The Multitext Edition > London, British Library MS. Harley 7334
The Parson's Tale
Folio 285v
68 of 69 folios
995
peyne stynte of hem þat neuer wolde wiþtdrawe heō fro syn-
ne her þankes . but ay continue in synne for þilke perpetuel
wille to doon synne schul þay haue perpetuel peyne
¶ Wan-
hope in tuo maneres is . þe firste wanhope is in þe mercy of
crist ¶ That oþer is þat þay þinke þay mighte nought longe
perseuer in goodnesse
¶ The firste wanhope comeþ of þat he de-
myth þat he synned so highly and so ofte and so longe layn
in synne þat he schal not be saued
¶ Certis aȝens þat cursed
wanhope schulde he þenke þat þe passioū of Ihū crist is more
strong for to vnbynde þañ synne is strong for to bynde
¶ Agains
þe secoūde wanhope he schal þinke þat als ofte as he fallith ;
he may arise agayn by penitence / And þough he neuer so lon-
ge haue leyn in synne ; þe mercy of crist is alway redy to res-
ceyue him to mercy
1000
¶ Agains þe wanhope þat he demeth
þat he þinkith he schulde not longe perseuere in goodnesse . he
schal þinke þt þe febles of þe deuel may no þing doon but men
wol suffre him .
And eek he schal haue strengþe of þe help
of god and of al holy chirche and of þe proteccioū of aungels
if him list
¶ Thanne schal men vnderstonde what is þõ fruyt
of penaūce And aft er þe word of iħu cist ¶ Hit is þe endeles
blisse of heuen
þer ioye haþ no contrariete of wo ne of pe-
naunce ne greuaunce . þer alle harmes ben passed of þis per-
sent lif . ther as is þe sikernesse fro þe peyne of helle . þere
as is þe body of man þat whilom was seek . frel and feble
and is immortal . and so strong and so hool þt þer may no þīg
empeire it .
1005
þer nys neyþer honger þurst ne colde . but euery
soule replenisched wiþ þe sight and þe parfyt knowyng of god
¶ This blisful regne may men purchace by pouerte espirituel
and þe glorie by lowenes . þe plente of ioye by hunger and
þurst and reste by tauaile and þe lif by deth and mortifica-
cioun of synne .
NOw pray I to ȝow alle þat heren þis litel tretis
or reden þat if þer be any þing þat likes hem þat
þer of þay þanke oure lorde ihū crist of whom procedith aƚƚ
witte and al goodnes
¶ And if þer be eny þing þat displesith
hem I pay hem þat þay arette it to þe defaute of mȳ vncōnȳg