"Artow manlich among thi neghebores Of thi mete and drynke?" "I am holden," quod he, "as hende As hound is in kichene, Amonges my neghebores, namely, Swiche a name ich have." "Now God lene thee nevere," quod Repentaunce, "But thow repente the rather, The grace on this grounde {93} Thi good wel to bi-sette, 3000 Ne thyne heires after thee Have joie of that thow wynnest, Ne thyne executours wel bi-sette The silver that thow hem levest; And that was wonne with wrong With wikked men be despended. For were I frere of that hous Ther good feith and charité is, I nolde cope us with thi catel, Ne oure kirk amende, 3010 Ne have a peny to my pitaunce, So God my soule save! For the beste book in oure hous, Theigh brent gold were the leves, And I wiste witterly Thow were swich as thow tellest. _Servus es alterius, Dum fercula pinguia quæris; Pane tuo potius Vescere, liber eris._ 3020 "Thow art an unkynde creature, I kan thee noght assoille, Til thow make restitucion And rekene with hem alle; And sithen that Reson rolle it In the registre of hevene, That thow hast maad ech man good, I may thee noght assoile. _Non dimittitur peccatum, donec restituatur oblatum._ 3030 "For alle that han of thi good, Have God my trouthe! Ben holden at the heighe doom {94} To helpe thee to restitue; And who so leveth noght this be sooth, Loke in the Sauter glose, In _Miserere mei, Deus_, Wher I mene truthe; _Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, etc._ Shal nevere werkman in this world 3040 Thryve with that thow wynnest. _Cum sancto sanctus eris;_ Construwe me this on Englisshe." Thanne weex that sherewe in wanhope, And wolde han hanged hym; Ne hadde Repentaunce the rather Reconforted hym in this manere. "Have mercy in thi mynde, And with thi mouth biseche it; For Goddes mercy is moore 3050 Than alle hise othere werkes. And al the wikkednesse in this world That man myghte werche or thynke, Nis na-moore to the mercy of God, Than in the see a gleede. _Omnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam Dei, est quasi scintilla in medio maris._ "For-thi have mercy in thy mynde, And marchaundise leve it; 3060 For thow hast no good ground To gete thee with a wastel, But if it were with thi tonge, Or ellis with thi two hondes. For the good that thow hast geten Bigan al with falshede, And as longe as thow lyvest therwith, {95} Thow yeldest noght, but borwest.