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[The Eighth Commandment.]
Now of þe eytþë wyl we speke,
Þat fals sysours vse moste to breke.
‘Þous halt no fals wytnes bere,
Þyn euene crystyn for to dere.’
who-so with hys mouþe, one, seys,
And with hys herte þenkeþ ouþer weys,—
he ys wurþy to be shent,
For a doþ aȝens þys comaundment.
But many one þat are þus fykyl
Synnyn nat ylychë mykyl;
Þarfor behoueþ be tolde þe skyl
As holy men seyn vs tyl.
Þat fals sysours vse moste to breke.
‘Þous halt no fals wytnes bere,
Þyn euene crystyn for to dere.’
who-so with hys mouþe, one, seys,
And with hys herte þenkeþ ouþer weys,—
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For a doþ aȝens þys comaundment.
But many one þat are þus fykyl
Synnyn nat ylychë mykyl;
Þarfor behoueþ be tolde þe skyl
As holy men seyn vs tyl.
who-so beleuyþ a wycches sawe,
he bereþ wytnes aȝens þe lawe.
Swyche wycches are for to weyue,
For many men þey wyl dysceyue.
he bereþ wytnes aȝens þe lawe.
Swyche wycches are for to weyue,
For many men þey wyl dysceyue.
Some men wytnessen a lesyng
For nonë ouþer wynnyng
But for to begyle sum man þer-ynne;
Ȝyf hyt delyte hym, grete ys þat synne.
For nonë ouþer wynnyng
But for to begyle sum man þer-ynne;
Ȝyf hyt delyte hym, grete ys þat synne.
On ouþer manere synnen sum
Þat makeþ lesyng þurgh custum
To plese þe folk yn rybaudy:
Þat y halde no synne dedly,
But þey haue þeryn delyte;
Þan mow þey synne dedely ful tyte.
Þat makeþ lesyng þurgh custum
To plese þe folk yn rybaudy:
Þat y halde no synne dedly,
But þey haue þeryn delyte;
Þan mow þey synne dedely ful tyte.
And sum vsë for curtesye
To speke nobly, and ȝyt wyl lye,
Þey synnë yn þat feyre spekyng
Ȝyf þey haue delyt yn þat lesyng.
To speke nobly, and ȝyt wyl lye,
Þey synnë yn þat feyre spekyng
Ȝyf þey haue delyt yn þat lesyng.
And some lye oþer more or lesse,
To preyse one bettere þan he es;
Swyche lesyng ys nat grete folye
But þey hyt vsë comunly.
To preyse one bettere þan he es;
Swyche lesyng ys nat grete folye
But þey hyt vsë comunly.
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And somë lye as þey were wode
For men shuld ȝyuë hem sum gode,
And seyn þat he haþ do so or so
Þat he myȝt neuer come-to to do.
But þogh no man haue þer-of euyl,
Ȝyt hyt ys þe tycement of þe deuyl.
No lesyng ys with-outë synne,
But þat þer ys algate, sum plyght þerynne;
Al aftyr þat þe lesyng ys,
Sum ys more, and sum ys les.
For men shuld ȝyuë hem sum gode,
And seyn þat he haþ do so or so
Þat he myȝt neuer come-to to do.
But þogh no man haue þer-of euyl,
Ȝyt hyt ys þe tycement of þe deuyl.
No lesyng ys with-outë synne,
But þat þer ys algate, sum plyght þerynne;
Al aftyr þat þe lesyng ys,
Sum ys more, and sum ys les.
But some men synnë greuusly
yn þys comaundment so hy,
Þat of grete þyng fals wytnes beryn,
And þar to-also grete oþys sweryn.
Swyche synnë greueþ now mekyl,
For many one are boþe fals and fykyl;
Þat oþer for loue, or for awe,
Wyl men swere falsly a sawe,
And bere wytnes of swyche a fals
To make a man hang be þe hals.
God haþ sent for swyche veniaunce,
But many trusten of long suffraunce.
Men hope so moche hys mercy to,
Þat some neuer recche what þey do.
But þe wys man seyþ yn hys lore,
‘Þat here synne ys moche þe more
Ȝyf þey synne custummably
yn þe hope of hys mercy.’
Y shal ȝou tellë how hyt fore
Of a man þat hym forswore.
yn þys comaundment so hy,
Þat of grete þyng fals wytnes beryn,
And þar to-also grete oþys sweryn.
Swyche synnë greueþ now mekyl,
For many one are boþe fals and fykyl;
Þat oþer for loue, or for awe,
Wyl men swere falsly a sawe,
And bere wytnes of swyche a fals
To make a man hang be þe hals.
God haþ sent for swyche veniaunce,
But many trusten of long suffraunce.
Men hope so moche hys mercy to,
Þat some neuer recche what þey do.
But þe wys man seyþ yn hys lore,
‘Þat here synne ys moche þe more
Ȝyf þey synne custummably
yn þe hope of hys mercy.’
Y shal ȝou tellë how hyt fore
Of a man þat hym forswore.
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