The Multitext Edition > London, British Library MS. Lansdowne 851
The Parson's Tale
Folio 255r
49 of 49 folios
Composito huius libri hic capit licenciam . suam ;
NOw preye .I. to hem aƚƚ þat herken þis litel tretis or rede ; þt
if þere bue any þinge in it þat lykeþ hem ; þt þere of þei þonken-
oure lorde ihū criste of whome procedeþ al wite & al goodenesse .
¶ And if þere be any þinge þt displesen hem . preye hem also þat þei arette
it to þe defaute of myn vnkonynge ; & nxxx to my wiƚƚ þat wolde
For oure booke seyþe al þt
is wreten is writen for oure doctine ; & þat is myne entent
1010
¶ Whar
for .I. be seke ȝow mekely att þe mercye of god ; þat ȝe perye for me þat criste
haue mercie on me ; & forȝeue me my gultes ;
And namely of my tans-
laciones & enxxeynges of werldly vanytees ¶ þe whiche .I. reuoke in my ~
retractioūs
¶ As is þe booke of Troyles ¶ The booke also of fame .
þe booke of .xxv. ladyes ¶ þe book of þe Duchesse ; þe booke of seint
valentynes daye of þe parlement of birdes ¶ þe tale of Canturbury þilke
þat sounē in to sinne
¶ þe booke of þe lyon ; And moni anoþere booke
if þei were in myne remēbrāce & Mony a songe ; & mony a lycherous
Laye ; þat Criste for his grete Mercy forȝeue me þe sinne
¶ Bot of þe tans-
lacioune of Boyce De Consolacōne ¶ And oþere bokes of legendis of
seintis ; And omelyes & moralyte ; & deuocioūs ;
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þat þonke .I. oure lorde
ihū criste & his blissed moder & al þe seintes of heuen ;
besecheinge hē .
¶ þat þei from hennes forþe vnto my lyues ende sende me grace to be
weyle my giltes ; & to stody to saluacione of my soule ; And gaunt me
grace of verrai penance confessione & satisfaccioū to done in þis per-
sent lif .
þoruhe þe benigne grace of him þat is Kinge of Kynges ; &
priste of aƚƚ pistes ; þt bouht vs wiþ þõ percious blode of his herte
so .
þat .I. may bie one of hem att þe daye of dome þt schal be saued .
to receyue þe blisse þat euere schal last wiþouten ende . AmeN