The lyȝt of grace þat neuer haþ ende,
From whom al cumþ, and to al men sende;
Of alle godenes, wel and bygynnyng
Ys God of heuene, and of erþe kyng,
Hym wurschepeþ alle, as wel ys wurþy,
Gostly þynges as weyl as dedly,
Alle creatures doun hym onoure,
Ihesu, þat ryche emperoure;
Þou, Ihesu, lyȝt my soule with-ynne,
And graunte me swychë to bygynne
Þat hyt mowe be, þe to queme,
And vs alle fro synnë ȝeme!
Namly, of shryftë so to seye,
Þat we mow make vs redy wey
Aȝens þe fende, þat ys oure fo,
Þarto God graunte vs alle to go.
Tweluë poyntes þyr are yn shryfte,
And tweluë graces of here ȝyfte,
And yn alle þesë, are but þre
whych are to do, and whych are to fle.
To telle hyt shortly, alle at gesse,
Þe fyrst ys þe grete godënesse,
How yt ȝyueþ hem grace to þryue,
Þo men þat wyl bleþely hem shryue;
Syþen, fro what þyng men shulde hem loke
Þat shryftë blely vndyrtoke;
And how many þynges, behoueþ hem haue,
Þat, ryȝtly, here shryfte wyl craue.
Yn tokenyng, to holde vs lowe,
And oure wykkednes for to knowe,
Hyt ys ordeyned, þurgh Goddys ȝyfte,
To man, fór to knowe oure shryfte.
For vnbuxumnesse of oure fadyr Adam
And Eue—þurgh prydë þat fyrst cam,
Þat Goddes commaundëment þey brake—
knowlachyng behoueþ vs allë make;
And þurgh a-nother resun ryȝt gode,
Syn Ihesu Cryst toke flesshe and blode,
And was cloþed yn oure man-hede,
And wyst oure wykkednes & oure nede,
To man behoueþ vs to telle oure trespas,
Syn he knew alle þat yn man was.
For whan we shryue vs to þe preste,
To God we shewe vs yn mannes breste;
Þan wotë boþë God and man,
Oure lyfe, þat alle may wete and kan;
Now we shul, telle ȝow sone,
what ys to leue, and what to done.
