where he dwelte and diuers men found slayn; and asked hym
whether _he knew ought_ poyntynge[24] to any of them. To whom he
answeryd and sayd yes and sayd _he had ben priuye_ to many of them, and
dyd helpe to robe and to slee dyuers of them. _Then the_ curate asked
hym, why he dyd not conffesse hym therof. The Welshman _answeryd_ and
sayde he toke that for no synne: for it was a custome amongest _them
that_, when any boty cam of any ryche merchant rydyng, that it was but a
_trewe_ neyboure dede one to help another when one callyd another; and
so they _held it_ but for good felowshyp and neyghbourhood.

_Here_ maye ye se that some haue remorse of conscyence of small venyall
_sinnis and_ fere not to do gret offencys without shame of the
worled[25] or drede of _God_; and, as the comon prouerbe is, they
stumble at a strawe and lepe ouer a blocke.

FOOTNOTES:

[22] if.

[23] before.

[24] appertaining or relevant.

[25] World.

+ _Of the merchaunte of London that dyd put nobles in his mouthe in hys
dethe bedde._ xv.

+ A ryche couetous marchant there was that dwellid in London, which euer
gaderyd mony and could neuer fynd in hys hert to spend ought _vpon_ hym
selfe nor vpon no man els. Whiche fell sore syke, and as he laye on hys
deth bed had his purs lyenge at his beddys hede, and [he] had suche a
loue to his money that he put his hande in his purs, and toke out therof
x or xii li. in nobles and put them in his mouth. And because his wyfe
and other perceyued hym very syke and lyke to dye, they exortyd hym to
be confessyd, and brought the curate vnto hym. Which when they had
caused him to say Benedicite, the curate bad hym crye God mercy and
shewe to hym his synnes. Than this seyck man began to sey: I crey God
mercy I haue offendyd in the vii dedly synnes and broken the x
commaundementes; but[26] because of the gold in his mouth he muffled so
in his speche, that the curate could not well vnderstande hym: wherfore
the curat askyd hym, what he had in his mouthe that letted his spech. I
wys, mayster parsone, quod the syke man, muffelynge, I haue nothyng in
my mouthe but a lyttle money; bycause I wot not whither[27] I shal go, I
thought I wold take some spendynge money with me: for I wot not what
nede I shall haue therof; and incontynent after that sayeng dyed, before
he was confessyd or repentant that any man coulde perceyue, and so by
lyklyhod went to the deuyll.

By this tale ye may se, that they that all t