefful and nedful to say,
And al lesyng eschue as wele as thou may.
The neyghend is: thi neghbur hous sal thou noȝt coueit;
In this is forboden assent to wrang and deceit.
The tend is: thou sall noȝt ȝerne another mannes wyf,
His seruant, ne his other thing, that may help his lyue.
Her is forbeden alle maner of wikked couetyse
That myght harme thi neghbur on any maner wise.
If slik thoght come to thi hert, thou sal noȝt assent,
Bot euer agayn stande with gode auysement,
And then sal thou noȝt falle in dedly synne,
Bot ilk a tyme a croun of gret ioye wynne.
Thurgh this ten thou may wynne gret ioye and eschewe payn,
Bot more help mot open heuen-ȝates the agayn.
Whoso suld agayn blis to man wynne,
Him behoued be a man that myȝt noȝt synne,
And he most ay fulfille alle Goddes wille
And neuer in thoght, word, ne dede don non ille.
Slik on myȝt, if he wald, a gode raunson wage
And bye agayn both man and heritage.
Bot slik a man in erth myȝt neuer be made,
If he of all creatours all vertues hade.