Instructions for Parish Priests :: :: University of Virginia Library

But myche more þou moste wyten,
Þenne þou fyndest here I-wryten,
And whenne þe fayleþ þer to wyt,
Pray to god to sende þe hyt,
For ofte þou moste penaunce ȝen
Boþe to men and to wymmen,
Oþer weyes þen wole þe lawe
Leste they token hyt to harde on awe,
Hyt were fulle harde þat penaunce to do
That þe lawes ordeyneth to,
Therfore by gode dyscrecyone,
Þow moste in confessyone,
Ioyne penaunce bothe harde & lyȝte,
As þou here aftere lerne myȝte.
But sykerly penaunce wyþowte schryfte
Helpeþ luytel þe sowle þryfte;
Þerfore of schryfte I wole þe kenne
And to ioyne penaunce þenne,
To here schryft þou moste be fayn,
And hye þerto wythowte layn.
And fyrst when any mon I-schryue wole be,
Teche hym to knele downe on hys kne,
Fyrst þow moste aske hym þen,
Wheþer he be þy paresschen,
And ȝef he vnswere and say nay,
Theche hym home fayre hys way,
But he schowe þe I-wryten,
Where by þou myȝt wel I-wyten,
Þat he hath leue of hys prest
To be I-schryue where hym lust,
For these poyntes wyþowte nay
He may haue leue to go hys way,
And schryue hym at a-noþer prest
Where that hym beste lust,

Leste indyscrete hys prest were,
Hys confessyone for to here,
Or ȝef he knewe by redy token
Þat hys schryfte he wolde open,
Or ȝef hym self had done a synne
By þe prestes sybbe kynne,
Moder, or suster, or hys lemmon,
Or by hys doghter ȝef he hade on,
Or ȝef he stonde hym on awe,
To dedly synne leste he hym drawe,
Or ȝef he hade vndertake
Any pylgrymage for to make,
Or ȝef hys prest as doctorus sayn
By any of hys paresch haue layn,
For þese he may leue take,
And to a-noþer hys schryfte make,
And werne hym leue hys prest ne may
Lest hyt greue hym a-noþer day,
And þaȝ he do for noȝt hyt ys,
Þe byschope wole ȝeue hym leue I-wys,
Of scoler, of flotterer, or of passyngere
Here schryft lawfully þou myȝt here;
And also in a-noþer cas,
Ȝef þou a mon a-corset has,
He mote nede be soyled of þe,
Whoso pareschen euer he be;
And of mon þat schal go fyȝte
In a bateyl for hys ryȝte,
Hys schryft also þou myȝte here.
Þaȝ he þy pareschen neuer were;
And of a mon þat deth ys negh.
Here hys schryft but þen be slegh,
Byd hym & oþer also by fore,
Ȝef þat þey to lyf keuere,
Þat þey go for more socour

To here owne curatour,
And schryue hem newe to hym bo
And take he penaunce newe also.

Or ȝef any do a synne,
And þy paresch be wyth Inne,
Of þat synne a-soyle hym þenne,
Þaȝ he be not þy pareschenne,
But ȝef þe synne be so stronge,
To þe byschope þat hyt longe,
Or ȝef a mon be seruaunt,
In þy paresch by couenaunt,
Or hath an ofyce or bayly,
Þat he ledeth hys lyf by,
And hys howseholde be elles where,
Pareschen he ys þenne þere,
Or ȝef any hath trowþe I-plyȝt
Wyþ-Inne þy paresch to any wyȝt,
Þenne þou myȝt hem wedden I-fere,
As hyt ys the court manere.
But to þyn owne pareschenne
Do ryȝt þus as I þe kenne,
Teche hym to knele downe on hys kne
Pore oþer ryche wheþer he be,
Þen ouer þyn yen pulle þyn hod,
And here hys schryfte wyþ mylde mod.
But when a wommon cometh to þe,
Loke hyre face þat þou ne se,
But teche hyre to knele downe þe by,
And sum what þy face from hyre þou wry,
Stylle as ston þer þow sytte,
And kepe þe welle þat þou ne spytte.
Koghe þow not þenne þy þonkes,
Ny wrynge þou not wyth þy schonkes,
Lest heo suppose þow make þat fare,
For wlatynge þat þou herest þare,

But syt þou stylle as any mayde
Tyl þat heo haue alle I-sayde,
And when heo stynteþ & seyþ no more,
Ȝef þou syst heo nedeth lore
Þenne spek to hyre on þys wyse,
And say, “take þe gode a-vyse,
And what maner þynge þou art gulty of,
Telle me boldely & make no scof.
Telle me þy synne I þe praye
And spare þow not by no waye,
Wonde þow not for no schame
Parauentur I haue done þe same,
And fulhelt myche more,
Ȝef þow knew alle my sore,
Wherfore, sone, spare þow noȝt,
But telle me what ys in þy þoȝt.”
And when he seyþ I con no more
Freyne hym þus & grope hys sore,
“Sone or doghter now herken me
For sum what I wole helpe þe,”
And when þow herest what þow hast do
Knowlache wel a-non þer to.