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301
[The Tale of the Midwife who christend a Child wrongly.]
Y shal ȝow telle of a mydwyfe,
Þat loste a chylde, boþe soule & lyfe.
he tolde hyt yn hys sermoun,
And ȝaue here ofte hys malysoun.
Þat loste a chylde, boþe soule & lyfe.
he tolde hyt yn hys sermoun,
And ȝaue here ofte hys malysoun.
Þys mydwyfe, whan þe chylde was bore,
She helde hyt on here lappe before;
And whan she sawe þat hyt shulde deye,
She bygan, loudë for to crye,
And seyd, “God and seynt Ione
Crysten þe chylde, boþe flesshe and bone.”
She helde hyt on here lappe before;
And whan she sawe þat hyt shulde deye,
She bygan, loudë for to crye,
And seyd, “God and seynt Ione
Crysten þe chylde, boþe flesshe and bone.”
Þys mydwyffe noghte ellës seyde,
And yn þe cherche-ȝerde þey wulde hyt haue leyde,
As a-nouþer chyld shuld ha be
Þat hade receyuede þe solempte.
And yn þe cherche-ȝerde þey wulde hyt haue leyde,
As a-nouþer chyld shuld ha be
Þat hade receyuede þe solempte.
Þe prest askede þe mydwyffe,
‘Ȝyfe hyt were cristenede whan hyt hade lyffe,
And who hyt cristened, and on what manere,
And what was seyde, þat any myghte here.’
‘Ȝyfe hyt were cristenede whan hyt hade lyffe,
And who hyt cristened, and on what manere,
And what was seyde, þat any myghte here.’
Þe mydwyffe seyde unto þe prest,
“Þys herde þey þat stode me nest,
‘Þat God almyghty and Seynt Ioun
ȝyue þe chylde cristendom yn flesshe and boun.’”
“Þys herde þey þat stode me nest,
‘Þat God almyghty and Seynt Ioun
ȝyue þe chylde cristendom yn flesshe and boun.’”
Þan seyd þe preste, “God and seynt Iame
Ȝyue þe boþe sorow and shame,
And Crystys malysun haue þou for-þy,
And alle þe ouþer þat were þe by!
Yn euyl tymë were þou bore,
For yn þy defaute, a soule ys lore.”
She was commaunded she shuld no more
Come eftesones þere chyldryn were bore.
Ȝyue þe boþe sorow and shame,
And Crystys malysun haue þou for-þy,
And alle þe ouþer þat were þe by!
Yn euyl tymë were þou bore,
For yn þy defaute, a soule ys lore.”
She was commaunded she shuld no more
Come eftesones þere chyldryn were bore.
Mydwyues, y tolde thys tale for ȝow,
Þat ȝyf ȝe kunnat, lerneþ how
To sauë þat, God boȝt ful dere,
Þe poyntes of bapteme y rede ȝow lere;
Mydwyfe ys a perylus þyng
But she kunne þe poyntes of crystenyng;
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To sauë þat, God boȝt ful dere,
Þe poyntes of bapteme y rede ȝow lere;
Mydwyfe ys a perylus þyng
But she kunne þe poyntes of crystenyng;
Ne beleueþ nat on þese shappers,
Ȝoure mysdede ful mykyl deres;
y wolde þo shappers were on lowe,
And al þo þat on hem trowe.
Ȝoure mysdede ful mykyl deres;
y wolde þo shappers were on lowe,
And al þo þat on hem trowe.
Þe beleue ys, ‘þe fadyr and sone & holy gaste;’
Alle ouþer beleue ys wykked and waste;
Þurgh hem ys alle þyng shape & wroȝt,
And ouþer shappers ne are noȝt;
God ys shapper of alle þyng,
he wote þe mydward, and þe endyng;
Þe oþer shappers, þat men of seye,
Hyt ys a beleue of deuyl weye.
Alle ouþer beleue ys wykked and waste;
Þurgh hem ys alle þyng shape & wroȝt,
And ouþer shappers ne are noȝt;
God ys shapper of alle þyng,
he wote þe mydward, and þe endyng;
Þe oþer shappers, þat men of seye,
Hyt ys a beleue of deuyl weye.
Þe mete þat ȝe leye at þe chyldës hede
For swyche shappers, were bettyr leued;
Ȝyf hyt for hem þerë lye,
Þan ys hyt a wykked erysye;
ley hyt for þe loue of þe holy gaste,
Fadyr, and sone, oo God stedfaste,
As wysly as he become a chylde,
Bore of Marye, mayden mylde,
Þat he ȝyue hyt to lyue yn gode grace,
And gode endyng, and se hys face.
For swyche shappers, were bettyr leued;
Ȝyf hyt for hem þerë lye,
Þan ys hyt a wykked erysye;
ley hyt for þe loue of þe holy gaste,
Fadyr, and sone, oo God stedfaste,
As wysly as he become a chylde,
Bore of Marye, mayden mylde,
Þat he ȝyue hyt to lyue yn gode grace,
And gode endyng, and se hys face.
Ȝyf þou were euer so vnwys
For to crystene a chyldë twys,
Or ȝyf þou euer consentedest þar-to
Þat any ouþer shulde so do,—
At home, as yn pryuyte,
Anouþer tyme, þat men myȝt se,—
For ȝyf hyt were baptysed at hame
wyþ alle þe poyntes of bapteme name,
Þan were hyt aȝens þe feyþe to werche,
Eftesones to baptyse hyt at cherche;
But ȝyf þou suppose þyr fayleþ a poynte
Þat to þe crystendom shuld a-mounte,
Þan were hyt nat for to drede
For to fulfyl þat shulde be nede;
For alle þe poyntes of watyr & creme,
Þurgh alle crystendom ys o bapteme,
O baptemë, and nat two,
Of alle þe poyntes þat þou sest do.
Þarfore he þat ys ones baptysed,
Ones for euer ys; þus ys auysed.
For to crystene a chyldë twys,
Or ȝyf þou euer consentedest þar-to
Þat any ouþer shulde so do,—
At home, as yn pryuyte,
Anouþer tyme, þat men myȝt se,—
For ȝyf hyt were baptysed at hame
wyþ alle þe poyntes of bapteme name,
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Eftesones to baptyse hyt at cherche;
But ȝyf þou suppose þyr fayleþ a poynte
Þat to þe crystendom shuld a-mounte,
Þan were hyt nat for to drede
For to fulfyl þat shulde be nede;
For alle þe poyntes of watyr & creme,
Þurgh alle crystendom ys o bapteme,
O baptemë, and nat two,
Of alle þe poyntes þat þou sest do.
Þarfore he þat ys ones baptysed,
Ones for euer ys; þus ys auysed.
Also, ȝe þat chyldryn heue,
ȝ shul nat forȝete ne leue
To teche hyt pater noster & crede;
Ȝyf ȝe ne do, hyt ys to drede.
ȝ shul nat forȝete ne leue
To teche hyt pater noster & crede;
Ȝyf ȝe ne do, hyt ys to drede.
To foly þou shalt nat drawe ne wone
Þy goddoȝtyr ne þy godsone,
Namely to þat vylayny
Þat falleþ vn-to lechery,
Ne to no foly þat may be;
Þou shalt teche hem synne to fle.
Ne nat be so fole hardy,
Þy goddoȝtyr to lye þe by,
Ne for to dwelle a-lone with þe,
For perel þat may falle and be.
Þy goddoȝtyr ne þy godsone,
Namely to þat vylayny
Þat falleþ vn-to lechery,
Ne to no foly þat may be;
Þou shalt teche hem synne to fle.
Ne nat be so fole hardy,
Þy goddoȝtyr to lye þe by,
Ne for to dwelle a-lone with þe,
For perel þat may falle and be.
Many a pryuy peryl þyr ys,
And specyaly yn drunkenes;
yn drunkenes men wyl rage,
And, ragyng wyl reyse korage;
And sonë may a man be shent
Þat doþe aȝens þe comaundement.
And specyaly yn drunkenes;
yn drunkenes men wyl rage,
And, ragyng wyl reyse korage;
And sonë may a man be shent
Þat doþe aȝens þe comaundement.
Seynt Gregory telleþ yn hys spelle
Of swyche a shame þat onës felle.
Of swyche a shame þat onës felle.
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