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Now wol I speke of othes false and grete |
| A word or two, as olde bookes trete. |
| 345 | Gret sweryng is a thyng abhominable, |
| And fals sweryng is yet moore reprevable. |
| The heighe God forbad sweryng at al, |
| Witnesse on Mathew; but in special |
| Of sweryng seith the hooly Jeremye, |
| 350 | "Thou shalt seye sooth thyne othes, and nat lye, |
| And swere in doom, and eek in rightwisnesse"; |
| But ydel sweryng is a cursednesse. |
| Bihoold and se, that in the firste table |
| Of heighe Goddes heestes honurable |
| 355 | How that the seconde heeste of hym is this: |
| "Take nat my name in ydel or amys." |
| Lo, rather he forbedeth swich sweryng |
| Than homycide, or any cursed thyng; |
| I seye, that as by ordre thus it stondeth, |
| 360 | This knowen that hise heestes understondeth |
| How that the seconde heeste of God is that. |
| And forther-over I wol thee telle al plat, |
| That vengeance shal nat parten from his hous |
| That of hise othes is to outrageous. |
| 365 | "By Goddes precious herte," and "by his nayles," |
| And "By the blood of Crist that is in Hayles, |
| Sevene is my chaunce and thyn is cynk and treye!" |
| "By Goddes armes, if thou falsly pleye, |
| This daggere shal thurghout thyn herte go!" |
| 370 | This fruyt cometh of the bicched bones two, |
| Forsweryng, ire, falsnesse, homycide! |
| Now, for the love of Crist, that for us dyde, |
| Lete youre othes bothe grete and smale. |
| But, sires, now wol I telle forth my tale. |
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Now will I speak of oaths both false and great |
| A word or two, whereof the old books treat. |
| 345 | Great swearing is a thing abominable, |
| And vain oaths yet more reprehensible. |
| The High God did forbid swearing at all, |
| As witness Matthew; but in especial |
| Of swearing says the holy Jeremiah, |
| 350 | "Thou shalt not swear in vain, to be a liar, |
| But swear in judgment and in righteousness"; |
| But idle swearing is a wickedness. |
| Behold, in the first table of the Law, |
| That should be honoured as High God's, sans flaw, |
| 355 | This second one of His commandments plain: |
| "Thou shalt not take the Lord God's name in vain." |
| Nay, sooner He forbids us such swearing |
| Than homicide or many a wicked thing; |
| I say that, as to order, thus it stands; |
| 360 | 'Tis known by him who His will understands |
| That the great second law of God is that. |
| Moreover, I will tell you full and flat, |
| That retribution will not quit his house |
| Who in his swearing is too outrageous. |
| 365 | "By God's own precious heart, and by His nails, |
| And by the blood of Christ that's now at Hales, |
| Seven is my chance, and yours is five and trey!" |
| "By God's good arms, if you do falsely play, |
| This dagger through your heart I'll stick for you!" |
| 370 | Such is the whelping of the bitched bones two: |
| Perjury, anger, cheating, homicide. |
| Now for the love of Christ, Who for us died, |
| Forgo this swearing oaths, both great and small; |
| But, sirs, now will I tell to you my tale. |
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