The Multitext Edition > Cambridge University Library MS. Gg.4.2.7
The Parson's Tale
Folio 419v
36 of 74 folios
of tree as seith seynt Isydre that whaō men make fyr of th-
ilke tre & kouere the colis wt aschyn / sothly the feer of it
wele lastyn al a ȝeer or more / And riȝt so farith it of raō-
cure / what it is coueryd in the hertis of sūme men
certeyn it wele laste perauenture / froō oon Esterne day
On tyl a nothir esterne day / & moore / .
but certis thilke
man is ful fer frō the mercy of god al thilke while
480
. In
this forseyde deuyllis furneys / there forgyn iij schre-
wis / Pryde that ay blowyth & encresith the feer by
chydyng & welkede wordis /
thāne stondith Enuye
And holdyth the hoote yryn in the fyr vp on the her-
te of man / wt a peyre of longe tongis ; of long rancur
And thāne stant the synne of contumelye or stryf
& cheest & baterith & forgith by vileyns repreuȳgis
Certis this cursede sȳne a noyeth bothe to the man
hȳ self & ek to his neighebore / for sothly almost al
the harm that ony man doth to his neighebore co-
myth of wrathe /
For certis outragious wratha doth
al that euere the deuyl comaūdyth hȳ / For he ne spa-
rith nothyr cist ne his swete modyr /
485
& in his outra-
gious angir / & Ire Allas ful manyon / that tyme fe-
lyth in his herte / ful wikkedely bothe of cryst & of hise
seyntis / & ek of alle hise halwys .
Is nat this a cursed
vse . ȝis certis allas it be nemyth frō man his wit &
his resoū / & al his debonayre lyf spirituel that schul-
de kepe his soule //
Certis it be nemyth ek goddis
due lordschepe . & that is mānys soule / & the loue of
hise neigheboris / / It stryuyth ek alday a geyn trou-
the / it reuyt hȳ the quyete of his herte & subuertith
his soule .
Of Ire comith these stynkende gendruris
ffyrst hate that is old wrathe / Discord thurh whyche
a man for sakith his olde frend / that he hath louyd
ful longe /
And thāne comyth werre & euery ma-
neere of wrong that man doth to his neghebor
in body or in catel . //
490
Of this cursede sȳne of Ire co-
myth ek manslaughtre / And vndirstonde weel
that homycide that is manslaughtre is in dyuerse
thȳgis . sū manere of homycide is spirituel . & sū is
bodyly .