Instructions for Parish Priests By John Myrc [i.e. Mirk]. Edited from Cotton MS. Claudius A. II, by Edward Peacock |
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Quid & quomodo predicare debet parochianos suos.
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 | Instructions for Parish Priests |  |
Quid & quomodo predicare debet parochianos suos.
Thus thow moste also preche,
And thy paresche ȝerne teche;
Whenne on hath done a synne,
Loke he lye not longe there ynne,
But a-non that he hym schryue,
Be hyt husbande be hyt wyue,
Leste he forȝet by lentenes day,
And oute of mynde hyt go away.
Wymmen that ben wyth chy[l]de also,
Thow moste hem teche how þey schule do.
Whenne here tyme ys neghe y-come,
Bydde hem do thus alle & some.
Theche hem to come & schryue hem clene,
And also hosele hem bothe at ene,
For drede of perele that may be-falle,
In here trauelynge that come schalle.
To folowe the chylde ȝef hyt be nede,
Ȝef heo se hyt be in drede;
And teche the mydewyf neuer the latere,
That heo haue redy clene watere,
Thenne bydde hyre spare for no schame,
To folowe the chylde there at hame,
And thaghe þe chylde bote half be bore,
Hed and necke and no more,
Bydde hyre spare neuer þe later
To crystene hyt and caste on water;
And but scho mowe se þe hed,
Loke scho folowe hyt for no red;
And ȝef the wommon thenne dye,
Teche the mydwyf that scho hye
For to vndo hyre wyth a knyf,
And for to saue the chyldes lyf
And hye that hyt crystened be,
For that ys a dede of charyte.
And ȝef hyre herte ther-to grylle,
Rather þenne the chylde scholde spylle,
Teche hyre thenne to calle a mon
That in that nede helpe hyre con.
For ȝef the chylde be so y-lore,
Scho may that wepen euer more.
Bote ȝef the chylde y-bore be,
And in perele thow hyt se,
Ryght as he byd hyre done,
Caste on water and folowe hyt sone.
A-noþere way þow myght do ȝet,
In a vessel to crystone hyt,
And when scho hath do ryȝt so,
Watere and vessel brenne hem bo,
Othere brynge hyt to þe chyrche a-non,
And caste hyt in the font ston,
But folowe thow not þe chylde twye,
Lest afterwarde hyt do the nuye.
Teche hem alle to be war and snel
That they conne sey þe wordes wel,
And say the wordes alle on rowe
As a-non I wole ȝow schowe;
Say ryȝt thus and no more,
For non othere wymmenes lore;
And thy paresche ȝerne teche;
Whenne on hath done a synne,
Loke he lye not longe there ynne,
But a-non that he hym schryue,
Be hyt husbande be hyt wyue,
Leste he forȝet by lentenes day,
And oute of mynde hyt go away.
Wymmen that ben wyth chy[l]de also,
Thow moste hem teche how þey schule do.
Whenne here tyme ys neghe y-come,
Bydde hem do thus alle & some.
Theche hem to come & schryue hem clene,
And also hosele hem bothe at ene,
For drede of perele that may be-falle,
In here trauelynge that come schalle.
To folowe the chylde ȝef hyt be nede,
Ȝef heo se hyt be in drede;
And teche the mydewyf neuer the latere,
That heo haue redy clene watere,
4
To folowe the chylde there at hame,
And thaghe þe chylde bote half be bore,
Hed and necke and no more,
Bydde hyre spare neuer þe later
To crystene hyt and caste on water;
And but scho mowe se þe hed,
Loke scho folowe hyt for no red;
And ȝef the wommon thenne dye,
Teche the mydwyf that scho hye
For to vndo hyre wyth a knyf,
And for to saue the chyldes lyf
And hye that hyt crystened be,
For that ys a dede of charyte.
And ȝef hyre herte ther-to grylle,
Rather þenne the chylde scholde spylle,
Teche hyre thenne to calle a mon
That in that nede helpe hyre con.
For ȝef the chylde be so y-lore,
Scho may that wepen euer more.
Bote ȝef the chylde y-bore be,
And in perele thow hyt se,
Ryght as he byd hyre done,
Caste on water and folowe hyt sone.
A-noþere way þow myght do ȝet,
In a vessel to crystone hyt,
And when scho hath do ryȝt so,
Watere and vessel brenne hem bo,
Othere brynge hyt to þe chyrche a-non,
And caste hyt in the font ston,
But folowe thow not þe chylde twye,
Lest afterwarde hyt do the nuye.
Teche hem alle to be war and snel
That they conne sey þe wordes wel,
5
As a-non I wole ȝow schowe;
Say ryȝt thus and no more,
For non othere wymmenes lore;
I folowe the or elles I crystene þe, in the nome of the fader & þe sone and the holy gost. Amen.
Or elles thus, Ego baptiȝo te. N. In nomine patris & filij & spiritus sancti. Amen.
Englysch or latyn, whether me seyþ,
Hyt suffyseth to the feyth
So that þe wordes be seyde on rowe,
Ryȝt as be-fore I dyde ȝow schowe;
And ȝef þe cas be-falle so,
Þat men & wymmen be fer hyre fro,
Then may the fader wyþoute blame
Crysten the chylde and ȝeue hyt name;
So may the moder in suche a drede
Ȝef scho se that hyt be nede.
Ȝet thow moste teche hem more,
That alle þe chyldren þat ben I-bore
Byfore aster and whyssone tyde,
Eghte dayes they schullen a-byde,
That at the font halowynge
They mowe take here folowynge,
Saue tho that mowe not a-byde
For peryle of deth to that tyde.
A-nother tyme gyf hem folghthe
As the fader & þe moder wolþe.
Godfader and godmoder þou moste preche
Þat þey here godchyldere to gode teche,
Here pater noster and here crede
Techen hem they mote nede.
By hem also they schule not slepe
Tyl þey con hem self wel kepe.
Also wyth-ynne the fyfþe ȝere
Do þat they I-bysbede were;
For tho þat bydeth ouer more,
The fader & þe moder mote rewe hyt sore;
Out of chyrche schule be put
Tyl þe byschope haue bysbede hyt.
And ȝet moste thow teche hem more,
That godfader and godmoder be war be-fore,
That they þat ben at the folowynge,
Holde not þe chylde at the confermynge;
And also þow moste, as þou dost preche,
The cosynage of folowynge teche;
And þow wolt that conne wel,
Take gode hede on thys spel.
In the myddel the chylde stont,
As he ys folowed in the font.
Alle these be cosynes to hym for ay,
That none of hem he wedde may;
Hyt suffyseth to the feyth
So that þe wordes be seyde on rowe,
Ryȝt as be-fore I dyde ȝow schowe;
And ȝef þe cas be-falle so,
Þat men & wymmen be fer hyre fro,
Then may the fader wyþoute blame
Crysten the chylde and ȝeue hyt name;
So may the moder in suche a drede
Ȝef scho se that hyt be nede.
Ȝet thow moste teche hem more,
That alle þe chyldren þat ben I-bore
Byfore aster and whyssone tyde,
Eghte dayes they schullen a-byde,
That at the font halowynge
They mowe take here folowynge,
Saue tho that mowe not a-byde
For peryle of deth to that tyde.
A-nother tyme gyf hem folghthe
As the fader & þe moder wolþe.
Godfader and godmoder þou moste preche
Þat þey here godchyldere to gode teche,
Here pater noster and here crede
Techen hem they mote nede.
By hem also they schule not slepe
Tyl þey con hem self wel kepe.
6
Do þat they I-bysbede were;
For tho þat bydeth ouer more,
The fader & þe moder mote rewe hyt sore;
Out of chyrche schule be put
Tyl þe byschope haue bysbede hyt.
And ȝet moste thow teche hem more,
That godfader and godmoder be war be-fore,
That they þat ben at the folowynge,
Holde not þe chylde at the confermynge;
And also þow moste, as þou dost preche,
The cosynage of folowynge teche;
And þow wolt that conne wel,
Take gode hede on thys spel.
In the myddel the chylde stont,
As he ys folowed in the font.
Alle these be cosynes to hym for ay,
That none of hem he wedde may;
The preste þat foloweþ, þe prestes chyldere, þe preste, And the chyldes fader & moder, þe godfader & hys Wyfknowe be-fore folghthe, þe godfader chylderen, the chyldes moder and hys godfader, &c.
The same cosynage in alle thynge,
Is in the chyldes confermynge.
Is in the chyldes confermynge.
The chylde þat ys confermet, þe byschop, þe byschopes chylderen, þe byschop and þe chyldes fader and hys moder, the godfader and hys wyf, the chyldes fader and hys godfader, the chyldes moder and hys godmoder,
These schule neuer on wedde oþer,But cosynes beth as suster & broþer.
Ȝet teche hem a-nother thynge,
That ys a poynt of weddynge;
He that wole chese hym a fere,
And seyth to hyre on thys manere,
7
And there-to I plyghte þe my trowþe
Wyth-owten cowpulle or fleschly dede,”
He þat wommon mote wedde nede;
For þaghe he or ho a-nother take,
That word wole deuors make.
Loke also þey make non odde weddynge,
Lest alle ben cursed in that doynge.
Preste & clerke and other also,
That thylke serues huydeth so,
But do ryȝt as seyn the lawes,
Aske the banns thre halydawes.
Then lete hem come and wytnes brynge
To stonde by at here weddynge;
So openlyche at the chyrche dore
Lete hem eyther wedde othere.
Of lechery telle hem ryght þys
That dedly synne for sothe hyt ys;
On what skynnes maner so hyt be wroȝt,
Dedly synne hyt ys forthe broght,
Saue in here wedhod
That ys feyre to-fore god.
Thaȝ mon & wommon be sengul boþe,
As dedly synne they schulen hyt loþe.
Also thys mote ben hem sayde,
Boþe for knaue chyldere & for mayde,
That whenne þey passe seuen ȝere,
They schule no lengere lygge I-fere,
Leste they by-twynne hem brede
The lykynge of that fowle dede.
Also wryten wel I fynde,
That of synne aȝeynes kynde
Thow schalt thy paresch no þynge teche,
Ny of that synne no thynge preche;
8
Þat to gret synne forsoþe hyt ys,
For any mon þat bereth lyf
To forsake hys wedded wyf
And do hys kynde other way,
Þat ys gret synne wyþowte nay;
But how and where he doth þat synne,
To hys schryffader he mote þat mynne.
Also thow moste thy god pay,
Teche thy paresch þus & say,
Alle that ben of warde & elde
Þat cunnen hem self kepe & welde,
They schulen alle to chyrche come,
And ben I-schryue alle & some,
And be I-hoseled wyth-owte bere
On aster day alle I-fere:
In þat day by costome
Ȝe schule be hoselet alle & some.
Teche hem þenne wyth gode entent,
To be-leue on that sacrament;
That þey receyue in forme of bred,
Hyt ys goddes body þat soffered ded
Vp on the holy rode tre
To bye owre synnes & make vs fre.
Teche hem þenne, neuer þe later,
Þat in þe chalys ys but wyn & water
That þey receyueth for to drynke
After that holy hoselynge;
Therfore warne hem þow schal
That þey ne chewe þat ost to smal;
Leste to smale þey done hyt breke,
And in here teth hyt do steke;
There fore þey schule wyth water & wyn
Clanse here mowþ that noȝt leue þer In;
9
Þat hyt þat ys in þe awter made,
Hyt ys verre goddes blode
That he schedde on þe rode.
Ȝet þow moste teche hem mare
Þat whenne þey doth to chyrche fare,
Þenne bydde hem leue here mony wordes,
Here ydel speche, and nyce bordes,
And put a-way alle vanyte,
And say here pater noster & here aue.
No non in chyrche stonde schal,
Ny lene to pyler ny to wal,
But fayre on kneus þey schule hem sette,
Knelynge doun vp on the flette,
And pray to god wyth herte meke
To ȝeue hem grace and mercy eke.
Soffere hem to make no bere,
But ay to be in here prayere,
And whenne þe gospelle I-red be schalle,
Teche hem þenne to stonde vp alle,
And blesse feyre as þey conne
Whenne gloria tibi ys by-gonne,
And whenne þe gospel ys I-done,
Teche hem eft to knele downe sone;
And whenne they here the belle rynge
To that holy sakerynge,
Teche hem knele downe boþe ȝonge & olde,
And boþe here hondes vp to holde,
And say þenne in þys manere
Feyre and softely wyth owte bere,
“Ihesu, lord, welcome þow be,
In forme of bred as I þe se;
Ihesu! for thy holy name,
Schelde me to day fro synne & schame;
Schryfte & howsele, lord, þou graunte me bo,
Er that I schale hennes go,
And verre contrycyone of my synne,
That I lord neuer dye there-Inne;
And as þow were of a may I-bore,
Sofere me neuer to be for-lore,
But whenne þat I schale hennes wende,
In forme of bred as I þe se;
Ihesu! for thy holy name,
Schelde me to day fro synne & schame;
10
Er that I schale hennes go,
And verre contrycyone of my synne,
That I lord neuer dye there-Inne;
And as þow were of a may I-bore,
Sofere me neuer to be for-lore,
But whenne þat I schale hennes wende,
Grawnte me þe blysse wyth-owten ende. AMEN.”
Teche hem þus oþer sum oþere þynge,
To say at the holy sakerynge.
Teche hem also, I the pray,
That whenne þey walken in þe way
And sene þe preste a-gayn hem comynge,
Goddes body wyth hym berynge,
Thenne wyth grete deuocyone,
Teche hem þere to knele a-downe;
Fayre ne fowle, spare þey noghte
To worschype hym þat alle hath wroghte;
For glad may þat mon be
Þat ones in þe day may hym se;
For so mykyle gode doþ þat syȝt,
(As seynt austyn techeth a ryȝt,)
Þat day þat þow syst goddes body,
Þese benefyces schalt þou haue sycurly;
Mete & drynke at thy nede,
Non schal þe þat day be gnede;
Idele othes and wordes also
God for-ȝeueþ the bo;
Soden deth that ylke day,
The dar not drede wyþowte nay;
Also þat day I the plyȝte
Þow schalt not lese þyn ye syȝte;
And euery fote þat þou gost þenne,
Þat holy syȝt for to sene,
Þey schule be tolde to stonde in stede
Whenne thow hast to hem nede.
Also wyth-ynne chyrche & seyntwary
Do ryȝt thus as I the say,
Songe and cry and suche fare,
For to stynte þow schalt not spare;
Castynge of axtre & eke of ston,
Sofere hem þere to vse non;
Bal and bares and suche play,
Out of chyrcheȝorde put a-way;
Courte holdynge and suche maner chost,
Out of seyntwary put þow most;
For cryst hym self techeth vs
Þat holy chyrche ys hys hows,
Þat ys made for no þynge elles
But for to praye In, as þe boke telles;
Þere þe pepulle schale geder with Inne
To prayen and to wepen for here synne.
Teche hem also welle and greythe
How þey schule paye here teythe:
Of alle þynge that doth hem newe,
They schule teythe welle & trewe,
After þe costome of þat cuntraye
Euery mon hys teythynge schale paye
Bothe of smale and of grete,
Of schep and swyn & oþer nete.
Teyþe of huyre and of honde,
Goth by costome of þe londe.
I holde hyt but an ydul þynge
To speke myche of teythynge,
For þaȝ a preste be but a fonne,
Aske hys teyþynge welle he conne.
Wychecrafte and telynge,
Forbede þou hem for any þynge;
For who so be-leueth in þe fay
Mote be-leue thus by any way,
That hyt ys a sleghþe of þe del
Þat makeþ a body to cache el.
Þenne syche be-leue he gart hem haue,
Þat wychecrafte schale hem saue,
So wyth chames & wyth tele,
He ys I-broȝte aȝeyn to hele.
Þus wyth þe fende he ys I-blende,
And hys by-leue ys I-schende.
Vsure and okere þat beth al on,
Teche hem þat þey vse non;
That ys a synne fulle greuus
By-fore owre lord swete Ihesus.
God taketh myche on gref
To selle a mon in hys myschef
Any þynge to hye prys.
For welle he wot þat oker hyt ys,
And lene .xij d. to haue .xiij.
For þat [is] vsure wyþowte wene.
Teche hem also to lete one,
To selle þe derrer for þe lone.
To preche hem also þou myȝt not wonde,—
Bothe to wyf and eke husbonde,—
Þat nowþer of hem no penaunce take,
Ny non a vow to chastite make,
Ny no pylgrimage take to do
But ȝef boþe assente þer to.
These þre poyntes verement
Nowþer schale do but boþe assent,
Saue þe vow to Iherusalem,
Þat ys lawful to eþer of hem.
Þenne schale þe husbonde als blyue
Teche & preche so hys wyue,
That heo a-vow no maner þynge
But hyt be at hys wytynge;
For þaȝ heo do, hyt may not stonde
But heo haue grawnte of hyre husbonde;
And ȝef þe husbonde assente þer to,
Þenne nedely hyt mote be do;
No more schale he verement
But hys wyf þerto assent.
The pater noster and þe crede,
Preche þy paresche þou moste nede;
Twyes or þryes in þe ȝere
To þy paresch hole and fere,
Teche hem þus, and byd hem say
Wyþ gode entent euery day,
To say at the holy sakerynge.
Teche hem also, I the pray,
That whenne þey walken in þe way
And sene þe preste a-gayn hem comynge,
Goddes body wyth hym berynge,
Thenne wyth grete deuocyone,
Teche hem þere to knele a-downe;
Fayre ne fowle, spare þey noghte
To worschype hym þat alle hath wroghte;
For glad may þat mon be
Þat ones in þe day may hym se;
For so mykyle gode doþ þat syȝt,
(As seynt austyn techeth a ryȝt,)
Þat day þat þow syst goddes body,
Þese benefyces schalt þou haue sycurly;
Mete & drynke at thy nede,
Non schal þe þat day be gnede;
Idele othes and wordes also
God for-ȝeueþ the bo;
Soden deth that ylke day,
The dar not drede wyþowte nay;
Also þat day I the plyȝte
Þow schalt not lese þyn ye syȝte;
And euery fote þat þou gost þenne,
Þat holy syȝt for to sene,
11
Whenne thow hast to hem nede.
Also wyth-ynne chyrche & seyntwary
Do ryȝt thus as I the say,
Songe and cry and suche fare,
For to stynte þow schalt not spare;
Castynge of axtre & eke of ston,
Sofere hem þere to vse non;
Bal and bares and suche play,
Out of chyrcheȝorde put a-way;
Courte holdynge and suche maner chost,
Out of seyntwary put þow most;
For cryst hym self techeth vs
Þat holy chyrche ys hys hows,
Þat ys made for no þynge elles
But for to praye In, as þe boke telles;
Þere þe pepulle schale geder with Inne
To prayen and to wepen for here synne.
Teche hem also welle and greythe
How þey schule paye here teythe:
Of alle þynge that doth hem newe,
They schule teythe welle & trewe,
After þe costome of þat cuntraye
Euery mon hys teythynge schale paye
Bothe of smale and of grete,
Of schep and swyn & oþer nete.
Teyþe of huyre and of honde,
Goth by costome of þe londe.
I holde hyt but an ydul þynge
To speke myche of teythynge,
12
Aske hys teyþynge welle he conne.
Wychecrafte and telynge,
Forbede þou hem for any þynge;
For who so be-leueth in þe fay
Mote be-leue thus by any way,
That hyt ys a sleghþe of þe del
Þat makeþ a body to cache el.
Þenne syche be-leue he gart hem haue,
Þat wychecrafte schale hem saue,
So wyth chames & wyth tele,
He ys I-broȝte aȝeyn to hele.
Þus wyth þe fende he ys I-blende,
And hys by-leue ys I-schende.
Vsure and okere þat beth al on,
Teche hem þat þey vse non;
That ys a synne fulle greuus
By-fore owre lord swete Ihesus.
God taketh myche on gref
To selle a mon in hys myschef
Any þynge to hye prys.
For welle he wot þat oker hyt ys,
And lene .xij d. to haue .xiij.
For þat [is] vsure wyþowte wene.
Teche hem also to lete one,
To selle þe derrer for þe lone.
To preche hem also þou myȝt not wonde,—
Bothe to wyf and eke husbonde,—
Þat nowþer of hem no penaunce take,
Ny non a vow to chastite make,
Ny no pylgrimage take to do
But ȝef boþe assente þer to.
These þre poyntes verement
Nowþer schale do but boþe assent,
13
Þat ys lawful to eþer of hem.
Þenne schale þe husbonde als blyue
Teche & preche so hys wyue,
That heo a-vow no maner þynge
But hyt be at hys wytynge;
For þaȝ heo do, hyt may not stonde
But heo haue grawnte of hyre husbonde;
And ȝef þe husbonde assente þer to,
Þenne nedely hyt mote be do;
No more schale he verement
But hys wyf þerto assent.
The pater noster and þe crede,
Preche þy paresche þou moste nede;
Twyes or þryes in þe ȝere
To þy paresch hole and fere,
Teche hem þus, and byd hem say
Wyþ gode entent euery day,
“Fader owre þat art in heuene,
Halowed be þy name with meke steuene,
Þy kyngdom be for to come
In vs synfulle alle and some;
Þy wylle be do in erþe here
As hyt ys in heuene clere;
Owre vche dayes bred, we þe pray,
Þat þow ȝeue vs þys same day;
And forgyue vs owre trespas
As we done hem þat gult vs has;
And lede vs in to no fondynge,
Halowed be þy name with meke steuene,
Þy kyngdom be for to come
In vs synfulle alle and some;
Þy wylle be do in erþe here
As hyt ys in heuene clere;
Owre vche dayes bred, we þe pray,
Þat þow ȝeue vs þys same day;
And forgyue vs owre trespas
As we done hem þat gult vs has;
And lede vs in to no fondynge,
But schelde vs alle from euel þynge. Amen.”
“Hayl be þow mary fulle of grace;
God ys wyþ þe in euery place;
I-blessed be þow of alle wymmen,
God ys wyþ þe in euery place;
I-blessed be þow of alle wymmen,
And þe fruyt of þy wombe Ihesus! Amen.”
14
“I be-leue in oure holy dryȝt,
Fader of heuene god, almyȝt,
Þat alle thynge has wroȝt,
Heuene and erþe & alle of noȝt:
On ihesu cryst I be-leue also,
Hys only sone, and no mo,
Þat was conceyued of þe holy spyryt,
And of a mayde I-bore quyt,
And afterward vnder pounce pylate
Was I-take for vye and hate,
And soffrede peyne and passyone,
And on þe croys was I-done;
Ded and buryed he was also,
And wente to helle to spoyle oure fo,
And ros to lyue the þryde day,
And stegh to heuene þe .xl. day,
Ȝet he schale come wyþ woundes rede
To deme þe quyke and þe dede.
In þe holy gost I leue welle;
In holy chyrche and hyre spelle.
In goddes body I be-leue nowe,
A-monge hys seyntes to ȝeue me rowe;
And of my synnes þat I haue done,
To haue plenere remyssyone,
And when my body from deth schal ryse,
I leue to be wyth god and hyse,
And haue the ioye þat lasteþ ay;
Fader of heuene god, almyȝt,
Þat alle thynge has wroȝt,
Heuene and erþe & alle of noȝt:
On ihesu cryst I be-leue also,
Hys only sone, and no mo,
Þat was conceyued of þe holy spyryt,
And of a mayde I-bore quyt,
And afterward vnder pounce pylate
Was I-take for vye and hate,
And soffrede peyne and passyone,
And on þe croys was I-done;
Ded and buryed he was also,
And wente to helle to spoyle oure fo,
And ros to lyue the þryde day,
And stegh to heuene þe .xl. day,
Ȝet he schale come wyþ woundes rede
To deme þe quyke and þe dede.
In þe holy gost I leue welle;
In holy chyrche and hyre spelle.
In goddes body I be-leue nowe,
A-monge hys seyntes to ȝeue me rowe;
And of my synnes þat I haue done,
To haue plenere remyssyone,
And when my body from deth schal ryse,
I leue to be wyth god and hyse,
And haue the ioye þat lasteþ ay;
God graunte hym self þat I so may. Amen.”
The artykeles of the feyTeche þy paresch þus, & sey;
That seuene to dyuynyte,
And .vij. to the humanyte.
The fyrste artykele ys þou wost
Leue on fader and sone & holy gost.
15
Þat þe fader ys god al myȝt.
The þrydde ys, as þow syst,
For to leue on ihesu cryst;
Þat he ys goddes sone ryȝt,
And boþe on god & of on myȝt.
The holy gost, persone þrydde,
Leueth also, I ȝow bydde,
That he ys god wyth oþer two,
And ȝet on god and no mo.
Leste þys be hard ȝow to leue,
By ensaumpul I wole þat preue:
Se þe ensaumpul þat I ȝow schowe,
Of water and ys and eke snowe;
Here beth þre þynges, as ȝe may se,
And ȝet þe þre alle water be.
Thus þe fader and þe sone & þe holy gost
Beth on god of myȝtes most;
For þagh þey be personus þre,
In on godhed knyt they be.
These þre in on godhede
Wyth on assent and on rede,
Alle þynge made wyth on spelle,
Heuene, and vrþe, and eke helle.
The sexþe artykele, ȝef ȝe wole fynde,
Holy chyrche taketh in mynde
That þorȝ þe myȝt of þe holy gost
Is in vrthe of power most,
And as myȝty, as I ȝow telle,
Boþe of þe ȝates of heuene & helle
To tuynen and open at heyre byddynge
Wythowte ȝeyn-stondynge of any þynge.
The seuenþe artykele, for soþe hyt ys,
Þat he schal ende in ioye & blys
When body and soule to-geder schal come,
And the gode to ioye be I-nome,
16
In to the peyne that lasteþ ay.
The eghþe artykele ys not to hele,
Þe strengþe of oure feyth þe more dele,
The flesch and blod þat ihesus tok
In mayde mary, as seyth þe bok,
Þorȝ the holy gostes myȝt
Þat in þat holy vyrgyne lyȝt.
The nynþe artykele ys for to mene
Þat he was bore of a mayde clene.
Þe tenþe artykele oure synne sleth,
Crystes passyone and hys deth.
The eleuenþe ys for to telle
How he wente to spoyle helle,
In soule and godhede wyth-owte nay
Whyle the body in towmbe lay.
The twelfþe artykele makeþ vs fayn,
For he ros to lyue a-gayn
The þrydde day in the morowe
For to bete alle oure sorowe.
The þreteneþe artykele, as telle I may,
Þat cryst hym self on holy þursday
Stegh in to heuene in flesch & blod,
That dyede by forn on þe rod.
The fourteneþ artykele, ys soþe to say,
Þat cryst schale come on domes day
Wyþ hys woundes fresch and rede
To deme þe quyke and þe dede.
Here ben þe artykeles of þe fey;
Preche hem ofte I þe prey.
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