Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 108

1st_ in h.e.l.le. 207. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. _om._ after. 208. Cp. Hl. Ln.

gruntynge; Cm. grochynge; Pt. gnaistynge. 214. Hl. shal be yiue deth. 218. E. in the ordre. 221. E. Cm. Basilie; _rest_ Basile.

225. E. Cm. and they (_1st time_). 228. E. the (_for_ these).

-- 11. The fourthe point, that oghte maken a man to have contricion, is the sorweful remembrance of the good that he hath left to doon here in erthe; and eek the good that he hath lorn. / Soothly, the G.o.de werkes that he hath left, outher they been the G.o.de werkes that he wroghte er he fel in-to deedly sinne, or elles the G.o.de werkes that he wroghte while he lay in sinne. / Soothly, the G.o.de werkes, that he dide biforn that he fil in sinne, been al mortified and astoned and dulled by the ofte sinning. / The othere G.o.de werkes, that he wroghte whyl he lay in deedly sinne, they been outrely dede as to the lyf perdurable in hevene. / Thanne thilke G.o.de werkes that been mortified by ofte sinning, whiche G.o.de werkes he dide whyl he was in charitee, ne mowe nevere quiken agayn with-outen verray penitence. /235 And ther-of seith G.o.d, by the mouth of Ezechiel: that, 'if the rightful man returne agayn from his rightwisnesse and werke wikkednesse, shal he live?' / Nay; for alle the G.o.de werkes that he hath wroght ne shul nevere been in remembrance; for he shal dyen in his sinne. / And up-on thilke chapitre seith seint Gregorie thus: 'that we shulle understonde this princ.i.p.ally; / that whan we doon deedly sinne, it is for noght thanne to rehercen or drawen in-to memorie the G.o.de werkes that we han wroght biforn.' / For certes, in the werkinge of the deedly sinne, ther is no trust to no good werk that we han doon biforn; that is to seyn, as for to have therby the lyf perdurable in hevene. /240 But nathelees, the G.o.de werkes quiken agayn, and comen agayn, and helpen, and availlen to have the lyf perdurable in hevene, whan we han contricion. / But soothly, the G.o.de werkes that men doon whyl they been in deedly sinne, for-as-muche as they were doon in deedly sinne, they may nevere quiken agayn. / For certes, thing that nevere hadde lyf may nevere quikene; and nathelees, al-be-it that [581] they ne availle noght to han the lyf perdurable, yet availlen they to abregge of the peyne of h.e.l.le, or elles to geten temporal richesse, / or elles that G.o.d wole the rather enlumine and lightne the herte of the sinful man to have repentance; / and eek they availlen for to usen a man to doon G.o.de werkes, that the feend have the la.s.se power of his soule. /245 And thus the curteis lord Iesu Crist wole that no good werk be lost; for in somwhat it shal availle. / But for-as-muche as the G.o.de werkes that men doon whyl they been in good lyf, been al mortified by sinne folwinge; and eek, sith that alle the G.o.de werkes that men doon whyl they been in deedly synne, been outrely dede as for to have the lyf perdurable; / wel may that man, that no good werke ne dooth, singe thilke newe Frenshe song: "_Iay tout perdu mon temps et mon labour_." / For certes, sinne bireveth a man bothe goodnesse of nature and eek the goodnesse of grace. / For soothly, the grace of the holy goost fareth lyk fyr, that may nat been ydel; for fyr faileth anoon as it forleteth his wirkinge, and right so grace fayleth anoon as it forleteth his werkinge. /250 Than leseth the sinful man the goodnesse of glorie, that only is bihight to G.o.de men that labouren and werken. / Wel may he be sory thanne, that oweth al his lif to G.o.d as longe as he hath lived, and eek as longe as he shal live, that no goodnesse ne hath to paye with his dette to G.o.d, to whom he oweth al his lyf. / For trust wel, 'he shal yeven acountes,' as seith seint Bernard, 'of alle the G.o.des that han be yeven him in this present lyf, and how he hath hem despended; / in so muche that ther shal nat perisse an heer of his heed, ne a moment of an houre ne shal nat perisse of his tyme, that he ne shal yeve of it a rekening.' /

232. E. Pt. Ln. that he hath wroght (_1st time_). 233. Ln. mortified; Hl. amortised; _rest_ mortefied. Cp. Pt. astonyed; Hl. astoneyed.

235. Ln. Hl. mortified; _rest_ mortefied. 240. E. is for to seyn.

242. E. quyke. 247. Ln. mortified; Hn. Hl. amortised; _rest_ mortefied. 254. _All_ noght (nat) _so_; ed. 1550, in so (_better_).

-- 12. The fifthe thing that oghte moeve a man to contricion, is remembrance of the pa.s.sion that oure lord Iesu Crist suffred for our sinnes. /255 For, as seith seint Bernard: 'whyl that I live, I shal have remembrance of the travailles that oure lord Crist suffred in preching; / his werinesse in travailling, hise temptacions whan he fasted, hise longe wakinges whan he preyde, hise teres whan that he weep for pitee of good peple; / the wo and the shame and the filthe that men seyden to him; of the foule spitting that men spitte in his face, of the buffettes that men yaven [582] him, of the foule mowes, and of the repreves that men to him seyden; / of the nayles with whiche he was nailed to the croys, and of al the remenant of his pa.s.sion that he suffred for my sinnes, and no-thing for his gilt.' / And ye shul understonde, that in mannes sinne is every manere of ordre or ordinance turned up-so-doun. /260 For it is sooth, that G.o.d, and reson, and sensualitee, and the body of man been so ordeyned, that everich of thise foure thinges sholde have lords.h.i.+pe over that other; / as thus: G.o.d sholde have lords.h.i.+pe over reson, and reson over sensualitee, and sensualitee over the body of man. / But sothly, whan man sinneth, al this ordre or ordinance is turned up-so-doun. / And therfore thanne, for-as-muche as the reson of man ne wol nat be subget ne obeisant to G.o.d, that is his lord by right, therfore leseth it the lords.h.i.+pe that it sholde have over sensualitee, and eek over the body of man. / And why? For sensualitee rebelleth thanne agayns reson; and by that wey leseth reson the lords.h.i.+pe over sensualitee and over the body. /265 For right as reson is rebel to G.o.d, right so is bothe sensualitee rebel to reson and the body also. / And certes, this disordinance and this rebellion oure lord Iesu Crist aboghte up-on his precious body ful dere, and herkneth in which wyse. / For-as-muche thanne as reson is rebel to G.o.d, therfore is man worthy to have sorwe and to be deed. / This suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man, after that he hadde be bitraysed of his disciple, and distreyned and bounde, 'so that his blood brast out at every nail of hise handes,' as seith seint Augustin. / And forther-over, for-as-muchel as reson of man ne wol nat daunte sensualitee whan it may, therfore is man worthy to have shame; and this suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man, whan they spetten in his visage. /270 And forther-over, for-as-muchel thanne as the caitif body of man is rebel bothe to reson and to sensualitee, therfore is it worthy the deeth. / And this suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man up-on the croys, where-as ther was no part of his body free, withouten greet peyne and bitter pa.s.sion. / And al this suffred Iesu Crist, that nevere forfeted. And therfore resonably may be seyd of Iesu in this manere: 'to muchel am I peyned for the thinges that I nevere deserved, and to muche defouled for shend-s.h.i.+pe that man is worthy to have.' / And therfore may the sinful [583] man wel seye, as seith seint Bernard: 'acursed be the bitternesse of my sinne, for which ther moste be suffred so muchel bitternesse.' / For certes, after the diverse discordances of oure wikkednesses, was the pa.s.sion of Iesu Crist ordeyned in diverse thinges, /275 as thus. Certes, sinful mannes soule is bitraysed of the devel by coveitise of temporel prosperitee, and scorned by deceite whan he cheseth fleshly delyces; and yet is it tormented by inpacience of adversitee, and bispet by servage and subieccion of sinne; and atte laste it is slayn fynally. / For this disordinaunce of sinful man was Iesu Crist first bitraysed, and after that was he bounde, that cam for to unbynden us of sinne and peyne. / Thanne was he biscorned, that only sholde han been honoured in alle thinges and of alle thinges. / Thanne was his visage, that oghte be desired to be seyn of al man-kinde, in which visage aungels desyren to looke, vileynsly bispet. / Thanne was he scourged that no-thing hadde agilt; and fynally, thanne was he crucified and slayn. /280 Thanne was acompliced the word of Isaye: 'he was wounded for oure misdedes, and defouled for oure felonies.' / Now sith that Iesu Crist took up-on him-self the peyne of alle oure wikkednesses, muchel oghte sinful man wepen and biwayle, that for hise sinnes G.o.ddes sone of hevene sholde al this peyne endure. /

255. Hl. for vs and for our synnes. 261. E. Cm. _om._ so. 269. E.

Cm. his blood; _rest_ the blood. 270. Hl. face (_for_ visage). 273.

Cm. (_and_ ed. 1550) And therfore ... manere; _rest om._ 275. E.

disconcordances. 276. E. temporeel. bispet] E. dispeir (!). 277.

E. _om._ first. 281. E. Ysaye that seith that he; _rest om._ that seith that.

-- 13. The sixte thing that oghte moeve a man to contricion, is the hope of three thynges; that is to seyn, foryifnesse of sinne, and the yifte of grace wel for to do, and the glorie of hevene, with which G.o.d shal guerdone a man for hise G.o.de dedes. / And for-as-muche as Iesu Crist yeveth us thise yiftes of his largesse and of his sovereyn bountee, therfore is he cleped _Iesus Nazarenus rex Iudeorum._ / Iesus is to seyn 'saveour' or 'salvacion,' on whom men shul hope to have foryifnesse of sinnes, which that is proprely salvacion of sinnes. /285 And therfore seyde the aungel to Ioseph: 'thou shall clepen his name Iesus, that shal saven his peple of hir sinnes.' / And heer-of seith seint Peter: 'ther is noon other name under hevene that is yeve to any man, by which a man may be saved, but only Iesus.' / _Nazarenus_ is as muche for to seye as 'floriss.h.i.+nge,' in which a man shal hope, that he that yeveth him remission of sinnes shal yeve him eek grace wel [584] for to do. For in the flour is hope of fruit in tyme cominge; and in foryifnesse of sinnes hope of grace wel for to do. / 'I was atte dore of thyn herte,' seith Iesus, 'and cleped for to entre; he that openeth to me shal have foryifnesse of sinne. / I wol entre in-to him by my grace, and soupe with him,' by the goode werkes that he shal doon; whiche werkes been the foode of G.o.d; 'and he shal soupe with me,' by the grete Ioye that I shal yeven him. /290 Thus shal man hope, for hise werkes of penaunce, that G.o.d shall yeven him his regne; as he bihoteth him in the gospel. /

283. E. Hn. gerdone; Cm. gerdounnyn. 285. E. _om._ is _after_ that.

291. Hn. Cm. Hl. byheteth.

-- 14. Now shal a man understonde, in which manere shal been his contricion.

I seye, that it shal been universal and total; this is to seyn, a man shal be verray repentant for alle hise sinnes that he hath doon in delyt of his thoght; for delyt is ful perilous. / For ther been two manere of consentinges; that oon of hem is cleped consentinge of affeccion, when a man is moeved to do sinne, and delyteth him longe for to thinke on that sinne; / and his reson aperceyveth it wel, that it is sinne agayns the lawe of G.o.d, and yet his reson refreyneth nat his foul delyt or talent, though he se wel apertly that it is agayns the reverence of G.o.d; al-though his reson ne consente noght to doon that sinne in dede, / yet seyn somme doctours that swich delyt that dwelleth longe, it is ful perilous, al be it nevere so lite. /295 And also a man sholde sorwe, namely, for al that evere he hath desired agayn the lawe of G.o.d with perfit consentinge of his reson; for ther-of is no doute, that it is deedly sinne in consentinge. / For certes, ther is no deedly sinne, that it nas first in mannes thought, and after that in his delyt; and so forth in-to consentinge and in-to dede. / Wherfore I seye, that many men ne repenten hem nevere of swiche thoghtes and delytes, ne nevere shryven hem of it, but only of the dede of grete sinnes outward. / Wherfore I seye, that swiche wikked delytes and wikked thoghtes been subtile bigyleres of hem that shullen be dampned. / More-over, man oghte to sorwe for hise wikkede wordes as wel as for hise wikkede dedes; for certes, the repentance of a singuler sinne, and nat repente of alle hise othere sinnes, or elles repenten him of alle hise othere sinnes, and nat of a singuler sinne, may nat availle. /300 For certes, G.o.d almighty is al good; and ther-fore he foryeveth al, [585] or elles right noght. / And heer-of seith seint Augustin: 'I woot certainly / that G.o.d is enemy to everich sinnere'; and how thanne? He that observeth o sinne, shal he have foryifnesse of the remenaunt of hise othere sinnes?

Nay. / And forther-over, contricion sholde be wonder sorweful and anguissous, and therfore yeveth him G.o.d pleynly his mercy; and therfore, whan my soule was anguissous with-inne me, I hadde remembrance of G.o.d that my preyere mighte come to him. / Forther-over, contricion moste be continuel, and that man have stedefast purpos to shryven him, and for to amenden him of his lyf. /305 For soothly, whyl contricion lasteth, man may evere have hope of foryifnesse; and of this comth hate of sinne, that destroyeth sinne bothe in himself, and eek in other folk, at his power. / For which seith David: 'ye that loven G.o.d hateth wikkednesse.' For trusteth wel, to love G.o.d is for to love that he loveth, and hate that he hateth. /

303. E. _om._ I woot certeinly. 305. E. continueel.

-- 15. The laste thing that man shal understonde in contricion is this; wher-of avayleth contricion. I seye, that som tyme contricion delivereth a man fro sinne; / of which that David seith: 'I seye,' quod David, that is to seyn, 'I purposed fermely to shryve me; and thow, Lord, relesedest my sinne.' / And right so as contricion availleth noght, with-outen sad purpos of shrifte, if man have oportunitee, right so litel worth is shrifte or satisfaccion with-outen contricion. /310 And more-over, contricion destroyeth the prison of h.e.l.le, and maketh wayk and feble alle the strengthes of the develes, and restoreth the yiftes of the holy goost and of alle G.o.de vertues; / and it clenseth the soule of sinne, and delivereth the soule fro the peyne of h.e.l.le, and fro the companye of the devel, and fro the servage of sinne, and restoreth it to alle G.o.des espirituels, and to the companye and communion of holy chirche. / And forther-over, it maketh him that whylom was sone of ire to be sone of grace; and alle thise thinges been preved by holy writ. / And therfore, he that wolde sette his entente to thise thinges, he were ful wys; for soothly, he ne sholde nat thanne in al his lyf have corage to sinne, but yeven his body and al his herte to the service of Iesu Crist, and ther-of doon him hommage. / For soothly, oure swete lord Iesu Crist hath spared [586] us so debonairly in our folies, that if he ne hadde pitee of mannes soule, a sory song we mighten alle singe. /315

308. E. Ln. a man fro; _rest om._ a. 311. E. fieble. 313. Hl. Pt.

Ln. thinges he prouith by. 314. Hl. herte (_for_ entente).

EXPLICIT PRIMA PARS PENITENTIE; ET SEQUITUR SECUNDA PARS EIUSDEM.

-- 16. The seconde partie of Penitence is Confession, that is signe of contricion. / Now shul ye understonde what is Confession, and whether it oghte nedes be doon or noon, and whiche thinges been covenable to verray Confession. /

317. E. wheither.

-- 17. First shaltow understonde that Confession is verray shewinge of sinnes to the preest; / this is to seyn 'verray,' for he moste confessen him of alle the condiciouns that bilongen to his sinne, as ferforth as he can. / Al moot be seyd, and no thing excused ne hid ne forwrapped, and noght avaunte him of his G.o.de werkes. /320 And forther over, it is necessarie to understonde whennes that sinnes springen, and how they encresen, and whiche they been. /

320. him of his] E. Cm. thee of thy. 321. E. encreessen.

-- 18. Of the springinge of sinnes seith seint Paul in this wise: that 'right as by a man sinne entred first in-to this world, and thurgh that sinne deeth, right so thilke deeth entred in-to alle men that sinneden.' / And this man was Adam, by whom sinne entred in-to this world whan he brak the comaundement of G.o.d. / And therfore, he that first was so mighty that he sholde not have dyed, bicam swich oon that he moste nedes dye, whether he wolde or noon; and all his progenie in this world that in thilke man sinneden. / Loke that in thestaat of innocence, when Adam and Eve naked weren in paradys, and no-thing ne hadden shame of hir nakednesse, /325 how that the serpent, that was most wyly of alle othere bestes that G.o.d hadde maked, seyde to the womman: 'why comaunded G.o.d to yow, ye sholde nat eten of every tree in paradys?' / The womman answerde: 'of the fruit,' quod she, 'of the trees in paradys we feden us; but soothly, of the fruit of the tree that is in the middel of paradys, G.o.d forbad us for to ete, ne nat touchen it, lest per-aventure we should dyen.' / The serpent seyde to the womman: 'nay, nay, ye shul nat dyen of deeth; for sothe, G.o.d woot, that what day that ye eten ther-of, youre eyen shul opene, and ye shul been as G.o.ddes, knowinge [587] good and harm.' / The womman thanne saugh that the tree was good to feding, and fair to the eyen, and delytable to the sighte; she tok of the fruit of the tree, and eet it, and yaf to hir housbonde, and he eet; and anoon the eyen of hem bothe openeden. / And whan that they knewe that they were naked, they sowed of fige-leves a manere of breches to hiden hir membres. /330 There may ye seen that deedly sinne hath first suggestion of the feend, as sheweth here by the naddre; and afterward, the delyt of the flesh, as sheweth here by Eve; and after that, the consentinge of resoun, as sheweth here by Adam. / For trust wel, thogh so were that the feend tempted Eve, that is to seyn the flesh, and the flesh hadde delyt in the beautee of the fruit defended, yet certes, til that resoun, that is to seyn, Adam, consented to the etinge of the fruit, yet stood he in thestaat of innocence. / Of thilke Adam toke we thilke sinne original; for of him fleshly descended be we alle, and engendred of vile and corrupt matere. / And whan the soule is put in our body, right anon is contract original sinne; and that, that was erst but only peyne of concupiscence, is afterward bothe peyne and sinne. / And therfore be we alle born sones of wratthe and of dampnacion perdurable, if it nere baptesme that we receyven, which binimeth us the culpe; but for sothe, the peyne dwelleth with us, as to temptacion, which peyne highte concupiscence. /335 Whan it is wrongfully disposed or ordeyned in man, it maketh him coveite, by coveitise of flesh, fleshly sinne, by sighte of hise eyen as to erthely thinges. and coveitise of hynesse by pryde of herte. /

323. E. Hn. comaundementz; _rest_ comaundement. 324. E. wheither.

325. Pt. e astate; Ln. e state; Cm. stat. 327. ne] E. and. 328.

E. _om._ ye _before_ shul. 330. E. Cm. a manere; _rest_ in manere.

335. E. bynyneth; Hn. Pt. Hl. bynymeth.

-- 19. Now as for to speken of the firste coveitise, that is, concupiscence after the lawe of oure membres, that weren lawe-fulliche y-maked and by rightful Iugement of G.o.d; / I seye, for-as-muche as man is nat obeisaunt to G.o.d, that is his lord, therfore is the flesh to him disobeisaunt thurgh concupiscence, which yet is cleped norissinge of sinne and occasion of sinne. / Therfore, al the whyle that a man hath in him the peyne of concupiscence, it is impossible but he be tempted somtyme, and moeved in his flesh to sinne. And this thing may nat faille as longe as he liveth; it may wel wexe feble and faille, by vertu of baptesme and by the grace of G.o.d thurgh penitence; /340 but fully [588] ne shal it nevere quenche, that he ne shal som tyme be moeved in him-self, but-if he were al refreyded by siknesse, or by malefice of sorcerie or colde drinkes. / For lo, what seith seint Paul: 'the flesh coveiteth agayn the spirit, and the spirit agayn the flesh; they been so contrarie and so stryven, that a man may nat alwey doon as he wolde.' / The same seint Paul, after his grete penaunce in water and in lond (in water by night and by day, in greet peril and in greet peyne, in lond, in famine, in thurst, in cold and clothlees, and ones stoned almost to the deeth) / yet seyde he: 'allas! I, caytif man, who shal delivere me fro the prisoun of my caytif body?' / And seint Ierome, whan he longe tyme hadde woned in desert, where-as he hadde no companye but of wilde bestes, where-as he ne hadde no mete but herbes and water to his drinke, ne no bed but the naked erthe, for which his flesh was blak as an Ethiopen for hete and ny destroyed for cold, /345 yet seyde he: that 'the brenninge of lecherie boiled in al his body.' / Wherfore I woot wel sikerly, that they been deceyved that seyn, that they ne be nat tempted in hir body. / Witnesse on Seint Iame the Apostel, that seith: that 'every wight is tempted in his owen concupiscence': that is to seyn, that everich of us hath matere and occasion to be tempted of the norissinge of sinne that is in his body. / And therfore seith Seint Iohn the Evaungelist: 'if that we seyn that we beth with-oute sinne, we deceyve us-selve, and trouthe is nat in us.' /

338. E. norrissynge. 340. E. fieble; _rest_ feble. 345. E.

Ethiopeen; _rest_ -pen.

-- 20. Now shal ye understonde in what manere that sinne wexeth or encreseth in man. The firste thing is thilke norissinge of sinne, of which I spak biforn, thilke fleshly concupiscence. /350 And after that comth the subieccion of the devel, this is to seyn, the develes bely, with which he bloweth in man the fyr of fleshly concupiscence. / And after that, a man bithinketh him whether he wol doon, or no, thilke thing to which he is tempted. / And thanne, if that a man withstonde and weyve the firste entysinge of his flesh and of the feend, thanne is it no sinne; and if it so be that he do nat so, thanne feleth he anon a flambe of delyt. / And thanne is it good to be war, and kepen him wel, or elles he wol falle anon in-to consentinge of sinne; and thanne wol he do it, if he may have tyme and place. / And of this matere seith Moyses by the devel in this manere: 'the feend seith, I wole [589] chace and pursue the man by wikked suggestion, and I wole hente him by moevynge or stiringe of sinne. I wol departe my pryse or my praye by deliberacion, and my l.u.s.t shal been accompliced in delyt; I wol drawe my swerd in consentinge:' /355 for certes, right as a swerd departeth a thing in two peces, right so consentinge departeth G.o.d fro man: 'and thanne wol I sleen him with myn hand in dede of sinne'; thus seith the feend. / For certes, thanne is a man al deed in soule. And thus is sinne accompliced by temptacion, by delyt, and by consentinge; and thanne is the sin cleped actuel. /

350. E. encreesseth. 352. E. wheither. 357. E. Actueel.

-- 21. For sothe, sinne is in two maneres; outher it is venial, or deedly sinne. Soothly, whan man loveth any creature more than Iesu Crist oure creatour, thanne is it deedly sinne. And venial synne is it, if man love Iesu Crist la.s.se than him oghte. / For sothe, the dede of this venial sinne is ful perilous; for it amenuseth the love that men sholde han to G.o.d more and more. / And therfore, if a man charge him-self with manye swiche venial sinnes, certes, but-if so be that he som tyme descharge him of hem by shrifte, they mowe ful lightly amenuse in him al the love that he hath to Iesu Crist; /360 and in this wise skippeth venial in-to deedly sinne. For certes, the more that a man chargeth his soule with venial sinnes, the more is he enclyned to fallen in-to deedly sinne. / And therfore, lat us nat be necligent to deschargen us of venial sinnes. For the proverbe seith: that manye smale maken a greet. / And herkne this ensample. A greet wawe of the see comth som-tyme with so greet a violence that it drencheth the s.h.i.+p. And the same harm doth som-tyme the smale dropes of water, that entren thurgh a litel crevace in-to the thurrok, and in-to the botme of the s.h.i.+p, if men be so necligent that they ne descharge hem nat by tyme. / And therfore, al-thogh ther be a difference bitwixe thise two causes of drenchinge, algates the s.h.i.+p is dreynt. / Right so fareth it somtyme of deedly sinne, and of anoyouse veniale sinnes, whan they multiplye in a man so greetly, that thilke worldly thinges that he loveth, thurgh whiche he sinneth venially, is as greet in his herte as the love of G.o.d, or more. /365 And therfore, the love of every thing, that is nat biset in G.o.d ne doon princ.i.p.ally for G.o.ddes sake, al-though that a man love [590] it la.s.se than G.o.d, yet is it venial sinne; / and deedly sinne, whan the love of any thing weyeth in the herte of man as muchel as the love of G.o.d, or more. / 'Deedly sinne,' as seith seint Augustin, 'is, whan a man turneth his herte fro G.o.d, which that is verray sovereyn bountee, that may nat chaunge, and yeveth his herte to thing that may chaunge and flitte'; / and certes, that is every thing, save G.o.d of hevene. For sooth is, that if a man yeve his love, the which that he oweth al to G.o.d with al his herte, un-to a creature, certes, as muche of his love as he yeveth to thilke creature, so muche he bireveth fro G.o.d; / and therfore doth he sinne. For he, that is dettour to G.o.d, ne yeldeth nat to G.o.d al his dette, that is to seyn, al the love of his herte.

/370

358. E. _om._ oghte. 361. sinnes] E. sinne. 363. E. Hn. Cm. in the botme. 367. E. wexeth (_for_ weyeth). 369. E. as he yeueth of his loue.

-- 22. Now sith man understondeth generally, which is venial sinne, thanne is it covenable to tellen specially of sinnes whiche that many a man per-aventure ne demeth hem nat sinnes, and ne shryveth him nat of the same thinges; and yet nathelees they been sinnes. / Soothly, as thise clerkes wryten, this is to seyn, that at every tyme that a man eteth or drinketh more than suffyseth to the sustenaunce of his body, in certein he dooth sinne. / And eek whan he speketh more than nedeth, it is sinne. Eke whan he herkneth nat benignely the compleint of the povre. / Eke whan he is in hele of body and wol nat faste, whan othere folk faste, withouten cause resonable. Eke whan he slepeth more than nedeth, or whan he comth by thilke enchesoun to late to chirche, or to othere werkes of charite. / Eke whan he useth his wyf, withouten sovereyn desyr of engendrure, to the honour of G.o.d, or for the entente to yelde to his wyf the dette of his body. /375 Eke whan he wol nat visite the sike and the prisoner, if he may. Eke if he love wyf or child, or other worldly thing, more than resoun requyreth. Eke if he flatere or blandishe more than him oghte for any necessitee. / Eke if he amenuse or withdrawe the almesse of the povre. Eke if he apparailleth his mete more deliciously than nede is, or ete it to hastily by likerousnesse.

/ Eke if he tale vanitees at chirche or at G.o.ddes service, or that he be a talker ot ydel wordes of folye or of vileinye; for he shal yelden acountes of it at the day of dome. / Eke whan he biheteth or a.s.sureth to do [591]

thinges that he may nat perfourne. Eke whan that he, by lightnesse or folie, misseyeth or scorneth his neighebore. / Eke whan he hath any wikked suspecion of thing, ther he ne woot of it no soothfastnesse. /380 Thise thinges and mo with-oute nombre been sinnes, as seith seint Augustin. /

371. E. Cp. Pt. Ln. hem (_for_ him). 374. E. hym oghte (_for_ othere folk). 376. E. Hn. blandise. 377. Hl. body (_for_ mete). E. Cm.

_om._ it. 378. Hl. talke of (_for_ tale). 379. Hn. Hl. acounte.

Now shal men understonde, that al-be-it so that noon erthely man may eschue alle venial sinnes, yet may he refreyne him by the brenninge love that he hath to oure lord Iesu Crist, and by preyeres and confession and othere G.o.de werkes, so that it shal but litel greve. / For, as seith seint Augustin: 'if a man love G.o.d in swiche manere, that al that evere he doth is in the love of G.o.d, and for the love of G.o.d verraily, for he brenneth in the love of G.o.d: / loke, how muche that a drope of water that falleth in a fourneys ful of fyr anoyeth or greveth, so muche anoyeth a venial sinne un-to a man that is parfit in the love of Iesu Crist.' / Men may also refreyne venial sinne by receyvinge worthily of the precious body of Iesu Crist; /385 by receyving eek of holy water; by almesdede; by general confession of _Confiteor_ at ma.s.se and at complin; and by blessinge of bisshopes and of preestes, and by othere G.o.de werkes. /

382. E. restreyne (_for_ refreyne); _see_ 385. 386. E. _om._ by _before_ othere.

EXPLICIT SECUNDA PARS PENITENTIE.

SEQUITUR DE SEPTEM PECCATIS MORTALIBUS ET EORUM DEPENDENCIIS CIRc.u.mSTANCIIS ET SPECIEBUS.

-- 23. Now is it bihovely thing to telle whiche been the deedly sinnes, this is to seyn, chieftaines of sinnes; alle they renne in o lees, but in diverse maneres. Now been they cleped chieftaines for-as-muche as they been chief, and springers of alle othere sinnes. / Of the roote of thise sevene sinnes thanne is Pryde, the general rote of alle harmes; for of this rote springen certein braunches, as Ire, Envye, Accidie or Slewthe, Avarice or Coveitise (to commune understondinge), Glotonye, and Lecherye. / And everich of thise chief sinnes hath hise braunches and hise twigges, as shal be declared in hir chapitres folwinge. /

HEADING. _So in_ E.; _but_ E. _adds_ De Superbia, _which should come at the head of_ -- 24, _as in_ Hn. 387. Hl. springers; Hn. sprynge; E.

Pt. Ln. spryngen.

DE SUPERBIA.

-- 24. And thogh so be that no man can outrely telle the [592] nombre of the twigges and of the harmes that cometh of Pryde, yet wol I shewe a partie of hem, as ye shul understonde. /390 Ther is In.o.bedience, Avauntinge, Ipocrisie, Despyt, Arrogance, Impudence, Swellinge of herte, Insolence, Elacion, Impacience, Strif, Contumacie, Presumpcion, Irreverence, Pertinacie, Veyne Glorie; and many another twig that I can nat declare. / In.o.bedient, is he that disobeyeth for despyt to the comandements of G.o.d and to hise sovereyns, and to his goostly fader. / Avauntour, is he that bosteth of the harm or of the bountee that he hath doon. / Ipocrite, is he that hydeth to shewe him swiche as he is, and sheweth him swiche as he noght is. / Despitous, is he that hath desdeyn of his neighebore, that is to seyn, of his evene-cristene, or hath despyt to doon that him oghte to do. /395 Arrogant, is he that thinketh that he hath thilke bountees in him that he hath noght, or weneth that he sholde have hem by hise desertes; or elles he demeth that he be that he nis nat. / Impudent, is he that for his pride hath no shame of hise sinnes. / Swellinge of herte, is whan a man reioyseth him of harm that he hath doon. / Insolent, is he that despyseth in his Iugement alle othere folk as to regard of his value, and of his conning, and of his speking, and of his bering. / Elacion, is whan he ne may neither suffre to have maister ne felawe. /400 Impacient, is he that wol nat been y-taught ne undernome of his vyce, and by stryf werreieth trouthe witingly, and deffendeth his folye. / _Contumax_, is he that thurgh his indignacion is agayns everich auctoritee or power of hem that been hise sovereyns. / Presumpcion, is whan a man undertaketh an empryse that him oghte nat do, or elles that he may nat do; and that is called Surquidrie.

Irreverence, is whan men do nat honour thereas hem oghte to doon, and waiten to be reverenced. / Pertinacie, is whan man deffendeth his folye, and trusteth to muchel in his owene wit. / Veyne glorie, is for to have pompe and delyt in his temporel hynesse, and glorifie him in this worldly estaat. /405 Ianglinge, is whan men speken to muche biforn folk, and clappen as a mille, and taken no kepe what they seye. /

390. E. Hn. _om. 2nd_ the. 391. Pt. Hl. Imprudence; E. Hn. Inpudence.

E. Hn. Pt. Inpatience; _rest imperfect here._ 395. E. _om. 2nd_ his. 401. Ln. Hl. Impacient; _rest_ Inpatient (_or imperfect_). Pt.

Hl. vices. 403. E. and this is. E. Hn. surquidie. 404. E. hise folies. 405. E. temporeel.

-- 25. And yet is ther a privee spece of Pryde, that waiteth first to be salewed er he wole salewe, al be he la.s.se worth than that [593] other is, per-aventure; and eek he waiteth or desyreth to sitte, or elles to goon above him in the wey, or kisse pax, or been encensed, or goon to offring biforn his neighebore, / and swiche semblable thinges; agayns his duetee, per-aventure, but that he hath his herte and his entente in swich a proud desyr to be magnifyed and honoured biforn the peple. /

-- 26. Now been ther two maneres of Pryde; that oon of hem is with-inne the herte of man, and that other is with-oute. / Of whiche soothly thise forseyde thinges, and mo than I have seyd, apertenen to pryde that is in the herte of man; and that othere speces of pryde been with-oute. /410 But natheles that oon of thise speces of pryde is signe of that other, right as the gaye leefsel atte taverne is signe of the wyn that is in the celer. / And this is in manye thinges: as in speche and contenaunce, and in outrageous array of clothing; / for certes, if ther ne hadde be no sinne in clothing, Crist wolde nat have noted and spoken of the clothing of thilke riche man in the gospel. / And, as seith Seint Gregorie, that precious clothing is coupable for the derthe of it, and for his softenesse, and for his strangenesse and degysinesse, and for the superfluitee, or for the inordinat scantnesse of it. / Allas! may men nat seen, as in oure dayes, the sinful costlewe array of clothinge, and namely in to muche superfluitee, or elles in to desordinat scantnesse? /415

410. _So_ E. Hn. Hl.; _perhaps read_ and that other spece of pryde is; Pt. Ln. and ther-to other spices of pride bene. 411. Pt. Ln. Hl.

spices. Hn. leuesel; Hl. leuesselle; Pt. leeuesell; Ln. leuesal.