The Multitext Edition > Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales MS. Peniarth 392 D
The Parson's Tale
Folio 239r
22 of 30 folios
that he clepeth it lond / or erthe / for it is stable & neuere shal faile /
dirk. for he þt is in helle / hath defaute of light material /
for
certes the derke light þt shal come out of the fyr þt euere shal
brenne / shal turne hym al to peyne / þt is in helle / for it she-
weth hym / to the horrible deueles / þt hym tormenten /
110
couered
w the derknesse of deeth
that is to seyn
/ þt he
þt is in helle
shal haue defaute of the sighte of god
/ for c
ertes the sighte of
god
/ is the lyf
pardurable
/
The derknesse of deeth / ben the syn-
nes þt the wrecched man hath doon / whiche þt destourben hym /
to se the face of god / right as a dirk clowde bitwixe vs and
the sonne
¶ Lond of myseise
/ by cause
þt ther ben .iij. manere
of defautes agayns .iij. thynges
/ þt folk of this world
/ han
in this p
ersent lyf
that is to seyn
/ . honours
/ . delices
/ . and ry
-chesses
Agayns honor / han they in helle / shame & confusiou
for wel ye woot
þt men clepen honour
/ the reu
erence
/ þt man
dooth to man
/ but in helle
/ is noon hono
r ne reu
erence
/ for c
ertes
/ namoore reu
erence
/ shal be doon to a kyng
than to a knaue
115
for
which
/ god seith
/ by the
prophete Ieremye
thilke folk
þt me despi
-sen
/ shulle ben in despit
¶ Hono
r is eek clepid greet lordshipe
/ ther shal no wight seruen oother
/ but of harm and torment
Honour is eek clepid
/ greet dignytee
& heighnesse
/ but in helle
shul they ben al for troden of deueles
As god seith
the horri
-ble deueles
/ shullen goon
& comen vp on the heuedes of damp-
ned folk
And this is
/ for as muche as the heyer
þt they were
in this p
ersent lyf
/ the moore shulle they ben abated and defouled
in helle
¶ Agayns the richesse of this world / shul they han
myseyse of pouerte / and this pouerte / shal be in .iiij. thynges /
In defaute of tresor
/ of which
þt Dauid seith
the riche folk
/ þt embraceden
& oneden al hir herte to tresor of this world
/ shul
-le slepen
/ in the slepynge of deeth
/ and no thyng
ne shal they
fynden in hir
handes
/ of al hir
tresor
120
And moore ouer the
Misayse of helle / shal ben / in defaute of mete / and drynke /
for
god seith thus by Moyses
they shul ben wasted with honger
and the bryddes of helle
/ shul deuouren hem
/ w
t bitter deeth
/ and the galle of the dragon
/ shal ben hire drynke
/ and the
venym of the dragon
/ hir
morsels
And forther ouer / hire
Miseyse / shal ben / in defaute of clothyng for they shullen ben
naked in body / as of clothyng saue the fyr / in which they ~
brenne & othere filthes /
and naked shul they ben of soule / of
alle manere vertues / which þt is / the clothyng of soule / where
ben thanne the gaye robes / & the softe shetes / & the smale shertes