By this ye se that they that couet the best parte somtyme therfore lese the meane parte and all.
¶ _Of the welche man that shroue hym for brekynge of hys faste on the fryday._ xiv.
¶ A Welcheman, dwellynge in a wylde place of Walys, cam to hys curate in the tyme of Lente and was confessyd; and when hys confessyon was in maner at the end, the curate askyd hym, and[22] he had any other thyng to say that greuyd his conscience. Which sore abasshid answered no worde a great whyle; at last by exhortacyon of his goostly fader he sayde that there was one thyng in his mynde that greatly greued his conscyence, which he was asshamed to vtter: for it was so greuous that he trowed God wold neuer forgyue hym. To whom the curate answerd and sayd, that Goddes mercy was aboue all, and bad hym not dyspayre in the mercy of God. For what so euer it was, yf he were repentant, that God wolde forgyue hym. ¶ And so by longe exortacyon at the last he shewyd it and seyde thus. Syr, it happenyd ones that, as my wyfe was makynge a chese vpon a Fryday, I wolde fayne haue sayed whether it had ben salt or fresshe, and toke a lytyll of the whey in my hande, and put it in my mouthe; and or[23] I was ware, parte of it went downe my throte agaynst my wyll and so I brake my faste. To whom the curate sayde: and if there be non other thynge, I warant God shall forgyue the. So whan he had well comforted hym with the mercy of God, the curate prayed hym to answere a questyon and to tell hym trueth; and when the welchman had promysed to tell the truth, the curate sayd that there were robberyes and murders done nye the place 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.