Dear list-members,

It's a very long shot, but ....

I need help in identifying an uncatalogued fragment of 
Chapter 7 of a 5th-century Middle English so-called 
"Short Form of Confession" in Exeter Cathedral Library 
(it can't be all that short, as four pages are part of 
Chapter 7.) It is on a bifolium, *not central to the 
original quire*, and is severely discoloured, creased, 
faded and etched away by ink. 

Having no Incipit, I can't really use Jolliffe. The
resources of our library have not enabled me to identify
the text in anything published. We don't hold the Garland 
_Handbook of Medieval Sexuality_, either....

The first two pages are headed "of the sinne of leccherie 
in deed; of confessioun capitulum vijm", and the last two 
"a schort foorme of confessioun; of confessioun in deede 
capitulum vijm". The first folio treats lechery, the 
second (which, remember, did not directly follow the first) 
treats avarice (or sloth?) gluttony and again lechery, 
including misuse of the five senses. 

In the transciption below, capitalisation and punctuation 
are mine. Thorn is replaced by "th", yogh by "3". MS 
lineation is preserved. Folio numbers are invented: no medieval 
ones are visible. I have tried to indicate the approximate 
length of illegible words and passages. Question marks indicate
uncertain readings.

I did just wonder about BL Caligula-Cotton A ii ff.69v-70r,
which Jolliffe lists as beginning "I crye god mercy"---a recurrent
phrase in the fragment, but the BL example is clearly very short...

Perhaps someone out there will recognise the Manual or Examination
of Conscience or whatever? Any help adopted will be formally 
acknowledged, of course. 

Hopefully, Avril

----------------------
Avril Henry
School of English & American Studies
Queen's Building
Queen's Drive
University of Exeter
EXETER
Devon
UK
EX4  4QH

Tel: 01392-264252

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f.1r
... longe avisement & abidyngeis to sich actuel synne 
with persoones of sich degree, & speciali with a 
wyf or with an husbonde, if I hadde tyme or place 
or durste for drede of the world with ful assent 
to that fleischly concupiscen{s} [which is a foul?] 
synne & fulli a3ens the precept of oure lord where 
I am comaundid that I schulde not desire my nei3eboris 
wyf;  in this I haue offendid wherfore I crie 
god mercy. Also I haue synned in leccherie deedly, 
parfoormynge my concupiscens fleischly in deede 
of generacioune with sengil men or wymmen, 
thus many, thus ofte or thus longe tyme, in sich 
tyme or in sich place or in siche vigilis or in siche 
feestis;  also I haue synned deedly in siche maner 
waies & siche placis or siche daies or sich feestis, 
with straunge men or straunge wymmen, or with 
knowing wymmen or not knowing [....p] that 
were seculer or religious, weddid or singil, or my 
kyn or of affinite,  thus ofte,  or thus longe vsid that 
synne;  also I haue synned in the same [p...at] deed 
in siche tymes, siche daies, siche places thus ofte or 
with so manye persoones whiche I wiste [..... ] 
[.....] waies [..... ..... ..... ....may] to haue [a....] 
of kith or ellys with a mayde to [...... ..... .... ] 
or ellis to weddeyng;  & also I haue synned in the [....] 
[...] synne deedly siche tymes, siche daies or [..] 
[...] thus ofte with wymmen that hadde a [vow...t] 
[f.1v] 
or other men or wymmen of religioun. Also I haue synned 
deedly in this synne of leccherie siche tymes or 
placis thus ofte,  with siche maner persoones or siche 
or sich in dishonest maner & repreuable maner 
to goddis lawe & abhominable in the si3t of god, 
which was an orrible synne of leccherie wherfore 
I crie god mercy. Also I haue knowe my wyf, sumtyme 
or ofte, more to parfoorme the concupiscens 
of fleisch than for procreacioun of children,  or custumabli 
vsid vnhonest cheer togideris to haue more 
fleischli dilectaciouns, which was a greuous 
synne in matrymonye,  or vsid sich synne for lust 
oonly,  in vigilis or othere fastynge daies & hi3e feestis 
or othere tyme whanne I schulde not come ny3 
my wyf,  which was also a greuous synne in matrymonie;  
or I haue vsid my wyf or husbonde wilfully 
or a3ens my wil dishonestly in [reprouabell?] 
maner, a3ens goddis lawe & the holy sacrament 
of matrymonye, which was a foul horrible synne 
of leccherie,  wherfore I crie god mercy. Also I haue 
synned deedly in the synne of leccherie & a3ens 
my boond of matrimonye leeuynge my wyf 
or husbonde [...yng] othere men or wymmen siche [...] or [...]
[.....] thus many,  in sich maner,  siche tymes 
or feestis or placis,  for siche causis,  and thus 
longe vsid,  which was a greuous synne a3ens 
the precept of my god where I am comaundid ...

[f.2r] 
 ... [...kynge] of money or fals chartris seelis or keies 
of lettre or othere thingis.  I haue also withholde 
temperal good vnlawefully, & specialy the good that 
I haue borowid I haue not paied a3en at the tyme 
sett but wilfully withholde it whanne I my3te 
haue paied it a3en,  or ellis spent it in anothir 
vss that I my3te not paie it a3en whanne I wolde 
haue paied it. Also I haue withholde good of 
deede mennes that was biquethe to othere;  also that 
I haue founde I haue not restorid it,  thou3 I haue 
knowe to whom,  or ellis I haue not do my bisynes 
to knowe to whom. Also I haue withholde weddis vntruli 
& othere paiment to pore or to riche wrongfulli. Also I haue 
mispendid sotili goodis whiche god hath [sent?] to me or other mennes 
goodis that I haue had in gouernaile, as in vanyte [..] 
[bonte?], clothinge & greet & gay aray in greete feestis, 
in synne with men or wymmen or ministrals 
or iogulouris & othere siche vanytees & in manye othere 
maners,  wherfore I crie god mercy. I haue also 
synned,  sithen my laste confessioun,  in glotenye & 
bi to myche excesse in meete,  sich a day or ny3t,  or 
sich a tyme,  or custumabli more than were nede, 
or more for lust & appetit than for necessite,  wherfore 
I haue falle in drunkeschipe & be the worse disposid 
to serue god in dew tyme. Also sithen my laste 
confessioun I haue falle in fornycacioun or auoutrie 
or incest or in other maner,  or ellis in sich speche of 
[f.2v] 
leccherie bi dilectacioun of si3t or of heeringe or 
of touchinge or of handelynge or bi vnclennes 
wakynge or bi siche illusiouns slepinge,  wherfore 
I crie god mercy. Also sithen my laste confessioun 
was, I haue synned in deede-doynge by myspendinge 
of my fyue wittis, & specialy in lustful
si3tis of siche maner vanitees or of siche foule 
si3tis for dilectacioun,  or somer games or pleies 
or daunsis or othere folies, also in wilful heerynge 
idil talis, foule talis, tidinges, bordis or [falais?] 
[h....ynges] or of synne or of wickednes also 
[......] or [.......] or [........] or [........] 
this ............................................
................................................
...................................................
................. [..3ayinge] ....................
[..] may [...] seyne him also with wymmen [.....]
[...mad] veyne signes & wyte [folies?] & hyre 
[...] iapis & vside hem mysilf also with myn 
h.... I haue heryd in boorde or in wraththe in 
haue ......................... also I haue synned 
[.oynge] ......... veyn si3is & plaies ..........
& herynges ................... aray & brou3te [..s]
.................................................
......................................... myspendid 
my fyue wittis rathere aboute [vices and?] vanitees 

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