Book of a Ghostly Father

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¶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.

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IHesu_Cryst heuen-kynge

Sende all them good endynge

That on this werke wyll rede or loke

Gyue atendaunce here or correcte this boke

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

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.

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

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.

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

Whether shall thy soule thou synfull man.

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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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Wrathed thy god greuously

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Haste thou ben inobedyente.

Agaynst goddes commaundemente

Haste thou by pryde set at naught.

Hym that hathe the good taught

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

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.

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.

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

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.

And of thyne no maner thynge

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Hast thou oppressed thy neyghboure.

To gete the good and honoure

Hast thou shente his good fame

For to gete the a good name.

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.

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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.

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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

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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

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That thy synne sholde seme the las.

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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Hast thou had in herte grefe.

Of his good and his relefe

Hast thou be glad and mery

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When he hath ben seke and sory

Or hast thou ben sory and madde

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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Or that he is more able then thowe

To all maner grace or prowe.

Haste thou in hele or sykenesse

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Borne ony false wytnesse

Ayenst thy neyghboure free or bonde

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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Layde vyolent hande on preest or clerke

Or on thy neyghboure / in cyte or shyre

Otherwyse then good ordre wyll requyre.

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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

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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

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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

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With golde and syluer with fode and wede

And them not to begyle of goodes nor landes

Nor to laye on them vyolent handes

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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Ye that wytchcrafte shall them saue

So with charmes and with tell

They be brought agayne to hell.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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]