sig: [A1] | |
¶Here begynneth a boke of a Ghoostly fader / that confesseth his Ghoostly chylde / the whiche speketh fyrst of the .vii. deedly synnes / and after of the cyrcumstaunce that to them belongeth. | |
sig: [A1v] | |
sig: A2 | |
IHesu_Cryst heuen-kynge | |
Sende all them good endynge | |
That on this werke wyll rede or loke | |
Gyue atendaunce here or correcte this boke | |
5 | The whiche is of the synnes seuen |
Dysapoyntynge many soules frome heuen | |
And of the remedyes and the cyrcumstaunce | |
Of this is the chefe substaunce | |
And howe thou shalte thyselfe shryue | |
10 | Of euery-thynge thy conscyence dothe greue. |
If thy soule be out of synne whiche is treason. | |
To shewe of his beaute it passeth my reason | |
But and it be in synne and purpose there to abyde. | |
Without helpe to helle it wyll glyde. | |
15 | This is trewe and a Iuste case |
Euery-thynge wyll to his naturall place. Euery] Eeuery 1521 | |
Ensample of the same take a feder | |
Caste it frome the an hyghe in the weder | |
Thoughe it be lyght and byde there a season | |
20 | It cometh agayne to the erth thou may preue by reason. |
So the lenger a soule is in contynuaunce. | |
The further fro god and the nerer to vengeaunce. | |
The furthest place from god is the dungeon of hell | |
Upon this thou mayst bothe bye and sell. | |
25 | Whiche is a place naturall for synners and synne. |
There to abyde euer and neuer to blynne | |
And thou trust vpon longe lyfe and to amende in aege | |
I rede the beware of this terryble cage | |
If sodayne dethe come and take the than | |
30 | Whether shall thy soule thou synfull man. |
sig: [A2v] | |
Leue synne sone or synne leue the | |
Come to thy ghostly fader and saye (Benedicite) | |
And be thy synnes neuer so grete and many | |
Neuer mystrust our sauyours mercy | |
35 | The mercy of god it passeth all-thynge. |
As I fynde in holy wrytynge. | |
(Sicut sintilla ignis in medio maris noli) | |
(Ita iniquitas viri in misericordia dei.) | |
Loke howe a sparcle of fyre is quenched in the see. | |
40 | So is all a mannes synnes and iniquyte |
In our lordes mercy and more redy to forgyue | |
Then thou to aske me[r]cy / this I do preue mercy] mecy 1521 | |
Therfore sone in ony-thynge thou couthe | |
Shewe thy confessyon with thyne owne mouthe | |
45 | For yf a surgean haue an hurte man in cure |
He must knowe the wounde iuste and sure | |
Wherwith it was hurte / and in what place it is | |
And than maye he helpe hym by good practys | |
Therfore sone spare thou nought | |
50 | If ony synne thou haue wrought |
And I wyll mynystre medysens sure and sole | |
That shall make the parfytely hole | |
And bycause thou arte not lerned I saye than. | |
I wyl helpe the and I can | |
55 | And there as thou fyndest thyselfe gylty |
Holde vp thy handes and aske god mercy. | |
¶Of pryde to the I wyll begyn | |
Haste thou sone synned therin. | |
Haste thou onytyme wyttyngly. | |
60 | Wrathed thy god greuously |
sig: A3 | |
Haste thou ben inobedyente. | |
Agaynst goddes commaundemente | |
Haste thou by pryde set at naught. | |
Hym that hathe the good taught | |
65 | Haste thou ony-tyme boost made |
Of ony-thynge thou haste hade | |
Of vertue / of connynge or of wyt | |
Whiche god hymselfe sende the hyt. | |
Or of chylde father or mother | |
70 | Of kynne syster or of brother |
Of theyr inherytaunce fame or mode. | |
Or because they haue had moche good | |
Of catayll of golde and syluer also | |
Of place of housholde with purtenaunce therto. | |
75 | Haste thou thyne owne gylte forsaken. |
And to another the blame taken | |
Haste thou fayned thyselfe holy | |
To hypocrysy and to foly | |
In trust that it sholde be hyde. | |
80 | Thy foule synne and thy foule pryde |
Haste thou ony-tyme by vayne-glory | |
Thought thyselfe so good and holy | |
That thou hast had grete dysdayne | |
Of thy neyghbours that thou hast sayne | |
85 | Haste thou ben proude my sone I saye |
Bycause thou hast ben stedfast in the faye. | |
Hast thou ony-tyme taken on the | |
Ony good dede of charyte | |
That was another mannes doynge. | |
90 | And of thyne no maner thynge |
sig: [A3v] | |
Hast thou oppressed thy neyghboure. | |
To gete the good and honoure | |
Hast thou shente his good fame | |
For to gete the a good name. | |
95 | Haste thou also proude be |
Of ony-thynge god gaue the | |
For thy voyce was good and hye. | |
Or for thy wyt was good and slye | |
Or for thy heere was cryspe and longe. | |
100 | Or for thou hast a reasonable tonge. |
Or for thou arte myghty and stronge. | |
Or for thy body is fayre and longe | |
Or for thy flesshe is whyte and clene | |
None the lyke dost thou wene. | |
105 | Haste thou be proude by strete or borde |
Upon trust of lady or lorde. | |
Hast thou be proude of worshyp or good. | |
Or thou comest of grete blode | |
Hast thou ony-tyme prouder the made | |
110 | Of ony offyce that thou hast hade |
Hast thou be proude ghoostly | |
Tell me sone hardely | |
Of mekenes of pacyence or of pyte. Christus. | |
Of beaute of eloquence or of chastyte | |
115 | And of other vertues many mo. |
Sone hast thou synned in tho | |
Hast thou ony-tyme with herte proute. | |
A nothers synne spoken oute | |
And thyne entencyon suche it was | |
120 | That thy synne sholde seme the las. |
sig: [A4] | |
Hast thou be proude and glad in thought. | |
Of ony synne thou hast wrought | |
Hast thou be proude of ony guyse | |
Of ony-thynge that thou dydest vse | |
125 | Of party hosen or of pyked shone. |
Or of garded clothes as foles done cristus. | |
Of landes of rentes or of gay howsynge | |
Of many seruauntes to thy byddynge | |
Or of horses fatte and rounde. | |
130 | Or for thy goodes are saufe and sounde |
Or for thou arte so myghty and ryche | |
That no neyghboure is the lyche. lyche: see OED s.v. like n.2 | |
Or yf thou be a crafty man | |
And canst more than another can | |
135 | Haste thou be proude of tenyse-playenge |
Of daunsynge or of barre-castynge. | |
If thou haue ben this maner proute. | |
Shryue the sone and tell it oute | |
¶Of Enuye. |
|
THe seconde synne in ordre veryly | |
140 | Is the foule synne of Enuy. |
Hast thou ben euermore grutchynge. | |
Agaynst god for ony-thynge | |
Hast thou ben in herte glad. | |
When thy neyghboure hathe harme had | |
145 | Hast thou had in herte grefe. |
Of his good and his relefe | |
Hast thou be glad and mery | |
sig: [A4v] | |
When he hath ben seke and sory | |
Or hast thou ben sory and madde | |
150 | When he hathe ben mery and gladde. |
Or that the worlde standeth not with the. | |
As dothe with hym in no degre. | |
Or bycause he hathe shepe and fell | |
Horse kyne or other catell. | |
155 | Corne grasse haye to mowe |
Wode or pasture more then thowe | |
Remembre sone the chaunce and course. | |
Thoughe he be ryche what arte thou the worse. | |
And thou be poore and thy good go awaye. | |
160 | Thou canst not passe from Ioye vnto Ioye |
Thanke god of pouerte and fle from seuen. | |
And thou shalte enheryte the kyngdome of heuen | |
He that hathe good hathe grete cure | |
Of this I fynde in holy scrypture. | |
165 | Sanitas continua et rerum habundantia |
Sunt eterne dampnationis iudicia perhaps i[n]dicia? Ihesu. | |
When a mannes herte is on his good annexte | |
Therin is grete Ieoperdy as sayth the texte. Mercy. | |
Hast thou noyed thy neygbour by ony chaunce | |
170 | For ony promocyon that dyde hym auaunce |
Or because he behaueth hymselfe amonge men | |
And better in fauoure then thou ken | |
With his mayster lorde or kynge | |
Or hathe more then thou of chepynge. | |
175 | Or that he is more able then thowe |
To all maner grace or prowe. | |
Haste thou in hele or sykenesse | |
sig: [A5] | |
Borne ony false wytnesse | |
Ayenst thy neyghboure free or bonde | |
180 | And madest hym lese good or londe |
Haste thou e[n]uyed thyne vnderlynge | |
For he was good and thryuynge | |
Or lest he wolde passe the | |
In vertue or ony other degre. | |
185 | Haste thou for hate or enuye |
Holpen or counsayled for to lye | |
Or ony man for to defame. | |
Or for to stroye his good name | |
Haste thou bakbyted thy neyghbore | |
190 | For to make hym fare the wore. |
Haste thou reysed ony debate | |
A_monges they neyghbours for ony hate they: =thy | |
Haste thou spared for enuye | |
To teche a man his harme to flye. | |
195 | Whan thou myghtest by thy warnynge |
Haue hym saued from his harmynge | |
And ony other thynge come to thy mynde | |
Shewe it forth leue none behynde. | |
And what thou hast more in thy thought. | |
200 | Shryue the sone and spare it nought |
¶Of Couetyse. |
|
THe thyrde synne without myse | |
Is the synne of Couetyse Mercy. | |
Haste thou man in ony wyse. | |
By wronge and couetyse Ihesu. | |
sig: [A5v] | |
205 | Begyle thy neyghboure fre or bonde |
Of his house good or londe. Mercy. | |
And by strength and extorcyon kepest possessyon | |
And makest therof no maner restytucyon | |
O mortall man reme[m]bre this chaunce remembre] remebre 1521 | |
210 | Before god it asketh vengeaunce |
Et non deletur peccatum | |
Nisi restituatur oblatum. | |
Thus in scrypture I haue it founde. | |
And in englysshe I wyll it expounde | |
215 | A man of his synne can haue no remyssyon. |
Unto suche tyme he haue made restytucyon. | |
Haste thou lyen by waye or by strete | |
There thy neyghboure for to mete. | |
And thyne entencyon suche it was | |
220 | To robbe hym of his good more and las |
Or hast broken his house by daye or nyght | |
And caryed his good out of his syght | |
Doynge so thou wylte be shente. | |
It is agaynst goddes commaundemente. | |
225 | Hast thou borne out of chyrche or chyrchay. chyrchay: see OED s.v. church-hay, church-hawe |
Ony-thynge ye or naye | |
As golde and syluer or ony other wede | |
Thou standest accursed in the dede. | |
Usury or okur bothe ben one. | |
230 | Doste thou vse ony of those or none |
This is a synne full greuous | |
Before our sauyoure Ihesus. Ihesus | |
God taketh moche on greffe | |
To sell a man in his myscheffe | |
sig: [A6] | |
235 | Ony-thynge to hyghe prys |
Well I knowe vsury it is | |
And to lende .xii. pens and to haue thyrtene | |
This is vsury as I wene | |
At syses sessyons haste thou ben thare. | |
240 | To put thy neyghboure to trouble and care. |
So by thy couetyse mynde extorcyon and strength | |
Some wynnynge thou hast had therof at lengthe | |
Hast thou vsed with mesures or weyghtes to by and sell | |
And thou haue I charge the to tell. | |
245 | And as trewe as I am a man Mercy. |
I wyll helpe the and I can. | |
Haste thou coueted ony mannes doughter or wyfe. | |
With them to lyue a synfull lyfe | |
His hors his catell or other good lo | |
250 | Of the whiche thou hast had no ryght therto. |
By cursed couetyse and vngracyous wyght | |
Not carynge howe thou haddest come by hit | |
Hast thou on thy good thy mynde set inordynatly | |
And not sayd to god for it gramercy | |
255 | Remembre the story in holy wrytynge |
Of Dyues the ryche man and of his lyuynge | |
Whose soule is nowe in hell full lowe | |
And wherfore was it as you trowe | |
As sure and as trewe as I wrote this verse | |
260 | It was for the cause I dyde reherse |
He wolde not for the loue of swete Ihesus. | |
Helpe nor socoure the poore man Lazarus. | |
With his goodes lesse nor more | |
Nor no poore man at his dore. | |
sig: [A6v] | |
265 | Wherfore for nowe he cryeth alas |
And curseth the tyme that borne he was. | |
Alas / alas beware by me. | |
Quante sunt tenebre | |
The derkenes of hell as trewe as is the crede. | |
270 | Men maye fele it as I rede. |
Haste thou ben couetyse / or ben tysynge | |
Withdrawynge thy duety as offrynge or tythynge | |
The whiche thou knowest is thy dewe | |
Of euery-thynge that dothe renewe | |
275 | Bothe of small and of greate |
Of shepe of swyne or of neate. | |
Outher of goodes in thy possessyon hauynge | |
Haste thou spended them in myslyuynge | |
I se not but before god as moche synne is | |
280 | To myspende thy good as to wynne it amys. |
Beynge in ony of these daungers shewe it oute | |
I wyll helpe the without doute | |
So that thou wylte be ruled and do well | |
Somwhat after my counsell. | |
¶Of the synne of wrathe. |
|
285 | WRathe than is the fourth synne |
And grete Ieoperdy to slepe therin. | |
Haste thou ony-tyme in thy desyre | |
In thy malyce and in thy yre. | |
That at thy pleasure / and for thy sake. | |
290 | Uengeaunce vpon man or beest sholde be take. |
Hast thou in thy malyce yre and werke | |
sig: B1 | |
Layde vyolent hande on preest or clerke | |
Or on thy neyghboure / in cyte or shyre | |
Otherwyse then good ordre wyll requyre. | |
295 | On wyfe chylde or seruaunte. |
Beynge with the in seruyce or conaunte conaunte: see OED s.v. covenant | |
So sore peraduenture thou dydest them streke. | |
That synewe or bone thou dedest breke | |
Or so sore hathe ben theyr correccyon. | |
300 | That terme of theyr luyes hath thought the on. Sense unclear. |
If thou haue done so do not blynne | |
Shryue the sone for it is synne | |
Haste thou in wrath made o[n]y debate | |
Amonges neyghbours or estate | |
305 | Shewe me sone and do not skof |
And what inconuenyence cometh therof | |
Haste thou in malyce ony-tyme or ofte. | |
Thy ghoostly fader set at noughte | |
And hym rebuked in house or bordres | |
310 | Or ony other within holy ordres. |
Hast thou ben dysobedyent vnto father or mother | |
Unto thy father in aege or suche other | |
And whan they haue the good taughte | |
In thy malyce sette them at naughte | |
315 | This is the Iuste and veramente |
Agaynst the fourthe commaundemente | |
Thou sholdest not sone in no wyse. | |
Stere them to wrathe nor yet to malyce | |
But them to worshyppe and honoure | |
320 | To them knele and also coure. |
And them to socoure in tyme of nede | |
sig: [B1v] | |
With golde and syluer with fode and wede | |
And them not to begyle of goodes nor landes | |
Nor to laye on them vyolent handes | |
325 | Doynge thus this is thy mede |
Thou arte accursed in very dede | |
And canst not be assoyled Iust and sure | |
But of hym that hath the bysshops powre. Ihesu. | |
Doste thou in thy malyce or in thy fume | |
330 | The goodes of god them consume |
In sekynge counsayle of men of lawe | |
When thy matter is not worth a strawe | |
But as who sayth I wyll do this. | |
I tell the sone thou dost amys | |
335 | Thou sholdest forgyue in thy herte fre |
All those that dothe offende the. | |
Haste thou troubled ony prest or clerke | |
That were busy in good werke | |
Cryst hymselfe calleth this house. | |
340 | The chyrche truely his owne spouse |
The whiche is made for nought elles | |
But for prayer as the boke telles | |
There thou sholdest gete thyne ynne | |
To praye and wepe for thy synne | |
345 | Haste thou for malyce or ony-tyme besyde |
Used wytchcrafte by ony tyde | |
He that byleueth in the faye | |
Must leue it by ye and naye | |
For it is a mynde of the deuyll | |
350 | Causynge the people to do euyll. |
And suche byleue maketh them haue | |
sig: B2 | |
Ye that wytchcrafte shall them saue | |
So with charmes and with tell | |
They be brought agayne to hell. | |
355 | Thus with the deuyll they be blynde. |
And in theyr fayth ferre behynde | |
Haste thou vsed by wrathe or meuynge | |
Ony grete othes or blasphemynge | |
To swere or curse dost thou not care. | |
360 | I rede the sone of this beware |
Where swerynge is vsed without drede | |
Uengeaunce is there hangyng as heuy as lede. | |
And but thou amende thy lyfe ere. | |
It wyll fell on thyselfe or thy louere. | |
365 | Hast thou in thy malyce hurte thy neyghbour |
Of his good name fame or honoure. | |
His good or catayll by waye or strete | |
Or in ony other place thou dydest it mete. | |
Hast thou ony-tyme put or begon. | |
370 | Wrongfully thy neyghbour to his purgacyon |
Thou art to blame suche werkes to werche | |
And accursed by holy chyrche | |
Hast thou taken from hym his good fame. | |
Or called hym by ony nycke-name | |
375 | As traytoure thefe or ony other syche. |
Shryue the sone I am a lyche | |
I am here sone in goddes stede. | |
I maye helpe the do not drede. | |
And as truely as euer man dranke in dysshe | |
380 | I wyll make the hole as ony fysshe |
Somtyme though thou be wrath thou dost not offende. | |
sig: [B2v] | |
If thou do thy neyghboure to amende. | |
Of his vnthryfty and synfull lyfe. | |
With his neyghbours many other with his wyfe. | |
385 | Irascimini et nolite precare so saythe the verse |
And it be for that cause or suche other as I dyd reherse | |
Of this synne nowe I speke no more. | |
Euery man knoweth his owne sore. | |
¶Of the synne of Slowthe |
|
THe .v. synne then is Slowthe | |
390 | Euen as the boke showthe |
Haste thou ben [s]lowe and take no hede slowe] flowe 1521 | |
To teche thy godchyldren (Pater noster / and Crede. | |
Hast thou ben slowe for to here | |
Goddes seruyce when tyme were. | |
395 | Haste thou come to chyrche late |
And speke of synne by the gate | |
Haste thou ben slowe in goddes seruyce | |
Or trouble it by ony vyce. trouble it: troubled it? troubleit (i.e. troubled)? | |
Haste thou letted ony mon | |
400 | That to chyrche wolde haue gone |
Haste thou spoken ony rybawdry. | |
Within the chyrche or sentwary. | |
Hathe thyne herte ben wrathe and greate. | |
When goddes seruyce was sayd or treate. | |
405 | Haste thou herde it to the ende |
Or thou out of the chyrche wende | |
Haste thou vsed many wordes | |
Idell othes or nyse bordes. | |
sig: B3 | |
And vsed there moche vanyte | |
410 | And lefte Pater noster and Aue |
No man of chyrche stonde shall. | |
Nor lene to pyller nor to wall | |
But fayre on knees he sholde seet | |
And knele downe on the fleet | |
415 | And praye to god with herte meke. |
To gyue the grace and mercy eke | |
Haste thou gone by chyrche or chyrchorde chyrchorde: =churchyard? | |
And for the deed prayed no worde Ihesus | |
Dost thou ony-tyme arre or wyrche. | |
420 | Ayenst the termynacyons of crystes chyrche. |
Thou canste not be saued the boke sayth | |
But thou be stedfast in thy fayth | |
Hast thou sene a preest ayenst the commynge | |
Goddes body with hym bryngynge | |
425 | Haste thou sone without deuocyon |
Upon the erth kneled downe | |
Fayre nor foule sholdest spare nought. | |
To worshyp hym that all hath wrought | |
That daye man mayst thou gladde be | |
430 | That our sauyoure thou mayst se. |
So moche good dothe that syght. | |
As saynt Austyn sheweth ryght | |
That daye thou seest goddes body. | |
Thou shalte haue these thynges sykerly | |
435 | Meate and drynke at thy nede |
And of thyne enemy nedes not drede | |
Idell othes and wordes lo | |
God forgyueth the also | |
sig: [B3v] | |
Sodayne dethe the same daye. | |
440 | On the shall not happen no naye |
That same daye I the plyght | |
Thou shalte not lese thyne eye-syght | |
And euery fote thou goste then goste: =goest? | |
That blessyd syght for to kenne | |
445 | They shall be tolde and stande in-stede |
Truely sone at thy moost nede | |
Haste thou without deuocyon | |
Herde ony predycacyon | |
Or hast thou gone elles-where | |
450 | Whan thou sholdest haue ben there |
Hast thou ben slowe and lothe to fast | |
When thy herte theron dyde not cast | |
Hast thou ben slowe in any degre | |
To do the werkes of charyte. | |
455 | Haste thou holpen by daye or nyght |
To bury the deed with all thy myght | |
Poore naked and also hungry | |
Haste thou socoured them mekely | |
Hast thou herte-rewthe had | |
460 | Of them that were nede bestad |
To seke / sore / and to prysoners | |
And harboured also the wayfarers Mercy. | |
Hast thou ben slowe and faynte in herte | |
To do penaunce for it dyde smerte | |
465 | Or ony pylgrymage hast thou to do |
That thou were Ioyned therto. | |
Hast thou begon ony dede | |
For goddes loue or soule mede | |
sig: [B4] | |
As prayers penaunce or fastynge | |
470 | Or ony other holy thynge |
And after were so slowe and faynte | |
That thy deuocyon was all quaynte | |
Hast thou slowe and faynte be | |
To helpe thy wyfe and thy meyne. | |
475 | Of suche they haue nede therto |
Saye yf thou haue so do. | |
¶If thou be seruaunt | |
Hast thou kepte thy conaunt | |
Hast thou be sharpe and busy | |
480 | To serue thy mayster truely |
Haste thou truely euery daye | |
Serued thy mete and thy paye | |
Hathe thy neyghboure trusted on the | |
To helpe the in ony degre | |
485 | Haste thou for slowe and fayntyse. |
Hym dyscey[u]ed in that wyse. | |
For to lende haste thou ben lothe | |
And for to paye haste thou ben wrothe | |
Arte thou wonte ouer corne to ryde. | |
490 | When thou myghtest haue gone besyde |
Haste thou lyfte vp sharde or lypyat sharde: see OED s.v. shard n.1 I.1; lypyat: see OED s.v. leap-gate | |
There beestes hathe gone in therat | |
Hathe slouthe so shente thy thought | |
That in-to dyspayre it hathe be brought | |
495 | And neuer myghtest none ende make |
Of no good dede that thou dydest take | |
Hast thou for slouth and for faynte | |
That all thy wyll hathe ben wente | |
sig: [B4v] | |
And sought nought elles but lust and ease. | |
500 | And all that wolde thy body please |
I truste sone by my talkynge | |
Unto thy mynde call some-thynge. | |
And I charge the be not a_drede | |
But shewe it me in goddes stede. | |
505 | I wyll the helpe by our sauyours sygne |
And therto I laye my soule for thyne. | |
¶Of the synne of Glotony. |
|
THe syxte synne then is Glotony. Cristus . | |
A trewe promyter vnto Lechery. | |
And bycause the synne of glotony. | |
510 | Is in experyence nowe dayly |
Of it I wyll but a lytell spell. | |
For of it many man can tell | |
The vse is nowe in cyte and dale. | |
Unreasonably to drynke wyne and ale | |
515 | With hey howe fyll the pot by the eye |
And this is called euery good company. | |
And to make of other as they arne. | |
Of goddes chyldren the deuyls barne | |
Haste thou fasted as thou sholdest do | |
520 | Dayes that thou were Ioyned vnto |
Haste thou broken ony fastynge daye. | |
If thou haue thou must it saye | |
Hast thou also for Glotony | |
Etynge or drynkynge to fyersly. | |
525 | Haste thou eten or dronken more |
sig: [B5] | |
Then thy nede asketh fore | |
Outher to erely or to late | |
Outher to swete or to delycate | |
And what tyme thou haste come to bed. | |
530 | Full gedy and peuysshe hathe ben thy hed. |
And many dayes after syke and ydell | |
Not able to serue god ne the worldell | |
If thou haue done this. | |
Shryue the sone for nede it is | |
535 | Haste thou cherysshed thy body ofte |
In swete-metes and clothes softe | |
Arte thou wonte to go to the nale the nale: see OED s.v. ale, 2 | |
There to fyll thy foule male | |
And to drawe other with the | |
540 | [T]o bere the company in that degre. |
And a gloton knewe whan he had ynough | |
Welth it were to his soule and ease the plough. | |
And cause corne to be better chepe | |
For they drynke whan other men slepe | |
545 | Haste thou eten on the sondaye. |
Without holy brede ye or naye | |
And ben ony-tyme in company | |
Of cursed men tell me why | |
To socoure them with bodely fode. | |
550 | Or to teche them for theyr gode. |
He that socoureth them in theyr malyce Ihesu. | |
Is accursed as they ben ywys. | |
More I sholde reherse but I leue it behynde | |
I wyll wryte it in verse / bere it in mynde Mercy. | |
555 | Quinque modis per gulam peccat homo |
sig: [B5v] | |
As thou mayste se in these verses lo | |
Certum stat quod .v. modis gula damnate dante: | |
Dum nimium comedit comedendi peruenit horam | |
Querat delicias parat escas deliciose | |
560 | Aut sumit auide quod non erat deliciosum |
If thou haue ony more nowe in thy herte | |
Shewe it good sone breuely and smerte. | |
And be thou chylde wyfe or mon | |
I wyll gyue the thyne absolucyon. | |
¶Of the synne of Lechery. |
|
565 | THe .vii. synne is Lechery last of all. |
Of it somwhat aske I shall | |
Haste thou synned in Lechery | |
Tell me sonne hardely. | |
And as sure as god made Peter and Poule | |
570 | I haue auctoryte to saue thy soule. |
Whether it were with wyfe or maye. | |
With kynne or alyaunce that thou by laye | |
And yf she were kynne to the. | |
Howe nye kynne thou must tell me | |
575 | Or whether she were ancres or nonne |
Wedowe or wyfe tell yf thou conne | |
Or ony that vowed chastyte. | |
Or comon woman yf she be | |
Or whether thou dydest by strengthe lo | |
580 | Or by the assente of her also |
Haste thou ony-tyme wrought or do | |
And styred thy flesshe the more therto | |
sig: [B6] | |
As clyppynge or kyssynge these they byth. | |
That thy body hath be tempted ther-with. | |
585 | Haste thou be tempted with ony woman. |
And moche and ofte thought theran | |
And woldest fayne in thy thought | |
That synfull dede with her haue wrought | |
Then thou dydest synne in Lechery | |
590 | As god hymselfe saythe verely |
Without gylte or flesshely dede | |
Chastyte from the Iustely may flede. | |
Haste thou wowed ony wyght | |
And tempted her ouer myght | |
595 | Haste thou made the gaye therfore |
That she sholde the loue the more | |
Haste thou had lust to here | |
Songes that of Lechery were. | |
Haste thou counsayled or done socoure | |
600 | By ony waye vnto a lechoure |
Or haste kepte company by day or nyght | |
Of suche persones that were lyght | |
He that wyll no synne do | |
Must do nothynge longynge therto. | |
605 | And yf thou be a woman. |
Tell me doughter yf thou can | |
Of what degre this man was | |
That synned with the in that case | |
Kynne or syngle or ony spouse | |
610 | Or what degre of relygyous |
Whether it were for couetys | |
Of golde or syluer or ought of his. | |
sig: [B6v] | |
Then the synne doubled it were | |
And nedeth penaunce moche the more | |
615 | Whether bytwene a man and his wyfe ony synne be. |
Loke well these verses and thou shalte se | |
These they ben I rede of no mo | |
Tempore mente loco condicione modo | |
Bethynke ye nowe in euery degre. | |
620 | What more in thought cometh to the. |
For that thou doost hyde frome me. | |
The deuyll truel[y] wyll shewe the truely] truelthat 1521 | |
At the Iugement before echon. | |
Unto thy shame and confusyon. | |
625 | And that thou shewest in confessyon me before |
Of it thou shalte neuer here more | |
But for thy good-wyll and obedyence. | |
Thou shalte be had in-to our sauyours presence. | |
And there to be in Ioye and blysse | |
630 | With blessyd company and not to mys |
(Et magis gaudium in celo there is | |
More Ioye of a syn[n]er that hathe done amys | |
And forsaketh synne or synne forsake hym | |
Ye and more made of heuen within | |
635 | Then of ma[n]y one that neuer synne knewe. |
These be the wordes of our sauyoure full trewe | |
Thus of the .vii. deedly synnes I make an ende | |
All thynges amysse god maye amende | |
I beseche the swete Ihesu so it maye be | |
640 | Amen amen / of charyte |
¶Of the cyrcumstaunce of the .vii. deedly synnes. |
|
sig: C1 | |
I Wyll wryte nowe a lytell staunce | |
Euery of theyr very cyrcumstaunce | |
And of the remedyes and releue | |
I wyll wryte them shorte and breue. | |
645 | In this verse folowynge be wordes eyght |
And I wyll make a ende streyght. | |
Quis quid vbi per quos also. | |
Quociens cur quomodo and no mo | |
Some men thynketh grete and small | |
650 | To shewe theyr synne in generall. |
And thus they do euery other whyle | |
Theyr ghoostly fader and themselfe begyle | |
It is to lytell by that I can. | |
To saye I haue kylled a man. | |
655 | But and thou be confessed Iust and truely |
Thou must shewe what man where and why. | |
Whether it were father or mother | |
Preest or clerke or ony other | |
Of all poyntes I must weten | |
660 | That before I haue here wryten |
¶ Quis nowe I begynne ¶ Nota Who. | |
What is he that dyde this synne | |
Was it he or she. | |
Yonge or olde bonde or fre | |
665 | Poore or ryche or in offyce. |
Or of dygnyte without myse Quis. | |
Syngle wedded or cloysterer | |
Clerke laye-man or seculer Who. | |
Preest chanon or in estate. | |
670 | I must wete this algate |
sig: [C1v] | |
The hyer a man is in degre. Who. | |
The greuouslyer forsothe synneth he. | |
And yf he were in his wyt Quis. | |
Doubtles sone I must knowe hyt | |
675 | For and I knowe not the cyrcumstaunce. Who. |
I can not gyue the apte penaunce | |
¶What synne it is and howe it wrought. ¶ Nota What. | |
Whether it be grete or small | |
Knowen or vnknowen I must wete all | |
680 | Lechery / robory or man-slaught |
He must be knowen or thou doste naught | |
If the synne be knowen in shyre Quis. | |
Open penaunce it wyll requyre | |
Also men saythe comonly | |
685 | I haue synned in Lechery |
Yet I must knowe by whome it is | |
Or elles we maye do bothe amys | |
No name thou shalte not shewe to me | |
But yf the synne suche it be | |
690 | That thou mayst not thy shryfte tell |
But thou name here in thy spell What. | |
But whether she be wyfe or may | |
Or of thy kynne ye or nay. kynne] kynnne 1521 | |
For yf the synne be grete and gryme | |
695 | The more penaunce thou nyme |
¶Where it was I must wete also ¶ Nota Where. Ubi. Where. | |
In halowed place or no. | |
More greuous is a synne done in sentwary | |
Then in ony other place soughtly therby soughtly: sothely? but see OED s.v. softly | |
sig: C2 | |
700 | ¶By whome also thou must myne. ¶ Nota by whom. per quos. by [w]hom. whom] sthom 1521 whom] sthom 1521 |
And who were consentynge to the synne | |
The more with the to synne thou drawes. | |
The more forsothe thyselfe thou slawes | |
¶Howe ofte also thou dydest that dede. ¶ Nota how oft | |
705 | Wete sone I must nede. |
For the ofter a synne renewed is | |
The greter it is withouten mysse | |
The ofter a wounde is cut. | |
The worse to hele nedes it mut | |
710 | The ofter a man dothe manslaughter |
The greter with the deuyl and his owne matter quociens | |
As ofte as a man dothe Lechery. | |
So ofte truely he synneth deedly | |
Deedly he synneth without drede | |
715 | As ofte as he dothe that synfull dede. |
The ofter a synne thou doste renewe how oft | |
The more penaunce must the sewe | |
And why thou dydest the same synne Wherfore. Cur. | |
Also nedes I must myne | |
720 | Whether it [w]ere for loue or drede. were] mere 1521 |
Outher for couetyse or for mede | |
Outher for enuy or for bate | |
Outher for wrothe or for hate wherfore | |
¶And howe thou dydest thou must saye ¶ Nota Howe. | |
725 | And to consyle it by no waye. |
Whether thou dydest it in hastynese | |
Or well auysed yf thou wese Quando. | |
For he that casteth to do a dede | |
More penaunce he must haue nede | |
sig: [C2v] | |
730 | Then he that doth it sodaynlyche Howe. |
And after repenteth very myche | |
¶And when it was and what daye. ¶ Nota When. | |
Thou must shewe it in good faye | |
For gretter synne forsothe it is. | |
735 | Upon an holy-daye to do amys Quando |
Moche more withouten naye. | |
Then vpon another daye. When. | |
All these poyntes I must wyten | |
That before I haue wryten | |
740 | Good Iugement elles I can not gyue |
Of the thynge thou doste the shryue | |
If thy synne [b]e knowen some and all be] de 1521 | |
And whether they be grete or small | |
Then maye I saue thy soule | |
745 | By the auctoryte of Peter and Poule |
Take good hede confessor the boke techeth vs. | |
Quanta sit penitentia pro mortalibus Pro peccatis mortalibus quanta sit penitentia. | |
One deedly synne as lawe techeth | |
To .vii. yeres ende truely it recheth | |
750 | To faste water euery frydaye |
And to forsake flesshe wednysdayes no nay | |
But there be fewe that wyll do so | |
The[r]for a_laughter awaye thou go Therfor] Thefor 1521 | |
A mannes contrycyon be golde thou Ȝur[n]e. | |
755 | And therto gyue Iugement thou must lurne. |
If if be grete gyue lyght penaunce | |
And it be lytell thou must it auaunce | |
Be it more or be it lasse | |
After the contrycyon it must passe | |
sig: C3 | |
760 | But fyrst take hede with good aduys |
Of what contrycyon this man is | |
If he be sory for his synne | |
And full contryte as thou mayste kynne | |
Wepeth fast and is sory | |
765 | And asketh of god ofte-tymes mercy |
Lette not his penaunce then be muche | |
For god hymselfe forgyueth suche. | |
Be not to harde I the rede | |
Be euer mercyfull for goddes drede. | |
770 | He is full of mercy aye |
Be thou also I the praye | |
Here is ynoughe I hope wryten | |
To teche a man howe he shall weten | |
To [s]hryue hymselfe of his synne shryue] thryue 1521 | |
775 | If ony wyt be hym within |
And yet I tell you behynde is some | |
Isti mittendi [s]unt ad episcopum sunt] tunt 1521 | |
And yet confessour be wyse and Ȝope | |
And sende forth vnto the bysshope | |
780 | Those that stryketh preest or clerke. Isti mittendi sunt ad episcopum. |
And those that worketh wytchcrafte werke | |
Howse-brenners and sleers of men. | |
And faders and moders that leyeth hande vpen. | |
The moder that the chylde ouerlyth | |
785 | The fader also sende thou her-with |
A cursed man with boke and bell | |
And an heretyke as I the tell | |
And he that breketh solempne avowe. | |
Or chaunge it wolde sende forth thowe | |
sig: [C3v] | |
790 | Clyppers of the kynges mynte |
And all that lyueth by the swerdes dynte | |
A false vserer or an okere okere: see OED s.v. ockerer | |
And all that false wytnesse bere | |
Those that be wedded vnlawfully | |
795 | Or systers or cosyns lyeth them by |
And all those shorte to saye. | |
That the grete sentence curseth aye | |
Now take good hede how thou shalte done. | |
In gyuynge of thyne absolucyon. | |
800 | When shryfte is herde gyue penaunce |
And byd hym saye with full creaunce | |
God I aske the mercy | |
And thy moder saynt Mary | |
And all the sayntes of heuen bryght. | |
805 | I aske socoure with all my myght |
Of all the synnes I haue wrought | |
In werke / in wordes / or in thought. | |
With euery lymme of my body | |
With sorowfull herte I aske god mercy. | |
810 | And nowe father in goddes place |
Assoyle me of my trespace. | |
And gyue me penaunce also to | |
For goddes loue thou so do | |
¶The remedyes ayenst the .vii. deedly synnes |
|
A Remedy for euery synne I wyll loke | |
815 | And wryte them shortly in this boke. agaynst pryde. |
Agaynst pryde as I gesse | |
sig: [C4] | |
The remedy truely is mekenesse | |
Ofte to knele and erthe to kysse. | |
And thynke truely that erthe he is Contra superbiam. | |
820 | And deed mennes bones ofte to se. |
And thynke doubtles suche shalte thou be. | |
The payne of hell haue in thy thought | |
And pryde thou shalte set euen at nought agaynst pryde. | |
¶Agaynst Enuy loue is grythe ¶ Nota agaynst Enuy. inuidiam. agaynst Enuye. | |
825 | But yet thou must do more therwithe |
Seruyce to hym with herte fre | |
To whome thou hast enuyous be | |
Louynge seruyce and goodly speche | |
Agaynst enuy is helpe and leche. | |
830 | ¶Do also in this wyse |
I byd the gaynst couetyse ¶ Nota agaynst Couetis Contra auariciam. agaynst couetyse | |
Yelde agayne and byde not longe | |
That thou hast taken by very wronge. | |
And to the nedy gyue thou large | |
835 | In goddes name I the charge |
This is the remedye ywys | |
Agaynst the synne of couetys. | |
¶Agaynst wrathe this helpe shall be ¶ Nota agaynst Wrathe. | |
If thou haue grace to se | |
840 | Howe aungelles when a man is wrothe |
Frome hym fast flye and gothe | |
And fendes fast vnto hym renneth | |
And fyre of hell his herte brenneth Contra Iram. | |
And maketh hym so hote and hye | |
845 | That no man may byde hym nye |
Wherfore thou must with sufferynge | |
sig: [C4v] | |
Quenche in the suche brennynge | |
Agaynst wrathe the sufferaunce | |
Must be moche of thy penaunce | |
850 | ¶From slouth thou must to god turn |
And Pater noster and Aue saye Ȝurne agaynst slouthe. | |
In mornynge myddaye and euery tyde | |
Whether thou go or whether thou ryde | |
To chyrche come yf thou maye | |
855 | And here a masse euery daye Contra. accidiam. |
And yf thou maye not come to chyrche. | |
Where that euer thou doste wyrche | |
When thou herest masse knyll. knyll: =knell | |
Praye to god with herte styll agaynst slouthe. | |
860 | To gyue the part of that seruys |
That in the chyrche there done is | |
¶Lerne to lyue in Chastyte ¶ Nota agaynst lechery. | |
In goddes name I charge the | |
Though thy flesshe haue a foule lust in the same | |
865 | With brede and water thou mayst it tame. |
And yf thou saye agayne to me | |
I maye not lyue in chastyte | |
I charge the then to take a wyfe | |
And in goddes lawe to lede thy lyfe goddes] goddest 1521 | |
870 | Remembre this worlde howe wretched it is |
The shortenes of thy lyfe without mys. | |
Remembre the paynes of hell greuous and grym | |
God lette neuer crysten soule come therin | |
Remembre the thynges beynge in heuen | |
875 | And I had t[r]uely the scyences seuen truely] tuely 1521 |
And the connynge of all men that euer were | |
sig: [C5] | |
I coulde not shewe of the leest Ioye there. | |
Haue this in thy mynde euen sykerly. | |
It is the remedy agaynst Lechery | |
880 | Of this matter I haue no more to saye |
But desyrynge the reders hereof to praye | |
For the soule of mayster Iames_berkeley dyssesed late | |
Beynge terme of his lyfe the kynges true subiate | |
Whiche dyssesed in the yere of our lorde a .M. no nay | |
885 | CCCCC.xiiii and the .vii. daye of may |
Take .vi. the last leues and the fyrst letters of the same: | |
And that is truely the wryters name | |
Desyrynge the reders be it man or wyfe. | |
To correcte this boke with your penne or knyfe | |
890 | Haue pyte on your soules for goddes sake |
In your lyuynge amendes make | |
Graunt swete Iesu vnto Harry the .viii. our kynge. | |
Grace fortune vyctory and also good lyuynge. | |
Ihesu as thou arte proctoure of body and lym | |
895 | Suffre neuer his enemy to haue power ouer hym |
¶ Et sic finis. Anno domini .M.CCCCC.xx. viii. die mensis Martii. |
|
sig: [C5v] | |
De modo inquirendo de venialibus. |
|
Ringler treats this as a new poem (TP 1236) | |
¶Nowe of synnes venyall | |
A lytell aske I shall | |
Hast thou spended thy wyttes fyue | |
In goddes seruyce tell me blyue. | |
900 | These ben those as I the tell. |
Touchynge / tastynge / and thy smell | |
Thy herynge also / and thy syght | |
Here ben truely .v. euen-ryght. | |
¶ De visu. |
|
¶Haste thou sene ony-thynge | |
905 | That tysed the to synnynge. |
Remembre sone I the praye | |
For many wayes synne thou maye | |
¶ De auditu. |
|
¶Hast thou had grete lykynge | |
For to here ony euyll thynge. | |
910 | Nyce wordes or rybaudry. |
Or suche maner of harlotry. | |
¶ De olfactu. |
|
¶Hast thou smelled ony-thynge | |
That hathe tempted thy lykynge | |
Of meate drynke or spycery | |
915 | That thou hast after synned by |
¶ De gustu. |
|
¶Also yf thou synned haste | |
By meate or drynke by lusty taste | |
Thou must also tell vnto me. | |
If thou wylte assoyled be | |
sig: [C6] | |
¶ De tactu. |
|
920 | ¶Haste thou touched folyly |
That thy body was styred by | |
Womans body or thyne owne | |
If thou haue thou must it shewe. | |
Here is nowe the wyttes all fyue. | |
925 | How thou hast spended them tell me blyue |
I make nowe an ende here then. | |
Sed libera nos a malo amen. | |
¶ Finis. |
|
¶Thus endeth this profytable confessyon ¶Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne [of the] Sone by wynkyn_de_worde. sygne of the Sone] sygne Sone 1521 | |
sig: [C6v] |