 | Handlyng Synne |  |
[The Third Commandment.]
The þryd commaundement yn oure layys ‘holdë weyl þyn halyday,’
And come blelyche to þe seruyse
whan holy chyrche settyþ asyse.
Of al þe festys þat yn holy chyrche are,
Holy sunday men oght to spare;
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Þat euer ȝyt were, or euer shal be.
For þe pope may, þurgh hys powere,
Turne þe halydays yn þe ȝere
How as he wyl, at hys owne wyl,
But þe sunday shal stondë styl.
Þe halydays þat yn heruyst are,
In ȝolë he may sette hem þare,
And of þe ȝolë euery feste
May he settë yn herueste.
But, he may, þurgh no resun,
Þe sunday puttyn vp no dowun;
Þarfore þe sunday specyaly
ys hyest to halew, and most wurþy;
And þat day þou owyst and shal
For to herë þy seruyse al;
Matyns messe here, to rede or syngge,
Euery deyl to þe endyngge.
weyte þy tyme, and be nat þe last
To come whan holy watyr ys cast.
Come fyrst to matyns, ȝyf þat þou may,
For hyt ys goddys ownë day.
God made þe wrldë, este & west,
yn syxë days; þe seuenþe to reste.
Þan restyd he hym fro al erþly werkys.
How dur oþer prestys or clerkys,
Or þou lewed man, þat day werche,
whan þat day ys halewed yn holy chyrche?
Þe seruyng man, þat seruyþ yn þe ȝere,
Oweþ to come when he haþ leysere.
Ȝyf þou come noght, algate y rede
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For to many þyngës hyt may auayle,
To soule helpe, or lyuës trauayle.
Þy body, ȝyf it þan smartly endes,
Hyt ys for housyl aȝens þe fendes;
And holy watyr take of þe prestys hand,
For anoylyng hyt wyl þe stande.
Sum tyme hyt was wnt to be dowun
To halewe þe satyrday at þe noun,
Namëlyche yn Ing[e]londe;
And nawer so moche y vndyrstand.
when þat custome was wnt to be,
Þan was grace, & grete plente;
And þere men haunted þat custome lest,
Falleþ oft tymë grete tempest.
Þe satyrday ys specyaly
Ordeyned to wurschype oure lady,
And þat for a grete resun;—
whan Ihesu deyd þurgh passyun,
hys dyscyplys douted echoun
wheþer he shulde ryse or noun.
Alle þat beleued yn hym byfore,
Alle here beleuë was nygh forlore,
Fro þe fryday þat he deyde,
To tyme þat he ros, as he seyde.
But hys modyr, vyrgyne Marie,
She bare þe beleue vp stedfastly
Fro þe fryday at þe noun
Tyl alle þe satyrday was doun,
And alle þe nyȝt tyl þat he ros,
Of alle oure beleue she bare þe los;—
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In here þat tyme was hyt alone;
And for þat skylle, þan þynkeþ me,
Þe satyrday may here ounë be:
Þarefore þat day al holy cherche
Þeyr seruyse of here þey werche.
And ryȝt now for þe samë skylle,
A tale þerforë telle y wylle.
The Tale of the Vine-Storms and the Saturday half Holy-Day.
In Nauerne, be-ȝunde þe see,
In Venyse, a gode cyte,
Dwellyd a prest of Yng[e]lond,
And was a-uaunsed, y vndyrstond.
Euery ȝere at þe florysyngge,
whan þe vynys shuldë spryngge,
A tempest þat tyme began to falle,
And fordede here vynys alle;
Euery ȝere withoutyn fayle,
And fordyde here grete trauayle.
Þerfor þe folk were alle sory
Þurgh þe cyte comunly.
Þys prest seyd, “y shal ȝow telle
what shal best þys tempest felle:
On Satyrday shul ȝe ryngge noun,
And late no lenger no werke be doun:
But halewe[n] alle comunly
Yn þe wurschype of oure lady;
For, þat manere halewe we
Þurgh Inglond yn oure cuntre;
And ȝyueþ better ȝoure offryngys
And tyþeth weyl alle ȝourë þynges.
And ȝyf ȝe do þus goddys heste,
He saueþ ȝoure vynys fro þe tempest.”
At hys cunsel, on þys manere
Halewede þey, al þat yche ȝere;
And whan hyt come to somer tyde,
Tyme of þe tempest to vnryde,
Here vynys florshedë feyre & weyl
withoutyn tempest euery deyl.
Þan commaunded þey, and made a cry
Yn the wurschyp, of oure lady,
‘On satyrday shulde men noun ryngge,
And syþyn halew of allë þyngge,
And here tyþys to ȝeuë ryȝt
Mochë bettyr at here myght.’
And so, grete tempest secede al,
Þat on þeyr frutys was wnt to fal.
Seþyn, oueral yn þat cuntre
Þere þey made nat þys solemnyte,
were here vynys al destroyed,
And þe folk mochyl a-noyd.
In Venyse, a gode cyte,
Dwellyd a prest of Yng[e]lond,
And was a-uaunsed, y vndyrstond.
Euery ȝere at þe florysyngge,
whan þe vynys shuldë spryngge,
A tempest þat tyme began to falle,
And fordede here vynys alle;
Euery ȝere withoutyn fayle,
And fordyde here grete trauayle.
Þerfor þe folk were alle sory
Þurgh þe cyte comunly.
Þys prest seyd, “y shal ȝow telle
what shal best þys tempest felle:
On Satyrday shul ȝe ryngge noun,
And late no lenger no werke be doun:
But halewe[n] alle comunly
Yn þe wurschype of oure lady;
For, þat manere halewe we
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And ȝyueþ better ȝoure offryngys
And tyþeth weyl alle ȝourë þynges.
And ȝyf ȝe do þus goddys heste,
He saueþ ȝoure vynys fro þe tempest.”
At hys cunsel, on þys manere
Halewede þey, al þat yche ȝere;
And whan hyt come to somer tyde,
Tyme of þe tempest to vnryde,
Here vynys florshedë feyre & weyl
withoutyn tempest euery deyl.
Þan commaunded þey, and made a cry
Yn the wurschyp, of oure lady,
‘On satyrday shulde men noun ryngge,
And syþyn halew of allë þyngge,
And here tyþys to ȝeuë ryȝt
Mochë bettyr at here myght.’
And so, grete tempest secede al,
Þat on þeyr frutys was wnt to fal.
Seþyn, oueral yn þat cuntre
Þere þey made nat þys solemnyte,
were here vynys al destroyed,
And þe folk mochyl a-noyd.
Fel hyt on a satyrday
A man hyréd folke tó ful pay;
Þe half day ne haléwd he noght,
For al hole day hyt shulde be wroght;
Þe tymë come þat noun þey rong,
As þey hadde ordeyned hem among:
Alle þe wyrkmen homward ȝede,
But he and hys dede furþ hys dede.
Ouþer men seyd, þey shuld nat werche
Lengyr þan þey rong none at þe chyrche.
“Comyþ alle home, & hauyþ doun,
And haleweþ with vs at þe noun
In þe wurschype of oure lady,
As now ys custome comunly.”
One of hem swore hys oþe
Þat he ne wlde, for lefe ne loþe,
Halew morë at þe none
Þan hyt wás wnt to be done;
Ne he ne shulde, for oure lady,
But wyrchë forþe þe day holy.
Dowun he smotë hys mattok,
And fyl hym self ded as a stok.
(Mattok is a pykeys,
Or a pyke, as sum men seys.)
Þe caytefe lay, and myȝt nat speke;
Furþ, for ded, men gan hym streke;
Men crydë fast ‘a prest, a prest.’
But no wrde come out of hys brest.
As þey stode, & made grete þrong,
A gode man stodë hem a-mong,
And seyd “þys man ys at þe ded;
wyl ȝe do allë at my rede?
Allë men þat þys chaunce sees,
Syttyþ dowun vpp-on ȝoure knees;
And pray we god, þat alle þyng may,
And to oure lady þat owyþ þys day,
Þat she graunte vs swyche a ȝyfte
Þat he may speke, & take hys shryfte,
In swych a forward, þat he & we
Shul euer more chastyed be.”
when þey to prey on knees gan falle,
Þe man spake fyrst among hem alle:
“whan y swore, he seyd, so hastly,
Þat y wlde nat leue, for oure lady,
Ne halewe þys day of my note,
An hande y sagh come to my þrote,
And hyldë me þarby so sore
Þat y to ȝow myȝt speke no more.
Oure lady was with me so wroþe
Þat y swore by here an oþe,
Þat y wlde nat leue for here to werche
Þoght men rong noun at þe cherche;
Ne here helpe hadde be, þat was so nere,
Þe hand me haddë strangled here.
And ȝe þat stondeþ me bysyde,
Þat preyd for me þat ychë tyde,
Blessed mote ȝe allë be
For ȝoure preyers haþ saued me.”
A man hyréd folke tó ful pay;
Þe half day ne haléwd he noght,
For al hole day hyt shulde be wroght;
Þe tymë come þat noun þey rong,
As þey hadde ordeyned hem among:
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But he and hys dede furþ hys dede.
Ouþer men seyd, þey shuld nat werche
Lengyr þan þey rong none at þe chyrche.
“Comyþ alle home, & hauyþ doun,
And haleweþ with vs at þe noun
In þe wurschype of oure lady,
As now ys custome comunly.”
One of hem swore hys oþe
Þat he ne wlde, for lefe ne loþe,
Halew morë at þe none
Þan hyt wás wnt to be done;
Ne he ne shulde, for oure lady,
But wyrchë forþe þe day holy.
Dowun he smotë hys mattok,
And fyl hym self ded as a stok.
(Mattok is a pykeys,
Or a pyke, as sum men seys.)
Þe caytefe lay, and myȝt nat speke;
Furþ, for ded, men gan hym streke;
Men crydë fast ‘a prest, a prest.’
But no wrde come out of hys brest.
As þey stode, & made grete þrong,
A gode man stodë hem a-mong,
And seyd “þys man ys at þe ded;
wyl ȝe do allë at my rede?
Allë men þat þys chaunce sees,
Syttyþ dowun vpp-on ȝoure knees;
And pray we god, þat alle þyng may,
And to oure lady þat owyþ þys day,
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Þat he may speke, & take hys shryfte,
In swych a forward, þat he & we
Shul euer more chastyed be.”
when þey to prey on knees gan falle,
Þe man spake fyrst among hem alle:
“whan y swore, he seyd, so hastly,
Þat y wlde nat leue, for oure lady,
Ne halewe þys day of my note,
An hande y sagh come to my þrote,
And hyldë me þarby so sore
Þat y to ȝow myȝt speke no more.
Oure lady was with me so wroþe
Þat y swore by here an oþe,
Þat y wlde nat leue for here to werche
Þoght men rong noun at þe cherche;
Ne here helpe hadde be, þat was so nere,
Þe hand me haddë strangled here.
And ȝe þat stondeþ me bysyde,
Þat preyd for me þat ychë tyde,
Blessed mote ȝe allë be
For ȝoure preyers haþ saued me.”
Of þys tale ys alle þe entent
To kepe weyl þe commaundëment,—
Þat ys, to holde wel þyn halyday
In allë þyngë þat þou may.
Ne þou shalt swere vnwurschyply,
By oure lorde, ne by oure lady.
Swyche men halewe nat gostly,
Þat on þe halyday leuyn no foly.
Ȝyf þou make karol or play,
Þou halewyst nat þyn halyday.
Ȝyf þou come ouergladly þar tyl,
And ȝyuest þarto mochyl þy wyl,
yn þat hast þou mochyl plyȝt,
For synne wyl come þurgh swychë syȝt.
To kepe weyl þe commaundëment,—
Þat ys, to holde wel þyn halyday
In allë þyngë þat þou may.
Ne þou shalt swere vnwurschyply,
By oure lorde, ne by oure lady.
Swyche men halewe nat gostly,
Þat on þe halyday leuyn no foly.
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Þou halewyst nat þyn halyday.
Ȝyf þou come ouergladly þar tyl,
And ȝyuest þarto mochyl þy wyl,
yn þat hast þou mochyl plyȝt,
For synne wyl come þurgh swychë syȝt.
Ȝyf þou euer settyst swerde eyþer ryng
For to gadyr a wrastlyng,
Þe halyday þou holdest noght
whan swyche bobaunce for þe ys wroȝt.
Cuntek þere comyþ, or ouþer bobaunce,
And sum man slayn, or lost þurȝe chaunce.
For to gadyr a wrastlyng,
Þe halyday þou holdest noght
whan swyche bobaunce for þe ys wroȝt.
Cuntek þere comyþ, or ouþer bobaunce,
And sum man slayn, or lost þurȝe chaunce.
Ȝyf þou euer yn felde, eyþer in toune,
Dedyst floure-gerland or coroune
To makë wommen to gadyr þere,
To se whych þat feyrer were;
Þys ys aȝens þe commaundëment,
And þe halyday for þe ys shent;
Hyt ys a gaderyng for lecherye,
And ful grete pryde, & hertë hye.
Dedyst floure-gerland or coroune
To makë wommen to gadyr þere,
To se whych þat feyrer were;
Þys ys aȝens þe commaundëment,
And þe halyday for þe ys shent;
Hyt ys a gaderyng for lecherye,
And ful grete pryde, & hertë hye.
Ȝyf þou euer ianglyst at messe
Yn þe cherche with more or lesse,
And lettyst men of here preyers,
For hem perel soþely þou berys;
Þe halyday þou holdest nat ryȝt,
And lettyst to wurschyp god almyȝt.
Halyday was made for preyere,
To god oure herende for to bere.
Certys we ouȝt þan with ful mynde
To preye god vs of synne vnbynde,
And yn gode lyfe vs wysse & rede,
And for-ȝeue vs al oure mysdede.
Yn þe cherche with more or lesse,
And lettyst men of here preyers,
For hem perel soþely þou berys;
Þe halyday þou holdest nat ryȝt,
And lettyst to wurschyp god almyȝt.
Halyday was made for preyere,
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Certys we ouȝt þan with ful mynde
To preye god vs of synne vnbynde,
And yn gode lyfe vs wysse & rede,
And for-ȝeue vs al oure mysdede.
Ȝyf þou hauntyst to make þy play
At þe tauerne on þe halyday,
To many on comyþ þarfore euyl
Þurgh cumberaunce of þe deuyl.
Holy chyrchë wyl þe werne
Þe halyday to go to þe tauerne,
And namly byfore þe noun
whan goddys seruyse owyþ to be doun.
Tauerne ys þe deuylys knyfe
Hyt sleþ þe, oþer soule or lyfe;
One of þys, shal hyt do,
Ȝyf þou haunte comunly þarto.
Hyt shortyþ þy lyfe, ouer moche drynkynge,
And sleþ þy soule with bakbytyngge;
Hyt wastyþ þy body, and makeþ þe drye,
And gadryd lecherye to glotonye;
And þe comaundment ys brokun,
And þe halyday, byfore of spokun.
At þe tauerne on þe halyday,
To many on comyþ þarfore euyl
Þurgh cumberaunce of þe deuyl.
Holy chyrchë wyl þe werne
Þe halyday to go to þe tauerne,
And namly byfore þe noun
whan goddys seruyse owyþ to be doun.
Tauerne ys þe deuylys knyfe
Hyt sleþ þe, oþer soule or lyfe;
One of þys, shal hyt do,
Ȝyf þou haunte comunly þarto.
Hyt shortyþ þy lyfe, ouer moche drynkynge,
And sleþ þy soule with bakbytyngge;
Hyt wastyþ þy body, and makeþ þe drye,
And gadryd lecherye to glotonye;
And þe comaundment ys brokun,
And þe halyday, byfore of spokun.
Ȝyf þou do any man o dawe
On þe halyday for any lawe,
Swychë men greuusly werche
Aȝens þe state of holy chyrche:
For holy preyere, and for þe pees,
þe halyday god hyt chees.
On þe halyday for any lawe,
Swychë men greuusly werche
Aȝens þe state of holy chyrche:
For holy preyere, and for þe pees,
þe halyday god hyt chees.
Ȝyf þou euer with iogeloure,
with hasadoure, or with rotoure,
Hauntyst tauerne, or were to any pere
To pley at þe ches or at þe tablere,
Specyaly before þe noun
whan goddys seruyse owyþ to be doun,
Hyt ys aȝens þe comaundment
And holy cherches asent.
Ȝyf þou be ‘infra sacros,’
And art a clerk, & hast þe los
Of subdekene, or dekene by name,
So moche art þou þe more to blame.
Þys lerned men ȝyuen ensample so
Þat þe lewd men þe more mysdo.
God ȝyue us grace þe halyday
To kepë, Ihesu cryst to pay.
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Hauntyst tauerne, or were to any pere
To pley at þe ches or at þe tablere,
Specyaly before þe noun
whan goddys seruyse owyþ to be doun,
Hyt ys aȝens þe comaundment
And holy cherches asent.
Ȝyf þou be ‘infra sacros,’
And art a clerk, & hast þe los
Of subdekene, or dekene by name,
So moche art þou þe more to blame.
Þys lerned men ȝyuen ensample so
Þat þe lewd men þe more mysdo.
God ȝyue us grace þe halyday
To kepë, Ihesu cryst to pay.
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