harme and torment Honour is eke cleped grete dignyte and highnes but in helle shall they alle be fortroden with deuylles as god saith The hâ—rrible deuylles shulle goo and comyn vpon heedes of dampned folk And this is for as muche that the hyer that they were in this present lyf the more they shul be abated and defowlâ—d in helle Ayenst the riches of thys world shal they haue mysese of pouerte And this pouerte shal be in .iiij. thynges In defawte of tresour of whiche Dâ—uid saith The riche folk that enbracen and coueyten in al her herte þ e riches of this world shulle slepe in the slepyng of deth as nothing shul they fynde in there hondes of all her tresour And more ouer the mysese â—f helle shal be in defaute of mete and drynke For god saith thus by Moyses Ye shal be wasted with hunger And the birdes of helle shal deuoure hem with bitter deth And the galle of the dragon her morsellis And â—ertherouer her mysese shal be in defaute of clothing for they shal be naked in body as of clothing Saue the fyre in whiche they brenne and other fylthes And naked shal they be in sowle of alle maner vertues whiche that is the clothing of sowle Where ben thenne the gay robis and the softe shetis and fyn shertis Lo what sayth god of hem by the prophete Ysaye that vnder hem shal be strawed mothes and her couertours shal be of wormys of helle And furtherouer her mysese shal be in defaute of frendes for he is not poure that hath good frendes but ther is no frende For neyther god ne good creature shal be frende to hem And euery of hem shal hate other with dedely hate The sones and the doughters shul rebelle ayenst the fader and moder And kynrede ayenst kynrede and chyden and dâ—sâ—pisen eche other both day and nyght as god saith by the prophete Micheas And the louyng children that somÌ„e tyme loueden so flesshely euerich of them wolde ete other yf he myghte For how sholde they loue to gyder in the prynâ—s of helle whan they hated eche other in the prosperyte of this lyf For trust wel her fleshly loue is dedly hate as saith the prophete Dauid who so loueth wickednes â—e â—aâ—tith his sowle And who so hateth his owen sowle Certes he may loue none other wight in no maner And therfore in helle is no frendship but euer the more cursyng the more chydyng and the more dedly hate is among hemâ— And furtherouer they shal haue defautes of alle maner deliâ—â—s for why For delites ben appâ—tites of the wâ—tteâ— as sight Heeryng smellyng sauouryng and towchyng But in â—elle her sight shal be ful of derknes of smoke and ful of teris And her heeryng ful of weymenting and of gruntyng of teth as sayth Ihesu Crist Her nostrellys shal be ful of stynkyng And as sayth Ysaye the Prophete Her sauouryng shal be full of bitter galle And as touchyng her body it shal be coueryd with fyre that neuer shal be quenchid And with wormys that neuer shal deye as god saith by the mouth of Ysaye And for as muche as they shul not wene that they mowe deye for peyne and by her deth fle fro peyne that may they vnderstond in the word of Iob that saith that there is the shadow of deth Certes a shadowe hath a lykenes of the thyng of whyche it is shadowyd Right so farith the peyn of hâ—lle it is lyke deth for the angwissh horryble and why For it peyneth hem euer as though men shold dye anon But certes they shal not dye For as saith seynt Gregore to wrecchid caytyfs shal be deth withoute deth and ende withoute ende and defaute withoute faylyng For her deth shal all way lyue And her ende shal euermore begynne and her defaute shal neuâ—r fayle And therfore sayth seynt Iohn the Euaungeliste They shal folowe deth and they shal not fynde hâ—m and to desyre to dye and deth shal fle fro them And eke Iob sayth That in hâ—lle is none ordre of râ—ule And al be it so that god hath created all in ryght ordre and nothyng wythoute ordre But alle thynges be ordeyned and nombred Yet natheles they that be dampned be no thyng in ordre ne holde non ordre For the erthe shal bere hem no fruyt For as the prophete Dauid saith God shal destroye the fruyt of the erth from hem Ne water shal yeue hem no moysture ne the eyer no refresshyng ne the fyre no light For as saith saynt Basyle The brennyng of the fyre of this world shal god yeue to hem that ben dampned in helle But the light and the clerenes shal be yeuen in heuen to his children right as the good man yeueth breed to his children and bones to his houndes And so they shal haue none hope to escape And therfore speketh Iob Atte last ther shal horrour and grisly drede dwellen withouten endâ— Horrour is alle way drede of harme that is to come And thys drede shal euer dwelle in the hertes of â—em that ben dampned And therfore haue they losâ— al her hope for vâ— causes First for god that is her Iuge shal be withouten mercy to hem ne they may not plese hym ne none of his halowis ne may paye no thing for her raunson ne thâ—y hauâ— no â—â—ys to speke to hym ne they mowe not â—le fro â—â—â—ne And therfore sayth Salamon the wicked man deyeth And whan he is dede he shal haue none hope to escape from payne Who so wolde wel vnderstonde these peynes and bethynke hym wel that he hath deseruyd the peynes for his synnes Certes he sholde haue more talent to syghe and wepe than for to synge and for to playe For as sayth Salamon who that had the science for to knowe the peynes that ben establysshyd and ordeyned for synne â—e wold forsake synne That science saith saynt Austyn makith a man to weymenten in his herte The fourthe poynt that a man ought to make contricion fore is the sorouful remembraunce of the good that he hath lefte to do â—ere in erthe and eke the good that he hath lorn Sothly the good werkis that he hath lefte â—yther they be the good werkis that he wrought er he fyll in to dedely synne or ellis the good werkis that he wrought whyle he lay in dedely synne Sothly the good that he dyde beforn that he fyl in dedely synne ben al mortyfyed astoned and dulled by the eft synnyng The other werkes that he wrought whyle he lay in synne ben vtterly dede as to the lyf perdurable in heuen Than thilke good werkes that ben mortyfyâ—d by efte synnyng whyche good werkes he dyde whyles he was in charyte mowe neuer quycken ayen wythoute verey restreynt and wythdrawyng the strenges of mans corage and the meuynges in his herte in suche manere as they ne skyppe out by anger ne by Ire And therof sayth god by the mouth of Ezechiel That yf
loued in erthe in som degre Right so ther lyued neuer man he seyde In al this worlde that som tyme he deyde This worlde is but a thorow fare ful of wo And we be pylgryms passinge to and fro Deth is an ende of euery worldis sore And ouer al this yet sayde he mykyl more To this effâ—ct ful wisely to enhorte The pepyl that they sholde hem recomforte Duke Theseus with al his besy cure Caste now where the sepulture Of good arcite may best y makyd be And eke most honourably in his degre And at the laste he took conclusionÌ„ That there as first arcite and Palamon Hadde for loue bataylle hem betweenÌ„ That in that selue groue swete and greenÌ„ There as he hadde his amerous desirys His complaynt and for loue his hote firys He wolde make a fire in the whiche the office Funeral he mighte fully accomplice And â—eet anon to hacke â—nd â—o hewe The okis olde and â—y hem on a rewe In â—ulpyns wel araid forto brenne His officers with swist feet they renne And riden anon at his comaundement And aftir this Theseus hath sent Aftir a bere and he it ouer sprad With clothis of gold the richest that he had And of the same he clothid arcite Vp on his hondis his glouys white And on his hed a crowne of laurer grene And in his hond a swerd ful bright shene He layde hym bare the visage on the bere Ther with he wepte that pyte was to here And for the pepyl sholde se hym alle Whan it was day he brought hym in to the halle That thorough the cryynge and the sown Tho cam this woful theban Palamoun With floterid berd and ruggid asshy heris In clothis blak dropped al with teris And passinge other of weping Emelye The rewfullest of al the companye In as muche the seruise shuld be The more nobyl and riche in his degre Duke Theseus leet thre stedis forth brynge That trappid were in steel al gliterynge And couered with the armys of arcite Vp on the stedis grete and white Ther satyn folk of whiche one bare his sheld Anothir a spere vpon his hondis held The thridde baar with hym his bowe turkeys Of brend gold was the caas and the harneys And riden forth a paas with sorouful chere Toward the groue as ye shul aftir here With slak paas and yen rede and weet Thorow out the cite be the maister strete That spred was al with blac wonder hye Right of the same is the strete I wrye Op on the right hond wente olde Egeus And on that othir side duke Theseus With vesselis of gold in hir hond ful fyne And ful of hony mylk blood and wyne Eke Palamon with ful greet companye And aftir that cam woful Emelye With fire in hond as was that tyme the gyse To do the office and the funeral seruise High labour and ful greet apparelynge Was at the seruise of that fire makynge That with his grene top the heuen raughte And twenty fadom of brede the armys straughâ—e This is to say the bowes were so brood Of straw first was layd meny a lood But how the fire was made vp an heyghte And as to telle you what the treys highte As ok firre birch ash alder holm popeler Mapil thorn bech aspe box chesteyn lynd laurer Wilow elme plane hasil and whipulâ—re How they were fellid shal not be told for me Ne how the goddis rennyn vp a 〈◊〉 doun Disherited of theyr habitacionÌ„ In whiche they woned in reste and pees Nymphes faunus and arnarides Ne how the bestis and the briddes alle Fillen for feer whan the wode gan falle Ne how the ground agast was of the light That was not wont to se the sonne bright Ne how the fyre was cowchid first with stre And than with drye stickys clouen on thre And than with grene wode and spicery And than with cloth of gold made with perry And garlondis hangynge with many a flour The mirre the encence with swete odour Ne how arcite lay among al this Ne what richesse abowte his body is Ne how that Emelye as was the gyse Put in the fyre for funeral seruise Ne how she swowned whan made was the fyre Ne what she spak ne what was her desyre Ne what iewellis men in to the fyre caste Whan that the fyre was gret brende faste Ne how som caste her shelde and som her spere And of her vestimentis whiche that they were And cuppis ful of mylk wyne and blood In to the fyre that brent as it were wood Ne how the grekis with an huge route Thries riden al the fyre aboute Op on the lift hond with an high showtynge And thries with here speris clateringe And thries how the ladyes gan crye Ne how that led was homward Emelye Ne how arcite is brent to asshen cold Ne how the lich wakis were y hold That ilke nyght ne how the grekis pleye The wake pleyes kepe I not to seye whiche wrastelith best naked with oyl anointed Ne who that bare hym best at the poynt I wil not telle al how they goon Hom to attenes when the pley is doon Bâ—t shortly to the poynt than wol I wâ—nde To make of my long tale an ende BE proces and be lengthe of certeyn yeris Al stynt is the mornynge and the cheris Of grekis be on general assent Than semyth me there was a parlement At actenes vpon certeyn poynt and caas And among the whiche poyntis spokyn was To haue with certayn contrees aliaunce And haue fully of Thebes obeissaunce For whiche this nobil Theseus anon Leet sende aftir gentyl Palamon Vnwist of hym what was the cause and why But in his blake clothis sorowfully He cam at his comaundement an hye Tho sent Theseus for Emelye Whan they were set and pres was al the place And Theseus abiden hath a space Or ony word cam from his wyse brest His yen be cast there as hym list And with a sad visage he sighed stille And aftir that right thus he sayde his wille The firste mouer of the cause aboue Whan he first made the cheyne of loue Greet was the effect high was the entent Wel wiste he why and what ther of he ment For with that fair cheyne of loue he bond The fyre the eyr the watir and the lond In certeyn bondis that may not fle The same prince the same mouer quod he Hath stablisshed in this wrecchid world a doun Certayn dayes and duracion To al that is engendrid in this place Ouer the whiche day they mow not pace Al mowe they the dayes abrigge Ther nedith non auctorite to legge For it is preued be experience But that me list to declare my sentence Than may wel men be this ordre discerne That ilke mouer stabyl is and eterne Wel may men knowe but it be a fool That euery party darreynyd fro his hool For nature hath not take his begynnyng Of one part
caas or auenture shete an arowe or cast a stoon with which he sleeth a man it is homicyde Eke yf a woman by neclygence ouer lyeth her chylde in slepyng it is homicyde and dedely synne Eke whan a man destroyeth concepcion of a child or makyth a woman bareyne by drynkes of venymous herbis thurgh whiche she may not conceyue Or sleeth her chyld by drynkis or ellis putteth certayn materyal thyng in her secrete place to sle her chyld or ellis doth vnkynde synne by whiche man or woman shedeth his nature in place ther as a child may not be conceyued or ellis yf a woman haue conceyued and hurt her self and sleeth her chyld yet is it homicyde What saye we eke of women that murdren her children for drede of worldly shame Certes it is eke an horryble homycyde Eke yf a man approche to a woman by desyre of lecherye thurgh whiche the childe is perysshed ellys smyteth a woman wetyngly by whyche her chylde is slayn Alle thyse ben homycydes and dedely horryble synnys yet comyn of Ire many mo synnys as In word in thought in dede as wel as he that aretteth vpon god or blasphemyth god of whiche he is hym self gilty or dispiseth god and alle his halowis as don thyse cursid hasourdours in diuerse contrees This cursed synne do they whan they felen in her herte ful wickedly of god and his halowis Also whan they tretyn vnworthyly the sacrament of the awter Thilk synne is so grete that vnnethe may it be relecyd but that the mercy of god passyth his werkis whyche mercy is grete and benygne Ther cometh also of Ire a tery anger Whan a man is sharply amonesshed in his shryfte to forlete his synne Than wil he be angry and answere â—okirly angerly to defende or excusyn his synne by vnstedfastnes of his flesh or ellis he dyde hit for to holde company with his felaws or ellis he saith the fende entised hym or ellis he dyde hit for his yongth or els his compleâ—ion is so corageous that he may not forbere ellis it is desâ—yne as he saith vnto a certayn age or ellis he saith it comyth hym of gentilnes of his auncetryes and semblable thingis Alle thyse maner of folk so wrappen hem in her synnys that they wil not delyuer hem self For sothly no wight that excusith hym wilfully of his synne may be deliuerd of his synne til he mekely beknoweth his synne After thenne cometh sweryng that is expres ayenst the comaundement of god and this befallyth of anger and of Ire God saith thou shalt not take the name of thy lord in ydil Also our lord Ihesu Crist saith by the word of seynt mathew ne wille ye to swere in alle maner neyther by heuen for hit is goddis Trone neyther by erthe for it is the benche of his feet ne by Iherusalem for it is the Cyte of a grete kynge ne by thyn hede for thou ne maist make an heer whyte ne black but your oth shal be ye ye nay nay And what that is more euyl thus saith Crist For cristes sake swere ye not so synfully in dismembryng of Crist. by soule herte bonys and body For ye thinke that the cursid Iewis dismembrid hym not ynowh but ye dismembre hym more And yf so be the lawe compelle you to swere thenne rewle you after the lawe of god in your sweryng As saith seynt Iherome the .iiij. chapitre Thou shalt kepe thre condicions Thou shalt swere in trouth in dome and in rightwisnes This is to saye thou shalt swere soth For euery lesing is ayenst Crist for crist is very trouthe And thinke wel this that euery grete swerer not compellid lawfully to swere the plaghe of vengeance shal not parte from his hous whiles he vseth suche vnlawful swering Thou shalt â—ke swere in dome whenne thou art compellid by thy domes man to witnesse the trouthe Eke thou shalt not swere for enuye for fauour for mede but for rightwisnes for declaring of trouth to the worship of god to helpyng of thyn euen cristen And therfore euery man that taketh goddes name in ydle or falsly swerith with his mouth or ellis taketh on hym the name of Crist to be a callid a Cristen man liueth ayenst cristen liuyng his teching alle they take goddis name in ydle Loke eke what saith seynt Petir Actuum quarto Ther is none other name vnder heuen yeuen to man in whiche thâ—y moot be sauyd That is to saye but in the name of Ihesu Crist Take kepe eke hou that precyous name of Ihesu Crist As saith seynt Poule at philipenses c In nomine Ihesu c That in the name of Ihesu euery kne of heuenly creature or erthely or of helle shold howen For hit is so high and so worshipful that the corsid fende in helle shold tremble for to here it named Than semeth it that men that swere so horribly his blessid name that they despyse it more boldly than dyde the cursid Iewys that tremeleden whan they herd his name Now certes fith that sweryng but it be do al lawfully is so hoolly defended muche werse is for to swere falsely and eke nedeles what saye we eke of them that delyten them in sweryng and holde it a gentrye or manly dede to swere grete othis And what of hem that of very vsage ne cesse not to swere grete othes Al the cause not worth a straw Cerâ—es this is horryble synne Sweryng also withoute auisement is eek synne But late vs goo now to that cursid and horrible swering of adiuracion and coniuracion as don thyse fals enchauntours and nygromancers in basyns ful of water or in a bright swerd in a cercle or in a fyre or in a sholdre boon of a sheep I can not saye but they do cursidly and dampnably ayenst Crist and al the faith of holy chirche what saye by them that bileuyn in dym naylis as by flight or by noyse of birdis of beestis or by sorte by nygromancye by dremes By chirchyng of dooris by gnawyng of rattis or crakyng of housis and suche maner of wrecchidnes Certis all this thing is defendid by god and eke holy chirche for whiche they be cursid til they come to amendement that on suche fylthe sette their byleue Charmys for woundis and maladyes of men or of bestis yf they take ony effect it may be perauenture that god fussreth it for men shold gyue the more feith and reuerence to his name Now wil I speke of lesynges whiche generally is fals significacion of word with entent to disceyue his euen Cristen Som lesing ther is of whiche cometh none auauntage to no wight And som lesing torneth to the ese and prouffit of a man and to domage of another man Another lesing for to saue his lif or caâ—el Another lesing comyth of delyte They wil forge a long tale and peynte it with al circumstancis wherof alle the ground is fals SomÌ„e lesing
be it by fo rs or by sleyght be it in metyng or mesure by stelyng by false endytements vpon hym and in borowyng thy neyghbours catel in entent neuer to paye and semblable thingis Spâ—rytuel thefte is sacrylege that is to saye ontyng of holy thyngis or of thyngis sacryd to Crist in two maners by reson of the holy place As chirchis and chircheyerdis for euery violent synne that men do in suche places may be clepid sacrylege Also they that falsely witholde the rightes of holy chirche And pleynÌ„ and generally sacrylege is to yeue holy thing out of holy place or vnholy thyng out of holy place or holy thyng out of vnholy place Now shal ye vnderstande that releuyng of auaryce is Myserycorde and pyte largely taken And men myght axe why that myserycorde and pyte is releuyng of auaryce Certes the auaricyous man shewith no pyte ne myserycorde to the nedeful man For he deliteth hym in kepyng of his tresour and not in the rescowyng ne in the releuyng of hys euen crysten And therfore speke I first of mysericorde Thenne is mysericorde As saith the phylosophre a vertu by whiche corage of man is styred by the mysese of hym that is mysesid vpon the whiche myserycorde wyth pyte in perfourmyng of Charytable werkis of mercy helpeth and comforteth hym that is mysesed And certes this meueth men to thâ— misericorde of Ihesu Crist that hym self suffrid for our gilt He suffryd deth for misericorde And foryaf vs our original synnys And therby relecid fro the peyne of helle and amenusid the peyne of purgatorye The spicis of misericorde ben as for to lene and eke for to yeue and forto foryâ—â—â— and for to relece and for to haue pyte in herte and compassion of myschyef of thyn euen cristen And eke chastyce there as nede is Another remedye ayenst auaryce is resonable larges But sothly here behoueth the consideracion of our lord Ihesu Crist and of his grace and of his temporel goodis and eke of the goâ—dis perdurable that Crist yaf vs and eke to haue remembrance of the deth that â—e sâ—al dye and receyue and he woot not whan And eke tâ—at he shal forgoon alle that he hath dispendid and goten in goodis But for as muche as somÌ„e folk be vnmesurable men oughten eschewe fool largesse that men clepen waâ—â— Certes he that is foollarge he yeuyth not his catel but â—e lesith his catel Certes what thinge that â—e yâ—â—â—th for veyn glorye as to mynstrals and to â—â—lk that bere his renome in the world he hath do synne and none almes Certes â—e lesith fowle his good and sekith no thyng but synne â—e is lyke to an hors that seketh rather to drynke droppâ— water and troubly than water of the cleer welle To â—em apperteynâ—n thâ— malison that Crist shal yeue aâ—te daye of dâ—me to hem that shull be dampned ¶ Sequitur de Gula. AFter auaryce comyth glotonye whiche is expresse ayenst the comandement of god Gloâ—â—nye is vnmesurable appetyte to ete or to drynke or els to ete vnmesurably and out of tyme more than nedeth is glotonye This synne corrâ—ptid al this world as is wel shewid in the synne of Adam and Eue Lo eke what saith seint Paule of glotonye Meny men saith he of whiche I haue ofte said you and now I saye hit wepyng that they be enemyes of the crosse of Crist of whiche the ende is deth and of whyche her wombe is her god And her glorye in confusyon of hem that so seruyn erthely thyngys He that is vsaunt to thys synne of glotonye He may no synne wythstande He mote be in seruage of alle vices for it is the deuyllis horde there he hydeth hym in and restyth ¶ This synne hath many spyces The first is dronkenes that is the horrible sepulture of mannes reson And therfore whan that a man is dronke he hath lost his reson and thys is dedely synne But certes whan a man is not wont to straunge drynkis and perauenture knoweth not the strength of the drynke or hath feblenes in his hede or hath trauaylled thurgh whiche he drynketh the more al be he sodeynly caught with drynke it is no dedely synne but venyal ¶ The second spyce of glotonye is that the spyryte of a man wexith al trouble For dronkenes bereueth hym discrecyon of his wytt ¶ The thirde spice of glotonye is whan a man deuoureth his mete and hath no rightful maner of etyng ¶ The fourthe is whan thurgh the grete habundanÌ„ce of his mete the humours of his body ben distemperyd ¶ The fifthe is foryetfulnes by to muche drynkyng For whyche a man foryetyth by the morowe what he dyde ouer eue In another maner ben distyncte the spyces of glotonye after seynt Gregore The first is for to ete byfâ—re tyme Tâ—e Second is whan a man getith hym to delicate mete The thirde is whan men taken to mykil ouer mesure The .iiij. is curyosite with grete entente to maken and apparaylle his mete The fyfthe is for to ete gredily These ben tâ—e fyuâ— fyngers of the deuyllis honde by whiche he draweth folk to synne Ayenst glotonye is the remedye Abstynence of his body as saith Galyene but that holde I not meritorye yf he do it only for hele of his body Seynt Austyn wole that abstynence be do by vertu and with pacience Abstinence he saith is litil worth but yf he haue good will and but he be enforcyd by pacyence and by charyte and that men do it for godis sake and in hope to haue the blisse in heuene The felaws of abstinence ben attemperance that holdeth the mene in alle thingis eke shame that escheweth al dishoneste suffisance that sekith no riche metis ne drynkis ne doth no force of none outrageous appareyllyng of mete Also that restreyneth by reson the delauye appetyte of etyng and drynkyng Sobrenes also that restreyneth the outrage of drynke Sparyng also that restreyneth the delicâ—t â—ase to sicte longe at his mete wherfore somÌ„e folk stonden of her owen wilâ— whan they ete be cause they wil ete at lasse leyser ¶ Sequitur de Luxuria AFter glotonye thenne comyth lecherye For thyse two synnys ben so nyghe cosyns that ofte tyme they wyl not departe God wo ot this synne is ful displaysaunt to god For he sayde hym self do no lecherye And therfore he putteth grete peynes ayenst this synne For in tholde lawe yf a woman thral were taken in this synne she sholde be betyn with stauys to the deth And yf she were a gentyl woman she shold be slayn with stonys And yf she were a bisshops doughter she shold be brent by goddis comÌ„andement Furthermore for the synne of lecherye god dreynt al the world And after that he brent fyue cytees and sanke â—oun in to helle Now lete vs speke thenne of the synne of lecherye that men clepen auoultrye that is of wedded folke that is to saye yf that one of hem be weddid or els bothe Seynt
by worde outward to remeue â—â—rmeful thâ—ngis and to haue thingis spirytuel and durable and somtyme temporel thingis Of whiche orisons in the oâ—ison of pater noster hath Ihesu Crist enclosid moste thingis Cerâ—â—â— it iâ— pryuylegid of thre thingis in his dignyte for whiche it is more digne than ony other prayer for that Ihesu Crist hym self made it and it is short for it shold be coude the more lightly and forto withholde more esely in herte and helpe hym self the â—fter with thorison and for a man shold be the lesse wery to saye it and for a man may not excuse hym to lerne it hit is so short and so esy and for it comprehendith in hym self alle good prayers Thexposicyon of of this holy prayer that is so excellent and so digne I betake to the maistres of theolegye Saue thus muche wyl I saye That whan thou prayest that god shold foryeue thâ— thy giâ—tys as thou forgâ—â—yst hem that haue agiltyd the Be wel ware that thou be not out of charyte This holy â—â—ison amenusâ—th eke venyal synne And therfore it apper â—â—ynâ—th specially to penitence This prayer muste be treuly said in very feith and that men praye to gâ—d ordinatly disâ—retly and deuoutly Alleway a man shal put his will â—o be subiect to the wil of god This oryson muste eke be sayd with grete humblenes and ful pure and honestly and not to the anoysaunce of ony man or woman hit muste eke be contynued with werkis of charite hit auayleth eke ayenst the vicis of the soule For as saith saint Iherome by fastyng be sauyd the vicis of the flessh and by prayeres the vicis of the soule After this thou shalt vnderstande thaâ— bodely peyne stont in waking For Ihesu crist saith wake yâ— praye ye that ye ne entre in to wicked temptacion ye shal vnderstande that fastyng standeth in thre thinges in forbering of bodily mete drynke in forbering of wordly Iolytees in forbering of dedely synne with al his migh And thou shalt vnderstande that god ordeyned fastingâ— And to fastyng apperteyneth foure thingis largines to poure folk gladnes in herte spirytuel not be angryd ne to be anoyed ne to grucche for he fastith And also resonable houre for to ete by mesure That is to saye that a man shold not ete in vntyme ne sitte the lenger at his table for he fastith Thenne shalt thou vnderstande that bodily peyne stondeth in disciplyne or techyng by worde or by wrytyng or by ensample Also in weryng of heir or of stamyn or of an habergeon on her naked flesh for cristis sake that â—uche maner penauncis ne make not thy herte biâ—ter or angry ne anoyed of thy self For better is to caste away thyn heyr than to caste awey the swetenes of our lord Ihesu Crist. And therfore saith saynt Poule Clothe you as they that ben chosen of god in herâ— of mysâ—ricorde debonairte suffraunce and suâ—â—â—â—â—aner of clothyng in whiche Ihesu crist is more apaid than in an heyr or habergeon than is disciplyne eke in knockyng of thy breste in scourgyng with yerdis in knelyng in tribulacions in suffryng 〈◊〉 wrongis that be do to hym and eke in pacient suffryng of maladyes or lâ—synges of worldly catel 〈◊〉 wyf or chylde or other frendis Thâ—nne shalt thou vnderstande whiche thinges distourblen penaunce And this is in thre maners that is drede shame and wanhope that is desperaâ—â—on And for to speke of drede for whiche he weneth he may suffre no penaunce ther ayenst is remedye for to thynke that bodely penaunce is but short atte regarde of helle that is cruel and so longe that it lastyth withouten ende Now ayenst shame that a man hath to shryue hym Sholde a man thynke by way of reson that he hath not be a shamed to do foule thing Certis hym ought not to be ashamed to do feir thingis and good thyngis And that is confessyons A man shold thynke that god woot al his thoughtis and his werkis and to hym may no thing be hyd ne couerid Men shold eke remembre hem of the shame that is to come at the day of dome to hem that be not penytent in this present â—â—f For al the creaturis in heuene and in erthe and in helle shul see appertly al that they hiden in this world Now for to speke of hem that ben so necligent and slowe to shriue hem it stondeth in two maners That one is that he hopeth to liue longe and forto purchace muche riches for his delyte And thenne wil he shriue hym as he saith he may as hym semeth tymely ynow come to shrifte Another is the furquydrye that he hath in Cristes mercy And ayenst the first he shal thynke that our lyf is in no sikernes And eke that alle the riches of the world is in auenture passyng as a shadowe on a wal And as saith sâ—mt Eregore That it apperteyneth to the grete rightwysnesse of god that neuer shal the peyne stynte of them that neuer wold withdrawe hem fro synne her thankis but euer contynued in synne For that perpetuel will to do synne shal they haue perpetuel peyne Wanhope is in two maners The first wanhope is in the mercy of god That other is that they thinke that they may not longe perseuere in goodnes The first wanhope cometh of that he demeth that he hath synned so gretly so ofte and so longe leyn in synne that he shal not be saued Certis ayenst þ â— cursid wanhope he sholde thinke that the passion of Ihesu is more stronge to vnbyndâ— than synne is to bynde And ayenst the seconde wanhope he shal thynke that as ofte as he fallith he shal 〈◊〉 by penytence And though he neuer so longe haue leyn in synne Thâ— mercy of Crist is alway redy to resceyue hym to mercy 〈…〉 wanhope that he demyth that he shold not longe pers 〈◊〉 in goodnes he shal thynke that the febilnes of the deuyâ— may no thing do but men wol suffre hym And eke he shal haue strengthe of god and of alle holy châ—rche and of the protectyon of aungellis yf hym list Thenne shulle men vnderstonde what is the fâ—uyt of penaunce and after the word of Ihesu Crist it is endeles blisse of â—â—uene There ioye hath no contrariosite of woo ne greuaunce there alle harmys be past of this present lyf there as is sikernes fro the peynes of helle there as is the blessid companye that reioysen euermore eueriche of others Ioye there as the body of man that whylâ—m was foull and derk is more clere than the sonne there as whylom the body was seke and freel feble and mortal Is iâ—mortal and so stronge and so hool that ther may no thing enpayre hit tâ—â—re as neyther is hunger ne thrist ne colde but euery soule replenesshid with the sight of the parfyght knowyng of the trynyte This blesssid regne may man purchace by pouert spirytuel and the glorye by lownesse the plente of Ioye by hunger and thrâ—st And the reste by trauayll and the lyf by deth and mortificacion of synne To that lyf he vs brynge that bought with his precyous blood Amen ¶ Explicit Tractatus Galfrydi Chaucer de ¶ Penitencia vt dicitur pro fabula rectoris NOw pray I to hem alle that herkene this litil tretyse or rede that yf ther be ony thing that liketh hem that therof they thanke our lord Ihesu Crist of whom proâ—eth al wit goodnes And yf ther be ony thing th 〈…〉 plese hem I praye hem also that they arette it to the defa 〈…〉 myn vnconnyng For our book saith al that is writen is writen for our doctrine And that is myn entent wherfore I beseke you mekely for the mercy of god that ye for me praye that crist haue mercy on me foryeue me my giltis and namely of my translacions of wordly vanytees the whiche I reuoke in my retractions as is the book of troylus the book also of fame the book of xxv ladies the book of þ e duchesse the book of seynt valentyns day of the parlament of bredis the talis of Caunterbury tho that sownyn vnto synne the book of the 〈…〉 many other bokis yf they were in my remembranÌ„ce 〈…〉 a songe many a lecherous laye that crist of his 〈◊〉 mercy foryeue me the synne But of the translacion of Boece de coÌ„solacoÌ„ne other bookis as of legendis of saintis and omelies moralite and deuocion that thanke I of our lord Ihesu crist his blessâ—d moder all the saintis of heuene Beseching hâ—m that they from hensforth vnto my liuys ende sâ—nde me grace to bewayle my giltis that it may stande vnto thâ— sauacion of my soule graunte me grace of verrey repentance confession and satisfaction to doo in this present lif thurgh the benigne grace of hym that is kynge of kyngis prâ—est of alle preestis that bought vs with the precyous blood of his herte so that I may be one of hâ—m at the day of dome that shal be sauid Qui cuÌ„ patre et spuÌ„ scoÌ„ viuit et regnat deus Per omnia secula seculorrum Amen