Instructions for Parish Priests By John Myrc [i.e. Mirk]. Edited from Cotton MS. Claudius A. II, by Edward Peacock |
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De accidia.
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 | Instructions for Parish Priests |  |
36
De accidia.
Hast þou be slowe & take non hede,To teche þy godchyldre pater noster & crede?
Haste þow be slowe for to here,
Goddess serues when tyme were?
Hast þou come to chyrche late
And spoken of synne by þe gate?
Hast þou be slowe to goddes seruyse,
Or storbet hyt by any wyse?
Hast þou letted any mon
Þat to chyrche wolde haue gon?
Hast þow spoken harlatry
Wythynne chyrche or seyntwary?
Hath þy herte be wroth or gret
When goddes serues was drawe on tret?
Hast þow hyet hyt to þe ende
Þat þou myȝtes hamward wende?
Hast þow wyþowte deuocyone
I-herde any predycacyone?
Hast þou gon or seten elles where
When þou myȝtest haue ben þere?
Hast þou be slowe & loth to faste,
When þy herte þere-a-ȝeyn dyde caste?
Hast þou be slowe in any degre
For to do werke of charyte?
Hast þou be slowe & feynt in herte
To do penaunce for hyt dyde smerte?
Hast þou any pylgrimage laft vn-do
When þou were I-ioynet þer-to?
Hast þow by-gunne any dede,
For goddus loue and sowle nede,
Prayerus, penaunce, or fastynge,
Or any oþer holy thynge,
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Þat þy deuocyone were alle I-queynt?
Hast þow slowe & feynt I-be
To helpe þy wyf & þy meyne
Of suche as þey hade nede to?
Sey ȝef þow haue, so I-do.
Ȝef þow be a seruaunt,
Hast þow holde þy couenaunt?
Hast þow be scharpe and bysy
To serue þy mayster trewely?
Hast þow trewely by vche way
Deseruet þy mete & þy pay?
Hath thy neghbore I-trust to þe
To helpe hym in any degre,
And þow for slowthe & feyntyse
Hast hym be-gylet in any wyse?
Hath slowþe so I-schent þy þoȝt,
Þat in dyspayre hyt hath þe broȝt,
And neuer myȝtest þou non ende make
Of no gode dede þat þou dydest take?
Hast þou for slowþe I-be so feynt,
Þat al þy wylle has be weynt,
And soȝt no þynge elles but lust & ese,
And alle þat wolde þy body plese?
Hast þou spared for hete or colde
To go to chyrche when þou were holde?
| Instructions for Parish Priests | |