Handlyng Synne :: :: University of Virginia Library

The first commaundment ys of echone
‘Þou shalt haue no god but one,’
Né but o god shalt þou leue,
Ne on no þyng þat wyl hym greue.
Now beþenke þe weyl on þys,
Ȝyf þou aȝen þys haue do ouȝt mys.

The fyrst askyng ys yn oure boke,
‘Ȝyf þou euer god forsoke;’
Any tymë, as for nede,
Or for folye, or for drede,
Or ouþer chaunce þat you weyl woste,
Forsoke fadyr and sone and holy goste.

For þys ys one þe mostë synne
Þat any man may fallyn ynne.

Ȝyf þou haue synned þus gretly,
With sory herte þou aske mercy.
For god ys ful euer of pyte,
Hys mercy ys euer redy to þe.
Drede þe noght; ȝyf þou wylt craue,
Hys mochel mercy shalt þou haue.
And þat may wel [i-]preuyd be
Wyþ a tale of auctoryte.
Þe tale ys wrytyn, al and sum,
In a boke of ‘Vitas Patrum:’—

[The Tale of the Tempted Monk.]

Hyt was onys a munke, and had a celle
In a wyldernes, for to dwelle;
Þys munkë of relygyoun
Had a grete temptacyoun;
He was so temptyd with lecherye,
He ȝede fro hys celle to seke folye;
He dede hym sone to a cyte,
In-to egypte, þat yche cuntre.
And, as hé cam yn a strete,
with a womman he gan mete;
Hys flesshe on here was so abeyted,
Þat þyke womman he couéytyd.
To here fadyr swyþe he ȝede,
And asked here to haue yn dede.
Here fadyr was prest of sarysyne;
In maummetry he leued ynne.

Þe prest seyd þe munke vn-to,

As my god wyl, so wyl y do.
She shal noght to any be sette
Withoutyn leue of my maumette.
The munkë seyd he graunted weyl
Aftyr hys maumette to do euery deyl.

Þe sarysyne to hys god ȝede,
And askede cunseyl of swyche a dede,
Ȝyf he were of þe munkë payde,
Or, þe ȝyfte shulde be delayde.’

Þan answered hys termagaunt,
“Ȝyue hym þy doghtyr on þys cunnaunt,
Þat he forsake, & quytë clene,
God of heuene and hys bapteme,
And alle þe godenesse of hys munkhede;
Þese þre forsakë, mote he nede;
And ȝyf he forsake hem apertly,
Ȝyue hym þy douȝtyr hardëly.”

Þys prest come to þe munke, & tolde
what he seyd, and what he wolde;
‘And ȝyf he wolde forsake þese þre,
Hys dougtyr shulde hys ownë be.’

She was so mochë yn hys þoght;
Had he here, he rouȝte of noghte.
Alas! Ihesus he forsoke,
And þe crystyndom þat he toke,
And þe state of relygyoun,
And chesë hys Dampnacyun.

Certys he dede grete outrage,
To make þe deuyl so moche omage.

whan he had grauntede al hys folye,
Out of hys mouþe he say flye
A dowue vn-to þe fyrmament;
Þe holy gost þan from hym went.

Þe sarysyne wente to hys maumet,
And tolde hym how þe munke had het:
“Þese þre þyngës” he wyl forsake;
Shal y, hym my douȝtyr take?
Sey þou me þe certeyn of alle,
wheþer y shal, or y ne shalle.”
Þe maumet answeryd hastyly,
“Y warne þe for enchesoun why;
Þogh he forsake hys god for euere,
Hys god forsakeþ hym neuere,
For he ys euer ful of pyte;
Men clepyn hym god of cristianite;
For ȝyf he wyl hym mercy craue,
Redyly mercy shal he haue;
Þouȝe he to-day fro hys god weyue,
To-morwe hys god wyl hym receyue.
Þarfor, y forbede þe weyl,
Ne delë with hym neuer a deyl.”

Þe prest vnto þe munkë went
And seyd, “y haue commaundëment
Þat y ne shal delë with þe,
Ne my doghtyr þy wyfe to be;
For þy god ys of swych manere,
Þogh þou forsake hym ryght now here,
To-morwe mayst þou com aȝeyn,

And make with hym acorde certeyn;
Þogh þou haue do neuer so ylle
Ȝyt wyl he graunte þe hys gode wylle.
My god me bad on none wyse
To dele with þe, ne none of hyse.”

Þe munke rependyd hym þan, and þoght,
“Alas!” he seyd, “what have y wroght
Þat y shulde euer hym forsake
Þat ys so redy me efte to take.
Þy mercy, god, ys mochyl to telle;
when y see a maumet of helle
Þat neuer ȝyt loued þe,
He spekyþ of þy mochyl pyte.
Seþyn þou art so mylde and meke
Þy mochyl mercy wyl y seke;
Here y forsakë þat y toke,
To hym y me betake þat y forsoke.”

Seþyn he ȝede to an ermyte,
And shrofe hym of hys synne astyte;
And tolde hym þat he had y-doun,
Forsaken god and hys relygyoun.
þys forsayde ermyte ful sory was
Þat he had do so grete trespas;
Noþeles, he bad hym dwelle
Þre wokys with hym yn his celle;
For hys synne he shulde þan faste,
And yn preyers wel to laste.

þys ychë munke þat was so madde,
Dyde ryght as þe ermyte badde.
þey preyden boþe þat seuenyȝt

To god, for hys mochel myȝt,
þat he wulde haue of hym mercy;
Þus preyd þey boþë specyaly.

At þe fyrste seuenyȝt ende,
þe ermyte seyd, “broþer hende,
Hast þou any gracë see
Yn þy preyers as þou hast be?”
“ȝe,” he seyde, “y sagh a syght
Yn þe lykenes of a dowuës flyght,
Aboue me yn þe firmament,
Of þat dowue þat fro me went.”
þe ermyte þoght þan astyte
Þat hyt was þe same spyryte
þat went from hym when he began
God forsake for þat womman.

To gret penaunce eft he hym toke
For hys cristyndom þat he forsoke;
Ȝyt a woke he badde hym faste
For his flessh þat hym downe caste,
þat no more þurghe lecherye
He fordo hys grace so gretly.

Þys ermyte preyed nyght and day
þat hys penaunce were take to pay.
whan þey had preydë day & nyght
Alle þat woke yn goddys syght,
Þys ermyte seyd, “benedicite;
Broþer,” he seyd, “how þenkeþ þe?”
“weyl,” he seyd, “þurgh goddys grace,
Þe dowue haþ be byfore my face,
And, a whyle, stylle by me stode;
Þe syght þere-of dyde me gode.”

“þat ys weyl, wyþ goddys wylle,
Dwelle ȝyt with me a wokë stylle,
And be yn þyn afflyccyouns,
Yn fastyng and yn orysouns:
And y. shal prey also with þe
Þat god boþe herë me and þe.”

Stedfastlych þey preyd a-none
Tyl þat wokë were alle gone.
At þe woke ende, spake þe ermyte
And asked þe munke of þe spyryte.
Þe munkë seyde, “y haue hyt seyn,
And on my hede syttyn and beyn;
y sagh hyt so mylde and spake,
Þat with my hande y myght hyt take;
Me þoght hyt was þat fro me steye,
Aȝeyn yn-to my mouþe hyt fleye.”
þe ermyte þanked god almyght
Þat ȝafe hym grace to see þat syȝt.
“Now art þou clene,” he seyde, “of synne,
þe holy goste ys þe withynne:
kepe þe now fro swych a kas,
Aȝen god no more to trespas.”

By þys ensample may ȝe see
Þat god ys euer ful of pyte;
Þogh a man hym onys forsake,
Eft wyl god aȝen hym take
Ȝyf he with herte wyl mercy crye
And do penaunce for hys folye.
Blessed be he among vs here,
Þat he loueþ vs alle so dere.

Go we now fyrþer on oure pas
And tellë more of oure trespas.

[On Witchcraft and Dreams.]

Ȝyf þou euer þurgh folye
Dydyst ouȝt do nygrómauncy.
Or to þe deuyl dedyst sacryfyse
Þurgh wychcraftys asyse,
Or any man ȝaf þe mede
For to reyse þe deuyl yn dede,
For to telle, or for to wrey,
Þyng þat þe was don awey;
Ȝyf þou haue do any of þys,
Þou hast synned & do a-mys,
And þou art wurþy to be shent
Þurgh þys yche commaundëment.

Ȝyf you yn swerd, oþer yn bacyn,
Any chylde madyst loke þeryn,
Or yn þumbe, or yn cristal,—
wycchëcraft men clepyn hyt al:
Beleue nouȝt yn þe pyys cheteryng;
Hyt ys no trouþe, but fals beleuyng.
Many beleuyn yn þe pye:
whan she comyþ lowe or hye
Cheteryng, and haþ no reste,
þan sey þey we shul haue geste.
Manyon trowyn on here wylys,
And many tymes þe pye hem gylys.

Also ys metyng on þe morwe
when þou shalt go to bye or to borwe;
ȝyf þan þy erende spede ne sette,
þan wylt þou curse hym þat þou mette.
Hyt ys þe tycement of þe deuyl
To curse hem þat þoght þe no euyl.

Of hancel y can no skylle also;
Hyt ys nouȝt to beleue þarto:
Me þynkeþ hyt ys fals euery deyl,
Y beleue hyt nouȝt, ne neuer shal weyl.
For many hauyn glad hancel at þe morw,
And to hem or euyn comþ mochyl sorw;
And manyon hauyn yn þe day grete noy,
And ȝyt or euyn comþ to hem mochyl ioye.
So mayst þou wyte, ȝyf þou gode can,
Þat hancel ys no beleue to man.

Beleuë nouȝt moche yn no dremys,
For many be nat but gleteryng glemys.
Þese clerkys seyn þat hyt ys vanyte,
Þat nouȝt ys, ne neuer shal be;
And oftë mayst þou fynde hyt ryght
þat þou hast mete vpon þe nyght.
But þerof to haue mochyl affyaunce
Þe may betyde þe sunner a chaunce.

On syxë maners may a man mete:
Sum beyn to beleue, sum beyn to lete.
Sum men dremyn for surfeture,

þat etyn or drynkyn ouer mesure;
And sum dremë on veyn þyng
For ouer mychyl and grete fastyng;
And sum beyn þe fendes temptacyoun
Þat to þe trowþe ys fals tresoun;
And sum come of ouer mochyl þouȝt
Of þyng þat men wuld hauë wrouȝt;
And sum beyn goddys pryuyte
Þat he shewyþ to warnë þe;
And, sum come þurgh grete stody,
And shewë to þe apertly.
Þese syxë maners a clerk vs tellyþ,
Seynt Gregory, þat mochyl spellyþ.

Þe fyrst twey maners, we wote weyl,
Beyn oure defautë euery deyl.
Þe ton ys for ouer mychel outrage,
Þe touþer ys febylnesse of corage,
As yn mete, or drynk, ouer moche takyng,
Or yn feblyng þe body with moche fastyng.
þe touþer fourë þys clerkys wytyn,
For yn þe byble þey ben wrytyn.
Ȝyf þey ne come þurgh temptacyun
Of þe fende, þat ys a felun,
Neuere had seyd Salamon
‘þat dremys, men deseyue manyon.’
For þo þat to dremys ouer moche trastys,

[_]

beleuyn

To scornë hem þe fende þen frastys.

[_]

asayþ

Ȝyf þey come nat also þurgh þoght,
Þe wysë clerk hadde tolde hyt noght,
Ne suffryd hyt be wrytyn yn boke
Þat men alle day rede yn, and loke.
Þus þe wyse clerk seyþ, Catun,
And techyþ chyldryn þys lessun,
‘Ȝeue no charge to [þy] dremys,
Þey been but as [glasyng] glemys
Þat yn þe þouȝt [stertys &] lepys
A-nyȝt whan þou [restys &] slepys:
þat you wakyng [sumtyme] þenkes,
Beforë þy yȝen hyt blenkys.’

Ȝyf þey ne come þurgh pryuyte
Þat god wyl shewë me or þe,
Iosep of dremys had ȝyue no kepe
what hym was shewed yn hys slepe,
þat fadyr and modyr & al hys kynde,
Þurgh hym shuld þey wurshyp fynde.
yn þe byble men redë þys
In þe fyrst boke of genesys.
Also hyt was shewyd pryuyly
To iosep þat wedded oure lady,
Þat with þe chyld þey shuldë fle
To egypt, þat yche cuntre.
þys ys clepyd reuelacyun,
To shewe byfore what ys to doun.

Ȝyf þey com noght þurgh stodyyng,
þat tokene ys of selkouþe þyng,
Danyel had noght wyst byfore

Þe dreme of Nabugodonósore.
Danyel seyd vn-to þe kyng,
“þou þouȝtyst to nyȝt a selkouþe þyng;
‘what manere folk shuld þey be
Þat yn þis worlde come aftyr þe,
And how þey shulde þe wurlde gouerne;’
yn þy þoght þou gunne hyt ȝerne;
And god shewyd hyt yn þy syȝt;
þat dremed þe þe touþer nyȝt.”
He tolde þe profyte þan euery deyl;
And þe profete redde hyt weyl:
wysly he seyd, and weyl þurgh soght,
whan he hede toke to þat þe kynge þoght.
And god shewyd what shuld betyde;
what manere folk shulde aftyr a-byde.

Seþyn þer beyn dremys so many manere,
þan ys doute & gretë were
To wytë where-of dremys come,
Þat euery nyȝt dremyn þurgh custome;
Þer beyn so many dremys yn veyne,
Þat no man wotë no certeyn
But þey þat beyn with god pryue,
To whom ys graunted, swych þyng to see:
Swych men deseyueþ nat þe deuyl,
þey haue no grace to knowe hys euyl;
Ellys may no man fynde hem stable,
So ben dremys déseyuable.

ȝyf þou telle hem, þan mayst þou erre;
And ȝyf þow trow hem, þat ys wel werre;
For þou mayst dreme of sum euyl þyng
Þat may turne to better for þy preyyng.
“Þou, leudman, ȝyf godë tent,
Trow noght aȝen þe comaundment.”

Ȝyf þou beleue yn wycchëcraft
To chaungë þyng be þe deuylys craft,—
Swych beyn þe deuyl betaght,
with holy chyrche þey ben vnsaght,
And allë þo þat on hem trowe
Mow drede hem self to brenne yn lowe;

[_]

fyre

And þogh þey fynde hyt soþe oþer whyle,
Hyt ys þurgh þe fendës gyle.
Þe fend fondyþ with alle hys myȝt
To put sumwat yn herë syght
Þat shal make hem swych þyng beleue
And god almyȝty myspay and greue.
For þer was neuer womman ne man
Þat any wycchëcraft be-gan,
Þat euer myȝt bryng hyt to an ende,
But fals beleue þat wyl hem shende.
þe wurdys certys beyn ryght noght,
But fals beleue makeþ dede y-wroght.
For whan þou trowyst yn a fals þyng
þe deuyl hyt shewyþ for þat trowyng.
lo here a tale of a wycche,
Þat leued no better þa[n] a bycche.

[The Tale of the Witch and her Cow-sucking Bag; and how a Bishop faild to work her Charm, because he didn't believe in it.]

Þere was a wycche, and made a bagge,
A bely of leþyr, a gretë swagge,
She sygaldryd so þys bagge bely
Þat hyt ȝede and soke mennys ky,
At euene, & at morw tyde,
yn here pasture, oþer ellys be syde.
long hyt ȝede aboutë fast,
Tyl hyt was parceyued at the last;
Þan al þe godemen of þe toune,
Byfore þe bysshop dyden here somoune;
Þey dyden þe baggë with here bere,
To wetë what she shuld answere.
hyt was shewyd byfore þe bysshop,
Þat she dyde to goo swych a melk slop,
Þurgh wycchecraft & mysáuenture,
To sugke here keyn yn here pasture.
Þe bysshop merueyled, & oþer mo,
how þat she myȝt do hyt go.
“Dame,” seyd þe bysshop, “do þy quentyse,
And late vs se how hyt shal ryse.”
Þys wycche here charme began to sey,
Þe slop ros vp, and ȝede þe weye.

Þe bysshop seyd, “þys haue we seyn;
Do hyt now to lygge aȝeyn.”
Þe wycchë dede al at hys wylle:
She made þe slop aȝen lygge stylle,
Þe bysshop made a clerk þan wryte
Al þat she seyd, mochel and lyte,
And allë how she made here went;
Þe bysshop þarto ȝaf gode entent.
“Þan,” seyde þe bysshop, “now shal y,
As þou hast do, do þy maystry.”
Þe bysshop bygan þe charme to rede,
And as she dyde, he dyde yn dede;
He seyd and dedë euery deyl,
Ryȝt as she dede, he dede as weyl.
Þe sloppe lay stylle, as hyt ded wore,
For hym ne ros hyt neuer þe more.
“why,” seyd he, “wyl hyt nat ryse,
And y haue do þe samë wyse,
And seyd þe wurdys, lesse ne mo,
And for my seyyng wyl hyt nat go?”
“Nay,” she seyd, “why shuld hyt so?
Ȝe beleue nat as y do:
wlde ȝe beleue my wrdys as y,
Hyt shulde a go, and sokun ky.”
He seyd, “þan fayleþ noght but beleuyng;”
She seyd, “þat helpeþ al my þyng;
And so hyt ys for ourë lawe,
Beleue ys morë þan þe sawe;

For, þou mayst sey what þou wylt,
But þou beleue hyt, ellys ys alle spylt;
Alle þat y seyd, y beleue hyt weyl,
My beleue haþ do þe dede euery deyl.”
Þe bysshop comaundyd þat she shuld noȝt
Beleue ne wurche as she had wroȝt.

Here mow we wyte, beleue wyl make
Þere þe wurde no myȝt may take.
Þe bysshop seyd þe wurdys echoun,
But, beleue þeryn hadde he noun.
Nomore shall hyt auaylë þe
Þat beleuest not þere beleue shulde be.

Ȝyf þou herdyst a fals þyng or layþ

[_]

foule

Þat were spoke aȝens þe feyþ,
And þou ne wuldest þeraȝen seye,
But beleuyst, oþer for loue, oþer for eye,
Þou hast synned, & aȝen went
Þys ychë fyrst comaundëment.
Þus seyþ þe lawë þat men hauntes,
‘Ȝyf þou forhelyst, weyl þou grauntes.’

Ȝyf þou trowest or vndyrstondys
Þat þre sustren ben shapandys,
And comun þere þe chylde ys bore,
And shapyn hyt wele or euel before;
For wykked beleue þat þou art ynne
Þey make þe chylde to falle yn synne;
Swyche beleue þou shuldest nat werche
Aȝens þe beleue of holy cherche.
Þer nys no shapper but god almyȝt,

Þat yn þe vyrgyne Mary lyȝt.
He ys shapper of al þyng;
Of al þat ys, he wote þe endyng;
He ys boþë god and man;
Alle he wote, and alle he can.
Þe touþer shappers þat men of telle,
Beteche we hem þe fende of helle.

Ȝyf þou trowyst synne shal be forȝeue
withoutë répentaunce & shryue,
As sum of þys lewed men seys,
‘God of heuene ys so curteys,
Þat he shal on domysday certeynly
For-ȝyue þe synne of lechery;
lechery ys but lyght synne,
he wyl haue mercy on al þerynne;’
Þus sey þey þat can no gode,
And þouȝ þey hemself vndyrstode.
Ȝyf þou þe certeyn wylt lere,
Þyn forȝeuenes mote be here;
yn þe touþer werlde þer we shul come
Þere ys but ryȝtfulnes of dome;
Þere ys al ryȝtfulnes at þe last ende;
Aske mercy or þou þedyr wende,
Elles gest þou no forȝeuenes,
Here ne þerë, more no lesse.
God ȝyue vs grace, or we be went,
To kepë þys fyrst cómaundment.

[The Second Commandment.]

The touþer comandement ys,
‘Swere nat hys name yn ydulnys.’
whan þou yn ydulnes swerest hys name,
Þou dost hym bere wytnes of blame.
Vndyrstond þys,—þe menyng ys,
Alle yn þe, þe wykednes ys.
Ȝyf þou sweryst fals, þy wetande,
And for soþenes ys vnderstonde,
Þere takyst þou god yn þy sweryng
To bere wytnesse of a fals þyng.
Y askë ‘wheþyr ys grettyr eye,
A lesyng, or a fals tale seye.’
Here mayst þou lerne a queyntyse,
To knowe of boþe þe ryȝt asyse;—
Þou mayst here and beleue a fals
Þat ys seyd of a-noþer als,
And telle hyt forþ þe samë wyse,
Ryght as he vn-to þe seyse,
And ȝyf þou wene þat þat sawe ys ryȝt,
Þouȝt hyt be fals, þou hast no plyȝt;
For, þyn ynwyt, þe shal saue,
Þou wenyst to seye weyl, no plyȝt to haue,

A lesyng haþ weyl wers wey:
Þe tokyn of a lesyng y shal þe sey.
whan ys a lesyng, but þan ys hyt
whan hyt ys seyd aȝens ynwyt;
Soþely to sey, a lesyng ys
whan þou wost þat þou seyst mys,

And ȝyf þou make a grete sweryng
For to manteynë þy lesyng;
Hym þan þat þou by sweryst,
Fals wytnes on hym þou beryst.
Ȝyf þou by god, or oure lady,
Or ouþer seyntes þat þou sweryst by,
Þou dost hym berë fals wytnes
Of þy lesyng, þat soþ yt ys.
How shul þey þan help þe at þy nede,
whan þou hem drawyst to þy falshede;
And þyn inwyt, þyn ownë skyle,
Aȝen þe seyþ and euermore wylle.

Ȝyf þou trowest þat god was nat byfore
Or he was of þe maydyn bore;
Or ȝyf þou trowyst þat he was noght
Beforë or þe worlde was wroght;
Ȝyf þou wene þat verement,
Hyt ys aȝens þys comaundement.
God was euer wyþ outyn bygynnyng
Ar þe worlde, or man, or ouþer þyng.

Ȝyf þou trowyst þat hys manhede
Haþ no powere with þe godhede,
Repentë þe, þou art yn synne,
For ydylnes hast þou hys name ynne;

Ȝyf þou trowest þat he may naght
Yn heuene and erþe hys wyl haue wroȝt,
Þe manhede þat toke flesshe & bone,
Þat with þe godhede ys al one;—
But þou repente þe byfore þy fyn,

[_]

ende

Þou mayst be lore, seyþ seynt Austyn.

[Against Swearing Oaths.]

Ȝyf þou were euer so fole hardy
To swerë grete oþys grysly,
As we folys do alle day,
Dysmembre Ihesu alle þat we may.
Gentyl men, for grete gentry,
wene þat grete oþys beyn curteysy;
Noþeles, blode, fete, & yȝen,
Þey scorne Ihesu, and vpbreyde hys pyn.
Of hys woundys he haþ vpbreyd,
Oure shame hyt ys þat yt ys seyd;
Alle þat he suffred for oure frame,
As yn vpbreydyng we sey hym shame;
Hys flesshe, hys blode, he shedde for þe;
woundys he suffred to make þe fre;
So mochyl ys oure shame þe more,
Þat we eft pynë hym so sore.
And þo men fallyn more yn plyȝt
Þat sweryn oþer fals or ryȝt,
By any menbre of hys manhede
Byneþyn þe gyrdyl, y þe forbede;
For y haue herd men swere swyche oþys;
To þenke on hem, forsoþe me loþys.
A lytyl tale y shal ȝow telle,
Þat y herde onys a frerë spelle.

[The Tale of the Bloody Child.]

Hyt was onys a rychë man
Þat gretë oþys swere bygan;

For ryche men vse comunly
Sweryn grete oþys grysly.
Þys rychë man wldë nat lete
But þat he swore euer oþys grete.
An euyl toke hym on a day,
Þat he syke yn hys beddë lay;
A nyȝt, as he lay a-lone,
A womman he herdë make here mone;
Þat yche womman come hym byfore,
with a chylde yn here armys bore.
Of þe chylde þat she bare yn here armys
Al to-drawë were þe þarmys;

[_]

guttys

Of handys, of fete, þe flessh of drawyn,
Mouþe, yȝen, & nose, were alle to-knawyn,
Bakke & sydës were al blody:
Þys womman sorful was, and sory.
Þys man for here wax sore agrysyn;
he spak, whan he was rysyn,
“what art þou womman, þat makyst swych cry?
ho haþ made þy chyld so blody?”
“Þou,” she seyd, “hast hym so shent,
And with þy oþys al to-rent.
Þus hast þou drawen my dere chylde,
with þy oþys wykked and wylde;
And þou makest me sore to grete,
þat þou þyn oþys wylt nat lete.
hys manhede, þat he toke for þe,
Þou pynyst hyt, as þou mayst se;
Þyn oþys done hym more greuesnesse
þan alle þe Iewys wykkednesse.
Þey pyned hym onys, & passed a-way,

But, þou, pynest hym euery day.
Þe pyne, he suffred for þy gode,
And þou vpbreydyst hym of þe rode;
Alle hys flessh, þan þou teryst,
whan þou falsly by hym swerest;
And y am euer so [in] mynde
For to pray for al mankyynde.
how shulde y lengyr prey for þe,
So rulyche makyst þou hym to be,
And ouþer many mo þan þou;
How shulde y þan be meke to ȝow?”
Þe caytyfe þat lay yn hys bedde,
For here seyyng wax sore adredde,
And seydë, “ȝyf hyt be þy wylle,
Helpe me, lady, þat y ne spylle.
For al men seyn, o þou lady,
Þat þou art modyr of mercy!”
She answeryd to þe caytyfe,
“yn fals oþys ys alle þy lyfe;
what mercy mayst þou aske þurgh ryȝt
whan þou þus my sone hast dyght?”
“Lady, alle my oþys grete
Fro þys forward wyl y lete;
And preche to euery man þy lore,
þat þey oþys swere no more.”
“Ȝyf þou wylt of oþys blynne,
Þan wyl y pray for þy synne,
þat þey máy be þe forȝyue,
And do penaunce whan þou art shryue.
For alle men þat hauntyn grete oþys,
To helpe hem at nede, certys me loþys;

And my sonë wlde noght here
For fals oþys, any prayere;
For he comaundeþ to more & lesse,
‘Swere nat hys name yn ydulnesse.’”
Þys womman with here chylde gan wende;
Blessyd be she with-outyn ende!

For hem þat ben of oþys bolde,
For hem haue y þys talë tolde.
Þys gentyl men, þys gettours,
Þey ben but Goddys turmentours;
Þey turment hym alle þat þey may,
with fals oþys nyȝt and day.
But ȝe leue ȝoure fals sweryng,
Ȝoure vnkyndë vpbreydyng,
Ȝe shul go a deueyl weye
But ȝe amende ȝou, ar ȝe deye.
For euery gadlyng nat wurþ a pere
Takyþ ensample at ȝow to swere,
So euery man vn-to ouþer—
Þe porë to þe ryche ys broþer—
yn oþys and yn wykkedhede,
Þe toon þe toþer to helle shal lede.

Ȝyf þou euere swore by oure lady
yn any tyme fals or wykkedly,
Hastly þe [þerfro] withdrawe;
Vengaunce comþ for swych myssawe.
whan þou sweryst by here þat he lyȝt ynne,
He takyþ more to wraþþe þat synne
Þan þou mysdedyst aȝens hym
with worde or dede neuer so grym.

And as moche, he to hym mekeþ
þat here wurschyppyþ or here besechyþ.
þus seyþ seynt Anselme, þat hyt wrote
To þys clerkys þat weyl hyt wote:
More drede ys, by here to swere,
þan ys by hym þat she dede bere;
Sunner he takyth for here veniaunce
Þan for any oþer chaunce:
Þat shal y shewe when we be went
Vnto þe þryd comaundëment.
Ȝyf þou þe talë ryȝt canst here,
Twey þyngës þeryn mayst þou lere:
Þe toon ys, ‘holde weyl þyn halyday;’
Þe touþer, ‘oure lady þou wurschyp ay.’
Now shul we leue oure oþys sweryng,
And speke fyrþer of ouþer þyng;
we shul eft touche of þys synne
when we be come fyrþer withynne.

[The Third Commandment.]

The þryd commaundement yn oure lay
ys ‘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;

Holy sunday ys byfore alle fre,
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

Ete noght ar þou haue holy brede,
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;—

Þat, crystyn men beleuyn now echon,
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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[The Fourth Commandment.]

The fourþe comaundment ys, “oure
Fadyr & modyr we shal honoure.”
Certys þe chylde trespasyþ ful yl
Þat wyl nat do þe fadrys wyl;
Þe chylde owyþ hys wyl al do,
But dedly synne be þar-vnto;
For god forbedeþ swych synne algate,
For loue, or for drede, erly or late.
Ellys yn al þyng þat we may,
Fadyr & modyr wurschype we ay.

Ȝyf þou euer, yn euyl wetand,
On fadyr or modyr leydest þyn hand,

Hyt ys comaunded yn sum lawe
þat swych men shulde be doun o dawe.
Vnneþys shuld þey mercy fynde,
For swyche a chylde ys kalled vnkynde;
No bysshope may ȝyue þerfore dome
But þe pope of þe court of Rome.

Ȝyf þou were euer so felun
To ȝyue fadyr or modyr þy malysun,
Or stonde aȝens hem yn answere,
And wldest nat bowë ne forbere,
Þou hast synned þan dedly,
To endëles penaunce wurþy,
But sonë þou þer-of þe shryue
And be bowyng yn al þy lyue.

Ȝyf þy fadyr or modyr bydde þe ouȝt do,
And þou wylt nat bleþly þarto
By þy wyl, but euer gruchande,
Þou shalt weyl vndyrstande,
Þat, þogh þou do forþe þy dede,
Þat synne ys mochë for to drede.
Þou oghtyst to bere penaunce grym,
For þou greuyst a lytyl hym.
with al þy myght, and ryȝt gode wyl,
Þy fadrys byddyng þou shalt fulfyl.

Ȝyf fadyr or modyr falle yn elde,
And noþer, for pouert, may hem self welde,
Here chyldryn are holdë þan, þurgh ryȝt,
To susteyn hem at alle here myght.

Ȝyf þey se hem so at mysese
And þey may lyuë wel at ese,
But þey help hem, þey are to blame
And wrþy to haue wrldës shame.
Þoght þey hauë þe mysdoun,
Þou shalt nát fynde enchesoun
Þat þyn help be fro hem went,
For hyt were aȝens þe comaundment.

Y se men þat purchasours are,
Þat coueyte catel with sorwe & kare
Here chyldryn godë for to wynne,
And here soulës synke for synne.

And oþer men also y see,
Þat ȝyue here chyldryn boþe lond & fee
For to fynde hem sustynaunce
yn here age, for allë chaunce.
Þo men, me þynkeþ, most mysdo,
Þat ȝyue here godë fro hem so;
Hyt were bettyr holde here land,
Þan begge hyt at a-nouþers hand:
Men wexen sone sadde of hem þat craue
When þey weyl wete þat þey naght haue.
By a tale, y shal ȝou mone,

[_]

warne

Þat fyl betwyx þe fadyr & þe sone.

[The Tale of the Fond Father.]

Of a man þat sum tyme was,
y shal ȝou telle a lytyl pas.
Of hys sone he was gelous,

And ȝaue hym alle hys land & hous,
And al hys catel in toune & felde,
þat he shulde kepe hym wel yn hys elde.
Þys ȝong man wax fast, & was iolyfe,
hys cunseyl was to take a wyfe;
he weddyd one, & broght here home
with alle þe myrþe þat þerto come;
He badde here fyrst, loude and stylle,
To serue hys fadyr weyl at hys wylle.
Sone aftyrwarde, þys ȝongë man,
Hys herte, hys þoght, chaunge began;
Tendrere he was of wyfe and chylde,
Þan to hys fadyr oþer meke or mylde.
Of o day, he þoght [four or] fyue;
Long hym þoght hys fadyr a-lyue;
And euery day, boþe þe toon and þe toþer,
Serued hym weyl wers þan oþer.
Y trowe þys man, whan he gan mone
For þoght þat he ȝaf so meche hys sone,
Þys oldë man was broght so logh
Þat he lay ful colde besyde a wogh.
Þys oldë man, vp-on a day,
Pleyned hym þat he coldë lay:
“Sone,” he seyde, “for goddys loue
wrye me with sum cloþe aboue.”
Þe sone, þat was þe husband
To whom was ȝyuë alle þe land,
Clepyd hys sone, & bade hym take
A sak of þo þat he dede make,
And badde hym turnë hyt tweyfolde

And ley hyt on hys fadyr for colde.
Þe chylde [dede] as he bad hym do,
Toke a sak & karf hyt yn two.
Hys fadyr spakë to hym ȝorne,
“Sey, why hast þou þe sak shorne?”
þe chylde answered hym yn haste
A wurdë þurgh þe holy gaste,
“Þys dedë haue y do for þe;
Gode ensample ȝyuyst þou me
How y shal serue þe yn þy elde,
whan þou, þy self, mayst nat welde;
Þys halfe sak shal lygge þy fadyr aboue,
And kepe þe touþer part to þy behoue.
Vnkyndly þou techyst me þe gode;
Of unkynde cumþ vnkyndë blode.”

Þys ensample were gode to kone,
Boþe to þe fadyr & eke to þe sone.
God ys noght payd, here we fynde,
Þat þe sone to þe fadyr ys nat kynde.
Þarfor spekþ Salamon
To fadrys & to husbandys echon,
‘Þe whylys þat ȝe may drawe ȝoure hand,
Ne ȝyueþ neuer awey ȝoure land,
And make ȝoure self, sogettys to be
To hem þat owyn ȝow seruee.’
Anoþer wysdom a clerk vs telleþ,

Senek, þat moche of wysdom spellyþ,
‘Ne be þou neuere yn swych errour
To make þyn eyr þy secutour,
Ne þy sekutoure þy fysycyene,
Yn hopë for to leue a-ȝene.’
For þy þyng, þy eyr seyþ þys,
Þat byfore was þyn, he halt hyt hys;
Þyn executure, to haue þy þyng,
wlde þat þou madyst þyn endyng.

Þou owyst to do no þyng stylle
withoute leue of þy fadrys wylle;
Þat ys to seyë, take no wyfe
For to make betwyxe ȝou stryfe;
Ne no grete þyng beye ne selle
Ȝyf þou vndyr hys gouernaunce dwelle.
To relygyun þou mayst go
withoutë cunseyl of any mo;
And to holy land, ȝyf þou haue hyt hette;
Syb, ne vnsyb, may hyt lette.

A clerk þat folylyche dyspendyth
þe godys þat hys fadyr hym ȝyueþ or sendyþ,
And wyl nat ȝyue hym for to lere
Clergye ne craft, or ouþer mystere,
wykkedlyche al þat gode he dyspendyþ
þat hys fadyr for godenesse spelyþ.
To hard a-cuncte shall he be sette
At hys endyng, whan he shal be fette,
Þat so hys tyme haþ al forlore,

And aȝens hys fadyr so hym mysbore,
But he ȝelde hym, ȝyf þat he may,
Or preye for hym boþe nyght and day;
For ȝyf þou mayst, & wylt noght,
Þou art yn weye to peyne be broght.

For a-noþer also þou mayst be shent:
Ȝyf þou destroblyst here testament
Yn here lyfe, or aftyr here ded,
with powere or ȝyft, cunseyl or rede,
Þou hast trespast apertly
Aȝens þys cómaundment so hy.
Of alle wykked men þat men calle,
Þe fals executours be werst of alle;

[_]

nota bene

For þey ne reche how þe soulë fare,
And mennys owne eyres, werst with hem are.

y tolde erwhyle, for no socour
Þou make þyn eyre þyn executour;
For alle þat was langere þy catel,
he halt hyt hys, euery deyl.
‘Loue þou þy chyldyr out of wytte;
Trust to hem, and helples sytte.’
Ouþer ensample nedyþ þe noun take;
what dost þou for þy fadrys sake,
Ȝyt shal þy sone do for þe, les;
For euer þe lastë, þe werst es.
On hem y rede þyn herte so kest,
Þat þou louë þy self best;
Loue so þy chyldyr, loue so þy wyff,

Þat þou saue þe, boþe soule & lyff.
Loue fadyr & modyr, þat þe forþe brouȝt,
Þenk on þat loue whan þey may nouȝt.

Seynt poule þat sagh goddys pryuyte,
he seyþ yn hys autoryte
A feyrë wurd vs for to saue,
And specyaly to hem þat chyldryn haue:
He seyþ “be ȝe neuer so fole hardy
To curse ȝoure chyldryn byttyrly;
Ne greuusly, for lytyl trespas,
Betechë hem to satanas.”
Moche ys ȝour malysun to drede;
Curseþ hem noght; y ȝow forbede.
Oft haue men boþe herde & see
Þat moche veniaunce þerfor haþ bee.

For to leue ȝoure cursyng bolde,
Y shal ȝow telle what me was tolde
Of a prest þat sagh and fonde
Þys chauncë yn þe holy londe.

[The Tale of the Mother who curst her Child.]

A womman on a day ful raþe
Ȝede to a watyr here for to baþe,
And to[ke] here doghtyr here cloþys to kepe,
And baddë here she shuld nat slepe;
“But, as sone as y þe kalle,
Be redy with my cloþys alle.”
whan she was baþed, she kalled here faste,
And bade here brynge here cloþys yn haste.

Here douȝtyr was nat alle redy,
Ne comë nat at here fyrst cry.
Þe modyr þat sat in here baþ
wax ful of ire and of wraþ,
And cleþyd eft-sonys aftyr here,
kursyng with ryghte gretë yre,
And seyd, “þe devyl come on þe,
For, þou art nat redy to me.”
“And y am redy,” seyd þe deuyl,
“To take þat þou me betaght with euyl.”
he flegh on herë þere she stode,
And madë herë wytte al wode.

Þys godë man for a-nouþer þyng
Tolde hyt oft yn hys prechyng,
Þat none durste speke with here syþyn
But ȝyf he werë clenë shryuyn;
For ȝyf he were yn dedely synne,
Þe fendë þat was here with-ynne
Made here seye hym so moche shame
Þat alle men wundred on hys blame.
And þat was preued with many one
Þat to þe holy lond was gone.

Þerfore, ȝe chyldryn, before al þyng
Dredyþ ȝoure modrys warryng;
And, ȝe wyuys, þenkeþ on þys cas,
werryþ nat for lytyl trespas.
Þey þat wyl gladly warye,
hem warryþ god & seynt marye.
For ho-so haunteþ hyt comunly

Yn ernest or yn rybaudy,
He shall haue warryng for blysse,
And of blessyng shal he mysse;
And ho-so curseþ withoutyn gylt
Hyt shal on hys hede be pylt.
Curser[y]s yn alle here lyue
Shal neuer haue grace for to þryue;
As þey vse, so shal hem falle,
For kursyng shal come on hem alle.

wurschepyþ ȝoure fadrys, & ȝoure fadrys ȝow,
Þan queme ȝe God, and doun ȝoure prow.
God ȝyue vs grace to oure endyng
To kepe vs fro modrys cursyng,
And oure fadrys so to queme;
Þat goddys comaundement we may ȝeme.

[The Fifth Commandment.]

To þe fyfþe now shul we go,
Þat ys, ‘þou shalt no man slo.’
Þe fyfþë, shalt þou vndyrstonde,
Ys, ‘sle no man with þyn honde,
with-outyn iustyce, for felonye,
Ne for no manere of robbrye.’

Ȝyf þou do any man yn prysun,
wykkedly, as a fals felun,
Or bynde yn upland or in burgh,
Þat he haue hys deþe þer-þurgh,—

Certeyn þe shal no þyng were,
Þat for hys deþ þou shalt answere.

Ȝyf þou euer yn any tyme
Reftë any man hys lyme,
Or hyt was reftë þurgh þy rede,
Þou art enchesun of hys dede.
Ȝyf hyt be aȝens hys wylle
Or hys asent, þou synnest ful ylle.

Ȝyf þou þurgh wykked ordynaunce
Fordost pore mannys sustynaunce
þat aftyrward he may nat lyue,
þou art coupable,—a ȝyfte y ȝyue.

Ȝyf a porë man þe craue
A melys mete, hys lyfe to saue,—
Ȝyf þou mayst ȝyue hym, & nat wylt,
Beforë god þou hast hym spylt.
Seynt Ambrosë seyþ hardly,
Þat hyt ys slaghtyr gostly.

what shul we sey of þys dytours,
Þys fals men, þat beyn sysours,
Þat, for hate, a trewman wyl endyte,
And a þefe for syluer quyte?
Be he neuer so strong a þefe,
Ȝyf he may ȝyue, he shal be lefe;
A porë man þat may nat so,
Þe deþë þey wyl dampne hym to.
Also hyt ys of þys dormers yn tounne,—
Falsë treytours & feloune,—

þat falslychë, for enuye,
On here neghburs wyl gladly lye,
And seye forsoþe þat he haþ wroght
Þyng þat neuer ȝyt was do ne þoght.
þey sle hem allë þat þey may,
whan here gode los þey fordo for ay.
yn alle þe wrlde, no ys more felonye,
Þan of þy neghbur next þe by.

Ȝyf þou euer dedyst þyn entent
yn fals cunsél or cómaundment,
Þat a man to þe deþe were dyght
with wrong dome, or euyl syght;
Þoght hyt semyd with þe lawe
To ȝeue þe dome, hyt ys grete awe
who-so demyþ felunsly,
And noþer wyþ pyte ne mercy;
he [ne] shal no mercy haue,
Þat alle wyl sle, and no man saue.

y shal ȝow telle for swychë dome
A tale þat sum tyme fyl yn Rome.
Of holy wryt, þe englysh y toke,
‘Dialogus,’ men clepyn þe boke.
Þys tale ys wryte þer-yn redy,
And fyl yn þe tyme of seynt Gregory.

[The Tale of the Knight who had a Vision of the Judgment.]

yn Romë fyl a grete moreyne,
A pestelens of men, a veniaunce to pyne,
For some þat ȝedë yn þe strete

Sawe arwys fro heuene shete,
And smote men to þe deþ doun ryȝt;
And one of þe arwys wounded a knyȝt.
Þe knyȝt ful sorë syke gan lye,
And was yn poynt as he shuld deye;
hys spyryt was take to see a cas,
Ryght as goddys wyllë was.
hys frendys þat stode hym by
wende þat he hadde be dede bodely.
But sonë, yn a lytyl þrowe,
Þe body quaked þat þey alle sowe:
Seþþë he tolde where he hadde be,
And mochë þyng þat he hadde see.
“y sagh a brygge of mochë wndyr,
A grymly watyr was þer vndyr,
Blak and depe & ful stynkyngge,
Dredeful noyse hyt made rynnyngge.
Dunward yn-to helle hyt ȝede;
whan y sagh hyt, y hadde grete drede.
Be-ȝunde þat brygge was a cuntre,
Þe feyreste þat euer god lete be;
As a medue hyt was grene,
So feyre of syght ys noun, y wene,
So ful of flourys logh and hygh,
And saueryd swete as spycerye.
Þarto so feyre syght of coloure,
Delytable, & swete of sauoure,
Y dar weyl seye þat euermore
A man myght leuë þat were þore;

Deyë certys shuld he neuere,
For lyue and hele ys þere for euere.
y sagh þere folk [of so feyr syghte,
Here wonynge placys yn joye were dyghte;
All þe folke] þat I saghe þere
were as feyre as aungelys were.
y sagh þere housys of ful ryche atyre,
Alle of gletryng golde as fyre;
Blesful bryghtenes was þerynne;
Þe syght was cely, & welþe to wynne;
For, some of þo wynly wones
were peynted with precyus stones,
Some were caste with ryche colours
And feyr peynted with frute & floures.
Þere ys noun lyuyng here a lyue,
But criste, þat may hyt alle dyscryue.
Þe soþë myght y neuer wytte,
who shuld yn þo stedys sytte.
But yn þe watyr þat was hydus,
Sstynkyng, blak, & merueylus,
y say moche folk falle þerynne,
Caytyuys charged ful of synne.
A myste out of þe watyr come,
And to sum housys hyt gan gone,
And to sum, come hyt noght,
Þat me merueyled yn my þoght.

Þe bregge þat ouere þe watyr lay,
Hyt was euer of swyche a-say,
Þat þer-ouere myght no man passe

But he were clene of euery trespas
Þat he ne shulde yn þe watyr falle
To þe mayster fende of alle.
Þo men þat loue to do ryghtly,
Þey shal passe þere sauëly
Into þat blesful cuntre,
Þere ioyë withoute ende shal be.

A preste y sagh passe þere weyl,
And hadde no lettyng of any deyl,
As he hadde leuyd yn hys lyfe clene,
At hys passyng was hyt weyl sene.

A man y kneugh þere yn peynys strong.
Þat felunlyche dyde euer wrong;
I knegh hym here yn grete bayly,
He loued veniaunce with-oute mercy.
‘Pers,’ y wote weyl, was hys name,
Yn þe watyr he suffred shame.
y sagh hym bere vpp-on hys krowne
Brynnyng eryn þat bare hym downe
In-to þe watyr, blak as kole.
Alas, þe paynes y sagh hym þole!
Moche y desyred to wete certeyne
why he suffred al þat peyne;
And asswyþe hyt was me tolde,
For to do veniaunce he was euere bolde;
And whan he shuldë deme þe ryȝt,
To felunly he dyde hys myȝt;
At hym myght no man hauë grace,

Myldenesse, ne mercy, for any trespace;
And for he dede so mochë wogh,
Suffreþ he now shame ynogh.
Swyche ys goddys ordynaunce,
‘For veniaunce to take veniaunce.’

Ȝyt of a-noþer y had a syght,
‘Steuene,’ forsoþe, hys namë hyght;
Þat yche Steuene was wont to be
wonyng yn Romë, þys cyte.
As he wulde passe þe brygge, betydde,
Hys fete begunne to slyde besyde,
And, was yn poynt for to falle
In-to þe watyr bytterer þan galle;
Þe fendës wende weyl hym to fonge,
But by þe bregge þan gan he honge.
Þe fendys here crokys fasted yn hys knees,
And al to-drowe & rente hys þees;
Feyr men come þedyr,—but y not how,—
And by hys armys vp hym drow;
Þey wulde nat suffre hym falle al downe
In-to þat grete confucyoun;
He plesyd god with sum gode dede,
Þarefore þey hylpe hym yn hys nede.

Almysdede men vndyrstonde
By þe drawyng vp of hys honde.
Y trowe he trespast yn lecherye
Þat þey þe þeës drow hym by.
But forsoþe y can nat telle
wheþyr he shulde to heuene or helle.”

Þys talë haue y tolde to ȝow,

Ȝyf hyt myȝt fallë ȝow to prow,
Þys domus men, to chastyse,
Þat deme men wrong þurgh fals asyse.
Many beyn now, as Pers was,
Harde domys men as Satanas.
Þat man þat demeþ alle to þe ryȝt,
Of mercy get he no plyȝt;
And ȝyf he demeþ pytyffully
At hys demyng getyþ he mercy;
And ȝyf he deme fals iuggëment,
Þere falsnes ys, he shalle be shent;
He shal be slayn, þat al wyl slo;
Þat peyne wyl deme, to pyne shal go.

Ȝyf þou with-drowe any mannys wyl,
Þat he ne myȝt þe gode fulfyl
whan he þoght to haue wel doun,
Or entycedest any fro relygyoun,
Gostly þou mayst hym slo
Þyf he to ouþer wykkednes go:—
As, ȝyf a man haue a chylde,
And to relygyun hys wyl be mylde,
And þou eggyst hym away
To folue þe fals wrldës pay;
Ȝyf he þarefore be lore yn synne,
For hym grete perel þou fallyst ynne;
Byforë god þou hast hym slayn,
And for hym þou shalt suffre payn.

what sey ȝe of þys bakbyters
Þat wykked wurdes aboutë bers?
Þey makë oftë mochë stryfe,

And a-peyryn many mannys lyfe.
Ȝyf þou bryng a man yn fame,
Þat he haue euer lastyng shame,—
Byforë god, þou hym slos
whan þou hym reuyst hys gode los.
Bakbyter, þurgh ryght resun,
Of þre mennys deþ ys enchesun.
Þou wost weyl, with-outyn les,
þe bakbyter fyrst hym self sles;
He slekþ hym þat trowyþ hys lesyng,
whan he forþ beryþ hys bakbytyng;
And hym algate þat hyt ys on leyde,
He ys slayn; god help þe vpbreyde.
As mochë þan he ys to blame
Þat ȝeueþ a man a vyle ekename;
Ȝyf hys ryȝt name be withdrawe,
Gostlychë þou hast hym slawe.

Also ys slaghter gostly
To vse to spekë vyleyny.
For many wurdys þat beþ spoke,
were better yn brest to be loke.
And, sum owtȝë nat to be
Of herë wurdys to fre,—
By þese ordryd men, y mene,
Here wurdys owtȝ to be feyr & clene,
And namlyche to relygyun
Men shuld fynde noun enchesun:
For ȝyf þey spekë oute of skore,
Þey beþ to be blamed eft þarfore.

A tale

Seynt Gregori of a nunne tellys
Þat ȝede to helle for no þyng ellys
But for she spake euer vyleyny
Among here felaws al ahy.
Þys nunnë was of dedys chaste,
But þat she spakë wurdys waste
She madë many of here felawys
Þenke on synnë for her sawys.
For many tyme a vyleynys wurde
Gadryþ foulë þouþ to hurde.
So dede she her felawys alle,
For here wurdys, yn synnë falle.
Noþeles, yn here dedys,
Se was chaste as men er hedys.

Sone aftyr þys nunnë deyde,
As of herë was purueyde,
She was beryyd, as fyl to be,
Be syde an auter before þe gre.
Sone aftyr, þys chaunce gan falle:—
Of þe cherche þe wardeynys alle
were waked oute of here slepe,
So loude þey herde one cry & wepe;
Þey sterte vp allë for to see
what wundyr þyng þat myȝt be.
Þey say aboute þe Nunnë stonde,
Fendys, with brynnyng swerdys yn honde:
Al hem þoght þey wulde here slo,
For þey cloue here mouþe euyn o two;

And, þe to syde al to-brent
Before þe auter on þe pament.
Þe wardeynys come eft on þe morow
To see where had be þat sorow.
þey fonde þe brenyng euery deyl
As þey before had seye hyt weyl;
Half þe body was brent a-way,
And haluyndele yn her grauë lay.
Seynt Gregorye seyþ þat hyt was sygne
Þat half here lyfë was nat dygne;
For þogh here dedys werë chaste,
Here wurdys were al vyle & waste.
So was hyt shewyd before here ygne,
Þat haluyndele she was ȝoue to pyne.
Loke how ȝeuene dome þer was,
Euene lyke aȝens here trespas.
See how here tunggë made here slayn
And foulë wurdes broght here to payn.

By þys ensample þat vs awys

[_]

feryþ

Y rede þat we leue alle oure foule sawys,
Þat we sle nat vs self gostly,
Ne noun ouþer so, ne bodyly,
Þat we be nat with herë brent
Yn hellë fere, no with here shent.
God almyghty shelde vs þar fro,
And late vs neuer no man slo.

[The Sixth Commandment.]

The syxte comaundyþ vs al so,
Þat we shul noun hurdam do.
þys comaundment ys of prys,
For hyt was stabled yn paradys
God stablede hyt, þou shalt beleue,
whan he made of Adam, Eue.
A clene womman here he hym betaght,
Yn clenë lyfe to lyue she aght;
Al one to be, and of o wyl,
Goddys comaundment to fulfyl.
God made womman man to gyue,

[_]

kepe

To be hys helpë yn hys lyue;
he madë here nat, man to greue,
No to be mayster, but felaw leue,
No nat ouer logh, no nat ouer hy,
But euene felaw, to be hym by;
And he, mayster, lorde, & syre;
To hys wyl she shal meke hyre.
Þe sacrament ys for here sake,
Of two, o fleshe and o wyl, to make.
Grete mede he getyþ with-outë fayle
Þat wele wyl holdë hys spousayle.

Now some of þe poyntys wyl y touche
Þat men vn-to hurdam souche.

Ȝyf þou haue trouþë pryuyly
To bygyle a womman to lygge here by,

Þogh no wedlok were yn þy þoght,
But þat wuldest þy synne were wroght;
Ȝyf she vndyrstode weddyng of þe,
So shal þy trouþë charged be;
Þy trouþe to ȝeue yn swyche a-tent,
hyt ys aȝens þe comaundment.
No trouþe oghte to be ȝeue wyþ ryght
But yn holy cherchys syȝt,
Namlych, þat falleþ to wedlake,
what-so-euer men seyde or spake.

Ȝyf þou ly by here seþen,
Aftyr þou hast þy trouþë ȝyuen,
Y sey þe weyl certeynly
þat þou synnedyst þere dedly.
Fleshly dede þou oghteyst noun werche
wyþ-outë leue of holy cherche;
þogh þou haue here trouþë plyght,
And to here hast so godë ryȝt,
Ȝyt holy cherche behoueþ wytte
Of ȝoure cunnaunt, ȝyf hyt may sytte.

Ȝyf þou plyghtyst trouþe to any lyghtly
To be at holy cherchys cry,
But þou dedyst with her no foly dede
þat ys fleshly felaurede,
þou gost and ȝyfst þy trouþe anouþer
As þou dedyst byfore þe touþer,
And lyst by here, and ys þy wyfe,
yn hordam boþe þan ys ȝoure lyfe.

Þe ferst womman þat þou ches
Ys þy wyfe, with-outë les.
Ensample hauë we þerby,
Of Iosep þat wedyd oure lady;
Þere was verry matrymony,
with-outë fleshly dede of any.
By þys ensample mayst þou se
þat þe fyrst womman þy wyfe shulde be.

Ȝyf þou dedyst euer swyche outrage
To wedde chyldryn or þey hadde age,
þare-of may comë grete folye
ȝyf þey so ȝunge to-gedyr lye.
Oft haue men boþe herde & seyn,
Þat of swych lyggyng haþ foly beyn.
For some, when þey yn age are come,
þe toon þe touþer may nat loue;
Þan make þey men on hem to wundyr,
And coueyt faste to be asundyr;
Also to brekë here spousayle,
And here trouþe, þe whych shuld nat fayle.
Ȝyf þou to swyche weddyng consent,
Hyt ys aȝens þe commaundment.

Ȝyf þou hast auowyd þe
Þy lyfe to holde yn chastyte,
Or þou art yn state of prest,
Or yn two ordrys alþer nest,
Suddekene, or dekene hy,
þys lettyþ weddyng & dede fleshly.

Ne þou shalt neuer wedde, ne synne,
wyþ any þat þy kyn haþ weddyd ynne;
Or ȝyf a man haue houe a chylde,
God hyt euer forbede and shylde
Þat þat chylde shulde any haue
Of hys godfadrys, maydyn or knaue:
Hys breþren or sustren may at here pay
wedde; but he þat houe neuer may.

Ne þou shalt nat, by þy lyfe,
weddë þy godfadrys wyfe.
Also shal þe womman wonde

[_]

spare

To take here godmodrys husbonde.
Twey godmodrys shul nat wedde,
Þe toon to aske þe touþer to bede.

Men shul nat wedde for any gode
Man or womman þat ys wode;
For many þyngys hyt ys grete eye,
Þe whyche falleþ me nat for to seye.

Ȝyf a womman haue an husband,
And he fro here go ouer land,
She shal noun ouþer take ne wedde
But she be certeyn of hys ded.
Þou shal nat betrouþe a womman with hand
þe whylys here husband ys lyuand;
For þe trouþe þat þou here ȝeuys
Þe whylys þat here husbund lyuys,

hyt ys hope, hurdam to be,
And slaghter, but he deye or she.

Ȝyf þou madest euer any wyche,
Þurgh whycchëcraft, wedlak to flycche,
For to destruble þe ryȝt weddyng,
Þou art a-cursed yn þat þyng.
Ȝyf þou fordost þe weylfare
Betwyx þo þat weddyde are,
Þou synnest certys wykkydly,
And brekyst spousayle & cumpany.
Ȝyf þy chylde, mayden or knaue,
wulde a-noþer yn wedlak haue,
And with here wylle þey trouþë plyȝt
withoute cunseyl of fadrys syȝt,
Ȝyf fadyr or modyr be þer aȝen,
Seþþe þey haue trouþed & beyn certeyn,
Þey dysturble þys sacrament
Aȝens þys ychë comaundment.

Ȝyf a man be of Ioly lyfe
And mysdo onys vndyr hys wyfe,
Ȝyf she be gode and certeyn,
To gode state she turneþ hym aȝeyn;
But þere þe wyfe haunteþ foly
Vndyr here husbunde a ludby,
Comunly she wyl neuer blynne,
But euere be brennyng yn here synne;
Vnto þe deuyl confounde her here
And bryngë her to hellë fere.

Aȝens swyche maner wyuys

þat wyl nat amende here lyuys,
Shal y tellë ȝow a tale,—
To swychë wyuys byttyr bale.

[The Tale of the Adulterous Wife, whose Skeleton split in two.]

Þer ys an Ile be-ȝunde þe see,
Þer men were wunt wonyng to be;
Þys ychë ylë wax al waste,
And þe folk drogh þen yn haste;
So with-ynne a lytyl whyle
Men helde hyt a forsakyn yle.
Seþþë, wonede þere a dragun,
Þat dede many man confusyun;
Men and wommen faste he slogh,
And dede ouer al shame ynogh;
Al þat he fonde with-outë house
Þys dragun slogh so merueylouse;
So mochë folkë gan he quelle,
Men seyd he was a fende of helle.
Alle þe folk of þat cuntre
Cunseyled hem what þat myght be;
Þey armyde hem alle at here myght,
Aȝens þe dragun for to fyght,
But noun of hem myght vndyrstande
Where þe dragun was wonande.
Befel ȝyt, þat ychë tyde,
An ermyte wonede þere besyde,
A godë man and ryȝt certeyn,
Dwelled besydë þat wasteyn,—

One of hem ȝaf cunseyl tyte,
Þat þey shulde go to þat Ermyte,
And aske cunseyl of swyche adede
In hopë alle þe bettyr to spede.
whan þey hadde tolde hym alle here dere,
Þys was þan þe ermytys answere:—
“Ȝyf ȝe wyl wepe for ȝoure synne,
And shryue ȝow clene, and þerof blynne,
And grauntë me þat ȝe shul faste,
And yn preyers wel to laste,
Perauenture ȝe may be al-eggyd,
And sum of ȝoure sorow abreggyd.”

To do alle þat þe ermyte bad,
Þey grauntede alle, & were ryȝt glad.
Þe ermyte seydë, “ȝe shul be
In penauncë þre days with me;
And, aftyr þe þre days ende,
To ȝow shal y come or sende.”

Alle þe folk went home þere weye;
Þe ermyte hys preyere began to seye,
“Ihesu cryst, god almyghty,
Of þys folk haue þou mercy,
Þat þou boghtyst on rode so dere;
For hem shewe me on sum manere
where y may þe dragun fynde,
And hys power, lorde, þou bynde,
Þat þe folk may knowe and se
Þe mercy and þe myȝt of þe.”

Whan he hadde preyde hys orysun
Long yn grete afflyccyun,

God sagh allë hys entent,
And hys aungel to hym he sent
For to techë hym þe way
Þedyr þere þe dragun lay.
Þe aungel seyde to þe ermyte,
“Do sumnë þe folk astyte,
Þat þey comë allë hedyr
Beforë þe, echone to gedyr.
Y shal be ȝoure alþer ledere,
Þat þe dragun ȝow nat dere.”

[_]

desese

Þe folk echonë þedyr com;
Þe aungel before hem gan gon,
And led hem to þat wasteyn
Þat sum tyme was a stede certeyn.
Vnto a place þey ȝede echone,
And þere þey fonde a tumbe of stone.
Þe aungel bad hem lyfte vp þe lydde;
And as he bad, ryȝt so þey dydde.
“here, he seyde, ys hys wonnyng
with anoþer wykked þyng;
Drede ȝow noght þoȝt he be fownde,
For all hys power haue y bownde.”
whan þey had þe toumbe o twynne,
Þe folk stode and loked with-ynne.
Þey sagh a womman þere vyly lye,
And here body cloue yn twey partye;
Betwyxe þo twey partys þe dragun lay,
Gresly to se wyþ grete affray.

Grete wndyr was hyt to see;
Þey asked alle what hyt myȝt be,
And why hyt was, and wherë-fore,
Þat þe dragun lay so þore;
And what manere she synned so,
Þat here body was cloue yn two.

he shewede þan vnto hem alle,
For what synne þat sorow gan falle.
“Þys womman,” he seyd, “þat here lys,
And ys departyd yn two partys,
She was weddyd, and here wedlak
Ful falsly an on-truly brak,
whan she was o flessh and blode
with hym þat here to-keyn loue gode;
þurgh matrymony, þe sacrament,
were two o flessh made be assent,
holy togedyr for to leue
And noun fro ouþer hys flesh may ȝyue.
But þys womman þat þus ys shent,
She brak þe holy sacrament;
here flesh she ȝaf, o party
yn hordam and yn lechery,
A-noþer party to here husbonde,
Þat for shame ne myȝt she wonde.
And, for þat yche vyleyns synne,
Ys here body partyd a-twynne;
And betwyx þe twey partys,
For veniaunce, þe dragun lys.
Alas þe tyme þat she was bore!
with-outyn endë she ys lore.”

Þe aungel seyd, “y cómaunde þe,
Dragun, hennë þat þou fle,
Þat þou neuer any man noye
No þys cuntre no more dystroye;
No þat þou comë no more here
yn þys stede for to apere.”
And a-none, for drede and eye,
Þe dragun fleygh furþ hys weye.
Þe folk þanked god echone,
Þat þe dragun aweye was gone.

wommen þat breke wedlak, mow yn þys tale
Here, þat þey brew to hemself bale.
For þe foule dragun, þe fende of helle,
wyþ hém yn peyne shal euer dwelle
Þat half here flesh haue partyd or brokun
Þat holy yn matrymony was lokun.

Ȝyf þer be twey yn cumpany
As beþ yn wedlak specyaly,
And þe toon do aȝens spousayle
whereforë felaushepe may fayle,
But þe toþer wyl hym blame
whan he wote hys foulë fame,
he consentyþ to hys synne
But he desturble hym þer-ynne.

Ȝyf þou wendest oute of cuntre,
Aȝens þy wyuys wyl to be,
But she mow wonë yn þat stede

To haue þy fleshly felawrede,
Ȝyf þou do hyt aȝens her wyl
Certeynly þou synnyst ful yl.
Ȝyf þou hyt do to holde þe chaste
wyþ-oute here wyl, þou werchyst waste.
For but hyt be for grete resun,
Ȝyf she mysdo, þou art enchesun.

Ȝyf þou louyst to haue þy wyfe
Yn clennes and yn godë lyfe,
vpbreyde here neuer for gelusye
Of no mannys cumpanye;
For ȝyf þou dost, þan wyl she do
þyng þat she neuer þoghte to do.
Men sey, þer a man ys gelous,
Þat þer ys a kokewolde at hous.
Many a gode man ys kokewolde;
Þere þe wyfe ys a shrewe, þer ys wykked holde.
But where þe wyfe haþ gelousye
Þere beþ wrdys grete and hye;
here mayster shal nagher go ne sytte
Þat she ne shal wommen on hym wytte.
Þan ys þere chydyng and boste,
Þere ys nat þe holy goste;
For no þyng Ihesu cryst more quemeþ
Þan loue yn wedlak, þere men hyt ȝemyþ;
Ne no þyng ys to man so dere
As wommanys loue yn gode manere.
A gode womman ys mannys blys
Þere here loue ryȝt and stedfast ys;

Þere ys no solas vndyr heuene
Of al þat a man may neuene,
Þat shuld a man so mochë glew
As a gode womman þat loueþ trew.
Ne derer ys none yn goddys hurde
Þan a chaste womman with louely wrde;
Ensample haue y þerof ful fayre
yn þe lyfe of seynt Makayre.

[The Tale of St. Macaire and the Two Good Married Women.]

Þere was an abbot of great renoun,
An holy man yn relygyoun,
he preydë god vpp-on a day,
And seydë “lorde, as þou weyl may,
Ȝeue me gracë for to wete
who shal with me yn heuene sytte;
Þat wulde y wyte on al manere,
who yn heuene shal be my pere.”
A voys spakë to hym ful fayre,
“wete þou wele, for soþe, Makayre,
Þere beþ twey wymmen yn a cyte,
Of so moche boneryte
þat alle þe penaunce þat þou mayst do
Ne may nat reche here godenes to.”
he toldë hym þe cyte ryȝt,
And the wommen what þey hyght.
Makayrë wulde no lenger byde,
But to þat cyte gan he ryde;
As sonë as he comë þere
he askede where swyche wymmen were.

Men taghte hym sonë to hem weyl;
he come and toke þere hys osteyl.
“wymmen,” he seyde, “y wyl me reste
yn ȝoure Ine as a nyȝtys geste.”
“Syr,” þey seyde, “we graunte hyt þe
Ȝyf þou hyt aske pur charyte.”
To a chambre þey hym broghte;
þan hys erende forȝate he noughte.
he madë boþë by hym sytte,
And seyde, “y am come, at ȝow to wytte
yn what manere ȝe lede ȝoure lyuys
yn holynes, and byþ here wyuys:
Forheleþ hyt nat, y ȝow forbede,
how þat ȝe ȝoure lyuys lede;
Þarfore, y am come to þys cyte,
And haue trauayled many a iurne.”

Þes wymmen answered al at gesse
“Syr, we knowe no holynesse,
But whan oure husbandys byþ vs by
Þan beþ we yn loue ryȝtly,
And yn parfyte charyte
whan oure husbandys with vs be;
Þys ys moste of ourë lyuys,
And euer haþ be, syþ we were wyuys.”
“y beseche ȝow, on my blessyng,
Þat ȝe forhele fro me no þyng.”
Þe toon answered to seynt Makayre
“To twey breþryn we weddyd are
A-passyd be twenty ȝere
Þat we to-gedyr haue lyuyd here,

Þat neuer with hem were we onys wroth
Ne þey with vs þat wedded vs both,
Ne for no þyng þat euer may betyde
To-gedyr shul we neuer chyde.
Yn relygyun we wulde vs do;
Oure husbondys graunte nat þar-to;
Ȝyt haue we leuer leue oure wylle
Þan oure hosbundys greue with ylle.
So moche loue ys vs among
Þat none to oþer wyl do wrong.”

Among oþer þynges to hym þey spake,
“We þenke so moche on oure wedlake,
For hyt ys yn þe olde testament,
And yn þe newe hyt ys sacrament;
And God haþ ordeyned hyt for þe pes,
And þeryn, be bore he ches,
Þat we ne shul, by oure lyue,
Neuermore to-gedyr stryue,
Ne foly wrdys be betwyxe vs seyd—
As ouþer wymmen makyn vpbreyd,—
For noun enuye ne coueytyse,
Ne for noun ouþer maner wyse;
But seruë god and oure husbondys
yn alle þyng þat he sendeþ hys sondys.”

Makayre ioyed þat þey were so stable,
And so long whylë so tretable;
he þankeþ God þat he haþ founde
So mylde wymmen yn wedlak bounde;
he toke hys leue and went hys weye,
As an abbot shulde, to hys abbeye.

God wuld hyt werë now so here,
So meke wymmen of so fayre manere;
But of ouþer, men mowe fynde
wymmen yn wedlak ryȝt on-kynde,
Þat for a gamë wurde yn veyn
Þey wyl ȝyuë forty aȝeyn.
Se how þese wymmen a-cordaunce
Plesyd god with lytyl penaunce,
And preysed hem to seynt Makayre
For þey bare hem yn wedlak fayre;
As mochë þan shal he hem blame,
Þat chydyn to-gydyr, & reysyn shame.

Ȝyf þou euer þy wyfe lay by
Yn tyme of penaunce, to seye flesshly,—
ȝyf þou be custumable þar-to,
Þou synnest gretly, my boke seyþ so.
yn holy tyme and halyday
Forbere þy wyfe, ȝyf þat þou may.

Ne þou shalt nat know þy wyfe
yn holy placë, by þy lyfe;
Ȝyf þou do hyt custumably,
Þou synnest, y sey, dedly;
Cherche or cherchëȝerd, y sey,
yn holy stede hyt ys grete eye.

yn lentyn tymë of fastyng
Shalt þou leue to do swyche þyng.
yn estyr tyme also, y forbede
Þat þou haunte any swyche dede.

Ȝyf a womman yn hordam do swyche outrage

Þat a wrong eyre bere herytage;
But she wul seye hyt, y dar wel telle
Þat she þarfore may go to helle;
For she ys cursed, yn stedys sere,
Fourë tymës yn þe ȝere.
And swyche an eyre, y vndyrstande,
Shal neuer wel reioshe hys lande.

Many synnës to hordam longe;
Sum byþ lyȝt, and sum beþ stronge,
Þat beþ aȝens ryȝt spousale,
Þat y nel rekene, ne telle of tale,
But opunly þat seyd may be;
For many longe to pryuyte.
For pryuytees, ȝyf y hem named
Lyȝt[e]ly myȝt y be blamed.
But þogh a man sey neuer so weyl
Vnto hys sawys men fyden teyl.

[_]

scorne

Þat weddyd beþ, God ȝyue hem myȝt,
here wedlak to holdë weyl and ryȝt,
And ȝyue hem grace, hordam to fle,
Þat yn clenesse wuld leue and be.

[The Seventh Commandment.]

The seuenþe shul we nat forhele
‘No mannys godë shalt þou stele,’
For þys ys one of ten;
Þarefore y pray allë men
Þat þey kepe hem fro þys synne,

For þere ys moche veniauuce þerynne;
yn þys worldë, shamely dede;

[_]

deþ

And seþyn, helle; for god hyt forbed.
God forbedyþ men to stele
Any maner of worldës wele.
“Þou man, beþenke þe wel before
how þou mayst þerfore be lore,
And what þou shalt haue þarefore,
yn þys world, and elyswhore.”
But manyone wyl neuer beware
Tyl sum myschaunce make hem aȝenchare;
Slayn, or, yn prysun be,
Or hanged, þat al þe worlde may se.
So shul men þe body shende;
And ȝyt to peyne þe soule shal wende.
wuldë men se what myschaunce
Cumþ for þeft, and what penaunce,
Þeftë shulde nat be so lefe;
A foule poynt ys, be clepyd a þefe.

Ouþer poyntes of wykkednes
Mow be soffred, sum more, sum les;
But þefte serueþ of wykkede note,

[_]

seruyse

hyt hangeþ hys mayster by þe þrote,
Or doþe hym lese hys godë fame,
Or bryngeþ hym oute of þe towne forshame.
‘Þefte shal neuere more be hyd,
For, here or elyswhore, hyt shal be kyd;’
Þus seyþ þe prophete þat men on leuys,
And spekeþ to fals men and to þeuys.
Þe synne ys nat forȝyuen þe man
But he restore þat he haue tan;
For ȝyf þou make any man falsly tyne,

[_]

lese

As for þeft, þou shalt haue pyne;
And mochë more, for swyche falsnes,
Þan for any ouþer falsnes þat es.

A gode ensample þes clerkys wote
Of a tale þat an abbot wrote,
Þat þeuys shulde before hem loke
Ar þey ouþer mennys þyng toke;—
yn ‘vytas patrum’ hyt ys wryte;
hyt ys a boke þat clerkys wete,
And ful fayre techyng ys þer-ynne
For to leue of þeft þe synne.

[The Tale of Zenon, the would-be Thief: how he reformd himself.]

Þys yche abbot, Ȝenon he hyght,
And wel he was with god almyght;
Vppon a day he went hys wey
To Palestyne, þat ys an abbey,
To make hys vysytacyun
As falleþ yn relygyun;
And as he went by þe strete
he behelde a fruyt ryȝt feyre and swete;
Þys yche fruyt he desyred faste,
And hys herte moche þarto he caste,
‘Gourdys’ þus men clepe þe name;
Þys gode man þoght, “y am to blame
Ȝyf y take ouþer mennys þyng
wyþ-outë leue of any askyng.
For soþe, he seyde, þan were y a þefe

And þefte ne ys gode, ne gode man lefe;
And ȝyf y stele, y am a felun;
hanged y shal be, þurgh ryȝt resun.
Fyrst y wylle wyte þe soþe certeyne.
Ȝyf y may suffre þat yche peyne
Þat þefys suffre for þeft sake,
Ar y wyl oght of þe fruyt take;
And ȝyf y may nat suffre þat wo,
To þeftë wyl y neuer go.”

Ryght as he þoght, he dede eche dele,
he ȝede and clambe vpp on a pele,

[_]

perche

And hyng þeron by þe hond,—
Nat by þe nekke, y vndyrstonde—
For hyt ys nat oueral þe lawe
For to do so, men to dawe.
Fyuë days he hyng þere stylle
Aȝens þe sunnë by hys wylle;
And hyt was yn þe somerys tyde,
whan þe hete ys al yn pryde.
Þan seyd he, to hymself þore,
“Þys peynë wyl y suffre no more:
Þefte, he seyde, y here forsake;
Þys fruyt, wyl y nat take.
Syn y may nat suffre for grefe
Þe peyne þat befalleþ to a þefe.”

Þys ensample were gode to kone,
Alle hem þat to þefte hem wone;
Þo þat haue here handys as lyme,
To hem were gode to here þys ryme;

Þan myght þey wytë redly
what shamë þat þey were wurþy,
And swych grace myȝt god hem sende
Þat þey, þurgh þys myȝt hem amende.

A þefë to hys þefte haþ rape,
For he weneþ euer-more for to skape;
yn þat hope he doþe hys euyl,
And al ys entycement of þe deuyl.
Þarefore beþenke þe wel with-ynne
Þat þefte ys cumbrement of synne.

Ȝyf a man make a chylde oght stele,
Swyche styl þefte shal he nat hele;
A þefte hyt ys, ȝyf þou do so,
To tyse a chylde swyche synne to do.

Or ȝyf þou euer stale a chylde aweye,
yn swychë þefte ys grete affraye.
yn þys twey þynges and yn þys fame
Are wymmen mochë for to blame.
For þey haue cumlyngys yn and oute;
Of swyche shuld men haue gretë doute.
Þey shul neuer weyte but wo,
Swychë cumlyngys, to ne fro,
Þey are wurþy to be shent
yn þys yche comaundëment.

Ȝyf þou brake euer any kyrke
On day, or yn nyȝt, yn myrke,

[_]

derke

Þou art a-cursed, þou wostë weyl,
And hange were wurþy on a peyl.

And ȝyf þou bere awey þe þyng,
Þe more þou fallest yn cursyng.

Ȝyf þou haue be a þefe of pray
To robbë men be nyȝt or be day,
Gretly þou dost aȝens þe lawe,
Þou oghtyst to do swyche men a dawe.

Or ȝyf þou swyche foly began
To rauyshë any womman,
Þat ys to seye, any wedded wyfe,
Þe more ys þy synne & perel of lyfe.

Ȝyf þou rauyssh any mayden clene—
Aȝens here wyl, þat ys to mene,—
hyt ys seyde þurgh lawë wrete,
Þat þyn hede shulde be of smete
(Lawe makeþ þat commandëment)
with-outyn any iuggëment;
Þat mayst þou fyndë al an sum
In code ‘de raptu virginum.’

Ȝyf þou rauysshe a mayden powre,
Þou art holdyn to here socoure;
And, þat shal be at here wylle,
For, as she wyl, þou shalt fulfylle;
For þou hast do here tresun,
Þou hast stole here warysun;
hyt may þe brynge to more cumbryng
Þan þoght þou haddest stole moche ouþer þyng.
To comun lechours, y þys seye,
Many with-outë shryfte shul deye.

Ȝyf þou be a lordyng,
And outraiusly takyst mennys þyng
yn tyme of werre or tyme of pes,
Þou stelyst hyt, with-outë les,—

But þurgh ryȝt or þurgh cunnaunte,—
Þou art a þefe ȝyf þou hyt haunte.

And ȝyf a lorde of a tounne
Robbe hys men oute of resoune,
Þogh hyt be yn bondage,
Aȝens ryȝt he doþe outrage.
he shal so take, þat he may lyue,
And as lawe of londe wyl forȝyue;
For ȝyf he take ouer mesure,
lytyl tymë shal hyt dure.
Þogh god haue ȝeue hym þe seynorye,

[_]

lordshyp

he ȝaf hym no leue to do robborye;
For god haþ ordeyned al mennys state,
how to lyue, and yn what gate;
And þoȝt he ȝyue one ouer oþer myȝt,
he wyl, þat he do hym but ryȝt.
Þys ys þe ryȝt of goddys lokyng,
“Ȝelde euery man hys ownë þyng.”
But god takeþ euermore veniaunce
Of lordys, for swych myschaunce,
For swych robbery þat þey make
Þat oftë of þe poure men take.
y shal ȝou telle a. lytyl wyght
how hyt befel onys of a knyȝt.

[The Tale of the Knight who robd a Poor Man.]

Sum tymë was, hyt were twey knyȝtys
Þat loued weyl at herë myȝtys;
A sykenes on þe toon gan falle,

he deydë sone, as we shul alle.
Þe touþer knyȝt seyd ofte, alas,
For hys felawe so sone dede was.
Fyl hyt so, þys lyuyng knyȝt,
yn hys bed he lay a nyght,
And was yn swyche a-wakyng
Þat he myȝt slepë for no þyng;
Þe mone shone yn hys chaumbre flore;
Þe knyȝt lay, and lokyd furþe.
At a wyndowe come yn a beme,
And yn þe shynyng he saghe a gleme
Ryght lyche þat knyȝt euery deyl
Þat sum tyme he loued ful weyl.
Þys knyȝt þoght ‘hyt ys fantome
Þat y se þus yn þe monë come.’
He was a-frayd with-outë fayle,
And, þat was no grete merueyle.
But þe knyȝt þat was dede
Cumfortyd hym sone, & seyde hys rede,
“Be nat adred, for hyt am y
Þat þou louedyst so specyaly.
Y was þy felaw, þy trewe frere,
For help y come to þe now here:
Þogh y be dede, þou darst nat drede,
Of helpe had y neuer er nede.
At nedë shul men proue here frendys,
And frendes loue oþer whyle wel endys.
help me now, y am yn wo,
Þat y may come þe sonner þerfro.”

Þe knyȝt, þat lay yn hys bed,
wax bolder, and lasse a-dred,
And seyd “felaw, for charyte,
what ys þy wo? shewe hyt me.”
Þan spake to hym þe dedë knyȝt,
“Þoght y had space a day & a nyȝt,
Alle þe penaunce ne coude y telle,
Þat y suffre yn a welle.
A peyne y suffre hard for þe nones,
For a cloþe þat y refte ones
Of a poure man with-outë ryȝt;
Alas þat euer y say þat syȝt;
Þat cloþe ys caste on me to peyne
As heuy as any mounteyne;
Hyl ne mounteyne, erþe ne stone,
Vndyr heuene so heuy ys none;
No so hote fyre ys yn no land
As hyt ys aboute me brennand.
Þarfore, felaw, y pray þe,
Þat þou haue on me pyte,
And, to pore men do noun ylle,
Ne aȝens holy chyrches wylle;
But al þe gode þat þou mayst, werche
To porë men and to holy chyrche.
Me were leuere deye an hundyr syþe
Þan suffre þys peyne þat noght may lyþe.”
Þan seyde þe knyȝt, & wepe ful sore,
“My swete felaw, telle me ȝyt more,
Ȝyf any þyng be so certeyne
Þat may delyuer þe of peyne.”

Þan seyd þe knyȝt, “y myȝt be clere
Þurgh þe sacrament of þe autere.”
Þe knyȝt nemnede prestes manyone;
Þan stode þe dedë, stylle as stone,
“wylt þou þan any of þese for þe syng,
Þe of peynë for to brynge?”
Þe dede meuede hys hede to & fro,
For he was payd of noun of þo.
wete ȝe forsoþe, boþe man and wyfe,
Þey were nat of clenë lyfe;
Of hem þe dede ȝaf noun answere,
he made no fors of here preyere.

Neþeles, þe seluyn messe
ys noþer þe wursë, ne þe lesse;
Þe sunne, hys feyrnes neuer he tynes,
Þogh hyt on þe muk hepe shynes,
But þe muk ys þe more stynkyngge
Þere þe sunne ys more shynyngge.
Ne more hyt ys lore, þe vertu
Of þe messe, but mannys pru.
Þogh þe prest be fals or frow,
Þe messe, ys euer gode ynow;
But þe preyere haþ no myȝt,
For hys lyfe ys nat clene dyȝt.

Þe knyȝt nemnede one at þe laste,
A gode man, and a ryȝt stedefaste:
“wylt þou þat he preye for þe?”
Þo seyde þe dede “wel were þan me
ȝyf he wuldë for me syngge,
he myȝt me of peynës bryngge.”

Þe knyȝt seyd truly, “truste to me,
Þat samë prest shal prey for þe;
And þat þy peyne mow be þe lasse,
Euery day shal he for þe synge a masse.”
“May y þan trust to þy sawe
Þat þou be now my trew felawe?”

“ȝe, as y am a trew knyȝt,
hyt shal be do, at my myȝt.”
“A tokene betwyxe þe and me,”
Þan seyd þe dedë, “shal þys be?”
he toke and grepe þe knyȝtys arme,
But he felt þer-of none harme;
Also he touched hys bare þe;
Þe bare bone myȝt men euer after se;
But sorë þerof felt he noght,
But for þe felyng, more on hym he þoght.
Þat mark saw alle men comunly,
But no man wyst redely why.
Þe dedë seyd “þou shalt leue here
No lenger but þys two ȝere.”
he tolde what day þat he shuld deye,
And seþyn he went forþe hys weye.

Þe knyȝt amended seþyn hym weyl,
And to þe dede was as trew as steyl;
For he dede as he hym hette,
Þe prest for hym song þat he hem hette.
Þys aperyng, yn my auys,
Auayled to boþe partys.

Seþyn toke þe knyȝt palmers wede,
And yn to þe holy londe he ȝede;
Ihesu cryst sepulcre he soght,
For þe synnys þat he had wroght;
And, at þe two ȝerës ȝende,
God almyghty for hym gan sende;
For þat day þat þe dede knyȝt seyde,
Þe touþer knyghte þat same day deyde.
Blessyd be god, of heuene kyng,
Þat sent hym þat yche tokenyng.

Now may ȝe se, by þys tale,
Þat þeftë breweþ mochë bale.
Certys þefte ryȝt wykked ys
whan þe dede bereþ wytnes,
Namly, pore men for to pele
Or robbe or bete with-outë skyle.
Þeftë wyl hys mayster shende,
And hym fordo wyþ-outyn ende.

Ȝyf þou be a serïaunt,
And takë more þan þy cunnaunt,
Custummablychë, mete or drynk—
Þoht for noght hyt be þe þyng—
y redë þat þou þer-of lete,
For many smale makeþ a grete.
holy chyrche callyþ hyt þefte,
wyþ-outë skylle, for hyt ys refte.

Ȝyf þou euer reysyddyst custome,
Þou mayst be sykyr of hard dome.
But ȝyf þat þou mayst hyt felle,
hyt ys robbery, gostly to telle.

Ȝyf hyt so betyde þat hyt lasteþ ay,
Þy medë shal be welaway.
Ȝyf þou amende hyt nat yn þy lyue,
what prest may þe þer-of shryue?
Now telle we forþe, þat ȝe may lere,
how þeftë comþ yn queynt manere:—

Ȝyf þou euer þy werke withdrowe,
Or dedyst hyt nat weyl to prowe,
Tyde or tyme þat þou shuldest werche,
‘Þou art a þefe,’ seyþ holy cherche.
Ȝyf þou do custummablyche swych lak,
To begyle þy mayster be-hynde hys bak,
Þou mayst nat excuse þe with rous,

[_]

proud wordys

And sey, ‘al þe worlde so dous.’
Þe worldë may nat sauë þe:
Shryue þy defaute, and late þe world be.

Ȝyf þe be leyde a borde to wedde,
Or a cloþe to bak or bedde,
Ȝyf þou hyt vse aȝens hys wylle,
holy cherche seyþ þat þou dost ylle,
And warneþ þe þerof ȝyt efte,
Þat hyt ys boþe okyr and þefte.
Okur hyt ys, for þe outrage
To take þy catel, and haue auauntage;
And for þefte, he may þe greue
To vse hys þyng aȝens hys leue;
And ȝyf hyt be so þat þus ys gone,
Charyte ne cristyndome ys þer none.
Þyn euencristyn þou owyst to lene,
Ȝyf þou mayst spare hyt, þat y mene.

Also, ȝyf a þyng be þe lent

And þou wyþ-outë hys asent
lene furþer þat þyng to were,
For þefte to hym þou shalt answere.
Þou wost weyl, þou dost nat ryȝt;
Þat a-noþer hyt useþ, hyt ys þy plyȝt.

Ȝyf þou haue a þyng yn ferme
To a certeyn day of terme,
And ȝyf þou ouer þat terme day
Trauelyst hyt aȝens hys pay,
Þou hast synned yn a spece,
yn þeftë þou art come a grece.

Now wyl y speke of okerers,
Þat þefys ben yn sum maners.
To whom þat vsery ys lefe,
Gost[e]ly, he ys a þefe.

Ȝyf þou of any okerere
wyþ wrong hys þyng awey dest bere,
Þoghe he be no cristyn man,
Þefte vnto þy self þou wan;
Þou ne owyst nat of hys to haue
with wrong, ȝyf þou þy self wylt saue.

Also, ȝyf þou haue founde a þyng,
And makyst þerfore none askyng
At cherche ne at þe market an hy,
But forhelest hyt pryuyly
So þat þe þyng with þe dwelle,
hyt ys þefte, þys clerkys telle.

Ȝyf þou withdrawest a mannys ryȝt
Styllyche, þat hyt be nat yn syght,
Þogh a man parseyue hyt noght,

Þou stelyst hyt, and þefte hast wroght.

Ȝyf þou wyþholdest a mannys seruyse
For euyl herte or fals queyntyse,
Or withdrawest any manere pay,
And ledyst hym furþe fro day to day,
But ȝyf hyt be with grete resun,
Of þeftë þou art enchesun.
For þe gospel commaundeþ ryȝt
‘holde nat hys seruyse ouer nyght;’
whan þe man haþ do hys dede,
God wol þat he haue hys mede.

what sey men of þes fals husbandys
Þat ere aweye falsly mennys landys;
Of a land, þurgh and þurgh,
Takyn and eryn awey a furgh?
Þat ys boþe thefte and robberye,
And hyt ful derë shal he a-bye.
Of swychë, fewe men hem amende,
For þey beyn þe deuylys frende.

Tauuarsyns and vserers,
Þys are, Lucyfer, þy peres;
For þey are alle þe deuyl betaght
Þat okeryn falsly þe worldes aght.

[_]

gode

Okyr ys also, ȝyf þou hyt haunte,
To lenë þyng to certeyn cunnaunt;
Also, to bye a þyng byfore,
halfe vn-to þe sellers lore;
For ȝyf þe byer may weyl lene
Þat þyng with-outë losse or tene,

he ys holde to helpe hym with-alle,
Or holy cherche seyþ, þat he hyt stalle.

Okeryng ys on many manere,
Mo þan y kan telle now here.
But wete ȝe weyl, swyche gode shal go
As hyt come, with sorowe and wo;
For some haue so grete cumbrement
Þat þey may make no testament;
For holy cherche neuer vndyrstode
To haue of okerer[ë]s gode.

[The Tale of Seint Forsyne's Visit to Hell.]

A tale ys tolde of Seynt Forsyne,
wharefor he suffryd onys pyne.
Þys samë tale tellyþ seynt Bede
yn hys gestys þat men rede.
whan seynt Fursyne had lyued long,
Þyr toke hym þan an euyl strong;
Þat tymë þat he wende to deye,
Come one to hym and þus gan seye,
“Rys vp, Fursyne, and go with me!
Merueyl mochë shalt þou see.”
wheþer he wulde, or he ne wulde,
he toke hym vp, and furþe he shulde;
Many stedys he late hym se,
Merueylys and grete pryuyte;
he shewed hym þe depnes of helle,
And þe peynes þat þeryn dwelle;
Seþþe þey toke a weye ryȝt euene,

As hym þoght, toward heuene.
yn þe fyrmament as þey ȝede,
Foure fyres he sawe of gretë drede;
Þes foure fyres wax hygh & hote,
And yn-to one, alle foure þey smote.
wndurful was þan þat fyre,
And dredful, and also brynnyng shere.
Þe aungel þydyrward toke þe weye;
Þo þoght seynt Fursyne, ‘here shal y deye.’
Þe aungel ȝede furþ ful boldely,
But seynt Fursyne durst nat come ny.
Þe aungel say he gan abyde,
“Come furþe,” he seyd, “and þe nat hyde;
Of þys fere ne drede þe noght,
But þou with wrong euer toke oght;
Ȝyf þou haue take any þyng with wrong,
Þou shalt brenne yn þys fyre strong.
with mochë þoght, sorowe, and drede,
Fursyne vnto þat fyre ȝede.
Þe fyre on boþë half hym was,
But furþ he ȝede fast on hys pas,
yn þat fyre saghe he lye
Saulys brennyng, and ruly crye;
Þe fendës ȝedë hem among,
And fast echone on oþer þrong
with brynnyng crokys sorowfuly,
And pyned hem with-oute mercy.
None lay by hemself a-lone,
But eche on oþer, with sorowe and wone.
Echone to oþer was sorowe and peyne,
with-outyn endë for certeyn.
For pynyng, for wepyng, for cryyng, alas,
Fursyne almoste confunded was.

As he sagh þys sorowe so grym,
Come a deuyl rennyng to hym
with glesyng yȝen and croke yn hande,
Þe steme stode oute of hys mouþ brennand:
he broght on þat brynnyng croke
A brennyng soule þat al to-shoke.
Toward Fursyne he ran hys cours,
And calyd hym ‘fals, felun, treytours.’
“haue þys soule! þys hast þou slayn!
Þou ȝeldyst nat hys gode aȝeyn.
he kast þe soule vpp-on þe prest,
And brenned hys o syde, and half hys brest.
he went þat tyme haue deydë þore,
For the soule brennyd hym so sore;
he hopyde neuer to haue come þen,
So had þe soule broght hym be-neþen.
But at þe last þan gan he crye,
And seyd, “mayster, me helpe now, or y dey!”
Þan seyde þe aungel to Fursyne:
“y tolde þe langer of þys þyne;
y sed langer at þe bygynnyng,
Ȝyf þou haddest of oþer mennys þyng
Þat þou madest nat of, amendëment,
yn þys fyre hyt shulde be brent.
loke now, ȝyf þou kanst hyt oght knowe,
Þe soule þat þe brenned so lowe.”
“Ȝe,” seyde Fursyne, “y knowe hyt wele
For whom y suffre þys peyne eche dele:

Þys he dede, whan he shuld deye,
he ȝaf me a cloþe for hym to preye;
For no maystry, ne for noun eyuyl,

he ȝaf it me; but with hys gode wyl.
And now, weyl y hyt graunte,
Þat y helde hym nat cunnaunt;
wyllyng, certys, y dyd hyt noght,
But for rechelesshepe of þoght.”
Þe aungel þo toke þe soule forlore,
And dyd hyt þere hyt was byfore,
yn-to þe peyne, þere for to dwelle,—
hyt was an okerere, y ȝou telle;—
Þan touched Fursynys brest and syde,
And þe fyre myȝt no lenger abyde.
Þurghoute þe fyre he ledde hym euene,
And shewed hym of þe blys of heuene:
he shewed hym alle þe pryuyte
Þere men befalleþ yn flessh to be.
he broght hym þan to þe body aȝen
For to shewe þat hyt was certeyn.
Þre days keptë men þe body,
Alle for dedë comunly.
he lyued seþþen many ȝeres,
A quyk man, and a feres.
But þe brynnyng alle be dene,
Euermore aftyrward was hyt sene;
As long as he here lyued,
Þe brynnyng on hys body cleued.

y trowe god shewed þys merueyle,
For þou ne shuldest of trowþë fayle.
Seþen leuyd he so holyly
Þat men callyn hym nowe seynt Fursy;
He was fyrst founder and syre
Of þe cherche of Knares-myre;

And of Norwyche þe modyr cherche
he ded hyt fyrst make and werche;
And þere he lyþ be-ȝunde þe see,
he ordeyned a mynster for to be;
Foure ȝere or þe cherche were ful set
was hys soulë to god fet.

Okerers men oght to weyue,
Ȝeue hem noght, ne of hem receyue,—
ȝyf þou wetë what þey are,—
yn no manere of chaffare.

Sum tyme þer was yn a cyte,
Þat ȝyf an okerer myȝt founde be,
Þey helde hym vyler þan a Iew,
For no man wuldë hys prew;
Men clepyde hys hous yn euery strete
‘Þe hous of þe fendës sete.’
Fyre, watyr, þat he shuld note,
Þey cursed hyt euery grote;
And euery syde to ouþer, “sere,
lo, þere þe cursed vsurere!”
yn cherchë no man ȝaf hym pes,
For a fend þey hym ches.
No man was so hardy
To bryng hym þyng opunly,
Þat he ne shulde vyly be shent
Of alle þat by þe stretë went.
And whan any vsurere was dede,
Þe cherchëȝerde þey hym forbede.

Þey wuld nat, for loue ne awe,
Ȝeue hym crystyn mennys lawe;
‘Requiem’ ne shulde be note be sunge
Ne seyd for hym, wyþ mannys tunge.
‘Lux perpetua,’ and he, were wroþe,
For yn hys lyue he solde hem boþe.
A nyȝt, when men hadde here reste,
he okered pens yn hys cheste;
And also, vpp-on þe day lyȝt
he gadered gode with alle hys myȝt.
Þan semyþ hyt weyl yn oure lay
Þat he solde boþe þe nyȝt and þe day;
‘Requiem,’ (þe reste with outen ende,)
Þar-to shal he neuer wende;
Ne ‘lux perpetua’—þe endles lyȝt—
Þer-of shal he neuer haue syȝt;
where he ys wurþy, þer shal he be;
yn hym nas neuer no charyte.

Now of þeft haue we seyd,
And þese vsurers made vp-breyde.
god ȝeue vs gracë þefte to fle,
And al okerers wel to amendyd be.

[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.

who-so beleuyþ a wycches sawe,
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[_]

nek (O. necke)

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.

[Tale of the Rich Forswearer at a Trial in London.]

Yn Londun toune fyl swyche a chek,
A ryche man and pore were at cuntek,

[_]

debate

And pleted a-boute a lytyl land
Tyl a day was take yn hand;
þat day was so ny[e] dreue
þat þe othe was to þe ryche man ȝyue:
wytnes þey allë gan hym bere
Þat he ne wuld[ë] falsly swere;
For rychë men are holdë trewe,
Þogh here falsnes be neuer so newe.
whan he was charged þe soþe to seye,
Þat he ne shulde, for loue ne eye,
Ne for lefë, no for loþe,
But trew[ë]ly to swere hys oþe;
A-nouþer þan was yn hys þoght,
For falshede he wlde haue furþ broȝt;
And God toke veniaunce apertly,
Þat alle hyt say þat stode hym by.
For whan he hadde hys oþë swore,
And kest þe boke hem alle before,
Vp ne ros he neuer more,
But, lay dede befor hem þore.
Þan y trowe þat y dar seye
Þat he ȝede an euyl weye.

By þys tale, ȝe mowe se alle
Þat fals sweryng wyl euyl befalle,
Namlyche, on þe halydom
whan he ys charged of any whom.

Vndyrstand þys weyl yn þy wyt,
Þat god seyþ yn þe holy wryt,
‘Þat fals oþys, ne wrong Iugement,
Shul neuer morë be vnshent.’
Se how veniaunce was hys mede
whan he hadde of God no drede:
Almyghty God, þat ys soþfastnes,
hé wulde take to fals wytnes.

Fals sweryng ys nat ellys to say,
But ‘forsakyng of god, and alle hys lay.’
A man þat swereþ fals swerynges,
He forsakeþ fyuë þynges:—
Þe ioye of heuene he forsakeþ,
whan he, wetyng, fals oþys makeþ,
And alle hys blessyd cumpanye
Þat þey hym neuer helpe ȝyf þat he lye;
And Ihesu crystys passyun
þat for hym to þe deþ was doun,
þat hyt helpe hym neuer at nede,
Ȝyf he swere fals, or falsdom bede.
Þe þryddë, ȝyf he swerë fals,
hys crystendom he forsakþ als,
þat hyt helpe hym neuer more
Ȝyf þat he lyë þore.
Þe fourþe ys, he forsakeþ þe preyers
þat holy wryt wytnes of beres,
þat þey neuer stonde hym by
ȝyf he swere hys oþe falsly.
Þe fyueþë þyng wyl hym shende,
For he ȝyfþe hym self wyþ-oute[n] ende
To þe fende þat ys yn helle,
Ȝyf þat he lye, or falsly telle.

On þese fyue maners hymself deryþ
þat on þe bokë falsly sweryþ.
For hys loue þat deyde on þe rode,
Forswere ȝow neuer for worldys gode.
For ȝe wyte weyl, aud haue hyt herde,
þat trouþe ys more þan alle þe worlde.

Ȝyt þer ys anoþer sweryng
where-þurgh comþ oftë grete cumbryng,
Þe whyche ys, an oþe oute of mesure,
Þat he shulde haue a mysauenture
On wyfë, and on chylde, to falle,
And on hys ouþer godys alle,
But he holdë at hys myght
hys oþe þat he swereþ to alle ryght.
Swyche an oþe ys grete doute to swere,
For chauncë comþ on many manere.
Þou settest þy chylde to mychë rewþe
But þou holde þyn oþe to trewþe.

A-nouþer oth comþ ȝyt yn place,
Þer a man swereþ by fallace.
Fallace ys, as who seye, ‘gyle,’
As many one sweryn vmwhyle.
Ȝyf þou swere to me for oght,
And a-nouþer ys yn þy þoght,
wenyst þou þan þat þou swerest wel
when þyn oth to me ys gyle eche del?
Nay: for, as y vndyrstande of þe,
So shal þy as othë charged be.
Þus techyþ vs seynt Austyne
Þat was a clerk of gret dyuyne.

Y pray ȝow alle, boþe lefe and loþe,

Þat ȝe charge neuer body with oþe
Þat ȝe suppose wyl be forswore;
For, y warne ȝow wel byfore,
Þat who-so putteþ hym to swere,
Grete chargë for hym shal he bere.

Ȝyf þou madest awhere any vowe
To wurschyp God for þy prowe,—
Ȝyf þou dedyst hyt with þy gode wylle,
with-outë stresse or ouþer ylle,
Þou art holde to ȝelde hyt hym
Or þy synne ys grete and grym;
wytnes of othë and of hote:

[_]

vowe

Yn heuene, allë þyng þey wote.

Noþeles, y sey hardly,
Ȝyf þou vowe to do foly,—
As a man to bete or slo,
Or to take hys gode hym fro;
Or ȝyf þou vowe yn ȝungþe or elde,
And þou mayst nat but wykkedly ȝelde,—
God wyl nat þou hold yt so
þat þou þy vowe yn wykkednes do;
God haþ leuer þou þe wyþdrow
Þan do euyl dede after foly vow,
Bettere ys a foly wrde be wyþdrawe
Þan wyþ euyl dede to fulfyl þat sawe.
Þurgh goddys wurd yn þe gospel,
Þys may be preuyd ryȝt wel.

[The Bible-story of John the Baptist's Death.]

Hyt speketh of seynt Ion baptyst,
Þe best chylde borë vndyr Cryst.

100

Hyt telleþ þat Eroud swore
To here þat tumbled yn þe flore,
Þat what-aseuer she wuld aske to mede,
he wuld fulfyl hyt here yn dede;
halfe hys kyngdom, ȝyf she wuld craue,
haluyndele she shuld hyt haue.
Eueyl he vowed, and swore hys oth,
Þer-for with hym ys now god wroth.
For ouþer mede wuld she haue none,
But þe hede of swete seynt Ion;
Here modyr bade here askë þys,
Þe hede of seynt Ion yn a dyssh.
Folylyche, certeyn, Eroud swore,
And yn dede weyl werse he fore.

[_]

dede

But ȝyf she hade asked Eroudes ye,
Troust þou he wuld nat a made a lye?
Y trowe he wulde haue be forswore
Ar he hade hys ye forlore.
So had hym better, for hys prowe,
For to haue broke þat ychë vowe,
And with-oute mede haue late here go,
Þan for hys vowe a man do slo.

Ȝyt may y preue hyt by ouþer sawe
Þat wryte ys yn þe oldë lawe;
Yn þe gest of syre Ieptë,
Yn þe byble men mow hyt se.

101

[þe Gest of Syre Jepte,—or the Tale of Jephthah and his Daughter.]

Ieptë went onys to batayle
And preyd God hys powere shuld nat fayle;—
“Graunte me, Lorde, þe maystry nowe,
And y shal make to þe a vowe,
þat þe fyrst þyng þat y mete
Befor me homward yn þe strete,
Þerof shal y make sacryfyse;”
For to sle hyt, was þan þe asyse.

whan he had, þurgh goddys vertu,
Of þe batayle prys and pru,
Homward as syre Ieptë ȝede
he þanked god for hys gode dede.
hys doghtyr was þe fyrstë þyng
þat mette hym and made hym welcomyng;
She grette here fadyr fayre with mouþe
And made hym all þe ioye þat she couþe.
Þan þoght Ieptë on hys vow,
And hadde yn herte sorow ynow.
To hys doghtyr þan seyd he,
“Þou art deseyuyd, and y for þe;
Y made my vow to heuene kyng
Þat y shuld sle þe fyrstë þyng
Þat y mette homwarde fro þe batayle;
And my vow y wyl nat fayle.”
Hys doghtyr answered myldly,
“Fadyr,” she seyde, “y am redy
For to take my deþe of þe;
But y am glade þat y þe se.

102

But, swetë fadyr, y pray þe
Graunte me two moneþes ar y dye,
Þat y may wepe my virginite
with hem þat noryst be with me.”
Here fadyr graunted weyl þarto,
And she forsoþë ded ryȝt so;
She weptë nat for any outrage,
But for of here come no lynage;
Þat no fruyt of here myȝt spryng,
Þare-for she madë here wepyng,
And for here fadyr had chylder no mo
Þat furþer myȝt yn kyndë go.
But, ryȝt át þe moneþes ende,
here fadyr dede nat þerof hende,
Þat he hys ownë doghtyr slowe
For a foly and a wykked vowe.

Seynt Austyne seyþ certeynly
Þat he synned ryȝt dedly;
For he auowede, and nedyd naght,
And ȝyt yn dede wel werse he wroght.
Seynt Austyn seyþ so redy wey
Þat y to ȝou dar weyl seye
‘Ȝoure wykked vowys shul ȝe nat fylle,
Ne make no vowe to any ylle,
But chaungë hem to better prow,
And take penaunce for foly vowe.’

God shelde vs alle wykkedly to swere,
And late vs neuer fals wytnes bere,
Ne foly vow for to make,
lordë, for þy wurschyp sake.

103

[The Ninth Commandment.]

The nynþe comaundment yn oure tellyng
Ys “coueyt nat þy neghbours þyng,”
For to reue hyt hym wykkedly
with wrong pleys or ouþer maystry,
No with glosyng, no with queyntyse,
No wyþ destressë, on noun wyse,
No wyþ wykked procurement,
To make hym lese hys tenement.

And for hyt haþ þe same assyse
Þat longeþ vn-to coueytyse,
y wyl now ouer-lepe hyt here,
And aftyrwarde ȝe mowe hyt lere
whan y speke of þe dedly synne
Of coueytyse, hyt ys þer-ynne;
For hyt ys one of þe seuene,
Among hem y wyl hyt neuene;
And of hys spycys telle ȝow neyde,
As holy man haue wryten and seyde.
Of þys nynþe wyl y endë now,
And of þe tenþë speke to ȝow.

[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;

104

And wyuës haue now comunly
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.

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.

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

105

Þogh þou lygge neuer here by.
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.

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.

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.

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.