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[The Tale of the Devil's Disappointment with the Chattering Women.]
Shortly to tellë, and nat longe,
An holy man hys messë songe;
And at þe messe, whan tymë fel
Þe dekene to redë þe gospel,
Yn hys redyng, none wyst why,
he logh a grete laghter an hy.
An holy man hys messë songe;
And at þe messe, whan tymë fel
Þe dekene to redë þe gospel,
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he logh a grete laghter an hy.
Þe preste, and oþer þat þere stode,
helde hym a fole, þat coude no gode.
Seþþë, whan þe messe was done,
Þe preste asked þe dekene sone,
‘why þat he so ferde, and how
þat he, yn hys gospel, logh?’
Moche þarfore he gan hym blame,
For þe lewed folk þoght hyt shame.
helde hym a fole, þat coude no gode.
Seþþë, whan þe messe was done,
Þe preste asked þe dekene sone,
‘why þat he so ferde, and how
þat he, yn hys gospel, logh?’
Moche þarfore he gan hym blame,
For þe lewed folk þoght hyt shame.
Þe dekene told hym why hyt fel
þere to laghe yn hys gospel:
“As y redde þat ychë tyde,
Twey wymmen Iangled þere besyde;
Betwyx hem to, y say a fende
with penne and parchëmen yn honde,
And, wrote alle þat euer þey spake,
Pryuyly be-hynde here bake.
þere to laghe yn hys gospel:
“As y redde þat ychë tyde,
Twey wymmen Iangled þere besyde;
Betwyx hem to, y say a fende
with penne and parchëmen yn honde,
And, wrote alle þat euer þey spake,
Pryuyly be-hynde here bake.
whan hys rolle was wryte alle ful,
To drawe hyt oute he gan to pul;
with hys teþe he gan to drawe,
And hardë for to tugge and gnawe,
Þat hys rolle to-braste and rofe;
And hys hede aȝens þe walle drofe
Só hard, and so ferly sore,
Whan hys parchemen was no more.
To drawe hyt oute he gan to pul;
with hys teþe he gan to drawe,
And hardë for to tugge and gnawe,
Þat hys rolle to-braste and rofe;
And hys hede aȝens þe walle drofe
Só hard, and so ferly sore,
Whan hys parchemen was no more.
whan y say þat, y lete so gode,
Y brast on laghter þere y stode,
Þat he so mochë sorow hadde,
As hys wrytyng was alle to-fade;
And when he parceyued þat y wyste,
He al to-drofe hyt with hys fyste,
And went a-wey, alle for shame;
þarfore y logh and hadde gode game.”
Y brast on laghter þere y stode,
Þat he so mochë sorow hadde,
As hys wrytyng was alle to-fade;
And when he parceyued þat y wyste,
He al to-drofe hyt with hys fyste,
And went a-wey, alle for shame;
þarfore y logh and hadde gode game.”
Þe prest hym asked ‘whedyr he say mo.’
“Many,” he seyd, “y sagh þere go,
And wrote oueral þere men tolde,
But none so moche þat y dyde beholde;
Hym behelde y weyl ynogh,
For þat he dyd, þere-at y logh.”
Þan wyst þe prest, þurgh þat syȝt
Þat he was weyl with God almyȝt.
“Many,” he seyd, “y sagh þere go,
And wrote oueral þere men tolde,
But none so moche þat y dyde beholde;
Hym behelde y weyl ynogh,
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Þan wyst þe prest, þurgh þat syȝt
Þat he was weyl with God almyȝt.
For Ianglers, þys tale y tolde,
Þat þey yn cherche here tungës holde.
Speke to God yn þy preyere,
And þat shal nat þe fendë here.
Þou Iangler, take þou godë kepe,
hyt were wel bettyr þou were on slepe;
Ȝyf hyt ne be amended here,
Elleswere shalt þou a-bye hyt dere.
Þat þey yn cherche here tungës holde.
Speke to God yn þy preyere,
And þat shal nat þe fendë here.
Þou Iangler, take þou godë kepe,
hyt were wel bettyr þou were on slepe;
Ȝyf hyt ne be amended here,
Elleswere shalt þou a-bye hyt dere.
Sacrylage also may be for tyþe;
yn þat, synne men ful oftë syþe.
Of allë þyng, þat þe neweþ,
Tyþe ryȝtly, ór elles hyt þe reweþ.
Of þe werst þou shalt nat ȝyue,
For þan lesest þou þy gode yn þy lyue;
Ne ȝyue hyt nat with wykked wyl,
For al þe touþer, mayst þou þan spyl;
Ȝyue God þe best þat þou mayst haue,
And alle þe touþer he wyl þe saue.
yn þat, synne men ful oftë syþe.
Of allë þyng, þat þe neweþ,
Tyþe ryȝtly, ór elles hyt þe reweþ.
Of þe werst þou shalt nat ȝyue,
For þan lesest þou þy gode yn þy lyue;
Ne ȝyue hyt nat with wykked wyl,
For al þe touþer, mayst þou þan spyl;
Ȝyue God þe best þat þou mayst haue,
And alle þe touþer he wyl þe saue.
Foure þynges are ȝyuë specyaly
To euery man þat tyþeþ ryȝtly;
Þe fyrst ys, long lyfe to haue;
Þe touþer, þe yn gode hele to saue;
Þe þryd ys, gracë gode with-ynne;
Þe fourþe, forȝyuenes of þy synne:
Ȝyf þou wylt haue any of þyse,
Tyþë weyl, and on gode syse.
To euery man þat tyþeþ ryȝtly;
Þe fyrst ys, long lyfe to haue;
Þe touþer, þe yn gode hele to saue;
Þe þryd ys, gracë gode with-ynne;
Þe fourþe, forȝyuenes of þy synne:
Ȝyf þou wylt haue any of þyse,
Tyþë weyl, and on gode syse.
ȝyf þou turnedest, for worldes wynnyng,
halewed place, or holy þyng,
Cherche ȝerde, or þere chapyl was,
Tymber, stones, eren, or glas,
Curteynes, or ouþer vestyment,
Or any oþer vesselement
Þat falleþ to holy cherches seruyse,
And vsest hem on ouþer wyse,
Þy wytyng;—þou synnest dedly
Yn sacrylage certeynly.
halewed place, or holy þyng,
Cherche ȝerde, or þere chapyl was,
Tymber, stones, eren, or glas,
Curteynes, or ouþer vestyment,
Or any oþer vesselement
Þat falleþ to holy cherches seruyse,
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Þy wytyng;—þou synnest dedly
Yn sacrylage certeynly.
Þarto shal y preue my sawe
By a tale of þe oldë lawe;
And þys tale yn þat tyme fyl,
Þat was of þe prophete Danyël.
By a tale of þe oldë lawe;
And þys tale yn þat tyme fyl,
Þat was of þe prophete Danyël.
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