 | Handlyng Synne |  |
þe seuenþe poynt of shryfte.
The seuenþe poynt ys a gode resun,
‘Þat þy shryfte be wysly doun,’
Þat ys to sey, to a wys man,
Þat þy shryfte vndrystondë kan;
Nat to one þat haþ no wyt
Of vndyrstondyng of holy wryt.
Seynt Austyn seyþ þys skyl,
Do þyr-aftyr who so wyl,
‘Of synnë, who so wyl hym lese,
A wyse shryftfadyr behoueþ hym chese;
And þat may byndë and vnbynde,
Swych a man behoueþ hym fynde.”
‘Þat þy shryfte be wysly doun,’
Þat ys to sey, to a wys man,
Þat þy shryfte vndrystondë kan;
Nat to one þat haþ no wyt
Of vndyrstondyng of holy wryt.
Seynt Austyn seyþ þys skyl,
Do þyr-aftyr who so wyl,
‘Of synnë, who so wyl hym lese,
A wyse shryftfadyr behoueþ hym chese;
And þat may byndë and vnbynde,
Swych a man behoueþ hym fynde.”
A prest þat ys no clergye ynne,
How can he weyl dystyncte þy synne?
But now, oueralle, se we mowne
An holywatyr clerk of a tounne,
þat lytyl haþ lerned yn hys lyue,
he ys ordeyned a prest to shryue.
Ȝyf he shulde a shryfadyr be,
hym behoueþ haue lerned of sum degre,
Or lerned, or herde, of some þat couþe,
Ar he had be prest yn hys ȝouþe;
And moche behoueþ hym stody and se,
Or lerne at sum, yn pryuyte.
he may lyue, as a gode man,
Þoghe he lytyl clergy kan;
But for to preche, or herë shryfte,
Of clergy behoueþ hym sum þryfte.
How can he weyl dystyncte þy synne?
But now, oueralle, se we mowne
An holywatyr clerk of a tounne,
þat lytyl haþ lerned yn hys lyue,
he ys ordeyned a prest to shryue.
Ȝyf he shulde a shryfadyr be,
hym behoueþ haue lerned of sum degre,
Or lerned, or herde, of some þat couþe,
Ar he had be prest yn hys ȝouþe;
And moche behoueþ hym stody and se,
Or lerne at sum, yn pryuyte.
he may lyue, as a gode man,
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But for to preche, or herë shryfte,
Of clergy behoueþ hym sum þryfte.
And allë prestes haue nat powere
For to assoylë þe ryȝt clere,
But hyt be þy parysshe preste,
Or haue hys leuë at þe leste,
Or at þy parsone or vycary,
For þese haue of þy soule maystry:
Aske hem leue, and haue no gylt,
And shryuë þe þan, where þou wylt.
For to assoylë þe ryȝt clere,
But hyt be þy parysshe preste,
Or haue hys leuë at þe leste,
Or at þy parsone or vycary,
For þese haue of þy soule maystry:
Aske hem leue, and haue no gylt,
And shryuë þe þan, where þou wylt.
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