 | Handlyng Synne |  |
[The Tenth Commandment.]
The tenþe comaundment ys, “by þy lyfe
Coueytë nat þy neghburs wyfe.”
And þys ys now a comun synne
Þat many onë fallyn ynne,
For almost hyt ys euery-whore
A gentyl man haþ a wyfe and a hore;
And wyuës haue now comunly
here husbondys and a ludby.
Coueytë nat þy neghburs wyfe.”
And þys ys now a comun synne
Þat many onë fallyn ynne,
For almost hyt ys euery-whore
A gentyl man haþ a wyfe and a hore;
104
here husbondys and a ludby.
Yn euery place now mow men se
Þe wyfe wyl gladly þe mayster be;
And ȝyf she onys þe maystry wynne
Alle newë lawys she wyl bygynne;
For þan wyl she make hyt alle newe,
And bygynneþ to be a shrewe;
And whan she haþ wune þe maystry
Oure syre ys noght but ‘veyes moy sy.’
Þan wyl folys fonde and fare
To chepë þe wyuys chaffare.
And ȝyf þe wyfe lestene here lore,
here wurschyp ys lost for euer more.
Þus wyl bygynnë wykked lyfe
To coueyte a-noþer mannys wyfe;
For no man ful comunly
Besecheþ a wyfë of foly,
But þere þe wyfë ys aboute,
Þe godë man, for to stoute.
Y dar no morë telle for drede
Of vnkyndë wyuys hede;
Noþeles, y haue grete skylle
To sey morë þan y wylle.
Þe wyfe wyl gladly þe mayster be;
And ȝyf she onys þe maystry wynne
Alle newë lawys she wyl bygynne;
For þan wyl she make hyt alle newe,
And bygynneþ to be a shrewe;
And whan she haþ wune þe maystry
Oure syre ys noght but ‘veyes moy sy.’
Þan wyl folys fonde and fare
To chepë þe wyuys chaffare.
And ȝyf þe wyfe lestene here lore,
here wurschyp ys lost for euer more.
Þus wyl bygynnë wykked lyfe
To coueyte a-noþer mannys wyfe;
For no man ful comunly
Besecheþ a wyfë of foly,
But þere þe wyfë ys aboute,
Þe godë man, for to stoute.
Y dar no morë telle for drede
Of vnkyndë wyuys hede;
Noþeles, y haue grete skylle
To sey morë þan y wylle.
Ȝyf þou euer, þat þou wystyst,
A-nouþer mannys wyfë kystyst,
Or ȝaue here ȝyft for þat enchesoun
Þat sum synnë myght be doun;
Þan as yn þe, þou fallyst yn synne,
Ȝyf þou to foly wuldest here wynne.
A-nouþer mannys wyfë kystyst,
Or ȝaue here ȝyft for þat enchesoun
Þat sum synnë myght be doun;
Þan as yn þe, þou fallyst yn synne,
Ȝyf þou to foly wuldest here wynne.
Ȝyf þou þys foly haunte,
Ouþer mennys wyuys for to daunte,
yn foly wurdys, or yn foly play,
yn vntyme, be nyȝt or day,
Þat here herte to þe myght tourne,
And late of here husbunde skorne,
For soþe þou synnest þer dedly
Þogh þou lygge neuer here by.
By foly wurdys mow men a fole kenne;
Þurgh blast of mouþe þe fyre wyl brenne.
Ouþer mennys wyuys for to daunte,
yn foly wurdys, or yn foly play,
yn vntyme, be nyȝt or day,
Þat here herte to þe myght tourne,
And late of here husbunde skorne,
For soþe þou synnest þer dedly
105
By foly wurdys mow men a fole kenne;
Þurgh blast of mouþe þe fyre wyl brenne.
Ȝyf þou euer dedyst þy myght
A womman to tylle with foly syght,
As men hauntë now alle day,
To hauë glysyng yȝen and gay,
A weddyd wyfe y þe forbede,
For, þat ys most for to drede.
A womman to tylle with foly syght,
As men hauntë now alle day,
To hauë glysyng yȝen and gay,
A weddyd wyfe y þe forbede,
For, þat ys most for to drede.
Also, ȝyf þou dedyst letter sende
To weddyd wyfe, or wrote or kende;
Or ȝyf þou letter bare,
And þou were þerof weyl ware,
Þogh hyt were ouþer mennys synne
Ȝyt art þou partáble þer-ynne.
To weddyd wyfe, or wrote or kende;
Or ȝyf þou letter bare,
And þou were þerof weyl ware,
Þogh hyt were ouþer mennys synne
Ȝyt art þou partáble þer-ynne.
Þys comaundment þat ys þe tenþe,
wylle y no lenger drawe or lengþe;
For yn þe syxtë þer y spake,
y touched of þys ychë lake.
wylle y no lenger drawe or lengþe;
For yn þe syxtë þer y spake,
y touched of þys ychë lake.
Now of þys ten wylle we lete,
And speke of ouþer synnys grete;
God graunte vs gracë so to sey
Of trouþe to shewë þe ryȝt weye.
And speke of ouþer synnys grete;
God graunte vs gracë so to sey
Of trouþe to shewë þe ryȝt weye.
| Handlyng Synne | |