The Multitext Edition > Cambridge University Library MS. Gg.4.2.7
The Parson's Tale
Folio 439r
3 of 74 folios
¶ The fourte circūstaūce is by sweche medy-
atourys or be sweche messangerys / as for entysemēt
or for consentement to bere compaygnye with fala-
schepe . for manye a wreche for to bere cōpaignye
wele go to the deuyl of helle /
wherfore they that
eggȳ or consentyn / to the sȳne been partenerys of the
sȳne / And of the temptacyoū of the sȳnere
895
¶ The
fifte circūstaūce . is / how manye tymys that he hath
sȳnyd / ȝif it be in his mynde / & how ofte that he hath
falle /
for he that ofte falle in sȳne / he dispiseth the
mercy of god / & encresith his x sȳne And is vnkynde
to cryst / And he wexeth the moore feble to withstō-
de sȳne / & sȳnyth the moore lyghtely /
& the lattere a-
ryseth / & is the moore eschew for to schryue hȳ / an
namely to hym that is his confessour .
For whiche
that folk whā they falle a geyn in there olde folyis
othir they for ȝete here olde confessouris al outre-
ly or ellys they departȳ here schrifte in dyuers placcis
But sothly sweche departede schrifte deseruyth
no mercy of god / of hise sȳnys
¶ The sexte Circū-
staunce is why that a man sȳnyth as by temptacy-
ioun / & ȝif hȳ selue procure the ilke temptacyoun
or by the excytȳge of othere folk . or if he sȳne wt
a woman by force or by hire owene assent
900
Or ȝif
the woman maugre hire heed / hath been aforced
or non / this schal sche telle . for coueytyse or for po-
uerte / & ȝif it was hire procurȳge or non & swiche
manere harneyes
¶ The Seuynte circūstance / is ī
what manere he hath doon his synne / or how that
sche haue sufferede that folk han don to hire
& the
same schal the man telle wt alle circūstaūcys And
whedyr he hath sȳnyd with comoū bordel wemē
or noon /
or don his sȳne in holy tymys or non
In fastȳge tyme or non / or by forn his schrifte / or
aftyr his laste schrifte /
and hath perauenture brokȳ
therfore his penaūce enioyned be whos helpe &
whos conseyl / by sorcerye / or craft al muste ben
told
905
¶ Alle these thȳgis aftyr that they been greete
Or smale engreggyn the concyence of man & ek of the
prest that is thyn Iuge may the betere been auysed of
his Iugement in ȝeuynge of thȳ penance & that is
aftyr thȳ contrycyoū