University of Virginia Library

Of þe ten Comaundemens.

Þeose biddinges wol I not ouer-hippe.
On God þou schalt worschippe.
His nome þou ne schalt in Idel munginge (!).
Halewe þin halyday, þe þridde biddinge.
Þeose rulen þi lyf, alle þre,
To þe holi Trinite.
A-ȝeyn þe furste biddyng þou mischeuest,
On eny wicchecraft ȝif þou bileeuest.
Aȝeyn þe secunde þi-self þou derest,
Horible oþes whon þou swerest—
Ȝit maiȝt þou swere wiþ-outen synne
ffalsede to dampne, þe riȝte to wynne.
Aȝeyn þe þridde þou dost wronge
Whon þou lyst in þi bed so longe
Þat Matyns nor Masse herest þou non,
To ffreres prechinge wolt þou not gon—
Þer-Inne of swetnesse þou felest no tast;
Bote to þe tauerne þe þinkeþ more hast
Þen to visyte þe seke or þe pore,
Þat liggen a-tome or at þi dore;
Ȝif þou dost þus, soþ to say,
Þou halewest not wel þyn halyday.
Godes curtesye her maiȝt þow se:
To him-self he ȝaf biddynges but þre;
Þe seuen þat comen herafter nou
To þe and to þi neiȝebores prou.
ffader and Moder þow most honoure:
Wiþ foul cher not on hem to loure;
Ȝif heo of þyne habbeþ gret nede,
But þou hem helpe, vuel schalt þou spede.
Loke þat þou sle no mon,
Wiþ hond ne wiþ wepene non,
Ne þorw þyn owne gilerye
Nouȝwhere to puite him for to dye;
Sle no mon wiþ tonge, biddynge,
Beo tisement ne bi procurynge;
In herte Coueyte no mon to spille—
To borwe him raþure is godes wille,
Ȝif þou hit may do lawefully,
Elles of þis biddynge þow art gulti.
Stele non oþure monnes good.
ffrom fals witnes þow torn þi mood.
Þi neiȝebores good þow schalt not desyre,
Wyf nor Mayde-child for heor white swire.
Loke þou do no Lecherie,
Þi-self for þat wol most anuye.
But i prei þe, þou seist, telle me þe skile
Whi god forbed raþur vuel wille
Of worldes good, and of Monnes wyf,
Þen to bi-reue a Monnes lyf.
ffor, hose is in wille for to stele,
Wiþ oþer monnes wyf or wiþ to dele,
Hit is hardore him-self þer-from to holde
Þen from monslauȝt, be þou bolde!
ffor þerof kyndeliche vche monnes sone
Haþ gret Abhomynacione;
But wraþþe haþ him his resun raft,
Wiþ him þerof horrour is laft,
After þe dede or elles be-foren—
Elles mony mon schulde be for-loren.